DAYTON, Iowa – If you want to see something phenomenal, show up in this central Iowa berg
over Labor Day weekend.
That’s when the community hosts the Dayton Championship Rodeo. That’s when the town
of about 800 explodes in population, with thousands arriving for each of the four performances
of the rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3-Sunday, Sept. 5, and 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 6.
“It’s pretty amazing to see how many people show up for that rodeo,” said Boyd Polhamus, a
six-time announcer of the year who will call the action in Dayton for the fourth straight season. “People
need to come to Dayton for the way the rodeo is going to make you feel.”
Polhamus isn’t the only person who feels that way. Hundreds of professional cowboys and
cowgirls will find their way to Dayton to compete. There they will find some of the most hospitable
and friendly fans and a crew of volunteers who want everything to be as perfect as possible.
“Dayton is a great rodeo,” said Cory Wall, the 2009 bullfighter of the year in the Professional
Rodeo Cowboys Association who has worked Dayton for several years. “It’s a very unique rodeo, with
the grandstands being on the side of a hill. It’s a really cool setting.”
Wall knows better than most; he’s one of the most sought-after bullfighters in the sport and
works some of the biggest rodeos in the game – from Houston to Colorado Springs, Colo., to Nampa,
Idaho, to Omaha, Neb. He’s been the alternate at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and continues to
be one of the greatest spokesmen in the sport.
“The Dayton rodeo brings a great job of bringing in a lot of talent,” he said. “They do a lot of
extra stuff, like the wild horse race, and it all makes it a very unique.”
John Payne has been named the dress specialty act of the year 10 times since he joined the PRCA
in 1988 – he’s won the last two titles and is in the running for a third straight in 2010. His venture to
central Iowa for Labor Day weekend is something he’s considered since the last time he played the
event.
“It sure is a great little ol’ town, and I’m really looking forward to going back,” Payne said.
There’s a lot to look forward to over Labor Day weekend in Dayton. The Friday night
performance is going to be Date Night, which features a two-for-$20 ticket price. There will be a dance
after the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening performances, with Jake McVey performing Saturday
and Sunday.
“Our atmosphere is really set up for families,” said Jim Heckman, chairman of the volunteer
committee that produces the annual rodeo. “Our carnival and trade show area is set up in an oak part that
has fantastic trees. We connect up with the local golf course, where there’s a lot of parking.
“With this event, it gets to all your senses. It’s the sites, the smells. It’s like you’re in the
country, stepping away from the big city to be in it. It’s on the edge of Dayton, and we’ll have just about
everything going on. You can have your choice of food, from homemade ice cream to smoked pork
loins.”
If that’s not enticing enough, there’s also the great rodeo action, featuring some of the greatest
cowboys and cowgirls in ProRodeo, along with the great animal athletes from Cervi Rodeo, a Colorado-
based stock contracting firm that conducts some of the biggest events in the sport, from Houston to
Denver to San Antonio. It’s also the firm responsible for the stock at Iowa rodeos in Sidney, Dayton and
Fort Madison.
“I think we’re fortunate that the Cervis have connections with a lot of cowboys,” Heckman
said. “They can handle the largest events in the country, and they do well at rodeos like ours. It’s just
amazing the skill set they bring and the livestock they bring to our rodeo.
“They keep the show moving. They understand the crowd demands non-stop action. They really
help us coordinate that and make it all happen.”
The concept is to put together quality entertainment in a championship sports setting, and it’s
worked for decades.
“The Dayton rodeo is an opportunity for families to come to Dayton and enjoy affordable family
fun,” Heckman said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to connect back to the roots of the Old West,
watch some great cowboys and cowgirls, and see the best in the world in the process. It’s going to be the
fastest couple of hours they’ve experienced.”
