Posted: Feb 28, 2010 8:34 PM
Updated: Feb 28, 2010 8:34 PM
TUCSON - The cold and wet weather made things interesting at the final day of the Tucson Rodeo.
"Show goes on. Its rodeo," says Tucson Rodeo Committee Chairman Greg Jamieson prior to Sunday's finale. "
With record breaking ticket sales up till Sunday, there was concern the rain could dampen profits on the rodeo's biggest day.
"Our gate receipts have been up this year, we've had good crowds," says Jamieson. "Yesterday was one of the largest Saturday's we've had."
Tucson Rodeo Committee kept a close eye on this storm all week hoping not to cancel.
Jamieson says rodeos do not cancel because of rain. Lightning, yes. But rain never. "Thursday was a record. Friday was a record. Now some of that may be because the rain was predicted for Sunday. So some of the people who were going to come on Sunday changed their mind and came earlier."
Despite the weather, attendance was strong. Final ticket sales won't be calculated until after the weekend.
"Yeah, it's a bad deal with the rain because today is the finals," says vender Laura Forman.
The t-shirt and trinket vender says she's adjusting her marketing strategy to give customers what they want, "We have umbrellas, we have emergency rain ponchos, we have slickers."
Jamieson says the number one rule at the rodeo when it rains is safety, "This will be a call by each contestant in the timed events as to whether they want to run their horse on the arena floor or do they think it's top dangerous."
Fans who did show up witnessed a slippery ridin', mud slanging, slosh buckin' good time.
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