Not our first rodeo! MFRA is 60

By Alexandria Randolph

Highland Lakes Newspapers

The dust of the Charley Taylor Rodeo Arena will stir once again on the July 13-16 weekend for the 60th Annual Marble Falls Rodeo.

After six decades, the Marble Falls rodeo is going strong, with many tried and true attractions for all ages.

Mike Dyer, who has helped organize the rodeo for 20 years, said that there are some who remember it in its early days.

“One of the founding fathers Jack Rogers is still on the rodeo board,” Dyer said. “He's 85.”

According to Dyer, in 1956, Rogers served as Vice President of the newly established Marble Falls Rodeo Association. Charlie Taylor was President and Bobby Burnum was Secretary and Treasure. The first Rodeo in 1957 was a great success with over 2,000 people in attendance. That year boasted the first Marble Falls Rodeo parade. In those days, there was a street dance held in front of the Old Oak Square.

Youth Rodeo

The annual event will open with the 4H youth rodeo on Wednesday, July 13. Youths who live in Burnet County and all directly adjacent counties are eligible to compete. For information call Kelly Hayden at 830-265-8048.

Slack Rodeo

The slack rodeo, or as Dyer explains, the “overflow from the show on Friday and Saturday,” will be held on Thursday, July 14, and is free to attend.

“We always try to make sure the rodeo goes exactly two hours,” Dyer said, “so the overflow from the show goes to the slack rodeo.”

The slack rodeo will include competitors from the barrel racing, steer saddling, team roping, tie-down roping, and breakaway roping heats.

Open Pro Rodeo

The open pro rodeo will be held both Friday and Saturday nights, July 15-16. The gates open at 6:30 p.m., the rodeo starts at 8 p.m. and ends around 10 p.m. A dance will be held Saturday night with live music by Adam Fears, a returning favorite from last year's rodeo. The dance will begin directly after the rodeo and last until about 1 a.m. Admission to the rodeo includes the dance afterwards.

The rodeo will include entertainment by famous rodeo clown Leon Coffey and trick riders Ginger Duke and the Dynamite Dames.

Dyer said even if you've seen the dames before, “they always do a different act.”

Admission and concessions

Admission for adults is $10 Friday night, $15 on Saturday night, and both nights children six to 12 are $5. Children under six may attend for free.

Concessions will be available with hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, chips and more. Rodeo fans can bring their own ice chests for any other refreshments.

Marble Falls open/pro rodeo is a CPRA rodeo to find out who one this years rodeo or past rodeos go to http://www.cprarodeo.com/index.php.