Homestead rodeo — the southernmost rodeo in the continental United States — is Jan. 25-27, 2013.
Florida is a strange amalgam of Deep South meets New York, with a little Havana and Puerto Rico thrown in.
If you travel around the Sunshine State, you also learn about a rich history of cattle ranching and “cow hunters” — what Florida called its Cracker cowboys, who “hunted” cattle by rounding them up with distinctive-sounding bullwhips.
So, it is not all that surprising that Florida has a rich history of rodeos in its small towns. One of the longest lasting traditional rodeos and the southernmost rodeo in the United States is in Homestead.
Homestead’s rodeo takes place at Harris Field, U.S. 1 and Campbell Drive. (If you have a long memory, you may recall this was the key location for distributing aid after Hurricane Andrew devastated Homestead in 1992. )
The Homestead Rodeo celebrates its 64th year in 2013. It’s one of the first rodeos in the circuit of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn., and thus draws cowboys from around the country who want to start accumulating points toward the December national finals.
The rodeo is a mix of professional rodeo events and small-town celebration.
Seven championship events are featured; bare-back and saddle bronco riding, tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, cowgirls’ barrel racing and the crowd-pleasing bull riding.
In between events, there is entertainment including the Homestead Everglades Posse Precision Mounted Drill team and the crowning of the 2012 Homestead Rodeo Queen.
Homestead Rodeo details:
- Times: 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25, 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 and 2 p.m. Sunday Jan. 27, 2013.
- Admission is $15 adults, $5 for kids.
- There is a free rodeo parade at 11 a.m. in downtown Homestead on Saturday.
Find out more about the Homestead rodeo here.
Here’s a video from last year’s bull-riding event.
More things to do in Homestead:
- Spend the day at Everglades National Park, using our visitor guide.
- While in Homestead , stop at Robert is Here for a key lime milkshake.
- Venture a bit south on Card Sound Road for Alabama Jack’s.
- Stop at Knaus Berry Farm for the famous cinnamon rolls and more.
- Snorkel a shipwreck at Biscayne National Park
- Everglades canoe trail: Nine Mile Pond
- Take a scenic ride through the nearby Florida Keys and bring along our Florida Keys Mile Marker Guide.
- Another worthwhile road trip is through nearby Everglades National Park.
Book a campsite in Everglades National Park through ReserveAmerica
Book a room near Homestead:
Dewey,
If you went to the rodeo, we’d be interested in your reactions. Might help folks next year decide about going to the event. Thanks!
Searched three time to find an itinerary – was not one?
Timing of events left to the daily discretion of the show – now that is what Tennesseans call a pig in the poke.