The Traffords: Day 13 - 9 September 2016 - Universal and Kissimmee Rodeo

Being honest we are all starting to flag now and it would have been so easy to just have another pool day having planned to go to the rodeo in the evening. We did however want to make sure Jodie experienced the hulk rollercoaster and forbidden valley ride at Universal's Harry Potter world (omitted the first time due to a headache and fears of darkness respectively) so we all mustered up some enthusiasm from somewhere and off we trekked down the familiar route to International Drive. This holiday malarky is frankly quite exhausting!

We headed straight to the island of adventure and us girls went on the Hulk ride....... Simon wanted to get a photo and was designated bag holder (or was just too much of a wuss....you decide). This ride is one of my all time favourites for sure!

Our 'having fun' faces

The amazing Hulk Roller Coaster

Marilyn Monroe

The Dessert Foundry

We proceeded to the Harry Potter ride which Jodie was glad she didn't miss out, another triumph for universal studios, the queue is brilliant too, walking through the corridors and halls of Hogwarts, seeing the moving pictures who talk to each other, it all just adds to the magic. Simon headed off and enjoyed a pint in the Hogs Head!

With those ticked off the list we then decided we would quite like a milkshake and ended up at the 'Dessert Foundry'...........O M G!!! Well any hint dieting went out of the window here, Jodie had the biggest, creamiest milkshake I have ever seen and Simon & I shared (I know..........me..........sharing a dessert......who'd have thought!) a cookies and cream ice-cream sundae. Jenny didn't fancy anything sweet so she had a Hot Dog afterwards on the way out.

Jodie's Marshmallow Milkshake

Cookies & Cream Sundae

Universal completed for the holiday we headed directly to the Kissimmee Rodeo which turned out to be one of the highlights of the holiday. First port of call........was obviously the bar, where we were greeted with great American hospitality, got some inside info from the bar maid, a country singer played live in the background and we just knew we were in for a real treat. I was a little concerned at the methods they use to make them buck and didn't realise that the horses were specifically bred to buck and training involves rewards (release of pressure) when the horse responds with the required action. Apparently most of the top 'broncers' are mares!! Go figure!!

'Patrick' offered us a 'behind the scenes' tour. This involved them 'bringing in' the bulls from the main arena into the holding bays in preparation for the evenings bull riding. He explained that these Bulls were also specifically bred to buck and the pedigrees go way back for generations. The youngest Bull being 3 years old (which the kids under 14 rode!) the oldest 'K9' being 14 years of age but still going strong, this one had a bit of a reputation! It doesn't get much more rustic American than this.

One of the bulls

Watching them separate the animals

Patrick

The way they transport the horses was also fascinating and ranged from massive trailers to equine hamster cages!

Standard American trailer

So there we were, all set for an evening of Steak, beans & coleslaw (burgers for the girls), beer for Simon (and plenty of it seeing as Trudy was driving home!),bull riding, barrel racing, calf roping and probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen ever during the interval. They asked for all the kids under 12 to go into the arena to play a fun game. So... in they went... ranging from toddlers who could barely toddle to full up 12 year olds. They then proceeded to release 3 calves who had ribbons in their tails and the first 3 kids to bring back a ribbon each got $5 as a prize. I wished I'd have videoed it but I was too busy laughing!!! H&S would have had a field day in the UK.