1st Annual Cowboy Reunion Sponsored by the Ellensburg Rodeo

Deb Copenhaver will be our special guest for the Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering's 1st Annual Cowboy Reunion held on Saturday February 13th, 2010 from 11am to 12:30 pm in the Dance Hall at the Fairgrounds. The Cowboy Reunion will be a chance for cowboys to get together and talk about the old times.

Deb Copenhaver was born Jan. 21, 1925 in Wilbur, WA. Copenhaver’s first competition was at a Keller Salmon Days Rodeo in 1940. After serving in the Navy Seabees during World War II, he came home to compete in all of the big North American rodeos. He won the bronc riding two or three times each at Cheyenne, Calgary, Denver, Ft. Worth, Houston, Kansas City, Salinas and Madison Square Garden. Deb won the Pendleton Round-Up in 1955.

Copenhaver and his wife Cheryl and family had a dream, “I rode often and fast,” Copenhaver said. “I wanted acreage, it would be our future.” Copenhaver achieved his dream, buying land near Creston, Washington where he bred and raised quality Quarter Horses and operated Copenhaver’s Cafe in town. During the heyday of Copenhaver’s Cafe, Hank Thompson, Bonnie Guitar, Ernest Tubb and other music greats all played. The Copenhaver's raised their family in the wheat country of Creston.

Deb Copenhaver was World Champion Bronc Rider in 1955 & 1956. He started his rodeo career after being discharged from Uncle Sam’s service in 1946.

Even after many big wins, it wasn’t until 1955 that he was able to beat out legendary Casey Tibbs to become Saddle Bronc Champion of the World. For four years he placed second to Tibbs, and by 1955 he recalls that he wanted “to win the title so bad it was an obsession."

His two oldest children, Debbi and Jeff, went on to participate in rodeos like their dad. Jeff was World Champion Calf Roper in 1975, and Debbie won barrel racing events in Northwest rodeos and was Miss Rodeo Washington and first runner-up for Miss Rodeo America.

Deb and Jeff are one or four father-sons to win world championships. Copenhaver tells the story of how he was instrumental in eliminating the saddle horn from the saddles that bronc riders use. In the mid ’50s, a friend borrowed his saddle for a bronc ride, which happened to be on an extremely tall horse called Cheyenne. As the horse ran through the de-saddling chute following the ride, it was so tall it broke the top of the saddle horn, leaving it flopping loosely. The next day Deb and other rodeo performers were flying to the next rodeo when Deb asked Bud Lenderman (a World Champion All-Around Cowboy) what he should do with the saddle. Lenderman said he would cut the horn off. When they arrived at the airport the pair borrowed a hacksaw in the hanger and sawed the broken horn off.

Deb says, “Truthfully, that was the beginning of bronc riding with no saddle horn.” In fact, he adds, “they don’t even build them with horns anymore.”

Deb was inducted into the National Rodeo Cowboy¹s Hall of Fame on December 1, 1991 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and also is a member of the Ellensburg
Rodeo Hall of Fame. He retired from the national level in 1960 but competed in the Northwest through 1970.

2010 Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering Events