Northwest Passage

Before His Famous Ride Atop A Nuclear Bomb In The Movie Dr. Strangelove, Slim Pickens Was A Real Rodeo Cowboy. Here Heis Astride “Judy” During The 1947 Ellensberg Rodeo.

Photos Courtesy of the Ellensburg Rodeo Foundation

LOCATED AT THE BASE of the Cascade Mountain range, where the fertile soil of the

Columbia Basin begins, sits Kittitas County, Washington. Practically in the geographic middle of the state, it was then fitting for the county seat of Ellensburg to become the destination spot for entertainment and excitement every September when folks from around the state and beyond would gather for the annual Ellensburg Rodeo.

Shortly after World War I, the windswept region surrounding Ellensburg was thriving with cattle ranches and hay farms. After becoming a state in 1889, the legislature chose it to become the home for the State Normal School for Educators (now known as Central Washington University). It had railway connections and was on the route for the proposed highway through the Snoqualmie Pass to Seattle and the Pacific coast.

The sleepy little town was becoming a thriving community with a population of over 3,800 and several thousand more throughout the county. The town fathers were a progressive lot who recognized the need to infuse money into the community other than from the local ranchers, cowboys, and college students. It was Leonard Davis, the county extension agent, who took notice of end of summer events being held on weekends at the local ranches. As many as 300 spectators would head out to places like the Ferguson Ranch for a make-shift rodeo to earn prize money collected from entry fees thrown into a hat.

Davis felt a county fair experience could be held in conjunction with this amateur rodeo and even managed to organize a few events on the private property. Local veterinarian, Dr. H.E. Pfenning, wanted to take it a step further by offering a Wild West Show because they were so popular in the East and in Europe. In the winter of 1922-1923, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce, discussion began with the Kittitas County Commissioners to purchase land within the city limits of Ellensburg to act as an event center, which would allow for the hosting of a county fair and a rodeo. The idea was enthusiastically supported by the local ranchers who saw it not as competition for their events but an opportunity to attract a greater audience and additional competitors from around the region.

Legislation from the State of Washington allowed for the County Commissioners to spend $10,000 for the purchase of land and production of an annual county fair event. What else was to be held during the fair was left up to the county to decide. The donation of several acres on the north end of town helped to dissuade the cost of land chosen for purchase. Donations from Ellensburg Parks and Recreation, Ellensburg Public Schools, and the State Normal School, added to the growing fund (with the agreement of off-season use of the facilities for their sports events).

Ellensburg was growing out of its small-town image to that of a thriving community with the formation of Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. These organizations supported the fair/rodeo project with either funds or in-kind donations. Plans were soon drawn up for fair booths and barns, but the land still needed a rodeo arena and grandstands which meant more space had to be acquired going well beyond what was presently allotted. Additional donations from the state in April 1923 helped with the purchase of adjacent acreage, but it wasn’t enough to cover the lumber to build the arena and bleachers. A committee of local businessmen divided the county up in sections, and each set out to create smaller groups, spreading the word to recruit from the populace in-kind or monetary donations to help finish the project by summer.

Like the plot of an Andy Hardy movie where the gang comes together to create a stage production, on June 14, 1923, close to 2,000 men from around the county showed up with their draft horses, wagons full of lumber, shovels, and hammers to help with clearing the land and moving the path of a stream that ran through the outer edge of the property. A hundred women also arrived to cook and provide meals for the volunteers which consisted of ranchers and their hands, farmers, businessmen from the town who closed their stores for the day, and members of the Kittitas Band of the Yakima Nation (recently the tribe exchange the “i” for another “a” in their name).

The coordinating committee had selected foremen, known as “straw-bosses,” to oversee specific tasks of clearing brush, landscaping, construction, and rerouting the stream. The county engineer supervised every stage of the development. The heavy work continued the next day with about 500 men to finish the ground clearing and beginning construction of the grandstands to seat up to 5,000 spectators. For the rest of the summer, men showed up on weekends to work all day in order to complete their assigned tasks.

Beyond the physical labor, another committee was established to do the planning and promotion of the actual rodeo event. Scheduled to coincide with the Kittitas County Fair on September 13-15, 1923, this committee selected the class competitions, publicized the event, recruited contestants, organized the grand parade through town, printed programs, secured stock of wild cows and steers (volunteered by the Ferguson Ranch), and saw to the capture of thirty wild horses from the local herds of the Whiskey Dick range. This committee developed into what is now the Ellensburg Rodeo Board of Directors.

TRICK RIDER J.M. OLSON ROMAN RIDING AT ELLENSBURGRODEO, SEPTEMBER 6, 1975.

One of the long-standing tasks, still appreciated by generations to follow, was the inclusion of the Kittitas Band of local Indians to participate as contestants and demonstrators with the establishment of an Indian Village for the public to visit. Tribal members, and their horses, were paid to parade in full regalia in the Grand Parade and Opening Ceremonies. Their encampment of teepees was located adjacent to the fairgrounds and beef would be provided for those who lived there for the three days of the rodeo/fair. Powwows were encouraged, and eventually other bands and tribes from around the region came to participate in what was being described famously as a cross cultural event. In years to come, the participation by tribal chiefs was so guaranteed that the opening of negotiations with Washington State officials over fishing rights was held in one of their teepees.

Eighteen contests were on the original schedule, and the program dared the spectators to “Watch ’Em Buck.” The professional events were held on the first two days with the amateur events on the third. Today’s professional list of events has been pared way down to meet the criteria allowed for a modern-day sanctioned rodeo, but the last day of the Ellensburg Rodeo is still dedicated to those wilder events and local participation. Gone are the professional stagecoach and chariot races, various women’s riding and roping events, and the Indian wild horse races, variations of all these are now relegated to “county” day. It was discovered that ticket sales would be down on the third day due to spectators returning home and the professionals moving on to other rodeos. This was expected and almost appreciated as the “county rodeo” was meant for events aimed at entertaining the locals and thanking them for their support.

The first year’s prizes were donated, cash or fancy tack, and this continued for several years with pledged sponsorships by local business. Besides prize money, they also provided saddles, chaps, and spurs to the winners. Eventually, a minimal amount of prize money would come from the entry fees. That practice came into question when professional rodeo cowboys, after watching the event grow year to year, felt with more participants there should be more money for prizes. Though the rodeo barely broke even the first year, their next year’s budget included raising funds to construct an additional 5,000 seating area around the arena. As greater amounts of money flowed in and out, a non-profit organization was made up of the original supporters of the rodeo to run the annual event. It was known as the Ellensburg Amusement Co, now known as Ellensburg Rodeo. Their board of directors is set up similar to the straw-boss system, each board member is in charge of several sub-committees, all working toward the same outcome of the rodeo.

It would be five years before the organization would post an actual profit. Until then, they relied on ticket sales, entry fees, pledged donations, and luck just to break even. The rodeo board developed a relationship with national companies for class sponsorship. This included gas companies, soda companies, and movie companies. Visibly, they appeared to be prosperous as they grew, with more seating and out-of-town spectators being shuttled in from the coast. Because of an excellent relationship with the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, representatives of the Ellensburg Rodeo (the Queen, her court, and usually their horses), would travel to the cities on the west side of the Cascades as well as around the rest of the state to promote the event. In the beginning, a few of the actual competitions for the Queen of the Ellensburg Rodeo were held across the mountains in Seattle, with young women from around the region vying for the title.

It wouldn’t be until 1931, before the rodeo/fair was moved to its present designated slot of Labor Day Weekend, when another regional rodeo that had traditionally been scheduled for that weekend went defunct. Now, instead of it being Friday through Sunday, the rodeo would start on Saturday with the county event held on the Monday of the actual Labor Day.

With the creation of the Rodeo Association of America (RAA), they had to alter their events to come in line with other professional shows. It meant they had to change their contests to meet the regulations standardized times, classes, judges, and safety regulations if they wanted to join This also meant all women’s events had to be considered amateur and moved to the last day. Up until then they had offered Women’s Bronc Riding, Bulldogging, Steer Roping, and Relay Races. It would be almost fifty years later before the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) was able to negotiate for a $5,000 purse for Women’s Barrel Racing at the Ellensburg Rodeo. The only other professional event for female participation offered today is the Tag Roping event. Pole Bending and the Flag Race are still relegated to the “county day.”

FOX HASTINGS BULLDOGGING, ELLENSBURG 1928.

MABEL STRICKLAND, STEER ROPING, ELLENSBURG 1928.

The Ellensburg Rodeo organizers had to deal with a grass-roots organization of professional cowboys created to guarantee prize money worthy of the risks being taken in each event. It was known as the Cowboy Turtle Association (CTA) because like a turtle, members were sticking their neck out with involvement. Many of the regional rodeos were boycotted by the CTA members, who were considered national fan favorites. Similar to the professional sports organizations of today, rodeo cowboys had followings, and the rodeo organizers were counting on the presence of those contestants to put fans in the seats.

Ellensburg Rodeo was included in the 1937 CTA boycott. The problem wasn’t so much the regional rodeos as much as the Wild West shows frequently held in the eastern United States, notorious for promising prize money, yet when the show was over the money wasn’t there. The ripple down effect cascaded across the country, leaving several rodeos lacking in qualified entrants or as a form of protest outright refusing to accept CTA members as participants.

Ellensburg had always been known for their square dealing with the cowboys, but recognized times were changing and eventually raised their prize money to be more inclusive of the entry fees. The 1937 rodeo did have some CTA members participate, but they were mostly local men who had started their careers at Ellensburg and were willing to break ranks for old time’s sake. The CTA eventually developed into today’s better-known Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

Recognizing they needed additional sources of income, the coordinators sponsored events that would keep spectators in town overnight as a guarantee they would stay for the next day’s show. One of these events was a locally written and produced three-act theatrical pageant retelling how the pioneers settled the west and ended with an attack and rescue. Members of the community fulfilled all the roles, even those of the local Indians, but eventually many Indians filled those roles themselves. Another event, not appreciated by the Kittitas County Fair Board, was a Beer Garden and eventually a mock gambling program (similar to today’s

Monte Carlo Night used for charity events) only for prizes instead of money. This event was sponsored by Ellensburg baseball and the American Legion who provided a portable floor for dancing to the music from a live orchestra.

Friday night concerts were soon added featuring national and regional talent. The music presented was, and still is, contemporary Western. Originally, the rodeo crew would haul out a stage in the middle of the arena and place bales of hay for the concert goers to sit on. This task became tiresome as many of the crew were rodeo participants themselves causing them to be up late hauling away the stage and haybales only to catch a couple of hours of sleep before having to be back to prepare for the next day’s contests.

Dr. Pfenning was given the honor of serving as superintendent for the 1923 event which was advertised as the “Wildest Roundup in the State.” Traditional Western dress was encouraged, and still is today, so much so that during the grand parade prominent men from around town would be “jailed” by the Kittitas County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse for not being appropriately dressed. Money posted as “bail” was donated as another form of fund raising for the rodeo.

Ellensburg Rodeo eventually became one of the cornerstones of the Columbia River Circuit, a regional grouping of rodeos which collectively tallied scores for outstanding cowboy awards. Earning an outstanding reputation as a quality event, the Ellensburg Rodeo provided a starting point for the careers of many world champions. One of the most notable of these men was someone eventually known outside the rodeo circuit, Enos Canutt. Moving on from his time on the circuit, now calling himself Yakima Canutt, he moved on to Hollywood first as a stunt man, then stunt coordinator, and eventually film producer.

The reputation of the Ellensburg Rodeo went beyond the management of the event but also in the quality of the livestock brought in for each performance. Originally, the broncs were wild horses captured from the local range for the performance. Each one was tested by local cowboys prior to the show for suitability. According to a story told in John Ludtka’s book on the history of the Ellensburg Rodeo, on one occasion someone forgot to close the far gate of the arena during one of these tests so that bucking horse, still with rider, was seen leaving the fairgrounds and sprinting down a side street. Several years later, the rodeo contracted with Ringling Brothers for the use of their horses and Brahma steers from their private herd. The first steers and bulls were stock from local ranches like the Ferguson’s and eventually from the restaurateur Stuart Anderson’s ranch. Eventually contracts with other rodeos (such as Calgary) had animals shipped in on railway cars, making the drive from railway station to the rodeo grounds an annual event for spectators to freely watch from the hillside above the arena.

YAKIMA NATION POWWOW AT ELLENSBURG, CIRCA 1940S

The desire to put on a good show for the spectators has always been foremost in the production of the Ellensburg Rodeo. That meant hiring the best in bull fighters for the protection of the contestants and the best clowns to entertain between rides and contests. One such was the “King of the Clowns,” Homer Holcomb, and his trick mule, Orphan Annie. Female trick riders were fan favorites such as Bonnie Gray, who was known for jumping her horse, King Tut, over an automobile in the middle of the arena. In years to come, some notable male entertainers included John Payne, the “One-armed Bandit,” whose horse would guide his steers to the top of his cattle trailer. Another beloved entertainer was the movie star, Slim Pickens. He was known for a stand-up comedy routine from the arena but was loved for when he would go into the grandstand to tease the audience.

In 1997, John Ludtka wrote, The Tradition Lives: A 75 Year History of the Ellensburg Rodeo, in honor of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the event. It was a carefully researched description of the people and events leading up to the modern rodeo of today. Also created that year was the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame, a commission dedicated to sharing the history of the rodeo. Today they sponsor a museum and provide annual recognition of people, events, and animals that have left lasting memories of entertainment and support. The most recent inductees were Slim Pickens for his memorable, pre-movie star, entertainment and Mabel Strickland, a trick-rider as well as contestant in the women’s bull-dogging event. The Ellensburg rodeo itself was honored in 2020 when the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association inducted it into their Hall of Fame, taking its rightful place along with other regional events such as the Calgary Stampede and the Pendleton Round-Up.

CELIA TOTUS AND CHILD SHARE COFFEE WITH KAY HAGEMAN DURING A CULTURALEXCHANGE, ELLENSBURG, 1968

YAKIMA NATION, GRAND ENTRY INTO ELLENSBURGRODEO GROUNDS, 1941.

World War II restricted two years of the rodeo, and the recent COVID pandemic also silenced the grandstand and arena for a year, but in 2021 it returned to a crowd eager to experience thrills as they cheered on the competitors. The centennial celebration for the Ellensburg Rodeo will be held Labor Day Weekend, 2023. Other Labor Day events, always the first Monday of September, have become popular around the state, so Friday was added to the schedule making it a four-day weekend. This allows for people to spend their time in Kittitas County for the traditional weekend and travel to other parts of the state for the actual Monday holiday, which in Ellensburg is still reserved for the celebration of their local supporters and volunteers.

If you’re looking for end-of-summer entertainment that’s family friendly yet wild all the same, make plans to visit Ellensburg, Washington, next Labor Day Weekend. There you’ll see firsthand how collective volunteerism and pride in tradition come together for the sake of community support to celebrate our mutual history. The spirit of the pioneers is lovingly respected and presented with the utmost class and professionalism.

It’s a show you’ll never forget.

TRICK RIDER BONNIE GRAY WAS FAMOUS FOR JUMPING HER HORSE, KING TUT,OVER AN AUTOMOBILE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ARENA.

Author’s Note: Many thanks to Dr. Mike Allen, Communications Director of the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame, and Washington Rural Heritage: Ellensburg, for the gracious use of the photographs of the early days of the rodeo. Also, for his recommendation of The Tradition Lives: A 75 Year History of the Ellensburg Rodeo by John Ludtka, Ellensburg Rodeo Association, 1997.

—P.A. O’NEIL is descended from Arizona pioneer stock, and has always had a love for the ways of the Old West. Her Smoked Irish heritage (Mexican and Irish) allowed for her to experience the world as a member of the minority and majority simultaneously. She is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and has worked for colleges, churches, and youth organizations. She has been writing for almost six years and has been published over thirty-five times in anthologies and online journals. A collection of her stories was published two years ago and has met with great success. Witness Testimony and Other Tales is available in paperback and Kindle format and is still earning five-star reviews.