Tres Rios committee votes no for 2014 high school finals rodeo bid

The Tres Rios High School Rodeo Association on Tuesday voted to not invite the National High School Finals Rodeo to return in 2014, citing the national association's lack of concern for the losses communities incurred hosting the event.

[Chizzy]

Bravo to the TRHSRA

[dotcom]

Can Farmington ever look beyond to the bigger picture?

[Joe]

Now we just need to do away with Connie Mack World series and save the taxpayers money on that event.

[Jessie]

dotcom wrote:

Can Farmington ever look beyond to the bigger picture?

I think everyone DID look at the bigger picture, and it showed even more money to be lost in the future. Dumping the rodeo was the right thing to do.

[dotcom]

Joe wrote:

Now we just need to do away with Connie Mack World series and save the taxpayers money on that event.

I'd curious what losses and gains are involved in the CMWS. How does it compare to the rodeo?

[Sham]

National High School Rodeo should not be blamed for the losses TRHSR incurred. It is up to the host community to plan and organize the show, including security, accommodations, by-lateral events, entertainments, income, expenses and small profit, if any. The show is really for young and upstart rodeo performers, not for the community host to gain large profit. It is for the Kids, kudos, not for selfish organizers who are just looking at profit and a big cuts in the proceeds. Aztec is denying the young people of a National event, whether it is profitable for not.
Will Aztec do away with Little League Tournaments next?

[C Lee Nickel]

I have to agree that it is shortsighted of the Farmington area to choose not to invite the rodeo back. It brought people, money, and recognition to the area, and provided a forum for hard working kids to display their talents.

I'm sure there are cities and towns all around the west that will welcome the rodeo.

It is astounding how our governments on one hand say they want to invite various and diverse groups and public activities to the area, but then have the attitude that it costs too much to mess with.

Farmington has precious few national and regionally recognized events as it is. Eliminating one because of money issues only shows that Farmington is not serious about hosting such events, which is an indication of a serious lack of management.

It's like saying that our area is an isolated backwater, and we want to keep it that way.

[Chizzy]

Mr. Nickel, i am sure you went to the HS Rodeo when it was in town, it was well managed, boths all over. i would never have known that we were lossing money if it weren't reported. Granted there were talented kids from all over, however we lost money, i say we because both pay taxes, we also encompassing the community as a whole. I certainly wouldn't do business if i were lossing money. it would be bad management to continue to invite the rodeo back with no prospect of making money.
Sham, the community did a good job of hosting. if they didn't we would be in the same position that the state fair is in, manure left behind, urine in the stalls, etc.
and i agree farmington has precious few nationally and regionally recognized events. however Connie Mack, the rock crawling events, the road apple rall, don't put us in a finacial hole. Connie Mack is an example of farmington being serious about hosting a national event.

[Chizzy]

boths should have been booths, vendors, you get the picture.

[Chizzy]

then again, i don't have access to those events books.

[Bedbug]

The rodeo brought me to San Juan County, when we just get established in the community - the county is rejecting my relatives.

[Delighted]

C Lee Nickel wrote:

I have to agree that it is shortsighted of the Farmington area to choose not to invite the rodeo back. It brought people, money, and recognition to the area, and provided a forum for hard working kids to display their talents.
I'm sure there are cities and towns all around the west that will welcome the rodeo.
It is astounding how our governments on one hand say they want to invite various and diverse groups and public activities to the area, but then have the attitude that it costs too much to mess with.
Farmington has precious few national and regionally recognized events as it is. Eliminating one because of money issues only shows that Farmington is not serious about hosting such events, which is an indication of a serious lack of management.
It's like saying that our area is an isolated backwater, and we want to keep it that way.

It would be different if the rodeo would let the communities at least break-even. These people only bring one set of underwear, expecting the tax paying community to supply more.
Look at all the national notoriety the community got from these 'clowns' shocking the animals - we are lucky that the Humane Society is not knocking on City Hall's doors.
Bill Standley voted for it before he voting against it - guess he got the WORD that the taxpayers want their money back - or to join Bill Richardson's caravan as it leaves the state.

[Do not kid yourself]

I think it is great the rodeo is not coming back. The kids are great but the adults who run NHSFR are not. They are demanding prima donas. The Connie Mack World Series does not make money. It appears that they do because the big wig committee members go to Puerto Rico for National Meetings and hand to select people caps, jackets, etc but if you take in to account the police costs, the ticket booth employee costs, the cost of the Civic Center, and the lights etc at Rickets the Series does not pay for itself.

[C Lee Nickel]

Chizzy wrote:

Mr. Nickel, i am sure you went to the HS Rodeo when it was in town, it was well managed, boths all over. i would never have known that we were lossing money if it weren't reported. Granted there were talented kids from all over, however we lost money, i say we because both pay taxes, we also encompassing the community as a whole. I certainly wouldn't do business if i were lossing money. it would be bad management to continue to invite the rodeo back with no prospect of making money.
Sham, the community did a good job of hosting. if they didn't we would be in the same position that the state fair is in, manure left behind, urine in the stalls, etc.
and i agree farmington has precious few nationally and regionally recognized events. however Connie Mack, the rock crawling events, the road apple rall, don't put us in a finacial hole. Connie Mack is an example of farmington being serious about hosting a national event.

Agreed that ways should have been found to cut losses, but without canceling the whole event. In most respects, everything government does "loses money", because the whole of government spending comes from taking money from taxpayers and spending it on something that, hopefully, benefits the community.

Government should never expect to make a profit from sidewalks, fire hydrants, parks, etc., but that doesn't stop government from spending money on them.

I'm not saying the rodeo, or any event, is perfect, but it did bring business and recognition to the area, both of which are sorely needed, now more than ever.

Oh well, what's done is done. The rodeo finals will be held somewhere.

[C Lee Nickel]

Delighted wrote:

<quoted text>
It would be different if the rodeo would let the communities at least break-even. These people only bring one set of underwear, expecting the tax paying community to supply more.
Look at all the national notoriety the community got from these 'clowns' shocking the animals - we are lucky that the Humane Society is not knocking on City Hall's doors.
Bill Standley voted for it before he voting against it - guess he got the WORD that the taxpayers want their money back - or to join Bill Richardson's caravan as it leaves the state.

Bill Standley has already announced he won't be running for mayor again, so I don't know if politics played a role.

And as for the animals getting shocked, well, livestock is livestock. I don't condone harming animals by any means, but I don't blow stuff out of proportion either. I've seen enough livestock in the field die from disease, eaten by coyotes or wild dogs, or mountain lions, to know there are worse things for those animals to experience than the end of a cattle prod, which is designed and built just for controlling livestock.

Agreed, there should have been ways to get the rodeo closer to the break even point, but again, the rodeo will go somewhere, and local business will lost out in the long run.

[Chizzy]

Touche' on the government.

it could still be held here if the NA is willing to work with the NHSFR. Which i hope they do. I enjoyed the event.

[just me]

stupid stupid stupid to not have it back we have the connie mack series do we not and I know it costs just as much money

[Munson]

The Navajo Nation needs to build a recreation park to host these types of events, perhaps a casino also in upper Fruitland area along with a hotel. The local Indian Government in the Phoenix Metro has the ability and has hosted these types of events while still making profit.

[Amanda]

C Lee Nickel wrote:

<quoted text>
there are worse things for those animals to experience than the end of a cattle prod, which is designed and built just for controlling livestock.

The animals weren't shocked to control them, but to make them appear wild and uncontrollable. No one has even addressed that, except for NHSRA head Kent Sturman giving the same "we don't know what's going on" response as he gave to the decision not to bid on the rodeo again. What nonsense. Good riddance to the rodeo.

[I agree]

C Lee Nickel wrote:

<quoted text>
Agreed that ways should have been found to cut losses, but without canceling the whole event. In most respects, everything government does "loses money", because the whole of government spending comes from taking money from taxpayers and spending it on something that, hopefully, benefits the community.
Government should never expect to make a profit from sidewalks, fire hydrants, parks, etc., but that doesn't stop government from spending money on them.
I'm not saying the rodeo, or any event, is perfect, but it did bring business and recognition to the area, both of which are sorely needed, now more than ever.
Oh well, what's done is done. The rodeo finals will be held somewhere.

C Lee Nickel, I always enjoy seeing what you have to say on this forum.
There are plenty of other cities who will welcome the finals and will consider it an asset to their community.
Casper, Wyoming hosts the College Finals every year and are happy and honored to do so.
I hope Gallup can take the HS Finals on top of the Junior HS Finals and make the best of it.