Rodeo leader George Kohout dies

A longtime community leader who revived the ailing Colorama Rodeo over a decade ago and focused on strengthening its sponsoring Ridge Riders Saddle Club, has died.

George Kohout "was the epitome of Ridge Riders and Colorama Pro Rodeo, a community leader, the truest of cowboys from his hat to the bottom of his boots, and one of the greatest men the rodeo world will know from Grand Coulee" an announcement reads on the Ridge Riders' Colorama Pro Rodeo Facebook.

"Our community and the area rodeo community is a better place thanks to his tireless work," Diane Babler commented there. "RIP George. You will be missed."

"He gave his heart to Colorama. He worked from the end of one rodeo to start work on the next," added Vickey Steffens.

Kohout, a retired federal worker, displayed the heart of an entrepreneur in remaking the local rodeo, taking chances and working to make them pay and gain support.

In 2013 the chamber of commerce named the Ridge Riders its Business of the Year after a successful push to add bull riding, ranch rodeos, junior rodeos, and more events to bring in more people to the community. They named Kohout their Achiever of the Year, too, a double prize unprecedented after a year in which he was recuperating from a heart surgery.

He didn't slow down after that either adding or improving the rodeo each year. Last winter he oversaw a project to add seating to the arena, with the help of volunteers.