ENTERPRISE The seventh annual Redneck Roundup rodeo continues at noon today in Enterprise as part of the Wallowa County Fair.

Bar-X-Rodeos of Asotin will provide the stock, as they’ve done the last 6 years, and the last two years at the Asotin Roundup.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids 6-12, with little ones admitted free.

A purse of $700 will be added to the purse accumulated through entry fees.

The buckle events include bareback, bull riding, saddle bronc, barrel racing, calf roping, team roping and breakaway roping.

Marvin Lovell of Umapine started the Redneck Roundup. He explains that in breakaway roping there’s a string with a flag tied to the saddle horn. When that string is broken, the time starts.

The trophy and ribbon categories include steer riding, calf riding, junior barrels and pee-wee barrels. There will also be the hide race and musical ropes where contestants ride down the racetrack away from piglet ropes hanging from an overhead rope.

On a signal the riders whirl around and race back to the ropes. "But, it’s not how fast your horse is," Lovell said, "It’s how fast you can stop him."

The kids’ events include the chicken scramble and mutton busting. Winners will be awarded ribbons for the latter event.

Lovell credits Deena Perin with having invested a great deal of time and energy volunteering to make the Roundup a success.

There may also be some jackpot events, if there’s enough participation, Lovell said. In jackpot, the entry fees are split 60/40 between the winner and the runner up.

Ribbon roping might be such an event. "Anybody can do it," Lovell said, adding that he saw a 60-year-old woman win it at the Senior Pro Rodeo in Reno three years ago.

A ribbon is tied to the calf’s tail. The contestant is stationed by the barrier. When the ribbon is broken, she begins running. When her man on horseback ropes the calf, she grabs the ribbon off the calf’s tail.

For information on the Roundup call Perin at (541) 558-9486, or 398-0116, Marvin or Evelyn Lovell at 379-4169, or Bar-X Rodeos at (509) 243-4245.