CALF_News_December_2019_January_2020

35 CALF News • December 2019 | January 2020 • www.calfnews.net The littlest big event Established in 2013, Rodeo All-Star Weekend was created to highlight the best in pro rodeo –World Champion vs. World Champion. Every April, these top ranked cowboys and cowgirls ride into Denver, Colo., to compete in three rodeo performances. Held at the National Western Complex in the heart of Denver, this event is accessible to the public: affordable tickets can be pur- chased online without the need to phone a friend or save up for a year. For 2019’s event, a full-weekend pass, which included tickets to all three rodeos, parking and access to the live music concert after the Friday night rodeo was $100 per person. The value of that ticket, however, was priceless as fans got to experience some of the best sports action in the country in an intimate venue cloaked in tradition. It features the country’s finest rodeo athletes, voted on by fans, getting to do what they do best – rope, ride and wrestle. In football, eight seconds may determine the outcome of a game with a last-minute touchdown or field goal, but in the bulls and broncs, eight seconds can determine an entire legacy. Like the million-dollar, sometimes ego-centric all-stars of other sports, Rodeo All-Star athletes are playing for high stakes: where they sit in the standings, how much money they will earn, but most of all, pride. The main difference is that they live by a cowboy mentality, one that is rooted in the western lifestyle. This friendly, afford- able, exceptional event is unlike any other all-star outing, but every sports fan should experience it and have a chance to immerse themselves in a cowboy way of life. Not just an event, but a lifestyle The western lifestyle is a unique and character-driven one, comprised of determination, generosity, thrift, fairness and humility. These values are very much woven into the culture and family-friendly fabric of Rodeo All-Star. Yes, the event shares some of the spec- tacle of its sister all-star events like the NFL Pro-Bowl and MLB’s Midsummer Classic, such as music and fireworks. But for an affordable $7, kids can also enjoy lunch with some of the nation’s finest rodeo stars at the event’s Lunch with Champions . The stands aren’t filled with fans who fought to pay thousands of dollars for a ticket, but rather family and friends of the athletes alongside tried and true rodeo fans. It should not come as a surprise that despite being similarly classified as world class athletes participating in all-star events, rodeo participants’ lifestyles and values differ in many ways. These under-recognized Rodeo All-Star athletes’ paychecks are several million dollars less than other sports’ all-star counterparts. Their after-party celebra- tions look a little different too. Super Bowl champions sip champagne while mega-musicians perform Top-40 hits. A Rodeo All-Star athlete doesn’t get seduced by glitz and glam and typically only takes enough time to tend to their cuts and bruises after a competition before they head to the next town. The Rodeo All-Star event may be their only exception to that rule, as the contestants stick around post-competition for time with family and friends. After they com- pete, these champions come together as a rodeo family and enjoy the music of an up-and-coming country music star at the Rodeo All-Star concert, dance the night away with friends or grab a cold one with fellow competitors. No matter how they choose to celebrate, these cowboys and cowgirls know it will be among a community of people who all share a similar outlook and values. They aren’t in it for the “big bucks.” The paychecks at rodeos are often as modest as the competitors. That doesn’t stop these athletes from traveling town to town to hone their skills and compete in the next event. The Rodeo All-Star event is underap- preciated, much like the western way of life. It’s a hidden gem, welcoming to all, celebrating the best of the best that rodeo has to offer. It’s built on humility, hard work, long hours and only lacks the egos and price tags of other all-star events. It is filled with athletes who are celebrities in their own right. They are popular within their community, and they get recognized as they walk down the streets of their hometowns. They may be stopped to take a selfie with an adoring fan, and that photo with a “hometown hero” is as coveted to this fan as an NFL-signed jersey is to a Denver Broncos fan. Much like the western lifestyle and its rodeo athletes, this event deserves more accolades and attention. Hope- fully, America’s diverse array of sports fans will start to flock to this event and embrace it as one to be celebrated, much like those other coveted main- stream events. One day, fans from around the country will say,“Yes, I went to the Rodeo All-Star and it was unforgettable.” For more information on the Rodeo All-Star, please visit RodeoAllStar.com . 