GUY CLIFTON - RODEO

Reno’s Mike Mentaberry has had a passion for rodeo since his days as a competitor for McDermitt High School in the late 1960s.

While you won’t find the former Humboldt County buckaroo on a rank bull or a bronc these days, Mentaberry is still passionate about the sport. The longtime volunteer and past president of the Reno Rodeo Association was recently named executive director of the Association of Rodeo Committees.

ARC, as it is more commonly known, is an umbrella organization whose membership includes more than 80 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned rodeos in the United States and Canada. That includes rodeos ranging from the largest in terms of prize money (Cheyenne Frontier Days, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Reno Rodeo, for example) to small weekend rodeos.

“It’s our goal to be the voice for all rodeo committees, regardless of size,” said Mentaberry, whose day job is with Remax Realty in Reno. “At the same time, we want to make sure the rodeos don’t lose their identities. There’s a lot of tradition in rodeo that needs to be maintained.”

ARC also is intended to work as a liaison between rodeo committees — the usually all-volunteer community groups that put on the rodeos — and the PRCA, which sanctions the events.

ARC maintains connections with experienced rodeo and business consultants to advise its membership on everything from prize money to marketing and advertising.

Among Mentaberry’s priorities as executive director is to help get a representative from ARC elected to the PRCA’s executive committee. With rodeo growing in popularity in terms of sponsorships and media exposure, ARC wants to make sure the voices of committees are heard as decisions about the sport are being made.

“We just need to make sure we’re recognized as one of the integral parts of the industry,” Mentaberry said.

As executive director, Mentaberry works with a board of directors from rodeos around the country.

They include chairman Guy Elliott of the San Antonio Livestock Show; vice chairman Dale Leschiutta of the Canadian Finals Rodeo; secretary Bill Lathrop Jr., of the Buc Days Pro Rodeo in Corpus Christi, Texas; and directors Bob Morton of the Will Rogers Round-Up in Chelsea, Okla.; Kent Meshishnek of the Lewiston Round-Up in Lewiston, Idaho; Jim Mueller of Cheyenne Frontier Days; Sherman Berg of the Ak-Sar-Ben rodeo in Omaha, Neb.; Patrick Grant of the National Western Stock Show in Denver; Jim Hensarling of the Omak Stampede in Washington; Kevin Hudson of the Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton, Ore.; and Dan Gattis of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. ARC also maintains a veterinarian advisor: Doug Corey of Adams, Ore.

Before becoming executive director, Mentaberry served as the Reno Rodeo’s representative on the board of directors. Longtime Reno Rodeo volunteer Mike Lucke has been nominated to serve the remainder of Mentaberry’s term. The pair will be traveling to San Antonio this weekend for ARC’s winter meetings.

AROUND THE ARENA: Spring Creek cowboy Cody Hintz is roping with Mack Altizer of Del Rio, Texas. Hintz roped last year with Jay Adams of Logandale. Adams is roping this season with his older brother, Randon. … Ruby Valley saddle bronc rider Charley Gardner, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, is expected to start his 2004 season in San Antonio this week. Gardner missed all of last season recovering from knee surgery. … Battle Mountain saddle bronc rider Matt Marvel is 12th in this week’s Jack Daniel’s World Standings. He is also 10th in the Wrangler ProRodeo Winter Tour standings. … B.J. Schumacher of Hillsboro, Wis., won the first Xtreme Bulls event of the year in San Antonio. Reno is scheduled to host an Xtreme Bulls event in June. … Carlin saddle bronc rider Ira Slagowski, who qualified for his first NFR last year, had the high score of the night in the third round of the San Antonio Stock Show, scoring 79 points on the bronc, Another Fletch. … Mike White and Adriano Moraes won event titles in Tampa, Fla., and Atlanta, respectively during a unique doubleheader weekend for the Professional Bull Riders’ Built Ford Tough Series. … Former Reno resident Tony Mendes is battling an injured hamstring. He’s in 30th place in the Built Ford Tough standings.

Guy Clifton covers rodeo for the Reno Gazette-Journal. He can be reached at (775)788-6337 or gclifton@rgj.com.