By Ted Harbin
DAYTON, Iowa – What does it take to plan, promote and produce the annual Dayton Championship Rodeo?
“It takes hundreds, maybe thousands, of hours each year to get ready for that weekend,” said Jim Heckman, president of the volunteer committee that handles the workload of the annual rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3-Sunday, Sept. 5, and 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 6. “I think we have the best group of people in rodeo.”
A core group of volunteers puts the community celebration on its back and totes it before the folks who flood to the central Iowa hamlet. Even though there are only about 800 residents in Dayton, the town hosts thousands of fans who make the pilgrimage for top fight athletic entertainment.
“The volunteers who make up the Dayton rodeo committee live and breathe that rodeo,” said Boyd Polhamus, a six-time announcer of the year who calls the action in Dayton. “They are 100 percent invested. It’s something they live for. They’re not only friendly; not only heartland, but they epitomize what you think of when you think of people from the heartland.”
And like the hard-working folks they hope to entertain, the committee members bust their humps throughout each year. From working with sponsors to hiring personnel to getting the arena ready for the four performances of red hot rodeo action, volunteers make things happen.
“Yes, it takes a lot of work and a lot of hours every year to put on this rodeo,” Heckman said. “But the people who donate their time and their talent do so because they have a passion for rodeo. They have a genuine care for the people that come to this rodeo. They want to do everything they can to make it better every year.”
Fans have seen in for decades, and some of the greatest names in ProRodeo are talking about the work being done in central Iowa.
“The committee, the volunteers are devoted to that rodeo and making that a good one,” said Polhamus, who has been the arena announcer for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 14 times, including each of the last 11 seasons. “Most places you go, there are some people that will tell you they’ve done it this way for so many years and that they don’t need to change.
“That is not what you will find in Dayton. They don’t have that attitude. They always ask, ‘How can we make it better? How can we streamline the performances? How can we make it more fun?’ That’s just one reason why this rodeo keeps getting better every year.”
