Montgomery County 4-H Angels Rodeo seeks participants

As the 8th annual 4-H Angels Rodeo approaches, siblings Lauren and Dean Holtkamp are seeking participants for the outing that brings adaptive rodeo events to special needs students across Montgomery County.

School-age special needs students and their families are invited to the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday for safe and specially adapted rodeo activities like a hayride, horse riding, stick horse barrel racing, roping, a bucking mechanical bronco ride, a petting zoo and more.

“It’s always a good day of love and compassion and we’re so glad this event brings the community together,” said Lauren Holtkamp, a 2020 graduate of Texas A&M University.

She and her brother began the 4-H Angels Rodeo event in 2016 in memory of their 13-yearold cousin Ryan Winfree.

Winfree was a special needs student and loved participating in an adaptive rodeo event held in the Beaumont area.

They wanted to bring a similar experience to Montgomery County. The event has taken place at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds each year except in 2021, when the event was held as a virtual experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volunteers are also needed for the event. Volunteers from high school clubs and college activities help with the event and serve as a “buddy” to the participant.

Their “buddy” guides the participant through each activity.

Other participating community groups include YMCA Camp Cullen which provides the horses, Willis Lions Club which provide the mechanical bucking bronco, Leo Club, Conroe JROTC, Lake Creek HS Honor Society, Lake Creek HS Student Council, Montgomery County 4-H Horsemanship, HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe Hospital and Lone Star Convention Center.

Dean Holtkamp, a junior at Lake Creek High School, is sponsored in the project by Quanta Services, a Houstonbased company that provides infrastructure services for electric power, pipeline, industrial and communications industries. This group provides Holtkamp personal development opportunities, equipment and apparel packages.

He also is a member of the Quanta High School rodeo team, a group composed of 30 high school students from across the country. This team competes in National High School Rodeo Association events like roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and more.

Lauren Holtkamp said the day is special to her because her family sees familiar faces as contestants, their families and volunteers return year after year.

“We’ve built a great Angels Rodeo family over the years,” she said.

Her brother said this event is special to him because it was started in memory of his cousin.

“It’s personally rewarding to me to have these families come and enjoy the day,” he said.

New this year is Montgomery County YouTube personality Cowboy Jack, who will entertain the children.

So far 35 contestants and 50 volunteers have signed up. Registration continues through Friday.

To register to participate or volunteer, visit https://agrilife.org/montgomery4h/angelsrodeo/.