Curtis is 2024 Happy Canyon president
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – (News release from Happy Canyon) The Happy Canyon Board of Directors held its annual stockholders meeting Jan. 4, 2024, at which time the Board selected Kipp Curtis of Pendleton as its 2024 President and welcomed Waylon Jumper of Pendleton as a new director. (Editor’s note: He succeeds President Kenzie Hansell who served on the board for eight years.)
“I am honored to have been elected to this role and to carry on the 108-year-old tradition of the Happy Canyon Night Show,” said Curtis, who is beginning his eighth year as a Happy Canyon Director. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to volunteer alongside some incredible members of our community to put on Oregon’s official outdoor pageant in the Happy Canyon Arena, put on a fantastic concert, an energizing Xtreme Bulls finale and a great time in Goldie’s Dance Hall.”
Curtis, 38, general manager of hay company Pacific Ag in Hermiston, has volunteered with Happy Canyon for decades. While on the Happy Canyon Board, he has served as the Sponsors Director, Court Director, Secretary and Treasurer. Before joining the Happy Canyon Board, the Carrol College graduate helped with set up and take down of the concert stage and bull riding arena, and also was a long-time Happy Canyon show volunteer, running the “street phone” during the show, and then helped with games as a dealer in Goldie’s Bar. Curtis has also served as a director of the Northwest Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals Association board. He and his wife, Cydney – who is also a 30-year Happy Canyon volunteer – have three children, Collins, Nolin and Caroline, all of whom perform in the Happy Canyon show.
In addition to selecting Curtis as Happy Canyon’s new president, the Board also elected Waylon Jumper, 57, of Pendleton as the new Bars and Concessions Director. Jumper has a decorated past as a longtime Happy Canyon volunteer, playing an integral role in converting the Happy Canyon arena from a concert venue to a bull riding arena to the night show each year. Jumper is a business owner in Eatonville, Wash., and recently relocated to Pendleton. He and his wife, Diana, have two married daughters – Shelby Severin and Riley Helbig – and one granddaughter, Taytum.
The Happy Canyon Night Show takes place September 11-14, 2024. Tickets are on sale now at www.pendletonroundup.com.
Happy Canyon photo: L-R Waylon Jumper and Kipp Curtis
