Stephen Montoya
From the left, former city councilman and Ariat Texas Rattlers co-owner Leonard Firestone, councilman Carlos Flores, mayor Mattie Parker, Fang, and Rattlers GM Chad Blakenship.
Former Fort Worth City Council member Leonard Firestone attended a recent council meeting as a presenter instead of as a member of the council. Firestone, who is also co-owner of the Ariat Texas Rattlers Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Team, said he felt way more comfortable on “This side of the floor.”
Firestone along with Rattler’s general manager Chad Blankenship attended this week’s meeting to present Mayor Mattie Parker with an exclusive Fort Worth City Jersey, symbolizing the city’s competitive spirit and honoring “Panther City’s” proud legacy.
The Rattlers secured Fort Worth’s first-ever National Title when it won the PBR Teams championship on September 17 of last year here in Fort Worth.
The gifting of this jersey to Mayor Parker marks a major milestone for the Rattlers since most successful professional sports franchises do this ritual as a way to mark their success as a team and highlight their civic pride.
The unveiling of this exclusive Fort Worth City jersey, which features a Panther City design, took place in front of the upcoming three-day bull riding competition titled Rattler Days.
Starting on September 26 at Cowtown Coliseum and September 27-28 at Dickies Arena, the Rattlers will compete against nine other teams from across the country. Besides the battle in the dirt, during this three-day event, PBR fans can also partake in events like celebrity chef Tim Love’s rattlesnake cook-off titled the Rattle Battle. This intense cooking showdown challenges a few renowned local chefs to battle it out to craft the finest dish using rattlesnake as the star ingredient.
“Rattler Days is more than just bull riding – it's about bringing our community together to celebrate everything that makes Fort Worth special,” Blankenship said. “From the excitement in the arena to the family fun at the Alley Rally to the city’s most unique culinary event, this festival gives everyone a chance to be a part of Rattlers Nation. We're especially proud to give back through the FFA charity pancake breakfast and to welcome newcomers to the sport with free, unforgettable experiences. There's truly something for everyone.”
Firestone reiterated that he is so proud of what the Rattlers have been able to do in just a few short years of competing in honor of the City of Fort Worth.
“We're creating some jobs, and we're growing and that's what you want to do as a professional franchise in a city, and we're very proud of that,” he told the city council. “The only thing I'm probably prouder of is, now that I've gone from coast to coast, city to city in our events, is we are welcomed at every event as the world champions from Fort Worth, Texas.”
