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Show Summer Spectacular Utah Days of '47 Four days of world championship bull fighting will be only one of the special features of the 1984 Days of '47 world-famous rodeo to be held in the Salt Palace, July 17-24. These bull fighters, all world champions, will be a breath-taking addition to the first four rodeo performances, in addition to the regular brahma bull riding which climaxes every rodeo performance. Dottie West, well-known western singer, accompanied by her group, will be the star performer at all rodeos. Also featured will be Francisco Zamora, trick roper, with his trained horse to delight the crowd. Flip Harmon, chairman of the rodeo committee, and president of the Days of '47, both volunteer positions, is proud of the high quality rodeo which is rated among the top ten in the country. Mr. Harmon received the highest award given to any rodeo producer in 1983, the "Committee Man Of The Year," award made by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (P.R.C.A.). The opening night of the rodeo is preceded by the only all horse parade in the nation. Crowds throng the streets of downtown Salt Lake City as more than 1200 well-groomed, trained horses maneuver and prance, led by the Grand Marshall. The horse parade ends at the Salt Palace and one of the largest rodeos in the world begins. It brings all the world champion cowboys and cowgirls to 'compete for an estimated $130,000.00 in prize money. The rodeo includes bull riding, saddle bronc riding, calf rop ing, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, wild cow milking and barrell racing. The enthusiasm and contagion mounts through all eight rodeo performances and diminishes only following the final brahma bull riding the evening of July 24th. Festivities of the Days of '47 begin with the selection of the royalty, a queen and two attendants. They reign over the entire celebration, starting with the "Bell Ringing", a patriotic program held at historic Washington Square, City and County Building. They are presented at the Fire Works Display to be held on the Fourth of July at Rice Stadium, University of Utah. Thus, the Days of '47 commemorates the founding of our great nation as well as honoring our pioneer heritage. Many activities and events are scheduled between the fourth and twenty-fourth of July. Included are an Old Fashioned Family Celebration at Fairmont Park, the Annual Pops Concert, Eugene Jelesnik conducting the Salt Lake Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tri-Valley Square Dancers, Street Dance, Downtown Salt Lake, the Youth Parade, Street Shows at various halls, the Horse Parade, the Sunrise Service at the Salt Lake Tabernacle the morning of the Twenty-Fourth, and the third largest parade in the nation following that service. The public is invited. |