The Garden City Telegram
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Masquerading: Cowboys, princesses fill up park
Published 6/1/2009 in Beef Empire Days-Entertainment
By SHAJIA AHMAD
Pink cowgirl boots and buckles almost overtook Stevens Park, but the costumes that adorned the animated kids couldn't compete with the princess apparel.
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Brad Nading — Zachary Strong, 6, right, and Aaron Dunlap, 10, get in a little break dancing Saturday in Stevens Park while listening to the music being played at the Beef Empire Days High Plains Public Radio Children's Parade.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Emelie Palmer, 9, waits in line for the Beef Empire Days High Plains Public Radio Children's Parade to begin Saturday in Stevens Park.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Members of the Southwest Kansas Cattlewomen organization work the assembly line Wdnesday to fill meals for the Beef empire Days Roto-Mix Cattlemen's Steak Cookout at the Finney County Fairgrounds. The meal consisted of a barbequed steak, baked beans, roll and iced tea.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Casey Tipton, right, lassos the head of a steer as Sean Tyler waits to rope a leg Sunday at the Finney County Fairgrounds arena during a run in the team poring portion of the Beef Empire Days Feedlot and Sponsors Roping, Riding and Barrel Racing event.
[if "Brad Nading/Telegram — MacKenzie Batman, Cimarron, works a cow back and forth across the ring away from the herd Saturday during the senior youth division of the Beef Empire Days Cutting Horse competition at the Finney County Fairgrounds' horse palace. " isnot "nopurchase"]Click to Purchase Photo Reprints!
[if "Brad Nading/Telegram — MacKenzie Batman, Cimarron, works a cow back and forth across the ring away from the herd Saturday during the senior youth division of the Beef Empire Days Cutting Horse competition at the Finney County Fairgrounds' horse palace. " isnot "nopurchase"]Brad Nading/Telegram — MacKenzie Batman, Cimarron, works a cow back and forth across the ring away from the herd Saturday during the senior youth division of the Beef Empire Days Cutting Horse competition at the Finney County Fairgrounds' horse palace.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Michael Nelson, 2, dresses as a cowboy to pull a wagon his sister, Jenna, 3, is riding in Saturday as the march around Stevens Park during the annual Beef Empire Days High Plains Public Radio Children's Parade. This was the 10th year for the event.
Four-year-old Sydney Dunlap goofed around with her older brothers in her fairy frock before the start of the annual Beef Empire Days Children's Parade.
"(Sydney's) got a closet full of princess dresses, so we just had to pick one out," said Addie Dunlap, who also brought her sons, Aaron, 10, and Preston, 8, ready with their scooters for the Saturday morning fanfare.
"We all came out because this is just something fun for the kids to do," the mother of three added.
About 50 costumed-kids and their parents congregated in Stevens Park for the High Plains Public Radio parade, the 10th consecutive year the National Public Radio-affiliate has hosted the children's program in conjunction with Beef Empire Days.
HPPR started the parade a decade ago to fill a niche that hadn't yet been conquered in the two-week long cattle festival, said the radio station's executive director, Deb Oyler.
"We make sure every kid gets a certificate and treat bag at the end — this is really a program for them," Oyler said.
As the kids marched around, the pageantry spoke more to a Halloween scene — a few Spidermen and Disney princesses trotted about — than the cattle and farming heritage.
Of course, comic book heroes and fairy-tale princesses weren't the only characters on display, and some kids did don items from their western wardrobes.
Three-year-old Bradyn Spellman stomped in his boots and a bronco vest, the fringe of his costume swaying with his steps.
"I'm a cowboy," he said proudly and smiled.
Bradyn's mother, Chrissy Spellman, said the western wear wasn't her son's first choice, though it did earn Bradyn the "Cutie Pie" costume award at the end of the parade.
"He wanted to be a dinosaur," Spellman said and laughed. "It took some time for me to convince him it was a little too hot for that costume."
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