The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The Cattlemen’s Days pink has faded, but a bright shade of gold will emblazon the annual celebration.
It’s the perfect transition for Cattlemen’s Days to honor its 125th year during the 2025 exposition, set for Thursday, July 10-Saturday, July 12, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. The volunteer-based organization will focus its giving nature toward the Golden Circle of Champions.
“Gunnison Tough is going to carry on our long tradition of the Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign,” said Brad Tutor, the Cattlemen’s Days president. “We wish Gunnison Tough the very best along their path to continue helping cancer patients.”
Gunnison Tough will continue the legacy established long ago.
“A small group of people on the Cattlemen’s Days committee jumped on board with the national Tough Enough to Wear Pink crusade as a way of giving back to families who were being affected by breast cancer,” said Kevin Coblentz, a longtime volunteer who was instrumental in the foundation of the local pink efforts in 2005. “That campaign did an amazing job over the years, and Gunnison was recognized year after year for its contributions on the national stage.”
Local families were the primary beneficiaries of those efforts, and that basic premise will continue with the Golden Circle of Champions, which raises funds and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer.
“Because of the dedication of the Cattlemen’s Days committee, we’ve helped dozens of families, which, I think, is the best part,” said Karla Rundell, the committee’s second vice president. “Our purpose was always to give back, and I think we’ve done that very well over the last 20 years.
“As we have discussed in our transition, kids are our future. Cancer is devastating enough, but children with cancer hits everyone hard, which is why we are now dedicated to giving to the Golden Circle of Champions.”
Rundell is one of the volunteers leading the charge, calling it, “Cowboys and kids vs. cancer.” Traditionally the opening night of Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo was decked out in pink, but that changes starting this year. The Thursday performance will be Gold Night, helping raise awareness and funds for the Golden Circle of Champions.
In addition, Cattlemen’s Days is teaming with Kaitlyn Hayes and the Rocky Mountain Mini Broncs/KH Bucking Horses for a special performance for youth Thursday, July 3, at the rodeo grounds. The event will also benefit Golden Circle of Champions.
“We want to offer a ray of hope to the families that are going through this journey,” said Rundell, who took part in a Golden Circle of Champions event this past December in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. “We had Colorado kids with us in Vegas, and that was such a blessing to be part of.
“We want to walk beside these families and give them a helping hand. We want to tell the story of pediatric cancer, because we hope that will make a difference.”
