By Brent Frankenhoff
The Amherst Fairgrounds will again be the site of the Little Britches of Wisconsin (LBW) Rodeo Saturday, August 17, with finals on Sunday, August 18. Organized locally by the Tomorrow River Lions Club and the Amherst Boots and Saddle Club, with all proceeds going back to those two groups, the event is overseen by the LBW and dates back to 1975.
Competition starts Saturday at 9 a.m. with the grand entry parade and ends around 4 p.m. with bull riding. More than 1,000 runs will be held during the day.
Participants in LBW are 6 to 18 years old and participate in one of three categories: Pee Wee (PW, five years old to fourth grade), Junior (JR, fifth to eighth grade), or Senior (SR, Freshman to Seniors). The events include:
Boys: Tie down roping, team roping, senior steer wrestling, bareback broncs, saddle broncs, bull riding, junior chute dogging, and junior goat tying.
Girls: Barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, team roping, and breakaway roping.
Pee Wee (boys or girls): Barrels, poles, goat undressing, bareback riding, and “bull riding” (actually a little animal).
The rodeo finals on Sunday, which also start at 9 a.m., feature the top 20 finishers from each of Saturday’s events competing for the LBW state title.
An event of this size doesn’t just happen. Volunteers from the Amherst Boots and Saddle Club, the Lions, and the community work together on preparing the grounds, setting up food stands, running the arena, timing events, judging, and announcing. Parents of the contestants also pitch in to do their part.
Prior to the weekend competition, the LBW Queen Contest is held on Friday, August 16. Coordinated by Jenny Blenker, the contest has young women vie to be crowned the Amherst LBW Queen. (Letters from each candidate appear on page 21 of the August Spirit.) Each candidate is judged in five categories, Blenker said: “horsemanship, written test, speech, impromptu questions, and interview. They are also expected to sell at least 399 tickets. Our contestants are active each rodeo day helping in the arenas and waving to the crowds in their flybys for grand entry each rodeo morning. Every year I am so proud of each and every one of these girls who put in the hard work and promote the sport of rodeo.”
Scholarship money is given for furthering each contestant’s education. They also receive other gifts including horse tack. The winner receives a saddle as she will represent Amherst Rodeo at all other LBW events, carrying the flag during the grand entry parade.
Not only does the rodeo offer exciting events, it’s a treat to watch the contestants, who have put in many hours of practice, doing well in their chosen categories. Proceeds from the rodeo and the concessions stand benefit the LBW, Amherst Boots and Saddle Club, and the Tomorrow River Lions, all of whom give back to the community.
Order of Events
Events start daily at 9 a.m. and end when
the last contestant has competed.
Timed Event Arena
PW Poles
JR Poles
SR Poles
Tie Down
SR Girls Breakaway
Open Breakaway
Team Roping
Steer Wrestling
Chute Dogging
Rough Stock Arena
PW/JR/SR Bareback
PW/JR/SR Saddle Bronc
PW Goats
JR Boys Goats
JR Girls Goats
SR Girls Goats
PW Barrels
JR Barrels
SR Barrels
PW/JR/SR Bulls
2023 Little Britches Rodeo Queen Baleigh Martin