Okeechobee Cattlemen's Association & Okeechobee Main Street

Plan National Day of the American Cowboy

Festivities on Saturday, July 26

Members of the Okeechobee Cattlemen Association and Okeechobee Main Street are busy making plans for this year's National Day of the American Cowboy on Saturday, July 26. The event is being held as a part of the second annual National Day of the American Cowboy, proclaimed by President George W. Bush for the fourth Saturday in July. Last year's event in Okeechobee was the first such celebration east of the Mississippi.

Contributions made by Florida cowboys and cowgirls to the cattle industry nationwide will be saluted. The day's events will begin with a cattle drive at 10 a.m. from Flagler Park East on State Road 70 to the Okeechobee Agri-Civic Center. To help organize this activity, only members of the Cattlemen's Association may participate with their families and with their ranches.

Spectators will see Okeechobee's Big Boss, Pete Clemons, lead local ranchers carrying flags as they drive some fifty head of cattle down the three-and-a-half mile stretch of road. The arrival of the cattle will kick off a busy day of activities there, including a big Ranch Rodeo with area ranches competing for the top two rankings and a chance to participate in the Florida Ranch Rodeo in Kissimmee the first weekend in October.

"We hope that many area ranchers will want to compete for bragging rights as to whose team is the best," says Matt Pearce, Cattlemen's Association president. "The events are exciting, and they will show the entire community the kinds of basic skills that keep our ranches going."

Only ten ranches will be able to compete in this year's Ranch Rodeo, with ranchers competing in "real life" cowboy events, including Team Doctoring, Calf Branding, Wild Cow Milking, Team Sorting and a Stampede Race. (Bronc Riding??) All of the teams must be ranch-sponsored, and entries must be submitted by June 15. Ranches interested in competing are being asked to contact Matt Pearce or Robert Burney to enter. An entry form is available on the internet at www.okeechobeerodeo.org.

The Ranch Rodeo will be open to the public without charge, sponsored by the Cattlemen's Association and local merchants who have made donations to help defray expenses. The Ranch Rodeo events are scheduled to begin inside the Agri-Civic Center at 2 p.m. that afternoon.

Okeechobee's Main Street will coordinate the many National Day of the American Cowboy festivities outside the arena to help celebrate the proud heritage of Okeechobee's cattlemen. Among the planned activities will be a barbecue contest cowboy storytelling and poetry reading, whip popping demonstrations, and a display of cowboy art. Main Street is asking area residents to suggest other activities. Booths will be available for the participants.

"Main Street wants the day to be a Heritage Festival for the cattle industry," says Toni Doyle, executive director of Main Street. "Our cattlemen are an important part of the history and growth of this community. We encourage anyone who would like to participate in the festivities or would like sponsorship information to contact our office at (863) 357-6246 or email us at okms@mainstreetokeechobee.com.