COLORADO SPRINGS — There is an army of volunteers dedicated to making the 2023 NFR Open Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo a success.
The legacy of one family is service for more than 60 years.
“Dad started as a Ramrod the spring of 1959,” said Doug Smith.
The 2nd generation Smith volunteer is now the Chute Boss.
It is a position his father held for years.
He started helping at the rodeo when he was 18.
That was 47 years ago.
There is now a 3rd generation of volunteers from the family.
His sons do not have precise timing for their transition from unofficial to official volunteers.
“They put an age limit on it at one point but I've been coming back here and doing stuff since I was 13,” said Mark Smith.
Grandpa is now 89 and is no longer comfortable standing through the whole rodeo.
He does keep the tradition going.
He will attend performances later in the week and will likely drop in behind the scenes to check in on his family.
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