2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Volunteer

Ben Peal was born December 16, 1901, in Cove, Oregon. The Peal family moved to Joseph, Oregon, to their new home on Prairie Creek that next spring. The ranch stretched up onto the East Moraine and went from the foot to the head of the Wallowa Lake.

In a celebration for the dedication of the new Joseph State Airport, the group contacted Harley Tucker, a local rancher who owned rodeo stock, and Ben Peal whose family-owned land on the glacial moraine bordering Wallowa Lake. On that moraine the first rodeo was staged on Sunday, July 28, 1946, because it had a natural amphitheater. The two had put on rodeos during the early 1940’s at the Wallowa Lake rodeo grounds at the head of Wallowa Lake during the summers with events being calf roping, steer and bareback riding, and bronc riding. The partners also provided the rodeo stock with Ben providing most of the bucking horses as well as the pickup men’s horses. For the 1946 rodeo, Ben, a logger, and local farmer, provided the bulldozer, created the rodeo arena, and cut out the narrow twisting road up the west side of the moraine. However, the road was not suitable for the passenger cars of the day, so many had to be pulled up the side of the mountain. Yes, Ben pulled each car up the mountain with his farm truck. This made the show start quite late. Since the moraine was not the most functional place to continue to have the rodeo, it was decided to move the rodeo to Joseph where a new arena could be built. Ben Peal provided most of the timber to be milled for a permanent facility in town the next year.

Ben was highly active in the community and took part in most all the activities leading up to the big celebration. It was decided that all the men were not to shave until after the rodeo and that offenders would be punished by making them serve time in the pillory with their head and hands sticking out. A contest for the best beard was held and Ben and Glen Sprague tied for the honors and split the $15.00 prize! Ben also like to show up at the dance on his donkey and loved to get pictures of his friends on that donkey.

Ben lived in Wallowa County most of his life until he was seriously injured in a logging accident near Joseph in 1956. He was paralyzed since the accident. Ben passed away at the age of 63, in Walla Walla, Washington, on May 21, 1965.

Contestant Early Years

Robert (Bob) Eugene Swaim, 1930 - 2014 Bob attended his first rodeo in Molalla, Oregon around age 11 and he knew this was the life for him. He told his family that all he ever wanted to be was a cowboy. He joined the PRCA in 1947 at #725, years later his Gold Card reflects that number. Bob participated in bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc, calf roping, and bull riding. Amongst his many achievements, he won the bareback riding at Chief Joseph Days Rodeo in 52’, 60’, and 65’ as well as the all around in 1960. He retired from active competition in 1968. Swaim served as Secretary at Chief Joseph Days Rodeo and many other rodeos in the West from 1963-1980 - Omak, Spokane, Grangeville, Moses Lake, Kennewick, Las Vegas, and the Pendleton Roundup. His longest position was 23 years as Secretary for the Ellensburg Rodeo in Washington. As Secretary, Bob coordinated the many complex transactions happening behind the chutes. He managed the registration and processing of all cowboy contestants, ensuring they knew which animal they drew, the competition order, and their location. Bob welcomed and recorded each entrant, collected fees, and oversaw the stock draw, event placements, day money, and final payouts. All of this was meticulously tracked in a spiral notebook—before the days of computers and centralized entry systems—when most transactions were handled in cash. In addition to his Secretary roles, Bob also flagged the line at Pendleton into the 1990’s and he judged the High School National Rodeo finals in Wyoming. Swaim remained involved in rodeo nearly to the end of his life and was often praised for his character and dedication as a rodeo secretary. He and his wife Shirley even named two of their sons after rodeo legends—Gerald Roberts and Casey Tibbs. His passion for the sport lived on through his middle son, AJ, who also competed at the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo. The family is honored to accept this award on his behalf. 

Contract Personnel

John Growney was born on February 15, 1948, in Red Bluff California. John started riding steers in high school at junior rodeos. When he was old enough, he advanced to riding bulls in 1963. At age 28, realizing bull riding would end, he purchased a few bucking horses and bulls. John teamed up with a high school friend, Don Kish, and together they formed Growney Brothers Rodeo Company in 1977. The rodeo company is headquartered in Red Bluff, California, and produced rodeos all over the West. John’s charisma made him the face of the rodeo company. He worked with the rodeo committee with a goal to make the rodeo the best year over year. John did all the publicity engagements for the rodeo when the rodeo company rolled into town. John did the interviews for the newspaper, radio, and television. Growney Brothers Rodeo known for their outstanding bucking bulls, Red Rock, and Wolfman Skoal, brought the rodeo company national headlines over the years. Wolfman Skoal was voted the NFR Bull of the year and is the only bull to have a 100-point ride scored on him in rodeo history. Red Rock had 309 outs in the PRCA with not one ride. He was named the 1987 PRCA Bucking Bull of the year. Red Rock and Lane Frost had their own celebrity status with their challenge.

John would run the timed event stock and oversee the company while Kish owned and operated the bulls and Tim Bridwell owned and operated the bucking horses. “Nobody can handle bulls and horses and the business,” Growney said. “It’s too much. Other companies are starting to see that this way (partnership) is a good business model.” Growney Brothers furnished stock for Chief Joseph Days from 1992 to 2017. In 2008, John was the master of ceremonies for the CJD Queen coronation, and he was the Parade Grand Marshal in 2018. In 2022 John returned to Chief Joseph Days as the livestock general contractor coordinating the contracting companies that provide the CJD rodeo stock. John operates under Growney Brothers Rodeo but is also involved with Legacy Pro Rodeo. John continues to live his life in the rodeo business, striving to bring rodeo and its people to the forefront of the sport.

Contestant Later Years

Julie Rugg Williams was born and raised in Athena, OR and started riding at age four. Her first pony was named Georgia Brown.

Julie had success in barrel racing early and at the age of seven, she won her first buckle at Mustangers playdays in Pendleton, OR. High School Rodeo was her training ground, and she won the 1973 and 1974 All-Around titles along with a barrel racing and a pole bending championship. At the National High School Rodeo finals Julie won the first two rounds in the pole bending but tipped a pole in the short round and ended up third in the average that year.

1974 found her winning the OHSRA queen contest, she then competed at the National High School finals and was crowned the National High School Rodeo Queen, in a sea of mud, in Tomah, WI. She traveled all over the U.S. and Canada to promote High School Rodeo.

In 1976 Julie was crowned the Pendleton-Round Up Queen and 1977 Miss Rodeo Oregon. She traveled to the Miss Rodeo America Pageant, in Oklahoma City and was selected 1st Runner Up.

The mount Julie rode to six Chief Joseph Days titles came from a local veterinarian. Dr. Frank Lieuallen raced Appaloosa horses. He called her in 1973 because he wanted this talented gelding to go on to another career. Buck held three world records on the track at three different distances. Julie did ask Frank, “does he have a tail?” So much for pride.

Julie became a WPRA member in 1977 where she won her first Chief Joseph Days Rodeo buckle. Buck and Julie won that title 5 more times in 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986, and 1987. Buck carried Julie to win the National Intercollegiate Barrel Racing title in 1978. Julie and Buck won the Columbia River Circuit Barrel Racing title in 1980. They qualified for the 1982 NFR in Oklahoma City and ended up sixth place in the world. Buck and Julie currently hold the CJD arena record of 16.99. Buck was laid to rest on the ranch at age 37. He was buried with his first Joseph buckle.

Julie is a Gold Card member of the WPRA and currently competes in barrel races across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona.

Julie credits her family for their support and encouragement. She is married to Larry Williams for the past 40+ years and has two married children. Cory Williams and his wife Sarah, with daughter Whitley. Cheyenne Bailey and her husband Lane with their two children Blake and Trey.

Contestant- Early Years

Les Kamm was born in Palouse, WA on June 30, 1926, to Harry and Jennie Kinman Kamm. He was raised on the family ranch and rode horses his entire life. He and his sisters rode horses to school, and he helped train and drive teams of horses. Later Les moved to Walla Walla, WA and worked on a ranch learning more about training horses.

Les started entering rodeos at an early age and competed in rough stock and timed events, but specialized in Tie-Down Roping, Steer Wrestling, Steer Roping and Team Roping. In 1944 he entered his first Pendleton Round-Up and entered every year thereafter until 1997. Les married June Rosenberg on Sept. 9, 1947, and settled in the Pendleton area to raise his family. Although Les would have loved being a full-time professional cowboy, he prioritized supporting his wife and seven children and restricted his rodeos to the Columbia River Circuit.

Les competed in many of the top professional rodeos over the years, winning many events and titles throughout his lengthy career. He won All-Around Saddles in Kennewick, WA and Thompson Falls, MT and an All-Around Trophy in LaGrande, OR. He was also the runner-up to the All-Around at the Pendleton Round-Up in the early 60’s.

Besides competing, Les was active in other aspects of the rodeo world. He had a couple of mares that he bred so he could specifically raise and train his own rodeo horses. Many cowboys used Les’s steer wrestling team. At one rodeo twenty-two steers were dogged off the back of his steer wrestling horse while he hazed using a horse that he had trained. When Steer Roping became popular, he took those mares over to Parr Norton’s to have them bred to a big stud that he thought would make a good steer roping horse. He was so excited when Sonny was born, and he trained him to be an excellent steer roping horse. Many cowboys also rode Sonny and made it to the pay window on him.

Les also contributed much time over the years to volunteering, judging, and coaching rodeo teams. Les spent countless hours helping at the Round-Up, volunteering for over 50 years. For years, he would be at the rodeo grounds at 5 a.m. to sort cattle for the day’s events. Some years he oversaw selecting the calves for the Tie-Down Roping, and he even helped with the parade by enlisting other cowboys to help, making sure the kids riding in the parade were safe.

For several years Les was employed as a judge at rodeos. He scored rough stock events, flagged the timed events, and drew stock to see which animal the contestant would rope or ride. And he continued to bring his dogging team to mount and haze for cowboys.

When Blue Mountain Community College started a rodeo team, Les was asked to be the Men’s coach. He taught many young men how to rope and steer wrestle. Les also picked up horses at high school rodeos. Later, he coached the Women’s Team. He was a good teacher and some of his children followed in his footsteps. Two of Les’s daughters and two of his sons went to college on rodeo scholarships. And his youngest son was a National High School Team Roping Champion.

Though Les slowed down his rodeoing in his later years, he continued steer roping at local ropings; and at the age of 70, he won the Currin Steer Roping. He also hazed at the Pendleton Round-Up when he was 71 years old after a steer wrestler from Texas telephoned Les and asked if he would haze for him. Les said that he had not been going. The steer wrestler responded that there was only one person he would run off that hill at Pendleton with. Les did an excellent job of hazing, as did Les’s old hazing horse, Tinky. (The steer wrestler had a good rodeo and made the short go).

Chief Joseph Days was always a special rodeo for Les and his family. It was a beautiful place where a cowboy could bring his family and relax. There were always picnics at the lake and lots of “rodeo family” time as well. Time spent with good friends. Les also experienced much success at Joseph. His championships at the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo included Tie-Down Roping in 1952 and 1963; Steer Wrestling in 1957, 1958, and 1959; and Team Roping with his heading partner Bill Ward in 1972.

Les Kamm’s family would like to express their gratitude for recognizing their father and grandfather for the contributions he made to the sport of rodeo by inducting him into the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Hall of Fame. He would be so proud and touched that you bestowed him with this honor. If Mom and Dad were here, they would be having the time of their lives, chatting with their fellow inductees, the organizers of this celebration, and all their rodeo friends. Thank you so much.