Cattle Call begins this weekend, and for those few Valley residents who are unaware of just what this entails, it means a heck of a lot going on in a relatively short time span.
The week’s offerings are sure to have something for everyone in the family, be it the Chili Cook-off, cowboy poetry or the mariachi festival, to name just some of the events. The weeklong series of gatherings does well to generate buzz and excitement leading to the Cattle Call Rodeo.
While the whole week deserves special mention for the community pride it evokes and the Valley history that it embraces, the events owe their existence to the rodeo itself, which dates back to 1957.
Looking to provide Brawley residents with an annual event on par with what other Valley towns had enjoyed, chamber officials decided on a rodeo and parade that would recognize the cattle industry. And on that fateful day more than 50 years ago, organizers and attendees would find the perfect annual event that best suited their sense of community.
With the aid of that community spirit that is evident to this day in Brawley, organizers were also able to raise the funding necessary to move the rodeo from a high school football field to a permanent arena in time for the rodeo’s second year. That alone is quite impressive and telling, yet hardly a surprise, considering the way Brawley has always banded together in times of need.
Today, the fact that the series of events and rodeo are always guaranteed crowd-pleasers highlights both the appeal of the festivities and the well-planned execution of the events. Nor should we forget how the growth of the region’s cattle industry has positively impacted the Valley over the years and the way in which Cattle Call emphasizes the industry.
Whether it’s hanging with family and friends on Dia de la Familia, feasting at the Lions Club Chuckwagon Pancake breakfast or the mutton-busting revelry that the rodeo offers, no one preference is off the mark. Indeed, the best bet is to take as many Cattle Call events in as possible before they’re gone for another year.
THE ISSUE:
Cattle Call Week, Rodeo
WE SAY:
Cattle Call Week, Rodeo highlights spirit of Brawley community.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
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