MISS ZITA BANEY was crowned 2025 Butler Saddle Club Rodeo Princess this evening with other winners from the evening to be posted soon. More highlights from the 72nd annual rodeo here:
Sunday, June 22, 2025
BHS Names Week 3 Strength & Conditioning Athletes of the Week
By Cody Morris, Tailgate TV
The Butler Bears wrapped up Week 3 of summer Strength and Conditioning, with student-athletes continuing to show up early, work hard, and build momentum heading into the upcoming sports seasons.
Each week, the coaching staff selects two standout participants who demonstrate exceptional effort, consistency, and attitude in both the weight room and the gym. For Week 3, the honor of Athletes of the Week goes to siblings Ryan Peeland Ava Peel.
Both athletes have shown impressive dedication by attending workouts daily and pushing themselves to improve.
The Butler Strength & Conditioning program runs Monday through Thursday at 6:00 AM, and is open to all students entering grades 6–12. Coaches encourage all student-athletes to keep showing up and putting in the work as summer rolls on.
We're here to help
These fine members of the Ballard FFA have shown up and braved the heat the last two mornings at 7:30 am to make sure the Bates County Fairgrounds were clean and ready for the Butler Saddle Club Rodeo.
Your dedication to the community is greatly appreciated!
BHS Sideline Cheerleaders take top honors
By Cody Morris, Tailgate TV
The Butler High School 2025–2026 Sideline Cheerleaders recently attended UCA Cheer Camp, where they demonstrated the roaring Bear spirit, skill, and dedication—earning a ‘Superior’ rating in the Spirit Showcase, which is the highest team honor possible.
In addition to the team’s success, three Bears were named UCA All-Americans: Kalie Korkmaz, Jena Tourtillott, and Kadyn Cook. These young ladies were selected for showcasing exceptional cheerleading and dance ability and are now recognized among the top cheerleaders in the country! Several other Butler cheerleaders also received individual awards throughout the camp for their performance and leadership.
Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) was founded in 1974 by Jeff Webb, with a mission to combine advanced cheerleading techniques with traditional crowd leadership. Over the past 50 years, UCA has grown into the largest cheerleading camp company in the world, training over 180,000 athletes annually at more than 3,200 sessions nationwide.The Lady Bears feel privileged to have grown and studied at this event and they are ready to bring back to Butler what they have learned!
UCA is also widely known for hosting over 50 regional competitions and its national championship events at Walt Disney World Resort—many of which are televised on ESPN networks and CBS Sports, reaching over 100 million homes in 32 countries each year.
With a Superior rating under their belts and All-American athletes among their ranks, the Butler Sideline Cheerleaders are eager to bring their energy to the sidelines this fall. The team looks forward to leading the crowd and showing off the spirit of Butler High School throughout the 2025–2026 season.
Some thank you's and now let's Rodeo Up!
To our America-loving President, Kenny Gabriel: Thank you for all of your passion, dedication & hard work over the years to guide our saddle club into one that is blessed and active- allowing us put on an amazing rodeo & then pay it forward within our own community! Your vision is truly inspiring!
Last, but certainly not least:
The Butler Saddle Club is proud to be "Partners in Education". During the Saturday night performance, we presented our local Butler Elementary Teachers with a $750 donation. Representing BES is kindergarten teachers Amanda Lawson and Ashley Fennewald. Presenting the donation is Butler Saddle Club President Kenny Gabriel and BSC Secretary and Butler Schools Speech-Language Pathologist Pam Craft. This August elementary students will return with the donated school supplies ready for use. Thank you teachers for your determination and dedication to our students!
BES teachers will be set up for the last performance by the food vendors collecting donations for their school supply drive! Your support is greatly appreciated!
Join us TONIGHT for the final night of our 72nd Annual Butler Saddle Club Rodeo!
Mutton Busting: 7pm
Rodeo: 8 pm
See you at the Rodeo!
Amsterdam Jubilee announces Grand Marshal
Jubilee never takes the duty of picking a Grand Marshal lightly.
It's a mixture of duty, history, loyalty, community and family.
The pick for the 49th Amsterdam Jubilee embodies all of the above.
Her parents set a great example of community and family. Through their example. This year's Grand Marshal was raised and continues to leave her mark.
She has touched and shaped generations of our community.
The following tribute was written by her oldest daughter and we could not of said it better ourselves.
Please help us welcome and honor our 2025 Amsterdam Jubilee Grand Marshal
Cathy Slattery
We couldn't be more happy that she is ours.
Cathy Slattery, formerly Cathy Lewis, was born and raised in Amsterdam. Her parents, Bill and Marjorie Lewis, were strong supporters of the Amsterdam community. Cathy attended Miami R-1 school, graduating as valedictorian in 1976. She was active in basketball, choir, and was regional vice president and then president of FHA. Cathy was the editor of the yearbook her senior year and had a hand in restoring items from the Bates County Museum.
After graduating from Miami, she attended CMSU in Warrensburg and earned her associates degree. She came back and worked at Miami as an aide in Kindergarten for two years before returning to CMSU to earn her Bachelor’s and then her Master’s. She was hired at Miami as a second grade teacher which she taught for two years before moving to her true calling as a Kindergarten teacher. She touched so many lives in her 29 years teaching Kindergarten. From yearly Zoo Trips, cooking every Friday, decorating the bank windows for Jubilee each year, to planning and hosting the best Kindergarten graduations, she devoted so much time and love to the youth in the Amsterdam community. Being a Kindergarten teacher was apart of her identity and her love of kids and doing what was best for them was always evident. Cathy was also the junior class sponsor many years planning prom and helping with project prom and was also apart of the PDC. She was moved to fifth grade and taught there for a year before retiring in 2015 leaving behind a legacy of true Eagle Pride. She worked as a sub at the Archie school district from her retirement until the premature birth of her grandson where she took on the role of Gigi full time.
Aside from devoting her life to educating generations, she was a constant supporter of the community. Cathy and her husband Dennis served on the Jubilee Committee for a few years before starting their family. She was the Amsterdam 4-H leader for 15 years. She was also a cooking leader and Clover kids leader. She worked for Barb and Nason Corwine at the Amsterdam Cafe and was an aide at Lake Mary’s School for Exceptional Children just over the state line.
Cathy married her husband Dennis June 1st, 1985. Together they have five children. Sons Jared, living on this earth an hour, Clay, and Ryan, and daughters Jenna and Caitlin. They raised their family in Amsterdam and instilled a sense of community pride in each of them. They loved living in this small town and continued to support the school and community with three of their children attending Miami from Kindergarten with their Mom as their teacher to graduation.
Growing up in Amsterdam gives you a different perspective than many have. Many people see Amsterdam as a tiny town with not a lot going on, but Cathy never even considered raising her family anywhere else. Her parents were staples of the community and raised her to know that family is what matters most, and that family doesn’t always mean those who share your blood or last name, but those who love and care for you. Bill and Marjorie served the Amsterdam community well over the years and are missed greatly.
Today, their children still live nearby. They have been blessed with 11 grandchildren: Zoe, Charlotte, Olivia, Bexon, Evelyn, Annalise, Ellasyn, Gibson, Anderson, Amelia and Langston.
Today, Cathy enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, trips to the lake, and attending all their activities. She still lives in and supports the Amsterdam community. She has been apart of many Jubilee parades from the time she was a teenager into adulthood with her own children participating and is honored to be apart of the parade again this year with her family by her side.
Mark your calendar, the Amsterdam Jubilee happens on September 27th.
Heat Advisory continues through tomorrow
THE HEAT ADVISORY continues through our Monday, and could conceivably be extended to Tuesday.
Some uncertainty toward Tuesday's forecast centers on a weak front arriving Monday afternoon and its associated showers & storms, although those look to stay primarily north and east of KC.
Upper-level ridging could dominate the forecast -- and keep things hot -- well into midweek.
Horseback rider receives urgent medical attention
Bates County Sheriff's dispatchers quickly pinpointed the area, enabling first responders to locate the individual.
Upon arrival, the individual expressed concern about the horse's ability to return. Rich Hill Fire then contacted the Sheriff's Office, who promptly arranged a truck and trailer for the horse's transport.
Below, Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson personally got involved and according to his Facebook post, both horse and rider should fully recover.
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