GONZALES — The Gonzales City Council denied a request from the Southeast Louisiana High School Rodeo Association to receive its pre-COVID funding after multiple years of reduced funding starting during the pandemic. 

A spokesman for the rodeo association, which is scheduled to host its annual rodeo on Feb. 27 through March 1, 2026, said that last year, the group received $2,000, a drop from the pre-pandemic allocation of $7,000. 

The spokesperson, who spoke before the council at its Monday meeting, asked for a return to this pre-pandemic funding of $7,000, but Councilwoman Terri Lambert said that was not possible because the group's paperwork applying for the funds asked for $5,000, capping the funds to that amount. 

The motion ultimately failed, with two council members voting against it and another abstaining. Despite voting against it, Lambert proposed a $3,000 funding motion, which was ultimately not supported by anyone else on the council.

"They’re bringing 300 families into the community, and they’ve done it a lot of years," Lambert said. 

As a result of the motions failing to pass, the rodeo association would not receive any funding from the city.