Rain may have kept the crowd thin on Friday, but rodeo fans made up for it Saturday, as they packed out the Shelby County Exhibition Center for the final night of the Cattleman’s Association Rodeo.

“Saturday night was more than we’ve ever had,” said Gary Crowson, who has kept attendance numbers for the rodeo since 1996. “We had to turn folks away.”

Traffic backed up almost a mile into town as spectators tried to park at the Exhibition Center. A Shelby County sheriff’s deputy was called to block the entrance off Alabama Highway 70 once the arena reached capacity.

While official attendance numbers were unavailable Monday, Crowson’s best guess was a capacity crowd, which is 1,500 arena seats plus 200 portable bleacher seats, not counting volunteers and competitors.

Crowson said he felt like one of the reasons for the large crowd was additional promoting this year with a cowboy parade Feb. 21 and putting chuck wagons at places of business throughout Columbiana during the week.

Rodeo chairman Tony Berry said the increased interest is clearly noticeable.

“When we first started the rodeo, the question was are you having a rodeo this year, now the question is when’s the rodeo,” Berry said.

RODEO RESULTS

Bareback Riding

1st Jason Lewis, 77, $294.40

2nd Josh Crager, 76, $220.80

3rd/4th Chad Childers, 74, $110.40

3rd/4th Jamison Hunt, 74, $110.40

Saddle Bronc Riding

1st Justin Caylor 73 $302.68

2nd Cody Goad 72 $212.52

3rd Preston Fowlkes III $128.80

Calf Roping

1. Clay Loftis, 9.3, $563.04

2. Austin McDougal, 9.4, $447.12

3rd Phil Chapman, 9.5, $331.20

4th/5th Mitch Rinehart, 9.7, $157.32

4th/5th Clint Madison, 9.7, $157.32

Breakaway Roping

1st Tabitha Kiker, 2.5, $578.68

2nd Aleah Higgins, 2.9, $459.54

3rd Megan Rinehart, 3.1, $340.40

4th/5th Kasidi Griffin, 3.3, $161.69

4th/5th Jodi Stewart, 3.3, $161.69

Steer Wrestling

1st David Stallings, 5.0, $423.20

2nd Troy Orr ,5.1, $317.40

3rd Jacob Raburn, 5.3, $211.60

4th Mark Weber, 5.9, $105.80

Barrel Racing

1st Stacy Dial, 13.444, $720.36

2nd Kathy Fuhry, 13.547, $596.16

3rd Nisha Middleton, 13.719, $471.96

4th Brooklyn Kimbrall, 13.754, $347.76

5th Megan Rinehart, 13.803, $223.56

6th Allison Smith, 13.804, $124.20

Team Roping

1st/2nd Morgan Jones/Derrick Freeman, 4.9, $499.79

1st/2nd Stacey Benton/Deny Ashley, 4.9, $499.79

3rd Chris Stubblefield/Tom Bourne, 5.4, $358.34

4th Jimmy Tanner/Manny Cunde, 5.5, $264.04

5th Jimmy Tanner/Justin Johnson, 10.0, $169.74

6th Dustin Buchanan/Shane Edmonson, 11.0, $94.30

Bull Riding:

1st/2nd Derek Choate, 76, $561.20

1st/2nd Lain Hartzog, 76, $561.20

3rd/4th/5th Bradley Wiggins, 75, $239.20

3rd/4th/5th Josh Reed, 75, $239.20

3rd/4th/5th Tony Smart, 75, $239.20