The community of Carson, in Pottawattamie County, is hoping you’ll get into the cowboy spirit and mosey on over to watch some of the craziest eight-seconds ever, during their annual rodeo. The 37th Annual Carson Community Rodeo is scheduled to take place from Thursday, July 31st to August 2nd. The event hosts Mutton Bustin’ every night starting at 8-p.m., followed by professional riders doing their best not to get bucked off by the bulls. Sherm Rotten, Vice President of the Carson Rodeo, says Thursday is kid’s night.

“Thursday night we also have a stick horse race for the kids and I think the first one hundred through the gates get a Carson Rodeo get a wristband they can have. It’s just kind of a good fun, family night.”)
He says the numbers continue to increase. “We end up with over 30 bull riders and almost 30 saddle bronc riders so we are real pleased with that. That’s the third year in a row our numbers have been up so it should be a good show for everybody.”

On Friday, Carson will feature a street dance after the rodeo on Main Street of Carson and Saturday starts with the Carson parade at 10:30-a.m. “It’s a really good parade mainly because the shriners come over for us and make up half the parade. They just have a lot of neat stuff, old cars, motorcycles and acts going through there.”

Carson also features the 33rd annual Country Showdown musical event on Saturday evening before the rodeo. The Carson Rodeo was named Best Small Rodeo of the Year for 10 years by the PRCA but Rotten says with the numbers increase Carson isn’t considered a small rodeo any longer. “We jumped up a class and that’s part of the reason we got a few more cowboys. We put some added money in so we are no longer considered a small rodeo now we are a medium sized rodeo.”

Tickets can be purchased in advance at many locations across southwest Iowa at $10 a piece for adults and $4 for kids or the day of the event for $13 and $5 respectively. You can find more information and the nearest location by visiting www.carsonrodeo.com.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)