Prairie Grove, AR-2020

Lincoln Rodeo Community Happenings

For the past 66 years people from all over Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Westville and the surrounding communities have spent three days out of their summers at the very same place: the Lincoln Rodeo. The Lincoln Rodeo began in 1954 after the founding members of the Lincoln Riding Club decided to build an arena. The riding club had officially formed in 1951 and had been meeting on land it had purchased for weekend barbeques, trail rides, and get-togethers. Building the arena seemed to be the next step, said Anna McCratic, a founding member of the club. McCratic’s husband, Junior, was also an original member and one of the builders of the arena. She said, “Back then all the other towns and cities had a rodeo, but we thought ours could be a better one.” The first rodeos held many of the same events as today’s, McCratic said. They had bull riding, steer roping, calf roping, barrel racing, rib- bon roping, and a royalty pageant. However, there were a few minor differences, she said. “Ours was just an old-timey country rodeo. It was all local people competing. Back then when you went to a rodeo you had a lot of laughs because most people who entered couldn’t ride bulls, but they sure tried.” More recently, the Lincoln Rodeo has grown into a popular area- wide event. Most of the competitors are professionals, and the rodeo draws numbers of up to 2,000 people on its biggest nights. The festivities kick off on Wednesday with dinner, the Little Miss and Mister contests, royalty speeches and a street dance with live music on the

Carol Jetton, a board member of the Lincoln Riding Club, believes that it’s more than just the competition and entertainment that keeps people coming back year after year. She said, “People come because of the tradition and the family atmosphere. And we’re trying to make it more like it was years ago, and just bring back the down- home family fun.” Though the rodeo draws spectators of all ages, Jetton said it’s the kids who benefit the most. She said, “Basically, the money that we raise from the rodeo goes back into the facility to improve it for the kids.” In addition to the rodeo, the Lincoln Riding Club holds several events throughout the year. Many of them have the benefit of the children in mind. Jetton said, “We have play days for kids where they come out on the weekends to compete. It provides a place for the kids to come and to learn to ride, to compete, to have fun, and to grow in a safe family environment.” 2019 LRC Jr Queen Savannah Perkins, Queen Landree Cunningham, and Princess Bailey Sizemore

Main Square in Lincoln. The rodeo is held on the following Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, with special events throughout.

Thursday night is family night, and Saturday includes a parade and the crowning

of the royalty. The royal- ty pageant draws young women from all over the Northwest Arkansas area and requires contestants to model clothes, exhibit their skills in horseman- ship, and give a speech. Younger children can participate in the calf-scram- ble and the junior barrel racing events, and this year the rodeo also featured a Special Kids Rodeo with events designed especially for

Article submitted by Hannah Hall

special-needs children.

• hometown magazine •

4