Grand Marshal - Hank Simmons

Introducing our 2026 Grand Marshal - Hank Simmons

I know that this is cliche’ but I absolutely grew up dreaming of being a cowboy. I can remember asking my mom to take me to the Crooked River Roundup. I thought to myself “man I wish I could ride a horse. I wish I could enter a rodeo someday. I wish I could do well at the Crooked River Roundup.” Things have a way of working out with effort, patience, and never giving up on your dreams.

I was born and raised right here in Prineville. Graduating from CCHS (1979). I spent my college years at Eastern Oregon University graduating (1983) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. I played football for the college all four years and was part of the 1980 team that was inducted into the college hall of fame. At college I got my first taste of rodeo competition as a steer wrestler. I started much later than most of the college rodeo kids and had a lot to learn quickly.

After college I returned home to Prineville to go to work. I spent 10 years working for an electronic manufacturing company in Redmond. I was a schedular, H.R. person, and production Mgr. In Dec. 1987 Susan and I were married. I was also trying to rodeo in the Northwest at this time. This would have been impossible without the support and encouragement from my wife. She tolerated me, juggled a teaching job, and two young children all at the same time. She believed in me and supported me when at times I wasn’t sure I believed in myself.

I became restless in my job and my dad told me that if I wanted to be something more and if I didn’t like someone telling me what I was worth I needed to “row my own boat.” He encouraged me to join the family business and make my own way in it. Our family real estate sales and loan business is now 76 years old and has probably grown 10-fold in the last 30 years.

In the mid 1990’s I was through trying to be a rodeo competitor but I wanted to still be involved with rodeo. I was then elected to the roundup board of directors and remained as one for close to 20 years. I served as President for several of those. I cherished being part of this great organization and doing what I could to help grow this event. I watched the Crooker River Roundup grow from one of the Columbia River circuit rodeos to a nationally televised top rodeo in the country. Our race meet has been a gem of Central Oregon for as long as I can remember. As a committee person for this event, I came to understand the amount of effort, knowledge, and patience it takes to put on something such as this.  It is a huge commitment.

Through out this great ride I can say that faith, loving family, and friends have been by far the greatest treasures. Especially as the storms of life, mistakes, trials, and victories hopefully has shaped me into someone worthy.

So here we are today. I am so proud and very humbled to be accepted into this group of people chosen to represent the Crooked River Roundup as Grand Marshal.

God bless you rodeo and race fans. Let’s all of us enjoy and celebrate the best event in all of Central Oregon.

~Hank Simmons