A Country Journal : 2nd Largest Livestock Show in the Country

The wagon train slowly makes its way to Dixie National.

Winter is a time for getting ready for the next season in the country. The spring like weather we have been having is really making me long for spring right now. But, let's not hurry through the time of the year that brings us one of the best livestock shows in the country. In late January through the first half of February, Jackson, Mississippi host The Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. For the better part of a month the Mississippi State Fairgrounds are literally teaming with horses, cattle, goats, sheep, hogs, cowboys, farmers, cowgirls, pickup trucks, livestock and trailers, all amidst a small city of campers, vendors, and even a tent with pool tables and a saloon for those who enjoy a cold beer, some lively conversation and a jukebox playing the best country music as background for all this activity.

Earlier in the week I happened to driving by the fairgrounds just in time to see a portion of the wagon train arriving after their trip from south Mississippi.

Cowboys and their horses wait in line for hot tamales.

This huge show brings folks from virtually every state in the U.S., Canada and Mexico not to mention other countries from around the world that are often represented by participants in the competition here. Well over a 100,000 people either participate or come to see the happenings at the show each year. As far as I know, I have never failed to attend a DNLS. Since its beginning 48 years ago I have attended.

I can remember rising before daylight and riding to the show with my dad. We would make a day of it. It was always a good day for us. My father wasn't the most talkative person at times but we shared hundreds of great moments through the years at Dixie National. We almost always would make it to the Appaloosa horse show, the Paint and Quarter Horse Show and the annual horse sale. Back then we would sit in the arena and watch for hours. We would judge the horses and keep score cards and complain when the judges didn't agree with us. We talked to cowboys and horse people from all over. When I was just a kid I made friends from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming; to name just a few states. In fact, after talking to a group of young friends from Wyoming in the late 1960s I decided I would attend The University of Wyoming when I went to college. Well, having grown up at least in part in Oxford, I did come to my senses and attended and earned my BA degree in journalism from The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).

A young lady making a phone
call outside
the Foot Court (saloon) tent.

As a kid and later as a young adult I spent a lot of time around this and other livestock and horse shows...it has always been a part of my life. These things anchor me to my heritage. They allow my roots to stay deep in the Mississippi soil even though I am not a farmer. This year when I visit the show I am certain memories of my childhood spent with my father, my uncle Jimmy and from time to time other family members will bound back to me. There were times in my teen years that I would find my way to this and other horse shows as a retreat from the daily grind.

I once made a 1200 mile trip, one way, for a 3.3 second ride on a bareback bronc. I had a horrible bronc ride but made a bunch of new friends while sitting on the tailgate of my old '67 Ford pickup watching better cowboys than me ride for the prizes that weekend.

Inside the tent people gather for food, sport and
conversation.

Yep, shows like this have always been a part of my life and I hope they always will. When you bring people with common interest, from all around rural America, and gather them together in one place, the very best of them is exposed and shared.

We are a country folks and this is a country event. There is another week left in this year's show. If you are within a comfortable drive you should come and witness this for yourself. If you come just once you will return year after year.

The Equine Expo is next week and weekend. This is a must see and must do for anyone interested in country living. Each year hundreds of vendors display and sell tens of thousands of products ranging from tractors to watering troughs, western jewelry, saddles and tack and all types of western clothing. There are luxurious horse trailers and trucks and even western style furniture. Last year a cowboy coffin was on sale and, believe it or not it was the topic of a lot of conversation.

I have probably written enough words for today. I hope you enjoy the photos I have included. They are just snapshots from my iPhone but I think they depict the atmosphere of this family-friendly event.

Until next time...John.

The tamales were fabulous and worth the wait in line.

Young man giving some pointers to an old pro.

There was a place at the beer bar for another cowboy.

Finished the time in the food tent with a shared
funnel cake. It was called a Reeses' Peanut Butter
funnel cake. It was served with powdered sugar, peanut
butter and chocolate.