05/06/2026
Jacob,
Yesterday you stood before a crowd of unruly Lions Club members and spoke for more than half an hour about the success of the Angelina Benefit Rodeo, just as you had in the four weeks
leading up to the Greatest Show on Dirt. You meticulously highlighted all the successes and shortcomings of each facet that makes the rodeo come together for one week out of the year.
You told us about the growth of the rodeo and how ours is now a gateway to the “The Daddy of ‘em All” and many competitors at this year’s event will now have an opportunity to compete at
the NFR. Our community and club are humbled and blessed to have the opportunity to host an event as big as the Angelina Benefit Rodeo. What began as a small outdoor rodeo fifty years
ago has grown into a national powerhouse in the rodeo community. This kind of success doesn’t happen by accident. The years of groundwork set in place by Mike Mathis has not been lost;
that is because of you, never skipping a beat and picking up exactly where he left off. You entertain us with jokes, quick wit, and comradery carefully singling out members of the club and
making them feel….well, “special”. You somehow manage to keep the spirit of the Lions Club and the rodeo alive in much the same way that Mike managed to do for so many years. It is this
kind of light that is the success of the rodeo that keeps us Lions Club members and the community coming back for more. Your heartfelt sincerity, demeanor, and care you put into the
Angelina Benefit Rodeo does not go unnoticed. We know you like to quietly work to orchestrate this thing we all love from the cab of an unassuming tractor or water truck to get it all done. No
plaque or special award is available to express our level of gratitude. So, while you spent your lunch hour thanking us for giving you this opportunity, we want to say a BIG THANK YOU Jacob Moorhead, for all that you do for our rodeo and all the rodeos around the country!
Photo Credit: James Phifer with RodeoBUM.com
