EFFIE- The countdown is on for the 69th annual North Star Stampede the weekend of July 26-28 in Effie. It’s the country’s oldest family-run rodeo continuously operating in the same arena, and this year promises another full slate of rodeo excitement for the whole family.
Preparations have been somewhat hampered by frequent rains this summer, but organizer Cimarron Pitzen assures fans and riders alike that everything will be in top notch condition when the event has its unofficial kickoff on Thursday, July 25 with the slack competition beginning at noon.
“We’re a little bit behind, but we’re getting there,” Pitzen said on Tuesday. “The arena is starting to dry up, the campground is starting to dry up, so we’ll be in good shape.”
After the stampede begins in earnest on Friday at 5 p.m. with the colorful cavalcade of horses and flags, spectators will be treated to a full three-day slate of traditional events, including around 75 bronc riders and 80 bull riders who have signed up for the event.
“That’s how many we’ve got entered, of course there’s no guarantee they’re all going to show up,” Pitzen said.
The North Star Stampede typically draws top riders from throughout the Midwest, and they’ll have some new challenges to face this year as Pitzen has brought in a number of new broncs.
“I picked up several new broncs since last year out in Grassy Butte, N.D., down in Oklahoma City at the big bucking horse sale and out in Miles City, Mont. this spring,” Pitzen said.
Pitzen leases his bulls for the stampede from 3T Bucking Bulls, another family-owned business, and expects there will be a few new additions to that stock as well.
Adding to the fun this year will be award-winning rodeo clown John “Lefty” Kee of Park Hills, Mo. Drawing on the comedic traditions of the Red Skelton Show and Hee Haw, Kee bills himself as an old-school rodeo clown who “puts on his baggies, applies his makeup, and keeps the crowd entertained.”
Folks will find everything they’ve come to love about the stampede, with a couple of fan-friendly additions this year. Pitzen said that traffic flow will be improved with a new entrance for spectators that’s separate from the one used for the campground. And campers with three-day passes have the option to leave some of their food behind as a hearty breakfast menu will be available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8-11 a.m. to complement the usual dining options available during stampede sessions. People should be prepared to pay cash for items purchased from vendors at the event, as electronic payments aren’t available at the site.
“Other than that, it’s the same old rodeo,” Pitzen said. “I’ve been doing it for so long now everybody knows what’s going on.”
Single day admission is $18 for adults and $10 for children ages six to 13. Three-day passes, which are required for campers, are $45 for adults and $20 for children. Friday evening’s session will start at 5 p.m., while festivities on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 2 p.m. The rodeo is located about two miles north of Effie on Itasca Co. Rd. 5.