Flames erupted from the ground at the far side of the ring paving a path for the night’s entertainment.
From behind the curtains, barrel racers and bull riders emerged, prepared to go to work and surrounded by a shower of fireworks.
The Auxvasse Rodeo went all out for the final night of “old American fun” Saturday.
“It’s really a celebration of America’s past,” Callaway Montgomery Cattleman’s Association co-treasurer Julie Deering said.
“Today’s farms and ranches have kind of shifted off of reliance on horseback and so this is a fun way to recognize and reflect on where we’ve come from an agricultural standpoint and then where we are today and to honor those traditions,” she said.
With the smell of the Cattleman’s Association’s famous ribeyes wafting over from the food stand, the evening began with mutton busting followed by bull riding and barrel racing.
“It’s fun to see lots of people from across the county and their families come out,” Deering said.
The Auxvasse Rodeo is the Callaway Montgomery Cattleman’s Association “big money maker,” according to board president Brad Benne.
“This year is really exciting because across the board, we are giving out about $60,000,” Deering said.
The Callaway Montgomery Cattlemen's Association presented a $20,000 check to the Callaway Youth Expo before the rodeo began. They also gave out $20,000 to the Montgomery County fair board to improve their livestock facilities and over $20,000 in scholarships to high school and collegiate students.
Deering said this will be a record year for the rodeo in terms of fundraising.
Last year, the first night of the rodeo raked in $25,000. This year, Benne deposited $40,000 Saturday morning, which included proceeds from presale tickets, gate entry fees and food sales.
Both Friday and Saturday night, the Cattleman’s Association was cleared out of ribeyes before the end of the rodeo but the excitement carried on well into the night with new events and no shortage of community support.
Auxvasse Rodeo Royalty
Little Darlin- Kylee Hammond ofCentralia
Queen- Emma Wilson ofAuxvasse
Junior Queen- Bree Stowers of Centralia
Miss Photogenic- Mikenley Mckenna of Auxvasse
Miss Congeniality- Bree Stowers of Centralia
High Ticket Sales-Makayla Huskey of Auxvasse
