LISBON — Dust off your boots and get ready to cowboy up for the 40th-annual Hoppel’s Championship Rodeo that will be riding back into Lisbon Friday and Saturday.

The landmark celebration is sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association and the American Professional Rodeo Association.

The event will bring “elite rodeo action and heart-pounding excitement” to the community, rain or shine, organizers stated.

What began as a longtime dream shared by the late Carl Hoppel and his sons, Todd and Doug, became a reality in 1985, launching a nationally-recognized rodeo rooted in family, tradition and small-town pride.

Hoppel’s passion for the sport, along with his vision of bringing professional rodeo to Lisbon, laid the groundwork for a legacy that continues today — a legacy that lives on through his wife, Patty, their children, Adam and Sunny, and a dedicated team of committee members, family and friends.

Many remain actively involved behind the scenes, working hard each year to keep the spirit and tradition of the rodeo alive and thriving. For four decades, the Hoppel family, along with their community, have carried that dream forward. This year’s 40th anniversary will be a true tribute to the man who made it all possible.

Gates will open at 5 p.m., with the rodeo beginning at 7 p.m. Only lawn seating will be available, so guests are asked to bring their own chairs and blankets. More than 3,000 fans are expected to attend, organizers announced, adding there will be eight rodeo events welcoming contestants from across the United States and Canada. The arena will include food trucks, concessions and vendors offering various foods.

Event highlights will include: Cowboy Up Youth Rodeo, featuring demonstrations and hands-on activities for children; and a calf scramble, held during intermission each night.

Highlights for Friday will feature a Veterans Night tribute, honoring veterans with a special ceremony that includes a fireworks finale. Saturday evening highlights will include the Silver Spurs Drill Team and a contestant slack in which rodeo action with additional contestants will compete following the main event.

An after-party with classic country disc jockey Jess Roth will be held Saturday to keep the energy going even after the final ride, officials noted. Rodeo clown Kyler “Bam Bam” Collins will bring non-stop laughs and action Friday and Saturday.

Other activities will include: Western Way Entertainment features Chance and professional trick rider Shelby Dennison; live music with Curt Conser; grand entry spotlights; Friday Night Throwback featuring former rodeo queens Dawn Wilson and Kim Kring-Strum.

Advance tickets are available for $15 at the Lisbon Dairy Queen, Lisbon Heritage Country Store, Calcutta and East Liverpool Giant Eagle, the Wellsville Save-A-Lot, the East Palestine Sparkle or online at eventbrite.com.

Gate prices will be $20 for adults and $15 for children.

“This event is more than just a rodeo, it’s a celebration of community, legacy and the Hoppel family’s unwavering commitment to keeping rodeo alive in Columbiana County,” officials stated. “With award-winning shows, unbeatable energy and small-town hospitality, this year’s rodeo honors the past and gallops proudly into the future. It’s more than a rodeo — it’s a hometown tradition built on family, faith and four decades of community. Come be part of the magic in Lisbon.”