CINCH World’s Toughest Rodeo is in town!
The fun begins 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday at the TaxSlayer Center, Moline.
Tickets are still available for the event, which has a lot of festivities in store — including bull riding, barrel racing and other competitions.
Local 4’s Chief Meteorologist Andy McCray reported live from the venue during Friday’s 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts, where organizers could be seen getting the dirt prepped and ready to go for Saturday.
He even had a chance to hop on 2,000-pound Silver Dollar — one of the bulls featured during this weekend’s event.
Andy spoke with Rider Kiesner, a four-time world champion trick roper and two-time world champion gun spinner, who is performing during halftime at each show.
“I’ll be out here doing my very best stuff,” said Kiesner. “This rodeo is one of my favorites to come to.”
Kiesner gave a sneak-peek of tricks he will be performing on Saturday and Sunday.
Austin Singley — one of the rodeo clowns and a big part of the entertainment for the Quad Cities this weekend — also gave a preview of him riding Wilson and Windsor, two Clydesdale horses known as the grandchildren of the World-Famous Budweiser Clydesdales.
Singley recommends those with tickets come to the TaxSlayer Center about 90 minutes before the rodeo officially starts — 6 p.m. on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. — for a special preshow.
“You can come down in the dirt and meet me, Rider the trick roper, contestants,” said Singley. “You can get a picture on a live bull.”
This is the rodeo’s last stop of the season.
After this weekend’s events wrap up, a lot of the performers will be going on to other events across the country.