CC expects large crowd for Stampede

It’s time to saddle up and get ready for a fun ride as the Clarendon College Stampede welcomes more than 540 contestants to its NIRA rodeo this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, October 13-15.

With contestants from 16 colleges and universities in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association involved, qualifying events will be held all day with nightly performances being held at 7:30 p.m. each evening.

Tickets for evening performance are $5 in advance from Clarendon College, the Clarendon Visitor Center, or the Enterprise and will be $10 at the gate.

All activities will be held under the roof of the CC Livestock & Equine Center.

Activities will include bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, and more.

Clarendon College officials are excited to be hosting the NIRA rodeo.

“Obviously we’re very proud of our opportunity to host this event with our partner schools,” CC President Robert Riza said. “It’s a chance to showcase not only our college and facility but also our community as well.  We greatly appreciate the support from our local merchants and vendors who’ve helped us offset the expense of this event.  We look forward to great weekend.”

Rodeo coach Bret Franks and nearly the entire staff at Clarendon College have been working for weeks to make sure the event comes off without a hitch.

Local and area sponsors have also lined up to support what promises to be one of the most exciting rodeos the town has seen since the Stampede last hit Clarendon in 2012.

Under Franks’ leadership, Clarendon College has reached new levels of success with the most notable being the national bronc riding championship won by Wyatt Casper last year. With the Stampede, CC looks forward putting on a successful rodeo in front of local supporters and also is hopes to boost local businesses with a large out of town crowd coming for the event.

The college is anticipating an attendance of about 1,000 to 1,200 over the three days.

For more information about the Stampede, call Ashlee Estlack at 806-874-4808.