The 110th California Rodeo Salinas is moving from July 16-19 to October 8-11, after organizers learned the shelter-in-place order was going to cut into May, one of its busiest volunteer preparation times, they announced in a press release on April 28.
The Rodeo has its own Covid-19 Response Committee, which made the postponement recommendation to the Rodeo Executive Board. The committee cited a rigid timeline to order supplies and make other preparations for a July event. Since the shelter-in-place order will extend from May 3 further into the month or beyond, it left volunteers with little time.
Calling the Rodeo an important economic driver—they estimate the event brings in $11 million in economic benefit in just one week, in addition to providing donations to nonprofits—organizers said it was important to hold the Rodeo this year if at all possible.
“Our hope is that regulations and guidelines related to the virus will be less restrictive in October than July, but hosting the event is still subject to pending health guidelines,” says Salinas Sports Complex General Manager Jim Slaten.
In addition to the Rodeo opening Oct. 8, Professional Bull Riding will take place Wednesday, Oct. 7, organizers said.
The same day the Rodeo announced it was moving its event due to the pandemic, two bits of Car Week news rolled in.
Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar told reporters on a press briefing call that the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is still on for Aug. 13-16. The event attracts approximately 550 race cars.
By the afternoon it was announced that Concorso Italiano, held at Bayonet and Black Horse and scheduled for Aug. 15, has been cancelled. Billed as the world's largest luxury Italian car event, organizers said they still plan on finding ways to support the charity the event supports, Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services.
Concorso joins other major Car Week events that cancelled after Concours d'Elegance organizers announced last week they were canceling this year's event.
(1) comment
Hallelujah! Let's make it permanent. Nearly EVERY animal welfare organization in North America condemns rodeo due to its inherent cruelty. For most of the abused animals involved--horses & bulls alike--the rodeo arena is merely a detour en route to the slaughterhouse. The United Kingdom outlawed rodeos back in 1934. Can the U.S. be far behind?
I was present at the 1995 Salinas California Rodeo when FIVE animals were killed. Only in the aftermath of the mayhem did the PRCA begin requiring on-site veterinary care at all their events. The great majority of the country's estimated 5,000 rodeos don't even provide this basic care, to their ever-lasting shame. Some "sport"! Indeed, rodeo is not a "sport" at all--that word denotes willing, evenly-matched participants. Rodeo does not qualify. Rather, it's a macho exercise in DOMINATION. It needs to go. Some "traditions" indeed do deserve to die. R.I.P.
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Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANMALS
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