The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
Herald/Review
FORT HUACHUCA — This morning athletes, coaches and other staff members leave this Southern Arizona post, heading back to their homes.
For many, the flights will be long as they wing their way their way to other continents.
For members of the American men’s and women’s military volleyball team, the trips may not take as long.
|
|
As an example, Maj. Debra McNamara, who played on the women’s team during the 27th International Military Sports Council Volleyball Championships only has to go a few miles from the post to her home in Hereford.
But, before the teams left for Canada, China, Cyprus, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Qatar and other U.S. installations, they were treated to some Western culture on Sunday.
Under a blazing sun, where shade was at a premium, the athletes enjoyed a cookout and then saw B Troop, 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (Memorial) perform and then settle back to see a professional rodeo exhibition at Wren Arena.
During the rodeo one young bull rider was slightly injured when he was thrown off the animal and stomped on.
The unidentified rider was treated at the scene and initially declined transportation to the Sierra Visa Regional Medical Center.
Apparently later he changed his mind. Initial reports indicated he suffered from a dislocated shoulder.
When the audience saw the rider go down and trampled by the more-than-a-ton bull, gasps of concerns were audible.
It wasn’t the only time the people watching the rodeo expressed verbal concern. There were other bull riders and bareback horse riders who flew off their animals.
For the more cautious in the area who might have entertained a notion of riding a real bull but thought better of it, there was a mechanical bull to ride.
However, no one was able to stay on the electrical beast for long, even though the bucking setting was on low.
Whenever an athlete took a ride on the mechanical bull, he would look for a cowboy hat to wear, snatching one from another athlete’s head.
The cultural day event ended with the “hanging” of Canadian Brig. Gen. Dwyane Lucas, the head of the CISM volleyball association.
The Tombstone Vigilantes accused him of a number of crimes committed in Tombstone and asked the audience if Lucas should be dispatched via a noose.
The crowd unanimously declared him guilty of all charges.
Even members of the Canadian volleyball teams — men and women — were enthusiastic to hang him, including his son, Officer Cadet Jonathan Lucas, who played on the Canadian men’s team, who was the loudest in yelling “hang him.”
Herald/Review senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
Ezai I. Martinez wrote on Jun 24, 2009 7:58 PM: