California Rodeo Salinas kicks off Thursday

The 107th California Rodeo Salinas officially starts Thursday with hundreds of contestants ready to compete.

More than 600 contestants will perform in barrel racing, bull riding, and bucking horses.

There are also many animals ready to perform known as the livestock.

Jed Pugsley, the Livestock Program Administrator with the PRCA traveled from Colorado Springs to be in Salinas to help make sure the animals are taken care of.

Pugsley told KION each animal performs about 2 to 3 minutes a year in total in the rodeo arena and spends the majority of their lives relaxing and being animals.

Pugsley said while there are concerns about the animals in rodeo and critics who say it is cruel, the rodeo officials and live stock contractors number one priority is keeping the animals safe.

“A lot of times people are just misinformed. They’re not able to come behind the pens and see what the animals are doing or see the animals be animals. There are a lot of misconceptions about rodeo and how we treat our animals, but the easiest thing I’ve always told people is if we treat them bad then they don’t compete,” said Jed Pugsley.

California rodeo salinas Marketing Manager, Mandy Linquist, also said they installed new pens for the animals this year.

In addition to the cowboys, cowgirls and livestock, rodeo fans will also see clowns and entertainers at the rodeo. That includes World Champion gun Spinner Johnny hotshot and Will Roberts, Trick roper, Guinness record holder cowboy”.

For more information on the rodeo visit carodeo.com

KION’s Amanda Gomez has the story at 5, & 6 p.m.