Beach broncs: State’s most western rodeo kicks up some full of life enjoyable

Beach broncs: State’s most western rodeo kicks up some full of life enjoyable

Published 5:12 pm Sunday, July 27, 2025

LONG BEACH — Aspiring younger weapons and seasoned cowboys took heart ring this weekend, dazzling attendees in the course of the 78th annual Long Beach Rodeo.

The two-day occasion, held July 26 and 27 in Long Beach, was the 18th cease in a circuit that travels throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho after formally kicking off in Elma in March earlier than culminating with the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA) finals in September, greater than 30 rodeos later.

A well-liked attraction for guests, the rodeo packed peninsula streets.

‘Rising gun’ Mahoney shines

Rising ‘young gun’ Sean Mahoney, 17, of Bend, Oregon, had the best rating within the saddle bronc competitors final Saturday, scoring an 82 along with his daring journey on a horse named 798 Dueces.

Mahoney was amongst dozens of cowboys and cowgirls from the NPRA competing in such occasions as saddle bronc driving, bareback driving, bull driving, barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie down roping, breakaway roping, group roping and the most recent occasion — cow milking.

“I’ve been competing in the NPRA about three years, but I’ve been rodeoing for about five,” mentioned Mahoney, sporting a blue and white flannel shirt tucked into a large bronze buckle, emblazoned with ‘Young Guns Crooked River Roundup Champion,’ a trophy and testomony earned throughout a rodeo in Prineville earlier within the 12 months.

Mahoney competes primarily within the bareback driving and saddle bronc driving occasions “with a little team roping on the side,” he mentioned, including that bareback driving was presently his favourite. He first obtained concerned with rodeo about 5 years in the past, when he was 12.

“It was during covid and all the sports were canceled, so I went to a rodeo school and fell in love with it,” mentioned Mahoney. “I’ve just been going up ever since then.”