MAGNOLIA—It is once again time to don boots and jeans and mosey over to the Columbia County Fairgrounds for the Southern Arkansas University rodeo.
This year’s rodeo is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. nightly September 27, 28 and 29 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds.
One of the draws of the 27th Annual SAU rodeo will be the opportunity to watch members of the team who captured a fourth place national title for SAU in the collegiate finals earlier this year in Casper, Wyoming.
“It was the best we’ve done in years,” said Rusty Hayes, rodeo coach. “We’ve never even come close to (fourth place).”
The rodeo holds all the traditional events rodeo fans love such as bare back riding, saddle brock riding, bull riding and calf roping, but has a little something extra when it comes to women’s events, Hayes said. In addition to barrel racing and team roping, the collegiate level of competition includes goat tying and break away for young women.
In the goat tying event, young women have to demonstrate their speed and accuracy in tying up a goat. The break away is similar to calf roping, explained Hayes.
“The difference between this event and calf roping is the rope breaks away from the saddle horn,” Hayes said. “I’ve seen some of the girls do this in two or two and a half seconds.”
One of those girls, Ashley Mills, won the break away event in both the Florida High School and Georgia High School rodeo associations competitions this past year. Mills is a freshman from Live Oak, Florida, Hayes said. On the boy’s team, another standout, also from Florida, is Cody Prescott. Prescott, a sophomore of Jay, Florida, was fourth in the nation in calf roping at the competition.
In addition to being able to watch top rodeo talent, this year’s rodeo will also have an offering for the little cowgirls and cowboys in the audience. A calf scramble with cash prizes for first through third place winners will be offered for children 12 and under.
The cost of the rodeo is $5 for adults, $3 for students who present their student identification card and $3 for children ages 7-12. Children 6 and under are admitted free.
