By: Ernie Wren
This past week I was politely reminded that the “next best event” coming up on the horizon is not the September Fall Festival, but rather, the Cattlemen Days Rodeo on August 23rd and 24th. My mistake! I appreciate any corrections or comments I receive about my “Around Town” weekly article. If you have a correction or comment, you can text me at 573-239-1105 or email me at erniewren@gmail.com.

To give a little bit of history on this week’s mention of the annual rodeo, the Cattlemen Days Rodeo has been an annual event in Ashland since 1973. This is the 51st year that Ashland has hosted the rodeo, which is quite a tradition! The Cedar Valley Riders and the Ashland Optimists have been working together to bring the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) to town and provide Mid-Missouri with a top-notch rodeo experience. Families can also enjoy the Cattlemen Days Rodeo parade which begins on Saturday morning at 9am at the Optimist Building and continues through downtown Ashland. For more information check out the www.cattlemendaysrodeo.com website or visit their Facebook page “Cattlemen Days Rodeo.”

Rodeo Trivia: Per wytv.com, the reason for 8-second rides (instead of 5 or 10 seconds) is that it is for the safety of the horses and bulls (not the riders). The animals lose adrenaline after 8 seconds, get tired, and their bucking ability decreases.

Subscribe today to read in full: