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By TED HARBIN

How does a community in the middle of No Man’s Land attract the best cowboys and cowgirls in ProRodeo?

Primarily, it’s because the community steps up in an effort to produce one of the best events each season in both the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. There’s a reason it’s been recognized as the PRCA’s large outdoor rodeo of the year – in the same field as Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, California Rodeo (Salinas), Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup and countless others.

There’s a reason it’s Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo.

“We have countless volunteers who really step up to the plate to put this thing on,” said Ken Stonecipher, a key member of the rodeo committee that produces the annual Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. The 2009 version begins Monday morning at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena.

Action continues every day in non-performance competition known as slack, and the performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are on sale at various locations. It will be the home of world champions like Billy Etbauer and Fred Whitfield and Justin McDaniel. It will be the home of terrific acts like funnyman John Harrison and charro Tomas Garcilazo.

In all, more than 860 contestants have entered this year’s festivities, ready to nod their heads at a chance at thousands of dollars in prize money.

“Every year, we’re able to get hundreds of the top contestants in our rodeo because, one, they know there’s good money in Guymon,” Stonecipher said. “It’s also a cowboy’s rodeo, and we do everything we can to make this their home.

“Hundreds of them will be in town all week, and that’s a huge financial benefit to this community. They know they can win a ton of money and give themselves a great chance at qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo.”

And that also means the number of contestants has increased for 2009: from 158 barrel racers to 106 pairs in team roping.

“Pioneer Days Rodeo is bigger and better this year, and everybody’s excited,” Stonecipher said.

It’s the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, where cowboys become legends.