Riders return to the gun as the cannon crew stands at attention. Riders front to back: Spc. Kyle Minor, Spc. Jon Curvin, Pvt. David Livengood. At attention are Pvt. Darrin Carrejo, gun corporal, and Pvt. Ryan Brooks. The gun was quickly hooked back u...

FORT SILL, Okla., Aug. 18, 2016 -- The Fort Sill Artillery Half Section participated in the Lawton Rangers PRCA Rodeo again this year, providing a patriotic salute with a World War I field gun, and a spirited gallop around the arena, Aug. 10.

The eight Soldiers and eight horses followed the Grand Entry, said to be one of the largest in the rodeo world, which included this year's Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Teen Kassidy McKee riding in with the American flag, and Miss Rodeo Oklahoma, Sydney Spencer, followed by the mounted Lawton Rangers in their white shirts and cowboy hats, and dozens of other horse riders. The Half Section demonstrated all four nights of the rodeo.

The rodeo is a celebration of the Western heritage of Oklahoma, and drew high-ranked cowboys and cowgirls across the country to the LO Ranch Arena in northeast Lawton. Competitions included bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, team roping, barrel racing, and bull riding.

Children emptied the stands and filled the arena when the calf scramble was called. The object was to grab a red ribbon tied onto the tail of each of five young calves to win a prize. When the calves were released, the mob ran toward them. Chaos ensued, and soon all the ribbons were claimed.

Rodeo clown Justin Rumford entertained the crowd with a stunt involving a small dirt bike and a folded table made into a ramp. Two cowboys were invited to lie down under the ramp, which they did reluctantly. After a couple aborted attempts, with commentary about how he knew how to do this because he saw it done on YouTube, the clown successfully jumped the bike over the cowboys.

Rumford and another rodeo clown were kept busy trying to distract bucking horses and bulls when the competitor finished his ride. Rumford plopped himself inside a white barrel during the bull riding competition, and ducked several times when a raging bull came his way. Another clown stood atop the barrel and when the bull charged, the clown jumped over him. The bull finally went back in his pen.

There were regular "commercials" with cowgirls racing around the arena on horseback with banners advertising rodeo sponsors, between competitive events.

The Historical Association of the Lawton Rangers is a nonprofit community organization that "preserves and promotes the furtherance of agricultural education and western heritage," according to its website. The rodeo is a major source of funding for the organization, which was established in 1938.