On a frigid night, thousands braved the cold for some Friday night fun. They grabbed their boots and joined everyone at the World's Toughest Rodeo.
It's everything you would expect to see at the World's Toughest Rodeo, at the I-Wireless Center in Moline, January 24, 2014. A lot of bucking and a lot of holding on for your life. However, this isn't your typical Rodeo and not everything is your typical bull or horse.
"We open that gate and you don't never know what's gonna happen," said Steve Boger, ostrich handler.
Instead jockey's ride a seven foot tall ostrich.
"It's very difficult I mean you never know which direction they're going. There's no two shows ever the same," said Boger.
They can run up to 45 miles per hour. However, there's something else that's out of the ordinary.
"Whiplash is the best cowboy in this building tonight, I guarantee it,"said Kenny Petet, Whiplash's owner.
Whiplash is a 22 year old cowboy monkey.
"He puts the sheep in one pin, puts them in the other pin. He loads them in the trailer, he does it himself," said Petet.
Whiplash saddles up like every other cowboy, but only onto a dog name Boogie.
'There isn't a cowboy without a horse, there wasn't a Roy Rogers without trigger, there's whiplash and there's boogie."
Both being tough in their own special way.
"Rodeo fans like anything exciting, fast and I can guarantee them they will get that here," said Boger.
The last night for the World's Toughest Rodeo is Saturday, January 25, 2014. Tickets are still available.