Rodeo Draws Large Crowd for Country Entertainment

by Sarah Steighner

The Fort Armstrong Championship Rodeo celebrated its 20th year in commission this past weekend, while bringing a truly unique entertainment experience to Ford City.

In fact, all members of this year’s Rodeo Committee, were also competing contestants in the Rodeo.

The rodeo featured a variety of events and entertainment. Bare Back Riding, Bull Riding, Steer Wrestling, Tie Down Roping, Breakaway Roping, and Team Roping were the main events of classes featured. Contestants hailed from all over Pennsylvania and numerous other states including Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and New York.

As if the rodeo style classes weren’t enough, the night’s show also featured entertainment from rodeo clowns, and featured entertainer Jerry Wayne Olson and his horses “Justin Boots” and “Lickety-Split.”

Vendors selling mainly equestrian related items were set up in a barn upon entry into the grounds. Meanwhile, regular summer carnival type foods were sold from a variety of booths. People also scrounged to obtain tickets for the highly anticipated 50/50 raffle. Each night the 50/50 raffle raised around $2,000. Half of the money went to the winner, while the other half went to charity.

Every year the Fort Armstrong Rodeo committee picks a charity in which to support. In past years, organizations such as Autism Speaks, and the American Heart Association have been chosen. This year, half of the 50/50 proceeds went to HAVIN, as this year’s supporting charity.

The family environment introduced newcomers to the rodeo scene, while welcoming back past rodeo fans. As the contestants made their way to the starting gate area with their dusty equipment and well groomed horses, the stands filled up with hundreds of people, where not a single seat was free.

In the stands with her cow bell noisemaker was “Grandma Rodeo.” Dorthy Scheerbaum’s grandson Hunter Scheerbaum was a rodeo contestant competing in the bull riding division. While Scheerbaum is indeed a rodeo grandma, her nickname seemed to be well known amongst the regulars on the rodeo circuit as she was greeted with salutations of “Hey Grandma!” constantly.

While Scheerbaum is from Gibsonia she travels to all of her grandson’s shows, including rodeo’s as far away as Arkansas, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

She explained that her grandson started bull riding when he was 12 and still continues now that he is 21 years old. Hunter attends Murray State University in Kentucky where he also bull rides for the school. During Friday evening’s rodeo, Hunter “covered” his 8 seconds during bull riding which earned him 77 points and put him in second place at the time.

Dorthy also had a granddaughter, Brooke Fairman, competing in the Fort Armstrong Rodeo this year in the breakaway roping division.

While “Grandma Rodeo” is there for her grandchildren’s rodeo wins and even injuries, she genuinely enjoys each rodeo and never misses a contestant perform.
“I watch every person that goes into the ring. They (the rodeo crowd) sit here and talk, but I never take my eyes off of the rodeo,” Sheerbaum said.

The two judges for the weekend rodeo were Bill Slater and Dave Hazlet. Hazlet has been a judge at the Fort Armstrong Rodeo for the past several years.

“The crowd they get here is amazing,” Hazlet said.

Hazlet is also the chairman of the North Washington Rodeo Committee, which takes place August 18 through the 22nd.

“The North Washington Rodeo has been going on for 56 years, and I’ve only missed three nights since it started,” Hazlet said.

While local cowboys and cowgirl contestants received perhaps the loudest applause, the crowd groaned at every knocked barrel, held their breath during each bull ride, and cheered on the whole way in true Rodeo style fashion.

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