NORTH WASHINGTON — Fans have been pouring into the North Washington Rodeo Arena to see an award-winning bull and dozens of athletes bent on taking home some of the thousands of dollars in prize money this week.

Last year was a record-setting year for the rodeo. A combination of weather and promotional changes drew more than 10,000 people to the five-day event — the most since 1991.

The influx meant good things for the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department, which relies heavily on the rodeo to raise money for its budget each year.

“This makes or breaks us,” said Bruce Confer, who was the company's chief for 25 years and retired several years ago. “It tells us whether we can buy a new truck or new equipment, or if there's a (spending) freeze.”

New this year is a bonus day on Sunday, featuring 25 bull riders, bareback bronco riding and barrel racers. The gates will open at 4 p.m. that day with the rodeo starting at 6 p.m.

The people in charge of putting on the show in the arena say they are hard pressed to find a better rodeo in the Northeast than North Washington's event.

Danna Gann, the rodeo's secretary in charge of animal-rider pairings, was born in Arkansas and brought up in the rodeo business. It's all she's ever known.

She said North Washington's event is the one she looks forward to most each year. When she first came six years ago, she was taken back by its crowds.

“It's one of my favorite rodeos to work all year long, and I work rodeos all across the country,” she said.