It is rodeo time in Starkville. The Mississippi State University rodeo team will compete Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The collegiate rodeo teams will compete for points to be able to go to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo. The Bulldog Stampede Rodeo will host collegiate students from all across the eastern United States, such as Missouri Valley College, Southern Arkansas University, University of West Alabama, East Central Community College and the University of Tennessee at Martin.
“The Mississippi State rodeo team will travel to seven different states to compete in 10 different rodeos in the year. Five are in one semester and the other five are in the other. The Bulldog Stampede Rodeo is the first rodeo of the spring semester,”said Daniel Shaffer, rodeo director, vice president of the rodeo team, and vice president of the Block and Bridle club.
The rodeo begins nightly at 7:30, and each night will last around two and a half hours. The tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children and free for children under 6 years old. The Bulldog Stampede Rodeo will take place at the Mississippi Horsepark. Thursday night is aiming to be a night for MSU students, because on Thursday night, ticket prices will only be $4 for those who show their student ID.
“This year we are trying to get the university more involved. We hope to get a lot of MSU students to attend, especially Thursday,” Shaffer said. There will be nine events featured in the Bulldog Stampede Rodeo. Those events are bareback riding, calf roping, girls breakaway roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, girls goat tying, girls barrel racing, bull riding and team roping. And, provided that it does not rain, pony rides will be available for the kids.
“The audience usually enjoys bull riding the best. Our bulls this year are professional bulls and they are gonna be bucking,” Shaffer said.
Many of the collegiate rodeo athletes also compete on the professional circuit, which will prove to make a great show. The MSU rodeo team consists of Laurie Baggett, president who will be competing in team roping; Daniel Shaffer, vice president; Paula Touchstone, calf-ropping secretary; Jennifer Bell, barrell racing; Brittany Boney, barrel racing; Mary Frances Buchanan, barrel racing; Cris Byrd, barel racing; Elliott Fancher, team roping and calf roping; Mollie Fant, barel racing; Skip Glidewell, bareback riding; Marc Johnston, team roping and B.J. McClenton, team roping and steer wrestling.
As director of the Bulldog Stampede Rodeo, Shaffer would like to thank their sponsors: the Ramada Inn, Remington’s Hunt Club, the bar formally known as Cheers, Best Western of Starkville, Mossy Oak, University Screenprint, Rick’s CafZ, Oktibbeha County Co-Op, Coca-Cola, Bulldog Deli and Starkville Ford.
Tickets for all three days will be available at the door on each night, or are available in advance from the Oktibbeha County Co-Op.