It's that time of year again! 105th Clovis Rodeo kicks off this week

Jason Oliveira Image
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Gear up! The 105th Clovis Rodeo kicks off this week
Cowboys and cowgirls from all over are gearing up for the Clovis Rodeo. Many showed up Monday looking for tickets to the always sold out event.

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Its that time of year again.

Cowboys and cowgirls from all over are gearing up for the Clovis Rodeo. Many showed up Monday looking for tickets to the event.

"You better hurry and get to the box office," said director Mark Thompson. "There are tickets available so get down there and talk to them, and they'll do the very best they can to help you out."

One local cowboy back in town is former Fresno State tight end and Super Bowl champion, Bear Pascoe.

A few years removed from his NFL career, Pascoe is now searching for success as a professional cowboy in the Steer Wrestling jackpot. On Monday he tried to qualify for this weekend's competition

"This is something I always wanted to do," Pascoe said. "I grew up team roping, and I always wanted to steer wrestle I didn't want that to interfere with football so once I decided to retire it was just a natural transition to come into steer wrestling."

Racing out of the chute is Pascoe's new passion.

He goes all over the country doing what he loves, performing in front of big and small crowds while making a fraction of the money he made while catching passes for the New York Giants. But he wouldn't have it any other way.

"These cowboys work hard at it...they pay their own way," he said. "We got horses, we got feed, we got fuel, so a lot goes into it."

Officials say the rodeo attracts 45,000 people a year and brings the area about $12 million in commerce.

But it's not just roping and bulldogging, many show up for the food.

"Four days of rodeo we go through 8400 lbs of tri-trip, over four tons of tri-tip will be sold here," Thompson said.

The main rodeo begins Thursday, April 25 and runs until Sunday, April 28, but they've got family-friendly fun every day of the week.

Organizers say they will expand next year's event into 4 days of rodeo and one day of bull riding.