First bull riding event coming to Sikeston

SIKESTON - If you thought the only rodeo action in Sikeston this year was in August, then think again.

The PBR (Professional Bull Riding) will kick off an inaugural event that will give fans a chance to catch some of the excitement a little earlier than usual.

The 1st Annual Health Facilities Rehab Services Sikeston Jaycee PBR will showcase thrilling bull riding action on June 3rd and 4th at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds.

The weekend event will start each day at 7 p.m., and it promises to boast some of the best talent the sport has to offer.

"PBR is strictly professional bull riding," said Sikeston Jaycees Sponsors/

Publicity Chairman Jason Pounds. "Most of the top bull riders in the world are involved in it. Five of the top 15 guys in the world are coming for this event. We have the No. 2 rider, Guilherme Marchl, and the No. 8 rider, Matt Bohon, and a number of them in the top 50."

The PBR was formed in 1992 by riders who wanted an organization devoted entirely to their unique event.

Since then, it has rapidly grown into a formidable force in not only the rodeo scene, but in the sports world in general.

"PBR is the second-fastest growing sport behind NASCAR," said Pounds. "There are three different tours: the Enterprise Tour, the Challenger Tour and the Built Ford Tough Tour. We are an Enterprise Tour."

While this will be the first year for the all-bull riding league in Sikeston, the effort to start a new rodeo competition in the city has been an agenda the PBR has pursued for some time.

"The PBR has been trying to get the Jaycees to do bull riding for a few years, and there are some Jaycees who had been trying to get it going," Pounds said. "Finally we just got together with a stock contractor whose name is David Berry. We got hooked up with him and went through him to the PBR and just went from there. This really all came about at the first of the year."

Although the event is brand new and not as highly publicized as the Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, it has started to generate some buzz throughout the area.

"We expect 3-to-5,000 people to come, but really we don't know because this is a first time deal," said Pounds. "We've gotten calls from Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. We've got people calling and coming from everywhere."

The purse of the PBR competition is over $15,000. The proceeds it contributes to the city of Sikeston could potentially be even larger.

"We're hoping to give back $30-, $40-, $50- or even another $100-thousand back to the community," Pounds said.

When it comes to the PBR's future in Sikeston, there's one goal in mind.

"We hope one day for it to be as big as the Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo," said Pounds. "That's our main objective of this whole deal."

The 1st Annual Health Facilities Rehab Services Sikeston PBR is general admission, with tickets at $10 a piece. For ticket information, call 1-877

-472-5233.

Matt Bohan and Rick Young, the famous rodeo clown, along with other stars of the PBR will be doing an autograph signing at the Sikeston Factory Outlet Mall at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 4.

There will also be a signing at Linda's Western Store on Saturday, June 4 at 11 a.m.