OCR Text |
Show i ( FEATURES CLASSIFIEDS TV GUIDE PAUL HARVEY THURSDAY. JULY 25. fcwlmit T (act Cdim, 1974 PiHtM CitiMi, Ik Cack CdiiM at lu(ti-Cirii- Ik Tnti, ( l(k (itiiiM The ConOTffsy's I? Sirs ft WILLY WICKHAM, TOOELE. Thirty-nint- h annual Famous Preston Night Rodeo first night rodeo in the nation is almost here. And with thMiearing of the Aug. 3 event in Preston. Alvin Big H" Beckstead and Sherwin Webb, two of the individuals who have done a lot of work on the rodeo got together to reminisce about the rodeo. When the rodeo is kicked into gear Thursday night. Aug. 1. with an mad scramble (all gates opening at once with cowe boys on the backs of mules) then the curtain will raise on a rodeo with one all-mu- hard-to-rid- RIDES THE IMEIACX IRONC of the most colorful backgrounds in the West. sponsored national rodeo program. This history of Preston's . PRESTON'S Famous Night Rodeo, as it was named in 1935. was indeed the first night" rodeo in the country. Many hundreds have followed suit sinre then hut no one has ever disputed Preston's claim to the title, according to Beckstead. chairman of this year's rodeo. Over 130 of some of the finest Rodeo Cowboy Association (RCA) cowboys will he in competition for valuable money and points in the Winston Rodeo Awards night rodeo is as colorful as any anywhere. It was actually started, and details of the first rodeo are sketchy and givpn in almost whispered tones, on money from illegal slot machines placed in town. The revenue raised from (he illegal slots during the 1930s was enough to spring the event into gear. SINCE THAT had its ups and currently on swing, which is TIME it has downs hut is an upward attributed to MONTY HADLEY, OGDEN, CALF ROPING Rcckstend's directorship over the Inst three years. Iteckstearl has taken an interest and direction that will assure another fine three-nig- ht production this will probably year and which see another turn-awa- y crowd Saturday night. The last three years have y all sien throngs from the 5.1100 seal arena the .final night. This is not unusual for the rixlio. There wen times during its heyday, according to Welth. that scores were turned away. turn-awa- IIECKSTE XI) II S been the rodeo committee for some 211 years. Wehh has lccn itn (lie committee for some 15 Others who have I teen major films in the rodeo's Mtpularily and solid footing are Virgil tviudson and Union Dunn. on CODY HANKINS, ON RERIH DULL Others by the score have also been important factors. Names attributed to the successful start of the venture an Ed Crockett. Dick Bowden and Dan Swainslon. Wehh said he arrived in Preston the year Indore the "wild open town" atmosphere of the first night rodeo. He said then1 wen slots in the halls and hitching posts for horses available on the rodeo .iliraetcd most of enwlxiys of the era lie said it was before most of the big shows got started and that at that time Prishm's rodeo purse could match auv. I.arrv Mahan, in the "(Srenl American Cowlxiy" movie, was lien and many other great cnwlmys. lie said that Chuck Hansen, the rodeo clown in the cowlxiy movie, has also liccn here streets. many limes. Beckstead said that plan"THEY enough I for the three night event it solvent. to ning get money in August usually starts don't know where they got the slot machines." he said. about two weeks after the "There must have lieen 5(1 event each year. He then travels to the big horses on main street and National Rodeo in Denver then1 was really a wild west each year to talk with rodeo atmosphere." Wehh said. Preston's rodeo was actproducers, exchange ideas ually startld some seven or and actually make arrangeeight years lieforc 1935. but ments for the sMvially acts which he hopes to obtain hit big lime with the night He said that this year, by status Wehh said that at that time overwhelming popular re- - MIE tin the hig-nnm- e (iicst Frank and Judy St rout will Is back with new innovations in their brahma hull and monkey acts. BECKSTEAD HAS also able to obtain mules for the mad scramhle which will iijsii the rodeo each night and has obtained a steam organ which will add to the e atmosphere. D.A. "Swanney" Kerhv of AYest .Iordan. I'l.. will lie the producer for this year's show. Beckstead said that Kerliy has been putting on the Preston show for many years and that he works on a one year contract each time. We've lieen pleased with his shows find the mien fans have I ixi." Beckstead said. He said rodeo popularity has been on the climb throughout the country and that the growth should again holiday-lik- Continued on page 3) |