Snake River Stampede Rodeo
Encyclopedia
The Snake River Stampede Rodeo, located in Nampa, Idaho
, is one of the top twelve professional rodeo
s recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
. The rodeo is held for one week in late July every year. In 2009, the rodeo is being held from July 14 to July 18. There are many community events which help kick-off the rodeo week.
. The bucking contest was added to the harvest festival
in 1913. An area was roped off for the contest on the present site of the Nampa Post Office
. Spectators watched from behind the ropes, as there were no bleachers. The bucking contest gained in popularity, and other events were added to the show.
By 1937, the rodeo broke away from the harvest festival
, changing the date of the show to July. At this time, the rodeo joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
. A new name was chosen. After considering such names as Ski-Hi Rodeo and Thunder Mountain Round Up, rodeo director Ike Corlett named it the Snake River Stampede.
In 1950, a new stadium was built across from Lakeview Park. The horseshoe shaped outdoor stadium could seat 10,000. Cowboy singers were brought in to sing at half-time, during the rodeo. Gene Autry
was the first of such singers. He was followed by others, such as Roy Rogers
& Dale Evans
, Rex Allen
, and the Sons of the Pioneers
.
The era of Cowboy stars died out and Country/Western Singers
were added to the lineup. Performers included Reba McEntire
, Glen Campbell
and Barbara Mandrell
.
During the 1980s, singers were replaced by more rodeo events, such as team roping
, ladies' barrel racing
, and bullfighting
. Kids' Mutton Busting
was added in the 1990s.
In 1997, a brand new indoor stadium was built in conjunction with the Idaho Center
just off exit 38 on Interstate 84
. The old stadium was demolished. The site is now home to The Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho and Snake River Elementary School
.
Nampa, Idaho
Nampa is the largest and the fastest growing city in Canyon County, Idaho, USA. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census. Nampa is located about west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles west of Meridian. Nampa is part of the Boise metropolitan area...
, is one of the top twelve professional rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
s recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
. The rodeo is held for one week in late July every year. In 2009, the rodeo is being held from July 14 to July 18. There are many community events which help kick-off the rodeo week.
History
The Snake River Stampede had its humble beginnings as a bucking contest in conjunction with Nampa's harvest festivalHarvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
. The bucking contest was added to the harvest festival
Harvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
in 1913. An area was roped off for the contest on the present site of the Nampa Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. Spectators watched from behind the ropes, as there were no bleachers. The bucking contest gained in popularity, and other events were added to the show.
By 1937, the rodeo broke away from the harvest festival
Harvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
, changing the date of the show to July. At this time, the rodeo joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
. A new name was chosen. After considering such names as Ski-Hi Rodeo and Thunder Mountain Round Up, rodeo director Ike Corlett named it the Snake River Stampede.
In 1950, a new stadium was built across from Lakeview Park. The horseshoe shaped outdoor stadium could seat 10,000. Cowboy singers were brought in to sing at half-time, during the rodeo. Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
was the first of such singers. He was followed by others, such as Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
& Dale Evans
Dale Evans
Dale Evans, was an American writer, movie star, and singer-songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.-Early life:...
, Rex Allen
Rex Allen
Rex Elvie Allen was an American film actor, singer and songwriter, known as the Arizona Cowboy, particularly known as the narrator in many Disney nature and Western film productions. For contributions to the recording industry, Allen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Family...
, and the Sons of the Pioneers
Sons of the Pioneers
The Sons of the Pioneers are one of America's earliest Western singing groups whose classic recordings set a new standard for performers of Western music. Known for the high quality of their vocal performances, musicianship, and songwriting, they produced finely-crafted and innovative recordings...
.
The era of Cowboy stars died out and Country/Western Singers
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
were added to the lineup. Performers included Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
and Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
.
During the 1980s, singers were replaced by more rodeo events, such as team roping
Team roping
Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around...
, ladies' barrel racing
Barrel racing
Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a clover-leaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. Though both boys and girls compete at the youth level and men compete in some amateur venues, in collegiate and professional ranks, it is primarily a rodeo...
, and bullfighting
Bullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
. Kids' Mutton Busting
Mutton busting
Mutton busting is an event held at rodeos similar to bull riding or bronc riding, in which children ride or race sheep.-Description:In the event, a sheep is held still, either in a small chute or by an adult handler while a child is placed on top in a riding position...
was added in the 1990s.
In 1997, a brand new indoor stadium was built in conjunction with the Idaho Center
Idaho Center
The Idaho Center is a complex of sports and entertainment venues in Nampa, Idaho, approximately west of Boise.Venues include an indoor arena opened in 1997 with a seating capacity of 12,279 and of floor space and a 10,500-seat outdoor amphitheater opened in 1998 with a 60-by-40-foot stage...
just off exit 38 on Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 84 heads southeast from the Oregon state line, it spurs to Interstate 184 in Boise. Eventually I-84 spurs Interstate 86 and mainline I-84 heads southeast towards Utah and I-86 is continues due east and heads to Pocatello, meeting with Interstate 15.-Future:...
. The old stadium was demolished. The site is now home to The Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho and Snake River Elementary School
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
.
Snake River Dayz
There are many popular events to kick-off the week of the Snake River Stampede. These events are designed to create enthusiasm among residents to see the rodeo. They also create a sense of community in the city.- Buckaroo Breakfast
- Rodeo ParadeParadeA parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
- Griddles & Fiddles -- A breakfast with entertainment
- Fun Run
- and many others!
Pre-Rodeo Events
- Rope For Cash
- Slack Competition
- Mutton bustingMutton bustingMutton busting is an event held at rodeos similar to bull riding or bronc riding, in which children ride or race sheep.-Description:In the event, a sheep is held still, either in a small chute or by an adult handler while a child is placed on top in a riding position...
- Miss Rodeo Idaho Competition
- Poster Contest
- Calf Scramble Scholarship Endowment
Rodeo Events
- Saddle BroncBronc ridingBronc riding, either saddle bronc or bareback bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding on a horse , that attempts to throw or buck off the rider...
- Steer WrestlingSteer wrestlingSteer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Like all rodeo events, there are concerns from the animal rights community that the competition...
- Bareback Bronc RidingBronc ridingBronc riding, either saddle bronc or bareback bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding on a horse , that attempts to throw or buck off the rider...
- Team RopingTeam ropingTeam roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around...
- Bull RidingBull ridingBull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....