As America celebrated its 250th birthday on July 4, the Hepler Ruritan Club Rodeo celebrated its 56th year.
The Hepler Ruritan Club is a community organization that supports local families in need, like through scholarships and other financial help. They hold the rodeo on July 3 and 4 every year to raise money to provide that support.
Even though the event is a fundraiser, the club still wants it to be affordable for families, with ticket prices set at $10 for adults and $5 for kids. It’s something that’s important to long-time club member and Hepler mayor Doug Harris.
“You take a family to an event and it's $20 a ticket, that ain’t going to last very long,” he said. “I think we keep the prices down and just give your time. And boy, when they leave here, they got a smile on their face. They feel like they spent their money for a good cause.”
Additional activities outside of the rodeo include a parade, cake walk, firework show and kids’ games. These and the mutton busting before the rodeo each night make the two days “family based,” according to Harris’ wife, Kim, treasurer of the Ruritan Club. It’s the reason she believes the tradition has lasted as long as it has.
“The mutton busting is one of my favorite things because the little kids walk away with something no matter what,” she said. “Just the smile on their face.”
The Harrises and other members of the club’s rodeo committee prepare each year by getting sponsorships from local businesses, getting the concession stand ready and keeping the arena grounds in good shape.
For Doug, the club’s hard work and preparation pays off because of the sense of community the rodeo brings to past and present residents and competitors.
“When we all leave here tonight, we're still friends, whether we competed or not,” he said. “To me, that's the most important. All you take with you is what you give while you're here, so give your time, give your smile, give your hug.”
While the Ruritan Club takes care of everything outside of the rodeo arena, the C.R. McKellips Rodeo Company runs all the events, which this year were bareback and saddle bronc riding, team and calf roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
A total of 168 contestants competed this year. Some were from Kansas while others traveled from Missouri and Iowa.
Two of the Kansas competitors were breakaway ropers Rachel Brownback and Jaci Traul. They both come from rodeo families and have been around it since they were kids, so they know the challenges that come with the sport, like the busy schedule. Both had been at a rodeo in Leon, Iowa, the night before they were in Hepler.
“When things aren't going right, you kind of got to know how to be mentally tough when you don't have time, if you're not home or not going to be able to get home to practice or fix things,” Traul said.
But they both also know how rewarding rodeo can be. For Brownback, it’s the adrenaline and the crowds that make it worthwhile.
“We just really appreciate everyone’s support,” she said. “If we're two states away, they might not know you, but they're going to cheer for you every time. And just having people in your corner is another big thing. You got to always have people in your corner to get you through it if you're going through some downs.”
Traul enjoys the adrenaline, too, as well as the chance to always learn and improve, and the opportunities.
“The sport itself just keeps growing,” she said. “Especially in the breakaway roping, there's more added money and people are starting to appreciate it for the event it is, and what, you know, us girls are actually capable of with the rope. And I think that is a big push, is how far can we get? How far can we get to be equal to everybody else?”
As for the rodeo, continued collaboration is key to its future, according to Doug and Kim Harris.
“We've got some strong people that put together the rodeo and help financially with it,” Doug said. “Some of the local businesses around Hepler and the Girard area. So as long as we're getting the support from the businesses, I think we can keep going.”
Kim shares his hopeful sentiment.
“God willing, we'll keep doing it as long as we can,” she said. “With the support from families that have moved into town, (they’ve) really stepped up this year. We got three young families, so that's really been helpful to have young blood in.”
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