The next morning, Cowboy is up before the sun and at the rodeo grounds practicing for his events in the rodeo. Oh! How he enjoys warming up first thing in the morning when it’s quiet and he has time all to himself just to think. As he’s practicing, he tries to put his sister on the back burner and think about Creativa instead but sadly to no avail. Having his sister in town for this rodeo is just distracting him too much and he can’t change that, but he can’t ask her to leave either. After all, she’s family. She comes around as she wants and leaves as she pleases. “Just block your sister out of your mind, dang it!” He yells to himself as he continues to practice. Three hours later, it’s finally time for the rodeo and all the contestants watch as their family members take their seats to watch them. As he watches the ponies sit, Cowboy sees Sweetheart sit down next to their paw Gold Bar while his brothers sit on either side of their mother, Wild Flower. He watches for another moment as another stallion sits down next to his sister. “That must be her stallionfriend,” he says to himself, “I hope he treats her right.”
A few moments later, the events begin. Cowboy does both of his and places first in both of them. Those like always are the hay bale toss and trick roping. They then take a break before the ponies all do the hurdles in which Cowboy places second. He’s fine with that. They never were his strong suit anyways. Once he’s finished with all his events, Cowboy goes and sits down with a bottle of apple cider which he drinks down happily, satisfied with his placements. As he’s enjoying his refreshments, he hears several sets of hooves trot up to him. It’s his family and his sister’s stallion friend.
“Hey Cowboy, little brother, I wanted to introduce you to my stallionfriend,” says Sweetheart. “His name is Powder Keg.”
“Cool,” says Cowboy with a shrug. “It’s nice to meet you, Powder Keg.”
“Please, just call me Keg,” responds the stallion with a deep throated voice.
“Oh okay,” says Cowboy a little taken aback by this. He then pulls himself together. “How long have you and my sister been dating?”
“Almost a year now,” responds Keg. “How about yourself? What mare is on your mind?”
“Her name is Creativa Artly, she’s an art teacher, rooms with the Apples in Ponyville,” he responds. “We haven’t been dating too terribly long. Our love is pure and strong, I’ll say that much. She keeps me in check and out of trouble.”
“Now that’s a solid marefriend, indeed,” responds Keg with a powerful laugh. “Hold on tight to that one.” He slaps Cowboy across the back, knocking the breath out of the stallion. Keg and Sweetheart trot off leaving Cowboy alone with just his mother, father, and brothers.
“Keg sure is interesting,” moans Cowboy to his family. “Where’d she find that one?”
“No idea,” responds Arrowhead, “but you know big sis knows how to pick them.”
“Yeah, I guess,” responds Cowboy. “But something seems off to me about him.”
“You’re just mad he can beat you up,” teases Arrowhead.
“No, something just feels off about him to me,” responds Cowboy. “I don’t trust him.”
“Well, you know your sister,” responds Gold Bar, “give her time, she’ll have a new stallionfriend by the end of the year, just you wait.” Cowboy nods and heads out of the rodeo grounds with his mom, dad, and brothers. All he can do is hope and pray that they’re right about Keg. After all, something about Keg just seems off to him and he still can’t put a hoof on it as to why.