The Silver Spurs Rodeo is a

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...

held twice per year in Kissimmee,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. During the late 1980s, it was one of the fifty largest rodeos in the United States, and is billed as the largest rodeo east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. Since 1994, it has been the official state rodeo of Florida.

History

In 1941, the Silver Spurs Riding Club was formed in Kissimmee. In 1944, at the height of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Riding Club sponsored a rodeo to encourage local citizens to purchase

war bonds War bonds (sometimes referred to as victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are ...

. The first rodeo was held on July 4, 1944, and in 1951, a February event was added to the calendar. The February rodeo is important enough to the region's self-image that it is a school holiday (for teachers and for students) throughout the county. The first rodeo was held on land donated by Henry O. Partin, a legendary rancher in Kissimmee who, at one point in time, owned 60,000 acres of land in Osceola County. In 1949, the Riding Club bought a 15-acre parcel of land (to which they added an additional 7.5 acres the following year), and built a stadium, stands, and a concession area. In 2003, the club built a new indoor stadium, the Silver Spurs Arena, which features luxury seats and bar service. During the late 1980s, the rodeo was one of the fifty largest rodeos in the United States, with a purse of approximately US$60,000. By 2005, however, attendance at had dropped slightly, and as of 2009, the purse had declined to approximately $50,000. The

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the N ...

does not list the Silver Spur Rodeo in their top 50 rodeo listing for 2009. As the demographics of the region change, with more Hispanic residents moving into the area, the rodeo has moved to increase its appeal to the new residents; it held its first Latin rodeo in 2005, weaving salsa and hip-hop music into its traditional events. In 1994, the Silver Spurs Rodeo was designated as the Official State Rodeo by the Florida Legislature.

References

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External links

Official site for Silver Spurs Rodeo
Rodeos Symbols of Florida Kissimmee, Florida 1944 establishments in Florida

History

See also

References

External links