Superior Lions Club cancels 2020 rodeo

The Superior Lions Club reluctantly decided to cancel the 2020 Rodeo in Superior at a special meeting June 24.

“The recent spike in COVID cases is what made us agree we just should sit this year out”, said Guy Gould, Superior Lions Rodeo Committee Chair, while he stacked frozen fish fillets at Darlow’s Quality Foods.

Gould has been the chair of the rodeo committee for over 20 years and said it was one difficult decision to make, but they feel it was the right one. They start planning the rodeo soon after Christmas each year and have had a great relationship with Red Eye Rodeo out of Deer Lodge who understood completely.

Thanks to this long-standing relationship, there wasn’t a lost deposit as the deal has been a gentleman’s handshake over the years.

It’s known as the Go for the Gold Rodeo and has been a draw for competitors due to the size of the purse.

“We started this prize-purse way back when gold was about $400 an ounce and have maintained the original plan even at today’s gold prices,” said Gould.

If there isn’t a cowboy who manages to stay on his bronc or bull for eight seconds during the entire two days of the rodeo, an ounce of gold is added to the kitty for the next year. The last time it was awarded was 10 years ago and there was 18 ounces of gold to that winner. 2021 will have nine ounces ready to give away.

At the time of this report, there still is not a decision if the Mineral County Fair will be taking place, but for the Superior Lions, they will not be a part of it for this year.

“We net between $5,500 and $7,000 each year which is a combination of rodeo gate receipts and the beer garden,” said Gould.

With the Lions being a crucial component for the annual Christmas Gifts and Food for families, will this project take a hit?

“Not right now. We don’t see that happening. We know how important that is to so many in the county so we’re going to be working on making it happen as we have over the years,” Gould said.

The pandemic continues to disrupt lives, events, activities and plain old fun with summer arriving.

But organizers said next year the brand new stadium seating that hasn’t even been used yet, will be waiting for around 1,400 people

‘Yahooing’ during the Go For the Gold Rodeo in the Mineral County Fairgrounds.