Lincoln Rodeo Gets Go-Ahead

LINCOLN — Going above and beyond to keep spectators and contestants safe has always been a priority for Lincoln Riding Club at every rodeo and competitive event sponsored by the organization.

But this year, LRC had to convince the State Departmen of Health.

For three agonizing weeks organizers, fans, contestants and participants waited for clarity whether the Lincoln Rodeo would be held while watching an occasional tumbleweed blow across the covid19 landscape.

Following its monthly board meeting July 7, the Lincoln Riding Club announced the 2020 Lincoln Rodeo is a go.

LRC board member Shane Downing said the rodeo, which is sanctioned jointly by the American Cowboys Rodeo Association and the International Professional Rodeo Association, is 100 percent a go.

“They told us yes. We’ve got guidelines we’ve got to meet according to their guidelines,” Downing said. “We’re extremely excited.”

LRC had been awaiting a decision from the Arkansas Department of Health after LRC Treasurer Amanda Arnold submitted a plan to host the 67th annual Lincoln Rodeo Aug. 6-8 at the LRC Arena one mile west of town.

“It was about a month ago we started putting together all of our plans and it takes about a week before they reach back to you the first time and then you kind of talk back and forth until you meet a common ground,” Arnold said.

By July 7, the specific details had been ironed out and Arnold happily reported to LRC members this year’s rodeo would happen. Downing expressed appreciation for Arnold’s diligence communicating LRC’s desire to hold this year’s rodeo to the State Health Department

“Hats off to Amanda. She worked everything out. She got all of our paperwork done. She stayed on top of it,” Downing said. “She has just done an excellent job to get this to go through and working with everybody to make sure it happened.”

In order to obtain sanctioning from the Arkansas Department of Health, which unlike the ACRA and IPRA, does not crown yearend champions in the various

categories of rodeo competition, there was a tradeoff. Time- honored traditions such as the street dance held on Wednesday prior to three nights of rodeo competition was written off — as was the calf scramble and rodeo grand entry along with the stickhorse grand entry with attendance limited to 1,400 people and a stipulation that only contestants may bring horses.

Expensive prizes engraved with the 67th annual Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo logo for royalty pageant contestants including crowns, belt buckles, sashes and saddles have already been purchased and on hand for distribution to winners in these categories: queen, ages 16-24; junior queen, 11-15; and princess, 6-10.

In something of an odd twist, royalty sponsors will now get a return on their investment. Never before have businesses needed government approval when choosing to invest in a community event.

“We had a lot of sponsors. Some of our sponsors were already going before this [covid-19] happened,” Downing said. “We were already invested in it and the sponsors are just really excited as well.”

The Lincoln Rodeo has lined up a primary sponsor and event sponsors for each of the following competitions: steer wrestling, bull riding, saddle bronc, team roping, bareback riding, barrel racing, calf roping, break away roping, ranch bronc, and a calf scramble.

“The Lincoln riding club is super excited to announce we got passed to have the rodeo!!” stated a post in part published by the Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo and Play Days on social media July 8.

A flurry of announcements followed in quick succession as Lincoln Riding Club revealed Big Horn Rodeo

Company, of Lamar, Okla., will serve as the stock contractor; Shawn Guerin, four-time ACRA Announcer-of-theYear, will provide the rodeo narrative; and Braden Tate, of Melbourne Ark., who won the 2018 International Finals Rodeo showcase comedy championship and finished as a top 3 barrelman at the 2019 International Finals Rodeo, will work as rodeo clown.

Books open and close Aug. 3. Those wanting to compete may enter by calling the Big Horn Rodeo Company at 918-697- 8979 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central Daylight time. Local entries are accepted within an extended local radius.

Junior barrels are 15 And Under while PeeWee barrels are 8 And Under. Mutton busting will be held nightly.

In the absence of a grand entry the rodeo begins with a live performance of the National Anthem starting at 8 p.m. each night.

Lincoln Riding Club Secretary/Reporter Marlana Edgmon competes in barrel racing during Lincoln Riding Club’s Sunday Play Day. Edgmon stepped away from trick riding to concentrate on barrel racing and plans to enter the Lincoln Rodeo Aug. 6-8, which she and the Lincoln Riding Club worked to gain approval from the Arkansas Department of Health to conduct its 67th annual rodeo.

PHOTOS BY MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Dusti Cole was among those competing in barrel racing during Lincoln Riding Club’s Sunday Play Day. Rodeo fans can see this and more during the Lincoln Rodeo Aug. 6-8, which recently received approval from the Arkansas Department of Health to conduct its 67th annual rodeo.