LINCOLN -- The first dance tune, Modern Day Bonnie And Clyde, performed by Howard Lester & the Boston Mountain Playboys got the Lincoln Rodeo street dance rolling last week.
The band, performing Wednesday, Aug. 7, then segued into a slower groove playing Garth Brooks' Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old followed by covers of T.G. Sheppard's I Loved Them Every One and Merle Haggard's Sing Me Back Home.
Good times never stopped for those attending the 66th annual Lincoln Rodeo which featured three nights of action in the Lincoln Riding Club Arena, Thursday through Saturday, highlighted by the first successful bull rides at the event in several years.
Locals danced the night away as the 66th annual Lincoln Rodeo events kicked off with the shindig. The Boston Mountain Playboys expertly played for what has become one of the longest running gigs in the music business. Louie Guess, 86, of Lincoln, established the street dance as part of the rodeo in 1967, and it continues to be enjoyed every year when the rodeo comes around.
The Boston Mountain Playboys lived up to their name blending country and western signature songs and crossing over to the pop side occasionally. Regardless of what they played, the crowd remained enthusiastic. They kept the hits coming and the crowd kept dancing. Before their first set was over the band had played Jet Airliner made famous by the Steve Miller Band, Strawberry Wine by Deana Carter and Steve Earle's "Hillbilly Highway."
During their second set, the band was joined by special guest, former Little Mister Lincoln Riding Club 2016 Braxton Blankenship, now 7, son of Justin and Savannah Blankenship, of Farmington. Braxton helped the band perform one of his favorite songs, the George Strait classic cowboy ballad, "Amarillo By Morning."
Savannah Perkins, 12, demonstrated the social graces by teaching the two-step to her youngest brother, three-year-old Gauge. The siblings each competed for 2019 Lincoln Riding Club royalty, Savannah won the junior queen title; and Gauge won Little Mister. They are children of Charlie and Christy Perkins, of Farmington.
The evening began with the 2019 Little Mister and Little Miss contests held on the Lincoln Square prior to the street dance.
Lincoln Riding Club 2018 queen Kylee Bobacher, of Westville, Okla., presided over the Little Mister and Little Miss contests assisted by 2018 junior queen Judy Gail McNeely and 2018 princess Chloie Thomas.
A host of 2019 LRC royalty candidates: Landree Cunningham, queen; Kinsey Driver, queen; Bailee Ory, queen; Elyse Perdue, queen; Lindsey Thompson, queen; Shania Downing, junior queen; Savannah Perkins, junior queen; Arianna Price, junior queen; and Bailey Sizemore, princess; posed for pictures in front of the bandstand adding to the festivities.
Cunningham was crowned queen on Saturday with Sizemore taking the princess title.
Three little cowgirls competed for 2019 Lincoln Riding Club Little Miss: Dalli Jo Fisher, 5, of Vian, Okla., Delilah Alvarez, 5, of Siloam Springs; and Alania Nickles, 3, of Lincoln.
Delilah answered questions stating her favorite animal as a "unicorn," and favorite color as "pink." Alaina sold the most advance rodeo tickets for the category.
Dalli Jo won the 2019 Lincoln Riding Club Little Miss title receiving congratulations from 2018 LRC junior queen Judy Gail McNeely, and 2018 Little Miss Emma Parker. Dalli Jo is the daughter of Sherri Risely and Seth Fisher. She answered questions listing her favorite animals as "bucking bulls and bucking horses," and her favorite flavor of ice cream as "vanilla." Dalli Jo had the most raffle sales.
Gauge, the only boy competing in the 2019 LRC royalty pageant, showed the cowgirls how to look sharp, emerging with "Most Photogenic" award and the title of 2019 Lincoln Riding Club Little Mister.
Gauge answered two questions, "If you were a bucking horse what would your name be?" Gauge said, "Five," and identified his favorite flavor of ice cream as "vanilla."
His double winnings left Gauge holding onto two handsful of horses including a customary stickhorse presented to the winner. Chloie Thomas, 2018 LRC princess, was on hand along with 2018 LRC Little Mister, Karson Sampley, to congratulate Gauge and offer help, but the junior cowboy had no problems handling the horses. In a typical cowboy manner, Gauge simply picked up his loot.
He couldn't help break into a great big grin during his victory stride as he ambled over to his parents.
Good times never stop for cowboys and cowgirls; they just look forward to the next rodeo.
General News on 08/14/2019