Monthly Archives: December 2010

LAS VEGAS – Sometimes the calf roping gods strike down their thunder with vengeance, which happens throughout the course of any rodeo season. For Tyson Durfey, it happened during ProRodeo’s season-ending championship, the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. For the Missouri-born tie down roper, it made for a tough 10 days in the Nevada desert, and the frustration was compounded by the fact that he’d had the best regular season of his young ProRodeo career. Through the first nine go-rounds of the NFR, Durfey had placed just once, a tie for third place in the seventh go-round, worth $8,897. But his final run of a long stay in Las Vegas was worth $16,947, when he posted a quick 7.5-second run to tie for fourth place in the final round. It also helped him finish sixth in the all-important average race. Durfey was one of just nine cowboys to rope and tie down all 10 calves, and his cumulative time of 107.9 seconds was sixth best in the aggregate race. That, in itself, is a testament to Durfey’s solid conditioning and work ethic. In all, Durfey earned $25,844 during his frustrating run in Las Vegas, which helped take the edge off things. It was the fourth straight year Durfey, 27, of Colbert, Wash., had qualified for the NFR. While he had a nice rally to finish well, it was quite a different story from 2009, when he earned about $85,000 in the finale. None of it, however, will derail Durfey from conducting business the best way possible. He is the first cowboy from the United States to win a Canadian championship in 2006, and he did it a second time two years later. He knows that it takes to win titles, and the first step is returning to the NFR for the fifth straight year next December. “I feel like it’s my job to get there,” he said. “It’s an expectation I have for myself, and it’s one of my goals – actually, my goal isn’t just to make the finals but to win the world, and I know I have to make the finals to win the world. It’s about staying focused on task.”

LAS VEGAS – When Pete Carr looked at Outa Sight and Deuces Night before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, he knew there was something special in the 5-year-old mares whose daddy is Night Jacket, one of the most celebrated bucking horses in ProRodeo. Carr, the owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, knew the athleticism that he’d seen in the bucking beasts, and he knew their lineage could lead to something special happening in the season-ending ProRodeo championship event. But alongside their stablemates, the fillies were standouts inside the Thomas & Mack center during the NFR’s rugged 10 go-rounds. “I think it was a pretty successful NFR for us,” Carr said. “We had three horses that had firsts and three horses had seconds.” He was referring to how cowboys matched moves with animals and their finish in go-rounds. In all, cowboys who competed on Carr bucking animals earned $114,676, while Deuces Night, Outa Sight and Big Lights – all part of bareback riding competition – helped cowboys to first-place checks worth $17,512: Steven Dent won the third round on Big Lights with an 85, Kaycee Feild won the fourth round on Outa Sight with an 87 and Kelly Timberman won the 10th round on Deuces Night with an 88.5. “That was a phenomenal horse, and she was just the best one out today,” Timberman, the 2004 world champion, said of Deuces Night. “The fact of the matter is she was just the best one out today and will probably be one of the best horses in the world for a long time. I was real privileged to have the horse.” Jason Havens matched moves with the mare for 86 points to finish in a tie for second place in the fifth round. Between those two rides, nearly $30,000 was paid out to cowboys who tested their mettle on Deuces Night. Meanwhile, Outa Sight and Big Lights rides that finished in fifth place, and cowboys pocketed $22,031 on each of those horses. “That horse gives you time to show your talent and some different things about your riding, so it was a lot of fun,” Field said after his fourth-round victory on Outa Sight. “I was really stoked to have (her), because I really like those young horses.” Riverboat Annie, the 10-year-old roan mare that was the runner-up bareback horse of the year in 2007, helped her riders earn checks in the second and seventh rounds – Clint Cannon finished second in the seventh round, while Dent placed fifth on the second night. Saddle bronc Miss Congeniality and J.J. Elshere worked together to split second place in the second go-round. Black Gold and Clayton Williams finished the sixth round of bull riding in third place, good enough for $10,451. “We got along pretty good out there, it was a good ten days,” Carr said. “Now we are focused on 2011 and we are excited about next year.  We have purchased several animals this winter that we feel should definitely enhance our rodeos and add to our numbers out here for years to come”

LAS VEGAS – Cort Scheer has learned that dreams can come true. Not only does he make a living riding bucking horses, Scheer competes against the best cowboys while trying to ride the best broncs. And over the past couple of weeks, he spent got to do so while on the grandest stage in ProRodeo, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Over 10 nights in Las Vegas, Scheer, 24, of Elsmere, Neb., put on quite a display of athleticism and humbleness, showcasing a brilliant smile after each ride, from his third-round buck-off of Frontier Rodeo’s Wild Bill to his ninth-round victory of Frontier’s Let ’Er Rip. “Shoot, I’m doing great,” said Scheer, who placed in seven rounds and finished sixth in the NFR saddle bronc riding average with a cumulative total of 743.5 points on nine qualified rides; in all, he earned $70,048 while in Las Vegas and moved his annual earnings past $152,500, enough to finish fourth in the final world standings of 2010. “I’m pretty tickled with just being here, much less to have done so well.” A third-round zero might’ve been a source of discomfort for some, but Scheer said it helped him in the long run. “I knew at that point I had nothing to lose,” he said. “I didn’t have any pressure on me at that point, so I just went out there and went at them every time. You’ve got a shot to win $17,000 every night.” He’s talking about the round-winning payout of $17,512, a sum he collected on the second to last night of the competition. Third place paid $10,451, and Scheer earned two of those. His finish in the average was with $11,016. “Shoot, everything out here is just great,” said Scheer, who competed on rodeo teams at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, Montana State University and Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “Part of it’s just the atmosphere and being here with your buddies. It’s awesome.” So was Scheer, who took in everything during his first qualification to the NFR. “Probably the biggest ting is that you just have to relax,” he said. “You get tight, and you get the jitters, and it’s something you’ve got to work through. It’s just about going back to your basics.” They are lessons he plans to take back to Las Vegas with him for many years to come. “Yeah, I dang sure will do everything I can to come back to this, because this is why you rodeo all year long to get to the finals,” Scheer said. “I’m happier than heck to be here, and I plan to come back. I’d love to win that gold buckle, and the only way to win the world title is to be here.”

LAS VEGAS – When Justin McDaniel arrived in Las Vegas days before the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, he knew there a lot of work to do if he were to claim his second bareback riding world championship in three years. He was No. 8 in the world standings with $80,850, and he would need to double his regular-season pay in just 10 days in order to catch world standings leader Ryan Gray. McDaniel did his part, placing in eight go-rounds, including an eighth-round victory. More importantly, he had the best cumulative score of 836.5 points to win the NFR’s average championship. In all, McDaniel, 24, of Porum, Okla., left the Thomas & Mack Center with checks totaling $103,189 – he finished the season with $185,039, second only to four-time world champion Bobby Mote, who earned more than $115,000 in ProRodeo’s grand finale. “I had a great finals, but so did Bobby,” said McDaniel, whose NFR average title is the second of his career – he owns the cumulative record with 859 points on 10 rides in 2008, the season in which he won the coveted gold buckle. “I came here expecting to win a world title, and I did everything I could to win it. I know I could’ve ridden better, especially earlier in the week. “But I’m pretty tickled with the way it ended.” Gray was knocked out of contention for the world championship when he suffered a lacerated liver on the second night of the competition. He is expected to miss a few months before returning to the arena. That left the race into the hands of Mote, McDaniel and Steven Dent, who entered the NFR No. 2 in the world standings. But Dent struggled through the final rounds of the championship and finished the toughest 10 days in the sport with just $37,384. While that’s a pretty solid week and a half for most folks, it left Dent fourth in the standings with $173,736. Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champion who placed third in the aggregate, moved up to third in the world standings with more than $183,000. “It was a good competition,” said McDaniel, who suffered a sprained ankle and broken toe after his eight-round-winning ride. “It was a lot of fun, too. Bobby rides so good. There’s a reason why he’s won four world titles.” McDaniel is in that same company. While winning the gold buckle is the most coveted title in ProRodeo, winning the NFR average title is a close No. 2. In addition to the kudos and celebration, McDaniel’s NFR payday includes the $44,910 prize for the aggregate championship. “None of this is possible without my buddies and my sponsors, who stood by me and helped me this year,” said McDaniel, who spent half the season on the sidelines while recovering from back surgery. “James Hodge Ford of Muskogee helped me out while I wasn’t able to compete, and Jack Hodge was right there with me every mile I ran, every weight I lifted. I’m glad he was there with me in Las Vegas on Saturday night to see the final round and our work together get paid off.”

Every 2010 world champion has earned a gold buckle before. Dean Gorsuch, Patrick Smith, Cody Wright and Rocky Patterson own two; J.W. Harris and Sherry Cervi own three; Bobby Mote owns four; and Trevor Brazile owns 14.

There were plenty of records broken in ProRodeo this year, including the NFR. There are so many, it’s pretty incredible: Jill Moody, barrel racing average, 138.26 Sherry Cervi, fastest barrel racing NFR run, 13.48 seconds Cody Wright, saddle bronc riding average, 847 points Cody Wright, saddle bronc riding NFR earnings, $148,287 Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, team roping NFR earnings, $120,419 Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, team roping season earnings, $201,392 (Brazile) and $202,189 (Smith) Trevor Brazile, NFR earnings record, $211,509 Trevor Brazile, National Finals earnings record (including NFSR), 239,585 Trevor Brazile, single season earnings record, $507,921 J.W. Harris, most bull riding wins at the NFR, 4

Tenth Round 1. Ardie Maier, 91.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Scent Loc, $17,512 2. Tyler Smith, 90 on Flying U Rodeo’s Bring It, $13,840 3. Steve Woolsey, 87.5 on Four L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Palm Springs, $10,451 4. J.W. Harris, 86 on Silverado Rodeos’ Black Mamba, $7,344 5. Wesley Silcos, 85 on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Dr. Hou, $4,519 6. Corey Navarre, 82.5 on Growney Brothers Rodeo’s War God, $2,825 Average Champion: J.W. Harris, 714 points on eight rides, $44,910 average payout, $158,738 NFR earnings. World Champion: J.W. Harris, $246,541

Tenth Round 1. Angie Meadors and Brittany Pozzi, 13.67, $15,676 3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.77, $10,451 4. Sydni Blanchard, 13.83, $7,244 5. Jill Moody, 13.85, $4,519 6. SherryLynn Johnson and Jeanne Anderson, 13.86, $1,412 Average Champion: Jill Moody, 138.26 (new NFR record), $44,910 average payout, $133,025 NFR earnings World Champion: Sherry Cervi, $299,894

Here are some stats for Trevor Brazile: All-around world champion Heading world champion Tie down world champion NFR all-around champion NFR tie down roping champion Runner-up in NFR team roping average Most earnings of any NFR contestant He won $211,509 at the National Finals Rodeo He won the Triple Crown for the second time in his career. He earned more than $500,000 this season. I’m sure there’s a lot more.

Tenth Round 1. Tuf Cooper, 6.9 seconds, $17,512 2. Clint Cooper and Ryan Jarrett, 7.2, $12,145 4. Tyson Durfey and Joseph Parsons, 7.5, $5,931 6. Cody Ohl and Jerome Schneeberger, 7.6, $1,412 Average Champion: Trevor Brazile, 89.6 seconds on 10 runs, $44,901 average payout, $91,091 NFR earnings. World Champion: Trevor Brazile, $233,827

Tenth Round 1. Heith DeMoss, 87.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunitic Fringe, $17,512 2. Cody Wright, 87 on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Valley, $13,840 3. Bradley Harter, 86 Smith, Harper & Morgan’s Painted Feather, $10,451 4. Cort Scheer, 84.5 on Kesler Rodeo’s Starburst, $7,344 5. Cody DeMoss, 83 on New West Rodeo’s Showbizz, $4,519 6. Jesse Wright, 82.5 on Flying 5 Rodeo’s Spring Planting, $2,825 Averasge Champion: Cody Wright, 847 on 10 rides (new NFR record), $44,910 average payout, $148, 287 NFR earnings World Champion: Cody Wright, $247,579

Trevor Brazile won the heading world championship and became just the second man in ProRodeo history to have won gold buckles in for categories: all-around, steer roping, tie down roping and team roping-heading. He has a chance to win the tie down roping world title, so stay tuned.

Tenth Round 1. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 3.9 seconds, $17,512 2. Keven Daniel/Caleb Twisselman, 4.6, $13,840 3. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8, $10,451 4. Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 5.0, $7,344 5. Brady Tryan/Jake Long, 5.3, $4,519 6. Ty Blasingame/Cody Hintz, 7.4, $2,825 Average Champions: Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 65.5 seconds, $44,910, NFR earnings of $89,255, third place in the world at, Brown $17,370, and Lucero, $172,285. World Champions: Header Trevor Brazile $201,392, Heeler Patrick Smith $202,189

Tenth Round 1. Curtis Cassidy, 3.7 seconds, $17,519 2. Kyle Hughes, 3.8, $13,840 3. Trevor Knowles, 3.9, $10,450 4. Todd Suhn, 4.1, $7,344 5. Matt Reeves, Cody Cassidy and Nick Guy, 4.2, $2,448 Average Champion: Dean Gorsuch and Billy Bugenig, 45.7 seconds on 10 runs, $40,673; Gorsuch’s NFR earnings are $83,774; Bugenig’s NFR earnings are $69,201. World Champion: Dean Gorsuch, $186,477.

Tenth Round 1. Kelly Timberman, 88.5 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Night, $17,512 2. Will Lowe, 87.5 on Lancaster & Pickett’s Top Flight, $13,840 3. Kaycee Feild, 86 on J Bar J’s Faded Jeans, $10,451 4. Joe Gunderson, 85.5 on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlett’s Web, $7,344 5. Bobby Mote, 85 on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Ship, $4,519 6. Jason Havens, 84 on Rafter G Rodeo’s Citation, $2,825 Average Champion: Justin McDaniel, 836 points on 10 rides, $44,910 average payout, $103,189 NFR earnings. World Champion: Bobby Mote, $204,484.

1. Wesley Silcox, 90 points on Silverado Rodeos’ Playmate, $17,512 2. J.W. Harris, 89.5 on Four L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Insaniac, $13,840 3. Bobby Welsh, 89 on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Hot Wired, $10,451 4. Corey Navarre, 86.5 on Andrews Rodeo’s Red Onion, $7,344 5. Steve Woolsey, 83.5 on Burch Rodeo’s Best of the West, $4,519 6. Dustin Elliott, 83 on Four L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Top Diamond, $2,825

1. Angie Meadors, 13.59 seconds, $17,512 2. Jill Moody, 13.64, $13,840 3. Jeanne Anderson, 13.74, $10,450 4. Sherry Cervi, 13.75, $7,344 5. Kelli Tolbert, 13.81, $4,519 6. Brittany Pozzi, 13.87, $2,825

Angie Meadors placed in her second NFR round Friday night. It just so happens both of those nights were victories. But the big story, of course, was Sherry Cervi clinching the world title. http://www.wpra.com/nfr_results_stories09.asp

J.W. Harris clinched the NFR average title and his third straight bull riding world title Friday night. What’s impressive is that the cowboy entered the NFR with $87,803, and in nine days in Las Vegas, he has won $150,394 with the 10th round to go. He has won four go-rounds and place in two others. He has also broken the bull riding earnings record at the NFR of $142,644, set by B.J. Schumacher in 2006. But that’s not the biggest thing that’s happened to Harris in Las Vegas: His wife, Jackie, gave birth to the couple’s first child just before the start of the championship. Congratulations, Champ.

LAS VEGAS – Cort Scheer doesn’t look like much of a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo rookie. Scheer, 24, of Elsmere, Neb., has placed in six of nine saddle bronc riding go-rounds, including the last five. But his biggest move came Friday night, when he rode the Frontier Rodeo horse Let ’Er Rip for 85.5 points to win the ninth go-round and $17,512. “I’ve seen that sucker a bunch of times,” said Scheer, who competed for rodeo programs at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, Montana State University and Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “He’s one of the most athletic horses, bar none, and that includes any roping horses out there. I felt real fortunate to get him.” In all, Scheer has earned $51,689 in Las Vegas and has moved his season income past $134,000, easily the best of his four-year ProRodeo career. The strong run in his inaugural NFR is just icing on the cake. “I’m blessed to be here,” said Scheer, who has shown off a big smile each night, even when he bucked off Frontier’s Wild Bill in the third round. “I just praise God that we get to do it. We have the ultimate life.” But it’s not an easy life. Rodeo contestants travel about 100,000 miles a year chasing their gold buckle dreams, so there are expenses that go along with that. They don’t get paid unless they finish better than most. Most of the time, cowboys will break even just trying to get to the NFR, the championship event each season. Heading into Saturday’s final go-round, Scheer has the sixth best cumulative total with 659 points on eight rides. If he remains in that position at the conclusion of the championship, he will add another $11,016. But there is big money available in the Nevada desert, and Scheer collected the lion’s share of the round money Friday, and he credits Let ’Er Rip, named one of the top broncs in 2010. “There ain’t a horse out there that you have to set your feet any faster,” Scheer said, referring to the spurring motion in which he sets the heels of his boots into the animal’s neck. “He’s just pure muscle. “I’m happier than heck to win this round. This is what I’ve been wanting to do since I got here.”

Trevor Brazile finished second in both tie down roping and team roping during Friday’s fifth go-round. That was worth $27,680. That’s almost as much as he won at the Lazy E Arena a month ago during the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, when he was the high-money winner. In nine nights, he’s pocketed more than $130,000. With partner Patrick Smith, Brazile is No. 2 in the average in team roping and trails world standings leaders Clay Tryan and Travis Graves by a little more than $10,000. But Tryan and Graves are fifth in the average, and the payout difference between 2 and 5 is more than $20,000. It’ll come down to the wire to see if Brazile can win the heading world title and add to his abundance of gold buckles. Brazile also leads the tie down roping world standings and is second in the average. He’s got a $25,000 lead over the No. 2 man in the world-title race, fellow Texan Cody Ohl. Brazile has already clinched this year’s all-around title. He’s well on his way to a second Triple Crown by winning three gold buckles in a single year — he did it in 2007. It will be very interesting.

I got to tell Sherry Cervi that she’d just won the WPRA barrel racing world championship.

1. Cort Scheer, 85.5 on Frontier Rodeo’s Let ‘Er Rip, $17,512 2. Wade Sundell on Sutton Rodeos’ Chuckulator, J.J. Elshere on Wayne Vold Rodeo’s Awesome, Cody DeMoss on Bar T Rodeo’s Eight Ball and Jesse Wright on Rafter G Rodeo’s Billings, 84.5, $9,038 6. Shaun Stroh, 81.5 on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Pretty Boy, $2,825

1. Ryan Jarrett, 7.10 seconds, $17,512 2. Trevor Brazile, 7.2, $13,840 3. Trent Creager, 7.6, $10,451 4. Shane Hanchey and Jerrad Hofstetter, 7.8, $5,931 6. Stran Smith, 8.0, $2,825