SALEM, Va. – The Salem Stampede Rodeo has been entertaining and thrilling families for decades, celebrating its 59th anniversary this year, but have you ever been curious how it got its start?
In 1969 the first rodeo took place, but under a completely different name, coined the “Loretta Lynn Rodeo”. And you guessed it, Loretta Lynn, country music legend, made an appearance herself.
Jack Dame, the Salem Civic Center General Manager at the time, met Bruce Lehrke in 1968 at a conference. Lehrke was in charge of the “Loretta Lynn Championship Rodeo” and Dame, who was looking for new acts to bring to the area, realized he could get more entertainment and competitive sports in a single package, jumped at the opportunity.
Herm Reavis, a former disc jockeying at WRIS radio station and a salesman at WSLS, heard about the booking, and with his area connections and industry positioning, knew that he could help spread the word about the rodeo.
In this clip from 1969, originally shot by 10 News and found in the UVA Archives, you can see preparations being made for the first rodeo and Loretta Lynn performing for the Veterans Administration Hospital. Reavis, a longtime friend of Lynn from his radio days, reflects back and has said that this was something that Loretta Lynn would often do when she visited the area, holding a special unpromoted show for the veterans.
You can learn more about the history of the rodeo here, as well as information on the playmakers who made it what it is today.
Previously reported by 10 News Reporter Bill Mason in 1969, the rodeo was sanctioned by the International Rodeo Association and debuted on April 12, lasting until the 14 of that month.
The Salem Stampede Championship Rodeo has also had many memorable moments over the years, with even an incognito appearance by Sacha Baren Cohen in 2005, when he attended while filming the movie “Borat”, in a night that rodeo-goers weren’t soon to forget. You can read more about that night, here.
The rodeo has also acted as a conduit to help members of the community and is a much beloved tradition in the Roanoke Valley, with fun for all ages.
Those interested in attending can learn more here!
To watch coverage from other years of the Salem Stampede Championship Rodeo, check out these articles: