The 74th annual Taylor Rodeo will be held July 18-20 at the Gallop to the Williamson County Expo Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail. The event is generally considered one of the best rodeos in the multi-state region covered by the Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association.
“It’s one of the biggest and best small-town rodeos around,” said Tim Sims, president of the Taylor Rodeo Association. “It just gets better every year.”
This year there will be live music before the competitions and top local bands will play at the post-rodeo dance. The headliner on Friday is
TICKET PRICES AND START TIMES
Williamson County Expo Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail, Thursday, July 18 – Saturday, July 20. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., events begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission: Ages 8 and up, $20. Ages 3-7, $10. Ages 3 and under, free. Parking is $5, with proceeds going to local FFA and 4H clubs.
Kenny Orts & No Chance will be playing Texan dancehall music. On Saturday, after the rodeo, the long-running acts The Debonaires will be performing.
Part of the Taylor Rodeo brand is their commitment to offering something for everyone. An expanded trade show will feature clothing, western decor, boots, hats and more for sale. Food trucks and a concession stand will offer a wide variety of food and snacks, including alcoholic beverages. Young children can compete against large sheep in the Mutton Busting Contest. Older children can sign up for the Calf Scramble, while adults can try—and usually fail hilariously—to saddle a wild steer. Local sportsmen can lasso and ride against some of the best cowboys and cowgirls on tour.
The rodeo also honors other people in the area who serve the community.
“Thursday night is our ticket special for first responders. Military personnel, nurses, police officers and firefighters with badges or IDs get in free. On Friday, teachers, administrators and anyone who works at a school gets in free with ID,” Sims said.
On Saturday night, a new rodeo queen will be crowned. On Friday night, the rodeo will award $50,000 in scholarships to 10 selected students from Milam, Lee and Williamson counties.
“We’re in the third or fourth year of awarding that amount,” Sims said, adding that many of the recipients attend vocational schools. “We also award academic scholarships, but we prefer to limit those to the skilled trades. We’re a rodeo, so we think we’d better give some to future plumbers and electricians.”
Sims said the association donates $90,000 to $100,000 each year to regional fundraisers, including scholarships.
“This rodeo is a community effort on our part. We have so much help that it would be impossible without the help of our sponsors and the (Future Farmers of America) and 4H kids who come and help us,” Sims said. “Honestly, I don’t know how we would manage without them.”
