Rodeo Of The Ozarks Part Of Life For Hutter

FILE PHOTO JASON IVESTER Chase Ethan Outlaw of Tilly competes in the bull riding event July 5, 2013, during the Rodeo of the Ozarks at Parsons Stadium in Springdale.
FILE PHOTO JASON IVESTER Chase Ethan Outlaw of Tilly competes in the bull riding event July 5, 2013, during the Rodeo of the Ozarks at Parsons Stadium in Springdale.

SPRINGDALE -- Pat Hutter doesn't remember too much about the first Rodeo of the Ozarks, but she was there.

She rode a horse in the second one and later competed as a barrel racer in the event for many years. Her father, Thurman "Shorty" Parsons, is considered the founder of the rodeo.

At A Glance

Rodeo Of The Ozarks

When: 6:30 p.m. today-Saturday

Where: Parsons Stadium, Springdale

Tickets: $13-$35; $7 for children ages 2-7

Information: 877-927-6336; www.rodeooftheozark…

Nightly Schedule

6 p.m.: Gates open

6:30 p.m.: Mutton Bustin’

7:30 p.m.: Rodeo

Hutter's now preparing for the 70th annual Rodeo of the Ozarks, which begins at 7 p.m. today at Parsons Stadium in Springdale.

"I've never missed a rodeo or parade," Hutter said.

She has helped oversee the Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks queen pageant for many years and is the lone female member of the rodeo's board of directors.

Rick Culver, a board member for 15 years, has been involved with the rodeo for 35 years, but that pales in comparison to Hutter.

"She grew up with this," Culver said. "It's just so much a part of her life with her father starting it. She feels vested in it. She loves it. She's a mother figure to us on the board."

Culver also said Hutter makes her opinion known.

"She tells us if she doesn't like something," Culver said. "But she and a couple other board members have been around it for a long time, and it's very personal to them."

Culver, who has moved recently to become executive director of the Rodeo of the Ozarks, said the event has definitely changed in the last 10-15 years.

"Twenty years ago a lot of cowboys come to town and stayed two or three days," Culver said. "There's so much more money to be made, it's a business to them. They love it but not quite the same as the guys years ago. Back then it was a way of life.

"They schedule as many as they can get to. They don't stick around. I pick up some at the airport, and they come compete and get on a plane to go to another one."

The rodeo itself has changed, too, Culver said.

"It's become more of a business, too, in the last 10 years or so," Culver said. "We are working on how to make it grow."

Culver acknowledged they altered the dates of the rodeo to make sure it fell on a weekend in order to maximize attendance.

He's also excited about major renovations for Parsons Stadium to make it viable for many other events such as graduations.

"When I look at the plans and the pictures, I just pray I'm still around when it happens," Culver said. "It looks like we've got about five phases. "

Culver wants to make sure all the people moving into Northwest Arkansas know about the Rodeo of the Ozarks.

"I hear from people every year they didn't know about the rodeo, but they'll sure be back," Culver said. "It's a great event, and we want everybody to know about it."

Sports on 07/01/2014

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