UNION – The first fund-raising event leading up to the 30th anniversary of the Catherine Creek Junior Rodeo is planned Thursday.

A crab feed and auction will be held at the S.E. Miller gymnasium in Union. A hand-made quilt by Jo Crowe and Sonja Hibbert will be sold at auction.

Crowe is secretary of the rodeo association and Hibbert is this year’s court mother.

The Blue Mountain Old Time Fiddlers will perform Saturday at the gymnasium. Admission is by donation.

The final fund-raiser is the Buffalo Peak Golf Tournament on April 24. First tee off for the four-person scramble, best-ball event is 8 a.m. Awards will go to the top-three teams.

With “Back to the Future” on its logo, the Catherine Creek Junior Rodeo is returning to its origins as it celebrates its 30th anniversary July 16-17 in Union.

It’s for kids again, age 3 to 16. Just like it was in 1974.

“We’re stepping back and bringing the Junior Rodeo back to the future,” said rodeo association president Danny Meredith.

For the last four years, the rodeo has staged events for adults in barrel racing and bull riding at the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show Fairgrounds in Union.

“That’s a lot of bull riding,” Meredith said, who said he was in favor of returning to a children’s rodeo format.

The Blind Leading the Blind is a highlighted event this year. In two-person teams, the contestants will each drive a riding lawnmower through a pole-marked course. Easy, except that the driver is blindfolded and must avoid knocking down the poles following verbal directions from his partner.

This year’s queen candidates are Kit McClure of Elgin, April Savely of Union and Cristol Thurston of Union. One will be crowned queen at the rodeo.

They will compete for the title in ticket sales, community participation and horsemanship.

The rodeo also will bring other entertainment to town.

“DJ Danny” Meredith will call tunes at an EOLS clubhouse dance July 15 and Family Day begins at 10 a.m. July 17, with registration no later than 9 a.m.

The Catherine Creek Junior Rodeo is sanctioned by the Cayuse Junior Rodeo Association.