Mark Ripley, left, and wife Tori being introduced before the event.
After buying Ripley Ford last October, Dealer Principal Mark Ripley developed an interesting idea to promote the dealership that he renamed and raised money for three local non-profit groups.
Ripley purchased Melody Motors in Melfort, Saskatchewan, from the Madraga family that had owned the dealership for 60 years, bringing 27 years of experience in the business. Similar to the previous owner, Ripley understood the relationship between car dealers and the communities in which they operate, principally giving back. So he developed the idea for a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event that he coined the Ripley Rumble.
It took place on May 31 and raised $90,000, split between the Melfort Fire Department, North Central Health Care Foundation, and Youth Matters. Malcolm Jenkins, a local philanthropist who is a retired business owner in Prince Albert, contributed $30,000.
Ripley, a retired firefighter, designated the three non-profits to receive the money raised. Besides the local fire department, he is also committed to children’s programs and the health industry.
“It was very humbling to see the community come together to support the event,” said Ripley. “Without this and all the great sponsors, it would not have been a success. It always feels great when you can give back to such great organizations in need. We look forward to doing it all again next year.”
While Saskatoon has been a regular stop on the PBR Tour, this was the first time for Melfort, about 191 kilometres northwest. The events normally take place in an arena, but in this case it happened on a resurfaced dirt lot on a business adjacent to the dealership. Boards were erected to create an arena, along with general admission bleacher seating and VIP tented areas.
Boards Ripley Ford Marketing Manager Cal Gratton said the PBR Tour likes these types of boutique shows. He said there were no expectations going into the event because it was done for the first time. “If we covered our costs that would be terrific. There were a lot of us that pulled together for this.”
He said a staff member of the dealership had experience putting on a PBR show. With support from sponsors, the event attracted a sold-out crowd of almost 1,000, including volunteers. Gratton said a logo created by someone from the community helped create interest and traction.
Gratton is hoping the event will become a regular feature of the PBR Tour.
