Avil Park RodeoTo J. C. Studer, the 4th of July was sacred. He opened the lake on his property to the public each year on July 4th. Studer Ranch and the Anvil Park were located east of Canadian on Lake Marvin Road. J.C. built temporary stands at Anvil Park (so named after the Studer Ranch anvil brand) and in 1922, the Anvil Park Rodeo was born.

Anvil Park RodeoAnvil Park Rodeo is known in the East and many National Amusement Magazines have given it recognition. The Studers owned and managed the rodeo and the stock for twenty-one years. The three day show drew from 5,000 to 6,000 visitors from all parts of the country. People traveled for miles and camped for the duration of the festivities. It endured twenty-two years there and three years in Canadian. It was disband because of unsafe grandstands and of course the war put added pressure on the people. It was renewed two years later in 1949 by the Canadian Roping Club. The Canadian Rodeo still goes on every year along with many other events. Canadian is still the patriotic rodeo town the first committee members had hoped it would be.

 

Anvil Park Rodeo Committee from left to right:
Joe Reid, Jim Ingerson, Jack Lawrence, ? , Claude jones, F.C. McQuiddy, Carl Studer, ? , Otto Yokley

Anvil Park Rodeo Steering Committee from left to right:
Herb Jones, John Caylor, Lynn Butler, Jesse yokley, Tom Jones, Snooks Mathers,
Earl Blakemore, Carl  Studer, Roy Sheets, Claude Jones, Oran Grass, Otto Yokley