Sisters, Ore.-The weather in central Oregon can be unpredictable even in the middle of June but one thing is known - the Sisters Rodeo will go on, rain or shine, and the best in professional rodeo will come compete.

The Sisters Rodeo is the third largest in the state and was named the 2006 Rodeo of the Year by the Columbia River Circuit. Although the town, named for the Three Sisters mountain peaks which dominate the southwestern skyline, boasts just about 1,800 people, the rodeo adds $9,500 to each event, putting it among the most lucrative rodeos of the year.

The WPRA barrel racing competition at this year's rodeo, the 69th annual edition, was hampered by weather. Strong rain storms early in the week made the ground into a muddy mess. However, as quickly as it moved in, the rain was gone and warmer weather dried out conditions by the weekend's performances.

2008 WPRA World Champion Lindsay Sears certainly doesn't need an advantage to win big rodeos like Sisters. But give her one, such as dry conditions on the final Sunday of the rodeo, and she and her great horse Martha will run amuck.

Running for the first time at Sisters, Sears and Martha, the 2008 AQHA/WPRA Horse of the year, laid down a blistering 17.39 second run, a full three tenths ahead Jana Isaac of White Swan, Washington to take the championship. She earned $3,122.

"It was everything Martha loves," says Sears of the conditions in Sisters. "She loves side gates and set ups, and she loves big arenas.

"It was our first time to enter so it was kinda fun to come away with the win," Sears says.

Sears and Martha have been home in Canada since the Redding Rodeo, a stop on the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour in mid-May. Sears has been running at the Canadian rodeos, using those opportunities to season a colt and take care of business on the Canadian side of her rodeo goals.

"I come home from Redding every year, so I can go to the rodeos up here to try to get my rodeo count in for the Canadian Finals and try to get qualified," Sears explains. The Sisters Rodeo was her first in the States since Redding, which she also won.

Sears also worked the 49th Annual Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo in Innisfail, Alberta over the weekend. She and Martha, still just nine years old, split third for another $2,518. All told, her earnings for the weekend pushed her into the top five of the CPRA standings and over $45K toward a second WPRA World title. She is currently third in those standings.

"It was a pretty good weekend," said Sears, who is characteristically humble. "Innisfail was good; it wasn't freezing cold like it has been in the past. Actually, the weather was good, it was beautiful."

Sears and Martha, like many competitors, are headed for Reno and gearing up for the busy Fourth of July - "Cowboy Christmas." Sears is planning on a busy week before she goes back north for the Calgary Stampede in mid-July.

"We are still entering some of the Fourth of July rodeos, but if it all works out, it will be busy," Sears says of her planned schedule. "It won't be crazy but it will be busy."