It’s not Kingfisher’s first rodeo.

Not even close, in fact.

The 65th annual Kingfisher Rodeo will be held this weekend at the Kingfisher Roundup Club Arena.

After being an open rodeo for much of the past decade, it will now be co-sanctioned by the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association (KPRA) and the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA).

The event begins at 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Pre-show will begin at 7:45 p.m. each night.

Events this year are ranch bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, tie down calf roping, open team roping and 40/40 team roping.

Women’s events will include breakaway roping and barrel racing.

The rodeo appears to have found a home in August after being held for many years in June.

“In my opinion, the move was beneficial,” said Sherrie Cross, co-chairman of this year’s rodeo along with Jimmy Ward, who is the Roundup Club president.

“In June, you always had the worry if harvest would be done or if we would be in the middle of it. Being a farming community, that figures into you having a crowd.”

Cross said the move was strategic for another reason.

“Moving it to this weekend puts us in a loop to draw more contestants,” she said, noting that Yukon and Seiling are also having KPRA/ IPRA rodeos this weekend. “They can compete at three within an hour of each other. A lot of cowboys will try to make two in one night.”

The Roundup Club voted earlier this year to become a part of KPRA as opposed to being an open rodeo the last several years.

“The club felt they’d get more contestants if they went with the KPRA,” Cross said. “Most of your serious rodeo cowboys like to belong to an association because they add more prize money and you can reach the ultimate - making the finals of that association.

“It separates the serious competitors from the ‘just for fun’ guys.”

However, all competitors are welcomed.

“You don’t have to belong to the association to compete at a KPRA/ IPRA event. Anyone can enter,” she said. “You just don’t accumulate the points required to make their finals (if not a member).”

Cross noted a very strong local contingent taking part in this year’s events.

On Friday, Kingfisher’s Monty McNair and Robert Kirchner of Ames will team up in the 40/40 roping. Team ropers will include Nathan Kirtley of Kingfisher and Garrett Goreman of Calumet.

Kendyll Miller will be in the breakaway roping, Clayton Renshaw in ranch bronc riding and Manuel Sanchez in the bullriding. All are from Hennessey.

Kingfisher’s Julian Orozco will also take part in the bullriding competition while Rein Crow of Kingfisher will race barrels.

Saturday’s ranch bronc riding will feature Will Munsell and Sebastian Orozco of Kingfisher.

Jayton Crider of Okarche will compete in the saddle bronc riding.

The 40/40 roping teams will include Caila Jantzen and Darin Suit of Ames.

Dover’s Nathan Burum and Tyler Wagnon will compete in open roping.

The barrel racing will feature Kingfisher’s Addison O’Dell while Seth Ince of Kingfisher will compete in Saturday bullriding.

“It’s a really good turnout for our locals, which I really like to see,” said Cross, whose father, Floyd, was instrumental in getting both the Roundup Club and Kingfisher Rodeo started.

Another bonus: Going with KPRA allows the Kingfisher rodeo to continue to use Sumner Rodeo Company as its stock contractor.

The local rodeo has used Sumner for several years and Cross said they wanted to maintain that relationship.

“Sumner is mainly a KPRA stock contractor,” she said.