GUNNISON, Colo. – The excitement is building, and the anticipation has spread across the Gunnison Valley.
It’s time for the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration, and 125 years of history will envelop not only the town but also the region. This is an opportunity for locals to gather together and enjoy the fellowship of one another in the perfect setting.
That was the idea when the event was founded in 1900, and it’s the expectation of everyone who has ever called Gunnison County home. Children will arrive with their prized projects, whether they’re lambs, steers, arts and crafts or a handful of other exhibits that will be put on display. Parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles will cherish those shining moments.
Ribbons will be handed out, and champions will be crowned. It’s just part of the Cattlemen’s Days experience, which takes place in early July at the Fred Field Western Center. The highlight, of course, is the annual rodeo, which will feature hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls all battling for big money in the valley.
The rodeo will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10-Saturday, July 12, at the grandstands and will be produced by Texas-based Stace Smith Pro Rodeos, an 11-time PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year.
“I believe everyone in our community is excited about this year’s Cattlemen’s Days,” said Brad Tutor, president of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual shindig. “We’ve got a lot of activities going on, just like we do every year. The big deal for us is that this is our 125th year, so we want to have the best Cattlemen’s Days ever.
“There’s been a lot of talk about our rodeo over the years being one of the best in Colorado. We’re proud of that, and that’s one of the reasons why we trust Stace and his crew. They put on a fabulous production, and it always fits well with our rodeo and our community.”
Part of that production will include longtime emcee Andy Stewart, who has been nominated for PRCA Announcer of the Year, music director Randy Mayer and entertainer Brian Patton, who not only provides comedy but also has a specialty act in which he rides a saddle- and trick-trained brahma bull.
The key component in all that is to bring quality entertainment to the people of Gunnison. The rodeo has been a highlight of the annual gathering for more than a century, and it will continue to be. It’s the perfect mix of family-friendly fun and world-class competition.
Just take a gander at last year’s Cattlemen’s Days titlists to see the results. The list of top finishers is littered with National Finals Rodeo qualifiers, contestants like 2005 all-around world champion Ryan Jarrett, who shared the tie-down roping victory, and 2014 barrel racing titlist Fallon Taylor, who finished second.
“We’re definitely proud of our rodeo and all that it brings to town,” Tutor said. “There are a lot of people from around here who keep up with rodeo, and many of the cowboys they see competing here are the ones they watch all year on TV and see competing at the NFR.”
There are many things to be honored about when it comes to the community’s annual exposition. The volunteer committee is continuing to be a benefactor to others in the Gunnison Valley, but it has adjusted a little bit in how it goes about that business. Cattlemen’s Days is teaming with Golden Circle of Champions, which helps raise awareness and funds in the fight against pediatric cancer.
To that end, the Thursday, July 10, performance of the rodeo will now be Gold Night in honor of that cause. The Friday performance will be Patriot Night, and Saturday will be Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy Night. Each show will be the perfect setting to honor so many in a way befitting their challenges and their service.
“Our goal as a committee is to have the best entertainment possible,” Tutor said. “I think doing things this way gives us that chance this year.”