All Photos by Statesboro Herald photographer Scott Bryant

The bulls were rampaging, the broncos bucking and the cowboys roping for the 2024 Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo. And for the 13th annual event, there were three nights of entertainment for the first time at the Bulloch County Agricultural Complex.

2024 Kiwanis Club Rodeo Chairman Jonathen Bunch felt that adding a third night was important to the club and the community.

“By adding another night of rodeo, we can offer more opportunity for people to attend as well as raise more money for the Kiwanis Club to give back to the community through donations,” Bunch said.

Since moving the event to the Ag Complex in 2021, the club has seen exponential growth in the funds raised and in the number of attendees.

An IPRA-sanctioned rodeo, the Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo was well stocked by Hedrick Rodeo and owner Danny Hedrick.

Funds raised at the Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo and the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair are dispersed back into the community in Bulloch and surrounding counties including Bryan, Tattnall, Jenkins, Screven, Evans and Candler Counties. The funds support a variety of causes, but the Kiwanis mission is kid-centered.

Many well-known organizations in these counties benefit from the events such as 4H, FFA, law enforcement as well as Ogeechee Area Hospice which covers many of the same counties. Bulloch Parks & Rec, Georgia Southern University, Ogeechee Technical College and East Georgia State College all benefit in various ways from the fundraising efforts.