HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — The Cass County Sheriff’s Auxiliary Rodeo returns for a fourth year this weekend. It’s become a beloved tradition on the first weekend of October, but that wasn’t always guaranteed.
“We’re always looking for a big fundraiser to provide services to the Sheriff's Office and to the community,” Cass County Sheriff’s Auxiliary President Darren Rew said. “So, I went to our membership and said, ‘Hey guys, do you think this is something we can do?’ They thought I was nuts.”
CR McKellips Rodeo actually stages the rodeo for the Sheriff’s Auxiliary, which handles everything else.
“It's a lot of work ahead of time, but it is great,” Vice President Lauren Hill, whose husband is a Cass County deputy, said. “It’s a great event, and there's a lot of people who benefit from it, so it's really cool to get to be a part of it.”
The two-night rodeo is set for Friday, Oct. 3, and Saturday, Oct. 4, at North Park Arena, 1503 Jefferson Parkway in Harrisonville.
Proceeds raised from the event help fund a variety of community projects, including a memorial for fallen deputies.
“We do DARE, we do the Tan Santa,” Rew said.
For Tan Santa, think Shop With a Cop, but with sheriff’s deputies leading kids from the community on holiday shopping sprees.
“They even do a shout out to Special Olympics, having us stand up and wave to everyone and having fun,” said John Eckart, a Special Olympian from Kansas City, Missouri.
For the third straight year, the Cass County Sheriff’s Rodeo kicks off Friday with a special dinner for athletes from Special Olympics Missouri, along with some kids from a local group home.
“I look forward to coming here every year, seeing the rodeo,” Shyann Gray, a Special Olympian from Independence, said.
She loves getting dressed up like a cowgirl and watching barrel racing, while Eckart enjoys the bull riding.
“Our favorite thing is when the clown is out,” he said. “He allowed us last year to ride those stick horses, and my group won, but they said I cheated.”
It was all in the name of fun and community.
“It's a family-friendly event,” Rew said. “There's no smoking, there's no drinking, no alcohol, none of that stuff. It's really designed around the family.”
There will be an activity barn for kids, food trucks, vendors, and more, with gates set to open at 5:30 p.m. and the rodeo set for 8 p.m.
Tickets to the 2025 Cass County Sheriff’s Rodeo cost $5.72 for children ages 4 to 12 and $11.63 for teenagers and adults.
“It feels very Cass County to me,” Hill said. “Just seeing all the people from the county and the community coming together for a fun couple of nights is really great.
More than 3,000 people attended last year’s rodeo, which more than doubled the first year’s attendance in 2022, according to Rew.
“It means a lot because it shows how much they care about us,” Eckart said. “Cass County cares about Special Olympics.”
Gray added, “Thank you for including us in the Cass County rodeo.”
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KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.
