Boots, cowboy hats and big trucks dominated the scene at the sixth-annual FarmHouse Rodeo Classic Friday night at the Good Ole Boys arena.
Sean Vanden Heuval, senior in political science and organizer of the rodeo, said FarmHouse was expecting 2,750-3,000 people to attend.
This year's event started with professional rodeo cowboys holding a demonstration followed by students' attempts at several types of rodeo activities, including bronco riding, bull riding, wild horse chase and wild calf roping and wrestling.
After the rodeo portion of the evening, the country band Dirt Drifters opened for the Casey Donahue Band, whose 2009 album "Moving On" was 28th on the Billboard country albums chart.
Currey Weaver, senior in business management, said he wishes he had gone to the rodeo in years past instead of waiting until his senior year.
"One of the most fun times I have had in college," Weaver said. "The rodeo was epic. It got pretty intense watching people on the bulls. The music was great also. I don't know if I've heard someone as good live as Casey Donahue was. So with the rodeo and the music, it was a great experience."
All proceeds from the rodeo were donated to Storybook Farms, a nonprofit, faith-based ministry that provides assisted equestrian activities for children and young adults challenged mentally, physically, socially or emotionally.
Dena Little, founder of Storybook Farms, said the organization had about 900 participants in its horseback riding and other animal-related activities last year, all of which are free-of-charge.
FarmHouse adopted Storybook Farms as its philanthropy in 2004.
"FarmHouse has a great group of guys who volunteer their time out here, which we feel is a great investment with us," Little said.
"They really get to see the benefit of what we are doing out here, and partnering with us long term will help us continue to provide this culture of no-cost program for these kids."
Little said she believes FarmHouse's prior experience working at Storybook Farms caused its members to want to help more.
"They had worked a few years at the Farm after they adopted us in 2004, and I think they got the idea in 2006 to have a fall rodeo to counterbalance the Alpha Psi rodeo, who also works with us some in the spring," Little said.
Adria Vollemer, who works at the FarmHouse fraternity, said the Rodeo Classic adds to Farmhouse's impact in the community and its partnership with Storybook Farms.
"The boys have worked really hard this year to set up," Vollemer said. "I know they really wanted to put on a good rodeo."
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