Published: August 06, 2008 04:57 pm         

WILD RIDES

Pawnee Bill rodeo opens three-day run on Thursday

The stars will shine brightly in Pawnee for three nights during 23rd annual Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning at 8 each evening.

Sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association, the Pawnee Bill Memorial has ranked in the top 15 IPRA rodeos in total cash pay out to performers for the past four years.

“Our small town rodeo ranks right up there with the big boys for the professional athletes who make their living on this circuit,” stated Ronnie Jestes, chairperson of the Rodeo Committee of the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce, the sponsoring organization of the event.

“We’re proud that the best of the best want to come to Pawnee.”

Cody Sosebee, rodeo clown and contract act, brings his animals and vehicles to the arena each night for the lighter side of rodeo and on Friday and Saturday night the Canadian Valley Rangerettes, a precision drill team from the Oklahoma City area, will perform.

Pre-rodeo activities begin nightly at 7:30 p.m. with the introduction of this year’s honoree Don Speicher and the presentation of the riders and wagons from the Pawnee Bill Memorial Cattle Drive.

Speicher is co-owner of Pawnee True Value Lumber and served as chairperson of the Rodeo Committee for two years in the early 1990s. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Speicher and his family have lived in Pawnee for more than 30 years.

“The committee has honored me more than I deserve by this designation,” Speicher said. “Being included in the distinguished list of previous honorees is truly overwhelming.”

The cattle drive, led by trailboss and last year’s rodeo honoree Calvin Buchanan, arrived in Pawnee today on a drive that began Sunday west of Burbank.

In addition to the seven sanctioned IPRA rodeo events, each night of the rodeo will feature a wild horse race, a wild cow milking contest and the ring of fire, an event similar to the cowboy poker event of recent years. The events are open to all local cowboys.

A dance follows each performance of the rodeo and admission is included with the price of a rodeo ticket. The dance is held in the pavilion on the rodeo grounds.

A kid’s rodeo, featuring mutton bustin’, calf riding and mechanical bull riding is scheduled for Saturday at 9 a.m. at the rodeo arena. Open to children in several age groups, this event is organized for the Rodeo Committee by Hope and Travis Roberts.

A parade will pass through downtown Pawnee at noon Saturday featuring the performers, contestants and workers in all aspects of this year’s rodeo. Organizing on the east side of courthouse square, the parade will be led through town by the Pawnee Police and Fire departments.

Tickets to the rodeo, available at the Chamber of Commerce office and at various businesses around Pawnee, are $6 in advance. At the gate, tickets will be $7.

Three-day passes and box seat tickets are also available. Proceeds from the rodeo go to the general sponsorship of the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce.

     

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