By Denny Deady | Published Thursday, September 3, 2009
The books are closed and the donations are dispensed from the 2009 edition of the WC Challenger Charities Professional Bull Riding event in May in Decatur.
The event, which has drawn thousands to Decatur annually since 2004, carries the name of J.W. Hart, the Oklahoma bullrider who retired at the top of his game to devote time to his family, raising championship bulls and narrating PBR events on television.
Because Hart agreed to take his final ride atop a bull in Decatur, this year's event at the Wise County Sheriff's Posse grounds drew a record crowd and raised a record $55,000 for charity. In the past six years, the event has raised $276,450, $31,000 of that for the Resistol Relief Fund and the remainder for non-profit groups and service organizations in Wise County.
The event is the brain child of four local businessmen, Andrew Rottner, Roy Young, Wendell Berry Jr. and Calvin Jackson.
United Way of Wise County is the primary beneficiary of funds, receiving $154,000 since 2004. Since the event is staged at the Posse grounds, the Sheriff's Posse has received $23,000 in six years.
"On behalf of WC Challenger Charities, it was a great honor to be able to present checks totaling a record $55,000 to our local benefactors as a result of the 6th Annual JW Hart PBR Challenge," said Rottner. "We cannot thank our sponsors and our fans enough for their support of this great event. Once again, O'Neal Distributing of Mineral Wells stepped up as they have every year since we began as our title sponsor. Without the support of our sponsors, WC Challenger Charities could not produce the high caliber PBR event we do, nor would we be in a position to provide the funding we do to local civic and charitable groups such as The Wise County Veterans Group, Wise Regional Health Foundation, Trinity Habitat for Humanity and others."
Rottner said, "It is a great reflection on the people of Wise County that we are all able to pull together for a common cause and help one another. Even when times are difficult, that is when the support is needed the most and this year was no exception.
I just want to thank all the sponsors and our fans for their loyal support and we hope to see them all back in 2010."
