Tamaya Horse Rehab is bringing back Rodeo Tamaya this summer, offering weekly rodeo competitions on the Santa Ana Pueblo while raising money to support the nonprofit organization’s horse rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
“Unlike any other rodeo, ours is about the journey of the rescue horses,” said Connie Collis of Tamaya Horse Rehab. “The rescue horses are in the rodeo, so it’s not about the competition. It’s about the rescues and their journey”
The facility currently cares for 126 horses. Collis noted that 90% of the horses participating in the rodeo are rescues that have been given a new purpose. The event purposefully omits aggressive bucking events in favor of barrel racing, team roping, stick barrel racing for children and a “chicken race” where riders grab an item or flag from a bucket.
The evenings begin with attendees petting goats and horses, eating from food trucks and concession stands, and watching a patriotic grand entry. The night also features a poem detailing the history of the horse, and it ends with an invitation for the crowd to step into the arena to meet the horses and cowboys and take pictures.
With the rising costs of feed and gas, Collis noted the financial strain of large-animal rescues. While the organization relies heavily on its trail-riding business to support the herd, the weekly rodeos, which max out at around 150 attendees, provide important supplementary income.
“I don’t think people realize what it costs to take care of a large animal these days,” Collis said. “It’s not like rescuing a dog.”
Situated on property owned by Santa Ana Pueblo, the rodeo attracts locals as well as tourists staying at the nearby Hyatt Regency Tamaya, including many visitors from San Juan County. Organizers say the event boosts the economy by hiring staff, bringing in small-business vendors, and driving traffic to area restaurants and stores.
Looking ahead, Collis hopes the weekly rodeos will continue to provide enough funding for the rehab to never have to turn away a horse in need, especially when owners face health or financial crises.
“Our long-term goal is to help people when they get in trouble,” Collis said, adding that she has a passionate young staff ready to continue the rehab’s mission into the future.” I never want to have to say, ‘we can’t help you’”
The rodeos are open to the public will take place at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa from 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday from June 11 to Aug. 13.
For information on tickets and more, visit https://rb.gy/7intwn.
Lenora Lare is an intern in her third summer with the Tri-City Record and her first year in the New Mexico Local News Fellowships and Internships Program. Learn more at www.newmexicolocalnewsfellowships.org.