Junior and Senior High School Rodeo is making a comeback in Pike County Dec. 5 and 6 when the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association and the Alabama High School Rodeo Association sponsor the first rodeo of its type in four years.

B.B. Palmer, public chair for the local Cattlemen, said that, for one reason or another, the junior and senior high school rodeos were discontinued. However, the Cattlemen believe that junior and senior high rodeos are important building stones for the sport of rodeo and wanted to bring them back to the Cattleman Park arena.

“This is going to be a big event for us,” Palmer said. “Already, we have somewhere around 150 entries and we’re still a little more than a week away. Looks like it’s going to be a good one.”

The Junior Rodeo will get under way at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 and conclude at 1:30 that afternoon.

“Slack for the Senior High Rodeo will begin at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon and go until 5:30,” Palmer said.

“The first go will be at 7:30 Saturday night. Then, we’ll get started again at 9:30 Sunday morning and go until.”

Cowboy Church will be at 8:30 Sunday morning and everyone is invited to be a part of that special service.

The rodeo will feature bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, barrel racing, pole bending and bull/steer riding.

“We’ve got several kids from the Troy area competing,” Palmer said. “Jordan Grieff, Emily Davis and Jack Cameron of Troy and Kendall Rushing of Luverne are among the early entry contestants so there should be a lot of interest among local folks.”

Points earned by the contestants at the Pike County Cattlemen/Alabama High School Rodeo Association Junior and Senior High School Rodeo will go toward qualification for the 2009-10 High School Rodeo finals in June.

“This will be a good rodeo and we invite everyone to come out and support and encourage these young contestants,” Palmer said. “They are the future of rodeo.”

Admission to the Junior and Senior High School Rodeo is $5 for adults and $3 for ages 12 and under.