Get Tight Productions will present its 2nd annual Rodeo Ranch here at the Bulloch County Agriculture Complex in Statesboro. Over the June 14-15 weekend, folks of all ages are invited to come see these cowboys and cowgirls do what they love and let them show you how real ranching looks. Admission is $20 a person, while kiddos aged 10 and younger get in for free.
The doors open at 5pm for everyone to get settled in, and the show starts at 7pm. There will be food vendors on site, as well as alcohol being served by Tandoor & Tap. Outside coolers will not be allowed inside the complex.
Looking to triple the success of last year, Jason Wamba, owner of Get Tight Productions and the Announcer and Producer to the Ranch Rodeo, states, “Last year around this time, our page only had 230 people interested in coming. This year, we have nearly 700 people interested in coming, so that’s huge.”
Wamba expressed his excitement for this year, as last year was a “trial and error.”
Last year, the Ranch Rodeo was able to raise around $2,000 for Fostering Bulloch and the 7th Mile Farm. This year, Wamba is announcing that they will once again be raising money for Fostering Bulloch, and plans to give a portion of the proceeds to the 7th Mile.
What is a “Ranch Rodeo”?
It is a rodeo where the cowboys and cowgirls get a chance to show you what a real ranch hand does. They get the opportunity to show you up close how it looks to have to deal with these cows and horses out on the ranch. It’s not an easy task to handle cattle, but it is one these folks have to deal with. From the branding, to the loading, to the shots, heck even to the milking, you’ll experience it all at a ranch rodeo.
“I want people to see that there is more to it than just a cowboy rodeo. This is how ranchers get out and do it every day. They do it because it’s what puts food on the table,” said Wamba. “I want people to come out and enjoy the show, and also learn about the work of a rancher.”
What makes it different from a regular rodeo?
In a standard rodeo, it's more of an individual against their contestants, whereas in a ranch rodeo, it’s broken into teams. A ranch rodeo shows off more of the everyday life of a rancher, whereas a regular rodeo would not.
Competitions
Both nights of the Ranch Rodeo will feature these competitions here: Stray Gathering, Trailer Loading, Wild Cow Milking, Doctoring/Branding, Broncs, and Barrels. There’s also the Calf Scramble.
- Stray Gathering: Let two cows out, out of a four person team, two will have to grab a cow and the other two must tie up the other cow. They will have two minutes to do so.
- Doctoring/Branding: The announcer will call out a number, and the contestants must grab that cow out of the herd. They would then have to tie the cow up and give it a shot (just marking it with paint). As they are walking one cow out, the team also has to get the next cow being called out. This event is also on a two and a half minute scale.
- Wild Cow Milking: This one is more for fun, and it's exactly what you think it is. The contestants have to rope up a cow, milk it, bring the bottle over to the finishing circle to pour it out, also within two and a half minutes.
- Broncs: The contestant sits in a standard saddle attached to the back of the horse – but with no saddle horn. For leverage, he holds a thick “rein” or rope that is attached to the horse’s halter, which can only be held with one hand. They have eight seconds to stay on. The judges will then score them out of 100 points (25 points from each judge).
- Barrels: This is where the cowgirls get to shine. They will be tasked with maneuvering around a set of barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, and whoever has the fastest time wins.
- Calf Scramble: This is where the kids get to shine. Any child aged 12 and under can participate in this event. There will be a ribbon attached to the back of a calf, and whoever can get the ribbon wins a $50 prize from Tractor Supply Company.
This year's rodeo is sponsored by Davis Collision, BootLiquors, Statesboro Powersports, K&B Trailer Sales, RMK Concrete and Site Works, Statefarm, AgSouth Farm Credit, Tandoor & Tap and Ray’s Barber Shop.
