Turning a corner: Excited crowd gathers for Washington’s second rodeo weekend in two years

The Coulee City Rodeo Grounds came alive again this weekend for the 69th annual — until a pandemic broke the chain — PRCA Last Stand Rodeo, with more than 80 barrel racers and more than 40 saddle bronc riders, the most they’ve ever had.

“Everybody’s excited about rodeoin’ again,” said Pete Thiry, Coulee City Rodeo Association president.

The event kicked off Friday, with the Last Stand Bullarama, open bull riding with contestants from across the Pacific Northwest. Saturday night was the main event, with bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, team roping, tie down roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing, bull riding and multiple special performances.

Sunday was a bit more relaxed, as it tends to be, with the mostly-steer roping Slack Time Rodeo in the morning, and ending the weekend in the evening with the final performances of the Last Stand Rodeo.

And there’s no leaving out the other festivities, back in full swing, such as the cowboy breakfast, cowpie jog, Main Street parade, and honkey tonk after party downtown.

“It was amazing. It was wonderful. Biggest crowds we’ve ever had,” Thiry said.

While not having a rodeo last year left a financial dent, it was a small one, Thiry said, as the association also didn’t have any of the expenses it normally has.

Smaller events prior to the Last Stand Rodeo kept the arena maintenance up, leaving the biggest challenge simply to get back in the swing of things, he said.

“It’s a little tough to take a year off and try to remember all the details of what needs to be done,” Thiry said.

The rodeo brought some big names, such as Grand Coulee local and world champion bull rider Shane Proctor and his wife, trick rider Haley Proctor.

The Last Stand Rodeo is the second rodeo weekend in Washington in almost two years, Shane Proctor said. After a slow year, he said they’re thrilled to be out on the road and competing again.

For Chad Hutsell, rodeo stock contractor with Flying Five and Big Bend Rodeo Company, a year with so few rodeos was “miserable,” he said.

He’s been doing this work all his life, he said, but the hiatus forced him to relearn the entire process from scratch -- getting equipment, vehicles, crew and animals to the right place at the right time.

The livestock performed incredibly, Thiry said, and that’s as important as the competitors.

It takes nearly 100 volunteers to put the rodeo together, he said. About 50 just to run the gates, and another 50 between the cook shack and beer garden.

They come from all over — Ephrata, East Wenatchee, Okanogan — and follow the local rodeo circuit.

“We are extremely fortunate. When the rodeo comes around, it takes a lot of people and they just come out and take their spots,” Thiry said. “This whole thing would not happen without that.”

For bull riding and barrel racing, local competitors took the cake.

On Flying Five and Big Bend Rodeo Company’s bull Bad Romance, Caleb McMillan of Soap Lake earned first in bull riding, with a score of 75.5.

Cheyenne Allan of Mabton won first in barrel racing at 16.41 seconds.

It was an eager and excited crowd, Thiry said.

“COVID got everyone out and going and they wanted to have some fun, and if we entertained them while we’re here, that’s going to be good for us in the future,” he said.