Scores of spectators filled the stands and thrilled to the spectacle of bucking broncs, angry bulls, fast and nimble horses and the skill of cowboys and cowgirls competing at the annual ICA Rodeo at the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day.

The Idaho Cowboys Association-sanctioned rodeo, which kicks off the Grant County Fair, was held the evenings of Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4 and 5, in the Iron Triangle Outdoor Arena, where the smell of kettle corn and barbecue filled the cool summer night air.

The rodeo features some of the region’s top talent competing in categories such as saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, breakaway roping, steer wrestling and bull riding.

Each night began with a pre-rodeo filled with novices and local youth competing in breakaway roping and barrel racing. The pre-rodeo was followed by a drill team show performed by the Desperados Co-Ed Equestrian Drill Team out of Eugene, an appearance from Grant County Fair Parade Grand Marshal Tinka Oliver, a visit from rodeo courts from surrounding counties, past Grant County rodeo queens, and the Grant County Fair’s current court: Queen Laramie Kiser, 17, and her twin sister, Princess Lavina Kiser.

The top cash prize of $1,214.40 went to Tommy Jack Rose for his skill at tie-down roping.

During the second night of the rodeo, an ambulance from Blue Mountain Hospital was called in to help carry injured bronc rider Quenten Gonzalez after the announcer said he apparently injured his ribs on the saddle horn. It was unknown what the condition of the rider was as of press time. On Monday, a nursing supervisor said he was no longer at the hospital.

Among those competing and spectating was an entire family from the Holly Ranch in Mt. Vernon — Stephanie Holly, competing in novice barrels and breakaway roping; her husband, Ty Holly, competing in tie-down roping; and their son Cooper Holly, 14, who competed in novice breakaway roping.

“(The rodeo is) great for the community. It’s so nice to see everybody come out and have a good time. It’s just a family atmosphere” Stephanie Holly said. “My husband comes from a big roping family, the Finley family, and so we just have learned from them and learned to love it like they do.”

Nearby, watching in the front row, were former rodeo barrel racing champions Yo Curtis, of Homedale, Idaho, and Cindy Legg, of Mt. Vernon, who had raced at the Grant County Rodeo in the 1970s. Stephanie Holly said Legg is her husband’s aunt.

Legg said her father used to rope, and she ran barrels.

“That’s how I met my husband, was at rodeo,” she said. “Our middle daughter, Trisha McCoin, is competing here. She’s in the breakaway (roping).”

Curtis, known as Marts when she competed at the Grant County Rodeo 50 years ago, hadn’t been back since then, but she remembered when she won first in the barrel race and was excited to see her daughter Anjie Powell compete in the same event on the second night of the rodeo.

“I think it’s great. I love being able to be in America with this kind of an attitude toward all of the people that are involved,” she said.

Carrying the American flag while riding horseback was Grant County Fair and Rodeo Queen Laramie Kiser, with her sister, Rodeo Princess Lavina Kiser, carrying the Oregon state flag during the grand entry. The sisters were also able to compete in the cowhide race on the final night of the rodeo.

“Grand entry was one of my favorite parts because we had so many (rodeo) queens come from other places, and the past queens,” Laramie said. “They didn’t have that last year and, as far as I know, we haven’t had that in a while.”

Chad Finley, who is a member of the Grant County Fair Rodeo Committee, helped organize the event and competed in tie-down roping on Saturday night.

“It was a real good rodeo,” he said. “We had a good turnout. We had a lot of contestants and we had a lot of people show up, and the crowd was good. Without the crowd, we couldn’t have had this rodeo.”

Bareback Riding

First Place: Hunter Greenup

Saddle Bronc Riding

First Place: Chase Martin

Second Place: Chase Martin

Ranch Saddle Bronc

First Place: Cutter Marsh

Second Place: Fernando Robles

Third Place: Sabien Bohrn

Tie-Down Roping

First Place: Tommy Jack Rose

Second Place: Jared Parke

Third Place: Chase Joyce

Bull Riding

No results

Breakaway Roping

First Place: Jordan Minor

First Place (Tie): Jordan Minor

Third Place: Katie McFarlane

Third Place (Tie): Rylee Hansen

Steer Wrestling

First Place: BoDee Foster

Second Place: Trevor Maddox

Third Place: Trevor Maddox

Team Roping

First Place: Jake Minor, Heeler; Garrett Rogers, Header

Second Place: Mason McDaniel, Header; Chad McDaniel, Heeler

Third Place: Clayton Hansen, Header; Chase Hansen, Heeler

Barrel Racing

First Place: Jordan Minor

Second Place: Sierra Telford

Third Place: Anjie Powell

Novice Bareback

First Place: Dusty Dodge

Novice Saddle Bronc

First Place: Justin England

Second Place: Brycen Martin