YOUR AD HERE »

Ag Talk 5-3-10

Bill Jackson
Greeley, Colo.

It’s one of those things that has grown every year and spotlights just how generous the agricultural community is and can be.

The seventh annual Bill Perusek Memorial Roping will be May 15 and is expected to draw more than 750 team ropers from around the region. The annual event is in memory of Perusek, who spent 30 years with the Colorado Brand Board, most of those as an inspector and/or director of the Greeley brand board office at Greeley Producers. During those years, Perusek touched the lives of a lot of people, young and old, but it was the young who held a special spot in his heart.

Perusek died Nov. 20, 2003, about two months after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 64. Friends and family started the roping event in his honor the following year.



Since that first effort, the event has raised in excess of $25,000 for scholarships that have been awarded to 30 graduating high school seniors from Colorado and Wyoming. This year, once again, concessions will be provided by the Weld County Queen Court and the proceeds from that will provide funds for the local 4-H program. Members of this year’s fair royalty will be a part of that concession stand.

“Kids were an important part of Bill’s life and we’re grateful to the donors for this program. Without them, this would not happen. There are just so many, so many good people out there,” Barb Perusek said.



Barb, Bill’s widow, said this year’s event will be the biggest to date, and will feature a silent auction for the first time, and a live auction that should draw interest for folks even if they aren’t into roping. Some items on the auctions include rounds of golf for four, with carts, at local courses, for example, and tickets to the Greeley Stampede and Cheyenne Frontier Days. The live auction will start soon after the conclusion of the open handicap prize drawpot.

This year’s event, at the Church Barn LLC, a mile north of Colo. 392 near the intersection of Weld County Roads 33 and 70 north of Greeley will begin at 9:30 a.m. Entries close at 9:15 a.m. Major sponsors of the event include Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Spradley Barr Ford, Wells Ranch LLLP and Agland Inc. of Eaton. There are 40 or more other sponsors.

Another new event this year which should draw a lot of enthusiasm is the kids dummy roping, designed for kids 6 and under and those 7-10. There is no entry fee for this event, but buckles will be awarded to the winners.

Kids, Barb said, will rope “Bones,” a training system developed and provided by Heel-O-Matic. Bones is a look-alike calf on a sled and ropes for the youngsters will be provided by Cactus Ropes.

Trophy saddles will be awarded to winners with buckles, jackets and other prizes awarded throughout the day.

Tom Bledsoe worked with and for Perusek for some 20 years, and continues as a brand inspector out of the Greeley office. He’s not surprised that the annual roping event has grown to its present size.

“He and I had our differences at times, but who doesn’t? He was a good brand inspector and did a good job. But just as important, he loved kids and did whatever he could whenever he could to help them out,” Bledsoe said.

For more on the seventh annual Bill Perusek Memorial Roping, please call (970) 454-2243 or (970) 301-8816.


[placeholder]