ellensburg
FAIR and RODEO ses to brought their teams of hor Local farmers and ranchers new the te crea to l Hil ig’s Cra t of help clear the land at the foo fair and rodeo grounds.
Fans pack the stands as the dust stirs on this 1955 Ellensburg Rodeo during the Grand Entrée. This photo taken from atop Craig’s Hill shows the Manastash Hills in the distance (the southern edge of the Kittitas Valley). The holdi ng pens and riding arena of the Ellensburg Rodeo are visibl e, and Barge Hall can be viewed in the distance.
Looking west fro m the foot of Cr aig’s Hill across of the Ellensbu the length rg Rodeo Arena . Grandstands exhibit halls on , bleachers and left. Rodeo anno uncer’s stand, holding pens on chutes and right. Looking west from the fo Hill across the ot of Craig’s length of the El lensburg Rode o Arena.
Jacob Ford / Daily Record will not host the August, in seen Arena, Rodeo rg The Ellensbu Ellensburg Rodeo this Labor Day Weekend for the first time since the World War II era.
A Publication of the Daily Record • 2020
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Starting Sept. 3rd on dailyrecordnewS.com This Labor Day Weekend, Kittitas County Fair is going virtual. View exhibitions, livestock entries, and more all online! Presented by KVH and hosted by Daily Record to bring the community together although we are apart.
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5 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Ellensburg Enshrined in ProRodeo Hall of Fame By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer Even the cancellation of the Ellensburg Rodeo for the first time in 76 years could not spoil the excitement of finally being enshrined in ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs. Colorado. Some say it’s been a long time coming, but the Ellensburg Rodeo, in all its glory, is part of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame 2020 Class, along with six-time world tie-down roping champion Cody Ohl (1997-1998, 2001, 2003, 2006 and one all-around in, 2001); world champion bull rider Butch Kirby (1978); stock contractor Jim Sutton Jr.; contract personnel Suni Deb Backstrom; notable Randy Witte; world champion barrel racer Martha Josey (1980); and of course Grated Coconut, who was arguably the best bareback horse of his era. “This is great news and we feel very honored,” said Ellensburg Rodeo board member Dan Morgan. “With everything going on lately, you know there’s been a lot of not-so-happy news out there right now, and it felt really good to get a call like this and brighten the day.”
PRCA EVENT
Since 1923 the Ellensburg Rodeo has grown into one of the largest PRCA events of the regular season. The timing of the announcement is perfect. Board of directors just reconfigured the new mission statement to read, “The mission of the Ellensburg Rodeo is to celebrate our community through hosting a world-class rodeo by investing in our future while preserving the tradition of our valley’s western heritage,” the statement said. The core values of community, teamwork, leader-
6 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
ship and ownership, basically echo what the enshrinement is all about. “It’s an honor for the community. It’s one of our country’s largest, oldest, and most important rodeos. It’s important to a community that’s supported this event for so many years,” arena director Rick Cole said. “It’s great to go in with Grated Coconut. “He was one of the greatest bareback buckin’ horses ever. He was always at the Ellensburg Rodeo and we have a very, very strong relationship with the Calgary Stampede. It’s neat to have one of our animal competitors going in at the same time. Grated Coconut and the Ellensburg Rodeo are linked forever.”
BIG MONEY
The Ellensburg Rodeo was just over $500,000 combined in 2019 with an estimated $400,00 payout in the rodeo and an added $101,520 in prize money for the Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale, which a staggering amount for a town with a population of Ellensburg around 21,000. “It’s a great honor to be recognized as a worldclass rodeo being enshrined into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame,” Rodeo board president Jerry Doolin said. “It shows the heart and soul and all of the work the boards have put in over the years. “It’s not just about the guys of today, but everybody that’s been there. There’s been a lot of great board members and directors that have put everything into it. We’re excited, very excited.”
WESTERN HERITAGE
Longtime director and rodeo fan Scott Repp was in the saddle on a daily ride during his visit in Arizona when he heard the news.
“It’s exciting and I’m thrilled for the community,” Repp said. “The community is what the Ellensburg Rodeo is. With all the volunteers and all the hard work with the Top Hands, rodeo posse and a lot of wives behind the scenes. We’ve been going nearly a hundred years and it’s well deserved.” It’s about the community and the Western way of life was the general theme is that this induction is a community effort, and let’s face it, without the volunteers rodeo couldn’t happen.
VOLUNTEERS
“This is about nine strong decades of rodeo and this is about history,” board member Carl Jesvold said. “It’s the ultimate recognition by the PRCA about the quality of the event we hold. It’s a big deal and something that we’ve all strived for. “It means a lot to a lot of past directors that led the way. The volunteers are the best and we’ve always tried to put on the best rodeo we possibly could and this recognizes that effort.” Since 1998, three Ellensburg Rodeo directors have been awarded the prestigious John Justin Committeeman of the Year Award — Ken MacRae (1998),
Joel Smith (2007) and Steve Adler (2013). The beat goes on as the rodeo closes in on the 100th year celebration of the first rodeo in 1923.
CLASS OF 2020
“The first thing that hits me is the longevity of our event and the previous generations of board members, Top Hands, posse members all the volunteers and community members that have built this event up,” said board member Brian Twardoski. “I’m so grateful for work they’ve done and the previous generation established our rodeo and its reputation. “The current board works hard and we’re tremendously proud. But we can’t take the credit. This is not about the current board and today, it’s about the totality of it all.” With its centennial year on the horizon, the Ellensburg Rodeo has another cause for celebration as a 2020 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee. “Our rodeo is 100 percent put on by volunteers, and our volunteers are more important than anything to us,” Morgan said. “I’ve seen the same people volunteer for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been here my whole life.”
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7 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Home of Ellensburg Hall of Fame Opens on Pearl By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer It’s been 23 years in the making — gathering of historic photographs and artifacts, showcasing the best cowboys and cowgirls in history, finding a permanent home, and shaping the legend that is the Ellensburg Rodeo. Here in the midst of one of the most, deadly pandemics in the history of America, the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame is finally ready to give Ellensburg and rodeo fans a glimpse of its efforts. Committee members had planned a big to-do with a private screening, then bust the doors open wide to the 2,200-square foot space in what used to be the Downtown Pharmacy. But as it stood, with Kittitas County in Phase 3 of the governor’s reopening plan, the Hall of Fame rolled with a soft opening on July 3 at the Western Culture and Art Center, 416 N. Pearl St.
SOFT OPENING
Despite all that is going on across the country, the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame opened by the Fourth of July as America celebrated is independence. “It’s amazing that after almost 23 years, the public is finally going to get to see all the stuff we’ve been collecting.” said Joel Smith, who along with Mike Allen, is a charter member of the original board of directors. “It’s pretty special for us, especially in this new space. “Having the Rodeo Hall of Fame here in Pearl Street, along with the Clymer Gallery and Gallery One and the other downtown establishments is just the place to be.”
PEARL STREET
The Ellensburg Rodeo will be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs later this year and the local hall of fame has been working hard to provide the national facility with Ellensburg décor for its display. But here in Central Washington, on Pearl Street in the historic downtown, they were able to give one of the top 10 rodeos in
8 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
America its due. As people enter the Western Culture and Art Center, they are greeted by a central information station, directing them to the various attractions in the John Ramsay Building. As they make their way through to the brick entrance way to the hall of fame, they are immersed in the first of 14 story displays — the story of rodeo and the four-foot tall Harry L. Anderson trophy, featuring the names of all-around winners from 1949 and all the way to Trevor Brazil, who won back-to-back all-around titles at Ellensburg in 2006-07.
RODEO SHOWCASE
Committee members didn’t want to damage the prestigious trophy, so it was retired to a safe place for the past 13 years. But it now takes its place in the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame where it sits in the entryway, welcoming guests and fans. “We used professional designers to design colors and composition of the room and how each object
would be displayed,” charter board member Mike Allen said. “We’ve all walked into those funky old local museums where stuff is stacked up and it’s a little dusty and the same display you saw five years ago. “Our displays are mobile and we’ll be able to have shows and special showings. This is one of what I would call professional caliber halls of fame in the country. I would say this is one of the top 10 halls of fame in the country. It’s visual, not virtual and I think that sets us apart.” They didn’t just drag décor and photos from the upstairs storage space and randomly set it up. The room flows in a counter-clock direction through each of the 14 display showcases. It begins with the story of rodeo, then shifts to the historic story of the Ellensburg Rodeo. The room features Cowgirl Rodeo Riders and that long history.
ALL-AROUND CHAMPS
It features the all-around champions, the rough stock, roping, steer wrestling, Rodeo Royalty, rodeo families, posse and of course the many volunteers that make rodeo what it is. It pays tribute to the Yamaka Nation and the various animal competitors. Interestingly enough, the Ellensburg Rodeo goes into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2020 with Calgary Rodeo Co. horse Grated Coconut, a longtime competitor in Ellensburg. The Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame also features the iconic photography of John P. Foster and other local photographers.
GIVE SOMETHING BACK
“I am so excited to give back to the people that have donated so much to us over the years to make this happen,” board member Marie Smith said. “This is something we can all be proud of; I think it turned better than I thought. “To have it here on Pearl Street huge. We’re in the center of the community and we feel connected to our community, which is what it’s all about.”
9 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Rodeo Canceled During WWII By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer
For just the fourth time in 97 years, the first time in the past 76 years, the Ellensburg Rodeo came up against something of such magnitude it was forced to cancel one of the greatest events in Pacific Northwest history. The COVID-19 pandemic reached global proportions in 2020 with more than 164,000 confirmed deaths in the United States alone. After exploring every option possible within Gov. Jay Inslee’s plan for reopening, the Ellensburg Rodeo Board of Directors opted to cancel the rodeo, the very same year the Ellensburg Rodeo was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2020. It was just the first time since 1944 that the rodeo had not been the highlight of the fall on Labor Day weekend. The COVID-19 pandemic will be remembered as a benchmark moment and will take its place in history with such monumental conflicts as the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, the stock market crash of 1929, and the 1933 ascent of Adolf Hitler of the last century. In fact, it was Hitler’s rise to power in Nazi Germany that led to the first cancellation of the Ellensburg Rodeo in 1942, 19 years into its illustrious beginning. The rodeo was canceled in 1942-43-44 during the World War II years. Leading up to the war years, bull riding became an official rodeo event in 1940 and Dick Griffith won the first-ever competition in Ellensburg. The rodeo also featured a new nightly show called “The End of the Trail,” written by Leta May Smith, which was based on Kittitas Valley history and set to music. The 1941 Ellensburg Rodeo went off without a hitch, but then came Dec. 7, 1941 when Japanese forces hit Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a devastating surprise attack, changing the course of history. An article in the Jan. 14, 1942 Daily Record
10 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
reported, “In the combat zone (on American soil), the U.S. Army prohibits more than 5,000 people attending any public events, whether the rule applies to Ellensburg or Pendleton is not known as yet, so far the combat zone area across Washington 18 miles west of Cle Elum and east of Easton,” according to arena director Lou Richards, who had just attended the Rodeo Association of America convention. “Different FFA and 4-H groups were active with performances during those years,” Kittitas County Historical Museum director Sadie Thayer said. “In 1942, the Posse Horse Show to benefit the local USO Center was held. And plans were made moving forward.” The Daily Record also reported ( Jan 14, 1942): Rodeo Seeks to Lift Ban on Crowds. This article discusses the ban of gatherings of more than 5,000 people in the combat zone areas, which was west of Cle Elum (but east of Easton), and it was unknown if it affected the Ellensburg Rodeo and Pendleton Roundup. They wanted it to be increased to 10,000. According to former Daily Record publisher John Ludtka’s book, “The Tradition Lives,” the board of directors were declined permission to hold rodeos during those years by the U.S. War Department. They were granted permission for the Rodeo Posse to conduct horse shows in 1942-43-44 for the enjoyment of locals. In early September of 1943 the Posse’s horse show was approved by the Governor’s office, the Army and USO Benefit. Talented women from the valley, like Dorothy Looney, Peggy Minor, and Patsy Whited performed riding tricks, along with two Seattle equestrian groups, who performed drills. The Ellensburg Posse was also in the spirited performances, Ludtka stated in his book. Army jeep rides up Craig’s Hill were offered to raise money for war bonds, generating $2,200. World War II presented the greatest challenges of the early part of the Ellensburg Rodeo, which is
coming up on 100 years. It has evolved from Dr. H.E. Pffenning’s vision in 1923 where it featured 18 major events and was advertised as the “Greatest Wild West Roundup in the State,” to one of the Top 10 rodeos in the country, and now a ProRodeo Hall of Fame induction in 2020. From the Roaring 20s of the 20th century to the Roaring 20s of the 21st century, the Ellensburg Rodeo has finally been recognized and will be enshrined in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame next year when the national rodeo officials can do it right. Only World War II and now the COVID-109 pandemic has kept one of the best rodeos in the country from entertaining fans across the Pacific Northwest. But as happens in the arena, the board of directors will have to dust itself off and come back next year with not only another magnificent rodeo, but a performance celebrating the Class of 2020 in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.
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11 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
County Fair Canceled First Time Since WWII The cancelation of the in-person Kittitas County Fair is the first time the fair has been canceled since World War II. According to fair president Becky Sherley, the fair was canceled for both world wars. She said they have also nearly cancelled it in recent years because of smoke from forest fires. Although it has grown over time, the fair has remained true to its roots of livestock, artwork and home-life. According to Sadie Thayer with the Kittitas County Historical Museum, the first Kittitas fair was in 1885, two years after the founding of Ellensburg. “I think since it has always been here, it is hard to separate it from the community,” Thayer said. “It is just ingrained in what our community is. It has been here longer than the rodeo, by almost 40 years.” In 1923, the rodeo arrived in Ellensburg, and buildings were constructed for the fair. This became the permanent fairgrounds and is where the fair is located to this day, nearly 100 years later. Before 1923, the fair was somewhat mobile, staying in the city limits, but without a stationary location. The first fair was held near the Yakima River and Thorp Highway South, where the current KOA
12 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
campground is located. The first fair was sponsored by a Civil War union veterans group called the Grand Army of the Republic. 18 of these veterans including town founder John Shoudy (He named Ellensburg after his wife, Mary Ellen) got together and invited the community to come and celebrate with them. This turned into an annual community festival, according to Thayer . “Community gatherings is what it was all about, and probably what it will always be,” Thayer said.
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13 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Grated Coconut- Going into The Hall of Fame
By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer There’s National Finals Rodeo quality, and then there’s Horse of the Year caliber and Grated Coconut was both during his storied career in the mid2000s. The six-time PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year out of the Calgary Stampede program was one of the most dominant, superstar bareback horses in rodeo history. He bucked at the National Finals Rodeo as a 5-year-old in 2002 and every year after that until 2009. The fiery Canadian bred son of Coconut Roll and Wyatt Earp had a record-setting
14 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
run of Horse of the Year selections (2003-04, 200609), including four consecutive years from 2006 through 2009, before retiring in 2010. The dark bay stallion with a white blaze and two white stockings on his back feet was a mainstay at the Ellensburg Rodeo, raising the roof and the hopes of every cowboy that drew him on Championship Monday. Some say it’s just a coincidence, but it seems only fitting that both Grated Coconut and the Ellensburg Rodeo were inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame together as part of the eight-selection, Class of 2020. “Grated Coconut was one of the great bucking horses out of Calgary,” said Joel Smith, who was named the Justin Rodeo Committeeman of the year in 2007. “We were very blessed to know he was on the truck when they came to Ellensburg. “In fact, that was one of the greatest things we ever did was to bring the Calgary Stampede livestock to Ellensburg and Grated Coconut an example of that.” The list of accolades goes on and on for the 23-year-old stallion, who lives on the 25,000acre Calgary Stampede Ranch near Hanna Alberta, home to the famous Born to Buck breeding program. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and it’s really neat to go in with the great Calgary buckin’ horse Grated Coconut,” Ellensburg Rodeo arena director Rick Cole said. “Grated Coconut was certainly one of the greatest horses of his era for sure. “When cowboys rode Grated Coconut here, they typically won. He wasn’t a throw your butt in the dirt type of ride. Since we have the top of the world riders here in Ellensburg, the guys knew what they’re doing and when they drew Grated Coconut, they were bringing their A-game and ready to get the buckle.”
The thing with Grated Coconut, who was also a six-time Canadian Bucking Horse of the Year, was that he always did his part, posting an animal score of 46-48 on a regular basis. If a rider could ever catch up with that performance, he was sure to post a number in the money. Clint Cannon from Waller, Texas rode him to an 84 in 2003, one of many electric performances in the Ellensburg Arena. Mullen, Neb., cowboy Steven Dent set an arena record at the Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo with a 91-point ride on the Calgary stallion in 2008, and Dusty LaValley of Bezanson, Alberta, scored 91 points on him that same year at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver. But the highlight reel ride came in 2005 when Canadian Hall of Famer Davey Shields Jr. won $50,000 with a score of 95 at the Calgary Stampede in front of the hometown fans. Cimarron Gerke said Grated Coconut is probably the most exciting and scariest horse he ever been up on. “The thing about Grated Coconut was that even if you rode him, it was a battle all the way,” he said in a PRCA article. “He loved his job, always tried hard, and he’s one of the smartest animals I’ve been on. He always seemed to figure people out. He had a game plan before you did. He’s just a great horse.” He stayed aggressive right out of the chute and had that high, twisting jump that put pressure on the rider the full eight seconds. But there was always that chance for a big number if a guy could make it to the whistle. “I wouldn’t say his buckin’ style was unusual. When the guys draw him, they knew what they’re getting,” Calgary Stampede Company stock contractor Keith Harrington said. “Early in his career he was leaning too hard and coming on a little too high. But he figured that out as he got older. “He was just aggressive all the time. As a contractor, you want a horse that can put up his share of the 50 points. He was consistent, he was 46-47-48 every trip. The better riders knew they were going to score and they seemed to raise their level, because had a horse they could score high on.” Mike Corey of Corey & Lange Rodeo out of Moses Lake takes stock to the National Finals
Rodeo every year, as well to Ellensburg. He said Grated Coconut was a legend and deserves his due in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “He was one of the most dominant horses of all time. He was the Bodacious of bareback riding,” Corey said. “He was a very, very competitive. Not only did he go to the NFR every year. He was that dominant horse that can buck anybody in the world off consistently and that separated him from the rest. “He did it in an honest way, not ducking left or ducking right. He just kicked so hard and dropped. He was the champion of his event and a real superstar. If a cowboy could ever catch up to his abilities, they had a chance to score in the 90s. And that would have happened more with today’s scoring.” Grated Coconut’s mother — Coconut Roll — was a frequent Calgary Stampede champion and the high score ride in 2006. His father — Wyatt Earp — was a two-time Canadian bareback champion.
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15 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Tuffy Morrison - Bronc and Bull Rider - Long Time Chute Man By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer The driveway to Morrison Ranch on Naneum Road weaves hundreds of yards through pasture land back to the homestead where he grew up. An Australian shepherd resting comfortably in the shade of a stand of trees surrounding the house perked up its ears, gave a quick sniff in the air, then escorted the visitor from his car to the gate of the split rail fence where its master was waiting with a smile and a handshake. Despite the Kittitas Valley being under Gov. Jay Inslee’s directive for COVID-19 pandemic order for reopening, men of his generation were raised on a handshake and their word. Tuffy Morrison’s family has been in the Kittitas Valley for five generations. He and his brother Tommy own the ranch and old Ferguson rodeo grounds, which has been in the family for over 100 years. Tuffy brought his Cowboys Turtle Association riding saddle out of the barn and placed it on the split rail fence. He looked on it with pride as the sun danced off the aged leather of the old-time riding saddle with just a hint of barn dust on it. “Not many of those around,” he said with a smile. “Dad (Chet Sr.) and my Uncle Fred (Zumbrunnen) partnered to buy that one. The Cowboys Turtle Association was created back in 1936, adopting a name because it reflected a group that was slow to act, but finally stuck their necks out for a cause. The Turtle Association later became the Rodeo Cowboys Association and finally the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association, which Tuffy is a lifetime member. “This saddle is a hand-me-down that I used during my career,” Tuffy said. “In the early days of Ellensburg and Pendleton, the Ellensburg Rodeo committee furnished the saddles to the cowboys. They’d lay them out on the ground and you’d go sit in the saddle and pick out the one you wanted. “Everybody rode the same saddles. The only difference was the length of the stirrups. My dad and uncle were partners on the saddle out there. I don’t know exactly what year, because it was before my time. I just
16 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
sort of inherited it as I came along.” Morrison followed in his father and uncle’s boot steps. He started as an amateur, then turned professional at the age of 16. He rodeoead on the national circuit from 1964-1980, working both ends of the arena as a bronc and bareback and in calf roping and steer roping events. He was good, riding at both Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Calgary Stampede. He won All-Around Championships at Omak, Libby (Mont), Logan (Utah), Blackfoot (Ida.), Polson (Mont.), Kamloops (BC), and was a three-time winner at Yakima. Morrison was raised on family values and the idea of a hard day’s work. He served five years on the Board of Directors and the Executive Board of the PRCA’s Columbia River Circuit. He still works cattle at the Naneum Road ranch at the age of 80, and up until this year when it was cancelled because of the pandemic, he’s been a volunteer for the Ellensburg Rodeo. Morrison worked as a chute man for 10 years and now settled in behind the chutes, loading rough stock for the next generation of cowboys. “I worked the chutes for about 10 years,” he recalled. “It’s an important job. With some of the horses, they want you to have a slow gate. Same with the bulls and some they want you to jerk it open.
“Working the chutes, you can also save somebody from getting hurt. I was working bull the year (1971) Larry Mahan got hung up on a horse called Paper Doll and ended up breaking his leg. I couldn’t do anything to help out, but I sure hoped he got out of it alright.” The past few years Morrison has been loading rough stock, which is another important job in keeping the flow of the rodeo on time. Ellensburg, of course, prides itself on a three-hour show. “Some animals like coming out to the right, some the left. So, you have to load the chute accordingly,” he said. The Morrison Family was inducted into the Ellens-
burg Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1998, having first come to the Kittitas Valley in 1873. Chet Sr. and Bertha were an important part of the Ellensburg Rodeo, riding, roping and trick riding. Seemed only right the boys — Chet Jr. (Tuffy) and Tommy followed suit. “I couldn’t play football in high school because my dad didn’t want me to get hurt. Like there isn’t any risk in rodeo,” he said with a grin, sitting at the dinner table of the homestead that resembles the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame with all its long-ago photographs of rodeos dating back to the 1930s. “Dad was a rodeo cowboy and mom was a trick rider, so there wasn’t any doubt what I wanted to do when I got older.”
17 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Ken MacRae - Second Oldest Living Past Director By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer
When you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll never have to work another day in your life — at least that’s the way it seems to former Ellensburg Rodeo president and arena director Ken MacRae. The now 85-year-old has always been one of those jump-right-in-with-both feet kind of guys, serving on the board of directors for 31 years after his rodeo days roping in the arena. He and Dr. Glen Madsen are the longest living former members of the board that helped earn the Ellensburg Rodeo a place in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “It was a long haul and I enjoyed every minute of it,” MacRae said. “I’ve rodeoed a little all of my life so it was right up my alley when they put me on the board. My first year as the area director was 1971. “I held onto the area director position the two years I was president. I didn’t want to let go of the arena job, so I held both positions for a while and was the area director longer than anybody else,” His passion and love of the game led to a publication called, “Ken’s Musings,” stories and memories written by Kenneth R. MacRae. “My daughter got to pushing me to write them,” he said with a chuckle. “It probably took 10-12 years to write, but I finally got it done.” The memories of an old rodeo hand and steer roper flow like the Yakima River on a sunny day. He talks of a roping event in Sheridan, Wyo., and a big sorrel horse named Turk. Ol’ Turk got hung up in the rope during a run, which
18 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
nearly took him off his feet. Doc MacRae writes he hadn’t brought any vet supplies with him on the trip to Wyoming and Turk stiffened up on the ride back. MacRae had put a blanket on Turk and when he stopped in the morning to take it off and walk him, he was still pretty sore. I walked him around, Doc said in the book, and a miraculous event happened. He was cured. “I wasn’t too proud of my lameness diagnosis as I realized that Turk’s hobbling gait had been entirely due to the blanket being too tight,” he wrote. “Sandra didn’t tease me, being a true rodeo wife, she was rather reluctantly becoming.” Guy’s been married long enough to sneak the wife into the Musings, but Turk and Sandra survived. The stories from the road and the arena make for an interesting read and his favorite part is the friendships he made along the way. “I had a lot of fun writing that book,” he said. “Being in the rodeo business, all the guys I got to meet became personal friends, and that was really something. I got to be good friends with (Calgary Stampede arena director) Winston Bruce. (Stock contractor)
Harry Vold and his boys were a lot of fun, I known them really well. “There were a number of cowboys and people behind the scenes. It was just a great time and I enjoyed it all.” MacRae might have to write a volume two with the cancellation of the rodeo for the first time in 76 years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, of course, there is the community joy of seeing the Ellensburg Rodeo enshrined along with the Class of 2020 in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “Getting it into the hall of fame was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun too,” he said. “By the time we got to (rodeo week), it was a five in the morning until midnight deal. “Of course, when it was canceled this year it was a sad day for everyone. But I understand the decision and the guys did a heck of a job working every possible angle.” Ken’s Musings might just go on for a good long while when the rodeo starts up next year with the celebration and induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2012.
19 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
Rick Cole - 38 Years on the Ellensburg Rodeo Board By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer
When he first came around back in 1983, they still called it calf roping, legendary riders like Donny Gay and Larry Mahan rode bulls with just a cowboy hat and a smile, and yes, the Ellensburg Rodeo was in his blood at an early age. It’s been that way ever since for arena director Rick Cole, who along with longtime former director Allen Faltus, has accumulated 38 years of service on the Ellensburg Board of Directors. “Next year, I’ll get him,” he said with a chuckle. It’s not so much a competitive spirit as it is a sense of pride. The Ellensburg Rodeo means something, to competitors, fans and the people that put it on. “The Ellensburg Rodeo has been in my blood since I was a young kid,” Cole said. “I’ve watched the events since I was 8 or 9. I’ve always loved horses and riders and it’s been my passion for a long, long time.” More than one cowboy does it for the love of the game, but what Cole likes about the game is the Code of the West that says it’s OK to shake a man’s hand if he puts up a better number. “I like the integrity of the sport, the honesty of the sport — there’s really no way to cheat. What I like about it best is if a guy goes out and posts a great time, he gets off his horse and goes back into the box and helps the next guy,” the arena director said. “He helps that guy potentially beat him. The rough stock guys are the same. They’re rooting for the guy that comes next to put up a better score. You don’t see that in any other sport.” The arena director is like a traffic
20 Ellensburg Fair and Rodeo Past & Present
cop, making sure there’s a flow from one event to the other and that everything runs smoothly. He controls the show, makes sure the timing is impeccable, blending one event in the 10-event program to the next to fit the three-hour time frame Ellensburg rodeo fans have come to appreciate. “Rick does a fabulous job. He’s had a number of different jobs over the years, but he finally landed the arena director, which is the one he wanted the most. Everything he’s done for the rodeo has been positive,” said longtime committee member and past president Joel Smith, who was the Justin Rodeo Committeeman of the year, during his 26-year career. “He’s controls everything that goes on from the grand entry all the way through to the bull riding. He’s in charge of the production of the show. He’s very passionate in what he does and he does a great job.” The sport has changed with safety measures for both cowboy and stock over the nearly four decades Cole has been involved and those protective devices have revolutionized rodeo, he said.
“There has been a lot of changes in Ellensburg, but the sport of rodeo is essentially the same,” he said. “These days, the contestants wear vests and the bull riders are wearing protective helmets with face guards. Timed events haven’t changed as much, but I think the contestants are in better shape and as a result we’re seeing faster times. “Although the Ellensburg Arena bulldogging record Matt Nogle set back in the ‘80s (3.4 seconds), stood for many, many years before it got tied last year.” From the big screen to the prize money to the world-class contestants to the arena announcer to the bull fighters and entertainers, it all factored into making Ellensburg one of the Top 10 rodeos in the nation. Cole is proud to be a part of all of that. The Ellensburg Rodeo is part of the Class of 2020 into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the inauguration plans later this month, but the honor still stands and Ellensburg will join the national hall of fame when things are safe to gather and do it right. “Going into the hall of fame is a validation and something I thought we deserved years ago,” Cole said. “It’s an honor to be recognized in that fashion. It’s really neat to go in with the great Calgary buckin horse Grated Coconut. “He was probably one of the best buckin horses we’ve ever had here in Ellensburg. That was one of the best things we ever did was to contract with the Calgary Stampede to bring their stock down here. They’ve brought some legendary stock here and it’s been a great relationship.”
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