The 88th annual Glenwood Ketchum Kalf Rodeo was a great one this year. The stands and grounds were really packed and everyone seemed to enjoy the rodeo and vendors, despite the persistently fierce wind.
I don’t have rodeo results as of this writing, but am really pleased to share the news that Micaela Gutierrez has been selected as the 2024 Ketchum Kalf Rodeo Queen. Queen Cassie Vance has been doing an outstanding job representing our rodeo at various rodeos and events in Washington and Oregon and will continue to serve as queen and make appearances until the end of this year.
On Sunday during the rodeo, one very special award was presented to a member of the Glenwood Rodeo Association. The Hank Ladiges Memorial Buckle is an award that holds very special meaning to members of the Glenwood Rodeo Association. Hank was a long-time member of the Association and is remembered for his strong work ethic and his many decades of making sure the work of the rodeo got done right and went off with hardly a hitch, year after year.
Each year, the Hank Ladiges buckle is presented to a member of the Association who embodies that same work ethic and dedication to the success of the rodeo. This year’s recipient was a very deserving Ruth Vorce. Joining Ruth in the arena for the presentation were her husband Mark and their daughter Caroline, parents Nate and Betsy Putnam, and several members of the rodeo association. Each year, Ruth goes above and beyond to prepare for and work during the rodeo and it was great to see her celebrated in this way. Congratulations, Ruth.
Other highlights of the rodeo were the breathtaking trick riding performances by Haley Proctor and Lily Ferguson, with special appearances by Haley and Shane Proctor’s little girl, Coulee. She is definitely preparing to follow her mama into being a super trick rider. In addition to the awesome trick riding performances, spectators got to watch world champion rodeo cowboy Shane Proctor compete in the saddle bronc and bull riding events in the arena that was made possible by the donation of the land by his great-great-grandfather. Seeing Shane compete was very meaningful to so many in the rodeo association and in the grandstands. How great for our rodeo that the Proctor family chose to come perform and compete this year. Thank you, Proctor family, for coming to Glenwood and drawing so many people out to the rodeo over Father’s Day weekend.
The little kids had a lot of fun in the stick horse race. It was a pretty full field of racers and, in my book, they were all winners. In what has become a Ketchum Kalf Rodeo tradition, Rodeo Association President Keith Kreps had to race some of the rodeo queens and candidates who were in attendance. This year Keith was determined those cowgirls weren’t going to defeat him, and I think he did cross the finish line first, but he did a face plant in the dirt at the end. Way to go, Keith.
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Although the 2022-23 school year ended last Monday, June 12, some of the Glenwood high school students will be involved in an exciting summer program called YESS, which stands for Youth Engaged in Sustainable Systems. Under the guidance of our science teachers Abbie Eldred and Sara McFall, these high school students will learn and work in forest management and ecosystem management projects in coordination with Mt. Adams Resource Stewards and Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The students will do classroom work where they will earn high school credits and outdoor work on actual projects, where they’ll engage in hands-on learning and receive a monetary stipend for the work they do. It sounds like a great opportunity and we look forward to hearing about their experiences at the end of the program.
In other important Glenwood school news for families who live out of the Glenwood School District who might want to send their children to Glenwood for the 2023-24 school year, please go to eds.ospi.k12.wa.us/ and fill out the school choice form, or contact Mrs. Troh in the Glenwood school office at 509-364-3438 for assistance. Glenwood has many great programs and opportunities to offer to students who might want to experience a smaller, rural school environment.
If you have driven through Glenwood, have you noticed the very pretty flower boxes and barrel planter at the post office? We have Linda Johnson to thank for that again this year. Thank you, Linda, for caring enough to make our little community much nicer. By the way, Kara Griffin has been selected as our new postal clerk and is nearly finished with the required training. She’ll be in our post office every day very soon.
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Mary Pierce writes about the community of Glenwood every other week in Columbia Gorge News. Please send any news items to gmpierce09@gmail.com.
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