Hot Rod Cowgirl

Day three of the Pendleton Round Up 2011…I can not tell you in one post what “The Pendleton Round Up” is like to experience so I will do several posts over the next few days.

I took my camera and shot over 262 pictures so that I can share with you what the rodeo is like…hang on tight…there is only one Pendleton Round Up!

Once the heat of August comes to an end and harvest is over for the year…it is time to celebrate…time to catch up with your neighbors and friends…time to celebrate harvest and our blessings…time for a rodeo…send the word out to all the small communities around Pendleton that we will whoop it up cowboy style!

That is how the Round Up came to be in 1910…a celebration that harvest was over…lets invite our neighbors…neighboring communities and the Indians to come celebrate with us as a community…have a little rodeo and good food…with lots of fun!

I quote “In the fall of 1910, a group of ranchers and cowboys decided to celebrate the harvest and show off their skills. All the town’s stores closed, and the largest crowd in Pendleton’s history then showed up to enjoy the first Pendleton “Round-Up,” a rip-roaring Western rodeo. The Round-Up has since become a week-long celebration of the cowboy way of life. Fueled by the unbridled energy of hundreds of volunteers, the Round-Up is a true case of how community pride and spirit can be funneled into an outstanding international event.”

No matter how tired at times I get of Round Up…I will forever go to it…I am drawn to it like a moth is to a flame.

It is part of who I am…the people…the crowds…the smells and sounds…the horses and livestock…the memories.

Round Up is in the air…you can feel it and see it.

The rodeo is a large part of Round Up week…the yearly history though of each rodeo is more about the people…the cowboys and the cowgirls…the volunteers and the out of towners…and the events of that one historic week become a part of the fabric of our lives here.

We come together to be part of Round Up…such as “The Westward Ho Parade” on Friday morning of Round Up. Yes that is the back of my head, I am in the middle with the hair clip shooting pictures for you:)

This is the beginning of the 2011 parade…what you see is 101 American Flags being carried on horseback. Last year the Round Up volunteers carried 100 flags as the rodeo celebrated it’s 100 Year Anniversary.

This picture was taken a 100 years ago of the Westward Ho parade in 1911.

The Round Up is rich with History and Heritage…Cowboys and Indians…a Rodeo with Tradition and American dignity.

I wish you could see it in person with me…it is incredible to see the entire parade.

There is Melody…my horse…she is with my friend carrying a flag…it was Mel’s first parade ever.

She did good…I am so proud of her…thank you Lana:)

This is the “Round Up Spirit”…”Ordinary People” who volunteer to give their time freely to support “The Round Up” each year…it is part of their life…their traditions…their celebration!

The “Westward Ho Parade” is non motorized…it is all people and livestock…I love seeing the costumes…the wagons…the horses…the people…the “Wild West” comes to life in this parade.

“The Round Up Mounted Band 2011.”

“The Round Up Mounted Band 1910.”

I am not sure who these guys were but I loved their horses…colors…silver tack…flags.

The “Round Up Oxen”…”Wild Bill” used to do this…it may look like they have control of the “Oxen”…but really the “Oxen have control!”

I love her chaps!

This was fun to see…the US Forestry Department with their pack mules.

Their pack mules were very well-trained to do this. Parades are great but for the animal…horses or mules…parades can be very intimidating with the noises and people lurching out into the street to take pictures of them etc.

For a horse or mule to get through a parade in good form they need to trust their human…as in ok this is scary but I can trust you to keep me safe so I will be ok…they submitt to us in a humble way…we owe it back to them to keep them safe.

Miniature horses pulling a miniature wagon.

Miss Rodeo Oregon.

Happy Canyon directors who put on the night pageant each night after the rodeo…be sure and go as Happy Canyon is the story of the “Wild West” and how it was settled…the story is told with live actors and animals…it is worth going to.

Round Up directors who direct the epic rodeo and all that goes into a rodeo that is 101 years old.

Oregon Mounted Patrol.

The “Westward Ho” parade is long but well worth you time to see…it is a historic parade as many of the wagons are restored…the costumes are a traditional heritage…often passed on in a family…being worn every year for Round Up.

The history of Pendleton..the area was founded by pioneers who came to this land to settle it and grow crops to support themselves…my Dad grew up sewing sacks of grain for his Dad…he remembered hauling the wheat in sacks by wagon like this to the elevator.

Once the parade is over you head down to the rodeo grounds to get your seat in time to see the start of the rodeo with the Queen and Court grand entry. My next blog will be about the rodeo…stay tuned!