THE OBSERVER, AUGUST 30, 2019
HELLS CANYON
MULE DAYS
GRAND MARSHALS
1981 – Wade Hall & Ethel Thomas
1982 – Mike & Joyce Mcfetridge
1983 – Glen Hawkins & Grace Bartlett
1984 – Lee Manes & Lynn Mitchell
1985 – Jess Earl & Clara Hearing
1986 – Lawrence & Ilene Potter
1987 – Carmen Maxwell & A. L. Duckett
1988 – Joe Mcclaran & Mary Marks
1989 – Oakley Johnson & Hazel Barton/
Fleet
1990 – Joe Onaidia & Gus Malaxa
1991 – Emory Crawford
1992 – Max & Marcel Walker .
1993 – Jim & Jean Brooks
1994 – Jim & Lois Blankenship
1995 – Gene & Mildred Marr
1996 – Sam & Laura Loftus
1997 – Dick & Betty Hammond
1998 – Pearl Ingle
1999 – Delbert (Deb) Wart
2000 – Fred Talbott
2000 – Noel & Genie Wright
• Honorary
2001 – Manford & Vera Isley
2002 – Merel Hawkins
2003 – Arnold Schaeffer
2004 – Bennie Banks
2005 – Doug & Janie Tippett
2005 – Bonnie Shields • Honorary
2006 – Bob Casey
2006 – Gerald Perren • Honorary
2007 – Blanche Maxwell
2007 – Gene & Bonnie Westberg
• Honorary
2008 – Juana Malaxa & Marie Onaindia
2008 – Mike Brennan • Honorary
2009 – Carmen Kohlhepp
2009 – R. A. “Ace” Barton • Honorary
2010 – Biden & Betty Tippett
2010 – Ben Tippett • Honorary
2011 – Leo Tipton “Tip” Proctor
2011 – George Hixson • Honorary
2012 – Grant & Barbara Warnock
2012 – Duke & Rhee Lathrop • Honorary
2013 – Larry & Juanita Waters
2014 – Dick Walker
2014 – Art Galbraith • Honorary
2015 – Dennis & Peggy Brennan
2016 – Marvin Lovell
2017 – Robert “Bob” Bales
2018 – Oran McCrae
2019 – Julie Kooch
HELLS CANYON MULE DAYS PAGE 3
Let the Games, Good Times and Family
Fun Begin at the 39th Annual Mule Days!
This year’s Mule Show will be three
full days of events that include classes
for every age group and skill level. It is a
fun family weekend and youngsters enjoy
competing and showing their muleman-
ship abilities as much as the older well
honed contestants.
The gates open at 9:00 am on Friday
with a line-up of driving classes including
singles and teams. The afternoon events
include the Trail Class in the warm-up
arena and the Timed Trail Class in the
main arena followed by the Log Pull and
other fun events. Highlights of the week-
end events include the Classic Jump-Off
Challenge which is always a crowd pleas-
er, and fast action events include pole
bending, barrel racing, and the Fast Ass
Express.
Don’t miss the free mule clinic at 9:00
am Saturday and 10:00 am on Sunday for
special tips on training your mule. Before
the Grand Entry on Saturday, the popular
Kids Stick Mule and Boot Scramble Rac-
es are scheduled. These two events are for
kids (ages 4 - 9 years) who are spectators
and everyone wins a blue ribbon and spe-
cial awards to the winner of each heat.
During the Saturday afternoon show
there will also be a contest for the oldest
spectator and the spectator who has trav-
eled the most miles to attend the show.
The weekend is packed full of mule
related happenings and there is always
something to see and do for the whole
family. Visitors can enjoy strolling The
Green and visiting with vendors, exhibi-
tors and western artists.
Tennessee Mule Artist Bonnie Shields
is the Featured Artist at the show. Shields
is well known and her talents include
drawing, painting, and sculpture. Shields
is a longstanding member of the Cowboy
Cartoonists Association, her “mule art”
can be viewed at the show, as well as on
her website at www.bonnieshields.com.
The Max Walker Memorial Cowboy
Poetry Gathering will start at 6:00 pm Fri-
day evening in the Indoor Arena. Come
sit, enjoy some cowboy yarns and expe-
rience traditional country music from
a great line-up of poets and musicians.
There isn’t an admission fee, but a $5.00
donation is suggested and will go to the
Max Walker Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Early arrival is advised as this quickly be-
comes a standing-room-only event.
Saturday events not to be missed in-
clude the non-motorized parade with this
year’s Grand Marshal, Julie Kooch, lead-
ing the precession of riders, teams, pack-
strings, local horse clubs, and former
Grand Marshals. During the Saturday
evening Memorial Scholarship Pit B-B-
Q Dinner there will be western music to
entertain the dinner guests. The Private
Treaty Mule Sale will be in the indoor
arena at 6:00 pm and the agreement of the
sale is between the buyer and the seller.
The Saturday night concert is sched-
uled for 7:00 pm at the historic OK The-
atre in downtown Enterprise. Texas-Bred
Musical Powerhouse Kristyn Harris will
entertain and delight you with her show
of country songs. Enjoy a great evening
for the whole family!
The Dutch Oven Cook-Off is sched-
uled on Sunday starting at 9:00 am with
some great local and visiting teams work-
ing their culinary magic. If you wish to
enter, the Dutch Oven Cook-off packet is
on the Mule Days website. Spectators are
invited to visit team members and learn
about traditional pioneer cooking. There
will be a People’s Choice category and
the packet entitles samples of each team’s
dishes, a vote on the best dish in each
category. People’s Choice packets are
limited and may be purchased during the
Dutch Oven Cook-Off.
Your HCMD Souvenir Admission But-
ton is valid for return privileges all three
days... $10.00 for adults, $8.00 for se-
niors (60 & older) $3.00 for kids (7 thru
12 yrs.) and kids 6 years and younger are
free when accompanied by an adult. Can
only attend the show for one day? Daily
admission, adults or seniors $5.00, kids
(7 thru 12 yrs.) $2.00.
Handicap Accessible
Covered Seating • Free Parking
Be sure to make HCMD part of your
summer plans and come celebrate with
us a Wallowa County Tradition of Mules
and Muleskinners. FMI: Sondra Lozier,
Home 541-426-3271, Cell 541-263-0104,
Antiques Shop 541-426-3229.
Private Treaty Mule Sale
Saturday, 6:00 pm – Indoor arena
Again this year the sale is a Private Treaty Mule Sale. Sellers may enter sale mules in
show events and mules will be tagged as Sale Animals. Mules will be shown in the indoor
arena starting at 6:00 pm on Saturday with each mule given fi ve minutes in the arena.
There is a $25.00 sale fee for each animal shown at the sale, and no refund for No Sale
animals. Fees must be paid in advance of the sale.
The agreement of the sale is between the buyer and the seller with the Hells Canyon
Mule Days event acting solely as the venue for the sale. Mules sold at the Hells Canyon
Mule Days event should be sold during the Private Treaty sale. Please honor this request…