Every Fourth of July, the Makawao Stampede brings cowboys and cowgirls from around the world to Maui’s Oskie Rice Arena, owned by Kaonoulu Ranch. Ken and Morag Miranda represent the fourth generation that manages and fosters the annual Hawaiian rodeo, which has been a part of the Maui community for over 70 years. Unique Hawaiian rodeo events give competitors and spectators the opportunity to learn about and participate in the state’s rich Western culture, and the regular rodeo events bring in some of the nation’s top competitors. The Miranda family is committed to supporting youth in rodeo and ensuring that the sport continues to thrive and grow in their home state with the support of the Rice and King family’s Kaonoulu Ranch.
Cowboys on the Islands
Cowboys, ranching and rodeo have a long history in Hawaii. Like on the mainland, the introduction of cattle eventually required people skilled and brave enough to deal with them. Descendants of the cattle that had been gifted to King Kamehameha I by British Captain George Vancouver were running wild and multiplying across Hawaii by the early 1800s. With no predators, the population grew out of control. By the early 1900s, it became necessary to cull the wild cattle. The growing cattle industry also presented the opportunity to sell beef and hides. Spanish-Mexican vaqueros were brought in to help with the issue, and to teach the locals how to handle these wild cattle. Called “Paniolo,” their influence became the foundation for Hawaiian cowboy culture. This tradition evolved and rodeo soon took hold on the islands. Since then, Hawaii has been home to many top rodeo competitors and champions, from high school to the PRCA and beyond.
Morag and Ken also have deep roots in Hawaiian rodeo and agriculture. Morag’s great-grandfather, Harold “Pop” Rice, purchased their family ranch (Kaonoulu Ranch) in 1916, which he eventually passed on to her grandfather. Around 70 years ago, her father, Freddy Rice, had the idea to build an arena in the Maui area so that local cowboys could hold rodeo competitions to showcase their cowboy skills. He, along with George Manoa, approached Morag’s grandfather, Oskie Rice, who agreed to the plan, designating a flat piece of land near Makawao. Soon, a rodeo arena was built. Morag’s father helped form the Maui Roping Club with his cousin Peter Baldwin in the 1950s. It was dedicated in the 1980s, with the arena at Makawao serving as their home base. Since then, the Oskie Rice Arena has been available for rodeos, youth competitions, community events and more.
The Miranda family took over the management of the family ranch in 2013. In 2020, they were presented with the opportunity to also manage the Oskie Rice Event Center. The Covid-19 pandemic stopped any plans that year, which was used as an opportunity to improve the space. “It actually blessed us with a year of being able to renovate and not having to rush,” Morag reflected.
The existing arena was in rough shape and needed to be torn down. Thanks to a friendship with Eddie Priefert, Ken, who is also a dealer for the company, was able to purchase the panel arena that had been used for the 2019 American Rodeo.
“When the American was finished, they boxed the arena up in six 40-foot sea containers and shipped it to Maui,” Morag shared.
A new arena was built on the same property using the American arena panels, and by 2021, they were able to host the annual Fourth of July rodeo again. The event was rebranded as the Makawao Stampede, and both Ken and Morag, along with their team, dedicated a significant amount of time to securing sponsors, inviting contestants and growing the event.
After successfully relaunching the event post-Covid, new 2,500-seat bleachers were built to accommodate spectators. Additionally, Ken repurposed the shipping containers the arena panels had been shipped in to build ten-by-eight VIP suites. A two-story rodeo office and a concessions stand were also built with the containers.
Ken and Morag led many efforts to revitalize and grow the community event but are quick to give credit to the community of Maui. “We have an amazing team in our community,” Morag said.
Preserving Traditions
The Makawao Stampede features regular timed and roughstock events, as well as events unique to Hawaii. The Po’o Wai U event showcases skills that were used to rope wild cattle in the mountains. Once a wild bovine was caught, the cowboy would tie them to a tree for the day or night and then come back with an oxen or another horse to trail them back down the mountain. In the arena, a horned roping steer is let out of the chute. The roper, with no barrier, has to make a clean horn catch. Instead of the tree that would be used in the mountains, a forked pipe is placed in the middle of the arena. Once the animal is roped, the rider, who is tied off hard and fast, pulls the steer toward the pipe, which is in a v-shape. The competitor then flips the rope between the pipe, faces the steer, gets off, runs up to the steer, runs a rope around the steer’s neck, and ties it to the pipe tree. Each steer’s horns and forehead are protected with plastic. The event is timed, and whoever gets their steer tied to the tree the fastest wins. “It can be done in under 20 seconds. A 16 to 18 second run is really fast, and 20 seconds is a good run,” Morag explained. “Ken, our son, Daniel, and our daughter Elizabeth are all champions in this event, which is pretty fun.”
The regular rodeo events are also a highlight. Contestants travel from Australia, New Zealand, Texas, California, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico and beyond to compete at the Makawao Stampede. With $20,000 added prize money and quality stock, competitors know that their trip to Maui will be worth it. A contractor on the island, RS Bucking Bulls, provides stock, and Kaonoulu Ranch has a group of bucking horses and corriente cattle for the roping events. Area ranches help provide the double mugging roping stock.
Giving Back
The Miranda family lives and breathes ranching and rodeo, and is committed to preserving the tradition for generations to come. Ken and Morag’s son, Daniel, and daughter Elizabeth came up through the Hawaii High School Rodeo Association and have had many successes in the arena. Daniel is attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he has qualified for the College National Finals three times. Elizabeth, who is also going to attend Cal Poly, has qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo all four years and was the reserve world all-around cowgirl her sophomore year.
Supporting youth in rodeo is a priority for Ken and Morag. The couple started the Maui Youth Rodeo Organization (MYRO) to help alleviate the expense of competing in rodeo in Hawaii. The MYRO offers a $1,000 senior scholarship, reimburses families for state and national memberships, gives youth a $500 scholarship each to attend state finals when it’s necessary to ship their horses, and also offers financial assistance to anyone who qualifies for the National High School Rodeo Association finals.
“Our kids are amazing, and they can compete, but not everyone can afford it. It’s hard and so this nonprofit is there, which is possible through the generosity of the Maui community,” Morag shared.
“This support can change the trajectory of their life, and shows them they can do things, even if they need a little help. This isn’t something they are entitled to, and it isn’t welfare. We call it kākou, which means ‘we are all in this together.’ We collaborate with our families, and then we can raise this money together. They do their part to support it, and then we have this money so these kids can go out and be amazing.”
Proceeds from the Makawao Stampede also help support the MYRO’s nonprofit mission. “It’s evolved and developed into a huge positive light. The community has definitely embraced it,” Ken shared. “You need to support the youth activities if you want them to develop into adult competitors down the road.”
Ken and Morag’s support has had a noticeable impact on youth rodeo in Hawaii. When the Miranda family started managing the family ranch and their kids started competing, there were only a few other youths involved. Ken recalled, “When we moved to Maui, the junior high and high school rodeo groups only had a few kids. Now we’re up to almost 90.”
Rodeo teaches valuable life lessons beyond the arena, which is evident in many of the success stories Ken and Morag have seen. “Some kids who never thought they’d go to college or a trade school realize they can. They realize they are smart enough, that they are capable, and that they are valuable,” Morag shared.
Supporting youth in rodeo is a part of Kaonoulu Ranch and the Miranda family’s larger commitment to preserving agriculture in Hawaii. Both Ken and Morag come from multi-generation ranching families, and are the managers of the Kaonoulu Ranch, which belongs to Morag’s family, the Rice and King families. The ranch has one of the last remaining ahupua’a systems in Hawaii. When ranches were first formed on the islands, many prioritized having complete tracts of land that ran from the mountains to the ocean. This ensured that throughout the seasons and in the face of any environmental challenges, the ranch would have access to a range of resources. This also allowed families to diversify their agricultural endeavors, running cattle and growing a variety of crops. “It provides all your needs, with food, water and all your resources on one strip of land. We are very fortunate that our ranch still has that. It’s really special,” Morag shared.
Rodeo in Hawaii is in good hands thanks to people like Ken and Morag, who are ensuring the sport will be there for generations to come. This year’s Makawao Stampede is scheduled for July 4-6. To learn more about the rodeo, visit oskiericeeventcenter.com. 
