Nothing repels mud quite like a pair of cowboy boots.
Friday rains may have turned the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo arena into a mud-pit, but competitors braved the boggy condition with a barrage of thrills on Saturday at the Oakdale Rodeo.
A huge crowd of rodeo faithful across the globe made the trek to Oakdale on Saturday to see bull riders, steer wrestlers, bareback riders, team ropers, saddle bronc riders, calf-tiers, tie-down ropers and barrel racers brave the mud for a host of exciting events.
Cowboys and cowgirls from as far as Canada and Australia tested their prestige against former world champions across the United States in a day of rodeo that made a big splash in the Oakdale arena.
When the mud settled from the first go, Oakdale’s Bo Bacigalupi reached the money with a 71-point bull ride that landed him tied for third place with Sammy Matthews of Springville. Kaycee Rose of Clovis landed second with a 76-point ride while Marysville cowboy Tyler Stueve Knowles rode the bucking bull ’Curveball’ for an 81 point  extravaganza to take the first go lead.
Oakdale’s Trav Cadwell, John Clymo, Lance Harvey, Ryle Smith, Joseph Shawnego and Amie Allen also made competitive appearances on the rodeo ground while Oakdale bullfighter Rick Moffet kept contestants safe with daring maneuvers around the show’s most dangerous livestock.
Catch more updates from the Oakdale Rodeo at Oakdaleleader.com and see the print edition of The Leader on April  18 for results and information on the local spectacle.