The name Preston Pederson was relatively new to rodeo fans before he split the 2024 Pendleton Round-Up calf roping win with Ty Harris taking home $7,472 in aggregate earnings.
The Columbia River Circuit cowboy was ranked 26th in the circuit standings with $3,090 before he struck big at Pendleton. Pederson turned in a time of 30.1 seconds on three head, earning him $7,472 in the average plus the $988 he earned for a third-place finish in the final round.
Who is Preston Pederson
Preston (27) is from Hermiston, Oregon, just 30 minutes Northwest of Pendleton. He grew up rodeoing, following in the footsteps of some of his mentors, who are also rodeo legends.
“I am a fourth-generation cowboy on my dad’s side and third generation on my mom’s side,” Pederson said. “My grammy rode bareback horses and roped in the all-women’s pro rodeo. My dad roped, and my mom ran barrels. I really grew up in the industry,”
Pederson’s industry ties go farther than his family, though.
“The great rodeo legend Larry Mahan, who passed away last year, was a close friend,” Pederson revealed. “He told me he got on his first bronc in my great-grandpa’s practice pen. I wore a Larry Mahan hat rodeoing all year, this year.”
Pederson’s older brother, Michael also competed at Pendleton in the tie-down roping. The 30-year-old all-around cowboy finished sixth in the final round and sixth in the average taking $3,040 back home to Hermiston, Oregon.
Even the bay horse both Preston and his brother Michael rode at Pendleton came from a World Champion and Hall of Fame rodeo legend.
“I got Valentine, my bay calf horse, when I was 18, ” Pederson said. “I rode him for the first time when I was 16. He belonged to World Champion Fred Whitfield. Fred and my dad are tight; they met through Joe Beaver and have been friends since 1991. My dad helped Fred in Vegas for several years and was in the corner with him a couple of times when he won the world.”
Consistency pays off for Pederson
Pederson made consistent runs in the first two rounds, landing him a spot in the finals.
“I didn’t have the best calves in the first two rounds,” Pederson said. “My first calf kind of backed around me, but I was able to get things lined out and finish the run. My second calf tried to jump past me, but I put him back on the right side, got him flanked and tied down with two strong wraps and a hooey.”
Pederson tied his first calf in 10.9 and his second in 10.6, earning him the sixth-place average seat with 21.5 on two.
“I left out of Pendleton on and headed to Othello and came back to Pendleton for the short round,” Pederson said. “On the way back, I really got to thinking about how long and rough this year has been. I had a talk with the Man upstairs, and He told me He was with me. From then on forward, I didn’t have any worries about what was going to happen at Pendleton. Whether I won the buckle, saddle, or any of that; you can’t take that stuff with you. It’s about so much more than that. It’s fun to win and do good, but there’s more to it in the big picture.
There’s no doubt that after a long, hard year on the road, it was a sigh of relief for Pederson to walk away with a big win at the end of the season.
“Ty and I have known each other for a minute,” said Pederson. “To get that win, it meant the world to me. Pendleton is the biggest win so far in my career, but I’m looking to get a few more.”
Pendleton trophies and triumphs
“Round-Up decided that they were going to give all the awards and stuff to Ty since he lives in Texas and I’m a local,” Pederson explained of Pendleton’s need to commission a second set of prizes for the co-champions. “I called him and talked to him on the phone a little bit. I had to do a little bit of talking, but he let me take the buckle. I called Pendleton today, and they are working on a new buckle, with a rush on it, to get it to Ty as quickly as possible.”
With family and industry ties and a positive mindset, there is no doubt Pederson will have career wins even bigger than Pendleton Round-Up. Although the Columbia River Circuit standings haven’t been updated yet, Pederson unofficially ended the 2024 season with $11,550 won, finishing in the No. 14 spot.
