Meet Our Rodeo Pioneers

coming soon

Jay has long believed that the future of rodeo depends on the young people willing to take up its responsibilities. “I love working with the younger people who are carrying this rodeo into the next generation. They do most of the heavy lifting and the dirty work, and they do it without any reservation. Generation by generation, we try to give our young people what we didn’t have. For rodeo to work in the future, they need to know the foundation—what rodeo is and why it’s important to our communities. The Stampede is what keeps us, us.”

For more than two decades, Kathy Sweigart has embodied the spirit of volunteerism with the Elizabeth Stampede, but more than that, her love for the local community has touched every corner of Elbert County. In supporting the western community, she was one of the founding members of youth rodeo associations including the high school rodeo team. Over the years, her dedication led her to serve on a wide range of committees, and in leadership roles including 12 years on the Board of Directors, support of the Foundation as vice president, and made history as the first female President of the Stampede.

Joanne Hofer’s time with the Stampede started because of the Tough Enough to Wear Pink program. “I just love the sense of community, and I like that it is an annual event for some people and they really plan around it, they expect it, and they look forward to it. We have a lot of volunteers who are very dedicated, and they’re just there for the right reasons. The contestants like coming to our rodeo and that says a lot about the team we have putting it on.”

Joanne was instrumental in creating the non-profit branch of the rodeo, the Elizabeth Stampede Foundation, which enables the Stampede family to preserve the western legacy of providing support and assistance to members of the community. She also led the charge to bring the first Stampede concert to the arena dirt of Elizabeth!

When the lights flick on and the stands are buzzing, Ricky Maher is on the ground in front of the chutes in the role of “Chute Boss”. “I enjoy the Stampede Family. All of the volunteers really try their best to put on the best rodeo for all of the fans and contestants. Every year keeps improving with hospitality or with the ground and it makes it a better experience! Every year it gets better.”

As a founding member of local youth rodeo organizations such as a local high school rodeo team, the Little Britches Youth Association, and the drill team now known as the Blazing Saddles, Ricky’s roots in Elizabeth and his hard work and persistent involvement are the true mark of a Stampede pioneer.

As a competitor, rodeo dad, and volunteer, Ron got his start in the Stampede more than 20 years ago. “One of my favorite memories is when I was running a gate and had to pull a cowboy out of the way of an irate bull who was set on taking him out when he couldn’t get his footing in a big puddle of mud. That’s the best thing about this rodeo, the hands-on volunteering.”

Mary Louise brought a mix of agricultural background and love for rodeo royalty programs with her when she began volunteering. “My goal has been to bring our royalty programs to a place where the young ladies know that they are very special to the community, to the rodeo, agriculture, and the western way of life.”

“A lasting legacy that is the Elizabeth Stampede starts with the fact that we have an amazing place on this planet and is made complete by our shared lifestyle. This one week of the year, we come together in kindness and respect, to labor, laugh, cry, celebrate. We are all volunteers simply doing something for our community. It is a celebration of what we love and who we love.” Jace Glick “

Jace’s commitment to the rodeo over the past 28 years and the dedication for the next 50 has resulted in Jace receiving the rodeo organization’s highest honor in 2021

“Our favorite part of this rodeo is the year-long involvement and commitment with the organization. The planning, the meetings, and the social interaction are all part of the make-up of this unique rodeo family. It’s much more than just the rodeo weekend!

Success is an adventurous journey, and its definition may change as one moves through this life. It has for me. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways: the best wife and friend a man could ever imagine, a creative and productive career, interaction at the Stampede with some of the greatest, hardest working people on earth.”

“I love being a part of the rodeo. There are so many great memories, like the time a bull got out from the rodeo pen and ran down County Road 17 ending up in a lady’s backyard. All of the cowboys on horseback went after it and brought it back to the arena. She watched the whole thing out her kitchen window while doing dishes! The Stampede opens up possibilities for a lot of people to contribute to an event that brings us all together. I love my rodeo family; they have been there for me through all of the good and bad times, proving that every day is an adventure and a challenge. Meeting those challenges together is what makes the Elizabeth Stampede a family.”

“The loyalty to the rodeo and the goal to continue to make it better each year is embedded in us and the history is so deep that it is a good reminder that we need to bridge the tradition of the small town rodeo way of life and the need to embrace modern growth and change. The values of the rodeo and the western way of life include faith and family which is why we love it so much,” comments Pris.

Dan adds, “It’s also the love of animals and the pageantry of it all. That power and strength in an animal that is in its own way gentle and kind—and never knowing which athlete will win on any given day. The cowboy or the bull or horse. It’s as close to real life as you can get in a sport. It’s the success and glory along with the risks and dangers, all based on your own ability and the ability of the animal.”

These retired teachers continue to educate by example. “Our goal is to make a difference in everything we do. If there is one thing we would tell future volunteers, it would be for them to find a way to make a difference and to keep this rodeo at the heart of the community. We hope to continue to raise the bar every year.” The rewards of that simple act include a lifetime of memories and enduring friendships.

“When the gates open on Friday night, everyone does their job and has a good time, and it just clicks. It is a very smooth operation. Because of the volunteers, this rodeo runs so efficiently during the performance, we deal with animal issues, we keep the rodeo clicking with no down time... the volunteers and production crews keep it running smoothly and we have a good time. I have two families, one that I live with, and the other in Elizabeth at the rodeo.”

"I thought working as a volunteer would be as much fun as competing. It’s hard work volunteering. A lot of walking and cowboys never walk if they can ride. But we always had a real good time." –Tom

"To put on a great Rodeo is what we’re trying to do and be the best small market rodeo. You set up a good program and get good people, and we have a lot of good people here. We do this because the rodeo is important to us and our community." –Norm

"There were thirteen of us and we started from scratch with the PRCA. We were committed. We had to perform." –Ed & Donna

“We worked on the rodeo because we wanted to serve a greater cause, and because it was very gratifying. It’s the motivation that all the volunteers have and we can’t forget that as the rodeo moves ahead.”

"I still work as a volunteer because I like being around the rodeo. It gets in your blood." - Guy

"It was a lot of hard work but I remember a few years after we went pro in 1988, I was back of the bucking chutes with Pete Burns and it was a glorious night and seats were full and I thought, ‘Look how far we have come.’" - Roger

“The focus of the rodeo was always on what was going on in the arena. Taking the focus beyond the contestants and the events was the key to the future of the Stampede. –Leanna

“It is so important to us that we remember that the rodeo was put together by all kinds of wonderful people. This is the heart of it.”

"Over the years Chamber members worked many hours and used their own tools and equipment to make improvements. We often wondered why we did this, pay dues to work, but it was fun, and when you saw fans enjoying the rodeo it was worth it." – June