Excitement builds as a cowgirl guides her horse around the three barrels positioned in the arena then turns it for home. Barrel racing is one of the top timed events in the sport of rodeo.
Allen County rodeo fans will see some of the top performers in the United Rodeo Association compete in barrel racing, calf roping, bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, team roping, breakaway roping and “the big man’s event” — steer wrestling this weekend.
The 27th annual Allen County Fair Rodeo is Friday and Saturday on the fairgrounds in Riverside Park.
There will be 60 contestants ranked in the top 15 of the nine URA events in the 265 contestants expected for the two-night run of the rodeo. Allen County’s rodeo is sanctioned by the URA and the Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association (MRCA).
Performances are at 8 o’clock nightly at the Lyle Dreher Roughriders Arena. Tickets may be purchased at the gate for $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-10. Children under 5 will be admitted free with a paid adult.
C.R. McKellips Rodeo Company of Raymore, Mo., is the stock contractor, providing the rodeo’s rough stock. Charlie McKellips is the arena announcer with Tuffy Gessling as the rodeo funny man and speciality act. The bullfighters are Derek Search and Cody Lunceford.
Leading into both evening rodeo performances is mutton busting at the arena. Boys and girls may register at 5:30 p.m., at the front gate of the rodeo arena. It is limited to the first 30 riders each night. There is a $5 registration fee per rider.
Mutton busting competition begins at 6 p.m. The top five riders will compete during that evenings’ rodeo for a cash price.
For boys and girls, ages 7 and under, Friday has the boot/shoe race and Saturday features a stick horse race. The boot/shoe race has each child taking off one boot or shoe, putting it in the pile at the center of the rodeo arena then it’s off to the races. The first three children to find their boot or shoe, put it on and cross the finish line will receive cash prizes.
In Saturday’s stick horse race the first three children to cross the finish line with their stick horses will win cash prizes. Boys and girls are encouraged to bring their own stick horses to ensure entry into the race but the fair board will provide some stick horses.
For boys and girls, ages 8 to 12, both nights of the rodeo will have a chicken scramble. Chickens will be released in the arena and each kid who catches a chicken has the option of keeping it or trading it in for cash.
According to the entry sheets for the Allen County rodeo, three contestants are back to defend their 2011 Allen County Fair Rodeo event titles. Dani Miller of Blue Mound won the breakaway roping last year and she’ll compete here Saturday. Also on Saturday, Hannah Holland of Bucyrus, who is fourth-ranked in URA, runs the barrel race and last year’s Over 40 calf roping winner, Tim Kraus of Pacific, Mo., competes.
The URA top-ranked barrel racer Jordan Talbit is on the Friday contestant list. As is Melanie McGee of Yates Center, who finished third in the event here last year, and fourth-ranked Timber Allenbrand.
Second-ranked bareback bronc rider Justin Williams of DeSoto is up on Friday. Williams has won the event at Allen County in the past and was second here last year.
