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[Pages S4453-S4454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RENO RODEO
Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to
recognize the 100th anniversary of one of northern Nevada's most
treasured traditions, the Reno Rodeo. A celebration of Western culture
and daring, the rodeo has grown into a Nevada institution that draws
visitors from across the country. Over the past 100 years, Northern
Nevada has seen a constant state of change and evolution. Yet,
throughout that time, the Reno Rodeo has been a reliable and steady
source of entertainment and community.
In 1919, the Commercial Club of Reno devised the first iteration of
the Reno Rodeo, then the Nevada Round-Up, in order to celebrate the end
of World War I. Cowboys such as Hippy Burmister and Curly Howe won
events in the 1919 rodeo. The most notable winner of the first Reno
Rodeo was Jesse Stahl, one of the first African-American professional
bronc riders. Stahl was known for his ability to ride bucking horses
while sitting backwards and ``winning first but placing third'' due to
the color of his skin. Stahl went on to win four events over the first
3 years of the Reno Rodeo.
Despite only 6 weeks of event planning, the inaugural rodeo was a
wildly popular event, and there was immediate interest in establishing
the rodeo as an annual celebration. Nearly 17,000 people attended the
following year, and the rodeo proved it was not a fleeting success. In
1922, rodeo organizers plotted a publicity strategy around sending
reigning rodeo queen, Mary Harrington, to invite President Warren G.
Harding to the event. President Harding declined the invitation. To
make matters worse, the campaign led to the organization's bankruptcy
and a 10-year hiatus of the rodeo. In 1932, Charles Sadleir, now
frequently referred to as the Father of the Reno Rodeo, led an effort
to revive the event. To stabilize the rodeo's finances, Sadleir
recruited local businesses to help underwrite the events' expenses,
which is still a crucial mechanism today.
Fortunately, Sadleir's revitalization efforts were successful, and
the Reno Rodeo has withstood economic downturns, event growing pains,
and a fire to the venue. Today, the Reno Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo
Cowboys Association-sanctioned competition, billed as the ``Wildest,
Richest Rodeo in the West!'' Each year, the rodeo generates roughly $42
million for the region and draws over 14,000 fans. Through its
charitable foundation, the rodeo has provided hundreds of thousands of
dollars in academic scholarships to Nevada students and grants to non-
profit organizations. In 2008, the foundation built a horseback riding
facility for children with special, physical, or mental needs, and
later built an activities center for abused, neglected, and at-risk
children under the care of Washoe County.
One hundred years after the first event, Northern Nevada's support
and appreciation for the Reno Rodeo has never been stronger. Nevadans
are immensely proud of this homegrown tradition and excited to see its
evolution over the next 100 years. Thank you to everyone who has been
involved with the Reno Rodeo and allowed it to thrive today.
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