LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER
PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID EDDM-RETAIL
Edition 47 l NOVEMBER 2019
WINE COUNTRY HARVEST 2019 Pg. 10 NEW BUSINESSES OPEN FOR BUSINESS Pg. 14 YOTES FOOTBALL TEAM UNDEFEATED Pg. 16 submitted photo
A LESSON LEARNED! Pg. 19 Nikki and Juan Avila next to the names of all of the production volunteers Nikki’s parents, her sister were names among them written by her dad before it was covered by the signage for the next years event.
2020 is going to be a special year for Caldwell Night Rodeo but it’s going to be EXTRA special for the Caldwell Night Rodeo board president, Nikki Zachary. Nikki is the first female president in 26 years. The only prior… her mother, Melda Roberts. Melda first served as president in 1988. As you can imagine, a female leading a rodeo board in the 80’s wasn’t even heard of. Some CNR Board members at the time would have preferred to keep it that way but stubbornness, grit and the fact she was more than qualified prevailed and the few that
A Legacy Unfolding
threatened to walk if she were voted in ended up being all bark and no bite. It is believed that Melda was likely the first female president for a major professional rodeo, ever. She went on to lead the rodeo board one more time in 1994. Nikki grew up at the Caldwell Night Rodeo grounds. Her mom and dad both being longtime volunteers, even years before Melda joined the board. Nikki, along with her older sister, Shawna (Pennington) got into all kinds of mischief and current CNR Director of Operations, Gene Betts, recalls
Nikki as a little girl at the Caldwell Night Rodeo Grounds.
having to spank her little hinny when she got out of line. A memory that the two of them laugh about today. Sadly, both Melda and Nikki’s father, Dale, succumbed to separate illnesses at relatively early ages and while neither of them are physically here to witness their daughter’s incredible accomplishment, she takes great pride in knowing just how proud they’d be. When asked if it makes her feel closer to her mom as she walks in her footsteps from two decades prior Nikki said, “It does. I know she’d be incredibly proud. They both would. I
by Nicole Cassity, Caldwell Night Rodeo can picture the great big smile that each of them would have on their faces.” Nikki has put in several years of “sweat equity”. She’s served on the board for 8 years and was an associate director and volunteer for a handful of years before that. She’s been the CNR Queen coordinator for much of those years along with playing a vital role in production by overseeing all of the flag girls and visiting royalty. She is currently the only female director on the CNR board and has been the entire 8 years she’s been on it. For Nikki, this accomplishment is a childhood
Melda and Nikki side by side. Two peas in a pod!
Nikki Roberts Zachary 2019 CNR President
dream come true. In a sport that even today is predominantly ran and lead by men, having a seat at the table is a huge accomplishment. Only this year… she’ll take her seat at the head of the table. Nikki Zachary resides in Caldwell, Idaho with her husband KC. She owns and operates Downtown Shipping. Together they enjoy hunting and she spends a lot of her free time volunteering for the Caldwell Fire Rehab Unit where her husband serves as a Driver/Operator for the Caldwell Fire Department.