By AARON MANAGHAN
Sports editor
Bull riders aren’t the type to search for 15 minutes of fame. All they’re asking for is eight seconds.
And now, pending the finalization of a contract well in the works, they’ll get it.
This year’s Xtreme Bulls event, taking place the last day of the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede, will be televised nationally on ESPN, the direct result of moving up to Division I in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sactioned ranks.
That means even more exposure for the rapidly growing rodeo.
“Typically, you do not think of Bremerton when you talk about rodeo,” Frank Abbott, Fair and Special Events co-manager said. “It validates that we are as good and, in most cases, better than most rodeos you historically think about.”
The Fair & Stampede rodeo is coming off its most successful year to date, having garnered its third consecutive nomination for PRCA Pro Rodeo of the Year. Last year, the event dished out a record total of $154,808 in prize money. That figures to grow even higher now, with the division leap providing $40,000 more into the purse.
While the existing Xtreme Bulls event always brought in a handful of the top-ranked riders in the world, the jump to D-I will rope most, if not all, the best, Sam Dunn, Xtreme Bulls Tour Director, said.
“When the tour comes in, we’ll bring the top 40 bull riders in the world,” Dunn said. “When we bring ESPN and the tour, the fans up there are gonna be in for a real treat. It’ll be a terrific event.”
The idea to jump from Division II actually kicked off when Winnercomm, the nation’s largest independent sports production, development, marketing and sales rep company, and Dunn contacted Abbott and co-manager Lauran Erickson.
“Winnercomm made contact with us probably a month ago,” Abbott said. “They asked if we were up to being a Division I. For somebody like that to approach us about Bremerton rodeo speaks highly.”
Much like word of the Fair & Stampede has spread amongst those embedded in the world of rodeo, its reputation also spread to Winnercomm.
“They’ve got a good reputation there for the rodeo in Bremerton,” Dunn said. “What we hear is how it’s a professionally run event. Definitely the cowboys are treated very well there. And they have good livestock. Those are the things that are important.”
The event, which is Aug. 24 this year at the Fair’s conclusion but will be aired via tape delay by ESPN, won’t change very much of what’s worked in the past. Rather, components, like an opening show, will be added.
“We’ll work on an opening, a big splash,” Abbott said. “Other than that, we’ll put on the same great show we have been.”
In fact, the contracts for stock contractors, personnel like announcers, barrel men and bull fighters, have already been finalized. That means the return of people like 10-time PRCA Rodeo Announcer of the Year Randy Corley.
“We’ve already negotiated our stock contract,” Abbott said. “We’ll be bringing back everybody we can in that regard. Same with the contact personnel.”
After all, if it ain’t broke, Erickson said, why fix it?
“Absolutely,” she said. “We’ve worked really hard to ensure that we continue to seek out the best stock in pro rodeo. I think we’ve accomplished that.”
But the impact of having the event televised on a national scale goes far beyond the bounds of Thunderbird Arena’s floor.
“The impact this will have on Kitsap County is huge for us,” Abbott said.
With additional revenues projected to go up directly thanks to more people, the area also stands to benefit from future tourism thanks to the exposure, and more direct economic stimulation in the form of revenue increases for local hotels, restaurants and other like businesses.
Last year, the Fair & Stampede brought in more than 32,000 visitors.
“We’re looking at that number to go up,” Erickson said. “And it’s certainly going to translate into additional revenue countywide.”
While the rodeo has done a good job drawing in its demographic, the Xtreme Bulls group tends to be a little more rock and roll, Erickson said, allowing them to expand who they cater to.
“Xtreme Bulls is a different demographic,” she said. “It’s expanding our reach, that’s the great thing.”
That means more excitement for people like rodeo director Joe Drouin as well.
“It’s very exciting, just getting more people to notice the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede rodeo,” Drouin said.
The Xtreme Bulls tour, which visits smaller communities like Bremerton to large metro areas like San Antonio and Houston, pits 40 bull riders against 60 top bulls. Kitsap will now be the eighth tour stop before it travels across the mountains to Ellensburg.
With such a wide range in communities, Dunn said he’s seen the positive impact Xtreme Bulls can have in smaller areas.
“It’s more than just a bull ride,” Dunn said. “Getting the word out about what is there in Kitsap County is very important.”
Dunn said Winnercomm looks for “unique communities” with stories to tell. He believes Bremerton, much like many smaller communities before it, stands to benefit greatly.
“We have found, particularly with ESPN coverage, that we can be a very good fit for smaller communities because we provide terrific exposure,” he said. “When we get in a place like Rapid City (S.D.), Cody (Wyo.), or Bremerton, these are places that don’t make national television regularly. It has a big impact. There’s a lot of different angles in Bremerton and a lot of unique stories we can tell.”
While the rodeo’s reputation has grown in rodeo circles, Drouin said there’s still work to be done, as evidenced by a recent trip to New York, where he celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary.
“Someone said, ‘There’s a rodeo in Bremerton?’” Drouin said. “I said, ‘Yeah. We’re top-rated.’”
But this should help.
“That’s exactly right,” Drouin said, adding the rodeo hopes to draw in more King County attendees as well. “Those people that maybe are not rodeo aficionados will get the opportunity to find out now.”
Despite stepping up to the national level, Drouin said he’s not nervous. After all, the people are in place to keep the successes coming, he said.
“I’m excited. I’m not nervous about it because I’m so confident in what everybody has done,” Drouin said. “I’m just excited it’s happening. With the caliber of people we’ve got putting it on, it’s something that could have happened a long time ago.”
A collaboration between the Fair Board, the Fair and Special Events co-managers, the Wranglers, the Cowpokes and Fairgrounds maintenance employees, Erickson said all are essential for the event’s success at the national level.
“This really is a team effort,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without all of them.”
“Lauren and I are (fortunate) to have some great people with us,” Abbott added. “When we need to do something, we’ve got those groups and thousands of volunteers behind us.”
