Monthly Archives: November 2011

It’s getting redundant, but that makes it fun. J.P. added another $5,077, taking his total $17,308. Consider this: He had just $25,520 in season earnings. He’s almost there in a couple of hours. Fourth round: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 13.2 seconds, $5,077; 2. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 13.5, $4,077; 3. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 14.2, $3,077; 4. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 15.8, $2,077; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber, Edmond, Okla., 16.9, $1,077 AVERAGE 1.         J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 46.7 seconds on four head 2.         Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 54.0 3.         Kim Ziegelgruber, Edmond, Okla., 56.6 4.         Will Gasperson, Decatur, Texas, 60.7 5.         Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, 68.5 6.         Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 76.2 7.         Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 36.9 on three 8.         Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 40.1 9.         Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 46.4 10.       Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 23.9 on two 11.       Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 27.5 12.       Ralph Williams, Skiatook, Okla., 31.7 13.       Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 32.3 14.       Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 13.3 on one 15.       Cody Scheck, Kiowa, Kan., 16.7

Chance Kelton posted his first win of this year’s championship in the third round, placing for the second time tonight. J.P. Wickett remains hot, finishing third. Wickett leads the average and has won $12,231 in three rounds. Third round: 1. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 11.5 seconds, $5,077; 2. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 11.7, $4,077; 3. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 12.0, $3,077; 4. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 12.6, $2,077; 5. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 13.7, $1,077.

There’s a reason Rocky Patterson is the two-time reigning world champion, posting the fastest run of a fast round. J.P. Wickett finished second and has earned more than $9,000 so far. Wickett  leads the average with 21.5 seconds on two runs. Second round: 1. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 10.4 seconds, $5,077; 2. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.0, $4,077; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 11.1, $3,077; 4. Ziegelgruber, Edmond, Okla., 11.4, $2,077; 5. ill Gasperson, Decatur, Texas, 13.0, $1,077.

Speaking of J.P. Wickett, he won the opening round of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. First round: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 10.5 seconds, $5,077; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.1, $4,077; 3. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 11.9, $3,077; 4. Kim Ziegelgruber, Edmond, Okla., 12.1, $2,077; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 12.3, $1,077.

J.W. Wickett slipped into the field of this weekend’s Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in the 15th spot. Actually, it came down to the final rodeo of the season. Wickett placed fourth in the opening round in Anadarko, Okla., collecting a $510 check.  That gave him the first cushion of the season, and he outlasted Shay Good by less than $1,100 for the final spot in this field.

The Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping kicked off Friday afternoon with a luncheon. Primarily it’s a time to recognize the 15 qualifiers, but it’s also a time for everyone to gather together and celebrate this championship event. Here are a few snapshots of the event: This is the 53rd year for the event and the 20th year it has taken place inside the Lazy E Arena, a coliseum built for this type of event.

The Devon Tower cuts through the sky, slicing an opening in the Oklahoma City landscape and creating another touch of expansion to downtown. This city has changed a lot since I first stayed 32 years ago. It’s changed in the six years since I left The Oklahoman newspaper, too. The Ford Center became the Oklahoma City Arena then became Chesapeake Energy Arena. Construction and growth … it’s evident all over town. The same drive that took me by Bricktown also carried me to Stockyards City, by Cattlemen’s Steakhouse. That area of town a reflection of what Oklahoma City once was, what, deep in its heart, the city is today. Sure, the energy companies have made their billions of dollars in statements on the landscape, but it’s not the heart of the city. Oklahoma City is, and always will be, a Cowboy Town. This is a metro area of more that 1.2 million people spread across the Plains, yet the atmosphere is still small-town. There are those that want to make Oklahoma City what it’s not, those who’d prefer not to see cowboy hats and dually pickups and, quite possibly, horseback rides within the populous. I worked with a few at the newspaper here. Unfortunately that viewpoint is still seen in some circles, and some of those have enough power to make a difference. When I worked the rodeo beat, we went from a weekly column and regular “game” coverage of rodeos across the state to writing about the sport just a few times a year. The paper, which had covered the NFR every year from 1965, quit sending a reporter to write about the sport’s year-end championship after 2002. Each year, two major ProRodeo championships will take place in the Oklahoma City metro area — the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping and the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. There also is the International Finals Rodeo, the year-end championship for the Oklahoma City-based International Professional Rodeo Association. The local paper has covered the events, as proof by THIS story, but covering rodeo is not a priority. Management can say it’s because of economic times that have hit the newspaper industry, that staffs are smaller, that budgets are tighter, but that’s not reality. What is? The writer who is assigned to cover rodeo is an old-school reporter who cares about telling good stories, but he’s in a tough situation. Tonight, instead of covering the opening night of the steer roping finals, he will be assigned to a high school football game instead because his editor places a higher priority on that. I’m glad to be back in this Cowboy Town, and I’m excited to share the wonderful storylines about this sport, this championship, this city. The history here, whether at State Fair Arena or the Lazy E or the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, is awesome. It’s a valuable legacy on this city, this community. It’s just unfortunate others don’t realize that.

I’ve been working feverishly to prepare for the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and all that goes into it. Truly, it is an awesome experience, and I’m blessed by it. But before we get carried away on the happenings in Las Vegas, we have some important business to tend to in Guthrie, Okla., with the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. It should be an excellent show. Who do you think will win the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle as the steer roping world champion?

Ask any of the other 14 steer ropers in this field, and they’ll tell you just how valuable Wickett is to the sport of Steer Roping. As the event representative, the other ropers lean on Wickett’s experience and understanding of what it takes to improve all aspects of the sport. In addition, the 2011 campaign marks the 11th time in a 16-year career that Wickett has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. This season, he earned the right to play here by collecting cash all across this land, including wins in Sturgis, S.D., and Laramie, Wyo. That’s nothing new to Wickett, who has been a winner much of his career, including victories in Gillette, Wyo., and San Angelo, Texas. He finished the 2006 season No. 2 in the final world standings, behind that season’s world champion, Tervor Brazile, which helps transition to another fun fact: In his only qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 1998, Wickett was the header in Brazile’s only NFR qualification in heeling.

The transition is complete: Chance Kelton is an elite steer roper. This weekend marks his third straight qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping and equals the number of qualifications he had in all those years as one of the best headers in team roping. Of course, Kelton still competes in multiple events, and he’s quite handy at it. A regular fixture during the annual Timed Event Championship, the Arizona cowboy truly is one of the greatest all-around hands in the game. Last November, Kelton placed in three rounds inside this arena, but he left Oklahoma with just $3,500. The year before, Kelton made the most of his first trip to the finale, placing in five rounds, including two go-round victories, en route to the largest payday of the 2009 NFSR. The 1993 National High School Rodeo Association’s team roping champion, Kelton has proven his merit time and again in a pro career that began in 1994. This weekend is just another notch on his already-worthy belt.

This isn’t the first time Tierney has competed in the Lazy E Arena. He’s been a player in the Timed Event Championship, which takes place in March. This is, however, Tierney’s first qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The son of World Champion Paul Tierney, Jess has proven he’s more than just a second-generation cowboy, and his name on this prestigious list of cowboys is proof that he’s stepping out of his ProRodeo Hall of Fame father’s shadow. In fact, the younger Tierney became the talk of the rodeo world two months ago when he bettered his famous father for the Badlands Circuit Steer Roping Finals title. The Tierneys were the only contestants in the field to rope and tie all five steers. Jess won the first two rounds and placed in another to win the aggregate championship, just 5.9 seconds ahead of Paul. But that’s not the only big win for Jess Tierney this season. He wouldn’t be here this weekend without a strong campaign. Now he’s hoping that consistency that won him the Circuit Finals Average Title will pay off in fine fashion inside the Lazy E.

It’s hard for many in the game to realize that this is just the second time in his 15-year career that Mike Chase has earned the right to play on the biggest stage in this event, the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The McAlester, Okla., cowboy just missed the mark a season ago, finishing the 2010 campaign 16th in the world standings. He was so close competing inside the Lazy E Arena that he could almost taste it. This year, the flavor’s a lot sweeter. Chase, who competed in collegiate rodeo at Pratt (Kan.) Community College and Oklahoma Panhandle State University, has been considered one of the best in the business most of his career, but this marks the first time in eight years he’s actually played in this championship. Chase has shown plenty greatness ever since he joined the PRCA in 1996. Now he gets another chance to do so on the biggest stage in Steer Roping. He’ll need to take advantage of every opportunity, but that’s why he’s here.

The Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping takes place in Ziegelgruber’s back yard. The 11-year pro lives just minutes away from the storied Lazy E Arena, the longtime host of this championship, yet this is the first year the Oklahoma cowboy has competed in it. If anyone realizes how tough it is to qualify for the steer roping finale, it’s Ziegelgruber, who has finished in the top 30 three of the last four years. This season, Ziegelgruber was crowned Co-Champion Steer Roper at the West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo; he also won the rodeo in Boerne, Texas; placed in two go-rounds and finished third in the average at the inaugural steer roping during the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo; won the opening round and finished sixth in the average in Guymon, Okla., and placed in two rounds, including the second-round win, and finished fifth in the average in Graham, Texas. When he’s not roping on the ProRodeo trail, Ziegelgruber trains and shows cutting horses. Truly, he is an all-around cowboy, and he’s excited that he gets to show that talent before his hometown fans.

Scheck’s traveling partner is Rocky Patterson, the reigning World Champion Steer Roper who also won the 2009 Gold Buckle. Scheck, himself, is the reigning Average Champion from the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. That’s a prestigious place for the cowboy who has just qualified for his third trip to the finale. That 10-round victory in this arena one year ago served as a lightning rod for Scheck, a Kansas cowboy who now lives in Alva, Okla. This season, he has won some of the most established steer roping titles in ProRodeo: Clovis, N.M.; Huntsville, Texas; Pecos, Texas; and Pendleton, Ore. Scheck first qualified for the steer roping finals in 2005, then it took five se3asons for him to reach the pinnacle of the sport again. Once here, he took advantage of it. He placed in just three go-rounds, but he roped consistently over the two days of competition. When the rugged 10 rounds were complete, Scheck had pocketed $23,269. That money eventually will be spent, but that average title will be forever cherished. Scheck knows he has a chance to repeat, just like Patterson and the World Title.

It’s taken the Tulsa-born cowboy 26 years to make it to the grandest stage in his event, the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, but Williams has finally earned a spot in this weekend’s field. If you don’t think this is a special trip from Skiatook, Okla., to the fabulous Lazy E Arena, then you don’t know Williams. You don’t realize the work he’s put in, the number of steers roped in his lifetime. You see, Williams was 27 years old when he joined the PRCA; that was in 1986. Now 53, he is recognized as one of the best in the business. A year and a half ago, Williams won the inaugural National Circuit Finals Steer Roping. Last fall, he finished second in the average at the All American ProRodeo Steer Roping. It’s quite a stride for the cowboy who was crowned the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association calf roping champion in 1975. Now he’s made the 133-mile drive from his home to this grand palace of steer roping. He’s plenty excited to be here.

When you’re born in the Osage Country of Oklahoma, steer roping is just part of who you are. That’s Chet Herren in a nutshell, born in Pawhuska, Okla., 32 years ago and still working the rangeland. This weekend marks the sixth time in Herren’s career he has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, his fourth consecutive trip to the finale. Last November, he placed in just three go-rounds inside this arena, but he won the eighth and finished the two-day tournament with $10,000. He wants to take it up a notch this weekend. The average championship is well within his grasp, but he knows it’s going to take consistent roping, which is what he’s done in victories all across the country, from Ellensburg, Wash., to Anadarko, Okla., to Belville, Texas. Herren is closing in on $300,000 in career earnings. A good two days inside the Lazy E Arena can help Herren quite a bit. Of course, he’s consistently proven that he’s one of the best in the business. That’s why he’s here.

Two seasons ago, Davis proved to be quite an impressive first-timer in the field of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The third-generation roper won the 10-round average in the championship’s return to this grand arena after an eight-year hiatus. It was quite a celebration for Davis, whose father, Jim Davis, won two Steer Roping World Titles, and whose grandfather, Merle Davis, was part of the inaugural NFSR field in 1959. That pedigree is one thing, but Bryce Davis is making quite a name for himself. This is his third straight trip to the finals, a strong indication of his talent and his fortitude. You want more? Last November when he found himself on without a chance to repeat as average champion, Davis went on a tear. He placed in five go-rounds, including wins in the sixth, seventh and ninth go-rounds. He finished with $21,154 … a pretty strong showing in just his second trip to the finals. He’s ready to compete in this arena for the third straight years. He won the steer roping title in Deadwood, S.D., and set an arena record with a 9.1-second run at the National Finals Steer Roping this past spring.

Snedecor’s career can be summed up in two-word phrases. Most of his life, it’s been rodeo cowboy. Since 2005, he’s been better known as World Champion. In fact, he’s earned the title twice (2005, 2008), but you can call him Champ any day. That’s the significance of the gold buckle. Not only that, he finished the 2009 campaign within a whisker of another World Championship. It was the second time in his fantastic career that Snedecor has been part of a tight finish – his first gold buckle was earned by just $1.67, unseating 18-time World Champion Guy Allen. Since then, he’s proven why he’s one of the biggest players in the game. This marks his 11th straight qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. He’s won some of the largest events in the country, from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Odessa, Texas, to Deadwood, S.D. Snedecor grew up an all-around cowboy, but he’s always been an excellent roper. He was crowned the Texas High School team roping champion in 1992, then won the 1995 College National Finals Rodeo team roping title. Now he’s focused his attention on steer roping; it’s a good thing, because fans of the sport like watching winners.

It’s been three years since Gasperson last qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. In fact, he’s never competed for the championship in all the years its taken place inside this magnificent arena. That changes this weekend. In fact, the $1,100 the Texan earned the final weekend of the season moved him up two spots in the final regular-season world standings, from seventh to fifth place. Already he’s earned more in a single season than any previous year, and that’s saying something in this rough-and-tumble event. This season, Gasperson not only won a little rodeo up the road from this arena in Cushing, Okla., he won the steer roping title in Sheridan, Wyo. Quite possibly his biggest win of the season came with the all-around crown at the prestigious Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up. All of that is just icing on the cake, but Gasperson’s aspirations are World Championships. Getting to this event is just a step in the progression for a man whose father, Bob Gasperson, and uncle, Bill Gasperson, are members of the PRCA. With a pedigree like that, it’s always important to strive for the best.

In Amarillo, Texas, during the biggest steer roping of the regular season’s final week, Lee won the three-head average and $3,259. That pushed him over $60,000 for the season; he is one of four ropers to come into this weekend’s event with $60,000 in regular-season earnings, joining Trevor Brazile, Vin Fisher Jr. and Rocky Patterson. Lee is 36 years old and a veteran at this game of rodeo. Heck, he was a veteran 20 years ago – that’s what happens when you start your career at 3, which is what Lee did. His father was a roper and his mother a barrel racer, so riding talented horses and competing have been part of Lee’s life virtually all his life. He’s made the most of it, too. This weekend marks the sixth time in a 13-year career he has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Lee qualified the first time in 2001, and he hasn’t missed out on the championship since 2007. Last year, he placed in four go-rounds and earned nearly $5,800 in the process. He finished the season No. 11 in the world with $35,962. Coming into this weekend’s festivities, Lee is $20,000 ahead of that curve. That’s a great place to be when you rope for a living, but he’s roping for world championships, and he’s well within range of his first gold buckle.

Is this the year the veteran makes his move toward that elusive gold buckle? Fisher certainly hopes it is. The 2011 season has been good to Fisher, a third-generation steer roper who is competing in his eighth Clem McSpadden National Steer Roping Finals. In fact, eight is the perfect number for the 30-year-old cowboy; that’s how many titles he won this season en route to this weekend’s battle. Fisher – who last year competed at this championship with his younger brother, J. Tom, and their father, Dan – won titles in Dodge City, Kan.; Woodward, Okla.; Moses Lake, Wash.; Sinton, Texas; Gillette, Wyo.; Billings, Mont.; Dalhart, Texas; and Poteau, Okla. But this isn’t the first time Fisher has proven his talent. At last year’s steer roping finals, he placed in two go-rounds and won the second and third rounds. Maybe just as big were his three second-place finishes. In just two days, he won $24,615. How much will he win this weekend? Nobody knows, but it should be great fun to see.

Brazile is the No. 1 man in rodeo. Not only is he the No. 1 money-earner this season, he is also the top gun in Steer Roping. That bodes well for the record-breaking 14-time World Champion. The last two times he wore the No. 1 back number at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping (2006-07), he walked away with the coveted gold buckle. Brazile, who owns a record eight all-around world titles, has an $11,000 lead heading into this weekend. But he knows as well as any of the top 15 steer ropers that are competing at the Lazy E Arena that any lead can disappear quickly. “There will be enough money available at the finals that anybody can make a move,” Brazile said. Last year, Brazile earned $28,000 inside this arena during the two days of competition, earning enough to finish second in the final world standings behind two-time reigning World Champion Rocky Patterson. While that was important, that total also was a major contributor to Brazile’s single-season earnings record of $507,921. The 2010 campaign was magical for Brazile, who earned the second Triple Crown of his storied career by winning three gold buckles in a single season – he won tie-down roping, team roping-heading and the all-around last year; he won steer roping, tie-down roping and the all-around in 2007. If that weren’t enough, he’s a six-time champion at the Timed Event Championship, an annual showcase that takes place inside the Lazy E Arena each March. He and Dale Smith are the only two men in ProRodeo history to have qualified for the National Finals in all four roping disciplines: calf roping, steer roping, heading and heeling. Of course, Brazile is the greatest all-around cowboy in the history of the sport.

In addition to the top 15 cowboys, steer roping finals will feature the greatest horses GUTHRIE, Okla. – It takes a great horse to make a cowboy. No matter which rodeo event it is, each cowboy realizes the path to championships is on talented mounts. “There’s no event in rodeo where you need a great horse more than steer roping,” said J.P. Wickett, a 12-time qualifier to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping presented by National Saddlry, with the 53rd edition set for 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 11-12, at the Lazy E Arena. Wickett knows more than most of what he speaks. Not only is the Sallisaw, Okla., cowboy one of the elite Steer Ropers in the game – only the top 15 ropers qualify for the two-day, 10-round finale, where the 2011 world champion will be crowned – but also he’s the event’s representative in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “Steer roping is one of the original events in rodeo,” said Wickett, who qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 1998 as a header in team roping. “I’ve roped claves, headed and heeled, but roping steers takes more horsemanship. You’ve got to be able to rope; you’ve got to be able to tie, but in steer roping, it’s all about the horse. You’ve got to have horsepower. The guys that win the world, when you look back, they’ve been the ones with the best horses.” That history lesson bodes well for the others in the field, from standings leader Trevor Brazile – a 14-time world champion who owns eight all-around titles, three tie-down roping championships, two steer roping crowns and a team roping-heading gold buckle – to reigning two-time world champion Rocky Patterson to others who have become regulars in this weekend’s championship. “It’s like any other event, where if you want to win the world title, you have to have a good finals,” said Brazile of Decatur, Texas. “It’s going to be close enough by that time that it will be about anyone’s to win.” When the greatest in the business are all under one roof, something explosive is about to happen. That’s the great thing about the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping; the world championship is on the line, but so is the biggest prize purse in the sport inside the Lazy E Arena. “I don’t know the exact dimensions of the arena floor, but I know you could set a lot of coliseums in an arena that is that big,” Wickett said. “It’s unreal. It’s the pinnacle spot to have the steer roping finals.” It’s a bigger deal for someone like Wickett, a proud Oklahoman by birth and one of five cowboys from the Sooner State in the field. Competing in “this” championship inside “this” arena is special to those cowboys – the NFSR took place at the Lazy E from 1984-2000, then moved to Amarillo, Texas, through 2005 and Hobbs, N.M., through 2008. The championship returned to the Lazy E in 2009. “Since the National Finals moved to Las Vegas, it’s good to have the steer roping finals back at the Lazy E and back in Oklahoma,” Wickett said. As in years past and just like the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the event will consist of 10 go-rounds to determine the PRCA world champion and the final 2011 PRCA steer roping world standings. On Friday night, Nov. 11, Rounds 1 through 5 will take place – that means 75 runs in one night. Then on Saturday night, Nov. 12, Rounds 6 through 10 – and another rugged 75 runs – will determine who walks out of the Lazy E Arena with the PRCA world championship gold buckle and saddle. The Lazy E Arena was built to host the NFSR in 1984 by E.K. Gaylord II. The Lazy E hosted this world championship event from 1984 until 2000. After eight years, first in Amarillo followed by Hobbs, the event moved back “home” to the Lazy E. In 2009, the Oklahoma state Legislature unanimously passed a resolution to change the name of the event to honor the late Clem McSpadden, who served for many years in the Oklahoma Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives while also building a reputation as one of the best announcers in rodeo history. He worked the steer roping finals a record 27 times. McSpadden was also known as the “Voice of the Lazy E”. Steer roping fans will enjoy all of the activities planned for the performances and in addition, the Senior National Finals Steer Roping will take place during the day at the Lazy E Arena on Nov. 11-12.  VIP ticket prices for each performance of the NFSR are $37 … Box seats $30 and general admission $20 pre-show.  Children 12 and under are free in general admission. Group discounts are also available … Call (800) 595-RIDE for complete details. A portion of the proceeds from the 2011 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping will again be donated to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and the Clem McSpadden Endowed Chair at Oklahoma State University. The Lazy E is proud to support these institutions for Western preservation. Tickets are on sale now available at www.lazye.com, all ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 or by calling the Lazy E directly at (800) 595-RIDE. Call now for the best seats possible for this world championship. The 2011 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping is presented by National Saddlery, with support from Wrangler, American Farmers & Ranchers Insurance, Boyd Gaming, Montana Silversmiths, the American Quarter Horse Association, Justin Boots, Priefert Ranch & Rodeo Equipment, Ram Rodeo, John Vance Auto Group, Pendleton Whisky, Purina Mills, Cinderella Horses, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, Kyler Cattle Company, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, The Oklahoman, One Stop Copy Shop, the Fairfield Inn & Suites – Edmond, Best Western – Edmond, and the Comfort Suites – Edmond. The Clem McSpadden NFSR is a Lazy E Production.   Continue Reading »

EDITOR’S NOTE: For the next few days, I will be running biographies on the qualifiers to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about the top 15 cowboys. ROCKY PATTERSON The Kansan is the two-time reigning World Champion Steer Roper for a reason: He earned it. In fact, Patterson won his second straight gold buckle last season in record-setting fashion, becoming the first steer roper in PRCA history to earn six figures in a given season. Patterson earned $101,685, winning steer roping titles at 13 rodeos. The 2011 campaign hasn’t been nearly as grand, but it’s been pretty strong. Patterson enters this weekend’s championship No. 3 in the World Standings and with a boatload of experience in this arena. In fact, this marks the 17th time in 18 years Patterson has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Still, he won the final event of the regular season in Anadarko, Okla., and moved from third to second in the world standings. How strong is the Pratt, Kan., cowboy? He has won more than $62,000 this year, but he has just three rodeo wins under his belt. Even though he hasn’t walked away with nearly as many championships in 2011, he’s pocketed a lot of cash – that means he’s been a major player just about everywhere he’s been this season. That might be the most telling statement about Patterson, who has been one of the elite players in the game for most of his 20-year career. “To me, longevity means something,” Patterson said. Since he became a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Patterson has won some of the biggest rodeos in the sport, from Texas outposts like Odessa and Pecos to Sheridan, Wyo., and Walla Walla, Wash. His distinguished career is no surprise to those who have witnessed his work ethic and talent – he was, after all, the 1992 Resistol Steer Roping Rookie of the Year. He’s just gotten better with age.