KINGMAN – This year’s popular annual two-day Andy Devine Days Rodeo event is scheduled Sept. 24-25 at the Mohave County Fairgrounds, 2600 Fairgrounds Avenue in Kingman.
It is believed that rodeo was launched in 1864 when two groups of cowboys from neighboring ranches met in Deer Trail, Colo., to settle an argument over who was the best at performing everyday ranching tasks. Through these daily chores, the sport of rodeo evolved. It can be said that rodeo is the only sport derived from an industry, and probably the only one that ever will.
Today’s professional rodeo cowboy is a bit different from his 1800s predecessor, but the ideals and showmanship of long ago are still valued by today’s competitors. A cowboy’s standing in the rodeo community is still dependent on his (or her) skill with a rope or his ability to ride a bucking ani-mal. The cowboy code still dictates that a cowboy help his fellow competitors, even though they might be competing for the same paycheck.
And while some things have changed since those early days, most of the changes have been for the better. Now the cowboy travels much of the time in custom-made rigs or flies from one rodeo to another either by commercial airline or charter plane. Marketing and business acumen have become as crucial as roping, wrestling or riding skills. Cowboys are competing for more money than ever before.
Even if a PRCA member doesn’t have the inclination to spend more than 200 days a year on the road in search of a berth in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – the sport’s Super Bowl -he or she can participate in rodeos close to home each year.
Many of these “weekend warriors'” and those chasing world titles take their wives and children along whenever possible – helping to keep the sport close to its family-oriented roots.
– Mohave County Economic Development & Tourism
