Longhorns announce return of ranch rodeo
Story By: Andy Koen
Source: KOAA
At high noon in downtown Colorado Springs Friday the streets looked reminiscent to a scene from an old western movie. Hundreds of Texas longhorn cattle took over Tejon Street to announce the arrival of the Ride for the Brand Ranch Rodeo.
Now in its sixth year, the ranch rodeo is has become part of the summer rodeo tradition in Colorado Springs. Following the rodeo on Saturday, the Pikes Peak Range Riders will return from their trek around the mountains on Sunday. They will then ride in the rodeo parade Tuesday night to celebrate the beginning of the 68th Annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo on Wednesday.
In professional rodeos, the competitors are often professional athletes who spend much of the year competing in rodeos around the country. But at the ranch rodeo, all one hundred of the competing cowboys come from working ranches. Even the competition events are typical of ranch life. They include wild cow milking, ranch bronc riding, trailer loading, stray gathering, and sorting and branding.
The Ride for the Brand Ranch Rodeo is starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday night at the Norris-Penrose events center, 1045 W. Rio Grande in Colorado Springs. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for members of the military and $5 for kids. Club level seats cost $30.
A benefit auction will be held at the events center Friday night starting at 6:00 p.m. for a group of cowboys who were injured last year in a roll-over accident with their truck and trailer.
