SCOOBA — Exciting collegiate rodeo action returns to the Lauderdale County Agri-Center this week, as East Mississippi Community College’s 12th Annual Intercollegiate Rodeo kicks off Thursday in Meridian. The three-day event will conclude with Saturday night’s championship round.

This will mark the eighth straight year that EMCC has hosted a collegiate rodeo in Meridian.

Gates will open at 7 p.m. nightly. Tickets at the door are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Admission is free for children ages 5 and younger, and there will be a pig scramble available for children in that age group.

Men’s and women’s rodeo teams from several colleges and universities that comprise the Ozark Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association will compete in the event, including in-state foes Pearl River Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College as well as the University of West Alabama.

Competitive events include bareback riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, goat tying, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.

The EMCC-hosted Meridian rodeo marks the spring opener for the NIRA’s Ozark Region. Regional events are also scheduled to be held this spring in Poplarville, Miss. (March 21-23), Martin, Tenn. (April 11-13), Monticello, Ark. (April 18-20), and Senatobia, Miss. (April 25-27), with the ultimate goal of reaching the 2024 College National Finals Rodeo set for June 9-15 at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyo.

“We always enjoy hosting this rodeo in Meridian and we encourage everyone to come out to the Lauderdale County Agri-Center again this year to support all of the outstanding student-athletes who will be competing this coming week. It’s always a very entertaining three nights of college rodeo competition for the entire family,” said EMCC head rodeo coach Morgan Goodrich.

The members of the EMCC men’s rodeo team are Bradley Baston, Tyler Brooks, Tanner Brown, Waylon Buskirk, Dylan Delmas, Evan Drummond, Dylan Jones, Colton Mewbourn, Garrett Pittman, Carson Powell, Bronc Rowland, Roper Stoots, and Matt Watt. The EMCC women’s rodeo team members are Rennie Chavis, Shadow Goodrich, Rylei Loftin, Ryleigh Parker, and Leslie Scroggins.

For additional information on EMCC’s 12th Annual Intercollegiate Rodeo, please contact EMCC head rodeo coach Morgan Goodrich via email at mgoodrich@eastms.edu.