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The Twisted P Rodeo happens Friday and Saturday night, 7:00pm, at the Berlin Fair in Marne.

According to Megan Byrne, Rodeo Committee Chair and State Director for the Michigan International Barrel Racing Association, this year’s event is even bigger than last year, with more ranch rodeo events. And Byrne knows rodeo. She began barrel racing as a kid in the Little Britches Rodeo and 4-H, and has been participating ever since. When she’s not hosting, as she does for the Berlin Fair, Byrne's out there rounding the barrels.

So, what’s it like to compete?
Byrne describes rodeo life as a commitment—a lot of weekends and even some weeknights. Competitors hit the rodeo road hard and often take the season off from work. Many of the riders contend all summer long, with the top 15 money earners in each category qualifying for the International Finals Rodeo in January.

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“As a barrel racer, if you go to a rodeo and you hit a barrel, you’re not earning money. So, you try to find another rodeo so you can earn more.

It’s about constantly trying to get to the next rodeo, or as people say, ‘chasing a white lion.’”

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Through the years Byrne generally has ridden Quarter Horses—and not all Quarter Horses are alike. Some are bred for racing, some cutting, and some for reigning. Usually barrel racers will haul two horses, so that if they’re traveling and one of their horses gets hurt, they have a backup. Needing to have an additional horse is partly why Byrne calls barrel racing a "financial-investment sport."

Is competing dangerous?
The most dangerous sport of rodeo is bull riding, but it’s also one of the most entertaining. Riders often learn by riding 700-pound calves and then move onto bulls. Competitors come from all walks of life and have a variety of skill sets. For some, this is their first year and they hold what’s called a “Rookie” card, while others are working toward the finals.

Like bull riding, being a bull fighter—sometimes referred to as a rodeo clown—requires a measure of fearlessness. The job entails keeping an eye on the contestants for any signs of trouble. When trouble arrives, bull fighters put themselves between the rider and the animal, getting the rider to safety and the animal back to the holding pen. When asked what kind of training bull fighting requires, Byrne said the focus is mainly on off-season cardio work to keep up with the job's demands. Other than that, the ability to do what's needed is innate.

Those drawn to this role tend to be adrenalin junkies. They like the rush of dodging a charging bull or an out-of-control bronc.  

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And the prize?
At the Berlin Fair the winner takes a cash prize. Winning an event, like barrel racing, could mean walking away with about $1600. It depends on how many people enter the category. And yes, contestants are eligible to enter more than one category—a barrel racer might also compete in breakaway roping, or a bull rider might also wrestle a steer. Cha-ching.

Of those vying for prizes this weekend, a large majority will be local—many coming from Marne, Coopersville, and Holland—while others will be from Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Missouri, and Kentucky. About 50 to 120 riders are expected over the next two days.

What's it like for rodeo animals?
Most of the animals in the rodeo are personal pets. After the rodeo, they return home to their pasture. They may only work 12 days out of the year, and for those 12 days they’re at a rodeo. Rodeo is their career.

Byrne explained that if a horse works as a bronc, it doesn't automatically mean that horse isn't broke (trained) to ride. A rodeo company will snatch up a horse that is athletic and enjoys bucking. Some horses just like to buck.

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Does the community show up?
There's always a huge outpouring from the community for the rodeo, with Byrne calling it the fair's "best-attended grandstand event."

So, dust off your hat and your boots, and get yourself down to the Twisted P Rodeo, at the longest running fair in Michigan.

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Video preview: Twisted P Rodeo performing last year at the Northwestern Michigan Fair.