Break out the pink at Idaho’s Snake River Stampede next week to fight breast cancer
Dust off your boots, Treasure Valley! It’s about that time to get a little rowdy!
Next week, the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa will be flooded with Wranglers, pearl snap shirts and cowboy hats for the much-loved Snake River Stampede.
The 106th annual rodeo is July 20-24, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 10:30 a.m. for the Saturday matinee. Pre-rodeo events go down at 6:45 p.m. nightly (11:15 a.m. matinee) with the “real” action popping off at 7:30 p.m. (noon matinee).
There is no doubt that the Snake River Stampede gives off some seriously tough vibes, with the grueling steer wresting and the intense saddle bronc and bull riding, but the rodeo does have a compassionate side. It is dedicated to the fight against breast cancer by helping Treasure Valley women pay for their mammograms through its Stampede for the Cure program, which has raised $700,000 since 2006, according to its website.
Show your support on Wednesday, July 21, at Stampede for the Cure Night by jazzing up your outfit with something pink. And be sure to hit up Pink on the Dirt that day, which will be held outside in the amphitheater at 11:30 a.m. The luncheon will feature cowboy-style entertainment with world champion trick roper Rider Kiesner assisted by Nicole Jordan, Miss Rodeo Idaho.
There also will be a live auction featuring a custom-made Stampede for the Cure wakeboard from Bitter End Surfboards, among other items.
And don’t forget to buy a Stampede for the Cure pink cowbell for $50. From that purchase, one lucky person will win the “Corral for the Cure,” which consists of a two-night stay in a glamping tent set up at a location of his/her choice. As if that weren’t cool enough, the winner also scores everything inside that tent, including a pink Coach purse, a custom-made bistro set and other items valued at more than $5,000.
Tickets for Pink on the Dirt are $30 and available at ICTickets. Proceeds benefit Stampede for the Cure and Miss Rodeo Idaho scholarships.
For a complete rodeo schedule, including details on Stampede for the Cure Night, go to snakeriverstampede.com.