Southern Idaho community has become a major player in rodeo

GOODING, Idaho – In rodeo, this community of less than 4,000 souls is seen as the “Little Engine That Could.”

Much like the classic children’s story by Watty Piper, many underestimated what the Gooding Pro Rodeo could become. The people in the southern Idaho town serve as the power behind the train engine. “I think I can, I think I can” propelled the engine over the mountaintop, and the community has followed a similar mantra with the biggest annual event in Gooding County.

“None of this happens without everyone coming together,” said Don Gill, the fair and rodeo manager.

This year’s Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers is set for Thursday, Aug. 20-Saturday, Aug. 22, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 19. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena.

“The thing about Gooding is that it’s a small-town rodeo that wants to grow and get even bigger,” said John Gwatney, the longtime production supervisor for the rodeo who has also been contracted to work many other major events. “The town’s not going to get any bigger, but the town’s going to support this rodeo, and they want it to get bigger.

“They keep adding (local) money (to the purse) as they can. For a little county, all the money the rodeo makes goes back into this rodeo to make it that much better. People come from all over just to watch the rodeo. The population is about 3,500 to 4,000, and the stands seat about that many, and the rodeo is sold out for four nights. It’s pretty cool when your rodeo is sold out even before you start.”

The results are in: Gooding’s marquee event is listed as one of the top 40 rodeos in the PRCA, which sanctions more than 600 rodeos a year, from Calgary and Houston to Blackfoot, Idaho, and Homestead, Florida. Last year alone, the local rodeo paid out more than $275,000.

More than 600 contestants made their way to southern Idaho for last year’s Gooding Pro Rodeo. That’s a substantial increase in population to the community during rodeo week, and there’s good reason for it.

“I think we have the best crew of professionals in the PRCA,” Gill said. “John Gwatney is the knows rodeo production, and his wife, Sandy, has been the secretary of the year in both the PRCA and WPRA.”

The rodeo also has Dusty Tuckness, the 10-time Bullfighter of the Year, and Nate Jestes protecting cowboys; Jill Loden, a two-time Sound Director of the Year, will be mixing the tunes; Steve Kenyon, now in his 25th year announcing the Gooding Pro Rodeo, is the face of the sport on The Cowboy Channel; and last year the rodeo added Garrett Yerigan, who is a two-time Announcer of the Year.

“We have amazing pickup men, and everybody on the crew works very well with our volunteers,” Gill said. “That group cares about this rodeo and this community, and we have a couple of National Finals Rodeo veterans who are part of it with Kelly Jennings (a retired bullfighter) and Kelly Wardell (a retired bareback rider).”

The teamwork is accentuated by a “Beer Worthy” crowd that has captured the hearts of a viewing America. Rodeo fans across the country tune in to The Cowboy Channel every August to witness the frenzy that is the Gooding crowd.

“When I was hired 25 years ago, that was just a small-town rodeo,” said Kenyon, who has utilized his announcing skills not only in the arena but also as a broadcaster, for which he has been honored by both the PRCA and the WPRA.

“The people in Gooding had the guts to stick their necks out when it counted, and it’s paid off. The crew that comes every year and that community has put faith into a crazy idea, and it works.