NEWSLETTER

RAO FINALS INFORMATION (from Patti Bridge)

The RAO finals are at the Scully's Lanetree Farm, Saturday, May 17th after the High School finals at the Gray's.  Breakaway will start late afternoon with the top 7 contestants and then the first Jackpot of the 2008/2009 series. Tie-down finals with the top 7 contestants will follow the Breakaway Jackpot, and the first Tie Down Roping Jackpot.  We will be selling BBQ'd sausages (kindly donated by Frank & Jeanette VanTrop), hamburgers and hotdogs on the Saturday evening.

There will also be a calcutta before each of the events - all proceeds go to the buyer.

The Team Roping Finals will begin on Sunday morning. Entries open at 9 a.m.,  starting time 10 a.m. with the top 7 contestants, starting with the #1,#2 & #3.  We will be selling peameal on a bun, sausages, hamburgers and hotdogs.  The Annual General Meeting will be held after a lunch break, then the first Open Team Roping  of the 2008/2009 series.  We are also having Hot Beef on a Bun with coleslaw and baked beans, at a cost of $7.00 for our dinner on Sunday evening.  Joe Scully will be our sound man again this year , looking forward to a good party and a great start to next season.

You MUST be a MEMBER  to enter the Jackpots.  ALL MEMBERSHIPS MUST BE PAID BY CHEQUE, NO CASH FOR MEMBERSHIPS THIS YEAR.  The meeting will consist of Treasurers Report, Old Business, and New Business.  Elections - Rookie Director is Vacant, President, Tie-Down and Breakaway Directors are up for election. Come out and support your membership.  Thank you to Sponsors, Joe & Barb, Diana Stitt & Anne Stroud.  We are still looking for Sponsors.  Good Luck to All, 

Patti

MAY NEWS

Looks like winter is finally over and we can look forward to a great roping summer.

For those of you who remember Keith Ward - he has a western CD out - here is the link:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/keithward

Diana Stitt had to put her constant companion, Dixie down this week.  Dixie was an eleven year old Golden Retriever who was with Diana wherever she went. 

For those of you attending the memorial team roping at Dunks on the 24th, please let them know if you will be staying for the BBQ after the roping - 705-653-1588

Congratulations to Sheri Cahill in winning the breakaway roping at a rodeo in Georgia.

If you have any news items, please send them to me: Nancy

CONGRATULATIONS

To former RAO members, Keith & Lynn Lee. Their daughter,  Shannon and husband Sean had twins born on April 17th, a boy named Quinn and girl named Shiloh.  

Also, Gary and Elma Doner are proud grandparents - Melissa had a baby girl, 8 lbs, 8 ozs. - Rachel Elizabeth.

National Coalition for Best Practices for Show Animals

Joe Scully has joined the Steering Committee for the National Coalition for Best Practices for Show Animals.  They are in need of support letters - please click on the following picture and it will take you to a form to fill out that will create a support letter.  More information about this is also on this site.  Please take the time to do this as we need to show our support.

NEWS FROM NANCY

Congratulations to Cathy Grant - she made the Championship round at the HHouston Rodeo.  Another Canadian, Lindz Sears, won the Final Round.

Congratulations to Brian Doner - Brian and partner, Dean McIntyre, won thhe average at the Yost Events Truck Roping, Litchfield Park, Arizona.  They roped 3 steers in 22.30 and won buckles and $10,000. 

Congratulations to Amanda Brown on the birth of her daughter, Hannah.

There will be a Terry Dunk Memorial roping held on May 24th at the Lazy D Arena in Campbellford.  If you would like to come on Friday night, you are very welcome - click here for flyer.

There was a recent newspaper article about the Traditions Farm Therapeutic Riding Centre - they had lost 3 horses on Thanksgiving weekend.  RAO member, Jason Thomson, stepped up and provided the Centre with his horse, Dallas.  Dallas filled in and not a therapy session was missed.

NEWS FROM PATTI BRIDGE

There will be a fund raiser at the Ilderton Series roping on March 30th.  Donations are needed for an auction to be held between each event.  There will be a calcutta before each event, starting with Steer Wrestling at 10 a.m.  There will also be a bake sale (donations gladly accepted).  A match roping has also been suggested. 

The dates for the RAO Finals are May 17 & 18 at Lanetree Farms (Scullys).  Breakaway and tie down roping finals will be held Saturday evening with jackpots following.   Team roping will be held on Sunday with jackpot to follow.  This is to accomodate the High School Finals scheduled at Gray's on May 17 & 18.  The General Meeting, buckle presentation and party will be on Sunday.

TERRY DUNK

For those of you who couldn't make it, I would like to share the poem and speech that were given at Terry Dunk's funeral.  Terry did a lot for the sport and I think these say it all:

Speech by Cody Mousseau

I have personally known Terry for 5 years but my Mom and Dad have been friends with him for more than 25 years.  I had the pleasure of being able to stay with Terry for a week for 2 summers in a row – this past summer and the summer before and both years I spent there, Michael Dillon also stayed there. It was kind of like a resort, we would rope a little, swim in the pool and basically do as little work as possible! We would go up to the bowling alley almost every day for lunch. I called it Dunk camp but when my Mom & Dad used to stay there 25 years ago they called it the Dunk Hotel.

 There has been many ropers go through Dunk Camp, for example Mike Hart, Ross Scully, the Smith kids and Michael Dillon just to name a few. I had fun with Terry no matter where we were whether it was the bowling alley or St. Tite.

 He never like it when Mike and I would rope the fast lane with our kids ropes because he said it made us learn bad tricks, which was right, I did. I could heel at my house no problem but as soon as I went up there I sucked at it, probably because that is where I would rope the fast lane the most.

Terry was always there for me whether it was a match roping in the Dunk arena and I needed a header or at a rodeo and I needed someone to shoot the shit with!

 Terry was my fellow roper and mentor, but most of all I am proud to be able to call him my friend.

POEM BY EARL FOSTER 

The first time I seen him, he roped with a kid

I came to find out that is just what he did

From St Tite to Dunk camp, he looked after them all

And few quiet words to pick them up should they fall

From allarounds to drinking beer standing on your head, he loved everyone

And to say the least he loved having fun

At instigating he was number one

Like when Brownie got Skippyed, he was innocent you know

But was first up in the morning to see the Show

Donkeys in trailers is nothing new

But putting them in the living quarters, sounds like his idea too
Standing there by the chute

When Smitty roped he had a hoot

His words of advice on the run

Put poor Smut under the gun

Oh he was serious, to say the least

To start an argument was to release the beast

It was his brain child to save it all

And he set up the conference call

But you were apt to get an early call

Just to see how you were carrying the ball

Thanks to modern technology age

He would get us all on the same page

He was always mounted the best

But I would like to think he like Sid more than the rest

Sid and him were quite a team and they helped

A lot of kids live their dream

I could never put to words all there is to say

And how he loved you all in his own way

I am sure that he has not regrets

Because he knew the game when he placed his bets

I think George Holm said it all

When he said

“He was a good old Boy”

MINUTES FROM THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

MAY 20, 2007

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

RULE BOOK UPDATE

Click on the following link for the latest rule book updates:  Rule Book Update March 2007

NEWS OR CLASSIFIED

If you have any news or classifieds that you would like to put in the newsletter - email Nancy