News

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 30 to May 2, saw a capacity crowd each night at the Pittsburg Rodeo Arena watch the United Professional Rodeo Association (UPRA) competitors race, chase, and eat gravel. The rodeo this year was dedicated to all around cowboy Richard L Rhymes. A graduate of Frederick Douglas High School in Pittsburg, Class of 1964, he worked for over 50 years for Lone Star Steel. Known as “Cowboy,” Richard had a passion for working with animals on the Houston Ranch, near Ferndale. He trained and shoed horses, rounded up cattle, did calf roping, attended rodeos, and trail rides. “His unique bond with animals set him apart”. On Saturday night, Earma Rhymes, his widow, and his two daughters Tony and Timmy (Rabbit), received recognition and roses from Louis Houston II and Louis Houston III in honor of Cowboy Rhymes. Cody Hall, President of the Pittsburg Rodeo Association since 2014, said that last year there were 171 competitors who signed up, this year there were 274. On Saturday night they were down to the final 43, who would be winning this year’s totaled amount of over $48,000. Bubba Sample, former Rodeo President for 30 years, handled the field logistics. Arena announcer this year was J R McLelland. Dustin Jenkins was the barrel-hugging rodeo clown. Horses and Bulls were provided by Wing Rodeo Company, JoAnne Smith, owner. Mutton-busting, which was helmeted, small children racing on sheep, had 11 competitors. The youngest was three. The Announcer also canvassed for children six and under, who wanted to collect a lot of money, to race around the arena picking up one dollar bills. There were over 40 children out on the arena grounds running everywhere. Just about all of them had money in their hands when they left the arena. The One-Armed Bandit rode into the arena, shooting off his gun, cracking a whip, and following three of the biggest long horns in Texas. His big red 450 and cattle trailer came out, the long horns went up onto the top of the trailer, and he followed up there on his horse. They descended, he came down, and the truck and trailer left the arena. The one-armed Bandit was John S Payne of Shidler, Oklahoma. He lost his right arm when 7200 volts of electricity went through him. He said he already has his tombstone made. It reads. “I didn’t get a lot done, but I sure had some fun”.