Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home Rodeo is just a bit shy on revenue from where it was last year at this time, and the 2011 event has a new queen.
“We’re still about $1,000 short of last year,” said Bambi Wells, a rodeo board director.
Jessica Blankenship of Sweet Home is the new 2011 rodeo queen. She was the runnerup in the selection earlier this year.
The original queen is no longer serving, and Blankenship will fulfill the duties of the queen.
Blankenship is the daughter of Kevin and Marsha Blankenship.
During high school, Blankenship has been involved with volleyball, the equestrian team, Amnesty International and Future Business Leaders of America.
Outside of school, she has participated in Calapooia Critters Livestock 4-H and Silver Bits ’n’ Spurs Horse 4-H.
Her favorite hobby is gaming on her horse, Buckshot. Horses and rodeo have been a tradition for several generations in her family, and she said she is excited to represent the community, where she grew up, in the rodeo.
She plans on pursuing a degree in dental hygiene.
Wells said the rodeo fund-raiser dinner held earlier this month was well received and helped the bottom line.
“We came out pretty good on that,” she said, expressing appreciation to those who donated to the event, attended it and bought silent auction items.
That puts the rodeo about $10,500 off budget at this point, she said.
“If we could get another $5,000 in sponsors, I don’t think we’ll lose money this year as long as our gate’s good.”
On that note, she encourages the community to attend and support the rodeo and reminds people that the times have changed.
The Sweet Home Rodeo is held during Sportsman’s Holiday, July 8-10, at the community Events Center, 4000 Long St. The rodeo’s first performance is at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 8. The second is at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, just after the Logger Olympics, and the third is at noon on Sunday, July 10.
Available sponsorships include the kids event buckle, mutton bustin’ trophy and a chute gate, Wells said. If the rodeo can fill those sponsorships, it will be in better shape than last year and more comfortable going into the event.
Over the next two weeks, the rodeo board will clean the grounds while scheduling a car wash fund-raising event.
The rodeo is still on the lookout for volunteers for the weekend.
Anyone interested may contact Volunteer Coordinator Donna Erickson at (541) 259-7401.