SHOW LOW — The annual celebration of the city that legend says was named on the turn of the card is taking place this weekend in the usual location, the sports field on the corner of Clark Road and the Deuce of Clubs in the City Park. Show Low Days runs from June 7-9. As last year, there will a re-creation of the famous card game between Marion Clark and Corydon Cooley that the two men played for ownership of the ranch, some cattle and fields of barley. Show Low Creek is recorded as having been named prior to the foundation of Show Low, but legends have a way of entrenching themselves in history and for the average person, it is the card game that gave the town its name. The Arizona Roughriders, who make their home at Rawhide, located at 5700 W. North Loop Road at Wild Horse Pass on the Gila River Indian Community in Phoenix, will once again re-enact the card game, perform short skits in and amongst visitors and act out comedy shows all day Saturday only. The Arizona Roughriders are the only professional stunt team in Arizona. Since their formation about 30 years ago, members have performed in Hollywood movies, independent films, been featured in print and in person both in the United States and abroad. The annual three-day event boasts food vendors, classic cars, entertainment, live music, children’s rides, games and so much more. The website showlowdays indicates there will again be the Verl Gillespie Memorial Charity Auction and Team Roping benefit for local in-need residents. This year’s beneficiary is yet to be determined. Participants need to be at the White Mountain Vacation Village Arena located next to Park Pineway Plaza off of White Mountain Road in Show Low at 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 8. The competition starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Competitors need to be there at 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 9, with competition beginning at 10 a.m. The event is not just about the auction and team roping. There will be mounted drills to show rider skills in horsemanship as well. Competitors have a chance to win cash prizes and trophy saddles. The auction includes items donated by local merchants, as well as a saddle raffle that takes place at 4 p.m. in the Village Arena. “This is our sixth year of helping our community and its members in need due to unfortunate circumstances, tragedies and health issues. We thank you for your past support and look forward to your continued good will. Many wonderful people have been helped with the support of great folks like you. Together, we truly are changing lives,” event organizers said on showlowdays to those who donated to this year’s event. The Verl Gillespie Memorial Fund is a nonprofit charity. Then there is the Derby Down the Deuce, in which competitors build soapbox racers and vie for number one. Drivers must be at least 14 years of age with their vehicles being handmade and propelled only by gravity. First place gets $600, second place $300 and third place $100. Awards will be presented for Overall Design, Best of Show and People’s Choice. The derby is sponsored by Hatch Motor Company, Damage Control and DC Restoration, Show Low Ford, White Mountain Jewelers, Distinktive Auto Body, All Glass and White Mountain Purified Water and Ice - The Pour Station. Also taking place around the time of the derby is the Stick Horse Parade and Rodeo, in the C-A-L Ranch parking lot. Associated with the rodeo, which will include roping and barrel racing events, will be various games for the kids. Those taking part in the Stick Horse Rodeo must enter the C-A-L Ranch parking lot from East McNeil, as the Deuce of Clubs will be closed for the derby. All day long for the three days will be an Arts and Crafts Fair that event organizers say will be better this year than ever before. “This year’s event will include exciting features that we’re sure will help you to have a fun and successful weekend in Show Low. We will again be providing additional satellite location patron parking, which will minimize vehicle traffic through the park.” Johnny Johnson and the Loose Change Band will perform live music on Friday and Saturday from 6-10 p.m. both Friday and Saturday night. “Beer, wine and lots of good food will be available, (including) cotton candy, hot dogs, fry bread, ice cream, lemonade, burgers, snow cones and much more.” The Mountain Saddle Band will perform at the Sunday 10 a.m. Cowboy Church. The Kids Zone provides a lot of games, rides and other age-appropriate fun for the youngsters. Tickets will cost $1 each or 25 for $20. The Cruiz’n The Rim Car Show that takes place at the Frontier Fields off of Ninth Place in Show Low Saturday, behind the Navajo County South County Complex, features 24 categories that includes cars and trucks from 1909 to present day. Attendance is absolutely free. There will be stock cars, muscle cars, street rods, custom creations, factory vehicles, T-Buckets, Rat Rods, nonstreet racers, motorcycles, bicycles and under-construction rides. In essence, Rick Luszczyk said if a person has a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle or anything that is in the process of being completed, they are welcome at the show. Last year, there were about 60 entries. This year there were already about 70 the week before the show. He said the field this year is “green, green, green, green, green,” in comparison to last year when there was a lot of dry grass at Frontier Fields. He said this year’s show will include Rodzilla and custom car mechanic for Jay Leno, Rodney Rucker. Rucker is the man who created an eight-person shopping cart hot rod, as well as souped up stagecoaches and a faster-than-should-be pair of roller skates. Rodzilla is touted as one of the most out of the ordinary street-legal cars ever produced. It was created by the Blastolene Brothers (makers of the Tank Car) in 2004, standing over 7 feet tall. “To provide the muscle to move such a gigantic vehicle, the builders decided to drop in a 29.3 litre 12 cylinder engine from an M-47 tank into the frame. For most people this would have been more than enough, and then some. But not for these guys, so they strapped a couple of turbochargers to it just for good measure,” Diseno-art states Rodzilla’s body, named after owner Rodney Rucker, is a 1928 Studebaker. Photo opportunities will be available with Rodzilla and Rucker. People at the show can also get their picture taken with the Studebaker sedan that has a custom frame and a World War II tank power plant under the hood. Ex-funny car driver Ward Edwards will be there with the Studebaker he built for the Bonneville flats. Luszczyk said arrangements have been made for free shuttle service by the Cellular One double-decker bus. The bus will run every half hour. The people from Stolen Recipe BBQ will be there cooking up food, as will folks making kettle corn and other county fair-style eats. For those who remember cruising, there will be one on Friday night, in which anyone is invited to attend. Participants do not have to have a car in the show. Luszczyk said it starts on the Deuce of Clubs, going to Penrod then to Porter Mountain Road, and finally to First Friday’s on Cooley, where there will be live entertainment and food vendors. Award plaques will be given to first and second places with trophies for best of class. For more information about any of the events, call the Show Low Chamber of Commerce at (888) SHOWLOW or (928) 358-2326.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:06:15 +0000
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