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Cowboy Up: Texas Stampede storming into town
Professional Cowgirls will giddyup around the barrels at the Tom Thumb Texas Stampede at the Allen Event Center on Nov. 9-10. Photo courtesy of Tom Thumb Texas Stampede.
By J. David Barron, dbarron@starlocalnews.com
It's less than three months to Christmas when Santa harnesses his reindeer. It's less than 30 days before much bigger harnesses will be appearing throughout the Villages of Allen, with cowboys whooping and steers mooing their way toward the Allen Event Center.
The Tom Thumb Texas Stampede was announced Tuesday at the AEC with Allen Mayor Steve Terrell proclaiming Sept. 25 as Texas Stampede PRCA Day in Allen. It is the third year the rodeo will be held at the AEC after a long-time stint at the American Airlines Center. This year also marks a return to the event for the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association, making the rodeo slated for Nov. 9-10 a can't-miss spectacle for livestock enthusiasts and families alike. Top cowboys and cowgirls will compete in bull riding, saddle bronc riding, team roping, steer wrestling, bareback riding, tie-down roping and barrel racing.
The action begins with a cattle drive through the Villages on Oct. 24. PRCA cowboys will run about 50 head of Longhorn steer from Allen Station Park up to the AEC. Texas Stampede sponsor Tom Thumb will be serving steaks for breakfast fare grilled from grates beside an authentic chuck wagon.
So will some of the cowboys competing in the Stampede.
"The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is extremely pleased to see the Texas Stampede return to the PRCA family," said Karl Stressman, PRCA commissioner. "The sport of professional rodeo has a long-standing tradition in the Lone Star State, and it's exciting to continue to grow that tradition. This event provides another competitive opportunity for our members, and in turn a great opportunity for fans to se a first-class show. Everybody wins."
There is a lot more riding on the livestock than just the contestants, noted Stampede Executive Director Zandy Carnes.
"Being a part of the PRCA lineup means we can continue to draw top rodeo athletes in a no-holds-barred rodeo competition of contestants vying for a qualifying spot at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (in Las Vegas)," Carnes said. "It will certainly be a show that people won't want to miss."
Terrell echoed that sentiment during his proclamation.
"It will be a fully-sanctioned professional rodeo cowboys event and one of the elite performances from the PRCA circuit. We're looking forward to the chutes opening."
Charities benefitting from this year's Tom Thumb Texas Stampede are ManeGait and Camp Jon Marc. ManeGait benefits children through therapeutic horsemanship. Camp Jon Marc is established to provide a form of joy for children with disabling diseases.
"The Texas Stampede mission is to benefit the kids of North Texas, and the ManeGait mission is to benefit area children and adults with disabilities to help them move beyond their boundaries through the use of a horse," ManeGait board member Bill Heard explained. "So children are at the focal point of both organizations and that's why the synergy is so good with Texas Stampede and ManeGait."
In addition to the rodeo, the Stampede will include the Western Heritage Festival, the Christmas Stampede Western Holiday Marketplace, concerts by major recording artists, a Miss Texas Stampede contest, the cattle drive and other family events. The Western Heritage Festival will include a petting zoo, pony rides, stick-horse races and the always-popular mutton-bustin' chases. The Western Heritage Festival will run each of the two days of the Stampede from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
The headliners for this year's Stampede concerts are Tracy Lawrence on Nov. 9 and Lee Brice on Nov. 10. Lawrence recorded his eighth Billboard No. 1 single with his 2006 release, Find Out Who Your Friends Are. Brice earned a Country Music Awards nomination for 2012 "Best New Artist of the Year" on the heels of his No. 1 single, A Woman Like You. Each night's concert will begin at the conclusion of that evening's rodeo competitions.
Tickets for all events are on sale at the AEC and online at www.texasstampede.org.
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