Sisters Rodeo rides on the backs of volunteers

The Sisters Rodeo will offer its usual drama and excitement June 13-15. Photo by Jeff Sperber

Before the buckin' and ropin,' before the bulls and dogies, before the flags and banners, there's a whole passel of work to be done to get the Sisters Rodeo underway. The 63rd annual Sisters Rodeo will run this weekend, June 13-15.

"We've got over 200 volunteers in our rodeo association who do all the work," said Bob "Bucky" Buckmann, head of grounds and maintenance. "We are probably the only rodeo in America that puts on a show with 100 percent volunteers. We have not one paid employee."

For 25 years, Glenn Miller, this year's president, has been involved with the Sisters Rodeo.

"He virtually runs the show," said Buckmann. "And we couldn't do it without Cathy Williams, who handles all our ticket sales and advertising. She is our office person."

Starting in late March or early April, "depending upon the weather, we have a work crew of from 12 to 48 rodeo members out at the grounds almost every Saturday morning spreading bark, trimming up the trees, painting our grandstand benches and generally sprucing up the place," Buckmann added.

"Pat Page is in charge of our food operations, the concessions as well as our own kitchen in the Club House.

"She sees to it that our volunteers are well fed from coffee and doughnuts at 9 a.m. to a full lunch at noon."

This year, for the first time, the rodeo will have it's own water for irrigation.

"Last year we received our 'water rights' permit and we now get water directly from the Squaw Creek Irrigation District," Buckmann said. "Our volunteers have been digging a ditch to hold a four inch irrigation pipe. As soon as we get hooked up, we'll start irrigating five acres of our land.

"We also have been raising the speaker and light cables overhead in our arena to provide plenty of air space for our featured act this year, 'Wild Child.'

"He does go high we're told," Buckmann said.

The intermission act features motocross stunts.

During the three-day show, volunteers also sort out the animals before they get into the chutes to be sure each cowboy is getting the animal he drew.

"Then we have volunteers at the take-out gate, loading the calves and horses onto a trailer to take them back to the stock holding pens," Buckmann said.

It's a lot of work -- but a labor of love.

"Rodeo gets in your blood," Buckmann said. "There's a respect for the cowboy and the tradition of the Old West. It becomes a commitment, something almost akin to patriotic. This is a family affair.

"For example, in our family, my wife, Jeri, will ride in Saturday's parade and be on horseback parking cars. Adam, our 15-year-old son, sells programs and works in one of the concession stands.

"Sara, at 10, is always involved in one way or another."

After the buckin' and ropin,' after the bulls and the dogies, after the cowboys and horses are gone, Billybob Bruhns and his work crews of young men and women tend to the cleanup. He lives on the grounds in a trailer for four days while volunteers and others in a work-release program clean up the trash.

Tuesday, June 10 was to be the group's final inspection to make sure the grounds are ready for this weekend's guests.

"We'll get the flags and banners up and do a final mowing and watering so all will be ready when the cowboys and cattle start arriving," Buckmann said.

Sheryn Bagley -- the "Lady Painter" -- "gives the place a final spruce-up," said Buckmann. "And this year Suzi Sheward decorated and repainted the inside of the clubhouse. She also designed our 'Big Red' poster you see all over town and painted them."