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Extra day, big screen, more contestants, Newport Rodeo ready for 75th celebration
NEWPORT – The 75th edition of the Newport Rodeo, which runs Thursday, June 20 to Saturday, June 22, features an additional performance, a carnival, big screen television as well as significantly more contestants than last year, Newport Rodeo Association President Ray Hanson says.
Thursday is Family Night. All tickets will be discounted and the performance will get underway at 6:30 p.m., so families can get home earlier, Hanson says. Friday and Saturday performances will start at 7:15 p.m.
Rodeo action includes a full schedule of rodeo events, including bareback riding, tie down roping, saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Steer roping returns for the second year, held during the slack performance Saturday at 10 a.m.
Friday is “Patriot Night.” Admission prices for military and first responders with identification is $15. Regular ticket prices are $25, with children 3 and younger admitted free. Chute seating tickets cost $30.
The traditional Rodeo Parade will take place Saturday, at 11 a.m. This year there are four Grand Marshalls. Retired rodeo stock contractor Mel Layton and longtime rodeo volunteers Dave Walker, Ron Worley and Randy Richter will serve as Grand Marshalls. The parade will also be broadcast on 91.5 FM, KUBS FM radio, Newport High School’s radio station.
Also on Saturday, there will be a slack rodeo performance at 10 a.m. because of all the timed event contestants. The steer roping will also be held during the slack. There is no admission charged to watch the slack performance.
The Saturday night rodeo performance will be themed “Because there is Hope” Pink night, with contestants wearing pink shirts to support breast cancer awareness.
Stock will be once again be supplied by Aces Wild rodeo company. Aces Wild owner Mark McMillan of Soap Lake, Wash., has been bringing bucking stock to Newport for years.
Spencer Rose will be the specialty act, with trick roping, fire whips and trick riding among her repertoire. Rodeo clown Kevin Higley of Hooper, Utah will also provide arena entertainment. Roy Jackson of Redmond, Oregon and Kaleb Barrett of Missoula, Montana will be the bullfighters.
The arena action will be once again called by rodeo announcer Brent Jordan, who announced the show last year. Jordan, of Bozeman, Montana, is president of the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.
The popular big video screen will be back for this year’s rodeo.
“We’ll be on the Cowboy Channel app,” Hanson says, referring to the cable television show’s app. That comes with professional videographers, as well as a big screen television, on which spectators can view immediate replays.
The Newport Rodeo Association continues to increase the added purse, which in turn attracts more contestants. There are more than 300 contestants entered. There is $35,250 added prize money this year. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo is the only professional sport in the county and the county’s biggest event. Some of professional rodeo’s elite riders and ropers are entered (see sports story).
The rodeo association also continues to improve the grounds, with new bucking chutes this year.
The Newport Rodeo does things for the contestants, like providing a meal and day money prizes. The top timed event finishers get fuel cards and the riding event best from each performance gets some cash. There are trophy buckles awarded in each event and for the men’s and women’s all around.
Because of extras like that, contestants consistently vote for Newport as one of the best rodeos on the 54 rodeo Columbia River Circuit. The Columbia River Circuit consists of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeos in Washington, Oregon and North Idaho.
