Have you ever taken a moment to think about the people who started the tradition of the Flagstaff Pine Country Pro Rodeo?  Starting a rodeo is a monumental task, but a committee of 10 very dedicated volunteers pulled it off 25 years ago.  Some of those volunteers have moved out of Flagstaff, others have passed on, including Marshall Knoles, for whom the Fort Tuthill rodeo arena is now named after.  The 10 original committee members that had the foresight to make the Flagstaff Pine Country Pro Rodeo (FPCPR) happen so many years ago included:  Marshall Knoles, Dick Clark, Marge Lee, Jim Davis, Wilma Smith, Billy Jean Paulson, Bill Offutt, George Berdine, Sam Whitted and Russ Pinkerman. 

The first annual FPCPR would not have been possible without the volunteer committee, however, we must not forget the sponsors that helped to fund the first rodeo.  We thank all of those original sponsors who took a chance; buying into an unproven commodity.  Although some things changed (like the cigarette ad on the back of the first program), some things stay the same.  Many of the original sponsors have continued to support the rodeo over the past 25 years.  The sponsors of the first annual FPCPR included:  The Monte Vista Hotel, Consolidated Investment Co, Babbitt Ford, Burger King, Pepsi Cola (Nackard Bottling), Northland Coors (Northland Beverage), Tyrrell Chevrolet, Sheriff's Posse, Total Rental Center, The Widowmaker Inn (Cattle Barons), Pic Quic Market, Little B Mining Company, B.B. Bonner, Horseman's Lodge, Circle Q & Bar None, KAFF Radio, Richard Guest CPA, Coconino Constructors, Empire Machinery, KCLS Radio, Chambers Moving & Storage, KNAZ TV, Knoles Village Square, Gene's Shoe Hospital, James Gang, Pennies General Store, Tanner Co., Flagstaff Office Supply, Chyrstal Energy, Lasher-Turner Insurance, Mears-Davis Taxidermy and Flagstaff Mall Association.

Although many of the businesses that supported the rodeo so many years ago are no longer around, we should take our hats off to them as well as those original volunteer committee members that started the tradition of the FPCPR 25 years ago, a tradition that has generated millions of dollars for the Flagstaff economy, and hundreds of hours of family fun for locals and tourists alike.