You’ll want to be in your seats early for the 56th Annual Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo, slated for August 30 and 31 at the rodeo grounds in Collettville.
Action on both days will begin with a brand new event that will be sure to delight and entertain — the businessmen’s calf dressing contest.
Teams of three, representing various businesses and organizations in and around Merritt, will compete to see who can lasso a rambunctious steer the fastest and dress it up with a fancy pair of underwear!
You can bet that the task isn’t going to be easy, and the outcome hilarious.
The winning team each day will get to donate $500 to a local charity of their choice.
Merrittonians have been flocking to be part of the action with 11 teams signed up already and only a couple of spots left for those still
interested.
And there’s still more to this event!
On Friday, August 29, representatives of all the participating teams in the businessmen’s calf dressing will gather at the Grand Pub & Grill downtown for a meet-and-greet starting at 7 p.m., followed by a Calcutta auction beginning at 8 p.m. Live entertainment by Lee Dinwoodie will follow.
Auctioneer Gord Collier will lead the Calcutta, with each calf dressing team up for sale to the highest bidder.
All the monies from the Calcutta will go into two separate pots — one for Saturday’s performance and one for Sunday’s.
The purchaser of the winning team each day will receive 75 per cent of the pot from the Calcutta auction, with the other 25 per cent going to the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo for future initiatives.
You can bet the bidding is going to be lively, so come on down — buy yourself a team and have a Grand old time!
CONTESTANTS
Arnica Contracting
Ask Wellness
City Furniture
City of Merritt Firefighters
Coldwater Hotel
Home Hardware
Merritt Chamber of Commerce
Merritt Herald
Nicola Valley Credit Union
Planet Fitness
RCMP
There’s great stuff for the kids, too
There’ll be so much to do for the youngsters at this year’s pro rodeo.
When they’re not watching the action in the ring, they can have fun on the grounds — riding a mechanical bull and surfboard, getting their face painted, or playing in a bouncy castle.
Sunday is officially ‘Family Day’ and there’ll be special intermission events, including co-ed mutton bustin’ and peewee barrel racing, along with a giant all-comers shoe scramble for the 10-and-unders where everyone gets a prize.
The kid in everyone will delight to the antics of Merritt’s own ‘Get Down Rodeo Clown’ Jayson Charters.
For the grown-ups in the audience, there’ll be a beer garden both days.
Saturday night, the beer garden will feature live music by four-time BCCMA-nominated band Whiskey Jane, who have performed at the Calgary Stampede and 2010 Olympics and opened for the likes of Terri Clark, The Higgins and One More Girl.
