Rodeo is part of the fabric of Lea County. Young and old love to attend, participate and support everything having to do with rodeo. Unfortunately because of COVID-19, rodeo has not graced our area for more than a year. All of this, however, is about to change. From Friday – Sunday, May 28^th – 30^th, the Jake McClure Arena located at the Lovington Fair Grounds will be the scene of the 2021 state finals of the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association (NMHSRA) and the New Mexico Junior High School Rodeo Association (NMJHSRA).

The two events are being held jointly, and some 300 contestants will participate. According to the Lea County website, admission to the joint rodeo is free, and the public should enter through the South Rodeo Parking entrance.

The website also confirms the rodeo will kick off with the junior high students’ first performance on Friday, the 28^th, at 10:00 am. High schoolers will take over the arena at 4:00 pm. Saturday’s schedule starts early at 8.00 am with junior high school events, and high school competitions will begin at 3:00 pm. Sunday, the final day of the rodeo, starts late at 2:00 pm with “Short Go –Tuff Enough to Wear Pink”.

As a very special event, a concert and dance for rodeo participants, families and sponsors, will be given by the Justin Kemp Band after the finals. Kemp says on his Facebook page: “These kids have worked so hard for this, and we are excited to give them a well deserved celebration!”

Thirteen rodeo events are scheduled. They include both junior high and high school barrel racing, bull riding, calf roping, team roping and pole bending. Junior high school girls have their own goat tying and breakaway competitions, as do junior high boys. Events also include steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding and bareback riding.

The national finals for the Junior High School Rodeo Association will be held in three weeks in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 20^th – 26^th. This rodeo is one of the largest in the world. Approximately 1,200 junior high students, “the best of the best from 43 states, 5 provinces in Canada, Australia, and Mexico qualify…to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes,” states the Catch Des Moines website.

The national finals for the High School Rodeo Association will be held a little later in Lincoln, Nebraska, from July 18^th – 24^th, at the Lancaster Event Center. Some 1,700 participants from 43 states, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand will compete. According to Visit Nebraksa this is “the largest number of contestants of any rodeo in the world.” It is the venue from which amateurs can step up to the pro level.

Having the New Mexico state finals of the NMJHSRA and the NMHSRA in Lea County is a boon for county businesses and the county itself. Bringing 300 teenagers and their families to the area for three days puts needed dollars in the pockets of area businesses, cities, especially Lovington, and the surrounding area. Turquoise risk level COVID-19 restrictions will be followed throughout the joint rodeo event, as will the CDC’s new guideline suggesting that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks.

Photos courtesy of Matthew Lancaster / Unsplash and NMJHSRA Facebook page (team ropers)