Mid Missouri Rodeo Association comes to Edgar Springs! – The licking news

By Kamille Bennett-Williams, Reprinted from the Dixon Pilot

Chris Spurgeon, a native of Cuba and a former resident of Dixon, is the closest thing to a real cowboy. He has done almost everything you can do in the field of horses. He has bred foals and trained horses almost all his life and even worked as a horse shoemaker for 25 years. At the age of 60, Spurgeon devoted his youth to The Rodeo. He has more than 49 years of experience on the rodeo circuit – from competing to judging, he’s done it all.

At just 11 years old, he started his rodeo journey with bull riding. From there he progressed into bull riding and built a name for himself. Spurgeon, who had a love and great respect for horses, also dabbled in saddle bronc riding and steer wrestling. He went on to compete in rodeo for 22 years. Spurgeon traveled to compete and called Texas his home for a few years. While in Texas, he was able to fulfill every cowboy’s dream and competed for three years on the Professional Rodeo Circuit, sponsored by Justin Boots.

His rodeo dreams didn’t end when he retired from competing professionally. Spurgeon became one of the original judges of the Professional Bull Riders Association. He judged the PBR riders for a number of years, while the association grew as we know it today. After that, Spurgeon still didn’t give up, but continued to build his impressive resume in the rodeo world. He was a member of the board of several rodeo associations and even chairman of some. He also continued his judging career. He once had no fewer than seven different inspection cards for seven different associations. While he was living his cowboy dreams, there was one constant in Spurgeon’s life: the pull to return home to the Cuba area.

Eventually, Spurgeon settled in Cuba, Missouri, where he opened a saddle repair shop: Rockin Bar S Saddle and Tack. Even at the saddle repair shop, he was still drawn to the rodeo life. Knowing his body could no longer compete, Spurgeon looked for a way to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with the youth who shared the same dreams he had as a child. For more than a year, Spurgeon worked to establish the Mid Missouri Rodeo Association. He immersed himself in planning and organization and used his lifelong experiences to make it the best it could be.

When asked what inspired him to start the MMRA, Spurgeon said, “There are a lot of kids who have the talent… to rise up and go on to bigger and better things. I want them to get a fair chance and have a stepping stone where they can learn the sport the right way.”

The Mid Missouri Rodeo Association was centered around the youth and gave them the opportunity to compete fairly and learn the sport. It’s not just for kids, though. There are open events that parents can participate in. The MMRA is designed so that families can come together and all participate in the same event. The MMRA will primarily host rodeos within a 60-mile radius of Cuba, allowing families to find places to compete locally.

Forming the Mid Missouri Rodeo Association was not without challenges, despite the extensive knowledge and experience Spurgeon has to draw upon. When asked about some of the challenges he faced in the year he spent putting it all together, Spurgeon said the paperwork was one of the most challenging parts. He credits his wife for being the one who helped him through that part.

“I couldn’t have done this without my wife. She’s done all the paperwork and it’s her first time doing it. She simply does fantastic work. “If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to get everything done,” he said.

Another challenge Spurgeon mentioned was organizing it with the right people in the right places.

“I have a lot of good sponsors. I mean really good sponsors who helped financially to get the association going. I couldn’t have done it without them. But a big part of that is hiring judges who you know are going to be fair, and hiring good bullfighters and good announcers. Our secretary-treasurer, Leslie Porter, is just a great lady when it comes to that kind of work. It’s all about getting the right people in the right places. This organization couldn’t be built without everyone being together and everyone doing their job,” he said.

Editor’s Note: The Mid Missouri Rodeo Association will host a rodeo on Friday, June 28 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, June 29 at 6:00 PM at the Edgar Springs Saddle Club, located on County Road 6127, Edgar Springs, north of the Eagle Stop. Each night is a separate payback. Admission is $10, children 10 and under get in for free. Rodeo events include sheep breaking, mini bulls, calf riding, junior bulls, open bull riding, mini bronc, ranch bronc, chute dogging, team roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and pole bending. Concessions will be made on site. Check the MMRA Mid Missouri Rodeo Association Facebook page for the rule book, which includes entry fees. Call Chris at 573-205-9866 with questions.