By AARON MANAGHAN

Sports editor

For the third straight year, the Kitsap Fair & Stampede Rodeo earned a nomination for the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Associtation’s Rodeo of the Year.

And for the third straight year, the Stampede came up just short, as Deadwood (S.D.) Days of ’76 roped in its fourth-straight crown in the medium rodeo division.

“We didn’t quite make first again this year,” Stampede director Joe Drouin said from Las Vegas Thursday. “But we’ll try again next year.”

Drouin was part of a large contingent of 32 people to travel to Vegas for the PRCA awards convention, which took place at the Sand Point Hotel and Casino.

And while the group undoubtedly wanted to return home with the top honor for mid-range rodeos (the medium category is for rodeos with $3,000 to $9,000 added money per event), no one was disappointed, Drouin said.

“For me, it’s fantastic,” he said. “It gets my guys a little bit of recognition for the work they do. It took all these people. The Fair managers, the county, the Wranglers, the Cowpokes; all the people we talk about every year. It gives them a little bit of the spotlight.”

Drouin said what makes the rodeo so successful is the collaborative effort from Fair managers Frank Abbott and Lauran Erickson, the Cowpokes (led by president Norm Johnson), the Wranglers (who lead work parties and handle all the major set-up for the Stampede), the county (which appoints the rodeo director position), and of course, the sponsors.

This year, two top sponsors even attended the awards ceremonies; Marine View Beverage and Ace Paving.

In addition to taking second along with three other finalists, the rodeo received two more awards as Haley Schneeberger took top honors for her work as the rodeo’s secretary. The horse from Hand Franzen’s Powder River Rodeo stock contracting company, Miss Congeniality, won Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year.

“The award ceremony, they did a great job,” Drouin said. “It was very nice. They go through great lengths in recognizing people for the job they’ve done.”

Drouin said the awards doled out to the Stampede were especially fitting for the work Schneeberger’s done. He said her personality has made her a hit with the cowboys.

“Hers especially is an award that embodies her demeanor and the way she goes about business,” Drouin said. “She makes them feel welcome. She does a fantastic job. She’s a great person to work with.”

As for the Saddle Bronc award, Drouin said it just further proves the Stampede gets some of the top stock in the business.

“That does,” he said. “That should tell folks that don’t know that we’re getting the very best.”

Rodeo announcer Randy Corley, a 10-time Announcer of the Year winner, also was recognized for being nominated in the category, coming up just short.

As far as the rodeo itself, Drouin said he doesn’t see too much more that can be done to improve the Stampede.

“There’s not much we can really do to improve,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can possibly think of.”

That means the rodeo is going to continue to focus on making it easier for the contestants.

Drouin said next year the Stampede will allow contestants for roping events to get their two heads (attempts in competition) on the same day. Currently, some cowboys will have days between their heads, with many leaving for other rodeos and returning, further taxing their travel budgets.

“We’ve talked about stuff to do that’d be good for the contestants,” Drouin said. “We’re going to do what they call back-to-backs. They’re gonna get their two heads back-to-back on the same day so they don’t have to spend all that money on fuel.”

But the contestants are the only ones who’ll see improvement next summer.

“We’re gonna make our pen space better,” Drouin said. “We’re gonna take care of our animals a little more.”

It’s the work of everyone that Drouin said makes it possible for the rodeo to compete for the PRCA’s top honors.

“These are the guys I like to see getting the recognition,” he said. “We’ve got a great group out there.”