Rodeo season starts in Nespelem

Kiser Payne rounds the barrels at the Nespelem Junior Rodeo Sunday in 16.63 seconds. The rodeo includes events like goat undecorating and hay bail roping for the youngest contestants but works up to steer riding and barrels for the more seasoned athletes. Dorothy Palmer said they'd been worried their schedule might conflict with Tonasket's junior rodeo, which just changed to the same weekend this year, but the opposite effect was noticed. Attendance was up, with many of the same traveling rodeo families taking advantage of the ability to compete at two close rodeos on one weekend. For rodeo fans, it was a good warmup for the Colorama Rodeo May 6-7 in Grand Coulee. - Scott Hunter photo