Rodeo organizer Penny McCoy can’t remember how long mutton busting has been part of the Ride ‘N Tie Rodeo, but she can give a fairly good guess.

“Mutton busting has slipped in and out of the rodeo for at least 22 years, or around there, since my son was a buster and right now he’s 22,” she said.

The Ride ‘N Tie Rodeo, which has been voted “Rodeo of the Year” twice by the Colorado Professional Rodeo Association, not only has top-notch cowboys who participate, but many side events for locals to compete in.

Mutton busting is just one of the popular events sponsored in conjunction with the Ride ‘N Tie Rodeo, but it is run outside the arena. It is held outside the arena since many side-show events used to be held in it, and it became a drawback to the rodeo itself.

In fact, there were so many side competitions going on at one time that they became a detriment to the actual rodeo.

“We were running so many events in between the rodeo events that they started to detract from the rodeo itself,” rodeo organizer Mike Long said. “It got to the point that the bull rider’s event, which is always held at the end, wasn’t finishing up until around midnight.”

To avoid such drawnout rodeos, and fans becoming bored with the spectacles, there will be only one non-rodeo event run in the Moffat County Fairground’s arena on Saturday and Sunday the junior steer rider’s event.

The junior steer rider’s event gets center stage, since it is a rodeo event itself, and because it is a rather short event, Long said.

“The steer riding event gets a lot of support from the community, since it’s basically local kids who ride in it,” he said. “Not to mention we only allow 12 entries, so it only takes around a half-an-hour to finish.”

Another extremely popular event rodeo fans can expect to see is the mother’s greased-pig wrestling competition, which will be held outside the arena.

“The greased-pig wrestling is a kick,” McCoy said. “It has become one of the most popular events for locals to get involved with.”

The mother’s greased-pig competition pits four women, all who have to be mothers, against a 125-pound greased pig. The women have to wrestle the pig down, and then place it in a trough. Those who do it in the fastest time win.

There is also kid’s greased-pig wresting, but they only grapple with weaners, which are pigs that have just stopped suckling.

“All I can say is it’s a real kick,” McCoy said.