web1_111417967-0c2d455a28ea4292bc89a80f03406a65.jpg

Former PSU coaches defensive about Sandusky accusations

web1_TTL071716ertley.wed_.jpg

Traci Elizabeth Ertley and Mark Marcellus Coons united in marriage

<p>BENTON &#8212; The Benton Rodeo Association&#8217;s 32nd annual rodeo wrapped up on Sunday.</p><p>The family-friendly event pits riders and their animals head-to-head to see who&#8217;s the fastest, strongest and roughest cowboy and cowgirl.</p><p>The event benefits local charities and service groups.</p><p>Veteran rodeo announcer Doug Simcox said his favorite event is the women&#8217;s barrel racing, which began Saturday.</p><p>&#8220;In my opinion, that&#8217;s the best event in the rodeo,&#8221; Simcox, of Taylorsville, Kentucky, said.</p><p>He explained that the women must control their horses to navigate around barrels in a clover-leaf pattern. If a horse knocks a barrel down, five seconds is added to the competitor&#8217;s final time. The rider with the fastest time wins.</p><p>In all, Simcox said about 300 contestants competed throughout the weekend in events like bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling and calf roping. The main events include bull riding, as well as Bull-A-Rama.</p><p>The rodeo association also held a walk/run for the Leukemia Association Saturday morning before the events began and wagon rides for disabled children through a &#8220;Special Kids Roundup&#8221; program.</p><p>Linda Dent, association chairperson, said a horse was also raffled off with proceeds from the raffle being split to aid four local charities.</p><p>Rodeo clown Trent McFarland was on hand throughout the event, adding a hint of silliness and entertainment to the otherwise-serious rodeo.</p><p>A second-generation rodeo clown, McFarand &#8212; who came from Hopehull, Alabama to be at the event &#8212; has been in the industry for about 25 years, traveling around the country to add a bit of fun into the competitions.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve got bull fighters that do a very dangerous job,&#8221; McFarland said. &#8220;That is not me.&#8221;</p><p>Both he and Dent agreed their favorite part of the rodeo is a children&#8217;s event called &#8220;Mutton Bustin,&#8221; where children are placed on top of sheep. The sheep are released by their handlers, and the children - like bull riders - must try to stay on top of the sheep. The one that stays on the longest wins.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the greatest event in rodeo,&#8221; Dent said with McFarland in agreement.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tanner Phipps competes in the bareback bronc riding competition at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tanner Phipps competes in the bareback bronc riding competition at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday night. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo16.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">James Greco, 4, peeks out from the brim of his cowboy hat while waiting for the rain to stop at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo16.jpg</photo1><caption1>James Greco, 4, peeks out from the brim of his cowboy hat while waiting for the rain to stop at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday night. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tim Palmer is helped from his horse during the bareback bronc competition at the Benton Rodeo. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Tim Palmer is helped from his horse during the bareback bronc competition at the Benton Rodeo. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hadley Deshazo competes in tie-down roping. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Hadley Deshazo competes in tie-down roping. </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Colby Clement competes in the calf tie down competition. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Colby Clement competes in the calf tie down competition. </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Taking down a calf was made more difficult by the rain and slick mud conditions at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo6.jpg</photo5><caption5>Taking down a calf was made more difficult by the rain and slick mud conditions at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday night. </caption5><photoCredit5></photoCredit5></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A mud- and rain-soaked cowboy waits on top of the gates to release a calf during the tie-down competition. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo6>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo2.jpg</photo6><caption6>A mud- and rain-soaked cowboy waits on top of the gates to release a calf during the tie-down competition. </caption6><photoCredit6></photoCredit6></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo8.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A cowboy assistant waits to help bronc riders.7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo7>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo8.jpg</photo7><caption7>A cowboy assistant waits to help bronc riders.7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</caption7><photoCredit7></photoCredit7></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo9.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo8>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo9.jpg</photo8><caption8></caption8><photoCredit8></photoCredit8></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo10.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Keeping dry was a challenge at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo9>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo10.jpg</photo9><caption9>Keeping dry was a challenge at the Benton Rodeo on Saturday. </caption9><photoCredit9></photoCredit9></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo11.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo10>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo11.jpg</photo10><caption10>7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</caption10><photoCredit10></photoCredit10></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo12.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo11>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo12.jpg</photo11><caption11>7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</caption11><photoCredit11></photoCredit11></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo13.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo12>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo13.jpg</photo12><caption12>7/16/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</caption12><photoCredit12></photoCredit12></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo15.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo13>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071816Rodeo15.jpg</photo13><caption13></caption13><photoCredit13></photoCredit13></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Benton Rodeo celebrates 32 years of ridin’ and ropin’