Rodeos Rule in Hopkins County
Published Feb 28, 2008
Nearly every town has a rodeo in this part of the world, and hometown rodeos draw big local crowds.
In this part of the world, rodeos rule and Hopkins County may be at the top of the heap.
The Hopkins County Regional Civic Center hosts no fewer than four major rodeos each year, starting in January with the Four States High School Rodeo, attracting young riders from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
March brings the spring UPRA membership rodeo; the finals return to Sulphur Springs in November. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association comes to town in July.
Why Hopkins?
“Our arena is air-conditioned,” says Bill Elliott, president of the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce.
The town has 16,000 people; the civic center has 2,500 bleacher seats, and the county just built a stall barn to accommodate 300 animals.
Hopkins County isn’t the only show in the region. Nearly every town has a rodeo. Some, like Clarksville’s, are charity events that raise money for a local cause.
Mayor Ann Rushing says the big event is always held the second weekend in June and last year had competition from three other rodeos on the same day in Northeast Texas.
Clarksville’s event, which also includes clowns, “mutton bustin” and other attractions, raises money for the city’s volunteer fire department.
“It is a wonderful community event,” she says. “It is a wonderful way to promote economic development.”
James Andrews, Rushing’s son, puts on rodeos in Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma. It’s in the blood: Grandfather Burr Andrews was a stock contractor who competed himself; father Sammy Andrews started producing amateur rodeos in the 1980s and still does with his son. He’s known for raising “Bodacious,” a fierce but popular bull that remains a legend. He died in 2000 at age 12.
Rodeo fans have no shortage of options in this part of Texas, where nearly every town hosts its own.
Mount Pleasant has its rodeo every June. Late April brings the Cass County Championship Rodeo, a professionally sanctioned event, to Linden at the end of April to coincide with the Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival. A portion of the proceeds supports the county’s 4-H group and scholarships.
Elliott says people just love the excitement of rodeos, though he admits he doesn’t get to see much of it.
“I am usually working in the concessions,” he says.
Story by Pamela Coyle
Photo by Wes Aldridge
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