A Roundup Of Rodeos Around Washington

The Old West comes to life each spring and summer in Washington when dozens of rodeos are held across the state.

There's everything from community-run rodeos for youngsters to the Ellensburg Rodeo, which draws more than 30,000 people.

In many of the bigger rodeos, career cowboys who are members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) compete for prize money.

The rodeos offer the traditional fare - everything from bareback riding to calf-roping and steer-wrestling. Some also offer the more unusual - such as the Omak Stampede, when daredevils race their horses down a cliff.

The big fairs in the state all have rodeos as part of their entertainment.

Among them are the King County Fair in Enumclaw (July 15-19); the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe (Aug. 28-Sept. 7); the Puyallup Fair (Sept. 11-27) and the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima (Sept. 25 - Oct. 3).

And there's a college rodeo circuit, with schools such as Walla Walla Community College and Washington State University hosting rodeos.

Here's a sampling of some upcoming rodeos around the state with phone numbers to call for more information.

- Okanagan County Junior Rodeo, May 15-16. Phone 1-509-689-3384 or 1-509-422-0444.

- Winthrop Rodeo Days, May 23-24. 1-509-996-2439 (evenings).

- Colville Panorama Rodeo (PRCA), June 19-21. 1-509-684-5973.

- Toppenish Pow Wow Rodeo, July 2-5, 1-509-865-5313.

- Lewis County Roundup Rodeo (Chehalis), July 17-19. 1-800-525-3323 (Chehalis visitors' center).

- Omak Stampede and World Famous Suicide Race, Aug. 7-9. 1-800-933-6625.

- Ellensburg Rodeo, Sept. 4-7. 1-800-637-2444.

- Sumas Junior Rodeo, Sept. 5-6, 1-206-988-2151 or 1-206-988-2104.

- Othello PRCA Rodeo, Sept. 19-20. 1-509-488-2683.

To find out more about rodeos, contact the state Tourism Division's travel counselors at 1-206-586-2088 who can provide a listing of rodeos.

If you're heading to one of the big rodeos or fairs, like the Ellensburg Rodeo or the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima, book accommodations well in advance.

Here are some more suggestions on finding out about rodeos.

-- For more information on professional rodeos in the Northwest, contact the Columbia River Circuit of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, 1-800-762-4585.

The Columbia circuit, one of a dozen professional rodeo circuits in the nation, covers Washington, Oregon and northern Idaho.

-- For information on the college rodeos, contact the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association in Walla Walla, 1-509-529-4402.

-- Want to go a bit further afield for a big rodeo? Then consider the Pendleton Roundup, in Pendleton, Oregon, which is one of the largest professional rodeos in the region (Sept. 16-19; phone 1-800-45-RODEO).

-- Coming up soon in Pocatello, Idaho, is the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo on March 18-21.

Top cowboys from each the PCRA's 12 circuits will compete. For more information contact, the Pocatello Frontier Rodeo Association; phone 1-208-233-1546.

-- For a mother of all rodeos, head to the Calgary Stampede, in Calgary, Alberta, a 10-day extravaganza of rodeo events and entertainment (July 3-12).

Traveling Smart / Close to Home focuses on topics in the Pacific Northwest on the third Tuesday of the month.