August 2016
East Oregonian/Hermiston Herald • Page 23
receive a tour card. This left the cowboys
such as Mote, as well as PRCA fans who
would not see some of their favorites in
2016, frustrated and disappointed.
“The ERA was just supposed to be
something on the side,” Mote said, “We
didn’t say we wanted to leave the PRCA,
but when they instituted the rule change,
we were just kind of left with no choice.”
Perhaps the thing that disappointed
Mote the most was losing the ability to
compete at some of his favorite rodeos
and venues on the PRCA tour, such as
the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston.
Mote’s ties to the Farm-City Pro rodeo
go way back, as the now ¿ve-time world
champion earned his way onto the PRCA
tour in 1996 in Hermiston and believes
he missed just one trip to Hermiston
over the next 18 years. Mote also won
the Farm-City bareback championship
in 2015, and is disappointed he won’t be
able to defend the title.
“To say it doesn’t bother me is a lie,
because of course it does,” Mote said.
“It’s always been a rodeo you knew would
have great competition, great stock, and
a great committee. The people there were
pioneers in things such as back-to-back
slack and other things that rodeos all over
the country have modeled.”
STAFF PHOTO BY GARY L. WEST
Marcos Costa attempts to rope a calf during the 2015 Farm-City Pro Rodeo during an
afternoon performance. He had a “no time” on that run, but so far in 2016 he is in third
place in the tie-down roping world standings.
One of the bigger questions that
emerged with the ERA’s inaugural
season in 2016 was what sort of effect
it would have on PRCA rodeos, with
the likes of superstars like Mote, Trevor
Brazile, Kaycee Field, and others absent.
However, as Farm-City stands one week
out, board member Jon Gill says that they
aren’t worried about the athlete absences.
“In one word, no. Fans won’t see
much change, they just won’t see guys
like Brazile or Mote,” Gill said. “But a
lot of guys are still coming back ... we’re
still going to have plenty of cowboys to
watch.”
In fact, Gill said there was never any
real worry amongst the Farm-City board,
believing that their fans will still come no
matter what.
“We’re providing two-and-a-half
hours of entertainment each night every
year no matter what,” Gill said. “There’s
always a point when a champion retires,
and the fans still come back so it’ll be just
like that. The hardcore fans may notice
the absences, but the majority of fans will
still come and enjoy their two-and-a-half
hours of entertainment like always.”
And while the Farm-City entertains
for its four nights in August, Mote will
continue to hope for change in the rodeo
community so that one day he can make
the trip back to Hermiston with the ability
to compete again.
“Hermiston has gone above and
beyond other rodeos over the years,”
he said. “There’s over 600 rodeos in the
PRCA and I can count on one hand the
ones that do it like Hermiston. If people
are putting their lives and careers on the
line in this business, then there needs to
be more like Hermiston so we can enjoy
a better style of life.”
Enjoy
FARM-CITY PRO RODEO
and the
UMATILLA COUNTY FAIR!
Stop by for our world famous
Root Beer , Papa Burger &
Coney Dog!
Finish your meal off with
a root beer float!
Enjoy the
Fair & Rodeo
CAROLLEEN
LOVELL
Certified Public Accountant, LLC
( 541) 567-1780 Fax: (541) 567-0523
77522 S. Hwy 207
Hermiston
Located at Space Age
Travel Center &
Comfort Suites,
Exit 182 on I-84
635 S.E. 4th St. • P.O. Box 747
Hermiston, OR 97838
www.CarolleenLovell.com