The 73rd annual edition of the Santa Rosa Roundup will get underway May 16 and run through May 19.
Performances for the PRCA sanctioned event will be held nightly at 7:30 at the Santa Rosa Rodeo Grounds located a few miles south of Vernon on U.S. 183. The rodeo is sponsored by the Santa Rosa Roundup Association (SRRA).
The historic rodeo will get underway following a massive downtown parade, usually over a mile long, consisting of floats, bands, riding clubs, local celebrities and other miscellaneous entries.
The parade will begin at 4 p.m. and follow the traditional downtown parade route. Theme for this year’s parade is “Summer’s First Blast.”
Parade entry packets are available at the Vernon Chamber of Commerce office.
The Vernon Lions Club will hold their traditional rodeo barbecue immediately following the parade. The meal will be served in the Horse Palace at the Santa Rosa Rodeo Grounds until 7 p.m. Tickets for the meal are available from any Lions Club member, at the rodeo headquarters office located at 1814 Main St., or at the door. The meal will consist of barbecue brisket, beans, potato salad and all the trimmings. BBQ tickets are $12 each.
The first Santa Rosa Roundup was held in 1946 by the late E. Paul Waggoner in the same arena still being used. The historic facility still uses the same wooden chutes to release bulls and bucking broncs. The SRRA has owned the facility since 2016.
Performances will feature top professional cowboys from across the country, nightly performances by professional bullfighters Wacey Munsell and Alex Phelps, barrel clown Johnny “Back Flip” Duncan, as well as nightly precision drills by Vernon’s Ambassadors on Horseback, the Santa Rosa Palomino Club.
Youngsters between the ages of five and seven who would like to take part in the Mutton Bustin’ competition should pre-register at the rodeo headquarters. The event will be held nightly. Contestants must not weigh over 55 pounds.
Children participating in the Little Clown Contest should also pre-register at the rodeo headquarters. A total of 16 winners will be drawn at random with four “little clowns” to perform nightly during Mutton Bustin’ competition. The contest is for youngsters ages 3 and older.
Rodeo contestants will compete nightly in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, bull riding, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and ranch bronc riding. The ranch bronc riding will feature a number of local and area cowboys. Ride the Hide and Mutton Bustin’ competition will also be held at each performance.
Every performance is guaranteed to provide the country’s top professional cowboys, legendary bucking stock and prime family entertainment according to organizers.
Charlie Throckmorton from Grandview, Tx will serve as announcer for the rodeo for the second year. He replaces the late Hadley Barrett, the longtime voice of Santa Rosa. Barrett passed away a little over a year ago.
Throckmorton’s career spans more than 40 years. He announced his first rodeo in 1969 while still in high school. He is now a PRCA Gold Card member, and has covered rodeo and bull ridings in over 40 states across the nation.
Rodeo stock for the event will once again be provided by Buetler and Sons of Elk City, Okla.
A dance will be held Friday and Saturday evenings at 9 p.m.in the rodeo grounds Horse Palace. Friday evening will feature Chris Clerihew and the West Coast Turnaround. Saturday evening will feature the Drake Hayes Band beginning at 10 p.m.
Advance tickets for both the rodeo and dance may be purchased at rodeo headquarters or by calling 940-552-6868.
Advance dance tickets are $10 for the Friday dance and $15 for the Saturday dance.
Advance rodeo tickets are: Children $5; adult $8, and box seats $10. Tickets purchased at the gate are slightly higher. Parking passes for inside the gate are $25.
Rodeo sponsors said the best deal is a season box for all four nights with six seats and one parking pass for $192.
Santa Rosa Roundup Association directors include Chairman Weldon Hawley, Horace Joe Tabor, Justin Marsh, Larry Drennan, Trent Kieschnick, Racey Padilla, Justin Miller and Ricky Rater.