The Parker Ranch Round Up Club is hosting the 48th annual Labor Day Scholarship Rodeo on Saturday and Sunday in Waimea to raise money for Parker Ranch children and their education.
“In 1974, five or six cowboys working at Parker Ranch needed to raise money to get their kids into private school or college, and founded Round Up Club as their avenue,” DeeDee Keakealani Bertelmann said. “The rodeo serves as the annual fundraiser, and the money is distributed to every Parker Ranch child for their education.”
Funds raised during the rodeo are used to help subsidize costs of preschools, public and private schools, college and technical or trade schools for every child of a Parker Ranch employee.
“This is for every age group and is our way of helping Parker Ranch families get a better education for their children,” Bertelmann said. “I was a Round Up Club child myself, and to be able to serve in this capacity and to give back is a full circle for me.”
Bertelmann is a fifth-generation rancher from a long line of Waimea paniolo and a livestock administrator at Parker Ranch where her father, Robert Kamuela “Sonny” Keakealani Jr., spent 27 years working as a cowboy. On the volunteer board of Round Up Club, she hopes to enhance the lives and futures of ranch children.
While the nonprofit organization is celebrating 50 years, this will be the 48th rodeo due to COVID-19 restrictions causing a two-year hiatus. When the club was able to host rodeos again, members decided to incorporate different contests that would draw more families to the annual event.
One of these contests is for lei papale, which are lei worn around a brimmed hat — a tradition deeply rooted in the paniolo culture of Waimea.
“Every part of lei making is intentional, and a lot of times, the plants and flowers used are hard to find, so collecting material and binding it is an expression of love for the land and the cowboy,” said Lisa Wood. “It makes the act so special for us who live a paniolo and agricultural lifestyle. The lei we put on our cowboys and cowgirls is a beautiful expression of aloha.”
Participants can utilize one of five categories of lei making — Hoku, Hili, Humupapa, Kui and Wili — and can only use natural materials. There is no limit to the number of lei that can be entered, but each lei can only be entered into one category.
Lei making experts Scott De Sa, Norman Histo and Barbara Kamilipua Nobriga will be using their vast, decades-long experience and knowledge to judge this year’s lei papale contest.
“There aren’t many people out there better suited to be lei papale judges than these three,” Wood said. “We are so lucky to have their expert wealth of knowledge judging this year’s contest. I am so grateful.”
Judges will name a first place and honorable mention for each category, which will be based on the craftsmanship, creative use of material, coordination of color and expression of theme. First place winners will receive $250.
There also will be an award for the Keiki 14 and Under category, and a People’s Choice Award will be selected by the public on site. The People’s Choice will receive a paniolo gift basket.
All lei entries must be delivered to the rodeo grounds by 9 a.m. on Saturday to be entered in the contest. Winners will be announced by noon the same day, followed by a live auction of the winning lei.
“One thing that is so special about this contest is the generosity of lei makers, because they all know that the lei will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the scholarship fund,” Wood said.
This year will also feature a Smoked Meat and Pickled Onion contest on Saturday and a Beef Stew contest on Sunday. Both contests are open to the public, but they will be judged by a closed panel.
The entries must be an original family or personal recipe made by the person entering the contest, and the food will be judged on taste, texture and originality. Entries are due by 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
According to Bertelmann, there are 250 contestants from keiki to century ropers scheduled to compete in the rodeo this weekend.
“This year is pretty unique, because we have a lot of outer island contestants coming in for the rodeo,” Bertelmann said. “There are many roping events going on for the next two weeks, so many of them are shipping their horses here.”
Attendees can expect classic Hawaii rodeo events: open, kane-wahine and century team roping, double and wahine mugging, p‘o wai u, bull riding, wahine barrel racing, and breakaway and saddle bronc riding. Keiki events include: barrel racing, mutton bustin’, calf riding, dummy roping and calf scramble.
Along with two days of events will be plenty of food and craft vendors and a silent auction. Pony rides will be available on Saturday, and the public is invited to a live horse auction after the rodeo on Sunday.
“Putting this on every year is a lot of work, but this is our way to celebrate and mahalo the founders of Parker Ranch Round Up Club and everyone who has come after them,” Bertelmann said.
“Mahalo kokua to everyone who participates, because there are so many who do so without having children to benefit from the scholarship,” Wood added. “They just have a beautiful spirit of generosity.”
The 48th annual Parker Ranch Round-Up Labor Day Scholarship Rodeo will begin at 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Parker Ranch Arena. Tickets are available online for $10 or $15 at the gate.
For more information, visit prrchawaii.com/labor-day-rodeo.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.