Tanner Bradley holds on to a bucking bull at the Elgin Stampede on Thursday, July 8, 2021.

ELGIN — The landmark 75th anniversary Elgin Stampede Rodeo will be hosted from July 6–9, and everyone is invited to join in the celebration of the Western lifestyle that ranching families embrace and value in Northeastern Oregon.

Randy Burgess, who served as vice president for four years, became the Stampeders’ president last January.

“I’d like to invite everybody to the 75th anniversary of the Elgin Stampede,” he said. “We’re very excited and proud to hit 75 years, so come out and enjoy the rodeo.”

The action begins Wednesday, July 6, at 6 p.m. with Family Night, an alcohol-free evening filled with lots of family fun and laughter. This program is an all-kids rodeo where contestants ranging in age from 4 to 18 compete in everything from stick horse racing to steer riding. Kids will also be participating in fun events like barrel and poles, mutton busting and goat tail tying and untying. Admission is free, thanks to the sponsorship of Community Bank.

Tickets for the arena performances for Thursday, Friday and Saturday can be purchased online or at the gate. The gate opens at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. for those three nights.

“You have an hour to buy your beverages and concessions and find yourself a seat for the show,” Burgess said.

Thursday’s rodeo begins with the queen coronation ceremony. On the court this year are Audree Treat of Summerville, Quincee Zacharias of Enterprise and Rowdy Israel of Dayville. Also appearing at all the performances is rodeo clown Randee Munns of Utah. He will entertain the audience but also work to keep riders safe.

To make the Thursday night program even more special, the Elgin Stampeders will honor their late president, Ty Hallgarth, by adding to the night’s program an event named in his honor, formally titled the Elgin Stampede Bucking in the Blues Ty Hallgarth Memorial Xtreme Bronc Riding. The PRCA event will also include barrel racing.

“I would like to personally invite everybody to the Ty Hallgarth Memorial PRCA bronc riding. It will be a very special event to kick off our 75th anniversary,” Burgess said. “Ty wasn’t just a president or just a board member, he was a personal friend of mine.”

Purple is the color of the night, according to the Elgin Stampede Facebook page: “Ty loved our purple committee shirts, so we’ll be wearing them in his honor. We encourage you to wear purple, bring purple flags or signs or ribbons … or do anything in purple.”

For the Friday show, come donned in pink for the traditional “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night. Tough Enough to Wear Pink is a campaign and framework for rodeos and western events to promote breast cancer awareness and fundraising to benefit local communities.

Friday night’s PRCA Rodeo includes barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, bull dogging, breakaway roping, and bareback, broncs and bull riding.

Saturday’s downtown Elgin parades offer more family fun. Beginning at 10 a.m. is the Kids’ Parade, and the festive Stampede Grand Parade begins at 4 p.m. This parade will be presided over by this year’s grand marshal, Betty Lou Martin, who has dedicated about 70 years of her life to the smooth operation of the annual Elgin Stampede Rodeo and its fundraising events.

Finally, on Saturday night, the Elgin Stampeders present PRCA rodeo action with another entertaining appearance by rodeo clown Randee Munns.

At all performances, food and drinks will be available for purchase at one of two concession stands, Chute 9 and Odie’s. Enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, corndogs, elephant ears, pizza and cold beverages, including beer. This year there will not be a dance following the rodeo performances.

All advance admission ticket sales and saddle raffle tickets are handled through the court princesses at www.elginstampede.com. Presale admission ticket prices are $18 for ages 13 and older and $13 for children ages 5-12. Children 4 and younger are free.