In 1933 two dreamers and Okanogan County stockmen, Leo Moomaw and Tim Bernard, envisioned starting a rodeo that became the Omak Stampede. The duo had started a rodeo string in 1932 and desired to expand their vision. A rodeo seemed to be the ticket to keep the small, western town kicking, considering it was settled […]
Taz is durable and confident His big eyes bright He soars down the hill, sure-footed, The crowd cheers with delight He powers through the rivers Like a steam engine climbing a hill His legs carry him with the speed of a gazelle He gives onlookers an arm-tingling thrill Taz is durable […]
When researching Girl Warrior, I had interviewed plenty of male jockeys. I needed to find a female to interview because my main character was female. I needed a woman’s perspective but didn’t know who. Didn’t know one female jockey’s name, only they existed. So I began asking family and friends and finally found a name: […]
When looking down from the top of the hill, horses and spectators look like dots, the water invites a quick swim on a hot day, and the sky is as blue as azure. In the staging area horses dance, their eyes and ears alert. Their hard muscles ripple in anticipation. Some rider-horse teams are quiet […]
I recently wrote a fiction book about the World Famous Suicide Horse Race in Omak, WA––the second full weekend of August. This event is part of the Omak Stampede, but its own entity. I’ve attended the stampede off and on since I was a little girl. But this year I watched the race from a […]