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All ears were filled with Angels Roost band's music last Sunday at Whiskey Flat Days weekend in Kernville. And that was just before the big moment everyone was waiting for, the announcement of the winning team for the Whiskey Flat Days 2025 mayor campaign.
This year’s Whiskey Flat Mayor Team is Chuckwagon Ochoa’s who beat out Angels Roost Gang with a pretty good lead.
With baited breath the crowd’s attention narrowed in on the two teams on stage, Angels Roost Gang, and Chuckwagon Ochoa's. For it was an interesting campaign race with two very compelling causes.
President of the Kernville Chamber of Commerce, Gary Ananian got up on stage to announce the reason for this competition. He said, "Every year we find candidates who want to run, to represent a nonprofit. So the money they raise goes toward that nonprofit to help their cause. So this year we have two candidates running."
Yeehaw Yolanda (Yolanda Ochoa) and Desperado Destinee (Destinee Ochoa) from team Chuckwagon Ochoa's worked very hard to raise money for their cause, obtaining a new "chuck wagon" van, to deliver food to the underserved "cowboys" of the Kern River Valley. Yeehaw Yolanda told the crowd, "Yeehaw! We are trying to raise some funds for our local Salvation Army, in Lake Isabella. And the funds that we get is going to stay local and is helping our families in the whole valley. We have about 1,200 people coming a month that we are trying to help, with all your help. And thank you everybody for supporting us," she said.
Kern River Kid (Bronson Slaughter) and Peacemaker Pete (Peter Tebow) of the Angels Roost Gang, mayor campaign team, have been raising money mostly by playing music gigs for their Revive the Rodeo campaign, which they intend to continue fundraising for beyond the mayor competition.
Even now, if you buy one of their Angels Roost shirts, or sponsor the sales with store space, you will be contributing to better the rodeo grounds. The team has also invited the public to sponsor the rodeo grounds to get a sign posted with their business name at the arena. Kern River Kid said, "We'd like to keep Kernville what it is. And embrace who we are." He also said Kernville wants to bring back the eight rodeos the town used to have with the youth and iron horse rodeos, and become profitable.
Peacemaker Pete said, "This is the 80th anniversary of the rodeo up here. And let's make it another 80 years."
Ananian thanked John E. McNally's Fairview Lodge for sponsoring Whiskey Flat Days, and Pendleton Whisky and Grocery Outlet for sponsoring the rodeo.
Outgoing mayor team River Rat Ryan and Deputy Doug explained what it was like to run for Whiskey Flat mayor, 2024, which took about seven weeks. River Rat Ryan said that his team raised $43,000 for their cause, the Camp Erwin Owen boys learning to serve the community and enjoying outdoor recreational opportunities. They just recently took the boys to the snow.
Deputy Doug said, "I want to congratulate both teams for doing this." Deputy Doug announced the team's total funds raised. Angels Roost Gang team raised $14,834.50. Chuckwagon Ochoa's team raised $21,000 total. The chamber of commerce awarded both teams with belt buckles representing the race.
Yeehaw Yolanda said, "Thank you for supporting us."
Kern River Kid said, "What I like so much about the Whiskey Flat Days mayor race is, everything is about the community, whether you win or lose." Slaughter congratulated and thanked the Ochoa's team for what they raised for the community.
