Bobbie Rankin sparkles as Morrow County
Fair and Oregon Tail Pro Rodeo Queen
B E S S I E W E T Z E L L
U OF ORE
f t E r S P A r F R L I P
E U G E N E OR 0 7 4 0 3
'
QUEEN 1
i BOBBIE !
! RANKIN \
E yes: Blue
H air: Blonde
A g e : 18 y e a rs old
1999 HHS graduate
|
P a re n ts:
ITim and Kathy Rankin |
I A c tiv itie s : FFA, high I
school golf, OSSOM, I
Outdoor Club,
honor student, 4-H
horse shows, sheep,
I 1999 4-H High Point
award, riding and
I
training horses.
i------------------------------------------------------- 1
Queen Bobbie and her official mount
By Merlyn Robinson
VO L
118
NO. 33
10 Pages
Wednesday, August 18.1999
Morrow County, Heppner Oregon
Top names headline Oregon
Trail Pro Rodeo
Four current world leaders and
numerous past world champions
will vie for the 77th annual
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo this
weekend. Aug. 20-22.
The rodeo kicks off with
mutton bustin at 6:30 p.m.
Friday,
with
the
main
performance at 7:30 p.m. There
will also be slack for all timed
events
following
the
performance on Friday.
A
second show will be on Saturday
beginning with mutton bustin’ at
12:45 p.m.
The Morrow County Rodeo, for
residents of Morrow County and
graduates of Morrow County
high schools, will get underway
with slack beginning at 10 a m.
on Sunday. Aug. 22, followed by
the mam event at 1:15 p.m.
' Tickets may be purchased at the
gate. Adult prices are $8 each
with tickets for children 7-12 at
$5. Children six and under are
admitted free.
Headlining the list of entries
are the current leader in the all
around and calf roping titles.
Fred Whittfield of Hockley.
Texas.
($121,549 earned).
Whitfield will face tough
competition with Blair Burke of
Durant, Oklahoma, currently
ranked second and 1998 World
Champion Cody Ohl of
Stephenville, Texas, ranked third
in the world standings with
$81,885 won.
Several other top 10 cowboys
will also compete, including
former World Champion Herbert
Theriot
of
Poplarville.
Mississippi, who will also
compete in the steer wrestling.
Steer wrestlers will face tough
competition with the top five
current
world
leaders-Lee
Graves. Calgary Alberta ranked
number one; four-time World
Champion Ote Berry of
Checotah. Oklahoma, ranked
second; Jason Lahr. of Emporia,
Kansas, ranked third; Tommy
Cook, of Heber, Utah, ranked
fourth: and Chad Hagan,
Leesville. Lousiana. ranked fifth.
1998 World Champion Brad
Gleason will also be competing.
Each of these contestants has
won over $36,000 this year
alone in steer wrestling.
Other current world leaders
entered are team ropers. Daniel
Green of Oakdale, California,
and Allen Bach of Turlock,
C alifornia They are part of a
loaded team roping field which
includes second place ropers
Speed Williams of Jacksonville,
Florida, and Rich Skelton of
Llano, Texas. These individuals
have net between $40,000 -
$60,000 in income from their
skill at team roping
Other top ten team ropers
entered are former World
Like her crown, Morrow
County Fair and Oregon Trail
Pro Rodeo Queen Bobbie
Rankin is a jewel who sparkles.
A dazzling smile and an out
going personality are part of her
charms.
Goal-oriented, her
summers have been dedicated to
promoting the local fair and
rodeo.
"Ever since I was little I’ve
wanted to be on the court." says
Queen Bobbie, the daughter oi
Tim and Kathy Rankin. At that
time she says her parents
laughed about what they thought
was a passing fancy. Little did
they realize then that they would
devote five years to court
participation for their daughters
who have been pennant bearers
and court royalty. This year the
Rankins have traveled more than
7,500 miles trailering horses to
other rodeos and parades
A cooperative spirit and family
support is what makes it all
possible. Bobbie says. This year
the court families spent
weekends at the Pnneville,
Sisters and Joseph rodeos in
addition to one-day travels to
many other events. A hectic
schedule has included some fun
times like dances, swim parties
and shopping They have shared
many laughs. One time her
prircesses giggled and Bobbie
tried to keep from smiling after
realizing that her teeth were
stained from dark food coloring
in the cake decorations at a royal
luncheon.
Besides keeping pace with
their daughters' needs, the court
mothers have shared chaperon
duties by arranging schedules,
attending meetings, crafting
decorations and also sewing
court garments. Ready for all
occasions and all types of
weather, this court's wardrobe
includes their official outfits,
chaps, ultrasuede skirts for
luncheons, work outfits and
jackets, all in coordinating
colors of navy blue, gray and
white.
Queen Bobbie is a 1999
Heppner High School graduate
where she was an honors
student. She was active in FFA,
on the golf team for four years,
and a member of OSSOM. the
Outdoor Club and the Wild
Horse Club besides participating
in class activities. and fund
raisers. At graduation, Bobbie
received scholarships from both
the Heppner Elks and the
Masonic Lodges and the
American Legion.
From
babysitting to work experience
at Gardner's Men's Wear, her
summers
have
included
employment in the YCC Forest
Service program, the state
highway litter patrol and training
horses at the SunShadow Ranch.
When it comes to
horsemanship. Queen Bobbie is
a natural. While court activities
have been her focus, this
summer she has been schooling
horses for others besides training
several of her ow n young colts.
Her expertise is obvious, judging
by the successful training of her
court mount. Whiskey, a six-
year-old sorrel Quarterhorse
gelding that she raised from a
colt. On this horse. Bobbie has
Queen Bobbie Rankin
captured many championship
Sharing the spotlight this year is
honors in 4-H and open horse
Bobbie’s younger sister. Princess
shows. Capping eight years of
Tracy, along with Princess
participation in the 4-H horse
Nonnee Walters and Princess
program. Bobbie won the high
Brooke Boyer. Other supporters
point senior award, champion
include Bobbie's grandparents
senior
showmanship
and
Bob and Marcy Logan of
champion in hunt seat over
Beavercreek, who will be on
fences and trail at this year's
hand for the festivities. Her
show. Other placings included
paternal grandparents are the
reserve
grand
champion
late John and Betty Rankin..
showmanship
and
reserve
Following a busy week of fair
champion awards in English,
colt equitation and dressage. If and rodeo activities, this court
also plans to attend Pendleton
it has anything to do with horses.
Round-Up parades and the
Bobbie is always ready to
Walla Walla Frontier Days
participate, whether it's horse
Stressing the importance of
shows, trail riding. team
promoting hometown events.
penning, playday events or
Queen
Bobbie says she
barrel racing on this well-
encourages other girls to try out
rounded horse, that she says
for future courts. "It's lots of fun
"can be stubborn at times."
and it's an honor to represent this
This will be Bobbie's eighth
county and promote our own fair
year in the 4-H sheep as she
and rodeo." she says.
juggles time for sheep showing
As to the future. Bobbie's "can
amid
all
her
queen
do" attitude will prevail. She
commitments. Her expertise at
will be attending Blue Mountain
sheep and horse show ing are an
College
in
advantage as she participates in Community
the round robin contest where all
Pendleton this fall. She plans to
species of animals are shown.
take marketing and management
It’s the pig that is often "very
courses for credits that can be
uncooperative" that can pose a
transferred to a four-year
problem, she says.
university. While she may have
Queen Bobbie, a Morrow
to sacrifice time with her horses
to pursue her education, it's
County native, has lived all her
upstanding young people like
life at the Rankin family home
Bobbie who are shining
in the Blue Mountains. 30 miles
examples in this modem societv.
from Heppner.
Her family
moved here from the Willamette
Valley when Bobbie's older
sister, Jennifer, was a baby.
Nestled among the evergreens, it
is an idyllic place for a family
who loves horses and animals
even though they it requires
many miles to travel for
extracurricular activities and
employment.
Heppner Elementary School
Bobbie's father. Tim. is will be open from 7 a m. to 4
employed by the Morrow p.m. Monday through Friday for
County Road Department. In registration of new students.
spite of triple by-pass heart
School begins on Monday.
surgery earlier this year, he was August 30.
soon up and ready to take his
court daughters down the road
again. But for a time he was
forbidden to drive vehicles.
Bobbie, who at age 16 began
driving their pickup with a horse
trailer, took over the wheel
Students new to the lone
Bobbie’s mother, Kathy, does a Schools may pre-register any
balancing act as "court mom" time
Monday, Tuesday,
plus working at the Heppner Thursday or Friday, the week
Ranger District, where she has prior to the start of school.
fought fires and worked in the
School begins Monday. August
woods all day
30. School hours are 8 a.m to 3
Bobbie's older sister Jennifer, a p.m for kindergarten througn
former court pennant bearer, second grade students: and 8 a.m
now lives in Oregon City and is to 3:32 p.m for third grade and
student body president at up. Afternoon buses run at 3:35
Clackamas Community College
pm
Grade school
open for
registration
lone School
registration set
MCGG will be closed Saturday
J o in u s a t th e p a r a d e t
Clint Coray
Champion Bobby Hurley on
Ceres. California, who will be
roping with Monty Joe Petska,
of Carlsbad. New Mexico,
currently ranked number 11.
Brad Goodrich
Defending Oregon Trail
champion Katie McCoin of
Condon is ranked 19th in the
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AT THE
M C FAIR & OREGON TRAIL PRO RODEO
M orrow C ounty G rain G rowers
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