Rodeo returns to Big Fresno Fair, replacing horse racing

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- For the archetypal clip successful 30 years, the roar of bulls and the cheers of rodeo fans are echoing done the Big Fresno Fairgrounds.

The just has agelong been known for its unrecorded equine racing, a contented that spanned much than 120 years. But with authorities regulators canceling contention dates successful Northern California, just organizers are bringing backmost the rodeo.

"It is historical," said Taylor Collins, peculiar lawsuit coordinator for the fair. "We're trying to grant the facilities we person here. We emotion our accepted equine races, but present we're creating this rodeo to grant that practice arsenic well."

More than 60 competitors from crossed the country, immoderate from arsenic acold distant arsenic Oklahoma and Texas, arrived with trailers afloat of livestock, acceptable to vie successful events similar bronc riding, bull riding, and mutton busting.

Among them is Reed Neely, a bronc rider from Clovis ranked 2nd successful the state, who's competing for a stock of the $100,000 purse.

"I'm hoping I gully a truly bully horse," Neely said. "I deliberation we're going to spell retired determination and person a batch of fun."

The instrumentality of the rodeo is particularly meaningful for Erick Horiuchi of ET Cattle, who grew up attending the fair.

"It was a large imagination for me," helium said. "I've been coming present since the aboriginal '60s. I utilized to beryllium astir the gross and conscionable ticker and imagination astir possibly 1 time putting connected a rodeo."

While unrecorded equine racing is nary longer portion of the fair, fans tin inactive spot bets connected races from astir the state wrong the wagering lounge.

"We ever person a bully time," said 1 fairgoer named Ron. "We look similar we cognize what we're doing, and that's the champion part."

The rodeo resumes connected Saturday, with events scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. astatine the Fresno Fairgrounds.

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