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FLORIDA PARISHES ARENA “Grabs
Life by the Horns” with Dodge Rodeo
Arena kicks off busy season in style.
AMITE—Bull riding, barrel racing, saddle bronc, bareback riding,
team roping, stick horse races, Shotgun the Clown and two new members
inducted into
HELPING HAND—Rodney “Shotgun” Gaston (right) lends a hand
to a future bronc rider during the children’s stick horse races. |
the Wall of Fame—the Dodge Rodeo hosted at the Arena
May 25 and 26 had it all.
The Florida Parishes Arena kicked off its busy
season in high fashion hosting a two-day professional Dodge sanctioned
rodeo. Enthusiastic crowds on both nights were treated to the thrill
and danger of bull riding and the grace and speed of barrel racing.
It was not all serious as Rodney “Shotgun” Gaston brought the house down
with his rodeo humor and daring fire walk while riding a bull.
Two new members were inducted into the Arena’s
Wall of Fame. Mr. PI Addison, a rodeo man for many years, Army veteran,
athlete and coach, family man and all around nice guy was honored
along with “the Hungarian Cowboy,” Mr. Robert Kluka, who received the
honor posthumously. Kluka, native of Livingston Parish, was involved
with the livestock industry and rodeos all over south Louisiana.
If anyone had an animal that was difficult to round up, he was
the man to call.
The Dodge Rodeo circuit dates back to the late 1970s and the early 1980's when Dodge did a study of world sporting events to determine what percentage of attendees drove trucks. Their report demonstrated a surprisingly large 51% of those surveyed at rodeos did indeed drive a truck for personal or for business purposes. After seeing this immense statistic, it did not take the folks involved in marketing at Dodge long to realize that rodeo was a great sporting event to promote what was then the stand alone Dodge Truck brand.
PLEASE NOTE: Selection of slideshow photos is random. It is our goal to feature as many people
as possible.
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