Who: Victoria Williams
What: Arena Talk by Channing Boone
When: March 25-28, 2015
Where: Silver Spurs Arena Kissimmee, FL
The Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) has found a new home at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, FL. What a great indoor venue! And normally perfect weather in sunny, central Florida.
It is a four day rodeo event showcasing some of the top competitors in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) of the southeastern circuit.
Victoria Williams, of Kiln, Mississippi, secured her spot earlier in the year for the 2015 RNCFR. She rode Three Jets Olena, an eight year old out of Blazin’ Jetolena and Maggie Quick Dash.
“This was my second RNCFR and second time to ride at the Silver Spurs Arena,” said Williams who had competed in 2013 at the Silver Spurs Arena.
Silver Spurs Arena was opened in 2003 to host rodeos, concerts, trade shows, conventions and many other events. Previously, this was an outdoor arena, steeped in a long history of Florida cattlemen who band together to put on a great rodeo every year during March. Silver Spurs Arena takes pride in offering their community a great rodeo and providing a welcoming hospitality to the rodeo contestants.
The main rodeo arena is covered and measures 240’x140’. There are two roll-up metal doors on either end of the arena for a contestant entry into the arena. Barrel racers enter from an outside area and the alley way begins just inside the roll-up doors with a straight alley entry into the arena.
Williams said most contestants warmed their horses up in a grass/dirt area. There was no available warm-up arena for contestants and their horses this year.
There are plenty of horse stalls available, 600 to be exact. The floor of the stall is dirt. “We did have to go to Tractor Supply and buy shavings,” said Williams. Shavings were not sold at the arena during the 2015 RNCFR.
RV hook-ups are available; however, the hook-ups were not able to be used during the 2015 RNCFR. As always, it is recommended to contact the arena or event coordinator regarding stall and hook-up arrangements.
So here is the dirt. Williams, who was third on the ground during the first go-round, didn’t feel the ground was consistent throughout the performances. As with any PRCA sanctioned rodeo, it is tough to keep it consistent as there is typically no arena drag during a performance. Had this been a divisional barrel race with more drags, the ground could have been better.
The RNCFR is a major rodeo for southeastern circuit members to earn money towards advancing their placement in the standings. Williams is currently ninth in the WPRA standings and will soon head west for a summer filled with rodeo and barrel racing.
Best of luck to Victoria, Mississippi is pulling for you, and all the other women in the WPRA competing to earn their spot for the 2015 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
