 When
we rolled into town mid-morning, Friday, the first notable image was
the World's Largest Rattlesnake erected to commemorate the town's
annual Rattlesnake Roundup.
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 We
arrived a little early and got to watch the handlers, including Brit
Stevens seen here, set up their snake program, vendors setup their
booths and...
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 ...the Rattlesnake weigh-in.
This one was abut 6 pounds and a little over five feet long. |
 Vendors were selling everything from hats, lamps toys, kettle corn and old-time photographs to...
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 ...all things rattlesnake, including these rare and extremely dangerous, lightening quick, raccoon-footed rattlesnake turtles.
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 My
good friend, Jim, bought a rattlesnake hat band. It does seem to
set him apart, although when I think more on it - it's not the hat band
that sets him apart.
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 The show began with the loading of about 150 Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes from their holding boxes into the display pen.
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 Headliner,
Jackie Bibby, was eager to show off snakes to spectators. He has
been handling snakes more than 40 years and has been bitten by venomous
snakes 9 times as evidenced by huge scars on his hands and arms.
Jackie
holds several Guinness World Records including holding at the same time
11 Rattlesnakes by the tails in his mouth. He has appeared with
his snakes internationally and has appeared on shows such as the the
Tonight Show with Jay Leno. |
 Spectators crowd around the display pen as Jackie shows off the fangs of a Western Diamondback rattler.
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 Handler, Britt Stevens helps show-off the fangs of an adult Western Diamondback.
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 Children, too, were fascinated by the snakes. This girl watches though a Plexiglass panel in the demonstration pen.
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 In
addition to the rattlesnakes there were other snakes on display, as
well. This is a Black Pakistani Cobra. This is
not a milked or defanged Cobra, it is a highly venomous snake just as
it would occur in its natural environment.
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 Jackie seems to taunt the snake or dare it to strike at him.
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 After
distracting the Cobra with his derby the snake becomes so focused on
the hat that Jackie can bend down and kiss it on the top of its head,
"The Kiss of Death."
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 Another handler, with the assistance of Brit Stevens performs a similar feat with an Egyptian Banded Cobra.
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 In
this photo Brit handles the Black Pakistani Cobra while
apprentice handler, Josh Branton, performs his first ever "Kiss of
Death.
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 Another high light of the show was this enormous Burmese Python.
The
man in the black shirt who goes by the name, "Snake," explained to me
that the Python eats once or twice a month. He said the snake
hadn't eaten in about three weeks and then invited me to "Step a little
closer." |
 Here, Snake, helps a Western Diamondback crawl onto the top of his hat.
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 A
few spectators brought their own pets to the show. Vicki poses
with an Iguana owned by a friendly gentleman in attendance.
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 In
addition to the Rattlesnake Roundup, the event plays host to
weekend-long entertainment including the Country Road Band appearing on
the grandstand.
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