BLACKFOOT — Kids in East Idaho will get the chance to try their hand at ribbon pulling, stick horse riding and barrel racing next month when the Jay Ellis Memorial Lil' Cowpoke Rodeo returns to the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

The event is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 12 at the West Events Arena, and organizers expect between 30 and 40 kids to take part, based on turnout from recent years, though that number can shift depending on the day.

Travis Packer, superintendent of the event, said the rodeo was started decades ago by Jay Ellis and his wife, Betty. Ellis was a longtime member of the Blackfoot Elks Lodge, where he held nearly every office over the years, and used his love of rodeo to get kids involved in the sport early.

"He was a rodeo guy, and he just wanted to get kids involved in some of the rodeo stuff," Packer said.

The Elks Lodge continues to sponsor the event, though Packer said it has scaled back from its early years, when organizers were able to offer bigger events like mutton busting. These days, the rodeo focuses on smaller-scale activities suited for very young children.

Kids ages 5 and under can compete in the stick horse race, where they ride pool noodle horses in a loop around the arena. The same age group can also try ribbon pulling, where ribbons are tied to hay bales for kids to grab as quickly as they can. Dummy roping, a mock roping competition using spearhead targets instead of live animals, is split into three age groups — 5 and under, 6-8 and 9-10 — giving older kids a chance to test their skills against peers closer to their own age. Barrel racing, the only event that involves actual horses, is open to kids up to 10, though families need to bring their own horse since none will be provided at the event.

Packer said the stick horse race remains his favorite to watch each year.

"It's all just a little, little tiny kids, and they're just trying, like, crazy to run," he said.

Families interested in pre-registering their child can find forms at funatthefair.com under the Exhibitors & Competitors tab, or by contacting Packer directly at 208-419-5445. Packer said pre-registered kids get their name printed in the event program, but he was clear that no child will be turned away simply because they didn't sign up ahead of time.

Beyond the competition itself, Packer said he hopes the event gives kids a taste of ranch life and the effort that goes into it.

"The camaraderie is the best part, among a lot of the kids that we see tend to be like FFA or FHA kids," Packer said. "They're part of their society."

The rodeo is free to attend, and organizers encourage families to bring their kids out for the day regardless of skill level or experience.