Round-Up & Happy Canyon

Another September has come and gone here on the grass in Pendleton, and with it, another week of memories we’ll carry for a lifetime. We tip our hats to the champions who left their mark on history, the stock contractors and contract personnel who brought their best, and the volunteers whose work ethic and big hearts keep this rodeo alive year after year. Our gratitude runs deep for the men and women in uniform, both military and medical, who stood watch over our arena, and to the media crews who captured moments that words alone could never hold. And to our fans, thank you for filling the grandstands with your spirit. You remind us why we gather here, why we ride, and why this tradition matters. We also honor the tribes who continue to bring life and legacy to this place. Since the very beginning, Native families have traveled to Pendleton to gather, to share their culture, and to stand shoulder to shoulder in celebration. The Teepee Village, hosted by the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla, joined by Yakama, Nez Perce, and many other Plateau and Northwest tribes, is more than a tradition. It is the living heart of Round-Up and Happy Canyon, a reminder that our story has always been woven together. The Round-Up is more than a rodeo. It is a living story stitched together by cowboys and cowgirls, families and tribes, neighbors and travelers. Thank you all for making the 115th Anniversary one to remember.

It’s National Patriots today at the Pendleton Round-Up! We can’t thank our volunteers, military and medical staff, stock contract personnel, athletes, rodeo crews, media teams and our fans enough for making this 115th Anniversary one of the best years we’ve had yet. Here’s to another great performance! Enjoy the jets today and be at your seats at 1:15pm sharp! LET’ER BUCK!

Whether you’re on your way to Pendleton or already here, welcome HOME! 🇺🇸

Vlog 1 just dropped! Go show these girls some love! They’re literally about to have the most unreal summer road tripping all over the U.S. 🇺🇸

The Pendleton Round-Up would like to introduce our 2026 Top Hand of the Year, Elsie Bowman! At just 16 years old, Elsie is already a familiar face around Round-Up week, always jumping in wherever help is needed and doing it all with a great attitude. A sophomore at Echo High School, Elsie stays busy year-round competing in varsity and club basketball, High School Rodeo, and participating in FFA. For the past three years, Elsie has volunteered behind the scenes as a pennant bearer while also helping organize contestant bags and clean the rodeo office. In 2024, she added another role to the list by joining the run-out crew in the arena under Tanner, stepping right into the fast-paced energy of rodeo operations. By 2025, Elsie’s Round-Up week schedule was packed from morning to night. Along with her pennant bearer and run-out crew duties, she assisted President Tiah DeGrofft with saddling and unsaddling her grand entry run-in horse, while also volunteering in the retail store before and after performances. Whether she’s helping in the arena, behind the scenes, or wherever an extra hand is needed, Elsie represents the next generation of volunteers who help keep the Pendleton Round-Up tradition moving forward. Her work ethic, willingness to help, and dedication to the Round-Up community make her incredibly deserving of this year’s Top Hand Award! Let’er Buck!

#leterbuck 🛢️🐂 POV montage. Full video on YOUTUBE @pendletonroundup_hc @officialcodywebster @dusty_tuckness @nate_jestes @bonnie.l.merritt @lanefrostbrand @wranglerwestern @justinboots_ @bajajerky @baja.vida @hobartwelding @resistol1927 @kingmachineryinc @vitalixgetthebluetub @americanbonfireco @billfickford @americanjerkycompany @waggonstorellc @boot_barn_official

The countdown to summer rodeo season in the PNW has begun. Whose ready to #leterbuck

Meet your 2026 Westward Ho! Parade Grand Marshal… Steve Corey. For more than 70 years, Steve has been part of the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon story. It started at age 5 in the Happy Canyon show… and never really stopped. From Show Director to President, and now as the voice you still hear narrating today, Steve has worn just about every hat there is. On the Round-Up side, his journey began early helping his uncle Lou Levy, even taking on the unforgettable job of waking up Indian Beauty contestants at sunrise with a loudspeaker… a role that didn’t always make him popular in the village. He later followed in the footsteps of his father, George Corey, a past Grand Marshal and leader in both organizations. The Corey name runs deep. His late wife, Susan Olsen Corey, was a Round-Up princess and queen, and her father, Jack Olsen, also served as a director. A legacy rooted in generations of service. During his time on the Round-Up Board, Steve served as Queen and Court Director, Sponsor Director, Publicity Director, and President. Along the way, he helped shape what you see today… from bringing barrel racing back, to building the sponsor program, to helping establish key partnerships like Pendleton Whisky, and playing a role in the success of PBR in Pendleton. Beyond the arena, Steve has built a respected legal career and served on numerous boards across the state. A true history buff, his passion extends to organizations like the Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Trail Community Foundation, the Museum of the American Cowboy & Western Heritage Foundation, and the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute. It’s hard to sum up a lifetime like this. But if you had to try… it would look a lot like service, legacy, and showing up year after year. Congratulations, Steve. Let’er Buck.

Oooh hold up! It’s Leather Reveal Day!

There’s something quietly powerful about not showing everything. Pieces laid out. Sketches still breathing. Tape measures curled like they remember every inch. Leather carrying the story before it ever hits the arena. What you’re seeing isn’t the reveal… it’s the echoes of the work. The fingerprints of tradition still hanging in the room. The Round-Up Queen & Court leathers don’t just appear. They’re built, piece by piece, by hands that know exactly what they’re doing. Thank you, Char Bracher, for the time, the craft, and the care that lives in every piece.

There’s something about this place… it sticks with you. Pendleton isn’t just where we’re from, it’s where stories live, where people show up for each other, where tradition and everyday life blur together in the best way. We’re proud to call it home. 🫶

The countdown clock is ticking a little louder now… 141 days out… and there’s a little more brewing beneath the surface this year. Nothing we’re ready to spell out just yet, but if you’ve been thinking about coming to Pendleton, now’s the time to get those tickets. Some years you can wait… this definitely won’t be one of them! Get your seats locked in. Let’er Buck!