Two County Dusters Perform in Sheridan, Mark 25th Anniversary

Two County Dusters performed in Sheridan Friday night during the first night of the Sheridan Rodeo. They mark their 25th anniversary this year. For the last 25 years, they have been performing at area rodeos all over Northwest Missouri and Southwest Iowa. With a patriotic theme, they perform various feats of horsemanship. They were scheduled to perform last year, but the Sheridan Rodeo was rained out for both nights, and they agreed to come back this year.

They are a group of boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17 who have tried out and who have made the squad. They hold tryouts every year. They recently marked their 25th anniversary as alumni reunited. They are open to youth from Northwest Missouri, Southwest Iowa, and Southeast Nebraska who have completed fourth through 12th grades in school.

The outhouse races this year were replaced by the Magic Carpet Rides as Dustin Rowen pulled his dad, Henry Rowen, and Ed Jacobs pulled his son, Chance, around the ring on their horses. Dustin must have felt he was living in the early part of the 20th century, when kids raced horses instead of cars. He pulled his dad at breakneck speed around the ring. But slow and steady won the race as Henry finally fell off, while Chance was able to hold on as his dad was slow and steady.

Lefty the Clown kept everyone on their toes and had a stunt in which he and his “wife” responded to an “emergency” in which the showoff fan, who was obviously drunk, passed out in the rodeo arena and held up the event. Lefty and his “wife” went to attend to the “victim,” only for the “victim” to revive and drive off with Lefty’s “wife” with the heartbroken clown in hot pursuit.

Local favorites tried their hand in some of the events. Cash Jacobs only needed two seconds to take a tumble from the bull. Corey Farrell didn’t stay on his bronco much longer before taking a tumble. Brylea Paxson successfully completed the Barrel Race in just under 17 seconds. Morgan Wallace of Gentry would have won the event and broken the 16 second barrier, but she knocked down one of the barrels.