Pro Rodeo This Weekend at the Mathewson Exhibition Center

The Mathewson Exhibition Center on the Missouri State Fairgrounds is hosting its second big weekend of bull riding and rodeo action on Friday and Saturday nights. 

"The bulls bucked, the cowboys rode, we had great attendance," said Todd Pettigrew, after the first weekend of bull riding on the Missouri State Fairgrounds. This weekend's event will feature a full rodeo. "The bull riding is only bulls. The rodeo kind of goes back to the old cowboy days. We've got the seven traditional rodeo events: bareback riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, and, for you bull riding lovers, we have bull riding at the rodeo."

Pettigrew says that all of the rodeo events are fun, but barrel racing is particularly interesting in the Sedalia arena. "Barrel racing in Sedalia is just as fun to watch as anything. Those horses are bred to run. The thing with Sedalia is that the arena is a little bit smaller than a normal arena, so the barrels are a little bit further over to the side. Those horses want to go so fast, and it's such a tight pattern, it's just awesome."

Tickets to the rodeo are available in advance at Dukes and Boots, Genes Boots and Hats, and Dairy Queen in Sedalia. They are also available at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The rodeo starts at 8 p.m.