'Buy Dirt': the rich Idaho history in the dirt of the Snake River Stampede

Volunteers and organizers at the Snake River Stampede prepare for Wednesday's breast cancer fundraiser on top of dirt from the Oregon Trail maintained to meet the safety of riders and animals.

• Sixty dump trucks work for ten hours to bring in 2,000 yards of dirt for the Snake River Stampede.
• Stored on site by the Idaho Center, the Snake River Stampede owns the dirt and it sourced from the Oregon Trail east of Boise.
• The pioneer dirt is mixed with clay to create a safe surface for riders and animals and it is maintained throughout the rodeo to keep conditions just right.

( Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)

It takes a lot to put on the annual Snake River Stampede at the Ford Idaho Center and a week's worth of events starts with a lot of dirt. Sixty dump trucks worth — bringing dirt in for ten hours and as it turns out the country song is correct, you really can 'buy dirt'. Stored on site by the Idaho Center, the Snake River Stampede owns the dirt and it was purchased from a uniquely Idaho location.

"The quality of the dirt is very important and it came from a development east of Boise but actually right on the original Oregon Trail," Snake River Stampede Clint Child tells me.

So the broncos and the bulls will be kicking it on two thousand yards of Idaho history.

"So It's fairly safe to say the dirt that the bulls and horses are running on was originally walked on by oxen," I thought out loud.

"By oxen, has a rich history this dirt," Child confirmed.

The pioneer dirt is mixed with clay to create a safe surface for riders and animals and it is maintained throughout the rodeo to keep conditions just right.

"There's a whole science to it and we have a whole team dedicated to that," Child explains.

"As we look at it now, it looks dry but there's definitely some water in there," I said, feeling the dirt.

"We keep the right amount. Can't have it too moist but you can't have it too dry either," he confirmed.

Wednesday's events honor survivors of breast cancer; a personal matter for volunteer Gwen Lytle.

"My mother is a survivor, my grandma, step-grandmother, and coworker has been very involved and so it's something that's very passionate for us with giving back to the community as well as something that's near and dear to our hearts," Lytle explains.

Funds from Wednesday's events will help improve Idaho's access to breast cancer screenings, treatments, and mobile mammogram units.

"With the importance of breast cancer screening, where does Idaho rank in that?" I asked of Child.

"We unfortunately rank 50th in the nation, so not very well. We've been trying to move that needle."

A cauase close to the hearts of many Idahoans with cowboys and cowgirls stepping up to stampede for the cure.