Cattlemen’s Days Parade Marshals
2025 Parade Marshals
John Malensek & Ron Leonard
John
Malensek
Quick to laugh, John is a son of the valley. He spent his early years in Crested Butte on his family ranch which is now the bulk of the town of Mt. Crested Butte. In fact, his family sold to the original developers of the ski area in 1959 and bought a small ranch near the Gunnison River. In 1964, his folks, aunt, and uncle bought the Walker Dairy to have additional ground.
John grew up in that house. He loved the ranch work, especially working side-by-side with his father and uncle Matt. There was a doubt in his mind he was going to take over the ranch despite having a versatile degree from Colorado State University. John worked hard and still does. He grows quality hay that he sells since he stopped raising cattle.
In the early 1980’s, John signed onto the Cattlemen’s Days program, which at the time was run by the Gunnison County Stockgrowers Assoc. Early on, he got the assignment of leading the racehorses with the jockeys aboard in front of the grandstand to showcase them for the calcutta, then loading them in the starting gate, a dangerous job.
John took on a larger role with horse racing, then moved from there into the role of committee secretary from 1990-2001. In 2002, the committee created the Coordinator position which he was asked to do and held that seat until 2009. The coordinator is a vital role for they do a bit of everything to organize committee members and bring the show together. In 1996 John won the Justin Boot Award as Committee Man of the Year.
John holds community dear, and it shows in his warm hugs and commitment to Cattlemen’s Days, ranching, and people. In the meetings, he would always come forth with words of wisdom about various aspects of the rodeo presentation that served to guide the committee as well as to coordinate efforts.
His lasting fondness on the committee was the camaraderie, friendships, and working to help promote ranching.
Ron
Leonard
Ron Leonard is no stranger to Cattlemen’s Days. He grew up participating in 4-H, raising and showing steers. Since 1976 to the present, Ron has done it all as a Director from serving as President in 1998 and 1999, to helping fund raise, gathering information for the brochures, lining out the vendors, running the racing program after the track was built with his father, Cass, who was a former Director and President of Cattlemen’s Days, and running the scoreboard until recently.
Born in Gunnison, Ron has done many jobs around the county, first growing up on a ranch where his father worked and he also spent time on his grandfather’s ranch which was homesteaded nearby in Doyleville. In 1953, his father was hired as the manager of the Elsinore Cattle Co. on the Taylor River near the confluence with Spring Creek. Ron worked side by side with him much of that time.
He was employed by the Forest Service, worked as a snowcat groomer at the Crested Butte Ski Area, and by the state for 36 years at the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery as well as the Pitkin Fish Hatchery. In his free time, he spent time woodworking and welding in his shop at home. He is a good hand, as they say.
Working as a Director and putting on a show are often a family affair, because that is how ranching works and Cattlemen’s Days is primarily a ranching tradition. Ron’s mother, Anita, was always busy with 4-H, Cattlemen’s Days, and ran the horse racing booth for years. Shortly after Ron and Connie were married, Connie was helping Anita in the booth for 10 years. Both of Ron’s children, Kyla and Ryan, were both involved with 4-H projects and shows.
Ron Leonard is an even-keeled man. Gentle, friendly, and one of this author’s favorite people. Ron is wise in so many ways, rarely having a bad word to say of anyone, a true western gentleman.
Hats off, Ron!