<I>East Oregonian File Photo</I><BR>Casey Martin of Sulpher, La., competes in steer wrestling at the 2008 Pendleton Roundup.

PENDLETON?- It might not look like much to the average Pendleton resident that drives past it everyday, but to a cowboy the Round-Up Arena can be a pretty imposing figure.

With its sloped grass infield and nearly a century of history coursing through its veins, the Pendleton RoundUp serves as an important proving ground for cowboys, and girls, young and old.

“You hear lots of stories, scary stories – horses flipping over on the grass,” said steer wrestler and tie-down roper Josh Peek of when he was beginning his rodeo career and had yet to experience the Round-Up first hand.

Peek, who is in the middle of another strong season and was No. 4 in the PRCA all-around standings through August, said because of the danger involved several cowboys choose not to enter the Round-Up.

“It’s dangerous everytime you run off that hill or one of those guys get on a bull on that grass, anything can happen. If you’re not aggressive and confident in what you’re doing you can get hurt real easy,” he said, adding he actually thrives on the added pucker factor. “I enjoy the kinds of rodeos that are different, that are tough. It’s not just about running and jumping, it’s about riding your horse, it’s a cowboy’s rodeo.”