There’s just something about a cowboy hat that looks cool. Plus, I like the way the boy’s hat and rope fall in the shadow and really jump out as a result. Centura student Nolan Wetzel practices his roping skills during the Centura FFA’s annual Barnyard event.

Sometimes it’s just fun to be where something amazing happens, like a huge upset victory during the $75,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes. The upset is thought to be one of the biggest ever at Fonner Park with the long shot defeating the favorite. The horses running through the rain soaked turf throwing up a spray of mud as they go also makes this photo more interesting. The Nutz, ridden by Donald Herber Jr. (left) pulls away from Larren Delorme riding Yield to the Storm down the stretch before holding off a late charge by the favorite, Wayzata Bay ridden by Timothy Doocy, and Habaneros with Ken Shino on board. Wayzata Bay finished second, Habaneros third and Yield to the Storm fell to fourth place.

It wasn’t just a lucky day for this race fan who’s cheering as her horse rides by after winning a race on a rainy day at Fonner Park, it was lucky for me too. Combine the odds of her winning that race, with me photographing her out of all the people at Fonner Park that day, with the winning horse riding by in front of her at that moment, pretty long odds indeed.

This is one of six images that ran on our Saturday Your Life photo page. The photos are all details from downtown Grand Island. This sign is from a business that, at one time, sold adding machines and typewriters. Life is always evolving, what was once cutting edge is now a relic of another era.

While some Civil War re-enactors spoke to Walnut Middle School students, I saw this one reflected in the American flag. It was a little too hard to tell who or what the guy was doing in this photo for the story that ran in the paper, and it’s not the greatest photo ever, but it’s an example of looking at things from a different perspective.

What a crazy photo as Marcus Bender of High Plains Center (left) falls after sending hurdles flying behind him during the 110-meter hurdles final at the Palmer Invitational track meet in St. Paul. Bender, who was leading the race didn’t finish, while Jesse Bartels of Heartland Lutheran (right) avoided a spill and went on to win the race.

As his tie blows in a strong wind, Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy is framed in the front door window as he arrives at Wood River Rural High School. I didn’t see the marks on the window that the auto-focus sensor picked up, but I  like the way it looks anyway.

While on another assignment, I saw this lad playing with the falling snow with an umbrella. The photo wound up running on the front page with a weather related story.

As staff member Nancy Klimek dances behind him, Grand Island Veterans Home member Pete Rickert (right) claps to the beat of “Shout” during the home’s annual variety show.