The Tri-State Fair and Rodeo held performances on Sept 22. Many competitors from across the nation competed in events such as bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf scramble, and many others, along with clowns and motorcycle stunts. After the rodeo, Hotel California hit the Budweiser stage and entertained its audience with songs from the Eagles.Lauren Graham, Miss Rodeo Texas of 2011, carried the American flag during the national anthem while U.S. military solders and veterans were honored at the rodeo. Graham attends Texas A&M and studies Agriculture Communications and Journalism. Graham will have her title for a year and will be competing in the Rangler National Finals Rodeo for Ms. Rodeo in Las Vegas this December. No one has won from Texas in 10 years.During the rodeo, several events including bull riding, “Mutton Bustin’”, barrel racing and team roping took place. “Mutton Bustin’” contestants are children around age five that ride sheep out of a mini chutes for the best recording time.“It is a ball to watch [“Mutton Bustin’”]. These little kids have no fear and most of the time the girls do better than the boys,” Graham said.

With so many events, rodeo clowns are sure to make an appearance. Troy Lerwill, a rodeo clown called “The Wild Child” from Payson, Utah, entertained the audience by making fun jokes with the announcer, Mike Mathis. Lerwill turned out to be the stunt man for the afternoon. He jumped his trailer with his CRF450 motorcycle right after going “out of control”.

“The funnest part is to catch the audience off guard,” Lerwill said. “That’s the best part, the element of surprise.”

The only time Lerwill practices his stunts is when he is performing. He started off as a bull fighter but learned to love the entertainment side of the rodeo and has been doing his stunts for 15 years.

“I like traveling around and have been here [in Amarillo] three times and really enjoy coming here,” said Lerwill. “Anytime you have a fair, carnival, and livestock; it makes it fun. It’s a huge celebration that I get to be a part of.”

After the rodeo, Hotel California took the spotlight at the Budweiser Stage. Hotel California is an Eagles cover band. George Dickinson plays guitar, petal steel, mandolin, and keyboard for the band.

“I had such a good time last time in Amarillo,” Dickinson said. “There’s good people here, that and the food. The local cowboy club did all the cooking and it was real good. We have been to Amarillo at least half a dozen times.”

Dickinson said the band has been together for 25 years and was a weekend band for the first ten years.

“The demand for our show grew so fast, how do you say ‘no’ to that,” he said. “You gotta keep working at it [dedication to the band], it’s a process like everything else.”