...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Southwest winds 35 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.
* WHERE...North Snowy Range Foothills including Arlington and Elk
Mountain along Interstate 80, and Central Carbon County including
the city of Rawlins.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM MDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Mainly to transportation. Strong cross winds will be
hazardous to light weight or high profile vehicles, including
campers and tractor trailers.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A High Wind Warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected or
occurring. Sustained wind speeds of at least 40 MPH or gusts of 58
MPH or stronger can lead to property damage.
&&
SARATOGA — The passing of the late Colorado cowboy Jason Blasdel at the Platte River Rodeo Association Rodeo last weekend was an unexpected tragedy that left a wife mourning her husband, and two young children to grow up without their father.
A native of Fruita, Colo., his family, friends and community have been holding a silent auction all week to raise money for the family Blasdel left behind.
While the place where Blasdel resided was quick to show their support, Blasdel’s father, Joe, was not pleased with the way that the town where his son passed has handled the situation.
“I’m really upset about it,” Joe said. “There was no acknowledgement.”
His father said he had reached out to the Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Platte River Rodeo Association and had got little to no response.
Chamber of Commerce CEO Stacy Crimmins said that the rodeo did not have any emergency contact on file for Blasdel and did not find one until Thursday.
“Number one with Mr. Blasdel, no one (knew) how to get ahold of them,” Crimmins said.
Beyond what the father felt was a negligence to his son’s passing, Joe also had concerns with how the rodeo was run regarding safety.
Joe expressed his concerns with the number of bullfighters — or for him, the lack there of — to keep the riders safe, a discernment with the amount of ambulance vehicles available during the rodeo and the continuation of the event through a lightning storm as major issues.
Disheartened, Joe remains realistic. He acknowledges that his son is gone, but hopes that it inspires change in future Platte River rodeos.
“It don’t bring my son back and don’t change what happened,” Joe said. “But it should prevent stuff like this in the future.”
All Joe asks for in return is the same acknowledgement for his late son.
“You remember Lane Frost, right? He’s a legend,” he said. “I know it’s a small rodeo, but I expect my son to be treated as that.”
According to a December 2014 issue of The New Yorker, from 1989 to 2009, 21 rodeo contestants had died, 16 of whom were bull riders. It also stated that bull riders are 10 times more likely than football players to suffer severe injuries.
Carbon County Coroner Paul Zamora doesn’t doubt those statistics even though it doesn’t happen very often in Carbon County.
“It’s not uncommon,” Zamora said. “But we haven’t had one here in quite some time.”
According to Zamora, after suffering injuries that resulted in internal bleeding from the occurrence July 14, Blasdel passed away the next day at 1:30 p.m.
His father recognizes that every bull ride is a gamble; he just hopes that the ranch families like his can find empathy in the loss of his son.
“We as rodeo competitors, we love the sport,” Joe said. “We know the risks, but the community needs to step up.”
After obtaining contact for the family, Crimmins said that she believes the town and rodeo committee will soon reach out to the Blasdels and come up with ideas to pay homage.
Until then, Crimmins sent her condolences on behalf of the town.
“We do extend our sincere sympathy,” she said. “Nobody wanted this.”
Donations can be made in support of his survived wife, Heather, and two children at any Wells Fargo bank.
Representatives of the Platte River Rodeo Association were not available upon deadline.
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