Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 2019)
16 Wednesday, May 29, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon KNOX: Volunteers make Sisters Rodeo happen each year Continued from page 3 a beating.= Knox always wanted to participate in Sisters Rodeo, but for many years after she moved here in 1977, that just wasn9t in the cards. She oper- ated a horse breeding barn for Patterson Ranch, and it was an all-consuming endeavor. <So I had no time,= Knox said. Horses have been at the center of Bonnie Knox9s life since she was a girl. <I wanted a horse from the time I was 3,= she recalled. <And finally my dad said , 8If you can save enough money, I9ll match what you save and we9ll get you a horse.9= Knox put her nose to the grindstone. <I collected acorns for the pig farmers and they paid by the pound,= she said. <I washed dogs and I walked them. This is how I made money.= She9s been in the saddle ever since 4 though she9s annoyed at the lack of trail time with her friends in the Sisters Saddlebags Club so far this year. Weather again. <I wasn9t on my horse from October till May,= she said. When Knox isn9t rid- ing or working, you9ll likely find her at one of Sisters9 music venues enjoying her favorite local players 4 Dry Canyon Stampede, The Anvil Blasters, Bitter Creek or Bill Keale. <I just enjoy it a lot,= she said. She9s almost always turned out in high Western style 4 often representing Sisters Rodeo9s black-and- red colors with a custom hat made by Gene Baldwin of Sisters, featuring her Scottish Clan badge. At the Rodeo, Knox serves as an usher 4 a more demanding job than it may appear. Keeping people away from the arena rail is critical to safety. Clods of dirt can spray through the rails, and riders have been known to be launched over them. But people are drawn to that rail like moths to flame. <That9s the hardest part 4 keeping them off the rail,= Knox said. <As they walk in, they want to see what9s going on.= Ushers often don9t get to watch much Rodeo action during their shift. But Knox says she9ll be fully atten- tive during the entertainment intermission this year. <I9m going to be watch- ing with both eyes this year, because John Payne9s PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS Bonnie Knox represents Sisters Rodeo’s black-and-red colors — with her custom-made Gene Baldwin hat with her Scottish Clan badge. coming back 4 the One-Arm Bandit,= she said. <That9s who I got my dog from.= Knox is proud to be part of a volunteer crew that brings an extraordinary range of skills and experience to bear on producing the event. If something needs to be done, somebody knows how to do it, has the equipment to get it done 4 and there are willing hands to do the work. <Every year we get some- thing more done,= Knox said. <I9m very proud of how it looks&. We9re out there working and getting filthy and we9re laughing and talk- ing and you get done and look around and 4 ooooooh, that looks really good!= The e Best est Fence e ce You’ll Never See. ® until midnight every night • Manage via Smart Phone • GentleSteps™ Training with our Professional Trainer • Award-Winning Technology • Best Warranty in Industry • America’s Safest Dog Fence • 100% Made in the U.S.A. Menu at SistersSaloon.net SAVE $100 NOW DINING & TAKE-OUT 541-549-RIBS 190 E. Cascade Ave. PHOTO PROVIDED Bonnie Knox in her element — working on the Sisters Rodeo painting crew. COWGIRLS & INDIANS Last Roundup Retirement SALE! Thursday, T h u r s d a y , June J u n 6 • 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, F r i d a y June J u n e 7 • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 8 • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. HUGE DISCOUNTS! On Double D Ranchwear, Art, Jewelry, Boots & More Joining us on Thursday is RENOWNED WESTERN SINGER JONI HARMS who will sing us on down the trail… We will be shutting the doors of the store but will be selling on Facebook/Kate Aspen — 160 S. OAK STREET | 541-549-6950 — 541-771-2330 phantompetfence.com/save-now/