The world-famous Pendleton Round-Up is still going strong after 113 years and you can experience a taste of tradition this September in Pendleton, OR. Pendleton Round-Up has a long-standing tradition of bringing rodeo legends and thousands of fans to the eastern Oregon community. Since its beginnings in 1910, the rodeo that was started to be an exhibition of picturesque pastimes, Indian and military spectacles, cowboy racing, and bronc busting has grown to be one of the most well-known and appreciated rodeos in the country.
History of Pendleton Round-Up
The idea for the annual Pendleton Round-Up came about after the July 4th festivities in 1909, where many of the original competitions took place. The reason it was decided to have the event in September was to give farmers time to finish harvesting and ranchers a chance to check cattle one more time in the summer.
In 1910, all stores closed for the event, and the community of Pendleton saw 7,000 people come together to enjoy the exciting show. Within a few years, the old wooden grandstands were completed, making room for more than 20,000 spectators. In 1957, a new North grandstand and bucking chutes were added to the arena, and the highly-attended event was televised for the first time.
While it’s grown and changed tremendously, the Round-Up still promotes the Western lifestyle and its traditional values. Taking place on the grass, this rodeo preserves the traditional look and feel of rodeo, perhaps more than any other rodeo, by not allowing any advertising inside the arena.
In 2022, the Pendleton Round-Up was named the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s (PRCA) Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year for the ninth time. Winners of the 2022 rodeo were Marty Yates (All-Around), Kolby Wanchuk (Saddle Bronc Riding), Kaycee Feild (Bareback Riding), Jacey Fortier (Breakaway Roping), Trevor Hale (Tie-Down Roping), Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres (Team Roping), Riley Wakefield (Steer Wrestling), Kacey Gartner (Barrel Racing) and Bubba Greig (Bull Riding).
113th Annual Pendleton Round-Up
Today, the non-profit community organization still puts on the Pendleton Round-Up with the goal of sharing the western lifestyle with the community and fans from around the world. However, it also serves a much greater purpose with year-round events, programs and initiatives to support its vision.
The week-long event kicks off with the Dress-Up Parade and Kick-Off Concert held the Saturday before opening day. This year’s concert in the Happy Canyon Arena will feature co-headliners Craig Morgan and Clint Back.
Starting September 13, the Happy Canyon Night Show will bring families and friends together to witness a celebration of local history. 2023 will be the 107th year the Happy Canyon Night Show has been produced in conjunction with the Pendleton Round-Up. Another unique aspect of the Round-Up is the largest annual Indian encampment in North America, a village of more than 300 teepees.
Not only is the Pendleton Round-Up 2023 one of the most prestigious PRCA pro rodeos, but the event is home to the Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale as well, which will be held in the Happy Canyon Arena at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, the 11, and Tuesday, the 12.
After the Xtreme Bulls event, the Pendleton Round-Up PRCA rodeo will begin Wednesday, September 13, and run through Saturday, September 16 starting at 1:15 each day. All of the traditional rodeo events that fans hope to see can be found during these performances, but there are also other events like breakaway roping, Indian Relay racing, Wild Cow Milking, and Indian dancing.
Highlights of the Pendleton Round-Up 2023 include the Dress Up Parade, the Kick-Off Concert, the 34th Annual Round-Up Foundation Memorial Golf Tournament, slack, Xtreme Bulls Finale, VFW Outdoor Cowboy Breakfast, Happy Canyon Night Show, Tribal Ceremonial Dancing, etc., but there is still so much more to experience during your time in Pendleton. A full schedule can be found online!
Tickets, Lodging, Etc.
Tickets can be purchased online RIGHT NOW at https://www.pendletonroundup.com/p/tickets1. Each day can be purchased separately, and ticket prices range anywhere from $20-$50. For questions about purchasing Round-Up tickets, you can contact the ticketing department at tickets@pendletonroundup.com.
Although there are 1,250 rooms and 160 RV spaces in Pendleton, local lodging fills up quickly; so if you’re planning to attend this year’s event, it is advised you reserve early. For information about what’s available, check out http://www.travelpendleton.com/. And the worst-case scenario, you may just have to look in communities slightly farther away like Hermiston, OR, Walla Walla, WA, or Milton Freewater, OR.
There is no doubt legends will continue to be made at the Pendleton Round-Up 2023 for many years to come. We at Cowboy Lifestyle Network can’t wait to see what legends are crowned victorious this year, and we hope you’ll join us out in Pendleton, OR. If you can’t make it, catch it on the Cowboy Channel to support your favorite rodeo athletes!
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