Tickets on sale July 1 for 86th annual Kansas Biggest Rodeo

Cole Elshere jjj photo kbr 14 — Saddle bronc rider Cole Elshere competes at the 2014 Kansas Biggest Rodeo. This year’s rodeo, the 86th annual, is July 30-August 1. Photo by JJJ Photos.

PHILLIPSBURG — Tickets go on sale July 1 for one of the most anticipated events in Phillips County.

The 86th annual Kansas Biggest Rodeo takes place at the rodeo grounds north of town on July 30 to Aug. 1, and Heritage Insurance in Phillipsburg will have tickets for sale beginning July 1.

This year’s rodeo features rodeo clown Gizmo McCracken, the bucking horses and bulls of Beutler and Son Rodeo co., announcer Randy Corley, and bullfighters Dusty Tuckness and Aaron Ferguson. Cowboy Kenny and the Steel Rodeo Tour returns with their brand of freestyle motocross to finish off every night of rodeo.

For one of the rodeo committee members, volunteering with the rodeo goes back to his childhood.

J.D. Shelton grew up in Stockton and moved to Phillipsburg when he was in the eighth grade. He remembers his dad, Dale, an electrician, working for the rodeo. In the early days, the rodeo was held in the afternoons because there were no arena lights. Under the direction of Wally Sullivan, secretary of the rodeo for many years, lights were installed by Dale Shelton. Dale dug the trenches, and J.D. and his brother hand-filled them around the electrical work. The first night performances of Kansas Biggest Rodeo took place in 1964.

J.D. also remembers helping his dad wire the portable stage that was set up for the celebrity who used to perform after the rodeo. Phillipsburg hosted the likes of Fess Parker, star of television’s “Daniel Boone,” Kevin Curtis from “Gunsmoke,”, country music star Lynn Anderson, and others.

J.D. has been on the rodeo committee for fourteen years, and it’s something he and the other committee members enjoy doing. “The guys are really dedicated, and get no pay,” for being on the committee, he said. The rodeo is “the number one attraction Phillipsburg has. It’s the highlight of the whole year for the county.” His son Jared is also on the rodeo committee.

Reserved seating tickets for the rodeo are $15 for adults and $11 for children ages 3-12. General admission tickets are $13 for adults and $10 for children. The Heritage Insurance office is open from 8 am to 5 pm each day, and closed for the lunch hour, from noon to 1 pm.

The rodeo begins at 8 pm each night, July 30-31-August 1. For more information, visit the rodeo’s website at KansasBiggestRodeo.com or, on Facebook, search for “ksbiggestrodeo”.