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By SCOTT MIMS | Special to the Reporter

COLUMBIANA —  Expect another packed house for the 37th Annual Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association Rodeo, set for the weekend of Feb. 23-24 at the Shelby County Exhibition Center in Columbiana.

Three separate times are set for the rodeo events. These are Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. Events will include bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, women’s breakaway roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling, calf roping and team roping.

“This is a full-blown rodeo, eight events, and the competitors actually compete for national points to the IPRA finals in Oklahoma City every January,” said Chip Burnette, rodeo chairman with the Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association. “As a rule, we have sold out Friday night and Saturday night for the last two years. That’s why we went to the Saturday afternoon performance.”

Along with the Saturday performance at 1 p.m., the association hosts a special needs group and furnishes them with a meal and access to a petting zoo.

“We are strictly a nonprofit group,” Burnette said, “and our focus is to give back to the community and educate, especially young people in the school systems through agriculture, and it’s basically a fundraiser for our scholarship program.”

Each year, high school seniors across Shelby County apply for the Association’s scholarship program. Anyone who is interested may reach out via the group’s Facebook page or may otherwise speak with their high school counselor.

The Association also supports the FFA as well as other organizations and charities throughout the community. Burnette said they helped 10 local students  attend the National FFA Convention and Expo last year.

To purchase tickets to the upcoming rodeo, visit Rodeoticket.com. For more information, visit the  Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association official Facebook page.