Fort Myers Rodeo notches record attendance
This year’s edition of the annual PRCA Fort Myers Rodeo was another great success, selling out to capacity crowds all three days with some of the biggest names in rodeo coming south to claim more than $20,000 in prize money.
“We sold out every performance, we’re blessed to be here, we’ve had wonderful weather and resolved some early hiccups,” said Margo Crowther, who promotes the event along with her husband, Casey. “We’re grateful for everybody coming out for a fun rodeo weekend and have enjoyed growing this event.”
The crowd was into nearly every minute of the performances, from the events themselves to “rodeo karaoke.”
This is thanks to announcer Trey Windhorst, who has worked this rodeo most years and enjoys coming here to see family and get a paycheck.
“It’s become a tradition. It’s become one of my stops on the tour. Ten years of rodeo here. The Crowthers have done a lot to bring this rodeo and preserve our western heritage,” Windhorst said. “It’s nice to see the family and work at the same time.”
Clowns are big part of the rodeo circuit. This year, it was Ronald Burton from Mississippi, who has been involved in rodeo for more than 30 years, starting as a bull rider before becoming a bullfighter and finally a clown.
“This rodeo has been fantastic. The crowds have been large and electric and the atmosphere is fun,” Burton said. “When I fought bulls I always loved to help the clowns with their skits. In school I was the class clown, too, so the comedy became natural. I love traveling the country and putting smiles on people’s faces.”
Also to entertain was trick rider Dusti Dickerson, a specialty act who performed at the recent National Finals Rodeo.
Others who have been at the NFR came to compete.
Margo Crowther was one.
Another was Taylor Broussard, who qualified in 2019 and 2021 in the bareback bronc competition. Unfortunately, he was DQ’ed for slapping the horse with his free hand. Such is the life of a rodeo cowboy, especially in this event.
“Bareback is the roughest event in rodeo and most demanding on our bodies. You’re going to take a beating whether you’re doing it right or wrong,” Broussard said. “Entry fees come out of our pockets. I won some money at other rodeos this weekend so it paid for my trip, but you can’t take many zeros if you want to do this for a living.” The Lee County Posse Arena has been the home of the annual PRCA Fort Myers Rodeo since it first began in 2012, and every year the arena gets more and more packed.
This year, more temporary bleachers were added, on loan from the fair board, and the arena still easily sold out all three shows with the 800 extra seats.
The excellent attendance has left those who promote the show to wonder if the rodeo has outgrown its original home, which has always been great because it’s so cozy and everyone is close to the action.
Other speculation includes whether to add a fourth day or performance or add another rodeo in the fall.