Professional bull riders will be competing to raise money for Ability Tree during the second annual Cowboys for Kids event at the Siloam Springs Rodeo Grounds this Saturday.
Kids and families will get to meet and mingle with cowboys from the World Senior Professional Bull Riding Association before watching them in action during the free event. Gates will open at 4 p.m., bull riders will meet with families starting at 6 p.m. and bull riding will begin at 7 p.m. A full lineup of vendors and concessions will be available, and chicken dinners can be purchased to eat on-sight or to-go.
Proceeds from the event will go directly towards Ability Tree's Summer program, according to Joe Butler, founder and director of the non-profit. Ability Tree comes alongside families of children with disabilities by providing them with rest and support, he said. Butler explained that the organization fills in the gaps between school, daycare and therapy during after-school hours and weekends to provide family members with temporary rest so they can take a break or spend time with their significant other.
Between 40 to 50 bull riders from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Kansas are expected to attend the competition, according to Rex Robrahn, organizer of the event. Robrahn is a 1991 graduate of Siloam Springs High School. He is also the 2014 WSPBRA World Champion and 2015 average champion at the World Finals.
Last year, the Cowboys for Kids raised $5,000 for Ability Tree. Robrahn also raised $2,200 by auctioning his world championship chaps signed by children who attend Ability Tree. The purchaser is going to let him wear the chaps again for this year's event, he said.
Up and coming bull rider Wyatt Rogers, six time national junior champion, will be among the cowboys meeting kids at the event and signing autographs. Rogers is off from riding bulls at the moment because of injuries, but he will be riding a horse during the event and helping get the bulls back under control, Robrahn said.
Robrahn decided to partner with Ability Tree last year for the fundraiser because of a dream to help special-needs children. While he was organizing the bull riding competition in 2014, he kept having the feeling that he should be doing something more with it, he said.
"All us bull riders 35 and older, we've been there and done that," he said. "Different things are important to us at this age than at 18."
The feeling that something wasn't quite right kept Robrahn up at night and gave him bad dreams. He began to have the impression that God wanted him to do something for special-needs kids with the event and make it their day, he said.
He approached high school friend Todd Simmons about the idea and asked him for advice about how to make the bull riding event about special-needs kids. Simmons quickly pointed Robrahn to Ability Tree and volunteered to partner with him as a sponsor of the event.
"Rex approached us about it," said Butler. "He came in one day and he had an idea that he wanted to help. He basically just shared that God put it on his heart to help us."
Simmons and Robrahn wanted to make the event free so that all families and kids would be able to participate and get a chance to meet the Cowboys. Monster Bull joined as a main sponsor, with a number of supporting sponsors, he said.
Robrahn didn't get to ride in Cowboys for Kids in 2015 because he was recovering from injuries. This year, he will be riding two bulls. One as part of the competition and a second as part of a pledgeathon. The stock contractor will be bringing a bonus bull, "Little Red Corvette," and is pledging $100 toward Ability Tree for every second Robrahn stays on. If he stays on the entire eight seconds, they will add a bonus $200. Community members are also invited to take part in the pledge or make donations to Ability Tree.
"If people want to get in and be a part of this, come out and just donate or pledge for that ride," Robrahn said.
More information and a video about the event is available on the Ability Tree Facebook page.
General News on 05/11/2016