Hundreds attend Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Banquet
Shay Beck, a member of the Eastern Washington Junior Rodeo Association, buses tables at the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Banquet on Saturday. Beck volunteered along with a number of other junior rodeo kids at the event.
Treasurer Tyler Brown, right, back, presents Rodney Rosin, left, with his official belt buckle for his one-year term as president of the Moses Lake Roundup.
Around 200 people piled into the Elks Lodge event hall Saturday for the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Banquet, according to Marketing Director Sue Tebow, in celebration of rodeo donors and members.
Leaders of the Moses Lake Roundup pose for a group photo. From left to right are: Director Stan Cafferty, Director Stuart Platt, Director Nick Carvo, Vice President Josh Carvo, Miss Moses Lake Roundup 2019 Shelby Eckenberg, Miss Moses Lake Roundup 2020 Mykiah Hollenbeck, President Rodney Rosin, Director Amanda Miller Morgan, Secretary Dan Hansen, and Treasurer Tyler Brown.
MOSES LAKE — Around 200 people piled into the Columbia Basin Elks Lodge for the 2020 Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Banquet, in celebration of major sponsors and as a chance to highlight important people involved with the rodeo.
After the social hour, diners lined up clear across the banquet hall for a plate of beef, salmon, potatoes, vegetables and salad and listened as Bill West, past member of the association and emcee of the event, announced details for the upcoming rodeo in August.
West announced that Jason Dent will be returning as rodeo clown this year, and named Dan Newman, Matt Akers and Sean Peterson as the 2020 bull riders. He also announced that trick roper, whipcracker and gun-spinner Rider Kiesner would be making an appearance as this year’s specialty act.
Jill Tonne, queen director for the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association, thanked Miss Moses Lake Roundup 2019 Shelby Eckenberg for her ambassadorship to both the organization and the sport at large.
“In 2019 we were extremely blessed to have an amazing young lady, Shelby Eckenberg, our queen, to represent us,” Tonne said. “The association owes you a big thank-you for being our representative this last year.”
Tonne then introduced Mykiah Hollenbeck, Miss Moses Lake Roundup 2020.
“I’m so excited to be here with you tonight,” Hollenbeck said to the supportive crowd. “I can’t wait for the year ahead of me and for the rodeo in August.”
Hollenbeck won four of seven categories, including congeniality, personality, speech and horsemanship, at a pageant in November to take her crown as this year’s rodeo queen. For the speech portion of the competition, Hollenbeck had spoken on the Columbia Basin, including its rich agricultural history and why it was a great place to grow up.
Hollenbeck, 19, of Othello, has been involved in the rodeo world to one extent or another since she was just 3 or 4 years old, and particularly took to it when she was 9 while showing sheep and horses at fairs, she said in an interview Sunday.
Previously a longtime member of the Eastern Washington Junior Rodeo Association, Hollenbeck has also competed with the Othello High School volleyball team and did volunteer teaching with Unified Basketball, a Special Olympics-sponsored program that helps special needs kids access the sport.
She has also competed in the Washington High School Equestrian Teams.
Hollenbeck is currently a student at Washington State University double-majoring in animal sciences and agricultural business.
The 2020 Moses Lake Roundup will start with the annual demo derby Wednesday, Aug. 19, and will follow up with the rodeo from Thursday, Aug. 20, to Saturday, Aug. 22. Tickets go on sale July 24, according to the event page. Prices depend on age, event and quality of seating.
Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.
