Red Bluff Round-Up Selects Cliff Kemen As Top Hand Winner

Red Bluff Round-Up Selects Cliff Kemen As Top Hand Winner

Cliff Kemen was honored with Red Bluff Round-Up's annual Top Hand Award during the Round-Up's annual volunteer recognition night on April 15.

Apr 25, 2017 by Cassie Emerson Emerson
Red Bluff Round-Up Selects Cliff Kemen As Top Hand Winner
RED BLUFF, CA -- The Red Bluff Round-Up has awarded its annual Top Hand Award to one of its volunteers.

Cliff Kemen was honored with the award during the Round-Up's annual volunteer recognition night on April 15.

Kemen, who grew up in Minnesota and moved to California at the age of 16, began volunteering at the Round-Up alongside his father-in-law, Dean Zeeveld, 45 years ago. He started helping Zeeveld with the fairgrounds entrance on Mulberry Street but was moved to the gate on the east side of the arena.

As the "gate man" for the rodeo arena, he's responsible for letting in and out a variety of people in numerous roles: the pickup men as they change horses, the cowgirls running flags, the Ram truck that brings in the barrels for the barrel racing, the specialty act, and the ambulance, if it is needed. He's behind the scenes and never noticed by rodeo fans, which Kemen prefers.

When Kemen started volunteering 40-plus years ago, he was "infatuated" with rodeo. Now, his interests have turned to team roping and cutting horses. For his years of volunteer service, Kemen was awarded a buckle.

Kemen's wife, Jolene, is a director with the Round-Up; the couple has a son and daughter, two grandsons, and a granddaughter.



Courtesy of PRCA


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