ProRodeo Sports News - January 20, 2023

SHORT ROUND

Hall of Famer Leon Coffee named parade marshal Legend Recognized

A legendary rodeo clown will be honored as the grand marshal for this year’s Downtown Rodeo Parade to kick off the 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Leon Coffee, who is a ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee and PRCA Clown of the Year back in 1993, was named the grand marshal of the parade, which will take place on Saturday morning, Feb. 25. Coffee has been a part of RodeoHouston since 1993, in which he has become a fan favorite. The parade will be preceded by the Rodeo Run, which includes a 5K timed and untimed race. “Leon Coffee is an icon and fan-favorite of the Rodeo, with 2023 being his 30th anniversary as our Barrelman and friend, it makes him the perfect candidate to lead our parade as Grand Marshal,” HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman said. “From entertaining rodeo fans year after year, to now riding in our parade as Grand Marshal, we’re so excited to acknowledge Leon and his ongoing commitment to our Show.”

William Kierce photo

Rapid City Rush holding Rodeo and Ag Night The Rapid City (S.D.) Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, announced

premiere entertainers and has headlined or performed at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Wild Bill Days, Black Hills Stock Show, National Western Stock Show and the South Dakota State Fair. The new song and accompanying video will debut before the starting lineups are announced and before the team takes the ice for the national anthem. During the game, there will be appearances from cowboys, cowgirls and rodeo queens and the pregame party will be in the famous Cowboy Bar before the game. The pregame party begins at 4:30 p.m., is free to attend for those with a ticket to the game and will feature a live performance from the Dugan Irby Band. The Rush will wear specialty rodeo-inspired jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Western Legacy Foundation. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase a special Rodeo Hat Trick Package that includes a ticket to the Rodeo and Ag Night game, a ticket to Broncs for Breakfast on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the James Kjerstad Event Center at 10 a.m. and a ticket to Rodeo Rapid City on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m.

today the details for the team’s third annual Rodeo and Ag Night. Rodeo and Ag Night will take place on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7:05 p.m. (MT) and prior to the game, the team will unveil a new Rush anthem, recorded and performed by local artist Brandon Jones and the Brandon Jones Band. This season, the evening has been

expanded and renamed to Rodeo and Ag Night. The team was awarded ECHL Theme Night of the Year for the first version of Rodeo Night, in January 2021. The Rush will celebrate rodeo, the state sport of South Dakota, and acknowledge and honor the agriculture business that is the leading industry in the state. The Rush will also continue their partnership with the annual Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo Rapid City, which are set to begin the following week. Brandon Jones brings his powerful, rustic voice and his Black Hills country sound to the Rush in the form of a new song, written and recorded specifically for the team. The Black Hills native and self-described Rush fan is one of the Midwest’s

ProRodeo Sports News 1/20/2023

ProRodeo.com

18