Rodeo secretary loves Sisters

Since 1967, Edie Longfellow has been possibly the most important fixture of rodeo. She drives over 15,000 miles a year in her job as PRCA rodeo official secretary of the Columbia River Rodeo circuit.

"Some rodeo secretaries try to keep their rodeo assignments within 150 miles of home," Longfellow explains, "but I'd miss returning to places like Sisters."

Every rodeo of the season is another reunion for Longfellow, who also attends every national finals to end the season with friends and watch firsthand what makes a World Champion in this sport of her life.

A rodeo secretary keeps records of rodeo entries, collects entry fees, writes the checks for the winners and records and posts information for contestants at each rodeo. She knows these contestants. She has watched some of them grow from childhood, as they travel with their professional rodeo parents through the years to developing into professionals themselves.

After each rodeo performance, it is her responsibility to send scores and times to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, where statistics are recorded in the annual books. The end result of these scores and times determines which cowboys and cowgirls qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo held each December.