Ramah Navajo Fair fun for everyone

A fair worker and a group of children watch the Sizzler spin on Saturday night in Pinehill at the Ramah Navajo Fair. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent]

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

PINEHILL — It was 15 years ago when the first annual Ramah Navajo Fair was hosted with just a rodeo and parade.

“I remember when there were five or six entries,” said Eddie Hosteen of the first parade.

Over the years, the fair — which remains the youngest fair on the Navajo Nation — has grown into an anticipated event. Darnell J. Maria, vice chairman for the Ramah Navajo Fair and Rodeo Committee, agreed it has developed and progressed since it began. 

“It started out small and it’s been getting bigger every year,” he said.

The fair’s four days activities included customary events like a song and dance, powwow, parade, pageant, rodeo, and carnival, as well as new events, like a special-needs rodeo. But the mud-bogging event was the major crowd favorite, attracting an unexpected crowd of spectators Sunday afternoon.

Masses of families sitting on their tailgates, and hiding under the shade of umbrellas hollered with amusement as pickups took turns splashing through the mud. Nearly 70 vehicles parked around to relish in the carousing, and little boys packed together and screamed out phrases like “That was bad” or “I like that one the best!”

The event titled “Rung what you Brung” was sponsored by JRL Enterprises, a mechanic shop in Ramah. Organizers admitted it was a last minute event, and were shocked at the number of people who turned out.

“It kind of just fell together,” said Jodie Lewis, 35, was the primary organizer from JRL Enterprise.

“This is the first year and it is popular,” said Maria, among spectators. “It’s a very good turnout.”

“Everybody has a truck; it’s the reservation,” said Lewis. “People can relate to this.”

As the mud-covered trucks — from Fords to Jeeps and Chevys — made their way out of ruts, people honked their horns, whistled, and cheered. But the loudest cheer came when an officer made his was through the mud with a Ramah Navajo Police Dodge Ram, with his lights and sirens on. It was an even bigger crowd pleaser at the end of the course as the newly crowned Miss Navajo Ramah 2007-2008 Vanessa Frank stepped out the vehicle wearing her crown, sash, and a blue sleeveless crushed velvet dress.

“It was fun,” said a thrilled Frank, just moments after stepping out of the truck.

“We’re just playing in the mud,” said Andie Myers, 29, of Ramah. “We’re trying to have some excitement out here.”

The event gave shop workers a chance to play with the white Isuzu truck powered by a Dodge Ram charger engine they have been working on for five years. 

“Four-wheel drive is kind of the thing to have out here,” said Talon Lewis, 29, a mechanic at the JRL Enterprise. “Everybody is always talking about what they got to get through the mud, and we thought we’d put it to the test.”

The event was $10 for two runs with winner take all. While there were only three official entries, numerous vehicles lined up to partake in the days excitement.

“Its kind of for bragging rights too,” said Pete Vandieben, 17, of Ramah. 

Coincidentally, this past weeks rain left a pit of mud perfect for mud boggers.

“It ended up being just right,” Lewis said.

Alvina Espinoza, 27, of Pinehill took pleasure in the event just as much as her 2-year-old son, Julian.

“It was pretty cool,” she said, as she held her 1-year-old son Julius in her lap. “It’s a new event. My son really enjoys it.”

Her favorite part was when the brown ’79 GMC Chevy stalled out in the mud, and the driver stepped out, stood on the hood of his truck, and received cheer from the crowd.

The driver was Lonnie Duboise, 30, of Ramah. His truck flooded out, but it didn’t stop him from getting it fixed to make another run.

“It’s just for entertainment for the little kids mostly,” he said. 

Frank Martinez, 6, of Pinehill said it was his first time seeing “monster trucks,” and pointed out his favorite truck was the “white one.”

“It makes the men feel tough,” joked Cristina Woody, 33, of Houck who came out to enjoy the event with her in-laws. “They grew a little hair on their chest.”

Her mother in-law, Floria Besselmente, 47, decided to make the drive from her home in Zuni to check out the mud bogging with her grandkids.

Jodie Lewis said they plan to make the event annual, and would like to make T-shirts and have prizes next year. Maria said the fair board has already decided they want to include mud bogging as an annual activity.

Mud bogging might of have been the popular event, but it didn’t stop others from checking out the main fairground, where the rodeo and rides were still attracting small crowds. 

Jimmy Pino, 84, of Ramah expressed in Navajo his favorite part of the fair is still the rodeo and song and dance. Shelby Lynn Jose, 11, of Pinehill said her favorite part was the rides, like the hammer and tornado. Jose said she also enjoyed the experience of running for Ramah Princess, in which she took first runner-up.

Maria said the fair instills a sense of pride and accomplishment for the people, and falls in line with the Indian self-determination emphasized in the community. Ramah is the only Navajo chapter under the BIER Southwest Region in Albuquerque. 

“It’s a lot of work,” he said. One of the biggest challenges, he admitted, is preventing the interference of politics. “Organizing without getting politics involved is always a challenge.”

Maria estimates the fair took in $30,000, which will be used to begin planning next year’s fair activities, and improve the fairground.

Even though the fair is held in Pinehill, just 20 miles southeast of Ramah, Maria said it will continue to be called the Ramah Navajo fair. 

“Historically, we’ve always been known as the Ramah Band of Navajos,” Maria said.