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Ranch Rodeo merges music, food, Western tradition

Murphey, Hooker to headline music

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There are few things more Texan than country roots music, barbecue, and western traditions, and all will be plentiful at the 20th annual Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Ranch Rodeo. Packed into two days, Friday, Sept. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 14, fans of all ages can experience Native American culture, chuckwagon food, wagon races, evenings of western swing and roots country music, and traditional ranch-style rodeo.

Ranch Rodeo is different, featuring traditional ranch competition not seen at common Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events. Fans can watch ranch-style bronc riding, stray gathering, trailer-loading competition, and bison bronc riding. Native American exhibits and entertainment is scheduled for both days.

Friday will begin with Native American performances and exhibits at 9:30 a.m. Rodeo competitions and performances will start at 7:30 p.m.The evening will close with a concert by multi-award winning Michael Martin Murphy at 10 p.m. Murphey, who has six gold albums, finished a string of summer concerts at his Rocking 3M Chuckwagon Ranch in Red River, New Mexico plus five concerts in four states the week leading up to his show in Parker County.

“We are going to do almost entirely old fashioned cowboy music and some of my country hits like ‘Wildfire’ and ‘What’s Forever For,’” Murphey said while on the road between concerts. “I’m going to really emphasize songs from my Cowboy Songs album that you can dance to.”

Saturday, competition will start at 10 a.m. and Jerry Williams Memorial Youth Bronc Riding will begin at 1 p.m. with mutton busting for the youngest cowgirls and cowboys. A chuck wagon dinner will be served at 6 p.m. at $20 per plate. Music entertainment during the meal will be Rowdy Decker and Friends.

Saturday will conclude with more Native American performances at 7 p.m. and the rodeo championship at 7:30 p.m. Texas swing artist Jake Hooker and the Outsiders will coax rodeo fans into dancing the night away starting at 10 p.m. Hooker says he appreciates the traditional music acts Ranch Rodeo organizers choose.

“We are dance music, for sure. We’re not a typical 90s country band but more like  Bob Wills, Texas swing, and Ray Price,” Hooker added. “Whether you are into rodeo or not, the Ranch Rodeo is the kind of event you want to take your family to.”

Murphy agrees with Hooker about the importance of experiencing Western culture.

“You are going to want to make it to both of our shows, because Jake Hooker does a phenomenal job on Western swing,” Murphey added. “Between our two shows we are going to cover all the old time cowboy music, Western swing, and all the way up into the modern era.”

Entry to all Friday activities and entertainment is $20 per person and Saturday events are $30. Children aged 10 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased the day of the event at the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse rodeo arena, 2251 Mineral Wells Hwy.,  or online before the event at www.pcsp.net.

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