Awards
2025 Mother of the Year - Jackie Campidonica
Jackie Campidonica is the proud mother of two daughters and sons-in-law, Angie and Philip Norton and Lindsey and Bryan Beck, and grateful grandmother of six grandchildren: Kyle, Hailey, Kelsey and Krew Norton and Bryce and Brie Beck. Most Mother’s Day weekends are spent watching the kids participate in the kiddie rodeo or mutton busting at the Mother Lode Roundup.
Campidonica was born in Mendocino County to Jack and Marge Wilcox and has one sister Jeanie. She grew up on a small ranch in Redwood Valley where she and her sister participated in their hometown 4-H horse group riding in gymkhanas and parades. When her family moved to Tuolumne County, she and her sister joined a local horse club called the Tuolumne County Junior Riders. She remembers the group rode in parades wearing matching, turquoise-colored shirts and white hats and chaps.
Campidonica attended Redwood Valley and Soulsbyville Elementary schools, Sonora High School, and Columbia College. While in high school she competed for the title of Mother Lode Roundup Queen and received the honor of “Miss Congeniality.”
A kinship towards the Posse family was formed and years later her daughter Angie Njirich Norton was crowned 1995 Mother Lode Roundup Queen. Many years later during the 50th Anniversary of the Mother Lode Roundup, grandson Kyle rode a sheep in the mutton busting and granddaughter Hailey entered the stick horse race. Happily, both kids came home with event buckles.
Campidonica is currently employed as personal assistant to the tribal chairman of Chicken Ranch Rancheria Me-Wuk Indians of California, owners of Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, and she worked many years as administration supervisor and assistant to the Tribal Chairman for the The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, owners of Black Oak Casino Resort. Her past activities include club leader for the 4-H Columbia Prospectors, member of the California State Horsemen’s Association, and member of the Sonora Auxiliary of Children’s Home Society. Her current activities include being an associate member of the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Posse and fair board director for the Mother Lode Fairgrounds.
In 2005, the Sheriff’s Posse honored Campidonica as “Sweetheart of the Year,” and she is especially honored to be chosen by her Posse family as “Mother of the Year.” Throughout her 25 membership years, she has donated time to chair or co-chair the Mother Lode Roundup Queen Contest, Cowgirls’ Luncheon and Fashion Show, Pendleton Whisky Booth, and coordinator of the food vendors and concessions at the rodeo.
Campidonica would like to share this honor with all the Sheriff’s Posse ladies and mothers who help make the Mother Lode Roundup events a success, even on Mother’s Day Weekend. She hopes everyone enjoys the Roundup weekend and wishes all mothers a very happy Mother’s Day.
2025 Top Hand - Bogio Ditler
Bogio Ditler’s mom and dad, Joyce and Bill Ditler, graduated from Sonora High in 1954 and 1955, and his mom was rodeo queen in 1953. He has missed only a few Roundup parades. Once, in the Navy, he couldn’t get leave because he was headed out on a West-Pac tour and ended up in the Persian Gulf. But he always tried to make it to the parade.
Bogio Ditler was asked to announce the parade for the Sheriff’s Posse and jumped at the chance. He became an associate member and spent four years at the first announcing station. After a year off during the COVID pandemic, Bogio Ditler has been back to announcing the parade from the mainstage.
Having spent many years listening to Tom Fraser announce at the mainstage, and now announcing there alongside Brad Johnson, Bogio Ditler is loving the parade even more.
The Roundup week starts with announcing the Band Review at Sonora High on Wednesday, then Thursday is the Calcutta with JJ Harrison.
Bogio Ditler says “As a child, I was ALWAYS in trouble for talking, and now they won’t let me shut up! I’m truly honored for the Top Hand Award, but truly, every Posse member deserves this! Happy Mother’s Day! I love a Parade!”
