By Laila Umpleby | Development and Communications Director
Addie becomes a Princess…Pendleton style
Addie is an 11-year-old who qualifies for a wish because she has cystic fibrosis. Although she lives in Clackamas, she has attended the Pendleton Round-Up since she was 6. For the centennial year of the Round-Up, Addie’s wish was to join the royal court, and the entire town rolled out the royal carpet to make this wish spectacular.
The Pendleton Round-Up is a five-day rodeo celebration of the “real wild west” during which the population of Pendleton usually quadruples. This year, it was almost tenfold, and Addie experienced a wish in front of thousands of people that lasted the entire week.
Each day, Wednesday through Saturday, featured a rodeo. Addie sat with the court twice and was truly excited by the informal chit chat with the rodeo royalty. Sitting in their box was Addie’s favorite way to watch the events, as this rodeo enthusiast kept score and cheered with enthusiasm. Watching with her family was pretty great too.
On Wednesday during the children’s rodeo, Addie tried her hand at barrel racing (with a stick horse) and rode a horse in the ring. She wore her custom-made outfit that complemented the Pendleton court’s duds made by local seamstress Verneda Wagner, along with a hat that was donated by a local hat maker Montana Peaks Hat Company.
During the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant, Addie was introduced to roaring applause and was presented with handmade saddle flowers for her horse to display in the parade.
The parade was a highlight for Addie as she rode her aunt’s horse in an event that topped the Guinness record for the most livestock to appear in a parade. She worked on her princess wave and ear-to-ear grin, and perfected both by the time she appeared in the parade.
On Saturday morning, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon hosted a brunch that doubled as the final celebration of Addie’s wish week. The multi-generational affair included Addie, her parents, aunts, uncles, both grandmothers and her great grandmother. Warren, a Make-A-Wish volunteer and Pendleton Round-Up Director, introduced Addie to the guests which resulted in rousting applause that symbolized the capstone of Warren’s hard work in helping to make Addie’s wish a community affair.
Addie was interviewed on Fox Sports Network as part of the centennial celebration, and she wowed the reporter as she took the microphone and turned the interviewer into the interviewee. Addie wrapped up the report with the traditional Pendleton saying “Let ‘er Buck!”
Addie will be able to treasure the memories of her wish-come-true due to the generosity of Gary Ogilvie Photography who documented the entire week with stunning images of the once-in-a-lifetime princess experience…Pendleton style.
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