At the first rodeo, spectators sat on apple crates and the hoods of cars. The initial success led to the construction of a small arena in 1969. In the late 1990s, a trustee of the Irene and CB Pennington Foundation, Darryl Pennington, set the dream of a new, 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in motion. The official Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rules were adopted in 1972, and organizers contract with professional rodeo stock providers for supplies, and hire professional judges and rodeo clowns. Even with all the precautions, one inmate said that, "It gets pretty crazy out there at times."

At the first rodeo, spectators sat on apple crates and the hoods of cars. The initial success led to the construction of a small arena in 1969. In the late 1990s, a trustee of the Irene and CB Pennington Foundation, Darryl Pennington, set the dream of a new, 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in motion. The official Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rules were adopted in 1972, and organizers contract with professional rodeo stock providers for supplies, and hire professional judges and rodeo clowns. Even with all the precautions, one inmate said that, "It gets pretty crazy out there at times."

FROM THE FEATURE

Giles Clarke: Angola Prison Rodeo at the “Alcatraz of the South”