12/14/2005 6:00:00 PM Coliseum to host rodeo finals
By DEBBIE BURT MYERS
Managing Editor
The Neshoba County Coliseum will host the Professional Cowboy Association’s championship finals for the next three years, its executive director confirmed here Tuesday.
Some of the nation’s top cowboys and cowgirls will be coming to town Jan. 5-8 for the 2006 finals as well as 2007 and 2008, said Bo Campbell, PCA executive director.
More than 3,500 fans are expected to attend each night.
The Mississippi Gulf Coliseum hosted the PCA finals for the past 11 years but the facility suffered more than $20 million in damages during Hurricane Katrina.
Longtime sponsors like the Beau Rivage, Treasure Bay, the President Casino, Casino Magic and the Grand Casino in Gulfport were also damaged for destroyed by the storm.
“We are excited to be here,” Campbell said Tuesday at a press conference in the county coliseum.
He praised David Vowell, president of the Community Development Partnership, for his work in helping secure the location.
Campbell said the PCA was desperate after Katrina hit the Coast.
“It was an 11th hour deal but y’all helped us out,” he said. “We are going to make a two-year commitment to show our appreciation for what y’all have done for us.”
He also expressed appreciation to the Board of Supervisors who agreed to install 45 electrical hookups for recreational vehicles on the east and west sides of the coliseum.
“Thirty-nine of those camper sites have already been rented to cowboys,” he said.
The PCA board of directors considered moving the finals to Tunica and Andalusia, Ala., before selecting Neshoba County.
“This is going to be a big event for the city and county,” Campbell said. “There’ll be 144 cowboys, and their families from North Carolina, South Caroline, Kentucky, Indiana and Florida here for four days. Some of these people are taking their vacations to come here.”
Campbell said rodeo officials hope to fill the coliseum each of the four nights, noting that Thursday will be Neshoba County night with tickets for all seats selling for $10 each.
“If you don’t purchase your tickets in advance for Friday and Saturday nights, you won’t have a place to sit down,” he said.
Those tickets will be $14 each, he said.
Advanced tickets are on sale at the box office at Pearl River Resort.
Jane Crosswhite, the state’s High School Rodeo Queen and All Around Cowgirl in 1978-79, said no other event held in Neshoba County rates as high as the PCA rodeo.
“The quality of the cowboys and cowgirls and the competition will be as good if not better than the Dixie National. These are the finals. There is $100,000 added money to this rodeo purse,” she said.
By comparison, Crosswhite said the purse at the rodeo held each year at the Neshoba County Fair is $1,000.
Among the competitions will be saddlebronc riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, bull riding and for the women, break-away roping and barrel racing.
The Silver Star and Golden Moon casinos will host the rodeo contestants and committee parties each night, and the committee banquet on Saturday, Jan. 7.
Reader Comments
Posted: Monday, December 11, 2006
Article comment by:
terry and debora willoughby
we are excited to be coming to mississippi to silver star casino and to th=e prca..my husband is a devoted cowboy and a member ustrc. we have a tropy room just for his winnings of belt buckles, saddles and breast collar. we've been to alot of booger barter ropings..thank you in advance for any info on who will be there or for some free tickets we do have reservations at the silver star for the weekend...sincerily, mrs willoughby
