Former mayor now King of Clovis Rodeo

Grand marshal will lead parade

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In two stints as Clovis' mayor and 30-plus years with the Clovis Rodeo Association, Stan King has dealt with his share of difficult people.

But that's OK, he's been surrounded by turkeys before. Literally.

King, who was chosen by the Clovis Rodeo Association to be this year's rodeo parade grand marshal, spent 33 years in the poultry industry, raising turkeys at one point, chickens at another. Somewhere along the line, he switched career paths, which led to a Clovis City Council position in 1974. He served as Clovis' mayor from 1976 to '78 and again from 1982 to '84.

"I've had a share of public things I've done. This has to be the crowning thing for me," King said of being named grand marshal. "This is a real gratifying and humbling experience. You look at the names of people who have been grand marshal -- that's Clovis history. It's humbling that your peers think you should be with them."

To hear members of the rodeo association talk about him, though, his name belongs right in with the rest of the legends.

"He can really throw a mean screwdriver," said Vince Genco, the Clovis Rodeo Association's arena director.

This particular piece of praise comes from an incident during his run as president of the rodeo association from 1985 to '90.

"When you're president, everybody comes to you with nit-picky little things," recalled Genco. "This guy comes in with tables, and Stan tells him where to put them, and he said, 'I'll put 'em where I want to put 'em.'

"Stan had a screwdriver in his hand, and he threw it -- not at the guy, but he threw it near him -- and it bounced off about three buildings. I laughed so hard."

When King retired from the Clovis Memorial District in 1995, his rodeo association friends presented him with a golden screwdriver.

King first joined the rodeo association during his first stint as mayor.

"I had a lot of friends in town that were members, and I kind of sought it out and wanted to join," he said. "At that time, they had a moratorium on new members. They shut it down for a couple of years, and when they opened it up again, I was on the first group that went in that year."

King's position in the association and on the board of directors led to a number of duties at the rodeo. In fact, King will tell you he pulled every duty except rodeo boss, the person who orchestrates the rodeo.

"They're all interesting, and some are more challenging," he said of his duties. "Parking is probably the most difficult to do."

Even with larger rigs and few spaces, King found a way to make it work.

"I think he has been a huge asset to the rodeo association and the community," said Mark Thompson, president of the association. "That just demonstrates his hard work and his due diligence in getting these things done and making the rodeo what it is today."

Taking care of little things like that is part of the reason King was chosen as grand marshal.

"Everything you ask Stan to do, he does it above and beyond what everyone expects," Genco said. "He's one of those great go-to guys you appreciate having around."

This year, though, he won't be asked to do a whole lot.

"There's really no functions to serve over other than introductions at each event," King said. "There's not a lot of ribbon-cutting or kissing babies."

Which is fine with him, because he's looking forward to getting out and taking in the action, something he hasn't been able to do because he was busy dealing with testy cowboys.

"This year I'll have an opportunity to see [the rodeo] pretty well. Like everything else, it's changed a lot since the first one I've been to," said King, currently the clerk for the Clovis Cemetery District board. "Personalities change, the rewards are much greater. It is a big-time sport, and as a rodeo association, you either adapt to those things or fall by the wayside.

"I think we have one of the most successful rodeos in California."

E-mail David Witte at dwitte@clovisindependent.com.