Bull riding, bareback riding, team roping, barrel racing, and of course the rodeo clowns, enjoy it all at this weekend's Silver Spurs Rodeo!
The 150th Silver Spurs Rodeo returns Friday, February 17 through until Sunday, February 19 at the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee.
The Silver Spurs Rodeo is one of Osceola County’s longest and most treasured traditions, hosted every 3rd weekend in February
The rodeo features all seven traditional rodeo events: bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, and barrel racing.
In between all the rodeo action, there will be an act by the rodeo clown and the famous and fast Silver Spurs Quadrille team, who perform a square dance on horseback.
The Silver Spurs Rodeo is the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi and is annually ranked among the top 50 events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).
Taking place at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee with the Osceola County Fair, the Silver Spurs Rodeo in February draws contestants from all over the nation and many national champions to compete for $50,000 in prize money.
At the rodeo check out the different riding and roping events, all of which test a cowperson's strength, character, and readiness to be bested by an overly emotional beast and a dust-covered clown.
In the dangerous and exciting bull-riding event, riders attempt to ride a bucking bull for eight seconds, and tough and talented cowgirls participate in barrel-racing competitions, in which each contestant rides at full speed around large barrels, making sure to hit the electronic clock upon entering and exiting.
The action continues with quadrille performances, which can best be described as square dancing on horseback.
Watch couples seated atop prancing horses that weave in and out of different formations to create eye-pleasing patterns while kicking up dust, and don't miss the rodeo clown!
The Silver Spurs Rodeo History
The Silver Spurs Rodeo is the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi, but the Silver Spurs Rodeo history stems from a humble gathering of Osceola County ranchers. In 1941, those pioneering ranchers gathered in Tallahassee to ride in the inaugural parade for newly elected Florida Governor Spessard Holland.
Their appearance gained statewide attention and sparked the notion that they should continue to gather and enjoy their common interest of horseback riding.
In May of 1941, the Silver Spurs Riding Club was formed. The club was very active and quickly grew in popularity across the state. By the end of their first year, they had hosted a small informal rodeo and performed a square dance on horseback known as Quadrille in Moultrie, Georgia.
They participated in the state Kiwanis Convention in Orlando and also performed in the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami. In 1942 they performed shows for the benefit of Crippled Children, the American Red Cross and the Army-Navy Relief Show.
In 1943, the club members built their first rodeo arena on land donated by Henry O. Partin. That land was located on the corner of today’s Neptune Road and Kings Highway in Kissimmee.
In March of 1944, the group staged a show as their contribution to the Fourth War Loan. The admission to the rodeo was the purchase of a war bond. This was the first rodeo held in the Partin pasture and drew about 1,000 people. That initial success led to the first full dress rodeo on July 4, 1944.
Then in 1949, the club acquired 15 acres on Highway 192 and started work on the Silver Spurs Rodeo Arena. The first rodeo in this new location was held July 4, 1950, and, in February of 1951, the club held its first mid-winter rodeo. From that point to today, the Silver Spurs Rodeo has been thrilling the residents of Central Florida and tens of thousands of visitors each year.
In 1999, the Silver Spurs Riding Club approved the demolition of the old arena and the development of a brand new state-of-the-art indoor facility. In March of 2002, demolition began on the historic arena and construction was soon started on the new multi-purpose Silver Spurs Arena.
Reopened in October 2003, the new Silver Spurs Arena boasts 8,300 seats and 12 luxury skyboxes in an indoor climate-controlled environment designed to host rodeos, sporting events, concerts, and more.
