KING CITY — Last Sunday’s Ranch Rodeo drew 116 participants from the Central Coast and paid out nearly $14,000 in prize money to winners at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds’ Rava Equestrian Center in King City.
The 2019 Ranch Rodeo, a partnership between the Salinas Valley Fair and Monterey County Cattlemen’s Association, promotes spirited competition between working cattlemen and cattlewomen while celebrating western traditions.
One Ranch Rodeo tradition is to recognize a local cattleman in memoriam at the event.
This year’s event was dedicated in memory of Allan Wallace, known locally for being the ranch manager at Topo Ranch in King City for nearly 30 years. The top prize was named in his honor, and many of Wallace’s family and friends were on hand Jan. 13 to celebrate him during a brief ceremony.
The 2019 All-Around Champion and winner of the Alan Wallace Memorial Running P Saddle was Danny Leslie of Paso Robles. Lacy Bourdet captured the title of 2019 Ladies All-Around Champion, receiving a custom leather boot bag crafted by Brian Ames of Silver Star Ranch.
Through the support of local businesses and individuals, buckles were awarded to the following first-place winners of each event:
Cut and Rope — Garret Boekenoogan and Danny Leslie;
Open Steer Stopping — Danny Leslie;
Cattle Sorting — Billy Aviles, Tom Martinus and Wyatt Bourdet;
Open Calf Branding — Joe Spencer, Bryan Bobsin, Bert Ferrasci and Colton Miller;
Over 50 Calf Branding — Sam Avila and Alison Grantham;
Ladies Calf Branding — Alison Grantham and Lacy Bourdet;
Jr. Calf Branding — Sarah Brewen and Tatum Hurley; and
Match Calf Branding — Todd Sans, Brody Sans, Joe Spencer and Colton Miller.
Youth ages 2 to 10 also participated in rodeo events, including dummy roping, stick horse races and boot races, with first-place winners receiving buckles.
Elsa Sabin won the Kids Stick Horse Race for those 4 to 6 years old, while Brycen Escobar captured the buckle for the Kids Boot Race. In the hotly contested Dummy Roping for youth ages 5 to 10, Royce Brown came out on top.
New this year was the Salinas Valley Fair Junior Fairboard Ribbon Roping challenge. Mario Sanchez of King City won the event with an eight-second run to take home the prize.
“Salinas Valley Fair and Monterey County Cattlemen’s Association is especially thankful for all the cattlemen and cattlewomen that volunteered to put on the event, the Salinas Valley Fair Junior Fairboard crew and the donation of cattle from David Wood of Wood’s Livestock and the Topo Ranch,” said Fair CEO TJ Plew.
The 2020 Ranch Rodeo is tentatively set for Jan. 12, 2020, at the fairgrounds in King City.
