Rodeo Days a huge success
By Jerry W. Kram
New Town Rodeo Days not only attracted the best cowboys of the PRCA rodeo association, but the biggest crowd of fans to the New Town Rodeo Grounds since the facility was reinvigorated several years ago.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there hasn’t been a PRCA rodeo held since March, and most of the large rodeos in cities like Reno normally scheduled for last weekend were also canceled. That left New Town Rodeo Days as one of just three rodeos on last week’s schedule said Shane Gunderson of Bailey Pro Rodeo. BPR was the primary stock contractor for the rodeo.
Nearly 100 cowboys signed up for the saddle bronc competition alone, and Gunderson said a third of the potential competitors had to be turned away. Of the ones who made the cut, 22 were in the top 30 money winners in the PRCA. Gunderson said the action in the arena lived up to his expectations given the high quality of competition.
“I thought it was great,” Gunderson said. “I thought it was outstanding. They had to score in the middle 80s to get a check out of the bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding. The top time in the calf roping was 8.2 (seconds). It was tough. Every event was tough.”
