Page 19 - Broad Sheet Tempate.qxd

BUCKEROO
June 14, 1928
Molalla Volunteer Fire Department an Waldo
Caufield Post No. 1324, Veterans of Foreign
Wars present their fourth annual “Buckeroo”
roundup July 2, 3, 4, 1928, a show depicting the
early life of those who made the great west
“What It Is.”
Here, each year the pride of the west, cow-
boys and cowgirls, come to compete in rare
feats of strengths , bravery and skill. These peo-
ple come from Canada, Montana, Idaho,
Washington, Wyoming, California, Oregon and
other states. They come to compete for purses
and high honors, but also to bring back the
memory of the west in the days of the pioneer.
The horses are the wildest of bucking
brones—the outlaw string of Ben Jory’s, caught
unbroken from many ranges, and bucking to the
last in their efforts not to be conquered by man.
The famous bucking buffalo, pitting his cun-
ning against mere man. Longhorn steers are
brought fromArizona ranges to be used in bull-
dogging contests.
Indians from the Umatilla reservation are
brought here each year. With them comes Chief
Minthorn of the Umatillas, the bucks, squaws,
pappooses and the cayuse ponies. They Indians
pitch their tepees near the “Buckeroo Grounds.”
They depict a scene in the parade and during the
arena show, of that race, which at one time con-
trolled the west.
The “Buckeroo” is the only show west of the
Cascades to be staged as open competition.
Cash award goes to the cowboy who wins the
bucking contest.
Each night there will be staged a pageant,
“The Spirit of the Trail,” in the arena which will
be especially lighted for this event. The night
show will be under the direction of James W.
Evans who had much experience with
pageantry of this type. It will be shown at pop-
ular prices.
On the night of July 4 there will be an addi-
tion to the regular night show when the pageant
in flames, “The Winning of the West” will be
featured. This will be the greatest fireworks
ever presented to a local audience.
The parade each day at 11 o’clock will be
featured with all of the theme of the old west.
Patriotic program on the fourth of July.
Buckeroo tickets $1.00 July 2, any seat.
Reserved seats $1.50 July 3 and 4. Tickets on
sale by Duane Robbins, secretary.
Oregon Historical Society Photograph No. CN000572
The first bull-riding and bronc-busting event held in 1913 was so successful that each fall a small Wild West show was staged outside of town with local stock animals. One year the city council decided to sponsor
the event and was surprised the profits amounted to $1,800. They moved the show into town when the city purchased William Shaver’s ballpark, near the northwest corner of Main and Molalla Streets. The baseball
stadium was improved to hold 300 spectators, but by the late 1930s, it could hold a few thousand. This photograph of the old grandstand was taken on June 28, 1936.
BUCKEROO ADDS NIGHT SHOW
AND FIREWORKS TO PROGRAM
HOW IT CAME TO BE THE ‘BUCKEROO’
July 4, 1946
by Gordon Taylor
(This week we asked Gordon Taylor,
founder of the PIONEER and one of those
most instrumental in setting up the first
Molalla Buckeroo, to tell us something about
the original show.)
“Buckeroo is a copywrited word belonging to
the Molalla show alone. The show had been
called “the Round-up” for several years.
An official meeting was called for the pur-
pose. Several names were suggested. They were
brought to the PIONEER office to by typed.
The word ‘Buckaroo’ (as it is in the dictionar-
ies) was mispelled ‘Buckeroo’, and a new word
was added to the Western vernacular. By ballot
it was adopted as the permanent name for the
high-class wild west entertainment.
For a number of years the celebration was
under the direction of the Molalla volunteer
firemen. They probably are distinguished as the
only fire fighting organization in Oregon which
bought and paid for modern fire-fighting equip-
ment without using taxpayers’ money.
Molalla Buckeroo is an outstanding achieve-
ment of young men, devoted to the welfare of
their home community. They well and wisely
laid the foundation upon which others have
built.
Buckeroo, July 2-4, 1928
July 4, 1968
The 45th annual Molalla Buckeroo, one of
the oldest rodeos in the Pacific Northwest, gets
underway Wednesday, July 3 with the first of
four performances set for 8 p.m. Although the
Buckeroo is a mere 45 years old, Molalla can
trace a history of rodeo back to 1913 making it
perhaps the oldest rodeo in Oregon.
Bull riding, the most dangerous event in the
sport of rodeo, was begun here in the first
rodeo in 1913 and has continued ever since.
Many famous bulls have appeared in the
Molalla Buckeroo arena and all the top hands
in rodeo have tried their luck here. 1968 will
see top cowboy Bob Wenger in action and per-
haps the most famous brahma bull in
Northwest Rode circles, “Sad Sam.” More
than 150 cowboys are signed up and “ready to
rodeo” come July 3, 4 and 5th.
The 1968 Buckroo is being dedicated to
long time Buckeroo Director Clyde Kendall.
Buckeroo Has 45 Years of Service Here
18 MOLALLA PIONEER 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
The History of the Molalla Buckeroo
Molalla Pioneer
America’s rodeos are living legacies of the working cowboy and cowgirl. Since its early begin-
nings the Molalla Buckeroo has become a classic example. The Fourth of July holiday is known as
Cowboy Christmas in rodeo circles. Molalla’s Buckeroo is one of the many that cowboys and other
competitors have to choose from as the nation celebrates its birthday each summer.
The large number of rodeos in the Pacific Northwest, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho and
Northern California, offer many rodeos within easy traveling distance.
They provide the men and women who make rodeo a part of their lives the opportunity to rack
up points and purse money in a very short time.
Today’s rodeo contestants stay in town only long enough to complete their rides, and then they're
off to the next town, the next rodeo, and the next purse.
It was in 1913 that Molalla became part of that Cowboy Christmas list — a list that was much
shorter than it is today.
Molalla’s crossroads were emerging — the town was growing and prospecting right along with
its timber and farming industries.
As the town continued to grow, the town’s people became more and more anxious for a railroad
that would connect this area to the rest of the state and country.
Finally, on Sept. 9, 1913, the Portland, Eugene and Eastern Trailway came to Molalla and gave
Molalla a vital link to the outside world.
The idea of a rodeo was born from the town's desire to celebrate the arrival of the train — mak-
ing the Buckeroo Roundup, as it was known, the third established rodeo taking place in Oregon.
The buckeroo, which was originally held in fields near town, grew rapidly in its first few years,
and the date was eventually changed to the first week of July to celebrate the birth of the nation.
Initially local firefighters sponsored the event as a way to raise funds for equipment needed to
fight the town's fires. In 1923, the Molalla Buckeroo Association was formed and took over oper-
ation of the rodeo. The Buckeroo Association began construction of an arena soon after taking over
the operation and in 1925 the rodeo had its first permanent home.
Each year, as the Buckeroo celebration and rodeo drew near, the town found itself in a spirited
and festive mood, much as it does today.
The Fourth of July Parade, now known as the Giant Street parade, is also a traditional part of the
celebration.
All of these years after its first rodeo, the Molalla Buckeroo is now firmly ensconced in its
Shirley Street arena and continues to draw in competitors from the PRCA circuit.
Molalla Pioneer
Frank Lowes on Rico in a Buckeroo publicity shot in 1954. Lowes was president of the Buckeroo
Association at the time. Rico belonged to Elmer Sawtell. Lowes was a prominent business and civic
leader, and was influential in the growth of the Buckeroo. Lowes was born in Detroit, but moved to
Portland in 1926 to work for West Oregon Lumber Company. He died in an auto accident shortly after
this picture was taken.
Celebrating 100 years of the Molalla Buckeroo