The Pike County Cattlemen’s 2016 Professional Cowboy Association Rodeo is in the books as the largest in the Cattlemen’s 24-year history.

Weekend attendance topped all other rodeos with a standing room only crowd on Saturday night.

“And, a lot of folks were standing,” said B.B. Palmer, president of the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association. “We had a good crowd on Friday night even with high school football season getting underway. But, the total of both nights was the largest crowd we’ve ever had. We were well pleased and we thank everybody for supporting rodeo in Pike County.”

Palmer said the pre-sale tickets would be picked up on Monday and added to the gate sales.

“That’s when we’ll know exactly how good the ticket sales were but we already know that this rodeo was the biggest ever,” Palmer said. “The money’s always important because it funds the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association’s youth programs like the junior beef program. Of course, it also helps with the upkeep of Cattleman Park. The money does a lot of good, and it’s also good to see more people out enjoying the rodeo. We hope that interest will continue to grow.”

Palmer said he wouldn’t guess as to the reason for the large number of people who attended the weekend rodeo.

“I don’t know if there’s any one reason,” he said. “Everything just clicked this year. Of course, our stock company, Bar W Rodeo from North Carolina, is known for having good stock. Good stock means a good rodeo and that brings in top cowboys and cowgirls to compete. We had about 250 competitors over the weekend. We had added money and a good pay-out and that was a plus.”

“It was an exciting rodeo. We had a great announcer. Clint Allemand is an eight-time Professional Cowboy Finals Rodeo announcer and he announces from horseback where the fans can see him. We had one of the best clowns in rodeo, Jake Wilcox, a rodeo clown of the year. He’s a favorite with people of all ages.”

The Western Festival for kids on Saturday afternoon attracted about 150-plus kids. Palmer said the festival introduces many kids and their parents to rodeo and generates future interest. The celebrity mechanical bull ride on Friday morning at Santa Fe generated a lot of interest in the rodeo

“We had a lot of fun with the bull ride,” Palmer said. “I got on but I didn’t stay too long.

Erin Beasley, with the Alabama Cattlemen’s office, won first place. Pike County Probate Judge Wes Allen was in second place and Coach Mark Smart was third.

“The mechanical bull ride was a big hit and we’ll probably make that an annual rodeo promotional event. Everything just clicked. We had a great rodeo.”

Palmer again thanked everyone who supported the Cattlemen’s 24th Annual PCA Rodeo – the advertisers, sponsors, volunteers, vendors and the fans in the stands. “They made it a great weekend for rodeo in Pike County.”