Rustlers Ride High

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO STATESMANSEPT. 10, 2010 Rustlers ride high

in PuebloDenver Rustlers cowboy up for

State Fair’s Junior Livestock Sale

THE GALLERY 1 Denver Rustlers founder Larry Mizel raises his

arm in victory after the Rustlers successfully bid on this year’s Reserve Grand Champion steer. Dean Singleton, left,

owner of The Denver Post, shared in the $19,500 purchase alongwith auto dealer Greg Stevinson and developer Rick Sapkin.

Seated at the right is Denver Post editor Greg Moore.

2 Alex Mateo from Colorado Concern and John Bush fromLead Technologies share their seats at the State Fair’s Junior

Livestock Sale with the stuffed animal Bush won on the midway.

3 The 4-H youth who raised the Champion market hog lastyear proudly displays the buckle she won at the 2009 Weld

County Fair. She participated at the Colorado State Fair this year with other prize-winning livestock.

Photos by Jason Kosena

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THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 2

THE GALLERY 1 State Treasurer Cary Kennedy and James Mejia, CEO of theDenver PreSchool Program and candidate for Denver mayor, enjoythe hospitality of Del Frisco’s prior to the bus trip to Pueblo. 2 U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauds the sponsors of thisyear’s Rustlers trip to the State Fair. Jason Dunn, an attorney withBrownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, is at right. 3 Bradley Joseph of Silver Spur Marketing & Promotions,Ginnie Kontnik from the University of Colorado Eye Institute andMary Smith of WHOSAIDYOUSAID.com pose outside the steak house. 4 Former congressional candidate Wil Armstrong and Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway snack on beef sliders and catch up on old times. 5 U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, developer Larry Mizel, U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and current Mayor and Democratic candidate for governor John Hickenlooper are quite the fivesome. 6 Gigi Dennis, former secretary of state, and Bernie Buescher,current secretary of state, are both Denver Rustlers.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff (3, 4, 6)Photos by Jason Kosena (1, 2, 5)

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THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 3

THE GALLERY 1 Political consultant and Denver Rustler Mike Stratton greets host Larry Mizel at the entrance of Del Frisco’s restaurant on Tuesday. 2 U.S. Sen. Mark Udall is welcomed to the pre-event luncheon by Larry Mizel. 3 Gary Levine of Merchants Mortgage & Trust Co. and attorney Frances Koncilja are longtime Denver Rustlers. 4 State Representative and CD 4 GOP candidate Cory Gardner and retiring House Speaker Terrance Carroll are all smiles.

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Local longhorns are big bidders in PuebloBY JODY HOPE STROGOFFTHE COLORADO STATESMAN

Toward the end of every summer formore than two decades now, theDenver Rustlers — a spirited group ofmetro area business men and women,elected officials, dignitaries and leadersfrom other arenas — don fancy customembroidered cowboy shirts stuffed indenim jeans with oversized shiny silverbelt buckles, cowboy hats and westernboots and make a real party out ofgoing to Pueblo to the Colorado StateFair. It’s a hell raisin’ fun time, forsure, always accompanied by greatgrub, liquid refreshments and morethan a fair amount of camraderieamong fellow cowpokes.

After more than two decades, theDenver Rustlers have become a tradi-tion of sort, as much a part of the polit-ical landscape in Colorado as almostany other important political function.Although there aren’t any ‘officia’speeches or legislativebusiness conducted, you’lllikely find nearly everyelected official in the statein attendance, as well asthose who hope to holdsuch positions in thefuture. This year’s DenverRustlers outing, forexample, attractedColorado’s governor —and the Democrat andRepublican who hope tosucceed him; statewideofficials from both polit-ical parties; the twoelected members of theU.S. Senate from Colorado— as well as the ardentRepublican challenger ofone of them; plus themayor of the state’slargest city and a barrageof candidates hoping to fillhis cowboy boots as earlyas next January.

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Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff (1, 2, 3) Photo by Jason Kosena (4)

THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 4

THE GALLERY 1 Scott Hutchings of Waste Management and

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet ponder the good times ahead. 2 Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck checks in with his campaign.

3 Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall shakes hands across the buffet table with Republican Attorney General John Suthers as Metro State President Dr. Steve Jordan looks on.

4 Denver City Council members Charles Brown and Carla Madison are dressed for the occasion.

5 Congressman Ed Perlmutter, D-CD 7, and hopeful congressional candidate Cory Gardner catch up on their former statehouse days together.

6 Denver attorneys Frances Koncilja and Cole Finegan, a potential mayoral candidate, are all smiles.

Photo by Jody Hope Strogoff (4) Photos by Jason Kosena (1, 2, 3, 5, 6)

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THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 5

Denver Rustlers mix politics and giving back to the communityAdd in a couple university presidents, leaders in civic affairs

and philanthropy, tycoons in business, legislators and lobbyistsand you begin to touch on the eclectic composition of thisgalloping group.

What makes this annual event such a “must” in today’s polit-ical world?

Well, part of the reason rests withone of the original founders of

the Denver Rustlers, aformer cowboy himself

from Oklahoma namedLarry Mizel. The

young entrepreneurarrived inColorado viamotorcycle back inthe 1960s and

earned his spurs asa homebuilder

throughout the years.Now the name of Mizel

is synonymous with notonly the homebuilding industry

but with charitable giving. WhenMizel digs in his boots, he can accomplish quite

a lot and starting up the Rustlers is one of his unique and mostprideful successes. Getting new members in the saddle has beenone of his major callings.

The original Denver Rustlers, who first got together more thantwo decades ago, are still kicking dirt, though the hair under theircowboy hats may have grayed a little. They include the Robinsonbrothers, Eddie and Dick of dairy business fame, former ColoradoAgriculture Commissioner Tim Schultz, who still handles thereins at the Sale, and Puebloan Tom Farley, the recently deceasedstalwart who served on the board of the state’s prime Ag school,Colorado State University.

The genesis of the group dates back to the mid-1980s when thefaltering economy in Colorado resulted in low attendance at theState Fair’s Jr. Livestock Sale. Its future was endangered, whichmeant that a bunch of truly deserving Colorado kids would be

THE GALLERY 1 Sen. Mark Udall works the aisles of one of the buses en route to Pueblo

for the State Fair. Elected officials and candidates switched buses about halfway through the trip so they could talk with as many people as possible.

2 Senate candidate Ken Buck chats with one of the State Fair commissioners. 3 A caravan of Pueblo County sheriff ’s vehicles with sirens blaring escorted the three Rustler

buses through the city of Pueblo to the fairgrounds, where the Junior Livestock Sale was held. 4 An ambassador for the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce places a pin on the

lapel of GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes as he enters the sale. 5 Bob Loew, an attorney with Fairfield & Woods, and

House Speaker Terrance Carroll enjoy the bus ride to Pueblo. 6 Denver Rustler Paul Raab of Linhart PR makes a donation to the

Sun City and Pueblo School District 70 marching bands at the fair.

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Photos by Jason Kosena

THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 6

THE GALLERY 1 Denver Rustlers are greetedby the Sun City and Pueblo SchoolDistrict 70 bands at the State Fair. 2 Denver Rustlers, donned in

their distinctive Western shirts and trademark cowboy hats,

enter the arena where the Junior Livestock Sale is conducted.

3 Frances Koncilja and DenverMayor John Hickenlooper.

4 The Denver Post’s DeanSingleton and dairyman Ed

Robinson enter the sale arena. 5 Denver Rustlers Larry Mizel,

attorney Howard Boigon, DenverCity Council member Carol Boigon

and Howard Brill of Global Employment Solutions at the fair.

6 Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper talks with

Dr. Bronwyn Bateman of the RockyMtn. Eye Institute at Fitzsimons.

7 Larry Mizel points to the Denver Rustlers

Grand Champion belt buckle thatJohn Hickenlooper is sporting.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff (3, 4, 5, 6)Photos by Jason Kosena (1, 2)

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hard pressed to collect the money theycounted on for college.

That’s when the core group ofDenver businessmen — and at first itwas just men — realized that an infu-sion of cash was greatly needed to keepthe Jr. Livestock Sale going.

Their numbers have grown over the

years as has their financial prowess.More than a million dollars has beenraised by the Denver Rustlers over thelast couple of decades and they havebecome a major force to reckon withduring the premier event for younglivestock exhibitors.

In fact, the Rustlers have inspired

other bidding groups from around thestate and they playfully try to out-doeach other at the Sale.

Throughout the evening, auction-eers play one group off the other inhopes of prodding top prices for theanimals, which are proudly paradedaround by their young owners, often

dressed in their best western ware,hoping to attract a buyer for theiranimal. Once in awhile, the livestockare gussied up too, with a bow pinnedto the ear of a prize winning steer, or alei of flowers adorning the neck of alamb or goat.

The 4H members who bring theiranimals to the Fair have been instilledwith a sense of responsibility fromearly on. They feed and care for theiryoung animals and learn early on theimportant lessons of a strong workethic. They’re also taught other lifelessons, such as when they’re forced tosay goodbye to the beloved animalsthey have so carefully cared for. andmust now go to slaughter for market.that have been readied for market.

The most spirited bidding, naturally,is for the Grand and Reserve GrandChampions steer, hogs, lambs andgoats. And typically the contest boilsdown to an age old friendly rivalrybetween the Denver Rustlers and thefamily of Puebloan Sam Brown, who

THE COLORADO THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 7

Denver Rustlers recognize importance of the Jr. Livestock Sale

THE GALLERY 1 Denver Post editor Greg Moore, Rick Sapkin of Edgemark Development, Dean Singleton of Media NewsGroup and The Denver Post, Colorado Springs businessmanSteve Schuck and Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer are all smiles. 2 Dean Singleton signals a bid as fellow Rustlers Greg Stevinson and Rick Sapkin look on. 3 Janel Domenico, finance director for Ken Buck’s Senate campaign, and Peggy Littleton, candidate for El PasoCounty commissioner, enjoy themselves before the sale. 4 Denver Post editor Greg Moore chats with MonicaOwens from Phase Line Strategies and Frances Owens, former Colorado first lady now at the Galloway Group. 5 Jack Hoaglund of Sterling Ranch says hello to Kasie Pigg, Miss Rodeo Colorado.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff (1, 2, 3, 5) Photo by Jason Kosena (4)

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THE GALLERY 1 Publishers Dean Singleton of The Denver Post

and Bob Rawlings of the Pueblo Chieftain catch up. 2 Denver Rustlers Bob Moody of NAIOP

and Landon Gates and Janice Sinden of Colorado Concern,accept their prize shellacked cow chip from a fair official

after winning the cow chip throwing contest. 3 And there he is, Denver Post editorial page

editor Dan Haley throwing some real bull ---- in the cow chip throwing contest. 4 Mayor Hick, Larry Mizel and

Herb Buchwald of First Federal Mortgage & Investment Co. take in the pre-sale activities.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff (1, 2, 4) Photo by Jason Kosena (3)

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Denver Rustlers join other bidding groups at the Jr. Livestock Salethis year purchased the Grand Cham-pion steer for a record $53,000.

The Rustlers, with the guidance offounding member Schultz and CraigWalker, carefully allocate their moneythroughout the Sale, thereby guaran-

teeing that all the youngsters — eventhose with fourth and fifth placeanimals shown later in the evening —get good prices for their animals.

Other bidding groups alsocontribute to the financial success of

the event, including the Pikes PeakPosse from Colorado Springs, the FairLadies, and a new group last yearrepresenting the Friends of Football atColorado State University who calledthemselves the Pigskin Buckeroos.

Besides purchasing the ReserveGrand Champion steer, DenverRustlers Mizel, Dean Singleton, GregStevinson and Rick Sapkin bought theReserve Grand champion hog and theGrand Champion lamb.

THE GALLERY 1 Denver Rustlers Walt and Mike Imhoff from Stifel Nicolaus & Co. are the proud purchasers of the Reserve Grand Champion market lamb, which theybought for $5,500 from Mitch Stahley of Kersey. 2 Annie McNeel of New Castle waits to sell her fashionable second-place goat at the Junior Livestock Sale. 3 Dan Haley from The Denver Post and Rick Sapkin fromEdgemark Development are successful bidders at the sale. 4 The 2010 Grand Champion market goat raised by Shelby Teague of Fort Morgan was purchased by DenverRustlers Landon Gates, Brock Herzberg, John Bush and Alex Mateo. Bush is from Lead Technologies, the others from Colorado Concern. The goat went for $2,100. 5 Ken Anderson, Gigi Dennis and another representative of Tri-State Generation and Transmission posewith the steer they purchased from Cole Pennington of Kiowa.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff

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THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 10

THE GALLERY 1 This year’s Reserve Grand Champion steer was purchased by the Denver Rustlers

from Hannah Vickland of Longmont for $19,500. Pictured are buyers Larry Mizel, Greg Stevinson and his daughter, Dean Singleton and Rick Sapkin.

2 A Denver Rustler checks out the stats of the Reserve Grand Champion lamb. 3 Craig Walker and Tim Schultz took the bids for the Denver Rustlers.

4 Two of the proud purchasers of the Reserve Grand Champion steer, Dean Singleton and Rick Sapkin, have their picture taken with young Hannah Vickland of Longmont.

5 Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Thornton, and former Rep. Anne McGihon of Tilden Strategies Group decked out in matching apparel.

6 Mathew Crane of Pritchett is flanked by the Denver Rustlers who purchased his Reserve GrandChampion market hog for $4,000 — Dean Singleton, Greg Stevinson, Larry Mizel and Rick Sapkin.

Photo by Jody Hope Strogoff (1) Photos by Jason Kosena (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

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THE GALLERY 1 Kaylee Camblin’s steer fetched $2,400 in a sale to Denver Rustlers Rodney Rice and Meyer Saltzman. 2 Ginny Davis of Johnson & Wales University and KristenThomson of Thomson Public Affairs share a laugh at the sale. 3 Rodney Rice and Meyer Saltzman of RubinBrown pose with junior livestock seller Kaylee Camblin. 4 Paul Brooks of Key PrivateBank. 5 The Denver Rustlers shirts courtesy of MDC Holdingsand the cowboy hats from Miller-Coors Brewing Co. 6 The Grand Champion market lamb was raised by Kaitlin Nicolas of Montrose and was purchased for $10,000 by Denver Rustlers Larry Mizel, Dean Singleton, Rick Sapkin and Greg Stevinson.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff (2, 3, 4) Photos by Jason Kosena (1, 5, 6)

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THE COLORADO STATESMAN SEPT. 10. 2010 DENVER RUSTLERS SECTION PAGE 12

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