Tri-State Rodeo Association contestants, including a national high school rodeo champion, will be in Lincoln County today and Saturday to participate in the Mississippi Spring Fest and Fair rodeo. 

The sixth installment of the fair will include a full rodeo with bareback riding, timed events and bull riding.

“We just felt like the audience was craving the full rodeo,” Lincoln County Civic Center Executive Director Quinn Jordan said.

Jennifer Calhoun, liaison between the civic center and the Tri-State Rodeo Association, said the rodeo will start at 7 p.m. and last two hours. The rodeo will be immediately followed by concerts. On Friday the after-rodeo concert artist will be Jeff Bates. Brookhaven native Jeff Nunnery will perform after the rodeo on Saturday night.

“It’s full of action,” Calhoun said. “It’s action all the way and all about speed.”

Calhoun said the local rodeo will consist of the same contestants from the Dixie National Rodeo — about 200 — making the events the largest the Tri-State Rodeo Association has put on in about two years. Marcus Theriot, a high school student who has won the national high school rodeo championship for the past two years, will be competing in calf roping, steer roping and team roping.

Calhoun said the concerts that follow the rodeo events are unique.

“It’s really something we only do for Dixie National,” she said.

Admission to the rodeo and concert for each night is $15. Arm bands for the day-fair Friday are $20 and $25 for armbands on Saturday.