Many rodeos and county fairs were cancelled this summer due to COVID-19. But some Idaho fairs went on as planned, and their rodeos attracted more contestants who didn't want to miss out on a summer season.
The Twin Falls County Fair wrapped up this past weekend at the Filer fairgrounds. The number of rodeo participants jumped about 50% this year, said Fair Manager John Pitz.
“We typically get about 300-320 contestants and this time we had 468 entered," he said.
The Magic Valley Stampede is on the ProRodeo circuit, and more than half of those rodeos were cancelled this year, including Nampa’s Snake River Stampede, which usually attracts top talent. So this year, some of the big names turned to smaller arenas.
“These guys are getting as many rodeos as they can to qualify for the national finals because that’s where the big money is," Pitz said.
Dollars won at rodeos during the season translate to points, and the contestants with the most points qualify for the National Rodeo later this month in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen
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