Bull Bash kicks off Aug. 16-17

The Chestnut Oak Center in Meansville will be the site of a bucking good time Friday and Saturday, Aug. 16-17 as the Bull Bash kicks off. During this event, the bulls as well as their riders will be scored, with a first place prize and buckle awarded to the best rider and the top stock contractor. Top bull riders from across the Southeast will compete for the title. Tickets from the rained out event May 3-4 will be honored at the upcoming Bull Bash. The gates will open at 6 p.m. with festivities including inflatables, face painting, a bull riding photo booth and plenty of food vendors. During the show starts each night, there will be a candy scramble for kids to enjoy as well as a kids dance competition. The winner of the dance competition will win a bicycle each night. The competition kicks off at 8 p.m. with Brinson James ‘the entertainer’ leading the entertainment. The event is sponsored by XX Bulls of Milner and Johnson Enterprises. Wayne and Summer White travel regularly to bull riding events and take their best beasts from XX Bulls to competitions across the country. ’There’s not a big outlet for bull riding in Georgia, so to be able to put on a quality event like the Bull Bash, it’s nice for everyone around here to be able to see it,’ said Summer White. ‘Everyone seems to enjoy it. Our Friday night crowd was one of the best I’ve ever seen.’Summer White’s brother Austin Williams of Brooks will be one of the bull riders at the event. He and around 25 other riders will be holding on tight in an effort to win a first place prize of over $1,000 and the championship buckle. The rider with the highest scored ride from the weekend will earn a custom made pair of spurs. ’I’m proud of how well my brother is doing. He’s leading the SEBRA rookie competition and could be named Rookie of the Year,’ she said. ‘Austin riding in the event is a big deal to us.’There will be four judges, with two judging the riders and two judging the bulls. Around 15 stock contractors will bring their bucking bulls from North Carolina, South Carolina and all across Georgia. The best bull will earn its owner a cash prize of nearly $2,500 and a championship buckle. Stock contractors will also bring young 2-year-old bulls that can’t be ridden yet for an early competition. They will buck with a weight on their back to test their potential future abilities. The winner of that competition will also get a cash prize and buckle. Tickets are $12 at the gate and children 5 under are free. No advance tickets will be sold.