Pendleton Round-Up Receives Top PRCA Honors

Last fall, the Pendleton Round-Up and many of its contributors were once again honored at the annual PRCA Awards Banquet in Las Vegas. The Round-Up draws thousands of people to Pendleton in the second full week of September each year. “There is no higher honor than to be recognized by cowboy contestants and fellow rodeo committees,” said Pendleton Round-Up publicity director Pat Reay.

Dress-Up Parade
This year’s Pendleton Round-Up offers a full week of activities from Sept. 9 through Sept. 16. The week begins with the Dress-Up Parade put on by the Main Street Cowboys. Anyone may enter the Sept. 9 parade and dress up or enter a float or car. The parade goes through downtown Pendleton Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. and ends at the Round-Up grounds.

Kick-Off Concert
On Saturday evening after the parade, an outdoor Kick-off Concert will be held in the Happy Canyon Arena. The concert on Sept. 9th at 7 p.m. will feature country stars Craig Morgan and Clint Black.

Craig Morgan has charted seventeen times on the Billboard country charts. Besides “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” which spent four weeks at the top, six more of his singles have reached that chart’s top ten, including “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Little Bit of Life,” “International Harvester,” “Love Remembers” and “Bonfire.”

Clint Black has been nominated for four Grammy Awards for best Country Male Vocal Performance and has won in the category of Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Same Old Train.” He has been awarded many times by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

The Rodeo
The Pendleton Round-Up rodeo runs from Wednesday through Saturday and begins at 1:15 p,m. each day. The main events are bareback bronc riding, saddle-bronc riding, bull riding, steer roping, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and women’s breakaway roping. Other events include women’s barrel racing, Indian relay racing, wild cow milking and Indian dancing.

Happy Canyon
Each night after the Rodeo, the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant is held in its own outdoor arena starting at 7:45 p.m. It features a theatrical performance portraying the native people who inhabited the area, followed by the emigrants who came through the area on the Oregon Trail and then a portrayal of Pendleton’s wild frontier days.

Westward Ho Parade
On Friday morning at 10 a.m., the Westward Ho! Parade proceeds through Pendleton. The parade is unique in that no motorized vehicles are allowed. It features covered wagons, Indians in full regalia and marching bands.

Tickets to all Round-Up events can be purchased online at pendletonroundup.com. There you’ll find lots of information to help you plan your Round-Up week, so go online and “Let ‘er Buck!”