By Kay King
Special to The Item
HUNTSVILLE — In just two short weeks Stace Smith, pro rodeo stock contractor of the year at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for the past six years, will be rolling into town and gearing up for the 32nd Walker County Fair and Rodeo.
The 2010 specialty act Cody Sosobee has performed at CBR World Championships, Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and the Calgary Stampede as well as being nominated for the 2006 PRCA Clown of the Year.
The action-packed Walker County Fair Rodeo will kick off March 23 at 2 p.m. with the Barrel Racing and Steer Roping followed March 24 at 9 a.m. by the first round timed events slack and March 25 at 9 a.m. with the second round timed events slack.
The public is invited to watch the slack events free of charge.
The first performance will be March 26 beginning at 7:30 p.m. followed by the second performance March 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Pre-Sale tickets are available at Cavender's, First Victoria Bank (Huntsville & New Waverly), Huntsville Farm Supply, First National Bank, Adams Furniture, New Waverly Feed & Farm.
Tickets prices are adult — pre-sale price, $10, and gate price, $12. Children (age 6-12) — pre-sale price, $5, and gate price, $7.
Other arena events for the 2010 Walker County Fair and Rodeo will include the County Team Roping on March 21 at 1 p.m. and the Ranch Wreck Rodeo on April 3.
For more information call Dan Brown at (936) 661-5705 or Jesse Johnson at (936) 524-4785.
Muttin Bustin, for the younger cowboys and cowgirls, will be included with the Ranch Wreck Rodeo this year. For more information call Julie Larrison at (936) 662-6020.
The Walker County Fair Rodeo Committee raises scholarship money through the Bull Rider program.
For $50 your name will be paired with a bull rider for one performance.
If your bull rider has the highest scoring ride for that night, you win a belt buckle. For more information call Susan Vanderheydt at (936) 661-8285.
Yet another opportunity to get involved and support the youth of Walker County is offered by the Shiny Buckle Buyers Group.
For $200 you get tickets to the rodeo and Cowboy Camp and one-half of your donation goes in to the buyer’s group for the youth sales. Contact Kelsey Christian at (936) 581-1804.
All the rodeo action takes place the first weekend of the fair followed by the barbecue cook-off the last weekend April 2-3.
As the delightful aroma of barbecue drifts through the air, stroll through the barbecue area and take in the sites and sounds of the magnificent themes they have come up with to impress the public and out do their neighbors!
Live entertainment will be provided throughout the area by some of the area’s finest bands.
Between 40 and 50 barbecue teams with some of the best tasting briskets in Texas will be competing this year.
There are also several other meat categories and a couple of “to die for” dessert dishes. And don’t forget those wonderful chili and bean recipes.
The initial cost to become a contender is $100. That will get you a space and the right to compete in one meat category, additional categories are $10 each.
The 2010 BBQ Cook-off Committee consists of Greg Mathis and Sherry Bruno, co-chairs; and committee members Glen and Angie Andrus, Bill Barnard, Mike Bruno, Lee and Shelley Beaird, Randy Jeffcoat, and Frank Belt.
Anyone interested in volunteering a helping hand with the barbecue cook-off or needs additional information should contact: Sherry Bruno at (936) 661-1463 or Greg Mathis at (936) 661-3208.
Join us at the 32nd Walker County Fair and Rodeo, “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams,” March 26 through April 3 at the Walker County Fair Grounds located on state Highwway 30 West.
For more information, visit us online at www.walkercountyfair.com
