The Deschutes County Rodeo, part of the annual Des-chutes County Fair, is consistently named Rodeo of the Year by the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA)—for 16 out of the last 18 years. The fair entrance fee covers rodeo admission and includes the pre-show and Chute 9, the rodeo after-party.

“It’s a great rodeo because of the quality of our contestants, our rodeo committee, and our stock contractors,” said Gladys Sappington, fair association president for the past three years and rodeo director for the past 18. “It really takes a village to put this show on, and a lot of great people are involved.”

One of those great people is Gladys’s daughter, Katie Sappington, now 24 years old, who has been helping out with the rodeo since she was six.

“I can’t imagine my life without it,” Katie said with a laugh. “I just love it—it’s a community, family thing and it’s a lifestyle sport.”

Professional Central Oregon cowboys Austin Foss and Steven Peebles appear regularly at the Deschutes County Rodeo, and there are always some local cowboys and gals who enter in slack to get in a performance, said Sappington. And plenty of professional rodeoathletes travel from all over the NPRA circuit to compete at the Deschutes County Rodeo.

Unique to the Deschutes County Rodeo is the lively pre-show, in which old-fashioned horse-drawn wagons demonstrate driving for the rodeo fans a half hour before the rodeo events actually begin at 7 pm. Also, Chute 9 is unique, a 21-and-older after-party with live music from the Wyatt Fox and Jackson band and beer and spirits from Columbia Distributing. Chute 9 starts the minute the last bull is out of the arena on Friday and Saturday night, Sappington said, and ends when the fair closes at 11 pm. While Chute 9 is technically a no-minors-allowed event, the rodeo itself is very family-friendly, and Sappington said some families let their kids hang out in the arena and dance to the music, so that everyone feels included.

“Inclusive” is a great word to describe Gladys and Katie, whose shared enthusiasm for the rodeo and their community is infectious and welcoming.

“It really is a family affair,” said Katie. “It’s so cool because I grew up here, and I’ll see the kid from my high school math class is now a professional cowboy. I know a lot of people involved, so it feels like family, like a tight-knit community.”

Gladys grew up in rodeo as well (her grandfather helped start the Deschutes County Rodeo), and she passed her love of the sport on to her daughter. Gladys said this is true of many of the people who serve on the rodeo committee—they also help with rodeo because of long family, traditional, and community ties.

“What’s amazing about rodeo is that it’s a lifestyle,” said Katie. “This sport grew out of a daily rhythm of life from back in the day, and now it’s a worldwide sport. It’s not about just the game, it’s about a way of life.”

The Deschutes County Rodeo will be celebrating 99 years this year, and next year Gladys said they plan to double the prize money for the 100th anniversary.

“It’s a really special thing. We’re very proud of our rodeo—it is a labor of love,” she said.

The Deschutes County Rodeo admission is included in your fair ticket. The pre-show starts at 6:30 pm and the rodeo begins at 7 pm, with performances on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.