Volunteers keep the tradition of rodeo strong in Clovis

February 27, 2023: The Clovis Rodeo is, famously, the “Last Weekend in April” but the preparations began in mid-February with the first Rodeo Association Work Day.

In the heart of Old Town Clovis, dozens of volunteers flocked to the grounds to take up their tools, rakes, and brushes to perform the first of the necessary beautification and maintenance to the grounds.

“February seems early, but it’s not. We start planning for the next year’s rodeo in June, and April will come before we know it,” Association President Ron Dunbar said, explaining a little about the timeline of preparation, “we’ve got to make sure we do the thing so when opening day comes, it looks like we know what we’re doing, the place is clean, everything works.”

The Rodeo Association is made up