the rim review
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AUGUST 17, 2016
PAYSON, ARIZONA
Keith Morris photo
Payson is where rodeo began in 1884. Sometimes it was called the “August Doin’s” — but then any gathering was often called a “doin’s” according to Pat Cline, a member of the pioneer Haught family. Now known as the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo, the Payson August Rodeo is a world famous event that will celebrate its 132nd consecutive year in 2016 — Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20 at the Payson Event Center. Festivities start with Women’s Professional Rodeo barrel racing and more at the Payson Event Center Thursday, Aug. 18; gates open at 5 p.m. and performance/contests start at 6 p.m. Admission is a can of food for area food banks. The first rodeos in Payson provided local ranchers and cowhands a chance to get together and compare their roping and other ranching skills during the annual “down time” before the big fall roundup. It was also a time when families and friends separated by the many miles between ranch headquarters could get together and visit, catching up on all the news. There were only a couple of events in those early rodeos, but it was not long before cowboys from all over the state and beyond were showing up to compete in new events like bronc busting, bull riding and steer roping — and for a time,
horse racing, wild cow milking and more. Early Payson rodeos weren’t held in fancy arenas. In fact, the original venue was a meadow near the intersection of Main Street and Highway 87 (known locally as the Beeline). Wagons and later autos created barriers to form the “arena.” This year’s activities will feature everything from beautiful rodeo royalty to the large contingent of Shriners in the annual Rodeo Parade. Once named the country’s Best Small Rodeo by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which sanctions the event, and recently named as the Official Best Small Town PRCA Rodeo in the West by True West magazine, it continues to attract the best of the best from all over the world to compete for substantial prize money. Rodeo performances start at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday night and at 1 p.m., Saturday afternoon. Gates open two hours prior to the performances. Friday is the Tough Enough to Wear Pink night that helps fund local breast cancer support groups in conjunction with Wrangler’s Susan B. Komen program. The Saturday afternoon rodeo is Coca-Cola Family Day with giveaways and special family day pricing, a family pack admission is available with four tickets for $40.
Saturday evening is the Patriot Performance that honors returning, fallen and wounded veterans, with a special tribute during the rodeo featuring the USMC Mounted Color Guard. Tickets are available online at www. paysonprorodeo.com. Admission is $18 for adults; $16 for seniors 65 and older; $10 for kids 8-12; and free for children 7 and under, as well as any active military. Tickets will also be available at the gate. RODEO PARADE AND MORE
The rodeo festivities include the annual Rodeo Parade, which this year features the theme, “Livin’ in the Wild West.” The parade starts at 9 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 20 on Historic Main Street in Payson. The parade will go east from Green Valley Park to Sawmill Crossing. Announcers along the parade route will keep everyone posted on the coming entries and provide music for entertainment. Sponsored by the Kiwanis of Zane Grey Country, the parade will include the U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, clowns, rodeo queens and their courts, Payson High School band, local floats, riders, first responder teams and many other great entries from all over Arizona. Join in the fun when real cowboys and cowgirls strut their stuff, along
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with floats, cars, tractors, team bands and units of the El Zaribah Shriners. Bring your “mountain” chair, water and the kids, and enjoy a great morning with some fabulous entertainment, antique cars, clowns, horses, and help Rim Country celebrate the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo. Adding to the fun on Friday and Saturday night you can kick up your heels at the Payson Pro Rodeo After Party and Dance at the Historic Ox Bow Saloon on West Main Street. The bands scheduled to appear are Moonshine Mafia and Bon Fire, they begin playing at 9 p.m. each night. The cover charge is only $5, but guests must be 21 or older to attend as adult beverages and food will be available for purchase. In fact the famous old saloon — listed on the Register of Historic Places — is open for most of the three-day rodeo weekend: Thursday and Saturday during the day. A Family and Teen Dance with DJ Myrl Foster takes place from 9 p.m. to 11:45 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20 at the Tonto Apache Gym. Beverages and food for youth is available for purchase. Come join the fun and experience the place where rodeo began over 132 years ago in Payson, Arizona’s Cool Mountain Town. For more information call 928-4749440 or visit paysonprorodeo.com.