Saddle up for Newport Rodeo

NEWPORT – Prepare yourselves, Pend Oreille River Valley residents. It’s rodeo time.

The 76th annual Newport Rodeo, returns Thursday, June 26 to Saturday, June 28, including a carnival with more rides, more vendors, and of course, more cowboys and cowgirls competing, according to Newport Rodeo Association President Ray Hanson.

Thursday is Family Night. All tickets will be discounted, and the performance will get underway at 6:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday performances will start at 7:15 p.m.

The Newport Rodeo Association continues to increase the added purse, which in turn attracts more contestants. There are 360 contestants entered this year along with $40,000 in prize money split between the events. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo is the only professional sport in the county and the county’s biggest event. There are some elite professional rodeo athletes are among the contenders (see sports story).

“We’re really excited that the rodeo is growing so much,” Hanson says. “It’s a lot of work and a lot of money, but it’s well worth it.”

This year’s grand marshal is Marlin Griffin, owner of Griffin’s Furniture and Flooring in Newport. The business was founded in Spokane in 1967 and moved to Newport in 1971. Griffin’s has been a sponsor of the Newport Rodeo ever since.

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. 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 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.

Wild Card Trick Riders from Central Washington will be providing entertainment. Roy Jackson of Redmond, Oregon and Kaleb Barrett of Missoula, Montana will be the bullfighters. Mike “The Spike” Wallace will be the barrel man and clown from Illinois.

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. The rodeo will also be on the Cowboy Channel app. That comes with professional videographers, as well as a big screen television, on which spectators can view immediate replays during the performances.

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 is 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.

The rodeo association also continues to improve the grounds, putting in a new structure to hang the video board on, adding to and grading the dirt in the arena to improve safety for the contestants and the animals, adding 800 more amps of electrical service for vendors. Hanson estimates vendor numbers are up 25% this year. Also new this year, the rodeo is selling tokens for the beer garden to hopefully lessen wait time in line.

Hansen advises people wanting to purchase tickets to do so through the Newport Rodeo’s website and not to trust any third-party sellers.

“We do not have another organization or individual selling tickets for us, so please be aware of potential scams,” Hanson says. “The best thing to do is to go to our website.”

Tickets can also be purchased at the gate, but Friday’s and Saturday’s event sells out quickly and tickets cannot be reserved.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.newportrodeo.com.