What to expect at this year's Freedom Rodeo
August 1, 2019
What can be expected at this year’s Freedom Rodeo? Definitely hot temperatures, but don’t let that stop you from attending the 86th Freedom Rodeo and Old Cowhand reunion. There is something for every rodeo enthusiast.
If you are a contestant then you should know that Freedom Rodeo has been KPRA’s largest purse rodeo for the last two years. This year’s livestock is provided by Medicine River, and the hired announcer is Garrison Panzer. The rodeo clown is the returning David “Hippie” Engelkes. According to a 2013 article in the Sioux City Journal by Eric Horlyk, Engelkes stated, "My act is completely improvised, and I never do the same show twice."
Thursday’s events begin at 4 p.m. for the horsemanship competition between the queen contestants and the princess contestant. The crowning of the Rodeo Queen and Rodeo Princess will be at 6:30. The rodeo grand entry starts at 7:30 each evening and will include such entertaining events as calf roping, bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing and more.
New events this year include mutton busting and calf dressing. Mutton busting is for ages 6 and under and is similar to bull riding or bronc riding but on a sheep. Calf dressing is an event for adult teams of three to four. The object is to halter and dress a calf. The team works together to dress the calf in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. If the team loses hold of the calf’s halter they are out. The front legs must be through the arm holes of the shirt and the shorts must be up over the tail. The winning team will win $100. This event will be all three nights.
Special events include junior barrel racing and calf roping. On Thursday evening, there will be a boot scramble for kids 12 and under where there will be one $20 prize. On Friday and Saturday nights, there will be the traditional calf scramble and ten $10 prizes each evening. If you are wondering what to wear, keep in mind that Friday evening is “tough enough to wear pink” for cancer awareness and Saturday is “wear red to support the military.”
Each evening patrons can purchase a program at the gate and $100 will be given to a lucky program holder. The program has a wealth of information in it such as bios of the Old Cowhand (Rick Brown), the queen contestants and the princess.
Saturday events begin early, starting with the Red Bluff Classic 5K and Fun Run. This event has been a favorite among area and visiting runners. Registration for the run begins at 7 a.m. at the rodeo grounds, and the run will begin at 7:30 a.m. Upon registration each runner will receive a T-shirt. Running shows support for the Freedom athletic department, and they will be accepting donations that morning.
The free Chuck Wagon Feed and Old Cowhand Reunion begins at noon Saturday. Rick Brown is the 2019 Honored Cowhand and will be honored each evening during the rodeo. There will be no “shoot-out” re-enactment.
Tickets are being pre-sold by the rodeo queen/princess contestants. Tickets can be purchased at the Freedom bank for a limited time for $8 for adults and $4 for children under. Tickets at the gate will be $15 and $10. If you need tickets the best deal is to buy from queen contestants, Sadie Crusinbery of Alva and Kaylen Gaskill of Waynoka, and local princess contestant Shay Wilson. The girls’ tickets are also available at businesses around Freedom and surrounding communities.
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