Roping in memories at the Sheriff’s Rodeo

By KADIE TAYLOR

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

CHAMBERS COUNTY — Jump into a good time at the Chambers County Sheriff’s 30th Annual Sid Lockhart Classic Rodeo, featuring Cowboy Kenny’s Steel Rodeo. The Rodeo will be held on May 1 and 2, starting at 7 p.m. at the Chambers County Agricultural Park in LaFayette. Tickets for those age 13 and older are $20, for those age 12 and under tickets are $10 and for children ages four and under admission is free. 

“Sheriff Sid Lockhart started this rodeo 30 years ago, and it was originally started to buy a bulletproof vest for the sheriff’s department and to get some vests for the canines,” said Chambers County Sheriff Jeff Nelson. “Since then, it’s kind of kept up, and I took the torch in my hand when Sid left, and we’ve kept doing it. But this year, being the 30th year, we decided to name it after Sid Lockhart.”

This year, Nelson said the money raised from the 2026 rodeo will go to purchasing bulletproof vests for deputies again, continuing a tradition of using the Sheriff’s Rodeo to update essential equipment for the department and improve the experience for the employees to maintain a positive workforce. 

“This is what we do to raise money for the Sheriff’s Department, and this year the funds are going to buy bulletproof vests for the deputies,” he said. “Vests have gone through the roof, just like everything has gone through the roof. Now, to get the vest and the covers and everything, you’re up to $1,000 per vest, so we’re trying to raise money. [The funds raised at] last year’s rodeo went to build a gym for the deputies. We built a gym down at the training center, totally remodeled one of the torn-up offices that used to be down there, and built a gym, equipped the gym for the deputies and got a shower, locker room and everything. So it’s just somewhere where these guys can go work out. I’m just trying to give everything I can to my deputies, so it makes them better people and hopefully it’ll make them want to stay here with us in Chambers County and work for this department.”

Nelson said, along with the general admission nights on Friday and Saturday, there will be a rodeo for special needs students in Chambers County on Friday morning. 

“We have about eight different schools we reach out to, and they bring their students with special needs in, and we have games set up,” he said. “We have a good time, we’ve got a DJ there and that’s probably the most fun for me — doing the special needs rodeo. We’ll do the special needs rodeo, and then we’ll feed them lunch there, and while they eat their lunch, we’ll have a little rodeo go on in the rodeo arena for them, so they get to see a little of what goes on. It’s just a fun day.”

For those who attend the Friday or Saturday night rodeo, Nelson said they will get to see roping, bull riding, barrel racing and a show from Cowboy Kenny’s Steel Rodeo.

“It’s everything that you want and what you expect in a rodeo, and then some,” he said. “It’s good, clean, family fun. There’s nothing like a rodeo, and I love doing the rodeo. Anything that starts with a national anthem and a prayer, you can’t go wrong with it. We have a good, beautiful and clean arena up here that we take care of, and we bring folks in to do different events.”

For more information, visit chamberscountyrodeo.com/home.