Masbate Hosts Asia’s Only Rodeo
Prepare for your boots to get dusty as the Masbate Rodeo Festival 2015, the only rodeo show in Asia, is happening on 14 April 2015! This year, the competitive events are offering bigger cash prizes for the Philippine’s best cowboys and cowgirls.
The 22nd celebration of the Rodeo Festival 2015 is highly anticipated by Masbateños, rodeo enthusiasts and, local and foreign tourists for activities lined up.
The annual rodeo festival in Masbate began in 1993, and it has been one of the island province’s most highlighted events since then. It was founded and managed by Rodeo Masbateño, Inc.
The festival’s activities are described by tourists as unpredictable, noting how events taking place in this festival can become action-packed, for instance, when cattle go astray during the Cattle Drive.
Other popular activities in the Masbate include the ranch tour which allows tourists to experience the ranch life first-hand and perform cowboy tasks.
The city government of Masbate will also hold the Masbate Rodeo Summer Dance Festival this year.
Schedule of Activities for Rodeo Festival 2015:
Masbate City, Masbate
5-19 April – Rodeo Saloon/Beer Plaza (Grandstand Oval)
11-12 April – Search for Mr. and Ms. Rodeo (Rodeo Arena)
13-19 April – Rodeo Trade Fair (Grandstand Oval)
14 April / 7:00am – Grand Rodeo Festival Parade (Social Center) and Opening Program (Rodeo Arena)
14-18 April / 2:00pm – Rodeo National Finals (Rodeo Arena)
- Bull Whipping
- Load Carrying Relay
- Cattle Wrestling on foot
- Cattle Lassoing from horseback
- Carambola – 2 persons
- Carambola – 4 persons
- Casting down
- Bull riding
14-18 April – Livestock Show (Grandstand Oval)
14 April / 5:00pm – Facade Dress-up Contest (Final Judging)
15 April / 10:00am – Cattle Drive (Shell Station)
15 April / 11:00am – Cattle Horse Team Penning Competition (Rodeo Arena)
16 April / 7:00am – Street Barn Dance (Final Judging – Rodeo Arena)
17 April / 8:00am – Beef Cooking Contest (MNCHS)
18 April / 6:00pm – Awarding and Farewell Party (Rodeo Arena)
Nightly Shows and Entertainment / 8:00pm
14 April – Governor’s Welcome Night
15 April – City Mayor’s Night
16 April – Vice Governor Night
17 April – FILMINERA Night
18 April – DMCI Night
14-18 April – Fireworks Display
How to get there:
By plane, travelling from Manila to Masbate will take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Direct flights from Manila to Masbate and Masbate to Manila are available daily via Philippine Airlines. Once you reach the Moises R. Espinosa Airport in Masbate, one may take a tricycle ride or cab to the city center. This is approximately a 10-minute ride.
For more information:
Masbate’s City Tourism Office
Tel. #: (056) 333-5608 or 333-5844
Where to stay:
There are many good hotels in the province of Masbate within the town proper. Here are two examples.
Sampaguita Tourist Inn
Address: Quezon Street, Masbate City, Masbate
Phone: (056) 333-4729
GV Hotel Masbate
Address: Danao Street, Masbate City, Masbate
Phone: (056) 333-6844
Video:
“Masbate has brought a piece of Texas country side to their province and Rizal just done the same thing of bringing a piece of Masbate, the Rodeo capital of the country, to the Rizal province.”
About Masbate province
Authors: Roanne Santos and Marcelle Villegas
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Photo source and reference:
https://www.facebook.com/rodeofestival
http://www.philippinerodeofinals.com/
http://www.bicolstandard.com/
map of Masbate – “Ph locator map masbate” by Eugene Alvin Villar (seav) – English Wikipedia. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ph_locator_map_masbate.png#/media/File:Ph_locator_map_masbate.png
