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The last weekend in August is rodeo time in Pike County.

The Pike County Cattlemen’s 29th professional rodeo is set for Friday and Saturday nights at Cattlemen Park with already 181 cowboys and cowgirls ready to ride.

However, the rodeo will get off to an early rip-snortin’, hard-buckin’ start at 10 a.m. Friday when cowboy and cowgirl wannabes compete in the 2021 Mechanical Bull Riding Competition at Preston’s Restaurant in Troy.

Cattleman B.B. Palmer said the mechanical bull riding event is open to anyone who is up for the challenge.

“Already, we’ve got some of Troy’s bravest and best signed on and we won’t turn anybody down that wants to ride the bucking bull,” Palmer said. “Bull riders can sign on right up until the bull riding competition gets underway. Some local cowboy or cowgirl will ride the bull to eight seconds of fame.”

Palmer said the reigning Pike County Cattlemen’s Mechanical Bull Ride champion is Brenda Peacock of the Needmore Community and, if Peacock defends her title, she will be the odds-on one to beat.

The Pike County Cattlemen’s National Cowboy Professional Rodeo will get underway at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Advance tickets are $10 and are available at Troy Bank & Trust Main Branch, the Brundidge Piggly Wiggly and Banks Buy Rite. Tickets are $12 at the door. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

The gates will open at 5 p.m. on Friday and at 4 p.m. on Saturday for the Western Festival for kids ages, three through 10.

“We’ve got a fun Western Festival planned for Saturday night that includes stick horse races, steer ropin’, mutton bustin’ and a lot of games and contests designed around the rodeo theme,” Palmer said. “We invite the kids to put on their cowboy hats and come to the Pike County Cattlemen’s Western Festival and then stay for the Pike County Cattlemen’s rodeo. It will be a fun time and good time long remembered.”