680 contestants entered at Navajo Ag Expo
Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Round Rock, Ariz. cowboy Whystle Joe is entered in Saturday night's performance in the Navajo Ag Expo in Window Rock. The event is an INFR Qualifier event with 680 contestants competing.
WINDOW ROCK
This weekend’s Navajo Ag Expo expects to draw a record 680 contestants for its Indian National Finals Rodeo Qualifier.
The four-day expo starts on Thursday, with the Frazier Shows Carnival opening at 6 p.m.
“We’re just blown away with the number of contestants,” said EdMiles Harvey, a program and project specialist with the Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture.
“We want to put on a great event for all of our contestants that are entered,” he said.
Harvey said the Navajo Nation-hosted event is the largest in INFR Qualifier history, with the event winners earning a bid to this year’s INFR, scheduled for Oct. 24-28 at the South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The cool thing about hosting this INFR Qualifier is instead of going with one stock contractor, we’re going with all the stock contractors,” he said. “We’re telling all the rough stock contractors to bring their five best animals so that we can showcase some of the Navajo Nation’s greatest stock.”
Harvey is anticipating having 20 rough stock contractors from the Navajo Nation that have purchased their INFR cards.
“We want to make sure that everyone is at the table,” he said.
The INFR Qualifier is a one go-round event with two slacks and two performances scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
The first slack will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by a 7:30 p.m. performance. On Sunday, slack will begin at 10 a.m., and the second performance is at 1:30 p.m.
On Friday, a Summer Futurity Bull Challenge will occur at 10 a.m. inside the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena. Later that evening, over 30 bull riders will test their mettle in an Open Bull Riding at 7 p.m.
Harvey said Justin Silversmith is coordinating the bull challenge.
“They’re recognizing a lot of Navajo Nation stock contractors that have animals that can compete with the professional animals,” Harvey said. “We want to showcase those animals to everybody to show that, ‘Hey, we have professional quality stocks on the Navajo Nation.”
Harvey said the champion from the open bull riding would have an invite to the Bucking on the Rez, a PBR event that is scheduled during the Navajo Nation Fair.
“Our champion bull rider will have a chance to compete with some professional bull riders,” he said.
Harvey said his team is working hard to make the expo a memorable experience for the contestants and fans. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and children. There is also a $5 parking fee.
“We’re working with a very young team, but we feel confident with the way we’re planning each event,” Harvey said.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow