New livestock barn debuts at Wallowa County Fair in Enterprise

Published 7:00 am Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Junior rodeo is Aug. 1-2

ENTERPRISE — A year’s worth of work will come to fruition this summer as the public gets to see new additions at the Wallowa County Fairgrounds in Enterprise.

Workers were finishing setting up chutes on July 22 for sheep and hogs in the new 100-by-100-foot livestock barn that was built between the main show barn and the fat stock sale arena. The building also has a concrete slab as flooring, rather than the dirt floor of the old barn. It replaced dilapidated pens that have been used for sheep and hogs for many years, said Brinda Stanley, chair of the Wallowa County Fair Board.

“That’s our new deal,” she said. “The swine barn and sheep barn, so we have a big new barn to house all those animals.”

She said the building no longer has holes in the roof, with its new metal roof.

“That’s our huge, big project,” she said. “It should last for a long time. It’s a beautiful new building.”

The building — and other projects — were paid for largely through state funds received because of COVID-19, Stanley said. She wasn’t sure just how much of that went toward the new barn.

Other projects completed in time for this year’s fair, which runs from Aug. 1-9, include new panels in the outdoor arena and the warm-up arena has been moved, Stanley said.

She said she expects mostly the same exhibits on hand this year. There was some doubt whether birds would be allowed because of outbreaks of avian flu elsewhere, but those concerns seem to have diminished.

“As far as we know, they’ll be able to be there,” she said.

Junior rodeo opens the fair

Opening this year’s Wallowa County Fair will be the Junior Rodeo Aug. 1-2 at the fairgrounds.

The rodeo, which takes place in the grand arena beginning at 9:30 a.m., opens the fair, along with the dog show. There won’t be any rough stock, but kids still get to test their ranch skills.

Stanley said youths compete in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, roping events, steer wrestling and ground events. Prizes include saddles, buckles, breast collars and halters.

She said the junior rodeo, which is in its fifth year, always has avoided rough stock, which also is hard to find for youngsters. The rodeo used to be the “spring fair,” with kids giving a variety of presentations, Stanley said, but in recent years, it’s morphed into a rodeo.

“We never have looked at including it,” she said of bucking events. “We’re staying with the original events.”

Admission to the rodeo is free. Concessions will be available by the Grizzly Grill.

For more information, email wallowacountyfair@gmail.com or call 541-426-4097.

“It’s a fun, play-day type of rodeo,” Stanley said. “It’s a good time to get visitors and for local kids.”