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For the fourth year, the San Benito County Saddle Horse Special Rodeo bucked off on June 27 at the Joe W. Tripiano Arena as part of the Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo at Bolado Park. The free event was open to all children in the community and their family members.
“Many of us in rodeo who grew up in it, or had kids in it, participated in these kinds of events all over the West Coast. So it was only natural for us to bring the Special Rodeo here,” David Westrick, past Saddle Horse Show President, said. “We have 92 years of tradition here in San Benito County, and it was important for us to bring this in because we want to be diverse and stay connected with everybody who’s a rodeo fan in our local community.”
Westrick said about 40 participants took part this year, each receiving a contestant bag similar to those competitors in the main rodeo receive, along with a hat, a special-event T-shirt, a goodie bag and a stick horse.
He said the Station 2 Hollister Fire Department, California High School Rodeo Association District 4, a rodeo clown, and rodeo cowboys and associates were among the volunteers who helped during the event.
Organizer Wendy Abercrombie said the Nino family, San Benito County CattleWomen, Jack in the Box, Pulido’s Overhead Door, and the Saddle Horse Show board of directors were among the sponsors.
“As a parent of a child with special needs, I love that there are more and more events for kids with special needs,” Abercrombie said. “When my son was younger, there weren’t very many, so having more opportunities for kids with special needs has been great.”
Abercrombie’s son Tyler wore face paint inspired by bullfighter Cody Webster and the Special Rodeo’s rodeo clown. He said he was excited to have kids come up and take pictures with him.
“The atmosphere is good, and I like hanging out here. It’s my favorite rodeo,” Tyler said. “It’s nice that people care about you, and it’s nice that people allow you to do what you love.”
Among the activities attendees could participate in were horseback riding, dummy roping, bull-riding on a bucking barrel, stick-horse racing, a small petting zoo, and sandboxes filled with toy horses.
Bertha Paredez, Ethan “Cowboy Cash” Cash’s grandmother, said the Special Rodeo helps him shine in events where he can be himself and have a good time.
Paredez said Cash’s favorite activity was playing in the sandbox with toy horses.
Emma Gardner grew up attending the Saddle Horse Rodeo and said it was special to bring her 3-year-old autistic son, Bennet, to a place where he felt included and belonged.
“Having an event like this that is inclusive and fun, outside of a medical or classroom setting, means everything, especially to the kids,” Gardner said. Bennet “really liked the sandbox area with the toys. That was his go-to because he loves sensory play.”
Lizet Zepeda and her daughter Emiliana have attended the Special Rodeo every year.
“Her favorite activity is the horses,” Zepeda said. “She loves to ride horses. It’s the first thing we did when we got here.”
Cowgirl Finley Lopez also said her favorite activity at the Special Rodeo was riding horses.
“It’s a great way for them to experience something that some of the kids might not otherwise get to do when they’re older,” Finley’s mother, Courtney Lopez, said.
Westrick said he hopes to continue growing the event while creating new experiences for children with special needs through rodeo culture.
“It’s important to get everybody involved in something they love,” he said. “We love rodeo, and we think it’s a great experience for these kids. We want them to have a little piece of that experience out here.”
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