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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2015)
12 S MOKE S IGNALS SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 Tribal member heading to National Finals Rodeo By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer Grand Ronde youth Marcel Allen has earned his way to the 2015 In- dian National Finals Rodeo being KHOGLQ/DV9HJDV1HYRQ1RY Allen, who turned 16 in August, will head to Las Vegas after qual- ifying for the Junior Bull Riding Competition, which will be held at the South Point Equestrian Center. Allen, who stands 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds, has competed in seven rodeos this sum- mer and won three of those events, including the two Western States Indian Rodeo Association events KHOG-XQHGXULQJ3L8P6KD Days in Warm Springs. Allen also won the Indian Rodeo Association’s event in Wadsworth, 1HYRQ$XJDQGÀQLVKHGWKH season as the top-ranked junior bull rider in the association. Those UHVXOWVTXDOLÀHG$OOHQIRUWKH1D- tional Finals event. According to Lonnie Austin, who teaches junior bull riding in Wills Point, Texas, the bulls Allen gets on can weigh as much as 1,200 to 1,800 pounds. “It’s a tough sport,” said Austin. “The riders are matched with the bulls based on their ability and the bulls are rated on a one- to 25-point system.” Austin said the bulls in the na- WLRQDOVZLOOEHUDWHGLQWKHWR 20-point range. “I’ve been doing really good this year,” said Allen, who clearly does QRWODFNFRQÀGHQFHLQKLVDELOLW\ to get on a bull and give it his best effort. “The fact that I’m going (to nationals) is pretty cool.” Allen said when he is in the shoot getting ready to make his ride, he clears his mind. “Honestly, if I could use an anal- ogy, it’s like waiting to be shot out of a cannon,” he said. Marcel said when he is on the bull for those eight seconds, it’s wild. “It’s amazing and it just feels like I’m in my own world. It’s like riding a tornado. It’s like having a tornado in your hands.” The Western States Indian Rodeo Association is comprised of Native American contestants from Oregon, Nevada, Idaho and California. The Indian National Finals Ro- deo event has been around since DQGLWXQLWHGVHYHUDOUHJLRQDO Indian Rodeo Associations through- out the United States and Canada when it was formed. The National Finals Rodeo currently has 11 re- gions in North America. &RQWHVWDQWVIURPDVPDQ\DV Tribes compete in this national HYHQWIRUPLOOLRQLQSUL]HPRQH\ in eight major categories. Rodeo is a family affair for Allen and looking back, everything got started for him after spending a week riding a bucking barrel at his grand- father’s home in Warm Springs. Allen’s grandfather is Francis “Toba” Scott and he is a member of the Warm Springs Tribe. Allen was 10 at the time and usually spent his youthful energy skateboarding and grass dancing – activities he still participates in today. Allen placed third in this year’s Confeder- ated Tribes of Grand Ronde Contest Pow- wow’s teen grass dance category and according to Desiree Allen, his mother, he placed for WKHÀUVWWLPHDWWKHDJH of 6 at the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, N.M. “They had me on it (the bucking barrel) that whole week,” said Marcel of his grandfa- ther and his cousin. “I signed up for a rodeo a couple of weeks later. I just like really ended up liking it. “He (Allen’s grand- father) just explained Photo courtesy of Amber Yates everything to me,” said Marcel Allen competes in a rodeo in 2013. Marcel. “He taught me everything I know.” received from Kneeland to his vest Marcel’s first time entering a every time he rides. rodeo turned out not to be the best “My family is my biggest sup- experience for him. port,” said Marcel. “Everyone has ´,JRWRQP\ÀUVWFDOIZKHQ,ZDV my back and my mom supports about 10, it wasn’t good.” remem- everything I do.” bered Marcel. “I got kicked in the Marcel, who attends school at face and stepped on right here” as Winema High School Completion he pointed to a spot on his chin and Program at Chemeketa Commu- jawline. “I don’t know what it was, nity College in Salem is a protégé but I kept going. I loved it.” of former professional bull rider Desiree said a small, but dedicat- Myron Duarte. He has attended a ed family contingent travels to all of bull riding school taught by Duarte Marcel’s rodeo events. She says her at Branton’s Arena in Jefferson for brother Israel “Iz” Scott of Warm a few years now. Springs and her mother Debra “You can tell a kid that wants to Scott – who is a Grand Ronde Tribal do it and Marcel has always wanted member – make as many events as it. He tries hard,” said Duarte, who possible to support her son. spent 20 years as a professional bull Marcel is also the grandson of rider. “Bull riding is a tough sport Grand Ronde Tribal Council mem- ber Cheryle A. Kennedy and the great-grandson of Cordelia Knee- land. Marcel pins a prayer cloth he Feasibility study for swimming pool On July 28, 2015, Tribal Council passed an Authorization to Proceed, au- WKRUL]LQJDIHDVLELOLW\VWXG\IRUWKHSURSRVHGFRPPXQLW\VZLPPLQJÀWQHVV pool in Grand Ronde. The feasibility study is not an approval to build the project in Grand Ronde, but rather an approval to research and explore the possibility of building a swimming pool. The feasibility study will gather information including, but not limited to, conceptual designs including size, required facilities, the market and service area, estimates for site preparation work and development and construction costs, funding options and projected operational costs. Once the feasibility study has been completed, the General 0DQDJHU·V2IÀFHDQGVWDIIZLOOSUHVHQWWKHUHVXOWVRIWKHIHDVLELOLW\VWXG\WR Tribal Council for their review so they can then in turn solicit feedback from Tribal members. The decision to complete the feasibility study responds to the input and opinions expressed at the June 3 Community Input meeting, which included that Tribal members needed more information about cost and impacts to the Tribal budget. If you have any questions regarding the feasibility study and timelines, please contact Rick George, the Planning Department PDQDJHUDWQ Photo by Michelle Alaimo Marcel Allen, 16, qualified for the 2015 Indian National Finals Rodeo taking place Nov. 3-7, in Las Vegas, Nev. He will be competing in the Junior Bull Riding competition. and a mind game. What it takes is being able to block out the fear and just focus on what you do – the techniques. “That’s what I teach at my school is techniques and a positive atti- tude. From day one he showed up for practices and he asked a lot of questions. You can tell a kid that wants to learn because they ask questions and you can tell a kid that is doing it because someone else wants him to do it.” Duarte said Marcel is in for a whole new world when he gets to Las Vegas in November. “It’s a new atmosphere,” said Du- arte. “It’s going to be a big change and he will be getting on a different caliber of bulls. You have to show up and be prepared and have deter- mination to get results.” Duarte said he is proud of Marcel for what he has achieved this year. “Anytime you qualify it’s a big deal because you had to work for it and be good enough to qualify,” said Duarte. “At every level that’s quite an accomplishment.” To help Marcel attend the Las Vegas rodeo, his family is sell- LQJ VTXDUHV IRU HDFK DQG D drawing will be held once all the squares are sold. Marcel will get DQGWKHZLQQHURIWKHGUDZ- LQJZLOOJHW If you would like to buy a square, FRQWDFW'HVLUHHDWQ