SIKESTON — In just over a month the 70th Annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo will kick off and tickets are going fast.
The 70th Annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo will be Aug. 10-13 at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds. Scheduled entertainment includes Jordan Davis and Visit MO Night Wednesday; Elvie Shane, bullfighting and Sikeston Community Night, Thursday; Lil’John and bullfighting, Friday; and Koe Wetzel, Mental Health Awareness Night, Saturday.
“Ticket sales are doing well,” said De Bizzell, general chairman of this year’s rodeo, adding there are very few box seats remaining for Friday and Saturday.
“It’s incredible. We’ve been blessed with all four entertainers this year, be it Jordan Davis, Elbie Shane, Lil’ John is selling tremendous and Cole Wetzel, it’s to the point by the end of the week it’s going to be hard pressed to get a ticket.”
The ticket sales are just the latest example of how the rodeo continues to thrive despite challenges of the last few years like the pandemic. Through it all, the Jaycees have adjusted and the rodeo has flourished.
Bizzell said he felt the Jaycees holding the rodeo during the pandemic in 2020 showed they were going to do whatever they could to give back to the community.
“I think Sikeston and the surrounding cities alone saw how much we cared about the cause and have not forgotten that,” Bizzell said. “I think that is really a good representation of what is going on this year, it’s something we’ve never really seen. It’s a fun problem to have when you’re running out of tickets.”
Bizzell said one type of ticket people may not know about is the Chute Club.
“For a little bit more than a regular ticket, people can get an air conditioned room, paid-for drinks and food until the concert starts,” Bizzell said. “You also get dirt bands where you can go in front of the stage as well. Limited tickets are available on all the nights. That’s a neat attraction we have.”
Bizzell added that a new sponsor joined for Wednesday night, which is now Visit MO Night.
“It’s all about bringing people to Missouri,” Bizzell said. “We’re very happy to bring them on as a partner with us. They’ll be in attendance all Wednesday, really showing people some awesome Missouri attractions. Visit Mo Night is actually be a great, great night.”
Saturday night will be Mental Health Awareness Night as well, as the Jaycees are partnering with Walk Bes;de Me and Bootheel Counseling. Bull fighters this year will be wearing special jerseys to commemorate the evening and the Jaycees will be wearing blue shirts with the turquoise semi-colon for Walk Bes;de Me on their chest.
Slack will also be held Wednesday and Thursday morning beginning at 8 a.m. Gates open for rodeo Wednesday through Saturday at 6 p.m. with the rodeo beginning at 7 p.m.
While the rodeo is the big draw, the event is about more than just the rodeo itself as it is accompanied by many other events.
A precursor to the rodeo is always the pageants. These include: Miss and Junior Miss Rodeo pageants July 23 at the rodeo grounds and the Little Mr. and Miss Western pageant, which will be July 24 a the Sponsor Building on the rodeo grounds.
Rodeo week will kick off Aug. 6 with the annual rodeo parade which will start at the Sikeston Kindergarten Center and work its way downtown, ending at the Sikeston Depot.
That is where a new event will be held this year — the inaugural Mutton Busting competition.
The competition will let children see if they can ride a sheep. The event is for children up the age of seven and under 70 pounds.
“We’ve got brand new buckin’ chutes coming that look the real deal buckin’ chutes,” Bizzell said. “They’re miniature sheep chutes. They’re really cool.”
There will be other downtown events as well, including wagon rides with a mule team with special events planned at the Depot as well.
“We kind of think of downtown as Hub B for rodeo week,” Bizzell said. “Obviously we want to get as many people on our property as possible and to enjoy the rodeo on this premises. If not we want them downtown, hanging out with our sheep chutes and all the fun stuff down there.”
The parade will also kick off Stampede Week, held by the Sikeston Regional Chamber, where Sikeston businesses get into the rodeo spirit.
“We are trying to bring back that old western feel they used to have in the 60s and 70s,” Bizzell said. “Back then, rodeo week, everybody was dressed up in rodeo gear. We are continuing to try and bring that tradition back slowly. It’s happened the past couple years. Whether it is a rodeo T-shirt or a cowboy hat, it is neat to see that going on.”
While many in the community take part in the rodeo, the Jaycees work tirelessly year round to put on the best rodeo possible.
“Myself and the all of the members are extremely honored to give back,” Bizzell said. “I’m just always impressed to see guys who work 7 to 5 or farmers, who are stressing about their crops coming up, but they’re still coming out on Tuesday and Thursdays and very soon, every night, to make sure this goes on without a hitch. These guys giving that kind of time to a cause is chill-worthy. It’s something exciting. And I really can’t thank not only our patrons but our volunteers for all they do.”
But Bizzell said everything, from all involved, is about community.
“People have really started getting back into the community setting and they are about their small town,” Bizzell said. “This thing has been a part of the history of Sikeston. It’s the 70th annual. It’s a huge year.”