• Philomath Frolic and Rodeo queen Alora Wright and princess Cadence Stevens. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Rep. Anna Scharf, a Philomath native, talks to rodeo queen Alora Wright and princess Cadence Stevens. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The new restrooms at the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo grounds in Skirvin Park. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • A network of livestock pens as seen from behind the new grandstands section. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Rep. Anna Scharf (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Rep. Anna Scharf (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Philomath Frolic and Rodeo queen Alora Wright and princess Cadence Stevens. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Philomath Frolic and Rodeo queen Alora Wright (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Dignitaries celebrate a ribbon-cutting in front of the new grandstands and stock pens Tuesday. From left, princess Cadence Stevens, queen Alora Wright, board president Alyssa Collins, Mayor Christopher McMorran, Rep. David Gomberg, Sen. Dick Anderson, Rep. Anna Scharf and county commissioner Pat Malone. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Philomath Mayor Christopher McMorran talks to attendees in the new grandstands at Tuesday’s special event. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Mayor Christopher McMorran (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Mayor Christopher McMorran (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Mayor Christopher McMorran (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The Frolic board’s Leanna Knapp talks to Rep. David Gomberg and City Councilor Diane Crocker. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • A look at the new grandstands (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • A look at the new grandstands (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Rep. David Gomberg (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Rep. David Gomberg (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The completion of the first phase of the Frolic and Rodeo’s expansion and improvement project is celebration with a ribbon-cutting. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The completion of the first phase of the Frolic and Rodeo’s expansion and improvement project is celebration with a ribbon-cutting. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The completion of the first phase of the Frolic and Rodeo’s expansion and improvement project is celebration with a ribbon-cutting. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The completion of the first phase of the Frolic and Rodeo’s expansion and improvement project is celebration with a ribbon-cutting. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Philomath Frolic and Rodeo board president Alyssa Collins speaks during Tuesday’s event. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Philomath Frolic and Rodeo board president Alyssa Collins (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • New chutes on the south end to be utilized with calf-roping events. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Sen. Dick Anderson (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Sen. Dick Anderson (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Gerding Builders project manager Mike Adams (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)

Brad Fuqua has covered the Philomath area since 2014 as the editor of the now-closed Philomath Express and currently as publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He has worked as a professional journalist since 1988 at daily and weekly newspapers in Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, Arizona, Montana and Oregon.