ProRodeo Sports News - June 15, 2018

RODEOS

Committee Cooperation Spanish Fork, Elizabeth work together to advance rodeo BY TRACY RENCK B ettering the sport of rodeo is an ongoing process. One step for PRCA rodeos to reach that goal is communication between committees. An example of that took place recently between the committees at Spanish Fork (Utah) Fiesta Days & Rodeo and the Elizabeth (Colo.) Stampede.

PRCA CEO George Taylor, left, stands with Elizabeth (Colo.) Stampede Xtreme Bulls Division 2 champion Koby Radley on June 1. Ty Stockton photo

Intrigued by wanting to have an Xtreme Bulls event, committee members from Spanish Fork opened a dialogue with the Elizabeth Stampede brass to see how the Elizabeth committee ran its X Bulls. “We had talked about going to another performance at our rodeo, a fifth night, whether it be another standard rodeo performance or doing an Xtreme Bulls,” said Nick Hanks, director of the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days & Rodeo. “No one on our committee had attended an Xtreme Bulls. Elizabeth Stampede Xtreme Bulls came highly recommended by (PRCAManager of Xtreme Bulls) Fred Boettcher, and the Elizabeth Xtreme Bulls, June 1, is one we wanted to attend to get a feel for it. We went to the Xtreme Bulls performance and stayed and watched a performance of their rodeo.” Hanks was thrilled with the reception he and his staff received in Elizabeth, which is less than an hour from PRCA headquarters in Colorado Springs. “The people in Elizabeth couldn’t have rolled out the red carpet more and made us feel more welcome,” Hanks said. Ron Howard, a member of the board of directors on the Elizabeth Stampede and the chairman of the production committee, was glad to oblige his visitors. “It is of ultimate importance (for rodeo committees to cooperate with one another),” Howard said. “We are all in the same business and that’s the business of putting on the best rodeo we can, promoting the Western lifestyle and the sport of rodeo. When the people from Spanish Fork got here (Elizabeth), we wanted to show them everything they wanted to see. Any questions they had we wanted to answer them and give them full access, so they could see behind the chutes and see how we actually run our Xtreme Bulls from a production standpoint and from an entertainment standpoint.” After watching the production of the Division 2 X Bulls event in Elizabeth, Hanks said the plan is for the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days & Rodeo to have a Division 1 X Bulls event July 20, 2019. “Having your rodeo committee go see a rodeo put on by another rodeo committee is something I would absolutely recommend,” Hanks said. “After going to see what Elizabeth did, it gave us a different spin on what we are already doing. There was a lot of stuff I picked up just from their regular rodeo, like, ‘Why don’t we do that?’ or ‘Have we ever thought of doing this?’ I also would welcome any rodeo committee that would want to come to our rodeo.”

Boettcher, a former bull rider and six-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (1998, 2000-01, 2003, 2004, 2006), was especially happy to see the way things unfolded between Spanish Fork and Elizabeth. “This shows how committees are working together to share what they do to make their events successful,” Boettcher said. “Even though rodeos can be totally different, they all have the same goals and that’s to put on the best rodeo they can. We want to let committees know if they are interested in something they can reach out to their event reps or to the PRCA for questions. I was able to be that mediator to get these two committees together.” The benefits of the trip for the Spanish Fork committee members wasn’t lost on Howard. “It’s really flattering when a rodeo as big as Spanish Fork takes anything away that they can use from a small-market rodeo like Elizabeth,” he said. “We’re fortunate, we have an excellent group of volunteers. We have a lot of fun and I think our hospitality is as good as you’re going to find anywhere. Anything we can do to help another rodeo, I don’t care where they are coming from, if they want to come, let us know. We would be more than happy to have anybody come in, see what we do and enjoy a little time in the mountains.”

ProRodeo Sports News 6/15/2018

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