Military rodeo returning to Clovis

For the first time since 2000, the Professional Armed Forces World Championship Rodeo will be held in Clovis.

Close to 300 competitors are expected to participate in the rodeo at the Curry County Events Center from Thursday through Saturday.

Events Center General Manager K.C. Messick said he is excited about this rodeo making its way back to the place it all started.

“The organization was founded in 2000 and they did the very first PAFRA rodeo here and then they left,” Messick said. “They went to Texas, Oklahoma, even ended up in Kansas and, well, we convinced them to come back.”

Messick said competitors will be coming from all across the country. “There’s not really any specific area. I mean, they’re coming from everywhere,” he said.

According to the PAFRA website, the association is a veteran’s organization, comprised of active-duty, retired servicemen and women, reservists, National Guard and honorably discharged veterans from all branches of service.

Messick said there are many members that participate in the rodeo, and he believes this event will bring 1,000 more people to Clovis that wouldn’t be here otherwise.

“We’re going to have them making hotel stays, they’re all going to eat in our restaurants, shopping, whatever. I mean, it’s going to be huge,” he said.

The PAFRA organization had 15 different locations to choose from, and after narrowing it down to three, Messick said they ultimately decided on Clovis. “Because we’re the best,” Messick said.

The contract was finalized last year, and Messick said he’s been anticipating this time since then.

“We’re super excited, you know, to bring it back to Clovis,” he said. “I feel like this is where it needs to be and hopefully this will turn into its forever home.”

The rodeo events include break away roping, bull riding, tiedown roping, chute dogging, steer wrestling, barrel racing, cowboy mounted shooting, team roping (heading and heeler), saddle bronc and bareback.

Tickets are $12, and kids 5 and under get in for free. For Thursday and Friday, doors at the events center will open at 5 p.m. with the rodeo starting at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, doors will open at 2 p.m. with the rodeo starting at 3:30 p.m.

To finish off the rodeo, Messick said the public is invited to the awards ceremony, which will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday.

More information: curryeventscenter.com