WELCOME TO THE 65TH ANNUAL LINCOLN RIDING CLUB RODEO

LINCOLN — Each time Justin Blisard puts on a rodeo the 2018 Lincoln Rodeo stock contractor pauses to remember one of the men who gave everything to preserve American liberties.

Blisard’s uncle, Rex Wayne Blisard, U.S. Army Specialist, died in Vietnam before reaching his 18th birthday. Rex Blisard was born July 15, 1949, and died Jan. 9, 1967. According to information from the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files posted online that year (1969) was the third deadliest year of the Vietnam War with Rex Blisard accounted for among 11,780 American casualties.

The highest number of deaths, 48,717, occurred among enlisted men (pay grades E1 – E9), of which Rex Blisard attained E4 status. The Army sustained the most casualties of any service branch, numbering 38,224 of the total 58,220. He was among 592 Arkansans giving their lives in the line of duty. Statistics show 1,201 Americans declared dead and another 91 presumed dead with body remains not recovered. Of those with remains recovered there are 32 listed as “presumed dead.”

Like his Uncle Rex, Justin Blisard was born and raised in between Siloam Springs and Lincoln in the Cincinnati area. Justin Blisard formed Blisard Rodeo Company in 2009. The company is an American Cowboys Rodeo Association (ACRA) and Cowboys Regional Rodeo Association (CRRA) certified stock contractor. Blisard returns to Lincoln after a one-year hiatus, having provided stock for the event in 2015 and 2016.

During the grand entry, Justin Blisard will display the United States flag that was draped over Rex Blisard’s casket when he was buried with military honors 49 years ago. Justin Blisard honors the American heritage recognizing a personal connection to the price of freedom, something he is not willing to take for granted.

The price is too high. As a stock contractor, Justin Blisard knows full well the importance of drawing people to the event. Rodeo succeeds because diverse groups of people choose to support the endeavor and associate

together. It takes everybody from fans, competitors, judges, timers, rodeo royalty, sponsors, emergency medical technicians and veterinarians on-hand to announcers, photographers, bullfighters, rodeo clowns, pickup men, and a clean-up crew.

When a cowboy lands face down in the dirt and has to scramble to get out of the way of an ornery critter the bullfighters don’t stop to check his political affiliation or religion. Their job is to intentionally intervene utilizing trained tactics designed to draw the attention of the bull away from the cowboy by putting themselves in harm’s way.

That is what the soldier has, in effect, done for the average American citizen.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution declares: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Many nations across the globe don’t believe in granting people an opportunity to exercise such freedoms. The reason Americans enjoy these privileges today is because of men like Rex Blisard, who have been willing to lay down their lives in service of their country for the cause of maintaining freedom.

There may be no better way to celebrate the “Right of Peaceably Assemble” than to turn out for the 65th annual Lincoln Rodeo Thursday through Friday at Lincoln Riding Club Arena just west of Lincoln on U.S. 62. Had he lived to see this day, surely Rex Blisard would have wanted it that way.