Published: June 16, 2009 04:06 pm      

Clermont Rodeo returns for 59th year

Partners with breast cancer awareness

CLERMONT — Are you tough enough to wear pink?

That’s the main question for the 59th annual Clermont Rodeo, which begins at 8 p.m. June 19 at the Clermont Lions Club Park, 3201 N. Tansel Road.

Though the rodeo has been around for 58 years, it’s 59th year will mark one of its most important yet, as a portion of the proceeds from the June 20 show will go toward breast cancer research. Rodeo organizers are encouraging the community to come dressed in pink and support breast cancer research.

“The newest thing is the tough enough to wear pink night,” said Ron Penn, a member of the rodeo committee. “So many people are affected by (breast cancer), I think they’ll come out just to be supportive. I think (the community) will be really receptive — so many people know someone who’s affected by it.”

Penn also said all of the money raised will stay in the local area. There will also be breast cancer survivors who will be recognized during the rodeo and pink T-shirts on sale.

The rodeo, which is the second oldest rodeo east of the Mississippi River, is a large part of the Clermont community, Penn said.

“There’s not hardly a business in town that doesn’t have a poster up,” he said. “It’s a big thing for a little area. So many things have come and gone in 59 years, and to keep it going is just tremendous. We’re also going to have a big homecoming next year for the 60th year.”

Penn said Joe Miller was a rider that began the rodeo in 1950. He’s still president and active on the rodeo committee.

“I think it’s one person, Joe Miller,” he said. “People love and respect him and he goes all out to make it happen. It’s just a great bunch of people.”

The town’s involvement also includes a Lions Club Fish Fry, and a free bluegrass music concert, beginning at 4 p.m. both nights. The Pacers Fan Van will also be at the rodeo on Friday night.

Penn said his favorite part of being involved with the rodeo is seeing the excitement of the children who attend.

“It’s just unbelievable,” he said. “We have so many kids that don’t get around farm animals here, so we’ll have a petting zoo, pony rides, they just really have a ball. It’s rain or shine and we had a bunch of muddy kids last year, but the parents understood. We had a boot race and they were splashing through the mud in the arena. But the memories stay. That’s the best part of it.”

Another new act to the rodeo will be Dusti Crain McCall, who does trick riding and Roman riding, where she stands on two horses and rides them around the arena.

“This is her first appearance in Indiana and she was the pro-rodeo specialty act of the year in 2005, which is a really great honor for a lady so young,” Penn said. “What she does is amazing. A lot of people when they do riding on two horses like that will tie them together. She doesn’t. And she rides barefoot too.”

McCall is the lead Roman rider at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and performs in more than 700 shows at that venue, along with traveling around the country to other rodeos when she can.

Advance tickets for the rodeo are on sale at Wicked Motorsports, A1 Vacuum, and Edy’s Barbershop in Clermont and will also be available Friday at the ticket booth in Lions Club Park. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the gate for adults and $6 for children.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The rodeo is produced by Rafter H. Rodeo Co. and is IPRA and CSRA sanctioned.

For more information, visit the website at www.clermontrodeo.com or call Penn at 403-1320.

charlee.beasor@flyergroup.com