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There are wranglers and rodeos and…then there’s the Ranch Rodeo!

On Friday and Saturday nights, April 28 and 29, the Ranch Rodeo will roll into the Pike County Cattlemen’s arena with more ropin’ and ‘rastlin’ and more laughs than a barrel of monkeys.

Pike County Cattleman Dick Barnett, said a Ranch Rodeo is different from a traditional rodeo.

“The competitions at a ranch rodeo involve skills that are actually used on a working ranch” Barnett said. “In a traditional rodeo, the cattle are conditioned and trained to perform with the consistency that is necessary in a regular four-man team competition.”

But, a ranch rodeo features competitions involving skills that are necessary on an actual working ranch.

“So, anything can happen and often does,” Barnett said.  “One competition requires the cowboys to cut two steers from the herd, catch them and tie them down,” Barnett said. “Then, the cowboy has to pull the calf up to the ‘barn,’ tag it and brand it with flour.”

A Ranch Rodeo’s equivalent of bull riding is the cow milking event.

The cow has to be roped and three-team members hold the cow while the fourth team member “milks” the cow into Coke bottle. Then, he runs to the judges’ stand and pours the milk out to be measured.

Barnett said team with the most measured milk is declared the winner.

In addition to the Ranch Rodeos, on Saturday afternoon, there will be a mini-version of the kids’ Western Festival.

Also, on Saturday, in the pasture next to the arena, there will be team-roping competitions.

“The team roping is something for the cowboys to participate in between rodeos and others to enjoy.

Ranch Rodeo gates open at 5 p.m. each night. Tickets are $15 each. Kids 12 and under are admitted free.