Submitted photoEast Mississippi Community College Rodeo Team member Charlie “Chuck” Langley, at right, bulldogs a steer with help from Assistant Rodeo Coach Wes Goodrich, at left. EMCC is hosting a regional rodeo competition at the Lauderdale Agri-Center Feb. 23-25.

More than 200 college cowboys and cowgirls will compete Feb. 23-25 at the Lauderdale County Agri-Center during a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) sanctioned event hosted by the East Mississippi Community College Rodeo Team.

Gates open nightly at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door and $5 for students. Admission is free for children age 5 and younger.

This is the first year the EMCC event will take place at the Lauderdale County Agri-Center. The rodeo has been held at The Ranch in West Point the past four years.

“We are excited about the move to Meridian,” EMCC head rodeo coach Morgan Goodrich said. “It is a nice facility and has plenty of horse stalls and hookups. Also, there are a lot of hotels and places to eat available to those who are coming from out of town.”

Students from colleges and universities in the NIRA’s Ozark region will compete in bareback riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, goat tying, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Contestants hail from colleges in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Michigan.

This is the Ozark region’s sixth rodeo of the 10 slated for this season. The contestants compete for points at each event in hopes of making it to the College National Finals Rodeo to be held in June in Casper, Wyo.

During the Ozark region’s last two rodeos, the EMCC men’s rodeo team captured back-to-back titles during competitions at Murray State University and Southern Arkansas University.

Returning for EMCC this year is Marcus Theriot, who claimed the All-Around national championship and individual tie-down roping title during the 2016 College National Finals Rodeo. Goodrich said there are a lot of other talented members on the rodeo team this year as well.

“It is just kind of like the stars fell in line with this group,” Goodrich said.

Goodrich’s husband, Wes Goodrich, who is the team’s assistant coach, agreed.

“We’ve got good talent this year,” Wes Goodrich said. “We’ve got a lot to smile about right now.”

The rodeo will also feature a calf scramble for children ages 6-10 and a pig scramble for children 5 and younger.