Tag Archives: Greeley Stampede

The Mediator

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This post has been moved to OpenChutes.com. All future postings of Powwows, Indian Relay Races, Rodeos and Rendezvous will be posted there from now on exclusively. So if you’re looking for new images and posts for all those events attended this year, plus all the old posts posted on BigShotsNow.com check out OpenChutes.com. See you there!

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It was the 4th of July. It was hot. It was the finals. Tempers were flaring. These final events were being played out before a sold out crowd under a blistering hot sun. It was the kind of 4th of July day you remember as a kid, hot, kind of muggy, and full of anticipation. The little bit of shade there was kept to the area immediately in front of the chutes. For the last week contestants and the rodeo stock had been going at it hammer and tongs deciding who the bull duck in the pond was going to be and this was the last day. Winners and losers were being decided this day and no one wanted to be in the losers category.

The cowboy decided he was going to ride this one out the full 8 seconds, the bull disagreed and tempers flared. Because of the heightened tension, words were said, feelings were hurt and the entire affair turned dangerous in a heartbeat. That’s when the mediator stepped in and with a few well-chosen phrases, a quick well-meaning pat on the head, de-escalated this situation. That’s why these rodeo clowns are so important. They’re not just another pretty face in the crowd. These guys do real work and it’s important, life saving work. It’s why they get the big bucks and as many of those colorful bandanas that they tie around their waists as they want. The rodeo couldn’t go on without them.

This event ended well with the bull being mollified, the cowboy convinced to try it again later and the whole situation was reloaded for the next set of contestants. That’s how things work in the finals.

The 4th of July was the last rodeo for this year and it was the culmination of five rodeos held during the preceding week. As in all events like this there were winners and losers. The winners, who were the first among equals, had produced the best scores overall and were rewarded with money, and a beautiful silver belt buckle, the Oscars of the rodeo world. The losers, who aren’t really losers but those that through bad luck, a mishap, a bad day, didn’t make it to the winners circle. But every day is a new day and these guys are nothing if not optimists, so they ‘re off to the next rodeo, the next event and the chance to become champion for a while.

The Greeley Stampede is an incredible rodeo, a show the likes of which you seldom get to see. If you missed it this year put it on your list for next year, you won’t be disappointed. This isn’t scripted watered down reality TV, this is the real deal. Things happen here unexpectedly and the drama will have you on the edge of your seats. You can even get popcorn here if you need it to watch the show. If you can’t make it out here to Greeley Colorado for this rodeo then there should be one near you that you can attend. If so, do it. It’ll make your day.

Lest We Forget

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HermanRady9005

Every year at the Greeley Stampede they have one night where they dedicate the rodeo to the men and women who have served and are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Thursday night was that night and they called it Patriots day. This Thursday, besides remembering and saluting all the service people that served in all the conflicts, they paid special homage to the Wounded Warriors, those service personnel that were injured while serving their country in the Middle East, and those of course who paid the ultimate price.

As you can imagine there were a lot of vets attending the rodeo tonight from the most recent conflict in the Middle East. Then travelling slowly back in time there were vets from other wars, Viet Nam, Korea, WWll. As you can imagine the numbers of those attending dwindled the further back in time we went. There were only two here tonight from WWll.

This is Herman Rady, a WWll survivor. He is 94 and remembers every detail of his time spent in the service. For him that period in his life is as fresh today as any vet’s memories are from their time spent doing their duty, even if his time was over 70 years ago. The passage of time has added a few wrinkles to his face but his eyes are sparkling with life as he takes in the swirling crowds going past him. He stands quietly leaning on his cane, letting the hubbub flow around him, a small island of serenity in an otherwise chaotic world. He is quietly modest about his service, simply acknowledging that it was something everyone had to do, so you did it.

Often called the Greatest Generation, we look back at those men and women and acknowledge the sacrifice and effort put forth by them at a very dark time in the world’s history. They literally saved the world from becoming a very different place, one that we can only imagine at how terrible it would have been and what our lives would be like now if not for their victory. When told that we were proud of him and appreciative of his participation at that time, he says a quiet thank you but then adds “One of the things I’m most proud of is being married to my wife Freda for 71 years, that’s something to be proud of. You don’t see that much anymore.” You’re right Herman, we don’t, and that’s one more thing we can add in our thanks to you and your wonderful wife Freda, for carrying forth the values and traditions of our great county. And with that we salute you, Herman Rady. I’m proud to have met you.Thank you for your service.

Voodoo Power

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This post has been moved to OpenChutes.com. All future postings of Powwows, Indian Relay Races, Rodeos and Rendezvous will be posted there from now on exclusively. So if you’re looking for new images and posts for all those events attended this year, plus all the old posts posted on BigShotsNow.com check out OpenChutes.com. See you there!

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This is a professional rodeo bull that makes its living by bucking off cowboys whenever they have the temerity to climb upon his back. His name is Voodoo Power and he works primarily in rodeo settings but will cheerfully buck off any rider any where, any time. His job is allow a cowboy, who is optimistically called a bull rider, to climb on his back and try to stay there for 8 seconds. If he does the cowboy wins. If he doesn’t Voodoo Power does. There’s little gray area here. There’s a great big clock on the wall with bright red numbers that quickly as the bull sees it, and agonizing slowly, as the cowboy sees it, ticks off the seconds until it reads 8.0. If the rider is still there he wins, if a fraction of a second before 8:0 he falls off, he loses. No appeal, no do over, he just gets up and limps to the fence before Voodoo Power notices him again. The cowboy wants to be well up on that fence before he does.

This may seem like a simple task, to ride a bull for 8 seconds, look at your watch and count them off, it doesn’t take very long for those seconds to go by, but you should know that many of these bulls have not been ridden to a qualifying time more than once or twice in several years. That’s a lot of rodeos and a lot of chances for the cowboy to have a successful ride. It’s also a lot of times that Voodoo gets to teach them some humility. And he does, regularly.

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Here’s Voodoo Power at work. This cowboy was oh so close to the 8:0 second mark but Voodoo Power decided it just wasn’t this cowboy’s night to win. Moments later the cowboy was airborne and when he hit the ground Voodoo was there waiting for him to step on him a little and roll him around the arena floor with his head. This is just Voodoo’s way of saying “Good try” to the cowboy. Fortunately for the bull rider the rodeo clown, who puts himself in harm’s way every single night, was there to convince Voodoo not to mangle the cowboy any more than necessary. Voodoo relented, the cowboy lived, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

That’s how this bull riding thing works, you come down to the rodeo, and we encourage you to do so, find your seat, and hang on tight as the bull riding begins. That’s it. Simple. If you’re finding your life a little boring at the moment, you can get a Cowboy outfit, pay your entry fee and have a close encounter with Voodoo Power, the professional bucking bull. He’ll be glad to meet you. See you at the Greeley Stampede.

Note: The following is a press release from the Greeley Stampede provided for anyone interested in the Rodeo. If you’re in the area there are still a few days of rodeo left. Come on down and take one in.

NEWS RELEASE 

For Immediate Release

Andy Segal

Victoria’s Secret products, Billy Preston teaming up with the Zombies for Fidelity Investments, Led Zeppelin pitching Cadillacs, Aerosmith for Buick, the O’Jays for Coors Beer, Deep Purple promoting Dodge, the Who allowing their music to be used in Cisco commercials, the flower power group the Association pitching Allstate Insurance, why we even have Helen Reddy’s classic anthem hit song. Media and Communications Manager

Greeley Stampede

970-356-7787

DAY SEVEN OF THE GREELEY STAMPEDE AND ALL IS COOL 

July 1, 2015 (GREELEY, CO) The afternoon rain cooled off the evening making for an all-around great night at the Greeley Stampede.

On this beautiful evening, as part of Ag Day, members of both the 4-H and FFA had the opportunity to come out and enjoy the Stampede Rodeo for free if they wore their organizations apparel. Over 5,000 visitors were in attendance at the 4th performance of the Rodeo.

Earlier in the day, when the heat was just taking hold, the Miss Rodeo Colorado Pageant got underway with the Horsemanship event. On Thursday, July 2 the MRC Pageant Speech contest will begin at 10:30 am at the Island Grove 4-H Building. The final event is the Fashion Show and Coronation at Union Colony Civic Center on Friday, July 3 in Greeley. RSVP’s are required call 970-454-0191.

The 5th and last regular performance of the rodeo is July 2 at 7:00 pm.  For Military Appreciation Day our current and retired Military men and women will be honored. Just show a military ID, military dependent ID or come in uniform to receive FREE park admission and admission to north grandstands during the July 2 rodeo.  The US Army is the rodeo sponsor for the evening.

Looking ahead to Friday morning the Kids Rodeo, sponsored by John Elway Dodge Ram, kicks off at 9:00 am. Western Underground will headline the Free Stage and you can catch Joe Nichols and Sawyer Brown on the Stampede Arena stage. If you want to meet Joe Nichols up close you can find him signing autographs at 4:15 in the Island Grove Events Center.

Enjoy the weather whatever day you come out to the Stampede but be sure to take in the last regular rodeo performance on July 2 or the rodeo finals on July 4. You can also buy your concert or demo derby tickets or get your carnival passes by calling 970-356-7787, by visiting any Northern Colorado King Soopers location, going to Ticketswest.com, calling Ticketswest at 866-464-2626 or online at Greeleystampede.org.  The Stampede Ticket Office is open 9:00 am – 10:00 pm daily during the event.

The 2015 Greeley Stampede June 25th – July 5th!

Rodeo Stars

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This post has been moved to OpenChutes.com. All future postings of Powwows, Indian Relay Races, Rodeos and Rendezvous will be posted there from now on exclusively. So if you’re looking for new images and posts for all those events attended this year, plus all the old posts posted on BigShotsNow.com check out OpenChutes.com. See you there!

Stars7925 (2)click to enlarge

At the end of the rodeo performance the real stars of the show are brought out for their moment in the spotlight. These performers give their best performance every time the chute door opens. The cowboys, regardless of their skill and courage, wouldn’t get their moment in the sun if these horses didn’t give their all. And they do, show after show, whenever they’re asked to.

You can see by the fierce pride in their stance that these are not tired, depressed animals forced to be mishandled night after night, or stock brought in from the wild to be broken into submission. These are proud vibrant creatures, in their element, full of the same excitement and enthusiasm their riders are. This is as much their competition as it is for the cowboys who try and ride them.

It is a special feeling to see these stars race out into the arena . To see and get a sense of the raw power in each one really makes the rodeo come alive. These performers share top billing with the best cowboys in the business and rightfully so. They are stars and know it, they have earned this moment in the spotlight.

Note: The following is a press release from the Greeley Stampede provided for anyone interested in the Rodeo. If you’re in the area there are still a few days of rodeo left. Come on down and take one in.

NEWS RELEASE 

For Immediate Release

HALF WAY THROUGH THE GREELEY STAMPEDE 

June 30, 2015 (GREELEY, CO) The 93rd Annual Greeley Stampede has already gone beyond the half way mark and with barely time to recover between days all of the activities and events are still in full swing.

About 4,900 visitors got to see the 3rd performance on First Responders Night sponsored by Colorado Access and some folks stayed for the WPRA Barrel Racing Slack which ran after the rodeo.

One of the many events that has yet to happen is the Miss Rodeo Colorado Pageant. First MRC contest is the Horsemanship event which begins at 9:30 am in the Stampede Arena on Wednesday, July 1. On Thursday, July 2 the MRC Pageant Speech contest will be at 10:30 am at the Island Grove 4-H Building and the final event is the Fashion Show and Coronation at Union Colony Civic Center 701 10th Ave. on Friday, July 3 in Greeley. RSVP’s are required call 970-454-0191.

For the 4th performance of the rodeo on Wednesday, July 1st it’s Ag Day sponsored by Weld County Garage. Wear 4-H or FFA apparel to receive FREE park admission and admission to the north grandstands during the July 1 rodeo performance.

Only two regular rodeo performances left, buy your tickets to the rodeo, concerts, demo derby or get your carnival passes by calling 970-356-7787, visit any Northern Colorado King Soopers location, Ticketswest.com, Ticketswest by phone 866-464-2626 or at Greeleystampede.org.  The Stampede Ticket Office is open 9:00 am – 10:00 pm daily during the event.

Andy Segal

Media & Communications Manager

Greeley Stampede

970-356-7787

GreeleyStampede.org

The 2015 Greeley Stampede June 25th – July 5th!

Greeley Stampede Press release

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For those of you interested in attending The Greeley Stampede or are interested in information about the Rodeo in general we are attaching this Press Release from Andy Segal, Media and Communications manager for the Greeley Stampede.

NEWS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release

Andy Segal

Media and Communications Manager

Greeley Stampede

970-356-7787

STAMPEDE ON!

 

June 29, 2015 (GREELEY, CO) In the fifth day of the 93rd Annual Greeley Stampede the rodeo and the free stage took center stage.

With over 5,000 in attendance during the second rodeo performance the leader boards saw some changes with Carley Richardson edging out Fallon Taylor by .22 seconds in Barrel Racing and  Bowyn James Allemand out scoring Brock Russell by 2 points to take the lead in Bull Riding. See attached document for the current standings.

After the Rodeo as the WPRA Barrel Racing Slack got under way Clare Dunn rocked out the Big Country Free Stage after a day of great entertainment on the Free Stage.

Tuesday is Meadow Gold Carnival Promotion night at the Stampede starting at 4:00 pm. Bring in an empty Meadow Gold or Viva Milk product container to get $5 off an unlimited ride wristband.  ($30 without container). Not Valid after 10:00 pm.

For the 3rd performance of the rodeo it’s First Responders Night sponsored by Colorado Access. First Responders: wear uniform, show ID or provide other documentation verifying First Responders status to receive complimentary access to the north grandstands.

Only three regular rodeo performances left, buy your tickets to the rodeo, concerts, demo derby or get your carnival passes by calling 970-356-7787, visit any Northern Colorado King Soopers location, Ticketswest.com, Ticketswest by phone 866-464-2626 or at Greeleystampede.org.  The Stampede Ticket Office is open 9:00 am – 10:00 pm daily during the event.

Andy Segal

Media & Communications Manager

Greeley Stampede

970-356-7787

GreeleyStampede.org

The 2015 Greeley Stampede June 25th – July 5th!

Cowboys At Work Team Roping

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This post has been moved to OpenChutes.com. All future postings of Powwows, Indian Relay Races, Rodeos and Rendezvous will be posted there from now on exclusively. So if you’re looking for new images and posts for all those events attended this year, plus all the old posts posted on BigShotsNow.com check out OpenChutes.com. See you there!

TeamRoping6032click to enlarge

Team Roping, this is a rodeo event based on real life cowboy work, as are all the events in the rodeo except maybe bull riding. That event is just something cowboys thought up for fun, something to do on a Friday night instead of going to the Punch Up, a shot and a beer and a fist fight establishment out on the county line.

Team roping was particularly important as it was the way cowboys completed the arduous task of handling calves during spring round-up so they could be collected, branded and other necessary activities performed on them. Calves being calves they had some idea of what that all entailed so they would do their best to avoid participating and run away. Especially the little bull calves. Cowboys having to get all this work accomplished had to come up with a way to capture the calf so it could be processed. That’s where team roping came in.

Cowboys on their horses would be hanging around the outside of the herd as it milled around inside the corral and when they saw a calf making a break for it, ride after it to catch it. Two cowboys usually worked together to do this. One cowboy, called a header, would rope the runaway calf or young steer around his horns, and the other cowboy called a heeler, would rope the calves hind feet. The calf unable to run would be secured by the two horses carefully backing up, until the calf was in the position it needed to be for the branding team to run up and tip the calf on its side, so the branding could take place. This was also the time that other necessary things would happen, inoculations, horn trimming if necessary, a short brief instruction session on how to be a proper productive member of the herd, normally delivered by one of the older cowboys, and the calf would be released back to the care of its mother or other proper guardian.

Today things are stilled handled pretty much the way they were 100 years ago. The cows and calves are rounded up, herded into a corral where the cowboys have built a small fire to heat up the branding irons and they go to work. It worked good back then and it still works good today. But we’ve heard that changes may be on the way.

It’s the middle of the second decade of the twenty-first century and some things have changed from the 1800’s. We have iPads now, and cell phones, freeze-dried potatoes that you can just mix with hot water and have for lunch right there at the corral, and that and other digital stuff, changed everything. The word on the range is that soon drones will be flying in with their calf-seeking radar, picking up these calves, hauling them to an area where they are marked with organic recycled ink in place of the old style brand, be subcutaneously inoculated with growth hormones that will double the calves weight every 96 hours, make them mellow and not mean, and lastly, be injected with a personalized  “chip” that will give its location, weight gain over the past 96 hours, its current mood and disposition, whether it is currently being rustled, and provide it with all the necessary information it needs to be a calf in the 21st century.

Now we don’t know if any of that is true or not, it’s just some of the stuff cowboys talk about around the campfire at supper. It makes the time go by and the beans taste better. We do know that the Amalgamated Brotherhood of International Cowboys, (ABIC) the union most cowboys belong to, are definitely against it. We’ll just have to wait and see how all this plays out. For now though it’s business as usual out on the range and the team ropers have their work cut out for them and they’re hard at it.

If you want to see how real cowboys do their work then come down to the rodeo, and the Greeley Stampede is a good one to come to, and watch Team Roping. It’s very cool.