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2017 Gerry Rodeo Is The ‘Favorite’ In Vote Of Cowboys

Members of the Gerry Rodeo committee display the cowboys’ Favorite Rodeo award they received at the First Frontier Finals Rodeo last week. From the left are Sharon Atwell, rodeo committee secretary; Tom Atwell, rodeo chairman; and Lori Johnson, advance ticket sales chairman. Submitted photo

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Gerry Volunteer Fire Department’s Rodeo and their stock contractor, Painted Pony Pro Rodeo of Lake Luzerne, New York, received several top awards at the First Frontier Circuit Rodeo Finals last week.

Highlighting the awards was the selection of the 2017 Gerry Rodeo as the Cowboys’ Favorite Rodeo of all rodeos held in the First Frontier Rodeo Circuit during the year. This selection is made by a vote of the cowboys who compete in this circuit, which consists of the states that were a part of the original 13 colonies.

Painted Pony Pro Rodeo was honored as their outstanding bull, Holy Holly, received the Bull of the Year award. In addition, their bareback bronc, George’s Bad Cat, was named Bareback Bronc of the Year, while a bronc named Thomas and Mack won the Saddle Bronc of the Year honors. These awards were again given based on a vote of the cowboys.

The honors continued with 11-year-old Gabby Graham, the daughter of Painted Pony’s owners, Shawn and Shana Graham, being named Lil’ Miss Frontier Circuit 2018 in the pageant that was a part of the annual event She also won both the congeniality and personality portions of the pageant. Her duties include making appearances across the circuit to promote rodeo.

The circuit finals feature the top 12 cowboys in each rodeo event, along with the top 12 lady barrel racers, based on their money won within the circuit during the season. They then competed over three days last week for nearly $180,000 in prize money.

Rodeo chairman Tom Atwell, who attended the event, said that receiving the Cowboys’ Favorite Rodeo award is a tribute to the year-long work of the rodeo committee and to all its sponsors and to the nearly 200 community volunteers who make the rodeo possible.

The Gerry Rodeo is the longest consecutively running rodeo east of the Mississippi as this summer, from Aug. 1-4, they will celebrate their 74th annual rodeo with approximately 200 professional cowboys and cowgirls from across the nation competing for nearly $45,000 in the seven traditional rodeo events. All profits benefit the Gerry Volunteer Fire Department.

Additional information is available on the rodeo website www.gerryrodeo.org

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