This Junior Pole Bender was in competition, on Friday morning, in the Hopkins
County Regional Civic Center.


Four States Rodeo Action
In Civic Center For Weekend

by: Bobby McDonald

The pickup and trailer license plates read Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and all points across Texas, as youth from the four states converged on the Hopkins Regional Civic Center for the Four States High School Rodeo Finals, conducted this weekend. Some 116 contestants, their horses, and their families and friends arrived in Sulphur Springs to spend the weekend in competition for a bevy of prizes that completes their year.

Youth from all across a four-state region arrived with their horses and families to compete in
the Four State Rodeo Association Finals, in the Hopkins Co. Civic Center.

For youth members in the four states, the season begins in late August or the Labor Day weekend, where they begin attending rodeos and accumulating points to bring them to the finals in Sulphur Springs. The association will sponsor some 20 rodeos throughout the year, where youth can earn points in their events. Events include: pole bending, barrel racing, goat tying, bull riding, steer riding, chute dogging, tie-down calf roping, breakaway roping, ribbon roping, and team roping.

 

Champions are named in each event and age group, and the All-Around Cowboy and All-Around Cowgirl each receive a two-horse trailer, that is funded by a variety of sponsors. Event winners receive saddles and trophy buckles are presented through 4th place in each event.

Left to right, Cole Denney of Winnsboro, Rance McCollum of Mt. Pleasant, and Cory Swann of Mt.
Plesant, throw loops in practice for the roping events in this weekend's finals in Sulphur Springs.

"Horse of the Year" awards and other special awards are also presented at the banquet, following Saturday night's performance in the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center Arena.

These youth wait their turn for competition, beneath the oak shade trees in Buford Park.

"This event brings youth from all across the area to Sulphur Springs and is an economic boost to our community," explained Pansy Bell, new marketing coordinator at the Civic Center. "These youth and their families eat at our restaurants, stay in our motels, purchase gas, and a number of horse and tack supplies, while they are in town!"

This young competitor prepares to enter the arena in the shadows of the new Hopkins County Equine Facility
that will be opening in July 2006.

 

Local businesses, who know the value of the contribution to our economy, provide sponsorships for many of the prizes, advised Bell. Local sponsors include Alliance Bank, City National Bank, Farm Country, Ag Power, ABC Autoplex, Elliott Motors, Dr. Bill Gilbert, II DVM, Longhorn Trailer Sales, Shawn Massey Welding, Christian Ice, and Professional Land and Title.

All-Around Cowboy and Cowgirl in the Four States Rodeo competition will each receive a trailer that
is sponsored by local businesses.

The Four States Rodeo Association moved their finals to Sulphur Springs three years ago, from Hope, Arkansas.

The new Equine Pavillion under construction, as a part of the expansion project at the Regional Civic
Center, will be available for equine events, beginning in July.

 

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