Bullriding goes solo, roping returns in rodeo arena

By Diana Baldwin

Published: September 10, 2006

A bullriding-only event is being offered for the first time at the Oklahoma State Fair.

“Beauty and the Bulls,” a night of bullriding and music by country music singer Jo Dee Messina, begins at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22.

While bullriding is making its debut as a solo event, team roping is returning to the Oklahoma State Fair after several years of absence.

The annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Championship Rodeo, including the team roping event, is Sept. 23 and 24 in State Fair Arena.

Timed-event cowboys and roughstock riders will compete for the big money in a traditional rodeo, said Gina Ritter, assistant general manager of the state fair division.

“We were making room for the team roping, and we wanted to bring it back,” Ritter said.

For several years, the state fair rodeo has been exempt from including team roping.

This year was the time to bring back roping, Ritter said, because of changes at the state fair and the interest in roping.

Rodeo events are at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23, and 2 p.m. Sept. 24.

Country and western singer Blake Shelton, an Oklahoma native born in Ada, will be part of the rodeo Sept. 23.

Country music group Sawyer Brown is scheduled for the Sept. 24 matinee.

“There will be nonstop action,” Ritter said. “We are excited about the lineup. We’ve got what people love in the dirt and great music to go with it.”