Crowds in the grandstands of theReno Rodeoare thrilled by rip-roaring, high-stakes action.
Students in theSupply Chain and Transportation Managementprogram in theCollege of Businessat thew88 online live casino, Reno, however, see the rodeo as a finely tuned logistics operation that brings together rodeo animals, food-and-beverage operations, security and a myriad of details under a tight schedule.
In a 90-minute tour behind the scenes of the Reno Rodeo, students in the Supply Chain and Transportation Management program’s summer practicum learned everything from the intricacies involved with moving prized rodeo animals from Texas to Reno to the details of procurement of massive amounts of hot dogs and beer.
And along the way, the students talked with top executives of the rodeo about medical and security preparations, the process of ticket sales and even the creation of a full hook-up RV park at the east end of the fairgrounds.
They came away with a deep appreciation of the efficiency with which the rodeo organizes a thousand volunteers and generates more than million in revenue in just a bit more than 10 days.
“The thing that stood out from this tour is how they managed the feed for all of the animals. Like they said, ‘It’s like a hotel for horses,’” remarked one student.
Violet Richards of the Reno Rodeo executive committee led the tour, which included about a dozen students, faculty and rodeo staff. Mark Sutton, president of the executive committee, also visited with the group.
Robyn Brunscher, director of the Supply Chain and Transportation Management program, said students have toured the rodeo since 2023. The rodeo also provides an unpaid internship position to one of the program’s students.
“Organizations like the Reno Rodeo recognize the value of business operations,” Brunscher said. “They see what we see: That the program is addressing the shortage in talent from the number of resources we need to the new skillsets required. We’re pleased that we’ve developed a collaborative relationship.”
Brunscher said, too, the Reno Rodeo provides an excellent example for students of effective supply chain operations.
“In the supply chain industry, we anticipate problems every day in our roles,” she said. “Collaboration is a key factor in order to operate an efficient supply chain.”
