Buckin’ bash returns

The second go has been a bit easier.

Nevertheless, the challenges and hurdles to clear were there, but the lessons learned from last year have made it easier for Cody and Kristina De Golyer.

The Fallon couple return to the arena with the second annual De Golyer Buckin’ Horse and Bull Bash from Friday through Saturday at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.

The event kicks off with a concert on Friday as gates open at 4:30 p.m. with an all-you-can-eat barbecue, while Saturday’s rodeo starts at 5 p.m., although gates open at noon with a free children’s zone, daytime bands, rib cook off, wild horse race, mounted shoot and numerous venders.

Friday’s concert is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under, and the ticket includes three award-winning western music artists — Juni Fisher, Brenn Hill and Sourdough Slim.

Admission for the rodeo, meanwhile, is $5 — with a concert afterward — and the proceeds benefit the De Golyer’s non-profit children’s foundation Cowboys and Cowgirls for Kids.

In addition, the funds raised from a playhouse ($10 per ticket) in downtown Fallon and that will be at the fairgrounds will benefit a Fallon child with cystic fibrosis.

“We wanted to give back,” Kristina De Golyer said. “All the profit from that (playhouse) is going to that. We just wanted to make sure we were able to help them.”

The drive to help children is why the De Golyers decided to start the rodeo last year. They want to highlight western values and lifestyle to youths in hopes they may pick up a rope or straddle a horse.

“It’s teaching our kids work ethic,” Kristina De Golyer said.

“You can only succeed in how big you dream,” Cody De Golyer added.

The De Golyer’s charge to their second rodeo started last year with a bang as the couple estimated between 800-1,000 people attended.

The duo spent one year organizing how to attack the logistics of creating the event, but after last year’s event, they picked up several additional sponsors plus adding larger payouts in the rodeo.

As a result, the rodeo has secured 32 sponsors from Fallon and Fernley businesses.

But the couple’s mantra, however, is not raising prices for admission to the rodeo, which also includes musical acts, a children’s zone, mounted shooting, a rib cook off, junior steer riding and more for just $5.

The additions have been a focus for the De Golyers as the couple continues their drive to create a worthwhile event.

“You have to keep things going,” Cody De Golyer said. “We want to make sure there is no down time. We wanted to make sure we added more entertainment so you don’t get out of your seat.

“One thing we didn’t want to do, though, was raise prices. We wanted to make sure it was super affordable for a family to go out for an afternoon and have a good time and not be broke.”

As for the competitors, the two recruited numerous cowboys and cowgirls, while plucking numerous athletes who did not qualify for the finals at the Reno Rodeo, which ends this weekend.

“We will have a lot of those guys come over who don’t make the finals,” Cody De Golyer said. “We had some decent names last year and this year it will be even better.”

The difference this year, though, is tweaking the event’s logistics as is usual for many first-time events.

After the success of last year’s rodeo, the De Golyers stepped up their advertising campaign with TV and radio spots in addition to hitting social media. Also, the couple secured a live radio broadcast on Saturday courtesy Ten Country 97.3 FM.

Another bonus has been word-of-mouth as businesses and residents throughout town are sold on the event.

“We picked up more sponsors this year,” Cody De Golyer said. “What we learned last year was a lot of people didn’t know about it. We had to really step up our advertising and we did. We are branching out.”