MUTTON BUSTIN’

While mutton busting can be competitive at rodeos and other events, at Bu alo Bill Days, it’s just for fun. e riders aren’t timed or judged. Bush said it’s about allowing children to try something new and have fun.

“ ey’re all 10’s to me, because (they) had the courage to come out and try it,” Bush said of the children’s e orts. “ … I enjoy watching the kids have a good time, putting on a show, and seeing their smiles.”

A few riders like Collin Romero, 7, and Case Coslet, 4, had done mutton busting before, either in Golden or elsewhere. And some riders like Astrid Wallat — who turned 7 over the weekend — were new to the event.

“It was a good ride,” Astrid said. “I wouldn’t say it was great, though.” e Coslet family, who live in Elizabeth, visited the festival for the rst time last year.

Astrid and her family were new to Bu alo Bill Days overall, as they moved to Golden recently. ey watched the parade and walked around the festival the previous day, and after Mutton Bustin’, they planned to stop by the bouncy houses and other children’s activities.

Parents Christine Fitzgerald and Matt Wallat said Bu alo Bill Days felt like “quintessential Golden” with a fun “Western experience.” As for Mutton Bustin’ speci cally, they thought it was a fun tradition and hoped to see it continue.

at’s when Case rst tried Mutton Bustin’, with his parents Kristin and Will Coslet saying their younger son might join Case next year.

e Coslets appreciated all the work that went into Mutton Bustin’, commending the organizers and Golden re ghters for all their work wrangling the sheep.

ey also loved the festival overall. Will appreciated how it was in a relaxing and scenic location along Clear Creek, and Kristin liked all the artwork the crafts vendors had on display.

“ ey have unique exhibits you don’t see any other fairs,” Kristin said.

Overall, the Coslets felt the way many attendees do on the festival’s nal day: “We’ll be back.”

A young rider clings to a running sheep during Golden’s Mutton Bustin’ event on July 30. Bu alo Bill Days hosts the event on the Sunday morning of the festival weekend.

A family admires vendors’ artwork July 30 during Golden’s annual Bu alo Bill Days festival at Parfet Park. July 30’s events included the annual worship service, Mutton Bustin’, live music, children’s activities, and dozens of vendors avored tobacco bans, according to Golden. e councilors hoped Golden would set an example for other jurisdictions.

However, dozens of people at the July 25 public hearing opposed the ban, saying it’d cause Golden’s three vape shops to go out of business. It’d also similarly hurt convenience stores, as the owners said customers will just buy the same products in unincorporated Je co. ey recommended the city implement greater restrictions rather than an outright ban, asking councilors to take a “scalpel” approach rather than a “sledgehammer” one.

Several proprietors shared how they immigrated to the United States and used their life savings to buy their stores. ey believed the ban would bankrupt them and crush their hopes of living the American Dream.

On the other side, though, dozens of people also spoke in favor of the ban, with one person providing 300 postcards signed by Golden High School students.

Students, parents and school sta members shared how rampant vaping is in local schools, and how easy it is for students to become addicted. Local and national health organizations also shared the nancial and health impacts of lifelong nicotine addiction and urged City Council to protect local youth and others from these highly addictive products.

Ultimately, the councilors believed the ban was consistent with the city’s values, and set a Jan. 1, 2024 implementation date to give retailers time to adjust. ey also called on Je co to pursue a countywide ban.

“We’re trying to alleviate this addiction and this crisis,” Councilor Bill Fisher said. “We’re focused on what the city can contribute to this

After Refacing e ort.”

Community comments ose who opposed the ban emphasized using strict age verication and other restrictions to ensure young people aren’t accessing tobacco products illegally. However, they also didn’t want to take away any adults’ rights to access them.

Earlier this summer, the councilors directed city sta to start drafting the ordinance after a study session with Je co Public Health, City Manager Scott Vargo explained.

During both the study session and the July 25 public hearing, Jeffco Public Health sta shared how more than 80% of youth who’ve ever used tobacco products started with avored ones.

While banning these products in Golden wouldn’t be a silver bullet, Je co Public Health sta said it’d be an important piece of a comprehensive strategy to reduce tobacco’s harmful e ects on youth and other people in the community.

Several said they’ve used vaping to quit smoking, and noted that the ban would impact all avored tobacco products — like avored cigars, cigarettes and dip — not just vaping products.

Plus, as several local proprietors pointed out, most young people aren’t purchasing their vaping products at local stores. ey’re gaining access to them through friends or adults, or illegally buying them online, according to Je co Public Health statistics.

Enacting a citywide ban on avored tobacco products wouldn’t be e ective, they argued, as young people already have other means to access them. So, all it would do is hurt Golden businesses and send local customers down the street to unincorporated Je co, they continued.

“ is is important for our state, our city to generate this revenue responsibly,” Circle K representative Chris Everson said, “and we can do that if you work with us. … Rework what you’re saying to help us stay in business.”

Several physicians and health organization representatives urged City Council to enact the ban, emphasizing how they know it wouldn’t be an easy decision, but it’d be necessary the larger ght against nicotine addiction.

A Golden High School sta member and a bilingual interpreter for the school district described how tempting these products are for young people and how hungry they are for social interaction after the pandemic. Students discard their products in school bathrooms and under the bleachers, and if they are caught and disciplined, some parents have a very resigned attitude about it.

Harper Pagnozzi, an eighth-grader at Bell Middle School, urged City Council to enact the ban, saying, “You have the chance to stand up for me and hundreds of other kids at my school. … Tell the vape industry that the future of (Golden’s) kids is not for sale.”

Council’s decision e councilors seemed sympathetic to the businesses and employees impacted by the ban, and set a ve-month timeline for them to handle their inventories and adjust to the new normal.

Weinberg hoped those impacted would nd resources to help them “innovate and create a new business model that doesn’t rely on avored nicotine,” adding that she doesn’t want the employees to be without jobs or the proprietors to go bankrupt.

Ultimately, though, they emphasized Goldenites’ health, especially preventing young people from becoming addicted to nicotine. With Councilor JJ Trout absent at the meeting, the six councilors present voted unanimously to approve the ordinance enacting the ban.

“We will survive as a city without the tax dollars from nicotine products,” Councilor Rob Reed said. “ … I’m hoping that ... we’d be starting a conversation statewide — that if the state won’t do it, the municipalities will.”