A wayward longhorn briefly ran into the Great Western Bank in downtown Colorado Springs on Friday after escaping from an annual parade.
No one was injured during the interlude, which also featured two cowboys on horseback running in after the black longhorn and quickly reemerging with a lasso tied around the cow’s neck.
This marked the 16th year of the event, where a small herd of 25 longhorns and as many calves were led down Tejon Street. The short drive kicked off the Ride for the Brand Rodeo, which takes place in Colorado Springs this weekend.
“A lot of people forget about our Western traditions,” Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said while watching the longhorns pass by. “Things like this kind of remind us of it.”
Debbie Evans and friend Sally Hardman were set up to watch the parade from camping chairs on the sidewalk. Evans had expected it to be a quiet afternoon.
“I’ve heard they’re gentle animals and they just go right down the street and don’t get excited in the crowd. We hope that happens again today,” Evans said.
As fate would have it, the escaped longhorn ran right by Evans and Hardman on its way to the Great Western Bank entrance.
“I got too excited, I couldn’t run!” she said with a laugh. “I got it on camera though.”
