The 2011 Inductee to the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in the Happy Canyon Volunteer Category is WESLEY GRILLEY.
Wes Grilley
Grilley was born in 1933 to Donald & Beryl Grilley in Portland, Oregon. His family moved to Pendleton in 1942 where he has resided since. Grilley began his Happy Canyon and Round-Up volunteer career when he was 11 years old, taking part in the Happy Canyon cast as the first “Goldie” during the fire scene. During Round-Up, he started as a “courier”, riding his horse, taking the judging results across the arena to the scoring officials. In the Happy Canyon Pageant, Wes took part in the show doing every act “with a horse”. He served on the Happy Canyon Board of Directors as Show Director for eight years, then as President of the Board for two years, which followed as President of the Happy Canyon Foundation, where he is still active. Grilley has served 66 years as a volunteer for Happy Canyon and the Round-Up Association and continues to do so. He and his wife, Millie, have four daughters and all were involved in Happy Canyon activities. He continues his wheat farming operation started by his pioneer grandfather. Grilley’s career includes management employment with Pendleton Grain Growers, Inc. and the Oregon Wheat Growers League. His leadership skills and volunteerism led him to be chosen as the 2008 Pendleton Man of the Year.
The 2011 Inductee to the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in the Contract Personnel Category is FLINT RASMUSSEN.
Flint Rassmussen
Rasmussen was born in 1968 to Stan & Tootie Rasmussen in Havre, Montana. Flint, his two brothers and sister were raised in Choteau, Montana where he, his wife, Katie and two daughters still reside. His dad was a Rodeo Announcer, so rodeo arenas were always home. Flint steer wrestled and team roped but his heart was always with football, drama and music. He excelled in football, track, music & drama in high school. His brother, Will, became a Rodeo Announcer like his dad. After commenting one night that he could be funnier than clowns he had been watching since childhood, Will and his dad issued a challenge to Flint to do just that. He made his first appearance as a clown in Superior, Montana and a summer job was born. Flint worked his way through college as a clown at regional rodeos. He taught high school for two years and coach football and track before giving that up to pursue a life in entertainment. At the beginning of his career, Flint worked for both the PBR and PRCA circuits, winning the title of PRCA Clown of the Year for 8 consecutive years and the Coors Man in the Can 7 times. In 2005, he signed an exclusive contract as the arena entertainer for the Professional Bull Riders Association. Flint first appeared in Pendleton in 1998. He holds Pendleton as a special place, even though our vast arena is a big challenge for him as an entertainer. He wrote a song about the Pendleton Round-Up, the only rodeo he has ever written about. With special permission from the PBR, Flint performed the Wednesday show of the Centennial Pendleton Round-Up in 2010. Flint truly has a gift for his profession. His thousands of fans, friends and awards are a testament to his achievements.
The 2011 Inductee to the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in the Rodeo Contestant Category is KENNY STANTON.
Kenny Stanton
Stanton was born in 1941 to Roy & Lillian Stanton in The Dalles, Oregon. Rodeo was in his heart from the very beginning when he and his brother Bill, practiced riding the family milk cows. He was a great wrestler in school but chose rodeo over wrestling scholarships to both Oregon and Oregon State. Kenny turned pro in 1960 competing in Bareback and Bull Riding. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in Bareback and/or Bull Riding 15 times from 1962 thru 1970. Stanton was the Bareback Champion in 1964, Bull Riding Champion in 1966, 1970 & 1975 and was All-Around Champion in 1970 at the Pendleton Round-Up. Kenny’s riding career ended at the age of 28 due to frost bite to his feet twice. He continued as PRCA Director for Bull Riding in 1970 and Bareback Riding Director in 1971 & 1972. In 1975 he participated in area rodeos where he won Bull Riding events in Pendleton & Ellensburg. Kenny taught a bull riding school but had to discontinue that after a partial amputation due to severe vascular problems. A true rodeo cowboy!
The 2011 Inductee to the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in the Rodeo Contestant Category is JOHN SPAIN.
John Spain
Spain was born in Cottage Grove, Oregon to King & Josephine Spain in 1881. He had three brothers but his closest brother was Fred. John’s mother died in childbirth when he was three. When their father remarried, things changed and at age 11, Fred left home and never returned. John, age 9, followed a month later, found Fred and they relied on each other for the rest of their lives. They found jobs to keep them going. When they were old enough, they captured wild range horses and sold them to the US Calvary. They had their own rodeo business from 1904-1915, performing all over the Northwest and participating in many rodeo events. In 1910, they provided bucking horses and a relay string for the first Pendleton Round-Up and Westward Ho! Parade. In 1911, John won the first saddle given as a prize for the Saddle Bronc Champion at the Pendleton Round-Up. In 1912, due to an accident, John lost his right hand. After being fitted for a hook, he worked his way back to riding broncs and was as good as ever. He eventually won 6 saddles. John loved being a cowboy and was still a drawing card the spring and summer before he died at an early age of 46.
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