Old Fort Days chutes swing wide open

Family Night of the Old Fort Days Rodeo concluded with no major injuries, and finalists in various competition groups moving on in the week's events.

Rodeo Chairman, Jerry Efurd, spoke about his experience learning the ropes of Old Fort Days.

"I came to this rodeo, which is 89 years old, as a teenager, just somebody in the grand entry, having fun, I rode all my life but I was never a contestant or anything. I just fell in love with the place," Efurd said.

When Efurd retired as a teacher, he was asked to serve as a trustee.

Randy Mizell retired as the rodeo chairman after seven years in 2021, but stayed on the committee to assist Efurd in his new position.

Efurd said he's been to thousands of rodeos, and it's a little odd for him to walk around in the stadium with no scratch pads on.

"It's an incredible experience," Efurd said. "(But) until you get behind the scene and sit in committee meetings and having people gushing because you don't agree with them, until you get the full experience, it's very interesting, but I've loved this year."

Efurd said if nothing else, he's learned so much being chairman.

"The lingo, the little inside jokes, the stories, everything that goes with any sport [I've learned]," he said. "When I meet with (the rodeo committee) I just kind of sit around and listen... I'm like a kid sitting on his grandpa's knee. I'm just all ears."

Efurd attends various rodeos around the U.S., he and his wife even have a bucket list.

He said he's been to many southeast circuit rodeos.

"Some of the little bitty things out of nowhere, they recreate comedy, they have rough physical events for the kids, which you'll see Friday night in our wild pony race, cowboys and cowgirls that grow up that way are just tough, they're tough-spirited."

Efurd appreciates all the support for the Old Fort Days rodeo in its 89 years.

He applauded Debbie Winston, the sponsorship chair for her marketing skills.

"People have just opened their wallets, checking accounts, and come on board as sponsors," he said. "(Winston) has done a super job and we can't run a rodeo without their money. We can't pay the cowboys without that money."

Efurd said it was also special to have an Arkansas native as Miss Rodeo Arkansas and to be in their association and a part of the rodeo committee.

"That's a huge thing for the prestige of the group," he said. "People have been extremely supportive."

Molly Musick, Miss Rodeo Arkansas 2022, is originally from Ozark.

Musick had to complete a pageant process including modeling, interviews, onstage questions, speeches, horsemanship and a knowledge test.

"We have to be very knowledgeable about horses," she said. "Everything that affects the horse or diseases, anything like that."

Another part of contestants' knowledge test is the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the sport of rodeo so the chosen queen can represent and educate others about the sport.

Musick said she grew up in a rodeo queen family. Her sister Micki became Miss Rodeo Arkansas in 2009. Molly shortly followed in her sister's footsteps.

"I'd seen what a great experience it was for her and how it helped her out in her life and everything she accomplished with it and so I just wanted to follow in and get the same experience for myself," she said.

As Miss Rodeo Arkansas, Musick has to fulfill duties of promoting, represent and educate others on the sport of rodeo. Musick travels across the state of Arkansas and the U.S.

"I've been fortunate enough, I went to Florida, I've been spending a lot of time in Kansas, to Missouri, Alabama, everywhere," she said. "I've been traveling every weekend trying to get out, promote our state, promote rodeo and just draw in more fans."

Musick visits elementary schools, interacts with people at other U.S. rodeos or parades and goes "anywhere a rodeo queen is needed."

She will fly to Las Vegas, Nevada in November to compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America.

It's a week-long pageant with interviews, fashion shows, horsemanship and more.

What keeps Musick motivated is the entire Miss Rodeo experience.

"Bottom line, it is really fun," she said. "I do volunteer for this rodeo committee, I was very excited to be a part of this rodeo. I grew up in rodeo and I see how helpful it is and just kind of the lifestyle around it. I love it so much and I want to help keep that alive."

Heath Wright, entertainment committee chairman, selects the national anthem singer, the pastors that deliver the invitation and the bands that play on the Old Fort Days stage, all of which are volunteers at the rodeo.

Wright said the job is right up his alley because he's a musician himself with the band Ricochet. He moved from Nashville and grew up in Vian, Oklahoma and attended the Old Fort Days rodeo with his family.

Wright joined the rodeo committee 14 years ago because he loves the sport of rodeo. In his opinion, it's the only true American sport.

"I think we borrowed everything else from other countries," he said. "The fans are the classiest fans of any professional sport. We still give the glory to God, we still say a prayer before each and every performance. We still sing the national anthem, you won't see anybody take a knee during our national anthem at a rodeo. It's just a wonderful American sport in my opinion."

Wright's son has assisted in setting up for bands and shadowed a production meeting with his father. Wright plans for him to take his position one day.

During the opening ceremony, Efurd got to ride in the sponsored Ram rodeo truck. The owner of the truck said that the rodeo is very fortunate to have thousands of people gather and participate in events like this.

"People don't participate with the number of horses and things that you guys have, he said you're very fortunate, and you see it in the rodeos," Efurd said. "You see we had 6,000 that Monday night, we probably had a 3,000 night last night, probably 4,450 tonight, the numbers are good. We're very excited."

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Third night of rodeo in Fort Smith a success