Students can participate in a variety of team events in the men’s and women’s divisions.

The annual ACU Rodeo will bring traditions of the past along with some new improvements to the much-loved event Thursday.

The rodeo is a long-standing tradition in the Agricultural and Environmental Science department, though the exact history of the event is unknown.

“This is an event that has been around for over 60 years, one of the longest running events at ACU,” said Brady Creech, sophomore agribusiness major from Allen and 2016 rodeo co-vice president. “So it is a big deal for us and we are honored to keep this tradition going for the ACU and all the contestants.”

Creech said steer riding is the main event with the winner receiving a belt buckle with their name engraved on it.

In addition to traditions, the 2016 Rodeo Committee made a few changes to the occasion. This year, shorter events will be included between the larger team events to keep the crowd entertained and the pace going.

“At this year’s ACU Rodeo, we are integrating another entertainment aspect between each event that will require additional audience participation and will hopefully increase entertainment value of the rodeo as well as provide some more laughs,” said Riley Morrow, senior animal science major from Bellvue, Colorado, the 2016 rodeo president.

The second change to this year’s rodeo is a focus on safety.

“All contestants will be given information on how to safely participate in events beforehand, and we will have an onsite veterinarian in addition to EMTs this year,” said Reece Wells, junior environmental science major from Denton and 2016 ACU Rodeo chair for the committee of advertising and public relations.

Anyone who would like to participate in the rodeo can sign up in the Campus Center from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. until Thursday. Registration is $100 for a team of four.

Attendance for the rodeo costs $5 per person and $8 for two people.