HOPS in HUMBOLDT BEER FESTIVAL
Saturday Night
PHOTO BY CAROL NILES PHOTOGRAPHY
August 23rd in Fortuna’s Rohner Park
Cowboys on Stage, Cowboys on (and off) Bulls
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HOPSINHUMBOLDT.COM
By Linda Stansberry
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ANDS, BULLS, AND BREWS RETURNS FOR ITS SECOND YEAR ON SATURDAY NIGHT! IF YOU’RE UNFAMILIAR with this new tradition, pull your cowboy hat down a little tighter. Yes, we said hold onto your hat, because the rodeo committee has lined up an extraordinary evening of entertainment complete with a wide selection of local microbrews. The rodeo grounds will be alive with the sounds of heels hitting the floor, glasses clinking and crowds roaring. First, kicking off at 7 p.m. Saturday, cowboy musicians the Bill Jones Band will be getting your boots scooting to some real old-time country music. The band, which combines the vocal and guitar stylings of former pro team-roper Bill Jones and local musicians Ranch Party, doesn’t “play anything newer than George Strait.” You’ll be able
to do the two-step to covers of classics by George Jones and Merle Haggard, as well as original songs. If you like what you hear, the band just released a CD of original work, titled “Grampas, Heroes and Honkytonks,” in February. It can be purchased online or at the Great Western Clothing Company. Jones, who has been playing music “since the fourth grade,” left a 40-year career in the rodeo to hone his talents as a musician. Does he miss the broncs, the bulls, the dust and the mud? “Yes,” he says, “especially when I get around a rodeo. But I don’t have the drive to go out and practice five to six times a week, which is what you have to do to keep up with those young guns. I’ve been going to CCPRA rodeos since I was 18. I’m 60 now, and I’d rather stay inside on a rainy night and practice my guitar.”
Kick up your heels, but make sure to get a good seat in the grandstands too. The big event — bullriding — starts at 8 p.m. You’re not going to want to miss top cowboys from all over the region competing for the $3,000 cash prize. Only 30 of this sport’s most talented athletes are eligible for their chance at eight seconds of glory. One hand on the rope, one hand in the air, with points for style, consistency and time, this is one of the most dangerous and challenging events of any rodeo. The bulls from West Coast Rodeo Company’s prime bucking stock are sure to give us all a wild ride! Gates for Bands, Bulls and Brews open at 6:30 p.m., with $6 admission for all ages. This event is proudly sponsored by Whitchurch Engineering, Les Schwab Tires and Tom Herman, Attorney at Law. ✪ FORTUNA RODEO 2014
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