Clarke County Youth Rodeo is ramping up for a new season

The Clarke County Youth Rodeo is an organization run by volunteers. It was organized in 2008 by a group of parents and volunteers that wanted to give youth in southern Iowa an opportunity to learn the sport of rodeo. CCYR promotes the interest of children and high school students to compete in amateur rodeo competitions.

“Our goal at CCYR is to provide quality events, which will allow our youth, ages 1 to 18, to advance their rodeo talents in fair competition and the appreciation of good sportsmanship. We are dedicated to helping youth set goals and work to achieve them through a sport they truly enjoy,” said Emily Selsor, longtime CCYR parent and volunteer.

This year, the CCYR is hosting a soup supper 5 to 7:30 p.m. March 15 at the Osceola Eagles Lodge. The supper is a free will donation to support the youth rodeo costs.

“We are hosting a free will soup supper at the Osceola Eagles to help offset the cost of arena rental, stock charges, awards and general cost of putting on our youth rodeo as well as to give any information out to interested community members,” said Selsor.

The rodeo events are growing each year. Last year, CCYR had more than 200 members from surrounding counties and states. Each rodeo averaged 500 entries.

Members practice year round but most rodeos happen in the summer months. This year, CCYR will host rodeos on June 16, 17 and Aug. 12 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds.

While members practice all year, volunteers are planning year round as well. They begin to get together in January to prep and plan for rodeo season.

“We start planning meetings in January and meet at least monthly to get things lined up. From swinging gates, working back pens, timers, announcers and cook shack, we have many families and volunteers that step up to the plate to help on the day of the rodeo. Everything is run on a volunteer basis and we welcome anyone to volunteer,” said Selsor.

The CCYR volunteers are adding another stock contractor to their rodeos this year. Stock contractors are the companies that bring livestock to the arena for rodeos.

“We will be contracting with Tuff-N-Nuff Miniature Rodeo for our rough stock,” said Selsor.

Rough stock consists of the bulls or bucking horses, either bareback or saddled.

“It was important for us to have the proper livestock for the proper age of contestant riding them,” said Johnny Hopkins of Tuff-N-Nuff Miniature Rodeo. “These bulls are much better for kids to ride then calves or steers. It’s a much better transition from moving up to big bulls once you have ridden the miniature bulls as a junior bull rider.”

“We are excited to add a new stock contractor to our series,” said Selsor.

Along with the miniature stock, the Clarke County Youth Rodeos consist of many events including goat tying, barrels, pole bending, calf roping, chute dogging, team roping, ribbon roping, bareback and saddle bronc riding, and bull riding. Since the youth rodeo caters to ages 1 through 18, there are also events for the little ones such as stick horse races, goat tail untie and pee wee poles and barrels.

To support CCYR, attend the soup supper on March 15, volunteer to help with rodeos, or just attend the rodeos and cheer on the contestants.

“Once you become involved in rodeo you instantly have another enormous family,” said Selsor.