Every September since 1910, the Pendleton Round-Up has drawn thousands of rodeo fans to a small town in eastern Oregon. For seven days, the crowds in Pendleton thrill to contests that range from bull riding and bronc busting to barrel racing and bareback Indian relays.
The Round-Up kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11 with a full costume parade through the downtown Pendleton area. The Round-Up events continue until the following Saturday and feature concerts, pageants, arts and crafts, and of course, rodeo events.
The Round-Up’s centennial is commemorated with the book Pendleton Round-Up at 100: Oregon’s Legendary Rodeo. This extravagantly illustrated book captures Round-Up’s the enduring appeal in Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and the world of rodeo.
As highlighted in these pages, the Pendleton Round-Up has many singular features. First, there is its famous “bucking horse” logo and its signature slogan, “Let ‘er Buck.” Then there are its unique long wooden chutes and hard grass turf. And from the very beginning, American Indians have been as much a part of the Round-Up scene as the cowboys and roughstock. In the rodeo’s Native American Village, Indians camp in traditional tipis and celebrate their long-standing cultural traditions.
