The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, going on October 3, 2010 at 3 pm at Henderson Arena in College Park, brings you into a world of skilled (and brave!) cowboys and cowgirls of all ages, and cowboy-style hats and boots as far as the eye can see.
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo was established in 1984. It is the nation’s only touring black rodeo, and was named after famed black cowboy Bill Pickett.
You'll be amazed by the talent and agility of the participants who seem to flying across the arena on their trusty steeds, as they round various obstacles and rope steer. The crowd-pleasing and exciting bull riding came at the end of the Oct.2 rodeo.
The admission cost information on the rodeo web site says gate prices for children are $18 and $20 at the gate (a sign at the box office for the Oct. 2 rodeo said the price was $21 for adults). If you can get tickets in advance of today’s show, the web site said the cost is $15 for kids and $18 for adults.
Planning to go? Here are some things you should know:
1. Bring your camera or video camera.
2. Try to get there 30-45 minutes early to get a decent parking space.
3. Watch where you step walking from your car to the arena. Horses don’t use toilets.
4. Sit up high on the risers or sit close to the action at one of the picnic tables close to the ring.
5. If you’re bringing small children, make sure they’ve had their naps and have full bellies before you get to the rodeo. Tired, hungry babies and toddlers who probably don’t understand what’s going on anyway are a ticking time bomb. The results – tantrums and such – can drain your energy and distract you from the rodeo. Bring along a book to keep them occupied if they get bored, and maybe their favorite yummy little snack. But if you can, keep cranky tots at home with a sitter.
6. The soul food and other goodies are absolutely delicious (be prepared to wait in a long line), but if you’re accustomed to feeding your family a take-out meal for under $20, grab some extra change for the rodeo fare. Over the course of the evening, one family of four spent a total of $37 for three pulled pork sandwiches ($5 each), six cans of soda ($12 – some were purchased for a lower price outside of the refreshment stand), two bags of popcorn ($3 per bag), one hot dog ($3), and one oatmeal cookie ($1).
7. Speaking of money, there will be plenty of shirts, hats, and cool sourvenirs for sale that would make great gifts.
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