It's not just a festival for the Menards

Farmers Mike and Paula Menard and sons Kyle and Jabian showed the visiting royalty the ropes with little Buddy and Mr. Puzzles, the bull. At one point, Jabian (shown above playing with Buddy) grabbed Mr. Puzzle’s tail to “surf” behind him on the grass. That set off Mr. Puzzles, who bolted, pulling first Jabian (who let go) and then Mike (who held on). The bull dragged Mike for a few yards as queens darted out of the way, until Mike (flat on his back, arms over his head, but smiling the whole way) got the bull under control. Later, the family taught the queens how to prep a bull for a show and offered a hands-on guide to where all our favorite cuts of meat come from. (I now see brisket in a whole new light.)