Mosey on over for a bronco busting, bull riding good time Published July 18, 2013 By Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- It's an opportunity to experience a state-holiday centered rodeo on July 22 as Hill Air Force Base military members are invited to attend Patriots Night at the Pioneer Days Rodeo in Ogden. The pristine outdoor arena known at the Ogden Pioneer Stadium will feature clowns, mutton busting, bull riding, bronco riders and more as events continue during a week focused around the 24th of July holiday that remembers the heritage of those who founded the state. Said Valerie Burke, Chief, Community Outreach, 75th Air Base Wing and longtime rodeo fan, "One of my favorite things about this particular rodeo is because it's held in an outdoor stadium. There is something about the feel and the atmosphere of an outdoor rodeo. I really don't know how to put my thumb on it, but it's something special to be out under the stars on a warm summer night watching the cowboy's bronco busting and the mad rush of adrenalin while watching the bull riders. There is just something special about that." The event will honor veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom, 2013 being the 10th anniversary, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. There will be a large group of volunteers from Hill AFB taking tickets, escorting community leaders, working out in the parking lots making sure that it's safe to park, letting in cowboys and livestock into the arena, and other acts of service. So it's likely you might see a familiar face or two. Burke, who remembers attending rodeos as a young fan, said that one of her favorite memories is watching the clowns distract the bulls from getting to the cowboys. "They are just as brave as the cowboys riding the animals." Families come together to attend the event as a group and it is one way to get in touch with Utah and the history of the West. "I think it is a good opportunity for new military members who might have just arrived at Hill AFB to learn a little about the community they will live, work and play in. A rodeo acclimates them to a little part of Utah's culture," said Burke. Tickets that night are $8 for military, $5 for children. Regular admission is $12 for adults, $6 for children.