New markers will honor old cowboys at Lacy Memorial Bull Ride

There's some big bucks to be made Saturday, May 23. All you have to do is ride a few bulls.

It's the Third Annual Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Ride at the Ridge Rider rodeo grounds in Delano. Action begins at 3 p.m.

This year, rodeo officials have added $3,000 to the prize money making the bull riding event attractive to some pretty good professional cowboys.

The event is named after Grand Coulee's own Cleatis Lacy, a rodeo cowboy of the first degree. When he wasn't competing, Cleatis was one of the most popular volunteers, never turning down an opportunity to help out.

This year, rodeo fans will be able to pay tribute to Cleatis and another local cowboy, Bob Rowe, at the site of a memorial marker that has been erected across the arena from the seating area.

The marker is a metal cutout showing Cleatis as a bulldogger. The companion marker is for Rowe, who had long been one of the cowboys who helped make the rodeo grounds what it is today. The markers are side by side, and a third marker honoring another local cowboy, Bob O'Neal, is being planned.

The memorial markers are across the rodeo arena from the covered seating area and near the Rattlesnake Saloon, named after a rattlesnake entered the beer garden area a year ago.

One marker depicts Lacy as a bulldogger, and the other is the head of a horse in honor of Rowe who was a well known Ridge Rider cowboy.

Glenn Shear designed the markers, and then Joe Santistevan put his tool skills to work and created the cutouts.

Rodeo officials have added $1,000 to the purse for the wild horse race, one of the most popular events for the evening, and $100 has been added to the Junior Steer Riding event.

Shane Marchand, Sev Carden and Deb Achord have all been active in developing the event.