Idaho Falls, ID: Tickets are available online and at local ticket outlets as the city of Idaho Falls gears up for Idaho’s Oldest Rodeo, the 107th annual War Bonnet Round Up, presented by Teton Toyota.
Idaho Falls is proud to bring back the best Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) talent and stock to compete in this annual family friendly event being held August 2-4 at the Bank of Idaho Arena at Sandy Downs.
Gates open at 5:00pm each night with the Youth Rodeo events beginning at 6:45pm and the PRCA rodeo starting at 7:50pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
More than 450 professional cowboys and cowgirls will compete in PRCA sanctioned events that will include steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, barrel racing, bull riding and the featured event, bareback riding.
The rodeo kicks off with the downtown preview event, held on Wednesday, August 1 from 5-8pm at the Civitan Plaza. The kick-off will include free carriage rides, games, live country music, a shoot-out by Mountain River Ranch and two performances in the downtown arena beginning at 5:30pm and 7:00pm, featuring wild pony racing, chute dogging, mini-bull riding, rodeo specialty acts and freestyle bullfighting.
Several downtown streets close at 4:45pm for those who want to come early to get the best seats and enjoy the mechanical bull, games, food and vendors. The kick-off event will also feature Backflip Johnny Dudley and his Clown/Barrel Man Act as well as Rodeo Specialty Act John Payne, the “One Armed Bandit.”
Thursday is Family Night at the Rodeo brought to you by Local News 8 with free activities for families to participate in from 5pm until the rodeo starts. Activities will include carnival style games, a petting zoo, western style dance lessons, arts and crafts, a dunk tank and other activities.
The popular mutton bustin’ event, free lamb and calf scrambles for youth under 12 years old starts at 6:45pm each night, ending with performances from the War Bonnet Junior Posse Drill Team and a miniature bull riding competition.
Each evening will also feature performances from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, including drummers, dancers and tribal riders who help start the rodeo in historic and exciting fashion with the ever popular wild horse race.
A free pancake breakfast is open to the public and is being sponsored by North Hi-Way Café on Friday morning at 8:00am. Slack is also being held on Friday morning beginning at 9am and is free and open to the public. Slack is were contestants who were not selected for the performances compete in timed events.
Friday is Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night sponsored by Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Rodeo fans are encouraged to wear pink to show their support for breast cancer awareness.
If you’re looking for more exciting rodeo action, a Junior National Finals Rodeo Bull Riding Qualifier event comes to town for the first time in War Bonnet Round Up history. Cowboys under the age of 18 will take to the arena to compete in one of several qualifiers held across the country in preparation for the Junior National Finals Rodeo scheduled in Las Vegas, December 6-15, 2018. The action starts at 11:00 AM on Friday and admission is free; so come down and see these young rodeo athletes in action.
Saturday Night is a special Salute to Our Veterans, sponsored by Teton Toyota, for the community to help honor and recognize the great contributions our men and women in the military have made to protect and defend our country.
Thanks to support from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the rodeo will end on Saturday night with the “World’s Richest Wild Horse Race.” Twenty four wild horse race teams from across the country have registered to compete for a chance to win prize money totaling more than $15,000.
An after rodeo party with live music will be held at the Blue Boot Saloon under the sponsor hospitality tent that is open to the public both Friday and Saturday nights starting at 10:30pm.
“The Board of Directors and committee members have been working very hard to make this the best rodeo in our history,” said Brent Foster, Chairman of the War Bonnet Round Up Board of Directors. “We are thankful for the many sponsors and volunteers who help to put on this event every year. We regularly sell out, so we encourage folks to get their tickets early so they don’t miss any of the amazing rodeo action.”
Tickets are available online at www.warbonnetroundup.org. General admission tickets at sponsor outlets start at $18 for adults (ages 10 and up) and $10 for children (ages 10 and younger) with children ages 3 and under for free. Tickets purchased at Sandy Downs will be $20 Thursday and Friday, and $25 Saturday. Youth admission is $10 all days. The $5 dollar parking fee is not included in the ticket, however, every parking pass comes with an official rodeo program and day sheet.
Tickets are also available at local ticket outlets including Teton Toyota, KJ’s on Sunnyside, Boot Barn, Vickers, Sportsman Warehouse, Idaho Falls Rec Center, Cabela's and C-A-L Ranch.
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Media Note: For more information or to schedule an interview with city or rodeo staff, contact Public Information Officer, Bud Cranor. Media credentials for the rodeo can be obtained by media representatives on assignment from an accredited news agency. Credentials can be obtained from the PIO. Media rules for the Idaho’s Oldest Rodeo, The War Bonnet Roundup, are governed by the PRCA Association and can be found online at http://www.prorodeo.com/prorodeo/media/media-guidelines-for-rodeo-coverage.