By LEWIS SPEARMAN
CROSBY The 60th Annual Crosby Fair & Rodeo hit all the goals set and raised $180,141.90 at the livestock auction before all of the re-donations.
This year a number of new features were added to the addendum and appear to have blossomed into new venues for growth. This year, Shriners Night was opening night, June 8, of the Fair & Rodeo Show. The Crosby Fair & Rodeo Association donated 50¢ from every ticket to the local Shriners hospital and all Shriners were requested to wear their fez. Kevin Fowler performed a rollicking concert to the largest yet Thursday night attendance.
Friday was Tough Enough to Wear Pink night for the first time. The American Cancer Society received $713 to go to breast cancer awareness. San Jacinto Methodist Hospital and Community Resource Credit Union sold varied tough enough to wear pink items and received donations for the cause. According to Shirley Rogers, It will grow. Trent Willmon and Earl Conley could not have been more diverse in music styles but both were engaging and fun.
Saturday night was a packed house with the final of the rodeo sport, John Keating Chevrolet and Friendly Ford of Crosby teamed up to give away a 4 Wheeler to a regular rodeo ticket holder. That turned out to be Misty Jones of Huffman. The action was fast and furious until Aaron Watson played endlessly, songs like the Ballad of the Dukes of Hazard. Finally, Cory Morrow came out and wowed the crowd with entertainment and rockin country for couples to dance.
The motivation for the rodeos continued success is to help deserving youngsters to fund higher education through scholarships. Since 1991, $137,000 has been awarded in scholarships not counting the Livestock Auction in which fullly 9% of the auction goes to the youth raising the livestock. This year Wade Armstrong was a scholarship recipient and a Senior Top Hand. Other Scholarship recipients were Carlos Medina, Scott Holmelin, Trey Patterson and Tyler Michalsky. The Junior Top hand this year was Amber Greene. The Crosby Fair & Rodeo grants 5 scholarships of $2000 per year.