Pendleton Round-Up ticket sales boom

PENDLETON, Ore. — Randy Thomas exuded good cheer on Monday of Pendleton Round-Up week.

And why wouldn’t he? The Pendleton Round-Up director, in charge of publicity for the iconic rodeo, has the world by the tail these days.

Ticket sales, for instance, continue on an upward trajectory.

“Last year, we set a record,” said Thomas, as he leaned back in a chair in the media trailer. “This year, we’ve already broken that record. We exceeded all-time ticket revenues before the show even started.”

Jason Graybeal, Round-Up director in charge of office and treasurer, confirmed the record bump in sales.

“We had record revenue prior to last year’s Round-Up of $1.152 million,” Graybeal said. “We surpassed the $1.2 million mark last week. There’s not a single seat left for Saturday and Friday’s about done, too.”

In addition, the 1910 Room is fully booked. That’s the tented area at the east end of the arena where guests watch rodeo action while enjoying drinks and gourmet food.

Thomas took a stab at explaining why the iconic outdoor rodeo keeps drawing more spectators.

“People just want to be here this year,” he said. “I think we have a big footprint out there with a social media presence.”

Happily, he said, the Round-Up has simply become a hot tourist destination.

“People in general want to experience something authentic, that’s intensely relational,” Thomas said. “They get here and find a community that’s family. When people come here from out of town, they get that experience.”