2021 Fortuna Rodeo Grand Marshal: Roy Curless

Grand Marshal Roy Curless 2021

By Meg Wall-Wild

This is the Centennial Fortuna Rodeo Parade, a grand milestone celebration deserves a Grand Marshal with the right rodeo stu . His name is Roy Curless.

Curless’ love of Humboldt County is genetic. The Eel River Valley cast its charms over his family in the 1860s and has yet to let go. Curless grew up in Holmes Flat and, after serving in the Korean War, married Laurada Mudgett. They made their home in Fortuna in 1956, serving the community as they raised two children.

Curless began his service to the Fortuna Rodeo Association in 1958. That is 63 years of hard work, countless board meetings and missed dinners, all to make sure the rodeo puts a smile on your face. Can you calculate 63 years in number of hoofprints (bovine and equine) left in the arena dirt? Millions? Billions?

Over the years, his family served, too. Little Mary was 6 when she directed cowboys moving horses to the rodeo grounds to wait until after the parade fl oats had passed. His son John comes from Sacramento to collect salads all over town for the famous Sunday barbecue. Lauranda was at his side when they served as Co-Grand Marshals in 2011. This year, family will fl y in from Massachusetts and Wisconsin to pitch in.

If you Google “man with a plan,” it really should have Roy Curless as top result. After retirement from the Humboldt County Assessor’s O ce, he served 20 years as Humboldt Bay Harbor’s District 2 Commissioner, working to improve and preserve Humboldt’s coast. (He was tickled when the Upland Dredge Disposal Site was renamed the Roy Curless Dump Site in his honor.) He found time to add Rotary and Fortuna Chamber duties to his calendar, too. Look around Fortuna and you’ll see the fruits of his labor everywhere. Curless is particularly proud that all Rodeo profi ts are spent on Rohner Park improvements like the rebuilt Cook Shack. The newly completed grandstand renovations ($200,000, including generous donations and materials) also increased ADA accessibility for community events and family gatherings. Rodeos being his favorite, of course.

“I love it! Watching a good saddle bronc rider, his motion when the horse is bucking. A bareback rider, throwing himself over the rump. You look at the performance of a cowboy or girl, working with the horse calf roping. That horse backs up and keeps the rope tight. The reactions between cowboy and animal … it’s how the cowboy makes that ride or bulldogs that steer, how their horses are trained.”

When asked about the most interesting changes in the rodeo over the years, Roy had a ready answer. “Nowadays the stock is better. Used to ride in a bunch of wild cows and bulls. West Coast Rodeos now breeds bucking stock, stallions and mares. Bulls are bred for bucking. It works out well.”

He said one thing remains unchanged: “Cowboys are still just as tough as they were back in the old days. They get broken up and they still keep riding.” He appreciates the brave rodeo clowns who jump in there to save those rowdy riders, too.

His spirit of cooperation is obvious in his lasting leadership of the Rodeo Association — 34 of his 63 years of service were as president. He was surprised it was that long. Curless will be the fi rst to tell you he is not alone in his dedication. He says many hands pitch in to plan and run the Fortuna Rodeo. “Having a good time and a good bunch of people working with you. It’s fun to do things like that.” But Curless is like a beloved saddle — if he will forgive the comparison — not Gucci but Fred M. Stern, not fl ashy but well made,

Roy Curless. Photo by Marnie’s Photography, courtesy of the Curless Family. reliable when that angry bull turns around with a hot glare. A cowpoke is made better by the saddle that holds them, just as the Fortuna Rodeo Association is better for Curless’ contributions. “This is our 100th year. We hope to be here in another 100 years. We will have a great show. Bull Fighters Only is back! Everyone come out to Fortuna for the Rodeo!” Curless’ six decades of dedication to the Fortuna Rodeo deserves a massive round of applause, so let him know as he passes by! ✪

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