Ken McLemore

HOPE – The color, excitement and tradition of Hope High School FFA Rodeo is back.

After a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, the oldest and biggest student-produced rodeo in Arkansas returns to the Hempstead County Coliseum Rodeo Arena for three nights April 14-16.

“It’s been a rough patch,” FFA Sponsor Christina Smith-Phillips said. “The students haven’t had the opportunity to perform but now we’re back.”

The three-night event is the 62nd annual presentation by the HHS Future Farmers of America program.

Phillips said students who wish to participate in rodeo events may continue to register through April 1 in her office in the HHS Agriculture Building. She said FFA Junior Queen contestants may register through April 6.

“We are having an Old Timer Night on April 14,” Smith-Phillips said. “The seniors from the past two years will have the opportunity to come back for that.”

Western Day at Garrett Memorial Christian School will be April 1 and FFA students will visit Clinton Primary School on April 8.

“We will have something really special this year with Whitney Bearden, who is a ‘liberty works’ horse trainer,” Smith-Phillips said.

Bearden, of Hope, performs with specially trained horses she has taught to independently respond to her movements and signals in the arena. The horses are cued by Bearden but they perform routines independently of her direction.

“It’s something that is new and is catching on,” Smith-Phillips said.

And, all of the tradition of the FFA Rodeo returns with a full line-up of competitive events each night.

Old Timer Night will include chute dogging, team roping, steer roping, wild steer tagging and barrel racing on April 14.

FFA student junior and senior events and “little britches” competitions will be offered April 15 and 16.

“Little britches” events include mutton busting and pig scramble, while junior events include junior queen selection, junior bull riding and pig scramble.

Senior events include bareback riding, calf haltering, hide ride, goat tying, calf roping, pig scramble, wild steer tagging, barrel pickup, chute dogging, barrel racing, bull riding, pole bending, and pig dressing contests.

Admission is $5 per person and all performances begin at 7 p.m.