61st annual Rodeo returns this week

Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader A cowboy competes in bareback riding during the 2018 Siloam Springs Rodeo. The rodeo returns this week and will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning at 7:30 each night.
Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader A cowboy competes in bareback riding during the 2018 Siloam Springs Rodeo. The rodeo returns this week and will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning at 7:30 each night.

The third full weekend in June is on the horizon, which means one thing -- it's rodeo time in Siloam Springs.

The 61st annual Siloam Springs Rodeo will be held each night on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Siloam Springs Rodeo Grounds, and a number of activities are planned along with it.

Though the actual rodeo itself does not begin until Thursday, the fun begins on Wednesday night with the annual Rodeo Street Dance held at the American Legion Community Building Parking Lot featuring the Boston Mountain Playboys band in downtown Siloam Springs. In the event of rain, the street dance will be held inside.

Tickets for the rodeo are $10 for adults (13 and up), $5 for children (ages 7-12) and 6 and under get in free.

The rodeo itself begins each night at 7:30 p.m. with the mutton busting. There is a $20 entry fee and participants must be 6 years old and under and there is a 60-pound weight limit. Participants also must have parents' written permission. First place overall wins a trophy and there is $25 added money nightly.

The Kiddie Grand Entry will be at 7:45 p.m., followed by the main Grand Entry at 8 p.m.

Rodeo events -- which include bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, calf roping, bull dogging, team roping, senior barrel race, ladies breakaway, ranch saddle bronc and junior barrels -- begin after the Grand Entry.

"We have more than 400 contestants entered, so it should be good," said Riding Club member Karen Davis.

Wing Rodeo Company out of Bogata, Texas, will once again provide the stock for the rodeo.

There is also a nightly calf scramble for kids 12 and under.

There is no rodeo pageant this year, but Riding Club officials are hopeful it will return next year.

Thursday night is Kids Night at the rodeo as all kids 12 and under receive free admission with a paying adult.

A Special Kids Rodeo for children with special needs will be held at 10 a.m. Friday.

A new change this year is the annual Rodeo Parade will be at 10 a.m. Saturday instead of in the evening. There will be a parade announcer -- Jeremy Weir -- in the park.

"We moved it mainly because of the heat and trying to get more people to participate," Davis said. "There's more going on downtown at that time of the day."

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Also on Saturday morning will be the Rodeo Pancake Breakfast, hosted by the Masonic Key Lodge No. 7 of Siloam Springs.

The breakfast will be from 6 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 22, at First United Methodist Church, located at 325 E. Twin Springs.

Pancakes, sausage, orange juice, milk and coffee will be served. Pre-sale tickets are $5 or $20 for five tickets. Tickets are $6 at the door. Children 6 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult.

Proceeds go to Masonic operations and charities, which include the Siloam Springs scholarship program.

For more information, contact 479-549-7441.

Sports on 06/19/2019