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Burnet County Fair & Rodeo: June 15-16, 2007, Burnet, Texas

It's rodeo time in Burnet County!  Blow the dust off your cowboy hats and western boots and mosey on down to the 40th Annual Burnet County Rodeo this coming week-end, June 15th and 16th  8:00 PM, at the Burnet County Rodeo Arena.  The arena is located on Houston Clinton Drive just off 281 South, right before the Burnet County Airport.  This year's rodeo promises to be an evening packed with fun and thrills.

The Cadillac Rodeo Company from Mexia, Texas is the producer for this year's rodeo.  For those who have never attended a "rodeo," or wonder just what exactly happens at a "rodeo," you will see thrilling events such as bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, tie down calf roping, ladies break away roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, and finally, the exciting and dangerous bull riding.  Also, a "barrel man" or rodeo entertainer, Scooter Culbertson of Gonzales will entertain the rodeo attendees. 

The Cadillac Rodeo Company was established in 1997 by Johnny Hoyle, producing primarily youth rodeos and open bull ridings.  Now, The Cadillac Rodeo Company has grown and is producing and providing stock at over thirty professional events a year including Cowboy Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events.  Rodeos are not strange to the Hoyle family.  In the 1950's and 1960's, Joe (Booger) and Bill Hoyle were competitors in both the Turtle Association and Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA).  During the 1970's and 1980's, sons Johnny and Jim, pursued the family's rodeo legacy in PRCA rough stock events.

Johnny and son, Wacey, are committed to continuing the family tradition through the production of top-notch professional rodeos.  The Cadillac Rodeo Company is proud to be known as today's hottest performance in Texas and provides some of the roughest and rankest rodeo stock on the circuit.

Youth events being sponsored during the rodeo are the Mutton Bustin' and Calf Scramble.  The Mutton Bustin' event is open to children aged 7 and under who will ride a sheep for eight seconds.  Participants need to sign up before the rodeo at the Mutton Bustin' table, with the first 15 children signing up each night being able to enter.  The winner will receive a gift certificate for a pair of Western Justin kids boots and a trophy buckle.  The Calf Scramble is open to children aged seven to ten.  They will be instructed to enter the middle of the rodeo arena, and chase of group of calves, three of which have ribbons tied to their tails.  The children who pull off the ribbons will receive a five dollar prize.

During the rodeo, this year's Burnet Country Rodeo Queen and Duchess contestants will be presented, on Friday night, and crowned during the rodeo Saturday night.  This year's contestants are are as follows: Angela Parker, daughter of Beth and Dick Parker; Charli Grady, daughter of Maureen Grady and Eddie Grady; Rachel Doyle, daughter of Monja Caughron; and Mariah Shirley, daughter of Maggie and Brian Shirley.

Associated with the rodeo will also be the Burnet County Team Roping, Wednesday June 13th at the Burnet County Rodeo Arena.  The roping is open to residents of Burnet County and graduates of Burnet County high school graduates, and ill be a Cap #5 Draw and #14 roping.  The entrance books will open at 6:00 PM, with the team roping starting at 7:00 PM.  The top five teams in each division (#5 and #14) will be competing during the Burnet Country Rodeo on Friday and Saturday nights.  For more information, call Director Elton Heine at 512.663.2862.

The Burnet County Fair & Rodeo Association has been in existence since 1967, when it was created by selling 500 "memberships" to obtain funding for the rodeo.

However, since the late 1940's, the annual Burnet County Rodeo has been a highly anticipated event.  The first Burnet Rodeo Association members were a group of local business owners, ranchers and cowboys.  Some of the early members were:  Dee Clyde Gardiner, who owned the arena, and leased it to the Burnet Rodeo Association, and Sheriff Wallace Riddell, Elmer Smith, Raymond Jones, Othal Davis, Edgar Seidensticker, Charlie Withers, County Judge Joe Edwards, Billy Joe Fox, and Tom O'Donnelll, Sr.  The arena with twelve acres was located on the edge of then Burnet which is now Tate Street, a few blocks from the Burnet Elementary School.

In 1967, County Extension Agent Ray Cagle coordinated the efforts to start the official "Burnet Country Fair & Rodeo Association," and obtain a loan from the Department of Agriculture Farmers Home Association in the amount of $58,000 for thirty years.  The loan was to build rodeo and fair facilities on 35 acres that were donated by Houston Clinton, and then leased by the City of Burnet to the Association for ninety-nine years.  To obtain the loan from the Farmer's Home Administration five-hundred memberships, at the cost of ten-dollars each, had to be sold to raise the matching funds needed to obtain the loan.  Last year, the thirty year note was burned at the annul Membership Dinner.

Now, the Burnet Fair & Rodeo Association has expanded it's events to include the annual Demolition Derby during the Bluebonnet Festival, Kid's Day Out in September, and hosting numerous annual youth events such as the Annual 4-H/FFA Stock Show in January, the Summer Steer Show, and other events.  The Exhibit Hall and Rodeo Arena are available to rented to the community for events such as wedding receptions, family reunions, youth events, youth rodeos, play days and area barrel racings.

If you have never seen a real live rodeo, this coming week-end is the time!  See you at the rodeo!!!!  For more information, call Andy Field, President of the Burnet County Rodeo and Fair Association President at 512.756.3016.

Photos for this article by Digital Creations, Burnet, TX