Idaho Falls holds first annual Mutton Bustin’ pre-qualifier

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Eager fans are counting down the days till Idaho fall's War Bonnet Rodeo. While the event doesn't start until Wednesday, August 3rd, some lucky little rodeo stars got a taste of what's to come at the Mutton Bustin' pre-qualifier.

"Every year we fill our Mutton Bustin' at the rodeo and we have what's called a waitlist," said War Bonnet Roundup Producer Kassi Jones. "Well, instead of having a waitlist this year, we just opened it up to close to 120 kids to have the opportunity to ride a sheep here to then qualify to ride at the rodeo, either August 3rd, fourth, fifth, or sixth."

Eager little cowboys and girls lined up for the chance to grab a fist full of wool and hold on for dear life. Only the top five riders of each time slot will move on to the rodeo event, but each child who did compete received a free child's ticket to the rodeo.

For any little rodeo fan, these contests are the first step towards becoming a real-life bull-rider.

"Mutton Bustin' is the start of a rodeo career. If you ask any of the current professional rodeo contestants about it, every single one of them are going to tell you that they got their start in rodeo mutton busting," said Jones.