Top notch venue draws big crowds for Three Rivers Shrine Club's annual rodeo

Nearly 100 professional cowboys and cowgirls from across the United States competed last weekend in front of an estimated crowd 2,700 plus at the Black River Coliseum.

“As far as the performance, a show with the spotlights, fire and everything else, this is the best all around rodeo we’ve ever had, best in attendance, best in performance,” said Bobby Wicker, first vice president of the Three Rivers Shrine Club.

The event was the 12th annual championship rodeo hosted by the club, but for the first time, it had a new venue and was a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association sanctioned event.

Gus Brown, 5, of Pollard, Ark., sits atop the Generations Pro Rodeo bull Big John 316 prior to the start of the Three Rivers Shrine Club’s championship rodeo Saturday night. DAR/Michelle Friedrich

That venue “brings our show to the next level; it gives us a lot more to work with,” said stock contractor, Cline Hall with Generations Pro Rodeo in Ash Flat, Ark.,

With an indoor venue, “we can control the lighting, the climate; we can do a lot more,” like pyrotechnics and light shows, said Hall. “So, it makes the show so much more better. … As a fan watching the show, you can enjoy yourself a lot more.”

Friday night attendance, Hall said, was really good.

Wicker estimated 1,700 to 1,800 or more also attended Saturday night.

A “conservative estimate” for attendance, Wicker said, is 2,700 for both nights, but that number “goes up” as children six and under got in free.

The crowd, according to Wicker, was bigger than crowds in years’ past.

The heeler (left) prepares to throw his rope after his header partner roped their calf during the team roping event during the Three Rivers Shrine Club’s 12th annual championship rodeo Saturday night at the Black River Coliseum. DAR/Michelle Friedrich

This year’s competitors, Hall said, came from about 15 different states.

“We have Florida to Michigan and all in between, we had contestants make it here to Poplar Bluff, Mo., to be in the show,” Hall said.

As a PRCA event, “that’s the highest level of competition that there is,” Hall explained. “ … We have the best cowboys and cowgirls in the world here competing.”

The contestants, Hall said, do this for a living.

“Nothing against anyone, but this is not an amateur level; this is a professional level,” Hall explained. “ … These people are winning money (from the event) that counts toward the Wrangler National Finals in Law Vegas in December.”

Hall estimated about 40 to 50 competitors attended each nigh, competing in bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, cowgirl barrel race, bull riding and cowgirl break-away roping.

“The contestants change from night to night,” Hall explained. “The people who were here (Friday) night, they’ve already moved on to the next rodeo.”

Saturday night offered a “brand new set of contestants,” who were competing against the scores and times put down Friday night, Hall said. “When the whole rodeo ends, there can only be one champion for each event.

“The best ride or times might have been (Friday) night or could be (Saturday).”

“We had two good bull rides” Friday night, Hall said.

“We had a $500 bounty bull (Friday) night, and they didn’t ride him,” said Hall, who indicated more money was put in the pot for Saturday night’s bounty bull to “make it more interesting.”

“It didn’t fair very well for them (Friday); the bull won,” Hall said.

Another couple riders had stayed on their bulls for eight seconds Saturday night, and the top rider again didn’t ride the bounty bull.

“It was a really good crowd (Friday) night,” said Hall, who was expecting a crowd twice as big on Saturday night.

“We’re really glad with the turnout we had,” Hall said. “The fans were really enthusiastic; they cheered the whole night. They stayed with us.”

Collin and Jennifer Eddington of Corning, Ark., were among those who attended Saturday night.

“We brought our three boys to see the rodeo,” Jennifer Eddington said.

The family, Collin Eddington said, used to attend a lot of rodeos before their 4-year-old son, Cotton was born.

Cotton and his brothers, Wyatt, 13, and Rhett, 15, “like the rodeo,” Collin said. “That’s why were here, for the kids.

“ … The kids enjoy it. I like to watch them have fun.”

Cotton said he was having fun even though “I didn’t catch a pig” during the pig scramble.

Prior to show time, Bryer Watson, 6, of Dexter said, he was looking forward to the pig scramble.

“They’ll probably be older kids than me,” said Bryer, who later was among the more than 50 children trying to catch a pig.

Bryer was attending with Preston Watson, who described the outing as a “family night. We brought the grandkids to the rodeo.”

Joe Latrasse of Poplar Bluff said his 6-year-old son, Graydon, had been excited the entire week prior to the rodeo.

Graydon, he said, had been “wanting to come out to see the rodeo” and participate in the pig scramble again.

Latrasse said his family usually attends, as “we love to support the rodeo.”

Attending his first rodeo was Isaiah Fields, 5, of Poplar Bluff.

‘He’s kind of scared,” said his mother, Anna Fields. “I told him it’s going to be fine. We’re on top, bulls can’t get to us.”

This year’s rodeo, is the fourth for Generations Pro Rodeo to work with the Shrine Club as stock contractor.

“This is a top notch venue and club,” Hall said. “We’re very blessed to deal with a lot of good clubs and venues in my line of work, (but) they’re few and far between to tell you the truth.

“The Three Rivers Shrine Club is a great club of guys,” and so many of them work behind the scenes to make the rodeo a success.

“That’s means a lot to us,” Hall said. “We love coming to a town where the town and club and venue are working as hard as we are. That’s what makes a rodeo like this special.”

Hall said this year’s rodeo also had a “great group of sponsors. The town of Poplar Bluff is behind this rodeo 100%.

“You can tell by looking at the banners on the arena fence. There are so many businesses that contributed to make this a successful rodeo.”

Wicker agreed.

“I want to thank the sponsors because we could not do it without their sponsorship,” he said.

Club members, according to Wicker, already are talking and making preparations for next year’s rodeo.

“It’s getting better every year; we look forward to next year as well,” Hall said.