Getting started in rodeo

“The world needs more cowboys,” the University of Wyoming’s slogan so appropriately states. If your Facebook feed looks anything like mine you have seen this Facebook frame and I agree with this statement. It is summer time in Washington state again and if you are reading this there is a good chance that you are located within the Columbia River Circuit. If you decide to become a professional cowboy and join the PRCA, I want to share some information I found helpful when competing.

Out of all 50 states in the Unites States there are 15 different circuits in the Pro Rodeo world. What this means is you can choose to stay in your circuit and rodeo and have a chance at your circuit finals. Or go all over the United States and make a run at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which takes places in Las Vegas, Nevada in December every year. The Columbia River Circuit includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and the top of California. This might seem like a huge area for cowboys to travel and it is. For a cowboy in a three-day period starting Friday as soon as they can get off work, (if they choose to have a job and rodeo) until Sunday night they go to as many rodeos as possible. If that means spending the whole weekend traveling up to 300 plus miles then so be it. Living in Grant County right now, I can count at least 10 cowboys and cowgirls who compete at these rodeos. Coming up in August you have the Moses Lake Roundup, and then in September you the have the Othello Rodeo which will be going on the same time as the Pendleton Roundup and it pulls some great talent from all over the United States. I know for a fact that there will be cowboys and cowgirls from Grant County and all over the state of Washington that would love to see you there and hear you in the crowd. After the summer has come to an end and there are not as many rodeos I would urge you to go to the Columbia River Circuit Finals in January. This rodeo will only have cowboys from this circuit and it will only be the top 15 in each event. The cowboys at the Columbia River Circuit Finals are competing for a ticket to the Ram Circuit finals in Kissimmee, Fla. in February. So come down and cheer on your hometown cowboys at these rodeos. They would love to see you.

If you need another reason to go to these rodeos, Miss Rodeo Washington as well as each rodeo’s queen will be there, so go down and see them. They will be signing autographs after each rodeo performance. So just remember when you see a horse trailer traveling down the road this summer there is a good chance they are heading to a rodeo.

Kelsey Jo Kane of Wilson Creek is an avid rodeo competitor and manages the Coulee City Last Stand Rodeo.