2025 pendleton Round-Up
Indian Relay Races
The Indian Relay Races at Round-Up are a heart-pounding spectacle that captivates audiences with unparalleled excitement and athleticism. This thrilling event, which showcases the incredible skills of Native American riders, involves a high-speed, bareback horse race where riders leap from one galloping horse to another.
Wild Cow Milking
Wild cow milking at Round-Up combines humor, chaos and skill, providing a unique spectacle for the audience. Teams of cowboys and cowgirls attempt to lasso and milk a wild, uncooperative cow.
Children’s Rodeo
The annual Children’s Rodeo is Thursday, Sept. 11, at 10:30 a.m. The event provides children with special needs ages 5 through 10 years the opportunity to be cowboys and cowgirls inside the famous rodeo location. For more information about the Children’s Rodeo, visit www.imesd.k12.or.us/page/children-s-rodeo.
Pendleton Round-Up 2025
From black and white to screaming color
Local artist wins the Pendleton Round-Up’s poster competition
One hundred years after the iconic Pendleton Round-Up bucking horse image became the rodeo’s logo, a local artist honored its legacy with his detailed design.
Markus McFetridge, mural painter and co-owner of Pendleton’s Flying X Speakeasy Lounge, won the Pendleton Round-Up Association’s second annual poster competition. His poster puts the bucking horse design front and center as a way to honor the original artist, Wallace Smith, after 100 years.
The image transitions from black and white on the left side to color on the right, representing the past and present of the Round-Up. McFetridge was one of more than 50 initial applicants and 10 finalists, competing with artists from Minnesota, Kansas, Arkansas, Idaho, California, Oklahoma, Washington and two others from Pendleton.
“He was going up against some really great people,” said Pendleton Round-Up General Manager Erika Patton. “His insight to the Round-Up, but also just the detail in his work, is so phenomenal.” »
Story and photos by Berit Thorson | East Oregonian
Markus McFetridge stands with his centennial bucking horse Pendleton Round-Up poster after winning the rodeo’s second annual poster contest. McFetridge, a local artist, was inspired by the original artist as well as the rodeo’s rich past and bright future.
The past
When creating the piece, McFetridge pulled inspiration from the original bucking horse design.
“I was just trying to copy Wallace Smith and put myself in his shoes,” he said.
McFetridge used paper similar to Smith’s, and did the left half of the poster in charcoal, with the right half in chalk pastels. The viewer is seeing the arena from the east.
The left half, which generally depicts the southern side of the arena, features the stadium stands of decades past. Prior to a fire in 1940, the grandstand had “Pendleton” printed around its roof, which McFetridge included on the poster. He pulled the lettering style from a photo of his husband’s ancestor, who competed in Round-Up during its first few decades.
Peeking out from behind the grandstand are teepees from the Indian Village, which has been part of RoundUp from nearly the beginning. Along the poster’s bottom edge is a small line of grass to reference Round-Up’s grass arena.
Each of the corners also features a filigree, which McFetridge said is an homage to all the makers and craftsmen involved in the Round-Up. The specific design of the filigree is based on his husband’s grandfather’s 1930s saddle.
“I think for me it just felt really special and urgent and important to draw back to the past and give a light to something that hasn’t had that spotlight,” McFetridge said.
The present
While the left half honors history, the right is all about the Round-Up of today.
The filigrees now have shades of yellow edging them, and there’s a jet flying overhead. Instead of shades of black and white filling the stands, dots of red, orange, blue, pink and green represent the tens of thousands of fans who attend each year.
The grass is suddenly green, and the horse and cowboy are toned in yellows, reds and browns. McFetridge said he used around seven shades of brown for the horse.
The arena’s iconic hand-painted bucking chutes appear almost technicolor compared to the shaded charcoal wood barrier of Round-Ups past. McFetridge said with the old grandstand on the south and the bucking chutes on the north, “it was perfect to transition from black and white to color” on his design.
It took McFetridge about 50 hours during two or three weeks to make the poster. He used an application on his phone to record and track himself tracing the bucking horse from a projection onto his iPad, then copied his arm movements to draw the horse on the final sheet of paper.
“I usually just go like that and then just get the outline done, and that gives me enough to have the proportions,” he said.
“Then I just freehand free the rest.” Calling it freehanded may be an understatement. McFetridge said he had a line splitting it exactly in half vertically and he measured each aspect of the poster out from that middle line to ensure it was perfectly even.
McFetridge has painted murals in his professional life, including two in the entrance to the Pendleton Walmart.
Markus McFetridge stands with his centennial bucking horse Pendleton Round-Up poster after winning the rodeo’s second annual poster contest. McFetridge, a local artist, was inspired by the original artist as well as the rodeo’s rich past and bright future.
“I think I’ve grown and learned a lot through my murals and doing that to be able to pull this off,” he said. “It helped with really thinking of the concept too, of using all of that different influence of murals and having to sell myself to engage with the customer has helped me be able to figure this out.”
Painting for commercial audiences showed him that people need something central to draw their eye first before noticing the intricate, smaller details. The bucking horse was the perfect centerpiece, he said, especially with its centennial anniversary in 2025.
“I think it’s so cool to be able to leave my legacy for Pendleton and put my name in history and stamp it a hundred years later,” McFetridge said.
McFetridge’s husband, Tim, said it means a lot to see his husband involved in Round-Up in such a significant way. The couple are just “being who we are,” Tim said, and focusing on “community love and personal love and giving back.”
The future
While the Pendleton Round-Up has only had its poster competition for two years, the association has previously commissioned artists to make annual posters.
Patton said starting the competition was a way to cultivate newer talent that hadn’t had an opportunity on such a large scale before. This year, winning came with prize money of $5,000.
She said she hopes at some point to increase the award and give money to the top three posters, which is what the Calgary Stampede does with its youth poster competition. The Stampede was an inspiration to Patton and Round-Up marketing coordinator Mikal Wright, the pair who established Pendleton’s contest.
For now, though, the competition is smaller. But that doesn’t mean the $5,000 won’t help McFetridge, who said he plans to use the money to help pay down his student loans from art school and to pay for art supplies for future projects.
“I just want to paint and draw for the rest of my life. That’s it,” McFetridge said. “If I could do that as my job, that would be surreal.”
100th round-up poster signing
Markus McFetridge will be signing posters during Round-Up on Wednesday, Sept. 10, Thursday, Sept. 11, and Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Copies of the poster also are available for $20 at the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Gift Store or online at LeterBuck.com
Through the decades
The Pendleton Round-Up Queen and Court Reunion is returning this year for the first time since 2015, ending the longest gap in the event’s history
The reunion happens during the week of the Pendleton Round-Up and typically was every five years. Organizers planned to have one in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the rodeo and reunion.
Reunion committee Chairman Susan Talbot, who participated in the Pendleton Round-Up Queen and Court in 1981, said the first reunion was in 1985 to mark the Pendleton Round-Up’s 75th anniversary. She said a second reunion was seven or eight years later. After that, she said the schedule shifted to every five years.
She said a now-deceased queen and court member’s remark influenced the shift.
“One of the older people made the comment, ‘I think we need to do it every five years because I might be dead in 10,’” Talbot said.
She said the person who said that was dead in 10 years, but not dead in five years.
This year’s reunion will feature a Saturday morning brunch and a Thursday night cocktail party. At least 80 former queen and court members are signed up to be in the Westward Ho! Parade on Friday, Sept. 12. Talbot said reunion attendees are encouraged to wear their old outfits.
A different kind of reunion
Talbot said the reunion is different from a high school reunion because it is open to all former queen and court members.
It is unique because there are “so many different viewpoints and age groups,” Talbot said.
She said the event is a chance for former queen and court members to share the bond they have.
2025 Pendleton Round-Up Court (from left): Princess Alexis Bowen, Princess Rowdy Isreal, Queen Sydney Dodge, Princess Lexi Thompson and Princess Myranda Spicknall.
by
1922 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Thelma Thompson. Princesses Jean Skeen, Adeline Scroggins, Jessie Drumheller, Helen Thompson.
1930 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Lois McIntyre. Princesses: Mildred Hansell, Virginia Sturgis, Annabel Tullock, Evelyn Cresswell.
1944 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Janet Thompson. Princesses Christine Lieuallen, Pat Mann, Jerry McIntyre, Marilyn Glenn, Susan Sturgis, Donne Boylen.
1965 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Judy Curcio. Princesses Jan McCurdey, Maureen McCormach, Shannon Mahoney, Kristen Weber.
1955 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Katheryn Wyss. Princesses, Sharon Bryant, Lillamay Mascall, Deanna Whitely, Sandra Curl.
Story by Lucas Hellberg | East Oregonian
Photos contributed
the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame
ROYALTY ROUND-UP COURT THROUGH THE DECADES
1974 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Heather Hales. Princesses Becky Bishop, Nancy Kilkenny, Suzanne Dick, Patsy Hopper.
1986 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Ellen Kilkenny. Princesses Gregory Cimmiyotti, Lisa Ferguson, Wendy Wagner, Linda Sue Maiden.
1998 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Megan Corey. Princesses Cicely Loftus, Shanna Anderson, Casey Seeger, Kirsten Hagen.
2004 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Cydney Corey. Princesses Jill Quisenberry, Tiah Pahl, Jessie Wells, Emily Johnson.
2010 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Cheyenne Williams. Princesses Paige Bailey, Alexandria Featherstone, Nancy Platt, Kelsey Wrightson.
2018 Pendleton Round-Up Court: Queen Betsy West. Princesses Josilyn Fullerton, Elizabeth Herbes, Charla Simons, Kaelyn Lindsay.
Round-up royalty
Meet the 2025 Queen and Court
Sydney Dodge, of Pendleton, leads the 2025 Pendleton Round-Up Court.
The Pendleton Round-Up Association announced Dodge, 20, is the new queen, and four more young women are the new princesses of the court: Alexis Bowen, 20; Rowdy Israel, 18; Myranda Spicknall, 19; and Lexi Thompson, 19.
All five hail from Northeastern Oregon and have been involved in the Round-Up throughout for years, according to the announcement. They have represented the Round-Up since the end of November 2024.
meet queen sydney dodge
Dodge, the daughter of Chad and Jody Dodge, grew up in Pendleton and is a Pendleton High School graduate of the Class of 2022, earning highest honors. She received her associate’s degree from Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton and now attends Eastern Oregon University in La Grande where she is working toward a bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture entrepreneurship.
While a full-time student, Dodge works at GT Land and Cattle in the embryo facility and assists with weekly pregnancy checks.
Dodge was active in Future Farmers of America as a high schooler, holding two Blue Mountain District officer positions while competing in several categories, including public speaking, parliamentary procedure and beef production proficiency. She earned greenhand, chapter and state FFA degrees.
She also was inducted into the National Honors Society, where she participated in community volunteerism and meetings.
The incoming Round-Up queen started riding horses when she was 4 years old. She was a part of the Oregon High School Equestrian Team, where she qualified for state in several disciplines and won rookie of the year as a freshman. She was an active 4-H member for nine years, showing beef cattle and quarter horses, holding champion titles while competing at Oregon Reined Cow Horse Association shows. »
Story & photos by Berit Thorson | East Oregonian
The 2025 Pendleton Round-Up Queen and Court stands with their director and chaperone, Stuart and Lisa Roberts, during the annual court welcome breakfast. The court, from left, consists of Alexis Bowen, Myranda Spicknall, Sydney Dodge, Lexi Thompson and Rowdy Israel. Dodge, 20, is the queen.
ROYALTY 2025 PENDLETON ROUND-UP QUEEN AND COURT
She also has spent a lot of time showing, breeding and raising cattle from her and her mother’s registered Angus cow herd. She has shown at National Junior Angus shows, the National Western Stock Show and other breed and jackpot shows. The announcement said, Dodge’s experiences taught her dedication and grit.
Dodge also assisted with her family’s farming, cattle and logging operations.
She attended her first Round-Up at 17 months old and hasn’t missed a performance since. She has volunteered for the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Night Show since she was 8 as a pennant bearer. As a volunteer she helped in a number of other areas, including working livestock, cleaning up grounds and acting as a prairie girl in the Happy Canyon Night Show.
Her family has donated trucking and shavings to the Pendleton
Round-Up and Happy Canyon for years. According to the announcement, she believes her involvement in as many activities as possible developed her leadership abilities and created valuable connections.
Dodge also expressed gratitude to be chosen to represent the 115th Pendleton Round-Up and can’t wait to share the joy and excitement of this historic rodeo. She wholeheartedly believes in the community, directors, court members and volunteers who all put in the time and hard work to make the Pendleton Round-Up happen and is excited to give back to the community that has done so much for her.
According to the press release, as previous courts have inspired Dodge, she hopes to inspire little girls to dream big and give 110% in all that they do.
Former Pendleton Round-Up Queen Kayla Fossek, left, incoming Queen Sydney Dodge, and Round-Up Association President Tiah DeGrofft celebrate the start to Dodge’s year as queen at an annual welcome breakfast for the court.
meet Princess Alexis Bowen
Bowen, 20, was born and raised in Pendleton, graduating from PHS in 2022. She is the daughter of Nicki and Howard Bowen. Bowen in high school was on the varsity swim team, National Honors Society and the FFA chapter. She earned her greenhand, chapter, state and American degrees along with being a Pendleton FFA officer for two years.
During FFA she engaged in competitions along with showing sheep, something that she had done since she was 5 years old. Bowen is attending Walla Walla Community College to obtain her bachelor’s degree in animal science and hopes to move on to Eastern Oregon University to finish her goal of becoming a FFA advisor.
She has spent hundreds of hours as a volunteer in the Pendleton community. As a youngster she began volunteering at the Round-Up, selling programs or helping Altrusa. In eighth grade she began volunteering in the souvenir booth with her FFA chapter then continued beyond high school as an alum.
Her love for horses goes back to when her uncle would take her to the Round-Up and let her pet every horse she saw. As she got older, she would ride whenever offered and made it her goal to be one of the Pendleton Round-Up Court princesses. After attending the Round-Up every year since she was 2 months old, she realized her dreams could become reality once she began riding every day.
Her favorite part of the rodeo is watching the wild cow milking, the event she believes is the most underrated.
meet Princess Rowdy Israel
Israel, of Canyon City, is the 18-year-old daughter of Nicole Israel and Ronnie Taynton and a 2024 graduate of Acellus Academy through Unity High School. While attending high school, Israel was active in volleyball, basketball and student council. She was highly active in FFA, becoming the chapter vicepresident and then president, along with earning her chapter and greenhand degrees.
Israel competed in breakaway roping in the Oregon High School Rodeo Association. She also was the Oregon High School rodeo queen for two consecutive years, competing at the National High School Rodeo Finals in 2023, finishing top 20 in the Queen Contest.
She has been representing rodeo and the Western way of life since she was 5 years old. Her first title was Lil Miss Grant County Fair & Rodeo Queen, then in 2017 she was a Little Miss Northwest Professional Rodeo Association Queen. In 2019 she represented the state of Oregon as Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon. Israel went on to become the 75th Elgin Stampede Rodeo Queen, the 2024 Spray Rodeo Queen and now living her biggest dream, to be a princess on the Pendleton Round-Up Court.
Israel is studying business administration online at Linn Benton Community College. She is the owner/operator of Rowdy’s Teeth Whitening Services. She also plans to attend cosmetology school.
Her love for the Pendleton Round-Up started after attending
the rodeo at an early age with her mom. In 2017 after participating in her first of many Westward Ho! parades and royalty luncheons, Israel knew her goal was to be able to jump the rail and represent the greatest show on grass, the Pendleton Round-Up.
meet Princess Myranda Spicknall
Spicknall, 19, grew up in Pendleton, where she graduated from Pendleton High School in 2024. She is the daughter of Tom and Rachelle Spicknall.
She began riding horses at the age of 2 years old and began competing in rodeo at the age of 8. She competed in rodeo for four years in high school, where she competed in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping in 2021 and 2024 in the Silver State International Rodeo.
Spicknall also competed in the Cayuse Junior Rodeo, Western States Junior Rodeo, Milton-Freewater Pioneer Posse, Mustangers and local barrel racing events. She also has given riding lessons to children.
Her involvement with the Pendleton Round-Up began at the age of 8 as an usher, eventually transitioning as a volunteer to the Pendleton Round-Up retail store. She has participated in the Pendleton Round-Up Westward Ho! Parade and the Dress-Up Parade as a pennant bearer.
Spicknall is attending her first year at Blue Mountain Community College, where she is studying for a career in the field of diagnostic imaging.
All five members of the 2025 Pendleton Round-Up Court hail from Northeastern Oregon and have been involved in the Round-Up throughout for years.
meet Princess Lexi Thompson
Thompson, 19, of Adams, graduated in 2023 from WestonMcEwen High School. She is the daughter of Vic and Heidi Thompson.
Thompson participated in high school rodeo, FFA, earning her greenhand, chapter and state degrees, along with competing in rodeos and barrel races. Ever since she can remember, she has been on the back of a horse working on her family’s ranch and helping her aunt, Katie Thompson, with her cows when needed.
Thompson is working as a dental assistant for Dr. Durk Irwin. Next year, she plans to go on to Carrington College in Boise to pursue her degree in dental hygiene.
Generations of Thompson’s family have volunteered for the Round-Up, and she looks forward to taking on the legacy of helping the rodeo go on. She has volunteered during the rodeo, helping run the stripping chute, run stock out of the arena and usher in the queen and court for the Grand Entry. She also has participated in the Happy Canyon quadrille.
St. Anthony Hospital presents
A Fred L. Mitchell Collection of Patriotic Beadwork
This exquisite beadwork collection illustrates the deep patriotic pride of Tribal Plateau people who have disproportionately high rates of Armed Forces enlistment dating back to World War I through today. The creativity, artistry, and diversity in each of the beaded bags, vests, and gauntlets will impress and engage you.
happy canyon royalty
Both 2025 princesses have strong ties to Happy Canyon
Avery Quaempts, 17, and Korie Spencer, 23, are serving as princesses for the 2025 Happy Canyon Night Show.
The two young women were officially introduced Dec. 15 at the Pendleton Convention Center during the annual Princess Brunch.
“We’re excited to welcome Avery and Korie as the 2025 Happy Canyon princesses,” Happy Canyon President Kipp Curtis said. “They both have strong ties to Happy Canyon, and we are proud to have them as our representatives for this historic tradition.”
Princess Avery Quaempts
Quaempts, whose Indian name is Hánnit wa tumult (Cayuse, meaning “Generous Heart”), is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. She is the daughter of Justin Quaempts and Carrie Sampson.
Her family history includes many relatives who have served as Happy Canyon royalty. Also, she won the Junior American Indian Beauty Pageant in 2021.
A senior at Pendleton High School, Quaempts plays softball — competing with the Buckaroos and the Northwest Bullets, a nationally recognized travel team. In addition, she is passionate about outdoor activities, including horseback riding, fishing, hunting and boating, as well as spending time with her family at their property in Joseph.
Quaempts also looks forward to continuing her education and playing softball at the collegiate level. She plans to pursue a career in nursing with a focus on pediatric care.
“My roots are here in the Umatilla Reservation,” Princess Avery said. “I plan to return home after finishing my education to give back to my community.”
meet Princess Korie Spencer
Spencer also is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. She is the daughter of Atwaí (the late) Brandon Spencer and Rochelle and Trevor Helfrecht.
She graduated from Pendleton High School and Treasure Valley Community College. Spencer plays recreational softball and even tried out rugby while in high school.
Her family has deep ties with Happy Canyon, including several relatives who served as princesses. Spencer has participated in the night show, riding in the traveling and mourning scenes, and carrying a travois.
A passionate advocate for the outdoors, Spencer enjoys horseback riding, hunting and berry picking. She works at Lil Turtle Retreat Daycare and plans to attend Oregon State University to study early childhood education. After completing her education, Spencer wants to return to Eastern Oregon.
“I’m excited about setting both simple and ambitious goals for myself in the coming years,” she said. “I’m passionate about helping children and am excited to continue working towards a future where I can make a positive impact on my community.”
Quaempts and Spencer look forward to representing the traditions and history of Happy Canyon with pride. The 2025 Happy Canyon Night Show is Sept. 10-13. Visit www.pendletonroundup.com for tickets information.
ROYALTY ROUND-UP REGALIA
Pendleton Round-Up queens, Round-Up princesses and Happy Canyon princesses wear elaborate outfits as part of thier appointments. Here are some details from past Round-Up royal regalia.
Jewelry: The official diamond ring and Let ’er Buck earrings sporting the Round-Up’s bucking horse logo carved in sterling silver. Both were made by ZPT Silversmiths in Pendleton.
Leather Chaps: Crafted by local leatherworker Char Bracher, chaps have the dual purpose of protecting a rider’s legs and looking exquisite. These elaborate fringed chaps are heavy-duty pieces of leather — when combined with the vest, the full outfit weighs about 11 pounds.
Boots: By Justin Boot Company out of Texas. By rodeo standards, the Round-Up court’s boots are particularly flashy with a clean, white design, and a blue Let ’er Buck symbol on the heel.
Hat: An iconic symbol of western life, a cowboy hat keeps the sun out of a rider’s eyes. This hat was made by Montana Peaks Hat Co. in Pendleton. The style is distinctly modern with a square front. The blue decorative band was crafted by the Harris family.
Leather Vest: Crafted by local leatherworker Char Bracher. The baby blue design is a traditional style that catches the eye with its cheery, classic appeal.
Belt Buckle: Buckle provided by Montana Silversmiths out of Columbus, Mont.
Past Round-Up Queen Brittany Doherty
Headband: Woven by Harris’ family in a wide, traditional style. On the back is a real eagle feather that Harris is careful to protect — low ceilings and doorways can prove treacherous.
Necklace: Made by hand with assorted animal bones.
Past Happy Canyon Princess
Anna
Harris
Dress: Many Happy Canyon princesses use old dresses passed down through the family, but this one is new. Anna’s sister, Katie (a past RoundUp princess) and her mother, Deborah Harris, designed and created it themselves, studying books on regalia and museum exhibits for inspiration. It was their first time making a tribal dress. The dress mixes old and new styles; the bluedyed buckskin is very elegant and traditional, but the beads are modern and shiny, meant to catch sunlight. As a jingle dancer, flashy visuals are important to Harris’ performance.
Moccasins: Beaded soft leather shoes, traditionally worn by American Indians across the continent.
Hair Ties: Ties belong to the Harris family, made of round conch shells.
Hair Wraps: Made from otter pelts. Otter is a common choice for Indian princess wraps due to the fur’s sheen.
Banner: Custom banner with princess’ name printed across, made by Marie Dick.
Canyon Bag: The
Canyon board passes down traditional beaded tote bags through each year to Happy Canyon royalty.
Happy
Happy
THE RODEO ROUND-UP 101
All you need to know to follow the action
For a sport born on the straightforward ranches of the American West, rodeo can be confusing for the uninitiated. If you’re reading these words, that’s probably you. Don’t fret, you’re starting in the right place. Rodeo 101 is here to provide the basics and get you up to speed.
ALL-AROUND
The top award at every rodeo, which also comes with additional money and prizes. It is awarded to the cowboy who earns the most money in more than one event, which is not always the cowboy who earns the most total money that week. If no cowboy earns money in more than one event, the all-around goes to the cowboy who earned the most combined money while entering more than one event. The all-around cowboy at the RoundUp has their name etched on the East Oregonian Let’er Buck Trophy. If they get their name on the trophy three times, they get to take it home. Trevor Brazile has two such trophies.
BAREBACK RIDING
Just what it sounds like, bareback riders must compete without the benefit of a saddle. The horses used in bareback are the same as those used in saddle bronc, but the ride is much more violent because of the lack of padding between the horse and rider. Contestants grip a handle that is strapped behind the horse’s shoulder blades, leading to bone-shaking impacts with each buck. It requires skill, balance and coordination. Riders must stay on for 8 seconds for a legal ride.
BARREL RACING
The only women’s event in major rodeo, barrel racing has gone from a side competition to a fan favorite. Contestants start at one end of the arena riding toward a timeline that automatically times their run. They must traverse a three-leafed clover pattern starting on either the left or right, and after looping around the first barrel must cross the arena to the opposite barrel. After looping around the second barrel they ride to the middle barrel before heading straight back to the timeline. Contestants are allowed to bump the 55-gallon barrels, but if one falls over, a 5-second penalty is added to their time.
BARRIER
Used in all of the tying events and steer wrestling, the barrier is a thin rope that stretches across the exit of the starting chute. The barrier is used to ensure an even start for all competitors, and any cowboy who breaks the barrier before the calf or steer releases the rope on the way out of the chute, is penalized 10 seconds.
BULLFIGHTER
The men who are responsible for drawing a bull away from the rider once he has been bucked off. They help herd the bull out of the arena, and remove flank straps. Injuries are part of the gig, including broken bones and bruises.
BULL RIDING
Considered the most dangerous 8 seconds in sports. Contestants grip a bull rope that is wrapped around the bull’s body just behind its front legs. Riders may only use one hand. If their free hand comes into contact with the bull, it is not a legal ride. Riders are not required to mark out or spur like the bareback and saddle back riders. Although they take on the largest animals in the sport, bull riders tend to be some of the smallest competitors.
HAZER
The cowboy who rides on the opposite side of a steer from the bulldogger to keep the steer running in a straight line. Cowboys provide their own hazer, who is typically a fellow competitor.
LONG GO / SHORT GO
The long-go encompasses the preliminary rounds of the rodeo and varies in length from event to event. The Round-Up’s long go is two rounds in each timed event except for barrel racing, which, like the rough stock events, is one round. Competitors win money for placing in the top eight of each round. The final round of the rodeo in which the competitor field is cut to the top 12 for each event is the short go. Payouts for placing in the short go are lower than in the long round because of the smaller field, but contestants also can win money for placing in the average standings with strong performances. »
Back: Strained and bent backwards when a horse flipped over on Landingham in the bucking chute at Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada
Pelvis:
Right hand: also competed after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Two broken bones in his right hand.
Knees: Multiple surgeries on his meniscus tissue, which was torn from years of heavy riding.
Cowboy injuries
A former Pendleton Round-Up competitor
broken and a piece of ribcage cartilage torn.
Landingham at Houston.
more bulls. The incident persuaded him to give up bull riding and switch
Shattered femur,
Competitors at the Pendleton Round-Up and other professional rodeos can sustain many injuries over their careers from participating in the extremely dangerous sport.
Advanced Ro State-of-the-art Care
Dr. Hari Sawkar
ROUND-UP 101
PICK-UP MEN
Riders positioned around the arena to assist bareback and saddle bronc riders in their dismounts and remove flank straps.
RE-RIDE
When a horse or bull has not done its part, or some other incident prevents the rider from getting a fair shake, he is offered another ride on a different animal. If he accepts, any score earned during his original ride is wiped off the books and he must accept whatever the re-ride yields. It’s possible to get more than one re-ride in a round.
ROUGH STOCK
The name applied to the bucking events — bull riding, bareback riding and saddle bronc. Bareback riding and saddle bronc are contested on bucking horses. In all of the events, contestants earn scores for successful 8-second rides. Once situated on the back of the bronc or bull, the cowboy will signal the gate man, who then opens the bucking chute. With only one hand holding him onto his mount, the cowboy must successfully ride for 8 seconds to earn a score. Rough stock is scored by two judges, who award up to 25 points to each rider and animal based on varying criteria. All scores are combined to get a total for the ride, with 100 points as the maximum.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Rodeo’s signature event, saddle bronc is the event depicted in the Round-Up’s iconic Let’er Buck logo. From a specialized saddle with free-swinging stirrups and no horn, contestants grip a cotton rein that is attached to a halter worn by the horse.
SLACK
Because of time restrictions, not every cowboy gets to compete in the main performance. Slack is the name given to the competitions held before or after the main performances, and counts the same in the overall standings. Slack ensures larger entry fields and higher payouts for winners, and is typically free to attend for fans. It does not include rough stock events. The Round-Up begins running slack on Monday morning of rodeo week.
STEER ROPING
This event follows the same rules as tie-down roping with two major differences. Unlike calves, steers must be roped around both horns. Any other catch is illegal. Once the rider dismounts, his horse immediately begins a backpedal that pulls the steer along the ground and keeps it from gaining its feet. After the cowboy reaches the steer, he must tie any three legs before returning to his horse to complete the run.
STEER WRESTLING
Also known as bulldogging, steer wrestling requires the most brute strength of any of the timed events. The cowboy starts behind the barrier, and once the steer has been released, the cowboy must catch up to the sprinting steer before dropping down from the side of his horse and catching the steer by the horns. The cowboy transfers the weight of his upper body to the neck of the steer, with one hand on the near horn of the steer and the far horn grasped in the crook of the other elbow. The cowboy then digs his heels into the ground to slow the steer before using leverage to turn it on its side. The clock stops when all four hooves are off the ground and pointing in the same direction. Steers weigh between 450 and 660 pounds.
TEAM ROPING
Consisting of header (the cowboy who ropes the head of the steer) and a heeler (the cowboy who ropes the hind legs), the event begins the same as tie-down, except with one rider in each box on either side of the chute. Once the barrier is released, the header must make one of three legal catches — around both horns, one horn and the head, or the neck — and then make the steer change direction before the heeler throws his lasso at its hind legs. Catching both hind legs is a successful run, while catching just one adds a 5-second penalty. The clock stops when there is no slack in both ropes and the riders’ horses are facing each other.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Also known as calf roping. A cowboy must lasso a calf before dismounting and successfully tying any three of its legs together. The event requires impeccable timing and a well-trained horse. It begins with a calf charging down a chute that runs parallel to the cowboy’s starting box. Once the calf releases a barrier rope at the end of the chute the cowboy is free to lasso it anyway he can. After getting the lasso secured, a cowboy must “trip” the calf by creating a little slack then making a sharp turn, using the extra rope to sweep the calf’s legs from under it. At this point, he dismounts, runs to the calf and throws it to the ground (called flanking). If the calf is already on the ground when he arrives at it he must allow it to get up, then take it down again. He then must tie any three of the calf’s legs together with a short rope called a pigging string while his horse keeps the rope taught. After he throws his hands into the air to signify a completed run, he must get back on his horse and create slack in the rope. The calf must stay tied for 6 seconds to make the time official.
Horse vs. Human
More than any other species through the ages, horses have shared a unique bond with humans. But their physiology is vastly different, as these statistics show.
Brain: The brain of a horse weighs about 1.3 pounds. Human brains are between 2.6 and 3.3 pounds.
Eyes: Horses’ eyes are about two inches in diameter, more than twice the 0.94 inch diameter of a human eye.
Oxygen: The normal rate of oxygen consumption per kilogram of body weight for a horse is 210 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per hour. Our large, oxygen-hungry brains require more oxygen than our equestrian friends — humans’ normal rate of oxygen consumption per kilogram of body weight is 210 to 240 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per hour.
Body temperature: A horse’s body temperature can range between 99.1 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Humans can be slightly cooler, from 96.6 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
Weight: Depending on the breed, horses’ weights span a huge range — from Miniature Horses that are as small as 120 pounds all the way up to 2,200 pound Clydesdales. The average adult weight is 136.7 pounds
Lifespan: Horses live an average of 25 to 30 years. The average human lifespan is 74.5 years.
Heart: A horse’s heart weighs about 8.8 pounds, much more than the 8 to 12 ounce human heart. Horses have a cardiac output of 1,100 to 1,500 cubic inches per minute, meaning that a horse’s heart fills a five gallon bucket with blood each minute! Human hearts generally move between 340 to 370 cubic inches a minute — about one and a half gallons.
Stomach: A horse’s stomach has a capacity of 4.7 gallons. A human’s stomach can range between half a gallon to one gallon.
Bladder: A horse produces between 1.59 to 2.64 gallons of urine per day. A human produces only 0.26 to 0.42 gallons per day.
Legs: The top speed of the fastest quarter horses in the world is about 55 miles per hour. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s top speed is around 27 miles per hour.
Source: www.wolframalpha.com
THE RODEO 2024 PENDLETON ROUND-UP CHAMPIONS
2004 Pendleton Round-Up All-around champion: Coleman Proctor, of Pryor, Oklahoma, holds the East Oregonian Let ‘er Buck Trophy for winning the all-around title of the 2024 Pendleton Round-Up. Yasser Marte/East Oregonian, File
These competitors topped the rankings at the 2024 Pendleton Round-Up.
ALL-AROUND CHAMPION
Proctor Coleman
Coleman Proctor (pictured at left), of Pryor, Oklahoma, at No. 9 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings as of Aug. 13, is the 2024 Pendleton Round-Up allaround champion. He described the victory as “the greatest accomplishment of my career.”
BULL RIDING CHAMPION
Trevor Reiste
91.5 points on Outlawbuckers Rodeo’s Blue Magic.
SADDLE BRONC CHAMPION
Jake Finlay
91 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ The Black Tie.
BAREBACK CHAMPION
Weston Timberman
89 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Land O’ Fancy.
BARREL RACING CHAMPION
Sarah Winkleman 28.63 seconds.
BREAKAWAY ROPING CHAMPIONS
Kelsie Domer & Coti Fuller 6.4 seconds on two head.
STEER WRESTLING CHAMPION
Jace Melvin 4.9 seconds.
STEER ROPING CHAMPION
Trenton Johnson 37.9 seconds on three head.
TIE-DOWN ROPING CHAMPIONS
Dustin Egusquiza (header) & Levi Lord (heeler) 6.1 seconds.
Sources: teamropingjournal.com, pendletonroundup.com, PRCAProRodeo
PRCA TOP 20 IN THE WORLD
The Pendleton Round-Up draws the best cowboys in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and it’s common to see any of the top rodeo athletes giving it their all on the grass turf.
1. World All-Around leader Stetson Wright, of Beaver, Utah
$348,247.75
2. Wacey Schalla, of Arapaho, Oklahoma
$292,632
3. Brushton Minton, of Witter Springs, California
$132,434.38
4. Dylan Hancock, of San Angelo, Texas
$120,320.19
5. Seth Hall, of Albuquerque, New Mexico
$98,272.51
6. Paden Bray, of Stephenville, Texas
$96,625.28
7. Tanner Green, of Cotulla, Texas
$86,554.85
8. Jake Clay, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma
$62,991.82
9. Coleman Proctor, of Pryor, Oklahoma
$62,480.65
10. Slade Wood, of New Ulm, Texas
$54,603.99
11. Marcus Theriot, of Lumberton, Mississippi
$52,957.79
12. Cole Eiguren, of Fruitland, Idaho
$50,078.83
13. Myles Kenzy, of Iona, South Dakota
$49,401.86
14. Laramie Allen, of Llano, Texas
$49,021.68
15. Chet Weitz, of London, Texas
$46,933.66
16. Austin Madison, of Onawa, Iowa
$43,097.78
17. Blake Deckard, of Eufaula, Oklahoma
$43,001.66
18. Bodie Mattson, of Sturgis, South Dakota
$42,755.51
19. Chance Oftedahl, of Pemberton, Minnesota
$42,040.54
20. Clay Clayman, of Highlandville, Missouri
$42,014.06
THE RODEO 2025 PENDLETON ROUND-UP WEEK SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPT. 6
Main Street Cowboys Dress-Up Parade
10 a.m. Pendleton city streets
Kick-Off Concert
7-10 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
MONDAY, SEPT. 8
36th Annual Round-Up Foundation Memorial Golf
7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pendleton Country Club
Slack
Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
9:30-11:30 a.m. — Breakaway Roping
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Team Roping
3:30-5:30 p.m. — Barrel Racing
Xtreme Bulls Finale
8-10 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
TUESDAY, SEPT. 9
Slack
Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Xtreme Bulls Finale
8-10 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10
Veterans of Foreign Wars Cowboy Breakfast
6-10 a.m. Stillman Park
Farmers Ending Hunger Day
1:15-5:30 p.m. Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
Happy Canyon Night Show
7:45-9 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
THURSDAY, SEPT. 11
Veterans of Foreign Wars Cowboy Breakfast
6-10 a.m. Stillman Park
Junior American Indian Beauty Contest
10-11 a.m. Roy Raley Park
Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day
1:15-5:30 p.m. Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
Happy Canyon Night Show
7:45-9 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
FRIDAY, SEPT. 12
Veterans of Foreign Wars Cowboy Breakfast 6-10 a.m. Stillman Park
American Indian Beauty Contest 9-10:00 a.m. Main Street
Westward Ho! Parade 10-11:30 a.m. Pendleton City Streets
Pendleton Round-Up – Wrangler National Patriots Day 1:15-5:30 p.m. Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
Happy Canyon Night Show
7:45-9 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13
Veterans of Foreign Wars Cowboy Breakfast 6-10 a.m. Stillman Park
Tribal Ceremonial Dancing 9-10 a.m. Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
Pendleton Round-Up Finals Golden Circle of Champions 1:15-5:30 p.m. Pendleton Round-Up Stadium
Happy Canyon Night Show
7:45-9 p.m. Happy Canyon Arena
HISTORY PENDLETON ROUND-UP AND HAPPY CANYON HALL
OF FAME
2025 inductees
The Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Hall of Fame Board of Directors in May announced the 2025 inductees in a news release. This year, the inductees are Kaycee Feild in the Contestant Category, Bo Gem Topless Bar “Toes” in the Animal Category and Mark Rosenberg in the Round-Up Volunteer Category.
Kaycee Feild — Contestant Category
Born in Payson, Utah, Feild has been a prominent figure in the Pendleton Round-Up since childhood, inspired by his father, Louis Feild, a celebrated competitor inducted into the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in 2015.
Kaycee earned his pro card in 2007 and has participated in the Round-Up annually since then.
In 2022, he realized his dream by winning the Pendleton Round-Up Bareback Championship buckle, following in his father’s footsteps. Renowned for his flamboyant style, Kaycee has thrilled crowds at rodeos across the U.S. and entertained troops in Kuwait and Iraq on the Wrangler Patriot Tour.
He boasts an impressive career, qualifying for 13 Wrangler NFRs and winning the National Finals Rodeo average for four consecutive years (2011-14), along with a PRCA-record six world championships (2011-14, 2020-21). On April 8, 2024, Kaycee was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, joining his father in this prestigious honor. After a brief break spent with his wife and three children in Genola, Utah, Kaycee is focused on capturing another American Rodeo title.
Bo Gem Topless Bar ‘Toes’ — Animal Category
This registered sorrel Quarter Horse, known as “Toes,” has made a remarkable impact at the Pendleton Round-Up, participating in the Grand Entry for 10consecutive years, 2011-21. During this time, he carried the American flag alongside his rider, Will Jons, in 40 Grand Entry performances. Notably, in 2020, when the Round-Up was suspended due to the pandemic, Toes still showcased his talents in four mock Grand Entries, complete with live mortars, for promotional videos celebrating Round-Up Cares.
Toes is distinguished by his impressive stature and strong build, consistently completing his flag-bearing lap with elegance and speed. In 2015, he faced a challenging moment when he slipped on a wet track, leading to a fall. Remarkably, he remained composed, allowing his rider to remount before resuming the performance to thunderous applause from the crowd. Renowned for his strength and big heart, Toes has proudly represented the Pendleton Round-Up across the United States and on at least two other continents. His legacy continues to inspire and captivate audiences, making him a celebrated figure in the equestrian community. Owner: Duane and Janet Johnson. Born: May 11, 1997, Still living.
Mark Rosenberg — Round-Up Volunteer Category
Mark’s commitment to Round-Up and Happy Canyon is profound, having begun as a Happy Canyon cast member at just 10 years old.
He joined the Happy Canyon Board of Directors in 1978 and served as president 1986-87. His volunteer efforts with Round-Up started in 1953, where he made history as the first individual (out of five) to serve as president for both organizations, leading Round-Up 2001-02.
A significant achievement during his presidency was facilitating a partnership with Hood River Distillers, resulting in the production of Round-Up branded whisky. Since 2005, Mark has led the Westward Ho! parade, carrying the American flag, and has raised two animals, Molly (a buggy horse) and Beauregard (a bull elk), both of whom have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Being named the 2025 Round-Up Volunteer inductee is a tremendous honor for him, reflecting his lifelong dedication to these cherished community traditions while joining his father James and grandfather, who also are Pendleton Round-up Hall of Fame inductees. Mark is humble, quiet and always leads by example.
Each year, the Hall of Fame receives nominations from the organization’s members in various categories, which can include contestant, volunteer, contract personnel, animal, and Native American. Members of the Hall of Fame have the opportunity to vote on the nominees.
There is a banquet Sunday, Sept. 7, to honor the inductees, and the Round-Up will tip its collective hat to the group on Wednesday, Sept. 10, during the rodeo. The Hall of Fame also features the inductees in exhibits.
Kaycee Feild
Bo Gem Topless Bar ‘Toes’
Mark Rosenberg
Highlighting more than 100 years of event history
Hall of Fame Museum features its first interactive exhibit
The Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame give visitors a place to step back into the history of one of the world’s biggest outdoor rodeos and the country’s longest-running outdoor pageant and Wild West show.
The rodeo and night show have had close ties for more than a hundred years. Happy Canyon evolved in the early days of the Round-Up as a way to provide nighttime entertainment and keep the fun going after the cowboys at the rodeo hung up the spurs for the day. The museum at 1114 SW Court Ave., near the Round-Up Grounds, has showcased the sibling events since its founding in 1969.
Key exhibits include the latest Hall of Fame inductees, a bronze of the Round-Up’s Grand Entry with U.S. flags flying, the original Wallace Smith iconic “Let’er Buck” painting and an interactive exhibit featuring War Paint.
War Paint was a saddle bronc horse in the 1950s that bucked off 90% of the cowboys who sat astride his back. A taxidermist preserved the horse in a permanent moment of kicking up his hind legs. The exhibit is a focal point at the museum.
Other displays include photos of Pendleton Round-Up queens and princesses, impressive swag from past rodeo champions and artifacts such as firearms and local tribal beadwork and regalia
The museum also features memorable and historic figures, none more so than Umatilla County Sheriff Til Taylor, an enthusiastic Round-Up advocate who died when a bandit shot him dead in 1920.
And the Hall of Fame museum also pays tribute to the women of Round-Up, recounting the time when women competed in every event. In 1929, the Round-Up board voted to bar women from most events after rough stock rider Bonnie McCarroll died in the arena after her horse fell on her.
Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame museum
1114 SW Court Ave. and open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but hours could change. For that information, cost of admission and more, call the hall at 541-278-0815. You also can find information about the Hall of Fame on Facebook.
Wallace Smith’s original painting of “Let’er Buck” is on display at the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. — East Oregonian, File
ATTRACTIONS ROUND-UP KICK-OFF CONCERT
Two country stars headline
The Kick-Off Concert gets the big show that is the Pendleton Round-Up rolling. And this year’s headliners are two of the biggest stars in country music.
Tracy Lawrence and Rodney Atkins headline the show Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Happy Canyon Arena.
Lawrence has sold 13 million albums and had 18 No. 1 singles in the 1990s and 2000s and racked up numerous American Country Music and Country Music Association awards in his more than 30 years in the business. He is coming off the “Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour” and keeps busy hosting the radio show “Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence,” which airs in more than 170 markets, as well as the podcast “TL’s Road House.”
Atkins has charted at least one radio single at Country Radio in three different decades all while being on the same record label (Curb Records). He is an ACM award-winning artist, with more than four billion global streams and several No. 1 singles.
His hit song, “Watching You,” was named the No. 1 Song of the Decade by Country Aircheck and earned the songwriter a BMI “MillionAir” Award.
Atkins’ newest song, “True South,” was released in November 2024.
“We’re beyond excited to have Tracy Lawrence and Rodney Atkins take the stage at the Happy Canyon Arena this September,” Happy Canyon President Kipp Curtis said in a press release. “After last year’s amazing show with Clay Walker and Eddie Montgomery, it’s clear that our fans are craving that 90’s country energy. Tracy Lawrence and Rodney Atkins are guaranteed to deliver a mix of nostalgic hits and fresh new music that will have everyone rocking out all night long.”
Round-Up President Tiah DeGrofft agreed.
“This concert is the ultimate way to kick off Round-Up and Happy Canyon week,” she said in the press release. “We’re pumped for everyone to experience the show and let loose for a night of unforgettable fun.”
“It’s clear that our fans are craving that ’90s country energy,” Happy Canyon President Kipp Curtis said in a news release Monday. “Tracy Lawrence and Rodney Atkins are guaranteed to deliver a mix of nostalgic hits and fresh new music that will have everyone rocking out all night long.”
Lights illuminate the crowd during the 2021 Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Kick-Off Concert. Country stars Tracy Lawrence and Rodney Atkins headline the show at the Happy Canyon Arena in Pendleton. — East Oregonian, File
ATTRACTIONS PARADES + MORE
Parades bookend Round-Up week
From tricked out rides to hooves and feet, grab a spot and watch the processions from the street
Pendleton doesn’t just have one parade during RoundUp week, it has two, and they are about as opposite in theme as possible. Crowds, though, line the streets of the town to enjoy both.
The Main Street Cowboys get the fun rolling Saturday, Sept. 6, at 10 a.m. with the Dress-Up Parade. The pageant is one of the unofficial starts of Pendleton Round-Up week.
The parade features all kinds of groups, clubs, organizations and individuals waltzing, trotting, driving and dancing through the streets. More than 100 entrants partake in the annual parade, which features classic cars, high school marching bands and floats.
Before the Dress-Up Parade is the Kyle Burnside Dress Up Parade Fun Run.
Participants don costumes and run the 1.5-mile parade route before the parade begins.
The cost of the race is $10.00 for adults and children race free. All proceeds from the race go to the Kyle Burnside Scholarship Fund. Runners also win awards for best single costume: youth boy, youth girl, high school boy, high school girl, adult male, adult female and best overall group, and overall race male and female win a Main Street Cowboys trophy.
Friday, Sept. 12, also starting at 10 a.m, is the Pendleton
Round-Up Association’s annual Westward Ho! Parade.
The entirely nonmotorized parade features oxen-drawn covered wagons, Mormon carts, a mounted band and more. The Westward Ho! Parade is another tribute to the early days in the West and to the pioneers whose descendants are participating in the Round-Up.
The parades have a few things in common, though.
They take the same route, starting on Southwest Dorion Avenue in front of Pendleton City Hall, heading east until turning north onto Southeast Fifth Street, then a block later turn west onto Southwest Court Avenue and parade right on down to the Pendleton Convention Center.
The parades also begin with the blast of a canon announcing their starts.
And participants in the parades sweeten the fun along the route, tossing candy curbside to children. Or even adults.
The parade is chock full of history and features wagons, buggies and carriages dating back all the way to the 1850s. The parade, which has been a part of the Round-Up since 1910, will include smaller stagecoaches, flat wagons and more
The parade normally has 130 or 140 entries, but participants can include multiple people. For instance, a single band with six members would count as one entry.
The Westward Ho! parade leads the annual procession with horse riders and flags waving in air. — East Oregonian, File
Veterans of Foreign Wars volunteers serve up fried ham at the annual Cowboy Breakfast. — East Oregonian, File
cowboy breakfast
Pendleton at dawn can be brisk, but the Veterans of Foreign Wars will warm you right up with hot pancakes, eggs and ham plus a steam cup of coffee.
The annual Cowboy Breakfast is the chief fundraiser for Let ‘er Buck Post 922 — a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the community and veterans.
The breakfast operates Sept. 10-13 starting at 6 a.m. and lasting until 10 a.m. at Stillman Park, 413 SE Byers Ave., and feeds in excess of 4,000 Pendleton Round-Up attendees during the four days. The allyou-can-eat breakfast costs $10 for adults and $5 for children.
The 10 a.m. deadline can be a bit soft. The breakfast goes until the supplies run or the last person in line has their meal.
Making pancakes for the week takes 700 pounds of flour, 130 gallons of milk, 69 dozen eggs and more. The breakfast eaters will chow down 1,200 pounds of ham, 650 dozen eggs, 48 gallons of syrup, 175 pounds of margarine and 185 gallons of coffee. Each year the VFW places the most recent tally on a large white board near the start of the food line.
Local businesses donate the ingredients, food and other items the breakfast requires. The more donations the VFW receives from area businesses, the more it can push breakfast revenue back into the community.
VFW Let ‘er Buck Post 922 donates the money to education scholarships, youth sports, veterans relief and other programs that benefit the community.
Tough Enough to Wear Pink
2024 Tough Enough To Wear Pink campaign sets fundraising record
By Phil Wright | East Oregonian
The Pendleton Round-Up’s Tough Enough To Wear Pink campaign in 2024 raised a record $51,000 for local cancer support organizations.
The local nonprofit announced the donation surpassed the previous highest total of $40,000 from the 2023 campaign.
Tough Enough To Wear Pink until 2025 donated 100% of campaign proceeds to three local organizations supporting patients and survivors: CHI St. Anthony Hospital’s Cancer Clinic, the Eastern Oregon Cancer Network and the Kickin’ Cancer New Beginnings program. For 2024, the TETWP campaign allocated $51,000 to three Eastern Oregon cancer support organizations.
The contribution came from a variety of fundraising efforts, including sponsorships, donations and raffles featuring a custom Pendleton Hat Co. hat, custom pink Justin Boots and Montana Silversmiths jewelry and hat pin. Clickit RV of Milton-Freewater contributed $3,000 from a portion of all recreational vehicle sales in 2024 between Sept. 12 (TETWP Day at the Pendleton RoundUp) and October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The three benefiting organizations provide crucial services to local breast cancer patients, from diagnosis through recovery.
The CHI St. Anthony Hospital Cancer Clinic offers a wide range of support, including breast prosthetics, post-op camisoles, wigs, and financial assistance. Kickin’ Cancer New Beginnings program offers services such as free massage therapy, personal training, and Pilates classes for recovering patients.
Eastern Oregon Cancer Network was Pendleton’s lone outpatient radiation therapy center. It closed in February.
The Eastern Oregon Cancer Network exists at least for now through the end of this year, she said, and is aiming to continue to provide housing for people coming into town for radiation treatment.
For now, she said, Tough Enough to Wear Pink is planning on giving funds to CHI St. Anthony Hospital Cancer Clinic and Kickin’ Cancer New Beginnings.
The Tough Enough To Wear Pink campaign now is in its 20th year. The Pendleton Round-Up Association has designated Thursday of the rodeo week each year as TETWP day. It encourages rodeo participants and visitors to wear pink to show their support for local breast cancer patients and survivors.
TETWP’s high visibility not only promotes breast cancer awareness to thousands of Round-Up visitors each year but ensures every dollar raised stays within Eastern Oregon.
The 2025 Tough Enough To Wear Pink day is Sept. 11
ATTRACTIONS KEEPING THE PARTY GOING
Happy Canyon Night Show and Goldie’s Bar at the Canyon
Nighttime entertainment as the Pendleton Round-Up wraps up each day of competition
The Pendleton Round-Up wraps up each day of competition at 5 p.m., but the night life gets rolling with the Happy Canyon Night Show and then Goldie’s Bar at the Canyon.
The Night Show features locals playing roles handed down to them through six generations and authentic regalia up to 150 years old. The centuryold pageant begins with the lives of American Indians on the Columbia Plateau before white settlers arrived. Members of the local Cayuse, Walla Walla and Umatilla tribes portray ceremonial dances and other traditions from the time. When the tribes meet Meriweather Lewis, William Clark and Sacajawea, the actors portraying the exploration party are being greeted by descendants of those who welcomed the real explorers in 1805.
The Night Show features locals playing roles handed down to them through six generations and authentic regalia up to 150 years old.
Goldie’s Bar at the Canyon inside the Pendleton Convention Center offers live music, dancing and gambling. — East Oregonian, File
Story by Phil Wright | East Oregonian
New book tells the story of the Happy Canyon night Show
The show moves through conflicts between the Indians and settlers — including some gunplay and crowd-pleasing stunts — and a somber treaty-signing ceremony, before turning into a more humorous, vaudeville-like Wild West encapsulating the rambunctiousness of early town life in the West.
Roy Raley wrote the Wild West side of the show in 1914 and added the second act two years later, forming the full Happy Canyon Night Show, with the help of Anna Minthorn Wannassay.
In addition to live actors, stunts and animals, the Happy Canyon Night Show is set to live music that ebbs and flows with the action onstage. In all, about 750 people come together to bring the Night Show to life.
The Oregon Legislature in 2013 declared Happy Canyon the state’s official outdoor pageant and Wild West show. The show runs Wednesday through Saturday following the Pendleton RoundUp, Sept. 15-18 in the Happy Canyon Arena at 7:45 p.m.
As soon as the pageant ends, the after-party of the Pendleton Round-Up begins. Happy Canyon audience members can stroll right on through into the Goldie’s Bar at the Canyon.
The stage for Happy Canyon is the entrance to the Pendleton Convention Center, home to Goldie’s Bar. For patrons 21 and older, there is live music, gambling, drinking and dancing. Goldie’s opens from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. each night of the Round-Up.
Goldie’s in 2021 received a makeover, complete with a new bar top of blue pine milled in Fossil in Wheeler County, about a two hours drive from Pendleton in Wheeler County.
Goldie’s Grill debuted in 2023, with the Pendleton Catering Co. offering food.
While Pendleton has plenty of choices during Round-Up, a visit to Goldie’s Bar at the Canyon is a must.
The book, “On With the Show — The Story of Happy Canyon,” written by show director Becky Fletcher Waggoner, tells the story of the show. According to the book description, the book has a concise narrative of the show’s script with photos.
Waggoner said the book — which is 40 pages long — took about nine months of work. She said that she first envisioned the book as a souvenir for children. But, she said it’s a book for everyone who enjoys the show.
The book is for “anyone that loves the show and wants to relive what they got to see,” Waggoner said.
Waggoner, a fourth-generation Happy Canyon actor who started acting in the show when she was three, has written about it before. She wrote “Happy Canyon: A History of the World’s Most Unique Indian Pageant & Wild West Show” in 2016. According to the book’s description, it provides a detailed view of the show’s history.
How to get a book
Waggoner said the books cost $25. She said the books will be available for purchase at the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Gift Shop, Brent’s Books and likely other area bookstores.
A new book gives fans of the Pendleton Round-Up’s Happy Canyon Night Show a new way to take the performance home.
The set for the Happy Canyon Night Show at the Happy Canyon Arena in Pendleton is the back entrance to the Round-Up’s after party — Goldie’s Bar at the Canyon. — East Oregonian, File
INDIAN VILLAGE + AMERICAN INDIAN BEAUTY PAGEANTS
Tradition, family, friends come together at the Indian Village
Participation of local American Indian tribes dates back to the first Pendleton Round-Up
The original organizers of the Pendleton Round-Up in 2010 decided to invite the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to participate in the event.
At first, those organizers were not sure how the tribes received the invitation.
Right before the rodeo started, tribal members arrived on their horses and set up their camp. Since that day, the Indian Village has been an integral part of Round-Up and an essential aspect of the rodeo’s history.
Families who have been participating in the village pass down teepee materials and even the same plot for their camp from one generation to the next.
Friends and families on the Sunday of Round-up week gather before dawn outside the gates to the space north of the Round-Up Grounds. Within a few hours, teepees cover the bare ground. Close to 300 teepees crowd the site and remain up for the week.
While other large rodeos have similar camps, some Round-Up board members will tell you there’s not another Indian Village of this scope in all of rodeo.
The setup process for these teepees is an impressive one, it’s also the result of months of planning, with some families going to the Blue Mountains as early as June to get teepee poles from trees. After a drying process, the tent poles are ready.
The majority of the village is made up of members of the Cayuse, Walla Walla and Umatilla tribes, however, other tribal members also come, such as the Yakama, Warm Springs, Nez Perce and Colville tribes. Members stay in, and live in, the village for the week, and many are able to participate in the Happy Canyon Night Show.
For many of the families, it is a time for reunion and gathering, an opportunity to reconnect. Some fly in from different parts of the country every year to stay with their families and get together after time spent apart.
From Wed. to Sat., across from the village at Roy Raley Park, vendors staying in the village offer Native American crafts.
Additionally, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday there will be tribal dancing and awards on Saturday in the Round-Up Arena. Round-Up attendees are welcome throughout the Indian Village, but they also should be mindful.
After all, these camps are people’s homes for the week.
Native American teepees getting ready for families to stay the week in the Indian Village at the Pendleton Round-Up Grounds. — East Oregonian, File
American Indian beauty and tradition on display
Throughout the rodeo, American Indian girls have the opportunity to show off a wide array of traditional colorful patterns, dresses and regalia with many of the cultural attire and customs passed down through generations of women. These opportunities will culminate in the yearly Indian beauty pageants.
The pageants are split into two sections, with the Junior Indian Beauty Pageant for girls ages 4-13 and the senior pageant for girls aged 14-23. The junior pageant takes place Thursday, Sept. 11, 10-11 a.m. at Roy Raley Park, next to the Pendleton Round-Up Grounds, while the senior pageant takes place 9-10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12., on Main Street before the Westward Ho! Parade begins.
The pageant, which is sponsored by the Pendleton Round-Up and the Pendleton Woolen Mills, goes back to nearly the beginning of Round-Up in the early 1900s. Meanwhile, the junior pageant started in 1962 by Lou Levey, who wanted to give younger girls the opportunity to compete as well.
Many of the dresses, which can include ornate beadwork and intricate designs, have been worn since the beginning of the pageant and have been passed down from family member to family member.
The top four girls will, in turn, win patterned blankets from the Pendleton Woolen Mills.
A young Native American girl particpates in the Junior Native American Beauty Pageant. — East Oregonian, File
Putting the spotlight on Main Street
The Main Street Cowboys bring vendors, merchants, fun and crowds to downtown Pendleton
The Main Street Cowboys are a familiar sight in downtown Pendleton during Round-Up week. Members of the local nonprofit are hard to miss. They wear purple and light green shirts, with white cowboy hats and varying shades of blue jeans.
The missions of the Cowboys are to bring visitors and residents downtown during the Round-Up and to promote the city’s history. The group is ready for another week filled with thousands enjoying food, music, vendors and family fun on Pendleton’s streets and in its businesses.
The cowboys’ Dress-Up Parade kicks off Round-Up week on the Saturday before the rodeo. The parade features a variety of groups, clubs, organizations and individuals waltzing through the streets. A 2-mile fun run precedes it. More than 100 entrants participate in the annual parade, including equestrians, classic cars, floats, marching and mounted bands.
The cowboys have enlivened downtown during Round-Up since 1950, when Morris Temple and fellow businessmen united to entertain rodeo fans after each day’s event. Their goal was to turn South Main Street into the “Greatest Free Show in the West.”
They hoped to book merchants, vendors, entertainers, dancers, musicians and carnival attractions to promote Pendleton and the rodeo. Their 1950 show cost about $1,445, with more than $220 left in the till.
The downtown activities attract tens of thousands of rodeogoers after events in the Round-Up Stadium. The city closes off north- and southbound traffic on Main Street, and when the crowds are thick, it can take some minutes to get from one end of Main to the other.
The cowboys also keep the peace during Round-Up. They work on Main Street at all times, helping people figure out where to go, splitting up fights or contacting the authorities.
The Main Street events are meant for family fun. Alcohol is not permitted on the streets, and there are plenty of vendors and activities for children.
The cowboys’ service to the community isn’t limited to the downtown show. The group supplies stages, tents, benches and sound systems for the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Fourth of July parade and other local events.
While Main Street Cowboys are most visible during the week of the Pendleton Round-Up, the group is involved in the community all year long.
Main Street Cowboys grill pancakes for the Twilight Breakfast. — East Oregonian, File
Sidesaddlers
Serving up breakfast and community
The Main Street Sidesaddlers launch Pendleton Round-Up week with breakfast for dinner. They are a funloving group of women forming counterparts to the Main Street Cowboys. The nonprofit civic organization provides entertainment and support during the Pendleton Round-Up.
The Sidesaddlers wear lavender blouses with white cowboy hats and scarves, and they commence Round-Up festivities with the Twilight Breakfast at Stillman Park on Thursday, Sept. 4, starting at 4 p.m. The breakfast typically includes a full plate of eggs, ham, pancakes, coffee and juice. It also features door prizes and music.
During Round-Up, Sidesaddlers serve coffee in the arena at slack — the preliminary rounds in some rodeo events — on Monday and Tuesday. Downtown, they stock brochures, run information booths to help attendees navigate the Main Street show and help the cowboys sell T-shirts.
The group cooks for all the entertainers and vendors who come to the Main Street Cowboys office each year. Their job is to make sure the cowboys are up and running as Main Street fills with thousands of people.
The Sidesaddlers ride on the Main Street Cowboys’ calliope to finish off the festivities as the last wagon to roll into town at the annual Westward Ho! Parade in downtown Pendleton. — East Oregonian, File
