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A rodeo in Massachusetts? Here's where you can find it.

By
Jordyn Jagolinzer
Jordyn Jagolinzer
Jordyn Jagolinzer is a reporter for WBZ-TV. She joined WBZ in 2022 from WGGB/WSHM in Springfield, where she spent 5 years as an anchor-reporter.
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Jordyn Jagolinzer

/ CBS Boston

A rodeo in Massachusetts? The state's only bi-weekly bull riding and barrel racing competition can be found in Rochester on the South Coast.

The originally opened in Lancaster in 2009 before moving to the Rochester Fairgrounds.

"Most of the time, people come out and say, 'Oh, that's a real rodeo?'" said Elias DaSilva, a retired bull rider who owns the rodeo.

It's quiet during the day but on the weekends, 3,000 spectators pack the stands. The rodeo draws in competitors from all over New England and even as far away as Brazil. That's where DaSilva is from.

"Over here, this rodeo, people have never been to a rodeo before, they learn day-by-day how to be a cowboy," said DaSilva.

DaSilva has raised all the participating bulls, who live on a nearby farm. When they're not at the rodeo, DaSilva said the bulls spend most of their days grazing on grain. They also love to play in the snow in the winter.

"Those bulls have to be very healthy. I have some bulls over here, they're 12 years old," said DaSilva. "They have a pretty good life, they work like eight seconds every couple of weeks."

New England Rodeo also offers clinics for new bull riders and opportunities for visitors to get up close to the animals.

"I made a lot of bull riders in Massachusetts already!" said DaSilva.

For DaSilva, the real satisfaction comes from giving New Englanders a chance to experience a longtime Western tradition, connecting with the cultural phenomenon dating back to 1888 in America.

"I love this, I love to raise the bulls, I love to take care of the bulls," said DaSilva. "People come out and see it for the first time and love it."

The rodeos are on every other Saturday night through September 30th. For more information, visit their .

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