Special added attractions part of this year

Special added attractions part of this year's rodeo

June 9, 2001

BULLRIDING always seems to be a crowd-pleaser at the rodeos held throughout America. Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association bullriders will try their luck against some of the meanest, and nastiest bulls around. Honeycutt and Sons Rodeo Co. has some outstanding bulls who give the cowboys all the want in a ride and more. The 71st annual Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo will be get under way this Thursday-Saturday, June 14-16, at the American Legion Post 75 Arena in Cortez.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Rodeo Week in Cortez gets under way Monday, June 11 and ends Saturday, June 16. All merchants and employees are urged to cowboy up with their apparel. Mayor Joe Keck and City Councilors proclaimed this Rodeo Week.

The week is sponsored by American Legion Post 75, Southwest Auto Center, and the Cortez Mainstreet Association.

An always fun event is the Children’s Sidewalk Treat Parade with the starting place at the Cortez Cultural Center’s Dance Plaza at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 14. It will be followed by a Western Wear Contest. As a special treat the rodeo clown and bullfighter will be in attendance.

Honeycutt and Sons Rodeo Co. of Alamosa and Waddell, Ariz., will once again be the stock contractor for this year’s 71st Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo, June 14-16, at the American Legion Post 75 Arena in Cortez.

The rodeo is the only Professional Cowboy Rodeo Association event in the Four Corners Area other than the weekly PRCA series in Durango.

Roy Honeycutt, a former PRCA competitor, combines his knowledge of the rodeo business which he gained through the years under his late father-in-law Walter Alsbaugh to help further fair competition in the sport, develop new rodeo events, and expand the popularity of the sport.

Honeycutt gained his groundwork thanks to the tradition of his late father-in-law who provided him with a legacy of wisdom in the stock contracting business and the breeding of award-winning bucking horses. Four generations link experience with the traditional roles of rodeo and state-of-the-art event promotions.

Honeycutt rodeo prides itself for creating quality family entertainment by combining award-winning bucking stock, top contract personnel, and dynamic music.

The rodeo company had several stock at last year’s National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev., including bareback horses Copenhagen Ragged Edge, and Skoal’s Dawson Creek, and bull Copenhagen Lookout.

Announcing on horseback will once again by Johnny Pope of Semmes, Ala. He has worked with Honeycutt and Sons Rodeo Co. for many years and has been the announcer at the Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo many times.

Pope has announced the Indian National Finals Rodeo, circuit finals for Turquoise, Great Lakes, First Frontier, Southeastern, and Wilderness, plus the World Cup Horse Show and several other events. He has recorded a number of songs in Nashville. He sings the Honeycutt Rodeo theme that is played at the rodeo.

There will be a new clown at this year’s rodeo. Scott "Funky Kol" Messina will be on hand.

Messina, of Huntsville, Texas, is owner and chief instructor of the Huntsville School of Karate when he is not performing for rodeo audiences. He is a fourth degree black belt with 17 years of martial arts experience.

He has been a professional rodeo clown and barrel man for 16 years and he has been a Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association member since 1990. Messina was nominated for the prestigious 2000 "Original Coors Man in the Can" award and he performed at the 2000 Indian National Finals. He was seen in this area at last year’s Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo.

Messina has performed twice at the Senior National Finals in Reno, Nev. He was chosen the Clown of the Year for the Texas Pro Rodeo Association. He has been named four-time Contract Act of the Year by the PRCA.

He has been at the Louisiana Bull Riders Only Finals and featured in Texas Monthly and seen on Wrangler Jeans television commercials. The 36-year-old attended McNeese State University, Hill College, and Sam Houston State.

Messina must have a funny side to him. He is a standup comic as well.

Matt Lucking, who has performed here many times, is the bullfighter. Lucking, of Glendale, Ariz., has been a member of the PRCA since 1993. He was the bullfighting champion at the National Finals Rodeo Bucking Stock Sale in 1992. He also participates in roping events.

The annual Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo, which will be held June 14-16 at the American Legion Post 75 Rodeo Arena in Cortez, has not raised ticket prices in many, many years. Reserve tickets are only $7 (for Friday and Saturday’s performances only) and now on sale at Nu-Way Western Wear in downtown Cortez. General admission seats are still $5 for adults and $3 for children under age 12. and can be purchased at the American Legion home, Nu-Way, and Inter-mountain Farmers. Tickets also can be purchased at the gate beginning at 7 p.m. each day.

Several special events are planned during the rodeo. Something new this year is Mutton Busting for the youngsters. General Chairman Carl Armstrong said that either shortly before the start or perhaps during the rodeo six kids will get an opportunity to ride. The first six who signup (at gate no. 3 on the west side) will get a chance to earn a belt buckle and/or other prizes. The Revengers of Montezuma, precision shooting group, will perform Friday and Saturday nights. The Colorado Hoofbeats, a women’s horse riding unit, will perform each night.

The Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo Royalty for 2001 was chosen recently at the annual pageant. They include Junior Queen Attendant Chelsi Hall, Queen Michelle Hill, Princess Jessica Norris, Queen Attendant Mary Hoch, and Junior Queen Kailee Caughey.

Through the more recent years, Cortez pro rodeo fans have been lucky to have seen such stars as 2000 All-Around cowboy Joe Beaver who stopped off here last summer and then went on to win the title last December at the PRCA World Finals in Las Vegas. Fred Whitfield, who has won the all-around title as well as winning the 2000 calf roping crown was here in 1999 and 1998, 1999 world bareback champ Lan LaJeunesse was here in 1999 when nobody knew who he was except for Cortez fans who watched him win that event. Former world champ Ote Berry has won in steer wrestling here. Billy Etebauer, 1999-200 world champion saddle bronc rider has performed here several times.

Grand entry each day is 8 p.m.

Two parades are on tap as always. They will be held June 15-16 starting at 5 p.m. at Main and Maple east to Harrison and then north to the rodeo grounds. The theme this year is "Working Together---The Western Way." Entry forms are available at the American Legion, Valley Barber Shop, and Nu-Way Western Wear. This year’s grand marshall is Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Chairman Ernest House.

A dance will culminate performances June 15-16 from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Admission is $5 per person. Music will be by Desert Thunder.

The Frazier Shows of America will once again produce the carnival will run for all three days of the rodeo until midnight. The carny will start setting up Wednesday and will also be open Wednesday evening.