In just two more days, Lincoln County will be filled with morecowboys than usual as over 100 mosey into town to strut their stuffin the Second Annual Ole Brook Frontier Days PRCA Pro Rodeo.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday, local residentscan enjoy hours of exhilarating fun at the Brookhaven-LincolnCounty Multi-Purpose Facility.

“It will be some good wholesome entertainment for the entirefamily,” said Earl Klein of Klein Brothers Rodeo, which is incharge of the event.

The cowboys local residents will watch aren’t just average rodeoparticipants, though.

Many are nationally ranked, such as barrel racers Dallas Deweesand Tammy Fontenot. Both are ranked in the top 15 in the world.

Dr. William Kimble is excited about helping bring suchoutstanding talent to the area. He has worked closely with LindaCase, Sheila Britt and Carla Dunaway to ensure a great show forlocal residents.

“It’s hard to get professional quality entertainment,” saidKimble. “Without the sponsorship of local businesses, this couldnever have been possible and we hope that with their continuedsupport this will be an annual event.”

Most of the rodeo participants are from other states, butMississippi will have at least one representative in thecompetition with William Pittman of Florence in the bareback ridingevent, where he has had much success.

“He was the first Mississippian to ever go to the nationalfinals rodeo in the bareback riding contest,” said Klein.

Other contestants, all of whom are members of the ProfessionalRodeo Cowboy Association or the Women’s Professional RodeoAssociation, will come from 10 states in the Southeast Circuit.

“We’ve got good representation,” said Klein. “This rodeo can becompared to the Dixie Nationals. It’s some of the samecowboys.”

He added that this rodeo would be even more exciting than theDixie Nationals for rodeo fans because of the close proximity ofthe crowd to the action.

The competition will be fierce as the more than 100 participantscompete for prize money and points so they can advance to thenationals in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Klein was able to recruit such top notch entertainment becauseof the warm reception local residents showed rodeo participantslast year.

“It speaks for itself getting a repeat of quality cowboys whocould be competing in several other rodeos this weekend, but chosethis one,” said Klein. “A lot of them liked the hospitality and thefacility here.”

Some of the livestock used in the rodeo are also way above theaverage. Many of the horses have received national recognition andhave participated in national finals several times, according toKlein.

The rodeo, which is sponsored by The DAILY LEADER, won’t bewithout local contestants.

“There will also be a local barrel race competition for thegirls and for kids 10 and under there’s a calf scramble,” saidKlein, adding that some area youngsters will even have theopportunity to ride sheep.

Brookhaven native Chad Simmons will provide the pre-rodeoentertainment starting at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Robby Thomas will be the announcer and Dwayne Poteet of Texaswill provide laughs as the rodeo clown.

Tickets for the event will be $10 for adults and $8 for childrenat the gate. Tickets can be purchased in advance at a discount atseveral local businesses.

Area residents can register until Friday at noon to win freetickets at the DAILY LEADER Classified Department. Five pairs oftickets will be given away in a drawing at The DAILY LEADER onFriday.