Gray Essary on Universal Pro Rodeo's #319 'House Shoes'

The most intense eight-second sport is just part of what you can see when the rodeo comes to town.

The Lone Star Championship Rodeo, benefiting the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at Tennessee Miller Coliseum.

Pre-show events for kids will include the Best Dressed Cowboy and Cowgirl Contest and the Kids Gold Rush, where participants dig through hay to find money and prizes.

Gray Essary III, of Somerville, Tennessee, won first place in bull riding in a competition in Franklin in 2018, and he will be trying to match that when he comes to Murfreesboro.

“Luck depends on the day and the bull,” Essary said. “It is exciting.”

Rodeo clown Mighty Mike Wentworth will entertain between events.

Contest events will include bareback bronco riding, saddle bronco riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping and team roping along with the women’s events: cowgirls barrel racing and cowgirls breakaway roping.

Bull riding, bareback bronco riding and saddle bronco riding are the eight-second events that pit the bull or horse against the rider.

Bareback bronco riding is a graceful event. These horses are usually lean and agile, and the rider wants to appear like he is in full control of the horse, keeping upper body control and moving his feet in motion with the horse’s action.

Saddle broncs usually buck more slowly and the rider synchronizes with the horse. During bull riding, the bull gets scored based on how difficult he is to ride.

In steer wrestling, the rider drops from a horse to a steer and wrestles the steer to the ground by grabbing its horns and pulling it off-balance.

Variations of roping are team roping, the only event that features two contestants; and breakaway roping, a women’s event that is a variation of calf roping, where a calf is roped but not thrown and tied. The calves are maneuvered one at a time through narrow runs.

The other women’s event is barrel racing, where the horse and rider attempt to complete a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time.

The rodeo will feature several contestants from surrounding counties, said Rachel Fowlkes-Boyd, general manager of the Lone Star Rodeo Company.

Lone Star Rodeo is run by the family of Preston Fowlkes Jr. After performing in rodeos for years, Fowlkes started Lone Star Rodeo more than 40 years ago. The company continues the traditions of competition, pageantry and family entertainment, with the entire family working together and producing over 40 events a year.

Family is an important part of rodeo.

“The best part of rodeo is the family,” said Josh Cragar of Middle Tennessee, who competes in bareback riding across the country and who has made it to the top of the world championships several times.

“We are really close. That’s the best part.”

As far as riding goes, Cragar says he has been very lucky.

“I have been riding bareback for 20 years, since I was 12,” he said, “I am successful and have been blessed.”

Proceeds from this year’s rodeo will benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee.

“We are so thankful for this help,” said Tammy Crawford, project and development manager for the agency.

General admission adult tickets are $15, and $10 for ages 4–15; children 3 and under can enter for free if sitting on an adult’s lap during the event.

For more information, visit lonestarrodeocompany.com. Tennessee Miller Coliseum is located at 304 W. Thompson Ln.