Monthly Archives: July 2021

Top names in ProRodeo are expected to ride for Gunnison’s big money GUNNISON, Colo. – The word is out about the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. While many people knew about the gem of Colorado rodeos before, the 120th celebration helped set the record straight. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic kept fans away, the contestants showed up in record numbers. They were showcased in front of a national television audience on The Cowboy Channel, and that’s been enough to keep the numbers boosted again this year. There are 422 cowboys and cowgirls who are planning to compete in Gunnison again this year; that’s an even bigger number than the community hosted last year, and it’s calling for some wild times and big scores at this year’s rodeo, set for Thursday, July 15-Saturday, July 17, at Fred Field Western Center. Of those, there are 57 men and women who have played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage, the National Finals Rodeo. There are 13 world champions who are expected to compete in Gunnison, and they make up 26 Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. The field is led by six-time world champion bull rider Sage Kimzey, who is again at the top of the world standings with more than $120,000 in earnings so far this season. He is one of several multi-time champions who are hoping to collect some of the big money available in this picturesque mountain community, including three-time bareback riding titlist Will Lowe, who has two decades’ worth of experience and 15 NFR qualifications to his credit. “When you look at this list of contestants, it really is a who’s who of rodeo’s biggest stars,” said Kevin Coblentz, a longtime member of the Cattlemen’s Days volunteer committee. “We’ve got world champions in nearly every event that will be part of our rodeo. That’s very exciting to us as a committee, and I hope it’s exciting for our community. “COVID caused all sorts of issues for us and many other rodeos last year, but where there are struggles, there are also good things. Because there were so many rodeos canceled, COVID opened the door for more contestants to come to Gunnison. It seems they liked what they saw, and we have even more cowboys coming back this year.” When the contestants arrive, they will be greeted by a community that enjoys the annual celebration and is excited for its return to its traditional dates in mid-July. Each night will honor something special, and that’s proof of what Gunnison and the valley is all about. Opening night features the highly successful Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign, followed by Patriot Night on Friday and the Ranchland Conservation Legacy Night to close out the three performances of ProRodeo. “We do these nights so we can honor three separate things and give focus to each of those,” said Brad Tutor, first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “We are the No. 1 Tough Enough to Wear Pink rodeo in the United States based on what we’ve done in this community. We continue to work with the hospital and other providers in town, and we want to have the No. 1 rural breast cancer facility in the nation very soon. “Our Patriot Night honors those that have served us in so many capacities. We have a lot of veterans in this community, and we also have a lot of very strong patriotic feelings among the people in this town, so we realized a few years ago that we had a strong desire to honor those. We finish the rodeo by honoring those with ranching backgrounds. This is traditionally a ranching community, and our heritage is very strong regarding ranching and ranchland.” With a community that has such a rich legacy, nobody would expect less than something brilliant like the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Darran Robertson and Cody Emerson look at life inside the rodeo arena vastly different than most. When danger appears, they attack it. When a 1,600-pound bull charges, they return the favor, utilizing their athleticism and experiences to help themselves and others inside the arena escape harm’s way. It’s their nature; it’s their job. They are the bullfighters and will have a very important role at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for Thursday, July 15-Saturday, July 17, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “I do this for the love of the game,” said Emerson, 32, of Marble Falls, Texas. “I think the thrill of protecting your buddies is something that most people don’t get to feel. The bull riders are always grateful that you saved their butts. You get to travel all over the country doing what you love to do. There aren’t many jobs like it that you can provide what it provides, along with the adrenaline rush that comes with the job and the brotherhood we have as bull riders and bullfighters.” It takes a passion to jump into the middle of a wreck in order to keep everyone else in the arena out of trouble, and both men have that. Robertson, who rode bulls for several years before he tried his hand at bullfighting, understands the necessity of his job better than most. Both are veterans in the game, but Robertson is a bit more … distinguished. He’s 44 years old doing a job that most men do until their mid-30s. “My wife, kids and I talked about when to hang it up,” said Robertson of Weatherford, Texas. “I said I was going to be done at 40, but I still have fun doing it. I do it because I just enjoy it. “My son gets to go with me a little bit. When I stop having fun or if my body tells me I’m done, then I’ll quit, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen soon. I go to the gym five to six days a week, and I still feel pretty good.” It shows in his effectiveness, and he and Emerson work well together. They’ve partnered together numerous times over the last decade, and that trend doesn’t look to stop soon. Both are excited about returning to Gunnison and experiencing how a community comes together for a celebration like Cattlemen’s Days, which has been around for 121 years. “That’s just a great little rodeo,” Emerson said. “It’s got the old-school look and the big, wood chutes, which is something you don’t see very often at rodeos today. We have two sections of bull riding, so we get to open and close the performances with bull riding. You have your work cut out for you, because they’ll bring the heat twice a day, and you need to be on your toes.” There will be plenty of action inside the historic arena, but the rest of his venture to work the rodeo will mean enjoying the cool mountain air; that’s a far cry from their Texas homes, which features high humidity and intense heat through the summer months. “Gunnison is a cool little town in the mountains, and I like going to the mountains and rodeoing in June and July,” he said. “It’s also a cool town to be in, with a neat atmosphere. The rodeo is a huge deal to the people there, so that helps make it really exciting for us when we get there.” He got his start nearly a decade ago after watching the action for much of his life. He grew up roping in northeastern Arkansas, then decided to try his hand at bullfighting. He attended a school put on by veteran bullfighter Frank Newsom, and he quickly fell in love with it. Robertson rode bulls well enough to qualify for the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo three times. After he decided to hang up his spurs, he found a job, but he had the world of rodeo calling back. of Fame rodeo clown Lecile Harris, a longtime family friend, offered some assistance, and Robertson followed by putting his natural athleticism to work in a different capacity. When he arrives in Gunnison, he will offer decades of experience around bulls and a love for the game that most men in their 40s would never comprehend. “The people in that town are amazing,” he said. “There is definitely an Old West feel when you get there. They have the old-style bucking chutes, and that Tough Enough To Wear Pink program is a huge deal there. “The town has some nostalgia to it, and it’s got an incredible feel. I just love that small-town atmosphere and the way the people treat you when you’re there.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – There are more than 2 million acres across Gunnison County, and about a tenth of those acres are used for agriculture. This is a home for farmers and ranchers and many others that care about agriculture. It’s the legacy left to many in Gunnison County, and it’s one of the many reasons why the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration is such a big deal to the locals and others with ties to the Gunnison Valley. This year’s event is July 1-18 at the Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “I would say Cattlemen’s Days and 4-H are key to the development of the area and the history of the area,” said Perri Pelletier, the 4-H agent for the Colorado State University Extension in Gunnison County. “I’m delighted to know all the things I’m learning about that.” Though Pelletier has lived in Gunnison much of the past two decades, she’s still relatively new to her post at the extension office. She’s been at it about a year and oversaw the 2020 4-H experience, albeit through several COVID-19 precautions. She may be new to the office, but she’s been around 4-H for several years. Her children began their involvement with the program in 2008, and her youngest recently graduated high school and 4-H. “I believe the 4-H and FFA programs are very important to this community and the people in it,” she said. “We serve over 100 kids and have a marvelous growing experience for them each year. We had a full experience last year, but there were some COVID limitations. People got to show their projects. I’d say it was down a little bit from what we normally get. “I think this year’s exhibits will be stronger. You can definitely tell the people are ready to experience a normal Cattlemen’s Days again.” There are a number of categories, from various animal exhibits to general projects, 4-H offers opportunities for anyone who wishes to be involved. Yes, there are traditional livestock shows and the Junior Livestock Auction, but there are a variety of divisions for many interests. The auction, which rewards the youngsters for their hard work in preparing and presenting their exhibits, is set for Saturday, July 10. In years past, the Junior Livestock Auction fell on the final Saturday of Cattlemen’s Days. “The decision to have the auction on that date was made early in the spring,” Pelletier said. “This is the second year we’ve done that because of COVID. There are pluses and minuses for doing it that way. “We have a little more room to spread out, because the rodeo events aren’t going on in the evening. That allows the rodeo people more access to the grounds. The downside of it is we lose some of the hype that we have when it’s all together, but we think this is the best Way to do it for now.” Nonetheless, everyone is excited and ready for the fun and the ability to show off their wares during Gunnison’s biggest annual event, Cattlemen’s Days.

GUNNISON, Colo. – COVID-19 reared its ugly head around the world in 2020, and the isolation and devastation was only part of the problem. For the Gunnison Roping Club, it meant an alteration to its traditional plans surrounding the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration, the biggest community event in all of the Gunnison Valley each year. “The Watershed Team Roping is an event we’ve traditional held for years with the Cattlemen’s Days celebration,” said Ramon Ray, the club’s president and a longtime member. “It’s an event that’s set up for all of our local ropers, horse people or people that are interested in horses. To be eligible, you need to live in the Gunnison watershed.” After a one-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, it will return Wednesday, July 14, and will again be part of this year’s Cattlemen’s Days, set for Thursday, July 1-Sunday, July 18, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “Last year, we were rebuilding the club, so when COVID stepped into play, I was very apprehensive about continuing with the ropings,” he said, noting that the club also organizes the Cattlemen’s Days Roping, which takes place on the final Sunday of the celebration, July 18. “We didn’t schedule the watershed roping because of COVID. As far as I can remember, it was the first time it’s ever been missed. “We didn’t want to interfere with the rodeo and all they were doing to put the rodeo on last year. We’d rather see the rodeo continue, because that’s important for this community.” While that was discouraging, it opens the doors for many positive things to happen in 2021. For one, last year’s Cattlemen’s Days was restricted, and the rodeo was postponed until Labor Day weekend.  This year’s 19-day celebration is on its regularly scheduled time, and all events are expected to continue as normal. “I think our team ropings are very important to the legacy of our community and the tradition of Cattlemen’s Days,” Ray said. “It’s time for our local ropers that have basically come up in our roping club to get back out in front of the audience and shine. It’s important for our spectators to come down and watch the roping, with the auction and everything else that goes on. They have a great time. “It’s a community gathering, when people don’t see each other all the time during the winter months. After a while, when things like this happen, it’s pretty significant for that big moment during that one-time-a-year event.” That includes the final Sunday event, which stands as a perfect way to bring closure to such a generational celebration. “It’s an open roping to end our Cattlemen’s Days,” Ray said. “We have it for folks that are still here, including rodeo contestants that would like to participate. As the years have gone on, they have done a lot of things the same as the watershed roping, so it’s been a big part of Cattlemen’s Days.”