The spookiest night on arena dirt: Tarleton’s Halloween Rodeo

BY MACKENZIE JOHNSON /Multimedia Journalist 

364 days of the year, Stephenville, Texas, crawls with rodeo athletes of all kinds. 

The other singular day of the year, Stephenville is still filled to the rim with cowboys and cowgirls, just this time in costume. 

Although the exact day of the week differs, it does occur every year on Oct. 31, and more notably, on the holiday of Halloween. 

This year, on Thursday, Oct. 31, Tarleton’s annual Halloween Rodeo returned once more to the Doty Rodeo Complex. 

Tarleton’s Halloween Rodeo is a tradition much of the Stephenville community pencils in between their evening plans for trunk or treats and festive parties. It’s also one that the many local rodeo contestants plan to compete in. 

“The Halloween Rodeo is such a fun event,” Brittany Stewart, associate head Tarleton rodeo coach said. “It’s a light hearted event that allows any and everyone to enter and compete - especially in Stephenville where it’s the “who who” of the rodeo world dressed up and competing. It allows us to do what we love to do, which is rodeo, but also gives the community a fun event to attend.”

The community isn’t just involved in the Halloween Rodeo based on attendance, but are also actively involved in directly aiding the college rodeo program since all Tarleton rodeo hosted events are put on in support of the champion team. 

Competitor entry fees vary, but admission to get into the Halloween Rodeo is a small $5 gate fee in exchange for getting to watch 10 events - bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, steer wrestling, goat tying, ladies steer riding, team roping, bull riding and barrel racing.  

Beyond the contestant costume contest, children 12 and under are also encouraged to dress up for a cash prize to the winner. 

 “Our annual Halloween Rodeo is one of our favorite events we put on here at the Doty Rodeo Complex,” Hadley Kibbe, marketing and event coordinator for Tarleton rodeo said. “We love that the community is involved with the costume contests. Overall, it's really just a fun atmosphere and a crowd favorite that is talked about year-round. Smarty has especially been great to us, and we are thankful for their support all throughout the year.”

Smarty Rodeo is a company that specializes in providing western products along the lines of saddles, training equipment and more. Smarty Rodeo is also a company that happens to be greatly involved in Tarleton rodeo and the events they put on, such as the Halloween Rodeo. 
“Smarty Rodeo has a mission to cultivate champions in and out of the arena, and we believe that participating with colleges like Tarleton who have some of the same objectives provides resources to the kids that will help them develop skills and be a part of experiences that get them one step closer to success,” Amanda Shaffer, vice president of business development at Smarty Rodeo said. 

Being so esteemed in the rodeo world, Smarty has the option to invest in just about any rodeo program out there, and it’s no doubt that Tarleton rodeo’s shared mission of cultivating champions is what led Smarty to invest in them. 

“Tarleton Rodeo is special to us because we can be accessible to them,” Shaffer said. “The team is made up of passionate rodeo athletes and Mark (Eakin) is very instrumental in working with us to have a successful partnership that both parties feel is beneficial.”

Although Smarty is involved with many Tarleton rodeo events and affairs, the Halloween Rodeo is one most adored. 

“Smarty Rodeo participates in the Halloween Rodeo because it’s creative and fun for the community,” Shaffer said. “Because the community has a strong presence in the rodeo arena, it’s a natural fit for us to be involved when and where we can.  The biggest way we support rodeo is through promotion on our national platforms in an effort to bring awareness to the Tarleton Rodeo program.” 

And it’s no secret that part of that awareness happens at fun events like the Halloween Rodeo, for collegiate and professional rodeo athletes will only decorate their horses and pull out their most beloved and embarrassing costume once every 365 days, and it happens every year Halloween night on the arena dirt of the Doty Rodeo Complex.