Cape ready to saddle up its 18th annual rodeo

~ The two-day PRCA event begins tonight at the Show Me Center.

Rodeo fans in Southeast Missouri don't have to wait very long between events on the calendar.

There are quite a few, including the Bootheel Rodeo in Sikeston, which has been chugging along for 53 years.

The Show Me Center Championship Rodeo has quite a bit of tradition as well, with the 18th annual event ready to begin at 8 tonight. This year's two-day event has another session at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Show Me Center marketing director Brad Gentry is aware the Show Me event is not as lonely on the schedule as it was in 1987.

"We have more competition now," Gentry said. "Sikeston's always been there, but now you have the Perryville rodeo, there's one in Cape, a couple of charity rodeos, and Flickerwood has one every week. We definitely have more competition and we've felt it. But we still have the attendance."

The event began when the Show Me Center opened in 1987.

"It's one of our staple events," Gentry said. "We consider it one of our anchors."

Jim King, a veteran of rodeos who acts as a Dodge Rodeo field representative, said small towns like Cape Girardeau are prime places for rodeos.

"Things go in fads, but rodeo is kind of a thing that keeps going forever and ever," King said. "There's no threshold when people say enough is enough. Once they get hooked on this stuff, it's just neat entertainment."

The Show Me Center rodeo and others like it have succeeded in this area because the entertainment is geared for the family, King said. Rodeo fans of all ages can find something they like, whether it is the signature bull riding event or Tim "Wild Thing" Lepard, a rodeo performer who uses monkeys in his act.

"It's down-to-earth type stuff," King said. "If I was a parent I could feel comfortable taking my kids. And it's still good, fun entertainment."

The event will once again be a sanctioned event for the Profesional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Competitors from the Great Lakes Circuit along with some from the National Circuit will attend.

"We have some of the world champions come in every year," Gentry said. "They may ride one or two rodeos a weekend. There will be some big names here."

Along with some of the national names, plenty of local entrants will perform in the two-day event.

Recent Delta graduate Brent Menz will perform in the bull riding competition tonight. Jackson graduate Ty Atchison will compete in saddle bronc tonight. Gordonville native Carrie Stroup will compete in barrell racing tonight, and Jackson native Cindy Robbins will compete in that event Saturday. Chris Evans of Benton will compete Saturday in tie-down roping, and Gordonville native Jason Stroup will compete in team roping Saturday.

The event at the Show Me Center is one of six PRCA events scheduled this weekend. While the event at the Show Me Center is not one of the bigger PRCA events, there will still be plenty of action for rodeo fans.

"Just because they're smaller doesn't mean they're not first class," King said.