Bull Fighter Rory Meeks

Chuck Zimmerman

Rory Meeks - Rodeo Clown & Bull FighterIt takes a lot of guts or something else to be a good Bull Fighter or Rodeo Clown.

A rodeo clown or bull fighter is a rodeo performer who works on bull riding contests. His primary job is to protect the rider from the bull after he dismounts or is bucked off, by distracting the bull and providing alternative targets for the bull to chase.

Rory Meeks here has a lot of whatever that is and we’ll get to see him help out some bull riders here at the Three Hills Rodeo tonight.

Rory says he played high school in college and that getting run over by a bull isn’t much different than getting run over by a big linebacker. You can learn more about Rory and what he does for a living in my interview with him.

Here’s my interview with Rory Meeks:
3-hills-rodeo-07-meeks.mp3

Audio, New Holland, Rodeo

Michael on With The Bear & Charli

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael Peterson live radioAfter the tv interviews this morning we headed on over to WYNC for a couple of live segments with Bear & Charli.

Michael is sitting in the Y-100 studio and talking about his New Holland, Down on the Farm CD and the great causes we’re supporting through the rodeo entertainment venue.

The Bear and Charli were a lot of fun. I hope they come on out to the performance tonight.

New Holland, Rodeo

Michael Peterson TV Interviews

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael Peterson with CBS AffiliateIn the early hours this morning Michael Peterson did live shots with the local CBS affiliate.

In this one he ended the segment with a live song on his guitar. We’re going to get to hear Michael sing the national anthem tonight to start the Three Hills Rodeo. He’s also going to be doing a special performance with the Army and I’ll have more on that later.

It was fun watching these reporters (hey I’m one too) at work. I didn’t get their names. This one did one of her live segments while sitting on top of a live bull in a chute. That took some guts and you could tell by listening to her afterward that it got her adrenaline pumping.

New Holland, Rodeo

A Day With Michael Peterson

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael Peterson with NBC AffiliateA day in the life of country music star Michael Peterson. Sounds like a book or a movie. Actually, it’s the theme of my posts here in Green Bay, WI at the Three Hills Rodeo.

This morning we started out at 6am with live spots on local tv and radio stations. Here’s Michael being interviewed by the local NBC affiliate.

We’re standing in the rodeo arena, on the floor. I was very much hoping the bulls they had out for this stayed tucked away safely in their chutes.

New Holland, Rodeo

Michael Peterson is Ready for Some Rodeo

Chuck Zimmerman

Me interviewing Michael PetersonHello from Green Bay, WI, the site of the Three Hills Rodeo which will kick off this evening in the Resch Arena. I’m here documenting a day with Michael Peterson which started out very early this morning.

I interviewed him early to get a perspective on what all’s going on. He’s here to watch some young people get sworn in to the army and to help raise support for breast cancer awareness and the Deanna Favre Foundation. This is part of the Dodge Bulls & Broncs Outlaws of Rodeo Tour.

Here’s my interview with Michael:
3-hills-07-michael-peterson-1.mp3

Audio, New Holland, Rodeo

The NAMA Hog Bombers ABEF Donation

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA HogsI think this might be the last pre-NAMA installment of the NAMA Bombers series. They’re showing a commitment to our youth with an ABEF donation. Jeremy thinks he would be John Travolta if you wanted to put him in the movie. What do you think?

The NAMA Bombers Motorcycle Club has announced the donation of a genuine autographed lobby poster from the recent Wild Hogs movie and an exclusive “club members only” jacket to the ABEF Silent Auction at the 2007 Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show.

The movie poster is autographed by Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Ray Liotta, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Durand, M.C. Gainey and Jill Hennessy.

The jacket is denim, size XL, embroidered with the NAMA Bombers Motorcycle Club logo with the four sponsor companies’ names (Adculture, John Deere, FIN, NAFB) tastefully and discreetly added. This exclusive jacket will be exactly like the club jackets worn by the NAMA Bombers on their National Run.Read More

NAMA

CBOT Says Try Mini Me

Chuck Zimmerman

Chicago Board of TradeI guess that farm broadcasters needing some more program material have got it now. Mini Futures.

The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) announced today that it will launch mini-sized CBOT Ag futures contracts on its e-cbot electronic trading platform. This is the first time these contracts will be available on an electronic platform and they will include mini-sized Corn, mini-sized Soybeans and mini-sized Wheat contracts.

The mini-sized Ag contracts are 1/5 the size of their full-sized counterparts, or 1,000 bushels. They will trade on the CBOT electronic trading platform on the overnight hours beginning at 6:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Sunday through Friday. In addition, these products will continue to trade in the open auction market from 9:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

The contracts are scheduled to launch mid-second quarter 2007. CBOT mini-sized Ag contracts are designed to provide market participants with enhanced trading opportunities, offer global customers, particularly in Asia, a smaller contract that is sized to their needs. In addition, these products will utilize CBOT’s innovative process for directed fungibility allowing market participants the opportunity to offset mini-sized contracts against full-sized contracts as they near expiration. These mini-sized contracts will benefit from the arbitrage opportunities with the full-sized contracts, and the increasing liquidity during the European and Asian trading day.

Agribusiness

Rodeo Blogging in Green Bay

Chuck Zimmerman

Three Hills RodeoAs I was driving to a client presentation today I received a phone call from another client and tomorrow I’m headed to Green Bay, WI for the Three Hills Rodeo. This is going to be fun. For one thing, I haven’t been to a rodeo for a while. For another, I’ll be shooting some more video to play around with on my Mac afterward.

The client is New Holland which is a rodeo sponsor and Michael Peterson will be kicking things off. I’ll have a lot more for you starting on Friday and over the weekend.

New Holland Helps Open Chutes for Rodeo Action!

Three Hills RodeoAs the Official 2007 Sponsor of Three Hills Rodeo, Inc. New Holland will help behind the scenes at events as a New Holland TM145 will be grooming the arena at our events. While the new Skid Steer is on the road, a New Holland TM145 tractor will be servicing the livestock needs on the ranch in Iowa. Gene Hemphill, of New Holland, has also helped bring a great attraction to the Front End of the Three Hills Production. Michael Peterson, Country Music Recording Artist and New Holland Spokesman will be performing at Green Bay Bulls and Broncs Event. We hope to see him at other events down the rodeo trail!!!

Yes sir. This should be a fun event to blog about.

Agribusiness, New Holland, Rodeo

The NDCPPHRB

Chuck Zimmerman

Terry WeckerlyI want you to say, “North Dakota Crop Protection Product Harmonization and Registration Board” 7 times in a row real fast. Ready? Go.

Terry Weckerly, Vice President of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association was named to the North Dakota Crop Protection Product Harmonization and Registration Board. The North Dakota Crop Protection Product Harmonization and Registration Board was created by the state Legislature specifically to address and resolve pesticide availability and pricing fairness issues for the state’s farmers. The bi-partisan board consists of elected state officials and farmers who have a common mission of working with regulators and pesticide manufacturers to make effective products available at fair prices. It seeks to promote the registration of new, safe crop protection products for farmers to use on the more than 70 crops that are raised in North Dakota. Primarily, the board is focused on efforts to harmonize the availability and pricing of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides to match those of our world competitors, most notably in Canada, our immediate neighbor to the north.

Ag Groups

Cathy Erickson To Manage O&B Des Moines

Chuck Zimmerman

Cathy EricksonOsborn & Barr Communications has a new managing director for its Des Moines office.

Cathy will serve as the strategic lead for Iowa-based accounts, and will manage the overall productivity and growth of the Osborn & Barr Iowa and Upper Midwest operations.

“Cathy brings to the agency a wealth of marketing knowledge and understanding of the Iowa, ag and rural marketplaces,” said O&B Senior Vice President Hugh Whaley. “Her event marketing expertise will be a great addition to our service offering for current and potential clients.”

Prior to joining O&B, Cathy served as director of marketing and events at Clear Channel Radio in Iowa, where she gained extensive management, promotion, media relations and public relations experience with clients including John Deere, Iowa Soybean Association, Owens Corning and Petco. Most notably, she produced the WHO Radio Great Iowa Tractor Ride from its inception through its ten-year anniversary, Under her direction the event grew to immediately sell out every year, draw 27 sponsors annually, and was replicated by Cathy in multiple Clear Channel markets.

Agencies