The McNeese State University rodeo team is hosting the McNeese Cowboy Classic that includes its 69th annual rodeo in the Burton Coliseum Oct. 24-27. All Proceeds from the events go towards scholarships, travel and supplies for the rodeo student-athletes.
The McNeese rodeo team will host its annual Halloween Costume Rodeo on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. at the Burton Complex Outdoor Arena. Rodeo athletes will compete in costume in classic events like team roping and goat tying and unique events like ladies’ steer riding and the chariot race. The team will be accepting donations at the door.
On Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Buton Coliseum, rodeo teams from the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southern Region will compete. Tickets are $15 and are available at Burton Coliseum or through Ticketmaster, beginning Oct. 1.
The rodeo will be in the coliseum this year instead of the outdoor arena to accommodate more fans. The Burton Coliseum has room for 6,000 spectators and Justin Browning, coach for the McNeese rodeo team, is hoping to fill every seat and raise $500,000.
Events each night will include bareback riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, goat tying, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Competitors will include professional athletes who have competed at the National Finals Rodeo. Thirty minutes before each performance there will be mutton busting, where young cowboys and cowgirls ride a sheep.
On Saturday, at 1:30 p.m. in the outdoor arena, there will be a goat tying event. This is a free event, but donations will be accepted at the door.
Also on Saturday, in the coliseum at 2 p.m., the Dirty South Bull Riding Association will host a youth bull riding competition, featuring the best youth bull riders from across the South. Tickets are $10 at the door.
On Sunday, at 10 a.m., there will be an open breakaway roping competition in the outdoor arena, and at 11:30 a.m., an open barrel racing competition in the coliseum. Both events are free, but donations will be accepted at the door.
Currently there are 32 members of the McNeese rodeo team, but Browning’s goal is 45-50 team members. He wants to make McNeese rodeo team the most sought after rodeo program in the country.
“We want to be the team that all kids dream of being a part of because they know that their rodeo dreams will come true,” he said.
According to Browning, for the past 20 years, McNeese rodeo athletes have competed at the College National Finals Rodeo. The team has 20 individual and team national championships, 11 team regional championships, seven reserve regional championships and more than 40 individual regional championships.
“Academics is important here at McNeese and the majority of our student-athletes graduate,” said Browning. “Our team is a good place to be!”
For more information about the McNeese rodeo team, contact Browning at jbrowning@mcneese.edu.
