Mid Missouri Rodeo Association coming to Edgar Springs!
By Kammille Bennett-Williams, Reprinted from the Dixon Pilot
Chris Spurgeon, a Cuba native and former Dixon resident, is the closest thing you can find to a real life cowboy. He has done almost everything you can do regarding horses. He’s broke colts and trained horses nearly all his life and even worked as a horse shoer for 25 years. Spurgeon, at 60 years old, dedicated his youth to The Rodeo. He has over 49 years of experience in the rodeo circuit – from competing to judging, he’s done it all.
At just 11 years old he started his rodeo journey with bull riding. From there he progressed his bull riding and built a name for himself. Spurgeon, who has a love and high respect for horses, also dabbled in saddle bronc horses and steer wrestling. He went on to compete for 22 years in rodeo. Traveling to compete, Spurgeon called Texas home for a few years. While in Texas, he was able to live out every cowboy’s dream and competed in the Professional Rodeo Circuit for three years, sponsored by Justin Boots.
His rodeo dreams didn’t end when he quit competing professionally. Spurgeon went on to become one of the original judges for the Professional Bull Riders Association. He judged the PBR riders for a couple years while it built up into the association we know it as today. Afterward, Spurgeon still didn’t quit, instead he continued building his impressive resume in the rodeo world. He served on the board of several different rodeo associations and even as president of a few. He also continued his judging career. At one time, he held an impressive seven different judging cards for seven different associations. While living out his cowboy dreams there was one constant in Spurgeon’s life, the draw to come back home to the Cuba area.
Eventually Spurgeon settled down in Cuba, Mo., where he opened a saddle repair shop – Rockin Bar S Saddle and Tack. Even with the saddle repair shop, he was still drawn to the rodeo life. Knowing his body couldn’t handle competing anymore, Spurgeon set out to find a way to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with the youth who shared the same dreams he had as a child. For over a year Spurgeon worked on forming the Mid Missouri Rodeo Association. He pored over the planning and organizing, using his lifetime of experiences to help make it the best he could.
When asked what inspired him to create the MMRA, Spurgeon said, “There are a lot of kids that have talent… to move up the ladder and go on to bigger and better things. I want them to have a fair shot and have a stepping stone where they can learn the sport and learn it correctly.”
The Mid Missouri Rodeo Association was centered around the youth and giving them a chance to compete fairly and learn the sport. However, it’s not just for children. There are open events for parents to enter. The MMRA was designed so families can come together and all compete at the same event. The MMRA will primarily host rodeos in a 60-mile radius around Cuba, providing places for families to compete locally.
Forming the Mid Missouri Rodeo Association was not without its challenges, despite the extensive knowledge and experience Spurgeon has to call upon. When asked about some of the challenges he faced in the year he spent in putting it all together, Spurgeon said the paperwork was one of the most challenging parts. He credits his wife for being the one that got him through that part.
“I couldn’t have done it without my wife. She’s done all the paperwork and it’s her first time doing it. She’s doing just an absolutely amazing job. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know how long it would have been before I got it all ready,” he said.
Another challenge Spurgeon cited was getting it organized with the right people in the right places.
“I’ve got a lot of good sponsors. I mean really, really good sponsors that have helped money wise to get the Association going. I couldn’t have done it without them. But a lot of it is hiring judges that you know are going to be honest, and hiring good bull fighters and good announcers. Our Secretary Treasurer, Leslie Porter, she’s just a great lady when it comes to that type of work. It’s all just getting the right people in the right places. This organization could not be put together without everybody together and everybody doing their job,” he said.
Publisher’s Note: The Mid Missouri Rodeo Association will be hosting a rodeo on Friday, June 28, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 29, at 6 p.m., at the Edgar Springs Saddle Club located at County Road 6127, Edgar Springs, north of the Eagle Stop. Each night is a separate payback. Admission is $10, with kids 10 and under entering free. Rodeo events will include mutton busting, mini bulls, calf riding, junior bulls, open bull riding, mini bronc, ranch bronc, chute dogging, team roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and pole bending. Concessions will be available on the grounds. Check the MMRA Mid Missouri Rodeo Association Facebook page for the rule book, which contains entry fees. Call Chris at 573-205-9866 with questions.
