2024 Gathering Grand Marshals Ceremony

Name: 2024 Gathering Grand Marshals Ceremony
Start: 2024-10-05T11:30:00-06:00
Location: Mahogany Grille

Schedule

Sat Oct 05 2024 at 11:30 am

UTC-06:00

Location

Mahogany Grille | Durango, CO

MEET THIS YEARS COWBOY PARADE GRAND MARSHALS
Everyone is invited as we honor Eldon and Lindy Simmons during our Western Heritage celebration! SATURDAY OCTOBER 5TH 11:30 AM AT THE Strater Hotel Mahogany Grille
Eldon and Lindy raise Angus cattle on their ranch in the Mancos Valley. Each of them have been very active in promoting our western and ranching history and culture. They both strongly
believe in our traditions, including helping others and giving back to the community. They volunteer with many organizations and host chuck wagon dinners to benefit groups in the Mancos
Valley.
Eldon owns River Traders Saddlery in Mancos. He specializes
in making custom saddles along with repairing leather horse equipment from saddles and bridles to harnesses. Among his past work, Eldon was a pen rider for Monfort beef, a range biologist for the U.S. Forest Service and a rural water manager. He was a rodeo cowboy, has been a county fair board member and served as a leader for 4-H livestock and rodeo programs.
In addition to ranch work, Lindy is a well respected cowboy
poet. She won the 2021 International Western Music Association poetry contest and has performed throughout the western U.S. Lindy was a professor at Fort Lewis College for more than 40 years, is a student of Southwestern and Mexican history and is fluent in Spanish. She authored a book of true cowboy stories – from the past to the present.
For 16 years, she wrote and produced the “Variety Show with a Twist” which was a regular feature at the Durango Cowboy
Gathering. Her sense of humor runs through her shows, stories and poems. Lindy has served on the Durango Cowboy Gathering
board of directors for more than 20 years and was president of the organization for two years. She has been instrumental in teaching poetry composition and mentoring elementary school students
with the Gathering's Cowboy Poetry and Art contest and now spends time with the Mancos Valley Historical Society.
Eldon and Lindy's son Drew grew up on rodeo. He was a steer wrestler, team roper and competed in cutting. Drew and his wife Teri have two children and live in the Mancos Valley not far from the home ranch. Their daughter Samantha is attending Oklahoma State University. Son A.J. is a sophomore at Mancos High School and is following in the footsteps of his grandfather and dad, taking up roping along with football and other sports.
Family life is paramount for Eldon and Lindy. They now prepare lunch once a week for a group of high school kids, just to keep in touch. We are pleased to honor their commitment with our 2024 Western Heritage Tribute.