2020 Media Guide - Awards

John Justin Committeeperson of the Year

Justin Boots, in recognizing the hundreds of thousands of hours of work that rodeo committee members around the country donate to putting on their local rodeos, has long made a practice of honoring 125 outstanding volunteers around the country through its John Justin Standard of the West program. PRCA rodeos vote on the recipient of Justin’s national award for a committeeperson whose dedication represents the deeds of those thousands of volunteers. In 2019 that award went to Susan Thomas of the Central (Casper) Wyoming Fair and Rodeo. Winners of the John Justin Committeeperson of the Year Award include: 1990 Philip Diehl, Pawhuska Elks Rodeo, Pawhuska, Okla. 1991 Cletus Schenk, Red River PRCA Rodeo, Wichita Falls, Texas 1992 Duane Mahlum, Wolf Point (Mont.) Wild Horse Stampede 1993 Homer Carter, Omak (Wash.) Stampede 1994 Hal Littrell, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1995 Jack W. Saulls, Moses Lake (Wash.) Roundup Rodeo 1996 Leslie Bartschi, Pocatello (Idaho) Frontier Rodeo 1997 Ed Thiele, Omak (Wash.) Stampede 1998 Ken MacRae, Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo 1999 Bud Monroe, Heart O’Texas Rodeo, Waco, Texas 2000 Darrel Stromer, Oregon Trail Rodeo, Hastings, Neb. 2001 Kathy Fraser, Corn Palace Stampede, Mitchell, S.D. 2002 Vern Carpenter, Snake River Stampede, Nampa, Idaho 2003 Steve Coleman, St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo 2004 Mike Lucke, Reno (Nev.) Rodeo 2005 Ronnie Parks, Heart o’Texas Fair and Rodeo (Waco) 2006 Lee Graves, Deke Latham Memorial Rodeo (Kaycee, Wyo.) 2007 Joel Smith, Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo 2008 Jim Thompson, Deke Latham Memorial Rodeo (Kaycee, Wyo.) 2009 Russell Erben, Comal County Fair and Rodeo (New Braunfels, Texas) 2010 DeLois Thompson, Marshall (Texas) Pro Rodeo 2011 Julie Graber, Kansas’Largest Night Rodeo (Pretty Prairie) 2012 TomWeinman, Kansas’Biggest Rodeo (Phillipsburg) 2013 Steve Alder, Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo 2014 Bill Stephens, Crossett (Ark.) Riding Club PRCA Rodeo 2015 Mike Mathis, Lufkin (Texas) PRCA Rodeo 2016 Steve Heathman, Coulee City (Wash.) Last Stand Rodeo 2017 Steven Money, Spanish Fork (Utah) Fiesta Days Rodeo 2018 Jerry Shepherd, Ute Stampede, Nephi, Utah 2019 Susan Thomas, Central (Casper) Wyoming Fair and Rodeo

Susan Thomas, the chairwoman of the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo board in Casper, was selected as the PRCA’s 2019 John Justin Committeeperson of the Year. “I’m stunned (to receive) this award,”said Thomas, 71.“There are people all over the U.S. who could be committee people of the year, and I’m accepting this honor for all of the committee people. I think it is important to share this incredible gift.”Thomas has worked with Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo for 10 years, on the administrative side.“We have great volunteers, and what I enjoy best about what I do is community,”she said.“Wyoming is one big community, and I like being involved.”Thomas was born and raised in Barnum, Wyo. Thomas’ late husband, Craig, served as a U.S. Senator fromWyoming from 1995-2007. He passed away in June 2007 at age 74. Susan was a high school government teacher for 36 years.“I came back to Wyoming after my husband passed, and I started my life again and got involved with the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo,”she said.“Tom Jones (general manager of the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo) is incredible. He is one of the best of the best of the best, and he makes everything happen.”

PRCA AWARDS

Susan Thomas, courtesy photo

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2020 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE