Havasu Prepares For Little Delbert Days, Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo

Dust off your boots and hats, it’s time for Little Delbert Days and the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo.

Little Delbert Days will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jan. 27 and 28 at the SARA Park Rodeo Grounds, with the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo going on from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. The event is presented by the Friends of the Fair.

Event organizer Mark Cowper said families can expect an expanded “kids zone” this year inside the blue building at the rodeo grounds, as well as a variety of other events and activities that have become the mainstays of the event.

“This is all about community and family,” Cowper said.

Mutton Bustin is one of the events held for kids during Delbert Days. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Little Delbert Days activities will include gold panning, king of the hill, roping arena, back hoe challenge, bounce houses, petting zoo, cow jousting, pony rides, shooting gallery, rock-climbing wall, peddle tractor races and bungee jump. There will also be kids’ sheep, calf and steer riding each morning. Signup begins at 10 a.m., and kids’ rides will go from 11 a.m. to noon.

The Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo will then take over the area each afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m. Competition events will include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and steer roping.

Food and drink vendors will be on site all weekend, and the Blue Country Band will provide live entertainment on Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m.

Caleb Llyod feeds the goats at the petting zoo during the 2017 Delbert Days. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Cowper said this weekend marks the kick-off event for the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo. He added that they expect about 12,000 people to participate over the weekend, and that isn’t including the more than 200 volunteers who will be running the activities, booths and event logistics.

“This whole facility is run by volunteers,” Cowper said. “And one of the cool things about this community is that the kids who come out and participate when they’re in elementary school often come back to volunteer as high school students.

“And to me this whole event is about giving back to the community. If you can teach kids who are young to volunteer and give back, then they’ll continue to do volunteer work the rest of their lives.”

Admission is $15 for adults and free for children 15 and younger. SARA Park Rodeo Grounds are located at 7200 Dub Campbell Parkway, Lake Havasu City.

For more information, visit https://www.havasurodeo.com.