Sikeston siblings Sawyer Raye Warren (left) and Tuf Williams Warren and their family hold season tickets to the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, which runs through Saturday, August 10.

Photo provided/Shannon Williams Photography

SIKESTON – Tuf Williams Warren and his sister Sawyer Raye Warren own season tickets to the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, making them the fourth generation in their family to attend the annual event, now in its 72nd year.

Kelly Williams, Tuf and Sawyer’s maternal grandmother, said she and her husband Marty Williams have been attending the rodeo for many years and bring their daughter every year.

Even when Kelly and Marty were children, their parents took them with them.

“I’ve only missed one show in my entire life,” Kelly said. “Not four days, just one day, but other than that I’ve never missed a rodeo.”

Marty talked about his family and said that he and his siblings went to the rodeo every year when they were kids.

Marty’s father, Mickey Williams, and mother, Jeannie Williams, purchased season tickets in 1963, starting a family tradition of attending the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo all four nights each year.

“I can’t remember ever not going to rodeos as a kid,” Marty said. “My dad had eight brothers and four sisters, and almost all of them went to the rodeo every year.”

Tate Warren, daughter of Kelly and Marty and mother of Tuf and Sawyer, said she went to rodeos every year as a child and it was always a big family tradition that she cherished.

“My dad is a retired FBI agent, and when I was younger we lived in Louisiana for a few years and still came to Sikeston for four nights every year for the rodeo,” Warren said.

Warren even named her son Tuf after Tuf Cooper, a famous calf catcher.

“Tuf Cooper is a great Christian and something of a rodeo king,” Kelly said. “His father and uncle were world champion calf catchers. Anyone who knows anything about rodeo knows who the Cooper men are.”

Warren agreed with her mother.

“I just thought what a great role model our son would be, so we named him after Tuf Cooper, the lasso thrower,” Warren said.

Warren said she always wanted to take her children to rodeo, just like her parents took them when she was growing up.

“Last year was Tuf’s first year and it was a really cool experience because we got a picture of my dad, Tuf and Rick Young, the rodeo clown,” Warren said. “He performed at the Sikeston Rodeo for years, so it was a great memory for Tuf to meet him and get a picture with him.”

According to Warren, Sawyer also enjoys rodeo and she plans to enter her in the rodeo’s Little Mr. and Miss Western beauty pageant next year.

Warren added that she was just as determined to attend the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo as her parents were. She even gave away Taylor Swift concert tickets that she had five years ago so she could attend the Sikeston Rodeo.

One of the aspects Kelly particularly appreciates about the Sikeston Rodeo is the fact that it is a major community event.

“It’s an event you can take your family to,” Kelly said. “The Jaycees are so supportive of Sikeston. Rodeo is the only sport where people actually pray before it starts, and yet everyone stands for the flag and the national anthem. I think that’s one of the reasons our family is still so interested in it.”

Kelly and Marty said they have attended the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas several times and that the atmosphere at rodeos is the same everywhere.

“All rodeos are like that,” Kelly said. “It almost feels like a big family.”

Marty agreed.

“I just think it’s great how the city stands behind it and supports it,” said Marty.

Marty said he and his family have held the same 10 seats for about 40 years.

Marty also mentioned that he roped when he was younger and that his family has always had horses and cattle involved, so rodeo has always been a shared pastime for him and his family.

“One of my favorite things to do is go to Slack in the morning and watch the lassoing,” Marty said.

Marty and Kelly said they like to invite friends from out of town to the rodeo so they can see what it’s all about.

“Until my parents got older, every year on the Saturday of the rodeo, there was a family reunion with my family here in Sikeston and then we all went to the rodeo,” Marty said. “The reunion lasted from noon to 4 p.m. and then we went to the rodeo.”

Marty said he has met many professional cowboys over the years and they all have positive things to say about Sikeston.

“They’ll say it’s extremely hot here, but the atmosphere in Sikeston is great,” Marty said. “Cowboys want to come to the Sikeston Rodeo.”

Marty and Kelly also praised the Sikeston Jaycees for their great performance at the rodeo, which they accomplish every year.

“The rodeo is a great family event and many families come together every year,” said Sikeston Jaycee Noah Curtis. “Many people in the community have committed to attending all four nights of the rodeo each year.”