Tim Miotke, of Sublimity, left, who is the owner of TMT Scoreboards, talks with Stu Pierson of Centennial, Wyoming, who he hired so they could set up all the video, timing and scoring for the upcoming rodeo. 

Over the Fourth of July in 1968, the Condon Rodeo in the tiny town in Gilliam County was having its annual rodeo. But there was one problem. One of the judges never showed up.

In steps a 22-year-old Diana Alexander to fill in for the absent judge and to make sure the rodeo continued.

“They decided that I could do it,” said Alexander, now 78. “And I’ve been doing it ever since.”

For more than half a century, Alexander has been working on the rodeo circuit in a variety of disciplines — rodeo flagger, time and rodeo secretary — throughout the Northwest.

Alexander’s love for the rodeo and the cowboy lifestyle began as a horse-crazed child growing up in Philomath. For her, the cowboy lifestyle is like a family. If there is ever a time where she would be in trouble or need help, there would be a cowboy willing to help her out, she said.

Since 1966, Alexander has lived in Redmond. She works in Bend as a nurse for Partners in Care hospice and home health. And when she is not at the clinic, it is well known where Alexander can be found.

“They know if I’m not at work, I’m at a rodeo,” Alexander said.

Starting Thursday, the Columbia River Circuit Finals will be held at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, and Alexander is once again working the rodeo in more of an administrative role.

“I’m working in the office at the rodeo,” Alexander said, “just gathering stats and shuffling papers back and forth. Anything that needs to be done.”

And for the foreseeable future, the Columbia River Circuit Finals will be held in Redmond. Columbia River Circuit Finals and the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center inked a five-year agreement that will keep the finals in Central Oregon.

“We are really excited that the Columbia River Circuit is making the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center and Central Oregon its home for the foreseeable future,” said Geoff Hinds, the executive director of the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center. “We believe that they have come home where they belong.”

Before returning to Redmond in 2021, the Columbia River Circuit Finals were held in Yakima, Washington. A return to Central Oregon to hold the event seemed like a natural fit given the area’s history of rodeos with the Sisters Rodeo, the Crooked River Roundup and the Deschutes County Rodeo.

“Everything around the area is extremely rich in rodeo tradition,” said Allison Whitsett, the arena and Columbia River secretary. “It is second to none. It is part of the lifestyle of the people who live out here.”

The three-day rodeo will feature nine different events — bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing, bull riding and steer roping — where the 12 top cowboys and cowgirls from the Columbia River Circuit will compete for upwards of $10,000 in each event.

Majority of the competitors come from Oregon, Washington and northern Idaho, with some competitors making their way to Central Oregon as far away from Texas, Hawaii, South Dakota, New Jersey, Montana and California.

“It is an attractive circuit whether they live in the area or not,” Whitsett said.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday the doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. rodeo performances. Before the events start there are autograph sessions. Friday at 9 a.m. there is a free-to-watch steer roping event. On Saturday at 11 a.m. there is an adaptive Rascal Rodeo.

General seating for the event is $10; reserved setting is $15, and VIP passes are $75. Kids under 15 receive free admission. Prices increase by $5 if tickets are purchased on Friday or Saturday.

Tickets can be purchased online at columbiarivercircuit.com.

Rancher, former rodeo clown still riding at age 90