Pro-West Rodeo makes return appearance at Okanogan County Fair

BREWSTER – The annual Pro West Rodeo that entertains spectators at Cashmere, Chelan, Waterville, and about 20 other Northwest venues, made its first return appearance at the Okanogan County Fair in almost a decade last September.
It was a well-organized and well-funded two-day event, enough so that the Pro-West Directors and competitors voted the Okanogan redux the 2017 Rodeo of the Year. Thanks for that accolade goes mainly to three individuals who went the extra mile to make sure both competitors and spectators got their money’s worth: Kelly Knapp and Tracey Reagles, both of Brewster, and Sam Buchert of Malott.
Buchert, a volunteer on the Okanogan County Fair Advisory Committee (FAC), served as Director of the Rodeo Committee this year. Knapp is president of the Pro West Rodeo Association, and Reagles serves as Chair of the FAC.
Buchert knows his way around a rodeo arena, having attended Walla Walla Community College on a rodeo scholarship where he competed in tie-down roping and team roping. His wife, Ronee, was a barrel racer and breakaway roper.
“I competed in Pro-West in high school and through college,’ said Buchert, who later acquired his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) permits and competed at that level until 2005.
Buchert knew who the good ‘hands’ were and recruited them to operate those aspects of arena work that are important to serious competitors.
For example, as an experienced competitor, Buchert knew the importance of good ground conditions. Fair facilities personnel Josh Freel, Darrell Duncan, and Dave Gurney “spent a month keeping the arena dirt watered and disced so it would be safe for the equine athletes,” Buchert said.
No detail was too small to overlook as Buchert addressed everything from multiple event parking arrangements and good chute help for efficient animal loading, to smooth event transitions. And he enlisted plenty of help:
The PUD changed and cleaned the arena lights. The county provided a water truck and driver. The Omak Stampede provided an arena groomer. Washington Tractor and Okanogan Truck and Tractor provided tractors. Volunteers stepped up to open chute gates, timed event gates, sort cattle, drive tractors, and donate hay.
Veteran rodeo announced Al Parsons manned the PA duties.
“We were fortunate to have Cashmere and Colfax rodeos on the same weekend,” said Buchert.
“This makes the travel worth it for top contestants to come all the way to Okanogan.”
Reagles was instrumental in rounding up sponsors like Jess Ford and others for the added money purses, a major draw for the best riders and ropers.
Knapp, serving his second year of a two-year term as Pro-West president, said the Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary following its founding in 1967. It has over 500 members who begin competing in early May and continue through the Pro-West finals at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in October. Events include bareback and saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
Kelly and Charlene Knapp’s four children grew up with Pro-West. Oldest son, Levi, attended Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. on a rodeo scholarship as did the Knapp’s twin sons, Eli and Eric.
Knapp said he received many favorable comments in crowd feedback and the Pro-West Directors Choice Award makes a return visit to Okanogan in 2018 almost a sure thing.