The month of February is nationally recognized as Black History Month. Well – this Saturday, at the Muskogee Fairgrounds arena, Oliver Thompson will be producing a Black History Month Rodeo with $550 in added money. It gets underway at 6 p.m.

Books will open for the rodeo at 5 p.m. and close at 5:45 p.m. Events will include ladies breakaway roping with $100 in added money and ladies steer undecorating will offer $50 in added money. For the 15-and-under age group Thompson will offer breakaway roping and tie-down roping. The 15-and-under age group events have a $30 entry fee; however, they do not have any added money. Other events include an 00 Calf Roping with $50 added, open calf roping with $150 added, steer wrestling with $150 added, barrel racing with $100 added, and team roping – enter twice per team. All entry fees except for the 15-and-under age group are $40.

Admission for spectators is $8 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. All contestants must purchase a $5 hand stamp to enter the indoor arena.For more information on the rodeo, call Oliver Thompson at (918) 360-3015. Be sure to come out and cheer on your favorite cowboy or cowgirl in their event!

 The world’s best bull riders will be returning to Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena Friday through Sunday to compete in the WinStar World Casino Invitational. Bull riding begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are on sale at the Chesapeake Energy Arena box office, www.Ticketmaster.com, and by telephone at (405) 602-8700 and (800) 745-3000. I am not sure where else they might have them, but I picked up some $5 discount tickets at the Homeland store at West Okmulgee and 32nd Street. The PBR and Ford are offering a limited number of Built Ford Tough All aXXess passes for $50, which allow the bearer to go onto the dirt before the event and meet the PBR riders to get autographs and photographs.

 Austin Meier of Kinta  is now ranked third in the current Built Ford Tough Series standings, while Ryan Dirteater of Hulbert sits in ninth.

 The action will be televised in HD on NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) at 8 p.m. on Saturday. CBS Sports Network will air the action on Sunday at 5 p.m.

 Oklahoma City is the stop of the first American Bucking Bull Inc. Classic event of 2012. There will be 35 bulls competing for a prize purse of more than $30,000 in Round 1 on Friday. ABBI will be hosting the first futurity event of 2012 on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Approximately 30 bulls are expected to compete. Futurity events have 2-year-old bulls competing with a 25-pound mechanical dummy. Admission to the event is free.

 Also, Oklahoma City is the sixth of 28 stops on the 2012 BFTS schedule. The BFTS will make 28 stops in 23 states before the BFT World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 24-28. The World Finals are where the PBR world champion will be crowned and awarded the coveted championship buckle and a $1 million bonus. The richest bull riding event in the world, the world finals has a total purse of more than $2 million.

 Rangeline Arena will be roping on Saturday this weekend. They have several different formats for their ropings. For more information call Rick at (918) 557-9951 or Adam at (918) 869-0641.  The Barton Arena Productions will be roping on Saturday night at the Double D Arena in Poteau. For more information call Bart at (918) 616-9269.  Events at Rangeline Arena and with Barton Arena Productions can be found on their respective Facebook pages too.

 Good luck wherever you run or whatever you do this weekend.

 Reach Rhonda Stewart with rodeo news or comments at rayandrhon@netzero.net or (918) 869-1498.