5th annual Bucking Horse and Bull Bash set for Saturday in Fallon

Cody and Kristina de Golyer have reached a milestone with their annual Bucking Horse and Bull Bash.

Five years ago, the Fallon couple had a vision to bring a late June rodeo to Fallon to fill a summer void. Those early events in 2014 included saddle bronc riding, a wild cow chase, mutton bustin’ and cowboy/cowgirl poker, to name a few. Since, the rodeo has grown and added events for competitors of all ages and has expanded the number of sponsors.

It returns this weekend, and advance tickets sales for adults are available at the Big R Stores in Fallon and Fernley for $8, or $10 at the gate. Tickets for 12 and under and seniors are $5.

“We’ve added more youth events,” said Kristina de Golyer of Saturday’s rodeo, which starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Churchill County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 5 p.m. “We have mutton bustin,’ junior steer riding, calf riding and junior bull riding.”

Junior bull riding is for contestants 18 years old and younger, and the bulls are smaller in weight and size. De Golyer, though, said all events for the youngsters are full.

In addition to contestants coming from Nevada to ride broncs and bulls in the show produced by the de Golyer’s nonprofit TNT (Twist N Turn) Rodeo Productions Co., she said other entrants are mostly coming from California and Oregon to compete in events open to all ages.

Once the action begins, contestants will also show their intrepidness and skills in bareback riding, barrel racing, breakaway and team roping.

This year’s rodeo has $6,000 in added money, buckles for every event and cash payouts. De Goyler said Big R has donated all the buckles. Stock is provided by de Golyer Bucking Stock, Paris Bucking Stock and Bonanza Bucking Bulls.

Each year, community interest in the rodeo continues to grow. Last year, a couple thousand fans packed the grandstands.

“We had about 2,200 people throughout the entire show,” De Goyler said. “It stayed pretty full for the evening.”

The free Kid Zone features a bounce house, a 20-foot water slide and Ivy the Artist, who paints children’s faces. A live band — Nevada Hazzurd, billed as “one of the hottest and most energetic country rock bands in the area” — will entertain rodeo-goers after the show; vendors will sell crafts, food and drink; and Troy’s Double Shot Bar at the Dry Gulch will offer its “Fallon’s famous cantaloupe daiquiris.”

De Golyer said proceeds from a raffle to sponsor a TNT team, an endeavor that’s part of the TNT nonprofit, will assist five girls who rodeo with their entry fees.

“They are our rodeo team, they wear our shirts — TNT Rodeo Productions,” de Golyer added.

De Golyer said TNT added a sixth girl, who recently moved to Fallon, to help her with rodeo entry fees. The girls are Shannon Linney, Reno; Leeann McNeff, Imlay; and Aubrey Flowers, Leta Ikonen, Beth Ikonen and Paige Gould, all from Fallon.

TNT Productions has two more summer rodeos lined up, one on Aug. 11 in Fallon and the other on Aug. 18 in Lovelock.

Visit tntrodeoproductions.com for details.