Thousands of people from the Central Valley sported their best western apparel at the 111th annual Clovis Rodeo from April 23-27.
The event was held at the Old Town Clovis rodeo grounds where attendees gathered to watch activities like mutton bustin’, barrel racing and bull riding.
Board of Directors member Chuck Rigsbee gave a rundown of the rodeo’s environment.
“This is a family-friendly event, it’s very American: apple pie, patriotic–the whole works is here,” Rigsbee said.
Additionally, country music stars Tucker Wetmore, Dylan Scott and Matt Stell performed on April 23-25 as part of the Clovis Rodeo Concert Series.
Rigsbee explained the significant economic impact the rodeo has on the City of Clovis.
“I think the city has calculated that [the rodeo is] worth 12-13 million dollars,” he said.
According to the Clovis Rodeo website, the rodeo brings in approximately $15 million, with more than $350,000 in proceeds being allocated to local charities.
Though the event is only five days long, the rodeo board spends the entire year preparing for it.
“We have various events leading up to it, so we spend a lot of time working on a lot of different things,” said Clovis Radio Association Secretary Katie McDougald.
McDougald was also Miss Clovis Rodeo in 2016.
For her, the rodeo is more than just a day filled with hot dogs and horses.
“It is a major Clovis tradition that we work really hard to maintain,” McDougald said. “It’s just a great family-fun event where you can see all the rodeo action and get to see the Western way of life.”
Rusty Wright, a globally-ranked saddle bronc rider, has participated in the rodeo for the past 10 years. He spoke about his personal connection to the event.
“It’s a dream come true, I got to ride today with one of my uncles and one of my brothers,” Wright said.
Wright explains that his family inspired him to participate in the rodeo.
“My family is big in rodeo, my dad is a two-time world champion bronc rider…so he got me going,” Wright said. “I have three brothers that do it and six uncles [that do it]–it’s a family thing.”
His brother, Stetson Wright, is ranked first in the world all-around.
The history of the Clovis Rodeo
In 1914, the Clovis Women’s Club sponsored the first Clovis Rodeo, which was originally known as Clovis Festival Day. The event had activities like parades, games and horse races.
“My great-great-grandfather cooked the beans for one of the early-on Clovis Day rodeo events,” Rigsbee said.
In 1921, the event became officially known as the Clovis Rodeo. Back then, wagons and cars helped form an arena for events like horse races and games. As the years went on, improvements like 7,000 concrete seats, increased land acreage and more sponsorships helped the rodeo expand.
The Clovis Rodeo was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2014 for its 100th year. That same year, the City of Clovis unveiled a statue of Lane Frost, a world champion bull rider, and Red Rock, a famous bucking bull. Both Lane Frost and Red Rock faced off at the Clovis Rodeo during the Challenge of the Champions.
111 years later, the Clovis Rodeo ranks among the top three biggest rodeos in California, and among the top 15 in the nation. The event attracts over 50,000 people each year.
“It’s one of the oldest rodeos in California and one of the biggest rodeos in California,” McDougald said. “It’s really special to be able to be a part of that.”
