Will Rogers Stampede preparing for special Sunday show 
Ted Harbin

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Sunday is sacred to many people. It’s a day of rest, relaxation and time with family.

The volunteers who produce the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo know that as well as anyone, and that’s why they’re planning special events for the inaugural Sunday performance.

“This year we decided to move our Thursday performance to Sunday, and in doing so, we wanted to make it a special deal,” said David Petty, the rodeo’s chairman. “So starting at 6 p.m. Sunday, we will have a special cowboy church, what we’re calling our ‘Christian Cowboy Celebration.’

“This is the first time we’re doing a Sunday evening performance, so we will have our fellowship with Susie McEntire in the arena, and we’ll have Marty Brock and Wade Markham.”

McEntire, the sister of country star Reba McEntire and the daughter of world champion steer roper Clark McEntire, is a gospel singer that has been named “Artist of the Year” several times in the field of Positive Country Music. She has had four No. 1 singles on the Positive Country radio charts.

“I think it’s a really good idea,” McEntire said of the Christian Cowboy Celebration. “I believe churches are gathering on Sunday nights already, and I think it’s a good expression of their community involvement.”

Performances of the Will Rogers Stampede will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 28-Sunday, May 30 – Memorial Day weekend. And while Sunday’s show is a new night, it will feature the same intense rodeo action that is so popular along with a great message. McEntire is co-host of “Cowboy Church,” which airs three times a week on RFDtv channel.

“I think it will be a night of the rodeo showing the Christian community that rodeo is a good environment,” said McEntire, who not only was raised in a rodeo family but also has spent much of her life around the sport. “It’s positive entertainment.”

Markham is from Cowboy Junction Church in nearby Vinita, Okla., and Brock is a talented tie-down roper who is also an evangelist. The cowboy church, and the energized rodeo performance, will be a big treat for fans, whether they’re associated with a local church or not.

“Any of the area churches that wish to buy a block of tickets can receive them basically at half price for Sunday evening’s performance,” Petty said. “We’ll sell blocks of 50 or 100, but it’ll be a good deal for them all.”

Petty said the rodeo committee realizes that it has a unique situation in the Sunday performance before the Memorial Day holiday, in which most people have Monday off work. It also opens the doors for out-of-town visitors to the area to take in a classical piece of Americana.

“We know that with the long weekend, a lot of people need to get away,” Petty said. “And for those in our area, we think we offer a pretty good escape. For those who come to our area for that weekend, we think we’ve got the most affordable entertainment they’re going to find.

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