LINCOLN -- The 66th annual Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo arrives on schedule this week with action getting underway Thursday through Friday at the LRC Arena west of town.
The rodeo is once again co-sanctioned by the American Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association (ACPRA) and the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA).
Among fan favorites rodeo competition features: steer wrestling, bull riding, saddle bronc, team roping, bareback riding, barrel racing, calf roping, and break away roping. This year's events also include Junior barrels 15 and under and Pee Wee barrels 8 and under with mutton busting held all three nights. Junior barrel contestants must sign up nightly.
Kids can get in on mutton busting each night of the rodeo.
The stickhorse grand entry is 7:30 p.m. each night led by the 2019 Little Mister and Little Miss, who will be selected during a contest held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Square prior to the street dance featuring Howard Lester & the Boston Mountain Playboys from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Among t he 2019 candidates for Little Miss are: Delilah Alvarez, 5, of Siloam Springs; Dalli Jo Fisher, 5, of Vian, Okla.; and Alaina Nickles, 3, of Lincoln. Gauge Perkins, 3, of Farmington, is a candidate for Little Mister.
Big Horn Rodeo, of Lamar, Okla., is the stock contractor for 2019.
Professional rodeo clown and barrelman Michael "Goobie" Smith, known as one of the best entertainers in the industry, serves as clown for the 2019 Lincoln Rodeo. According to his bio, posted on the LRC website, Smith got his nickname from a well-respected contractor in the rodeo industry, who along with several of Smith's rodeo colleagues, began referring to him as "Goobie" prior to his clowning career as a result of the numerous pranks and jokes he often hassled his friends with.
A former competitor on the professional rodeo circuit in bareback and bullriding, Smith sustained a serious injury that fractured his skull in four places. He refused to walk away from rodeo and began fighting bulls establishing award-winning routines, acts, and comedy that have been enjoyed across the entire United States and in other countries.
Smith wants to assure fans attending a rodeo he is performing at that there will be no scripts used in his routines. Smith takes pride in his work and works to make sure fans are treated to a show that is unique, different and exciting.
Presiding over the 66th annual Lincoln Rodeo are 2018 Miss Lincoln Riding Club rodeo queen Kylee Bobacher, of Westville, Okla.; 2018 junior queen Judy Gail McNeely, of Westville, Okla.; and 2018 princess Chloie Thomas, of Farmington. Karson Sampley and Emma Parker won the 2018 Little Mister and Little Miss titles.
On Saturday, the rodeo parade lines up at 4 p.m. at the LRC Arena with the parade beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Royalty finalists for 2019 will be announced during the Saturday rodeo performance. Five candidates for queen are: Landree Cunningham, 16, of Lincoln; Kinsey Driver, 21, of Springdale; Bailee Ory, 17, of Gentry; Elyse Perdue, 19, of Gentry; and Lindsey Thompson, 21, of Siloam Springs. Junior queen candidates are: Shania Downing, 13, of Farmington; Savannah Perkins, 12, of Farmington; and Arianna Price, 15, of West Siloam Springs, Okla. Bailey Sizemore, 9, of Watts, Okla., is a candidate for princess.
It's time for rodeo.
Sports on 08/07/2019