Cowboy Breakfast draws big crowd
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Barrel racers ran around the course during the Pee Wee Rodeo at the Cowboy Breakfast Friday.
MOSES LAKE — It was darn warm out there, but that didn’t stop people from filling the tables at the annual Cowboy Breakfast Friday morning.
The breakfast is the traditional kickoff to the Grant County Fair and Moses Lake Roundup. The fair opens Tuesday for a five-day run, and the first rodeo performance is Thursday.
Kenzlie Melbye reigned as queen of the Little Miss Moses Lake Roundup, the ridin’ and ropin’ games for kids that have been a part of the breakfast for so long they are part of the tradition.
The breakfast is sponsored by the Moses Lake Kiwanis, with the Moses Lake Business Association and the rodeo as co-sponsors. Kiwanis volunteers – and sometimes their grandchildren – flip the pancakes, scramble the eggs and help load plates at the chow line. Dale Roth spins the tunes. Michael’s on the Lake provides the pancake batter, eggs and sausage.
Proceeds from breakfast go to Kiwanis charitable activities and scholarships.
The Pee Wee Rodeo, as it’s called, features stick-horse bucking broncos and stick-horse barrel races, roping a steer head and the queen contest. It’s for kids ages 9 and younger. The last few years boys have been running in the barrel races and girls have been roping steers.
In fact, Katrina Monson was the best roper at the Pee Wee Rodeo 2018, and Sebastian Estudillo was the fastest barrel racer. Some of the barrel racers wandered a little off course. Kenneth Pogo was the best stick-horse bronco buster. Kenneth, Sebastian and Katrina eagerly compared their trophies, and all four winners received tickets to a rodeo performance.
The queen contestants rode their stick horses around the arena, waving to the crowd, and organizer Alberta Cannon asked them questions, just like big-girl queen contestants. Kenzlie won a real crown, sash and flowers, presented by Moses Lake Roundup Queen Kindra Dokins.