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Al Girard Named PRCA’s 2020 John Justin Committeeman of the Year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Al Girard, the executive director of rodeo operations and the cowboy liaison for the San Bernardino (Calif.) County Sheriff’s PRCA Pro Rodeo, has been selected the PRCA’s 2020 John Justin Committeeman of the Year.

“This means the world to me,” said Girard, 50. “It’s extremely humbling. It’s a tremendous honor to me and not just for me but for my rodeo committee and for the rodeo committees in Southern California. I have so many friends at all the different rodeo committees in California, and we all work so hard. So, just to get any kind of acknowledgement is always appreciated.”

The San Bernardino rodeo is put on by sheriffs and deputies. Girard is a lieutenant with the Sheriff’s Department in San Bernardino County.

“I’m in charge of administration with our executive board,” said Girard, who also is the committee representative for the California Circuit. “I’m in charge of basically getting everything to the rodeo. The grandstands, the equipment, the insurance, anything that has to be done in that way I’m in charge of that.”

Girard’s first year with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s PRCA Pro Rodeo Committee was 2005. He was voted onto the rodeo committee’s executive board 10 years ago.

“I grew up in the Western lifestyle,” Girard said. “I first got interested in rodeo in the late 1980s watching the Mesquite (Texas) Rodeo on TNN. I became a fan and started attending rodeos, and then in the mid-1990s I decided I wanted to rodeo, and I went to a Sankey Rodeo School up in Rio Linda, Calif., for saddle bronc riding. I was a saddle bronc rider in the amateur ranks for three or four years until I realized I couldn’t be a deputy sheriff and a rodeo cowboy at the same time.

“I’m a fan of rodeo, and I have attended every NFR since 1994. When a chance arose to be on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s PRCA Pro Rodeo Committee I jumped at it, and I have progressed up to the executive board. Next to my family, the most important thing in my life is rodeo.”

Girard and his wife, Brenna, have one daughter, Katelyn, 15.

Justin Boots created the John Justin Standard of the West program to recognize the hundreds of thousands of hours of work that volunteer rodeo committee members donate to put on rodeos. Each year, Justin Boots recognizes 125 outstanding volunteers from PRCA rodeos around the country through its John Justin Standard of the West program. PRCA rodeos vote on the individual to receive the PRCA’s John Justin Committeeman of the Year Award, whose dedication represents the deeds of those volunteers.

The 2020 San Bernardino County Sheriff’s PRCA Pro Rodeo was scheduled for Sept. 25-27 but was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 rodeo is slated for Sept. 24-26.

“Basically, COVID wiped rodeo off the map in California in 2020,” Girard said. “We just try and control costs as much as we can, and we are moving forward for 2021. Rodeo is like family to me and I can’t imagine my life without rodeo.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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