— Yvonne Gibbs, PFD volunteer
People love the rodeo for various reasons; some love the thrill of watching superior human and animal athletes perform, others appreciate the camaraderie of their fellow fans. Members of the Prescott Frontier Days’ 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟖 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 (the ’88 Club) add a different category: those who love the rodeo and want to maintain and preserve our western heritage. Here, long-time Prescott resident Johnny Kieckhefer describes the origins of the ’88 Club and his family’s contributions.
The idea of the Buckle Club came during Kieckhefer’s 16 years of competing as a steer wrestler in the PRCA. While competing in Ellensburg, WA — one of his favorite rodeos to compete in – he got to witness the benefits their Buckle Club had made for the rodeo. Kieckhefer was there in the 90s and early 2000s just as their Buckle Club was forming, as were several other around the country. Ellensburg proved to be a great model for PFD because of the similarities that both communities shared. Fast forward 15 years when Johnny met Corey Bird and found out that the young man was from Ellensburg and was involved in different roles with their Buckle Club. Shortly after Corey moved to Prescott in the fall of 2020, the two men met with PFD Rodeo President Chris Graff and presented this idea to him. The PFD Board of Directors, General Manager Jim Dewey Brown, and Business Development Manager Greg Mengarelli enthusiastically agreed, and the program was developed by the spring of 2021.
The ’88 Club, with Johnny Kieckhefer at the helm, is composed of business and community leaders who value the PFD community. Johnny relates, “I am very proud and humbled to be a part of the creation of the 1888 Buckle Club. The Prescott Rodeo Grounds have been an important part of my family for multiple generations dating back to the 1880s when my maternal grandmother’s family, the Carters, starting ranching in Yavapai county and participating in the horse racing and rodeos and the multiple generations of “Carter Girls” that have worn the crown of Prescott Rodeo Queen. Both my grandfathers, Bob Kieckhefer and Chuck Sheppard, spent countless days starting in the 1940s until 2000 when horse racing ceased in Prescott. They not only volunteered and served on the Yavapai County Fair Association but also as owners/trainers of some of the greatest racing Quarter Horses to run. Additionally, my father John’s involvement as a stock contractor during the late 60s and early 70s saved the status of World’s Oldest Rodeo by not charging the rodeo any stock fees. His hard work and generosity were immortalized in the movie Junior Bonner, where his championship livestock was prominently featured. I am honored to now step in and do my part and continue the heritage of my family of giving more to this great community than we receive.
“The greatest things that I have seen happen within the ‘88 Club are the wonderful responses and sense of community I thought had been lost in Prescott over the past few years. Our annual membership dues are a large financial ask but our group of about 100 members has responded and agrees that the Prescott Rodeo Grounds is a valuable and unique treasure to not only our community but to the state of Arizona as well. It has been such a blessing for me to reconnect with some of the Prescott area multi-generational families, which consists of about a third of our membership, but I love meeting all the ‘new’ arrivals into our community. I would estimate about another third of our members arrived in the area in the past 20 to 30 years and the final third in the past 10 years. I feel that the ‘88 Club is carrying on the proud tradition of Prescott-area citizens and business leaders coming together and solving problems for the betterment of all; just like my great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents have done for over a century in this community. I am proud of our organization and our members and all the amazing things the future holds for Prescott Rodeo Grounds and its contribution to our community and state.”
This friendly group is considered an interactive social club and is governed by Prescott Frontier Days, Inc., with the ’88 Club membership serving in a ‘booster’ capacity, helping to bridge financial gaps. Members contribute generously through yearly dues that are directed toward capital improvements on the Rodeo Grounds and general operations, with no strings attached. Upgrades to the aging facilities have notably improved the overall experiences of our fans and contestants alike.
Since its inception, this group has donated nearly $1 million to the PFD Rodeo Grounds as well as supporting Bethany’s Gait, an equine therapy group dedicated to serving Veterans. A big thank you from PFD members, fans, contestants, and local communities to the ’88 Club members for their generous donations and for their role in preserving our beloved western traditions.
Caption:
’88 Club members enjoy up-close action of the Wild Horse Race. Photo courtesy Blushing Cactus Photography.