Get ready to rodeo in Groton this summer

 

 

It’s never too soon to start thinking about and planning for Groton Olde Home Days (GOHD), and this year’s three-day festival, from Aug. 24 to Aug. 26, will host the “Battle of the Beasts” rodeo, with two action-packed nights of professional bull riding, trick riding, mutton busting and the famous Colt 45 rodeo clown on Friday and Saturday.

What makes this addition to Groton’s premier event of the summer particularly special is that the rodeo is owned and operated by Dennis Rossignol, who is a native of Groton.

Rossignol’s parents, Dick and Clara Rossignol, were originally from Richford and Genoa, respectively, but moved to Groton in 1980 and started their family farm raising horses.

The Rossignols had draft horses and were involved in everything from sleigh rides and carriage rides for weddings to plowing contests and riding horses.

“We had horses of all sizes, shapes and colors,” Dennis said. “It was just what we did. We grew up with a western way of life with horses – my sister, Linda (Rossignol) Martin and I.”

Dennis attended Groton schools, from which he would have graduated in 1996. He candidly explained that he “failed a couple of courses” but later earned his General Education Development (GED) certificate from TST BOCES.

While in high school, Dennis started his own horseshoeing business – something he still does today, in addition to everything else he has accomplished.

Dennis started out with barrel racing with the 4-H in Cortland County as a youth and made appearances at the New York State Fair in multiple years. It was through 4-H and family friends that Dennis met his good friend, Dusty Horner. The two decided that “it would be fun to be in a rodeo,” so they pursued that path.

“My first time ever at a rodeo was in Caroga Lake, New York,” Dennis said. “It cost $7 to watch and $5 to ride a bull. That was a pivotal point in my life. I have never done drugs, but I think the feeling I have about rodeos must be like that for a drug addict. My life has been nothing but bull riding and rodeos ever since.”

While still living in New York, Dennis did do more than rodeo. Both during high school and after, he worked nights at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Science Large Animal Clinic, caring for horses. He also worked for Chris and Patricia Purdy, who owned Ivy League Farms in Ithaca, and traveled to various farms shoeing horses for his own business.

“I still have my shoeing business on the side today,” Dennis said, “and it is very successful. While most customers are local, they will fly me to wherever their horses are competing.”

Dennis entered rodeos all over the Northeast and said he “was winging it with no training” but doing very well. He became a member of the American Professional Rodeo Association, purchased his own chaps, spurs, vest and bull rope and began branching out and going to rodeos “all over the place.”

In 1999, Dennis moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to work for the Dave Martin Championship Rodeo, where he learned a lot about the promotion and production of rodeos while he was setting them up as part of his job.

“That was another pivotal point in my life,” Dennis said. “I got on a lot of bulls and bucking broncs and really did well.”

Dennis moved to Catonsville, Maryland, where he lived for about five years, but at the end of 2008, he got married and moved to Screven, Georgia, which is now his home. He continued to rodeo and also started doing team roping competitions.

Again, in his candid way, Dennis said that he was divorced three years ago but is very proud of his daughter from that union – Justice Rayne Rossignol, who is 13 years old and competes in junior rodeos.

“I’d been riding saddle broncs until my 40th birthday five years ago,” Dennis said, “and then I stopped – not because I turned 40, but because I wanted to watch Justice compete and couldn’t do that if I was still traveling to rodeos myself.”

At that point, Dennis started announcing for the junior rodeos. He bought a sound system so he could include music to add to the ambiance.

“I went from being a contestant to production, then pulled back to just announcing and horseshoeing after the divorce – mainly to focus on Justice,” Dennis said.

About two years ago, he was asked by a private entity to be the announcer for its bull-riding competitions.

“Things really snowballed from there,” Dennis said, “and strictly by word of mouth. I was back in production and doing rodeos all over – Ohio, Indiana, New York, Florida, Georgia and everywhere in between. I did 53 performances in 2022, including the Elite Bull Riding Association finals in Marianna, Florida.”

Dennis said his life now “is like being on a hamster wheel.” He does horseshoeing Monday through Wednesday every week and then hits the road for rodeos Thursday through Saturday. He’s home to spend time with Justice on Sundays. He also buys and sells about 20-30 horses a year – but it’s a life he thrives in and loves every minute of.

Now, Dennis is excited to bring his rodeo, Southern Soul Productions, to Groton during GOHD. His sister, Linda, is helping him with the business end of things here, for which he is very grateful.

“I’ve always wanted to have an event here where I grew up,” Dennis said. “There have been other rodeos here in the area, but never in Groton. Linda and I talked about doing it during Olde Home Days, but we didn’t know what we could do about a venue. I talked to Joe Neville about using one of his fields, but he offered the space on Main Street, so that’s where it will be.”

In addition to championship bull riding and mutton busting, which is sheep riding for kids, Dennis will also bring in a trick rider and Colt 45, who is one of the top rodeo clowns in the southeast, as well as many other surprises, including a dance contest for kids.

Tickets will go on sale 30 days prior to the performances at $15 each and will be $18 each at the gate. As we draw closer to the event, additional information will be available in this column. Interested rodeo sponsors can contact Linda Martin at any time at Lindalmartin22@yahoo.com.

In the meantime, dust off those cowboy hats and oil those boots! GOHD will be here before we know it!

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.  

 In brief: 

The Loose Ends Project 

 When a knitter, crocheter or quilter passes away mid-project or is no longer able to do handwork due to disease or injury, they will likely leave behind unfinished items they’d been making for friends and family. These tangible, handmade expressions of love could get lost, donated or thrown out.

The Loose Ends Project connects unfinished projects to volunteer finishers who complete and return the garments, blankets or accessories to their intended recipients.

If you are a knitter, crocheter or quilter, you understand that a handmade gift is priceless. Do you have some time to give? Your efforts will reconnect a bereaved individual with a garment or accessory that was begun for them by a loved one. Contact projectlooseends@gmail.com.

Do you need a project finished? You can be connected with a volunteer who has the skills and time to get the job done by filling out an online form at looseendsproject.org.

Books for a cause 

 Brittany Station, 152 Main St., has a gently used adult hardback book section where books are available for a $1.50 donation per book. Funds will be given to the Groton Public Library to purchase books. No credit cards, please.

Adult volleyball 

Groton Recreation is adding adult co-ed pick-up volleyball to its offerings for the community beginning Monday, Feb. 6 from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Groton Jr./Sr. High School gymnasium.

Adult volleyball is free and open to all skill levels. The goal is to get together and have fun playing volleyball. Please email any questions to recreation@grotonny.org.