The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters Rodeo is geared up for some great competition this week, with a huge number of competitors in every rodeo event, including world champions and barnstorming rookies.

There will be 35 bareback riders, 55 saddlebronc riders, 52 bull riders, 49 tie down ropers, 53 teams of team ropers, 46 steer wrestlers and 90 barrel racers.

There are 24 Wild Horse Race teams to kick off rodeo action in a flurry of dives, dust and bucking rides. Five teams are from Arizona, one team each from California, Wyoming and Montana, two from Washington and 13 from Oregon.

Wild horse racing is growing in rodeos in the West, with several rodeos in the Rocky Mountain states wanting to add them to their events. Butch David of Warm Springs, the district president of the Wild Horse Race Association, is excited about the surge of the sport and the number of teams coming to Sisters.

Tie down roping adds some royalty to the mix of 49 competitors. Cooper Martin won St. Paul Rodeo during the 2018 Cowboy Christmas event. Timber Moore won Rodeo Rapid City in February. Redmond locals Roger Nonella and Austin Hogue will attempt to leap into the win column.

Saddlebronc riding has 55 entries, including several members of the now-legendary Wright brothers of Milford, Utah. Jesse Wright is currently sitting in the No. 3 position in the early standings of PRCA winners. His brother Rusty is 9th and other brother Spencer in 11th position. Jesse Kruse, a popular Sisters competitor, is in 12th place this season.

They will compete with former World Champion Rhen Richard and Jordan Spears, who won Clovis Rodeo in April.

The field is loaded with up-and-coming competitors, ready to make a name for themselves at Sisters with the great bucking stock from Corey and Lange Rodeo Stock Contractors.

Blake and Trevor Knowles, nephews of Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair, will lead the steer wrestling competition at #23 and #29 respectively. They are among forty-six steer wrestlers who will compete at the rodeo. Blake Knowles was the 2015 winner in this event at Sisters. Sean Santucci of Prineville is another local cowboy to watch in this event.

There are 35 entries in Bareback riding, Tilden Hooper won the 2019 RAM National Finals Rodeo in March. He will compete against some of the best, such as Clayton Biglow, who won the Dixie National Rodeo in February and R.C. Landingham, winner of the Montgomery rodeo in March.

Sisters has a history of great bareback riders, established by former Redmond resident Bobby Mote, a multiple World Champion rider. Mote, who lives in Texas, has trained many riders, such as Austin Foss of Terrebonne, who is representing Central Oregon proudly at No. 7 currently.

Team roping has 53 entries, including Riley and Brady Minor, who won Ellensburg Rodeo in September. Trey Yates won in the huge Tucson Rodeo in February, and will compete at Sisters with a new partner.

Many local cowboys are in this event, including Russell Cardoza of Terrebonne, Dave Inman of Bend, Shane Erickson of Terrebonne, and McKennan Buckner of Powell Butte.

Local team ropers also include the Cully and Dayton Stafford team from Prineville, the Sam Willis and JR Brown team of Terrebonne and Redmond and Travis Bales of Redmond. Don’t forget the local artist Brandon Beers, who produced the running horses on Highway 20 just south of Sisters.

Rodeo fans are at their loudest as they encourage women’s barrel racers in a dash to the finish line in this popular event. The current world leader, Nellie Miller, is among the entries, with a full cadre of racers hot on her heels.

Thirteen local women are competing in barrel racing, in an entry of ninety racers. Local racers who have made a name for themselves include Lexie Goss, Jessica Crouch and the historical favorite, former World Champion Brenda Mays.

Bull riding brings 61 competitors to the weekend rodeo events, but that doesn’t include the all-bull-riding competition on Wednesday night at Xtreme Bulls.

There are some top bull riders entered at Sisters, including Rhen Richard, who recently surpassed the million-dollar mark in career earnings. Then there is Chase Dougherty, a Portland native, who won the RAM Top Gun Award at the 2018 National Finals Rodeo, winning more money than any other competitor at the NFR.

Jordan Spears won at Clovis Rodeo in April and Stetson Wright is leading the rookie standings and is currently at third in world standings. The competition will be challenging and the bulls will be at the top of their game in fine weather for a rodeo weekend.

The action starts Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. with Xtreme Bulls, then traditional rodeo runs Friday through Sunday with four performances. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.sistersrodeo.com. The ticket office is closed Wednesday. Then, available tickets may be purchased at the rodeo grounds ticket office two hours before each performance.

(Correction re: “Film will highlight Sisters Rodeo,” The Nugget May 29, page 15): Sisters Rodeo received support from COVA and Sisters Chamber of Commerce for RFD television production during the rodeo.