Spills skills and thrills expected at Rising Sun Rodeo in West Coast Berbice
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, October 28, 2017
The big day has arrived when thousands of fans will once again throng to the famous Rising Sun Turf Club, Arima Park on the West Coast Berbice for the much anticipated mouth-watering Rodeo action.
Some of the overseas and hinterland vaqueros from last year’s rodeo pose with their trophies.
Preparations have been completed for the only coastland Rodeo activity in Guyana and the venue is in top shaped.
The number of participants has increased significantly with overseas contingents expected from Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela, along with those from the far-flung areas in Guyana including Lethem, the Rupununi Savannahs and the Corentyne River areas.
All of the visiting vaqueros from overseas and hinterland Guyana have arrived and are getting acclimatized to the venue and conditions on the coast for the big day. The local posse looking to defend their turf will once again be led by the experienced Fazal Habibulla. Accompanying him are the Harcourt brothers from the West Berbice brigade who comprise the bulk of the local entourage from the Abary, Mahaica and Mahaicony River areas.
With this shaping up to be one of the biggest rodeos held at the venue so far, several companies have come on board including Banks DIH Limited, Trophy Stall, Hablaw Meat Centre, Chester Fry Bush Lot West Coast, Rising Sun Cattle ranch among others.
Organizer Fazal Habibulla expressed satisfaction with the preparations. The venue has been spruced-up with more rails added and old ones replaced while the ground has been graded and prepared for the day’s action. Habibulla stated that apart from the entertainers who are expected to dance and prance their way into the hearts of the fans, a number of new events and features are also expected this year.
With the anticipated skills, thrills and spills expected to take centre stage, over 12 different activities in the various categories are slated to be staged. These include steer roping, bareback bronco, male and female barrel race, wild cow milking, calf roping, wild bull riding, saddle bronco along with the Rodeo King competition and the popular Tug-o-War. Among the novelty events carded for the day is the Beer drinking contest. Also returning this year are the famous trio of the clown, the joker and tamer with their taunts, pranks and daredevil moves
Millions of dollars in prizes including cash, trophies and other memorabilia’s are up for grabs.
By: Samuel Whyte
The starting gates.
The rodeo arena.