THE Rupununi Rodeo Ground overflowed with tourists and excitement as day one of the Rupununi Ranchers Rodeo got underway on Saturday.

During the lively day, competitors participated in the calf-roping, wild cow milking, bareback bronco and bull riding events and much more.

The annual event was declared open by Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister, Sydney Allicock, who handed over the sum of $1M to the event organisers.

As the day progressed, it was evident that the rodeo was living up to all the expectations of yet another successful hosting.

Aside from the suspense of the bareback bronco and bull riding, which were the featured events, spectators were all too happy to volunteer to participate in the beer run competition, which had the crowd in gales of laughter.

The native Lethem residents who turned out seemed almost outnumbered by the multitudes of tourists, both local and foreign, who travelled long distances to flock the border community of Lethem to experience the exhilarating event.

“It’s the rodeo that brought me back to Guyana, nothing else,” shared Morbheinn Nicol, a UK volunteer who attended the Rodeo last year when she worked as a volunteer teacher with British charity, Project Trust.

“I liked the bull riding in the Rodeo, it’s pretty mental, and the after party,” Nicol said.

She fell so deeply in love with the Rodeo during her stint here that when her volunteer work ended, she scheduled her vacation and paid to come back this year to experience the thrill.

Nicol is part of a group of some eight British youths, who were very enthusiastic to be in Lethem for the rodeo.

“All I know is when you drink the Rupununi water you don’t leave the Rupununi, so that’s what I’ve done. I drank the water and I liked it so I’ll never leave,” joked 18-year-old Jack Bailey, who is on his volunteer stint in Region Nine.

This is his first year at the rodeo and he could not be happier.

Tristan Jilson, 23, is part of yet another group of volunteers, the Peace Corps and is currently teaching in Wowetta. After all the good stories of the rodeo, he decided to have a personal experience.

GREAT ATMOSPHERE

“I know it’s a great thing so I came to check it out. It’s been really nice. There’s a lot of western things in the US so it’s kind of like seeing similar things. Most definitely I would come back; it’s awesome; it’s a great time; it’s a lot of fun. There’s great food, great events,” Jilson said.

Splashed among the foreigners were a number of local tourists. The Experience GT Tours took some eight coastlanders up for the experience, while other hinterland persons travelled across villages to take in the event.

Carlos Joseph, 20, is a member of a contingent from the Bina Hall Institute.

“I never came Rodeo before because I’m from South Rupununi,” Joseph explained. However, the school’s administration thought it was a good idea for the students to experience the rodeo.

“It’s so enjoyable. I enjoyed watching the little children riding the little calf and the best dressed women and men,” he said.

Joseph spent his day checking out the different booths at the event and pledged to visit again next year and as long as the event continues.

Day one of the two-day event opened with Best Dressed Male and Female Riders, but the action really got started with the wild cow milking competition.

Some four ranches got in on this action, each working in teams of two persons, with one person to subdue the animal and the other to milk it.

The day continued with the calf-roping and Boys Under-12 Calf-Riding Competition. The spectators thoroughly enjoyed the bareback bronco and bull-riding.

Some 35 persons across 15 ranches entered in the male bareback bronco riding, which saw daring participants competing to see who could hold on the longest with just one hand and stay mounted – bareback of course – on a wild horse as it thrashed about.

At least two of the male riders managed to do the feat without falling off at all, while some four females from three ranches were brave enough to give the activity a try this year.

The male bull riding had over 40 participants. Aside from the competitions, the rodeo offered a full family package with side attractions such as merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and other rides.