OKEECHOBEE – Labor Day Weekend once brings the excitement of the Labor Day Rodeo, now celebrating its 75^th year.

Okeechobee’s first Labor Day Rodeo was held in 1951. Fritz Brewer, who came from Fort Pierce to watch that rodeo and competed in the Calf Scramble, remembers this rodeo being at the arena near the Livestock Market on US 98.

A photo of that arena hangs on the wall of the Okeechobee Livestock Market.

An article in the Sept. 3, 1951 edition of the Miami Herald reported: “Perfect weather, a sellout crowd and no accidents marked the Sunday opening of the two-day Labor Day rodeo sponsored by the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Association in the Okeechobee Livestock arena.

“The crowds came from southern and south Florida and auto license tags from 30 states were counted according to Willard (Red) Seiger, arena manager.

“Sebring entries led in the main events with four places, but Okeechobee with three winners in the calf scramble, took top spot in placing. Calf scrambling, however, is a juvenile event and will not count in the overall picture.

“Monday’s program will open with a parade at noon, followed by the rodeo events at 2:30 p.m.

“Sunday winners:

“BRONC RIDING – Jim Knowles, Miami; Gabe White, Montana; Pete Clemons of Brighton.

“CALF ROPING – Norman Stokes, Lorida; H.R. Martin, Kissimmee; Arlin Taylor, Sebring.

“BULLDOGGING – Donald McCleod, Sebring; Gene Croft, Sebring.

“COW MILKING – Clyde Durrance and Carles Harvey, Okeechobee; Buck Lanier, Fort Pierce and Brad Thomas, Okeechobee.

“CALF SCRAMBLE – Bud Clemmons, Brighton; Howard Pickering, Okeechobee, Earl Bass, Okeechobee.

“RELAY RACE – Brighton. Winners determined by a point system.”

The  proceeds from the 1951 rodeo  helped pay for the construction of the "new" arena on U.S. 441.

The first Labor Day rodeo at the Cattlemen’s Arena on US 441 was in 1952, according to a 1988 Okeechobee News interview with J.O. Pearce.

A 1953 Okeechobee News article promoting the rodeo, advertised a performance by Mildred Murphy and her horse, Red Fox “who is said to do just about everything except talk.” The article stated this was no “cut-and-dried rodeo. The stock comes direct from the range, being supplied by the Cattlemen’s Association, and has never before been in an arena.”

After the rodeo,  News reported 2,400 people attended the two-day Labor Day Rodeo, held in the arena “north of town.” An Angus bull was given away at the rodeo. Eleven-year-old Crissy Kirby, the youngest trick rider in Florida, wowed the rodeo crowds.

More rodeo notes from the Okeechobee News archives:

1955 –  An article in the News explained the rodeo was “approved by the Rodeo Cowboys Association and all points won in competition here will go toward determining the champion Florida cowboy. Pete Clemons, local cowboy, has held the title three years.”  Rodeo events advertised were calf roping, steer wrestling, bareback bronc riding, bull riding and saddle bronc riding.  The arena at that time had seating for 3,000. Admission was $1.50, 75 cents for children, an extra 50 cents for reserved seats.

1956 – The Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Association gave away a Shetland pony -- complete with saddle and bridle --  as a gate prize the rodeo. In addition to the regular events, the rodeo added a donkey race. The two-day rodeo attracted a total of 3,500 fans.

1957 – To draw more contestants, the rodeo added $150 to the prize purse for each of the five RCA events. Total prize money was based on entry fees. The rodeo attracted 5,000 fans over two days. At the Sunday rodeo, no bull riders were successful in staying on for the full 8 seconds. “The bulls were too onery,” the newspaper reported.

1958 – The News reported: “One cowboy, Bob Hill, was trampled by a bull after being thrown and was rushed to Louisiana Raulerson Hospital for treatment.”

1959 – In addition to regular events, the rodeo added breakaway roping and precision riding. The girls' cloverleaf race was now called barrel racing.

1960 – In addition to traditional events, the rodeo added Quarter Horse Races and Chuckwagon races. A new bank of seats was installed and both sides of the arena were covered. The Chamber of Commerce advertised a giveaway for “a real live pony.”

1961 – The Cattlemen’s arena advertised seating for 5,000. The rodeo featured trick riders, and the Jaycees gave away a pony at the rodeo. For those under age 12, in addition to the calf scramble, the rodeo featured a Kids Musical Chairs event.  A horse and rider went through a fence at the Monday rodeo, but no one was injured.

1962 – The Cattlemen’s Rodeo added another section of bleachers, expanding seating capacity by another 400. The Okeechobee News reported: “The grandstands started filling up early and were packed by the time the rodeo was to start. The Sunday show was late in starting because an accident en route from Kissimmee delayed the delivery of the bucking horses. Officials eventually held the Sunday show without the bareback and saddle bronc riding events.”

1963 - The rodeo featured a Junior Bull Riding event for boys ages 12-15. (Those 16 and older were allowed to compete in the regular bull riding.)

1964 – “Pete Clemons tops all in 2-day rodeo events,” was the lead headline in the Sept. 10, 1964 edition of the Okeechobee News. The story explained that while Clemons didn’t win any one event, he placed high enough in multiple events to earn the high point score for the rodeo.  This year the Rodeo Queen was chosen and crowned on Labor Day with Linda Godwin taking the crown. The Cowbelles sponsored the Rodeo Queen Pageant.

1965 -  “Labor Day Weekend in Okeechobee is the time when all shopkeepers, ranch hands, every Tom, Dick and Harry, forget their woes and enjoy the thrills and excitement of rodeo!” stated the front page article in the Sept. 2, 1965 Okeechobee News. Rodeo attendance was high despite hurricane alerts, with 6,000 people attending the two-day event.

1968 – Apparently the pony raffle was a good fundraiser because the Jaycees once again gave away a pony, a coffee pot and a toaster.

1969 – A rodeo clown decided to join the space race. Astro-naught Jack Hammett supervised the blast off of an Apollo 26-type rocket on an unusual launching pad erected in the rodeo arena.

1970 – The rodeo attracted 7,700 fans. The Okeechobee News reported, “The program offered more than the usual in thrills and spills. Joe Johns mounted a horse hell-bent for destruction. The animal tried to run through the south end of the arena at a full gallop. He broke three stout boards and his own neck in the process. Johns escaped injury. Jim Lashley, son of the Tuesday candidate for County School Board, up on whirling dervish of a Brahman bull, took a nasty spill seconds after the twister left the gate. The enraged animal, not content with throwing its rider, stomped Lashley a time or two, rendering him unconscious. Rodeo clown Duane Reichert earned his keep by diverting the bull from Lashley and took considerable punishment himself. On Tuesday, Lashley did not show much evidence of his tangle with the Brahma.”

1971 – The Labor Day Parade featured 44 parade entries plus “horses, and horses and horses,” the newspaper reported.

1979 – The winds and rain of Hurricane David meant there was no Labor Day Parade, but this did not stop Okeechobee’s Labor Day Rodeo. Due to the bad weather, rodeo attendance was poor, and the event lost money. While the event had been advertised to go on “rain or shine,” the Cattlemen’s Association offered refunds to advance ticket holders who did not attend.

1981 – Governor Bob Graham led the rodeo parade, riding a horse named Joe. He shared an anecdote about being a little nervous when given a horse named Ten Speed to ride in a parade in Arcadia.

 Saturday performances were added for a three-day event. For the first time, Calf Scramble participants were required to have a release form signed by a parent. Rodeo tickets were $3 to $5 for adults, depending on location of seats, with $2 tickets available for the uncovered bleachers.

1982 – Peppy the Cowboy Monkey rode a border collie as he herded sheep in the rodeo arena as Frank Stroud’s Animals Extraordinaire performed at the Labor Day Rodeo. In addition to the traditional parade, barbecue in the park and rodeo, the Labor Day Weekend celebration included a fishing tournament and a street dance.

Robert Gornto of Hialeah was the only bull rider to stay on a bull for the required 8 seconds over the three-day rodeo. Although his 60-point score was not high by rodeo standards, he took home the prize money -- $1,931.20.

Park activities included a kissing booth to raise money for Fourth of July fireworks.

1983 – An article in the Aug. 31, 1983 Okeechobee News announced a new event at the rodeo. The Wild Horse Race offered $100 in prize money per day (split 60/40 between the top two teams each day), with no entry fee.

The Robert Stokes team took first place on Saturday with the Roland Durrance team in second place. Joey O’Bannon and his team were winners on Sunday. (Only one team completed the ride.)  On Monday, the Joe Pearce team took first, and the Roland Durrance team took second.

1985 –  Another wet, windy weekend did not stop the rodeo.

Rodeo announcer Wendell Cooper won the steer wrestling event with a time of 4.3 seconds. In the Wild Horse Race, the fastest time over the three days was turned in by Buck Durrance, Roland Durrance and Todd Clemons. Rocky Powell was listed as a bullfighter

1995 – A newspaper article promoted the Mutton Bustin’ event, in which children rode sheep. The child who stayed on the longest was the winner.

2001 – The 50^th Labor Day Rodeo in Okeechobee drew the most entries ever, including 57 bull riders. Spunk Sasser led the steer wrestling at the Saturday rodeo with a time of 4.7 seconds.

2004 - South Florida, already reeling from Hurricane Charley, braced for Hurricane Frances. The Cattlemen were forced to cancel the rodeo after a mandatory evacuation was issued for low-lying areas. Two more hurricanes – Ivan and Jeanne – would hit the Sunshine State before the year was over.

2005 – With much of the county still recovering from the 2004 hurricanes, the Labor Rodeo was back in the Cattlemen’s Arena.

2006 – The rodeo went on as planned, but later in the hurricane season, several tropical storms hit South Florida. High winds damaged some of the seating at the rodeo arena. A safety inspection revealed the seats would not hold the weight of the rodeo crowds.

2007 – The Labor Day Rodeo moved to the Okeechobee Agri-Civic Center Arena. While the facility provided protection from the rain, many rodeo fans found it just wasn’t the same. They missed the old arena.

2008 – The Saturday Labor Day weekend rodeo at the Agri-Civic Center was a Ranch Rodeo, which was held in the evening. A two-day PRCA Rodeo was held on Sunday and Monday afternoons.

2009 -- The rodeo held championship bull riding events on Saturday  and PRCA rodeos on Sunday and Monday. This pattern would continue for several years.

2013 – The Cattlemen decided to fix up the old arena and resume rodeos in the historic facility.  The 2013 Labor Day Rodeo was a Ranch Rodeo, showcasing the skills cowboys use every day such as calf roping, calf sorting, bronc riding and branding, as well as a wild cow milking event (which is not part of a cowboy’s regular job.) Teams were chosen to represent local ranches.

2014 – The Cattlemen’s Arena hosted a two-day PRCA rodeo.

2015 – Rodeo fans were disappointed when the Labor Day Rodeo was canceled. An article in the Okeechobee News explained: ”Keeping in line with the times, the Okeechobee County Cattle-men’s Association has come to the decision that in lieu of their 2015 Labor Day rodeo, they will instead host a three-day spring rodeo event in March 2016. Stadium lights will be installed in the outdoor arena, making it possible for a Friday night rodeo and potential musical performance, which has become a very popular and contemporary rodeo lineup. ‘We are saddened to let go of our Labor Day tradition this year. As kids, we all grew up going to the Okeechobee Labor Day rodeo, and this was a very hard decision we were faced with. On the bright side, we hope to start a new Okeechobee tradition next year by adding a night event to our spring rodeo. We would like to focus on making this event the best it can be,’ said Todd Clemons, OCCA President.”

2016 – Labor Day Weekend brought a “Bull Bash” to the Cattlemen’s Arena on Saturday, Sept. 3 and Monday, Sept. 5. The News reported: ”Professional bull riders tried their skills against some of the roughest, toughest, wildest bulls around. But the most dangerous job of the day turned out to be that of gate man Tim Robison.

“Many of the bulls unseated their riders and then apparently did not want to leave the arena. Two mounted pickup men served as herders, or sometimes ropers, to help push or pull the bulls out of the arena.

“Mr. Robison was posed to open the gate for the bull to leave, and then quickly close it behind the beast. As the bull passed, Mr. Robison stood behind the gate to protect himself from the bull. One of the bulls had another idea. Instead of going through the open gate, it opted to go after Mr. Robison, going around the gate to reach him, and then launching him into the air. On the ground, Mr. Robison tried to squeeze under the fence, while the rodeo clown and the mounted bull herders tried to keep the bull away from him. Cowboys rushed to the fallen man’s aide.

“Rodeo fans Kyle and Leland Schoonmaker rushed out of the stands and climbed over the barrier to help get Mr. Robison to safety in the area between the rodeo arena and the north stands.”

Mr. Robison, who was hospitalized with two cracked ribs, returned to help out at the rodeo the next year, but he no longer manned the bull gate.

2018 – As promised, the Labor Day Rodeo went on “rain or shine” despite Tropical Storm Gordon, which soaked the rodeo grounds during the Monday competition.  Later that month, the cattlemen were saddened by the passing of rodeo legend Pete Clemons.

2019 – Hurricane Dorian forced the Cattlemen to cancel plans for the Labor Day Rodeo. To brighten the spirits of disappointed rodeo fans, the Cattlemen planned a bronc and bull riding event for Thanksgiving weekend.

2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop the Labor Day fun in Okeechobee. The Pete Clemons Memorial Ranch Rodeo, combined with a bull riding event, was held Sunday, Sept. 6 and Monday, Sept. 7.

2021 – As much of the country continued to struggle with the pandemic, the Labor Day Weekend rodeo was again a ranch rodeo.

2022 – Labor Day Weekend brought a PRCA rodeo, with evening rodeos on Saturday and Sunday and an afternoon rodeo on Monday.