MERIDIAN, Idaho — Official rodeo events start Friday at 6pm. With explosive growth in Meridian, we asked Director Doug Beehler if the rodeo venue may need to change in the future.
- The Treasure Valley Lions Club is back with their 35th annual rodeo.
- Proceeds from the rodeo go back into the community, they focus on the Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation.
- The rodeo also has new bleachers for hundreds more spectators to join the fun.
- Visit the Treasure Valley Rodeo's website for more Friday and Saturday event info.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
The Treasure Valley Lions Club is back with their signature fundraising event for the 35th year.
“The Treasure Valley Rodeo originally started as the Meridian Lions Rodeo. We have rebranded it as the Treasure Valley Rodeo presented by the Treasure Valley Lions Club," said Beehler.
While the group has been at this location on Cherry Lane for over 10 years, with explosive growth in Meridian, I asked Director Doug Beehler if they might move again in the future.
“This is Meridian city park land, it's designated as park land, it’ll stay a park, it’ll be developed as a park, which unfortunately means we may be moving. As far as the city of Meridian, they’re gracious enough to let us use the property. We take care of it for him and we use it every year for the rodeo, but we have a contractual agreement that if they develop it that we might be relocating,” said Beehler.
Members of the local nonprofit organization say this rodeo is set apart from most others, as proceeds raised throughout the weekend will go back into our community.
"All of our proceeds go back to the public. Our emphasis here mostly is in our Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation, it’s called Lions Envision Sight, which is Boise, but that serves all of Idaho and Eastern Oregon,” said Beehler.
Thursday night’s slack events featured overflow competitors sharpening their rodeo skills.
This weekend’s official rodeo events will feature some well-known names through the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, and some future rodeo stars, “our pre-rodeo starts at 6 o’clock, we run the mutton busting and the junior bull riding,” said Beehler.
