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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2015)
A10 WEDNESDAY July 22, 2015 CHIEF JOSEPH DAYS RODEO WHOLE LOTTA BULL “Glory Days” comes in for a kiss. The big brindle bull has been to the National Rodeo Finals three times in his life, and he’s ready to go again. Cowboys buck up for Glory Days Courtesy photo/Kathleen Ackley Wrapped up and ready for transport. ODFW wildlife biologist Mike Hansen wrapped the osprey in special tape to keep it from injuring itself or Hansen. Osprey rescued By Steve Tool By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain Wallowa County Chieftain Y ou can’t tell by looking at a bull as he lounges in the pen what sort of a ride he’ll be. Though, big globs of mud on his horn tips from forking the dickens out of his hay pile as a way of showing off to other bulls might give you an idea of how he’ll react when you hit the dirt. But out in the pens behind the Harley Tucker Memorial Arena in Joseph the biggest, baddest-looking, hook-horned, brindle-hide Brahma bull in the pen, the veteran of three rodeo ¿ nals, is a big lover and likes his head scratched. That big brindle bull is Glory Days, a Growney Brothers Rodeo Company bull. John Growney, of Red Bluff, Calif., has been supplying the bucking stock to the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo for 22 years and he knows his busi- ness. His company is, he says, in the top 10 of the 70 contractors in the nation. He says this with Tuiet con¿ dence and hopes you’ll check that state- ment out for accuracy. His secret to success is his partnership with horse breeder Tim Bridwell and bull breeder Don Kish. “Nobody can handle bulls and horses and the business,” Growney said. “It’s too much. Other companies are starting to see that this way (partner- ship) is a good business model.” That big bad three-time National Finals bull, Glory Days, is a Kish bull. And he’s a bull that cowboys love to draw, Growney said. “He bucks. But he’s gentle. He’s rider-friendly and won’t try to hurt you when he’s done. And he bucks good. The cowboys know when they ride him they might get Number One,” he said. Glory Days bucks well enough that he bucks most of them off, but when they stay with him — which happens about three times a year — a cowboy can get a score in the 90s. Some cowboy at Chief Joseph Days might just ride on a lucky day and that will be something to see. It’s no accident that Glory Days is so good. He was bred to buck. And that’s where that partnership Growney is so proud of comes in. See RODEO, Page A16 Don’t let anyone tell you that Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employees only do the bare minimum to keep their jobs. A local osprey owes its life to Mike Hansen, the ODFW as- sistant district wildlife biologist who went the extra mile on July 12 (a Sunday) to rescue the bird, which was hanging from its nest by a length of baling twine at a tower at the old Wallowa Coun- ty Grain Growers facility near Joseph. Kathleen Ackley, executive director of Wallowa Land Trust, was out for a drive and called Hansen after she saw the bird in distress. A pair of ospreys had built a nest that incorporated twine in its structure. “A piece of the twine wrapped around the left foot of the bird, and when it tried to À y away, it got about four feet from the nest before the twine tightened and the bird went down. See OSPREY, Page A16 Big money in series By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain Racer wins Wallowas Wonder Bike Baker City cyclist finds prize for husband By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain The Wallowas bike in the 7 Bikes 7 Wonders scavenger hunt has been won by Corrine Vegter, a 49-year old, self-employed bike racer from Baker City. Seven custom-made bicycles have been hidden around Oregon at the sites of the 7 Wonders identi¿ ed in the wildly successful 7 Wonders of Oregon campaign designed by Travel Oregon. Last Saturday, it was time to ¿ nd the Wallowas bike designed by Bread- winner Cycles of Portland. The one-of-a-kind bicycle was built with riding in the Wallowas in mind and was a 56-inch forest green beauty with 29er tires suitable for both on- and off-road travel. Vegter played by the rules of the hunt, throwing her leg over her bike at 5:19 a.m. precisely on Saturday morn- ing and headed out to ¿ nd the treasure. Vegter was trying to win the bike for her husband, artist Brian Vegter, who was announcing for the Miners Jubilee Parade back in Baker City that morning and couldn’t join the hunt. She’d tried to win the Painted Hills bike for herself a few weeks before and failed, but she had a feeling about this one. “I printed out everything, maps and trail guides, and based on the kind of bike it is, I got to thinking it would be in the Salt Creek area,” she said. “The clue in the video (narrated by bike builder and racer Ira Ryan) was where it said when you get to the Salt Creek Summit ‘turn around and enjoy the view.’ It’s paved all the way to the See BICYCLE, Page A16 Courtesy photo A stunned- looking Corrine Vegter has got her hands on the Wallowa Bike in the 7 Bikes 7 Wonders scavenger hunt and is not letting go easily. She won the bike for her husband, Brian. The couple are avid bike racers, ride in the Wallowas frequently and organize three bike races including the Baker City Cycling Classic. Nobody is going to win the cumulative money ($7,000) in the Harley Tucker Rodeo Se- ries this year, but a handful of good cowboys are Tuali¿ ed to win the yearly award ($3,000). The Series has been going for more than 40 years and is sponsored by Farm Supply of Enterprise and the grandchil- dren of Harley Tucker. Cow- boys who sign up to perform in four qualifying rodeos (East- ern Oregon Livestock Show in Union; St. Paul Rodeo in St. Paul; Elgin Stampede in Elgin; and Chief Joseph Days) are el- igible for the yearly award and cowboys who win that award three times over the years win the cumulative award. The only cowboy in the running to win the cumulative award this year would have been Tony Currin, of Dayton, Wash., with two wins in the past — but Tony is not riding this year. See SERIES, Page A16 Wallowa County sunrise and sunset July 23 - July 29 (from the U.S. Naval Observatory) Thursday, July 23 Rise ..................................... 5:23 Set ....................................... 8:27 Friday, July 24 Rise ..................................... 5:24 Set ....................................... 8:26 2011 CHRYSLER 300C STOCK # 10207, 22,253 MI. 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