December 2017 40 By Bob Roloff, “The Arizona Duuude” Cowboy Christmas”, is a very short period of time in July, beginning with the Reno Rodeo in Nevada. Because there are so many rodeos during only a few weeks, (and most over the July 4th weekend), cowboys and cowgirls have their best chance of winning enough money to go to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in December. Cowboy Christmas can jump-start their chance to make it to the WNFR. Whether you’re competing or watching, this is a grand time to celebrate our Western heritage. The rodeo was born from ranch work. Men working cattle from a horse, and to see someone doing their work exceptionally well was a joy to watch. Competition among men is as old as the chariot races in ancient Rome. The yearly roundup and branding of the cattle by ranchers was the perfect opportunity for a ranch hand to show off his stuff. This led to competition in an arena at a ranch where a crowd could be gathered to witness the event. The names of winners in these events began to spread and the rodeo was born. Throughout the history of the American West, there have been stories and rumors of how cowboys, who were mostly single men, helped other cowboys that they knew were married and had children. The cowboy life was far from the serene scenes we sometimes see in our Western movies, gently pushing the herd north to the railheads. There is many a story from old cowboys telling of the generous donations of money made to their married friends, given to help some kids have a Merry Christmas. To this day there are many stories of the American Professional Rodeo cowboys donating their money and time to visit hospitals and ill stricken children. The American cowboy gives his money, his time and good faith to hundreds, if not thousands, around this great country. And just as a reminder, they don’t take a knee during the opening ceremony National Anthem. They will take a knee thanking our Lord when they have completed a challenging ride or at times when a fellow comrade has been injured. There are Cowboy Christmas rodeos all over the continent. The northwestern regional rodeos are known as the “Gateway Rodeos” and include the Cody Stampede in Cody, Wyoming, the Augusta American Legion Rodeo in Augusta, Montana, the Home of the Champions Rodeo in Red Lodge, Montana, the Livingston Roundup in Livingston, Montana and the Drummond Rodeo in THE ARIZONA DUUUDE A Merry “Cowboy Christmas” “ Drummond, Montana. Then there’s Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Reno, Nevada. Big wins here improve a rodeo competitor’s chances for the WNFR and a world champion title. While visiting with my friend rodeo announcer Dan Fowlie, recently I asked him about “ Cowboy Christmas “ and the importance of it. This is what he told me. “You know I brag about Rodeo de Santa Fe being part of Cowboy Christmas, however, it’s a bit of a pre 4th of July function in as much as it’s during the 3rd week of June, like Reno. True Cowboy Christmas centers on the 4th of July. It’s fitting that the big time paying summer rodeos hover over the holiday which celebrates the independence of our nation. It showcases the independence of the rodeo cowboy’s way of life. The run and race to get a piece of the Cowboy Christmas payout is open to all of the top hands, yet only the most committed need to put their name in the mix. All night driving, flying, catching rides, not much time for food or sleep serves as a testimony to the cowboy comradery of the sport. It’s past the halfway point of the rodeo season and can mean “do or die” for the cowboys attempting to achieve the ultimate cowboy’s dream, a chance to compete for a world title at the biggest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler National Finals. Over the years there have been numerous cowboys who have found themselves in June, with little to no money won. Yet a good Cowboy Christmas propelled them into the top 15 standings, which is the cut off for the WFNR. It’s why many put everything on the line, banking on success. I have heard stories of guys risking the last of their finances by pooling their money, buying second- hand vehicles and driving them till they blow up or quit, then bailing out and figuring out plan B. Cowboys will enter every rodeo they can even with the knowledge that there is a big chance they will have to turn out some, resulting in having to pay fees and fines. It’s always a tough business decision to make but if they draw an animal they don’t think they can place on or if they qualify for the short round too far from the next scheduled event they will pay the fees and fines and stay put. This can mean the loss of their transportation and again having to resort to plan B, causing a true life episode of planes, trains, and automobiles. Post Cowboy Christmas also marks a change for many. For the money winning contestants, it puts finances back in the bank account and sets them up for the rest of the season. For those less fortunate it can mark the end of the trail. They head home to start preparing for next year. It’s for sure the part of year contestants and fans alike spend a lot of time checking on results at prorodeo.com. Thank you, Dan Fowlie, for explaining Cowboy Christmas to me. Some think just because someone works in the Western cowboy world they are all connected. No, not really. There is Western music, Western movies, and Western rodeos. For those actually working the rodeos or playing in the bands, their events are mostly on weekends. Most of my life I worked with actors & actresses filming movies and TV shows. I started out in live shoot-‘em-up shows at Pinnacle Peak Patio and old Rawhide, north of Scottsdale, plus other resorts like Camelback Inn, Mountain Shadows, and the Wigwam Resort, all in the Valley of the Sun, so I missed a lot of TV sitcoms, Western bands, and rodeos. I still do that kind of Western work but now the AZ Duuude character keeps me busy with live Western events and my writing. I also may be involved in a couple of movies a year as I keep up with friends in that business that I have known since the late 60’s. At the end of the day, everything comes down to timing. In most sports, you are trying to beat the clock. The difference between winning and losing can be less than a second. As you work and enjoy every day with family and friends always remember that lots of things can happen in the blink of an eye, a heartbeat, or an instant. GOD BLESS! You can follow Bob Roloff on Facebook. “It’s fitting that the big time paying summer rodeos hover over the holiday which celebrates the independence of our nation. It showcases the independence of the rodeo cowboy’s way of life.” – Dan Fowlie, Rodeo Announcer