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Complete Forecast for  Sep 07 2008

TOP JOBS

By ADAM RUSSELL
Staff Writer

JACKSONVILLE — The next chapter of a 46-year Jacksonville tradition begins Wednesday night as Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association ropers and riders kick up the dirt inside the outdoor arena for four nights of top-rank rodeo action.

Organizers are busy putting the final touches and filling the final rosters for the Tops In Texas Rodeo, the four-night, July, Jacksonville staple.

Jacksonville Rodeo Association Secretary Treasurer and the rodeo’s director, Brenda Jones said early ticket sales for this year’s event have been brisk. She said if sales continue at the present pace the rodeo should be a big success and add to the numbers from last year. Ms. Jones said more than 10,000 people attended last year even though a downpour on Friday night may have dampened the experience for some. But as Ms. Jones said, “that’s rodeo.” When every seat in the 4,000 seat arena is full, Ms. Jones said the cowboys and cowgirls appreciate it and feed off the energy created by the crowd.

“It’s going to be a good rodeo,” she said. “We have great stock, bucking stock and good cowboys. Everybody needs to get ready to come out, kick up their boots and clap their hands.”

PRCA cowboys and cowgirls will participate every night, Wednesday through Saturday, in traditional rodeo events ranging from saddle and bare-back bronco riding, steer-wrestling and team roping to bull riding and barrel racing. Local Cherokee County team ropers, who qualified for the event, will also participate in an event for county-wide top-roper bragging rights, Ms. Jones said.

Post-rodeo concerts on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights are expected to draw big audiences with hometown country music singer Neal McCoy, country singer-songwriter Chris Cagle and Texas country star Stoney LaRue scheduled to perform, respectively. Ms. Jones said she is excited about all the performers slated this year and expects their fans to pack the arena for the shows and rodeo. Wear pink for Thursday night’s event in support of Tough Enough to Wear Pink benefiting breast cancer research, she said. A donation will be made in the name of each individual wearing pink in the arena that night. There will also be entertainment provided by a bull-fighter and rodeo clown act.

Select tickets are still available for each night’s event Ms. Jones said. Wednesday tickets are available for between $20 and 28; Thursday $12 and 16; Friday $32 and 24 and Saturday $18 and 25 depending on how close people want to be to the action. Seats close to the action, so close that patrons might eat the same dirt the cowboys eat are in limited supply, she said. The rodeo begins nightly around 8:30 p.m.

All proceeds benefit Jacksonville charities and scholarship programs. During last year’s rodeo between $10,000 and 12,000 was raised for charity, Ms. Jones said.

“(The rodeo is) for a good cause, it benefits a lot of great organizations and it’s fun,” she said. “I just want to invite everyone to put on their hats and boots and come out and have a good time.”