Over its 52 consecutive years, tens of thousands of people of all ages and walks of life have witnessed non-stop livestock and rodeo competition and first class entertainers and exhibitions the last weekend of July at the Kueckelhan Ranch on U.S. Hwy. 78 a few miles north of Bonham. Thousands of amateur and professional rodeo athletes have competed for, easily, more than a million dollars in prize money, championship titles in UPRA and CRRA, trophies and ranch equipment.

Widely acknowledged as the most exciting event in North Texas and sanctioned by the United Professional Rodeo Association (UPRA) and the Cowboys Regional Rodeo Association (CRRA), the Haynes Kueckelhan family’s annual rodeo may be the oldest continuous rodeo of its kind in Texas.  

Haynes Kueckelhan is indisputably the patriarch of his ranching family and one of the founders of the seven-state CRRA. The Kueckelhan Ranch arenas are available year-round to young and old alike to learn and practice rodeo, the starting point for many a rodeo athlete, cowboys, cowgirls and livestock, who have gone on to fame and world titles in the national and international rodeo associations.

The first Kueckelhan Ranch rodeo in 1955 on the exact same spot as the present day rodeo arena was staged with old hog wire and crude rough board fence, borrowed rodeo stock and the pickup truck to haul them from Oklahoma, church pews from the Corinth Baptist Church atop a flatbed trailer for spectators, and hand-drawn posters. Local cowboys competed on the horses they rode in on, and spectators passed the hat to show their appreciation to the Kueckelhan family and the competitors.

The entire Kueckelhan family is involved to some degree in the production of the rodeo. You’ll see all of them on the arena grounds, handing out programs, taking tickets, and supporting the senior Kueckelhans, Haynes and wife Malda, with their love and their presence. 

Now attracting national and international professional rodeo sports men and women from around the globe as well as those who aspire to that standing in the pro rodeo circuit, the competition for more than $30,000 in prize money and titles and championship emblazoned saddles, buckles is adjudicated by professional rodeo judges Kent Hall of Bonham and Jacky Hoffard of Gravett, Arkansas.

Rodeo bullfighters whose hallmark is their unique “rodeo clown” image which belies the serious service for the safety of the competitors are Donnie Smith and Jason Gibbs, both of Mount Pleasant, Texas.  The Rodeo Announcer for this year’s event is Brandon McClagen of McAlester, Oklahoma. Equally important to the score and points earned by the competitors is the animal they are riding and the athletic stock provided by Wing Brothers Rodeo Company of Bogata. Through a highly technical breeding program, Wing Brothers has produced Hall of Fame rodeo bulls and horses honored around the world as champion rough stock and rodeo athletes, many of whom have never been successfully ridden.  Calves and steers for the roping events are provided by Kueckelhan heir and partner with his father, Marty Kueckelhan.

Early arrivals will be treated to a nightly pre-show exhibition by Trish Lynn and the 14-member spectacular Cowgirl Chicks, world famous drill team and vocalists who deliver a high-speed, choreographed patriotic theme performance. The Chicks perform for the classic pro rodeo circuit for the benefit of children diagnosed with cancer.

Country music vocalists featured during intermission at the 2007 rodeo are Baillie and the Boys (“The Road That Led Me To You”, “Oh Heart”, “A Fool Such As I”) on Wednesday night, July 25^th and David Ball (“Riding With Private Malone”, “Thinkin’ Problem”) on Thursday night, July 26^th.

Advance tickets are available only through noon on Wednesday, July 25th at Cowboy Mercantile at 108 E. Sam Rayburn Drive in Bonham as well as their store in Durant;  in Sherman at Kemper’s Cowboy Shop on Hwy. 75N, Dennards in the Midway Mall, and Teners on Texoma Parkway at US Hwy. 82; at Cavendars in Paris on NW Loop 266 and Greenville at 5201 Wesley Street; and at Larry Dyson Motors at 2005 West Main in Durant.

Advance ‘season’ passes include all four nights for $20 adults, $10 children. Single night advance tickets are $6 adults, $3 children.  All tickets are general admission and parking is free. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate starting at 6:30pm at $9 adults, $4 children.

Grand Entry Parade participants who are also required to arrive early buy their single-night ticket for $5 adults, $3 children when they are mounted and in the parade staging area. All horsemen and horsewomen are invited to participate in the Grand Entry Parade which has become a spectacle of some note with several hundred local and visiting cowboys and girls on the arena floor at one time each night and mounted on every breed and size of horse, donkey and mule known to man.