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Times Advocate, 1999-06-16, Page 21TAKE OUR CAKE! MOMENT ICE CREAM VESSfERZ z2$4140 Exeter Times -Advocate Crossroads Wednesdaryijune 16 ,1994 Rodeo expected to By Kate Monk TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — The Exeter Rodeo Committee isn't resting on its laurels following two very suc- cessful events. The 1999 rodeo weekend, scheduled for Aug. 6, 7 and 8, will blend the tradi- tional events with new attrac- tions. At a press conference last week, the committee, A Bar K Rodeo Productions and the rodeo's management group, outlined the itinerary. Festivities will take place throughout the weekend start- ing with free Friday evening activities including an Exeter Saddle Club demonstration, kids mutton busting and calf round -up. Boots, Buckles 'n' Spurs will be line dancing at 7 p.m. The calf round -up involves teams of three people on foot rounding up a calf and is open to anyone 15 years of age or over. Register for the mutton busting and calfround-tip at the show ring that night. Also new this year, a country and western parade will start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday morn- ing. The OPP Golden Helmets Precision MotorcycI Team will lead off the parade and per- form at the Rec Centre at 12:30 p.m. The committee is- looking for wagons, buckboards, buggies, surreys, antique farm equip- ment and tractors to enter the parade. Parade chairman Pete Armstrong hopes farmers will. search their barns and bring their treasures for people to see. Equipment can be pulled by riding mowers, garden trac- tors, tractors or horses. Rodeo cowboys, horse enthu- siasts and area businesses will also ;be in the parade. The time change from last year's Saturday evening parade will help the downtown businesses, encourage more cowboys to participate and increase the number of floats and spectators, according to parade chairman Pete Armstrong. The official rodeo takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with close to 300 competitors from eastern North America coming to Exeter for the week- end. Local riders who travel on the rodeo circuit will also be performing in front of their hometown crowd. . For the second consecutive year, the Exeter Rodeo is part of the Dodge Truck Series, the top rodeo series in Ontario. There are only 10 venues on the Dodge Truck Rodeo Series and Exeter has been chosen 'based on the town's success in hosting the rodeo. Last year, 2,500 to 3,000 people attended each show. "This is the most exciting town for a rodeo because of the way the town gets behind it," said Ross Millar of the rodeo management group. Many competitors only .come to the Dodge Series events so Exeter should. expect to see the "`sport's top riders competing for points, Millar said. Major events include bull rid- ing, ladies barrel racing, junior steer riding, saddle bronc, team roping, mutton busting, bare back riding, calf roping, steer wrestling and ladies breakaway roping. tf-• Bull poker is a new event to the Exeter Rodeo which cowboys each stand IL, , circle in the ring and a bull -is let out of the gate. The fast cowboy in his circle wins. Millar says it's a new event on the circuit this year and has proved to be very exciting and dangerous for the cowboys who, with no form of defense, come face-to-face with a bull. Admission prices will be the same as the first two years of the event at $10 for adults, $ 5 for children while children under five get in free. From .4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Saturday atld 10 a.m. , noon Sunday morning, competitors:, who are not in the 2 p.m.!;* rodeos will be competing for points. There is no admission charge to watch these events. The very popular BA .: 93 Video. Dance . ottani on Saturday night i 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on the arena floor. Admission is $10. Everyone is welcome at the. - country style brunch on Sunday morning in the Rec Centre sponsored by the Exeter and Area Firefighters. The vendor area will be open with retailers and concession stands throughout the week- end. New PIZZA HOT LINE 235-4949 Page 21 raw more than 5,000 Budweiser Big Rig, a 60 -foot long transport truck featuring a big -screen television, grills and refreshments area. Proceeds from the sale of drinks and food at the Big Rig stay in ,Exeter. The Bud Big Rig travels throughout Ontario to major events. Service clubs and organizations will also have food booths. Camping is available at Elliott Park for $5 per night hosted by the Exeter Camping Club. All weekend events are wheelchair accessible and will go rain or shine. Money raised from past rodeos have helped improve the town's recreation facilities and is getting the show ring back to the condition it was in during its prime. "Most of the money raised by the rodeo is going back into the grounds," rodeo chairman Don Richardson said. The ring has been expanded and vinyl fencing will be installed this summer. New bleachers will also be added which can be moved to other events. Richardson said $7,500 has been designated for a new wheelchair accessible play- ground structure beside the Rec Centre playground. Committee members include Don Richardson, Cam Stewardson, Jo -Anne Fields, Mac and Mary Jane MacDougall, Pete Armstrong, Kathy and Doc Campbell, Patti Masnica, Pauline Johns, Wendy Laing, Tracy Hartman, Dalton Finkbeiner, Don Traquair, Don Dearing and Dianne Dearing. For more information on the Exeter Rodeo call any member of the rodeo committee or the South Huron Rec Centre at 235-2833. this year is the Ed DeWetering from Stephen Township slides onto a. steer during the '98 Exeter Rodeo. The Exeter Rodeo Committee and sponsors meet to discuss the final details for this year's rodeo. In the truck, from left: Pete Armstong, Patti Monica, Dalton Finkbeiner, jo-Anne Fields, Steve Prout, Matt Clark and Bill Brown. Standing, from left: Ross Millar, Wendy Laing, Don Richardson and Al Foster.