Clements Stampede moves to the fall with new look, name

Candice Stapleton, left, and Mary Rose Guisto, both from Acampo, ride their horses through an obstacle course Sunday at the Clements Stampede grounds as they practice for upcoming competitions. (Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel)

Clements Stampede moves to the fall with new look, name

By Ross Farrow
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Monday, June 16, 2008 6:21 AM PDT

Comments (7 comment(s))

The annual Clements Stampede, which dates back to 1942, usually takes place in May or early June, but this time, organizers are trying the fall. And it will have a new look and a slightly different name this year.

The Autumn Clements Stampede Days will be a five-day event that will focus on horseback riding, but it will include other activities like a Civil War re-enactment. Students attending the re-enactment as part of a school field trip will be able to participate in the re-enactment themselves, not just watch it, said Liz Giusto, who is helping organizing the event.

"We want to go back to real family oriented events," said Giusto, who lives on a blueberry ranch in Acampo.

Due to financial issues, members of the Clements Buckaroos debated whether to shut down the Stampede this year, but they decided to press forward. Giusto said the Buckaroos will be counting on the loyal sponsors who have supported the Stampede in the past. Gary Stapleton of Acampo will chair the Autumn Clements Stampede Days.

Before Giusto and other members of the Clements Buckaroos focus on the Stampede, they're getting ready for Sunday's opening day of a weekly opportunity to just ride horses and train for future events.

Activities will include a blueberry pancake breakfast, cowboy church service and roping workshops.

The Clements Buckaroos will host several other events this year, including the young pro roping workshop on June 28-29; the Northern California Junior Rodeo on July 5, featuring 208 contestants from throughout Northern California; and the Wine Country Classic Aug. 1-3, which will feature barrel racing, wine tasting, barbecue, dancing and karaoke.

The second day of the Wine Country Classic will feature the Little Buckaroos, featuring some real cute children, said Velda Redmond of Lodi, the Buckaroos' vice president who organizes the annual event. Last year, the youngest participant as 3 years old, and all children get a prize no matter what their time is, Redmond said.

There will be 180 days of activities at the Clements Stampede grounds this year. For more information, visit www.clementsbuckaroosarena.com.

Opening day activities

The first in a weekly series of free horseback riding and clinics will be held on Sunday morning at the Clements Stampede grounds on the north side of Highway 88, opposite Clements Road.

Tentative schedule:

7:30 a.m.: Pancake breakfast.

8 a.m.: Cowboy church service led by cowboy preacher Dennis Baskin of San Andreas.

9 a.m. to noon: Roping workshops.

Noon: Lunch.

After lunch: "Jackpot," a timed roping event.

On future Sundays, the cowboy church service will be held after lunch.

Autumn Clements Stampede Days

Wednesday, Oct. 15: Living history day featuring a Civil War re-enactment, antique tractor show and sell, Indian pow wow and a display of horses from Mustang Magic, located south of Lockeford. School field trips will be included.

Thursday, Oct. 16: Country jamboree with fiddlers and bluegrass and country-western bands. Entertainment by country music star Kevin Sharp, of Sacramento. Proceeds will benefit Lodi House and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Friday, Oct. 17: Barrel racing from about 5 to 7 p.m. Anyone who can swing a rope is invited to participate.

Saturday, Oct. 18: Family day. Includes clinics during the day for people wanting to participate in roping, barrel racing, mutton busting, goat tying and other evening events. The evening will include wild rescue mustang horses, children's events, a grand entry with the winner of the "coolest tractor" contest and Clements Stampede Queen Sarah Shively of Valley Springs.

Sunday, Oct. 19: Sponsorship and volunteer appreciation day. It will be a play day with horses available to ride.

Source: Clements Buckaroos

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

WY wrote on Jun 22, 2008 10:01 AM:

" Well I can see this isn't my day to blog. I've type wrong and spell bad. Do I care.... nope. I'm going to the river to play. see ya! "

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WY wrote on Jun 22, 2008 9:59 AM:

" A familt could go out to the stampede grounds and watch events, like Reining Gymcana, Roping,sorting, It's fun to watch. YOu can ewven get a burger at the snack shack and one of those yummy freese drinks they are famous, out that way for. Burgers are the bomb! and I don't eat meat much.eww. I'm pretty sure you can come and watch for free. Cheap fun with the kids in hard time with money. Kids love dirt and animals. And there are nice areas to sit besides dirt. hehe "

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WY wrote on Jun 22, 2008 9:51 AM:

" Sam... some lil person we know, just might ride the Grand Entry! Whoo hoo. There is a whole lot of other things that go on at the Rodeo grounds. The LNS should talk to the president, Jim Johnson , and get a schedul so the good people of the area are aware of the Buckaroos and the Stampede.

May be they/LNS can make up for the huge mistake they made by NOT covering the....RELAY FOR LIFE THAT RAISED 196,000.00 FOR CANCER RESEARCH.

Oups... did I say that out loud? "

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sam wrote on Jun 21, 2008 6:22 PM:

" WY, well of course you are singing the praises of the Clements Stampede... you are such a country girl.
Cowgirl Up Chica.

PLEASE keep us posted on the blogs. I do NOT want to miss this stampede. "

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WY wrote on Jun 19, 2008 4:47 PM:

" You know papercut... I like you but oh Bull made me laugh with the "Cowboy up papercut"
I don't care who ya are that was funny.
:)
the kids rock, you should go. I'll be there if it's 85 that day.

Thank you LNS for this story! It will help the Rodeo. Which is good family fun. It's not like back in the day any longer. And it's not mexicans/latinos trying to stop cows by hold'n their tails... bahahaha! That's funny stuff. "

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Oh Bull wrote on Jun 16, 2008 7:23 PM:

" Hey papercut! It's a rodeo(American event)not a Charo rodeo. You should try going once before you throw around your thoughts of the rodeo. Oh yeah if you think only field works are tough cowboys/girls maybe you should go out to the rodeo on July 5 and checkout the youth in your community that are better than any other PRCA rodeo. Until then COWBOY UP papercut "

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papercut wrote on Jun 16, 2008 4:11 PM:

" The field workers will be back home in the fall and not be able to showcase their rodeo skills to make the locals look bad. "

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