Clovis Rodeo History
It was the spring of 1914 when members of the Clovis Women’s Club sponsored the first Clovis Festival. Mrs. M.S. McMurtry, Mrs. Brook Gross and Mrs. Carl Merriman were some of the first leaders that started what is now in its 109th year.
The first festival was held in a vacant lot in the northwest part of what was the town of Clovis. The arena circle was formed by wagons, carriages and a few automobiles. The entertainment included games, horse races and a picnic dinner. The festival was kicked-off by a parade down the main unpaved street of Clovis which brought the locals together from the valley and foothills.
In 1921 the event was an effort of the Clovis Women’s Club and the Clovis American Legion Post. This was the first “Clovis Day” celebration at which the local cowboys officially conducted a rodeo event.
In 1936 Clovis businesses and cattlemen officially formed a “Horse Show Association.” In 1937 the association purchased the land where the Shaver Lake Lumber Company stood and was the terminus of the lumber flume that previously brought lumber from the mountains. Wooden grandstands were erected and the event progressed to what we know today as the Clovis Rodeo. The main concrete grandstand was built in 1949.
As it did in its beginning, the Clovis Rodeo continues to bring families and friends together to enjoy a time of friendship, fun and relaxation on the last full weekend in April.
As the Rodeo celebrates another year, we want to thank the community of volunteers that makes the Clovis Rodeo what it is today. We look forward to continued successful celebrations of the Clovis tradition of rodeo and the western way of life.
09
Sep
1914
1914
Clovis Festival Day was started by the Clovis Women’s Club as a community gathering with horse races, picnic, games and a parade.
02
Mar
1916
1916
Early reports estimated a crowd of 6,000 came to Clovis from the surrounding areas by horseback, buggies, wagons, motor trucks and the railroad for the Clovis Festival. The first public BBQ as part of the Clovis Festival was held in the city park with more than 2,000 lbs. of beef and a like number of beans being cooked by long time festival chef Joe Sagniere.
09
Oct
1918
1918
Clovis Festival was held in several locations in the early days including the site of the Shaver Lake Lumber Flume property (location of the current Clovis Rodeo) in 1918. The cowboys in the early days were mostly “local talent” and the purse was put up by the spectators, participants and local ranchers. It amounted anywhere from $50 to several $100.
03
Aug
1920
1920
In the twenties the parade became a major event before the rodeo. An old fashioned “paddy wagon” was often used by cowboys to hold the local merchants who were pulled from their stores at the end of the parade. If you were a horse entry in the parade, you could ride over to the rodeo on your horse and get free entry and ride in the Grand Entry of the rodeo.
08
Aug
1921
1921
In this year the event became officially known as the Clovis Rodeo, with working cowboys the main participants. Downtown Clovis was much different then and people would park their cars and wagons in a circle and form a makeshift arena for the rodeo.
02
May
1937
1937
The organization that was the rodeo (Clovis Horse Show and Festival Assn.) purchased the land where it is located today from the Southern California Edison Company. They owned the grounds where the Shaver Lake fume ended in Clovis. Memberships in the association were sold to raise the funds to buy the land. They build the first arena in that year. The memberships were sold for $25 each. Many of those original memberships continue to be handed down in families for generations from father to son, etc.
07
Apr
1938
1938
The Clovis High School District needed additional space and the Rodeo Association sold some of the acreage to them for a $1. This is now part of the classrooms and sports field of the Clark Intermediate School.
21
Jul
1946
1946
The association added 1,400 additional seats to the arena in wooden grandstands.
14
Aug
1949
1949
The Clovis Horse Show and Festival Association reached an agreement with the Rodeo Cowboys Association for the 1949 Clovis Rodeo thus beginning their long-standing association with what is now known as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)
24
Mar
1950
1950
The rodeo association raised $25,000 to build a new 7,000 seat grandstand made of concrete and steel.
30
May
1953
1953
Newspaper accounts describe the 1953 Clovis Rodeo Parade as the longest, finest and best attended parade ever held with an estimated crowd of 10,000 plus. There were 481 horses in the parade.
05
Jan
1955
1955
Jay Robinson (right) and Jack Estill winning the second and last Chuck Wagon Race at the Clovis Rodeo grounds
12
Jun
1960
1960
The rodeo purse was in excess of $9,500 attracting some of the nations champion cowboys and top names on the rodeo circuit.
27
Jun
1963
1963
Rodeo entertainment included two chariot teams used in the filming of the movie “Ben Hur”.
12
Jan
1983
1983
Clovis Rodeo joins the California Six PAC rodeo committee further promoting the sport of rodeo and working with rodeos throughout California to preserve the western heritage.
26
Aug
1984
1984
Construction of the rodeo hall at the front of the rodeo grounds was begun by the membership and completed one year later. The hall created an opportunity for the rodeo to further their efforts to reach out to the non-profit organizations in the community and a location to hold celebrations and fundraisers.
29
Mar
1985
1985
Recognizing the need to continue to add to the rodeo’s facilities, a park was built adjacent to the building patio.
28
May
1988
1988
The “Challenge of the Champions” meets at the Clovis Rodeo for the second match between the legendary world champion bull rider Lane Frost and the equally legendary world champion bull Red Rock (who had never been ridden after 309 attempts)
16
Feb
1989
1989
The Clovis Rodeo celebrated 75 years and country music great Lacy J. Dalton performs both days of the rodeo.
24
Feb
1990
1990
A shop facility building was built to provide cover for equipment. Electrical service was enhanced, and improvements were made to the arena.
03
Oct
1999
1999
Growing demand and popularity of the rodeo provided the opportunity to go from a 2-day rodeo to a 3-day rodeo. This was the first Friday night rodeo performance.
17
Mar
2000
2000
The first Friday night concert was held after the rodeo with rising country music star Keith Urban.
18
Oct
2004
2004
The rodeo celebrated its 90th year. Completion of the Tom Stearns Pavilion gave a place for VIP sponsors to watch the rodeo in airconditioned comfort.
27
May
2005
2005
A Thursday night performance was added to the Clovis Rodeo week and fans were offered bull riding action by the Professional Rodeo’s Extreme Bulls. A unique feature of this performance was that the top 8 tie down ropers also competed that evening for a winner take all prize of $12,000.
01
Sep
2009
2009
The Clovis Rodeo took Thursday night action to the next level and hosted the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Challenger Tour for the first time. A Friday night concert followed rodeo action with country super group Lonestar. Crowds were estimated at more than 11,000 in one evening to see the rodeo and concert.
27
Mar
2010
2010
Clovis Rodeo became a Silver Tour Stop on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn. circuit. Now ranked as one of the top three rodeos in California and top fifteen across the nation, the total purse was increased to more than $300,000 and offered four days of family entertainment.
28
Jun
2012
2012
The first Thursday night concert after the PBR Touring Pro Division event was held with American Idol winner David Cook performing.
25
Aug
2014
2014
This was the Clovis Rodeo’s 100th year and was celebrated in commissioning a large statue of Lane Frost and Red Rock at the entrance to the rodeo grounds. We were honored to have Lane Frosts parents to help dedicate the event. Other festivities were a large party, silent and live auctions which included a dinner in the lawn area. This year was also included the completion of the Centennial Suites pavilion and announcer stand. This was a new state of the art facility that continued to improve the arena for the enjoyment of our sponsors and spectators.
28
Aug
2014
2014
Clovis Rodeo was honored to be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with a ceremony held August 6, 2014 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The PRCA committees selected for enshrinement this year are among the PRCA's longest-standing and most respected rodeos. Clovis, as part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Check out the PRCA Hall of Fame video-- Click the Image to Watch the Video.
29
Aug
2016
2016
Clovis Rodeo became one of seven rodeos in the Wrangler Million Dollar Gold Tour PRCA rodeo.
28
Jan
2017
2017
Increased prize money to $20,000 per event ($40,000 for team roping) to continue to attract top cowboys to the Clovis Rodeo.
15
Mar
2018
2018
Clovis Rodeo won a new $40,000 Massey Ferguson tractor through a contest with AGCO “Sowing Good Deeds” program. This program acknowledged the top rodeo committee that gave back to their community. Clovis Rodeo was proud to be the first winner in this contest. The award was presented at the PRCA convention in Las Vegas.
Image Courtesy of Clovis RoundUp
Image Courtesy of Clovis RoundUp
05
Feb
2020
2020
Due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, there was no rodeo in 2020.
08
Feb
2022
2022
Clovis Rodeo was excited to return to live action and a sold out crowd for the 2022 Annual Clovis Rodeo.