The Southern Showdown rodeo at the Silver Spurs Arena last weekend paid out over $32,000 in prize money to professional rodeo cowboys.
Taylor Broussard was the bareback riding champion, Isaac Diaz won saddle bronc, Lukasey Morris took the bull riding title, and Babson Park’s Hunter Carter won the All-Around cowboy competition thanks to his finishes in bareback riding and bull riding.
Even better locally, it raised $7,500 for the Silver Spurs Riding Club’s scholarship funds.
It was the first big public event for Dustin Bronson since he became the 78th Silver Spurs Rodeo “Big Boss.”
It’s been a family affair and lifelong journey for Bronson, 40, whose uncle Charles and grandfather Shang Bronson were previous Big Bosses. Dustin’s been a Spurs member and been around the big Silver Spurs Rodeo, all his life, and his mother Joyce rode in the famed Quadrille (think “square dance on horses”).
“And my kids (sons Cantyn and Cylr, who are already involved with the Spurs) are excited about becoming Big Bosses,” he said.
So hosting the Southern Showdown was as about as excited as he’s gotten since he used to rope with his uncle in the rodeo.
“We had a great crowd Saturday and the fans were lovin’ it,” he said.
The focus now turns to putting together the 147th Silver Spurs Rodeo Feb. 18-20, once called the “Largest Rodeo East of the Mississippi,” and the home-grown Monster Bulls event the weekend prior.
While it’s fun to be called a “big boss,” Bronson said his year spent in that role will be more of a caretaker for the Club, its big events like the rodeo, the charities it supports and its place as a keeper of the ranching and rodeo heritage of Osceola County.
“There are a lot of things put on your shoulders when you do this,” said Bronson, who when he’s not with the Spurs runs a business with his wife Sydnye that provides land clearing, mulching and cattle services in the area. “I hope to get more youth involved in the rodeo, so we keep that legacy going strong.”
If you attended and enjoyed the “Members Night Out” event on Friday of the Southern Showdown, a concert-type fun event at the Heritage Club that included Spurs members and some of the cowboys, thank Bronson, since it was his idea.
“I wanted to have an event to get the volunteers and members more involved,” he said. “Often they’re working behind the scenes of the event and don’t get to see any of the rodeo or the cowboys. They’re used to that, but it’s something I wanted to change.”
Bronson looks forward to seeing everybody in February at Monster Bulls and the Silver Spurs Rodeo.
