Lometa Lions Club celebrating 52nd annual Diamondback Jubilee
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
The Lometa Lions Club is holding its 52nd annual Diamondback Jubilee next weekend at Lometa Regional Park.
Friday, March 29, from 3 p.m. until midnight, DJ Josh will play tunes for the Rodeo Dance. Then on Saturday starting at 9 p.m. Jason Suthern will provide entertainment.
On Friday and Saturday evening will be the 11th annual rodeo, starting at 7:30 p.m., produced by the Tommy Green Rodeo Company. Categories include bull riding, ranch bronc riding, bareback riding, team roping, tiedown roping, ladies breakaway roping, and barrel racing. Call-ins for the event participants will be on Sunday, March 24 from 5-10 p.m., 325-451-7666. There will be a $10 walkup fee during the rodeo itself.
Each evening there will be mutton busting at 6:30 p.m.
The Miss Diamondback Jubilee Rodeo Queen will be crowned on Saturday, along with the Duchess and Princess for 2024.
On Saturday at 11 a.m. will be wild hog sacking in Lometa Regional Park. Two-man teams can compete for $30, with buckles awarded to first place teams. There will be women’s and kids’ divisions if there is enough interest.
Admission to the rodeo is $15 for adults and $5 for children age seven to 12. Children under six are admitted free. Active-duty military are free with valid ID.
Gates open 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday, for the arts and crafts, carnival, food vendors, and more. The weekend also includes a cornhole tournament and chili cookoff, as well as Rattler Team Roping.
On Saturday at 8 a.m., snake hunters will be turning in their snakes for weigh-in and sale. Prices for 4-foot and longer snakes will be $8 per pound, and 4-foot and under snakes will be $5 per pound.
Handlers will also have the chance to win bonus money for the most snakes, the most snakes caught in Lampasas County, and buckles for the most in the county and out-of-county snakes.
The festival is the annual project of the Lometa Lions Club and proceeds benefit the group, which helps children receive eye examinations. The club also sponsors the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville for youth.
Lometa Regional Park is located at 15115 N. Highway 183. For more info, contact Susan Hines at 512-556-2822 or susan@areawidelocksmith.com , or visit lometadiamondbackjubilee.com.