Savilla Trowbridge reigned for a day as grand marshal

JOHN DAY – When the Grant County Fair Parade made its way through the streets of John Day on Aug. 10, Savilla Trowbridge rode high on her horse, Cash.

As a lifelong resident of Grant County who has attended the Grant County Fair for 74 years, she reigned as grand marshal. Her husband, Bud, was honored as grand marshal in 1983.

In years past, Savilla organized parades, served as a 4-H leader and worked with and judged Grant County Fair and Rodeo courts, which used to include five girls, one from each community. She also served as secretary for the Eastern Oregon Junior Rodeo and Grant County Fair Rodeo. Some excitement developed one year when a couple of buckaroos didn’t pay their dues for the rodeo, and the Oregon State Police had to be called in to collect before they could continue.

The Trowbridges recalled County Fair-related activities they have been supported – including starting a local roping club, efforts to provide lighting at the fairgrounds and the popular horse races, which brought in big crowds, but ended in 1959. They both remember when people would plan all year long for the fair.

Bud’s folks, B.C. and ?? Trowbridge, were so involved in the fair that one year instead of a rodeo there was a dedication for B.C., for whom the Trowbridge Pavilion was named. B.C. even lobbied the Oregon Legislature in 1947 and was successful in legalizing betting on horse races.

As a rancher’s wife, Savilla did her share of the work – cutting hay, milking cows, birthing calves, cooking for a crowd and tending to household duties. She grew up on a ranch homesteaded in the Fox Valley in 1917 by her parents, Ervan and Inez Simmons, and was born at the Hot Springs Resort near Mt. Vernon. In time the Simmons’ cattle ranch encompassed 5,000 acres.

She participated in 4-H as a youngster and at age 10 entered a knitted potholder in the fair that earned her a 25-cent award which she promptly spent on a game where she received a treasured pocket knife. Savilla rode horseback to the one-room school until about age 13, when her father bought her a Model A Ford that she drove with style as she transported herself and other school children.

She and Bud married in 1946 and worked together at the B.C. Trowbridge Ranch in John Day for 24 years, then bought the her parent’s ranch and moved to Fox Valley, where they resided for 26 years. Their cattle ranching began with shorthorn, Hereford, then Charlois, Red Angus, Simental and Black Angus.

Today Bud and Savilla are retired and live between Mt. Vernon and John Day. They have three daughters, Austene Hendrix of John Day who was a Grant County Fair maid; Susan DuPont of Canby who served as Grant County Fair Queen and Pendleton Round-Up princess; and Milne Purchase of Pendleton, who enjoyed rodeoing and barrel racing around the nation.