Special Fair and Rodeo edition August 12, 1992 - Seven
Don Evans Morrow County Fair and Rodeo Grand Marshal
Third generation rancher Don
Evans has been selected grand
marshal for the 1992 Morrow
County Fair and Oregon Trail
Pro Rodeo.
Evans grew up on the Willow
Creek Ranch of his parents, Earl
and Millie Evans and attended
schools in Heppner. Don’s grand
parents had lived on the Willow
Creek ranch before that.
Don and Margaret Ann Krebs
were married in 1946. They liv
ed in Heppner for several years
and then moved to the Sand
hollow ranch, where they still
live.
They bought the
ranch from Edna Turner in 1956
and since then have added more
acres.
The Evans ranching legacy car
ries over to Don’s sons, Wayne
and Monte and their families who
have taken over management of
the ranch since Don’s retirement.
Don’s retirement, however, still
sees him putting in pretty full
days at the ranch or at a moment's
notice working with their cattle
up in the Wallowas.
Five grandchildren are also
following in their grandfather's
footsteps. Monte and his wife,
Becky, have two children, Jossie,
14 and Casey 10. who are both
year of 4-H. Megan is six. All the
grandchildren will escort grand
pa Don down Heppner’s Main
Street on horses as he heads up
this year’s Main Street parade.
A love of good horses and
rodeo performances lead to Don’s
eight-year involvement on the
rodeo board. Two of those years
he was chairman of the board. He
was arena director for four years
and participated in roping events.
He won the Morrow County Calf
Roping Championship and the
prize saddle in 1957.
Don Evans
Evans was surprised that he
was chosen grand marshal,
modestly
commenting,
“Everyone on the board worked
at putting on those shows and we
all donated time and equipment.
There was always stock to be
hauled, ground to work or things
to build,’’ he said, commenting
on the many hours spent building
stock pens and fences for the
rodeo events.
Evans served on the rodeo
committee at the time when
Heppner hosted the Blue Moun
tain Community College rodeos
before they were moved to
Pendleton. He also played a pan
in putting on the junior rodeos
that were held in Heppner for
several years.
A lifetime honorary member of
the Wranglers Riding Club,
Evans used his grader to level
ground for the club after they ob
tained land for their permanent
arena and clubhouse below
Heppner.
Rodeo court has busy summer
pennant bearers for the fair and
rodeo. Jossie and Casey, who
were pennant bearers last year,
are both involved in riding and
4-H, as is Wayne and Sue's
daughter. Kelsie. Kelsie, 15. has
also been a pennant bearer and is
involved in barrel racing. The
youngest Evans descendants,
Megan and Matt Bergstrom, the
children of Don and Margaret’s
daughter Michelle, and her hus
band Mike Bergstrom, of Her
miston, both have horses and
ride. Matt is nine and in his first
Enjoy country-style breakfast
Come on out and enjoy a
country-style breakfast with the
Wrangler Riding Club on Sun
day, August 23, from 7:30 to
10:30 a.m. at the Morrow County
Fairgrounds.
Breakfast, including ham and
eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, cof
fee and milk, will be served at $3
for adults and $2 for children.
L-R: Princesses Angie Partlow, Shelly Ashbeck and Stacie O’Brien, Queen Jenni Ashbeck
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OREGON TRAIL PRO RODEO COMMITTEE wishes to thank
these official sponsors:
’ ;
GARDAERS-
All Around Saddle
Bull Riding
LES SCHWAB-
Steer Wrestling
M. C. G.G.-
Calf Roping
ANDERSOA SEED
Saddle Brone
COCA COLA-
Bareback
TI DER ATE R-
Barrel Racing
COORS-
WHEAT GROWERS- Team Roping
Steer Roping
DODGE TRUCKS-
KINZUA- M.C. Amateur Calf Roping
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The Morrow County Fair and
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo Court
have had a busy July and are busy
making preparations for Fair
week August 19-23.
Nancy Ekstrom of Ione
presented the court with magnetic
trailer signs for their horse trailers
prior to the rodeo in Sisters.
The Fourth of July took the
court to Boardman, where they
rode in the annual parade. Many
of the court members and their
families then stayed in Boardman
to take in the festivities at the
marina.
On July 12 the court helped
with the Morrow County Open
Horse Show. A fairly large
crowd was present for the show
with many local winners in each
division.
The court traveled to The
Dalles on July 18 for the Fort
Dalles festivities. They par
ticipated in the parade down Main
Street, then joined Queen
Stephanie at the Northwest
Aluminum Grounds for the
queens luncheon. This was the
sight of the Oregon Chili Cook
off, and was complete with live
entertainment. The courts were
presented to the public and gave
highlights of their fairs and
rodeos live on the radio. The girls
then had a break before they
began preparation for the even
ing grand entry and rodeo.
The next weekend took the
court and their families to Joseph
for the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo.
A large parade down Main Street
was followed by the queen's lun
cheon at the Civic Center. The
luncheon was attended by ap
proximately 200 visiting royalty
and families. The court attended
the grand entry at the rodeo, then
headed up to Wallowa Lake for
the afternoon before attending the
rodeo dance.
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