SAN ANTONIO — Let's rodeo San Antonio! Next year's San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is on, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The official announcement was made public Thursday that the event will take place from February 11 through the 28.
One big change to next year's rodeo: It'll be moving from the AT&T Center to the Freeman Coliseum next door. The Coliseum is where the rodeo was held for many years, which is with they're calling it a "retro rodeo."
Lauren Sides, the Communications and Public Relations Manager for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo told KENS 5, "If you've been around in San Antonio for a while, you may recognize the Freeman Coliseum as it was our home for over 50 years prior to the AT&T Center being built."
The reason it's moving to the Coliseum is the rodeo can adhere to current pandemic safety guidelines, and have fewer people in attendance. But, if you are there for entertainment, they will still be having those concerts after the rodeo, and plenty of events.
Sides added, "In terms of the action packed rodeo events you are used to seeing, we will have all of those being brought back along with the top 50 BRCA rodeo contestants."
One of those contestants is the number one steer wrestler in the world, Matt Reeves. Reeves said, "We are thrilled to be able to have a big event and go to San Antonio. It's a wonderful event. I never got to compete in Freeman. I saw it a lot when I was a kid at the stock show so it'll be fun to get to go there now."
The big announcement is a huge boost for all of the contestants. Reeves added, "I mean the winter is looking slow, kind of like the rodeos were in the rest of 2020, with Denver and Fort Worth canceling and some others being not as good as they were."
And because the rodeo is a non-profit, being able to continue the tradition in February means so much more. Sides told us, "Each year, we help educate over 21,275 students throughout the state, so we are really excited to be able to get back and help educate future generations."
Rodeo officials also said that they are working on health and safety guidelines, and for updates, keep checking SA Rodeo's website.
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