Sacramento area residents and rodeo fans look forward to the Folsom Pro Rodeo every year, which takes place over Fourth of July weekend. The four-day event is kicked off by several fun events on the first day, followed by three days of rodeo excitement.
Pre-rodeo Events
Before the rodeo begins, there are plenty of fun events in Folsom the whole family will enjoy. First off, there is The Running of the Bullipedes, a one-mile foot race through Folsom. It is run by teams of five runners that are all tied together. Western dress is encouraged, with prizes for best costumes and the first, second and third team to cross the finish line.
The Running of the Bullipedes is followed by horse drill team demonstrations for equestrian fans in the rodeo arena and a cattle drive, where over 30 longhorn steers are driven right down Sutter Street. This is followed by music entertainment-from bands like the Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and Temperence Society, LLC, and A Tribute to Johnny Cash by Rusty Evans-and food in the Historic Old Folsom area.
The Rodeo
Each night of the rodeo, the gates open at 6:00PM. Roping events start at 7:00 and riding events at 8:15. At dusk, fireworks light up the sky for the delight of not only rodeo attendants, but everyone in the Folsom area as well.
Spectators are treated to displays of real cowboy skills like steer roping, team roping, calf roping, bronc riding, mutton busting, bull riding, barrel racing and more. Of course, no rodeo is complete without the clowns! The action is non-stop and every ride is exciting to watch.
If watching the daring riders and clowns isn’t enough entertainment, the Folsom Pro Rodeo offers just a little more. There are carnival rides, a Silver Dollar Dig for the kids and concerts in the saloon for the adults. Spectators are treated to a spectacular red, white and blue salute featuring skydiver Kent Lane.
Rodeo Animal Welfare
A concern for many animal lovers is the safety of the animals involved. On the pro rodeo circuit, this is an integral part of putting on a rodeo-after all, you can’t have one without horses and cows! These animals are highly prized for their skill, bringing price tags of $30,000 to $50,000.
There are about 60 rules in the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) handbook that require humane treatment of the animals. While some rodeos are less than ethical and may treat their stock very poorly, PRCA rodeos do not condone this behavior. The PRCA knows that only healthy animals perform up to the standards required for their rodeos, so judges inspect the stock before every event to make sure each animal is up to the performance, and veterinarians are always on hand to treat injuries in a timely manner.
A study utilizing these veterinarians shows an injury rate of only five-hundredths of one percent…or less than one animal in 2,000. While these animals work hard for their living-harder than your typical pasture ornaments-they are well cared for.
The Folsom Pro Rodeo is an exciting event the whole family can enjoy. Tickets and more information can be found at the rodeo’s website, at http://www.folsomprorodeo.com.
