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Rockn' V Southwestern Ranch™
*Our Dixie Stampede Family*
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Howdy Pardners!!
Welcome to *Our Dixie Family* page!
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The Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show in Branson, MO opened their 15th season, February 29, 2008. All the performers (includin' the famous Dixie horses) have put in alot of intense rehearsals since the first part of February 2008.
The Dixie Stampede staff, the performers and 'the stars of the show', the DIXIE STAMPEDE HORSES have geared up for a fabulous and excitin' new season!
Dixie's openin' day performance was excitin and fabulous! A herd of Texas Longhorns ventured out in their natural surroundin's at the beginnin' of the show.
Fantastic, equestrian expertise dominated the fabulous performance after the North/South troups introduction! Trick Rider Larry came out by ridin' atop two handsome horses, "Goose & Baldy". Trick Rider Larry performed some fancy footwork atop his roman ridin' team as they went in stride 'round the arena. Goose & Baldy were taken back and forth between lit torches (horses have a natural and distinctive fear of fire). Then, Trick Rider Larry took the team and stradled the torches of fire. It got a little warm, if ya know what I mean! Larry got his horse pardners gallopin' to the right speed, then leaped them right through a huge 'ring of fire'. It was breathtakin'! What a experienced equestrian rider ya gotta be to complete this spectacular maneuver. Mama Skids & Papa Jim, along with our grandson, Garrett and his mama, were SO PROUD of Trick Rider Larry on openin' day!!
The Mistress of Ceremony for openin' day was Miss Kim.
They had back 'the racin' pigs' and those large birds they call 'ostriches'. Cowboys and Western Ladies showed how they banded together and had an excitin', chuckwagon barbeque feast. Female and male trickriders showed off their fancy trickridin' skills for ya.
Our Dixie Family in Branson have added a few new acts to their show in the last few seasons. One of the acts is our own Miss Anna. She's an aerialist on a long cable as a "Thunderbird in Flight". She does some excitin' and breathtakin' movements in flight, while a horse rider holds onto her cable. She is super-fantastic!! We sat there and watched her in amazement!!
There's many North/South competitions; from chicken chasin' with the younsters, to 'the more mature', pitchin' horseshoes, "Ozark Regulation Style". The North/South competitions are settled once and for all; durin' each performance!
You'll find an extra nice touch added to Dixie's 'American Salute' finale, with Dolly Parton herself, helpin' out with 'songs of patriotism'. The audience joins Dolly in singin' America's praises. The 'American Salute' finale is fabulous and it will bring ya to tears! Dixie riders ride out on their beautiful horses all decked out in 'American Pride' with lit up costumes; each rider carryin' a large American flag. It is SO MOVIN'! Myself, bein'a patriotic person, I get sorta emotinal watchin' Dolly and *Our Dixie Family* salute America.
To Our Dixie Family in Branson, MO: Congrats on a SUPER FINE Openin' Day for the 2008 season! Y'all continually do a outstandin' job of puttin' on a excitin' show!
With the fine skills of Trick Rider Larry and TJ, the Dixie Roman Riders perform their unique 'Specialty Act'. Other expert trick riders, dancers, riders and performers show off their fine skills at Dixie Stampede. Y'all will have an excitin' experience at the 2008 Branson, MO Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show!
With the precise timin' of events and quality of each performance, one can tell there are hours of practice and rehersals. Y'ALL MAKE US SO PROUD to be part of a wonderful family as "Our Dixie Stampede Family"!!
They have Dixie Stampede Dinner & Shows in three cities; Pigeon Forge, TN, Myrtle Beach and of course *Branson, MO*.
Branson, MO
1.866.520.5544
1.417.336.3000
Myrtle Beach, SC
1.800.433.4401 1.843.497.6615
Pigeon Forge, TN
800.356.1676
1.865.453.4400Make your plans now to reserve your seats with your family to view one of finest shows in Branson, MO, Pigeon Forge, TN and Myrtle Beach, SC.
The Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show is one of the 'top five shows' in Branson, MO. Availability is limited, so get your reservations made. You'll really enjoy their 'family oriented' dinner and show!!
"I guarantee it"!!
* * * * * * * * *On this page we'll introduce ya to "Our Dixie Family" and tell ya some stories 'bout our great family!!* * * * ** * * *
**Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show*, Branson, Missouri**Y'all enter the buildin' and purchase your ticket. Then y'all have your picture taken by Dixie photographers. Afterwards, y'all enter into the Carriage Room where you'll enjoy a humdinger of a Dixie Stampede pre-show.
After the pre-show, y'all will be escorted into the 35,000 sq. ft. main arena. You'll have these servers runnin' 'round, tryin' to get your 'Dixie Dinner' served to ya.
In 2006, they added a Mistress of Ceremony, *Miss Kim* (she's a sweet lady who comes from one of the other Dixie Stampedes It think it's sorta special havin' "a woman" share the honors. She's become a dear Dixie Family member.
They've got this 'funny guy' named *Skeeter* that helps out the Master of Ceremony durin' the show. He's a case and a riot!! Skeeter is a 'real pal'. We love ya!!
Y'all will love the Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show, cause they have 'family entertainment'.
The regular season of Dixie Stampede will have a 'western style' chuckwagon-barbeque with 'cowboys' and 'western gals'. They have a friendly, 'North/South rivelry' with audience participation. There are 32 stars of the show, the magnificant 'Dixie Horses'. Plus, they have back, 'the racin' pigs', along with very big birds called ostriches.
Excellent equestrian skills are seen throughout the show! It takes alot of practice, practice, practice, to get the different stunts and ridin'skills down pat! Y'all will love it!!
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            *** Christmas at Dixie ***
          
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Durin' the holiday season you'll especially enjoy the special entertainment for the pre-show in "The Carriage Room" at Dixie.
Dixie is famous for their 'real life' and spectacular, nativity scene. The 3 kings ride atop LARGE camels, bringin' gifts to the 'new born king'. Shepherds are led to the Christ child's birth. Along with a flock of sheep, and the manger animals, this part of the show, IT IS BREATHTAKIN'!! Even the angel ascendin' from the heavens to proclaim Jesus' birth; well, y'all just gotta see it cause it'll leave ya with a wonderful and beautiful feelin' inside.
For all you kids, the show will wind down with Santa arrivin' in a horsedrawn sleigh and SNOW!! Y'all will really enjoy the show
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If ya's ever get to Pigeon Forge, TN, Myrtle Beach, SC or, of course *Branson, MO*, ya gotta stop in & see the show! Ya won't be sorry!!
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Dixie Marquee
The Dixie Stampede marquee looks real pretty in the nightime. It really shows up good!!
 Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show
Dixie's main entrance. Ya get ya's ticket right here, then ya have ya's pictue taken, just beyond the hall. Ya enter the far side of the gift shop, & enter "The Carriage Room" for the 40 minute Pre-show. After the Pre-show, ya's enter to the north side, into the 35,000 square feet arena & ready for the 'Main Performance'.
 Dixie Gift Shop
The gift shop has lots of souveneirs for 'kids of all ages'. They've everythin' ya'd want to remember ya's visit to Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show.
 Dixie Stampede Stables
Here's where the *32 Stars of Dixie* stable. As ya lookin' at this photo, the buildin' winds 'round to the left.They are beautiful and very talented horses!
 Patriotic Riders & Dolly
Our Dixie Riders are showin' their pride with the *American Flags* in the background. Dolly is promotin' their patriotic ride.
 Dolly Pardon & Dixie Family
Our Dixie Family in Branson, has had Dolly herself, visit a few times. Here's part of the 'Dixie Family' with Dolly, five seasons ago (spring of 2000). She was in Branson, promotin' a series of books, from 'birth to kindergarten' age kids, in Taney & Stone counties of Missouri. Of course, she dropped by Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show, to say 'Howdy' to the gang. She even sung a few songs in the pre-show. That evenin' performance was not open to the public. Ya got invited by 'invitation only'. Ya guessed it, Buffalo Jim & I were on the list!
 Martha Josey Visits Dixie
World Champion barrel racer and instructor, Martha Josey and her husband R. E., visited Dixie. Some of 'Our Dixie Family' had the opportunity to visit and ask her questions. Afterwards they posed for a photo with Martha and R. E.
 Angelo Iodice, "AJ Silver
Angelo Iodice is also known as AJ Silver. Angelo is a former Dixie Stampede Trickrider and Roman Rider. We still consider AJ a member our 'Dixie Family'. That will never change!! He is considered one of the finest western acts in the business today. His performance is highly influenced by the 'European' circus and variety stage. He has studied dance/movement and character development, which has allowed him to approach the western arts (trick roping, bullwhip artistry and bolas) in a style, all his own. He gave TrickRider Larry lots of helpful instructions while appearin' at the Branson, MO's Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show.
He has gained much recognition for his skill at passing under the belly of a galloping horse. Angelo's outstanding technical skills and incredible showmanship truly makes him a world class entertainer.
He has performed ALL OVER THE WORLD! He likes appearin' at 'Madison Square Garden', in New York City (that's where his parents often took the family to Madison Square Garden) to see the circus and other special events; and little Angelo never wanted to leave. He knew he belonged in the colorful and exciting world of show business. Angelo then saw his first rodeo during another family outing to the 'Garden'. This performance featured a trick-riding exhibition, which amazed him. He could not believe the skill, speed and danger of this act. That day, he decided he would be a trick rider. Now, AJ Silver is a New Star of the Old West
Thanks AJ, for your part in teachin' TrickRider Larry the art, of trickridin!! Checkout his website at http://www.angeloajsilver.com
 Meet Annie & Vince*
Vince Bruce and Annie Dubats are part of Our Dixie Stampede Family.
Annie Dubats
Annie was born in New Berlin, Wisconsin. The youngest of six children her family ran a summer camp with a string of riding ponies. Throughout her youth she worked for a nearby horse farm gaining experience in breeding judging, showing and training. After attending the University of Wisconsin, at Whitewater, where she majored in theater and appeared in various productions and touring shows, Annie moved to Colorado where she helped start the first Dinner theater in Steamboat Springs. Later she worked at a horse and cattle operation out of Loveland and sang at a local bar. The death of her beloved stallion gave her the impetus to move to New York City to pursue the dream of a singing career. In New York she performed her own original material as well as singing back up for several bands. On a blind date she met her husband, Cowboy Vince Bruce and before she new it she was doing a western show with him. Since their marriage in 1992 Annie has been able to combine her two loves: Singing and Horses.
Vince Bruce
From the start it seemed that Vince Bruce was careening up life’s one-way street the wrong way, blazing a trail of contradictions. Cowboys come from America, Vince comes from England. Cowboys are Sturdy, if Vince was to turn sideways, you’d miss him. It was a chance meeting of Wild West rodeo star Tex McLeod, that first put a lasso in Vince’s hands and Vince’s typically British father first taught him how to use it.
That chance meeting with Tex spawned Vince’s love for cowboys, horses, ropes and the Vaqueros of the Old West that has consumed his whole life. He began doing rope tricks when he was six years old. At twelve he already had a regular spot at a local country club and by the time he was sixteen he was an established performer in the traveling circuses of England and France.
At nineteen he left the circus life for what he saw as the sophistication of cabaret and embarked on an eight year tour of the world’s night clubs. A list of the countries where Vince has performed, reads like the index of a World atlas. Since those early years he’s performed in a diversity of venues from half-time act for the "Harlem Globetrotters" to the Broadway stage - where he was "The Roper" for two and a half years in “WILL ROGERS’ FOLLIES”. Vince is now considered to be the foremost western act in the world.
It was in New York that he met his wife Annie, whose own love for horses had been put aside for a singing career. Together, they decided to pool their talents, buy a couple of horses and head out west!
Over the last seven years, audiences from the San Francisco Cow Palace to Jackson, Mississippi the Fort Worth Stock Show to the Calgary Stampede have been held spellbound by this tall lanky Englishman. Charging out into the arena atop two galloping horses in silver mounted saddles while spinning an enormous loop of rope around them, Vince is the Consummate Showman. In one of their routines, Annie rides out singing and Vince spins fancy loops around his horse culminating with Annie riding past him and Vince roping her. What a sight!
Whether in the Rodeo Arena, on Stage, Corporate Functions or Dinner Shows, their performance is a mixture of dazzling rope tricks, dangerous feats of whip cracking and an offbeat British humor.
Vince has done some of his famous rope tricks durin' the pre-show at Dixie. Vince makes a bull whip crack mighty fine and does unusual tricks with them. He's taken a gentleman out of the audience and cut a newspaper to shreds, while the gentleman holds it in front of him. It COULD HAVE BEEN dangerous, if ya did't hold the newspaper, just right!! He got on this here unicycle and did some amazin' stunts. To learn more of Bruce and Annie, go here Annie & Bruce .
 Rice & Renee
Joyce Rice and Rhonda Renee have toured the world with their variety act. Daughter Renee sings, plays the country fiddle and juggles, while Rice performs a trick-roping and whip-cracking routine. The mother/daughter team, whose dynamic brand of comedy, music, and variety arts have kept fans like Johnny Cash, Kenny Loggins, Dom Leluise, and Jay Leno applauding. Dixie Stampede have had the pleasure of havin' this 'mother/daughter duo' performin' in the pre-show, in "The Carriage Room".

Victoria Edwards
Miss Victoria is part of our 'Dixie Family'. Ever since the age of two-and-a-half, Victoria and her grandparents make many trips each year to Dixie. Since that first time visitin' Dixie, Miss Victoria's gotten to know most of the crew and performers personally.
They travel from Emporia, KS to Branson, just to see the "Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show" and visit with 'the family' there. Miss Victoria has loved horses all her life, and she fell inlove with the Dixie Horses from the very beginnin'.
At age six for her birthday, she was onstage durin' the pre-show to receive a book on trickridin', autographed by all the performers in the show and the audience sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. At age seven, she was the millionth person to walk through the doors of Dixie. The summer of 2005, Victoria's dance and musical group from Emporia, performed on-stage at Dixie and other shows in Branson. As ya can tell, Victoria's an entertainer herself and she's become a member of the elete "Dixie Family" .
Her plans are to attend college at "College of the Qzarks", in Point Lookout, MO, near the entertainment capital. I know it's a very good college, 'cause that's where Trick Rider Larry went!
 Victoria & Trick Rider Larry
Here's a photo of Victoria and Trick Rider Larry at one of her recent visits to Dixie.
 TrickRider Larry
This is my son Trick Rider Larry, doin' one of his many breathtakin' tricks, on his trick horse 'Peppy'.

Here's Anna
Here's Anna!! She was a member of the Dixie Stampede Family in Branson, MO. As the trooper she is, she went down to Orlando, FL to the Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show. She and dear Joe were there for two seasons.
Update on Anna and Joe!! Anna is back at Branson's Dixie. She performs great equestrian skills. Joe is FINALLY BACK home! Ms Anna is sure glad to have him home with her. Papa Jim and I are glad to have him back also. When I gave him a 'GREAT BIG HUG' he said it had been almost five years since he left. Papa Jim & I are "SO TICKLED you both are back home where ya belong!!
*Miss Tina & Scout*
Tina use to work and perform at Dixie Stampede with TrickRider Larry from 2001-2003.
The Dixie Wranglers
Here's Mike Gavin & The Dixie Wranglers, as they sing & perform at the KY3 Family Fair, in Springfeld, MO. on February 23rd, 2002.
The Dixie Wranglers -II
Hugh Warren's there on the left, Mike Gavin's in the middle with his 'American Pride' shirt. Lenny "Fussy" Davis, is on the right. He's "the comedian" of the group.
Mike Gavin
Her's one of our former Dixie Stampede Family members performin' a "live recordin' concert" at the "Outback Oyster Bar" in Branson, MO - May 2005.
Skeeter & Freddy
Here's Garreth (Skeeter) & 'his pal' Freddy. Skeeter is the commedian of our 'Dixie Stampede' family. He's just wonderful in the show! Skeeter is 'a natural'. Now Freddy, he's always wantin' to be in the 3rd Heat Race with the other ostriches, but there's only two in the show. Poor thing! 'Skeeter & Freddy'; they're very special pair!
Our Dixie Family members Matt Livingston & Garreth Sever are also street performin' down at the brand new "Branson Landin". Last Saturday evenin' (July 22, 2006) they had a real large crowd. Mama Skids and Papa Jim were in Branson, so we waited in town to see them perform. We mosied on down to the landin' and watched them perform by the big fountain. You made us real proud of our Dixie Stampede Family.!!
(Our Skeeter and his wife are proud parents to a sweet little angel named Lilly. She's fifteen months old). Where does the time go!
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Hope y'all enjoyed meetin' some of *Our Dixie Stampede Family*. They're a 'great bunch of folks'!!
Many Happy Trails, ~Buffalo Gal~ (Mama Skids)
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