Ollie Osborn

Ollie Osborn was born July 24, 1896 in Union, Oregon to George and Mary Ellen (Hall) Osborn.

At the age of 16, she began going to rodeos with her brother and soon started riding bucking horses. She enjoyed it so much that she traveled to several rodeos including Madison Square Garden in New York City. At one time she worked for a man that had a wild west how. She received several awards for her bronc riding, one which includes membership in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

Ollie was the first woman to pursue the sport of rodeo full-time and be a constant champion. Born to Oregon homestead ranchers, she began competing in the early relay races when she was a teenager, but she discovered bronc riding and made a name for herself by riding “slick” without hobbles, like the men. Remembered for her daring rides and extravagant tailor-mode clothes.

Her first taste of big time rodeo was at the 1914 Frontier Days in Walla Walla. Ollie Continue reading…

Category: People & Volunteers

Deb Copenhaver

Deb Copenhaver was born Jan. 21, 1925 in Wilbur, WA. Copenhaver’s first competition was at a Keller Salmon Days Rodeo in 1940. After serving in the Navy Seabees during World War II, he came home to compete in all of the big North American rodeos.  He won the bronc riding two or three times each at Cheyenne, Calgary, Denver, Ft. Worth, Houston, Kansas City, Salinas and Madison Square Garden. Deb won the Pendleton Round-Up in 1955.

Copenhaver and his wife Cheryl and family had a dream, “I rode often and fast,” Copenhaver said. “I wanted acreage, it would be our future.” Copenhaver achieved his dream, buying land near Creston, where he bred and raised quality Quarter Horses and operated Copenhaver’s Cafe in town. During the heyday of Copenhaver’s Cafe, Hank Thompson, Bonnie Guitar, Ernest Tubb and other music greats all played.  Copenhavers raised their family in the wheat country of Creston.

Deb Copenhaver was World Champion Bronc Rider in 1955 & 1956. He started his rodeo career after being discharged from Uncle Sam’s service in 1946. He entered Continue reading…

Category: People & Volunteers

House and Senate pass resolution
marking 100th anniversary

PENDLETON, Ore. – The Oregon Legislature has unanimously passed a joint legislative resolution honoring the Pendleton Round-Up on the occasion of the rodeo’s 100^th anniversary in 2010. Rodeo representatives gathered at the state capitol to witness Gov. Ted Kulongoski signing the measure.

The resolution was sponsored by Senator David Nelson (R- Dist. 29) Rep. Bob Jenson (R-Dist. 58) and Rep. Greg Smith (R-District 57). It was shepherded through the legislative process by Jennifer Hudson, vice president and general counsel with PAC/WEST of Portland, who began her volunteer work for the rodeo when she was a child.

Seated left to right: Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Sen. David Nelson, Rep. Greg Smith Standing left to right: Round-Up directors Kevin Hudson and Larry Williams (partially obscured) and Round-Up President Randy Severe.

“In my testimony, I recounted my involvement since the age of 12, beginning as an usher and selling programs, moving on to work in concessions and as a guide in the Hall of Fame Museum, and then as an adult volunteering with the Let ‘er Buck Room, security, in the souvenir booth and Room 17,” Hudson said. “I noted that my experience is typical of people from Pendleton for whom the Round-Up is not merely a week-long event each September, but rather a life-long experience in community involvement and service.”

In her role as a lobbyist, Hudson was aware of joint legislative resolutions, which are used to express an opinion or sentiment on a matter of public interest. She thought Round-Up’s centennial fit that category perfectly.

“I thought that the one century worth of culture embodied by the Round-Up, not to mention Continue reading…

Category: News & Updates

From left to right: Mike & Jill Thorne, Tim & Jennifer Hawkins, Randy Severe, Dave Croslin and Stacey Bowen.

The Safeway Foundation for District 71 donated $15,000 to Centennial Plaza now under construction along Southwest Court Avenue in front of the Round-Up Ground Thursday. The donation comes from employees of the 18 stores in the district.

“It’s from the employees of stores all the way from Enterprise to downtown Portland,” District 71 Manager Dave Croslin said. “Normally our donations are around $2,000 to $5,000, but Round-Up has been wonderful to us and we wanted to do something in return.”

Croslin said when he took his position three years ago all he knew about Round-Up Continue reading…

Category: News & Updates

September 15-18, 2010

PENDLETON, Ore.  – Tickets for the 100^th Pendleton Round-Up, Sept. 15-18, 2010, will go on sale at 8:30 a.m. on July 31, 2009. Round-Up Director Troy LeGore said the decision was made because of widespread interest in purchasing tickets for the 2010 Round-Up from around the world.

“The demand has been big,” LeGore said. “We’ve had Round-Up supporters from the United Kingdom and Australia who wanted to purchase them while they were here in 2008.” Normally tickets for the next year’s Round-Up go on sale slightly before the current rodeo. This sale date is for the general public, permanent ticket order procedures for the 2010 Round-Up have not been changed.

The 100th Round-Up will have added attractions each day that only those who hold tickets can enjoy.  Although the plans are still being worked out, Round-Up Director Tim Hawkins believes they should be able to tackle the logistics of each event.

The American Indian traditional hide race will return after years’ of absence to the Continue reading…

Category: News & Updates

The Pendleton Round-Up has entered into an agreement with Vogt Silversmiths of Woodland, Calif., to create several pieces commemorating the rodeo. The long-term contract means high-quality items featuring the Bucking

From left to right are Chet, Nicolas and Casey Vogt of Vogt Silversmiths. Photo courtesy of Vogt Silversmiths.

Horse ® logo will be available for purchase.

The silver buckle sets, women’s jewelry, money clips and other products will soon be arriving at quality Western stores throughout the United States. The pieces will also bear the famous Let ‘er Buck® slogan. Locally, Hamley’s and the Round-Up and Happy Canyon retail outlet will carry the pieces.

“We felt that Vogt really fit in nicely with the brand identity of Round-Up and we’ve worked to align ourselves with quality partners when it comes to the use of our registered trademark,” Round-Up President Randy Severe said. He cited Hood River Distillers, the producers of Pendleton Whisky and Pendleton Woolen Mills as examples.

Vogt, operated by father and son Chet and Casey Vogt, is considered to be one of the premier silversmiths for Western items. The silversmiths have been producing heirloom-quality products for more than 35 years, and are proud to include Round-Up in their life’s work.

“Both our family and our company are excited with the opportunity to work with the Pendleton Round-Up,” Chet Vogt said. “We’ve been in business for a long time and truly appreciate other groups such as the Round-Up for their own history, longevity and creative drive to remain an invaluable component to the Western culture and scene. We look forward to contributing in some small way to their continued success.”

Vogt’s sterling silver merchandise comes with an unconditional lifetime guarantee.

Category: News & Updates

2009 Pendleton Round-Up Court photo by Gary Ogilvie

Category: People & Volunteers

Centennial Plaza

Round-Up is close
to reaching its
fundraising goal

The Pendleton Round-Up is about $100,000 away from its million-dollar goal for completion of the Round-Up Centennial Plaza in front of the rodeo grounds on Southwest Court Avenue. Committee chairmen Tim Hawkins and Mike Thorne have asked the public for help to meet the goal.

“We wanted to give everyone a chance to contribute to this exciting improvement,” Hawkins said. “The public has always shown its support for the rodeo and we hope this fundraising effort will be a success.

Thorne agreed. “Although times are tough, we’ve gotten so close to our goal because Round-Up is near and dear to groups like the Pendleton Foundation and various businesses,” he said. “We hope Continue reading…

Category: News & Updates

Pendleton Round-Up Centennial Cookbook

Beyond The Bull

The Pendleton Round-Up started in 1910 and has grown to a four-day extravaganza that brings more than 50,000 visitors to this cozy Eastern Oregon town of 16,000. Food has played an important role in Round-Up celebrations over the decades and each organization and family has added their own spin. The participation of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes, dating back to the very first rodeo, makes the Pendleton gathering a unique event and adds to the diversity of food that’s associated with Round-Up. Whether it’s fry bread, the cowboy breakfast, a barbeque, or a special baked beans dish that is served to guests in the backyard, food has become an important tradition. This cookbook, Beyond The Bull, documents these traditions while celebrating the Round-Up’s 100th Anniversary.

Pre-Sales are being taken for Pendleton Round-Up Centennial Bookbook. For more information, or to reserve a copy you can stop by the Round-Up & Happy Canyon office located in the Hall of Fame Museum at 1114 SW Court Avenue, or call 541-276-2553.

Category: News & Updates

The Pendleton Round-Up Foundation has awarded scholarships to five young people to help continue their education. Pendleton High School seniors Allison Frey, Michael Hales, Tracey LeGore and Molly Murry along with Cheyenne Ward, a 2008 graduate of Pilot Rock High School, have each received $1,000.

“I wish I had more scholarships to give,” Judge Ron Pahl, the Round-Up director who chairs the scholarship committee said. “The caliber of the applicants is very high. This community should Continue reading…

Category: People & Volunteers