A little inclement weather just added to the challengefor competitors in the 2015 Big Loop rodeo. The events
return this weekend to Jordan Valley.
By Pat Caldwell
The Enterprise
JORDAN VALLEY – Area rodeo enthusiasts, competitors and spectators will converge on this tiny Malheur County town Friday for the 57th annual Big Loop Rodeo.
The event kicks off Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday.
The rodeo starts at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and ends around 5 p.m. Admission to the rodeo for adults is $10, while children age 6-13 get in for $5. Children under 6 enter for free.
The rodeo is unique in a number of ways, according to Anne Stephens, Jordan Valley city recorder.
“Its almost a ranch-hand rodeo. It is a good hometown thing,” Stephens said.
One distinctive aspect of the rodeo is the fact that it showcases amateur talent.
“You can’t be a professional and participate. You can’t hold a rodeo card,” Stephens said.
The rodeo is also a big economic engine for the tiny town.
“The local businesses do very well during the rodeo. It is the one big event of the year,” Stephens said.
Along with the rodeo, there will be a dance at the Lions Den, next to the rodeo grounds, on Friday night. Another dance is set for Saturday night at the Jordan Valley High School gym.
A variety of vendors will sell their wares at the park throughout the event, Stephens said.
“They pay for their vendor space, and that helps fund our local volunteer fire department,” Stephens said.
The rodeo is also a big event for the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, which will have deputies on hand during the weekend, said Malheur County Sheriff Brian Wolfe.
“There will be eight (deputies) or so. Then the state police will have a person or two,” Wolfe said.
That’s an investment from his agency, but Wolfe said the long-term economic gain for Jordan Valley and the county is worth it.
“It takes some resources but it is a good event. It brings a lot of people to Jordan Valley,” he said.
Wolfe said law enforcement challenges during the event are usually fairly benign.
“The majority of problems will be underage consumption of alcohol, which can bring with it some other things like traffic crashes that you concern yourself with,” he said.
Stephens said the rodeo swells the population of Jordan Valley by at least several thousand.
“I would say 2,000. We have people camped everywhere. A lot of people come for the day. Everything is pretty well organized,” Stephens said.