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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-06-18, Page 13NY�SxAnh ,rtn. xtl,hbrkl'. . x8 NxlihUry Ice 1873 Second Section - une 18, 1997 SPRING CLEANINCt SUCKS!! DUST KILLS DATA... LET US HELP. DONT FORGET TO CLEAN YOUR COMPUTER ALL-INCLUSIVE COMPUTERS 235-2132 Visiting rodeo will revive old memories In 1967 the community of Exeter want- ed a rodeo and through the hard work of many volunteers they built a perma- nent facility from the ground up. By Chris Skalkos'. T -A Reporter EXETER ' - It's been 20 years since Barb Parsons won /the ladies batr¢I event at the Exeter Rodeo. "I remember the crowd clapping and cheering...that was a big thing, ,a hometown girl winning an event at the, rodeo," said Parsons, who won the same event the following year. Parsons( will get another chadce to ride in- front of 'a hometown crowd again as Exeter will experience a rodeo rebirth this summer. On August 8 and 10, A Bar K Ro'- deo Productions will put on a sev- 'dn-etent.' rodeo featuring, saddle/ bronc riding,' bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping; ladies' barrel racing and bull riding, cqmplete with clown 'performances. and additibnalentenainment. The South Huron Recreation Cen- tre is spontoring the event and or- ganizers hope it will rekindle the success of the -rodeqs that used to be held annually in Exeter many years ago. ' Dalton Finkbeiner, who wtasthe secretary for the board of directors Which used to organize the previous • rodeo, said he hopes lit regains -the, splendor it once had, but this year's event will have a tough act to fol low. , , The now defunct Exeter Rodeo was a home-grown production that ran for more than a decade and was • deemed to be. the largest show in Eastern Canada. ' "There was no question about it! It was right up there with Calgary's rodeo," said Finkbeiner. He said it began in 19b6 when he, along with William Prescator, Ron Swartz and Len Veri decided to in- vest in bringing the western style attraction to Exeter. • "E, eter was Looking for some- thing to identify itself with and after Wilmar returned from the Calgary Rodeo /he convinced us -;t, would work here," he said. At the time, thetown had a grow- ing horse population and small ro- deos were held neat -Exeter for three years, sponsored by private in- dividuals. ' They were: met with moderate success due to a'poor lo- cation and um: operative weather. They approached town officials to discuss the fusibility of holding -a' rodeo at the community park and fairgrounds to take advantage of the covered grandstand. But the base- ball Fliamond and lights would have to 'be moved to the dismay of the • sports community!. + .. Ttiey were given permission ito proceed and they struck up a. board df 'directors calling ,itself the Mid - Western Rodeo Association con- : sisting of members from local ser- vice clubs... and other interested' groups. The ` chairperson for the „ board was Richard'Roclofson. With money donated from the service' clubs, the Exeter Saddle Club and. private investors, the board began building a permanent rodeo facility in 1967. Additional money was. raised by .selling. ad- vertising space over the buckipg chutes.- Many -people turned. out to proyide free labor. ::gvgryone worked together,- even thodgh many -didn't even -own a horse. But they wanted this com- munity • project to succeed," said Finkbeiner, adding, "When it was done the ball . players were happy with their new diamond and we had arodeo." The new facility, which included a 300 by 150 foot arena, holding pens, and bucking and calf -roping chutes,. was completed for a total of $5,066.. .• • More than 8;000 people attended the first show in' 1967. and organiz- ers made a tremendous profit from the two-day event... • • ,Rodeo revival. Karyn Foster A Bar K rodeo producer poses withr'Barb Parsons, rodeo Contestant, and Dalton Finkbeiner, one of the forefathers of the original rodeo that developed in Exeter 30 years ago. The South Huron Recreation Centre is spon- soring a seven -event rodeo production in August and organizers hope it will become an annual event. On August 8 and 10, A Bar K Rodeo Productions will feature saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, ladies' barrel ravfneztnd'bull rFdfi'ixbmnlete with clown performapces and additional entertainment. / 1• "The stands were packed. 1t was a novelty to most • people from tfie area who had never seen a rodeo before," recalled Finkbeiner. "Kids were talking about cowboys in- stead of hockey heroes and it was starting to give Exeter a:reputation for being a rodeo town." • Bill,Smith, Don Ecker, Lloyd Mouseau and Winston • Shipton shared the chairperson's position the following years while Carf Cann held the treasurer position. Despite its success, the facility met its demise in 1977 when the old hockey arena was condemned and had to be torn down in ,order to build a new arena where the South Huron Recreation Centre now. stands. The rodeo board,tried to keep the facility buteventually lost, .ending' Exeter's rodeo reign. "We fought long and hard to keep it going," said - Finkbeiner pausing to shake his head. "I don't want to stir .up an old bee's nest. Let's just•say it was successful but it had to go." Money. remaining in the Rodeo Board's budget was 'donated to the /Agriculture Society and ,A.R.C. In- dustries in Dashwood and the stands were given !o the Exeter Saddle ,Club which continued to hold gaming events. A rodeo has never appeared in Exeter since then, but that will change this summer when a troupe Of imported c,owboys and cowgirls arrive to thrill and entertain while competing for points. Parsons, who follows the A Bar K rodeo as a regular contestant', doesn't give herself much chance of whining another barrel racing event. since she's riding a young horse, however, she said she can't help but conjure past memories. "I didn't think it would eller come back. I never dreamed I would com- pete in a rodeo iri my hometown again," said Parsons who is op- timistic ptimistic it has the potential' of be- coming an annual event. "I believe it's going to/be a huge success and once it's done, the towns will be even more pumped to have it herc every summer." inventory reduction inventory reduction inventory reduction sa e inventory reduction inventory reduction inventory reduction sa-e inventory reduction inventory reduction inventory reduction sa e Sofas, Loveseats, Chairs, Mattresses, Tables, Lamps, Bedroom Suites and Accessories ucrnneys SA VE" NO W Fine Furniture & Window Fashions 467 Main St. Exeter 235-0173 SAL SE- /V 0 W