CURRENT NEWS
(As of Friday September 02, 2011)
KPRA Members and Friends of the KPRA…
After a year of competition and preparation, the dust has settled for the 2011 KPRA Finals. As the top 12 in each of the 9 events gathered in Hays, KS for three intense rounds of competition August 26th, 27th and 28th, the finals and year-end champions were crowned.
We would like to sincerely thank the many sponsors that generously donated to the finals to make the awards possible. Please check out the list of sponsors in this issue as well as on our web site, www.kansasprorodeo.com. Without such special sponsors, our finals would not be the success it is with the beautiful saddles and buckles that were awarded to the winning contestants. Again, a big thank you to each and every sponsor.
We also, would like to thank the town of Hays and each any every group, club and organization that worked so hard to welcome the contestants and their families to town for the weekend.
A big thank you to Montana Mike’s Steakhouse for giving every contestant and finals personnel a free steak meal. That was a very gracious act and everyone appreciated and enjoyed getting in out of the heat to enjoy a wonderful meal. Thanks to Scottie Rice and crew for the friendliness and wonderful service provided to our rodeo family.
Thanks to everyone involved in preparing and serving the pre-award meal to all finals contestants, family, and finals personnel. It was great and very much appreciated as everyone unwound and prepared for their trip home after a fun weekend in Hays.
Thanks also, to the spectators who weathered the heat to support our contestants and help make our finals a success.
I personally would like to thank Margaret Jennings, the finals rodeo secretary who works hand in hand with me, in getting times and money won to me for year end calculations. Margaret, we have it down to a fine art and I appreciate your expertise for three intense days. And a big thanks to Peggy Calkins who made many trips back and forth from the announcers stand to our office, with the secretary and judges sheets, in such a timely manner. Your efforts were very much appreciated.
Thanks to all the behind the scene helpers who in some way helped make everything run smoothly. I do not want to mention names as I am bound to leave out someone, but you know who you are. The cattle pushers, chute help and gate openers, the queens for helping with the grand entry, clearing the arena, and leading the victory laps, the contestant check in crew, the awards set up and tear down crew, the ground crew for working so hard in having the ground in great shape for competition, the club responsible for stall reservations, the Hays committee people that checked on us frequently to make sure we had everything we needed, or would jump and run if and when we needed something, the business that furnished a gator for all the running around we had to do, and anyone else that in anyway worked to make a difference. It takes so many people to make a production like this possible and YOU made that difference.
Congratulations to all of the 2011 contestants and award winners. Even though everyone can not take home the top awards, everyone is a champion, win or lose. Thanks for being a part of the KPRA.
Until next time!!
Joyce