Larsens are Grand Marshals

Chuck and Linda Larsen have been chosen as the Grand Marshal for the Woodchoppers Parade on Saturday.

Chuck has been announcing the rodeo for Woodchoppers for the past 20 years. Linda pretty much stays in the background and supports Chuck in his many volunteer ventures.

Chuck joked that he is the parade marshal and that Linda has held marshal law on him for a long time.

Linda has participated in plays and shootouts that Chuck has participated in.

Chuck has always been cowboy-oriented, he said, and enjoys rodeos.

Chuck started doing cowboy poetry in 1990 and people found out he had the “gift of gab”.

He started off as the spin-off of the straight man at the rodeo and would crack a few jokes.

It didn’t take long before he started co-announcing with Jimmy Hinkle.

“We’ve had a great time doing the rodeos together,” Chuck said.

When Dan Kraft and Jerry Kraft first approached Chuck about him and Linda serving as Grand Marshal his first thought was “That is for old people, then I realized I am old,” Larsen joked.

Since Linda isn’t the socializer that Chuck is, he said he wanted to visit with her before committing.

“She doesn’t like being in the limelight,” Chuck said, “I’ve got her practicing her queen wave.”

Chuck has had a lot of experience keeping the crowd entertained.

“Sometimes we will get to cracking jokes and then realize we probably should have had our mics off,” Chuck said.

“Sometimes we have had a horse get hurt and you have to talk around that situation, keep the crowd from getting too upset about it. There is good and bad,” Chuck said.

“I’ve had a lot of fun, working with the volunteers getting them into the conversation,” Chuck said.

“That is one of the unique things about doing a local rodeo, there are so many locals involved and you know who you can take on and who you can’t.”

Chuck and Hinkle have been working together so long they have built a rapport with each other and have been able to spin off of each other.

It’s been good being part of a tradition,” Chuck said.

“Woodchoppers Jamboree and Rodeo has been a cornerstone for the Platte River Valley and it is an honor to be recognized,” Chuck said.

The Encampment/Riverside Lions Club works really hard to put on the annual event and that is what makes a community, Chuck said.

Chuck and Linda will be leaving the Platte Valley shortly after Woodchoppers. Chuck has retired from Carbon Power & Light; his last working day is June 30. He and Linda will be moving to Hulett to be closer to his family and grandchildren.