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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Pee Wee Rodeo pits kids vs. cattle

Admission is free this weekend to watch the Cheney Pee Wee Rodeo for 2- to 18-year-olds. While the youngest participants get help from their parents, others are practiced riders.
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When they say peewee, they’re not messing around.

Children as young as 2 are invited to participate in this weekend’s Cheney Pee Wee Rodeo, an opportunity for youths through age 18 to compete in events such as bronc riding, mutton busting, goat tying and barrel racing.

For those in the stands, it’s an opportunity to see kids show off their cowgirl and cowboy skills, or the present lack of them.

The events are scaled down for kids on the young end, and the very youngest are led through their events by their parents, said Sherrie McNall, secretary-treasurer of the Cheney Pee Wee Rodeo Association, the nonprofit, volunteer group that organizes the event.

The rodeo might be a participant’s first introduction to a horse, McNall said. But some peewee participants work their way up to adult rodeos.

“It’s hard work, it’s determination, that gets them there,” she said.

The event, in its third year, follows Eastern Washington Junior Rodeo Association regulations. Top cowgirls and cowboys will receive cash prizes and belt buckles.

Concessions and games will be available for rodeo participants and spectators during downtimes. Sunday is “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” day, in support of breast cancer survivors and their families.

“Our goal is to instill in these kids, No. 1, that hard work’s going to get them what they want, that persistence is going to get them what they want,” McNall said. “We promote responsibility from these kids, respect for others.”

Adrian Rogers

When: From 10 a.m. until around 4 or 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. “Cowboy Church” starts at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Where: Bi-Mart Arena, 14310 S. State Route 904 north of Cheney

Registration: Participants have until today to sign up. Participation costs from $10 to $30 per event, plus fees. Go to www.cpwra.com for entry forms, which must be notarized.

Admission: Free