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By Ron Karten
Smoke SinnnU tlnff writer
One of the cowboys at the 2013
Spirit Mountain Stampede told a
Btory about another cowboy who
had gone down with a horse the day
before and was bruised all the way
up his side "to the armpit."
The cowboy used his hands to
show just how big a bruise it was.
"Hut he's back there riding today.
He's still trying."
Cheryl Kidwell of Willamina, who
worked the VII' tent for the second
time this year, said that what she
likes best about the work is the
stories the cowboys tell.
"The cowboys, the contractors,
the horse companies they tell in
teresting stories," said this lifelong
rodeo fan. Her father was a horse
trainer and rodeo bull rider.
"I tell them I slaved all day to get
his food together," she joked.
Actually, Tribal Food Services
Coordinator Kristy DeLoe and cook
Kevin Campbell prepared the fried
chicken, corn and mashed potatoes
for the event, but Kidwell says that
nobody believed her anyway.
'They do it because they love it.
It's a way of life for many of them,"
said Khani Schultz of Grand Ronde,
who works in the Tribe's Employ
ment and Training
Department.
Watching from the
side of the grand
stands, Schultz de
scribed how rodeos
are knitted into rural
life. She goes to all of
the big ones, she said,
naming St. Paul and
Pendleton, and grew
up with the excite
ment. Her family had
horses and she rode
growing up.
"You feel strong
and free when you're
on a horse," Schultz
said.
"A lot of these guys
are ranchers, farm
ers, but a fair num
ber of them do this
for a living," said Jim
Holmes, secretary
of the Rodeo Special
Event Board that
organizes the Spirit
Mountain Stampede
each year.
"The added money
is higher here than in
most rodeos around the Northwest
so it pulls in a lot more competitors
because they truly are going for
that big money. It is expensive to
travel all over Oregon, Washington
and Idaho to compete and most of
them hit all four rodeos that were
held last weekend. Our event is the
biggest draw over that weekend not
only because we put on a good show,
but because of that added money
... plus more competitors means
more entry money for them to try
and win."
But pain is always a part of the
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Darcy Lapier of Newberg rounds a barrel as she competes in tha barrel racing event during the 2013 Spirit Mountain Stampede held at
Spirit Mountain Rodeo Grounds in Grand Ronde on Sunday, July 21 .
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thrill of rodeo events.
"It sure isn't an easy way to make
a buck," said Holmes. Many com
petitors come back again and again
anyway. Special Event Board Chair
Harold Lyon, who has been riding
since he was 3, had a hip replaced 17
years ago, the result of a horse falling
on him at a rodeo, but he continues to
lead the stampede year after year.
Events started Friday, July 19,
and continued Saturday and Sun
day afternoons. Friday night, the
"slack," or the overflow contes
tants, competed to be part of the
Lyle Painter of Roy, Wash., holds
on as he rides a bull in the bull
riding event during the 201 3 Spirit
Mountain Stampede held at Spirit
Mountain Rodeo Grounds in Grand
Ronde on Sunday, July 21 . Painter
placed second with a score of 66.
weekend's contests. Friday was free
to the public.
Saturday, Lyon led a dedication
ceremony for former Tribal Elder
and Rodeo Special Event Board
Vice Chair Dale Langley, who
walked on this summer. He was
the longest serving member of the
board. He was honored for "hard
work over the years," Lyon said.
Jan Looking Wolf Reibach played
"Amazing Grace" on Native flute,
accompanied by singer Jolanda
Catabay.
On Sunday, the stands were
almost full. Compared with big
rodeos in the state, though, Spirit
Mountain Stampede is a homey
weekend, drawing riders from
across the state.
"I like it because it's not very big,"
said Susan Reed of Lincoln City.
"It's small and local, not too far to
travel."
Kim Graffeo, on the other hand,
came all the way from upstate New
York and made the rodeo one of her
must-see attractions.
"I grew up on a farm," she said.
"I was a country girl. Dad and I
used to watch the rodeo on TV
together."
She also was in the neighbor
hood because her sons are here.
Chris just graduated from Oregon
State University and David has two
terms left.
George Kinter of Toppenish,
Wash., is a Yakama Tribe descen-
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Vicif t lifTrTKf'c
page to see more photos
dant and 14 years a rodeo clown.
Before that he competed at rodeos.
For the stampede, during a break
in the action, he brought his pet
skunk, Vapors, into the ring. He
let it run for fences before chasing
it down and picking it up. In a spin
so nobody could see what he was
doing, he threw a skunk pillow into
the crowd.
Then the sheep escaped their
fences and for a few moments ran
free.
Elders were scattered here and
there in the stands. Gladys Hobbs
and Violet Folden attended with
family members. Gene LaBonte
and Marion Mercier also enjoyed
the event.
The stampede requires hundreds
of volunteer hours of preparation:
tilling, grooming and doming the
ground, as well as raking it away
from the fences before the show.
Saturday night, they wet down the
grounds and Sunday morning they
groomed it again.
Preparations, under way since
the beginning of the year, also in
clude arrangements with food and
merchandise vendors, and roping
in this year's sponsors.
"We had 15 this year, including
the casino," said Holmes. "Of those,
eight were new."
The Long Bell Diner, managed
by Opal Hale, was one of the spon
sors and food vendors. Hale is also
the newest member of the Special
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Brock Warrener of Centerville, Wash., gets wrapped up in the rope as he struggles to take a calf down in the tie down roping event during the 201 3 Spirit
Mountain Stampede held at Spirit Mountain Rodeo Grounds in Grand Ronde on Sunday, July 21 .
Event Board. She took the op
portunity to show the quality of
food that Long Bell serves, and at
bargain prices. Hebrew National
hot dogs went for a $1. In addition,
Holmes said, "She deserves a lot of
the credit for helping obtain these
new sponsors."
Sponsors also contributed raffle
prizes. The casino gave buffet passes
and an overnight stay at Spirit
Mountain Lodge. Blue Star Gas
gave a crab cooker and propane
tank. Frito Lay gave Hale and the
convenience storerestaurant a
Kindle reader that she offered to the
stampede as another raffle prize.
Winner purses were based on
entry fees plus prize money added
by Spirit Mountain Casino: $1,300
was earmarked for timed events
and rough stock events were funded
for $1,800.
Holmes is son of the late Tribal
Restoration pioneer and bull rid
ing fan Merle Holmes. For four
years now, he has made the award
presentation that honors the bull
riding champ - this year, Xavier
Gilbert of Redmond. His name is
now inscribed on the Merle Holmes
Memorial Cup that stays at the
Tribe, while a belt buckle and spur
straps made by Montana Silver
smiths was awarded to the winner
in Merle Holmes' honor.
"While it was nice to add a new
name to this year's trophy," said
Holmes, "we are sad to learn that the
cowboy that won it the past two years
will be retiring due to injury. Andy
Crozier is the only two-time winner,
but maybe next year Xavier Gilbert
can etch his name in the record book
as another two-time winner."
This year's Holmes Memorial
buckle was crafted in New Mexico
by Maynard Buckles.
Bareback
Nick Gutzwiler-$619.20
Seth Shelton - $516
Orlan McGuffin - $412.80
Kirk St. Clair - $309.60
Kyle Bounds - $206.40
Saddle Bronc
Charlie Barker - $682.08
Roy Johnson - $505.68
Justin Chappell - $505.68
Kade McLean - $270.48
Joe Scott Jr. - $270.48
Jacob Stacy - $117.60
Bull Riding
Xavier Gilbert - $1,468.80
Lyle Painter - $979.20
Tie Down Roping
Shane Erickson - $1,197.12
Kass Kayser - $990.72
Ricky Canton - $784.32
Jason Minor - $577.92
Chase Richter-$371.52
Sam Willis - $206.40
Buckles given out to winners of
other contests were made by Tres
Rios Silver in Texas.
The stampede is sanctioned by
Northwest Professional Rodeo As
sociation of Molalla. Howell Rodeo
Co. in Veneta provided the stock.
Cody Hodge announced the show
Steer Wrestling
Travis Taruscio -$1,141 .44
Christian Radabaugh - $944.64
Taylor Gregg - $747.84
Jacob Stacy -$551.04
Jake Howell - $354.24
Trevor Maddox - $196.80
again this year.
Sheep for the kids' Mutton Bus
tin' contest came from Wool Busters
in Lebanon.
In addition to Lyon, Holmes and
Hale, Special Event Board mem
bers include Duke Kimsey, Ed Ash
man and Joy Burcham.
Barrel Racing
Cindy Woods $1,197.12
Sammy Jo Cardoza - $990.72
Callahan Crossley - $784.32
Allison Vankoll - $577.92
Corenne Schultz - $371 .52
Sharon Woods - $206.40
Team Roping
Chris Westbrooks and Thad Akins - $1 ,088.76
Anthony Calmelat and Cody Pearson - $1 ,088.76
Chris Hays and Trevor McCoin - $784.92
Jack Fischer and Andy Carlson - $784.92
John Hagler and Trevor McCoin - $557.04
Jason Minor and Spencer Rutherford - $405.12
Steen Schumacher and Paul Brashears - $253.20
Martin Rucker and Taylor White - $101.28
Breakaway
Jennifer Frohman - $1,238.88
Jessie Legg - $918.48
Kayde Jo Akins - $918.48
Melody Hale -$491.28
Stevie Rae Willis - $491 .28
Britni Carlson - $213.60