Rope in Family Fun

The 8th Annual Green Country Classic Ranch Rodeo will be April 26 and 27 at the Claremore Expo Center, Claremore.

Visit Claremore welcomes the 8th Annual Green Country Classic Ranch Rodeo (GCCRR), coming April 26 and 27. Sixteen Green Country Ranch Teams will be competing in this year’s event!  Rodeo events include Team Sorting, Wild Cow Milking, Team Doctoring, Calf Branding, Ranch Bronc Riding, Junior Ranch Rodeo, and the Cowboy Trade Show.  

    The rodeo was formed in 2005 and was sanctioned by the WRCA the same year.  The GCCRR goals were to produce a high quality WRCA rodeo that our Green Country Ranches could compete in close to home. Another was to form a Cowboy Crisis Fund where money could be raised to help local cowboys and their families in times of financial hardship due to injury, illness, or other unforeseen ­circumstances. To raise money for the Crisis Fund a silent ­auction is held during the annual rodeo, with items donated by local businesses, and ranch teams, and tradeshow vendors.  The rodeo committee also ­established a scholarship ­program for the children of their competing ranch teams. Now the rodeo is giving up to five $1,000 scholarships annually.  

    Since their first event in 2005 they have always donated proceeds to a charitable ­organization.  Organizations like Gatesway Foundation and the Akdar Shrine for the Shriners Hospitals.  In 2012 they chose to donate their proceeds to the Children’s Cancer Center at Saint Francis Hospital; this will be their chosen organization again in 2013.  They support the hospital’s staff and outstanding care given to these children.  As an added bonus, chances on a pair of handmade Mike Emberson spurs are being sold throughout the rodeo weekend.  All proceeds from the sale will go to the Children’s Hospital.  

    For a second year, the Junior Ranch Rodeo will be a highlighted event.  “It is a joy to watch the future top hands of our industry compete in ­traditional ranch rodeo events,” said Lester Gagan of GCCRR.  The JRRA rodeo is on Saturday, April 27 and starts at 11am.  Tickets are $5 at the door.  

    The 8th Annual Green Country Classic Ranch Rodeo will be April 26 and 27 at the Claremore Expo Center, Claremore.  The huge Cowboy Trade Show is free to the public and opens at 3 pm on Friday, and at 9 am on Saturday.  The Rodeo performance starts at

7 pm on Friday, with Saturday’s ­performance at 6 pm.  Tickets are $10 and are available at the Claremore Expo Center, Mid America Farm & Ranch in Talala, Reid Veterinary Clinic in Nowata, American Bank of Oklahoma in Ramona, and Central National Bank in Bartlesville.  

    “We invite everyone out to enjoy this great family event,” said Tanya Andrews, executive director of Visit Claremore. “It is truly a great gathering!” A complete schedule of events can be found at ­www.visitclaremore.org or call Claremore Expo Center at 918-342-5357.  

For more information, contact

Claremore Expo Center

918-342-5357

www.visitclaremore.org