Meet some of the Silver Spur Rodeo stars
For this week’s Bright Side we meet some of the stars at the rodeo!
News 11 spoke to the Rodeo Clown, 2018 Rodeo Teen Queen and the rodeo announcer.
Meet fifth generation horse trainer and halftime performer, Rider Kiesner.
“I grew up going to rodeos and watching wild west shows and I got a trick roping kit for Christmas when I was nine years old and I moved all the furniture back in the house and started playing with it quite a bit and got kind of good at it,” Kiesner said.
Meet local star, 15-year-old sophomore from KOFA High School, Kaitlynn Salter.
“I’ve been riding horses since before I can walk, my grandparents threw me on a horse when I was two,” Salter said.
Our rodeo announcer this year is Arizona native, Dan Fowlie.
“This will be my 30th year announcing rodeos,” he told News 11.
“I’ve just always loved rodeo,” he added. “The thing that’s drawn me most to our sport of rodeo is the people and there’s none better than the folks in the rodeo,” Fowlie said.
Kaitlynn will be carrying in the flags this year during the grand opening. She shares how being in the rodeo is a dream come true.
“What inspired me to do this was I saw the rodeo queen doing their hot laps when I was younger and I thought well I want to do that too because I had always always wanted to ride my horse at the rodeo and now I’m finally old enough to do it so here I am!” she said.
Kiesner, who’s been roping for 15 years says being a part of the rodeo has given him the chance to see the world.
“I’ve gotten to see the world and I’ve been performed in every state in America except Hawaii, I go there next year and I’ve been in about 15 different countries getting to do this,” he said. “I’ve got to perform in front of emperor’s and dignitaries from all around the world and this little piece of baling twine has done it all for me,” he added.
And Dan, who announces up to 45 rodeos a year says the thing he loves most about rodeos are how they address important issues happening in our country.
“This weekend on Saturday it’s ‘Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day’ which is a concept that was born in our world of rodeo,” he said. “We’ve raised over $25 million dollars through that campaign to give the boot to breast cancer,” he added.
Check out the rodeo February 9 – 11!
