Blairsville, GA – The Blairsville Pro Rodeo kicked off at the Union County Saddle Club Arena on Friday evening, June 17, 2017 at 6 p.m. for two nights of rip roarin’ rodeo antics. There was bronc riding, barrel racing, calf roping and bull riding, all tempered with the Sass n’ Saddles Precision Drill Team and some kids events.

Brittany Howard, Miss Rodeo USA for 2017, representing the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) appeared and rode the ring several times during the event. Miss Howard hails from Slaughters, TN and travels the country appearing at rodeo events nationwide.

 

Several local vendors worked the rodeo, including Nana & Papa’s Homemade Ice Cream of Blairsville, Holmes Haven Fresh Pork Skins and Boiled Peanuts of Blue Ridge, GA and Mountain Flagpoles of Blairsville, GA. Other vendors provided hats, trinkets, food, fun houses and even a mechanical bull; and one vendor had 6-week-old Texas Heeler puppies for sale. The main sponsor of the event was Mountain Valley Motors of Blue Ridge, GA.

 

Fetch Your News spoke with Gerald Patterson, President of the Union County Saddle Club. He said the Hedrick Rodeo Company of Madison, TN was the contractor and supplier of the livestock and Ray Norton, of Hedrick, managed the event. He said Friday night drew about 1,200 rodeo fans and Saturday there were about 1,500.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Videos of the event can be seen below. Unfortunately, due to a technical problem with the camera, the Sass N’ Saddles Precision Drill Team show at the beginning of the event was missed. Please accept our apologies.