PENDLETON — The Happy Canyon Board of Directors recognized Aarone Hines, Wendy Sorey and Whitney Porter on May 26 at the annual Appreciation Awards in the Happy Canyon room at the Pendleton Convention Center.

The first two recipients, Sorey and Porter, are sisters who have been participating in the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant and Wild West Show since 1981. Their families have a legacy in the pageant, with their parents contributing and performing in the show themselves.

Sorey portrayed an array of characters during her time in the pageant, starting as a showgirl, and then proceeding to play other roles, including an emigrant woman, a pioneer, a trunk mother, a surprise second Blondie and last year playing a surprise Trunk Grandma.

Porter, also having participated in the pageant as a variety of characters, started her career at Happy Canyon at 9 years old when she took part in the trunk act. From there, she played an emigrant, Goldie, a saxophone player and Annie Oakley.

“When she had all these parts, her night consisted of running to the dressing room, changing, going back to set, play the part, run back to the dressing room and run to the next scene,” Alan Waggoner, former Happy Canyon president, said during the awards ceremony.

With the history of their parents participating in the Happy Canyon, so do Sorey and Porter’s children and grandchildren. Waggoner said their grandchildren now star in the trunk act together as a part of the family legacy.

“Happy Canyon is so much more than a pageant; it is a tradition, history, hard work and community,” Sorey said. “It brings generations together and keeps the spirit of Round Up and Happy Canyon alive for those of us who love this place and call it home.”

The sisters compared the Happy Canyon season to a holiday, their favorite time of year as they watch family members pass down parts.

“Both Wendy and Whitney appreciate the opportunity for their children and now grandchildren to grow up in Happy Canyon and for them to share that same experience where they get to spend every year having fun, sharing with friends and family and carrying on a tradition,” Waggoner said.

The final recognition for the 2026 Appreciation Awards went to Hines, the CEO of Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center and a longtime participant in the Happy Canyon Pageant. Hines has also served on the Pendleton Round Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame Board as President.

“Aaron Hines has been a part of Happy Canyon his entire life, for 39 years,” Waggoner said before awarding Hines. “He was born in August and was carried into the show one month later in a baby board and he has been in the show ever since.”

Since starting as a baby, Hines has portrayed many different roles in the pageant. Dancing out of the teepee with other children, a warrior in the mountain scene, the Falling Indian one year, and a raider for several. He now portrays the camp-crier, a role he plays atop the horse Dancer.

“Aaron’s family has been participating in Happy Canyon from the very beginning,” Waggoner said. “Mary Hines, Aaron’s grandma, participated and was a key person for helping many of the young ladies by loaning them regalia.”

Waggoner also said Hines’ grandmother also served as a chaperone for the Happy Canyon court and was recently inducted to the Pendleton Round Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame for service to the organizations.

“On a personal note, I have been involved with the show for many years. I have watched Aaron work with Dancer, bringing him to set beginning in late July and August to get him ready for the show,” Waggoner said. “Riding the horse across the set is not an easy task. Some nights Dancer can be challenging, but Aaron has met the challenge and has done a great job, giving the audience a beautiful display of horsemanship.”

Hines said volunteers don’t participate for recognition, but because it was what their families have been doing for generations, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and grandmother.

Hines joked that he thought he wasn’t quite old enough to be awarded the recognition, but he had been in the show since he was a baby, making 2026 his fortieth year in the show.

“I don’t know if that qualifies, but I do have the gray hairs to prove it,” Hines said. “It is definitely an honor to receive this, I don’t step up to help because I need the recognition or the awards, but it’s just something that our family has done forever.”

Happy Canyon Show Director Becky Waggoner said for those who love the show, it is a holiday and a family reunion at the same time.

“I think one of the most beautiful things that keeps Round Up and Happy Canyon going strong is longevity and I call it the golden thread. That these families that come back year after year, it takes these amazing adults that are raising children and grandchildren to make this show strong.”