A cowboy tries to stay on the horse during the bronc riding competition of the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)
270 Chronicles: Lone Star Rodeo rides back to Bowling Green for 43rd year
The 270 Chronicles tells stories within Bowling Green’s 270 area code, 270 words at a time, featuring niche events, organizations and people that make up our local community.
Horses line the back of the WKU L.D Brown Agricultural Exposition Center on Saturday, Feb. 8 as cowboys and cowgirls dressed in boots and jeans host the Lone Star Rodeo. This year, the event was held from Friday, Feb. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 9.
According to their website, the Lone Star Rodeo Company was founded in 1949 by Preston Fowlkes Sr. Originally from Marfa, Texas, Fowlkes Sr. later moved to Franklin, Tennessee where the Lone Star Rodeo began. His family continued the rodeo, traveling to 13 states and hosting over 40 events annually.
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The rodeo showcases competitive skills with cattle ranch and livestock. This includes saddle riding, bull riding, team roping and more. Rodeos are also accompanied by entertainment.
Zeb Chapman and his wife, Cassie, from Lafayette, Georgia, said they were raised in and around the rodeo.
Zeb said he competes in tie-down roping and team roping. Cassie competes in breakaway roping. He said that every year, they both compete and attend 20 out of the 40 shows Lone Star hosts nationwide.
“I came to my first Lone Star Rodeo in 1988,” Zeb Chapman said. “My dad was one of the judges.”
“The founding family has been doing this for about 75 years,” Zeb Chapman said. “It’s what they do for a living.”
Cassie Chapman said that they know the owner’s family well, and bought two of their horses from one of the family members.
“Rodeo is a very family-oriented event,” Cassie Chapman said. “We have lots of rodeo family time, spending time and working together.”
Ada Roehr gets ready before the start of the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. Roehr competed for barrel racing. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)Farrah Fowlkes plays with her brother’s, Wilder Fowlkes, cape before the start of the annual Lone Star rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)Braylee Means strokes her horse, Turbo, before they compete for barrel racing during the annual Lone Star rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)Barrel racer Georgia Gray’s horse’s hooves gets cleaned before she competes during the annual Lone Star rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)A barrel racer makes the final turn before finishing out her run during the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Gabriel Milby)Rodeo clown Mike Wentworth riles up the crowd before the start of the Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. The family-owned rodeo event has been held in Bowling Green for 43 years and has been operating for over 70 years. (Photo by Kayden Mulrooney)A bull rider is thrown from his mount at the Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Kayden Mulrooney)A cowboy recomposes after falling off his horse on Saturday, Feb. 8 during the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center in Bowling Green. (Photo by Gabriel Milby)A cowboy attempts to steer wrestle one of the steers during the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)Dren Peden (5) watches the calf roping competition with her dad, Drew Peden, during the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. Drew is a 2012 graduate from WKU. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)A cowboy chases a calf with his lasso during the calf roping competition at the Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. The cowboy missed the calf and did not place in the category. (Photo by Kayden Mulrooney)
An aerialist performs in between events at the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Kayden Mulrooney)
An aerialist performs in between events at the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Gabriel Milby)
Farrah Fowlkes plays with her pony before the annual Lone Star Rodeo starts at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Lindsey McIntosh)A cowgirl tries to stop a barrel from falling during her barrel racing run at the Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. Knocking over a barrel results in a time penalty. (Photo by Kayden Mulrooney)Rodeo clown Mike Wentworth escorts a Vietnam War veteran into the arena to present him with a new TV to thank him for his service at the Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Kayden Mulrooney)A cowboy gets flipped off his bull on Saturday, Feb. 8 during the annual Lone Star Rodeo at the WKU L.D. Brown Agricultural Expo Center. (Photo by Gabriel Milby)
