GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
SCHEDULED
Saturday, October 8, 2005 9:00 am
Omak Longhouse
Three Animal Rights Groups try
to disrupt Omak Stampede
by
Sam Sampson
EAST OMAK, AUG. 14—The 72nd Annual Omak Stampede came to a
close today after three Animal Rights Groups try to disrupt
this years Omak Stampede. Tyler Peasley...who graduated this
year from Okanogan High School and who was an outstanding
athlete...and the horse he rode, Reuben, were declared the
Overall Winner of this year’s World Famous Suicide Race.
Reuben is owned by Vern and Julie Toulou. Placing 2nd was The
Rock ridden by Jonathon Abrahamson and owned by Tyson Williams
and Melissa Louie...3rd was Ralph Moses aboard Patch and the
owner is Kevin Carden...and Zane Marchand rode Skokum to a 4th
place finish and the owners were Ferol and Robert Best.
10 Years Ago
The last time the Omak Stampede had two Saturday rodeos and
Suicide Races was in the year 1995. The next year (1996) the
Saturday afternoon show and the World Famous Suicide Race were
moved to Thursday night.
Official Souvenir Program
On page 14 of this year’s 72nd Annual Omak Stampede Program
the headline reads: “Suicide Race began 70 years Ago”. The
article said that the Suicide Race was started in 1935 by
Publicity Chairman Claire Pentz (passed away in 1972)...who is
remembered by today’s Tribal Elders because of Pentz’s
involvement with the Indian Encampment, etc.
Originally the Suicide Race course (1935-1952) was located
just South of the present site. Today’s course from start to
finish is about 891 feet. It’s 121 feet from the starting line
to the edge of the top of the hill...210 feet from the top to
the bottom of the hill...and 560 feet across the river to the
finish line in the rodeo arena.
Competing in the 1935 Suicide Race were these eleven (11)
riders: Edward Armstrong, Pete Carden, Bev Conners, Leo
Crossland, Alex Dick, Mathew Dick, Bert Evans, Wallace Moomaw,
Eddie Partsons, Leonard St. Peter, and Tom Woods. Wallace
Moomaw took 1st place; 2nd was Bev Conners; and Bert Evans was
3rd.
Page 60 of the Stampede Program pays Tribute to Earl “Injun”
Marchand (July 7, 1931-Oct. 10, 2004). From the Coulee Dam
area, Earl competed in the following rodeo events: bull
riding, saddle bronc, bareback, and he was also a bull fighter
and a clown.
In 1952 he was drafted and served with an Army outfit in the
Korean War. Afterwards he joined his brothers Fred and Ollie
to play country music, and the band group was known as “The
Wild Indians”.
The last sentence in the article saids: “We all miss the man
they called “Injun Earl” and know that he is in that rodeo
arena in the sky”.
Three Animal Rights Groups
Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) started their
campaign to stop the Suicide Race this year before the Omak
Stampede even began.
One of the things that happened because of PAWS was that
Wal-Mart and Crown Royal withdrew their support of the Suicide
Race. Afterwards some local businesses and the local affiliate
of the National Rite Aid Corporation declared their support
for the Suicide Race.
The Lynwood-based PAWS in an announcement just before the
start of the Omak Stampede said that they were being supported
by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, and the American Humane Association.
One of the things that PAWS brought up is that during the past
20 years, 19 horses died from injuries that occurred in the
race. This year there were no major injuries to a horse or a
rider.
However during another rodeo event...the Wild Horse Race...a
horse died today after breaking its neck when it ran over its
lead rope.
The law enforcement officers from the Colville Indian Tribal
Police, Omak City Police, Okanogan County Sheriff’s
Department, etc. stepped up their security during the Omak
Stampede, and as a result there were no major incidents during
the Stampede.
October Per Capita
NESPELEM, WA., AUG. 15—Notice for 2005 October
Per Capita:
*To be eligible, members must be living and/or born as of
midnight August 31, 2005.
*New Applicants must submit a complete application to the
Enrollment Department by 4:00 p.m., September 30, 2005.
*Address and/or Payee changes must be in our office by
September 16, 2005. No address changes will be accepted over
the phone or email.
*You are required to provide two (2) pieces of I.D. in order
to cash your check at any bank. If you need a new Tribal ID
Card plan ahead prior to October 2005.
*Cut off date for court orders is September 16, 2005. Make
sure Enrollment has a copy of the new and/or current court
order.
REMINDER
*No checks will be re-issued until two (2) weeks after the
distribution date.
Brenda Thomas, Enrollment Officer
(Editor’s Note: A determination hasn’t been made yet as to
what the exact amount of the Per Capita will be!)
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Three Meetings are held on a proposed
Hatchery to be built below Chief Joseph Dam
BRIDGEPORT, WA., AUG. 23—A Public Scoping Meeting was held
here today at the Chief Joseph Dam Commons building conference
room on the proposal to build a hatchery below Chief Joseph
Dam and acclimation ponds along the Okanogan River subbasin.
Representatives from the Bonneville Power Administration and
Colville Tribe were at the meeting to give a briefing, answer
questions, and to receive any comments about the proposed
hatchery. Similar meetings were also held the next day at
Okanogan, WA., and on Thursday at Wenatchee, WA.
The Bonneville Power Administration is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement on the project. The scoping
comment period started on Aug. 2, and comments are due by
Sept. 19. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be
available for public review and comment in the Spring of
2006...and the Final Environmental Impact Statement will be
Spring 2007. Construction will start in late 2007.
The main focus of the Hatchery will be the building up of
Summer/Fall Chinook salmon, and also being considered is the
use of the proposed Hatchery to reintroduce Spring Chinook
salmon to the Okanogan subbasin.
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