10
S moke S ignals
august 1, 2014
‘We’re one of the top mo
RODEO continued
from front page
Special Event Board are Vice Chair
Duke Kimsey, Opal Hale, Bob Dun-
can and Cheryl Kidwell.
Stampede crowds during the
two-day event were about 10 per-
cent larger this year, said Lyon, a
nine-year leader of the rodeo board.
He attributed better attendance to
increased outreach and noted that
more fans printed out their tickets
online this year. Rodeo fans came
from the east side of Portland and
as far north as Astoria.
Speakers reaching the far end
of the Rodeo Grounds and into the
bleachers start an afternoon of rock
‘n’ roll and country music. All the
rested horses in the sun begin mov-
ing to the ring, where the sunbathing
is over. The competition begins.
The Stampede started at 1 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, July 19-
20, though on Friday night, the
overflow — those who could not be
accommodated on Saturday and
Sunday — competed for the same
prizes, only without the crowds.
Of 15 sponsors this year, Boyd’s
Coffee has been part of the Stam-
pede, earlier called the Grand
Ronde Rodeo, as far back as 1996,
said Lyon.
Other sponsors were Bill Mat-
techeck and Associates, Blue Star
Gas, Capitol Auto Group, Grand
Ronde Food and Fuel Co., Hays
Companies, Hofenbredl Timber, Al-
lann Brothers Coffee, Ray Drayton
Septic, Dan Kauffman Excavating,
Doris Rose CPA, Rice Furniture, In-
novative Care Management, Food
Services of America, Frito Lay, 1
Sammy Jo Cardoza competes in the barrel racing competition during the 2014 Spirit Mountain Stampede held at
Spirit Mountain Rodeo Grounds on Sunday, July 20.
Day Signs, Columbia Distributing,
Wells Fargo Bank, Walter E. Nel-
son Co., Pepsi and Spirit Mountain
Casino.
The Grand Ronde Rodeo was first
held on the casino’s grounds. At
least one cowboy thought it would
Spirit Mountain Stampede results
Bareback
1. Nick Gutzwiller, 75 pts., $864.
2. Tony Buckman and Kyle Bounds, 74 pts., $540 each.
Saddle bronc
1, Kade McLean and Cooper Dewitt, 77 pts., $744.12 each.
3. Jacob Stacy and T.B. Hannan, 72 pts., $463.32 each.
Tie-down roping
1. Ricky Canton, 7.5 seconds, $1,192.32.
2. Ty Holly, 8.2 seconds, $1,036.80.
3. Travis Eller, 8.5 seconds, $881.28.
be a good idea to take it back.
Northwest Professional Rodeo As-
sociation champ Sam Willis said
he would like to see it held again
at the casino to take advantage of
the extra traffic.
Willis, one leg in a cast owing to
“a freak accident that you could not
repeat,” has been healing for two
of a six-week recovery period. His
daughters, Stevie Rae Willis and
Sammy Jo Cardoza, represented
the family in breakaway roping and
barrel racing events.
The Willises make their living
traveling the rodeo circuit from
spring to autumn each year. They
take the winter off at their ranch in
Terrebonne, near Redmond.
The family’s life at rodeos also
was documented in their 2012 real-
ity series, “Stompin’ Ground.”
“It’s a good little rodeo,” said Wil-
lis, on the fan side of the fence for a
change. “They do a good job.”
“We’re one of the top money
events in the NPRA,” said Lyon.
“The bucking bulls will rate right
up there with the big boys like
Pendleton and St. Paul.”
The bulls were so good that this
is the first year in Lyon’s memory
when nobody reached the minimum
eight seconds required to place in
the bull riding competition.
Fifteen sponsors, and another
five who advertised in the program
booklet, pony up more than $13,000
for the $60,000 event. The number
of sponsors has been consistent
over recent years, said Lyon.
“My goal is to get our income from
sponsors and other supporters to
about 60 percent of our total cost,”
Lyon said.
Announcer this year was Scott Al-
Steer Wrestling
1. Dalton Massey, 4.3 seconds, $1.141.44.
2. Taylor Gregg and Cody McCleary, 4.6 seconds, $864.24 each.
Team roping
1. Michael & Anthony Calmelat, 4.9 seconds, $1,238.88.
2. Garret Rogers & Brent Falon, 5.8 seconds, $1025.28.
3. Buck McCay & Dace Woods, 6.1 seconds, $811.68.
Breakaway
1. Jennifer Forhman, 2.2 seconds, $1,126.08.
2. Shay Jones, 2.4 seconds, $979.20.
3. Desi Dotson, 2.6 seconds, $832, 32.
Barrel racing
1. Lacey Stovner, 16.82 seconds, $1,104.
2. Sam Boone, 16.89 seconds, $960.
3. Stevie Rae Willis, 16.9 seconds, $816.
Children, including Cheyenne Simmons, chase a calf to get the hoop
around its neck during the Kids Ring Toss event of the 2014 Spirit Mountain
Stampede held at Spirit Mountain Rodeo Grounds on Sunday, July 20.