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www.shelbyinfo.com Our 42ND Year • Issue No. 23 • June 5, 2025
SEE THIS YEAR’S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES PAGES 10 THRU 14
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Rodeo Polkville’s 25th anniversary event promises plenty of action entertainment for a good cause By Alan Hodge
For 363 days a year the NC182 and NC226 crossroads community of Polkville is peaceful, but two days each June for over 20 years that pastoral persona perishes when Polkville Baptist Church puts on its action-packed annual Rodeo Polkville. This year’s 25th annual event is slated for Friday June 20 and Saturday 21st. Gates at the 6000-seat Mintz Arena behind the church opens at 6pm and the on-field excitement cranks up at 8pm. Ages 13 and up at gate are $20 and advance tickets are $17. Ages 12 and under are free. The show wraps up around 10pm each night. The church hires Charlottebased Rafter 3 Rodeo Co. to stage the event and it’s sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association. The event has numerous sponsors with two of the largest being CPS
Polkville Baptist pastor Will Davis with Rodeo Polkville volunteers Beth Ann Blanton (left) and Kim Swink stand under the Mintz Arena gateway. On June 20th and 21st thousands of folks will be swarming at that very same spot as they make their way to the bleachers for the big show. Construction Services and Piedmont Chimney & HVAC. The church congregation
pitches in and provides most of the event logistical labor including concession stand food,
Scenes from previous Polkville Rodeo events. (Photos provided)
Beth Ann Blanton on one of the new Mintz Arena bleacher sections. The arena can now seat 6,000 rodeo attendees at a time. Attendance at the rodeo averages around 9,000 folks for the two days the event takes place. (Photos by Alan Hodge) ticket sales, and cleanup. In addition, other Polkville residents lend their hands to make it all See RODEO Page 2