Round Up Hall of Fame
The one hundredth anniversary of the Pendleton Round-up was an all out celebration of our western heritage that included the rodeo, Happy Canyon , the largest equestrian parade in history and a host of other events. One of which I will be back to tell you about on today’s Open Range. With all the hype that surrounded the 100th Pendleton Roundup it’s easy to forget those individuals who over the years ensured it’s success. Each year the Pendleton Roundup board inducts three members into their Hall of Fame, this year in they upped that number to four in honor of Cenntennial. The honorees are Mac McCormick of McCormack Construction who saved Round-up after a fire in 1940 destroyed the grandstands less than a month before the rodeo. Under Mac’s crew of seventy- seven men working day and night a new concrete three thousand seat grandstand was built in twenty-three days that is still in use today. Rancher Tom Currin of Heppner is also now a Hall of Famer. His tireless years of volunteering nearly came to an end in 2009 when a saddle bronc slammed into Currin while he was relaying scores, crushing his ribs and tearing his lung. Two ropers were inducted as well. Super Looper Roy Cooper and King Merritt. Now Merritt traveled by train from Wyoming to win his first steer roping title in 1925 obviously on a borrowed horse . He won it again in 1935 and calf roping in 1936. Roy Cooper was 1976 PRCA Rookie of the Year and has won eight world championships while setting the bar mighty high for his sons and son in law Trevor Brazil.
