We enjoy it. Dr. Michael Raim and his wife, Darlene, have also been judging for years, since she was Rodeo secretary in the early 1980s. Bruce Cheeves because he's a hoot. Raim also likes watching the old tradition of throwing in someone who catches his first billfish, which he's seen happen at least a dozen times over the years. This year is especially joyful for Rodeo judge Nancy Cheney - her granddaughter Michelle Cox is Miss Destin.
People get so excited about the fish.
Cheney has had the Rodeo in her blood since the early 1970s. But during down time, judges talk with friends and strangers in the crowd that gathers along the docks. There's always rumors going on down here. And, Raim likes the ability, as an official Rodeo judge, to get his hands on those fish. The fishing industry is the pulse of the heart of Destin, and Raim said being a part of the Rodeo lets him support conservation to ensure that pulse will still beat for his grandchildren.