Published: June 13, 2008 03:30 pm            

Clermont Rodeo enters 58th year

CLERMONT — This community’s small, but its annual rodeo is anything but that.

Ron Penn, the rodeo’s producer, expects 800 to 1,000 people its first night this Friday and between 1,200 to 1,500 Saturday night. This edition, the 58th, gives Clermont the distinction of having the second longest-running rodeo east of the Mississippi. There’s one in Kissimee, Fla., that started in 1948.

“We’re just a couple years behind them,” Penn said.

He credits much of the rodeo’s longevity to Joe Miller, a rider himself who has chaired the event since its inception.

“He’s been involved since day one, and he’s just kept it alive and in the community,” Penn said. “The town really gets behind it.”

There are other factors that contribute to its success. Penn says there’s a big rodeo in South Bend the same weekend. That actually helps Clermont because riders like to schedule multiple stops on one trip. Last year this rodeo had contestants from 14 states and two Canadian provinces.

“It draws really well as far as cowboys,” Penn said.

The town also helps make a big to-do out of it by offering a fish fry, live bluegrass music, and pony rides before the big show.

“All that helps draw in people too,” Penn said.

There’s an added attraction this year in the form of Sancho, the 2007 Trophy Steer Grand Champion. It’s Sancho’s first visit to this rodeo and Penn thinks his first Indiana appearance.

“Most of his appearances are at big rodeos out west,” Penn said. “We were really lucky to get him.”

That’s because the 2,000-pound Sancho is a freak of nature. He boasts an almost 6-foot horn span, such that he has to travel in a specially-made trailer designed to take some of the weight off his neck. Sancho, who’s owned by Martha Morehart of New Holland, Ohio, faces traffic when riding.

“People who pass them honk and wave,” Penn said. “(Morehart) says at least once every summer there’s an accident where somebody’s looking at this big steer and runs into somebody.”

And yet Penn added, “I’ve heard he’s as gentle as can be — that you can pet him and get your picture taken with him.”

Another new feature this year is a return to a past tradition. The rodeo will once again be combined with Old Fashioned Days, the protocol decades ago until the two events started being scheduled separately. It promises to make the Clermont Rodeo bigger and better than ever.

“It’s pretty neat when you have a small town like that, where everybody pulls together and makes it happen,” Penn said.

All festivities are at Clermont Lions Club Park, 3201 N. Tansel Rd. The fish fry and bluegrass concert are from 5:15 to 7 p.m., with the rodeo starting at 7:30 both nights. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children. A portion of the proceeds benefit Camp Riley for Kids.

For more information, call 216-8586, 403-1320, e-mail to heclermontrodeo@aol.com, or visit the website at www.clermontrodeo.com.



wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com

        

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