ST. PAUL - "Let's rodeo," is not a call to action that will ring out across St. Paul this September with official word coming from the St. Paul and District Agricultural Society it will not be hosting its traditional Labour Day long weekend rodeo.
With the Lakeland Rodeo Association circuit brought to a a standstill by COVID-19, it had long been generally accepted that there would be no LRA Finals in St. Paul. However, many people were holding out hope that some form of rodeo could still take place next month. Ag. Society president Doug Drolet said Tuesday those hopes were dashed when the organization put it to a membership vote and the response from the crucial volunteers was overwhelmingly against moving ahead with an event this year amid so many unknowns.
"We had ten people that were in favour, six that would be able to help out but not full time and the rest was a definite no. If we have just a core that will do it and we don't have the rest of the support, then it doesn't work."
Drolet said the idea was that the Ag. Society could push forward with a rodeo, something it has been doing for more than 35 years. While it might have been a far cry from the traditional LRA showdown, the long-standing rodeo tradition over the long weekend would have continued.
"I'm not disappointed with our volunteer group, I'm just disappointed that we are not going to be rodeoing. The long weekend in September is usually hustle and bustle for us and I'm going to miss that."
However, Drolet isn't quite prepared to close the door entirely on a rodeo this year, saying the ag. society could possibly hold its annual high school rodeo later on. The event that is usually held annually in St. Paul in April was also a casualty of the pandemic.
"If we have a nice fall, it's possible that we could still do it."
Brent Sandmeyer, president of the St. Paul and District Chamber of Commerce, said he wasn't surprised by the ag. society's decision given the current situation which is beyond anyone's control. In previous years, the LRA Finals has drawn thousands of people to the community and is widely recognized as an important boost to the local economy as St. Paul's signature event of the year.
"As a business community we are going to feel the loss of revenue from not having the participants and the fans come visit the community. But, in my opinion, rodeo is also as much about civic pride that we display during that week," he said. "I think all of the events from the food to the parade are about the community coming together to host a great experience for people in St. Paul and we are going to miss that this year."
