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Kentucky Rodeos

While you’re visiting Kentucky, you can enjoy horse racing, the Kentucky Derby, southern food, bourbon, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Kentucky also has plenty of Rodeos that you can enjoy.

North American Championship Rodeo

The North American Championship Rodeo is held at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center. For three days in November, you can attend the rodeo to see skilled cowboys compete in exciting events. 

It takes incredible skill to hang on to a bull for even just eight seconds. Those who succeed will win prize money and a gold belt buckle. Some of the best cowboys come to this event for a chance to compete in the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo.

The American Rodeo East Regional Finals

The American Rodeo East Regional Finals is the ultimate high stakes western showdown. It’s held for three days in January, at the Alltech Arena at Kentucky Horse Park.

At the East Regional Finals, east coast fans cheer on dedicated contenders and professional athletes in the top world standings. These contestants compete at the Regional Finals in order to advance to The American Rodeo in Arlington Texas, where they will take on the top rodeo champions. It’s an exciting show with real stakes, so you won’t want to miss it.

Spur-A-Rodeo

Spur-A-Rodeo is held at the Central KY-AG Expo Center in July. It has traditional rodeo activities, such as mutton busting, ranch bronc, peewee, novice and pro bull riding, team roping, and more.

Lone Star Rodeo

Lone Star Rodeo Company has been organizing professional rodeos for over 75 years. They started in Texas, but have now settled in Crofton Kentucky. Lone Star Rodeo continues to produce more than 40 traveling rodeos a year in Kentucky and surrounding states. They support local communities, such as the Area Optimist Club. They also support the Cattlemen’s Association, which provides youth scholarships.

Lone Star Rodeos start off with a pageantry contest. The main rodeo event includes barrel racing, calf roping, bull riding and steer wrestling. Rodeo clown acts will keep the whole audience laughing during intermissions, and specialty performances, such as trick riding, will keep you on the edge of your seat between the competitions. You can catch one of their exciting shows between January and September.

Annual Christian County Cattleman’s Rodeo

Lone Star Rodeo hosts the Annual Christian County Cattleman’s Rodeo every August. It’s held at the Western Kentucky Fairgrounds in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. 

You’ll be able to see traditional cowboy contests, such as bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, muley roping, and bull riding. Cowgirls also compete in cowgirl’s breakaway roping and barrel racing. Each event offers $1,000 in added prize money for the strongest contender.

In addition to the main event, there are plenty of special attractions for the whole family to enjoy. Kids can participate in the kids gold rush, and the best dressed cowboy and cowgirls contest before the show. There will also be a hilarious rodeo clown, authentic chuckwagon racing, live entertainment, a specialty act, and even a beer garden.

Kentucky High School Rodeo Association (KHSRA)

The Kentucky High School Rodeo Association is dedicated to giving students opportunities to compete in rodeos. There’s both a High School and a Junior High division, with rodeo events and invitationals throughout the fall and spring season. Students can participate in their school’s team from August to May. The best teams will go on to compete in the state finals in May. 

As part of the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA), students also have the chance to compete in the National Finals. The National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR) takes place in June for the best Junior High teams in the country. The National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) is in July.

Annual Racer Roundup College Rodeo

Every year, the Murray State University Rodeo Team (MSU Rodeo Team) hosts an exciting college rodeo event. The Annual Racer Roundup College Rodeo is held in November at the William “Bill” Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center. Starting in 1976, it’s the oldest rodeo in Kentucky.

The MSU Rodeo Team is one of only 13 colleges in the Ozark Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA). MSU competes against other colleges from Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi. There are usually ten to twelve rodeos that they compete in each year.

Bullwhip Rodeo

Bullwhip Rodeo is held in August at the Hopkins County-Madisonville Fair. There are fun and exciting rodeo activities for everyone to enjoy. 

For kids, there’s pee-wee bull riding, pee-wee barrels, a calf scramble, and junior barrels. There are also classic rodeo events, such as tie-down roping, breakaway roping, team roping, a wild steer ride, trick riding, pro bull riding, and pro barrel racing. There’s even a funny man to keep everyone laughing between each event. You won’t want to miss this fun family rodeo.

East Kentucky Stampede Championship Rodeo

In March, you can see the East Kentucky Stampede Championship Rodeo. It’s a fun, exciting, and family friendly event in Pikeville Kentucky. You’ll see cowboys compete in saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping, calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding and more. Kids can even participate in fun western activities, like mutton bustin’. 

You can see the show on Friday or Saturday night. Friday is Media Night, with discounted tickets.

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