Pre-Rodeo week wraps up with Lil' Spurs, pageant

FORT MADISON - The 2022 Pre-Rodeo activities week are all but wrapped up this week with the exception of the Chairman's Dinner on Tueday night and Pee-Wee Barrel qualifying  at the Saddle Club.

But mother nature smiled widely on the other events with cool temperatures and overcast skies highlighted the annual Pancake Breakfast and Special Kids Rodeo on Saturday.

Lisa Wood, who's been a part of the Special Kids Rodeo for more than two decades said the weather was beautiful for a group of special rodeo cowboys and cowgirls.

Wood said turnout was just a little under last year, but some things were changed up just a bit.

"We were almost at 200 kids, which is a little less than last year. We changed things a bit," she said "They didn't want us to pack the whole arena this year so we moved it around and we utilized a lot of the shade from the new VIP area which was really nice.

Wood has a daughter with Down's Syndrome and has been part of the Special Kids rodeo for the past 22 years, 18 as chairwoman.

"This is like their own rodeo, they love it and they are all winners," she said.

This year the committee added some bouncie quarter horses instead of stick horses. There was also a larger stationary horse and then live horses for the kids to ride if they choose.

Wood said some of the kids are timid around the live animals so they always want to provide activities for those kids as well.

The Lil' Spurs Rodeo had a full slate of events and participants. A small hiccup took place when the EMS staffing on hand, which is required for the livestock events, had to leave for an emergency.

Fort Madison Fire Chief Joey Herren saved the day by bringing in the FM Fire Department to tend to the kids while the EMS staff was away.

Scott Meller, the chairman of the Lil Spurs event said 224 contestants signed up and they had to cap sheep riders at 180. He said that filled up weeks before the deadline. He added that the calf riding was up this year, but he said there were a couple that were tough to ride and a couple kids got thrown pretty good, but everyone was fine.

He said the arena dirt was very dry and hard from the lack of rain and with all the volunteers and animals on the dirt, it became packed down and the landings were a bit harder.

He said arena crew members came out and turned up the dirt to make things a bit softer.

Meller said the weather, which hovered in the mid 70s and overcast, was the best he had seen for the pre-rodeo event in just about all his years volunteering with the event.

Volunteers are wheel that turns the events. Each buckin' shoot had about five volunteers plus all the livestock handlers and safety and security volunteers.

"I would say we had close to 75 people working on this event and they are really what makes it go. With all the those people and the nice weather, it really was one of our better events since I've been involved," Meller said.

The days activities were wrapped up with the Lil Miss Rodeo and All-Around Cowboy contest.

Blakely Piklapp, 6, of Huxley, Iowa was named Little Miss Rodeo. She is the daughter of Garret and Tami Piklapp.

First runner-up went to Avyston Hobby, 6 of LaHarp and 2nd-runner up was Everlee Britton 7, of Fort Madison.

The All-Around Cowboy winner was Lane Palmer, 7, of Keokuk. He is the son of Corey and Melissa Palmer.

First runner-up was Hunter Billings, 7, of West Point and 2nd runner-up was Clay Robeen, 6, White Hall, Ill.