The 2022 Cloverdale Country Fair has been cancelled.
Janet Howell, director of membership and volunteers, notified Cloverdale Rodeo & Exhibition Association members of the cancellation via email March 17.
鈥淚t is with a sad heart that I am sending you this email,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淧lease understand this was a very difficult decision.鈥�
She said the Rodeo board made the decision to cancel the event and run it next year alongside the Cloverdale Rodeo in 2023.
鈥淭he board of directors based this difficult decision on the need to rebuild following the global pandemic,鈥� Howell explained. 鈥淭he focus is now on ensuring the 2023 Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition returns better than ever, while continuing to contribute to the spirit of the community.鈥�
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Howell thanked members for their understanding and asked them to reach out to her directly with any questions.
鈥淲e cannot run these events without our great volunteers, please know you are appreciated,鈥� she said. 鈥淎gain any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.鈥�
The Rodeo Association had just received their permit for the Country Fair from the City of Surrey on March 7.
When the 2022 Rodeo was cancelled, the Rodeo Association cited problems with Stetson Bowl. However, Howell did not explain any reasons why the 2022 Country Fair was cancelled in her St. Patrick鈥檚 Day email.
Gerry Spielmacher, Rodeo Association president, told the Cloverdale Reporter after the email was sent out the Association that they really tried to get something going for May long, but just couldn鈥檛 pull it off in the end.
鈥淲e cancelled the Country Fair part of Rodeo Weekend due to the dynamics of what was happening with the global pandemic and the late start with putting this together,鈥� he said.
Spielmacher explained the cancellation was mostly because of their late start trying to organize it, but said the Association also has 鈥渜uite a few new people鈥� on the board and the board will benefit from having the extra time to plan and organize both events for 2023.
鈥淯p until last week, when they started to loosen up all the pandmeic issues, and it looked like we might be able to do some things, then we started to get into it, and once we got into it, we realized that if we wanted to do a good job, we鈥檇 have to put it off to next year.鈥�
Spielmacher added there was no thought of postponing it until the fall because a lot of their vendors, and especially the midway, would be unavailable.
鈥淲e want to do a good job and we鈥檙e gonna do a better job for 2023. And we鈥檙e looking forward to doing that. It鈥檚 just unfortunate thing that the board made the decision that we needed to pull the plug for this year.鈥�
Spielmacher said the vote to cancel wasn鈥檛 unanimous, but he said a large majority of the board voted in favour of cancellation.
In terms of the Rodeo Association鈥檚 next AGM, and whether or not he will run again for president, Spielmacher was tight lipped, though he did say it would be nice to 鈥済et another rodeo under the belt.鈥�
He added the Association will set a date for the 2022 AGM soon.
鈥淲e were waiting to hold the AGM after Rodeo Weekend, but I鈥檓 not sure when we鈥檒l have it now. We鈥檒l decide that at the next couple of board meetings.鈥�
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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