Ancient City Pro Rodeo to bring professional cowboys to St. Augustine

Professional cowboys are coming to St. Augustine! The Ancient City Pro Rodeo features bucking broncos, bareback riding, steer wrestling, a family-friendly lawn festival and more on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 1 and 2. The rodeo is hosted by Ancient City Farmstead, St. Augustine’s premier rustic outdoor event venue, in partnership with J.C. Kitaif Pro Rodeos, a leading producer of PRCA-sanctioned professional rodeos across the American South.

“The Ancient City Pro Rodeo will be fun for all ages, with activities spread across our acres of historic barns and stables,” said Dan Laubacker, president of Ancient City Land Management, the family-owned company behind Ancient City Farmstead. “From mechanical bulls and axe throwing to line dancing, a vendor market and lawn games, this festival has something for everyone!” 

“Local rodeos can have a huge impact on our cities and communities by encouraging tourism and boosting the economy while promoting agriculture and the western way of life,” said Jade Kitaif, the second-generation general manager of family-owned J.C. Kitaif Pro Rodeos. “We hope families from around North Florida will join us for an exciting two days of the best athletes in the business!”

For two action-packed evenings, the Ancient City Pro Rodeo will showcase all seven of rodeo’s classic events, each a unique test of skill, courage and partnership between athlete and animal:

• Bareback Riding — Rodeo's most physically demanding event, bareback riders grip a simple handhold while their broncs twist, turn, and launch into the air. 

• Steer Wrestling — Steer wrestling combines horsemanship, timing and raw power as competitors leap from their horses at full gallop to wrestle a running steer to the ground. 

• Team Roping — The only true team event in rodeo pairs a header and heeler in a coordinated effort to rope a steer's horns and hind legs.

• Saddle Bronc Riding — Rodeo's classic event traces its roots directly to ranch work, as cowboys showcase controlled elegance atop specially bred bucking horses.

• Tie-Down Roping — Tie-down roping tests a cowboy's ability to rope a calf from horseback, dismount, flank the calf and secure three legs with a piggin' string.

• Barrel Racing — This Women’s Professional Rodeo Association event combines blazing speed with precise turns where mere hundredths of seconds separate victory from defeat.

• Bull Riding — During the final event of each night, riders attempt to conquer 2,000 pounds of twisting, bucking bovine athlete for eight seconds with only a flat braided rope for support. It's often called the “most dangerous eight seconds in sports” for good reason.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, gates open at 3 p.m. for a family festival, including live music, food trucks and bars, axe throwing, lawn games, a local vendor market, a mechanical bull and line dancing with instruction in the barn. The pro rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m.

On Sunday, Nov. 2, gates open for the festival at 11 a.m. and the pro rodeo begins at 2 p.m.

Advance tickets are $15 for kids ages 4-15 and $25 for adults. Children under age 3 are admitted free. VIP packages and military discounts are available. Ticket prices increase the week of the rodeo. Get tickets at ancientcityprorodeo.com.