MOSES LAKE - Cowboys and cowgirls from across the country start competing Thursday at the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo at the Grant County Fair.

About 312 people are expected to compete. The event has drawn athletes from North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma.

The rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, with additional competitions on Friday and Saturday mornings and evenings.

Tickets purchased in advance cost $13 or $15 at the gate. Tickets for children between 7 and 9 years old cost $5. They can be purchased at the rodeo office, located at 1036 W. Broadway Avenue in Moses Lake, or at the blue and green gates at the rodeo grounds after 4:30 p.m. on the days of the event.

Rob Weber, a rodeo board director, said the rodeo competitors are racing to get as much money as possible, so they often participate in multiple rodeos attempting to move up the ranks.

"Of the top 15 cowboys, there are a lot of them competing (at the rodeo,)" he said. "They can enter into two events at a time ... It's the money they win that promotes them up the ranks. They're out there trying to win every dollar they can to get into that top 15."

A combination of the rodeo grounds, hospitality and location draw many of the competitors to the rodeo, Weber said. The rodeo is between two other larger rodeos in Caldwell, Idaho, and Canby, Ore., so competitors can make a stop in Moses Lake to try and win some more money.

"(The Columbia Basin Rodeo Association) feeds them. They like our facilities. It's quiet. They get a free meal, and it's a very well run rodeo," he said. "It makes it really worthwhile for them to compete. The rodeo association adds $4,000 to what the (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) puts up, so they have a chance to win a pretty good chunk of money."

The rodeo also uses some of the same animals available to riders at the national competition in Las Vegas, Weber said.

"So these cowboys know they are getting to compete on good stock," he said.

Cowgirls are drawn to the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo too.

"The women compete in the women's barrel racing. We have 85 contestants alone entered in barrel racing. The rodeo association won the award a couple years in a row for having the most outstanding arena footing ... When you win it once you have a high standard to meet," Weber added.

The rodeo features all seven major events, including bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and steer wrestling, he said. They also will have two slack performances, one on Friday morning featuring the contestants they couldn't get during regular competition, and the steer roping competition on Saturday morning. Both of the slack performances start at 8 a.m.

"Most rodeo audience people have their favorite events," Weber said. "The women love to watch the barrel racing. Most all audiences love bull riding ... They love to watch the rodeo clown and the specialty act. It's having that great rodeo humor. It's developed into an art and talent."

Ash "CrAsh" Cooper, a rodeo clown and Western artist, is returning as the specialty act this year, he said.

"He's a great rodeo clown," Weber said. "I think people will really enjoy him. People really go crazy when they get to watch him perform."

The rodeo also features a mutton busting pre-show, where children hang onto a large sheep for a long as they can. It's similar to bareback riding in the regular rodeo.

"Then it's always followed by the pageantry of the grand entry," he said. "(Riders) will be bringing in all of the flags representing all of our sponsors."

Visiting royalty from other rodeos participate in the entry, getting a chance to promote themselves and their rodeos, he said.

The rodeo follows the KWIQ Demo Derby Wednesday night. The gates open for the demo derby starting at 3:30 p.m. and time trials start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $13 for adults in advance, $15 for adults at the gate and $5 for children 9 years old or younger.

People wanting to get tickets for the derby should get them as soon as possible, Derby coordinator Jeff Janke said. Tickets generally sell out for the event every year.

"As of now, we have 60 cars signed up. We're expecting about 120 cars by Wednesday," he said. "It's going to be exciting. The last few years we had some cars roll over."

The event draws competitors from across the Pacific Northwest, and as far away as Chicago this year.

"It's a real successful event," he said. "The rodeo association puts a lot of time and effort into it."

The opening ceremony is a tribute to the military, with drivers bringing flags from each military branch as well as the POW and MIA flag, Janke said. The drivers offer to use their cars to bring the flags out.

"Then we'll go into the actual time trials," he said. "We'll start with our top four fastest cars and they will do a trophy dash."

After the trophy dash, the event moves into heat races, with the eight cars racing for eight laps, Janke said.

"We rock the music and wreck the cars during our heat races," he said. "You won't see a demo derby as action-packed as ours. It's just amazing how these guys can roll and flip a car and not get injured. We got a great group of guys on our association that work on our track."

He also pointed out paramedics are available for people who might get injured during the event, so minor injuries can be treated at the location. He pointed out the Moses Lake towing companies help keep the event running smoothly.

"There is a lot of demos in the area and they do not have the tow services we have," he said. "When cars get flipped or get hung up on the logs ... (the companies) get hooked up to the car and get them off the track. Another neat thing is there's constant action going on."

After the heat races, women competitors get behind the wheels for the powder puff event.

"These women get behind the wheels of these cars and they get out there and show their stuff," he said. "This whole demo derby is a family event. It's a 150 percent family atmosphere ... There are some families that dad, mom, brother and sister are driving."

The event continues with Australian Pursuit, where drivers line up in a circle around the track and as soon as one of the cars is passed, they are eliminated.

"That's a fun race that we brought in a few years ago," he said.

The demo derby concludes with the grand finale, the demo itself, Janke said. The cars will line up around the track, facing outwards, and the crowd will count down from 10.

"As soon as the crowd gets down to one, it starts," he said. "It's legalized chaos. These cars are just amazing. It's amazing what a car can take and still run. If anyone is sitting around Wednesday night and needs something to do, they should come down to the KWIQ Demo Derby. They will not go away disappointed."

For more information, contact the rodeo office at 509-765-8311 or 509-765-6393.