10th Annual Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo August 28-29

Online, August 5, 2010 (Newswire.com) - South Orange County will be the site of America's Richest Two-Day Rodeo next month as the nation's top rodeo competitors vie for a purse totaling more than $200,000 during the 10th Annual Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, scheduled for the weekend of August 28-29, 2010.

The "best of the best" in professional rodeo have been invited to compete in the PRCA-sanctioned Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, celebrating its 10 year anniversary at the scenic Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano. Hosted by the Rancho Mission Viejo family, stewards of the 23,000-acre Rancho Mission Viejo cattle ranch in South Orange County, the Rodeo serves as an important charitable fundraisers for a number of local charities, including Camino Health Center and The Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding, both located in San Juan Capistrano. Proceeds from this year's Rodeo are expected to help mark a total of $1 million in Rodeo donations raised over the past decade.

For details about the Rodeo, please visit www.RMVRodeo.com. Tickets are on sale now.
"Hosting the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo for the past 10 years has allowed us to share our proud Western heritage, and we are pleased to once again bring the sport of rodeo to South Orange County," said Gilbert Aguirre, Rodeo Committee President and Executive Vice President - Ranch Operations for Rancho Mission Viejo. "All eyes will be on San Juan Capistrano as the superstars of professional rodeo compete for one of the largest purses offered on the circuit -- in one of the best rodeo venues available!"
Sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo has earned a reputation as "the place to be" every August as the greatest cowboys in America gather to compete for prize money and a coveted spot at the National Finals Rodeo, held every December in Las Vegas, NV. In addition, the Rodeo is an important part of the legacy of the large and historic Rancho Mission Viejo, which has been under the stewardship of the O'Neill/Avery/Moiso family since 1882.

"The Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo allows us to keep our region's cowboy culture alive while honoring the old cowboy tradition of 'passing the hat' in support of a family in need," added Aguirre, "The donations made through Rodeo proceeds are kept in the community to fund programs right here in Orange County."

For example, Rodeo donations made in years past have helped to fund programs at Mission Hospital's Camino Health Center, a fully-licensed, community-based clinic providing a wide assortment of medical and dental services for thousands of South Orange County families in need. Programs benefiting from rodeo donations include the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Program which offers nutritional education and support for pregnant and postpartum women, infants and young children.

In addition, proceeds also have gone to The Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding to help underwrite hippotherapy and therapeutic riding programs, operations, and rider scholarships. Dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through its privately funded therapeutic horse-related programs, The Shea Center is one of the largest therapeutic riding centers in the country.

The Rodeo will take place at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park at San Juan Capistrano, located at the intersection of Ortega Highway and Antonio Parkway/La Pata, along the western border of Rancho Mission Viejo in South Orange County. In addition to the competition, attendees will be invited to enjoy old-fashioned family fun both days with games, music, a Saturday evening concert with dancing, more than 50 vendors, and entertainment for the whole family!

The Rodeo schedule of events is as follows:

Saturday, August 28th
Gates Open - 2:00 p.m.
Music - 2:00 p.m.
Opening Ceremonies - 3:45 p.m.
Rodeo Begins - 4:00 p.m.
Concert/Dance Begins - 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 29th
Gates Open - 11:30 a.m.
Music - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Opening Ceremonies - 1:15 p.m.
Rodeo Starts - 1:30 p.m

Ticket prices are $20.00 for adults on Saturday (which includes admission to the evening concert) and Sunday and $10.00 for children ages 4 to 12. Children ages 3 and under will be admitted to the Rodeo for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the event, or at the following pre-sale locations: Swallows Inn in San Juan Capistrano, Hennessy's Tavern in Dana Point, American Horse Products in San Juan Capistrano, Boot Barn in Lake Forest and Ortega Tack & Feed in San Juan Capistrano.

For more information about this year's Rodeo, please visit www.RMVRodeo.com, Facebook/Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo or email the Rodeo team at [email protected].

To learn more about Rancho Mission Viejo, visit www.ranchomissionviejo.com.