IPRA Bull Riders Featured at Summer Events
By: Tammie Hiatt
Bull riders will have an exclusive opportunity to compete for $25,000 at four venues across the country. The tour kicks off on July 18-19 with the 16th Annual Bulls Only Rodeo produced by the Lakeside Optimist Club. Rodeo chairman Brent Woolsey has been at the helm of the rodeo committee for seven years. “I’ve been involved with this event since it started, first as a volunteer and now as the committee chair.”
“We have a lot of great volunteers that help make this event a success,” said Woolsey. “We also have two major sponsors, El Cajon Ford and Barona Resort and Casino, that also help make this possible.”
This event features $7,500 added money, limited to 40 bull riders. Riders will ride one bull each performance with the top six coming back to the short go immediately following Saturday night’s long go. The short go will be $1,000 winner take all. Hart Bar Rodeo Company will be providing the stock.
The next tour stop is Bloomington, IN for the Monroe County Fair Bull Riding on July 30. The one performance event will feature 40 riders trying for their share of the $5,000 added money. “This is a new event for the Monroe County Fair,” said Danny Hicks. “We’re excited to be working with Latting Rodeo Company and Keith Wooten and Wooten Rodeo Company.”
“We will have a long and a short go with a 60% payout in the long go and a 40% in the short,” said Hicks.
August 1 & 2 are the dates for the Frontier Western Celebration Bull Riding in El Dorado, KS. “This event is in its 8th year,” said producer Matt Williams. “This event is part of the Holly Frontier Refinery’s annual party. They put on a 3-day festival with all kinds of events. There’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
This event features $7,500 added money and will have 40 riders each night with 10 coming back to the short go. “We’ve drawn a lot of big name riders in the past. IFR bull rider Peyton Stewart of Charlotte, NC won it last year,” Matt said. “This event has grown every year. When it first started we could only seat about 800 people, now we have about 3,000 a night. It’s a big event for this small town.”
The final stop is Ozark, MO. Home to the oldest bull riding in the state, August 22 – 23 will mark the 43rd year for the Ozark Booster Club Bull Riding Spectacular. Kevin Hampton and Hampton Rodeo Company will provide the stock for the two-night event.
“We will have 35 to 40 riders each night and they can enter each night,” said Jeremy Garrison, committee chairman. “The Ozark Booster Club provides the added money. We have approximately 40 members that make our events possible,” said Garrison. “It’s a very popular event for our community.”
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