Tres Pinos
– Thousands flocked to the hamlet of Tres Pinos over the weekend
for three days full of roping and riding at the 73rd annual San
Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo at Bolado Park.
Tres Pinos – Thousands flocked to the hamlet of Tres Pinos over the weekend for three days full of roping and riding at the 73rd annual San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo at Bolado Park.
For many San Benito County residents, the annual rodeo is about tradition, said local Farm Bureau President Paul Hain.
“The intent is to provide a venue for the traditions of the working ranch hand,” he said. “It’s for people to get together and show off their skills.”
Hain said he was particularly impressed with two new events featured at this year’s event: the kids’ boot race and the goat dressing contest. In the goat dressing contest, people of all ages competed to come up the most creative costume and put it on a goat in less than two minutes.
“It’s good clean entertainment,” Hain said. “The (Saddle Horse Association) directors have done a good job making the whole weekend entertaining for everyone.”
Many competitors spend the year honing their skills and return to the rodeo year after year to show them off.
This year’s Senior Barrel Race champion, Casey Brooks, 21, has been competing in the rodeo since she first learned how to ride a horse 17 years ago. Like many who are part of the event, competing in the rodeo is tradition for Brooks and her family.
“The best part is seeing that my hard work and practicing getting my horse in shape paid off and enjoying being out there and having fun,” she said.
Brooks credits her success to hours and hours of practice out on her mother’s ranch in southern San Benito County.
For Sarah Lomanto, 20, the best part of the weekend was competing in dozens of events with family and friends. Lomanto tied with Romona Koch to win the “Senior All Around Track” title for placing in three different track horse events.
“It was a lot of fun,” she said. “The adrenaline rush of running around and competing in so many events was exciting. This year the competition was really the best part.”
Saddle Horse Association director Reb Monaco, who is also a San Benito County Supervisor, has been involved in the traditional rodeo for more than 35 years. The event is more about people and traditions than anything else, Monaco said.
“It’s not for professional cowboys, it’s a local show and you can’t have a better time anywhere else,” he said. “And, as far as I know, it is unique in that it’s the only rodeo that still has figure-8 roping.”
Figure-8 roping traces it’s history back to the days of the vaquero and was developed on the range as a way for ranch hands to single-handedly rope and stop a steer, Monaco said.
Although many come to the rodeo every year to compete, others come for the annual Saddle Horse Association barbecue or just to see old friends and make new ones, Monaco said.
For Saddle Horse Association President Charlie Tobias, the weekend was perfect.
At it’s core, the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo is one part sport and one part county reunion, he said.
“We had a good show all weekend,” he said. “And it didn’t get too hot. That makes it better for the riders, the spectators and the animals.”
Brett Rowland covers public safety, agriculture, rodeos and beauty contests for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
