LRCA Finals Rodeo Returns to the 112th State Fair of Louisiana!
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The State Fair of Louisiana will once again be the host of the Louisiana Rodeo Cowboys Association (LRCA) Finals that will take place during the 2018 State Fair. The finals will be held Thursday, November 1 through Saturday, November 3 in the Hirsch Coliseum. The doors will open at 6 PM CT nightly, with the Rodeo starting at 7 PM CT.
“We are excited for our finals to return to the Louisiana State Fair again,” Rance Gantt, LRCA President, said. “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 of Louisiana and all of our sponsors enough for continuing to help our finals grow.”
According to the Press Release, T.C. Long will be behind the microphone again this year calling the action of the rodeo. Long has announced events such as the RAM Texas Circuit finals, United Finals Rodeo, and All-American Pro Rodeo Finals. We are excited to have him back for the sixth year.
Rider Kiesner will be this year’s specialty act. Kiesner is a 2x world champion gun spinner and 4x world champion trick roper and will be displaying the art of trick roping, gun spinning, and whip cracking, which is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Kiesner has performed at the Wrangler National Finals rodeo five times, the Cheyenne Frontier Days six times, and is a four-time PRCA Dress Act of the Year nominee. We are excited to bring fans something new and different this year for the in-performance entertainment.
Thursday, November 1 will be Heroes Night. All law enforcement, fire fighters, first responders, and military may receive two free tickets to the rodeo. To receive the free tickets, please contact that State Fair office at (318) 635-1361 in advance. The Thursday night performance will also be a discount night. Box Seats GA are twenty dollars, and upper level GA are ten dollars. Everyone is encouraged to wear red, white, and/or blue to show your support of our heroes.
On Friday, November 2 at 9:30 AM CT the LRCA and State Fair of Louisiana will be hosting the first annual Special Kids Rodeo. We have partnered with the Bossier Parish School Board to provide an event for students with disabilities. The students will be able to interact with contestants from the LRCA Finals while participating in various fun rodeo activities, which will allow the students to learn more about the sport of rodeo.
Friday night is Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night. The State Fair of Louisiana will donate two dollars per rodeo ticket sold to the North Louisiana division of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Everyone is encouraged to wear pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.
Saturday, November 3 is championship night. The finals champion and the year-end champion of the LRCA will be crowned, along with the all-around champion and rookie of the year in each event. Multiple other awards and honors will be handed out, along with honoring the 2018 LRCA Hall of Fame inductees. You will not want to miss the excitement.
A calf scramble will be held on both Friday and Saturday, during the performance. 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 2019 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 on the State Fair’s website.
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 CT. The pre-show will allow fans to engage with cowboys and cowgirls through interviews and provide insight into the action. An after show will be held on the same stage at 10:15 PM CT to recognize the winners from each performance and wrap up all of the excitement from the night.
Advance tickets to the rodeo include gate admission to the State Fair. Advance tickets are twenty-five dollars for reserved box seats and fifteen dollars for upper level GA. Advance tickets can be purchased at our ticket outlet locations: Ranchland of Shreveport, 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 dollars for reserved box seats and twenty dollars for upper level GA.
For more information on the State Fair of Louisiana, you can visit our website at www.statefairoflouisiana.com.