College of the Redwoods (CR) announced today that they’d reached a deal with the Humboldt County Fairgrounds to use their facilities for their new rodeo program, which was announced last year but hasn’t started competing yet. According to Molly Blakemore, director of marketing and communications at CR, the fairgrounds aren’t charging CR for use of their facilities, but CR will be paying for upgrades to their lighting systems and cattle chutes out of a $100,000 fund CR set aside for the program.

Press release from CR: 

College of the Redwoods (CR) is kicking off its inaugural rodeo season this fall with a major partnership that gives the new team a home base for training and growth. CR and the Humboldt County Fair Association (HCFA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), allowing R Rodeo to practice, train, and house their animals at the historic Ferndale Fairgrounds starting August 1, 2025.

“This is a milestone collaboration for our rodeo community,” said Interim Athletic Director Ryan Bisio. “We’re so thankful to the wonderful folks at the Ferndale Fairgrounds for sharing our vision and giving our rodeo athletes a home. Years of dedicated work by many people has created this exciting outcome. I know our coaches and student-athletes can’t wait to get started at the Fairgrounds next month – with their eyes set on our inaugural intercollegiate competitions this fall.”

The agreement allows CR’s growing rodeo team — currently three men and one woman, with more student-athletes actively being recruited — to utilize the arena and related facilities for practices and training from late August through mid-June. The team will also have access to stalls for their horses and the opportunity to host one off-site rodeo event each year.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with College of the Redwoods to bring collegiate rodeo practices to the Humboldt County Fairgrounds for the first time,” said Moira Kenny, CEO of the Humboldt County Fair Association. “This exciting collaboration celebrates our shared roots in agriculture and western tradition while supporting the next generation of student-athletes. This partnership represents a new chapter in our mission to support youth and community programming, and we’re honored to provide a home for CR’s rodeo athletes to train and grow. It’s exciting to see the fairgrounds continue to evolve as a hub for tradition, education, and western heritage.”

CR has also proposed improvements to the arena facilities as part of the partnership, aimed at enhancing usability and safety for both student-athletes and community members.

With its inaugural season on the horizon, the CR Rodeo Team is positioning itself as an exciting new chapter in the college’s athletics program and a point of pride for Humboldt County’s agricultural and western heritage.