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Benton County Sale Barn, Inc. 479-524-2371 Sale every ThurSday! Paul Vaughn owner 479-549-8342 We proudly support the Siloam Springs Rodeo! CoDY Vaughn 479-790-3432 Siloam 62nd Annual Siloam Springs Rodeo Grounds • 2590 Cheri Whitlock Drive • Siloam Springs Thursday, Friday & Saturday, July 16, 17 & 18 • 7:30 p.m. nightly Springs Wednesday, July 15, 2020 n 1B Siloam Springs Herald-Leader The 62nd annual Siloam Springs Rodeo returns to town this week, but it will have a dif- ferent look to it thanks to the covid-19 pandemic. The rodeo will be held at the Siloam Springs Rodeo Grounds on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, nearly a month from its usual time in the third week of June. The Siloam Springs Rodeo and Riding Club was unable to get approval for the rodeo in June but worked to get it approved for this week. "It was quite an undertaking to get it approved," said Karen Davis, spokeswoman for the club. "We want everybody to come out and have fun and be safe." A lot of the usual events will go on as scheduled, accord - ing to Davis, but there will be some notable changes. For starters, the annual Street Dance, which is typi- cally on the Wednesday night before the start of the rodeo, will not take place. There will not be a Special Kids Rodeo on Friday, nor will there be a parade on Sat - urday, all due to concerns of covid-19. "It's the most important thing we do," Davis said of the Kids Rodeo. "It wasn't possible this year with everything that's going on. We certainly don't want anybody to get sick." Annual rodeo returns amid pandemic Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Steer wrestling will be one of the featured events at the 2020 Siloam Springs Rodeo, which will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the rodeo grounds. Michael Smith knows exactly where he got his rodeo nickname "Goobie." It was 2010, before he began his current gig as a rodeo clown, and he was still riding bulls and buck - ing horses at rodeos all over. But he always had a light, humorous side about him. "This whole goofiness, acting up and making people laugh, as far as I know I've always enjoyed doing that," he said. The nickname came from stock contractor, Kevin Hampton, who is "one of the best stock contrac - tors in the nation," he said. "Someone said, 'You're such a goober,' and (Hampton) said, 'No he's a Goobie,'" Smith said. "Ever since then everybody's called me Goobie — even my kids." 'He's a Goobie' Local rodeo clown looking forward to event Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Rodeo clown and Siloam Springs resident Michael "Goobie" Smith points to the sky during the 2019 Siloam Springs Rodeo. Smith will be back this week as the rodeo returns Thursday, Friday and Saturday. By Graham Thomas Staff Writer n gthomas@nwadg.com See Clown on Page 7B By Graham Thomas Staff Writer n gthomas@nwadg.com See Rodeo on Page 2B I t was quite an undertaking to get it approved. We want everybody to come out and have fun and be safe. — Karen Davis, Siloam Springs Rodeo and Riding Club spokeswoman