Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo committee president Jerry Marsteller

Story by DAVE BERGMEIER
Editor, The Abilene Reflector-Chronicle
2007

Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo committee president Jerry Marsteller started in 1991 because he had an interest in watching the rebirth of the local rodeo, now one of Abilene’s signature events in the summer. “I was asked to be on the committee,” he said with a smile. “I enjoy rodeo and to help work and produce everything that goes along with it.”

He is in the midst of his third year as president and when the good-natured Marsteller speaks, he wants people to know that he is one of many people who have been a part of the rodeo’s renaissance and resurgence in popularity that started in the late 1980s.

“We, the committee, look at it as if we are in the entertainment business,” he said. “It is all volunteer. No one receives a paycheck.”

Years of laying the groundwork continues to see impressive results. This past year was a shining example.
In 2006, of the 120 cowboys and cowgirls who qualified for the national finals, 41 were in Abilene. Three of the seven event national champions were in Abilene:
• Steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch;
• bull rider B.J. Schumacher;
• barrel racer Mary Burger.

Also, Trevor Brazile, who won the world all-around championship a year ago was also the all-around champion here.

“If you are going to be a champion, it seems like you are going to have come through Abilene at some point,” Marsteller said, adding that is quite an impressive feat considering the competitiveness  of professional rodeo.
The result of a year of hard work and planning is best felt during the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned event.

“Seeing the grandstands full,” Marsteller said is what makes a committeeman smile. “If they are full, we are happy and of course, receiving positive feedback.”

Feedback is a grass-roots effort that the committee members find important. He said some of the best ideas might have seemed unusual at first, but as time went on they have proven to be good ones.

The committee selected a night to accept contributions for cancer awareness and a special relief fund for cowboys and cowgirls. It also allows the Ikes softball program to have concession stands to raise money for girls’ softball. Being a good partner means being a good citizen organization and members believe strongly in giving back to a community that has been so helpful to them, he said.

This year, the committee is also working on a shuttle plan that will help those who may not have good ambulatory skills to be taken close to the stadium. Thinking of ways to better serve fans has been a hallmark of committee members throughout the years, he said.

Evaluations of contractors, bullfighters and clowns are crucial and fans help. For example, Sammy Andrews and the Andrews Rodeo Co. of Texas is a premier stock provider and this will be his ninth year here. Announcer Justin McKee of Lenapah, Okla., and bullfighters Casey Wells of Glendale, Ariz., and Dustin Brewer of Prairie Du Chien, Wis., are here for their ninth year. Continuity in all of those positions is a big help in planning, he said.
A new clown, Jeff “Slim” Garner of Fredonia, Kan., will be featured this year. Garner comes highly recommended based on feedback from fans here and elsewhere.

Marsteller remembers going to the rodeo as a youth and he enjoyed watching professional cowboys perform and the specialty acts and clowns. In a way, that entertainment remains timeless. Others on the committee feel the same way.

“No one on the committee is  a true cowboy,” Marsteller said. “Most of us are farmers and ranchers and in recent years we’ve added some city guys who have been a great addition. All of us realize we’re in the entertainment business.”

He enjoys working in a committee atmosphere and Marsteller believes he is just one face of many who have a common goal of making the rodeo better each year.

“It is not one person, but all of us trying to make a difference,” he said. Over the years he has observed the rodeo brings a smile to his face. “Some people come to see the clowns, some people come to see the timed events and other come to see the rough stock,” Marsteller said. “For others, it is a social occasion.”
In its professional art form, the arena in Abilene Stadium gives fans a close up look at athletes, the president said, and they have an appreciation for their skills and techniques.

One reason he is eager to share the story about the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo is that Abilene and northcentral Kansas has a jewel of an event and one that take a tremendous amount of hometown spirit to keep it going.
“I know what it costs to produce our rodeo,” he said. “It costs about $137,000 to produce four days of rodeo.”
Those costs are shared among the rodeo committee, Central Kansas Free Fair Association and other entities. The working relationship with the city departments and other organizations is crucial.

Revenue for the rodeo is generated from local and area sponsorships. About 145 sponsors help in one way or another, he said, plus the annual belt buckle provides revenue to fund improvements for future years.
The rodeo committee members believe that finding ways to enhance the rodeo, while keeping admission prices reasonable, is the best ticket for success.

“The support of local and area people whether by sponsorship or attending is the key,” the president said. “If they didn’t support the rodeo, it would not be there.” Volunteers are the backbone and exemplify the hometown spirit. “The support we receive when asked to help is amazing,” Marsteller said.

The Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo Committee has 145 local and area sponsors and as a result of their generosity, it allows more than $77,000 in prize money to be awarded to contestants. Prize money is also generated from the entry fees submitted by cowboys and cowgirls.

Marsteller said the $37,500 is directly linked to local and area sponsorship, a figure that is impressive.
The best way for people to contribute is to try to find a way to attend a performance and talk about the importance of rodeo among friends and visitors, alike.

In the meantime, the committee continue to press ahead. The committee members want to be nominated for the Rodeo of the Year award. The Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo was nominated in 1995, 2001 and 2002, which was no small feat.

The Aug. 1-4 rodeo will be the 62nd annual event. (2007)