REUNION
Come meet old friends from your college rodeo days at the Annual Reunion of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni held in conjunction with the College National Finals Rodeo. In 2011, the Twentieth Annual Reunion will be June 17 and June 18 in Casper, Wyoming. PLAN NOW TO ATTEND
HONORING: ALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS FROM ALL PRIOR COLLEGE NATIONAL FINALS RODEOS!!!
That's right! We want to find, invite, photograph and honor ALL the college national champions for ALL the years from that first finals in 1949 up to the present! The national champions in each event are all listed on this web site so glance through the list and if you see the name of someone you know, let them know about the reunion. And let us know how to find them by contacting Sharon Adams as soon as possible.
Becoming a National Champion required hard work, great skills, good coaching, outstanding horses, family backing, keeping that grade point up, perserverance, a big dose of "try" and a lot of good luck. What they did is important and we want to hear about it! Come to Casper in June and let those college rodeo experiences become a part of history.
Each year we record on DVD, available for purchase, all the happenings and it makes a wonderful resource for families and historians.
2010 NIRA ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR-
WALT GARRISON
Each year the NIRA and the NIRA Alumni team up to give a beatiful Maynard Buckle to person who has contributed significantly, over a period of years, to the growth and progress of College Rodeo. This year Walt Garrison joined Sylvia Gann Mahoney, Bob Clore, Sonny Sikes, Charlie Rankin, and Evelyn Bruce Kingsbery in that distinguished group. When the U.S. Tobacco Company proposed, in 1974, to invest in a scholarship program for the NIRA, Walt Garrison was a bigh part of the deal. Garrison, former Dallas Cowboys football star and Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association steer wrestler, took on the task of helping to publicize college rodeo. Over a span of more than 30 years this partnership would generate several million dollars in scholarship funds to college rodeo athletes. Garrison had been a member of the NIRA while a student at Oklahoma State University. Mahony, in her book College Rodeo, says Garrison "gave much needed exposure to the NIRA, still a relatively unknown college sport."
For years Garrison would challenge the recently chosen National Steer Wrestling Champion to a one-on-one steer wrestling contest following the event!
Now, on to 2011
2011 Twentieth Annual Reunion
JUNE 17TH AND 18th, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
During the
College National Finals Rodeo. All meetings take place at the Ramada Plaza Riverside, Casper, Wyoming
THURSDAY. JUNE 16
1:00
P. M.
NIRAA
Board of Directors Meeting
FRIDAY,
JUNE 17
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Registration, receive packets with name tags, passes for VIP Room, tickets for Friday Awards Luncheon and Saturday Champions Breakfast. Information about Champions being honored at CNFR will be given at this time. Display your rodeo pictures and other items of interest..
10:00 p.m. =11:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
12:00-1:30 p.m. –Awards Luncheon (Reservations required)
1:30-4:30: NIRA National Champions 1949-2010 Program
7:00 p.m. Casper Events Center
CNFR Performance. All NIRA National Champions will be honored. (Must have registered by May 1)
VIP Room: After rodeo, must have pass, food, drinks, visit with champions, guests, coaches and contestants.
SATURDAY,
JUNE 18
8:30
a.m. -11:00 a.m.
Champions Breakfast (Reservations required)
11:30 p.m. NIRA Foundation Style Show and Auction, Luncheon (reservations required) at the Parkway Plaza Hotel
1:30 p.m. to Rodeo time-Free time to visit your friends in Casper
7:00
p.m.
Casper
Events Center
Short-Go
of CNFR VIP ROOM Presentation
of Scholarships
A
list of former National Champions who will be invited and honored can be found on this website. Please look over the list for people you know and let Sharon
Adams know addresses, phone numbers, married names, etc., so we can contact
and invite them to participate.
The NIRA Alumni have a block of rooms reserved at the Ramada Plaza Riverside that will be held until June 1. Ask for the NIRA Alumni
rate.
Ramada Plaza Riverside Ramada Plaza Riverside Website
300 West F Street
Casper, WY 82601
For Reservations call: 307-235-2531
For Directions to the the Hotel:
Directions to Ramada Plaza Riverside
While in Casper:
Local Events
For
Rodeo Tickets call: 1-800-442-2256 (11:00am
- 5:00pm)
Tickets go on sale May 1, 2010. Ask for the Alumni Section. Performances
are at 7:00 p.m.
