LINCOLN -- The 67th annual Lincoln Rodeo primes itself for smashing success this week despite cancellation of the street dance while limiting attendance and monitoring those numbers.
Those are among sanctions implemented by the Arkansas Department of Health.
The rodeo is sanctioned jointly by the American Cowboys Rodeo Association (ACRA) and International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) and the Arkansas Department of Health as covid-19 compliant.
There will not be a grand entry this year due to covid-19. Performance of the National Anthem will start each performance. Rodeo action gets underway at 8 p.m. each night Thursday through Saturday with slack on Thursday and Friday and a parade on Saturday. Competition features: steer wrestling, bull riding, saddle bronc, team roping, bareback riding, barrel racing, calf roping, breakaway roping and ranch bronc events.
Thursday is kids night with kids ages 6-10 admitted for $3 and also military and first responders appreciation. With proper identification they get in for $5.
Lincoln Riding Club recently announced the rodeo will have two attractions this year, Party Time Pony Rides and the Outlaw Bucker operated by PBR bull rider Chase Outlaw, an Arkansas native.
LRC wants all horseback riders public and contestants alike, local clubs, organizations that they are invited to participate in Saturday's parade. The parade will line up at 4 p.m., with the parade starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Middle School parking lot instead of the rodeo arena.
The parade route will head down Main Street, loop around Lincoln Square and go back up Main Street to head back to the middle school.
LRC emphasizes participation has not changed just the start venue, and reminds the public they will not be allowed to take horses back to the rodeo grounds due to covid-19 restrictions.
The only persons allowed to be on horseback during this year's Lincoln Rodeo are contestants, performers, stock contractor employees, and sponsor flag runners -- all which will be named on the gate list.
Landree Cunningham, 2019 Lincoln Rodeo queen, welcomes fans to the rodeo.
"The rodeo's a good place to just get out and have fun even if corona is going around," Landree said. "Make sure you wash your hands and just stay safe and God will bring you through it."
Treasurer Amanda Arnold looks forward to the specialty acts appearing at the rodeo this week.
"We're going to have Braden Tate and Shawn Geurin as our funny man and our announcer this year," Arnold said.
Big Horn Rodeo Company, of Lamar, Okla., serves as stock contractor.
New for this year's rodeo is barrel pickup Thursday and Friday, a variation of barrel racing where there's a person standing on the barrel. Contestants actually have to get that person successfully mounted on the horse behind them.
Arnold described barrel pickup as a fun and thrilling event, "So, you have one person standing on the third barrel, and you are going to round the third barrel and as you're rounding the third barrel that person has to jump on your horse with you," Arnold said. "The fastest time back wins. We'll actually have that event at the rodeo this year, too. We're real excited about that.
