The American flag makes the rounds of the rodeo arena during the grand entry at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on July 5, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)
VALE – A pig scramble and pancakes were among the Fourth of July events in this rural town at a key junction of the Oregon Trail.
For four days, the city of Vale with a population 1,938 showed its patriotism and its passion for rodeo.
Vale, not far from the Idaho border, put on four days of rodeo that included coronation of a new queen, kids holding off to scrambling sheep and a nightly grand entry of rodeo royalty, circling the arena with flags.
The Vale Chamber of Commerce meantime hosted Oregon Trail Days in a city park adjacent to the rodeo arena. There, people could watch a dog show, admire cars and other vehicles shined to a high gloss and wolf down burgers, kettle corn and more.
The festivities went on despite temperatures that crested 100.
A rider holds on as his mount bucks during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on July 5, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A rider holds on as his mount bucks during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on July 5, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A rider gets bucked off during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on July 5, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A hopeful hangs on for his short ride on a bucking horse during the during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on July 4, 2024.. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)Locals came out on Thursday, July 4, 2024, to the Lions Club Breakfast at Wadleigh Park in Vale. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)Cami Cullen (right), Vale 4th of July Rodeo queen, poses for photos on Thursday, July 4, 2024, during the Lions Club Breakfast. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)Plenty of entries rolled through Vale to entertain spectators during the Fourth of July parade in Vale on July 4, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)Plenty of entries rolled through Vale to entertain spectators during the Fourth of July parade in Vale on July 4, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)Patriotic fans gets ready for Vale’s Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A Vale 4th of July rodeo royalty contestant waves at the crowd on Thursday, July 4, 2024, during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A rodeo competitor gets his saddle set up on Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the Vale 4th of July Rodeo. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A competitor works to stay on a bull during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo on July 4, 2024. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A hopeful gets bucked off a horse during the saddle bronc event on Thursday, July 4, 2024, during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo. (LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)A youngster hangs on tight on Thursday, July 4, 2024, during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo. The annual event, in its 109th year, kicked off Wednesday, July 3.(LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)Youngsters get ready for the action on Thursday, July 4, 2024, during the Vale 4th of July Rodeo.(LAURA TESLER/Special to the Enterprise)
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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.
