2025 Pendleton Round-Up Breakaway Champion Bailey Patterson has spent five years roping on the grass at one of ProRodeo’s most unique setups—making her uniquely qualified to share how to succeed in Pendleton’s arena.
In addition to balancing her ProRodeo career with night shifts as a registered nurse, Patterson serves as the Columbia River Circuit breakaway director—giving her insight into both the cattle and the conditions.
Notes on Pendleton’s setup:
The Pendleton Round-Up began in 1909, and in 1951 the infield was turfed for use by the local high school football team. The grass has remained for more than seven decades as an iconic part of the rodeo’s tradition. A dirt track surrounds the infield, and the roping chutes are set at the southwest corner of the stadium. Cattle are pushed up a lane by a rider, running from under the grandstands out into the field, giving both cattle and roper a rolling start.
According to Patterson, there’s a slight downhill grade from the boxes to the field, too. The grass becomes churned up throughout the rodeo, but during the slacks in the beginning, the pristine surface can be slick for fast-moving and stopping horses. Because of this, many ropers opt for ice nails in their horses’ hind shoes for increased grip.
Patterson shared three keys to not just surviving the Round-Up, but thriving there.
How to rope on the grass at Pendleton Round-Up
1. Stay Wide and Keep Momentum
With the rolling start and wide open spaces, cattle will feel a roper perusing them—especially when a rider hugs the left side of the box. Patterson recommends staying wide until the barrier line to encourage a calf to run straighter down the field and avoid a difficult shot on a calf moving left.
“The biggest thing is to stay wide,” Patterson said. “If you pull across the line, you lose all your momentum and that calf will leave you. The good runs are made when you’re moving, swinging, and ready to throw.”
2. Trust Your Horse
Pendleton’s setup demands a steady mount that can break to the pin and track a calf across the wide-open field. Patterson has relied on her mare Stella in every Pendleton appearance.
“She makes it feel like any other arena,” Patterson said. “She just locks on and goes, and that confidence is everything.”
3. React with confidence
Preparation helps, but Pendleton is still unpredictable.
“You just have to react,” Patterson said. “You can’t fully prepare—you trust yourself, trust your horse, and go.”
With years of experience and now a hometown championship, Patterson proves that success in Pendleton comes to ropers bold enough to attack the barrier, trust their horse, and let the run unfold.
