ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
August in Seward County is known for many things, including the Five State Free Fair, which officially starts Wednesday, and the start of school, just a few more days away.
For the past decade, the month likewise has become rodeo time with the Seward County PRCA Rodeo taking place in mid-August. Though the rodeo itself is actually 11 years old, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of the event in 2020, this year’s rodeo officially marks the 10th edition.
For most of the local PRCA’s history, a parade has also been part of the excitement, and rodeo board member Renee Haralson said that event will continue this year, with Texas longhorns make a return visit to Liberal to lead the parade. Those animals will be followed by the Texas Spirit Riders, a group of 10 girls who will fly flags at the opening of each night of the rodeo and carrying the flags in the parade.
“That’ll be fun,” she said. “We’re excited to have them for the first time here. We have our clydesdales back. They also will be in the parade. They will be doing the intermission show at the rodeo each night. We’re excited about that.”
The rodeo itself takes place Friday, Aug. 16, and Saturday, Aug. 17, at the rodeo arena at the Seward County Fairgrounds, and as with recent editions of the PRCA, Saturday night will be “Man-Up Night” where spectators are encouraged to wear purple to help raise awareness of domestic violence. Proceeds from that night will support Liberal Area Rape Crisis Domestic Violence Services.
This is the third year Man-Up Night has been part of the rodeo, with the first year raising $2,500 and the second $2,300. Haralson said with the help of the Spirit Riders, hopes are to raise more.
Friday night, two children age 12 and younger per adult get in free. That is made possible by the Crazy House, and a belt buckle will be auctioned off during the night’s festivities.
There have been some struggles getting to the 10th edition of the Seward County PRCA Rodeo, and Haralson said though board members were a little surprised about the achievement, the event has gotten bigger with each passing year.
“Last year was the biggest,” she said. “We had more than 3,000 people the two nights. We have more than 60 sponsors, which includes our local businesses that support us. We’re ecstatic over that because without them, we can’t have a rodeo. The money from the sponsors and the fans are the only way we can put a rodeo on. We’re excited for that. Both of those have been great.”
The 2023 PRCA rodeo too saw the most contestants in the event’s short history.
“We had 196 contestants for the two nights,” Haralson said. “We’re hoping again this year we’ll at least meet that, if not exceed that. We’re totally stoked.”
For a few years, efforts have been ongoing to find new seating for the rodeo arena after a storm severely damaged some bleachers. With Seward County commissioners recently accepting a bid for bleachers, new seating should soon be available for the arena. However, that seating will not be available in time for this year’s rodeo.
“We should have those for next year,” Haralson said. “For this year, it’ll be just like we’ve had it the last several years, but they are working on the years, which I think should seat at least 1,200 more people. We’ll keep the existing stands. They will be handicap accessible. We’re totally excited for that. I wish we would’ve had it for this year, but things happen and it doesn’t work.”
Extra seating for this year’s rodeo will be provided by the City of Liberal, with bleachers from local ballfields being transferred to the rodeo arena.
“We will be getting those and putting them out,” Haralson said. “We’ll do the best with putting chairs around so people have seats. Bear with us, hopefully, we’ll get those new stands.”
Along with the Seward County PRCA, the Pioneer Days PRCA Rodeo in May in Guymon, Okla., saw its best year as well.
“They had the most contestants they’ve ever had,” Haralson said. “They had to turn contestants away. They’re early in the year, but this is the first year they’ve ever had to do that.”
With both rodeos bringing in big numbers, Haralson said such events have recovered nicely from the pandemic.
“We’re moving along quite well,” she said. “Hopefully, we’ll have as good a turnout. We don’t have as many nights. We just have two, so it wouldn’t be as much. From us having a best year we had last year and for them from the start of this year, I’m thinking the pandemic is not phasing people anymore. It’s over, and we’re moving on.”
So what is the secret to having a successful rodeo? Haralson said this starts with a community willing to back the event.
“With Liberal and Seward County, I think we have a great community here and the surrounding communities,” she said. “I can’t leave them out because we’ve got Turpin, Tyrone. We have people from everywhere who come to our rodeo. It’s amazing the different people we have come. Without the community, the sponsors, the fans, we wouldn’t have a rodeo.”
Likewise, Haralson is now confident of the staying power of a PRCA rodeo in Liberal.
“After 10 years, as far as we’re concerned, we’re staying unless something drastic comes up and they don’t want us around anymore,” she said. “We plan on staying.”
Adult tickets are $15 at the gate or $12 in advance. Children’s tickets for Saturday night are $8. Advance tickets can be purchased at Bank of Beaver City locations in Liberal and Beaver, Okla., the Community Bank, the Crazy House in Liberal and Garden City and Chrysler Corner.
Wednesday, Aug. 14, Chrysler Corner will host a mutton bustin signup starting at 5:30 p.m. for children age 8 and younger. The first 15 to sign up will ride at 7 p.m. Friday night at the rodeo.
Mutton bustin is sponsored by the Beaver County Stockyards, Jones Monument and Golden Plains Credit Union.
A kids boot scramble sponsored by Southern Pioneer Electric will start at 7:30 p.m. both nights, with four age groups Friday – 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 and 10-11 – and one division for ages 4 to 11 Saturday night. Signup will be at the west arena fence gate.
The performance of the 10th annual Seward County PRCA Rodeo will start at 8 p.m. both nights, with an auction for the belt buckle made by Montana Silversmith and a performance by the Broken Spoke Clydesdales also taking place Friday night. The Man-Up belt buckle also made by Montana Silversmith will be auctioned off at Saturday’s performance.
Saturday morning starting at 11 a.m., the PRCA parade will make its way down Kansas Avenue and will feature longhorns, the Broken Spoke Clydesdales and the Texas Spirit Riders.
Saturday’s mutton bustin signups will start at 1 p.m. at the Crazy House in Liberal, with the first 15 signed up riding at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Gates for both nights will open at 5:30 p.m.
Sponsors for the 2024 Seward County PRCA Rodeo include:
Presenting sponsors
Chrysler Corner, Coors and Liberal Tourism and Events
Event sponsors
Bar One Cattle, Delay Cattle, Big R, the Community Bank, Coors, Faulkner Real Estate, Keating Tractor and Equipment, KSCB, the Southwest Kansas Board of Realtors, Conestoga Energy, Adams Farms, Parallel Ag and Liberal Kenworth
Chute sponsors
Bank of Beaver City, Chrysler Corner, Crazy House, winchell Bros., MPG Cattle and TNT Hydraulic
Roping chute
Rachow Physical Therapy
Arena signs
KKBS, Podunk Ranch, United Rental and American Title & Abstract Specialists
Mutton bustin
Beaver County Stockyard, Golden Plains Credit Union, Jones Monument and Abbott Construction
Hospitality tent
Billy’s Blue Duck BBQ
Outgates
Groendyke Transport and Sandcreek Pipeline
Program sponsors
Best Western, Epic Touch, CallCory.com, Circle D Appliance, Perryton Equity, J and J Services, Heritage Real Estate Group, J&R Sand, Kansas Land & Tire, KJIL, Southwest Medical Center, Miracle Ear, Mead Lumber, Service Janitorial, Shelter Insurance – Jose Lara, Southern Office Supply, Southern Pioneer Electric, Southwest Glass, State Farm Insurance – Crystal Kinsinger and Aaron Knudsen, Tabor Realty and Winchester Enterprises
Boot scramble
Southern Pioneer Electric
For more information, go the Seward County PRCA Rodeo Facebook page or visit www.sewardcountyprcarodeo.com.
