Cracker Day Rodeo makes return to Posse Arena
One of North Fort Myers’ oldest events returns to the Lee County Posse Arena, and once again there will be another added twist.
The Cracker Day Rodeo comes up this weekend, with slack for barrel racers and pole benders starting things off on Friday night at 7 p.m., followed by two performances on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
The event is a celebration of rodeo and of the farmers and ranchers who came to Florida a century ago to raise crops and cattle.
The rodeo also serves as the biggest fundraiser for the Lee County Posse Arena, which was founded in 1960 and has served as an all-volunteer group throughout its entire existence.
Mike MacDowell, vice president of the Posse Arena, said the event and the arena are all about the kids.
“It’s their rodeo to raise money for the year. We just got new bleachers put up and made other improvements, but most of it goes to the kids,” MacDowell said. “It gives the kids a place to go and off the street.”
The activities include monthly jackpots, extreme equine, speed shows and the annual PRCA Rodeo, which will happen at the end of February.
Once again, the organizers are adjusting the schedule, with the junior and pee-wee rodeo, which has traditionally been run the Sunday of, or the week after, the Cracker Day Rodeo, being pushed back to Sunday, March 13.
MacDowell said it was just too difficult to cram everything into one weekend. By extending it to an entire weekend, the kids will get a chance to compete.
“We trying to give the kids their own rodeo so mom and grandma can watch and have the adults mainly run the main rodeo,” MacDowell said. “How do you tell a kid they can’t enter a rodeo? We just chose another weekend so we can’t turn kids away.”
The March weekend was chosen because the following weekend is booked for a tractor pull.
What hasn’t changed is the format of the rodeo, which is a little bit different from traditional rodeos. Beside events like bull riding and calf roping, there will be team roping and branding, pole bending and buddy pick-up.
The barrel racing will be held in a 4-D format, giving riders of all levels and ability a chance to win some money.
There also will be mutton busting before the performance and a boot race during the intermission.
“They’re mostly speed events with only one rough stock event, bull riding. Not many people are into the rough stock anymore,” MacDowell said. “They’re into barrels and other roping events.”
Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, visit www.leecountyposse.com .