Grand Marshal – Craig Woodward

2010 Grand Marshal is Craig Woodward of Prineville

Born: December 14, 1946

Graduated Crook County High school in 1965 and Eastern Oregon College in 1969.

Inducted into the NAIA Regional Athlete Hall of Fame in 1990 and also the Eastern Oregon University Hall of Fame as an athlete in 1991

He was named the original group of Distinguished Alumni of Crook County High school in 2007.

Craig began working on ranches the summer after his 5Th grade year. He worked on Stephenson Ranch on Bear Creek in Wheeler County for two summers. He went to work for Hudspeth Land and Livestock on Big Summit Prairie the summer after his 7Th grade year. He worked there for two summers with Jack Davidson. He worked horseback from daylight til dark, 7 days a week and had the time of his life. He slept under the stars and dreamed of owning the Big Summit Prairie some day.

The summer after his 9Th grade year Craig went to work in the logging business for his father and Uncle Doug. His Uncle was the wood boss who had a lot of patience teaching him to be a logger, a hard worker and all the responsibilities that go into lumber business but Craig states “he made hard work an enjoyable memory.” He worked with his Uncle each summer until he was 21 and then he started his own company while still in college. He spent the past 40 years buying and selling logs and timberland.

Craig’s family has owned and sold cattle since 1973. He purchased his ranch on Big Summit Prairie in 1984 by partnering with his good friend Jack Rhoden. In 1988 business was good and he was able to purchase Jack’s interest in Big Summit Prairie. Craig and his family own ranch and timberland in Crook, Jefferson, Wheeler and Grant counties. His wife, kids and grand kids along with his Uncle Doug and their employees have put a lot of blood sweat and tears into making their operations successful. For the past 12 years, economic times have forced him to work most of the time each year out of the country in South and Central American so he can afford to live in the best place on earth, here in Prineville.

The word retirement scares Craig to death. Craig states”when I get too old to give orders, maybe one of my grandkids will give me a job.”

Thank you Craig for all that you have done for the Crooked River Roundup and your year of service as being our Grand Marshal.