By Haley Mitchell Godwin

The 37th Annual Crenshaw County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments (CCAVFD) Rodeo brought excitement and community spirit to Luverne Aug. 2 – 3 at the Tom Harbin Ag Center. 

Kicking off the festivities, a free pre-rodeo concert at Turner Park on Thursday featured performances by Benjie Sanders and Kyle Richburg. Flint’s Smokehouse served pulled pork sandwiches, various sides and pineapple sausage, while Tipsy Gypsy offered flavored handmade lemonades and Dixieland Kettle Corn was also on site.

Sanctioned by the National Cowboy Pro Rodeo Association (NCPRA) and produced by 5T Rodeo Company from Poplarville, Mississippi, the annual contest is a cherished community event. It provides two nights of exhilarating, family-friendly entertainment and serves as a crucial fundraiser, supporting the operations of the twelve Crenshaw County volunteer fire departments. There were over 200 contestants each night event wide with thousands of dollars in prize money brought home by the rodeo participants.

Frankie Sims, Chief of the Fullers Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, has been helping with the rodeo since day one.

“The rodeo is a fundraiser but it is also about giving back to the community and providing something they enjoy so much and look forward to every year,” Sims said. “Obviously I enjoy the rodeo and all the different events associated with it and I’ve always wanted to see our rodeo grow and be successful, and I believe we have accomplished that. There’s a lot of people who deserve credit for seeing this through when the opportunity to bring a rodeo to Crenshaw County came up almost 40 years ago. Without their vision and commitment, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Sims acknowledged the hard work and dedication of the various volunteer fire department members who contributed to the event’s success.

“We, the Crenshaw County Volunteer Fire Association, are fortunate to carry on this tradition,” Sims said. “Hopefully, we can continue this and pass it down to the next generation. It’s exciting to see talent that has been at our little rodeo now competing at the national level. I’m very proud of our rodeo and proud of the young people I see stepping up.”

Chief of the Bullock Community Volunteer Fire Department, Harrison Weed, shared aerial footage from a drone during the rodeo on the CCAVFD Rodeo’s Facebook page.

Weed praised Sims for his pivotal role in the rodeo’s continued success.

“An event like this has many moving parts, and we all have to work together for it to be a continued success,” said Weed. “I’ve only been helping with the rodeo for the past 4-5 years, but it’s clear that Mr. Frankie is the heart and soul of the Crenshaw County Rodeo. He organizes the event, leads the planning committee, and even plows the arena before and after each night of competition. His hard work and dedication ensure everything is perfect. We wouldn’t have the rodeo without him, and I think I can speak for all of the firemen in the county when I say just how grateful we are to have him.”

For information on next year’s rodeo, follow Crenshaw County Rodeo on Facebook.