Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Springhill Ranch Rodeo Productions will be hosting a rodeo at the Chambers County Agricultural Arena on Nov 4 and Nov. 5. The event will feature multiple exciting ranch competitions to spectate as well as concessions and activities for children.

Eddie Adams, director of the Chamber County Agricultural Arena, noted how exciting it was for the event to be taking place in LaFayette. 

“While this is the fifth rodeo in the state this year, this is the first time that it has been in LaFayette,” Adams said. “We are going to have cowboys and cowgirls from all over the state coming to compete. I think it is a big feather in our cap that [Springhill Ranch Rodeo Productions] decided to come here and use our facilities.” 

Adams also discussed how the upcoming event would be different from your traditional rodeo experiences. Unlike a traditional rodeo, the ranch rodeo will feature teams of working cowboys and events that reflect the day-to-day life of ranchers, such as stray gathering, doctoring and branding, sorting and wild cow milking. Each ranch that decided to participate is hosting a team of four of their cowboys to compete. The top three performing teams will receive a cash prize.

“Ranch rodeos are really exciting to watch because it lets people see a little of what it’s like to live and work on an open ranch,” Adams said. “We are going to have 16 ranch teams, each with four ranch contestants.” 

In addition to the group competitions, there will also be awards given for best hand and best horse. 

“At every rodeo, an award will be given for the top hand and top horse,” Adams said. “Recently, we have even had a couple cowgirls win the top hand award.” 

Additionally, Adams discussed how entertaining the event will be for spectators, even if they do not have any experience working with livestock.

“For those who have ever worked with cows, they know how quickly things can go sideways,” Adams said. “But even for people who may have never worked with animals before, the rodeo is still going to be a lot of fun to watch. It gives people a chance to see what cowboys and cowgirls do for a living and how wild the job can get sometimes. I highly encourage anyone who wants to see some great family entertainment to come out and watch.”

For those interested in attending, the rodeo will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 if bought online before the event, and $12 if bought at the gate. Kids ages 12 and under are able to attend free of charge.