One of the events that I looked forward to when I was growing up , was going to the local rodeos each summer. We had a rodeo grounds in Sandpoint, and that was where the local rodeo was held each year. Since I belonged to the Bonner County Horsemans’ Association, we always got to ride in the Grand Entry for the rodeo, and also helped direct traffic into the parking areas. We did this on horseback, of course, and I really enjoyed riding around and helping out with the parking lanes. Most of the cowboys at our rodeo were fairly local, usually from north Idaho, western Montana, or eastern Washington. Because we were not an RCA rodeo , we didn’t attract the professional rodeo cowboys, but in many ways, we enjoyed it a lot more, because we did know most of the local riders. Spokane had the big Diamond Spur Rodeo every year, and it was an RCA (now called PRCA) rodeo, and had the big-time rodeo champions , at least from the Pacific Northwest area. Besides the rodeo, each year they featured top entertainers for the event. One year, it was Gene Autry and also Gail Davis, who played Annie Oakley on television. Gene sang some of his biggest hits, and Annie Oakley did some sharpshooting, and it was great to watch both of them. Another year (about 1956, I think) , Rex Allen (and KoKo) was there, and he was always one of my favorite cowboy singers. That same year, Elvis Presley was also in Spokane on tour, and my mom told me that I had to make a choice which one I wanted to go and see. I did choose Rex Allen and the rodeo, but have sometimes wished afterwards that we had gone to see Elvis instead. The Diamond Spur was part of the northwest rodeo circuit, which also included Lewiston, Ellensburg, and I think that the Omak Stampede was also part of that same group of rodeos. We had some of the top rodeo riders of that era, and going to the yearly rodeos is something that I look back on with many fond memories. Here is an old picture from the Lewiston Rodeo, and it has the top bronc riders from that year, 1952.
So, when did it turn into a PRCA rodeo? Funny, but there are those old/older folks that definitely don't like the format of todays professional rodeo. Guess because I'm a Classic Rock fan, the music doesn't bother me at all. Rodeo has most definitely changed over the years, especially from the picture you are showing. Today a lot of it is about money, sponsorship and practice-practice-practice. I know I done enough practice and went to a number of Jackpot Ropings. @Yvonnne, back then was there the Animal Activist problems at rodeos that there has been today? At one rodeo, in So. California, wife and I were at, local county sheriff deputies had to escort us into.
I used to attend the World Championship Chuck Wagon Races in Clinton Arkansas they have a rodeo with no fencing or arena just turn them loose in the pasture I loved it. They still have it every late August but so darn hot there.
Many of the early rodeo riders were Native Americans, or at least had Native American blood in them, and riding and training horses was just part of their heritage. I was reading in one of my Facebook groups about Idaho, and they had the story of an Indian named Jackson Sundown, who was one of the legendary rodeo riders of his day. He was from the Nez Perce Indian tribe, which was originally from the eastern Washington area, and they were the ones who developed the Appaloosa breed of horses. Appaloosas came from some of the early Spanish horses that were brought here, and many of them were gaited horses, which meant that the Indians could ride them all day and not get stiff and sore like you would from riding a non-gaited horse. The gait was basically a 4-beat running walk, and on the Appaloosa, it was called the Indian Shuffle, or that is what it is known as nowadays. Anyway, here are a couple of pictures of Jackson Sundown. One was taken at an early rodeo at Lewiston, Idaho, and the other one does not have a location; but I included it so you could see how some of the early rodeo cowboys “dressed up”.
Oh, such memories! Calgary, AB., Pendleton, Or., Joseph, Or., and smaller rodeo's of the NW. Memories of my Nez Perce friends with their amazing riding skills, rodeos, and pow wows. Honorable people with hearts free of malice for the past horrific crimes committed against them in the Bitterroot Valley. @Yvonne Smith Did you know the Redheart's? If you haven't read it, I suggest reading The Nez Perce and the Opening of the Northwest. Here is a good read about Jesse ll. https://lmtribune.com/obituaries/je...cle_b4c65034-b70a-5cee-8031-ab29c6408b88.html Back in the 1920's and 30's some of my Az. and Wa. family participated in Lewiston, Pendleton, and Calgary rodeos. Here is an early Arizona rodeo and lots of cousins (my dads first cousins), uncles, and aunts in the photo. One lady cousin is 3rd from the left at bottom. The I was told that my Grandpa is in this photo and one on horseback, but have no idea which one he is. He was a horseback traveling preacher in those days. Here is one of my dad's first cousins that never practiced for rodeo. She was an amazing roper and racer. NOT barrel racing, but real horse racing. It started in the open arena and on the gunshot they tore off on a trail up and over the hills and finally back to the arena finish line. All you rodeo ropers pay close attention how she carried her rope on the ranch and for rodeo. I was never a horseback roper, but I could hold my own in the corral roping calves. I even did a few rope tricks and rope dancing. Just thinking about it makes my body ache these days. Ha Ha! I love her horse! It was the most amazing horse according to family stories. Just so I can get all nostalgic and have tears rolling down my cheeks. Another great family cowgirl about age 8 or so. Her hat is the best! Hard to believe this photo was taken 100 years ago.
I think that the RCA became the PRCA around the mid-1970’s , @Cody Fousnaugh . By the time I was an adult and married, I was not living near an area where they had rodeos, so I didn’t follow anything that happened anymore. I actually like the little local rodeos better than the big-name rodeos, for the most part. When I lived in Missouri, they had small “family rodeos” about once a month, and I really enjoyed watching those. Besides the regular events, they had ones for the kids, like riding sheep, and similar things, and they had games like barrel- racing as well; so it was kind of a combination rodeo and playday event. Cody, I don’t think that anyone living in northern Idaho had even heard the words “animal activist” back when I was growing up, and probably some of them up there still haven’t any idea what PETA even is. I am not surprised that you would see activists in Southern California though. That is where the crazy people live who proclaim to the hunters that they should not shoot a deer, and they should “buy their meat at the store, where no animal was harmed”, for heaven’s sake !
I love the pictures, @Faye Fox , and I will definitely check out the story about the Redhearts. I have never heard of them. The horse that your dad’s cousin is riding looks awesome ! It is hard to tell from the old photo, but I think that I can see spots on the chest, and it looks like it might have been an Appaloosa ? It has about the right head and conformation for one of the old time “real” Appys. And the tapaderos on the stirrups ! I love tapaderos, and put those on my saddle when I was a teenager. It was probably the “Roy Rogers cowboy” thing, because Roy, and some of the other movie cowboys all had beautiful saddles with lots of silver conchos and tapaderos. I am reading into this (and other statements you have made) that you are part Native American, Faye ? My mother lived in Arizona when she was a young girl, and my grandfather was an Indian Agent at a reservation in Arizona, for the government. My mom’s best friend was a Navajo Indian girl, I don’t remember her first name, but Begay was her last name, and she gave my mom an engraved silver bracelet that my mom wore all of her life, in honor of that friendship. The designs on it were pictures that my mom said meant that they would always be friends. I have seen articles that show the Begay family as being well-known silversmiths, and when I read about them, I always wonder if they are from the same family as my mom’s dear friend.
@Yvonne Smith @Cody Fousnaugh Yeah, no animal activist would dare protest a Northern Idaho rodeo! I wouldn't advise even for a California cowboy/cowgirl to rodeo there unless he/she has a previous reputation as a hard core patriot. Last time I was visiting Northern Idaho (above Coeur d'Alene ) I had Washington license plates. I stopped in at a small country store. As I walked in, I was met by a guy packing a 45 auto. He says, "You are not one of those west coast liberals are you?" I told him NO, I may live over there, but I am a rural gun slinging, knife throwing, mountain girl that shoots first and answers questions later. All he said was, "Well glad you aren't packing today lady. Look around and welcome to Gods country."
@Yvonne Smith Begay is a fairly common name among the Navajo. Here are photos of my Hopi made sterling silver overlay jewelry that I still have. I sold off all my American Indian made silver belt buckles and my Hopi made concho belt. Yes, I am about 1/16 American Indian. Yes, I remember Rex Allen and Rex Allen Jr. I always loved the Yesteryear show Rex Jr. did with Janie Fricke. Ok, now back to the old time rodeo which really interest me how much rodeo has changed.
I remember being in Billings, Montana back in the mid 90's. I had stopped at the downtown library. My truck had my rodeo membership parking decal on the inside of lower part of drivers side windshield, BUT I had California plates on the truck. I came out of the library and there was a note under my windshield wiper. It read: "If you plan on staying in Montana, get a Montana license plate, if not, get your a** back to California." Some would take that as rude, but I took it differently. Well, come to find out, a guy had committed a murder in Palm Springs, CA and law enforcement had found him at a weekly motel at the edge of Billings. This is why we changed our license plate to Colorado within two weeks of arriving here. We got asked a number of times about the Florida plate we had on. Very, very seldom is a Florida plate seen here.
Well, from the first pro-rodeo I went to at the Long Beach, CA Indoor Arena, I was totally hooked. That was in the late 80's. Was originally going to be a Saddle Bronc Rider, but a friend, who was a Saddle Bronc Rider, talked me out of it. He gave me one of his ropes, watched me swing it and the rest is history.....horse, tack, Rattler ropes, Roping School and membership. That Long Beach rodeo was the very first rodeo I'd ever been to. There were county fairs around where I lived in northeastern Indiana, but no rodeos (that I ever knew of).
There's no need to merge them, as this one is specifically about "old-time" rodeos, but just so we know that we have another thread about rodeos.
If you are really interested in old time rodeo, google Mabel Strickland, a Wallula, Wa. horsegirl that even became a Hollywood stunt horsewoman. She had an unbelievable equilibrium. Amazing rodeo star that rode broncs and bulls while smiling and waving. The best cowboys stood with humble respect when Mabel was performing.