Starkville Daily News

Rotary Classic Rodeo kicks off tomorrow

By CAL BROWN

John Harrison, who was recently honored as the Clown of the Year by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, will be the rodeo clown for this weekend’s Rotary Classic Rodeo at the Mississippi Horse Park. (Photo from John Harrison Rodeo Clown website, for Starkville Daily News)

Tomorrow will kick off the weekend event that many locals come to spectate and many contestants from all over the country come to compete in: the Rotary Classic Rodeo.

Back at the Mississippi Horse Park starting on Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11, the Rotary Classic Rodeo will feature bareback riding, bull riding, tie down roping, women's barrel racing and breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and team roping. But all that is not without mentioning that there is also some fun for the children as well.

“It's fun for the whole family, even the children,” said Mississippi Horse Park Facilities Director Bricklee Miller. “On Friday night, kids ages 12 and under get in free. With admission to the rodeo on Saturday night, children can enjoy pony rides and a petting zoo on the arena floor prior to the rodeo. We also have a photo booth and children's novelties.”

Miller described the cowboy and cowgirl lineup for this weekend's rodeo as “amazing” with world champions and contestants who entered from 23 states and Canada.

“You will also see bucking stock, horses and bulls that the top cowboys in the world competed on in Las Vegas at the National Finals Rodeo,” Miller said.

One individual who will be performing in the Rotary Classic Rodeo this weekend is John

Harrison, who was honored with three awards from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He took home Comedy Act of the Year for his 7th time, Coors Man in the Can for his 6th time, and for the first time in his career, he won Clown of the Year; and he will be performing as the rodeo clown for this weekend's Rotary Classic Rodeo.

Harrison says he will perform his winning act for Comedy Act of the Year this weekend at the Horse Park for all to see. He describes the act as “everything you're not supposed to do on a horse.” If that's not enough, he will be debuting a brand new act he has come up with, and those in attendance this weekend will be the first to see it.

This weekend will not be the first time Harrison has been at the Rotary Classic Rodeo, but this is one of his favorite rodeos to participate in.

“I've watched this rodeo go from not having any contestants and small crowds to having a lot of contestants and really big crowds. So it's kind of fun to see these, what I like to call, grassroots rodeos, which are small town rodeos that haven't been going on for 100 years,” said Harrison. “Bricklee runs a tight ship. She does a great job putting on the show here … She had to put something together from nothing when it first started.”

The Soper, Okla. native remembers when he came to the rodeo for the first time at the Mississippi Horse Park years ago when the facility was

fairly new at the time. One thing that has really impressed him over the years is how well the facility is taken care of.

“Usually, you see facilities, they look great at first, and then over 10 to 15 years is when facilities go down hill. But this is one of those facilities that when you come back 15 years later, it still looks nice and neat, and you can tell that the grounds are taken care of,” said Harrison. “It makes the people in the public want to come back to an event like this. So it's fun to come back and show the crowd something new. They've seen me before, but it'll be something they haven't seen before as far as the act goes. It's a familiar face but a different game.”

The Rotary Classic Rodeo will be back at the Mississippi Horse Park on Friday, February 10 and

Saturday, February 11 starting at 7 p.m. on both nights. Children 12 and under are admitted free on Friday; children 3 and under are admitted free on Saturday. On Saturday, attendees can enjoy pony rides and a petting zoo on the arena floor from 5–6:30 p.m. Adult tickets are $20 at the door or $15 in advance.

Also, be sure not to worry about eating before heading to the rodeo, because the Starkville Rotary Club will be working hard at the concession stands with a full menu of great items for all to enjoy.

The Rotary Classic Rodeo began 19 years ago at the Mississippi Horse Park and is the Starkville Rotary Club's largest fundraiser. Proceeds from the rodeo support humanitarian, educational and community service activities. The Mississippi Horse Park is located at 869 East Poor House Road.

The event info line is (662) 325-0508 for advance tickets outlets, times and prices, and all other information about the Rotary Classic Rodeo.

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2023-02-09T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-09T08:00:00.0000000Z

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