Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s bareback bronc, George’s Bad Cat, shows rodeo fans why he is one of the top-ranked broncs in the country. Submitted photo

GERRY — Painted Pony Championship Rodeo, the contractor for the annual Gerry Fire Department’s PRCA rodeo, continues to receive national recognition as three of their bulls and five broncs were chosen to make the 2,500-mile round trip to perform at the recent Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Florida.

This rodeo is one of the premier events in rodeo competition, featuring the top two cowboys and cowgirls in the seven traditional rodeo events from each of the 12 rodeo circuits across the nation competing for $1 million and other prizes in the five-performance event. It is televised nightly on the RFD network, as well as the CBS Sports Network for the final performance.

The highlight of the trip for the Painted Pony owners was seeing their “First Frontier Bull of the Year,” Holly Holy, take Garrett Smith of Rexburg, Idaho, for an 85-point ride and the bull riding championship in the final performance. In addition to winning more than $25,000 in cash, Smith took home a voucher for $20,000 toward a new Ram vehicle, a Polaris Ranger ATV, a pair of Justin boots, a handmade saddle, and a Montana Silversmiths belt buckle.

Prior to the Kissimmee event, the Painted Pony stock made stops to compete in rodeos in Raleigh, North Carolina; and Okeechobee, Davey and Brighton, Florida. Their “Bareback Bronc of the Year” in the First Frontier Circuit, George’s Bad Cat, helped Daylon Swearingen of Rochelle, Georgia, win that event in the Okeechobee Cowtown Rodeo. In addition, their outstanding mare, J8 Pretty Girl, took former world champion Ryder Wright of Milford, Utah, for an 81.5-point ride to capture the saddle bronc event there.

The Painted Pony owners, Shawn and Shana Graham, will be bringing more than 100 head of their stock from their ranch in Lake Luzerne to Gerry to help the volunteer fire department celebrate 75 consecutive years of rodeo for four nights, Wednesday, July 31 through Saturday, Aug. 3. All proceeds benefit the fire department.

This is now the longest consecutively running rodeo east of the Mississippi and will feature more than 200 cowboys and cowgirls from across the nation competing for $50,000 in prize money. Other special events, including two nights of fireworks, are planned to mark this unique event in Western New York.

Additional information is available on the rodeo website, www.gerryrodeo.org, or by phone at 985-4847 or 1-888-985-4847.