Part of Strong City’s Flint Hills Rodeo seven decades plus, Marcia Bailey was Grand Marshall of this year’s rodeo parade.
“I started riding in the parade as a little girl and have been involved in the rodeo in some way ever since,” Marcia remembered.
In its 84th edition this year, as the longest continuous rodeo in the country, all her family has been active with the rodeo.
Attracting contestants from around the world, the rodeo in Chase County is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).
“Of course, the rodeo was started by E.C. Emmett Roberts and his family who furnished the livestock for many years,” Marcia said. “Then Roberts Rodeo Company sold out to the Flint Hills Rodeo Association which was actually incorporated in 1938.”
Her dad, Elmore Stout served as president of the Flint Hills Rodeo Association for17 years. “The association supplied livestock for the Strong City rodeo and other professional rodeos in the state and the Midwest,” Marcia said. “The association sold the rodeo livestock within a few years and has since hired the best contractors to supply stock.”
Now, Stout’s grandson, Buck Bailey, oldest son of Marcia and Wayne Bailey, serves as the association president. “He’s been head of the rodeo for a number of years now too, which is important to him following in his grandfather’s leadership role,” Marcia said.
Officers of the Flint Hills Rodeo Association always lead the annual parade which is miles long lasting an hour or more.
“Dad rode one of his own ranch-raised Quarter Horses in the parade many years,” Marcia said. “Now Buck is at the head of the parade and all of our family members have ridden in the parade throughout the years.”
Growing up, Marcia helped develop her 4-H club’s parade floats, and then rode her horse in the parades. “I competed in the rodeo barrel race many years and was also in the Miss Rodeo Kansas Pageant when it was at Strong City,” Marcia said. She won the horsemanship division of the queen competition that year.
A former member of the K-State Rodeo Team, Marcia competed at rodeos throughout the Midwest. “Actually, Wayne, my husband now, and I competed together in local horse playdays when we were growing up,” she added.
Amateur saddle bronc riding was an added attraction at the Flint Hills Rodeo a number of years. “Wayne won the amateur bronc riding several times,” Marcia said. “After he got his pro card, Wayne continued competing in the steer wrestling at the rodeo.”
Darwin Bailey, Wayne’s brother, also competed in rodeos from the junior through amateur and professional ranks.
Active in junior and high school rodeo competition, Buck and his younger brother Wes followed the family rodeo tradition.
Both Buck and Wes competed several years in the Flint Hills Rodeo. “They rode broncs and were in the steer wrestling like their dad,” Marcia said. “Wes got his pro card too and rode saddle broncs at Strong City and rodeos throughout the country.”
Wayne Bailey also served as a director of the Flint Hills Rodeo Association several terms. “He has generally helped out wherever needed and was a pickup man for rodeo contractor Harry Vold one year,” Marcia said. “Wayne also judged many high school, college and PRCA rodeos.”
When ranch rodeos became popular, the Flint Hills Rodeo Association started conducting those competitions as well. “All four of us rode in the ranch rodeos for a number of years,” Marcia said. “They were on the men’s team, while I was on a woman’s team. We did win some of those rodeos too.”
Cowboy life is the profession for all of the Bailey family. “My dad and mom, Elmore and Doris Stout, had the TS Ranch Hereford and Quarter Horse operation at Cottonwood Falls,” Marcia said. “We have continued that business which Wes manages, with help of his wife Richell and son Pake. I am also heavily involved with the TS Ranch, and we had our 58th annual production sale this spring.”
A registered Quarter Horse show was sponsored at the Flint Hills Rodeo grounds for several years in the ’60s and ’70s. “Dad was a major leader in organizing that show which attracted a lot of bigtime breeders’ Quarter Horses in those days,” Marcia said.
Col. Stanley Stout, Marcia’s brother, world renowned livestock auctioneer, supported the rodeo growing up and through the years. Stanley sometimes rode in the rodeo parade and his funeral was at the rodeo grounds. Stanley’s son, Col. Justin Stout, is also an auctioneer supporting the rodeo and auctioneering the annual TS production sale.
Headquartered now at Hamilton in Greenwood County, Marcia and Wayne Bailey also have substantial personal cattle operations. “Wayne’s dad, Derward Bailey, managed summer grazing cattle as his profession,” Marcia said. “That’s our main business today. Buck also looks after Flint Hills cattle and owns the 3X Feeders Yard at Burdick in Morris County.”
Serving in the U.S. Army, Wayne was in the engineer battalion that did all the off-post bulldozer work and explosives. He has done dirt work construction as a profession as well.
The Flint Hills Rodeo has gone through transitions over its lifetime but has remained a steadfast annual tradition. “Due to the coronavirus, the rodeo had to be canceled one year, and Buck as the association president just hated that,” Marcia said.
Initially, there were Friday and Saturday evening performances along with a Sunday afternoon rodeo. Saturday parade participants used to get free rodeo admission.
“Now there are all evening performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the Saturday afternoon parade which work wells. The rodeo is stronger than ever,” Marcia said. “The rodeo has always gone on regardless of weather conditions. Rains threated again this year, but there were still good crowds all three nights.”
As the Flint Hills Rodeo Parade Grand Marshall, Marcia Bailey rode in an antique ranch truck which the family restored. Colorful flags were flying from the truck bed as Marcia waved to rodeo friends of many decades.
“It’s been a great ride, and the Flint Hills Rodeo will continue for many years to come,” Marcia promised. “For all of us, it’s a family tradition that my grandchildren will keep right on going.”