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Page 6-Special Edition Morrow County Fair & Rodeo • Heppner Gazette-Times. Wednesday, August 11,1999
Exciting, action-packed shows
planned for 77th Heppner rodeo
One of the oldest rodeos in
Oregon is celebrating its 77th
year.
Two exciting, action
packed shows are planned for
the Heppner Professional Rodeo
Cowboys Association (PRCA)
rodeo.
The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
will bring all the fast action
events the crowd loves such as
bull riding, barrel racing, calf
roping, team roping, steer
wrestling, saddle bronc riding ,
bareback riding and the popular
mutton bustin'.
This year's stock will be
provided by Big Bend Rodeo
Company. This is the same
contractor that OTPR used last
year that left the audience in awe
over the fabulous bucking
horses.
Some of the best
cowboys around the United
States come to challenge this
stock. The bucking horse of the
year in 1997, "Spring Fling" will
be back, but instead of a
bareback horse, she will be
under saddle and the contractor
says she bucks even harder with
this rigging.
"Miss Kitty" will be bucking
out this year as well. She is the
1998 champion saddle bronc
horse for the circuit finals.
The spinning bull that left
everyone cheering in 1998,
"Rapid Fire," will be in the
chutes and ready to take on any
cowboy who wants to climb on
his back.
Big Bend Rodeo said that the
trucks will be full of NFR horses
and bulls, so, if you want a
preview, don't miss the rough
stock events.
Two of the sponsors of the
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo, Bank
of Eastern Oregon and Les
Schwab Tire Center of Heppner,
are each putting a $250 bounty
up to the cowboy who draws and
rides the chosen bounty animal.
The Bank of Eastern Oregon is
putting a $250 bounty up to the
cowboy who draws and rides the
bounty
horse
at
each
performance. Les Schwab is
putting a $250 bounty up to the
cowboy who draws and rides the
bounty bull in each performance.
The Columbia Circuit has
some of the best barrel racers in
the nation and Blue Eagle Travel
is donating $150 in bonus
money in each performance to
the fastest time. So don't miss
these beautiful and talented
ladies
of
the
Women's
Professional Rodeo Association.
The announcer this year is
Steve Kenyon, from Adams, OR.
Steve
tours
the
Pacific
Northwest as a professional
rodeo announcer.
The bullfighters for the 1999
rodeo will be Danny Newman
and Tim Vredenburg. These two
will risk their lives to help free
the contestants and save them
from the massive horns of these
huge animals.
Entertaining the fans this year
will
be
the
hilarious
clown/barrelman Mark Swingler
of Austin, Texas. His acts will
leave fans rolling in the stands.
Mark's comedy has won many
awards, including Texas Circuit
Contract Act of the year.
In conjunction with the Pro
Rodeo, the town's county fair
will also be in full swing August
17-22. The Morrow County
Fair/Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Queen Bobbie Rankin, and
Princesses Tracey Rankin,
Brooke Boyer and Nonnee
Walters will be on hand to assist
and greet our guests.
The attractions for the fair
include the famous 14-year-old
Nashville recording artist from
eastern Oregon, Zac Grooms.
He is performing Aug. 19 from
3-9:30 p.m.
Aug. 18 will feature the classic
car show, kids' tractor pulls and
wine and beer tasting "Robo
Bull Bucking Machine" will be
here on Friday, August 20. You
can try out your talents on a
mechanical bull and watch the
pros take to the real homs that
night.
Heppner is a changing,
productive
community.
Members work hard each year
with
improvements
and
accommodations for people
traveling from out of town. The
Heppner Main Street will be full
of booths and a variety of food.
The parade begins on August
20 at 10 a.m. and will travel
right through the newly-
renovated down town. It is sure
to give you the feeling of the old
west.
Live music Friday will start at
4 at the fairgrounds as well as
Gospel music and karaoke
Saturday evening. Breakfast
will be available both Saturday
and Sunday morning along with
a walking tour. The fabulous
Morrow County Museum will be
open for your viewing pleasure
and tours of the historic court
house will be available.
If the weather is hot. bring
your swimming suit and
experience the water park or
play a round of golf at the golf
course.
For information regarding the
parade, call 676-5536.
For
information about the fair, call
676-9474.
The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
committee works hard to
improve the facilities for the
audience's comfort.
New
attractions this year are a new
warm up facility for competitors
and added comforts for audience
members.
A variety of food will be
served around the rodeo grounds
and pop will be available in the
stands without even leaving your
seats. Local students will be
bringing this around to you, so
you don't have to miss any of the
rodeo action. Ushers will also
be available to help individual
groups find their seats in the VIP
seating.
The rodeo office is on the
north east side of the arena and
the covered handicap access is
on the west side of the
grandstands. Wheelchair access
will be accessible by simply
driving up to the ramp by tht
roping boxes and unloading
directly onto the ramp.
The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
takes place on Fnday Aug. 20, at
7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 21,
at 1: 15 p.m., with slack being
held Friday night following the
performance. Mutton bustin'
will be held 1/2 hour before the
PRCA Rodeo.
The Morrow County Jackpot
rodeo will also be held on
Sunday, Aug. 22, at 1:15 p.m.
for all fans to watch local
Morrow County cowboys and
alumni compete for awards,
money and the famous Morrow
County Amateur Calf Roping
Saddle. This is sponsored by
Frontier Resources, L.L.C., of
Heppner and hand crafted by
Bill McCoin of Severe Bros.
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Saddlery, Pendleton.
General admission for Sunday
is $6 with children six and under
admitted free.
The tickets for the PRCA
shows are 8$ for adults and $5
for children seven-12 years old;
children six years and under are
admitted free.
VIP seating can be purchased
in smaller units this year.
Individuals who purchase VIP
seats will have first option to
buy them back next year and
will have ushers to secure their
seats during the performances.
For VIP seating or to purchase
tickets contact Nicole Mahoney
at (541)676-5157; for further
information about above events,
contact Marlene Currin at (541)
676-9711 (eves); for lodging and
RV information, call (541) 676-
5157 evenings.
We hope to see you for our
fabulous 77th celebration!
31MWZ
R ela x ed p i t Ç^owboy C u t Jeans
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The Western O riginar
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EVERYBODY'S HOMETOWN STORE
Hermiston
567-5591
Milton-Freewater
938-5551
Pendleton
276-7611