Rodeo- Let 'Em Buck
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By Joy Ufford
Dust swirls as pickup trucks towing horse trailers bounce into parking lots. A warm breeze ruffles through kids' tousled hair as they stand in line waiting for a hot dog. The clomp-clomp of cowboy boots echoes up grandstand aisles as friends, family, and visitors grab their favorite seats and settle in for a summer evening's entertainment.
By the time the blazing sun stretches itself across to the western horizon, the dust in the air sparkling like gold, the crowd grows restless. They have come to be thrilled, and there's no way they're going to be let down.
After all, they're at the rodeo perhaps the most colorful of all Western traditions. Where else could you find such a motley gathering of adrenaline-crazed fools? There are wild horses that buck and twist, raging bulls that stampede and bellow, and graceful roping mounts speeding past bleachers in a blur. And some nights, it's possible that the two-legged rodeo goers are even a little bit crazier than the animals. Whether they are adults groaning in sympathy as a rider dusts
himself off, little kids cornering a calf for door prizes, or nervous rough-stock riders psyching themselves up for that eternal eight-second ride, the energy ricocheting around a rodeo arena just about brings down the house.
Visitors to the Greater Yellowstone area don't have to look very far to get drawn into a good family night at the rodeo. Between the Cody Nite Rodeo at Stampede Park and the twice-weekly JH Rodeo at Jackson Hole's county fairgrounds, "family" is one word that gets plenty of mileage.
At both of these well-known summer events, it's family who run everything, from providing the wild livestock to manning chutes to taking tickets at the gate. And these families wouldn't have it any other way.
The Cody Nite Rodeo, celebrating its 62nd anniversary this summer, is currently run by the Ivory family. Wife and mother Cathy Ivory handles promotion, keeps track of entrants, collects the fees, and pitches in anywhere else she's needed.
For a business that produces 90 shows one a night from June 1 through August 31 and seats an average crowd of 1,000 per show, pitching in is essential.
"There's not another rodeo like this in the world," says Cathy. "It's exciting, it's fast paced. There's something going on every minute."
Her husband Jim Sr. had held the Cody stock contract in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and returned to Stampede Park four years ago. He is considered one of rodeo's top contractors, always on the lookout for a horse or bull that really likes to buck. Their daughter Mandy works the calf chutes for roping contests, son Buster is often found behind the rough-stock chutes or in the arena, and son Jimmy Jr. puts his University of Wyoming education to good use as the rodeo's PR man.
Producing every event, every night, means keeping enthusiasm high all the way around the park. Visitors can count on the traditional rodeo contests: bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, team roping, and barrel racing.
Keeping these Western ranch traditions alive is part of rodeo's allure.
The Cody Nite Rodeo was started in 1938 by Carly Downing, a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and has since introduced thousands to the sport of cowboys and cowgirls.
"I will often speak with people with their grandchildren," says Cathy Ivory. "Maybe they came here when they were young themselves and want to bring their grandchildren who are young. Or maybe they have a neighbor back home who came here and went home and told them how much fun they had."
The Cody Stampede, with cash purses that draw cowboys from all over the country, takes place July 1-4. And over Labor Day weekend, Stampede Park hosts the unique "Iron Man" Rodeo, in which 10 cowboys compete in every single event. The only change from the nightly rodeo is that team roping is replaced by a one-man version called "steer stopping."
Clowns and bullfighters (Yep, bullfighters!), calf scrambles and cowboys Cody Nite Rodeo has it all.
At Yellowstone's southern gateway, the JH Rodeo and its contractors, Russ and Judy Moses, carry on the tradition of rodeo and family twice weekly. Their Saturday-night show opens on Memorial Day weekend during Old West Days, and in mid-June they'll pick up the Wednesday-night slot through Labor Day weekend.
The Moses family has been gathering new bucking stock all winter, holding Friday night "buck-outs" in a little arena near their winter home in Utah.
"We have a lot of new bulls coming up and maybe some of them will be really special," says Judy. "It should be a good summer."
A special Tuesday rodeo is planned for July Fourth this summer a spectacle with the Jackson Hole Jaycees' fireworks lighting up the backdrop. The popular "Toro Twistin' Under the Tetons" will return on a few nights this summer.
The JH Rodeo, which offers reserved grandstand seating, open bleachers and plenty of up-close views along the arena fence, features the same seven events found at the Cody Nite Rodeo.
"It's good, clean family entertainment we run a snappy show," Judy notes.
With Russ helping load the chutes, Judy taking entry fees and tracking the contestants' progress, son "Bucko" (Gene) playing bull fighter, and other relatives hauling stock and selling and taking tickets, the Moses crew has made the show an enjoyable one for its audiences.
"We certainly don't get rich off it," Judy says with a chuckle. "We just really like it. We like a lot of the cowboys and we've got a lot of family involved from pick-up riders to ticket takers."
On the Rodeo Road
Summer is rodeo season in mountain country, and there's no lack of action to be had. Here's where to find an event near you.
Cody, Wyoming:
Cody Nite Rodeo‹ June, July, August, nightly at 8:30 p.m.
Cody Stampede‹July 1, 2, 3 & 4
Iron Man Rodeo‹September 4 at 8:30
Jackson, Wyoming:
JH Rodeo‹Memorial Day through Labor Day, every Wednesday & Saturday at 8 p.m.
Meeteetse, Wyoming:
Labor Day, September 6 at 1 p.m.
Pinedale, Wyoming:
During the Green River Rendezvous weekend, Friday & Saturday, July 9 & 10 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, July 11 at 2 p.m.
Triangle C Ranch:
Ranch Rodeo‹Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (20 miles west of Dubois or 70 miles NE of Jackson, on US Hwy 26)
Gardiner, Montana:
June 16 & 17
Red Lodge, Montana:
Home of Champions Rodeo‹July 2,3,& 4
Livingston, Montana:
Livingston Roundup‹July 2, 3, & 4
Wilsall, Montana:
June 26 & 27 (30 miles north of Livingston, Montana on US Hwy 89)
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