Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, America's Longest-Running All-Black Rodeo, Airs On CBS Saturday June 19
(CBS Local)- As the United States celebrates Juneteenth this Saturday, CBS is set to honor the holiday by becoming the first broadcast television network to air the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. The event, created in 1984, is an all-Black rodeo that honors legendary cowboy Bill Pickett and features some of the best Black cowboys and cowgirls from across the U.S.
Audiences tuning in at 1 p.m. on Saturday will see athletes compete in a variety of rodeo disciplines including Bareback Riding, Tie Down Roping, Bull Dogging, Ladies Barrel racing, Ladies Steer Undecorating, Bull Riding and Junior Break Away.
In barrel racing, sisters Aleeyah and Savannah Roberts will compete against each other in the bonus round. The Colorado Springs natives have been competing since they were seven and four years old respectively. Aleeyah, a sophomore in college, has won multiple MLK Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeos already and joined the association in 2016 while serving as a mentor to the younger Savannah.
Savannah, at just 13-years-old, joined the BPIR association the same year as her sister and competes in the junior barrel racing and ladies barrel racing events. The two sisters are joined by competitor Krishaun Adair in competing for the barrel racing win.
Bull riding fans will get a show on Saturday as well with JaMarcus Whiting Tank Adams and Ouncie Mitchell battling some of the toughest bulls in the league. Mitchell competes on PBR's Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour and is making his first appearance in the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.
He's joined by Adams who competes in MMA and works as a firefighter when not competing in rodeo. Adams joined BPIR in 2019 and won the all-around title.
The veteran athletes will also be joined by the next generation of rodeo stars competing in the junior break away. Kortnee Solomon, Tegan Ford and Harrel Williams Jr. will show off their skills as they continue to grow into the next stars of the sport.
2021 marks the first year of a partnership between Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo that looks to create new events and opportunities for the largest and longest-running rodeo for Black Western sports athletes. Audiences can tune in at 1 p.m. Eastern Time this Saturday, June 19 on CBS Television Network to catch all the action.