What if I am new to rodeo?

If this is your first rodeo, get ready for a great time for the whole family.  The heart of rodeo is what takes place in the arena.  Major events during the evening include:  Calf roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Ranch Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Breakaway Roping, Barrel Racing, Team Roping, and Bull Riding.  But that’s not all, children will be invited to participate in the arena for the “Kid’s Gold Rush” where ‘treasures’ are hidden under hay, and the little ones search for “a treasure.”  Family members and friends get to cheer the ‘young’uns’ on from the side.  Other activities for children include:  Pony rides and photos of children on horseback provided by Hidden Branch Ranch.  There is an extra fee for this event.  Also available is the “Inflatable Kids Zone” that allows a child to come and go throughout the evening with a wristband that may be purchased for $5.

The most memorable of all the children’s activities is the ‘Calf Scramble’, which is most likely one of the favorite events at any rodeo.  Children are invited to find the calf with the ribbon tied to its tail and then untie the ribbon and secure it as the winner of the event.  A prize is given to the participant who gets the ribbon.

What’s for Supper? 

There won’t be any difficulty finding something for dinner for everyone in the family.  In addition to multiple food trucks providing food options, Westonwood Ranch will provide great food at the Concessions Stand Building.  Wood shared, “St. Joe Company and their hotel properties are providing food items that will provide for an even greater rodeo experience.  One hundred percent of the profit from the concession stand will be given directly to Westonwood Ranch.”   

Why is the Westonwood Ranch Rodeo so important to our Community?

Wood stated, “Events like the Westonwood Ranch PCA Rodeo remind us of what community can accomplish when people come together for a purpose.”  She continued, “The mission of Westonwood Ranch is all about community involvement, where the lives of those with developmental disabilities beyond high school and into early adulthood are better equipped to succeed through the incorporation of functional learning opportunities in a therapeutic farm environment.”  MBN recently took a tour of Westonwood Ranch and saw the amazing farm and learning environment that makes students with special needs better prepared to live and work more independently.  With an expansion in the future for Westonwood Ranch to include full-time housing for its students (and in the future ‘residents’), there is great potential for significant impact not only for Freeport (Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay Counties) but also for other communities in Florida that are seeking longer-term care (post high-school) for those with developmental disabilities.

Westonwood Ranch is very thankful for the continued support from its primary sponsor (2nd year), Builders FirstSource, which is also a major supporter in the expansion project (the living quarters) for Westonwood Ranch.  Additionally, Westonwood Ranch is thankful for the generous support of the City of Freeport and the Walton County Sheriff, who continually support the work and future of the Westonwood Ranch community.

For more information about how to support the rodeo and Westonwood Ranch, email admin@westonwood.org or visit their website at www.westonwood.org.