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Community Corner

Organized Chaos in Saline

Super Kicker Rodeo kicked off Fair week at Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Saline.

Super Kicker Rodeo kicked off Fair week at Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Saline.

Three nights of action packed competition, brought by the Super Kicker Rodeo, entertained families from the Saline and Ann Arbor areas over the weekend of August 26-28. Cowboys and cowgirls competed in five categories including bareback, saddle bronc, girls barrel racing, team roping and bull riding.

Each evening began with the national anthem and tribute to America’s troops before barreling right into riding, roping, bucking and barreling. 

Two primo bulls were introduced as being the “baddest of the bad”, and the hopeful draw of competing riders. 

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“A successful ride on one of these means a good score and a lot of cash," said the event’s announcer.

Top scores for bull riding went to Rod McKeown who rode La Grange, one of the primo bulls of the rodeo. Ronnie Uptagraft leads the tour so far with 8888 points. The best time for girl’s barrel racing went to Lisa Cox finishing in 14.726 seconds without knocking over any barrels.  Best bareback riding went to Mike Ford, the only qualifier on Sunday night to maintain his ride the required eight seconds. Saddle Bronc rider Tyler West scored 74 points for the top spot and the team of Steve Shattuck and Sam Beasley scored high points for their team roping performance, both header and heeler, in just under seven seconds.

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In between competitive rides, the crowd was entertained by mutt busters and shoe scramblers, which let the kids from the crowd into the ring. Little ones, as young as one-year old, took their ride on a fast and fluffy sheep.  The littlest riders had help from parents, but six year-olds like Jessica Schultz of Ann Arbor held on for half the length of the ring before landing in a face plant into the dirt. 

Two shoe scrambles were held, one for boys and one for girls, ages 7-11, for just long enough to get one sock really dirty!

The rodeo was sponsored by many area businesses including Huron Valley Ambulance, LaFontaine, Lakeside Saddlery, CarQuest and the Saline Inn.

Not everyone was happy to see the rodeo in town. Cars entering the parking lot for the event were greeted by members of PETA, People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

“Thank you for taking a minute to read this,” one woman said, as she passed out literature expressing the alleged danger to animals involved in calf and steer roping, however neither of these events took place during the Super Kicker Rodeo in Saline.

For more information about the Organized Chaos Summer Tour, the Super Kicker Rodeo or a look at current competitor standings, go to www.superkickerrodeo.com

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