Tuesday Toolbox: Leroy Mason

In the world of off-road racing there are few races or series that compare to the excitement of GNCC racing.  At the same time there are few places that compare to what round one of the 2011 Can Am GNCC Championship Series has at Westgate River Ranch.  You have heard about or maybe even read about it and this year there is no reason to  not experience it all for yourself.  Today we talk to the man that helped orchestrate the building of a legendary facility that hosts one of the most memorable races of the year.  Meet a legend of  Westgate River Ranch, G.M. Leroy Mason.

GNCCRacing.com: Hey Leroy how are things going?

Leroy Mason: Things are going real good.  We are just getting the Ranch geared up for another big GNCC.

I just want to let you know that GNCC Racing loves coming to River Ranch and we really appreciate all the help and support that you guys show.  You seem to have a really courteous and professional team of staff that keeps this place top notch.  What are your duties here at the ranch?

Well I am the General Manager here at Westgate River Ranch.  I have worked here for the last eight years most recently but I first became associated with River Ranch when it first opened back in the 60s.  In fact I helped put on the first rodeo here back in the mid 60s. I was a rodeo producer all over the United States and other countries for years.  Then when Mr. Sigel bought this place around 2000 - 2001 I had done a little consulting with him and in 2003 I came to work here at the ranch as manager and then in a little bit of time after that I ended up being the General Manager.

So is River Ranch an actual working ranch?

Yes it is.  We have our cow-calf crop.  It's not a big elaborate cow-calf crop, but we do have some cattle and bulls.  We have our own rodeo stock here to.  We also have a lot of exotic animals and we have a breeding program for them too.

Wow that's sounds interesting. What kind of "exotic" animals do you have?

We have a Watusi* breeding program and we also have a Buffalo and Long Horn cattle breeding program.  Plus Mr. Sigel has other properties that he has cattle on. This is just one of a few of his properties.                    *(Ankole-Watusi is a breed of cattle originally native to Africa. They have very large, distinctive horns, which can grow up to long. The Texas Longhorn has large horns as well, though the horns of the Watusi are more distinctive because of their great circumference instead of for their length).

What's the tie-in to off-road racing with River Ranch? I mean why would you guys even think about having us here?

Off-road racing was here in the early 1980s which was the original National Hare Scrambles series that Mr. Dave Coombs held here.  I don't believe they ever came back for whatever reasons.  Partially due to the fact that this place had a reputation for changing hands every two or three years and there has been several different owners.   Once Westgate purchased it, we have kept it open for over nine years.  When Westgate first bought it we began searching for World Class events and that is how we eventually became involved with GNCC Racing and that is the kind of events we want here.

I honestly can say that "world class" seems to be the attitude of the whole place.  From the time you drive in the front all the way to the back of the resort area there is so many things to do and even though it seems like you are in the middle of nowhere, you don't have to leave the property for anything.

Yeah.  It's 28 miles to the nearest Wal-Mart but once you get here we have about everything you need.  We have a little country store, we have the restaurant and of course the hotel and cottages.  We have a golf course where you can play golf and a marina where you can rent a boat and go fishing.  You can also leave the Marina and go to the Gulf of Mexico or you can go to the Atlantic Ocean.  That's how tied in we are on the waterways.  We're backed up to 50,000 acres of government land and a hunting reserve too.  We have 1,700 acres right here and that's why we can bring in events like the GNCC because we have unlimited land.  We also have a rodeo every Saturday night and it is the longest running live rodeo in the country except for one other in New Jersey.  But since the middle 1960s this rodeo has been going every Saturday night except different times when the property was closed changing hands.  Now since Westgate has owned the ranch we have missed only two Saturday nights in eight years and that was because of the hurricanes back in 2004.  We might have to postpone for an hour or two because of lightening but the stands are covered so the people are not going to get wet.  Other than that we have the rodeo rain or shine every Saturday night at 7:30.

That's a pretty big deal to have the rodeo like that each week.  It is something that really brings the people together from the local kids just getting started locally right up to the professional rodeo rider, right?

Yep.  A lot of the professionals, especially this time of year, stop by here because there are quite a few professional rodeos in Florida in the winter time.  Like Kissimmee and Okeechobee, Arcadia and there are several more.  What happens is those guys will go to those rodeos and stop here and compete on a Saturday night.  Other than that we do have a lot of young kids getting started here, we have a lot of kids who are in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders Association) and WPRA (Women's Barrel Racing Association) and the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) that has gotten their start right here at River Ranch in the last 40 years.

So this would be considered a modern breeding ground for modern day cowboys I take it?

Yes, it is, and even some of our livestock that has started out bucking here and they got so good that they were good enough to make it to go on the tour and they have gone on to PRCA rodeos or PBR tours.

I guess it would be good to remind folks reading this that Westgate River Ranch is open pretty much year round with all the special amenities not just during races or certain seasons?

We're open 52 weeks a year.  We got our own post office and own zip code.  I live on property and I   don't like going to Wal-Mart, (Laughing) I leave that up to my wonderful wife.  You can stay here all year round and there are people that do live here all year round. Plus there is water sites back past the marina that you can rent and bring your RV to camp near the water.  We also have an RV Site that is kind of a primitive type camping.  We have a lot of primitive campers come in like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and others like that throughout the year.  We have a trap and skeet range, we have swamp buggy rides, hay rides, miniature golf, and we have Airboat rides.  There is the River Ranch Saloon where you can belly up to the bar and/or dance to the live Country - Western music every Friday and Saturday nights.  You could literally come here and spend a week and not get bored.  Believe me!

Are there any activity restrictions with motorcycles and ATVs on property this week for the GNCC, I'm mean what amenities will be available for the "GNCC Racin' Nation" during their visit?

It's all open. Everything is open.  The only thing that is closed here is our airport because you all use it to pit.

So we can even go on horseback rides?!

Everything!  You just can't fly an airplane out of here or land it here.

That doesn't matter to me, I can't land or take off anywhere else either. (Laughing) How do we plan our adventures and where can we get more information?

Well before you get here you can go to www.wgriverranch.com and check things and when you check-in they will give you an activity sheet and all the activities are listed on there.  Each activity will give you a number to call and make reservations.  You could also just go to where the activity is located and sign up there.  It's better to call ahead and make reservations because on the weekends they fill up pretty fast.

Even on an off-road weekend? Is there that much participation during the races that people may want to reserve times for activities?

This is one of our biggest events and we are glad to have you here.  This place will be packed.

Thanks for having us Leroy and hopefully it will be a tradition for quite a while.

We love you all coming and one thing I am looking forward to is the Horses vs Horsepower on Saturday night.  Going to give you all another chance and see if you can close the gap and just see who wins.  The four wheelers have only been a half second or so off pace, so maybe this is the year? (Laughs) Who are calling out? 9-time Champ Bill Ballance? Florida's Taylor Kiser? Or does Chris Borich think he is faster than Bill and Taylor and maybe even the horse? We'll just have to see I guess. (Laughing)