The Flying W Ranch in Tionesta, Pennsylvania, is preparing to host the 44th annual Allegheny Mountain Championship Rodeo, this weekend, July 25th through the 27th.
At the ranch, Shana Graham, a stock contractor, shared her excitement for the upcoming rodeo. "This week is the best week of the year," she said. "It is rodeo week. We have campers from all over, the grounds are full, the contestants are coming from as far as Texas, and we've even had Brazilians here before. We are ready to rock, we're going to set the show and get ready to go, and we're going to kick it right off at 8:00 PM."
Excitement is in the air at the Flying W, with visitors traveling to the event from all over. Everyone has their favorite part of the show.
Emery Pfleghaar, a four-year-old rodeo fan from Ohio, said, "My favorite part is when they chase after the cows."
Ryan Card, a Pennsylvania resident, loves "the tradition, the scenery, agriculture, and the bull riding, everyone loves the bull riding."
Alex Witt, from Kentucky, enjoys "just watching all the bull riders on the horses."
Getting into the spirit, our reporter, Jackie Palmer, even climbed into renowned rodeo clown Trent McFarland’s barrel to ask him a few questions.
McFarland said, "I’m looking forward to getting in front of the crowd here at the Flying W. It’s always a great crowd. When the energy in the stands matches the energy in the arena, that’s a great night of rodeo."
While the event is all about fun, organizers told us that it is also a chance to highlight the importance of agriculture and its role in our lives.
For more information about the Flying W Ranch and the Allegheny Mountain Championship Rodeo, visit here.