3rd annual rodeo honors Gunfighter's memory

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samantha S. Crane
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (ACCNS) --  On June 27 and 28, base and local community members gathered together during the third Annual Daniel Dopps Memorial Rodeo at Optimist Park to honor the memory of Daniel, a Gunfighter who passed away Aug. 7, 2005.

Daniel died from injuries sustained Aug. 6, 2005, at a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event at the age of 19 while assigned to the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron.

"Rodeo was always a big part of Daniel Dopps's life. Anyone who knew Daniel -- and those who were meeting him for the first time -- knew one thing: he was a cowboy in every way," said his mother, Ramona Dopps.

Later that year, Pat O'Maley, Slash T Rodeo Company, and Todd McCurry, owner of Mountain Home Auto Ranch, started planning to bring a memorial rodeo to Mountain Home. After talking with his family, who became committee members for the rodeo, the first memorial rodeo was held in 2006.

"The Air Force has been so helpful with the rodeo in the last three years," said Mrs. Dopps. "There are a lot of civilian and military members that come to help, and it can only be strong with the help of the community, which we have."

The rodeo included stock saddle riding and open barrel racing along with a calf scramble for children under the age of 12. While the rodeo began at 7:30 p.m., pre-rodeo events kicked off at 7 p.m.

"The purpose of this rodeo is to raise money for charitable donations within the community of Mountain Home," said Mike Pope, 366th Civil Engineer Squadron and committee chairman.

"In the last two years, the rodeo has raised $11,000 for charities including the Ronald McDonald House, youth scholarships, the Elmore County Youth Foundation and many others," said Mrs. Dopps.