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Kickin' it at the Hawley Ranch! Cameron Hawley has lived in Banning, California, most of his life. Born in Texas, he moved to Banning with his family in 1967 at the age of four. He has three grown sons: Cameron Jr., Raymond, and Blake. e ultimate horse enthusiast, Mr. Hawley bought his rst horse in 1986 at age 23. In 1999, he had the opportunity to purchase the two-and-a-half acre property in Banning where he boarded his horse and has been operating his stables ever since. e Hawley Ranch Rodeo began in the summer of 2001. "No need to advertise," Hawley recalls. "I simply opened my address book and invited some friends. e rst year, about 10 cowboys showed up. We just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves." In July 2024, Hawley's Ranch Rodeo attracted 35 cowboys from Los Angeles. e event began late at 4 pm due to the heat and lasted two-and-a-half hours. Hawley said, "e cowboys really like coming out to my place in Banning because it is more laid back and fun." He added, "we had some vendors present, and barbecue was served. ere was no pressure for the cowboys. If you miss, no one cares, and you are not jeopardizing entry fees like at other rodeos." Hawley and surrounding residents all own cattle and livestock kept at Banning Mountain. He explained, "For the rodeo, we blocked o the main street, and 20 of us on horseback herded our cattle down from the mountain into the corral at my ranch." e rodeo displays traditional cowboy events, including calf roping, team roping, and breakaway roping. An exciting women's event requires competitors to rope the calf and then quickly disengage, allowing them to remain mounted. Barrel racing is another women's event that involves racing horses around barrels in an obstacle-course-like fashion. Steer wrestling or bulldogging is a thrilling technique developed by the legendary black cowboy Bill Pickett and is a popular event. Cowboy Hawley will be doing a roping demonstration at our Black History event on Saturday, Feb. 8. Doors open at 1:30 pm. Dress in your favorite western attire! e next meeting is Monday, Feb. 3 at 6 pm in e Lodge Game Room. For more information, contact Jocelyn Doucette at cjs1speed@gmail.com. ~ Regina omas FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2025 47 African American Cultural Club Cameron Hawley at the Banning Rodeo Mr. Hawley at his Ranch in Banning Hawley roping a calf