LINCOLN -- About the only thing that didn't go as planned was the bulls beating the cowboys during the 63rd Annual Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo from June 9-11.
As the last few bull riders were entering the chutes on Saturday night, Lincoln Riding Club president Jimmy Jetton was pulling for one of the cowboys, any cowboy, to stay on for eight seconds.
"We need somebody to cover a bull tonight so they can bring home a check," Jetton said.
None did.
Other than that, the stands were full with smiling faces of all ages and the lines to the concession stand were long. Even an hour into Saturday night's event, people were still entering the gate.
"Cars are still lined up all the way back to Harps!" Lincoln Riding Club treasurer/royalty coordinator Ashley Thomas said.
"Good weather. Good turnout. We can't ask for much more than that," Jetton said.
The "good weather" was first in Jetton's mind after last year's rodeo attendance took a hit because of rain. In fact, the LRC even purchased rain insurance for this year's event, but it fortunately was not needed.
A few LRC members joked that they may need to buy it every year -- just to make sure it doesn't rain. In other words, they figured buying rain insurance essentially served as an anti-rain dance.
"It's the first time we've ever done it and I'm sure if we hadn't have bought it, it would have rained," Jetton said. "Luckily, we made it without the rain ... We'll price it out every year, that's for sure."
Despite no qualifying bull rides, more than $12,400 in total money was paid out to the top finishers of each event. Jetton said the sponsors were instrumental in the high payout.
"The sponsors really help keep the lights on," Jetton said. "They pay for the royalty contest. They pay for the events and the added money for the cowboys for the events, so each one of our big sponsors gave an extra $500 for the events.
"PG Telco has been a huge help. They helped us so much over the past five or six years. We can't ask for anything more than what they've done for us every year."
Royalty contestants as well as LRC members and board members are in charge of soliciting donations each year. And Jetton said the "young ladies in the royalty are very good sales people."
Midway through Saturday night's events, Loran Lopez was crowned the 63rd Annual Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo Queen while Sammie Jo Moore was crowned Jr. Queen and Mika Arnold was crowned Princess.
Fans enjoyed quite a show led by public address announcer Brandon Wren and rodeo clown Woody Porter, an LRC member.
"The spectators have been amazing," Jetton said. "We appreciate the ones who come out every year and all the new people who are coming out to the rodeo for the first time. It's a great event. Without them, we probably couldn't afford to pay our stock contractor to come back."
The stock contractor for the second straight year was Blisard Rodeo Company, which brought in several top ARCA broncs and bulls for the events. But that wasn't all the rodeo company out of Leach, Okla., contributed this year.
"Blisard is a really good rodeo company and they've done anything and everything they can to help us," Jetton said. "Whether it's coming up with extra added money for our events, or coming up with extra cowboys when we came up short on the draw. We didn't have enough to fill all the slots and they went out and found extra cowboys to help fill the show for us.
"They've been a huge benefit for us again this year."
Jetton said it also was a special rodeo this year because Jr. and Anna McCratic, two of the rodeo founders, served as grand marshals of Wednesday's rodeo parade.
"They've been here since the rodeo started and without them, we wouldn't be here," Jetton said. "Anna was the first queen of the Lincoln Rodeo and they've been here every night. We love to have them here. They live right across from the rodeo arena from us. They're the best people that you can find.
"If it wasn't for them, the Lincoln Rodeo would not be near what it is now. They were here from the beginning and without them, we wouldn't have the facilities that we have today."
Jetton also wanted to thank about "40 to 50 members and volunteers" who came together to help put the rodeo on again this year. With the strong turnout and temperatures pushing 90 degrees, all hands were needed on deck at the concession stand to keep the crowd happy and hydrated.
"We bought 1,200 burgers and there may be 100 left," Jetton said. "We have sold 40 gallons of tea tonight, and probably 20 cases of water [bottles]. It's been hot, so everyone has been extra thirsty. We've been giving all we've got in the concession stand to try to keep all the spectators fed.
"It's a large crowd. Probably not the biggest crowd ever, but it's certainly a big, big crowd. And we just really appreciate everyone who came out and everyone who helped make this a great rodeo."
Sports on 06/15/2016