Columbia Basin Rodeo Association Banquet recognizes key figures

MOSES LAKE — Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, and Jill Tonne, queen director for the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association, were recognized for their contributions to the CBRA during the association’s annual banquet Saturday.

Association committee members Stan Hart and Larry Schwab each received a custom travel mug in recognition of their decades of volunteer work for the organization and at the Moses Lake Roundup.

Association vice-president Stan Cafferty said Schwab started volunteering in 1981, and Hart in 1980. Each received a custom mug detailing their years of service.

Dent’s award as Man of the Year was announced during the rodeo in August 2021.

“It’s pretty cool,” Dent said. “The most awesome thing I’ve ever received.”

The award came as a surprise, he said, and the association members resorted to some subterfuge to get him into the rodeo arena.

“They lied to me to get me there, and they lied to me to get me on the horse,” he said.

Dent has been a longtime supporter of the rodeo, said outgoing association president Rodney Rosin. In 2020, Dent was instrumental in obtaining an allocation from the state’s supplemental capital budget for new lighting at the Grant County Fairgrounds. The money paid for installation of new lights in the rodeo arena, as well as new lights at the south end of the fairgrounds.

Tonne was recognized as the Committeeperson of the Year. She is in charge of the Moses Lake Roundup Queen pageant and works with the queen during her year in office.

Tonne said it was a challenge, especially as events were postponed and then canceled in 2020.

Most events went on as planned in 2021, but there was always the chance they wouldn’t. She gave credit to the 2020-21 Miss Moses Lake Roundup queen, Mykiah Hollenbeck.

“I truly couldn’t have asked for a better young woman,” Tonne said.

Hollenbeck said she was really excited for 2020, and was prepared to juggle the demands of representing the rodeo and her schedule as a Washington State University student. Activities were ramping up in early March.

“And then, nothing,” she said.

She was a little bit apprehensive when Tonne contacted her in late 2020. She thought maybe something was wrong, but Tonne told her the association had decided to extend her contract as queen through 2021. She expressed appreciation to the committee for the extension, which gave her a chance to do the queen’s job during the rodeo.

While 2020 was a challenge, 2021 turned out to be a very good year. Rodney Rosin, who served as president for three years, said the association was grateful to its sponsors, who helped the rodeo get through the cancellation in 2020.

The Moses Lake Roundup in 2021 expanded the annual demolition derby to two nights and drew substantial crowds for both the demo derby and the rodeo.

“Arguably the best rodeo we’ve ever had,” Rosin said.

“One of the most kick-you-know-what rodeos we’ve had in years,” said association member Sue Tebow.

Incoming president Stuart Platt said the association had a lot of success in attracting acts this year, and is booked up for the next three years.

“I’m looking forward to having a year of fun,” Platt said.