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Silver Spurs Rodeo Gets Underway In Kissimmee

Tater Porter was a professional bull rider for 23 years. Photo by Amy Green
Tater Porter was a professional bull rider for 23 years. Photo by Amy Green

The Silver Spurs Rodeo gets underway Saturday in Kissimmee.

The rodeo is the largest east of the Mississippi River and has been an Osceola County tradition since 1944.

A Monster Bulls event is Saturday evening. More events are planned for next weekend, when more than 8,000 spectators are expected. Osceola County schools are out next Friday because of the rodeo.

Tater Porter was a professional bull rider for 23 years before retiring.

"And it all comes from the heart. To me bull riding is 98 percent try, 2 percent ability. Because if somebody wants it bad enough they can make their self do it."

He says cowboys hope to win enough money at Silver Spurs so they can continue competing like in the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo here in March.

Miss Rodeo Florida Sheila Shirah says rodeoing is the true American sport.

"When you think of America several hundred years ago you think of the West, and you think of people living on ranches and going things just out of sheer physical ability, and that's really what rodeo is all about."

Amy Green covered the environment for WMFE until 2023. Her work included the 2020 podcast DRAINED.