Cowboys and horses will soon be seen at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, and that only means one thing – it’s almost rodeo time.
The Columbia County Pro Rodeo will take place Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8 at the fairgrounds. The event is a fundraiser for The Old Frontier in Thomson and is raising money for the therapeutic riding facility being built, said Chris Smith, president of the board of directors for The Old Frontier.
“This will be our sixth rodeo that we’ve done since June of 2021,” Smith said. “The rodeo is at the Columbia County Fairgrounds April 7 and 8, gates open at 5 p.m., Tanner Fussell plays at 6 p.m. and then the rodeo starts at 8 p.m. (There will be) plenty of vendors, food vendors, retail vendors, kids inflatables, all kind of stuff, so family fun for everybody.”
This is an International Professional Rodeo Association event with Hedrick Rodeo Company as the stock contract, Smith said. During the event, which is expected to last a little over two hours, there will be bucket horses, a saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and then bull riding.
“It’s an International Pro Rodeo sanctioned event and it’ll be fun for all,” Smith said. “… A clown will be there, and he’ll be cutting jokes and carrying on with the crowd.”
The tickets can be purchased online in advance for $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 6-12 and in-person at all locations of Smith Farmer, McDuffie Feed & Seed, and Grovetown Farm and Garden. Tickets purchased at the gate are $20 for ages 13 and up, $12 for ages 6-12 and children under 5 are free.
The Old Frontier offers a therapeutic riding program by helping people connect with a horse, Smith said.
“We’re teaching horsemanship and we’re teaching them to ultimately get on and ride the horse,” Smith said. “All of that is therapy, just being with an animal is therapy, just being able to connect with nature. Equine therapy is real powerful, how a horse will connect with you, some horses don’t connect with some people and vice versa, so you find the right horse for the right person.”
Money raised at previous rodeos has helped build a building where attendees can wait, and the money raised at the upcoming rodeo will go toward building ADA bathrooms and a viewing area inside the barn, Smith said.
Besides the therapeutic program, The Old Frontier offers a program for veterans with PTSD and a youth leadership program.
To purchase the tickets online or for more information, visit https://theoldfrontier.com.
