[Kohlsdorf] Each summer for more than 100 years, rodeo riders have pulled off in Sidney for a shot at glory.

So, let's cinch our gloves and saddle up for a look at this southwest Iowa tradition.

(singing national anthem) (crowd cheering) Rodeo fans, are you ready?!

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Each summer, the county seat of Fremont County grows in population more than tenfold as cowboys and cowgirls come together to celebrate a century old event woven into the fabric of local culture.

♪♪ You might not want to arm wrestle that cowboy!

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Held annually in late July and early August, Iowa's Championship Rodeo welcomes around 17,000 fans to the town of Sidney for three days of bucking, riding and roping, a celebration of both the rodeo's and the town's history.

♪♪ [Dustin Brake] First and foremost, it's not just a rodeo, it's more family entertainment.

We're here to entertain families and we have something for everybody.

Being a small community, everybody takes pride in this thing.

If you grew up in Sidney and you're still living here, you know what the rodeo is about and how fun it is, so you just want to keep it going.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] While the Sidney Rodeo honors the cowboy lifestyle, the competition is also serious business for members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

[Dustin Brake] This is a part of the PRCA sanctioned events and that means that all of the money earned here goes towards their earnings to get them to Las Vegas at the end of the year for the world championships.

[Kohlsdorf] The Sidney Rodeo has been an annual event organized by the American Legion for just over 100 years, honoring deep cultural roots for locals and delivering plenty of thrills for visitors who are brave enough to saddle up and hold on.

[Dustin Brake] The Sidney Rodeo brings some of the best athletes around and we get the best of the best every night.

Even if you're not a huge rodeo fan, there's something for you, and by the time it's all said and done you might end up a rodeo fan yourself.