COPWRA Membership & Board
Meeting
Saturday, June 13th, 2026
─
Attendees
Agenda
Old Business
New Business
1. Financial Report – Liz Russell
2. Open Board Positions – Nominations
a. Vice President
i.
Trevor McCoin is willing to continue this position.
b. Rodeo Secretary – Brittney nominates Chandler Buckner
c. Treasurer
i.
Liz Russell is willing to continue this position.
d. Rough Stock Director
i.
Mike Romine is willing to continue this position.
e. Goat Director
f.
Calf Roping/Tying Director
i.
Colton Gow is willing to continue this position.
g. Barrel Racing Director
i.
Bailey Cline is willing to continue this position.
h. Volunteer Coordinator
i.
Sponsorship Director
j.
Association Secretary – Kelsey Nonella nominates Brittany Santucci
k. Queen Coordinator
3. Proposed Rule Changes
a. Submitted by Siterra Magee
i.
I would like there to be a rule or understanding for the Pole Bending and
the Barrels that they have atleast 2mins to get into the arena. I have been
down in the holding pens and the amount almost wrecks and gate issues I
see from kids and parents trying to hurry into the arena because the feel
like they have no time I feel needs to be addressed.
As kids get older, especially in the Pro rodeos or even amatures, they
have atleast 2mins to get into the arena…. Very rarely are you turned out
for not getting into the arena by a certain time usually just fined for it, I feel
like our youth deserve the opportunity to know they have time to get to the
gate, get inside and set themselves up for a good run, now I have no skin
in the game for the barrels or poles as my kids are boys and in the other
events, but I feel this would set those girls up for success in the future and
allow them to be a tad relaxed in the gate and no feel the anxiety to be
rushed, as a professional barrel racer myself, I had to learn one year at St
Paul Rodeo that we in deed do not need to rush and the Judges usually
gives them about 2mins (as Emily Beisel said to me “us girls wouldn’t be
able to walk our horses up if we didn’t have time. Never rush yourselves
and set yourselves up for your best shot to win”)
b. Submitted by Kelsey Nonella
i.
Seniors rope with a picked senior-aged division partner, if they don’t have
a said partner they can draw one, and the seniors enter in the division.
The person drawn doesn’t receive points for the draw run.
c. Submitted by Liz Russell
d. No scooters, electric bikes, one wheels, bikes etc in arena, on track or any
horse warm up areas.
4. 2027 Dates & Locations

2026 COPWRA General Membership Meeting Minutes  –  June

Financial Report
Liz Russell talks about memberships being down from 2025 which effected our memberships by about $1200. Entry fees up $1400 because of raising the prices of stock fees. Down about $9000 in sponsorship money. The carry over for the 5013C is $5000.

Board position nominations:

Vice President Trevor McCoin was nominated. No other nominations. Seconded. All in favor.

Rodeo secretary Chandler Buckner nominated and accepts that position and seconded no other nominations.  All in favor.

Treasurer Liz was nominated and accepted. Seconded. No other nominations. All In favor.

Rough Stock Director: Mike Romine was nominated and accepted. Seconded all in favor.

Goat director: Wacey Clark nominated and seconded and accepts the position. All in favor.

Calf tying director: Colton Gow nominated and seconded and accepted.  All in favor.

Barrel racing director: Bailey Cline was nominated, seconded and accepted. All in favor.

Volunteer Coordinator: Courtney Scott was nominated and seconded and accepted.  All in favor.

Sponsorship director: Hilary Pike was nominated and seconded, accepted. All in favor.

Association Secretary: Jenna Nonella nominated and seconded and accepted. All in favor.

Queen Coordinator. No one was nominated at this time. TBD later to continue?

Rule proposals

1. Submitted by Siterra Magee. I would like there to be a rule or understanding for the Pole Bending and the Barrels that they have at least 2mins to get into the arena. I have been down in the holding pens and the amount almost wrecks and gate issues I see from kids and parents trying to hurry into the arena because the feel like they have no time I feel needs to be addressed.
   As kids get older, especially in the Pro rodeos or even amateurs, they have at least 2mins to get into the arena…. Very rarely are you turned out for not getting into the arena by a certain time usually just fined for it, I feel like our youth deserve the opportunity to know they have time to get to the gate, get inside and set themselves up for a good run, now I have no skin in the game for the barrels or poles as my kids are boys and in the other events, but I feel this would set those girls up for success in the future and allow them to be a tad relaxed in the gate and no feel the anxiety to be rushed, as a professional barrel racer myself, I had to learn one year at St Paul Rodeo that we in deed do not need to rush and the Judges usually gives them about 2mins (as Emily Beisel said to me “us girls wouldn’t be able to walk our horses up if we didn’t have time. Never rush yourselves and set yourselves up for your best shot to win”)

Feedback:  Currently seconds to allow into gate is 60 seconds per rule book. Needs to be held at 60 seconds and held accountable. Junior high and high school is one minute as well. Need to follow high school rodeo rules. We give a lot of grace

2. Submitted by Kelsey Nonella. Seniors rope with a picked senior-aged division partner, if they don’t have a said partner they can draw one, and the seniors enter in the division. The person drawn doesn’t receive points for the draw run.

Feedback:  Preparing for junior high and high school rodeo, they are able to rope with kids. They can still draw a partner if they don’t have a partner.  Need to start thinking about the politics of rodeo. Western States at 11 years old they can pick a partner or draw. Might be a nightmare for the rodeo secretary. Would need to see how that works, especially with a new secretary coming in.  Someone mentioned that Western states takes a lot of time to make sure that the draw is done right the night before.  Not sure what that would look like set up different on the backside. Western states has a drop down menu when entering each rodeo. Draws would be an extra run for those kids.  Other feedback is this isn’t a jackpot, this is a rodeo. Kids come to this rodeo in particular to rope with adults because they know its safe. An idea that this would mean a lot of practice runs, so maybe have your points runs first and then have a draw run last? Beginning of the year there was one more header than a heeler. At the end of the year there was almost double headers to heelers.

3. Submitted by Liz Russell. No scooters, electric bikes, one wheels regular bikes etc allowed in the warm up areas, the arena, the track or anywhere that kids riding horses could be affected. 

Feedback:  There are a lot of wrecks or close calls to what could be wrecks.  For example there were dirt bikes racing horses on the track at one of the rodeos.  All parents should hold their kids accountable.  Parents parent differently, is another rule going to change this?  Junior high has them outlawed completely.  What would happen if you get caught?  Every parent and board member needs to step up and call kids out for when they are doing something wrong.  We shouldn’t have to put a rule in to prevent the majority from doing something that a few have not been taught better.

4. Submitted by Trevor McCoin. Increase the fines on parents that do not volunteer or do not show up for their volunteer positions.  Instead of just a $25/day fine, we need real repercussions.  e. disqualified from year end awards 2^nd offense or something similar.  Up the fine to $150/weekend not volunteering.

Feedback: Current fines are for the first weekend $25/day , second weekend $50/day, third weekend offense $75/day and fourth weekend offense $100/day.  Some people just choose to pay that and it does add up as extra money to the association but it does sometimes put  damper on the rodeo and how smooth it runs.  We have a lot of people step up in the moment.  But usually it is the same people.  It has gotten better now that we have increased the fine.  Brittney would like to add to this rule proposal that all fees and fines are paid prior to the start of the rodeo so that the rodeo secretary does not have to track people down.  Then the list of unpaid contestants can go to the announcer as a mandatory turn out.

5. Submitted by Mike Romine. Need to address Senior Boys Bareback Riding No Binding Rule.  It does not read NO BIND.  It reads that your hand must slide in and out of the rigging.  Need to clarify that to state “No Binding”. Also reads that the contractor has the right to disqualify rigging set ups.  Mike believes that it should be the judges and/or the director to make that call.

Proposed dates for the 2027 season are April 24/25, May 8/9, May 21/23, June 5/6.  We realize that overlaps on graduation weekend but we need to avoid state finals weekend as that has more negative on our entry numbers than previous years overlapping with graduation.

COPWRA Board Meeting Minutes Oct 12, 2025

COPWRA General Membership Meeting Agenda Saturday, July 20, 2024

Called to Order by Craig Neher at 5:55pm

Discuss the local fire and evacuations taking place. The air quality could be a factor and a lot out of our control until we know what it is.

• 2025 Dates
  • April 26 – 27
  • May 10-11
  • May 31-June 1
  • June 7-8

*keep July 19-20 if can’t have 2 in the May.

• We are waiting to hear back from Casey at fairgrounds that. If May 31 to June 1^st

 Financial Report- presented by Liz Russell

• • $78,000 in the account, some awards have been ordered. Total income in 2023 was $129,000 and this year it is already at $149,000. Discussed the line items for income. Financially blessed in this association. Discuss the line items for the expenses. We have cut back on the judges and saved on those expenses.
  • There was a recommendation to start accepting cards or Venmo with them paying the fee. The less checks we take, would take less to chase down bad debt.
  • As a president there are checks and balances, making sure we are operating in the black.
• Proposed Rule Changes for 2025
• Change barrel pattern dimensions, barrel racing pattern dimensions to Starting line no less than 35’ to 1st no more than 45’. 80’ between 1st- 2nd, 95’ to 3rd. Allow 90’ from fence to starting line. Set barrel pattern for arena conditions, and arena dimensions upon directors’ discretions. Submitted by Katy Schnabele
  • Fix typo on page “front” barrel
• No circling or turning in times events for intermediate and senior divisions. Currently the jr high and high school rules state that a horse cannot turn or leave forward momentum to start the run. I propose that the rule is added to not only follow the hs rule book but also speed up the current rodeos. Submitted by Ryan Kimball
  • Would this subject to people now running though the gate.
  • The gate area becomes highly unsafe.
  • Turning is fine, it’s the circles they take. Makes those kids following the rules.
  • The gate is not always centered.
  • The level of our contestants for control
  • Helping the kids setup and prepare them doesn’t mean we need to not allow circling or turning.
  • There are other small things we can do to save time, this isn’t a priority
• Calf tying director duties to include – Calf Roping and double mugging.  This helps split the duties of Arena Director and makes sense as all these events are in conjunction with one another. Submitted by Craig Neher
  • Helps eliminate some of the responsibilities of arena director
  • What about this being dissolved by the arena director
  • Make the chute dogging and calf tying one positions because they happen first thing in the morning.
  • These three events would be done by someone knowledgeable on these events. Break it up so someone isn’t there all day.
• Calf tying, add a time limit. Submitted by Sammee Green
  • Currently there isn’t a time limit in calf tying from the post
  • :30 or :45 seconds
  • Prefer the :30 seconds gives the little kids still have a chance
  • People here make the rules get deeper and deeper from parents picking and picking
• Double Mugging – Rules state that the Calf must be cleared, we were operating under a day rule to allow if the calf is down to take down. Submitted by Craig Neher
  • It has been a ground rule but needs to be changed in the rule book.
  • Adding all these rules, get these little kids excited and roping calves.
  • Idea of this event to get a calf roped and it stays tied for :06 seconds.
  • Parents are getting better at flanking not the kids.
• Pole Bending – define the rule into the rule book on “Fixing” a run. Submitted by Craig Neher
  • There is a discrepancy between the HS rules and our book, we don’t define it.
  • There is a lot of kids not at the level to be at HS or JR High rodeo.
  • Rule book needs to define what then it is, allowed to correct it with a not time, or not allowed.
  • Would be the same for barrels and poles
  • Change it for the seniors
  • We are here for the kids, does it really save that much time
  • Colt as a judge thinks it takes too much time and needs to be intermediate and seniors need ride out and practice at home to get it right.
  • Kids need the opportunity to correct this on a competition arena.
  • The track gets done before the main arena.
  • Fixing the pattern includes breaking the eye.
• Board Operations – Board to operate under “Parliamentary Procedures”. This would be following for example Robert’s Rules of Parliamentary Procedures.  This entails examples such as Presidents cannot make a motion, Treasures and Secretaries are not of voting capacity, quorum must be met to vote, etc. Submitted by Craig Neher
  • Guidelines of rules helps a board operate. Presidents can’t make a motion, treasures, secretaries can’t make a motion.
  • People won’t want to volunteer on the board, if they don’t have a vote.
  • It’s not that Craig doesn’t want a vote taking away from people just needs guidelines.
  • Some people spoke up its fine how it is now, but then some others say yes there should be these policies in place.
  • Craig recommends people research what it is, too focused on the “secretary” voting.
  • President doesn’t get a vote why is that.
  • You get someone who doesn’t know rodeo takes a board position, but they’re voting on rodeo things.
• Would like the seniors to go to age 15, Weathers
  • It would throw off the 3 year age groups
  • Kids can already pee wee and high school rodeo
  • Josh doesn’t see it being a good thing
  • Needs to be a step up between the gap of pee wee and high school rodeo.
• Association Secretary – Make this a paid position. This could include adding Rodeo Secretary duties or not. (Making one position out of two).  Submitted by Craig Neher.
  • This was discussed the at board meeting last night. Other associations like high school and jr high school are all paid association secretaries. IT would change the dynamics of the association. There is a lot more involved with taxes, accountability.
• Day Money payout – Would this bring more contestants that can’t make all rodeos, give a nugget to contestants that only have one good day. Submitted by Craig Neher
  • Sammee discussed the concerns of the workload this brings on. Entry fees would have to be raised. It’s affordable.
  • You will never make enough, to make it worth while.
  • We are pee wee association, not a junior rodeo association.
  • Prefer the not of paying back, other associations payback.
  • You would have to hire office staff
  • There are things being done that make the middle kids feel successful with awards.
• Rodeo locations – Hold rodeos at venues other than Crook County Fairgrounds. Submitted by Craig Neher
  • Asked the membership if they are happy in Prineville, nobody wants to move away from here.
• Propose that no kids should be allowed in the arena during other kids runs while runs are being made. Submitted by Liz Russell
  • This should not be allowed in the arena when kids are competing.
  • Read the rule right now it’s noted in the rough stock, it should expand to all the events and track and arena.
  • In the arena with exception of volunteering or under approval of a director arena and track
  • Allow “except when volunteering”

• Starting the rodeo at 8 am with Calf tying, then moving directly into team roping, followed by grand entry. Grand entry time to be estimated but not waited for if team roping finishes sooner. Submitted by Jody Holmes
  • Instead of hard start times would be the calf tying, takes 15minutes
  • Roll right into the team roping, then roll right into the grand entry.
  • It eliminates the confusion and liability if we can’t start early so they don’t get.
  • Don’t move grand entry / move the grand entry
  • Concern is enough time for contestants and parents get to their next events, the adult team ropers have time to take care of their horses, kids, etc.
  • Jill says leave it where it’s at.
• Define how many liners are needed in the roping events (none-2-4?) and remove extra people/spectators/ropers waiting to rope during all the roping events. Submitted by Jody Holmes
  • All roping events
  • Grandstands have parents they can’t see, it’s effecting how calf horses are working.
  • Have to have liners because they can’t score and will turn cattle back to the left.
  • We are getting too knit picky
  • Youd have to have harder running stock with less liners.
  • Can’t train the parents and kids at same time
  • There are too many things to micromanage
  • Minimize how far down we go down the arena, arena director.
  • The kid and parent need to think about it and work on it.
  • Third posts down nobody past there, the further you go you bring it back a little more into the open.
  • There is a flow, and don’t switch things up it is working.
  • Asking people why they come here, because our rodeo is run well.
• Moving the sled roping onto the track with a panel-built box next to the exit gate, with the box closed off/fenced off during other track events. Submitted by Jody Holmes
  • Makes it easy
  • Progression to next step, more realistic.
  • Back in the box and nodding their head
  • The order of senior rough stock saddle steer and break in between. The juniors are run and seniors for a logistics reason, and kids having to compete back to back. You can’t load and strip stuff at the same time.
• The seniors rope with another kid in the team roping, they have to enter with a partner, getting them setup for junior high. Saves on helpers.
  • Drawing will be a problem.
  • It’s a safety concern
  • It prepares them to start thinking about partners
  • They are of age need to find partners
  • It changed because of horsepower, safety.
  • If kid roping with kid, then NO three loops. Safety issue.
• Allow 3 loops for intermediates and seniors in team roping with a 30 or 45 second time limit. Submitted by Jody Holmes
  • These kids are roping with an adult.
  • When the adult miss, that is team roping
  • Jr High and High School have a :30 limit
  • They never get practice rebuilding their loop
  • Benefit the heelers, the dads are fast enough to rebuild.
  • Skill we are not building for them.
  • If you have to bring your own partner.
  • It’s hard on stock, horses, gear, and adults.
  • It’s a safety concern
  • JR High and High school, use entire arena have more room, less chance of a wreck.
  • None of the adult ropers want it to go to three loops
  • Should the juniors be cut back to two loops for safety concerns
  • Part of the skills

Volunteer flaggers was a high level of inconsistency of times, rules, then we appointed people, times not matching. Let’s try hiring judges. How to find credentials. Is it harder to find someone that knows rules or is it harder to find judges. This year judges will be booked this fall. Craig uses a judges list of HS Rodeo, Jr Rodeo, ICA, NPRA.

Stacie Smith from Pendleton

• Chute Dogging- why do we have the chute dogging rules different than junior high.

They way the horn is grabbed to be changed back to how it is in junior high. Cant touch the horn until it’s across the line.

Officer / Director Nominations; nominations will be taken at the meeting

• Rodeo Secretary (position open, Sammee Green not returning for position)
  • Brittany Wofford- nominated by Casey Romine, second by Roger Nonella
• Treasurer
  • Liz Russell, nominated by Casey Romine, second by Ryan Gallagher
• Rough Stock Director –
  • Mike Romine, nominated by Liz Russell, second by Josh Peterson
• Goat Director (position open, Casey Romine not returning)
  • Casey Romine, nominated by Kasey Every, seconded by Kelsey Nonella
  • Delegate someone to help her with the duties.
  • Alternate Kit Thompson
• Calf Tying Director (position open, Tony Green not returning for position)
  • This role could change based on the voting in October. You need knowledge but you don’t have to be involved in what your kids would be in.
  • Colton Gow, nominated by Roger Nonella, seconded by Mike Romine
• Barrels (position open, Katy Schnabele not returning for position)
  • Bailey Cline, nominated by Liz Russell, seconded by Roger Nonella
• Awards, all around
  • Tiffany Davis, nominated by Jody Holmes
  • Laura Davis, nominated by Liz Russell, Second Josh Peterson
  • Kelsey Nonella, nominated by Sam Gallagher, second Ryan Steele
• Awards, events (position open, Katy Kimball not returning for position)
  • Jill Latno-Yamate, nominated by Jody Holmes, second by Laura Davis
  • Jenna Nonella, nominated by Kelsey Nonella, second by Sam Gallagher
• Volunteer Coordinator
  • Jody Holmes, nominated by Liz Russell second by Ryan Gallagher
• Association Secretary (position open, Kasey Every not returning)
  • No nominations
  • 1 year position

October meeting we choose the stock contractor but needs dates and locations. We will need their numbers by October. Goats and all other stock.

Two queens getting introduced at grand entry tomorrow, Sunday’s grand entry.

 Meeting Adjourned 7:55pm

COPWRA 2023 General Membership Meeting Minutes

Called to order on July 29, 2023 at 6:35pm

Grandstands at Crook County Fairgrounds Outdoor Arena

2024 Dates-

April 27 & 28- Prineville

May 11 & 12- Prineville

June 1 & 2- tentative Prineville*pending barrel club works with us on facility and dates.

July 20 & 21^st – Prineville *pending race commission approval of CRR horse races. If dates  to be moved it will be July 27 & 28.

 Memberships will be online with a per kid rate, determined at October board meeting.

Suggested to have a board production meeting with the judges each morning before the rodeo starts include all directors and judges; discuss the ground, rakes.

There will be 1 queen and up to 2 lil miss COPWRA 2024; Ruby Hopper, Della Porterfield, and Mirah Quintero.

Proposed Rule Changes for 2024

1. Eliminate judges.
   1. Asked the directors to discuss the pros and cons
   2. They don’t make the executive decision; they ask a directors and boards. Why do we need to pay them to be for best interest for our kids. There hasn’t been any benefit in the rough stock. We had two judges; they became unavailable day of. Hard to find the quality of the judges.
   3. They judges have pulled a lot of pressure of the board.
   4. Educate the judges, they need to be trained.
   5. The board hires them then we must support the flaggers call.
   6. The judge for goats is very valuable.
   7. As directors make sure they know the rules, safety deal directors call.
   8. One judge all roping, then that judge comes and does goats.
   9. Is there a standard for knowing what events need a judge and what ones don’t.
   10. Does need to be the poles for assists and a lot of issues.
   11. Figure out a way to keep them educated and use them.
   12. Educated them at a production meeting.
   13. There must have respect for if there is a bad judges call.
   14. Discuss at your meeting, if there is a director that is not confident, then we have judges for it. If board wants a judge then discuss and support it.
   15. Idea if there could be student delicates like JHSR and HSR, no kids are in too many events and they are too young for this responsibility.
2. Intermediate Double Mugging rules follow Sr. Boy Tie Down Roping Rules
3. Intermediate Double Mugging rules, more clarification and clarify on how long calf to stay tied
   1. Specify a time until all human touch is gone and then 6 sec start and calf must stay tied.
   2. Kid doesn’t have to get back on for the time to
   3. All human contact off calf and 6 secs starts.
   4. Everyone in agreement that it needs to have a specified time.
   5. As this event has become more competitive and more entries, rules need to be more specific to it.
4. Separate results for headers and heelers in team roping, not jackpotted together. Headers place 1-10^th, heelers place 1-10.
   1. It affects the kids in the all-around; kid who bust butt in heading gets points. Then you have the heeler who catches 2 all year but gets 20 points.
   2. There is a huge shortage of heelers, there are kids that want to heel but they can’t heel against the adults.
   3. Overall comment was membership like it as it is now.
5. Turn out fees assessed- enforce it, set the fee at $50 per kid for a non-notified turnouts
   1. If a kid is hurt, we understand.
   2. If you just not showing up, there is a consequence.
6. Allow laceups to be worn, clarify that this isn’t currently against rules.
   1. There are no fat baby boots.
   2. HS Rodeo rules are the fall back and it’s not against the rules.
7. Allow lil miss to run for queen the following year.
   1. Make sure it is updated in the Queen rule book and packet
   2. Needs to be qualification process.
8. Junior Breakaway in the rule book, it read once kids misses the dummy will stop, then they build up. Change it that the dummy won’t stop.
   1. To make it more lifelike a calf doesn’t stop, so the dummy never stops.
   2. The dummy will be pulled at the consistent speed until end of the arena, put the second loop on them, they can pack a second loop so they don’t have to rebuild.
   3. First two rodeos the dummy stops, the second two it doesn’t. break the kids into it slowly.
9. Consider making 3 loops in team roping
   1. More prone to wrecks, helpers’ horses too much for them, takes too much time.
   2. Maybe just the senior
10. Starting rodeos at the 8am
    1. Too early too much in mornings
    2. 8:30 seemed to be an earlier enough start time
    3. Juniors are little and first events
11. Eliminate calf tying
    1. It’s not a real event, it’s more of a practice event
    2. Ability for kids who aren’t ready to calf rope or don’t have a horse
    3. It’s an event that builds skills for the next step
    4. It’s not a real event
12. Junior, Intermediate, Seniors. No correcting the pattern, must exit the arena immediately.
    1. For sure the seniors, they aren’t allowed at all.
    2. Humane rule is taken care of humane treatment
    3. Intermediate and Seniors
    4. Announcers, judges they need to know.
    5. Intermediate need to know pattern and seniors.

There needs to be a safety help or clarify, horse must be rode into the arena, no walked into arena, then try to get on the horse.

Nominations

1. President
   1. Craig Neher, nominated by Jessica Steele. 2^nd nomination Christine Mahoney.
2. Vice President
   1. Roger Nonella, nominated by Jessica Steele, 2^nd Wyatt Clark
   2. Trevor McCoin, nominated by Liz Russell, 2^nd nomination Marcie Neher
3. Track Director
   1. Ryan Steele, nominated by Jessica Steele, 2^nd nomination Kelsey Nonella
4. Arena Director
   1. Ryan Gallagher, nominated by Jessica Steele, 2^nd by Steph O’Malley
5. Queen/Grand Entry Director
   1. Jill Jennings, nominated by Kasey Every, 2^nd nomination Javan Shull

Meeting Adjourned at 7:42pm