President Steve Davis recently unveiled the 2024 commemorative poster for the California Rodeo Salinas which will take place July 18th-21st. The poster features a vintage team roping scene painted by local artist Missy Jenkins from a photo by rodeo photographer Fred Nyulassy. The photo was taken in 1989 before the California Rodeo Salinas’ arena was reconfigured. It shows a team of ropers with the old chutes behind them and the wooden boards where Jim Rodriguez would call out contestants' names to get them to the box. The header is Ray Borzini, a long-time Salinas resident who now resides in Arizona, and the heeler is Bob Sailors, who grew up in Salinas and now resides in Oregon. Sailors happens to be Davis’ brother-in-law and the poster was created without Sailors knowing; he was touched when the poster was revealed and many locals in attendance at the annual stockholder’s dinner purchased posters signed by Jenkins, Borzini, and Sailors. Davis said, “Picking the subject and artist for our commemorative poster was the biggest thrill leading up to becoming President of the California Rodeo. I hope our fans enjoy the poster as much as I enjoyed the process of creating it with our team!”
Missy Jenkins has painted posters for the Rodeo in the past. Jenkins was born in Carmel, California, and raised there by her grandparents. Her paternal grandmother, Marjorie Allen, a noteworthy local painter, influenced Missy’s art from an early age. Otherwise, she has had no formal training beyond a high school art class with a teacher who said, “Paint what you see, not what you think you see.” Missy feels that her talent is a blessing from God. As Missy grew up riding horses, they became a frequent subject of her pencil drawings, which she started doing as gifts for friends. She began showing her work in several Carmel galleries, where Burt Reynolds and Hank Ketcham were among her collectors.
Missy’s realism oil paintings and graphite drawings have been featured on various Western posters and publications including:
• California Rodeo Salinas
• The National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas
• Reno Rodeo
• Snake River Stampede
• The San Francisco Grand National
• Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee
• The Monterey Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival
• The Monterey National Horse Show
Posters will be sold for $20 each on November 18th and 19th, at Flair on the Farm at the Salinas Sports Complex in the Rodeo’s souvenir booth (Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-3pm) as well as in the California Rodeo Office at 1034 N. Main Street in Salinas Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm (closed Fridays from 11:45am-1:15pm) and on
www.CARODEO.com (
https://carodeostore.com/products/2024-commemorati... ).