Rod Hottle has served as a volunteer for Cheyenne Frontier Days since arriving in Cheyenne with the Military in 1990. His first volunteer opportunity was with the Girl Scouts where he and his family ushered for the rodeo performances. In addition to help usher at the rodeos, he also served as a Military Committee assistant. In 1993 Rod was selected as the Military Committee Volunteer of the Year. In 1995, Lt. Col. Rod Hottle was the lead assistant on the Military Committee for Col. Steve Hafner, Military Chairman. In June of that year, Col. Hafner received transfer orders and was unable to be in Cheyenne for the 99th CFD. Col. Hafner recommended Rod to fill in for him and said of Rod, “This is a can-do guy. He knows everything that is going on with the Military Committee.”
Rod sat at the General Committee table for every meeting up to and through the Show. He led the organization and execution of the Coronation Ball for 1995, and ensured there were ample busses for transportation for special events, including the Western Art Show, where he used blue Air Force busses to transport art show patrons and purchasers to and from the Governor’s residence. He arranged for busses to transport the Dandies, Royalty, Committee members, and families to Horse Creek Road for the start of the Cattle Drive; transported the Native American Indians to all three pancake breakfasts, and transported the General Committee, Dandies, and Royalty to the Thunderbirds Air Show.
Despite his effort, Rod never expected nor accepted the privileges of the Military Chairman. He didn’t partake of the transportation – indeed, after the 1995 Air Show, he made sure everyone was back on the bus, then he and his wife walked from the Wyoming Air Guard Hangar back to CFD Headquarters in the July heat. He didn’t ask for a horse, nor any of the other trappings of a Committee Chairman. He was a logistics officer in the background, always making sure of arrangements and execution.
In 1996 Rod was elected into the Heels organization. Also that year Rod was transferred to Vandenberg AFB. While at Vandenberg Rod returned every year to volunteer with the Security Committee to work the show with his family who remained in Cheyenne. In 1998, Rod returned to Cheyenne and once again became the assistant for the Military Committee and helped the Security Committee by volunteering at the Bunny Ranch. The Bunny Ranch was located in the barns and received its name from the bunnies that lived under the barn area security control building. In 2001 Rod was transferred to the Pentagon in Washington DC, but once again returned during the summers to volunteer with the Security Committee.
When Rod completed his Air Force service, he returned to Cheyenne and continued to serve as a Security Committee Volunteer. He became an Assistant on Security, then became the Security Chairman from 2006-2008. Rod was selected as the General Chairman and did an outstanding job for the 2010-2012 Shows. During this time, the Show increased its sponsor revenue substantially and turned the corner from a downward financial trend. Rod also served on the CFD Board of Directors from 2014 – 2016 where he worked to establish the CFD Foundation.
Rod has continuously served on the CFD Scholarship Foundation Board since 2010, a board where each member performs a thorough review of each scholarship applicant’s qualifications, and understands the financial status of the Foundation. Under Rod’s leadership, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Volunteer Crisis Fund was created. Rod was heavily involved in the formation of the by-laws, tax filings, and in the fundraising.
Rod has been a dedicated volunteer to the “Daddy of ‘em All” giving many hours of his time and talents for over 26 years.