Rangers ready to launch 85th Annual Rodeo

Lawton drivers will notice extra traffic around town beginning Monday as many of the best rodeo cowboys and cowgirls assemble at the LO Ranch east of Lawton for the 85th Annual Lawton Rangers Rodeo that officially opens Wednesday in another big special night where families can attend the “Car-load Night” performance for $10.

Big trailers filled with some of the most expensive horses in professional rodeo will be parked around the LO Ranch beginning Monday as the contestants gather for the all-important slack session that starts the rodeo at 4 p.m. Tuesday. There will be slack in the women’s barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and breakaway roping as contestants try to get their runs in before loading up and heading to other major rodeos across the United States.

The first full performance will be Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the LO Ranch Arena east of Lawton and continue until Saturday’s final performance on Aug. 10.

In recent days the Rangers have provided information to fans about fake Websites that are trying to scam rodeo fans. The Rangers have issued warnings to fans to use only their official Website at: lawtonrangers.com to purchase tickets. Or, the Rangers have several businesses that sell official tickets and those locations are: Country Lace; Hop N Sack; Atwoods; TH Rogers Lumber in Fletcher; Lawton Motorsports; and Hardzog’s Gifts in Elgin.

The largest group of competitors will be in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) barrel racing with 90 competitors including current world standings leader Emily Beisel of Weatherford and former world champion Hailey Kinsel and her well-known mare Sister are among those entered.

Fans can take advantage of a couple of good bargains topped by Wednesday’s $10 carload night; and the Tough Enough to Wear pink night to support the Leah Fitch Cancer Center when one ticket will admit a family of four on Thursday, Aug. 8.

Military Night is Friday with the Fort Sill Half Section scheduled to take part in the opening ceremonies along with the 77th Army Band that is expected to play the national anthem.

Area entries include 13-time NFR qualifer and 2008 reserve world champion Hunter Herrin of Apache, and former world all-around champion Ryan Jarrett of Comanche, both who are competing in the tie-down roping.

While many of the contestants are making their way to Lawton on Monday and Tuesday, the next key information to be released will come Monday when the PRCA’s PROCOM central entry system matches the contestants with the bucking stock that they will challenge over the course of the four nightly performances.

The Beutler and Son Rodeo Company of Elk City will turn their list of available bucking bulls and broncs to the PRCA office and the computer will match the cowboys to the stock. After that draw, the final day sheets will be released that will inform the contestants which performance they will get their chance to earn a portion of the purse that is expected to reach $150,000.