TOPPENISH — Rodeo action will return to Toppenish Saturday, July 4, at 8 p.m., when Daniel Beard Rodeos will bring a special rough-stock rodeo to the Toppenish fairgrounds.
The Toppenish Broncs and Bulls Rodeo will feature award-winning bareback horses, saddle broncs, and bulls, with barrel racing and wild-cow milking also.
This one-day event will be a bridge to bringing back the full Toppenish Pow-Wow and Rodeo in the future. 
The last two years, the rodeo association’s focus has been on getting back to a sound financial situation and making improvements to the fairgrounds.
They were financially unable to put on an event, however, the rodeo association and Daniel Beard thought it was important to have a rodeo this year.
“There is so much work behind the scenes in putting on a rodeo,” said Beard, “It takes the whole community’s involvement and the longer it goes without a rodeo, the harder it will be to start again.”
Daniel Beard has worked with the Toppenish Rodeo for many years, working with Frank and Charlot Beard, his grandparents, to provide the bucking stock for the rodeo.
“I think rodeo on the 4th of July is part of Toppenish’s identity. It’s part of the tradition for the whole Lower Valley,” said Beard. “Frank was born and raised in Toppenish, and putting on the Toppenish rodeo always had a special place in his heart. I teach and work here. I want this to be an event Toppenish is proud of.”
When the rodeo association contacted him about putting on a special rodeo event, he was more than willing to help.
“The community has really stepped up and shown that they want the Toppenish Rodeo to succeed,” said Beard.
The event is being put on by Daniel Beard Rodeos, but it would not take place without the support of the rodeo association and the community, Beard said.
It will be a simpler version of the Toppenish rodeo but still preserve the best of rodeo action.
Rodeo tickets will go on sale at the Toppenish Chamber of Commerce and other downtown locations June 15.