South Carolina Students Saddle Up for Rodeo Glory and Unlock a $500 Scholarship Chance

Rodeo sports are known for combining culture, tradition, fun, and adventure. However, a county in South Carolina has added another main ingredient to it to attract youngsters to rodeo events. The Newberry community witnessed the participation of several young people to participate in and spectate the annual Newberry Rodeo.

Several high-school students participated in the local rodeo event to win fabulous scholarships as a prize. While the scholarship attracted a lot of participation, many youngsters took part because of their passion for rodeo sports.

Rodeo scholars for the scholarship

Newberry is a historic town recognized for its rustic beauty and small-town charm that has been meticulously and lovingly preserved. The town is also known for its amazing rodeo culture that blooms at the annual Newberry Rodeo event. The event is taking place on 8th and 9th September this year and has lured many participants, especially students. The event is providing a $500 scholarship to the winners to propel them forward for their next big event. In fact, students partake in the events for the scholarship, as well as the fun and lessons it brings. A source from WLTX News 19 covered the event from the ground and spoke to different riders.

According to one of the riders, Jacob Helms, “It teaches kids a lot, like responsibility and having horses, and having to take care of them and stuff like that, so I think it’s good for them.” Helms is looking forward to pursuing rodeo sports professionally and also thinks it is very helpful for students his age. One of the participants, Addi Hunter, is looking forward to becoming a nurse. Despite this, they enjoy the sport and are talented enough to take a shot at the prestigious scholarship. Newberry Rodeo is doing a great job at bringing the youth closer to rodeo sports. However, according to an agriculturalist, it is also bringing kids closer to agriculture.

Bringing the youth closer to the farms

Julie Coates is a long-time agriculturalist and works with the Ag Expo. She has a deep respect for Newberry Rodeo and is hoping for it to rope kids into the farms. “I think it’s important that they are exposed to the agricultural side because that is where your food comes from, where your clothing comes from, it’s where a lot comes from,” said Coates. She said the increased accessibility of everything throws a tarp on the reality of how things are grown and produced.

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The event will resume its joyride on 9th September and see the students compete hard for the top prize. The rodeo event also serves as a local tourist attraction and has several food vendors and food stalls. The event is organized by the Newberry County Agricultural Expo, which is a non-profit body. The yearly rodeo and expo help the Newberry County Career Center Chapter of Future Farmers of America by awarding a scholarship to a student who intends to further their agricultural studies. Events like these act as a two-pronged spear that tackles fundamental problems at the grassroots level. 

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