A father and his daughter share a heart-warming moment as the sun begins to sink below the horizon at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Saturday, July 3. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
An audience of all ages celebrated Independence Day with a plethora of rodeo staples at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo. The rodeo started with the slack events on Wednesday, June 30, and went all the way through the holiday weekend ending on Sunday night, July 4. Smiles could be seen throughout the audience as they watched cowboys and cowgirls compete for a piece of rodeo glory.
Kids with bellies full of flavored snow cones and cotton candy played underneath the bleachers and in the stands. Friends and families enjoyed freshly cooked hamburgers and French fries, tacos and burritos from local vendors. Adults savored frosty cold beverages in the beer garden. It was a good time all around for those attending this iconic rodeo.
Tia Hill, left, and her daughter Westlynn enjoy the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Thursday, July 1, with Josh Shippy. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Kids watch the rodeo action from behind chutes at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Thursday, July 1. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
A young cowgirl in the audience enthusiastically cheers on a bareback rider during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Thursday, July 1. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
A group of Willowcreek Warriors stand near the arena fence as they wait for the evening’s events to begin at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Thursday, July 1. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
Smokey the Bear waves to the crowd as first responders toss frisbees into the stands at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Sunday, July 4. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
A group of Willowcreek Warriors eye some incoming frisbees during the first night of the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Thursday, July 1.
Grand Marshal S Gail, right, and Connie Bateman take in welcoming applause at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Thursday, July 1. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
Tristan and Amanda Zande watch as the Suicide Race’s lone rider, Riley Prescott, crosses the Snake River at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Friday, July 2. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
People wait patiently for the Suicide Race to begin near the banks of the Snake River at Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Friday, July 2. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
Little cowboys and a little cowgirl hang out at the front railing of the bleachers at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Friday, July 2. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Little cowboy Chase Espinoza alongside his mother as he eyes the competing cowboys through the fence at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Saturday, July 3. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Cooper Culberston Sr. and cool kid Cooper Jr. smile for the camera at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Saturday, July 3. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Tatum Elsner watches the rodeo with a blue snow cone mustache at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Saturday, July 3. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Elias Shuler makes funny faces into the camera at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Sunday, July 4. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
National Anthem singer Clare McKay laughs while standing in the bleachers at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Sunday, July 4. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Two kids play together in the dirt in front of the bleachers at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Saturday, July 3. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
Little cowboy Chase Espinoza climbs the bleacher steps with his parents in tow at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Saturday, July 3. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
Mateo Toscano plays in the water misters behind the bleachers at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Sunday, July 4. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
A happy cowboys buries his toy trucks in the dirt under the bleachers at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at on Sunday, July 4. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
Jamie Toscano and her daughter Gabriella enjoy the little cowgirl’s first rodeo at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Sunday, July 4. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
A pair of young cowboys lean over the front railing of the bleachers as they watch the events of the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Sunday, July 4. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
The crowd stands for the National Anthems with their hats and their hands held over their hearts at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Friday, July 2. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
A young cowgirl walks along side a deputy of Malheur County at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Sunday, July 4. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
Attendees hang out near the entrance of the Vale 4th of July Rodeo as the sun sets on the Saturday, July 3. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
A young cowgirl eyes a cowboy hat at one of the vendors inside the arena of the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Saturday, July 3. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
A mother playfully hangs her laughing daughter upside down at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Sunday, July 4. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
A boy and his elder watch as the cowboys strut their stuff during the bull riding event at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on Saturday, July 3. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
A group of kids bust out the ‘worm’ dance after the Vale 4th of July Rodeo at the ‘Taking It to the Street Dance’ in Downtown Vale on Friday, July 2. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)
A crowd gathers around a cowboy doing the splits at A Street Saloon’s “Dancing in the Streets” event in downtown Vale on night of Friday, July 2. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
People start to exit the arena as the Vale 4th of July Rodeo comes to a successful end on Sunday, July 4. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
News tip? Contact multimedia journalists Austin Johnson [email protected] or Angelina Katsanis at [email protected].
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