An estimated 200,000 folks come for the occasion annually with an financial influence of over $40 million.

The Dixie Nationwide Rodeo, the most important rodeo occasion east of the Mississippi River, is bringing leisure and enterprise to the state in a giant approach. 

One other weekend of occasions is left to go, however already attendance is excessive, mentioned Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. 

“I can’t wait to see the ultimate numbers,” mentioned Gipson. “I inform folks that is one of the best present on dust, and due to what I name the Yellowstone Impact, persons are popping out to benefit from the Dixie Nationwide Rodeo in Jackson.” 

Rodeo athletes come from everywhere in the world to compete within the Dixie Nationwide Rodeo. 

“We have now between 800 and 1,000 opponents,” mentioned Gipson. “There’s seven completely different competitions: bareback driving, steer wrestling, group roping, saddlebred driving, tie down roping, barrel racing and bull driving.” 

The opponents are from everywhere in the United States in addition to from Canada, Australia, New Zealand–all over the place across the globe proper right here in Mississippi. 

“We have now all this motion that drives these huge crowds, in addition to the leisure on the finish of the 2 hour present,” mentioned Gipson. “We have now all these concert events afterwards. It’s one of the best deal on the town.” 

Randy Houser, Chancey Williams, Mark Chestnut, Lainey Wilson, Diamond Rio, Casey Donahue and Chris Lane had been the concert events for the 2023 rodeo. 

“The Lainey Wilson present bought out in December,” mentioned Gipson. 

The rodeo brings high leisure to the state in addition to an enormous financial profit. 

“This can be a multimillion-dollar financial increase for the state of Mississippi,” mentioned Gipson. “Particularly for the Metro space.” 

The inflow of enterprise isn’t as brief lived as one might imagine. 

“This isn’t simply the Dixie Nationwide Rodeo, it’s the Dixie Nationwide Livestock Present and Rodeo,” mentioned Gipson. “It’s truly a six-week occasion, which we kicked off on January sixth with the Dixie Nationwide Chopping Horse present.” 

The completely different occasions carry their very own following, they usually’re all biking out and in by way of the Metro space over the course of the six weeks of reveals and competitors. 

“We estimate 200,000 folks yearly will come to this occasion in Mississippi from everywhere in the nation,” mentioned Gipson. “That features a entire lot of out of state of us.” 

These of us all want a spot to remain in the course of the occasions, which boosts the tourism business within the space. 

“Yearly, we estimate about $40 million in financial influence,” mentioned Gipson. “This 12 months, we’re up about 30 p.c. I feel we’ll see between $50 million and $60 million generated for the state of Mississippi and we’re enthusiastic about that.” 

Commissioner Gipson has been in workplace for almost 5 years and since then, rather a lot has modified with the rodeo. 

“We’ve constructed out into the brand new Trademart,” mentioned Gipson. “We have now expos and commerce reveals…. There’s one thing for everybody.” 

Two years in the past, the occasion needed to take a short hiatus due to the ice storm that burst a lot of the water strains on the Fairgrounds. Nonetheless, this proved to be a greater schedule for the occasion, so now the livestock present and rodeo spans over two weekends, with just a few days to take a break in the course of the week. 

“We additionally dug a properly after that,” mentioned Gipson. “So, we’ve got our personal water right here.” 

There may be additionally a a lot bigger police presence on the fairgrounds throughout occasions, in order that households can really feel secure going to the reveals. 

“I’ve been (on the occasions) each night time with my spouse and kids,” mentioned Gipson. “And it is rather secure. There’s a big, multi-agency police presence.” 

The Dixie Nationwide Rodeo ends February 18th.