The rodeo is woven into the fabric of Eufaula history.
Long before the annual rodeo was held at the fairgrounds, there were rodeos in an area of the city now a part of the cove where there are softball and soccer fields.
There were events at local ranches.
For decades, the Rodeo was hosted by the Eufaula Round-up Club in conjunction with the McIntosh Fair Grounds Authority.
In 2014, the Roundup Club entered into an agreement with the City of Eufaula to put on the event.
In 2017, a controversy between two Eufaula Round-up Clubs erupted – the original club that had been around for more than 70 years and a new club led mostly by Checotah resident.
The City Council signed an agreement with the new club, apparently unaware there were two separate clubs.
The new club ran the rodeo until 2024, when it disbanded and relinquished its lease to the rodeo arena, turning in the keys.
Jon Burdine, whose sister Gale ran the old club for years, said attendance at the rodeo declined steadily under the new leadership.
When the City reclaimed control of the rodeo, it entered into an agreement with the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce to put on the show. As in year’s past, it coincides with the annual Whole Hawg Days Festival every July.
The Chamber has entered into an agreement with S3 Pro Rodeo to put this year’s rodeo together.
The Washington, Okla., company bills itself as the top producer of rodeos in the state.
The first official Eufaula Chamber of Commerce Rodeo will be held July 24-26, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the McIntosh County Fairgrounds.
A Mutton Busting competition will be held each day at 7:30 p.m., kicking off the rodeo, which begins at 8 a.m.
This year there will be arts, crafts and food vendors at the site.
Admission will be $10 for adults and free for those six and under.
Events will include bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, breakaway roping, tiedown roping, team roping healer, team roping header and barrel racing.
