Rodeo goes whole hog

Jessica McMahon of Eugene, Ore., rides Buddy around a barrel during barrel races at a previous Fort Vancouver Rodeo. (Troy Wayrynen, The Columbian)

When Don Hanley heard the huge annual fireworks show at the Fort Vancouver National Site was cancelled this year, he felt bad for the community. But, he acknowledged, that disappointment quickly shifted into optimism about the potential it could create for the Fourth of July event he coordinates, the Vancouver Rodeo.

"We're all struggling to get the entertainment dollar," he said. "This year, the economy is down. Sponsorships are down for us, down 40 percent. I just think this might help us pay the bills."

The Vancouver Rodeo features the full range of cowboy events, including bull-riding, barrel racing and steer-wrestling, plus kid activities such as mutton-busting, PeeWee barrels and free pony rides. It typically closed early on July 4 each year, because most of the patrons wanted to spend that night at Fort Vancouver watching fireworks. Without the fireworks to compete with, the rodeo will remain open late this year, and Hanley is expecting that holiday to be one of the rodeo's biggest draws.

The event typically attracts more than 400 cowboys for its competition, one of the largest rodeos in the region during the weekend dubbed "Cowboy Christmas," because of the prize money up for grabs. Top competitors can make $10,000 to $20,000 over the holiday, if they also do well at the large Oregon rodeos in St. Paul and Molalla.

The final contestant count, recently released, was 484 competitors, which Hanley said is the most in at least the past six years, since he became involved.

That list includes Andy Crozier of Aumsville, Ore., Jesse Belyea of Hermiston, Ore., and Jake Suratt of Brush Prairie, the top three bull-riders in the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association, and several Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association members as well. The most popular events this year are team roping, with 68 pairs registered, barrel racing, with 88 signed up, and bull-riding, with 55 scheduled to compete in the main attraction that closes the rodeo each night. The festivities always start each day with bareback riding.

There's also a morning slack event in which cowboys who are not selected to perform during main events have the opportunity to compete.

Overall, more than 10,000 people are expected to attend.

"The bull-riding is always the favorite, no matter what and no matter where, because it's the most dangerous," Hanley said. "The mutton-busting, that's just really a winner, too. The kids are riding sheep, and people love to see the kids doing anything in the rodeo."

One lesser-known event that's popular regionally is breakaway roping, in which kids, 16 and younger, rope calves but don't get off of their horses and tie the calves up. The goal is to rope the animal quick and then stop the horse. Winning times often range from two to three seconds.

For those who want to participate in other ways, there will be a mechanical bull available to ride and dances each night, including on the Fourth. Entertainment will be provided by a band or DJ and continue until 1 a.m. each morning.

"Without the fireworks," Hanley said, "we decided to capitalize this year and offer the whole works."
Vancouver Rodeo schedule

July 3

7-11 a.m. Cowboy breakfast.

9 a.m. Rodeo (slack).

5 p.m. Gates reopen.

6-7 p.m. Free pony rides.

7 p.m. Rodeo, followed by a dance.



July 4

7-11 a.m. Cowboy breakfast.

9 a.m. Rodeo (slack).

3 p.m. Gates reopen.

4-5 p.m. Free pony rides.

5 p.m. Rodeo, followed by a dance.