Oak Ridge Fire cancels Ahóóhai Days rodeo, postpones Cody Jesus Invitational
WINDOW ROCK
The Oak Ridge Fire has its first two casualties with the cancelation of the Ahóóhai Days 4th of July Celebration and the Cody Jesus Invitational.
The one-day Ahóóhai Days Rodeo was scheduled for Friday and the Cody Jesus Invite was slated for Saturday at the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena.
The rodeo facilities at the Navajo Nation Fairgrounds in Window Rock is currently being used in sheltering livestock that were displaced because of the fire that has charred over 10,600 acres as of Wednesday morning. The fire was first reported on June 28 four miles south of Highway 264 near St. Michaels.
In a Facebook post, the Ahóóhai Days Rodeo committee cited the ongoing Oak Ridge Fire for canceling all planned events at the fairgrounds, which included a fireworks show.
“The decision was made to prioritize the safety and well-being of attendees, participants and the wider community, allowing resources to be directed toward emergency response and livestock rescue efforts during this critical time,” the post read.
According to the post, the rodeo will not be rescheduled as contestants who paid their fees are asked to contact rodeo CES Penny Mix at (520)-610-9752 to receive a full refund.
In an interview with the Navajo Times, Jesus says his annual event has been postponed for a later date. The Diné bull rider understands the plight the people affected by the fire are going through. He had a similar experience when a fire scorched the land near his home in Sawmill, Arizona.
“It’s pretty scary when you ain’t got nowhere to take your animals,” Jesus said. “So, for these people to be able to take their animals to the fairgrounds and to house them for a little while they can get their belongings and help other people out is more important than bull riding right now.”
Due to his commitment to the PBR Team Series with the Nashville Stampede, the Diné bull rider has not set a rescheduled date.
“Nothing specific right now,” Jesus said. “I haven’t really looked. I gotta go to the PBR Teams next weekend, so the July 5 date was so perfect.”
The annual event, which is in its third year, has picked up steam since its inception. Jesus says he started the bull riding showcase to give back.
“It’s for the fans,” he said. “It’s a bull riding event that’s not about making money. I just about the fans and that’s what I truly focus on. I truly focus on trying to bring professional bull riding right there in Window Rock.
“You know, there’s a lot of places you go where you pay an arm and a leg to get in there and you see just about everyone fall off,” he added. “I try to bring the best guys and the best bulls to where you can see 20 (qualified) rides if everyone does their jobs correct.”
Jesus says he ready to get back on the PBR Team Series after being sidelined for nearly two months due to an injury. He fractured his elbow during a PRCA rodeo in Clovis, New Mexico earlier this year.
“I had a bull jerk me down and he broke my elbow,” Jesus said. “They put it back together. It wasn’t anything bad. It was just my free arm, but it was just getting to move and get everything to kind of sit there and heal properly.”
Jesus says he’s looking to start fresh as the PBR Team Series will run for 11 weeks. Nonetheless, he’s going to be thinking about the people affected by the Oak Ridge Fire.
“I just hope everybody stays safe and makes it out of there with their animals,” Jesus said. “I’ll be praying for everybody.”
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow