History

In 1965, Harold Brewington & Ed Hall went to St. Anthony & happened to attend a youth rodeo. Later they traveled back to St. Anthony to participate in a wagon train trail ride. On that trip, the idea to have a youth rodeo in Firth, Idaho was born. The first Little Buckaroo Rodeo was held in 1965 at the Firth football field, where Firth High School stands today. The makeshift arena was made up of snow fence. Mutt Rose and Ted Allan were contracted to provide chutes, horses, and mules. Local folks came up with additional stock, and the event was underway! Community youth were solicited to be rodeo stars!

 

Harold Brewington, Larry Brower, Ed Hall, and Bob Wetherbee signed the first contract to make the rodeo happen. They were members of Riverview Grange #243, so the Grange was the original sponsor, along with support from the City of Firth. Instrumental Grange members were Harold and Leah Brewington, Ed and Edna Hall, Larry and Sarah Brower, Bob and Lou Wetherbee, Glen and Betty Cederberg, and Lloyd and Marlene Rogers. Later years included Laraine Brower Shafer, John and Vicky Davidson, Carol and Fred Mundt, Lena Olsen, John Van Eps, Kathy Van Eps, Charlene McNeely Lent, Terry McNeely, Kay and Fern Brown, and many others. Our Firth merchants, city of Firth, and other local merchants continue to support and help us improve the event for many years to come. 

 

The third year the Grange moved the rodeo to the Riverview Arena and built the original wooden chutes and arena. The Grange controlled the reins of the rodeo until 1996, when the Firth FFA Alumni Association was asked to help. The Alumni leased the rodeo from the Grange from 1997 to 2002. On January 21, 2003 the Firth FFA Alumni Association purchased the rodeo from the Grange. Several floods from the river took a toll on the Riverview Arena facilities. In 2007, the Firth FFA alumni repositioned and built the metal center load chutes and arena we use today. In 2012 the number increased to over 400 contestants who signed up for the opportunity to rodeo. Cowboys and cowgirls ride in from all over Southeastern Idaho, and many find a trail in from out of state. Family reunions are planned around the rodeo, and many are registering third generation Little Buckaroo Rodeo participants. They all go home rodeo champions with their shiny, new belt buckles.

Revised Aug. 2015 from documentation from Laraine Shafer