Explosions, fire and thrill-seekers will all be found when The Lone Star Championship Rodeo comes to WKU’s Ag Expo Center for its 31st consecutive year.

The rodeo will be at WKU’s Ag Expo Center from Feb. 8-10. Tickets are available at the Ag Expo Center, by calling 270-745-2578 or online.

Lindsay Meeks, concessions manager at the Ag Expo Center, said that as one of the first events to come to the Ag Expo when the building opened, the rodeo has garnered a dedicated fan base.

“We have people who reserve their tickets in advance, people who make sure to get the same seats every year,” she said.

Meeks said that this is an event the entire family can enjoy. The rodeo includes acts such as bareback riding, calf roping, saddle bronco riding, steer wrestling, team roping, cowgirl’s barrel racing and cowgirl’s breakaway roping.

Preston Fowlkes, manager of the Lone Star Rodeo, said fans can look forward to exciting new acts this year.

“We’ve always had a new act every year, and this year we have a Roman Rider,” he said. “The Roman Rider rides two horses at the same time while standing up, and does a couple tricks like a figure eight and jumping through a hoop of fire.”

Jessica Blair, the Roman Rider, said her act is packed with adrenaline.

“It’s fast-paced and it’s dangerous, and you can fall. The most dangerous part is probably jumping through the hoop of fire,” she said.

Blair said she became a Roman Rider because she has always had an interest in rodeo and this was a way for her to always be a part of it.

“I love the horses, the adrenaline, the audience,” she said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s fun.”

Blair has had to face another challenge this year: one of her horses suffered a minor injury that set her back.

“It’s just overcoming obstacles, that’s all. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things,” she said.

Another act in the show features a clown, Mike Wentworth, who was voted two times as Funny Man of the Year by the ProRodeo Association. Wentworth promised his act will include tricks never seen before.

“I’ve got one that involves a mechanical bull, and another that involves TNT dynamite,” he said.

Wentworth said that he is looking forward to coming back to Bowling Green.

“It’s one of my favorite stops — the audience is great,” he said.

Fowlkes shared Wentworth’s sentiments about Bowling Green.

“This is our 31st year there, and I feel like we’re coming home,” Fowlkes said.