Giddy up: Parker Ranch Round-Up Club Rodeo just around the corner

WAIMEA — The 44th annual Parker Ranch Round-Up Club Rodeo will lasso in two days of rodeo events over Labor Day weekend this Saturday and Sunday.

Held at the Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena in Waimea, the action-packed weekend is held annually as a fundraiser to provide educational scholarships for school-age children of Parker Ranch employees.

Family-style fun will begin at noon Saturday with rodeo events ranging from team roping, double mugging and po’o wai u to bull riding, junior bull riding, wahine barrel racing and wahine breakaway roping.

All ages are represented with the century team roping competition comprised of one team member over the age of 50 and members with combined ages of more than 100. The youngest competition is the keiki barrel racing for participants 12 and under, and the calf scramble.

On Sunday, the Round-Up Club, in partnership with Parker Ranch, will host a live horse auction beginning at 9 a.m. for registration and to and view the horses, with the auction to follow the Sunday morning rodeo slack. A gate ticket to attend the auction is required.

Sunday’s rodeo action will begin at noon with more excitement throughout the afternoon. Ono food and refreshments will be available both days with ongoing events until 5 p.m. In addition, a variety of vendors will be on hand both days selling western-style crafts and clothing.

Tickets are $7 per person in advance from the Parker Ranch Store at Parker Ranch Center or Parker Ranch Headquarters in Waimea, or $8 at the gate on rodeo days. Children 12 and under are free.

Parker Ranch, founded in 1847, is home of the paniolo and has more than 160 years of Paniolo heritage. The ranch, among the largest and most historic ranches in the U.S., surrounds the town of Waimea and spans 130,000 acres across the island between the Kohala Mountains and Mauna Kea. The rodeo grounds are 37 miles by car from Kona International Airport and 57 miles from Hilo Airport on Highway 190.

Info: Call 885-7311