News and Notes from the Rodeo Trail, Feb. 6
The St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo announced Feb. 3 the hiring of its first general manager, Cindy Schonholtz. Schonholtz will assume the duties of general manager May 1 at the rodeo, which is billed as the Nation’s Greatest Fourth of July Rodeo. Schonholtz goes to Oregon from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, where she worked as the Animal Welfare and Membership Development Coordinator. While at the PRCA, she created the Industry Outreach Department and served as its director. She currently serves as president and CEO of the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which helps injured rodeo athletes and their families with financial assistance while the athlete is injured and cannot work or rodeo. “For several years, the board has contemplated the hiring of a full time general manager,” said Wally Pohlschneider, St. Paul Rodeo Board of Directors president. “As the St. Paul Rodeo has grown to be the 11th-biggest regular-season PRCA rodeo, virtually every rodeo of our size maintains full-time staff positions. We were not willing to compromise the quality of our organization or rodeo by hiring someone who did not meet our St. Paul standards, and add value to our organization.” This year’s St. Paul Rodeo is June 30 through July 4. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at www.StPaulRodeo.com.
California Rodeo Salinas is hosting an old-fashioned barn dance from 7-11 (PT) on April 22 at The Barn in Salinas. Tickets are $25 per person, and include small bites provided by Famous Dave’s, a no-host bar and music by Monte Mills and the Lucky Horseshoe Band. The proceeds from this event will benefit the California Rodeo Salinas Hall of Fame. The Barn is located at 1563 Old Stage Road in Salinas. For directions, information and to purchase tickets go to: www.carodeo.com/events/2017/barndance. Call 831.775.3100 to reserve your spot.
Hadley Barrett and Dr. Jerry Thompson will be inducted into the Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame June 10 in Valentine, Neb.Barrett, originally from North Platte, has been announcing the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte since 1964. Thompson, of Stockman’s Veterinary Clinic, has been assisting with animal welfare and veterinary services at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo since the 1970s, and has been a member of the rodeo committee for 15 years.
The rodeo program is among budget cutbacks approved by the Hastings (Neb.) College board of trustees as it wrestles with an operational deficit of more than $3 million. A message posted online last week by President Don Jackson says the trustees have approved a plan to realize $2.3 million in savings during the 2017-18 school year by eliminating or consolidating some staff positions and taking other belt-tightening steps. The plans for 2018-19 include eliminating three to four faculty positions, three to four staff positions and ending the rodeo program. The college competes as part of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
The 85th annual San Angelo (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo officially started Feb. 3. The annual Santa Fe Trail Ride kicked off Jan. 27, in Sterling County, and arrived at the San Angelo Fairgrounds Feb. 2. Trail riders participated in the rodeo parade Feb. 4. The San Angelo Rodeo concludes Feb. 15-17.
Last week, the Texas Tech University rodeo team hired Stetson Corman as its new coach. At 23 years old, Corman is the youngest head coach in the history of the program. Corman rodeoed at Tech, and graduated last May.
The National High School Rodeo Association has voted to hold its 2020 and 2021 championship events in Lincoln, Neb., at the Lancaster Event Center. Specific dates for the 2020 and 2021 finals are pending, but the rodeo will be in July. The 2017 NHSFR will be July 16-22 in Gillette, Wyo. The 2018 and 2019 NHSFR will be in Rock Springs, Wyo.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The thing about rodeo is you have to be confident – and if you aren’t confident, it doesn’t matter how much you win. We are confident in each other.”
–Team roping heeler Cory Petska, who won the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 4 with his partner, Erich Rogers.
Courtesy of PRCA