Story by Marla Ballard

Alabama Little Britches Rodeo Association (ALBRA) kicked off their 2025-2026 season last weekend at the Northeast Alabama Agribusiness Center (NAAC) in Rainsville. Youth Rodeo contestants from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida competed in the two-day rodeo. 

 The Saturday and Sunday rodeos combined brought over 400 entries to the arena. The majority of the contestants competed in multiple events; there are 33 events offered for the three age groups. 

 •Little Wrangler Boys and Girls ages 5-8: barrels, poles, flags, and goat tail untying 

•Junior Boys ages 9-13: breakaway, flags, goat tying, bareback steer riding, saddle bronc steer riding, and Jr. bull

•Junior Girls ages 9-13: barrels, poles, breakaway, trail, and goat tying

•JR Team Events ages 9-13: team roping and ribbon roping

•Senior Boys ages 14-18: tie down, steer wrestling, bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding

•Senior Girls ages 14-18: barrels, poles, goat tying, trail, and breakaway

•SR Team Events ages 14-18: team roping and ribbon roping

•Trailhand – age 5 and under offered for ALBRA, but is not a NLBRA sanctioned division. Contestants can be led or ride alone for the flag race, barrels, poles, and goat tail untying.

ALBRA is part of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association. NLBRA offers its members an opportunity to qualify for the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo (NLBFR) that will be held in Oklahoma City, OK at the OKC Fairgrounds.  

To qualify for the NLBFR a contestant must place in the top 6 at 6 rodeos in the event they choose to compete in. To become a member, enter a rodeo, and learn more about NLBRA go to: www.nlbra.com

Eight of the eleven rodeo weekends are held at the NAAC. Each year the association grows in membership and the awards that are given out at the final rodeo in May. ALBRA has been established for 10 years.  To become a rodeo sponsor email Mrs. Cerezo at ALBRA.rodeo@gmail.com. For more information visit www.albra.com.