Hebron okays permit for Redneck Rodeo

HEBRON – Selectmen at their meeting Tuesday approved a mass gathering permit application for the Redneck Rodeo to take place June 29 to July 1, conditional of proof of liability insurance.

Selectmen agreed that event organizer Harold Brooks would need to provide his insurance prior to receiving the mass gathering license and holding the event at 12 Harold Lane.

During the meeting, selectmen reviewed a map of the general locations for parking, camping, latrines, concessions and the rodeo arena, before approving the application.

Brooks is also the man behind the “Redneck Olympics,” a similar event which has faced a lawsuit over its name. Last summer, and again this year despite a name change, the United States Olympic Committee threatened to sue Brooks for using the word “Olympics,” and said that he would need to change it.

Brooks was told that the word “Olympics” is the property of the Olympic Committee. Brooks insisted that his event is not based on the U.S. Olympics, but rather the Greek Olympics, which has been around for thousands of years.

Brooks has changed the name to the “Redneck Blank” to avoid a lawsuit. He said that he literally pulled a blank when thinking of a different name and though “Olympics” is no longer in the name, fliers for the event still advertise “Olympic-style events.”

According to Brooks, the Redneck Rodeo at the end of June will be Maine's first Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association event in years.

He also anticipates that the event will be bigger than last year's, which attracted about 2,600 people. “I think it will end up attracting as many, if not more than the Redneck Blank,” he said Tuesday.

Selectman Dan Eichorn asked Brooks what the maximum capacity for the event is, in case it becomes much bigger than he anticipates. Brooks said he didn't anticipate too much of an overflow. “I am more worried about the opposite,” he said.

Chairman Dick Deans asked Brooks what kind of seating he'll have at the rodeo. Brooks said that he would not be building bleachers, and instead would be setting 250 benches on a hill, since building a bench up more than five rows requires a building permit.

Brooks said he will provide the town with his liability policy prior to holding the event.

In other news, the board:

• Reviewed two bids for the repaving of the Allen Road and agreed to contact the state about lowering the road's speed limit, based on a letter from a resident complaining that vehicles are traveling too fast on the road.