SIKESTON, Mo. -- There are some changes coming to this year's Sikeston Jayce Bootheel Rodeo, event organizers said Thursday.

"We are very excited about the 59th annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo," Cal Crader, general chairman for this year's event, said in a news conference Thursday in conjunction with the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon. "There is good news on many fronts."

The Rodeo is set for Aug. 10-13, beginning at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be: Aug. 10, Xtreme Muzik with Big and Rich, Gretchen Wilson and special guests Cowboy Troy and Two Foot Fred; Aug. 11, Craig Morgan; Aug. 12, Pat Green; and Aug. 13, Rodney Atkins. Slack will begin at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 8 and 9.

The Jaycees have revamped the rodeo website, www.sikestonrodeo.com. It's been streamlined, in an effort to keep the site updated and provide information.

"We think this is going to give us a better tool to communicate with," said Crader. "We're very pleased with the design, and hope you can find it useful."

Crader noted that the website has been used more the past few years, since online ticket sales began. "Our system makes it easy to pick your seats, buy your tickets and print them," he said.

Another change rodeo fans will notice this year is a new announcer, Boyd Polhamus.

"He is the voice of rodeo," said Crader, who described Polhamus as "an extremely energetic, crowd-driver, nine-time national finals rodeo announcer. He is the best of the best."

It's important to have those characteristics in an announcer, as it's his job to tell the crowd who is competing and encourage the competitors.

"If something funny happens, they make fun of them, and they keep the crowd interested," Crader said of the announcer's duties. "A lot of our fans enjoy the rodeo, but I think that with an announcer of Boyd's caliber, it's going to enhance their experience."

In 2007 and 2008, Polhamus was voted the PRCA's Announcer of the Year. In 2000, 2003 and 2005, he was honored as the WPRA Announcer of the Year, and he's been a Top-Five Finalist for the same honor in the PRCA on 11 different occasions.

Like last year, the parade will wind through historic downtown Sikeston the Saturday of the rodeo. But this year, the route will flip-flop, as it will begin at the rodeo grounds and end downtown.

"Last year, we exceeded our expectations," said Crader, noting it was well-received. Community Day will follow at Legion Park, which includes lunch with the rodeo clowns.

The Sikeston rodeo is again a stop on the Wrangler Silver Million Dollar Tour this year. Crader compared it to the playoffs.

"That means that we'll continue to have the best cowboys and performers for our patrons," he said. "These are the Wrangler National Finals event champions. The Top 10 guys in the events are people that we're pulling to our rodeo. They're the guys you see on TV."

Tough Enough to Wear Pink will be marked again this year, with Saturday, Aug. 13 designated for the cancer awareness program. And for the first time this year, the Jaycees will participate in the Wrangler National Patriot Program on the Thursday of rodeo.

"It is a new program with PRCA and Wrangler to raise awareness and to raise some money for veterans of our new wars as they're coming home and trying to get reacclimated into their family life and work life," said Crader. More details are to come on the program and how money will be raised for it.

Also this year will mark the second annual Celebrity Golf tournament, in which participants are matched with "celebrities" for a team. The celebrities include cowboys, rodeo favorites and Jaycees. More information on that event is forthcoming.

Crader said sponsorship opportunities are also available.

For more information about any of the rodeo events, contact the box office, 1-800-455-BULL.

Pertinent address:

1220 N. Ingram Road, Sikeston, MO