Blue Heron Fair Days has something for everyone, but Barrhead and District Agriculture president Randy Schmidt wants to make sure fairgoers don’t forget about the rodeo.
‘I know there will be a lot of other activities happening during the fair such as the demolition derby and all the different entertainment, but at the heart of everything is the rodeo,” he said.
Blue Heron Fair Days Rodeo runs Aug 12 and 13, with action beginning at 1 p.m. More than 150 competitors are expected to take part in this year’s rodeo.
“We will have all the popular events, bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, calf and team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing,” he said, adding that the rodeo will feature some of the toughest bucking broncs and bulls seen anywhere.
In addition, the rodeo will feature a number of events geared towards junior competitors.
Perhaps the most popular is the mutton busting event. Each day 10 children, six years old and under, compete to see who is the best sheep rider. The object of the event is to see who can stay on their sheep the longest.
“A task easier said than done,” Schmidt said.
As a memento for competing, each child receives a special rodeo belt buckle.
Back by popular demand is the boot scramble where kids 12 and under get a chance to prove how quickly they can put on their cowboy boots. Each competitor has to remove their footwear and put them into a large pile, where they are mixed up in the middle of the arena. Kids then have to line up at a start line and when the gun is sounded they have to race to the pile, find their own boots, put them on and then rush back to the finish line — the winner gets a brand new pair of cowboy boots.
Children will also get a chance to win a new bicycle in the calf scramble.
“The object of the event is to be the person lucky enough and quick enough to get the ribbon that is tied to the end of a calves’ tail,” he said. “The kids just love it and for the audience it’s fun to watch.”
However, the event Schmidt is most excited about is the return of the barn dance and social, Aug. 12, which will take place at 9 p.m. at the Ag barn. Tickets for the dance are $10.
“Back in the day it was really popular and it is a great way to end the first day of the rodeo, watching all the cowboys and cowgirls kick up their heels,” he said.
