 A
Belen rodeo is bucking a decades-long relationship by banning
tobacco advertising of any kind.
Casper Baca is the promoter of the Baca Rough Stock Rodeo Series
that puts on more than 50 rodeos each year in Arizona, Colorado and
New Mexico. His Belen rodeo that gets underway Saturday is the first
one he’ll stage that will be free from tobacco advertisements.
"I hope we set a precedent here that will lead to bigger and
better things to come for the Buck Tobacco sponsorship program,"
says Baca.
Buck Tobacco is a nationwide movement to ban tobacco sponsorship
at rodeos. Baca intends to adopt the Buck Tobacco program at all of
his rodeos, which will cost him some money.
Typically, a tobacco company will ante up as much as $20,000 to
advertise at one of Baca's rodeos, including banners, radio
advertising and tobacco patches.
"A lot of these young kids do look up to us as rodeo cowboys, as
mentors," said bronco rider Travis Johnson. "And whatever we can do
to share with them not to use tobacco would be best for
them." | 
