Wahoo Rodeo bucks into action Thursday

Billy the Kid is coming to the Wahoo Rodeo.

Aw, put your guns down, partner.

This isn’t the gunslinger. This Billy is a Brazilian Gir Bull who’s part of a specialty act planned during the

54th annual event. The

Wahoo Saddle Club PRCA Rodeo starts at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Saunders County Fairgrounds in Wahoo.

As in past years, the rodeo will feature several events, including bareback and saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and barrel racing.

LaRue’s Little Horse Ranch will offer pony rides all three nights. Pony rides will be free on Thursday night for children 5 and younger.

Aksarben will present Pioneer Farm Family and Good Neighbor awards on Friday night.

The Saunders County Amusement Association will start up the carnival rides on the fairgrounds Friday and Saturday. A beer garden also will be open Friday and Saturday.

Highlighting this year’s entertainment will be Texas Kid Rodney Hayes and his unique group of animals.

Hayes, who’s from Linden, Texas, has participated in bull riding and bareback riding events on the national level.

In 1991, he started fighting bulls and acquired his Professional Rodeo Cowboy

Association card. This

Please see Rodeo, A2

allowed him to participate in the 1992 Wrangler Bull Fight Tour.

“For the next three years, I was hired to work many of the nation’s biggest rodeos,” he said in a press release.

But in 1995, Hayes stopped competing after breaking his back for the second time. He judged rodeos and bull riding events for a couple years.

Then he tried something new.

“I started training what I call a freak, a Brazilian Gir Bull we now call Billy the Kid,” Hayes said. “He is considered a freak because he is one of a kind. He truly rides and works like a cow horse, rope horse, trick horse and more.”

Hayes and Billy have performed in rodeos across the country and ended 2006 as a National Finals Rodeo act.

The cowboy performer also involves children in his acts.

“In the last four years, I have used 12 different kids, ranging from 4 years of age to 11. ... My niece, Kailey Byrd, has been on the road with me full time as a performer and a partner,” he said. “Also, 10-year-old Lathan Crump joined our team in 2006, adding to the act with trick roping and more.

“Now we have added three more ponies and another bull,” he said.

Hayes added the act consists of a ring of fire and synchronized movements of the bulls and ponies.

Dale Shanahan of Colon, a saddle club member, looks forward to this year’s specialty act.

“We’re excited because he’s supposed to be absolutely excellent and he has performed at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. I just think he’s going to be very good,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan also is pleased with the number of contestants.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of riders,” he said.

And attracting riders isn’t always an easy feat. Fewer people are competing in rodeos these days.

“There’s just not enough money in it for them unless they’re in the top 15. ... A lot do it just in the summer,” he said.

Shanahan hopes area residents will attend the event.

“We’re good entertainment for the dollar,” he said. “It seems that people are having trouble with money these days. It’s close to home and it’s something you can take the kids to and have a good time.”