Pioneer Rodeo offers plenty for fans

CLOVIS - Ride 'em cowboy won't cut it.

When it comes to the Pioneer Rodeo Days, it's ride 'em cowboy, cowgirl, even young-uns.

This year's rodeo, the 49th installment, will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Curry County Event Center, beginning at 7:30 p.m. each day. And the goings on offer plenty of variety.

There's bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, steer roping, barrel racing and wild cow milking. There's even a trick roper to amuse spectators.

"Lots of excitement and a lot of entertainment," said Jerry Fulgham, a former president and now chairman of the event's board of directors. "So it brings locals from a 100-mile radius every year. It's usually sold out Saturday night, usually pretty full. We take pride in putting on a professional rodeo with lots of action-packed entertainment."

Kids under 10 years of age weighing 55 pounds or less compete in what's called 'muttbusting', which gives younger rodeoers a chance to try and stay on sheep for as long as they can.

Yes, sheep.

"They come out of a buck-and-shoot and grab a hold of the (sheep's) hair," Fulgham said. "They time it to see who can ride the most. It's for kids and it's a big hit for the fans."

Considering everything above, it probably shouldn't be surprising that there have been 300-400 overall participants each year since the event first began in 1971.

"It brings the families and local people together for good clean entertainment," Fulgham said.

Tickets are available at the door, but can also be purchased at Bar G Western Wear Boot in Portales, One Stop Feed in Clovis and Gebo's, also in Clovis. They cost $12 for general admission, $15 for reserve seating and $20 for preferred seating. Tickets are $2 off if purchased in advance.

Each night a different group or cause will be honored. Thursday is Military Appreciation Night; Friday is Tough Enough To Wear Pink Night for cancer awareness; Saturday is First Responders Appreciation Night.

It's a unifying event that Fulgham says is perfect for Eastern New Mexico, which is why it was founded nearly a half-century ago.

"This area is just a Western-type atmosphere," he said, "so a group of cattlemen and businessmen got together and started putting a rodeo on for local and statewide contestants. And it just built up to what it is now."

The money won at Pioneer Days counts toward the Turquoise Circuit, which leads to its circuit finals in Arizona. The national circuit finals are held in Kissimmee, Florida. The overall national finals take place in Las Vegas this December.

Having that much importance involved with Pioneer Days makes it quite a draw.

"The contestants go to the best rodeos where they feel like they have a chance to win the most money and have the best bucking stock," Fulgham said.

Fulgham, who served as the event president for eight years, has been involved in it for about 20 years. He has previously entered the cowmilking, calf roping and team roping.

"But not this year," he said.