HENDERSON, Texas – Most sporting events are a wonderful combination of competition and entertainment.
That’s exactly what members of the Rusk County PRCA Rodeo committee have in store for fans of this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17-Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Rusk County Expo Center in Henderson. That’s just one of the many reasons they have enlisted the services of Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo and Carr Pro Rodeo, which will produce the annual event.
“That committee works hard on their rodeo,” said Pete Carr, owner of the two livestock firms. “By the time we arrive this week, we’ll definitely be able to see that.”
Now the work falls on the production team for the Carr firms. They’ll tackle the tasks it takes to produce three high-energy performances that will leave fans inside the Expo Center on the edges of their seats.
“I like a good rodeo with good production, because it gets your motor going and you seem to ride better,” said Bradley Harter, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Weatherford, Texas. “It helps when you have a good rodeo with good sound, and you know you’re going to get that at all of Pete Carr’s rodeos.”
Although their focus is on the competition, cowboys like Harter have taken notice. That means fans will definitely understand the power of high quality production.
“I think the best thing about Pete is his production,” said Ace Berry, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo in Big Spring, Texas. “He does have a really good bucking stock string, really nice broncs and bulls.
“I think his production is the main thing. He just puts on a really good rodeo.”
Carr is set to produce 33 rodeos in 17 states during the 2014 ProRodeo season. It takes a lot of great things to make something that special happen from one event to another.
“This is not your 1960s stock contractor,” said Loydd Williams, chairman of the Bridgeport, Texas, rodeo. “This is a great production that fans will love from start to finish. Pete Carr and his crew have made our rodeo better.”
While every rodeo performance features a livestock-based competition and has its own challenges, all the behind-the-scenes work is done to make the action in the arena seem flawless.
“We try to have the theatrical portion of our show not interfere with the competition side,” said John Gwatney, a production supervisor for the Carr firms. “We try to run a good, fast, clean performance without interfering with the competition.
“That’s where we’re different from other rodeo companies. If we’re not ready, the cowboy has to wait. When it comes time for that cowboy to compete, we’ve done everything we can to make that animal ready for that cowboy, so all he has to do is nod his head.”
It shows in the final product, and it’s why events like the Rusk County PRCA Rodeo continue to draw great fans into the Expo Center.