Masbate rodeofest attracts 45 teams

MANILA, Philippines - Forty-five teams dispute top honors in nine events in the national Rodeo finals being held as part of the 21st Rodeo Festival in Masbate.

The organizing Rodeo Masbateño Inc. has put up the Rodeo Festival 2014 management team to ensure the successful staging of the event, also held to lure a record number of local and international tourists in the festival showcasing the ranch work skills.

Events on tap are whip cracking, load carrying relay, cattle wrestling on foot, castle wrestling from horseback, cattle lassoing from horseback, two-person carambola, four-person carambola and bull riding.

“Masbateños love rodeo and it is magnified during the rodeo festival. After witnessing and participating in a very successful festival last year, I hope that more people will get involved this year. The Rodeo Festival plays a significant role in the province’s tourism and economic sectors. The success of the Rodeo Festival is the success of Masbateños,” said RMI president Judge Manuel Sese.

The province of Masbate is home to big and small ranches with professional cowboys in charge of taking care of the animals. Thus, rodeo goes deep into the culture of Masbateños. What was once a regular ranch activity has evolved into a highly competitive national event.

“Here in Masbate where there is a large concentration of ranches and cowboys, Rodeo is entrenched in our culture. Because where there is a cattle industry, there are cowboys, and where there are cowboys, there are rodeos. If you come to the province, you will personally witness how the ranches, cowboys and rodeos blend so naturally,” said Leo Gozum, who has served as the Rodeo director for more than a decade.