You Ask, We Investigate: What's happened to the Red River Rodeo this year?
You Ask, We Investigate has been getting calls this week concerning what has become a 52 year tradition in Wichita Falls. And that is the status of the Red River Rodeo. Dan Garcia has more in this report. "We've had to cancel the 52nd Red River Rodeo."
Plain and simple, that's the word KAUZ News got when we contacted Roger Vassar, the president of the Wichita County Mounted Patrol. Shots like these of past Red River Rodeos, just aren't going to happen this year and the main culprit is the slowest economy we've seen here in a long time.
"The reason for that is the economy has really been slow and I think it's really effected more people than what we realize," said Vassar.
Vassar says putting on a rodeo, even for a community the size of Wichita Falls is an expensive proposition. And if the support isn't there... it can be a money losing proposition.
"Once we put a pencil to everything we realized we were going to be at a substantial loss to put the rodeo on," said Vassar.
Vassar says the organization had been going back to the usual supporters and some were showing interest just like in past years. However, this year, he says the economy has taken its toll and others just couldn't participate like before.
Vassar says, "It just wasn't coming together. We were faced with substantially ... probably a twenty to twenty five thousand dollar loss... when we decided we needed to do something else."
But Vassar is also optimistic about the future of the rodeo. "If the economy's better and we do a better job of hustling sponsors and the folks that want to support us... the rodeo will be back next year," said Vassar.
Next year when everyone hopes there is a brighter outlook. Dan Garcia, KAUZ News.
Saturday, May 30 at 4:33 PM Eric Mills wrote ...Good riddance. Rodeo is an anachronism which belongs in the dustbin of history. Cruelty to animals is nothing to brag about. Imagine the public outcry if the cowboys abused pet dogs the way they do the roping calves and steers. For most of thesse animals, rodeo is merely a detour en route to the slaughterhouse. They (and we) deserve better. Red River Rodeo? R.I.P. Cheers, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS Oakland, CA Saturday, May 30 at 3:21 PM J.D.G wrote ...Bennie Beutler is considerably higher then donnie gay.Donnie did what he could but in the end the sponsorship dollars just werent there. Saturday, May 30 at 1:03 PM Amy K. Burt wrote ...You did not do real research. Real research involves checking the Texas Secretary of State Paperwork. It would also involve asking who the prior stock contractors were for that rodeo. It was also call for asking what the costs were for this contractor position. Did Donnie Gay underbid last year to cut out all of the other stock contractors from earlier years? Bennie Beutler has done many of rodeos in this area. Why could he not have done this for Wichita Falls? Next time, dig deeper. Add a commentMost ViewedMore Good Stuff |
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Saturday, May 30 at 11:53 PM Amy K. Burt wrote ...
Rodeo stock is not abused. In fact, I went to the Santa Rosa Roundup. Bennie Beutler's stock looked awesome. They were some great looking stock. I was amazed at how strong and fit those animals were. It is shame that you can not actually look at the stock that you are slamming. Those are the most healthy animals that I have seen in a long time. The horses had strong stout legs unlike many in the racing industry. These horses are bred as they should be.