12 March 2004 10th Rodeo Masbateño Festival set April 14-17
Fans of the wild, wild West will rejoice when Filipino cowboys thrill them in the back-breaking 10th Rodeo Masbateño Festival slated April 14-17, 2004 in Masbate City.
Organized by the Rodeo Masbateño, Inc. and the Provincial Government of Masbate, the four-day sporting event is intended to showcase Masbate province as a venue for different rodeo events as well as to offer the province for investment and tourism opportunities.
Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan, who fully supports the event, commended the organizers of the festival for their untiring effort in promoting Masbate as the Rodeo Capital of the Philippines. "This exciting and fun-filled competition is one way to draw interest of tourists to Masbate as the destination where rodeo sports is flourishing. This event will also hone the skills of local talents," he stressed.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, by virtue of Executive order No. 120, declared Masbate as the Rodeo Capital of the Philippines, a distinction that will greatly contribute to the development of the tourism industry in the province.
Masbate governor Antonio Kho said Rodeo Masbateño aims to make the event a showcase of livestock and livestock handling skills, where participants and visitors get a chance to observe the latest techniques in handling of livestock and horses for ranch and rodeo work. This will also develop an auction market for breeders and slaughter cattle as well as to create venue for trade fairs and exhibits.
The rodeo event will be participated in by various teams garbed in complete cowboy outfit. Cowboys will offer spectators thrills and spills during the cattle bareback riding, lassoing on foot and horseback, casting down, carambola, wrestling on foot, load carrying and wood chopping events.
The four-day event will also feature a trade fair, search for Miss Rodeo and the Rodeo Grand Parade of Horses.
Prizes which awaits the winners include a first prize of P150,000.00 for team participants, while for individual events, first prize will receive P5,000.00.
