(Photo above: Bobby Mote | courtesy of High Desert Stampede)
World’s top rodeo athletes to kick off 2016 National Tour at the Bank of the Cascades Center, March 25-26
Elite Rodeo Athletes, League of Rodeo Champions, will kick off their national tour in Redmond, Oregon March 25-26 as one of eight events across the U.S. on their first-ever tour. The tour will feature 80 of the top rodeo athletes in the world representing over 130 world titles between them.
Redmond was chosen as the first tour stop to present this star-studded, fan-centered performance, which will be held at the Bank of the Cascades Center and then telecast nationwide the following Wednesday nights of March 30th and April 6th during primetime on FOX Sports 2.
“The state of Oregon has embraced Rodeo for over a century and is the home state of many rodeo champions. The High Desert Stampede committee did a fantastic job putting together the local pieces to the puzzle. From the facility to the community, Redmond is a perfect fit for this all star rodeo,” said Tommy Joe Lucia, COO of ERA Rodeo.
Founded, owned and operated by the top 80 pro rodeo athletes in the world, ERA is working to pull back the curtain for rodeo fans. Leading the charge is Redmond native cowboy and ERA Bareback Rider, Steven Peebles. Peebles, a two-time World Champion grew up in Redmond and when asked about the tour coming to his area he said, “I am super excited for the first ERA tour stop to be in my hometown of Redmond, and I hope everyone comes out to see us. There will be a lot of money on the line at this event and I feel like anytime I get to ride in front of friends and family it gives me a hometown advantage. So many great people in the area support me and are always cheering for me, it gives me the fire and motivation to ride at the very best of my ability.”
Fans will have the opportunity to meet the world-famous cowboys and cowgirls and get their autographs while they’re in town. The roster will include some well known Oregon natives including Culver native and four-time World Champion Bareback Rider, Bobby Mote; Bareback Rider from Terrebonne, Austin Foss and Prineville Team Roping Header, Charly Crawford. The impressive ERA slate will also include top cowboys and cowgirls like Trevor Brazile, Charmayne James, Kaycee Feild, Luke Branquinho, Tuf Cooper, Fred Whitfield and Fallon Taylor.
The ERA event will bring the sport’s champions to Redmond for two nights of non-stop, high-stakes rodeo action. The athletes will compete in seven events: bareback, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, saddle bronc, team roping, bull riding and barrel racing. Each night’s payouts are estimated to exceed $100,000.
“Rodeo in Redmond, Oregon is a way of life, steeped in rich history.” said Roxia Thornton Todoroff, Director of Sales & Marketing for the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center. “On behalf of our Deschutes Fair & Expo staff, the community of Redmond, as well as the entire Central Oregon Region, we are excited to be selected as the first site on ERA’s 2016 Premier Tour and will be rolling out our Red Carpet welcome to all the Elite Rodeo Athletes League of Champions this coming March.”
The rodeo athletes will compete for $1,600,000 in prize money during the regular-season tour and an additional $3,000,000 during the five-day World Championship in Dallas, for a total of $4,600,000 in payouts. Redmond marks the first stop on the tour, followed by ERA events in Boise, Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Sheridan, Wyoming; St. Louis, Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia and New Orleans, Louisiana. The ERA circuit culminates Nov. 9-13, 2016 with the World Championship at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Ticket information and further event details will be available in the coming weeks. Follow and share the High Desert Stampede at our website, www.highdesertstampede.com to stay up to date.
The Elite Rodeo Athletes is a “League of Champions” where only the world’s best rodeo athletes and livestock will compete against each other at every tour stop and rodeo. The tour was created with rodeo fans in mind, so they can easily follow their favorite athletes throughout the tour, which will host a number of regular-season events culminating with a 5 day World Championship event in Dallas, November 9-13, 2016 at the American Airlines Center. Fans will be able to watch only the best athletes and animals compete against each other, either in person or by watching the journey on FOX Sports.
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