Dig out your cowboy boots and hat, the Horse Heaven Round-Up is rolling into town.
Action begins Aug. 26 at the Benton Franklin Fairgrounds, and your ticket to the fair gets you a seat to watch some of the best ropers and riders on the PRCA circuit test their skills against 2,000 bulls and feisty calves.
Rough stock will come from the Big Bend Flying 5 Rodeo Company, with timed-event stock from Palmer Smith.
Thursday's tie-down roping event is a must see with six-time world all-around champion Trevor Brazile, eight-time world champion Fred Whitfield and 2008 PRCA rookie of the year Tuf Cooper in the lineup. Brazile also will team rope with Patrick Smith on Thursday.
For the first time, the athletes will have access to immediate care with onsite sports medicine personnel provided by Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.
Announcer Roger Mooney returns with the HHRU, with bullfighters Rowdy Barry and Lloyd Ketchum looking out for the bull riders.
This year's specialty act, which will run each night before the action begins and again between events, will be Calgary native Sally Bishop, a third generation rodeo and wild west performer.
Bishop has performed at the Calgary Stampede, the National Finals Rodeo, Excalibur in Las Vegas and for the prince of Saudi Arabia.
Thursday is Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night, with the top performer in each event taking home a bonus of $200 and a buckle -- if they are wearing pink.
There should be no excuse for not pocketing the bonus money because Kadlec is providing free pink Wrangler shirts, embroidered with the HHRU and Kadlec logos for all competitors. River Realty is sponsoring the buckles.
The fair and rodeo board will donate $1 for every person wearing pink to the event, and will have items for sale to benefit breast cancer awareness.
"We have raised $33,000 over the last three years," said Lori Lancaster, director of marketing for the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo.
All of the money raised stays in the Mid-Columbia and is given to the three local hospitals -- Kadlec, Kennewick General Hospital and Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco -- to help with care and to provide free mammograms for those who cannot afford them.
Lancaster also noted that the roping chutes have been painted to match the bucking chutes, there is a new sound system and the Zoo Crew seating area is now at the west end on an elevated platform.
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Cowgirl College: Benton Franklin Fair event teaches ladies about rodeo
Cowgirl College: Benton Franklin Fair event teaches ladies about rodeo
Saddle up, ladies, it's time for school. But leave your notebooks and pencils at home. You will learn your three Rs - roping, riding and rodeo - on the back of a horse with a rope in your hand.
The Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo is offering women a chance to learn to ride, rope and understand the sport of rodeo at its first Cowgirl College.
The event, scheduled for Saturday, consists of 11⁄2 hours of instruction from bullfighter Rowdy Barry; barrelman JJ Harrison; Rocky Mullen, who owns part of the equipment that will be used; and cowboys who will compete that night at the Horse Heaven Round-Up Rodeo.
Hamaker tames no-name
Hamaker tames no-name
Thursday was Tough Enough to Wear pink Night at the Horse Heaven Round-Up, and Wyoming cowboy Ty Hamaker was the only one tougher than the bulls.
After watching the first six bulls out of the chute shuck their riders, Hamaker settled onto the back of a young bull who hasn't yet earned a name, but after pairing with Hamaker for an 85-point ride, the bull is ready for his papers.
"It's just what I needed," said Hamaker, who is tied for second overall in the event with Howdy Cloud. "I haven't been hitting much lately. The guys that owns him told me he's really been bucking. That was a good ride."
Rascal Rodeo rocks
Rascal Rodeo rocks
I want to commend Rascal Rodeo and the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo's board of directors for sponsoring the wonderful Rascal Rodeo event during the fair. More than 100 cowboys and cowgirls volunteered their time to create an opportunity for people with disabilities to experience firsthand how it feels to ride a horse, rope a sheep and ride a bull.
Wow! The smiles on the faces of the 30 individuals who participated said it all. What a great community we live in, where people are reaching out to make sure all can participate.
Thanks again to all the people who donated their time. Special thanks to Ann-Erica Whitemarsh for her vision that all people no matter their disability should have the opportunity to participate, and kudos to the fair board for supporting this great event and making it accessible for all. Thank you for valuing persons with disabilities.
Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo fun gets under way Aug. 20
Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo fun gets under way Aug. 20
Rocker Bret Michaels has come a long way from his glam man look of the 1980s.
His blond locks are still long, he continues to wear the eyeliner he made famous as Poison's front man, and he can still rock the house with his music, though he does it more as a solo act these days.
And ever since he became a reality TV star, winning Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice , he's won the hearts of millions of new fans. He's also shown the world he's a thoughtful and caring father to his daughters.
Benton-Franklin Fair still summer's must-see event
Benton-Franklin Fair still summer's must-see event
It's so close, we almost can smell it.
That mix of straw, salty popcorn, fried burgers and cinnamon-sugared elephant ears -- it's all back again next week at the Benton-Franklin Fair & Rodeo.
The year's most popular community event runs Tuesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to midnight. So make plans now to fit in time to enjoy it.
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