Huge crowd for annual rodeo

DAVID HUNTER
Cannon Courier

Some of the best rodeo cowboys and cowgirls converged in Woodbury this past weekend for the 16th annual Justin Pemberton Rodeo at the arena established to honor Justin's legacy. Some of these athletes came in hoping to increase their chances for a world championship later this season in several of the traditional rodeo events.

The event was part of the Southern Rough Stock Association series, sponsored by Dodge. This rodeo is one of the final stops of the season before the World Finals in late November, and it was a two night event featuring many athletes from around the nation competing in several events.

As you might imagine at any rodeo, it has the traditional events like Bareback Racing, Calf Roping, Barrel Racing, Team Roping and the fan favorite Bull Riding. This rodeo also included events Break Away Roping for the ladies, and even the future young cowboys and cowgirls took part in Pee-Wee and Junior Barrel Racing and the crowd pleasing mutton busting. With several local kids trying their best to stay on the sheep for an extended time, while hearing the cheers of the crowd, including their proud parents.

In the meantime, the professional rodeo stars, including the ranked bulls and horses, stole the show in front of a huge crowd at the Justin Pemberton Arena on both nights of the event.

Several winners were crowned on both nights, including the horses in the Bareback Riding as none of the cowboys in the event scored, because of a disqualification or being bucked off the horses.

The calf roping was won by Bubba Allison on Sept. 25, while veteran Joe Adcock thrilled his family and friends who made the short drive to watch him compete to win the following night on the final ride of the event. The goal of the cowboy is to rope a calf, jump off the horse, wrestle the calf on the ground, and tie him up in the fastest time possible.

"It is really cool, because I live in Smithville so I am not far away," Adcock said. "I know a lot of the folks here, and it is real nice, because a lot my family was here to watch."

Adcock also took part in the team roping event, which is a tag team of cowboys try to rope a calf in the fastest time possible without breaking the rules. While on horseback, one cowboy is trying to rope the head of the calf, while the other one is trying to do the same to the calf's legs. Pinpoint accuracy is the key to finishing well in this event.

All of the events at the rodeo play an important role, but the fan favorites for both the cowboys and cowgirls, include the bull riding and the barrel racing. The cowboys are trying to stay on some of the biggest and meanest bulls for eight seconds with one hand, while the cowgirls race around the three barrels in a certain pattern going for the fastest time possible.

Adam Trammell won the bull riding, while Carry Adams took home the cash in the barrel racing on Sept. 25.
"It is all the same, I just try to ride the bulls every week and see what I can cover," Trammell said. "I try to stay really prepared all week and when I show up here I just do not think about it. I just keep a clear head and do what I do."

The SRSA will be back in action on Oct. 10 at Bear Creek, Ala. in their final rodeo before the World Finals.
You can reach David at dhunter@cannoncourier.net