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The 30th Annual Pike County Cattlemen’s Rodeo will get off to an early start Friday morning with the Mechanical Bull Ride Competition at Preston’s Steakhouse on Highway 231 south in Troy.

The Mechanical Bull Ride is the kickoff event for the Pike County Cattlemen’s professional cowboy rodeo on Friday and Saturday nights at Cattleman Park.

B.B. Palmer, Pike County Cattlemen’s publicity chairman, said the Bull Ride Competition is an open event so anyone with a little “starch” may enter.

Palmer said the word around town is that Brenda Peacock, retired Pike County circuit clerk, is set to defend her title as Pike County’s only female mechanical bull riding champion.

Peacock would neither confirm nor deny the talk that is circulating around town.

“You can’t brag about something you can’t back up,” Peacock said and added thoughtfully. “If I’m challenged, then I’ll have to ride. And I’ll expect to celebrate the ride with a Choice Black Angus Bone-In Beef Cowgirl Steak, complimentary, of course.”

The talk around town is that Emily from Sisters will ride the bull so that might bring an end to the Peacock strut.

Palmer said the 2022 Mechanical Bull Ride event is shaping up with a great line-up of who’s who in Pike County.

“Robby Richburg, owner of Preston’s, is going to ride and he said he’s not coming off,” Palmer said. “Ashley Floyd, owner of Floyd’s Auto and Tire in Brundidge said he’s ‘tired’ of hearing big talk. Nobody’s going to tread on him.”

Palmer said when all is said and done, the 2022 Pike County Cattlemen’s Mechanical Bull Riding Champion will be crowned.

All challengers are invited. There is no entry fee and bragging rights come with the title.