Press Release

October 18, 2013- The California Rodeo Association and new President Daryl Whitcher unveiled the 2014 Commemorative Poster at the annual Stockholder Dinner on October 17^th. The original watercolor was painted by local artist Laurie Myers and features a cowboy sitting on his horse overlooking fields in the Salinas Valley.  A photo by Richard Field Levine of a working cowboy helped Laurie bring Daryl's vision to life. The poster is fitting as the President chooses the artist and the subject he wishes to see; Daryl can imagine himself, a local Surveyor, sitting atop the horse and surveying the land.

Laurie is a self-taught artist who has been teaching art to elementary school students for 20 years. She developed a program to bring art history and technique into the classroom and has written two books on this program which evolved into TV programs that are shown locally in conjunction with the “Life in the Arts” series on KMST. In 2008, Laurie was the recipient of the employee recognition award from the California State Assembly and the Alisal Foundation for the Arts. She currently teaches art full time at John E. Steinbeck School in Salinas, California. Recently, she retired from the Arts Council for Monterey County where she was the Art and Education Director. Her mission is to bring the joy of art to as many people as possible throughout Monterey County. She lives on a ranch and is surrounded by horses, cowboy gear and the western way of life. Her surroundings inspire all of her paintings. 

The 2014 Commemorative California Rodeo poster can be purchased at the Rodeo Office at 1034. N. Main Street in Salinas from 9am to 5pm for $15. There are 100 limited edition prints signed by Laurie available for $30 each. They will also be available online at carodeo.com after November 1^st.

The California Rodeo Salinas will take place July 17-20, 2014. 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. We support the community and other non-profit organizations through the staging of the annual California Rodeo Salinas and other year round operations of the Salinas Sports Complex. Through donation of our facility, vending and fundraising opportunities during Rodeo and other events, the California Rodeo Association returns over $350,000 annually to local non-profits. For more information about the California Rodeo Salinas, log on to www.CARodeo.com or call the California Rodeo Office at 831-775.3100. ‘Like’ the California Rodeo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CARodeoSalinas or follow us on twitter @CaliforniaRodeo for updates, photos and more.