By Lee Farren

For The Observer

UNION The sun was setting on the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show grounds in Union recently when an air horn blasted through the dusty air.

Camp director Dave Shepherd of La Grande chuckled and blasted the air horn again. Chapel at Rodeo Bible Camp was about to begin.

Leroy and Reda Cowart of Slash Lazy U Ministries from Prineville warmed up their instruments. There was a lot of laughter and kidding around as the 47 campers found seats in the bleachers. Reda Cowart hit the keyboard with a southern gospel rendition of "Our God is an Awesome God," and campers and staff joined in the singing.

"Church is fun," declared Pastor Ted Wiese before leading the opening prayer. A few minutes later the campers were applauding contestants in a celebrity look-alike contest.

Next came Vicky Grove of La Grande with 12 questions and a handful of bubblegum suckers for those campers who knew the answers.

"How many years did Pastor Ted ride bulls?" Grove asked.

"Twelve," answered Devin Patton, 13, a calf roper from Joseph. He won a sucker with that reply, and the next day went on to win a buckle in the rodeo.

"Pretty rowdy tonight," said Renae Wilber, the camp secretary from Imbler. "Must not have gotten a good enough workout."

"Proverbs 16:33," Grove called out. " ‘The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.’ What does that have to do with rodeo?"

"When you draw a bull," someone shouted. Grove tossed a sucker in his direction.

Rodeo, Christian commitment and young campers. "Our number one goal," said Shepherd, "is to help young people find a saving relationship with Jesus Christ."

The 50 volunteer instructors, team leaders and camp staff also provide opportunities for spiritual growth and quality rodeo time.

Rodeo Bible Camp, in its sixth year in the Grande Ronde Valley, is sponsored by the La Grande chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. The Wallowa County chapter provided the event buckles and other rodeo awards. Some of the team leaders came from the Umatilla chapter. Dozens of people from Oregon, Washington and Idaho donated their time and expertise.

Cindy Post, the pole-bending instructor from Wallowa, knew why so many people donated their time and energy. "Poles, barrels, the Lord and kids. What a great combination," she said.

"Everyone serves the Lord in their own way," added Darin Davis, a rodeo clown and bullfighter from Hermiston. "This is the way that suits me best. Under God’s hand looking after some bull riders."

Tim and Judy Wells of La Grande served three home-cooked meals a day for 100 people. "We do it because there’s a need," Tim Wells said. "It seemed like a good place to help."

Stan Grove, an EMT with the La Grande Fire Department, was there to oversee any medical emergencies. "Mostly Band-aids and bee stings," he said, "though the potential is there anytime you have animals around."

The instructors, most rodeo contestants themselves, teach the same safety practices that professionals use in the chutes and arena. The Union ambulance was on the grounds during the rodeo.

"The other precaution is prayer," Grove added. "It doesn’t eliminate everything, but it definitely helps."

Rough stock was provided by John and LaDawn Ely’s Bar X Rodeos. The Elys and their daughter, RaeDawn, drove for six hours from Asotin, Wash., to deliver the bulls, bucking horses, cows and goats. Bar X donated the service, worth about $3,000. "We do it for Lord," said LaDawn Ely.

Pastor Wiese rode bulls and worked as a bullfighter and rodeo clown while in his 20s and 30s, and now travels the rodeo circuit with his wife Linda, a professional chef. She prepares meals in the fully equipped kitchen of their trailer while he preaches at cowboy church. A good meal often breaks the ice with the cowboys, Linda said. Their ministry is supported by donations and tithes from Christian cowboys.

Rodeo Bible Camp has been funded for six years primarily through a colt raffle. Judy Shepherd of the La Grande FCC chapter traveled to local rodeos and stock shows to sell tickets and publicize the camp. Ticket sales were down this year, though, and the chapter is ready to try something else.

"We’re looking for the Christian community to step up," Shepherd said. "We haven’t asked for anything except prayer until now. This is a mission field, working with children and giving them the big gift of Jesus Christ."

The chapter hopes to raise money for the 2004 camp through pledges and sponsors for flags and chutes.

The morning of Thursday, rodeo day, dawned clear and warm. The campers did their barn chores and put on their rodeo clothes before lining up for biscuits and gravy at the cook shack. At morning chapel Toviyah Lowe, 15, a pole-bender from Joseph, sang a song she had written herself, "My Hero’s Name is Jesus Christ."

By 9:30 a.m. family members and friends filled the stands. The campers entered the arena and sat at attention on their horses as Jordanne Pruitt, 14, a team roper from Benton City, Wash., rode in with the American flag.

It was time to rodeo.

Anyone interested in supporting Rodeo Bible Camp can call Dave Shepherd at 541-963-6728 or Renae Wilber at 541-534-4065.