The California Rodeo Announces Golden Circle of Champions Delegate
SALINAS, CA – This year, Kelly Mata Navarro, an 11-year-old who triumphed over cancer, represents the California Rodeo Salinas as a delegate in the Golden Circle of Champions. The Golden Circle of Champions, a non-profit, extends support to pediatric cancer patients and their families through financial aid and additional resources.
The program, which originated in Santa Maria, CA, expanded in 2018 to include 20 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned rodeos. These rodeos sponsor a child, funding a trip to Las Vegas for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The children and their families are honored at an annual banquet and paired with professional rodeo athletes who teach them about rodeo and spend quality time with them. The children and their families then attend a rodeo performance, cheering for their new friend, the professional rodeo athlete they met at the banquet.
Kelly Navarro, a survivor of Ewing Sarcoma, faced the disease twice before her eleventh birthday. Diagnosed in November 2019, she underwent a hip replacement, with doctors replacing her leg bone with a prosthetic. After finishing treatment and getting clean scans, the cancer returned in November 2022. Kelly bravely conquered the cancer again and is currently undergoing a clinical trial in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to her love for dancing and spending time with her pug, Vaquero, Kelly dreams of becoming a Designer.
Throughout the year, Navarro will participate in various activities, including riding on the California Rodeo’s Holiday Parade of Lights float in Salinas on November 30th, 2023, and the July 14, 2024 Kiddie Kapers Parade as the Grand Marshal.
The California Rodeo Salinas designated the final performance of the 2023 California Rodeo Salinas the Golden Circle of Champions Day. All four past Golden Champions, Isabella Varela (2018), Julian Castillo (2019), Maddie Owens (2021), and Olivia Ingram (2022), attended to raise awareness for the cause. The unexpected outcome of this program is the bond formed among these champions as they work together to promote the program. Going forward, the California Rodeo Salinas plans to organize more events to bring the Champions together and fund opportunities to support their mental health. Learn more about the current and past champions and the Golden Circle of Champions at https://www.carodeo.com/p/about-us/community/golden-circle-of-champions.