Press Release from Smoke Wade

San Juan Western Heritage Festival &
National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo.

Montrose, CO: The San Juan Western Heritage Festival will be held September 11 and 12 at the Montrose Pavilion , 1800 Pavilion Drive in Montrose, Colorado. The Festival will feature the 12th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, live entertainment and western Colorado arts and specialty products.

Friday, September 11, highlights the world's only Cowboy Poetry Rodeo from 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m. Thirty Cowboy poets from 13 western states and Canada will compete for $6000.00 in prize money, silver buckles, trophies and a year's worth of bragging rights. Poets compete, on stage, in a stock rodeo format. With numbers on their back, judges and a rodeo announcer, the poets spur their "rides," (their poems), as they compete in 9 different events. There will be a Friday night show featuring cowboy poets and musical acts, many from western Colorado.

Saturday, September 12, the top 50 percent of the competing cowboy poets advance to the final round starting at 8:00 a.m. at the event center. Following the finals, a Cowboy Poetry Shoot-out will be held, as top ranked cowboy poets compete for the title, "Best in the West." Poets interested in registering for the NCPR may contact Sam Jackson, last2camp@kanab.net (435) 644-5459 or (435) 899-1100
A headliner and awards show will take place on Saturday evening featuring the winners of the National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo along with country singer, Gary Lear and his Nashville Band. www.garylearmusic.com

While in Montrose, participants will enjoy the Western Colorado Experience ( Black Canyon, Ute Indian Museum, Ouray - Switzerland of America. Many will take home memories and local hand made products. There will be a raffle on a Western Quilt. And no rodeo or western festival would be complete without taking home a hand made stick horse made and painted by a local artist.

The San Juan Healthcare Foundation is the major sponsor and the fund-raiser proceeds will go to Caring Friends Fund for patients at the San Juan Cancer Center.

For more information go to www.sjwesternfestival.com, fsmiles@bresnan.net , or call Francie Smiles, (970)-252-2814.