SIKESTON -- The 2017 Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo may be more than 200 days away, but preparations for the city's largest event take place year-round.
"We usually start planning for the next year's rodeo in July or August," said Craig Templeton, Rodeo entertainment chair. "We're working a year out. We start looking at the artists, and we keep an eye on who's hot and who we can afford."
The 65th annual rodeo will be Aug. 9-12. The Jaycees will make the announcement of this years' rodeo entertainment lineup March 21 during a press conference.
"Right now we're doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes tasks," said Blake Wethington, general chairman for the 2017 rodeo.
About 10 members of the Sikeston Jaycees, including Wethington, went to Las Vegas last month during the rodeo finals where they networked with other rodeo hosts across the nation.
"There's a lot of contract personnel there," Wethington said. "We meet up with contract people and talk to other rodeo committees you meet out there. You get ideas from them, and they get ideas from you."
Templeton is responsible for booking the talent for the rodeo.
"We work with agencies and try to build routes and we take a list and say this is who we're thinking of and build off on that," Templeton said. "Right now we are 50 percent done with securing the rodeo lineup for this year. We're waiting on two more acts to verbally commit."
The process to secure rodeo entertainment is an eye-opener for some, he said.
"You can't just call and say: 'I want this guy.' You have six different channels to go through and finally get to the artist management. It' a long line of communication and it's a such a new puzzle," Templeton said.
For example, last year entertainers for the Sikeston rodeo changed nine times, he said.
"You go in wanting four to six acts because there are changes every year," he said. "It's a gamble yearly, and it's one you have to take."
Wethington said the goal is to create a better rodeo experience each year.
"We have a big project in the works," Wethington teased.
Bullfights will return this year and take place on Aug. 10 and 11.
"A lot of people look forward to the bullfights and they will get bigger and better. We're looking at some good entertainment that I think people will enjoy, and, overall, just better quality of the rodeo."
The physical seat size has grown in the bleachers to make them more comfortable for specatators, Wethington said.
"We're doing more in the schools and around the area to hype up the rodeo and push that to the next level," he said.
The rodeo luncheon this year will be at the former Bootheel Golf Course building. It's close to the rodeo grounds and closer for personnel who do a lot of running back and forth to the grounds, Wethington said.
The Junior Jaycee program made its debut at the 2016 Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo to encourage kids to become more educated about the rodeo and the Jaycees' role in the community.
"We have more planned for the Junior Jaycees this year," Wethingon said. "It was a big hit with the kids, and we will definitely keep pursuing that. We got a huge response with our Behind-the-Chutes Tour last year. We had 40 kids come through. It really did well."
The 2017 Rodeo co-chair is Ross Merideth while the 2017 Jaycee Club President is John Leible.
"You're seeing a top 10 rodeo in the U.S," Templeton said. "There's so much that goes into consideration with our events. Our process starts a year out every year."
In the midst of planning for the rodeo and booking its entertainment, the Jaycees are also busy planning one of their other popular events -- the crawfish boil, which will be April 29.
"Our crawfish boil is one of the biggest in Southeast Missouri," Templeton said, adding the event draws 2,000 to 2,500 people.
Live entertainment for that event will also be announced soon, he said.
"It's a never-ending saga, which is OK," Wethington said of the planning. "It's busy, but it's necessary to make sure we put on the best rodeo we can."
For updates, visit the Jaycees' website: www.sikestonrodeo.comor follow them on social media through Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram.