HERMISTON, Ore.-The Farm-City Pro Rodeo, a premier Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) event and a true community celebration, is August 6-9 at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center (EOTEC).
Now in its 37th year, the FCPR is a top 15 rodeo in the country, offering a $50,000 purse per event in 2025, with an expected payout of over $600,000.
The FCPR is a symbol of the connections between agriculture and community, and works to honor the farmers, ranchers and families of Eastern Oregon, while drawing elite contestants from around the country.
A true community effort, the FCPR is made possible through the dedication of its board, volunteers, local sponsors, the rodeo athletes, and, especially, the Hermiston community.
Beginnings
Known as a rodeo “for cowboys by cowboys,” the FCPR was built from the ground up, starting with David Bothum and Butch Knowles, two local cowboys, and their wives, Sid and Mary.
Both men were full-time professional rodeo athletes in the late 1980’s, traveling the nation to compete, when the idea of bringing a professional rodeo to Hermiston came about at a party after the 1987 rodeo season.
“At the time we only had the junior rodeo at the Umatilla County Fair,” said Bothum. “So we decided to give it a try.”
Bothum, Knowles and early community supporters of a pro rodeo in Hermiston met with the Umatilla County Fair Board, presented their plan, and were ultimately granted permission to hold the first FCPR in August of 1988.
“We were told by some people this would never work in Hermiston,” said Bothum. “That first night I looked around at empty stands an hour before the rodeo started and thought maybe they were right, but by rodeo time at 7:30 they were full.”
Evolution
Over the years, the FCPR has improved and grown in pretty much every way, from the physical infrastructure and amenities that support the rodeo, to the action in the arena and increased prize money.
“The original concept was to be the best rodeo we could be, while continuously striving to get better,” said Jon Gill, a FCPR board member.
With support from the board, volunteers and the community, the FCPR eventually replaced the aging wooden bleachers in the arena, planted grass, built other structures, including Chute 8 to host public and private events, and helped get the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center (EOTEC) built.
The Farm-City Pro Rodeo has also been a trailblazing event in the sport of rodeo and was the first to implement the back-to-back format for contestants, meaning athletes competing in multiple rodeos at the same time can get their two events in without having to leave town and come back, cutting down on travel time and expenses for cowboys competing regionally or nationally.
The FCPR was also one of the first rodeos to feature performers, ensuring that local favorites or top athletes from the PRCA had the opportunity to make their runs in front of a crowd by changing the order of competition for the benefit of the fans.
“The fans should always come first,” said Gill. “Whoever bought a ticket is the most important person here.”
The FCPR also contracts with multiple stock companies to ensure that the bulls, broncs and calves in the rodeo are fresh, and to provide an equal playing field for all athletes, regardless of the draw.
“By 2009, we made sure we were a riding contest, not a drawing contest,” said Gill of the move that has led to the FCPR winning Remuda Awards for the best bucking stock.
The FCPR has also been recognized with multiple “Best Grounds” awards and the “Trailblazer” award for its implementation of breakaway roping.
Through the years, changes have also come to the FCPR from outside Hermiston, including the rodeo being televised in 2014, which necessitated lighting improvements in the arena.
“The FCPR wants to be a premier event and our volunteers, sponsors and the community believe in what we’re doing,” said Gill.
Volunteers make it happen
“The only way this event happens is with our dedicated volunteers,” said Torrie Griggs, FCPR Marketing and Advertising Director. “They are the heart of the Farm-City Pro Rodeo.”
The FCPR is organized by an all-volunteer board made up of rodeo enthusiasts and community leaders who work year-round to make the rodeo happen every August.
According to Griggs, it takes about 150 volunteers working in some capacity, from ticket sales and parking to setting up panels, and everything in between, to make the rodeo a success year after year.
“I’ve been volunteering for over 15 years,” said Jami Erwert, a volunteer with the Farm-City Pro Rodeo Ladies, nine riders who make the Grand Entry into the arena with sponsor flags and the American flag to start the rodeo every night, as well as running victory laps for event champions and providing horses for judges. “Our board is amazing; they make it worth it to come out and support this event and to keep coming back.”
Sponsors
“Hermiston is probably the most giving community in the world, and we couldn’t do this without our sponsors,” said Bothum.
Les Schwab was the original sponsor of the FCPR back in 1988 and still supports the rodeo today.
“We’ve had the privilege of being a sponsor of the Farm-City Pro Rodeo since day one,” said Dave Shockman, Manager of Les Schwab in Hermiston. “It’s a quality event for Hermiston, and we’re honored to still be involved 37 years later.”
Sponsoring the FCPR is a rather exclusive privilege, with a limited number of opportunities available, according to event organizers, a system that cultivates longstanding community support from businesses and organizations, such as Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS), Lamb Weston, Umatilla Electric Cooperative and LiUNA, among others.
“We’re a longtime, generational sponsor of the Farm-City Pro Rodeo,” said Robert Echenrode, President/CEO of Umatilla Electric Cooperative. “We helped support the development and building of the EOTEC and continue to support the rodeo.”
GSHCS support for Hermiston’s hometown rodeo dates back many years, with this year’s sponsorship helping to elevate FCPR to a top 15 rodeo in the country.
“At Good Shepherd Health Care System, we are honored to sponsor the Farm-City Pro Rodeo, a testament to our commitment to preserving health and wellness, and the rich legacy of rodeo culture in Eastern Oregon,” shared Art Mathisen, GSHCS President & CEO. “We are excited to see this year’s rodeo become one of the top rodeos in the nation. Together, we’re celebrating our community and ensuring this beloved tradition continues for many years to come where cowboys from all over the world can compete at the top of their game.”
The 2025 Farm-City Pro Rodeo
In 2025 top rodeo athletes from around the country will again compete in the FCPR, top stock contractors will bring world-class livestock to Hermiston, and equal payouts will be awarded across all PRCA and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) events.
“We have the best cowboys and the best stock of the 750 rodeos in America this year,” said Bothum. “We’re definitely a top 15 rodeo.
Over the four nights of rodeo the FCPR will also hold spotlight nights, including Family Night August 6, American Farmer Night August 7, First Responders Night on August 8, and Saturday, August 9 is the night to GET Wild at Farm-City Pro Rodeo.
The FCPR will also donate $1 for every ticket sold from August 8 to Tunnel to Towers, a nonprofit that works to provide housing for veterans and first responders.
For its 37th anniversary, the FCPR has doubled the prize fund for 2025 and will offer a $50,000 purse per event, for a total estimated payout of around $600,000, according to event organizers.
“We’ve got the whole rodeo world talking about what we’re doing in 2025,” said Gill. “The Farm-City Pro Rodeo is a tribute to Hermiston, this community, and our volunteers and sponsors.”
The FCPR is August 6-9, with the rodeo starting at 7:45 p.m. each night. Tickets are available online or by calling the FCPR box office at 541.564.8500.
