Carrot Ranch Rodeo Contest 2020
Rodeo #3: Three-Act Story
We live for stories, and as writers, we craft them in the written word. A story is about Something (plot) that happens to Someone (characters), Somewhere (setting). Even if it is only 99 words long.
Crafting the Story
Act I, the beginning, the story rises. If a story is about someone, we have to feel something for that character. When we care what happens next for or to this Someone, we come to the middle.
Act II shifts to fear, according to the Greeks. We can interpret this as the emotion that drives the writer and reader to worry about what happens next. Or be curious about what comes next. The driving emotion doesn’t have to be fear, but the middle holds an important shift or build-up of tension or expectation. The story is in motion.
Act III is when that motion comes to an end. The action falls; the story has arrived at an exit. A good ending is not canned, but one that lets the reader think about the story and the Someone long after the conclusion. A twist is when a writer ends with the unexpected, and it can be humorous or dramatic.
Theme Western Music “Git Along Little Doggies”
This week’s contest is based on Western Music, in particular this popular song, “Git Along Little Dogies,” first published in 1910, but mentioned as early as 1893.
General Contest Criteria
Much like with Colleen’s Found Poem Rodeo Contest last week, you are going to use the song, “Git Along Little Dogies” to inspire your writing.
- Include a line of consecutive words or at least six pivotal words from throughout the lyrics in your entry. Use bold font or highlight the words to make it easier for the judges to see.
- Feel free to include pictures from your research of the song that inspired you.
- Write a story that has Three Acts (they do not need to be labeled).
- The story must have a discernible beginning, middle, and end.
- The story must be about someone, set somewhere, and something happens.
- The story can be fiction or BOTS (based on a true story).
- It can include any tone or mood, and be in any genre, and there is NO PROMPT.
- Make the judges remember your story long after reading it.
Contest Rules
Every entry must be 99 words, no more, no less. You can have a title outside that limit. Check your word count using the wordcounter.net. Entries that aren’t 99 words will be disqualified.
- Enter this contest only once. If you enter more than once, only your first entry will count.
- Do your best to submit an error-free entry. Apply English grammar and spelling according to your country of origin style. As long as the judges can understand the language, it is the originality of the story that matters most.
- If you do not receive an acknowledgment by email WITHIN 3 DAYS, contact Charli at wordsforpeople@gmail.com.
- Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on October 26, 2020.
- Refrain from posting your contest entry until after November 24, 2020
- Entries must use at least six words from the Theme Song to qualify.
- Entries will be judged and a winner will be announced on November 17. The winning entries will be posted on a page at Carrot Ranch. There is a cash prize for the winning entry..
- Use the form below the rules to enter.
A Little History About Git Along Little Dogies
Do you love history like I do? Many recording artists have recorded the iconic cowboy tune since 1910, “Git Along Little Dogies.” Maybe you remember Roy Rogers’ 1940 version. A link to his video at the end of the lyrics may inspire your writing.
You might want to listen to the first commercial version of the song recorded in 1928 by Harry McClintock on a Victor V – 40016 B. In fact, each of the recordings come from different eras and different voices.
Sample story
The Birth of the Sons of the San Joaquin
by Marsha Ingrao
Lon Hannah loved the Lord, baseball, singing, and people. Sunday evenings after church, a group of us went to Hannah’s Triangle in Ivanhoe, CA to listen to Lon sing.
At his 80th birthday party, partygoers relaxed under the shade trees and sang cowboy songs. At about four, Lon’s sons Jack and Joe and grandson Lonnie mused, “What can we cowpunchers do to continue Gramp’s Legacy? Let’s become real cowboy singers like the Sons of the Pioneers.”
From then on, the Sons of the San Joaquin “git along” the trail performing and recording cowboy songs like Git Along Little Dogies.”
Git Along Little Dogies
Traditional Song Lyrics
As I was a-walking one morning for pleasure
I spied a cowpuncher all riding along
His hat was throwed back and his spurs was a-jinglin’
As he approached me, he was singin’ this song:
(Chorus:)
Whoopee ti yi yo, git along little dogies
It’s your misfortune and none of my own
Whoopee ti yi yo, git along little dogies
You know that Wyoming will be your new home
Early in the spring, we round up the dogies
Mark ’em and brand ’em and bob off their tails
Drive up our horses, load up the chuck-wagon
Then throw the dogies out on the trail
(Chorus)
It’s a-whoopin’ and yellin’ and a-drivin’ them dogies
Oh, how I wish that you would go on
It’s a-whoopin’ and punchin’ and go on little dogies
You know that Wyoming will be your new home
(Chorus)
Some boys goes up on the trail just for pleasure
But that’s where they get it most awfully wrong
For you haven’t an idea the trouble they give us
While we go driving them all along
(Chorus)
When the night comes, and we hold them on the bed-ground
These little dogies that roll on so slow
Round up the herd and cut out the strays
And roll the little dogies that never rolled before
Contest Resources
The list of YouTube recordings at the end of the lyrics is not exhaustive. Listen to all of the different artists, or find additional recordings that inspire you as you write.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlBR39b1Yhk Sons of the San Joaquin
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2cFji4CmHE Roy Rogers 1940 gambling video
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aTQWC7crW4 Kingston Trio – great pictures
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYZkcLs49TI Harry McClintock 1928 – 1st commercial recording, Published 1910, First mentioned 1893
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3b_EJgv1wc Alvin and the Chipmunks
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQITVzERKrM Woodie Guthrie 1944
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgYhfVc3mjQ Marty Robbins
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I11GvPz83BU Suzy Bogguss
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dl7vWrHBbI Burl Ives
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VBlinUH1c4 Muffin Songs Family Sing Alonghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvqmf5jRvd0 Western Horsemen Gillette Brothers, Guy and Pipp
Meet Your Judges
Norah Colvin
Norah Colvin is a lifelong learner and passionate educator. She believes in the power of education to change lives and is committed to raising awareness of ways to support and enhance learning.
Norah has spent her life learning and thinking about how children learn and how best to support their learning. Her own observations as learner, parent and teacher have enhanced understandings developed in both formal and informal study situations.
She believes strongly in the need for learning to be self-initiated, directed and motivated, and the importance of timely and appropriate support for learners on their individual journeys.
While no longer working with children in a school setting, Norah continues to share her passion for education and love of children’s literature through writing.
Connect with Norah on her blogs NorahColvin.com and readilearn.com.au. She can also be found (occasionally) on Facebook and Twitter.
Irene Waters
Irene began her working career as a reluctant potato peeler while waiting to train as a student nurse. On completion she worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing her hospital career as a clinical nurse educator in intensive care.
A life-changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered she was no farmer she took on the Barrington General Store and running a five-star restaurant.
After retiring and renovating their house, she and her husband moved to Queensland where she completed a post-grad certificate in Creative Industries in 2013. She followed this with a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now she lives to write and writes to live.
Connect with Irene on her blogs IreneWaters19.com and Irene Waters Writer on Facebook and Irene Waters Photography on Facebook
Happy writin’. Questions? If contact form does not work, email me at marshaalwayswrite@tchistorygal.net or tchistorygal@gmail.com. You can not format the Contact Entry Form so if you list the words you use that will work.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
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