By Randy Strong

Special to The Orange Leader

ORANGE — Heavy rain could not stop all the fun and excitement this past Saturday at the Tin Top 2 Arena and Event Center in Orange for the area’s annual Special Angels Rodeo.

Participants from all walks of life enjoy good food, mouth watering cotton candy and refreshing snow cones. Various vendors filled half the arena with many types of games and goodies leaving the other half for horse rides and a petting zoo.

The mission of the Orange County Special Angels Rodeo is to promote, organize and produce fully adaptive rodeo and western heritage events specifically for anyone with special needs regardless of condition or age.

“Our group overcame many obstacles this week” Rodeo Vice President Jo Harris explained “to make sure our special needs community could come together and experience the rodeo and western heritage in a loving manner.”

Harris goes on to express some concerns at the start of the day that the weather would keep many participants away but was delighted to see cars and trucks lining the street full of people waiting to join the fun.

The event, which began around 10 years ago with just over 90 participants, has grown exponentially to hundreds of participants, their families and volunteers from Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana coming together under a big tin roof for a day  of safety, fun and positive encouragement for all involved.