Runaway Steers Rounded up by Cowboy on Horse inside Food Mart

The Puyallup Fair kicked off with a thrill Friday morning when a few cattle from the opening parade veered off course and entered a downtown convenience store. A pair of mounted cowboys entered the store to drive them out. Several other cattle lost their way in the parking lot of the convenience store and adjoining gas station at the corner of South Meridian Street and Fifth Avenue Southwest. Eventually, the cowboys drove all the animals back to the parade route along Meridian, and the procession of drill teams, marching bands and others went on as planned. Puyallup Police spokesman Dave McDonald said the store?s automatic sliding doors are what allowed the animals to enter. He said he believes two cattle ended up inside. ?The motion-operated doors opened right up for them,? McDonald said. He added that the animals didn?t substantially damage the store or cause any injuries. The strays did put a dent in a car parked in the store parking lot. The Western Rodeo Parade and Cattle drive opens the Puyallup Fair every year. McDonald said that it?s not uncommon for the cattle to deviate from the parade route, but he can?t remember a time when they?ve entered a building. ?They tend to go toward breaks in the crowd,? McDonald said. ?There was a break up there and they went for it.? Karen LaFlamme, spokeswoman for the fair, said she remembers one year when a lost animal walked up to a drive-through bank window as if it wanted to make a transaction. ?This time, I guess they wanted to go shopping,? LaFlamme said.