The First Local Rodeo

The first organized rodeo in Preston was called the “Great Roundup,” and was held at the ballpark, at 11 a.m. on September 1-2, 1921, as part of the Franklin County Fair and Horse Show. Billed as the “only real wild west show presented this year” in the Aug. 24, 1921, edition of the Franklin County Citizen, it promised “horse racing, roping and tying wild steers – bronco busting, expert lassoing, all showing life on the frontier in the early days.”  Under the direction of the local chamber of commerce, the Preston City Park was “fixed-up” and “Indians and whites alike will participate.” 

Bill Head, Franklin County Sheriff, traveled to Fort Hall to recruit Indians to participate. They were great entertainers, “appearing in the parade, bareback horseracing, dancing and participating in events.” Part of their wages was a beef, which they would butcher and process at the rodeo grounds. “They made jerky out of it, hang it all along the board fence.” Other features of the event included, bulldogging, auto racing and “auto polo,” a Roman chariot race, and Indian bareback pony racing. Anyone interested in earning a $25 cash prize was invited to bring their wild horses and “see how easily they can be subdued.”  

The rodeo was followed up with a “big free street dance. No formal affair this. Dance in your clothes, your wife’s clothes or anybody else’s clothes,” stated the Franklin County Citizen. Lawmen reportedly looked the other direction when the rodeo’s organizers tried to make the event solvent by bringing in slot machines. According to Gary Rawlings, former Preston Citizen editor, there were slots in the beer halls and at the hitching posts in the streets. “Those were the days of spontaneous action, when any spectator in the bleachers might become part of the action.” A wheel once came off a polo jitney and Theo Petterborg, mounting a saddle horse, raced toward the fence trying to lasso the wildly whirling wheel. He may not have succeeded, but he got a hearty cheer from appreciative fans.

In 1935, the rodeo took on a new name, “That Famous Preston Night Rodeo.” It was “Famous” because organizers called it so, and “Night” because the rodeo was changed from a daytime show to a nighttime event. Chamber leaders had spent the afternoon at one of the hottest, dustiest rodeos they had ever attended, just to be turned down by the organizers of the very popular Henry Stampede on the idea of rotating the stampede with the Preston Roundup on an every other year basis. “Coming back in the car that evening, I suggested that we start a night rodeo to get out of the hot, dusty afternoon. I told them I’d talk to the power company and see what they could do,” recalled Dick Bowden in the 1975 rodeo program. Utah Power and Light officials agreed to put up the lights, and the country’s first night rodeo was born.

Originally, the arena was encircled by bleachers roped off from the riding area. Proceeds of $14,000 from the first three years were used to build a pole arena. The Franklin County Commission leased the grounds to the chamber in 1938, with an option to buy on the stipulation that the grounds be kept in good repair. Eventually, the grounds were purchased. The first stock came off the range, then Parley Hall and Earl Sorenson started bringing stock intended for rodeo. They were followed by several producers until Kerby Swanney was hired, whose company currently produces stock for the rodeo.

A parade has always been attached to the rodeo in Preston. In 1921, the parade preceded the event and started at 11 a.m.  When the rodeo was moved to nighttime, the parade was moved likewise.

In 2020, the rodeo committee (Kris Beckstead, Thane Winward, Richard Swainston, Jeff Hollingsworth, Dave Jeppsen, Sheryl Kimball and Doug Webb) are in the process of raising funds to expand the arena in order to accommodate the ever increasing crowd that enjoys coming to That Famous Preston Night Rodeo each year.