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SUNNY Temp: 55 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Tuesday, June 4, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend June 3, 2002 Central Point seeks rodeo identity October’s ‘Biggest Little Rodeo in the West’ slated to create a country-western atmosphere By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — City and fairgrounds officials hope turning the annual pro rodeo into a weeklong event will give this growing city an identity — like Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival or Jacksonville’s Britt Festival. They’re planning the first "Biggest Little Rodeo in the West," complete with tailgate parties, cowboy hats and pickup trucks, to coincide with the annual PremierWest Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo at the Jackson County Expo in October. Expo manager Chris Borovansky said the weeklong festivities would create a country-western atmosphere similar to a "mini Calgary" (home to one of North America’s biggest rodeos). "This is going to be a lot of fun, and we hope, create an identity for Central Point," he said. "Everyone is really excited about it. Obviously, the rodeo is more than a Central Point event — it’s a first-class professional athletic event. But it’s going to be nice to get the city, chamber and community involved on their own level." The "Biggest Little Rodeo" will run Oct. 19-27. Chamber members will encourage local businesses to "dress the part" with bandannas and cowboy hats and will ask Crater High art students to paint western scenes on downtown windows. Local 4-H and Future Farmers of America youth would also get involved. Events being planned include contests to name Little Miss and Little Mister Rodeo; a grand drawing to win a trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas; and a pick-up truck parade through downtown. "Rodeo Day" on Saturday will kick off with a tailgate party, games for kids, junior roping contests and country music. Sunday will be "Family Day," featuring discounts for families and large groups to see the final day of the rodeo. Rodeo committee member Cindy Bettingfield said the added festivities should be significant enough to help identify the city as a place other than "just ‘north Medford.’ " "The rodeo is a highly professional sport, and we get a lot of the top cowboys here to compete," she said. "We want this place to be as western as we can get it for that entire week — like Calgary, on a smaller scale, of course." Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S