Sunday’s Cowkids Rodeo gave youth an opportunity to compete as they learn the ropes of the sport.

There were 78 participants from Grant County and as far away as Redmond and Ontario.

Simmie Waddel took the reins again this year as the organizer of the event.

“They enjoy being able to participate in a real rodeo,” she said. “The Cinnabar Mountain Playdays are great, but they don’t have the opportunity to ride any roughstock.”

She said the closest youth rodeos are in central Oregon and in Idaho.

The rodeo had youth through age 5 riding sheep, or wooly bullies in Cowkids terminology. Ages 6-9 could ride calves and the junior and senior divisions could ride steer.

“I’d like to give a big thank you to those that donated stock,” Waddel said. “Willis and Melanie Kimball donated the calves, Mike Carr and John Clark provided steers, plus the McDaniel family, Martin family and the Waddel family.”

There were 22 belt buckles given away to winners.

Trinity Hutchison, 15 of John Day, Waddel’s daughter, has been competing in rodeo since she was 2 years old.

On Sunday, she earned one buckle for goat tying and another for dummy roping. She also placed third in barrels and competed in pole bending.

Hutchison said goat tying is her favorite event, and she competes in barrels and pole bending with her 5-year-old filly Paulina.

She hopes to one day compete in a professional rodeo. She said she likes having the local rodeo with out-of-town participation.

“It’s a good experience to get you started, and it’s something to look forward to because you have the opportunity to win a buckle at the end, if you do good,” Hutchison said.

Waddel said she’s been organizing the Cowkids Rodeo for six years. She handles all aspects of preparing for the rodeo, and then on rodeo day, many volunteers come out to help with timing, running gates, pushing stock and helping the youth.

“I’d like to thank all the volunteers who keep everything running smooth,” she said.

Besides the other Grant County Fair sponsors, she said her big donors are Pioneer Feed, which gives half the cost of the buckles, and Bar W-B, which donates Wrangler blankets.

Mary Ann Vidourek also embroiders the hats and blankets for a minimal cost.

Waddel said the buckles are a special prize to the winners.

“It’s a trophy that they can wear,” she said. “My kids enjoy hearing people ask about how they won it. It’s something that they earned, not just something they went out and bought.”

Cowkids Rodeo, first-place winners

Peewee Division

Wooly bullies: Nolan Mobley, first; Paxton Waggoner, second; Trevor Sasser, third.

Dummy roping: Paxton Waggoner, first; Cruz Trevino, second; Kodee Kimball, third.

Pole bending: Kodee Kimball, first; Jadon Snow, second; Paisley Jennings, third.

Barrels: Kodee Kimball, first; Cash Coleman, second; Jadon Snow, third.

Goat tail untying: Kodee Kimball, first; Cash Coleman, second; Jadon Snow, third.

Youth Division

Calf riding: Taylor Parsons, first; Tayton Harper, second; Jace Waggoner, third.

Dummy roping: Colton Clark, first; Denni Coleman, second; Savannah Watterson, third.

Pole bending: Denni Coleman, first; Hayden Churchfield, second; Colton Clark, third.

Barrels: Denni Coleman, first; Hayden Churchfield, second; Taylor Churchfield, third.

Goat tail untying: Taylor Churchfield, first; Denni Coleman, second; Colton Clark, third.

(Breakaway roping had four competitors, no time.)

Junior Division

Steer riding: Riley Robertson, first; Kase Schaffeld, second; Callie Arriola, third.

Dummy roping: Lacy Churchfield, first; Rowdy Israel, second; Riley Robertson, third.

Pole bending: Lacy Churchfield, first; Bailey McCracken, second; Sam McCracken, third.

Barrels: Lacy Churchfield, first; Bailey McCracken, second; Sam McCracken, third.

Goat tying: Lacy Churchfield, first; Quinton Johnson, second; Kase Schaffeld.

(Breakaway roping had four competitors, no time.)

Senior Division

Steer riding: Opie McDaniel, first; Warner Robertson, second; Ben Combs, third.

Dummy roping: Trinity Hutchison, first; Jackson Schaffeld, second; Opie McDaniel, third.

Pole bending: Regan Johnson, first; Cinch Anderson, second; Denali Twehues, third.

Barrels: Denali Twehues, first; Regan Johnson, second; Trinity Hutchison, third.

Goat tying: Trinity Hutchison, first; Denali Twehues, second; Cinch Anderson, third.

(Breakaway roping had two competitors, no time)