There were cattle in Florida before there were cattle in Texas. Ranchers would move their herds up and down the state, throughout the inland areas.<\/p>\n
In fact, many of the events you see at a rodeo, such as steer wrestling and calf roping, were used to doctor the animals, not for competition.<\/p>\n
That heritage is celebrated every year at the Lee County Posse Arena, where on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23 and 24, the 65th\u00a0annual Cracker Day Rodeo will take place.<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s rodeo has gates opening at 5 p.m. and the rodeo at 7. Saturday, the gates open at 4 with the rodeo starting at 6. Both performances will start with mutton busting. Slack will happen Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
This time, the rodeo, one of the oldest events in the area, will return to its roots, with a different format than in recent memory.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really excited about going back to our roots. It\u2019s going to be a little different than in the past,\u201d said Bobbi Harrison of the Lee County Posse Arena. \u201cWe\u2019re a hometown rodeo and we want people to have that up-close-and-personal experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rodeo has always been a little different, but this time, it will resemble what a working ranch is like, with events that give the feel of life on the ranch.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s rodeo will have bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing, but it also will have events in a team format.<\/p>\n
A total of 10 five-member teams will compete in colt saddling, cow decorating, team branding, double mugging and a relay race. It costs $1,000 per team, but there will be an $8,000 payout and buckles for the top team.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are actual ranch rodeo teams and everything they\u2019re doing are actual things they would do on a ranch,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cThere will be open events as well for all the other events.\u201d<\/p>\n
There will also be the always popular Buddy Pick-Up. Only this year, instead of someone getting picked up off the top of a barrel, the buddy will be picked up off the ground, making it a little more challenging.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re out branding cattle and a rider is on the ground and you have aggressive cattle going after the rider, you have to get him and there isn\u2019t a barrel to jump on,\u201d Harrison said.<\/p>\n
As for the more traditional rodeo events, there will be $3,500 added to the barrel racing and $2,500 to the increasingly popular breakaway roping.<\/p>\n
Also, there will be a drill team called the American Freedom Flyers, a group trying to make a name for themselves on the rodeo circuit.<\/p>\n
Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children 6 to 12, and children five and under for free. Seniors and first responders are $20 and parking is $10. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.<\/p>\n
The Junior Cracker Day Rodeo will be held Saturday, March 14. Information on that will be announced soon.<\/p>\n
The rodeo will be dedicated to the memory of Hardee Silcox Sr., the last founding board member of the arena who passed away recently.<\/p>\n
The Lee County Posse Arena is at 17401 Palm Creek Drive, North Fort Myers.<\/p>\n
For more information, visit the arena\u2019s Facebook page or\u00a0www.leecountyposse.com.<\/p>\n