WEDNESDAY
August 19, 2015
RODEO
The tradition continues
at the Grant County Fair
Visitors flock
to and fill
grandstands
Facing
tKe ¿ re
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Rodeo com-
petitors made John Day their
destination for the Grant County
Northwest Professional Rodeo As-
sociation (NPRA) Rodeo during
the county fair, Aug. 7 and 8.
Likewise, rodeo fans from Grant
County and beyond made a beeline
to the action, ¿ lling the grand-
stands.
Rodeo contractor Claude Rick-
man said he appreciates making a
return to John Day each summer.
“It’s always a pleasure to come
to the John Day Valley and the
Grant County Fair and Rodeo,” he
said.
Rickman’s wife, Chris, is the ro-
deo secretary.
The total payout was just under
$20,000.
“A person can tell the pride that
is taken with the people of Grant
County by the improvements and
maintenance of the facility,” Claude
Rickman added. “It gives us great
pleasure to be able to come back
to John Day every year and see
old friends.”
Jessica Pfister
finds rewards in
rappelling career
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photos/LindseyWyllie.com
Monica Williams hits her target at the Grant County NPRA Rodeo.
Grant County Rodeo results
Sam
Elliott
hangs
on,
competing in the bull riding
event at the Grant County
NPRA Rodeo.
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Malheur Rappel Crew member Jessica Pfister, left,
helps give helicopter crew member training last
year, working with several ODF firefighters.
7RSÀYH
%DUHEDFN
1, Cameron Craig, 80 (score)
2, Kevin Lusk, 78
3, Blake Anglen, 74
6DGGOH%URQF
1, Johny Espeland, 79
2, Tucker Hill, 74
3, Justin Chappell, 73
%XOO5LGLQJ'D\0RQH\
1, Harlan Knowles
7LH'RZQ5RSLQJ
1, Cody Craig, 8.10
2, Matt Nauman, 9.10
3, Blake Eliason, 9.50
6WHHU:UHVWOLQJ
1, Jared Parke, 4.70
2, Taylor Gregg, 5.30
3, Bodee Foster, 5.40
7HDP5RSLQJ
1, Bill Justus, Mike McGinn, 6.40
2, Bucky Campbell, Jake Stanley, 7.10
3, Chancy Bott, Zane Palmer, 8.10
4, Dayton Stafford, Austin Stafford, 9.00
%UHDNDZD\
1, Jordan Minor, 2.30
2, Kayse Winkle, 2.30
3, Jessie Loper, 2.60
4, Hope Lutrell, 2.70
5, Stevie Rae Willis, 2.90
%DUUHO5DFLQJ
1, Jade Crossley, 18.04
2, Jordan Minor, 18.08
3, Leslie Penhollow, 18.08
4, Ellie Beukelman, 18.11
5, Hope Lutrell, 18.12
CANYON CITY – When
the fires that created the
Canyon Creek Complex
broke out, Jessica Pfis-
ter was rappelling a fire at
Lookout Mountain on the
eastern part of the Malheur
National Forest.
She and some of the 27
members of the Malheur
Rappel Crew are working
the Canyon Creek Complex
fire.
Pfister is working in
her own backyard: She has
lived in Canyon City for
two years. She’s been work-
ing as a wildland firefighter
for a total of eight years,
including three as a mem-
ber of the U.S. Forest Ser-
vice Malheur Rappel Crew,
based in John Day.
“I’d say rappelling has
been one of the best expe-
riences that I’ve had in my
life,” she said. “I have a
lot of pride in the job I do
and the crew — the crew is
practically my family.”
She started work on the
Canyon Creek Complex on
Aug. 16, joining other rap-
pellers who had been on the
local scene earlier.
What makes their work
unique among other wild-
land firefighters, is their
responsibility to respond as
the initial attack in remote
locations.
“We’re generally IA re-
sources – initial attack,” she
said. “We decide what sort
of resources are needed on
the fire.”
For now the rappel crew
is working on single re-
source assignments, includ-
ing dozer boss and engine
boss.
When the fire crossed the
containment line and blew
up on Aug. 14, a squad from
the rappel crew was sent to
provide structure protec-
tion.
Right now, she is work-
ing at the helibase as an air-
based radio operator.
“I’m talking on the radio
and letting aircraft know
when it’s OK to land and
take off and relaying the as-
signments to the aircraft,”
Pfitser said.
She’s working with two
light helicopters, four me-
dium aircraft and one heavy
aircraft, all helicopters,
helping support the fire
fight. The rappellers fly out
to the fire two or four at a
time in an aircraft.
A group of four would
include a range of experi-
ence, from a type 5 incident
commander, who can han-
dle a fire of four acres or
less, to type 1 incident com-
mander, who has the expe-
rience with massive fires
such as the Canyon Creek
Complex.
Malheur rappellers are
on standby prepared to re-
spond to an initial attack,
the helibase in John Day, if
one pops up.
Pfister is one of them,
and ready.
She said the job is re-
warding.
“It pays off really well,
between working hard and
being able to make de-
cisions – you learn a lot
about leadership,” she
said. “I plan to be in this
job for quite a few more
years.”
Contributed photo/Thomas Routt
Riley Clark flies into action, competing in steer wrestling at the Grant County NPRA Rodeo.
Jessica Pfister, left, and a fellow Malheur Rappel
Crew member watch the Canyon Creek Complex fire
blow up from their separate work area on Lookout
Mountain.
OPEN Tuesday thru Saturday 11am to 9pm • 541-575-1387 • 417 W. Main • John Day
02553