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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2021)
E AST O REGONIAN SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS | FACEBOOK.COM/EOSPORTS B1 Roping and riding and Gator, 16, tag along. “It’s really neat that Josie and Gator are compet- ing,” Jodi said. “It’s truly a family aff air. She can’t wait to come home (from college) and compete. Gator tore his meniscus in April and now he’s entered in three rodeos this weekend (Tygh Valley, Heppner and Goldendale).” Brad, who recently had shoulder surgery, should be back roping by the fi rst of the year. The Goodrich family embraces the sport of rodeo By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian STANFIELD — Josie Goodrich was 3 years old the fi rst time she rode in the arena at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston. Her father, Brad, had won the all-around title at the FCPR and he took Josie along for the victory lap. Josie got to make her own run at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo on Aug. 13, compet- ing in the barrel racing event for the fi rst time. What made it more special was that her mom, Jodi, also ran the barrels on the same night. “This is very special,” Josie said before the race. “I have waited my entire life to rodeo here with my mom. Now it’s fi nally my turn.” Josie turned in a time of 17.79 seconds on her horse Keeper. “I was pretty nervous to compete at the Hermis- ton rodeo for the fi rst time, but I’ve also never been so excited for a rodeo, espe- cially since I’ve grown up watching my parents compete here, and it’s my hometown rodeo,” Josie said after her trip around the barrels. “I was hoping I would do a little better, but my horse tripped on the second barrel, but Keeper did really good considering that. The fans and the committee were amazing. I can’t wait to compete here again next year.” Farm-City is just one of many rodeos Josie and Jodi Goodrich have been to over the past several months. A family rodeos together Photos by Kathy Aney/East Oregonian Above: Barrel racer Josie Goodrich, of Stanfi eld, fi nishes a run of 17.79 seconds Aug. 13, 2021, during the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston. Below: Jodi Goodrich, Josie’s mother, competes Aug. 13, 2021, during the barrel racing event. During the winter, mother and daughter spent some time competing in Texas and other southern states. “This has been very fun,” Jodi said. “I have enjoyed every minute of it and watch- ing her succeed.” Josie, who is competing on her permit this season, filled her permit early on during the rodeo season, and will be able to purchase her Women’s Professional Rodeo Association card next season. “That was a goal of hers and our family, and she did it,” Jodi said. “This time next year, she will have her rookie card.” In her fi rst pro rodeo in early July, Josie placed third at Sedro-Woolley in break- away roping, and earned a check in Toppenish in the barrels. She didn’t fill her permit her fi rst weekend out, but almost. “Between barrels and breakaway, I fi lled it in less than a month,” Josie said. Jodi and her horse Bug had success early in the year. They split fi fth/seventh place at the Sandhills PRCA Rodeo Jan. 13-16 in Odessa, Texas, earning $2,382. A few days later, Bug pulled a ligament in his leg, putting him on the sidelines this spring and summer. “He’ll be good this fall,” Jodi said. “I have been riding him and getting him in shape. I’m going back to Texas in October to get a jump on the 2022 standings.” While Jodi and Josie have gone on some trips together, others they have had Brad The Goodrich family has a deep rodeo background, and Josie and her younger brother, Gator, have really taken to the sport. Brad is a six-time qualifi er for the National Finals Rodeo in tie-down roping, and a past tie-down champion at the Pendleton Round-Up and Farm-City Pro Rodeo. Gator, who won the ribbon roping title at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in 2019, placed fourth at state in 2020 to earn a trip to the High School National Finals Rodeo. But it has been Josie who has risen to the top the past couple of years. In the spring of 2020, she won the Oregon High School Rodeo Association barrel racing title and earned a trip to nationals with a little help from Keeper. Josie, who competes for Washington State University, earned a trip to the College National Finals Rodeo in June in barrel racing. She fi nished second in the North- west Region, just 65.5 points out of fi rst. She also was third in the all-around standings. See Family, Page B2 Barnett wins top PRCA volunteer award Three local baseball By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian HERMISTON — Dennis Barnett likes to work behind the scenes of the Farm-City Pro Rodeo. He takes care of ticket sales, the financials and correspondence. He even helps cook the delicious dinners for the VIPs. His fellow FCPR board members nominated him for the 2019 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association John Justin Committeeman of the Year Award. Barnett was named the winner in December 2019, and the committee was set to announce the award at the 2020 FCPR until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the event. David Bothum and the rest of the board kept their secret for 18 months before Barnett was honored Aug. 14, 2021 — the fi nal night Farm-City Pro Rodeo/Contributed Photo Farm-City Pro Rodeo announcer Randy Corley, right, con- gratulates FCPR volunteer Dennis Barnett after he was awarded the 2019 Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association John Justin Committeeman of the Year Award Aug. 14, 2021. of this year’s Farm-City Pro Rodeo. “We had to put it in the closet and not think about it,” Bothum said. “He had no clue. A few people from the Gold Buckle section wanted to go up on the catwalk to watch the bull riding and he took them up. He is very, very, very deserving. It was cool we were able to surprise him like that.” Barnett was surprised, but said he should have seen the signs. “Pretty amazing they got to me and surprised me,” he said. “There are a couple of things that got me up to the announcers booth, I should have been more aware. I had a daughter at the rodeo that night. The fact I saw her should have been a clue. Even my family was not aware until the last night.” Barnett is a CPA with Barnett and Moro, P.C. He helped found the company in 1984. He is beyond humble when it comes to his contri- butions. “I told the board members they will pay a price for this,” Barnett said of the surprise. “Truly, what it means to me, nothing. It’s not a small award, because it’s not. It’s not what we do it for. You do it because of the love of the event and the camaraderie. David is the heart and soul of the rodeo. Our eff orts are because of him. Of anyone who should receive this award, it is him. Dennis will get even with David.” See Award, Page B2 players earn all-state honors By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian H EPPN ER — Two Heppner players and one f rom Weston-McEwen were selected to the 2A/1A all-state baseball team. Heppner pitcher Hayden Hyatt and W-M’s Blane Peal were named to the fi rst team, while Heppner’s Jackson Leh man was selected to the second team. Hyat t, who pitched 51.1 innings this spring, had a sterling .409 ERA. He allowed three earned runs and struck out 64. He fi nished with a 9-2 record. Lehman had a .525 aver- age over 19 games. In 59 at-bats, he had 31 hits, 19 RBIs and struck out just four times. The Mustangs fi nished third at the 2A/1A state tournament, beating West- ern Christian 5-0 in their fi nal game. Heppner finished the season 15-4. Hyatt and Lehman, 2021 Heppner grads, also were selected to play on the National team in the Oregon 3A/2A/1A All-Star Baseball Series in June. Peal, a n i ncom i ng senior, led the TigerScots at the plate in all cate- gories, and also was the team’s top pitcher. The TigerScots fi nished the season with a 6-7 record, but handed Dufur its fi rst loss, 3-0 on May 1. In that game, Peal gave up one hit and struck out 11. SPORTS SHORT Cougs’ coach says he will follow vaccine rule The Associated Press PULLMAN, Wash. — Wash- ington State football coach Nick Rolovich said Thursday, Aug. 19, he intends to follow a new state mandate requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all those working at the state’s colleges and univer- sities, including coaches. Rolovich had said previously he was not going to get the vaccine for personal reasons and did not explicitly say he would receive a shot. “I’m just going to follow his mandate,” he said. The mandate announced this week by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee also covers public, char- ter and private school teachers and staff . It allows for religious or medical exemptions but does not allow for a weekly testing alterna- tive, and those who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 risk losing their jobs. Asked if he would wait for full FDA approval before receiving the vaccine, Rolovich repeated his plan to follow the mandate. Rolovich is beginning his second season in charge of the Cougars. He participated in Pac-12 media day last month remotely after announcing his decision not to get vaccinated. His announcement had drawn attention from the top levels of the state government. Rolovich is one of two state employees making more than $3 million, along with Washington coach Jimmy Lake. Rolovich had previously said he was not against vaccination and supported the decision of others to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press, File Washington State head coach Nick Rolovich watches his players during football practice Aug. 6, 2021, in Pullman, Washington.
