Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home Rodeo improved attendance this year with some 1,100 to 1,200 spectators over Sportsman’s Holiday Weekend, July 7-9.
“That’s ballparking big time,” said David Kem, a member of the rodeo committee. The rodeo will have more concrete figures this week. At first glance, attendance was 250 to 300 on Friday and Sunday and more than 600 on Saturday.
The rodeo probably will come close to breaking even, Kem said, though not everything has been accounted, and better figures will be available later. The rodeo costs approximately $35,000.
The rodeo makes that money primarily through ticket sales and sponsorships.
“Our hope is to at least break even,” said Kellie Kem, a member of the rodeo committee.
“Everything went really well,” Kem said. “Everybody seems really happy … and the weather was cooperative.”
Last year, wet weather apparently drove down attendance, and the rodeo finished with a shortfall. Members of the community chipped in to cover the shortfall and make sure all bills were paid, and the rodeo committee joined forces with the Sweet Home Economic Development Group.
“Teaming up with SHEDG was the best thing we ever did,” Kem said. She credits SHEDG for its members’ ideas and expertise. “It’s a great team.”
Kem said she and Jadea Taylor, another organizer, both learned a lot about sponsorships, and that will help them do even better next year.
“We almost covered the cost of the rodeo just in sponsorships,” Kem said. “The many new sponsors and all returning sponsors are very much appreciated. We could not have the rodeo without them.”
“I think with this new committee, it’s a learning thing,” Kem said. “It’s like a new business.”
Following advice from SHEDG, the rodeo focused on sponsorships this year, Kem said. The Sweet Home community stepped up, and sponsorships were probably more than double last year’s.
“The city of Sweet Home really went out of their way to sponsor this rodeo,” Kem said. That’s what SHEDG wanted the rodeo committee to do, to get people going to the rodeo.
In relation to sponsorships, the rodeo gave out more comp tickets than it has in previous years, and those account for a bigger chunk of the attendance.
“We brought in some great sponsors this year,” Kem said. New sponsors included businesses like Cycle Sports, the Sweet Home Gleaners and South Fork Trading.
On the whole, “our team right now is awesome,” Kem said. “Everybody worked so hard.”
But the rodeo has plenty of room for new blood, she said. “This small team needs help, and we have jobs for people that wouldn’t take a whole lot of time.”
Anyone interested in volunteering for the rodeo, especially close to Sportsman’s Holiday, can contact Kem at 367-8384.
Even while it closes out the books on this year’s event, the committee is already thinking about next year.
“J.J. (the clown) is returning next year,” Kem said. “He is loved very much by Sweet Home, and even though he is moving to bigger rodeo, he said he will return because he loves this rodeo committee and the town of Sweet Home.”
Next year, the committee wants to put on more rough stock events, including bull riding and bronc riding, Kem said. They are also looking forward to creating sponsor activities along with some “big surprise events.”
“Sweet Home is growing, and so is the rodeo,” Kem said. “It’s part of Sweet Home’s heritage. It’s part of this town.”
Members of the rodeo committee include the Kems, President Dick Coffin, Scott McKee Jr., Jadea and Marvin Taylor, Ron Danielson, Rick Burnett, Kevin Webster, Bob Welch and Dan Brewer.
Sweet Home
Rodeo Winners
Bareback: Mark Barkley of Redmond riding Original Sin, score 81.
Saddle Bronc: Lee Felder of Redmond riding Salty Dog, score 77.
Bull Riding: Hunter Knowles of Oakville riding Highline, score 79.
Tie-Down Roping: Dylan Aschoff of Maupin, time, 11.5.
Steer Wrestling: John Hall of Enumclaw, Wash., time, 4.3.
Team Roping: Shawn Brown of Bend, header, and Larry Goss of Redmond, heeler, time, 5.9.
Breakaway: Stacey Jones of Oregon City, time, 2.4.
Barrel Racing: Shelly Combs of Eltopia, Wash., time, 16.44.