One of the highlights for the dude ranch summer season was the area rodeo where dude ranches, their guests and wranglers, would complete against one another. For the first seven years, the rodeos were held in Jackson at the rodeo grounds. Preceding each rodeo was a parade through downtown Jackson with many floats and upwards of 500 horses. Because of the growth and diminishing open spaces in Jackson, the annual event was moved in 1954 to the Teton Valley Ranch near Kelly where dude ranchers built their own rodeo grounds. Due to changes in the business climate for dude ranchers and the broader tourist industry, and the expenses that ranchers themselves paid, it was decided to discontinue the annual event in 1960. Read more: Jackson Hole Guide, Aug, 11, 1960
Rodeo events included: calf roping, bronco riding (horses for the men and mules for women), fast and ‘slow’ horse racing, best costume competition, team roping, a children’s pony race and a three quarter mile novelty race (walk, trot, and run). Many participated and events were well attended. Proceeds went to a local charity including the Boy Scouts and St. John’s Hospital.
Ann Messler Cuddy from White Grass won the Dudine Race three years in a row and White Grass won the best overall dude ranch trophy (both circa, early 1950’s). That same year White Grass won as best overall dude ranch winner. Local papers indicated that owner Frank Galey, a rodeo competitor himself, also served on the rodeo planning committee.
