Behind The Scenes Of
The Pendleton Round Up…..Let ‘er Buck! 2013 Style!
This is the first of two blog entries on the rodeo this year…you know me…I take lots of pictures so hang tight, there is more to share!
This year marked the 103rd year of the Pendleton Round Up. We that live here are proud of our heritage and the years of participation in the rodeo, in a quiet little town called Pendleton.
I love capturing the life of rodeo in Pendleton and slack days a few days before the rodeo begins are perfect. It’s fun to capture the mood of slack, it’s sort of laid back but somewhat tense too as the arena crew and the contestants are getting the squeaks ironed out…the cowboys and cowgirls are more at ease and have the time to socially connect with the cowboy families and friends they see on the road.
This bronze plaque is below the bronze bucking horse at the main gate and explains the meaning of Let ‘er Buck and the classic image of the cowboy on the bucking horse. Double click on it and it will double in size to read it.
Often I will say, this year I’m going to take a break from attending the rodeo and go to the beach for the week…and then as August rolls into September…I begin to feel the magnetic pull of the yearly rodeo tradition. Heart felt memories return, flooding my heart with good stuff…stirring the spirit of Pendleton that I carry down deep in my soul, it’s part of what makes me who I am…next thing I know, I find myself at the rodeo once again celebrating with the crowd, the locals, my neighbors and friends.
The bronze Let ‘er Buck statue at the Round Up gate…a great work of art and incredible to see in person…things you see only in Pendleton!
As Round Up memories are stirred, the ones I cherish the most are the ones I have of Dad and I, such as taking our horses into the rodeo grounds before the rodeo and then bringing them home early Sunday morning after the rodeo was over. Or how Mom and Dad moved to town for the week to a hotel, with a swimming pool and I got to swim and skip school…oh geez I hope none of my teachers are reading this…I was really sick at home:) The parades that I rode in every year of my life until I was married…the Dress Up Parade which used to be at night and the Westward Ho Parade. As I grew up I was asked to be one of two pendent bearers for the Queen and Court…I loved doing that as we went to many parades out of town too and I had a western cowgirl jacket with matching slacks, hat and boots were dyed to match and had to wear my hair under a hair net in the same style the court had which was a neck length page-boy. Wish I had pictures of that!
Dad was a Round Up director on the board of directors from the time I was tiny, until he became President of the Round Up when I was 10-12. Here he celebrates his 50th birthday as President…his nick name was Terje, short for our last name Terjeson…his Grandfather was called Torje in Norway.
Memories of Dad when he was President of the Round Up…I got to meet Michael Landon, Little Joe from Bonanza…and see the Clydesdale horses up close and personal when they came…but the ultimate was seeing my Dad on his sorrel mare Gypsy in the arena running full blast chasing after the Queen and Court, riding hard and fast around the dirt track!
Mom and I were so proud of him! As you see I am still in the dorky stage of age…shortly after this I told Mom I would take care of my hair so I could grow it out…and I got a belt too!
The Presidents today continue the tradition, once the Queen and Court are introduced,
The court rides full blast around the arena waving…riding hard Let ‘er Buck style!
Then the President is introduced and he comes running out of one of the gates, chasing the Queen and Court around the arena track full-bore waving…
They all go out one of the gates…after two full laps of rodeo fun!
And the rodeo begins right away! It’s very cool to watch!
And lastly, memories of being a bored round-up kid…rodeo week was very long when you were a kid and you got tired of sitting all day everyday…often I would go over to the horse barn next to the rodeo stadium where our horses were, and get one out to groom, then hop on bareback and ride around the grounds. I loved spending time with my horses and I’m still horse crazy!
On Saturday of Round Up the jets do a fly over and oh boy is that cool…awesome and so very moving in your heart…I always get tears in my eyes as I am proud of the United States Military!
This picture is actually from the 100th year of Round Up when they formed a group of 100 flag bearers for the Westward Ho Parade…it made you dang proud of Pendleton and America!
The Round Up is the 5th season of the year around here, the directors and volunteers plan it all year long…the rodeo and all the celebrations last about a month…three weeks leading up to the rodeo and the actual rodeo the fourth week. As harvest winds down, you begin to feel the draw of the rodeo as memories come back to you…if you close your eyes, you can faintly hear the sounds of cowboys and livestock.
A time that is full of heritage and tradition…a time of honor and history…a time for old friends and families making new memories…its about life and good times filled with the memories of Round Up…the best rodeo there is in these parts…you won’t be disappointed!
It’s A Time To Let ‘er Buck!
Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! Love you both…I’m holding down the fort and proud to be your girl!
Hot Rod Cowgirl 
Oct 29, 2013 @ 16:51:13
I am looking for a picture someone took of Trevor Brazile talking to the girl whose horse he rode for the all around this year and last year. The girl is my daughter and he gave her a hug and talked with her some time before he went out to receive his awards.
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Oct 29, 2013 @ 17:54:37
Hi Janet, I know you, I’m Marcy Terjeson Holton and a breast cancer survivor too. I don’t think I have the picture you are looking for, I will do some digging to double check for you. You probably looked at last years pictures for the 2012 blog and then this years for 2013? I have some from 2010 that I blogged too. I will look and if I find them I will let you know:) Hope you are well and thriving!!!
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Sep 29, 2013 @ 07:08:59
Simply amazing and historically important post! Better print it and put it in a book somewhere…maybe a time capsule. I just loved it!
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Sep 30, 2013 @ 15:24:28
🙂 Thank you so much:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 17:06:30
Great memories and a great post! I LOVE hearing about your past.
Nellie’s Mom
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 17:54:34
Thank you so much:):):)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 11:04:17
Beautiful photos & stories. Thank you for sharing with all of us 🙂
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 12:38:17
🙂 Thank you much!
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 10:20:57
Well, I wanted to send you some pictures, but turns out your email address is (according to yahoo) not active. If you have another email addie, let me know 🙂
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 10:36:54
Ooopps! I better update that email….you can send them to holton76@gmail.com…hoping that one still works:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 06:15:32
ha, loved the ‘dorky’ you. I also love the smell of a horse’s skin, their velvety nose and pokey whiskers, how they twitch and turn their ears to sounds, their rough-feeling mane and tail… you know what I mean, or am I just weird?
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 10:03:20
I do know what you mean as I am weird too:) There is nothing like smelling a horse and being with them…they are so incredibly beautiful and a large part of that is their heart and love of us. Horses are so intuitive and as we develop the relationship with them, they will go with you anywhere:)
Yeah the “dorky me” was just getting to that point of wanting to take care of myself…Mom always had my hair cut in the pixie style as it was easy to care for…I was desperate to get it grown out as one of my aunt’s friends thought I was a boy!!! I was able to talk Mom into letting me try it and I learned about how to curl your hair with rollers…you know our heads were tough to sleep on those rollers:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 10:04:34
🙂
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 05:42:28
Word Press needs to install a “love” button, and this is one of those times. “Like” just doesn’t cut it. I look forward to your rodeo post each year and it has become my virtual rodeo. There used to be a rodeo or two around here, but they no longer come our way. Miss them! Pendleton is local to us and it is a great company with deep roots. Those tepees look so familiar … it is another thing I miss. Have fun. Watch for me too and keep taking those pictures!
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 09:54:03
Thank yo so much:) I am glad that you enjoy the post and pictures of the rodeo. It is so unique as it is put on by all local volunteers. It sounds like you may have come to the rodeo here? Hugs, HRCG:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 04:41:23
Very nice pictures. Thank you for sharing these.
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 10:05:35
🙂
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 04:40:42
Very nice pictures. Thanks for sharing
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 09:49:28
Thank you much:) I’m glad that you enjoyed them:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 04:36:09
What a wonderful post….lots of great photos AND memories all rolled into one. It looks like a really fun place to be if you love horses and competitions and the excitement of the crowd. I know your parents are proud that you’re carrying on the family tradition…..some things just plain MUST go on and on and on!
Hugs, Pam (and Sam)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 09:48:06
Thank you so much Pam and Sam:) I love the horse part…I could watch horses all day long and never be bored! Pendleton, the town, is a sleepy town of 16,000…I think it was about 15,000 when I grew up here…it does not seem to change. Round Up brings the community together and brings old and new friends to town…the rodeo is like a big reunion as you see people you have not seen in years, both friends and family…I think the rodeo reminds all of us who live here, that heritage, traditions, family and friendships are truly the most important part of our lives in this tightly knit community. Hugs to you and Sam from Minnie and I….and Ellie sends hugs too:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 03:14:46
I can really understand why you go there, and why you take a lot of pictures. it is heritage. looking forward to the next report, Cowgirl!
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 09:34:37
Thank you:) Our history is so important as it becomes our heritage…I feel blessed that my parents raised me to appreciate where I come from…the heritage that we carry is the fabric of our lives:)
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 01:56:59
Love this post…
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Sep 24, 2013 @ 09:29:51
Thank you so much:)
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Sep 23, 2013 @ 23:17:08
Reblogged this on My Blog snuppy.
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Sep 23, 2013 @ 23:52:08
Thank you much:):):)
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