Sisters Rodeo Parade brings on the fun

There is nothing better than a parade - especially a parade with lots and lots of horses - and that's exactly what the Sisters Rodeo Parade offered locals and tourists alike last Saturday morning.

Cascade Avenue was adorned with entries as varied mounted riders, car clubs, school bands and area state and county officials. Both Lei Durdan, the 2007 Sisters Rodeo Grand Marshal, and Misty Carter, this year's rodeo queen, regally greeted all with smiles and waves.

Members of the mounted Silver Edge Drill Team, who regularly compete in drill team competitions, participated dressed in their desert fantasy costumes.

Students from A Joyful Noise Learning Center rode on a flatbed, roasting marshmallows and waving to the crowd. According to the school's owner Evelyn Brush, students from the school have participated in the parade for the last six years.

"It helps the kids get over their shyness. It helps them with their social skills. They have a great time, and they get to dress up," Brush said.

Jerry Andres from Sisters View Clydesdales brought a matched team of four black Clydesdales for everyone's enjoyment.

"Three of the four were raised at our farm. I delivered them personally," said Andres. "We have a show at Eagle Crest in July. We'll have over 100 head of draft horses there. We compete against each other for prize money and just have a bunch of fun."

The show is scheduled for July 20-22.

The Central Oregon PeeWee Rodeo court rode in the parade.

"It means a lot because this is my home town," said Sisters High School sophomore Sara Marcus. "It really matters to me about my horses and what I do ... Some people think its silly, but it means more to me than they think."

Senator Ben Westlund rode in the parade in a 1955 Cadillac convertible. Deschutes County Commissioner Mike Daly also participated, handing out candy to all the children.

A group of about 30 Sisters Girls Scouts marched, as did members of Cub Scouts Pack 139.

Owners of approximately 20 Model As showed off their pristine, highly polished, vintage cars. Members of Bend's High Desert Corvette Club revved their motors as they traveled down Cascade Avenue, and the Deschutes County Mustangs that include a Cobra and a Ranchero were out in full force.

The Sisters High School Outlaws Band performed with director Jody Henderson playing his trumpet, as did the Cascade Horizon Band that entertained with a medley of military marches.

Members of the Sisters Garden Club marched in unison and performed a nicely choreographed drill using rakes as a prop.

Ladies from the Desert Diamonds Drill Team of Bend showed off their skills.

"We're a group of ladies who are mostly seniors. We've only been working as a team for two years, and yet we've taken third place at the state fair...," said the organization's secretary Linda Collins-McNutt.

Pat Bullard has come to the Sisters Rodeo and Parade for the last 26 years. He remembers when the parade started with a 10k Stampede Run.

"We used to start the parade. Believe it or not I was young enough at one time to actually run down the street. Then, we'd run through the woods. The parade would follow us, and then we'd go to the rodeo in the afternoon. I started the tradition with college buddies, and we're still coming."

According to Greg Hilliard from Portland who attended the parade and rodeo for his first time, everything about Sisters and the weekend's activities was great.

"I like the Old West. It's a real nice town," he said.