Sep 24 2008
The Rodeo Monkey
The Poway Rodeo is coming up this weekend and while I now would avoid attending the rodeo since its pretty much cruel and unnecessary despite the kettle corn, I’m not ashamed to say I have gone in the past. One of the best things about the rodeo, besides the Mutton Busting (small children riding sheep), and eating aforementioned kettle corn, are the acts they have between the events. A few years ago, my dad and I went to the Ramona rodeo and had the pleasure of witnessing a Rodeo Monkey named Whiplash. I was inspired to do a quick search for Whiplash this morning and, let me just say, his website exceeds all expectations.
It’s pretty much everything you would want a website about a Rodeo dog riding monkey to be. The all bold text proclaims: WHIPLASH THE COWBOY MONKEY IS A TRULY A FAN FAVORITE, HE IS AN INTERNATIONAL STAR AND A TRUE COWBOY. This makes me wonder if Whiplash has ever met Sugar Bush Squirrel, the “International Superstar.” Maybe they could get together and discuss what it is like to be a small animal dressed in ridiculous human clothes.
The Whiplash website also includes a page with “SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT EACH ANIMAL.” I was definitely curious to learn more about Whiplash. While the fact that he likes Animal Planet is not the surprising (he probably enjoys watching what normal monkeys, ones that aren’t constantly humiliated by humans and forced to ride dogs do), but I was sort of surprised to see he also likes “Law and Order.” I wonder why? Last time I watched Law and Order it was just a lot people sitting in court rooms and really lacked the bananas I would think would make a show appealing to a monkey. The page also has information about the dog he rides, Ben, who is apparently “THE MOST LOYAL AND COURAGOUS DOG EVER” (just a fact). Another fact about Ben is that “HE IS AWESOME.”
According to Whiplash’s schedule, he will not be in Poway this year, and I probably wouldn’t go to the rodeo even if he was. The remains in my thoughts and my heart however, and I wish him the best of luck as he continues to “ROCK THE HOUSE.”
