Farm City Pro Rodeo organizers tell council event ranks among top 15 in U.S. and Canada

Hermiston — Members of the Farm City Pro Rodeo board briefed the Hermiston City Council July 28 on the rodeo’s history, growth and 2025 plans, and invited councilors to attend next week’s performances. A board representative traced Farm City’s origins to 1988 when the event began with modest purses and three performances. Over decades the rodeo increased payouts, added performances and innovations such as the back-to-back format and breakaway roping, and invested in lighting and arena improvements to accommodate television broadcasts. The board said Farm City increased per-event payouts over the years and in 2024 added $25,000 per event, producing total prize money that exceeded $300,000 and ranking Farm City 28th among about 700 PRCA rodeos. For 2025 the organizers said the purse would grow to $50,000 per event and total prize money would exceed $600,000, putting the rodeo inside the top 15 among events in the U.S. and Canada, alongside larger venues such as Calgary and Cheyenne. Organizers credited local sponsors and community support for the growth, described surface and soil improvements completed for better footing for barrel racers, and noted multiple PRCA awards the rodeo has won. They invited councilors behind the chutes to observe bull riding and offered seats for Thursday’s performance and other shows during fair week. Mayor and councilors thanked the board for the presentation and for coordination with public safety and urged council attendance at the rodeo. The presentation was informational; no council action was required.