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GREG TRAVIS / Ledger & Times
Elementary and middle school students from Murray and Calloway County found plenty of fun and excitement awaiting them Wednesday at a morning rodeo designed just for them. Members of the Murray State University Rodeo team sponsored the event as a kick-off to MSU’s Rodeo Week. Students participated in horse rides, roping, barrel racing and more. Approximately 40 students participated in the annual event. Pictured above, Kris Robinson, a fourth-grade student at Murray Middle School, enjoys a barrel ride. Looking on are MSU students, from left, Paul Skaggs, Cody Odom and Joe Schneider. Pictured below, Carlos Farmer, an eighth-grade student at Calloway County Middle School ropes a steer with one throw. Cheering him on are fellow classmates. |
Ride ‘em cowboys (& girls)
By TOM BERRY
Staff Writer
There were a lot of smiles on the faces of Calloway County and Murray Independent elementary and middle students Wednesday morning as they rode ponies, roped a “bull,” and tamed a bucking bronco during a special event planned just for them by Murray State University's Rodeo Club at the William “Bill” Cherry Expo Center.
Murray Middle School student Kris Robinson seemed particularly happy and excited after leaping off a bucking bronco ride - a barrel-shaped simulation that looks and acts as a virtual bucking horse or bull. He had already made the rounds of most all of the attractions, but was ready to do it all again.
“I ran with my friend Hannah and ... and I won,” Robinson said about running the barrel race earlier in the day on a stick horse. “I also rode this bull. I didn't fall off. It was fun.”
The event was just a preview of the upcoming 31st Annual Murray State University College Rodeo, scheduled to take place at 7 p.m., beginning today and running through Saturday at the Expo Center on College Farm Road. The main event will feature bull riding, cattle roping, and barrel racing by members of the college team.
Coach J.D. Van Hooser said the MSU men and women who make up the team were unanimous in their enthusiasm to put on a special early performance for the youngsters for the first time in years.
“We did this some years ago, but the students were so enthused about it that we thought we would start it back up,” Van Hooser said. “It's probably been about 10 to 12 years.”
Calvert Johnson, a student at Calloway County Middle School, was all smiles after stepping down off a horse with some assistance from several “cowgirls.”
“It was fun,” he said. “I rode the horse and I lassoed a bull and I ran around the barrels.”
Later they had lunch on-site and took part in some dummy roping, more pony rides and special rodeo performance put on the MSU Rodeo Team. A mock bull was set up in the corner of the Expo to simulate roping a bull.
Diane Basiak, a teacher at MMS, said she appreciated the rodeo team putting on the event for the students because it gave them a chance to experience a unique brand of fun and learning and they could do it in a more personal way than just coming to the rodeo, itself.
“The children always do things better when they are broken up into smaller groups,” she said. “You kind of have to restructure things for them. It works better that way and this is just wonderful for the children.”
MSU senior Matt Boyers, president of the 45-member Rodeo Club, said he had contacted the schools concerning the event and was able to work out an arrangement to get the students in for a special show.
“We're trying to give these kids an opportunity to do something that they may never have done before and may never get a chance to do again,” he said.
Advance tickets for the main events are available by calling the Expo Center at 809-3125. General Admission is $8. MSU student will be charged $5 and all children under 5 will be admitted free. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate each evening.
Story created Nov 16, 2006 - 11:10:48 EST.
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