Prince William to Host Motorcycle 'Mid-Atlantic Police Rodeo'

Credit: Prince William Police Department

Prince William County will host the 2017 "Mid-Atlantic Police Rodeo" this weekend at Potomac Mills (outside of Marshall’s Home Goods) located at 2700 Potomac Mills Circle in Woodbridge.

The annual event raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and is free to the public.

The event includes a Chris Yung Challenge Ride in honor of the Prince William County Police officer who died in Bristow, New Year's Eve 2012, while on duty as a motorcycle officer.

The schedule is below:

Thursday, September 14

7 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Practice Day

Friday, September 15

7 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Practice

12 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Chris Yung Challenge Ride

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Practice

Saturday, September 16

8 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Opening Ceremony

9 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Precision Course, Timed Run, Slow Ride

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Lunch & Live Auction/Raffles

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Competitions

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Partner Ride & Team Slow Ride

According to the website, the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Rodeo was the "brain child" of Corporal A.D. Johnson, a motorcycle police officer with Prince George's County Police Department in Maryland. The first rodeo was first held in 1979. Its purpose was to help officers in the Washington Metro Area build skills and strengthen relationships among area motorcycle officers.

Tragically, Corporal Johnson was killed in an on-duty motorcycle accident in 1982. To honor, Corporal A.D. Johnson, the organization continues today.

A cooperation between police and civilians make the event possible, every year. As the event grew, many new agencies became interested in participating, and the committee was asked to assist with establishing other training events in the United States and Canada.

The committee was incorporated in 1988 as The Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Inc. with its emphasis on increasing the "safe" operation of police motorcycles and increasing the skills of individual officers.