Cinco de Mayo, Perfect Day

The weatherman was overdue to forecast a good Saturday, May 7, for this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration in Lamar, and he came through in style for participants of the event at North Side Park. Roads and side streets were blocked off surrounding the park and by mid-morning, many of the booths had been set up, grills lit for the BBQ, and the kids rides were being inflated for later in the day. DJ Paul Navarette kept the music going through the morning and afternoon for impromptu dances for young and old.

Folks had an opportunity to enjoy themselves through the early afternoon until 3pm, when it was time for break down the displays while Voces Unidas members turned their attention to the Caged Fighting contest scheduled for that evening at the Lamar Community Building.

The stands were full as the combatants, some as young as 19 and a few as old as 40, went into the cage to fight to their finish. No one came away disappointed. Lamar police were on hand to keep crowd control under circumstances where everyone’s blood pressure could be up a bit, but no instances were reported. Lamar city councilman, Kirk Crespin said during Monday night’s city council meeting, he had received word from the event organizers that this was one of the best organized exhibitions on the road he’d ever seen. Apparently 1,400 people in the stands agreed. Reports are it was a sold out crowd. Here are the preliminary results of the matches:

155 lbs – Arnulfo Ortega defeats Jason Bastain

160 lbs – Shad Stevens downs Julian Castanos

180 lbs – Bobby KPa TKOs Angel Pecina

135 lbs Prelim – David Vigil in a split decision over Chris Gerardo

135 lbs Prelim – Andrew Addington over Ray Orosco in a split decision

205 lbs – Richi Romero TKOs Adam Colvin

No weight Given – James Mead TKOs Gabe Gonzales

135 lbs – Finals – David Vigil downs Andrew Addington 18 seconds in Round One

135 lbs – Finals – Ryan Axtell TKOs Chad Vandenberg in Round One

Funds from the two events at the community building and at North Side Park will be used to help fund three scholarships for area students. Two $750 presentations will be made to one student attending Lamar Community College and another enrolling at Otero Junior College in La Junta. A single $500 scholarship will be presented to a student who has selected another college outside the southeast Colorado, six county region.

The three scholarship winners have been decided by a six member committee of Voces Unidas.  They are: 
Crystal Klippert of Lamar, CO won the LCC Scholarship
Jezreel May Mehl of Holly, CO won the General Scholarship
Paige Spect of Plainview, CO won the OJC Scholarship

By Russ Baldwin