This weekend marks the return of the Wisconsin River PRO Rodeo to the Lincoln County Fairgrounds with performances Friday through Sunday and more events than one lasso can contain.
This is the 22nd year that the pro rodeo event has come to Merrill, and it has proven popular with both fans and contestants. The Wisconsin River PRO Rodeo was named the 2009 Medium Size Rodeo for the PRCA Great Lakes Circuit.
The weekend starts Friday at noon with the opening of the vendor stands on the fairgrounds. Everything from food, hats, tack and other items will be on sale. The rodeo education tent opens at 5 p.m. with the rodeo performance starting at 7 p.m.
There will be karaoke in the beer stand tent from 8:30-11:30 p.m. with the winner becoming a qualifier to perform at Fuddfest. The beer stand will be open until midnight Friday and Saturday night.
On Saturday, which is Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day will have a host of events going on both at the fairgrounds and at other sites. The Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign is to help raise money for cancer education, awareness, and treatment. Special shirts and other pink items will be available all weekend with all proceeds from the sales stay in North Central Wisconsin by going to the Marshfield Clinic.
An antique tractor pull will be held during the day, with weigh in at 11 a.m. that is free to spectators. Complete rules can be found on the rodeo website. A free mounted shooting exhibition will be held in the fairgrounds at 5 p.m. The rodeo education tent also opens at 5 p.m.
The Saturday performance starts at 7 p.m. with the music of Led West in the beer stand from 8-11:45 p.m.
Sunday’s action gets under way at 8:30 a.m. with the Running with the Bulls 5k walk/fun run. At 10 a.m. a non-denominational church service will be held in the grandstand and at 11 a.m. the rodeo education tent opens. The rodeo performance starts at 1 p.m.
Adult tickets are $16, children 6-12 are $11 and children under 5 are free. A weekend pass is $35. Discount advance tickets as well as family packs of 2 adult, 3 kids, for one performance for $30 are available at select locations throughout the surrounding area through today.