By Rita LeBleu

Tickets are now on sale for the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo to be held Feb. 3-5 at Burton Coliseum. Adults pay $15, $20 or $25 and children pay $10, $15 and $20 to see the greatest show on dirt. Livestock show admission is free and designed to foster opportunities for 4-H and FFA youth from across a seven-parish area to develop life skills through raising and exhibiting livestock projects.

Associated livestock and rodeo events have been part of the tradition since 1939, and this year is no exception. Saturday, Jan. 29 begins the week-long Heritage Trailride from Gueydan to Lake Arthur.

Meet Miss Rodeo America Hailey Frederiksen and Miss Rodeo Louisiana Sydney Albritton at Dickie’s Barbecue Pit, 1736 W. Prien Lake Rd. in Lake Charles at 11 a.m. on Tues., Feb. 1. Nationally known rodeo clown Rudy Burns signs autographs at Patton’s Western Wear, 3620 Ryan St. on Thurs., Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.  Bullfighters sign autographs at the Boot Barn, 2990 E. Prien Lake Road Friday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m.

Make time to see the Western Heritage Rodeo Parade before heading out to Burton Coliseum for the opening night of the rodeo. The parade rolls at 5 p.m., from the corner of LaGrange and Patrick streets and travels west to Ryan St. then south to McNeese Stadium.

New this year is the inaugural mutton bustin’ event. In place of the stick horse event, six little buckaroos will cowboy up for the wildest ride of their young lives atop a wiley sheep. Anything goes, and usually does, as contestants hold on as long as they can.

Rodeo performances begin at 7:30 Thursday, Friday and Saturday with an additional Saturday performance at 2 p.m. The box office number is 337-944-9710.