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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 29, 2017)
News Blue Mountain Eagle A9 Wednesday, March 29, 2017 Monument rancher named Spray Rodeo grand marshal Osburn hasn’t missed rodeo since his first in 1963 Blue Mountain Eagle Archie Osburn, a long- time Monument rancher, has been named grand marshal of the 2017 Spray Rodeo. In making the announce- ment, Spray rodeo board president Earl Mortimore said, “I’ve been going to the Spray rodeo since I was knee-high to a grasshopper and have never seen a time when Archie wasn’t there. As far as I know, Archie is the oldest living member of the Spray Rodeo Associa- tion, and he has always been there, always helping. If anyone deserves to be Grand Marshall, Archie does.” Osburn attended his first Spray Rodeo in 1963 when he was 6 years old. It was the first time he stepped into the Spray arena and already he had competition on his mind. Dragging a gunny sack, Os- burn was determined to col- lect more empty beer cans than the other kids. He was about 8 when he competed in his first rodeo event at Spray, the kids quar- ter-mile race. A couple years later he rode a steer – straight out of the roping chute. Os- burn had to duck his head but stayed on to win a silver dollar. His first bareback ride happened at Spray when he was 14. He rode against 60 other competitors in a borrowed right-hand rigging that he rode left-handed. He stayed on, but finished out Contributed photo 2017 Spray Rodeo Grand Marshal Archie Osburn of Monument, his grandson Tavin and his horse Pudding pose wearing the All-Round saddle Osburn won at the Spray Rodeo in 1976. of the money behind older, more experienced riders. Osburn won his first buckle in 1975 and went on to win seven buckles that year including two at the Western States Finals, all in bareback and saddle bronc. Before he hung up his spurs at the ripe old age of 27, Osburn had won 20 buckles including bareback, bronc or both at Sisters, Heppner, Lakeview, Halfway, Paulina and Fossil, the Vale suicide race, the Pendleton wild cow milking and three all-rounds. By his reckoning, Os- burn has won money in 12 events in the Spray arena (counting beer can collect- ing). He started with the kids quarter-mile race and steer riding and went on to the men’s half-mile race, the re- lay race, wild horse race and chariot race. He competed in bareback, bronc and bull riding, team roping and calf roping, but he never won a buckle at Spray. He did win the Spray All-Round in 1976 and still rides in that saddle today. “I’ve seen world champi- on cowboys and cowboys on their way to become world champions ride at Spray, but I never had world champi- on dreams,” said Osburn. “What I really wanted to do was ranch so rodeos 150 miles from Monument were far enough for me. I focused on staying local; I was happy being a local amateur.” Osburn joined Spray Ro- deo Association as a lifetime member in 1972 and hasn’t missed a rodeo since 1963. He admits leaving early a couple times: once to take his son John to a high school ro- deo and another time to attend his daughter Brittany’s grad- uation. In those 54 rodeos no one would ever find Osburn sitting in the stands. From the beginning he preferred the ac- tion in the arena as a competi- tor, or a rider helping with the races, cleaning the arena and hazing for the pickup men, or working the stripping chute taking off the saddles and rig- gings. Few people are more comfortable or more knowl- edgeable doing the work no- body sees than Osburn. “I used to help Jim Stire- walt gather cows for the calf roping and wild cow milking. The calves were fresh so we needed to rope and tie them before the event,” Osburn recalled. “We’d bring in the horses for the wild horse race. One time one of Bo Pinz’s horses busted out of the arena, and I rode up the hill, roped it and helped bring it back.” Rodeos have always been a big part of Osburn’s life, but the Spray Rodeo stands out above all the rest. It’s a family tradition now carried on to the third generation. Os- burn’s daughter Brittany, who has won 14 girls horse races at Spray, started when she was 3 years old riding a horse named Roany in the parade and win- ning “Best-Dressed Cowgirl.” Last year her son Tavin, Os- burn’s grandson, competed in his first Spray Rodeo, riding a sheep and running in the foot- race. Looking back at a lifetime of commitment and dedi- cation to the Spray Rodeo, Osburn commented, “The unique thing about the Spray arena is that when I am long gone, the rocks will still be there!” The 70th annual Spray Ro- deo will be held May 27-28, 2017. Saturday and Sunday performances start at 1 p.m. Slack is 11 a.m. Friday, May 26. The rodeo parade is at 11 a.m. Saturday. B RIEFLY Studded tire season ends Friday Drivers in Oregon are re- minded to remove studded tires by Friday, March 31. Studded tires are al- lowed in Oregon from Nov. 1 through March 31. While the law allows the Oregon Department of Transporta- tion to extend the studded tire season when necessary, cur- rent weather forecasts do not support an extension this year. The deadline will be the same in Washington. ODOT encourages driv- ers to consider other types of traction tires or chains to help minimize roadway damage caused by studded tires. A 2014 study concluded studded tires cause about $8.5 million in damage each year to state highways. Other types of traction tires are available. These trac- tion tires meet the Rubber Manufacturers Association standards for use in severe snow conditions and carry an emblem on the tire sidewall of a three-peaked mountain with a snowflake in the center. Re- search shows these tires cause no more damage than stan- dard all-weather radial tires and that they provide better traction than studded tires when used on bare pavement. Drivers with studded tires on their vehicles after the deadline can be charged by law enforcement with a Class C traffic violation. Scoping period open for Ragged Ruby Project The 30-day scoping period for the Ragged Ruby Project on the Malheur National For- est – Blue Mountain Rang- er District and the Umatilla National Forest – North Fork John Day Ranger District be- gan on Friday, March 24, with publication of the Notice of Intent to prepare an environ- mental impact statement in the Federal Register. The public will have 30 days to submit comments, with the scoping period end- ing on Monday, April 24. Persons who submit specif- ic written comments during this designated opportunity to comment, or the future 45- day comment period on the draft environmental impact statement, will have standing to object to the project. The Ragged Ruby Project proposes: upland restoration activities (9,030 acres); wa- tershed, fisheries and wildlife restoration (ecological ripari- an treatments and large wood treatments along approxi- mately 35-56 miles of streams, 10 acres of aspen restoration and installation of bat gates at 2 mine adits); prescribed burning (34,000 acres); road activities (decommissioning 1.9 miles of road, closing 6.4 miles of currently open road, confirmation of previous ad- ministrative closure of 26.7 miles or road, opening of 2.8 miles of currently closed road, relocation of 0.2 miles of road, addition of 2.5 miles existing roadbed onto system as closed and construction of 10 miles of temporary road); and recreation system chang- es (3.3 miles of new trail con- struction, 9.1 miles of trail co-designated on existing roads and 5.1 miles of trails being un-designated, with 18.7 miles of trail remaining on the system). The proposed action may also include forest plan amendments to change Dedi- cated Old Growth boundaries, reduce satisfactory and/or to- tal cover, remove trees great- er than or equal to 21 inches diameter at breast height and harvest in late and old struc- ture stands. The document can be ac- cessed on the Forest Service website at fs.usda.gov/pro- ject/?project=49392, or you may request a hardcopy by contacting Sasha Fertig at 541-575-3061 or sashafer- tig@fs.fed.us. Written comments must be submitted to Dave Halemeier, c/o Sasha Fertig, Blue Moun- tain Ranger District, P.O. Box 909, John Day, OR 97845. The Blue Mountain Ranger District will hold an open house from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at the Grant County Regional Air- port Conference Room, 720 Airport Road, John Day, OR 97845. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute in- formation, ideas or concerns, and discuss the project with members of the project’s in- terdisciplinary team. From 5-6 p.m., the format will be an open house-style with members of the interdisciplin- ary team available to answer questions about the project. At 6 p.m., there will be a group round robin session with par- ticipants afforded the oppor- tunity to share what they most value about the planning area and what they would like to see happen as part of the proj- ect. Nominations sought for Resource Advisory Committee The Northeast Oregon Forests Resource Advisory Committee is seeking nom- inees for new members to serve on a vital Resource Advisory Committee. The committee is tasked with recommending projects to improve forest health, wa- tersheds, roads and facilities around Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman Na- tional Forests. The three categories of committee members needed are: 1) Industry profession- als with experience in forest products, recreation, mining, grazing or timber, 2) envi- ronmental groups and indi- viduals connected to groups interested in wild horses, archeology and dispersed recreation and 3) elected officials, American Indian tribal representatives, school officials or teachers. Nominations will be ac- cepted until Thursday, April 30.For more information about the responsibilities of the RAC, visit fs.usda.gov/ main/malheur/workingto- gether/advisorycommittees or contact Malheur NF RAC Coordinator Susan Garner, 541-575-3039, scgarner@ fs.fed.us. April 11th, Tuesday 8:00am - 2:00pm Harney County CWMA Hay Growers Class The Harney County CWMA presents our Hay Growers Class, April 11th at the Harney County Courthouse Basement Meeting Room. ODA Pesticide License credits will be offered. Speaker subjects to include: Irrigation/Water conservation w/ LESA, Herbicide reps from CPS & Wilbur Ellis treatment options for broadleaf & annual grass control, OSHA PPE training, African Rue & Noxious weed ID & treatment. Lunch will be Provided by CPS This event is sponsored by your Harney County CWMA Partners Contact Person: Steph Bonson 541-535-8397 RSVP 05426 05437