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It’s rodeo week in Livermore and festivities are in full-swing leading up to the main events this Saturday and Sunday, including the police department’s tradition of allowing officers to wear an alternate uniform consisting of a white straw cowboy hat, blue jeans and brown boots.
On June 8 and 9, grand entry of the 106th annual rodeo begins at 3 p.m. each day and the rodeo activities start immediately after with bareback riding, tie down roping, local team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, breakaway roping, PRCA team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
Prior to grand entry, gates will open at 11 a.m. at the rodeo grounds located at 3000 Robertson Park Road and attendees can partake in food, beverages and arts and crafts, shopping and family entertainment in vendor row before and during the rodeo.
In sticking with tradition, day one of the rodeo is dedicated to showing support for breast cancer research and awareness with its “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” theme. Rodeo participants and attendees are encouraged to wear pink for the day.
Day two will once again pay homage to the red, white and blue with “Patriot Day” where all are encouraged to represent the official and symbolic colors of the U.S. flag in honor of military personnel.
The Lil Pardners Rodeo will also take place Sunday at 11 a.m. where children with special needs partake in mock rodeo events.
This year’s rodeo queen Vika Pereyda will be present for the two-day celebration. Adopted from Russia at a young age, Pereyda has spent more than a decade immersing herself in the world of horses, according to her bio on the rodeo website.
“For the past seven years, I’ve been helping run flags at local rodeos and competing with the Flying Fillies drill team. When I’m not in the arena, I teach riding lessons at a local hunter-jumper barn, sharing my passion for horses,” Pereyda wrote, adding that she aspires to become a teacher upon completing college.
Kicking off the eventful weekend at 10 a.m. on Saturday will be the annual rodeo parade rolling through downtown Livermore.
Since 1977, the Rotary Club of Livermore has been organizing the Rodeo Parade with its theme each year intended to honor the Livermore Valley’s Western Heritage, support the Livermore Rodeo, and provide a fun event for the community.
The parade features classic cars and trucks, horses and wagons, local organizations and businesses, getting people into the rodeo spirit before grand entry.
Tickets and more information about the rodeo are available at livermorerodeo.com.
