Rodeo Fun in Winnie!

By Gloria Way

  The 4^th Annual Johnny Ackel Memorial Rodeo proved once again to be a big winner for the Winnie area community. Produced by Robert “Blue” Jeans Productions, the Johnny Ackel rodeo brought out the crowds to watch “rodeoing” by fan favorites and local rodeo heroes. Blue Jeans has stated several times that the purpose of the rodeo was to not only raise scholarship money for area FFA kids, but also to honor local heroes who helped promote the rodeo spirit in our community. The 2024 Johnny Ackel Memorial Rodeo honorees are Todd Atkins, Oscar Garcia, Butch Willis, Greg Simino, and Ann and Kyle Kayla.

   Jeans is also very proud of the fact that since its inception, the rodeo has distributed over $38,000 in scholarship money to the East Chambers and Hamshire-Fannett FFAs. “After all bills are paid,” said Jeans, “every cent goes to the kids”. He was also very proud to announce that $2 of every ticket sold, goes to the Kaley and Cameron McGhee family to help pay for the medical expenses incurred by their baby daughter who tragically passed away after months in Texas Children’s Hospital NICU.