Celebrating 45 Years the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Announces Festivities

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame has been celebrating cowboys and cowgirls for 45 years, now it is time to celebrate the memories.

Bareback rider Mason Clements, of Spanish Fork, Utah, rides a bucking horse named Bruno Mars / MEEGAN M. REID/KITSAP SUN / USA TODAY

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., will officially turn 45 on Aug. 6, but this week, the Hall will open its new exhibit, "45 Years of Memories." The exhibit, in the 101 Gallery, celebrates the Hall of Fame's 45 years of preserving rodeo history and telling the stories of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's champions and legends. 

"It is an exciting exhibit, detailing the 45-year history of this museum," said Kent Sturman, Director. "The timeline featuring major milestones for the Hall includes photographs of each class of inductees by year." 

Items featured in the gallery include unique pieces from the Hafley-Shelton Wild West Collection, the Ralph Ardourel Bit and Spur Collection, the Barrel Racing Clothes of Gayle Bannon, Rodeo Clown memorabilia, and masterpieces of art including sculptures and paintings. The exhibit will be available in the 101 Gallery until September. 

The "45 Years of Memories" exhibit kicks off the anniversary year and will help promote the 45th Anniversary Celebration, Open House and Exhibition Rodeo to be held in August. The celebration commences Friday, Aug. 2 with the Rodeo Clown Reunion where over 30 retired and active rodeo clowns will be featured at the Hall throughout the day. Activities planned for this first day include autograph sessions, clown act performances, magic tricks, clown storytelling and much more.

On Aug. 3-4, the clowns will be appearing at the Douglas County Fair and PRCA Rodeo in Castle Rock, Colo. 

Anniversary activities continue daily at the Hall of Fame Monday through Friday, Aug. 5-9 with demonstrations, performances, film premiers and educational presentations. On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the Little Champions Youth Program will be offered. Also on that day, the Hall of Fame will roll back admission prices to what they were when the museum opened on Aug. 6, 1979. Throughout this week of anniversary events, the Hall will feature showings of several rodeo documentaries and feature length films in a "rodeo film festival" atmosphere. 

The celebration will conclude on Saturday, Aug. 10 with a free open house at the museum from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. An Exhibition Rodeo will be held at 6 pm Aug. 10 in the Hall's Ed Honnen Priefert Arena produced by award-winning PRCA Stock Contractors Cervi Championship Rodeo.

This full day of fun will feature music, cowboy poetry, equine drill teams, children's activities, anniversary cake, autograph sessions, vendors, food trucks and much, much more.

"We are excited to plan and execute this milestone anniversary," said Sturman. "As a museum and hall of fame, we have a lot to celebrate and honor. We are proud of our history and want to share our successes with the fans and museum visitors. There is so much rich history to preserve and stories to tell." 

A complete schedule of events and activities will be released later, and more information can be found at www.prorodeohalloffame.com. 

Content for this article provided by PRCA ProRodeo Sports News Press Release.