The Pike County Cattlemen are gearing up for the association’s annual Championship Rodeo at Cattleman Park Friday and Saturday nights.

B.B. Palmer, Cattlemen’s publicity chair, said a large number of cowboys and cowgirls from all across the Southeast will be in the starting gates.

“We’ll have great, tough competitors and they will bring all of the thrills of the rodeo to town,” Palmer said. “We’ll have eight exciting events each night and fun events for the kids to participate in. And, of course, we’ll have the best rodeo clown in the business in Rick Young, the ‘Ragin Cajun.’”

Palmer said Young has been the featured clown at some of the biggest rodeo finals in the country, including the Texas Circuit, the Great Lakes Circuit, All Indian National, the Southeastern Circuit, the Dodge National Circuit and the big ones at Sikeston, Mo. and The Calgary Stampede.

“Rick has been named the ‘Clown of the Year’ and the ‘Coors Man in the Can’ four times,” Palmer said. “He was chosen to work the Wrangler World Bullfighting Championship Series. He has also worked the famous Original Coors Shoot-Out Showdown Rodeo four times. So, you won’t see a better rodeo clown anywhere.”

Young of Tickfaw, La. started his rodeo career as a clown and bullfighter in 1959.

“His natural humor, speed and agility plus his dynamic personality propelled him to the top of his profession,” Palmer said. “Among his many honors, Rick has been inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.”

Young has appeared in several movies, “Alvarez Kelly,” “The Great American Cowboy” and the “Stunt-O-Rama” with the top stunt men of Hollywood at the Houston Astrodome. He also appeared in “Everybody’s All-American” starring Dennis Quaid and the TV movie, “In the Heat of the Night” starring Carroll O’Conner.

When Young’s not clowning around rodeo arenas, he and his wife carry on a business of breeding and marketing top quality Appaloosa horses.

Super good cowboys and cowgirls, great stock and the best clown around will combine to make the 2012 Pike County Cattlemen’s Annual Championship Rodeo one of the best ever, Palmer said.

“Our concession booth will be open and we’ll have several vendors so, all in all, the rodeo will be a great way to enjoy at night of family fun,” Palmer said.

The rodeo will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights at Cattleman Park on U.S. Highway 231 between Troy and Brundidge.

Tickets are $12 for ages seven and up. Children ages six and under are admitted free.