Hang on Tight – It’s Time for Some NDWS Mutton Bustin’
For those not yet ready to (or those who, you know, never wish to) ride a bull or mustang, there’s always the fluffier, smaller alternative. Throughout the nation, thousands of rodeos and other events feature Mutton Bustin’ as part of the show, when children (weighing less than 55 lbs) wrap their arms and legs around a sheep and see how long they can hold on while the animal runs.
The North Dakota Winter Show has featured Mutton Bustin’ as an event for many years, and the smallest cowboys and cowgirls in the ring at the rodeo get a chance to take part. There is no national organization or set rules for Mutton Bustin’ and most events continue to be organized at the local level. The sport was introduced to the well-known National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO, around the 1980s, where it was sponsored by Nancy Stockdale Cervi, a former rodeo queen. The NWSS says that in 1993, Mutton Bustin’ became a popular relatively-new event at the rodeo and drew a record crowd—over 178,000 people—to view the spectacle.
Though no official statistics indicate the sports’ popularity, Mutton Bustin’ is an easy crowd favorite, and thousands of children participate each year. Holding onto a rascally sheep for as long as possible welcomes young children into the rodeo scene, introducing them to events like bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback riding.
You can catch the action during the NDWS Ranch Rodeo & Calcutta Thursday, March 9, 6:30 p.m., and also
during the PRCA Rodeos Friday, March 10, 7 p.m. and Satruday, March 11, 2 and 7 p.m.