Rodeo heading in right direction

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HENDERSON, Texas – When Ryan Ellis looks around at the Rusk County Expo Center this week, he reflects on the things that mean the most to him.

He’s directing traffic, trying to get everything in order for the Black Gold Stampede, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at the complex in Henderson. The two days of competition is the culmination of a year’s worth of work by him and the other volunteers that help organize the annual event.

“I get a lot of pride in the fact that we’ve been able to maintain a top-quality PRCA rodeo in a time where there’s a lot of competition from other things outside rodeo to entertain folks,” said Ellis, chairman of the rodeo committee. “We are able to keep a good, clean, family event that is still a big part of our community,”

The work that goes into preparing for the rodeo is extensive, from gathering the sponsors that help pay for the fiesta to getting the arena ready to making sure the fan experience is excellent. It takes a steady group of dedicated people to make sure everything is as flawless as possible.

“I’d say we have grown our committee to about 20 people,” Ellis said. “It’s not just volunteering for the week of the rodeo. We have eight or 10 meetings a year, and there’s a core group in there that does the bulk of the work, but we rely on everyone.

“It’s hard for us to stay relevant every year and make money and compete with other rodeos to get the contestants. It’s never easy, but we have the strongest committee we’ve had in 20 or 25 years, so that just makes it easier.”

The group has implemented a few updates. First and foremost, the dates moved to the second weekend in October, which helped draw more contestants to town. With the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo taking place at Waco this weekend, too, local organizers are hedging their bets to draw more cowboys and cowgirls to Henderson.

“Last year we moved to the weekend after Texas Circuit Finals, which didn’t really pay off,” Ellis said. “So, we’re trying this move this year, and we’re already seeing that our numbers are up as far as contestants.”

That’s good for the fans, who will get to see many of the top players in the game. The goal is to put on the best performances for the fans to see and for sponsors and organizers to enjoy through the two days of action. That’s why the rodeo will also feature a behind-the-chutes tour for the first time prior to both nights of rodeo.

“We wanted to offer something for the crowd so they can understand what goes on at the rodeo,” Ellis said. “We figured this would be a great way to make that happen.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve our rodeo for the contestants and the fans.”

Part of that equation is working closely with livestock producer Pete Carr Pro Rodeo.

“When you’ve got a stock contractor like Pete, he helps your rodeo be the best that it can be,” Ellis said.

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