By Kristi Crowe
Summer is time for festivals, beaches – and rodeos! July 13-14, 2018 marked the 15th annual Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo in Columbia, TN. Sheriff Enoch George started the Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo as a fundraiser for community outreach programs, with the goal to help whoever needed help in the entire community. The rodeo also raises money for Shop With A Cop, Thanksgiving baskets, and last year, proceeds purchased approximately 275 polar fleece coats for kids who didn’t have a coat. Sheriff George ran the rodeo for 11 years, and now Sheriff Bucky Rowland has run the rodeo for the past four years.
The opening ceremony for the rodeo brought two police vehicles into the arena with lights flashing. The Sheriff and Deputies then filed into the arena, and then Courtney Rowland, Sheriff Rowland’s 13-year-old daughter, entered the arena and sang National Anthem.
The first event was Bareback riding. Sheriff Bucky Rowland is an avid horseman, so he assisted as a pick up rider. One of the bareback riders was Columbia’s own Josh Cragar, who has been a world champion and traveled across the country. Josh won this event with a score of 83.
During Houston Herbert’s bareback ride, his horse jumped up in the air from his hind legs, landed on his hind legs, lost his balance, and sat down! Since he fell, Houston was able to choose a re-ride.
Raymond Hostetler won the Saddle Bronc event with a score of 78.
In Calf Roping, Justin Thigpen had the fastest time: 8.0.
In Steer Wrestling, Cord Spradley had the best score: 4.3.
In Breakaway roping, it was Kolby Whitesell on top with a score of 2.3.
Among the Barrel Racing competitors were a mother and her two daughters. Kim Matthews had the fastest time: 14.953, over Taycie Matthews (15.018).
Seth Driggers and Douglas Henry were tops in Team Roping with a score of 4.9. One of the teams in the Junior Loopers were brothers Jase Ring, 5, and Tate Ring, 3, of Columbia, TN.
Will Loomis won the bull riding with a score of 85.0.
Tim Lepard and his Team Ghost Riders performed for the packed bleachers. There were three Border Collies, two Capuchin monkey riders, and a small herd of sheep. The dogs and monkeys worked the sheep around the arena, into a pen, and then onto the top of a Dodge Ram truck. The monkeys did a great job of staying on the dogs while they sped around the arena, driving the sheep where they wanted them to go. Not only did the sheep jump into the bed of the truck, they also went on top of the cab and rode there as the driver drove out of the arena.
Attendees of the rodeo had plenty of food vendors to choose from. There were several tractors on display from local dealers, shopping opportunities, and a mechanical bull to ride. Kids had a bounce house to play in and there was a rock wall for climbing. Kids all over the park had glow-in-the-dark necklaces. It was a pleasant family atmosphere.
Full results of the 2018 Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo can be found on the Professional Cowboy Association website: http://pcarodeo.com/pca/15th-annual-maury-county-sheriffs-rodeo-columbia-tn-july-13-14-2018/.
Summer is time for festivals, beaches – and rodeos! July 13-14, 2018 marked the 15th annual Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo in Columbia, TN. Sheriff Enoch George started the Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo as a fundraiser for community outreach programs, with the goal to help whoever needed help in the entire community. The rodeo also raises money for Shop With A Cop, Thanksgiving baskets, and last year, proceeds purchased approximately 275 polar fleece coats for kids who didn’t have a coat. Sheriff George ran the rodeo for 11 years, and now Sheriff Bucky Rowland has run the rodeo for the past four years.
The opening ceremony for the rodeo brought two police vehicles into the arena with lights flashing. The Sheriff and Deputies then filed into the arena, and then Courtney Rowland, Sheriff Rowland’s 13-year-old daughter, entered the arena and sang National Anthem.
The first event was Bareback riding. Sheriff Bucky Rowland is an avid horseman, so he assisted as a pick up rider. One of the bareback riders was Columbia’s own Josh Cragar, who has been a world champion and traveled across the country. Josh won this event with a score of 83.
During Houston Herbert’s bareback ride, his horse jumped up in the air from his hind legs, landed on his hind legs, lost his balance, and sat down! Since he fell, Houston was able to choose a re-ride.
Raymond Hostetler won the Saddle Bronc event with a score of 78.
In Calf Roping, Justin Thigpen had the fastest time: 8.0.
In Steer Wrestling, Cord Spradley had the best score: 4.3.
In Breakaway roping, it was Kolby Whitesell on top with a score of 2.3.
Among the Barrel Racing competitors were a mother and her two daughters. Kim Matthews had the fastest time: 14.953, over Taycie Matthews (15.018).
Seth Driggers and Douglas Henry were tops in Team Roping with a score of 4.9. One of the teams in the Junior Loopers were brothers Jase Ring, 5, and Tate Ring, 3, of Columbia, TN.
Will Loomis won the bull riding with a score of 85.0.
Tim Lepard and his Team Ghost Riders performed for the packed bleachers. There were three Border Collies, two Capuchin monkey riders, and a small herd of sheep. The dogs and monkeys worked the sheep around the arena, into a pen, and then onto the top of a Dodge Ram truck. The monkeys did a great job of staying on the dogs while they sped around the arena, driving the sheep where they wanted them to go. Not only did the sheep jump into the bed of the truck, they also went on top of the cab and rode there as the driver drove out of the arena.
Attendees of the rodeo had plenty of food vendors to choose from. There were several tractors on display from local dealers, shopping opportunities, and a mechanical bull to ride. Kids had a bounce house to play in and there was a rock wall for climbing. Kids all over the park had glow-in-the-dark necklaces. It was a pleasant family atmosphere.
Full results of the 2018 Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo can be found on the Professional Cowboy Association website: http://pcarodeo.com/pca/15th-annual-maury-county-sheriffs-rodeo-columbia-tn-july-13-14-2018/.
