Tri-Parish High School Rodeo saddles up Saturday

Saturday saddles up the “greatest show on dirt”, the annual high school rodeo competition.

But in the arena of rodeo, locking horns with a competitor is always a bout of man versus animal.

Student-contestants of the Tri-Parish High School Radio do not compete against one another, according to one rodeo official.

“The thing that I like about the sport is that you’re not competing  against that kid, you’re competing against that animal,” said Ricky Thibodeaux, of the Tri-Parish High School Rodeo club, as he addressed the Eunice Rotary Club this week.

Thibodeaux said that he wants to preserve the “western way of life” while giving high school athletes a chance to participate and compete in “a unique and challenging sport”.

“They compete for scholarships and grants to further their education,” said Thibodeaux at Wednesday’s meeting of the Eunice Rotary Club. “But they do not compete against one another, it’s a competition between them and the animal.

Thibodeaux said that there are 16 high-school rodeos put on around the state– which will land the top 35 contestants in the running to compete for a shot at the state finals to be held in Lake Charles. From the finals, the top four winners in each rodeo event will get a chance to go to a national competition.

“Since our club started, I think we’ve won over 20 state titles,” said Thibodeaux. “Since the Louisiana High School (Rodeo) Association has been formed, we’ve had guys that have gone on from high school and into college and on into professional ranked.”

He said that more than 300 high school athletes will clash on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the Tri-Parish High School Rodeo arena three miles east of Eunice on Highway 190 behind Emile Truck and Trailer.

Admission for Saturday and Sunday rodeo is $7.00 for adults and children 6 and under get free admission.