ProRodeo Sports News - July 10, 2020

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On July 2, the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo Board made the decision to not hold this year’s Labor Day Weekend rodeo, the rodeo announced in a press release. The cancellation of the the requirements to keep the community and spectators safe while balancing the need to meet all requirements and directives became increasingly difficult given the changing and emerging facts. The board worked directly with the Kittitas County Health Officer, state representatives, Kittitas County Commissioners, Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce and other partners. Planning for 2021 was expected to start immediately. Ellensburg Rodeo canceled Music legend, rodeo supporter Charlie Daniels passes away rodeo includes all events that are traditional to the Labor Day weekend, including the Division 1 Xtreme Bulls event, parade and concert. Since 1923, the only other time the Ellensburg Rodeo was canceled was in 1942-44 due to World War II. The board of directors determined that

BY THE NUMBERS 18 The number of spots bull rider Daylon Swearingen climbed in the PRCA | RAM World Standings between June 16 and July 7, up to 20th with $26,029. He was the top bull riding earner – not counting ground money – during the recent Cowboy Christmas run with $10,987. $21K The combined amount of money, $21,563, earned by the top three steer ropers during the 2020 Cowboy Christmas. Those three were J. Tom Fisher ($8,227), Garrett Hale ($8,098) and Landon McClaugherty ($5,238). $40K The combined amount of money, $40,508, reigning PRCA world champion saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston earned during runs. Thurston earned $25,949 last year and then earned $14,509 as the roughstock Cowboy Christmas top earner in 2020, with fewer rodeos because of COVID-19. the 2019 and 2020 Cowboy Christmas

Charlie Daniels, a Country Music Hall of

Famer and Southern rock legend, passed away July 6 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tenn. Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83. Daniels’ death was confirmed by his publicist, Don Murry Grubbs. He is survived by his wife, Hazel, and son, Charlie Daniels Jr. Daniels was a current and longtime member of the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The mission of the JCCF is to provide need-

Phil Doyle photo

Charlie Daniels performed at numerous National Finals Rodeos.

world’s richest and most prestigious rodeo since 1985. Proceeds from the song were donated to the JCCF and other organizations. “Being such a big rodeo fan, writing a song about cowboys and cowgirls, broncs and bulls, and the excitement that surrounds the Wrangler NFR in Vegas every year was a natural for me,” Daniels said in a press release about the song. “It don’t get no better than that.” Daniels is best known for his signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

based financial assistance to athletes injured through their participation in professional rodeo. Daniels was an icon at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, performing numerous times. In October 2015, Daniels produced a song that uniquely captured the road that the cowboys endure to qualify for the NFR while seeking the coveted gold buckle and title of world champion. Entitled “It Don’t Get No Better Than That,” the song was the ultimate tribute to the cowboys and Las Vegas, the city that has hosted the

ProRodeo Sports News 7/10/2020

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