Centennial Celebration 2010
Cowboys, cowgirls and rodeo fans alike, pull your hats on tight for the 2010 Centennial rodeo celebration. This year marks 100 years of Tradition for the California Rodeo Salinas and a milestone in the sport of rodeo.
Starting as a “Wild West Show” in the early 1900’s with bucking horse events used to fill time spots in between trotting races and local cowboys in the spotlight, the beginning of a tradition was in the making. By 1911 the first “rodeo” was held, it included a schedule of week long festivities such as the carnival, fair, race meeting, and first ever horse parade down Main Street. A founder of the Rodeo, “Red” Cornett deemed the festivities as “Big Week” another important figure, Frank Griffin thought “The California Rodeo” would best suit, today we use both, but most importantly we call it a “TRADITION”.
The early years of the California Rodeo included events such as the “El Colmado del Rodeo” which was a night parade that was formed by local town folk and featured automobiles decorated and driven down town. For the Centennial Celebration the “Colmo” parade will be featured and combined with the Kiddie Kapers parade Saturday night before the Rodeo starts. Starting in the early years, contracted acts were also a feature of the annual event, starting with hiring a clown and talented cowboys known for wild and entertaining rides. Today the California Rodeo is keeping tradition alive both in the arena and on the track. On the track, specialty acts are still contracted to entertain the crowd and in the arena the professional cowboys of the ProRodeo Cowboys Association show off their talents in their respective events.
The Rodeo has always been a premier event in the area as well as an integral part of the community, recruiting over 1,200 volunteers each year and consistently generating much-needed revenue and business for the city. An inductee of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's Hall of Fame and honored as Small Business of the Year by the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2010, the California Rodeo Association is a not-for-profit organization that strives to preserve and promote the traditions of the California Rodeo Salinas and the West. The Board is made up of citizens who participate in multiple regional organizations and events, aiming to improve the community we live in. We support the community and other non-profit organizations through the staging of the annual California Rodeo Salinas held during the third week in July and other year round operations of the Salinas Sports Complex. Through donation of our facility, vending and fundraising opportunities during the Rodeo and other events, the California Rodeo Association returns over $200,000 annually to local non-profits.
The California Rodeo remains as the largest rodeo in California, and to celebrate its 100 years of TRADITION we are working on planning a large and memorable Centennial Celebration. A tribute DVD, which will include interviews with various important and influential personnel of the California Rodeo, and capture the last 100 years of rodeo, will be available for purchase.
So be sure to join us and take part of a legendary celebration for the California Rodeo Salinas!
