SIKESTON, Mo. — Are you ready for another rodeo? The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds is hosting the Three Rivers College Championship College Rodeo from Thursday to Saturday, with action beginning at 7 p.m. the first two days, and 3 p.m. on the final day. The gates to the Art Saunders Arena open one hour before the start time. “We are thrilled to bring the college rodeo to Sikeston again this year,” said Three Rivers rodeo coach Chad Phipps in a press release. “Sikeston has a lot of rodeo fans, and we are excited to work with the Jaycees to host yet another fun and exciting rodeo event in the area. This rodeo will allow our students to show off their skills at home while bringing in other competitors from around the country.”
The rodeo, which was named the Ozark Region College Rodeo of the Year in 2019, includes some of the same events that spectators would typically see at the August event, with bull riding, bareback bronc riding and barrel racing as some of the headline attractions. For Three Rivers College Director of Development Michelle Reynolds, she is looking forward to a threeday event that is more “laidback” than other rodeos. “There’s a lot that happens, and it’s a great atmosphere,” Reynolds said. “We’re hoping for some great weather and a good opportunity to come out and have a great outdoor event in Sikeston. It seems like that is what people are wanting right now; to have these events that they can come to and feel a little more comfortable.”
A National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association-sanctioned event, the Three Rivers College Championship Rodeo will feature 15 college teams in the Ozark Region. The schools participating, along with Three Rivers, are Central Methodist University, East Mississippi Community College, Erskine College, Michigan State University, Mississippi State University, Missouri Valley College, Murray State University, Northwest Mississippi Community College, Pearl River Community College, Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas-Monticello, University of Kentucky, University of West Alabama, and the University of Tennessee at Martin.
The Raiders feature Kay Shelley (Doniphan), Blane Maxwell (Bertrand), Holley Alford (Poplar Bluff), Railey Bradfield (Portageville) and Zach Head (Wappapello). Tickets for the event will be $10 for adults, $5 for children from ages 4-to-12 and free for children from 3-and-younger. Admission for Three Rivers’ students and employees is $5, with those individuals needing to show Three Rivers College identification for the fee. For safety precautions, Reynolds added that spectators are encouraged to social distance and wear masks. Hand sanitizing stations will also be set-up around the arena. Fans can also bring lawn chairs since box seats will not be set-up. For more information on the event, visit the Three Rivers College Raiders website, www.raidersathletics.com .
Alex Wallner - Standard Democrat