Western Weekend Kicks Off Friday

Special to the Booster

WOODVILLE – The Tyler County Dogwood Festival Western Weekend, which is the second weekend of the festival, is this weekend, running March 29-30.

The Western Weekend Parade is an event that many spectators attend every year and has been around for more than 60 years. In 1958, 75 horseback riders formed on Highway 190 West at the Dickens County Line Store and rode to Woodville in time to join the Dogwood Festival Parade.  These riders came back every year to join the Dogwood Parade until 1968, when the trail bosses asked for their own parade, and Western Weekend as we now know it was started.   

The parades were once very large, and at one time, more than 1,500 horses and riders rode in the parade.

The Western Weekend parade will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday the 30. The parade will begin at the intersection of Highway 69 and Highway 287, and will end at the Rodeo Arena, on 190 West.  The parade will feature various trail rides, wagons, floats, and tractors.

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The Woodville Lions Club will again sponsor an open rodeo on Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, March 30 at 4:30 p.m. The rodeo is a CPRA sanctioned event and will be produced by Bubba Miller with Branded for Christ Rodeo Company.  The rodeo will feature the following events:  Junior NFR bull riding, mini bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, barrel racing, bareback riding, and team roping.

There will be a calf scramble for kids aged 10-13 years old.  There will also be a goat scramble for kids aged 3-9 years old.  Entry fee for both the calf scramble and goat scramble will be $5 and sign-ups will be held before each rodeo performance.

An event that everyone looks forward to is Mutton Bustin’ for the little cowboys and cowgirls. The cost is $30 per ride, and there will be Mutton Bustin’ at both the Friday and Saturday performances. This year, the Mutton Bustin’ will get started before the actual rodeo begins.

On Friday, March 29, the Mutton Bustin’ will start at 6 p.m. Books will open at 5, and will close at 6 p.m. On Saturday, March 30, Mutton Bustin’ will start at 3:30 p.m. Books will be open from 2:30 p.m. until 3:30p.m. Sign-ups will be at the Rodeo Arena under the cover stand (there will be signs posted). All participants must be 7 years and under and 60 pounds.

For more information on the parade, or to inquire about a parade entry, contact Martin Spurlock, Western Weekend Director, at 409-429-6308.