Grit, Gold & Glory Pro Rodeo Returns to Bay Minette Oct. 23-24 to Benefit Elberta, Fairhope FFA

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Grit, Gold & Glory Pro Rodeo is coming back to Bay Minette for a second year, and while the two nights at Carol Hodgson Arena will be packed with bucking, live music and family fun, organizers say the real payoff comes after the arena empties: every dollar raised goes to FFA students at Elberta High School and Fairhope High School.

The 2nd Annual Grit, Gold & Glory Pro Rodeo is set for Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24. Gates open at 6 p.m. each night, and the rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m.

Two nights of rodeo and family entertainment

Both evenings will feature professional rodeo action, and organizers are encouraging families to come early. Before the first rider leaves the chute, the Justin Howard Band will perform live, and food and activities will be available on the grounds.

Each night has its own flavor:

• Friday, Oct. 23: Mutton Bustin’, giving some of the rodeo’s youngest competitors their own turn in the arena.
• Saturday, Oct. 24: Rodeo Queen appearances and a patriotic “Merica” theme night.

Mutton bustin’ is a longtime crowd favorite at rodeos across the country. Young children, typically wearing helmets and protective vests, hold on to a sheep for as long as they can as it trots across the arena. The ride rarely lasts more than a few seconds, but it gives kids a taste of the rodeo spotlight and usually draws some of the loudest cheers of the night.

A Kid Zone will offer pony rides, face painting and bounce houses, and food and drink vendors will be open throughout the evening.

Professional rodeos generally build their programs around the sport’s traditional events, which can include roughstock contests such as bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding, along with timed events such as roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing. Fans planning to attend can check with organizers for the specific lineup of events each night.

A fundraiser for Elberta and Fairhope FFA

Behind the entertainment is a mission organizers take seriously. Money raised through the rodeo supports FFA members at Elberta and Fairhope high schools as they take part in leadership development, agricultural education, competitions, conventions, career-development opportunities and hands-on learning experiences, according to a news release.

“Putting on an event of this size takes a tremendous amount of work, but our students are the reason we do it,” said Kelsey Hopper, agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Elberta High School. “The support we receive from our businesses, sponsors, families and community allows us to give our students opportunities that would not otherwise be possible. Every ticket purchased and every sponsorship truly comes back to our kids.”

Those opportunities can look different for each student. For some, it might mean traveling somewhere they have never been. For others, it might be competing in an FFA event for the first time. Organizers say the experiences can help students discover a future career and build the confidence to become leaders in their schools and communities.

What FFA means for students

FFA is one of the country’s largest student organizations. Founded in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America, the group changed its name to the National FFA Organization in 1988 to reflect how far its reach had grown beyond production farming. Today its members study and compete in fields ranging from animal science and agribusiness to agricultural mechanics, natural resources and public speaking.

FFA chapters operate within high school agricultural education programs, and advisers like Hopper are usually the school’s agriculture teachers. Chapters compete in career development events at the district, state and national levels, and students keep records of supervised agricultural experience projects, which can range from raising livestock to working for an agriculture-related business. Members often wear the organization’s familiar blue corduroy jackets at contests and conventions.

Travel to competitions, conferences and conventions costs money, and many chapters rely on community fundraisers to cover expenses. The Grit, Gold & Glory Pro Rodeo is designed to give the Elberta and Fairhope chapters a significant, recurring source of support.

Celebrating Baldwin County’s agricultural roots

Hopper said the event is also a way to honor the role farming has played in the county’s history and identity.

“Our goal is to build something that our students and our community can be proud of year after year,” she said. “Agriculture is such an important part of Baldwin County, and this is an opportunity to celebrate that heritage while investing in the young people who will carry it forward.”

Baldwin County is Alabama’s largest county by land area, and even as its coastal and Eastern Shore communities have grown rapidly, much of the county remains rural. Farms, nurseries and timberland still cover wide stretches of the countryside between its cities, and agriculture remains an important part of the local economy. Elberta, in south Baldwin, and Fairhope, on the Eastern Shore, both sit within that mix of fast-growing neighborhoods and long-established farmland.

Bay Minette, the county seat, sits in north Baldwin and is a fitting host for an event that blends western sports with the county’s farming heritage.

Sponsorships still available

Local businesses have helped make the rodeo possible through sponsorships and community partnerships. Organizers said a limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain for businesses or individuals who want to support the event and the students it benefits.

Sponsorships help cover the substantial costs of staging a professional rodeo, from livestock and arena preparation to entertainment and event operations, allowing more of the money raised through ticket sales to go directly to the students.

If you go

• What: 2nd Annual Grit, Gold & Glory Pro Rodeo
• When: Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24; gates open at 6 p.m., rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Carol Hodgson Arena, Bay Minette
• Entertainment: Live music from the Justin Howard Band before the rodeo; Mutton Bustin’ on Friday; Rodeo Queen appearances and “Merica” theme night on Saturday
• For kids: Kid Zone with pony rides, face painting and bounce houses
• Food: Food and drink vendors on site
• Benefits: FFA chapters at Elberta High School and Fairhope High School

Ticket and sponsorship information is available from the event organizers and the Elberta and Fairhope FFA chapters. Families are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the music, food and activities before the opening ride.