Western North Carolina isn’t exactly a place known for its rodeo culture. Yet, tucked away in the hills of Marshall, a tradition of steer wrestling, barrel racing and other daring, cattle-related pursuits has persisted for more than 60 years.
During the warm season, every other Saturday, people gather under the bright lights of the Madison County Fairgrounds, dressed in jeans with giant belt buckles, cowboy hats and button down shirts, to attend one of the oldest rodeos in the state.
Children as young as four years old participate in mutton busting, an event in which they attempt to ride — and usually immediately fall off — the back of a sheep. Young adults are thrashed around by bulls and broncos. And experienced horse riders compete in barrel racing and roping events, sometimes well into their seventies.
After nearly two years of disruption to the regular schedule, the rodeo is finally back in full force. And a $2.4 million upgrade to the facility — including a brand-new covered arena — also means competitors and spectators no longer have to contend with rain and muddy arena conditions.
On a hot evening in July, around a hundred people gathered at the fairgrounds for the show. Some waited in line for hand-squeezed lemonade, while others, particularly the kids, clamored around the green fence to get a better view of the action.
Alan Wyatt, a sixth generation Madison County resident, remarked that the return of the rodeo “has been a long time coming,” especially after all the community has gone through in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling to have this beautiful building and to see the kids and the smiling faces,” he said. “When the kids are peering through the fence all around the arena, that speaks to me. And that’s what this is all about. It's for that next generation and for generations to come that my kids and my grandkids can have a place to come.”
The rodeo has been a community staple since 1965, when locals held a Fourth of July rodeo on Blannahassett Island to raise money for the Marshall Fire Department. Kenny Treadway, the current rodeo producer, is the grandson of one of the original founders – and part of a multigenerational effort to keep the rodeo going.
“This county has accepted rodeo for 61 years and I hope they do it for another 61 years,” he said. “I hope my family, when I move on, I hope my son takes this over. It wouldn’t make me no more happier for it to be 200 years from now still having a rodeo here.”
He said he hopes the tradition lasts because there truly is something for every generation to do at the rodeo.
“We have everything from a five-year-old who is in sheep riding to, you know, you could be 70, 80 years old getting a team roping or something like that,” he said. “It’s for everyone.”
The rodeo also serves as a proving ground for young athletes, who learn to repeatedly get back on the proverbial (and sometimes literal) horse.
“The superstars of this sport, they're great and everything like that, but really, I just like the try of people,” he said. “The try and the heart, you know, to keep coming back wanting to do better every time they come. That's what I like the most about it.”
When BPR spoke with 17-year-old bull rider Tommy McCloud, he was sidelined with a torn ligament after a bull stepped on his arm a few months ago. McCloud said the minute he’s cleared to compete, his plan is to immediately return to riding.
“It's a part of who I am,” he said. “Most people think rodeo is just about the bulls or the broncs. It's a deeper connection. It's like a family that you have. You support each other and help each other grow.”
Kyle Thompson, a 22-year old bronco rider, described the mentality as “the cowboy mindset.”
“It doesn't matter if you get thrown right out the chute or you're a roper and you missed your calf or whatever,” he said. “You're going to walk out of the arena with some dignity, not throwing a hissy fit or stuff like that. It's a very composed, very professional thing.”
Thompson is already imparting that mindset to his young daughter.
“She's been on a kick. She likes to ride horses,” he said. “We started her riding horses before she could walk. She's two and she can ride better than most adults.”
