Rodeo a great time for everybody

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

What are you doing Thursday night?

Got plans on Friday night?

Need something fun to do on Saturday?

The 60th annual Siloam Springs Rodeo can help in all three of those areas.

If you like good, clean, wholesome family entertainment, well then this is the event for you. You will have fun. Your kids will have fun, and even the grandkids (if you have them) will have fun.

I'm not a rodeo guy. It's not something I grew up or was raised with, but even I look forward to the rodeo coming back to town for its three-night performance.

I remember the first Siloam Springs Rodeo I covered back in the summer of 2010. I wasn't thrilled about going out there. I'm a baseball, football, basketball kind of guy, and I trudged out there not knowing what to expect to see at this event.

I had a ball.

Sure it was hot, it was sticky, and I needed a little bug spray, but I genuinely had a great time and have most every year since, depending on whether or not a vacation was scheduled that week.

You will be entertained and that's the goal of the Siloam Springs Riding Club, which hosts the event every year.

Visiting with public address announcer Jeff Lee this past week, I'm more convinced than ever that our local riding club does a great job in preparing for this event.

While Jeff and I were talking in his truck, several members of the riding club were busy fixing up the Rodeo Grounds arena in anticipation of this week's events.

OK, so here are some highlights to look forward to this week.

Thursday night is Kids Night, where all kids 12-and-under get in free with a paying adult.

On Friday, a Special Kids Rodeo will be held from 10 a.m. to noon for children and adults with special needs. As a parent of a special needs child, I can't say enough about what a big deal it is for these kids to get this experience.

On Saturday is the annual parade, starting at 4 p.m. at the Middle School and going into downtown Siloam Springs. The Rodeo Pageant will be Saturday night as well.

All three nights, the Rodeo of the Ozarks Rounders will be performing as well.

Advance tickets are still on sale today, June 13, for $8 at the following locations: Powell Feed, Generations Bank, Grand Savings Bank, Sassafras and Pioneer Pizza in Gentry.

Ticket prices go up to $10 at the gate on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

So get your boots on, get your hat and come on out and enjoy a wonderful event that our community is lucky to have. You'll be glad you did.

-- Graham Thomas is the managing editor for the Herald-Leader. He can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

Sports on 06/13/2018