Children’s Rodeo gets ready to Let ’er Buck
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
PENDLETON – Children with special needs can be rodeo stars as the Pendleton Round-Up celebrates the Children’s Rodeo. A popular feature of the rodeo sees the InterMountain Education Service District and real-life volunteer cowboys and cowgirls provide a thrilling event on the storied grass arena on Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m.
The students are ages 5-10. They come from IMESD-member school districts in Umatilla, Morrow, Union, and Baker counties. They register through their own school districts. More registration information is available by contacting ashley.harsin@imesd.k12.or.us.
The kids are paired with the volunteer cowboys and cowgirls and participate in a number of activities. They include riding a horse, taking a horse-drawn buggy ride, barrel racing on stick ponies, roping, riding a pretend bull, milking a mock cow, and Native American drumming.
Each child goes home with a T-shirt, cowboy hat, lariat, scarf, and a photo with their volunteer. The volunteers come from IMESD, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Round-Up volunteers, and community members. Spectators are welcome and are advised to dress appropriately, since Thursday’s theme is Tough Enough to Wear Pink.
Photo provided by IMESD shows Audrey Garcia-Leyva, a student at Ferndale Elementary School in Milton-Freewater, enjoying the Children’s Rodeo in 2025.
