NASHVILLE — Yee-haw!

Young cowboys and cowgirls from Berrien County schools gathered at the Berrien County Saddle Club’s agricultural grounds Thursday to host special-needs students.

Middle school and high school FFA students partnered with special-needs children from Berrien County schools and Cook County schools for the 30th Annual Exceptional Rodeo.

With assistance from the FFA students, the visiting classes giddied up on both live and stick horses, rode a simulated bull, went on a train ride and learned how to rope cattle.

The event was the second time that Tasha Royal, lead special education teacher for Berrien, has attended the rodeo with her students. She said the rodeo “really gets them excited.”

“They love it. They get so much enjoyment out of it,” she said. “They love being able to participate and meet all the kids and meet all the volunteers that come out and help, and they love seeing the horses.”

The Exceptional Rodeo aids her students with their development socially and emotionally, and it helps them learn how to be a part of the community, Royal said.

“It’s something that they might not get to experience if they weren’t going on this trip … because they get to be with people who they might not encounter in the school setting,” she said.

Rodeo Host Prissy Massingill said she believes the special-needs youth look forward to participating in the annual rodeo.

“It’s the happiness and the smiles on these kids’ faces and many friendships that they make with the high school students,” she said.

The inspiration for the event came when her daughter, Crissy Staley, got invited to an exceptional rodeo years ago.

“We thought it was a great thing, and we wanted to bring it our community, and we’ve been doing it ever since,” Massingill said.

After lunch, visitors watched a performance from Southern Junior Rodeo Association as they roped cattle.

The performance was a preview of the Cotton Blossom Roundup to be held 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, according to organizers. Gates open at 6 p.m.

KB Horse Camp brought in horses for the Exceptional Rodeo. Berrien County Chamber of Commerce helped fundraise for the event, Event Coordinator Hanna Bennett said. 

Amanda Usher is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1274.