LRCA Rodeo To Be Held Again At State Fair Of Louisiana

If you close your eyes and point your nose into the wind, you can almost smell the turkey legs, corn on the cob and the fried Snickers. (With a hint of a cow patty)

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Oh yes! It's almost time for the State Fair of Louisiana at the State Fairgrounds just off I-20 in Shreveport!  Opening day for the 2023 State Fair is next Thursday, October 26 and this year's fair will extend all the way through Sunday, November 12.

Amidst all the twinkling lights, the carnival barkers, the cotton candy and thrill rides, there are still a few who remember the reason the fair ever began back 117 years ago.

It was the animals.  Farm animals specifically, but seeing the occasional elephant or giraffe is still pretty amazing.  The State Fair of Louisiana still brings students from all over Louisiana to town to show off their amazing animals; everything from calves and goats, to pigs and lambs.  And while many may never venture to the livestock barns, that feeling is still in the air.

Along with those animals are those buckin' broncs and snot slinging bulls at the annual LRCA Rodeo and this year will be no exception.  This huge finals rodeo from the Louisiana Rodeo Cowboys Association will be held Friday, November 3 through Sunday, November 5 in Hirsch Coliseum.

Doors will open Friday and Saturday night at 6:00 pm and the rodeo will begin at 7:00 pm.  Then on Sunday, doors open at 2:00 pm with rodeo action starting promptly at 3:00pm.

According to Rance Gantt, LRCA President, “Hosting our finals during the State Fair is a huge opportunity to showcase the talent of our cowboys and cowgirls on the biggest stage in our state. We cannot thank the State Fair, Louisiana Feed Your Soul, Cinch Jeans and all of our sponsors enough for continuing to help our finals grow.”

The State Fair of Louisiana is proud to announce that Rudy Burns will be this year’s rodeo clown. Known for being one of the top rodeo clowns in the country, Rudy will be providing his antics to keep everyone laughing and entertained. Rudy was a part of the PRCA National Finals Rodeo for thirteen years in Las Vegas along with being Coors “Man in the Can” clown for four years.

A pre-show will be held each night before the performance on a stage in front of the Hirsch Memorial Coliseum at 5:45 pm. The pre-show will allow fans to engage with cowboys and cowgirls through interviews and provide insight into the action.

A calf scramble will be held Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4 during the rodeo. Each night six winners will be awarded a five-hundred-dollar purchase certificate. The certificate must be used to purchase an animal to be shown at the 2023 State Fair of Louisiana. Participants in the calf scramble must be enrolled in 4-H or FFA and have reached their ninth birthday, but not their eighteenth by opening day of the fair. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the calf scramble, you can find more details and the entry form HERE on the State Fair’s website.

Advance tickets to the rodeo include gate admission to the State Fair. Advance tickets are thirty dollars for box seats and twenty dollars for Upper-Level GA. Advance tickets can be purchased at Topp’s Western World, Cavender’s Western Outfitters (Shreveport & Bossier locations), Paul’s Farm & Garden, Greenwood Feed & Hardware, State Fair Box Office, and the State Fair of Louisiana website. Tickets the day of the show are thirty-five dollars for box seats and twenty-five dollars for Upper-Level GA.