Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 11,1999 - THREE
Heppner Rodeo celebrates 77 years of riding high
award for third best grand
conditions
in the entire
Columbia Circuit. This, too.
happened in 1998
What is in store for 1999'' A
new warm-up arena for
contestants, full chain link
fencing,
ushers,
improved
parking, more food, beverages
and community support. Over
4-H continues with
strong programs
150 families support the OTPR
every year and without their
hard work, dedication and time
the tradition could not continue.
The biggest improvement in
1999 is the brand new indoor
Wilkinson Arena. The building
had over 100 individuals and
companies donate toward the
arena. The facility was named
after another life-long resident
and supporter of
Morrow
County Fair and Rodeo, Dick
Wilkinson, and his wife,
Virginia. They were a significant
factor in getting the building
A sheep patiently gets groomed at last year's fair
project started.
Morrow County 4-H has a
Today the rodeo committee is
Summer Days, 4-H Ambassador,
total of 301 members and 74
run by 21 dedicated and
or
Know
Your
State
leaders
participating
in
the
4-H
motivated individuals.
The
Government.
youth development program.
chairman of the OTPR is Mary
During the 1998-1999 4-H
There are 148 youth enrolled in
Ann Munkers and the chairman
year, 4-H member, Shelby Krebs
home economics and expressive
for the Morrow County Rodeo is
lone
attended
4-H
arts projects; 60 in the 4-H horse of
Ken Eckman. Gates admission
Ambassador
Weekend
in
program. The livestock program
is run by Rebecca Ripple and
Corvallis
and
had
a
great
has a total of 210 youth enrolled
arena crew consists of Ken
in large animal projects and 64 experience.
Bailey,
Mike
Proctor,
Barry
street clothes.
Morrow County has five 4-H
in
small animal.
Morrow
Munkers and John Griffith. The
Tom Wood was champion bull
Ambassadors: Shelby Krebs,
County
also
sent
39
participants
awards
are
handled
by
Janet
rider in the 1940 rodeo, when
Keith Baker. Macy Rhea, Jessica
to
the
Hispanic
Youth
McDowell and the children's
the Warren-Depew Brahmas
Krebs, and Kristi Worden
Leadership
Conference
in
events are managed by Sheree
were featured. Pat Fisk won all-
"As members challenge
Pendleton.
These
hardworking
Mahoney.
The
excellent
food
around honors. The newspaper
themselves
in other activities
4-Her's have consigned 1,256
and beverages are organized by
commented that the race horses
they
develop
life skills they can
exhibits
to
the
Morrow
County
John and Sonja McCabe. The
of Baze, Swaggart, Turner and
use the rest of their lives," said
Fair.
outstanding
livestock
is
handled
Hughes were "in fine fetter."
Broderick.
Many 4-H members are in
by two competent mdividuals-
A cowboy breakfast was begun
more
than
one
club.
Some
have
Jerry Gentry and Kyle Robinson.
that year by Lee Beckner and
more than one animal or home
Sue Gibbs handles the media for
Jim Kistner.
Amid cowboy
economics project.
Several
the
rodeo
and
parades
and
grand
singing, head cook Earle Bryant
members
cross
over
in
entry
are
managed
by
Tern
dished up steaks, hotcakes and
curriculum
areas.
"We
Blue Mountain Community
Gentry.
Promotions Was
all the trimmings to around 300
encourage
4-H
members
to
try
College
will offer free Internet
recently taken on by Jamie and
people, at 50 cents a plate.
new
projects
in
different
areas,"
classes
at
the Morrow County
Ronda
Helfrecht.
Jason
Hanna
The 1941 show was the last for
said Bill Broderick, OSU
Fair on Wednesday, August 18,
is
in
charge
of
sales,
while
a time. After the bombing of
Extension agent.
between the hours of 10 a m.-6
Darcy Robinson handles the
Pearl Harbor, which finally
p.m.
Broderick added that is also
ever-so-important
sponsors
for
brought the United States into
important for members to get
These classes will be held in
OTPR.
Nicole Mahoney
the war, rodeos were suspended.
involved
in
other
activities
such
two-hour
sessions on the stage
organizes and sells the VIP
The Heppner Rodeo roared
inside
the
pavilion.
as
presentations,
pre-fair
clinics,
seating and Marlene Currin
back to life in 1945, after a
camp, camp counselor training,
Everyone's invited to stop by
balances
everyone
because
she
three-year shut-down, as food
takes on that critical job of Teen Leadership Retreat, OSU and learn to surf the Internet.
and gas rationing were relaxed.
secretary.
Top cowboys that year were
Charlie Daly credits the present
Vem Evans and Jerry Ambler —
rodeo
committee with upgrading
the only ones to make qualifying
the facilities with a smaller arena
rides on horses from the Harley
for better management of
Tucker string.
in . juii/U io.v ■
’mug“ ! ilk
10
professional
shows: He will be
ijtti
In 1949 Queen Shirley1
JUUf
Jili
ciU Jflyli
Jill
1
Wilkensbri Rugg WiSvoted m a s . , apart of the rodeo once again
1
queen and Her coiirt' consisted of when he mounts his horse and
four young women. These were
heads up the parade and grand
Dorothy Wigglesworth Graham,
entry in the 1999 Oregon Trail
Betty Walker Edwards, Fae
Pro Rodeo.
Cutsforth, and Ingrid Herman
Seventy-seven years have
Crawford. These young ladies
passed since 1922. Within this
were talented riders.
The
time, events, people, equipment
community and rodeo life was
and talents have changed, but
and still is very important to some things still hold true.
them. Each woman is still active Jasper Crawford, a newspaper
and riding. The entire court will editor in 1944 w rote,"... we see
be riding horseback in the 1999 the suntanned cowpoke atop the
Heppner Fair and Rodeo parade rearin’ mustang as one of the
* Does your loved one need skilled care after a hospital stay? We offer an
on August 21, at 10 a.m. to outstanding examples of true
extensive Medicare-approved skilled nursing swing bed program that may
celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Americanism."
meet your needs through Pioneer Memorial Hospital.
In 1950 a large fair exhibit
Rodeo continues to exemplify
* We pride ourselves on quality patient care and helping our residents
building was built. The rodeo the heritage of Columbia Basin
center field was seeded to grass.
enjoy all that life has to offer. If you would like more information about
Co-op country and Heppner,
Cyclone
fencing
replaced Oregon.
any of our services, such as long or short term care, please give us a call
wooden rails. The Wrangler
or stop by and we would be happy to give you a tour of our facilities.
Riding Club began sponsoring a
' horse show and the Sunday
(541) 676-9133 • (800) 559-9133
morning cowboy breakfast.
P.O. Box 9 • 564 East Pioneer Drive • Heppner, O R.
$ 1 . 0 0 lb .
Times change and with time
. comes improvements.
As
Heppner Gazette-Times
professional athletes fine-tuned
their skills, the idea of a Morrow
County amateur show was bom.
Morrow County ropers began
competing for a coveted
championship saddle in 1950. In
1951, the Morrow County
amateur calf roping contest was
created, which sparked renewed
participation by local cowboys.
Orville Smith, the manager then
of the Heppner sawmill, donated
the first championship saddle.
The mill is today known as
Kinzua and, even after its
closure earlier this year, it
continues to donate this trophy
saddle.
presents Please)
In the 1990's the rodeo
committee, headed by Jerry
Help us celebrate by opening a new checkins account
Gentry, brought the rodeo
facilities up to standards for a
and receive our birthday sifts to you:
PRCA show. A professional-
size arena was built, with
PERSONAL Accounts
•
BUSINESS Accounts
volunteers
spending
days
excavating clay soil and
H FREE first order of checks
H U p to $ 100 credit on first order
replacing it with sand. New
lighting was installed through
P 3 NO monthly fees for the first year*
of checks
community efforts.
Rodeo
H $50 Loan fee coupon
H $50 Loan fee coupon
sponsors enriched purses to
attract contestants.
Hurry on in as this sale ends 9-30-99!
New aluminum bleachers
replaced the old in '97 and
seating has never been better.
VIP seats allow front stage
viewing and backed seats allow
added comfort. The bleacher
H eppner B ranch :
seats supply ample room to seat
111 N. Main Street
a great number of spectators
676-5407
Handicap facilities and a new
announcer's box were added in
W e'd be honored.
1998.
The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
* Account will r»v»rt lo oppropriota monthly mointGoonca f— o» «nd of oog yoor.
Arena was awarded a special
mm
Amateur bronc riding, Heppner, 1946
By Merlyn Robinson and Sue
Gibbs
The legacy of the Old West
lives on as Heppner celebrates
77 years of rodeo.
The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
will run August 20 through the
22 this year. It's a historical
event that began back in
September of 1922, when
Heppner businessmen
and
ranchers organized the first four-
diy event.
Gentry, one of the
fiwriders, donated a field at the
of town that still continues
aijjhe modem rodeo site. Many
ijjfljlnteers built fences from
netting wire and poles cut in the
mountains. Around the fencing
was a complete circle of Model
A's.
The October 3, 1922, issue of
the Heppner Herald reported that
"the track and arena were in
splendid condition and the
bucking and race stock were full
of pep and action" for the benefit
o f ' about 4,000 people in
attendance.
A band from The Dalles
provided music. Dances were
held each evening in the large,
round pavilion that once stood
at fhe lower end of Main Street.
The livestock for the first
rodeos came from local ranches.
Potential bucking broncs were
brought to town prior to the
rodeo, to be fried out by local
cowhands.
- Without bucking chutes,
horses had to be snubbed and
saddled in the arena, using a
strong saddle horse to hold them.
After-the blindfold was jerked
off and the horse turned loose,
the rider used his hat to "fan" the
bronc with his free hand.
Those early-day bronc nders
were experienced at "biting ftie
dirt," as pickup men weren't part
of the action then.
Gerald Swaggart (1996 OTPR
grand marshal), a lifetime
resident of Heppner, was 12
during the first rodeo and
remembers when free-running
mustangs were rounded up for .
bucking horse "soirees" before
the local event became a
sanctioned rodeo.
Newspaper reports of that first
1922 rodeo show tljat J.D.
Bellingbrock bested Jack French
in the bucking horse event.
However, French proved to be
the top hand on bucking mules.
Eddie Sheriden placed over
Frepch in the calf roping, and
Ralph Reid bested both French
and. Howard Lane in the steer
roping.
Frank' Swaggart,
Gerald's father, was among the
race winners.
One of the promoters of that
first’ rodeo
was Charles
Latburell, a local auto dealer.
He Arranged to bring a touring
Foiji exposition to town during
the:- four-day rodeo.
That
cariyan consisted of 26 trucks
and .tractors carrying or towing
fanjl
and
construction
equipment, as well as a Delco
light plant, pumping systems and
many
small
tools
and
conveniences.
:: The
entourage
was
accompanied by a five-piece
jazji orchestra, plus nightly
mo.yie shows and a modem
scientific
marvel—a
radio
broadcasting set.
T f success of that first rodeo
might have been a difficult act to
follow, but the momentum of
succeeding shows continued to
builq.
Large carnivals—
conjjjlete with trapeze artists and
high wire acts — came to town
}
with subsequent rodeos, while
an enterprising pilot gave some
citizens their first airplane rides
. . . a thrill for those who
preferred not to get airborne
from the back of a mean horse.
This year's grand marshal,
Charles J. Daly, or Charlie as the
locals call him, is also a lifetime
cattle rancher with roots deep in
Little Buttercreek soil.
His
father, James Daly, was an
immigrant from Ireland and
herded sheep for area ranchers.
Charlie began to "cowboy up"
while he was in high school in
the 40's at local neighboring
rodeos as well as back yard
rodeos.
Charlie remembers
when wild horses were captured,
tried out there and often sold to
stock contractors.
Local
cowherds
provided
fresh,
"waspy" calves, while their
mothers were used for wild cow
milking.
The relay and pony express
races were an exciting and
entertaining attraction and were
a good draw for the Heppner
rodeo Both Gerald and Chartte
remember these races. The
fastest horses were donated by
volunteers from surrounding
towns willing to race their prize
animals. Gerald rode in some of
these horse races Roman-style,
standing on the backs of two
running horses.
As time went on, the Heppner
rodeo was moved ahead of the
Pendleton Round-Up, from
which show rules were obtained.
Gradually the first professional
cowboys'
association,
the
Turtles, was formed. As rodeo
circuits developed, the name was
changed to the Rodeo Cowboys
Association—the forerunner of
today's Professional Rodeo
Cowboys Association.
The
Heppner
rodeo
changed
affiliations through the years.
For a time it was sanctioned by
the
Northwest
Rodeo
Association.
In 1939 the Morrow County
Fair joined the rodeo and
became part of the now festive
week. Its or.gins began back in
1912.
Rodeo royalty has played an
important role from the early
days. The rodeo committee first
chose young women for court
members according to their
riding skills.
Heppner's Eva Padberg Griffith
was the 1923 queen. Eva, who
was 14 at the time, says she
chose Jane Allstott as her
attendant. The two girls rode in
the Heppner and Pendleton
parades, behind rodeo committee
members.
In later years, the granges
within the county selected court
representatives. Dime-a-dance
"jitney" dance tickets were a
way of voting for the queen. By
1940 the war in Europe was
casting dark shadows over
America, as young men enlisted
for national defense. The rodeo
committee, under the leadership
of its president, Henry Aiken,
decided the show would go on.
An enterprising rodeo
promotion that year was a three-
county junket by Heppner
businessmen.
The star performer of the show
was "Rosie O'Grady," alias
Frank Turner, dressed as a
honky-tonk girl, in keeping with
the Heppner Rodeo slogan,
"She's Wild." Turner was forced
to wear his outrageous costume
to one Chamber of Commerce
luncheon after someone hid his
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