PRORODEO Sports News - June 1, 2026

December, he worked alongside them during his first-ever trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. In many ways, Ada helped shape him to be the bullfighter he is today. The home he still has in the town is a constant reminder of where he comes from. Ashley is proud of his roots. “I remember sneaking out of the house and going and fighting bulls I probably wasn’t allowed to step around, it was at that old (Pontotoc County Agri-Plex) arena,” Ashley said. “It’s neat to see it’s all made a full circle and the (rodeo) is coming back. I’m sure glad to be a part of it.” Like Ashley, Eaton’s love for tie-down roping came from his upbringing in Ada. He began compet ing at a young age, eventually joining the PRCA where he roped for nearly 15 years. Some of his career highlights included performing alongside some of the PRCA’s greats, including Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Cody Ohl, who he finished second to in Cheyenne by four-tenths of a second in 1998. “Guys who you’d looked up to growing up, guys you’d just idolize and then being in the same compe tition, it was neat,” Eaton said. “I think that’s the thing you value, the friendships you make. You do these things and you compete against each other, but then you devel op relationships that are pretty special.” FROM AN IDEA TO A MUST-SEE EVENT Ada’s history with rodeo had humble beginnings.

From the old arena to parades down Main Street, the annual rodeo in Ada was celebrated by residents. Courtesy City of Ada

kick off festivities. It was eventually taken over by Lance, who marketed it even more. The rodeo was moved from the original arena in Ada to the Ken Lance Sports Arena, where it rivaled the likes of Cheyenne Frontier Days by offering a similar – and one year larger – purse, drawing in some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the world. “I think people don’t realize having a PRCA rodeo in your town is like the PGA,” Eaton tournaments and having a PRCA rodeo in your town is like having that classy level of professional sports.” Like all Ada natives, rodeo held a special place in Shelton’s heart. Es pecially when Lance took it over and started Western Heritage Week. A parade lined the town’s Main Street to kick off festivities. Thou sands of spectators filled the Ken Lance Sports Arena to see some of the best PRORODEO had to offer. Today, even with the rodeo moved back to the original grounds where a new venue was built, the Ken Lance Sports Arena still sits on the grounds of the said. “There are golf tourna ments and then there’s PGA

beled as a success, according to Dr. Ann Klepper of the Preserving Area Stories in Time Foundation, who wrote a book about the origins of the rodeo in Ada. The firemen broke even financially. So, they hosted it again. The rodeo took off in popularity and soon became an annual event with a town parade to

In 1935, a group of local fire fighters sat at the station and brainstormed something they could do to pass the time and distract them from the warm August temperatures. Eventually, they came up with hosting a rodeo. Three weeks later, the Firemen’s Rodeo was born. The first year was la

An old flyer for the Firemen’s Rodeo, the first-ever rendition of the Ada Pro Rodeo.

Courtesy City of Ada

JUNE 1, 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 27