03/20/06 College Rodeo

March 20 2006 Rodeo ethics Having spent over a decade immersed in AAU sports, it was refreshing to attend an athletic event that promotes values instead of prima-donnas. College rodeo. This weekend young men and women throughout the Northwest gathered in Walla Walla to represent their colleges in the typical rodeo events. What wasn't typical was that a portion of the ticket sales went to fight child abuse in the "Riding against Child Abuse" theme. Prior to the rodeo, local contestants visited grade schools to talk not only about bronc riding or barrel racing but cowboy ethics. Grade-schoolers were given a picture of the rodeo clown with 6 ways to be respectful. Including: Don't judge people before you know them. Be courteous and polite etc... It brought tears to my eyes when I witnessed the enthusiasm of a teacher who paid for her whole class to attend, knowing her kids were cheering for something rare in today's athletics, role models. And I am proud to ad that my son Tommy and his girlfriend Sarah Jones exemplify what is right about college rodeo. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought