Since the April Fools’ Day announcement that the Fiesta Stock Horse Show and Rodeo was canceled, members of Old Spanish Days have nonetheless been trying to negotiate with Earl Warren Showgrounds to try to find a way to hold the century-old event. No agreement was found, and the rodeo is scrubbed for 2025, Fritz Olenberger, El Presidente this year, announced this Monday morning.
Josiah Jenkins, who heads the rodeo committee, asked the Showgrounds for one last proposal to try to bring a rodeo this year. Earl Warren offered to hold a professional rodeo only, with sponsors and 10-20 volunteers from Old Spanish Days. Earl Warren would assume all the risk and responsibility for the event, but also the profit, if there was any. No local participation or events would take place.
At the general board meeting last Wednesday, the members had agreed the terms were not acceptable. Some of them “flat out don’t want to work with those folks on those terms,” Jenkins said, saying some of the boardmembers reacted with “animosity” to the Showgrounds’ proposal…