Monthly Archives: November 2010

In less than three weeks, the top players in the game of rodeo will flock to Las Vegas for the 52nd Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The arena, the Thomas & Mack Center, will host about 18,000 fans for each of the 10 go-rounds, but there will be tens of thousands more people in town for  Continue Reading »

This is a piece I wrote for my church five years ago. You can tell it’s dated a little, but the message it tells is one of faith, something that my friend holds tight each day of his life. The life of a rodeo cowboy can change at the drop of a 10-gallon hat. Cord  Continue Reading »

A lot has happened in Cord McCoy’s life in the last year. He got engaged last November, then took off on a trip around the world in “The Amazing Race” with his brother, Jet. Then for three months beginning on Valentines Day, the world watched the CBS-TV reality series and found two humble, intelligent Oklahomans  Continue Reading »

ALLEN, Texas – When the top cowboys in the game compete for big money, they want to have the best opportunity to make it. That’s why the top bareback riders in the game are happy to see Carr Pro Rodeo horses in the lineup for this weekend’s Tom Thumb Texas Stampede, set for 7:30 p.m.  Continue Reading »

I love telling other people’s stories, but what I love more, is learning new stories to tell. Such is the case with the piece I did for the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association on the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. I’ve never met Jessi Eagleberger or Tana Renick. My only communication with them came on the phone  Continue Reading »

While you’re trying to do the math on the buckle question, I’ve got another easy trivia question for you. It’s pretty easy, especially for those who have been around the sport. But it was also an innovative marketing scheme when it was introduced. Who were the first in ProRodeo to wear the Express brand as  Continue Reading »

This is a story I did for Carr Pro Rodeo, which has 26 head of livestock that will be part of the competition at this weekend’s Tom Thumb Texas Stampede. ALLEN, Texas – Cort Scheer is having a season full of firsts. The bronc buster from Elsmere, Neb., is also having the best year of  Continue Reading »

Cheyenne Frontier Days has a fantastic history of excellence. It’s “The Daddy of ’em All,” the one every cowboy wants to win. On Monday, the Championship Bull Riders organization announced it will have a two-day event in conjunction with the 115th Cheyenne Frontier Days. It’s the first year of the association between the longstanding epitome  Continue Reading »

If you can see under my belly, I proudly wear a Montana Silversmiths buckle on my belt. It’s classy. It’s pretty. It’s rodeo. There are a lot of people who wear a Montana Silversmiths buckle, some of which are golden. In fact, any person crowned ProRodeo world champion since 2000 wears a gold buckle made  Continue Reading »

Congratulations to Rocky Patterson for winning his second straight steer roping world championship. Also congratulations to another Kansan, Cody Scheck, for winning the average at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Round 10: 1. Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, 9.4 seconds, $5,000; 2. Vin Fisher Jr, Andrews, Texas, 10.0, $3,846; 3. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla.,  Continue Reading »

Rocky Patterson won his second straight steer roping world championship, and in the process, he broke the single-season earnings record. He became the first cowboy in PRCA history to earn at least $100,000 in a season. But the average winner, Cody Scheck, was on the Pratt (Kan.) Community College rodeo team a dozen years ago  Continue Reading »

1. Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 9.6 seconds, $5,000; 2. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 10.1, $3,846; 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.4, $3,077; 4. Rod Hartness, Pawhuska, Okla., 12.6, $2,308; 5. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 12.8, $1,154.

            Round Eight: 1. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 9.2 seconds, $5,000; 2. Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, 9.9, $3,846; 3. Vin Fisher Jr, Andrews, Texas, 10.1, $3,077; 4. Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 10.4, $2,308; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 11.6, $1,154.

            Round Six: 1. Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 10.5 seconds, $5,000; 2. Lawson Plemons, Axtell, Texas, 10.6, $3,846; 3. Rod Hartness, Pawhuska, Okla., 10.7, $3,077; 4. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 11.2, $2,308; 5. J. Tom Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 11.6, $1,154.             Round Seven: 1.Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 10.9 seconds, $5,000; 2. Vin Fisher Jr, Andrews,  Continue Reading »

The opening night of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping featured plenty of fireworks, and the three cowboys who have won the last five world championships are in the top five of the average race — 1. Trevor Brazile, 57.6 seconds on five runs (2006-07 world titles), 2. Scott Snedecor, 57.8 (2005, 2008) and  Continue Reading »

1 Scott Snedecor Uvalde, Texas 10.1 $5,000.00 2 Bryce Davis Abilene, Texas 10.8 $3,846.15 3 Rocky Patterson Pratt, Kan. 11.2 $3,076.92 4 Trevor Brazile Decatur, Texas 11.6 $2,307.69 5 J. Tom Fisher Andrews, Texas 11.7 $1,153.85 1 Trevor Brazile 57.60/5 2 Scott Snedecor 57.80/5 3 Rod Hartness 69.30/5 4 J.D. Yates 70.10/5  5 Rocky Patterson 73.90/5 6 Cody Scheck 79.20/5

1 Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 9.7, $5,000.00 2 Vin Fisher Jr, Andrews, Texas, 10.2, $3,846.15 3 Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 10.8, $2,692.30 3 Cody Scheck, Kiowa, Kan., 10.8, $2,692.30 5 J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 11.5, $1,153.85

1 Vin Fisher Jr, Andrews, Texas, 11.0, $5,000.00 2 Cody Scheck, Kiowa, Kan., 11.1, $3,846.15 3 Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 12.5, $3,076.92 4 Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, 13.5, $2,307.69 5 J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 13.7, $1,153.85

1 Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 10.7, $5,000.00 2 Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, 10.9, $3,846.15 3 Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.0, $3,076.92 4 Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 12.6, $2,307.69 5 Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 14.5, $1,153.85

1 Rod Hartness, Pawhuska, Okla., 11.3, $4,423.07 1 J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 11.3, $4,423.07 3 Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, 11.6, $3,076.92 4 Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 12.5, $1,730.77 4 Cody Scheck, Kiowa, Kan., 12.5, $1,730.77

It’s been 43 years since Hadley Barrett first called the action at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. He’s back this November calling his eighth National Finals Event. The honor fits him well. Barrett first earned the honor in 1967, just his third season in the PRCA. He followed that in 1968 by announcing  Continue Reading »

My drive through Kansas to Oklahoma brought to mind several fascinating memories, about rodeo and about life. Eleven years ago this fall, I moved to the state’s capital city to take a new step in my life, working at the state’s largest newspaper. Shortly after arriving, I was introduced to Bryan Painter, the rodeo coorespondent for The Oklahoman.  Continue Reading »

I’m leaving home for the Oklahoma City area today for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Lazy E Arena near Guthrie, Okla. It should be a fantastic championship, 10 rounds of the top steer ropers in the game. My hope is to update round-by-round through  Continue Reading »

Below is an article I wrote and released to the media today on behalf of Carr Pro Rodeo and the Tom Thumb Texas Stampde, which takes place Nov. 12-13 in Allen, Texas. ALLEN, Texas – J.W. Harris has proven himself one of the best bull riders in the history of the sport. He owns the  Continue Reading »