THE CAZETTK-TtMKS. Ileppner. OR, Thursday. August 19. 1978. Page
THE OLD WEST LIVES OVER AGAIN EACH YEAR AT HEPPNER
. . , , . . .. : .fx. il
I Cri w- - - -
Seen. . S.-D.y Mee, E.cH Y..r, . Annua. Even, to. A - and Con.oun,
TTTT O n
JtlllS'
ttoiry
fair
run k in 19.3. briar. W Sherman's parent, were evea "JSrJ;
lir go. its Mart. The original location of the fair was where Cal s Areo is today
IIS and rodeo have gone .hrough plenty of changes since that beginning 63 year
At ,,. star, the fair took place where Ca.'s is and stayed there for about seven years.
M. . . . used to buck horses in open .
If they got loose , you just hoped to
hell you could catch 'em."
accord,ng to Floyd Jones, rode, board member from .952 .904 and fair board
member from .964 to today and still gomg wherethe library and
"S,SeTl.S fair mcludcd such items a. home --n fruit,
ud vegetables. Mo.1 of the exhibit, were ZfZr.. In ....
There w.s some livestock "h'bits m loc catue a P
there were about 200 entriM .nd no premiums to worn ior.
4H ers involved than total entries back ghow
Entertainment back then cant match next week ; M.ny
enjoyed battles of tug of war ft races, hem II
In .914. horses entered the fair. An maae , inubl)edi 8addied and
and buggies In . circle. The horse, were brough t inM , the c w .
then ridden. Some rmle until the time wm "P-JJ " off the best he could.
When the horse broke out of the makeshift jfi , m the fair
From .9.8 through 1919. there was no fair because of World war
resumed with the addition of a carnival. wrestling matches
In 192.. the fair moved to the f0
,ha. pitted local talent .gainst the carnlv a pro. i lo (hp
in .92.. rod event, were added and
Union .KH k corral, near Pettyjohns. Jones said. The maKcn.u
makeshift. . , you jU8t hoped to hell you
They used to buck h.es In the open Jf they J hor9e riding
effort.
Co
Arco
Heppner Rodeo Association owned a portion of the stock J"
dlonn
atunragt.s.r;hey do today, started helping with the fair -ound 19m They took
theS ! putUng an the fair. The county court appointed a three-member board to
X'tfeclrnival was located behind what is now the Wagon W:.tlwr.
hardware store. The hardware store caught fire and burned the entire carnival to the
87nThe depression years, from 1930 to 1940. the fair managed to continue .nd I ribbon,
were awarded in place o." premium.. THe location of the event, remained the same
and stock was still furnished by locals.
A trade of land between city and county took place in 1940. We library site was
traded for the present fair site. There were several CCC buildings on the new s.te and
coIZ.Towrmerchant, underwrote the rodeo stock and in the event of .
'rTfewfs dUuPr!nhg WWII, the fair fizzled to a close. It wasn't until 19 that the
state oXizZ .rac 4 funds and allotted each county an equal port.on to help pay
for cash premium.
The foreman got drunk so the black men
carried him outside, locked the doors
and got the job finished.
In .950. the present fair and exhibit building was built wuh donated labor, cost ng
S3 wo The only paid personcl were a foreman and five black men who finished he
cement So? foreman go. drunk so the black men carried him outside, locked the
door and got the Job finished.
The first 411 and FFA fat stock auction wa. held in 1948 under the d.rection of Harold
orVrtSSil in .953 and buck.roo .tands followed the next year. The
dormitory building went up In 1963 and the Indoor arena in 1965.
me Sowing year, the Vat. and bleacher, went up. In 1968. the fireproof
grln2!3nl S The rest room, and snack shack were added In .970 and in 197..
well and sprinkler, were Installed.
The fair ha. continued much the ame way for the last few year.. Jones says. Ust
year talking to the Chamber of Commerce. Jone. .aid the Bicentenr
Lb! produce the biggest and best fair and rodeo in the history of the fair.
Is every body ready?