Lincoln Rodeo One Of Many Events

West Washington County Family-friendly

West Washington County offers a variety of family-friendly places and events. Many of those bring in visitors from around the region and nearby states.

The annual Lincoln Rodeo is one of the events that has gained in popularity through its 59 years of existence. As word spread more visitors came from other areas to enjoy the many skills of rodeo participants. Today, the Lincoln Rodeo brings thousands to town.

It all began in 1953 when Ray Carte needed help vaccinating and tattooing some cattle, according to Christine Carte in a Lincoln Leader article written a few years ago. She wrote, Carl had some men working for him but friends came to help, too.

“One big cow gave them a lot of trouble in the working chute and Hubert Christian bet he could ride her,” said Christine in the article.

“The bet was on and after one jump out of the chute, Hubert was on the ground. The men were having so much fun, they decided then and there to organize a riding club and build a rodeo arena.”

The article explained that soon afterward the men met at Carte’s produce building and formed the Lincoln Riding Club. They bought property from Raymond Huffaker for a rodeo arena, with the help of a bank loan.

The club held a successful barbecue to buy materials to build an arena, which was done with club members helping with labor. They hired a contractor to set a date for the first rodeo. “It was great,” Christine wrote. Events at the early rodeos included trail rides, calf roping, play days with pole bending, barrel racing and sack racing.

A pageant for rodeo queen has been held each year with a new crowning of a queen, junior queen, Little Mister and Miss Rodeo.

Today’s rodeos include bareback riding, break-a-way roping, steer wrestling, bull riding and some traditional events such as calf roping and barrel racing. Stick horse riding and mutton riding has been added for children.

This year’s event will also include the Sky High Angels Drill Team and a local popular band, 540 Detour.

Rodeos are a unique glance into the American past when cowboys worked at jobs that included horse breaking, riding, roping, herding, branding of cattle and other tasks. Large ranches in the country still use some of the same practices and men are hired for the jobs. Most of the skills a cowboy once had to have in order to perform his work duties has now become a modern competitive sport used at rodeo arenas.

The Lincoln Rodeo not only provides that glimpse into the past, but it provides good family entertainment that bring fans and visitors back year after year.

The 59th annual Lincoln Rodeo is June 7, 8 and 9 at the arena located on U.S. 62 West.