Bighorn Rodeo Rides Into Town

Join the Nevada Gay Rodeo Association for the 12th Annual BigHorn Rodeo 2008!

The Nevada Gay Rodeo Association is an all volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for charities, and this year, our charity partners are the Sin Sity Sisters AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the FOCUS Hot Meals Program. Proceeds from the weekend's festivities will be divided equally between these two excellent organizations.

The Grand Marshals for the 12th Annual BigHorn Rodeo are Chris Salda?a for his tireless dedication to the LGBT community in Southern Nevada and a local volunteer who NGRA is honoring for her long years of service to our rodeo.

Chris Salda?a joined Channel Eight Eyewitness News in April of 2004, and in 2006, he was a finalist for Best TV Anchor in Las Vegas at the annual Electronic Media Awards. Salda?a will ride out onto the grounds during the rodeo's grand entry on Saturday around 12 p.m.

In addition to all the rodeo action at Horseman's Park (5800 E. Flamingo, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday), NGRA is presenting a bevy of dance and entertainment options for your enjoyment. First, join us on the BigHorn Rodeo Bar Crawl on Thursday, September 18. The bus will leave from Sam's Town Hotel and Casino (our host hotel) at 7 p.m. and returns, well, when the cows come home.

On Friday at 1 p.m., join us at The Blue Moon Resort for the Speedos and Spurs Pool Party. $25 gets you in the door at the Blue Moon, but just $5 more wets your whistle with a beer bust. Cowboys (and maybe some cowgirls) from all over join us for a wild afternoon in the pool.

The rodeo and entertainment action kicks off at Horseman's Park, Friday, September 19 at 6 p.m. Contestants from around the country will be registering, but you can join them in celebrating the last rodeo of the International Gay Rodeo Association Circuit, 6-10 p.m.

Entertainers and celebrities joining NGRA for the weekend include Steven Daigle, the Big Brother 10 contestant from Dallas who competes on the gay rodeo circuit; Steele, James, and Nickels, an all lesbian powerhouse band headed by singer Valerie James; and Mike Schikora, the Colorado Cowboy who spent 20 years as a Nashville songwriter before striking out to launch his career with a new CD, "What's Old is New Again?"

You can hear the sounds of these entertainers and hang out with Steven at the BigHorn Rodeo dance and entertainment parties at Horseman's Park, all day Saturday 12-10 p.m. and Sunday 12-8 p.m. Lots of other entertainers from around Vegas and the United States will be joining them on stage, including NGRA Royalty Miss Katrina (Miss NGRA), Kandice Kane (Miss NGRA 1st Runner Up), and Darren Wernette (Mr. NGRA 1st Runner Up).

Tickets and more information are available at www.ngra.com. The Ten Gallon Hat Package gets you into the entire weekend of festivities (excluding the Blue Moon and Beer Bust) for only $40. Tickets to the bar crawl are $10. Tickets to Saturday's events are $20; come for just the party after 5 p.m. for $10. Tickets to Sunday's events are $15 (party only after 5 p.m. is $10).