Cattlemen’s Days in question this summer

Rodeo, 4H kids events top priorities

By Katherine Nettles

Cattlemen’s Days organizers are looking for a way be innovative and continue at least some of the event’s 120 year western traditions for Gunnison County this summer, but restrictions on large gatherings present a challenge. Cattlemen’s Days president Kevin Coblentz and vice president Mike Dawson spoke with Gunnison County commissioners via Zoom during a work session on Tuesday to brainstorm possibilities.

Coblentz said he is hoping to be a leader in the otherwise reeling rodeo world that has largely cancelled regional events for the summer. That may be an uphill battle, but commissioners encouraged him to get creative and push forward if it makes financial and public health sense.

Cattlemen’s Days is currently scheduled for July 3-13, with rodeos on July 9, 10 and 11. Coblentz suggested several ideas, from postponing the rodeo to July 30, to getting an exemption to allow several “pods” of up to 50 people apiece within the fair grounds and having participants and the staff of the rodeo stagger events in between sanitizing procedures, to possibly holding events without fans physically present. 

Coblentz noted that the other rodeos regionally have cancelled their events for this summer. “I think that Gunnison’s well-being and frankly the well-being of rodeos depends on what we can come up with,” he continued.

“There are going to be size limitations even as we get to the beginning of August,” advised commissioner Jonathan Houck. Commissioner John Messner agreed.

“I think the reality is that as we go into July, the projections I’m hearing from the state is the biggest [group size] we will see is 250, and the reality is probably 50.”

Dawson said the estimated 5,000 people who attend or work at the event throughout its multi-day run were how the event breaks even. There are also concerns about the Fred Field Center still being used to stage healthcare overflow.

“If we lose the ability to have those people, it affects our ability to put on the rodeo,“ he said.

“I do believe we need to be groundbreakers,” said Coblentz.

“How do you see revenues coming in?” asked commissioner Roland Mason.

“At this point the Cattlemen’s Days has got to get creative…I would like to have the opportunity to explore those options before we throw in the towel,” said Coblentz. “I understand that revenue from attendance is not going to happen,” he acknowledged.

Houck responded, “I think you guys are asking: is there the ability to put some innovative ideas on the table? That’s what we have been encouraging all the events to do. And I don’t want to throw a wet blanket on this, but as many of those other events have gone through the motions that is when many of them have decided to cancel or postpone drastically.”

Messner suggested they find a way to celebrate the concept of Cattlemen’s Days somehow, and said the junior livestock events are also important.

But he said he didn’t want to put other businesses in jeopardy with a public health lapse. “I think that step one is, determine if you can hold the events within the restrictions put in place by the state…And two, make a decision if that’s a financially viable option,” he said. “I’m certainly open to innovation.”

Eric McPhail from 4H said that Cattleman’s Days and 4H have always gone together. He said the 4H kids are working hard on projects, and “We’ve been weighing options. We’ve got four or five ideas on the table and we’re starting to whittle those down.”

McPhail asked for “just any help we can get to weight the different scenarios as we weigh those plans. If the Fred Field Center is off the table, the sooner we know that the better.”

He said timing was going to be important. “We can’t push these market animals too much longer than a week or two if it’s postponed,” he said.

County manager Matthew Birnie, who initially pushed back on the discussion as unrealistic, said the 4H events might be easier, and they could spread out.

“I’d hate to have a kid do all that work and not be able to bring their steer to market,” he said.

Everyone agreed to work on alternative ideas for the events to happen in some way.

“It is coming kind of close,” said McPhail. “You need probably a month to put together an event.”