Rodeo'n continues this weekend

High school rodeo in FM

I think you’re gonna see close to 200 participants this year. It’s a great event and free to the public, so people can just come and enjoy the weekend watching kids compete.”

James Young, National High School Rodeo chairman

FORT MADISON – The rodeo’n just ain’t quite over yet in Fort Madison.
The National High School Rodeo Association is once again bringing its qualifier to C.E. “Eddie” Richards Arena this weekend. It will be the 25^th year the Iowa High School Rodeo Association has brought either a qualifier or state finals event to the Tri-State Rodeo arena.
National Director James Young said this year should be another two full days of competition on Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s a qualifier for kids in grades 5^th – 12^th grade and I think you’re gonna see close to 200 participants this year,” he said. “It’s a great event and free to the public, so people can just come and enjoy the weekend watching kids compete.”
Lisa Wood, who’s a member of the Tri-State Rodeo Operating Committee, has been a big part of the High School competition since her children competed.
She said not only are there Iowa high school rodeo kids competing, but some families close to the border in Illinois, Missouri, and even Nebraska will make the trip because it’s closer than other parts of their state.
The kids can compete in any state for the qualifiers for the National High School Rodeo, which this year is being held in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
“Our daughters did it in high school about 14 years ago and we’ve been part of it ever since. We have a support group called the Southeast Iowa High School Rodeo Association that brings the event in each year.”
Woods said competition starts on Saturday at 10:30 and runs most of the day using the main rodeo arena as well as the saddle club due to the high number of participants.
Then competition starts again at 8:30 a.m. Sunday to get things done a little earlier for the people who have a long drive home.
She said there used to be more local families that participated in the high school rodeo back when her children competed, but that has changed and most competitors come from around the state.
“I know there’s one family from West Point, but the rest aren’t that close anymore. We do see some from Ottumwa and Bloomfield, but those are the closest I can think of. I haven’t seen the full roster yet.
“But this is just a great place for a rodeo, so we’ve stayed involved. Even our kids help with the event. Whether they want to or not, we’re just gluttons for punishment.
Kelli Metcalf and her husband Jeff of Fort Madison raised their children around the high school rodeo.
“It’s very near and dear to my heart,” Kelli Metcalf said.
All three of our daughters grew up in those ranks and now I have a grandson from Dike, Iowa that’s competing.
The Metcalfs were also part of the local rodeo boosters. She said she pushed Fort Madison High School to give an athletic letter to kids that participated in rodeo because it was a sport like anything else.
“It was a fight, but we got it done. I think Mic Loebach was AD back then and they set it up so the kids could letter. They had to keep their grades up and everything just like any other sport,” she said.
Unfortunately, she thinks the financial aspect has pushed some families out of the rodeo.
“It keeps a lot of families away. There is a lot of equipment and training required and the rodeos are spread out across the state. If mom and dad don’t want to travel, that can be an issue,” Metcalf said.
But she said there aren’t better families that those participating in rodeo.
“I don’t think you'll find a better group of families than your rodeo families. These families camp together. They come in on a Friday and spend Friday and Saturday at the campground. It’s a family thing with your family and young ones. You sit around camps and it’s family time.”
Metcalf said the biggest change has been the vehicles that families are towing now, then back in her day.
“Nowadays you see a lot of fancy motor homes and rigs compared to what we saw in the early 90s. That surprises us more than anything.”
She also said allowing junior high kids to compete is also a good change. Her children only were allowed to compete at the high school level.
Young said top performers in Fort Madison will advance to the Iowa High School Rodeo Championships in Des Moines, and the top four there in each category get to go to the National High School Rodeo event in Wyoming in June of 2024.