INH: August 2007
The landscape at the Dean and Sandra Meiners' farm changed drastically this past weekend.What is typically a field on their farm just south of Clarissa quickly became transformed into a small city of rodeo contestants, their families and their beloved horses.
They clustered together to put on a show for area rodeo attendees as Clarissa hosted more than 160 high school rodeo contestants for the first time. The weather cooperated and the three day event was well attended by spectators from all around the area. If you didn't attend, you missed quite a show.
On Friday night they held a team roping competition. Two local cowboys decided to try their luck in the competition. Matt Dotzler and Brad Krupke, both of Clarissa, had never tried team roping before that evening. Before they hit the arena they said "it should be interesting". They had been practicing but said it would be quite different trying to rope a live animal. They seemed to enjoy the event even though they didn't have any luck roping the steer.
The rodeo contestants competed all day long in different events in the two arenas.At 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday The Red Letter Band held a concert before the rodeo performance and came back after Saturday's rodeo and played for another hour. The rodeo itself was a full fledged rodeo with barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, team roping, break away roping, tie down roping, steer wrestling and the more dangerous events like bareback riding, saddle bronc and bull riding.
Alex Elliot, an eighteen-year-old bull rider from Elbow Lake, said, "I just love the adrenaline rush. It is something I can't explain. It is a great feeling every time I get on a bull. I attend Ashby High School and my football coach isn't too happy that I am still competing but I just love it."
Belene McLaughlin, of Clarissa, spent many hours organizing and promoting the rodeo. She said the event was "amazing, amazing, amazing. It was worth all the sweat and tears. I have been working on this since March. Without all the volunteers to make this happen, it would have been impossible."
Bull Rider Ian Fleace does his best to try and stay on for eight seconds.The following are comments from rodeo participants about Clarissa hosting the rodeo."I can't believe this happened in little Clarissa. Can we do it again next year?"
"Clarissa has rolled out the red carpet for us and it has been wonderful we have been to a lot bigger towns and don't get treated this well. We are honored.
"A rodeo mom said, "Clarissa has treated us with so much hospitality. You are the perfect host city and I hope you'll host it again next year. This is the best place we have ever rodeoed in. Thanks so much!"
One of the contestants said, "We wish you guys had Clarissa t-shirts for souvenirs. We all want one."
A rodeo dad said, "This has been unbelievable. I wish this was the last one of the season. It would be a great one to end with. It is one of the biggest shows we have done and we really are enjoying being here."
The Region 2 director said, "I hope we can put Clarissa on the map for next year."Riverside Meats was one of the food vendors for the rodeo. They felt that this is something all of Todd County can be a part of. They said they were smiling for three days.
Clarissa Mayor Nathan McLaughlin met with the regional directors and said it best. "We appreciated you all coming to Clarissa and we have enjoyed hosting the rodeo. These kids are definitely cut from a different cloth than myself. I am just glad I don't have to get on one of those animals."
The contestants and their families were very respectful and a pleasure to have in town.
Belene summed up the weekend in one sentence: "This was the most exciting weekend that I have had in many years, I am proud to be a part of a community that came together to make this happen" "Thanks so much to the Dean Meiners family, we could not have done this without you."
"Cowboy Church"
"The Red Letter Band"
"Cowboy Church"
"The Red Letter Band"
