Outage Map
Necessity Moves Men To Create Local Rodeo Venue
Story and photos by Brent ten Pas
Sweeping views of agricultural fields, marshlands, and rugged basalt cliffs stretch before travelers as they drive along O’Neil Highway—an east-west route connecting Redmond and Prineville
Amidst the scenery, it’s easy to miss O’Neil Arena, a small venue just north of the highway between Lone Pine Road and the winding Crooked River. Since 2020, the arena has quietly built a name for itself, hosting bull-riding events that draw in riders and fans alike.
The Pro Caliber Bull Riding Series runs from May through June, culminating in an August finale where riders as young as 8 years old compete for a championship buckle and cash. The top bull rider takes home a Pro Caliber Can-Am Outlander 700 4-wheeler.
At the heart of it all is Dom Nagler, a lean, mustachioed former pro bull rider who still looks like he could climb into the chute—until you hear the list of injuries he racked up over the years.
Rodeo has always been part of Dom’s life story.
“My grandfolks ran the St. Paul Rodeo, so I was around it ever since I was little,” he says. “We had a junior rodeo, and they asked me if I wanted to get on a bucking pony. I said, ‘Sure.’ I won second. I said, ‘Well, that was pretty fun.’”
His first ride turned into a passion. Dom spent 2 decades as a professional bull rider, competing in hometown rodeos like St. Paul and under the bright lights of the Frost Bank Center—home to the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.
Today, Dom and his longtime friend and business partner, Jim Sisk, run NS Cattle Co., a breeding program that trains bulls for competitions held throughout the country. The 2 needed a place to work out their bulls.
“We just built an arena, more or less, to buck our bulls,” Dom says.
The venue evolved over time. Owners Dom, Tom Koue, and Mac Even, of O’Neil Arena LLC, looked for ways to improve the setting on Tom’s property. They positioned the arena, surrounded by rail panel fencing, to have Smith Rock as part of the backdrop. A berm built up with dirt for seating—eventually covered with 12,000 feet of sod—keeps the dust down and gives viewers a place to park their lawn chairs. They later added bleachers, after getting some from a high school with a donation to its athletic scholarship fund.
O’Neil Arena, solely used for bull-riding competitions, makes it unique in Central Oregon. The venue is only 1,400 square feet.
“You’re just kind of wrapped right in on the action,” Dom says. “So, our worst seat is maybe just as good as our best seat.”
The COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 prompted the first official event.
“When nobody could do anything, we had our own open rodeo, free with donations,” Dom says. “And I think we probably did better that year than any of our others. It was fun, and everybody came.”
The events rely on social media, a few signs dotted along Highway 97, and word of mouth to bring in attendees. Banners suspended from railings above the chutes demonstrate financial support from local businesses.
The series attracts primarily high school riders who compete in 2 divisions. Riders with annual winnings under $2,000 compete in the novice division. Those with higher annual earnings compete in the open division. Besides the belt buckle, they compete for a jackpot of money collected from entry fees and, in the open, the 4-wheeler. The junior division consists of 8- to 11-year-olds who compete on steers.
In bull riding, the judges grade the bull and rider separately. Each can earn up to 50 points, with 100 points being a perfect score.
The judges are looking for a few things in a bull ride. First, intensity.
“Then, they’re going to look for kick,” Dom says. “So, how high their bull’s end comes up and how hard their feet kick above their head. Then they look for spin and degree of difficulty.”
The rider must stay on the bull for at least 8 seconds, using only 1 hand to hold onto the bull rope. If the rider touches the bull or themselves with a free hand or falls off before the 8 seconds are up, they receive no score.
If they have a qualified ride, they can get style points.
“It is a little subjective, but more or less, you can watch a guy and see he is in total control of a bull, and it’s noticeable,” Dom says. “There is no way that bull is getting this guy off. And so he’s going to maximize his rider points.”
The rider does this by matching the bull’s rhythm with his movements and actively spurring the bull to be awarded for aggressiveness and skill.
Only 1 thing is expected from fans. “Smiles,” Dom says. “It’s fun, and it’s relaxing, and it’s just a nice little spot. We make it where it’s affordable, where you can bring your family down, and it doesn’t cost you $1,000,000.”