Life in the rodeo is tough, but Hall of Fame cowboy Charles Sampson knows he's had it easy when he watches his friend Maddie Olson.

Olson, who uses a wheelchair, is among 13 entrants competing Wednesday in the 13th annual Special Rodeo at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

"It's almost selfish to say (but) I get the most out of it," Sampson said before gesturing toward the competition. "Maddie is a lot of fun. Cowboys have to ride bulls and wrestle steers, but watching this makes me realize we take what we can do for granted."

Sampson, who was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1996, and Olson share a special bond that has only strengthened since they met four years ago when Olson, 16, started competing.

The friends typically stay in touch via e-mail, but on Wednesday they swapped stories in person - he told of his days as a cowboy and she talked about life as a student at Coronado High School.

It's a friendship that began thanks to the Special Rodeo.

While the event doesn't draw the crowds of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, which continues today at the Norris-Penrose Event Center, it is a highlight for the entrants who have worked hard in their weekly practices. Time on a horse has its therapeutic benefits.
Riding works leg and stomach muscles, which helps the wheelchair-bound.

Those with autism and similar developmental disabilities are forced to concentrate, which helps with sensory integration.

The training can provide additional benefits.

"She learned left and right and the alphabet while on a horse," said Andrea Reeves, mother of rodeo entrant Candice Reeves, 23, who has ridden for 18 years. "It's been wonderfully beneficial."

The applause of the crowd is great for the competitors' self-esteem, but riding means more to Olson.

"Riding a horse is a chance to be out of the wheelchair," she said. "It's a chance to be free."

The event is organized by the Pikes Peak Range Riders  and the Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center. Three of the original four Range Rider organizers have put together all 13 events.

"We'll keep doing this until we're in the ground," said Raymond Skalla, who started the rodeo committee with Tony Cuchares, Ron Foster and T.J. Walter.

The event costs between $1,200 and $1,500 in donations of money and goods.

All the logistical headaches disappear when they see the smiles on the riders' faces.

"It's enough to put a tear in an old cowboy's eye," Skalla said.
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