Rodeo: Get Roped In

story by Keaton Weyers, design by Katrina Nolan, photos by Keaton Weyers and Tyler Diltz

Just over a century ago, the people of the Yakama Nation sold their land to the local ranchers of Ellensburg who decided to use it in part to host a rodeo every summer. Today, it is a fun, family-friendly event held every Labor Day weekend. You can enjoy delicious fair foods while watching the bucking broncos hurl their riders onto the dusty floor. Even though Ellensburg is just one stop on the rodeo circuit, many of its participants call it one of the top rodeos they look forward to each season. Here’s a visual look back at the 2025 Ellensburg Rodeo.

Outside of the rodeo’s arena you can walk through stalls that contain pigs, sheep, horses and dogs that compete for their own awards in the youth 4H categories. The four H’s stand for head, heart, hands and health. These are fantastic qualities to teach the youth that get involved, and even as an adult it is definitely what you want to have in abundance when you are in the arena clinging on like your life depends on it, while a fifteen hundred pound bull tries to throw you off its back. That’s exactly what happens round after round in the Xtreme Bulls event at the rodeo. Stetson Wright ended up heading home as winner of this event at the Ellensburg rodeo with his best ride of the evening scoring a 91.5 and a combined score of 179 points.