For two nights, the Southeastern Championship Bull Riding will host its “good, fun, family event” at Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center in Gainesville, said Bryan Hope, an organizer and rodeo clown.

Gates will open at 6 p.m. April 21 and 22 with the competition starting at 8 p.m. at 855 Calvary Church Road in Gainesville.

Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 2-12 in advance. Tickets at the gate are $15. Children younger than 2 may enter for free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Outdoor Depot in Gainesville, Northeast Georgia Rentals Inc. in Oakwood, Piedmont Tractor in Gainesville and Hobby Time in Gainesville.

Hope estimates about 30 or 35 bulls will be ridden each night during the two-hour show.

“Both nights we will crown a champion, so one night is not a build up to the second night,” he said. “We’ll have two different winners.”

A popular event in the community, the bull-riding show began in what was previously the Georgia Mountain Center in Gainesville. 

“We were in the Georgia Mountain Center for 23 years,” Hope said. “Then when they shut the Mountain Center down, we moved out to the Chicopee Woods. This will be our fourth year at that site. We have a huge turnout.”

And although it’s become a recurrent event, the show isn’t unique to the Gainesville area.

Southeastern Championship Bull Riding takes places across, as its name indicates, the Southeast.

“We were in Greenwood, South Carolina, this past weekend. We were in Clemson in January,” Hope said. “We used to have nine or 10 shows, and now we’ve cut it back down to four or five, because it takes a lot of work.”

Hope noted since the show is in a covered arena, everyone will stay dry if it rains.

In addition to the obvious bull riding, the event brings vendors, food and fun for the whole family, including bounce houses for the children.

“There will be a lady there (who) sells souvenirs and cowboy hats and T-shirts,” he said, adding tractors and trucks will be on display. “We don’t sell any alcohol, so we want the families to come. It’s a good, fun, family event.”