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Mariana Ruiz rides her horse around a barrel during the Mini Rodeo at Cattle Call Arena last year. Ruiz will ride in this weekend's California High School Rodeo Association's event in Brawley. (IVP FILE PHOTO / January 14, 2013) |
The rodeo may come once a year, but enthusiasts will have another opportunity to get their fix of broncs and bulls Saturday and Sunday, as the California High School Rodeo Association will be holding a youth rodeo at the Brawley Cattle Call grounds.
Publicity manager for District 8 of the CHRSA Tracey Scott is looking forward to returning to Imperial County for what she hopes will be “a beautiful, sunny weekend,” she said. “It’s great to see the level of enthusiasm down (in the Valley) and we’re bringing a lot of talented kids.”
The CHSRA was founded in 1970 and, according to its official website, its goals are to further “the development of sportsmanship, horsemanship, and character in the youth of our country.”
They take that very seriously, says Scott, and as this weekend’s roster shows, their efforts have not been in vain — nearly 100 young cowboys and girls will be cinching up, some of them commuting from as far north as Los Angeles County and some, from just down the road.
Valley-born participants include Cailee and Chelsey Roper, Erin Wilson and Victoria Wysocki of Brawley; Savannah Mamer and Lexi Van Der Linden of Holtville; and Mariana Ruiz and Taylor Torrez of Imperial.
For those who attended the 56th annual Brawley Cattle Call in November, fan favorites of barrel racing, team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and bull riding may revive some not-too-distant memories, but also featured will be the stranger events of pole-bending, goat-tying, breakaway roping and ribbon-roping (think “calf-roping-meets-capture-the-flag”).
The competition will be divided each day into two go-rounds, in which every contestant is allowed to try their hand against one head of stock — one for junior high (sixth to eighth grade) and the other, for high schoolers.
The CHSRA will also be extending their thanks to local businesses and sponsors, including Gold Cross Ambulance, as well as a representative of the Cattle Call Rodeo Committee.
“We’re very grateful for the city of Brawley for having us back. We just invite anybody to come out and support the rodeo,” encouraged Scott. “I think it’s going to be a great time.”
The festivities will begin at 9 a.m. and are expected to run until at least 6 p.m. Admission is free.
For more info, check out the CHSRA’s official website, http://www.chsradist8.com
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