Stars on American flag

It seems as if everyone is planning to show up to celebrate the Sisters Rodeo’s 75th anniversary at the annual parade.

The Military Parents of Sisters, the VFW and American Legion are marching with more members than ever before. Both the Cascade Horizon Band — a group of 50+ musicians — and the Sisters Outlaw Marching Band, made up of Sisters school-aged children, are returning this year.

John Payne, better known as The One Arm Bandit from Oklahoma, is also returning, along with Dan Fouts, the famed University of Oregon football player and commentator.

R.L. Garrigus was chosen to be the Grand Marshal, a significant choice for sure, as the KSJJ radio newscaster has been announcing the parade for 35 years.

He will lead off the parade with this year’s Rodeo Queen, Mikaela Koellermeier. But, she’s not the only queen to join the parade.

Within the 100 entries and more than 1,000 parade participants, 28 former Sisters Rodeo Queens will take the spotlight as they return to celebrate the history of “The Biggest Little Show in the World.”

“We sent out letters to every possible queen we could find,” said Jeri Buckman, Sisters Rodeo Parade coordinator. “We wanted to get as many to return as we could, and we were just delighted with the response.”

Buckman’s daughter, Sara Marcus, who was crowned queen in 2012, will be on the specially designed float with the rest of the rodeo royalty.

“I think it’s important to be inlaid in the history of the rodeo association,” said Marcus. “I’m excited to visit with the many queens I’ve never met before, see all the girls that inspired me, and to get to spend time with so many old friends.”

Sara has been a member of the rodeo association since she and her parents moved to Sisters in 1999, a move that she says changed her life.

“I’ve been everything from a weed puller to a trash picker-upper to a barrel painter,” she said. “It was the members of the rodeo association that raised me, that changed me. … I remember being the queen, up in the front of the parade with the grand marshal, and it was just one of the most spectacular moments of my life, surrounded by my community, friends and family, and how the Sisters Rodeo is always so well attended, seven people deep. I’m there every year. It’s like coming home.”

Another queen who is at the parade every year is Helen (Filey) O’Brien, who as Rodeo Queen in 1945, is this year’s oldest returning queen.

“Back then we didn’t decorate the back of our saddles,” said O’Brien. “We just wore western clothes and boots and a hat. We didn’t do all that fancy stuff they do now.”

O’Brien continues to ride every year in the parade in her son Steven’s 1939 classic Cadillac limousine, but has fond memories of her first Sisters Rodeo Parade.

“I rode a Bay, Trixie, my mother’s horse. My horse was foal you see. She was pretty fat, and I don’t think I could have put a saddle on her,” Helen added with a laugh.

O’Brien is definitely part of Central Oregon’s equestrian history. Her father used to manage draft horses in an old barn down by the mill at what used to be Brooks Scanlon.

“It’s amazing how everything has changed,” O’Brien said, “but we can’t stay the same. That’s not progress. Still, I love this little old mill town, and it’ll be fun to see everyone come back to visit.”

“I think rodeo — staying connected with that history of working with horses and livestock, not just as a hobby, but as part of our history — is so important,” said Dana (Salo) Hall, who was the Sisters Rodeo Queen in 2000. Returning from Eagle River, Alaska, Hall is the furthest returning queen to the parade.

“It was a gorgeous Central Oregon day,” recalled Hall of her own parade as Rodeo Queen. “There were blue skies, and I had a huge bouquet of red roses behind my saddle. I was fully sponsored by Leavitt’s of Sisters, and so I was very dressed up — puffy shoulders, super shiny shirts and huge rodeo hair!”

In 2002, Hall moved to Alaska to pursue her bachelor’s and then master’s in clinical psychology, all the while continuing to train horses. But being born in Tillamook, a former resident of Sisters, and a graduate of Bend High School, Oregon has always been home.

“It was so great getting to travel all around the state and country representing Sisters,” Hall said. “People always knew where I was talking about, where I was from. … It’s a great program, too. Being a queen definitely changed my life, and I’m excited to meet all of these women that are a part of that community of people.”

“Everywhere I went, Oklahoma or Texas, everyone knew and respected the Sisters Rodeo,” echoed Marcus, who after becoming Sisters Rodeo Queen went on to be Miss Rodeo Oregon in 2014.

“But of all the parades I’ve ever been to, Sisters Rodeo Parade is just wonderfully short and sweet and people love it,” Marcus continued. “There are no bells and whistles. You don’t need that.”

“It’s paradise,” added Hall. “That’s it. The people have strong connections there, and looking out into the audience, you know people care. The people involved are still the people involved. They’re committed. That’s what makes it so great.”