ProRodeo Sports News - Jan. 21, 2022

TomGlause, PRCA’s CEO praised the work

PRCA world champion bull riders and many others involved with rodeo production. “BeforeThe American Rodeo last year, he drove out to Terrell (Texas), which is about 50 miles from AT&T Stadium and spent the afternoon with my dad (Neal), and my brother (Pete) and I,” Donnie said. “We were real close friends. We enjoyed having him over and had a good visit. He saw stuff that was keeping rodeo off TV and stuff that was holding us back sponsor-wise. He always blended in and that’s the way he produced events.” Jeff Chadwick, Wrangler’s Director of Special Events, also praised Robinson. “I knew Jerome forever because we were both from Fort Collins, and I also worked for Jerome when I was right out of college,” Chadwick said. “He was a great friend, a mentor and a gentleman. He was one of the classiest guys in rodeo far and away. He’s a guy who remembered every building manager, everybody who worked in the building. He would go back to a building and call everybody by name. He had the unique ability to remember people and things about them. He had a real connection

done by Robinson.

“Jerome was a visionary …He was always willing to lend a helping hand,” Glause said. “So many bull riders were touched by him, and so many rodeos are better off from his keen eye for production. He was an operational genius and so much more. His passing is a loss for the world or rodeo.” Steve Rempelos, PRCA’s Chief Marketing Officer and dear friend of Robinson concurred with Glause. “Jerome was instrumental in creating the PROCOM central entry system and was a Vice President on the PRCA Board in 1979 when the PRCAmoved to Colorado Springs and built the Hall of Fame,” Rempelos said. “He helped form the Association of Rodeo Committees while he was still competing as a PRCA bull rider and was an 11- time qualifier to the NFR. His passion for quality production at rodeos started early and took him on a path worldwide to showcase our iconic American sport. “Jerome touched so many lives and careers. I

PRCA ProRodeo file photos Robinson, above, and below, with 2019 Miss Rodeo America Taylor McNair was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 2019.

truly enjoyed our close friendship of nearly 40 years, and I share his loss with his family, friends and the rodeo community.” Fellow ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull rider Donnie Gay, an eight-time PRCA world champ, praised Robinson for his contributions to the sport. “You don’t qualify for NFR 11 times without being pretty good,” Gay said. “Jerome was always in the mix, and he out rodeoed everybody in those days. He was able to get to so many rodeos and ride so many bulls and he would draw a check almost everywhere he went. He was getting a check as many times as he could get a check and that was probably at 30 or 40 more rodeos a year than anybody else was competing at. He was a top NFR bull rider because he was smarter than most and was dedicated. That’s the way he approached every job that he did.” Robinson finished a career- best fourth in the 1974 and 1975 PRCA world standings. Robinson attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins to study education but maintained that he really majored in rodeo. He qualified for three National Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals and was rodeoing professionally when he graduated in 1969. Robinson competed on his PRCA card for 16 years, starting in 1967, and made 11 trips to the NFR. He went on to mentor several

with people. I never worked for anybody who could get you to work 16 hours a day and like it, but he did.” An injury in 1982 took Robinson out of competition for four months but afforded him the opportunity to launch an integrated rodeo production business specializing in indoor rodeos. He handled everything from booking venues, hauling in dirt for the arena, hiring contractors and producing the performance. In 1985, the PRCA asked Robinson to execute the production of the ESPN-televised rodeo series “Winston Tour.” He considered creating PROCOM and starting the Winston Tour to be his most gamechanger,” Donnie said. “We used to call it (PROCOM) 1.800 dialing for dollars. You could get in rodeos so much easier. Jerome was a real forward thinker.” Robinson’s company produced events in Japan, France, Finland, Oman, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela. Of all his accomplishments, Robinson couldn’t pick a favorite when asked in his July 2019 article in the PSN . “Serving on the board was definitely educational but just being involved in the lifestyle and the day-to-day of all of it,” Robinson said. challenging achievements. “Having PROCOMwas a

ProRodeo Sports News 1/21/2022

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