BRUCETON MILLS — Allen Pretzel was the kind of person who touched the lives of people around him. “I was at Ruby (Hospital) and a young lady introduced herself to me,” his mother, Charlene Pretzel said. “She said she was in elementary school with Allen and the kids made fun of her because she was a big girl. She said Allen never did.”
Pretzel said the woman told her she saw Allen in a talent show, playing the piano. She said he played Beethoven’s Fur Elise and some boogie type music. “She said she couldn’t believe a plain country boy could play the way he did. She told me his playing encouraged her to learn to play the piano. He’s touched a lot of people’s lives.”
Although Allen tragically passed away in 2010, lives are still being changed through the Allen Pretzel Memorial Foundation. Money from the events held at the Pretzel Arena go for scholarships for Preston High School Students. Allen’s father, Dave Pretzel said last year four student’s received $1,000 scholarships. He said the year before seven students received scholarships.
“The number of scholarships we give depends on how much we make with our event,” he said.
Joni Bright said this year instead of a Memorial Rodeo they are holding Barrels, Poles, Cattle Sorting and Penning events. “We’ve had rodeos in the past but our main goal is to do scholarships,” she said. “Along with the scholarships we also give a commemorative David Allen Pretzel Belt Buckle. It’s something the recipients can wear or hang on the wall.” The scholarships are awarded to students who wish to further their education in agriculture and technical studies.
The 2017 scholarship winners were Collin Bolyard, from Bruceton Mills, Steve Hoover, of Albright, and Neil Parsons and Shae Tonkovich, of Kingwood.
The Pretzel Arena was established by Allen and his father. It was part of Pretzel’s dream of bucking bulls. “My son was a bull rider,” Pretzel said. “He went and competed in at least nine states. We had our own bucking bulls he used for practice.”
Pretzel said her son went to bull riding school when he was 15. She said the school was always held during Mother’s Day weekend. “It was in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and he went for two years,” She said the thought of her son becoming a bull rider was frightening. “I was scared to death for him to try it. But I thought if it was what he wanted to do he should get some training.” she said.
She said seeing him on a bull was scary but he enjoyed it. “He told me when he was on a bull he was up here,” she said, holding up her hand. “But while other kids were out drinking or doing drugs, he wasn’t. Bull riding was dangerous but I knew where he was.”
My son was a real cowboy,” Pretzel said. He didn’t just wear the hat. “We couldn’t continue to do this without the help of all of our sponsors and volunteers.
To donate send checks to the Allen Memorial Foundation at 2219 Glade Farms Road, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525
