Annual Jaycees Silver Spur Rodeo and Parade this weekend

UPDATE: The Silver Spur Rodeo Parade lineup has been added to this story.

Something big's galloping out of the chute this weekend. It's the Yuma Jaycees annual Silver Spur Rodeo and Parade, a local favorite that organizers promise will pack even greater horsepower this year.

The number of performers for the rodeo is up. So are ticket sales. Jaycees President Loke Aulds says this tells her that her group has a winning formula on its hands and its something that the public can't wait to enjoy.

"This is THE rodeo in Yuma," Aulds said. "People know that this is the rodeo to see and that's why they keep coming back. This is a very popular event."

The Silver Spur Rodeo runs Friday through Sunday and the Silver Spur Rodeo Parade - another annual favorite - is set for 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

"Everything so far this year is up. Everything is bigger, which makes me happy," Aulds said. "The public's attention and excitement has been up, too. We've really been publicizing this event."

She added that the rodeo has become an enduring local event because rodeo represents a true all-American cultural touchstone.

"It brings back history," Aulds said. "Our country has always had a fascination with the cowboy and the Wild West.

Almost 120 entries will be featured in Saturday's parade, which is slated for 8:30 a.m. The parade will go north on 4th Avenue, beginning near 16th Street and 4th Avenue, ending near City Hall.

Aulds stressed that the parade and rodeo will boast quite a few big-name Jaycees dignitaries, too. Locally the parade will feature Aulds, the local president; her husband, the state president; plus Patrick Collins, a Yuman who is one of eight national vice presidents. But the names don't stop there. Coming to Yuma for the event is Denice O'Neil, the national president of Jaycees.

"Denice is just so much fun!" Aulds said. "She is just a dynamic woman. You really want to be around her. It's huge that she's coming here."

Rodeo performances are set for 1 p.m. each day, with Saturday boasting a 7 p.m. show, too. The venue will be the Yuma County Fairgrounds.

Tickets for the rodeo are available from the Western Warehouse, Crazy L See and Tack, Lerma's Feed and Western Wear, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and the fairgrounds' security office.

2008 SILVER SPUR PARADE LINEUP

More than 100 entries, among them floats, marching bands and color guards, will take part Saturday in the 63rd annual Yuma Jaycees Silver Spur Rodeo Parade.

The parade, the theme of which is "Lasso the Old West," will start at 8:30 a.m. at 4th Avenue and 15th Street, proceed north on 4th, turn off on Orange Avenue and end up at Madison Avenue and Giss Parkway.

The parade will line up 6 to 8 a.m. at 4th Avenue and 15th Street. Entries are:

Sound Car

1 - Marine Color Guard

2 - Grand Parade Marshal Glen Gregston

3 - Honorary Parade Marshal, Greg Gardner

4 - 2008 Silver Spur Rodeo Chairwoman Joyce Gordon

5 - First Vice Rodeo Chairman Jim Allen

6 - 2nd Vice Rodeo Chairman, Terry Matzner

7 - 2007 Silver Spur Rodeo Queen Audrey Hill

8 - 2007 Silver Spur Rodeo Rodeo Teen Queen Aerika Leeds

9 - Yuma Jaycee President Loke Aulds

10 - Yuma Jaycees Board of Directors

11 - U.S. Jaycee President Denice O'Neill, and Eddie Aulds, Arizona Jaycees State President

12 - U.S. Jaycees National Vice President Patrick Collins

13 - Yuma County Sheriffs' Posse Mounted Color Guard

14 - Yuma County Sheriff's Posse Capt. Russ Bedinger

15 - Yuma County Sheriff's Posse First Lt. Dean Morgan

16 - Yuma County Sheriff's Posse Second Lt. Don Trusty

17 - Yuma County Mounted Sheriff's Posse

18 - 2008 Yuma County Sheriff Posse Queen Shaunda Burrell

19 - 2008 Yuma County Sheriff Posse First Attendant Karley DeForest

20 - 2008 Yuma County Sheriff Posse Second Attendant Jessica Sears

21 - Yuma Fire Department Assistant Chief Dennis Light

22 - Yuma Mayor Larry Nelson and Yuma City Councilwoman Ema Lee Shoop in fire department Model T

23 - Deputy Yuma Mayor Ross Hieb and Yuma City Councilman Paul Johnson

24 - Yuma City Council members Leslie McClendon, Raul Mendoza and Cody Beeson in ladder truck

25 - Yuma County Sheriff Ralph Ogden

26 - State Sen. Amanda Aguirre and State Reps. Lynne Pancrazi and Theresa Ulmer

26 - Yuma County elected officials

27 - 2008 Silver Spur Rodeo Queen contestants Nicole Stewart, Clair Sexton, Katee Lankford and Samantha Eatherly

28 - 2008 Silver Spur Rodeo Teen Queen contestants Aliyah Worley, Jessica Rathburn, Leslie Aubrey and Dallas Leigh

29 - Miss Rodeo Arizona Katie Hall

30 - 2008 Andy Devine Days Rodeo Queen Laura Winstanley

31 - 2008 Needles Rodeo Queen Teri Ann Hurst and Princess Tiffany Rice

32 - 2007-2008 Gila County Royalty

33 - 2008 Miss Yuma County Stephani Costanza

34 - Col. Robert Hedelund, commanding officer of Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1

35 - John and Maria Senini

36 - Col. John Bullington, Yuma Proving Ground commander

37 - Kofa High School Marching Band

38 - KSWT

39 - International Order of Alhambra

40 - Knights of Columbus

41 - Joseph Clemente 1954 Ford

42 - Tough Enough to Wear Pink

43 - Junior Jaycees

44 - War Wagon

45 - Fourth Avenue Junior High marching band, cheerleading squad and float

46 - Marine Corps League No. 635

47 - Caballeros de Yuma

48 - Miss Quechan Nation

49 - Quechan Tribal Gaming Office

50 - Kwatsan Ah-Keel Dance Group

51 - Civil Air Patrol

52 - Yuma High Marching Band

53 - Yuma County Superintendent of Schools Tom Tyree

54 - Yuma Boxing Club

55 - Yvonne Locomotive

56 - American Legion Riders

57 - Escondido Mounted Posse

58 - Hui O Hawaii of Yuma

59 - Yuma Desert Firebird All Stars

60 - Miss Native San Pasqual Princesses

61 - Southwest Arizona National Wildlife Refuge

62 - Cibola High School Marching Band

63 - Yuma Shrine Club, El Zaribah Shrine

64 - Ron Watson Middle School Advanced Band

65 - U.S. Border Patrol

66 - Cub Scouts Pack 55

67 - 3 Generation Charros

68 - Snowbird Jammers

69 - Yuma BMX

70 - The River's Kids Church

71 - Fisher Chevrolet Cool To Stay in School

72 - Gadsden School Marching Band

73 - Yuma Scorpion Baseball

74 - Dust Devil Athletics

75 - 4-H Leader Board

76 - 4-H Pack Goats

77 - 4-H Float

78 - 4-H Horse Group

79 - Cocopah Casino

80 - Cocopah Head Start

81 - Southwest Kwapa Bird Singers and Dancers

82 - Centennial Middle School Marching Band

83 - Roger and Patricia Young

84 - Robert and Bill Olague

85 - Curves For Women

86 - Legends of the West

87 - Dillon Edwards

88 - Yuma Family YMCA School Age Program

89 - Cart Away Yuma

90 - Crane Middle School Marching Band

91 - Hospice of Yuma

92 - Orduno Family

93 - Yuma Association of Realtors

94 - Gymnastics World of Yuma

95 - Yuma Chapter of the Arizona Credit Union League

96 - La Raza Auto Club

97 - Gila Vista Junior High Advanced Band and Cheerleaders

98 - Palm View Rehab Care Center

99 - Vietnam Veterans, Chapter 835

100 - 95.1 KTTI mobile Studio to Go

101 - Desert Sun Riders

102 - Woodard Junior High School Marching Band

103 - The Deguello Gunslingers

104 - Smokey Bear

105 - I Wear Sunglasses

106 - Camaro and Firebird Car Club

107 - Fast Traxx Flyball Dog Racing Team

108 - Jerry Nelson

109 - Somerton Middle School Marching Band

110 - Shorin Ryu Karate

111 - KYMA

112 - Yuma FFA

113 - Traditional Steps Dance Class

114 - Young Minds Preschool

115 - Safe Schools Healthy Students

116 - Hyland Badpipes

117 - McGraw Elementary School

118 - Amazing Grace on the West

119 - The End of the 2008 Silver Spur Rodeo Parade

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Darin Fenger can be reached at

dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.