A Kentucky Junior Rodeo Association (KJRA) event will be conducted Friday through Sunday, May 1-3, at the Madison County Fairgrounds.
Rodeo weekend begins Friday with a fundraising open horse show with pole and barrel classes for youth and adults, and continues with two days of rodeo competition by KJRA competitors, grades K-8. The funds raised will go to the KJRA to help promote this and similar rodeos for youths across the state.
The Friday night show, sanctioned by the International Barrel Racing Association (IBRA), is likely to attract top runners. Central Kentucky is famous for its pole benders and barrel racers who win at the most elite levels of competition.
At the end of last season, five Madison County horses were ranked in the top five in the nation in poles and barrels. While there are sure to be some thrilling runs, all riders are welcome to turn out and support youth rodeo.
Junior Rodeo will run Saturday and Sunday, including traditional rodeo events. Despite the Spanish name, rodeo is an original American sport that traces its roots to the early days of the American west. The Spanish verb “rodear” means “to encircle” and rodeo sports are based on the skills cowboys use to round up cattle and work livestock. Through its sports, dress code and culture, the KJRA strives to “keep the Western heritage alive.”
The youth will compete in classes, including bull riding, saddle bronc riding, chute dogging, mutton bustin’, goat tying, roping and steer wrestling. Mutton bustin’ is a sheep version of bull riding for younger riders, and chute dogging is a kind of steer wrestling.
Riders also will run barrels and poles, more stylized rodeo events that showcase the tight turns, quick shifts and rapid acceleration that horses need to work stock.
The Quarter Horse is the ultimate cowboy horse, and three members of the Madison County Quarter Horse Association (MCQHA) will compete in Richmond. Haley Fauste, a third-grader from Cynthiana, was the KJRA “All-Around Champion Cowgirl” for Division IA last year. Bethany Gray, a third-grader from Waco, and Jaley Olds, a first-grader from Richmond, are competing in the Junior Rodeo for their first time.
Local organizers are excited about bringing the rodeo to Richmond. Junior Rodeo is especially popular in Western Kentucky, where most rodeos are conducted, and the KJRA hopes to involve more Kentucky youth in the sport as part of its mission to “insure future generations maintain Kentucky’s tradition of equestrian excellence.”
More than 40 local businesses and organizations have contributed goods, services and more than $3,000 to support local cowgirls and cowboys and help produce the event.
For more information, call www.mcqha.com or call Kim Olds at 661-3229.
Details:
— Open Horse Show: Friday, May 1 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Free admission for spectators.
— Rodeo events: Saturday, May 2, beginning at 11 a.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 9 a.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children.
Local News
Related Photos
Kentucky Junior Rodeo comes to Richmond
- Local News
-
-
Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
-
Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
