Reno Rodeo topic of Rotary talk

Reno Rodeo Kids Day Chairwoman Violet Richards spoke of the many events that take place during the 10-day contest.

She especially focused her presentation on the Rodeo Foundation that focuses on supporting foster youth in Northern Nevada. The Reno Rodeo has a robust history dating back 105 years. Established in 1919, the Rodeo has been a fixture in Northern Nevada only going silent in World War II, a destructive fire, and a year of Covid.

The “Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West,” is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association sanctioned sporting event.

Reno Rodeo is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization made up of almost 1,200 volunteers. Over 140,000 fans will be in attendance for the 6th richest PRCA tour rodeo in the world. The event impacts the Reno/Sparks area economy with $53 million going to hotels, casinos, restaurants, and retail. The Reno Rodeo has been nationally televised on CBS Sports, Fox Sports Net, Versus, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic.

The Reno Rodeo has formed a 501(c)(3) foundation to give back to the community. Every foster child in 14 Northern NV communities is taken care of by the nonprofit arm of Reno Rodeo by providing new pack backs, clothing and other essentials. They support “Bears & Badges” which puts teddy bears in patrol cars to be given to kids experiencing trauma.

They also provide $30-60,000 grants annually to other nonprofits focused on at-risk youth. In 2022 the foundation had a $750,000 community impact.

The current stadium holds 9,000 and sells out every night. Be careful of the third-party ticket sales as Reno Rodeo only charges $35 (where others are charing up to $300). Reno Rodeo commences on the third Thursday in June for 10 days (June 21-29, 2024). Get your tickets at https://renorodeo.com/shop/tickets/