CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) kicked off its annual Jimmy Arrington Memorial Rodeo with a Thursday morning mini rodeo for the Cullman area’s special needs community. Approximately 1,400 students and other special needs guests came from across the county and city school systems, as well as other agencies, to see pro rodeo cowboys and cowgirls put on demonstrations of steer wrestling, roping, bull riding and barrel racing. Afterward, they took to the Cullman County Agricultural Trade Center’s arena floor to try their hands at roping and stick horse racing, and to take hay rides outside.
As he and his deputies, as well as a crowd of volunteers, waited for the students to arrive, Sheriff Matt Gentry told The Tribune, “It’s just a great morning. You can see the excitement in the air. You’ve got the deputies here, you’ve got our volunteers, our citizens, our sponsors. You can look across the arena and see how many people love these kids- look at our sponsors- love the sheriff’s office. It’s just a blessing to live in a county where people, our citizens, support law enforcement the way they do.
Gentry continued, “You know, this year’s been a tough year for the state of Alabama. We’ve lost six of our law enforcement officers this year, which is unheard of, (that includes) a personal friend of mine, Big John Williams, the sheriff of Lowndes County. But, through all the bad, when we have things like this, it makes all that go away, because what we’re about to see in about 20 minutes is about 1,400 smiles on these children’s faces. That’s why we’re here. This is really the heartbeat of the sheriff’s office and the rodeo. We just want to thank all of our sponsors, all of the volunteers, all of the deputies that volunteer their time to be here, the media that promotes this event; we just appreciate all of you so much.”
Cullman County Schools Superintendent Dr. Shane Barnette came to watch his students enjoy the spectacle.
Afterward, he told The Tribune, “This is the highlight of the year for all these students and the educators, because when they come into the school year, they start asking about when the rodeo is. They love it; I mean, they’ve been talking about it, especially the last couple of weeks as they start giving out the shirts and doing the things, and they put it on their calendars. They cannot wait to come to this rodeo. As I was telling somebody earlier, I said the interaction between them and the cowboys and cowgirls, and the interaction with them and the police, deputies and stuff, you just can’t put a price on it. They just love it, and we love being part of it, supporting them. They will never forget this.”
Pro rodeo Friday and Saturday
On Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14, 2019 the CCSO Jimmy Arrington Memorial Rodeo returns to the Cullman County Agricultural Trade Center, 17645 U.S. Hwy. 31 N, Cullman. The event will open at 7:30 each evening.
It is a popular local draw; last year’s rodeo drew close to 4,000 in attendance over the two nights. The rodeo is the primary fundraising event for the CCSO, with the money used to purchase equipment for patrol deputies and computers for the office. Additionally, it supports community events like the Citizens’ Academy and firearm training and allows the office to donate more than $15,000 per year to local schools with special needs educational programs.
While it is a fundraiser, it is also a serious event on the rodeo circuit. Hosted by 4L & Diamond S Rodeo and sanctioned by both the International Professional Rodeo Association and Professional Cowboy Association, it will feature bareback bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, cowgirls’ barrel racing, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling and team roping.
At a glance
CCSO Jimmy Arrington Memorial Rodeo
Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14, 2019, opening at 7:30 each night
Cullman Agricultural Trade Center, 17645 U.S. Hwy. 31 N, Cullman
Tickets available at the door: $10 adults, $8 students
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