The California Rodeo in Salinas is celebrating 103 years of Rodeo – July 18th through the 21st. The Wheatley family (sometimes known as one of the families behind Purple Cowboy), has competed at this rodeo for 40 years! Jim Wheatley, husband of Purple Cowboy’s founder, won the Calf Roping and was the All-Around Champion Cowboy in 1973.
The Wheatley family makes the rodeo – known as “Big Week” – an annual vacation together with other rodeo friends including the Lockett family, the Grantham family and many more. The Purple Cowboy “Cowboy Camp” campfire and barbecue has been enjoyed by the rodeo’s best cowboys and cowgirls each year including Trevor Brazil, David Motes, Brandon Beers, Sherrick Grantham, Patrick Smith, Kyle Lockett, Stetson Vest, Frankie Martinez, John Chavez, Wes Goodrich, Travis Tryan, Brady and Riley Minor and many, many more.
Opening night of the rodeo, Thursday, July 18th is the annual Tough Enough to Wear Pink night to raise awareness for breast cancer. A dollar of the ticket sales is donated to local breast cancer charities.
Stay tuned… we will be posting pictures on Facebook throughout the week from Purple Cowboy’s Cowboy Camp and rodeo action.