Cambridge Rodeo Bible Camp 2023

An idea for a Rodeo Bible camp was born in the year 1981 that began with a few cowboys and girls who were driven to bring their youth to Christ. This camp started with no clear plan or organization but has grown to have a large manual for organization. Other groups around the United States have come to Idaho learning how to organize their own camp in their own state.
Even though this camp is non-denominational, many churches around the community have come together to build and support the Rodeo Bible Camps of Idaho, providing opportunities for the youth to be “instructed in the redemptive love of Jesus Christ” and build grit by participating in a full on rodeo. The five day clinic gives teens the opportunity to put their skills into practice at an actual rodeo competition.
President Dennis Holmes and wife, Tonya Holmes, administrator and barrel racing trainer, are passionate about the Rodeo Bible Camp held in Cambridge, Idaho during the 3rd week of June, every year. Tonya Holmes continues to put on this event year after year because she loves seeing “people come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and change their entire lives” by participating in this camp.
This year 122 youth signed up between the ages of 12 and 19 years old, with 122 people helping to run the event. Each participant pays a tuition fee of around $180, which still does not cover the cost to run the event. So the Rodeo Bible Camp also relies on donations from businesses and donors in the community.
The Rodeo Bible Camp in Cambridge draws kids from the rural, agricultural way of life to participate in this five day camp. Three of those days is spent in complete training of the following rodeo events: bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, barrell racing, pole bending, goat tying, chute dogging, tie down, calf roping, team roping, and break away roping. Some of the youth who sign up know nothing about any of these events, then choose one, and in three days are completely trained to participate in a two day actual rodeo.
Not only are they attending the clinic but they also participating in two chapels per day. The kids who sign up are divided into groups and are assigned a group leader, called a worship leader. In each chapel they hear a sermon and enjoy gospel music. On Wednesday of the five day camp the whole group participates in a Chapel in the Dirt, where there is a bonfire, music, and hear spiritual testimonies. One participant, Libby Clagg described her experience as a very touching time for everyone who attended. She spoke of lots of tears and laughter. “It is an emotional time, bonding with people I didn’t even know and probably would never know by hearing about things in their lives.” For Clagg one of her most cherished moments was hearing from her own Worship Leader, Grant Webb. To hear his testimony was life changing. “It was amazing to hear how he loves God in his own way, differently from how others love God.” She even had her own moment where she felt that God was telling her that he put her on Earth to listen to the stories of some of these other young people sharing stories, walking with them in their faith while growing her own as well.
Clagg learned a lot in the clinic too. She trained in goat tying for the first time ever. She described having less time working with her horse and more time on the ground working with the goat. “It took a lot more patience and persistance working on the ground than in the saddle.” A motto she took from her wrestling coach into this event was “slow is fast and fast is smooth.” Working by that motto with goat tying helped her improve in this event. Clagg said, “I walked out of this camp with much more confidence than I came in with.”
Winners from the two day rodeo receive first, second, and third place prizes for each event. The first prize winners received a custom made belt buckle. Second prize winners received a custom made picture frame with a photograph of their self participating in the event. And the third place prize is a cross lanyard to remind them of their experience at the Rodeo Bible Camp.
Winners from each event will be announced in next week’s issue of the paper.
All photos are taken by Jennifer Rininger with Crooked R Photography. For more pictures contact (208) 741-1023 or crookedrphotography@gmail.com. Also find photos on her Facebook page or her website, crookedrphotography.smugmug.com.