The year was 1971.

Claude Miller rounded up six local horsemen - Bill Flagg, Vernon Bame, Don Dagnon, Tom Graves, Al Gardner and Sandy Haase to help build a new rodeo arena on the Sunny M Ranch (near the Barnsley Loop Ski Trail area).
 
The Methow Valley Horsemen hosted two rodeos a year - Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.  The Sunny M was the rodeo's location for the first 10 years. When it came time to relocate in 1983, the manager of Moccasin Lake Ranch agreed to give the rodeo a home off Twin Lakes Road. From the mid 1980s until 2010, the Methow Valley Rodeo was a member of the Professional Western Rodeo Association (PWRA). 

Riders earned points towards the Pro-West finals. The Methow Valley Rodeo returned to "Jackpot" rodeo in 2010.  Jackpot means that winners get all their entry money back plus added money which comes from ticket sales and donations from area businesses. In 2016 this was changed to a rough stock rodeo.

Swede Miller provided stock the first year, then Jim McGowan was the stock contractor until the mid 1980s. Since then Red Clark of C & C Rodeo Stock has supplied high quality horses and bulls.