FROM PAGE ONE
A6 — THE OBSERVER
TRADITION
Continued from Page A1
In 1991, tribal dancing was
held at the Joseph High School
gym, Pekarek said, and in 1998 the
dancing was moved to the rodeo
grounds’ encampment.
Over the years, there have
been several improvements to the
encampment facilities, Swinehart
said.
“We’ve gone through several
diff erent arbors,” Swinehart said.
“The fi rst year we had a lodgepole
frame with shade tarps and in 1990
the fi rst arbor was constructed.”
About fi ve years ago, a per-
manent arbor was constructed
with plenty of room for the feast,
and after the chairs and tables are
picked up, the dancing and drum-
ming begin.
While the tribal encampment
needed some reinvigoration in the
late ’80s, Swinehart said tribal
members have always been in the
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2022
parade. A vintage car collector for
more than 30 years, he has driven
some of the elder tribal members
who no longer ride horseback in
his Model A Ford.
Today, the chief salmon cook is
Joe McCormack and the Stangel
Buff alo Ranch donates burgers.
Ahead of time, volunteers get
together to make patties out of
250 pounds of ground meat, said
Shelley Rogers, a rodeo committee
member who helps organize the
friendship feast and other encamp-
EVENT
Harley Tucker Rodeo Series
award up for grabs
JOSEPH — The Harley Tucker
Rodeo Series award is named in
honor of the late Harley Tucker, who
was a rodeo producer and stock
contractor from Joseph. He helped
found Chief Joseph Days and pro-
vided stock for all four of the rodeos
that sponsor the series.
The cowboy with the most points
after competing in the Eastern
Oregon Livestock Show in Union,
St. Paul Rodeo, the Elgin Stampede
and Chief Joseph Days wins the
award. The contestants must enter
all four rodeos, and the winner is
announced at the fi nal performance
of Chief Joseph Days Rodeo.
The winner receives $3,000 and a
silver belt buckle. Any cowboy win-
ning the award three times wins a
cumulative fund that is increased
$1,000 each year and currently
stands at $11,000. Previous three-
time winners are Heppner’s Butch
Knowles, Irrigon’s Rocky Steagall
and Hermiston’s Brad Goodrich.
This year’s standings entering
Chief Joseph Days are Caleb McMil-
lian with 15.5 points, Dylan Riggs
with 11, Derek Kolbaba with 7.5 and
Jared Parke with 6.5.
— Miranda Tickner, Chief Joseph
Days offi ce manager
Ellen Morris Bishop/Contributed Photo, File
Alex Wright scored an 84, good enough for fi rst place in the night’s saddle bronc
competition at the 2018 Chief Joseph Days Rodeo. He fi nished in the top spot at the
end of the weekend.
pretty hot this year, so maybe just
something more comfortable for
them. But it is always fun to have
spectators enjoying the Western
activities in full dress,” she said.
When it comes to positioning
herself within Harley Tucker
Memorial Arena, Hanigan and her
fi ance prefer to sit on the south side
of the arena up on top to avoid the
sun shining directly in their eyes.
“Underneath the awning we’re
covered and we try to get up high.
I think we’re in the second row (as)
close to center as possible,” Han-
igan said.
SUSPECTS
Continued from Page A1
on two counts of possession
of a controlled substance,
two counts of possession
of methamphetamine, two
counts of third-degree
assault and one count of
fi rst-degree burglary.
While Montez’s fi rst con-
viction in Oregon occurred
in 2005, his arrests date
back much earlier.
His arrest record began
in 1998 in Washington,
when he was arrested
as a juvenile for driving
without a license in May
and second-degree arson in
August, according to Wash-
ington court records. His
earliest Oregon arrest took
place in 2003, when he was
brought in on charges of
careless driving, driving
without car insurance,
failure to display license
plates and for having an
open container of alcohol
in the car, according to
Oregon court records.
Since his fi rst arrest
for use of drug parapher-
nalia in 2000 in Wash-
ington, Montez has been
arrested on 17 drug-re-
lated charges across the two
states, with one count of a
controlled substance vio-
lation, two counts of drug
paraphernalia, three counts
of delivery and 11 counts of
possession.
Rogers are dedicated to their labor
of love and hospitality, each con-
fessed to being over 70 years old.
“We are putting out the word
for anyone to get involved, espe-
cially young people,” Swinehart
said.
The Chief Joseph Days Rodeo
Friendship Feast is held after the
grand parade at noon on Saturday,
July 30. Those wanting to attend
are asked to bring a side dish to
share. Dancing and drumming will
follow the feast.
“I think it’s supposed to
be pretty hot this year
... but it is always fun to
have spectators enjoying
the Western activities in
full dress.”
Continued from Page A1
The 76th annual Chief Joseph
Days Rodeo in Joseph is scheduled
for July 27-31, and Joseph resident
Vicky Hanigan will be there with
her reserved tickets.
“When the gates open, I’m
there,” she said.
Hanigan said last year there was
quite a long line of people to get
in, which is part of the reason she
and her fi ance left early last year.
“We normally leave about
maybe an hour early,” she said,
“because we know a lot of people
and they’re out there packed before
they even go in the gate.”
Picking out what to wear can
be a hassle, but J.D. Clay’s outfi t
is mandated by the PRCA because
he helps organize the event. So he
must wear appropriate rodeo attire
to work at the grounds.
“You have to have on jeans,
boots and a cowboy hat,” Clay
said.
He prioritizes sunscreen, relax-
ation and what feels best with
their outfi t selections for anyone
coming.
“Be comfortable and watch
the weather because you know
it’s Northeast Oregon and it can
change in a minute,” he said.
And the cowboy attire obvi-
ously isn’t something that’s
uncommon for the rodeo, Hanigan
also wears a similar type of get-up.
“I usually wear a cowboy hat,
I have my gun, I have my Levi’s,
my cowboy boots. That’s how my
normal dress is,” Hanigan said.
“It’s summertime. I’m cooling
down.”
Tickner thinks the weather this
year could cause more people to
dress diff erently, but she enjoys the
cultural attire of the event.
“I think it’s supposed to be
ment details.
This year the local Rotaract
Club — a Rotary Club for younger
adults — are in charge of pre-
paring and freezing the burgers
ahead of the feast..
Rogers said Brenda Axtell,
of Lapwai, is helping organize
other aspects of the encampment
remotely.
“It takes a lot of coordination
with phone calls, emails,” Rogers
said.
While Swinehart, Pekarek and
Dick Mason/The Observer, File
Bullseye Muzzleloader’s and More, a store on First Street in Island
City, was the site of an attempted burglary on Sunday, July 17,
2022, that turned into a high-speed chase and a manhunt for three
suspects on foot outside of Elgin.
Montez also has been
arrested on previous theft
and burglary charges. In
2008 he was convicted
on charges of fi rst-de-
gree burglary in Oregon
and in 2014 he was sen-
tenced to 10 months in jail
for second-degree theft in
Washington.
Like Montez, Romine,
26, is in his fi rst custody
cycle in Oregon, according
to Umatilla County Com-
Tickner thinks people tend to
prefer a diff erent spot to stay out
of the sun when there is general
admission to the rodeo on
July 27-28.
“Most of the time that’s the
north side under the covered
seating, so they’re out of the sun
or weather if we have any,” she
said.
For food, Hanigan doesn’t
have much preference where she
chooses to dine at the event, and
likes to mix it up.
“I try a little bit of everything
every year, and try to try some-
thing diff erent,” she said. “So I
don’t get the same thing all the
time.”
She also brings a water
bottle to make sure she stays
hydrated in the hot summertime
conditions.
Fair food classics are all the
rave at Chief Joseph Days, and
Tickner explained that there are a
few specifi c foods people prefer.
“The curly fries and elephant
ears ... that’s always a fun one to
get at rodeos,” Tickner said.
When deciding which days
to attend, it can really depend
on what excites you the most
about the festivities. Some fam-
ilies might prefer July 29 for the
Grand Parade, and those who
are more focused on the rodeo
action might want to prioritize the
munity Corrections.
He became a felon in
2018 when he was found
guilty of possession of
a controlled substance
without a prescription in
Walla Walla, Washington.
He was sentenced to 30
days in jail and 12 months
of probation. In January
2020, Romine was arrested
for possession of metham-
phetamine in Oregon. The
following month he was
arrested for felon in pos-
session of a weapon, which
resulted in 13 months of
incarceration in the Oregon
Department of Corrections.
Then in 2021, Romine
was convicted on misde-
— Jack Parry, Wallowa County Chieftain
PRCA rodeo on July 30.
For an event that’s fun for
everyone, Tickner recommends
the Bucking Horse Stampede on
July 26, in which they run the
horses that take part in the parade
down Main Street.
“People can watch them come
all the way down,” she said. “It’s
pretty fun, it can get a little wild
sometimes, but it is fun to watch.”
Hanigan said she’ll go on July
27 for a reason that’s close to her
heart.
“My fi ance’s grandson rides
the sheep (that night), and they
come all the way from Idaho to
do just that,” Hanigan said.
meanor charges of sec-
ond-degree criminal tres-
pass and second-degree
criminal mischief. He was
sentenced to 180 days in
county jail. Just days prior
to the events in Island City
and Elgin, Romine was
due to appear in Umatilla
County court for probation
violations. When he failed
to appear on July 11, the
court issued a warrant for
his arrest.
Spalinger, 31, in Oregon
has only a single arrest ear-
lier this year for driving
without insurance for which
she was fi ned.
She does, however, have
a criminal history in Wash-
ington, according to state
court records. She was
arrested in 2019 in Walla
Walla County for having
a controlled substance
without a prescription and
unlawful use of drug para-
phernalia, which was even-
tually dismissed in March
2021.
Also in 2019, she was
arrested for possession of
a stolen vehicle, intent to
manufacture or deliver
amphetamine or metham-
phetamine and two counts
of unlawful use of drug par-
aphernalia. The trial was
delayed a number of times,
but had a new date set for
Sept. 21.
Charles & Eileen
Stewart
10304 A 1st St.
Island City, OR
cstewartpc@gmail.com
541.910.5435
Pay cash or
Rent to own
Authorized Dealer
> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC
We’re more than just a great rate.
Bank-issued,
FDIC-insured
2.5
%
Minimum deposit $1000
180-day APY*
Shawn K Mangum, AAMS®
Financial Advisor
Summer
1117 Adams Avenue
La Grande, OR 97850-2605
541-963-2608
* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 07/18/2022. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up
to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each
account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to
availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs
can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in
market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution
of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts
nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).
FDI-1916K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.