PRO-WEST Rodeo Association will hold its finals Sept. 29-30 at the Omak Stampede arena.
     Rodeos start at 1:30 p.m. each day. Admission each day is $5 for adults, and free for those age 12 and under. Rodeo chairman is Harold Carter, Riverside.
     The top 12 contestants in each event earned berths to the finals, which is in its fifth year at Omak.
     On Saturday starting at 11 a.m. there will be a free concert prior to the rodeo that will include Okanogan Valley Nashville Country Stars competitiors working with Ed Lisenbey of Entertainment Extravaganza.
     Singers appearing include co-host Cody Proctor, PRO-WEST member from Grand Coulee and the 2007 winner of the National High School Finals Talent Contest in Springfield, Ill.
     Also at the rodeo will be J.J. Harrison, 2007 PRO-WEST contract act of the year and a graduate of Okanogan High School. Harrison will be signing autographs with Miss PRO-WEST Freya Ford, Albion, along with bullfighters Ty Nussbaum and Blaine Covington of Omak.
     During the singing, there will be free children’s tickets offered for anyone 12 or younger, and footballs and Frisbees will be given away.
     This year’s announcer is Al Parsons, 2007 PRO-WEST announcer of the year.
     Skagit Valley Rein Riders Drill will carry colors to open the rodeo.
     Some of the competitors by event include:
     Bareback - Ryan Schmelzer, Spokane (graduate of Tonasket).
     Saddle bronc - Devin Richter, Omak.
     Bull riding - Trevor Maddox, Weiser, Idaho (high school senior).
     Calf roping     - Brett Hale, No. 2 on the circuit from Tenino. Current leader John Sloan, Ellensburg, could not compete due to health.
     Steer wrestling - Colin Wolfe, Wenatchee (former ski racer).
     Team roping     - Brett Hale, Tenino, and Taylor White, Prosser, plus three Canadian teams (Chad Evenson and Cole Pozzobon from Pritchard, B.C.; Ryan MacNaughton, Quesnel, and Ty Lytton, Lone Butte; Cliff Bick, Walhachin, and Brad Thomas, Alkali Lake.)
     Breakaway roping - Jennifer Casey, Mesa.
     Barrel racing - Katy Bremner, Ellensburg.
     Area contestants also include Shawn Best and Waylon Timentwa of Omak in bull riding; Shawn Sullivan of Okanogan in calf roping; J.W. Crenshaw of Omak in steer wrestling; Willy Hart (Okanogan graduate) in team roping; Dusti Crenshaw of Omak (teaching at Brewster) and Amy Sullivan of Okanogan (teaching at Virginia Grainger) in breakaway roping, and Jolene Douglas of Grand Coulee in barrel racing.
     Stock Contractors include Omak’s Northern Cross Rodeo Co. and the stock of C&C Rodeo, Riverside.
     A queen’s brunch will be Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Sun Valley Restaurant, Okanogan.
     The 2008 PRO-WEST queen candidates will be on hand to give speeches and answer impromptu questions. Tickets for the event are pre-sold and may be purchased at the rodeo office over the weekend.