by LAREIGN WARD, Press Argus-Courier Staff Wednesday, January 23, 2008 11:08 AM CST
A benefit for the family of a deceased Alma teen will be held this weekend at the same site where he lost his life in a bullriding accident.
Both a silent and live auction will be held Saturday during a Youth Bull Riding Association rodeo at Muskogee Fairgrounds Arena in Muskogee, Okla. The rodeo is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.
Peyton Douglas Jackson, 16, was killed Jan. 12 after being thrown off and stepped on by a bull he was riding at a YBRA event. Peyton's mom, Becky Jackson, said he suffered two punctured lungs and heart damage before being pronounced dead shortly after an ambulance transported him to Muskogee Regional Medical Center.
Peyton, a 10th grader at Alma High School, was competing in his second rodeo at the time of his death. He was the only child of Tom and Becky Jackson.
A portion of ticket sales will also go to the family, said Arlyn Imel, an announcer for the YBRA who witnessed the fatal accident
"I asked them (Tom and Becky Jackson) about it and talked to them before we even planned it," Imel said. "I wanted to have their approval before we did anything. They said whatever we wanted to do was fine."
Saturday's event was already planned when Imel and a friend who owns the YBRA got together and said, "Hey, why don't we make our next event a benefit and way to honor his memory," according to Imel.
Imel said the response of the Muskogee community "has just been great."
Imel, 42, describes himself as a lifelong rodeo fan and said until Jan. 12, the only bullriding fatality he witnessed "was probably at least 15 years ago."
"It's something that can happen in the sport of rodeo," he said. "Like I said, it's not the first time it's ever happened (and) I'm sad to say it won't be the last, probably."
