Hundreds to compete at Parada del Sol Rodeo
Time to take the bull by the horns. Nearly 700 contestants from all over the country will compete for more than $75,000 in prize money at the Parada del Sol Rodeo, a traditional seven-event rodeo, this Thursday through Sunday, March 9-12 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
Thursday night’s rodeo is for bull riders only with more than 75 bull riders taking to the arena. Though bull riders will also be competing Friday through Sunday, this full day of just bull riding was created because of the large number of bull riders that enter this rodeo every year.
“Seventy-five bull riders is unheard of,” Dave Alford, rodeo general manager, says. “Most rodeos get half that many. (Thursday will be) two hours plus of entertainment, and this is our eighth or tenth year of doing it.”
Keeping all the bull riders safe at this year’s rodeo is bullfighter Luke Kraut, who has been a bullfighter for about 23 years. He’s been bullfighting at the Parada for about 11 years.
“Our job is to protect the cowboy,” Kraut says. “Get the bull’s attention and direct it away from the cowboy.”
Kraut was a professional bull rider himself for about a decade before he saw that there was a need for quality bullfighters and switched professions.
“I love the sport, and I love doing it,” he says. “The worst day fighting bulls is still better than the best day at some other job.”
For Kraut, the Parada is special because it’s the biggest rodeo to kick off the season. The competitors are ready to compete after cooling their heels all winter, according to Kraut.
“We’re a traditional rodeo … the way they did it 100 years ago, but you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time,” says Alford.
Besides the edge-of-your-seat rodeo performances, the Parada will have John S. Payne perform in his One Arm Bandit act, which has won the title of PRCA Specialty Act of the Year an unprecedented 12 times. Payne lost his arm in an electrical accident in 1973.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings directly after the rodeo, hit the Coors Hoedown after-party, which is free for anyone who has a rodeo ticket. Live music will be at the after-party all three nights.