Roseanna Sales of Moses Lake is one of four photographers at the National Finals Rodeo

In the folklore story of Cinderella and the glass slipper, a young woman comes from humble beginnings, overcomes adversity and rises to a level of happiness she could only imagine.

People here in the Columbia Basin understand the meaning of a hard day’s work and doing right by friends and family. There’s a similar story here, only this Cinderella grew up on the farm and wears cowboy boots.

It wasn’t all that long ago that Roseanna Sales was asking Moses Lake Roundup marketing specialist Sue Tebow if she couldn’t follow her around and photograph at the rodeo. You see, the novelty of studio settings and portrait photography lost its zeal.

“I always knew I wanted to be an extreme sports photographer,” Sales said with a laugh.

By extreme, if you mean climbing down in the arena when the bull riders and the bulls are deciding who wins or more than one close call with a saddle bronc runnin’ loose while the pick-up men try and chase it down, been there, done that.

Let’s fast forward a couple of thousand miles, sleeping in the car, gallons of bad coffee and truck stop food, and more hours away from home than she cares to think about.

Sales is a new rodeo photographer with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, who applied for her PRCA permit last spring and fulfilled the necessary requirements to get her card by September.

Somewhere between the Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup, Ellensburg Rodeo, and the Wrangler Champions Challenge Finale in Sioux Falls, S.D., she hit the button on thousands of frames, capturing rodeo moments for all to enjoy.

Sales, who lives right here in Moses Lake, was recognized for her efforts with the PRCA Excellence in Photography Award.

Now, let’s see if the glass slipper fits.

Yep, in October of this year she applied for one of just four PRCA photographer’s credentials to shoot at the National Finals Rodeo and was hired to shoot the Super Bowl of professional rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Wrangler NFR is ProRodeo’s richest and most prestigious rodeo, which showcases the very best cowboys, barrel racers and livestock in the world. “Last year was the first time being at the NFR. I sat up towards the top of the arena with one of my best friends,” Sales recalled. “I looked over at her and I said, ‘I’m going to be down there one day.’

“I got home and printed off a little NFR back number that I found online and I put it up on my ‘Dream Board’ and looked at it every day. (Getting to shoot at the NFR) was my goal and I’ve worked very hard to get there.

“(This job) means being away from my husband (Shane) and two little girls (Annabella, 7, and Gabriella, 3) but I hope I’m being a good role model and teaching them how to chase a dream.”

She’s not only chasing the dream, she’s living it. Sales is making a name for herself and making pictures that capture the world’s best doing what they do.

“The business can be pretty cutthroat, but I’ve met some pretty wonderful photographers along the way and I’m very grateful for their sharing their knowledge,” Sales said. “We’re all independent contractors, so we’re all trying to get the best shot.

“The thing about rodeo photography is that it’s so fast paced with high action. You only have eight seconds to get your shot. The thing I’ve learned is never put your camera down. You never know what a special moment might come along, whether it’s in the arena or behind the scenes. Just keep shooting and never put the camera down.”

She’s been published on the cover of the ProRodeo Sporting News, WPRA Magazine, Team Roper’s Journal and the Portuguese Tribune.

Portuguese Tribune? How’s that work?

“I shot a Portuguese bullfight after they did the rodeo in Idaho,” she said. “My family’s Portuguese, so that’s what I grew up with. That was kinda neat to have that experience.”

In some ways, Sales is still the country girl that grew up on a farm with a love for the sport of rodeo. But she’s taken her photography to a new level and is being rewarded for it. Sales will receive her PRCA Excellence in Photography Award at the awards banquet at the South Point Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 6.

“She has traveled to rodeos all summer, slept in her car and made a huge amount of rodeo friends along the way. Her family is her biggest support system,” said Sue Tebow, who is nationally recognized for her website agri.CULTURE.com. “She really is a Cinderella story for sure.”

That she is, but this Cinderella wears cowboy boots and comes from the Columbia Basin.

Rodney Harwood is a sports writer for the Columbia Basin Herald and can be reached at rharwood@columbiabasinherald.com