Snake River Stampede gets rolling in Nampa

NAMPA — When Michael and Cyndi Hayes moved to the Boise area from southern California, they went to the Snake River Stampede Rodeo in Canyon County.

Five years later, and it’s an annual tradition for the couple.

“We loved it. Very patriotic, God first. Just a different type of fun that we hadn’t experienced before, being in California,” Michael Hayes said while standing in the Ford Idaho Center outdoor concourse on Tuesday night. “It just was kind of like the central-Idahoan type of fun event, that really felt homegrown.”

They spoke to the Idaho Press as vendors served food and sold rodeo merchandise to excited attendees on opening night of the five-day event.

“We feel a little more native after going to one of these,” Cyndi Hayes said.

The historic Stampede enters its 109th year of existence. It features five straight days of rodeo action, culminating with Saturday’s final following a matinee earlier in the day.

An email from event organizers said more than 1,000 cowboys and cowgirls are expected to compete in the PRCA-sanctioned rodeo, which is Idaho’s largest. The week typically draws between 50,000 and 60,000 attendees in its totality.

Five of those came out Tuesday night, when Craig and Erica Louder brought their three young children — Cora, Clara and Ethan.

They traveled from New Plymouth and had a keen interest in Tuesday’s action. The family had just bought a horse for 8-year-old Clara from Linnea Nelson, a Jerome resident competing in breakaway and barrel racing competitions.

“We came to watch her,” a smiling Clara said.

The two daughters are in junior rodeo, Craig and Erica said. While the family has attended Snake River Stampedes “off and on for a number of years,” Craig Louder said this one has added significance because of their recent horse purchase.

“I like watching the bull riding and the clowns being funny,” Clara said.

Tony and Marika Mesec were running their Hungarian food stand from the outdoor concourse on Tuesday night.

Specialties on the menu include chimney cake and langos, which is fried bread accompanied by Greek, Italian, Mexican, Hungarian and French toppings.

“It’s like a fried dough, but it’s totally a different fried dough that you normally get,” Tony Mesec said. “It’s not greasy.”

The couple sets up shop at various Treasure Valley events including Saturday farmers markets, the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic and the Idaho Renaissance Faire.

Tony Mesec said this is their first time working the Snake River Stampede. He said crowds should only grow as the rodeo moves into the weekend.

“What do we expect here? A good event,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot of people are coming out this week. It’ll be a good turnout.”