The Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo has been an integral tradition celebrating Santa Barbara’s ranching heritage, and one of the highlights of the annual Fiesta excitement since its inauguration in 1924.
The rodeo will kick off Aug. 2 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, with the highly popular Professional Bull Riding competition, featuring some of the most prominent up-and-coming riders and bulls in the country.
Although tame by comparison, Noozhawk will be sponsoring a young rider in the Aug. 5 rodeo’s Mutton Bustin’ event, in which children cling to sheep for as long as possible as the animals race around the arena trying to escape their rider’s grasp. One lucky cowboy or cowgirl will be chosen to represent Noozhawk from a drawing that will be held July 30.
“The rodeo is good, old-fashioned fun for the entire family, and mutton bustin’ is one of the most entertaining and popular events,” said Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen.
“All the slots have been filled except for Noozhawk’s, so this is your last chance to enter your kid for the ride of a lifetime. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be seeing a young Valdiron de Oliveira or L.J. Jenkins mount up.”
The mutton bustin’ competition will be featured intermittently throughout the four-day rodeo, which includes events such as roping, steer stocking, barrel racing and bareback riding.
Each of the five or six mutton bustin’ contests will take approximately 10 minutes and include around 10 riders. In addition to being judged on time and distance of the ride, contestants are also rewarded for getting in the spirit of the rodeo with cowboy or cowgirl attire.
Children who wish to compete in Sunday’s mutton bustin’ event as the Noozhawk rider — the only spot still unfilled — are invited to apply at news@noozhawk.com. Contestants must be between the ages of 4 and 6 as of Jan. 1, 2012, and weigh no more than 60 pounds. The Noozhawk rider — and his or her family — will receive prizes and rodeo tickets.
The rodeo will showcase professional and semi-professional riders who tour on circuits as well as local riders from ranches throughout the Central Coast who have been competing in the event for years. The show is advertised as being the only event in Santa Barbara County to feature professional bull riding.
General admission tickets are $40 for adults and $18 for children under 11 for the Aug. 2 PBR event; $18 for adult and $12 for children for the Aug. 3-4 evening performances; and $12 for adults and $8 for children for the 1:30 p.m. rodeo on Aug. 5. Click here to purchase tickets through Paypal until July 29 and from the Earl Warren Showgrounds box office between July 29 and Aug. 5.
Click here for more information on the Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo, or call 805.944.4937. Connect with the Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo on Facebook.
— Noozhawk intern Patrick Kulp can be reached at pkulp@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
