Cops Busting Broncs, Not Crooks

The Old West and all the dirt, spurs and cowboy hats that come with it were alive at Ventura’s Seaside Park on Sunday as 2,000 people gathered for the Country Western Rodeo.

Making its third stop here since it was started about 20 years ago by police officers in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, Sunday’s event was hosted by the National Police Rodeo Assn. The group is composed of 100 peace officers and firefighters from throughout the state who like to ride, rope and wrestle livestock.

“It’s great to be outside and be with the horses. It’s also a good family day. I can bring my girls out here and let them run,” said Jim Struck, a retired Oxnard police sergeant and father of three. He was one of four local officers to compete.

The rodeo opened with a procession around the ring by the competitors, and the national anthem. The show’s emcee gave a Memorial Day acknowledgment to the men and women who have served in America’s armed forces.

Standing next to a muddy corral filled with anxious livestock, Struck waited patiently for his turn at steer wrestling. Nearby, Ventura County Senior Sheriff’s Deputy Elmo Sheeran helped shove calves through a shoot during a roping event.

“I’ve been doing this since God was a kid,” Sheeran said with a laugh before taking his shot at roping.

Clad in a bright green shirt and a silver belt buckle the size of a salad plate, Sheeran attempted to lasso his prey--but the calf jumped through the noose and got away.

Like at other rodeos, competitors on the police circuit collect points for each event they complete. The season, which includes eight rodeos in California, Arizona and Nevada, finishes with the finals in Chino later this year.

For some contestants, the rodeo’s draw is the thrill of competition, while others say it’s just a hobby. Family members of officers and firefighters also are allowed to compete, creating a family atmosphere in both the arena and the stands.

“I’m waiting for the bull riding. I watch it on Sundays on television and I like to see how long they can stay on,” said Lori Hoppe, a Ventura resident who brought daughter Hannah and two friends.

Topanga resident Steve Flood said he drove up with his young daughter to see a rodeo competition, which he hadn’t witnessed in 20 years.

As fans cheered from the grandstand between trips to the beer and snack booths, a clown with a microphone ran around cracking jokes and helping riders who were bucked and in the line of getting stomped.

The first rider of the day, Aaron Applegate of San Juan Capistrano, was tossed off a saddle bronc in just seconds and kicked by the horse a few times. He walked out of the arena shaken but uninjured.

Tanner Smith, 3, of Fillmore practiced being a cowboy behind the livestock pens while his dad judged contestants. He lassoed a wooden cow several times.

Spending his spare time with the rodeo association is as much a lifestyle as it is a hobby, retired LAPD Officer Bob Brannon said.

“Some police officers and firefighters like to boat or ski, and some of us just like the rodeo,” he said.