story by Rayne Sherman
The 3rd annual Cowboy Up For a Cure Rodeo was held April 9, 2016, in Lexington, Ky, and is a fundraiser for the Cowboy Up for a Cure (CUFAC) organization. The Cowboy Up for a Cure organization has teamed up with the University of Kentucky Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic to provide support for children and their families from the time of a cancer diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
Rebecca Shryock, founder of CUFAC, works with her board of directors and the clinic to determine where the monies raised through the efforts of CUFAC will be most useful for the clinic and its patients. One of the programs the CUFAC has supported is the PAWS program. The PAWS program employs an individual to work as an educational interventionalist to assist schools and teachers in understanding the learning difficulties children experience due to cancer treatment in order to find the best way for the child to continue to learn in the classroom. For more information about Cowboy Up for a Cure please visit www.cowboyupforacure.org.
This year the rodeo was again sanctioned with the Mid States Rodeo Association (MSRA) and livestock was provided by Three Bar J Rodeo Company. The members of the MSRA voted last year’s event the association’s 2015 Rodeo of the Year and the award was presented to members of the rodeo committee during intermission. With over 6,000 spectators, this year’s attendance was almost double that of last year and resulted in a total of $66,000 raised for CUFAC. For full rodeo results please visit www.midstatesrodeo.com.
“I am blown away with how the rodeo has continued to grow. Adam Menker (rodeo committee chair) is invaluable and has turned this into an event that is fun for the family and has put Cowboy Up for a Cure on the map. We are really getting the word out about what our organization is doing. The Johnsons (Three Bar J Rodeo Company) are amazing and great to work with. We are already working on things for next year to keep growing the rodeo,” stated Rebecca Shryock.
