Tulelake Names Parade Grand Marshals

The Tulelake Butte Valley Fair Board and Staff are excited to announce our 2024 Tulelake Butte Valley Fair Parade Grand Marshals: Chuck and Shirl Woodson!

Chuck and Shirl Woodson are the owner/operators of Willow Creek Ranch at the north end of Mt. Dome east of Dorris, CA. The ranch is compiled of multiple homesteads settled in the 1800s and early 1900s. Included in this homestead grouping are the Clinton Van Brimmer, the Daniel Van Brimmer and the Benjamin Van Brimmer homesteads which were collectively known as the Van Brimmer Ranch.

At Willow Creek, the Woodsons run their own cow/calf operation as well as taking in yearlings on the meadows and commercial cows on the outside country. Willow Creek Ranch and Chuck were featured in the late David Stocklein’s books California Cowboys, Spirit of the West and Cattle.

Raised 8 miles from the Mexican border, Chuck has cowboyed his entire life. He has worked on ranches from the southern tip of California along the Mexican border to the Oregon border, from the California Sierras to the California Coast and into Nevada and Arizona. Chuck is well known for his ability to start colts and rehabilitate troubled horses. His horse clients can be found throughout California, into Oregon, across the pond to Germany. Although a diagnosis of cancer in 2011 put an end to him riding for his long list of clients, he is still riding his own horses working cattle at Willow Creek. Chuck has made award winning silver bits and spurs. Modest by nature, he generally keeps those accolades to himself. He is adept at identifying engraving styles as well as how a particular piece will function in relation to a certain horse’s confirmation. A devotee of the early history of California, Chuck will drop everything to visit about the early cattle industry in the state and the early day vaqueros. He turned his passion for the traditions of early California horsemen into a business, Bear State Vaquero offering quality California style tack to the horseman.

Shirl is the daughter of John and Aline Terry of Tulelake. John was a 1949 homesteader and previous grand marshall of the Tulelake Butte Valley Fair Parade. Aline just celebrated her 100th birthday and still owns the homestead in the Panhandle. The Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair has played an important role in her family. Shirl and her siblings Ona and John Pat all showed and marketed steers in 4-H and FFA. Ona ran for fair court. Shirl’s involvement with the fair began early – she rode with her dad on his horse in the fair parade when she was about 4 years old. John was the leader of the Homestead Saddle Club. Lucille Chambers (wife of homesteader Woody Chambers) even had a little shirt made for Shirl with Homestead Saddle Club embroidered on the back. Until moving out of the area, competed in regularly in the horse events at the fair. Upon returning to the Basin, she served a term on the fair board.

Shirl began working for Cotton Rosser’s Flying U Rodeo in 1982 and still helps out whenever the need arises. She had the honor to be selected to carry flags horseback in the Opening Ceremonies at the National Finals Rodeo the first 10 years the NFR was in Nevada. One year Shirl even drove monster trucks crushing cars when the truck show alternated with rodeo performances. Shirl’s writing has been featured in many publications including Persimmon Hill, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Currently she is working on the history of the valley that contains the D Ranch, the JF Ranch and the Van Brimmer Ranches. Shirl just attended her 50 year class reunion from Tulelake High reuniting with classmates, many of whom she attended 1st through 12th grade with.