Hackensack police fundraiser packs a Western flairSunday August 25, 2013, 9:33 AM
BY KAREN SUDOL
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Photos: Rodeo in HackensackHackensack Detective Keith Marrano riding a bull at a fundraising event at Foschini Park on Satursday. MARKO GEORGIEV / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
HACKENSACK — No bull: The cattle were actually jumping and kicking at Foschini Park on Saturday, trying to buck their riders off at a rodeo-style competition.
And one city police detective, who has been training to bull-ride since February, tried his hand in the match-up of eight riders.
In fact, it was Detective Keith Marrano's idea for the Hackensack Policemen's Benevolent Association Local 9 to host a bull-riding event to raise money for the union. It then morphed into a festival with Officer John Herrmann suggesting that some of the funds be donated to Autism Speaks, an organization that funds research into the causes, treatment, prevention and a cure for autism, increases awareness and advocates for the needs of individuals with autism.
Herrmann said he was anticipating an attendance of 5,000 people for the daylong event; he didn't know Saturday afternoon how much money would be raised for Autism Speaks.
Kori Buro, director of field development for Northern New Jersey Autism Speaks, said the event was an opportunity to raise awareness about the developmental disorder.
"The more people know about it, the more they're accepting of children and adults in the spectrum," she said while manning a booth.
The festival offered monster truck rides, children's rides, a petting zoo, food vendors, a car show and country bands. Nashville artists Scott DeCarlo, a former East Rutherford police sergeant, and Bridgette Tatum performed on stage and fireworks were to close out the daylong event.
But the big draw for visitors was the amateur bull-riding competition organized by Let R Buck, a Connecticut-based bull-riding school where Marrano learned how to ride.
Marrano, a 34-year-old North Jerseyan who has been a fan and spectator of the sport for years, said trying his hand at bull riding came to him as a quasi-joke, but he followed through.
"It's probably the biggest adrenaline rush," he said, adding that he broke his foot while riding in June, making Saturday the first time back for him.
"I'm nervous about breaking something again," he said a few hours before heading to the arena that had been set up.
Amid cheers, Marrano came out of the shoot and stayed on his bull for a few seconds before being tossed. He arose without apparent injury.
The seven other riders were graduates of the Connecticut school and could potentially become professionals. All had to stay on the bucking bulls for a minimum of 8 seconds to move on to a subsequent round. They were also judged by their technique. The winner was to receive a $500 jackpot.
Michael Sheehen of River Edge said he read about the festival in the paper and attended because bull riding was something different to see.
"Let's put it this way … all the years I've been living in Jersey and I've never seen a bull in Hackensack," he said.
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