Cattlemen Days Rodeo: A Look Back at a Fifty-Year Tradition

Boone County Journal, Thursday, August 26th, 1976

By: Ernie Wren
The Cattlemen Days Rodeo has been a Southern Boone tradition since its first night on Friday, September 14th, 1973. The rodeo was founded by Mike Bauman, the former Executive Secretary of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. In 1975, the Ashland Optimist Club and the Cedar Valley Riders created a partnership to take over the reins, a partnership which endures to this day.

Bruce Glascock and Mike Bauman celebrate 25 years at the new arena

Over its history, the rodeo has been held at various locations, such as the Crane family farm south of town, the University of Missouri South Farms, as well as at the current grounds at the Optimist Club. The Cattlemen Days Rodeo continues to be sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), which means it draws competitors from all over the nation. In a special celebration of the fifty-year history of the rodeo, Mr. Bauman will be the Grand Marshall at the parade and in attendance at the rodeo as well.

“The thing I like best is that cowboys are real gentlemen” ~Founder Mike Bauman (1974)

The two-day event begins with a rodeo on Friday, August 25th at 8:00pm, followed by the parade on Saturday, August 26th at 9:00am, and ends with a rodeo on Saturday night at 8:00pm. The parade will begin at the Ashland Optimist Club and will then travel south on Henry Clay Blvd., turn west on Broadway through downtown, north on Main Street, then finally east on Ash (by the park). The public is encouraged to bring some lawn chairs and enjoy a good old-fashioned rodeo parade event, which is a rare sight in communities nowadays.

Boone County Journal, Thursday, August 15th, 1974

Boone County Journal, Thursday, September 2nd, 1993

The rodeo features cowboys and cowgirls competing in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding, with stock animals coming from Three Hills Rodeo.

“Ashland’s own Linda Bauman rounds the third and final barrel Saturday night on her way to a tie for first place in the ladies barrel racing event.”

Boone County Journal, Thursday August 15th, 1974

Three Hills is in Bernard, Iowa and has over 500 head of bucking horses, bulls and cow/calf pairs. They’ve been recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as a stock contractor with “the best, most consistent pen of bucking horses”. Their “Born to Buck” breeding program for stock is sure to bring a high level of energy and power to the arena!

In 1985, the clubs elected to hold the rodeo at the University of Missouri South Farms. In 1990, after four years of obtaining the ground and building the arena, the rodeo was back in town. Mid-States Rodeo Company was hired as the stock contractor and the rodeo remained a PRCA sanctioned event.

~Cattlemen Days Rodeo Committee

Tickets and concessions are all CASH ONLY, so please plan ahead. Advance tickets can be purchased at Central Bank of Boone County, Connections Bank, The Callaway Bank or River Region Credit Union until August 20th. Tickets can also be purchased at the door Friday ($18) and Saturday ($20).

See full coverage in this week’s Journal…

Published August 16th, 2023