The CWWRA took over the rodeo in 2005 from a private (for profit) rodeo promoter. Upon taking over the Carbondale rodeo, the CWWRA was formed.
The CWWRA completed its 15th rodeo season in August 2019. We look forward to our 16th season in 2021 after the hiatus due to the 2020 pandemic. Join us for 12 rodeo nights every Thursday from June 3rd to August 19th.
The CWWRA is run by a 4 person Board of Directors who are not paid a dime for their efforts and the rodeo itself is put on 12 weeks every summer by a mostly volunteer group that is put together by the CWWRA Board. Naturally, the stock contractors, the announcer, the judges, rodeo secretary, arena director, security people, gate people (taking money) and a few others are paid every week for their efforts.
The CWWRA chooses two scholarship recipients each rodeo season to receive $1,000 scholarships.
The parking is handled by the Springs Creek Ranch Equestrian Center. The Senior Matters group sells snow cones, cookies and coffee every year and the CWWRA purchased a shed for them to work out of several years ago.
The shed is shared with the Mt. Sopris and Black Sheep 4-H Clubs, along with Roaring Fork High School Volleyball who sell popcorn from the other side of the shed. The CWWRA donates to these non-profit and school groups as well every year after the season.
The CWWRA has made significant donations to the Calaway Young Cancer Center at Valley View Hospital for several years. Previously also donating to the Komen Foundation. CWWRA holds a special rodeo (Tough Enough to Wear Pink) every year as a fund raiser to fight breast cancer as well as other types of cancer.
Over the years, the CWWRA has donated significant work and especially significant funds to the improvement of the Town owned and publicly used Gus Darian arena on County Road 100, one mile east of Carbondale. These donations include, but are not limited to the following………….
CWWRA Volunteers did most of the labor to take out the old wooden pens and rodeo arena and replace it with the new pens and arena you see today. This work was performed free of charge and the last $4,000 of work to complete the work (when time ran out) was hired out to a fence contractor and paid for by the CWWRA.
CWWRA has expended more than $56,000 in capital improvements, to help improve a public facility, — the Gus Darien Arena (owned by the Town of Carbondale) in which they have no ownership interest. Because of the donations of the CWWRA, the arena facility is used by many other groups for a variety of events and the public use of the facility has grown significantly.
What is 4-H? (Information taken from http://www.extension.colostate.edu/garfieldcounty/4h/Whatis4h.shtml)
4-H is a non-formal educational, youth development program offered to individuals age 5-18. Youth are involved in hands-on experiential learnng that allows by doing. 4-H is best identified by its green four-leaf clover with an H on each leaf. The four H’s on the emblem stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. All 4-H programs focus on active involvement and quality experiences which stimulate lifelong learning of values and skills. Please join us for good times this year at the arena and support local 4-H youth.
The 2023 rodeo season will begin on Thursday, June 1st and continue through Thursday, August 17th. Come down to the rodeo every Thursday evening for 12 weeks with slack at 6:00 p.m. and the main performance at 7:30 p.m.
To volunteer, email Mike Kennedy at:
[email protected] or call at:
(970) 379-3907
Gus Darien Riding Arena
County Road 100
(Catherine Store Road)
Carbondale, CO 81623