Monthly Archives: April 2012

Second round: 1. Brent Lewis, 13.0 seconds, $1,885; 2. Ty Tillard, 13.2, $1,639; 3. J.P. Wickett, 13.9, $1,393; 4. Chet Herren, 14.2, $1,147; 5. Howdy McGinn, Buster Record Jr. and Cody Scheck, 14.5, $656; 8. Troy Tillard, 15.4, $164. Aggregate leaders: 1. Buster Record Jr., 32.8 on two runs; 2. J.P. Wickett, 35.5; 3. C.A. Lauer, 37.0; 4. Marty Poppino, 39.2; 5. Ty Tillard, 40.8; 6. Mark Milner, 41.4; 7. Ryan Rochlitz, 44.0; 8. Shay Good, 48.4.

Steer roping First round: 1. Joe O’Rourke, 12.8 seconds, $1,885; 2. Shandon Stalls, 14.1, $1,639; 3. Jeff Wheelis, 16.0, $1,393; 4. T.J. Bohlender, 16.2, $1,147; 5. Buster Record Jr., 18.3, $901; 6. Kim Ziegelgruber, 19.2, $656; 7. Rod Hartness, 19.7, $410; 8. C.A. Lauer, 20.1, $164.

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Whether it’s the classic style of a bronc or the spinning, twisting motion of a bull, the bucking animals are a big part of what makes a ProRodeo so special. In Bridgeport, that athleticism falls on the animals from Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo, which will provide the livestock for the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 11-12, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. “I’ve always tried to get the best animals I can get, whether they’re bulls or horses,” said Pete Carr, owner of the livestock company. “Everybody thinks I’m a horse guy, and I am; I just want to be a bull guy, too.” The best cowboys in the business like Carr’s approach to raising bucking animals; they also like it when they see the Carr name attached to any rodeo. They make their livings on the backs of these tremendous athletes, so they want to have the best opportunity to win money – in rodeo, there are no guarantees; a contestant only gets paid if he places higher than most in the competition. “Any bucking horse you know you have a chance to win on is one you want to get on,” said Jesse James Kirby of Dodge City, Kan. “That’s what you have when you go to a Carr rodeo. I think Pete Carr is doing a damn good job of supplying a bunch of really good bucking horses.” Bull riders are saying the same things; just ask Trey Benton III, who won the Mercedes, Texas, rodeo in mid-March after scoring 91 points on Missing Parts, a dark brindle Carr recently acquired. “He was pretty wolfy around to the right just at the gate,” Benton said of the energetic bull’s bucking motion. “He was really good. He just stumbled at the five-second mark, but I think he was even more after he stumbled. He got after it. “You have to have a good bull to score 91, and I got one there.” Benton wants that to happen a lot more, and that gives the Rock Island, Texas, cowboy plenty of incentive to know where Carr Pro Rodeo bulls will be bucking. “Whenever a guy’s trying to make a perfect pen of bucking bulls, that’s great,” said Benton, 20, who is in the middle of the world championship race and run for the rookie of the year award in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, ranked in the top five in the world standings by mid-April. “When you’re trying to improve your pen all the time like Mr. Carr, then that means a lot to us.” Carr has done that. Over the last few months, he has invested into growing his bull herd. “I’ve got some good ones in addition to Missing Parts,” Carr said. “I’ve got some great bulls in The Mexican, Black Ice, Black Powder, Motown and Panther that went to a lot of the winter rodeos. I have some more outstanding bulls that I haven’t bucked just yet, but I think all of them have a lot of potential.” The rodeo world has taken notice. “Pete Carr has stepped up a lot with his bulls,” said Paul Peterson, the flankman for Carr Pro Rodeo who has been with the company since its inception. “There are a lot of new bulls at the ranch, and I’d say most of them are the kind you can take anywhere and they’ll be pretty strong. “There are also some young bulls we still don’t know much about, but they look like they’re going to be great.”

GUYMON, Okla. – The best bareback riders in the world have considered Dirty Jacket one of the best bucking horses in the business for several years. That’s good news for Carr Pro Rodeo, the livestock producer that owns the horse. “That horse has just gotten better,” said Wes Stevenson, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Lubbock, Texas. “I think he may have stepped it up from what we’ve seen.” That’s better news. In fact, it’s great news for bareback riders; it takes great animals to make great rides, and they’ve been doing that on Dirty Jacket for a number of years. The 8-year-old bay gelding has been especially great inside Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena, the home of the annual Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set this year for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6. You see, Dirty Jacket has been the common denominator for the Guymon bareback riding champion each of the last four years. “They’ve won that rodeo a lot on that horse,” said reigning world champion Kaycee Feild of Payson, Utah, who won the championship round in Fort Worth, Texas, earlier this year on Dirty Jacket. “When he leaves the chute, he’s trying to kick the flankman off the back of the chute. He’s so fast, and he bucks so hard. “There’s no way you can muscle up on him. You’ve got to be fast and aggressive, or he will get you out of shape and might get you bucked off.” Dirty Jacket has been a fixture at the NFR, where the top cowboys in the game select the animals to be part of the field. In fact, Dirty Jacket has been part of the coveted TV pen, which is showcased in the fifth and 10th go-rounds in ProRodeo’s grand finale – the TV pen features the “showiest” bucking horses, and the moniker comes from the days when only the final round of the NFR was televised. Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, has a dozen animals selected to the finals each year, a couple of which are bucked in the fifth and 10th rounds. Carr owns some of the greatest bucking animals in ProRodeo, including Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year, and Riverboat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion bareback horse. “This spring is the best I’ve seen Dirty Jacket,” Carr said. “He’s been phenomenal.” Heath Ford is the event representative for bareback riders. It’s his job to help select the horses to compete in Las Vegas. He’s also a three-time NFR qualifier, so he knows a little bit about it. “He’s so electric,” Ford said of Dirty Jacket. “I think maybe he’s Pete’s best horse this year.” Ford isn’t the only one who thinks that. “I think guys are going to win a lot of money on him,” said Cody DeMers, a four-time NFR qualifier from Kimberly, Idaho. “You dang sure have to ride good. Those kinds of horses are the ones that are going to psych you up and talk you into riding good. “Having horses like that says a lot for Pete. He takes care of those horses. He babies those horses. He probably loves those horses as much as he does his own family.” Stevenson not only has watched Dirty Jacket grow, he has won on the horse this year. He scored 87 points in the short go-round in San Angelo, Texas, and won the rodeo. He has led the bareback riding world standings most of the year, and he’s riding well. “That horse is in his prime,” Stevenson said. “He could be having one of the better years he’s had, and that’s saying a lot. The first time he was bucked was four years ago in Guymon, and they won the rodeo on him.” Jerad Schlegal was the first to win the coveted title on Dirty Jacket in 2008, followed by NFR qualifier Jared Smith in 2009. Three-time world champion Will Lowe won Guymon in 2010, and two-time NFR qualifier Matt Bright won a year ago. “That horse likes that arena a lot,” said Lowe of Canyon, Texas. “He just likes to buck. He’s such a good horse. He’s in the TV pen at the NFR, so you know he’s the one guys want to get on.” And Dirty Jacket just loves Hitch Arena. “It’s just a good setup for that horse,” said Carr, who has been part of Pioneer Days Rodeo for seven years. “Probably the most deciding factor is we get some of the best cowboys in the country in Guymon. When you’ve got great cowboys, they make your horses look really good. Dirty Jacket’s drawn pretty well there.”

Next weekend marks the 80th straight year of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, and it’s quite the celebration. I’ve been to at least one performance 10 of the last 12 years, and I’m always impressed by the production the volunteers present to the fans. There’s a reason it was named the 2002 Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year in the PRCA. Guess what: It’s a much better rodeo than it was a decade ago. This year, there were 886 entrants into the competition, which begins Monday and features seven straight days of ProRodeo’s very best in action. It works because the people in the Oklahoma Panhandle community make it work. They work all year long to raise the money it takes to put on one of the best events in the game every May. It also works because of the schedule; Pioneer Days Rodeo is one of the biggest set for the first weekend of May. Contestants can fit it into their plans easily. The format works for the community, because the population explodes during rodeo week, and the contestants stick around, take in the hospitality and enjoy the community. So how much does this rodeo mean to the contestants? A year ago, the committee had to decrease the purse, hoping and praying it would be a one-year deal. Because of other commitments, it meant cutting the added money in half, to $5,000 per event. Still, the number of contestants was better than most rodeos in Oklahoma in 2011. This year the added money increased to $7,500, and it appears to be a hit. It’s going to be a tremendous show. I’m glad I’ll be there.

OK, I’ll admit it: My stomach turned a little when I read about Mike Johnson’s unfortunate mishap in Red Bluff, Calif., last week. ProRodeo.com reported that Johnson was stepping out of his trailer when a gust of wind blew the door shut, severing the end of the Oklahoma roper’s left thumb in the process. “It was just a freak accident,” Johnson, a 23-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, told Blaine Santos. “I just happened to be stepping out of the trailer, and I had my hand in the crack by the door there, when a gust of wind blew it shut. It happened just that quick. The edges on those doors are sharp, I can tell you. It caught me right between the joint and the thumbnail.” The amputation was between the end knuckle and the thumbnail, Johnson said, and the digit was re-attached. Johnson is a 48-year-old cowboy from Henryetta, Okla., who first roped at the NFR when it was still held in Oklahoma City. He last roped at the NFR in 2008. I’d love to see him roping again in the Thomas & Mack Center. Because of this injury, it won’t be this year. But I admire Johnson’s ability and determination.

I saw a photo Friday on Facebook of bareback rider Matt Bright sporting MGM Grand chaps. Bright is one of the new faces on Team MGM Grand, the Home of the Champions, along with fellow bareback rider Casey Colletti. Bright, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, and Colletti, who made a name for himself at his first NFR this past December, join a brilliant crew of rodeo talent who make the MGM their home during ProRodeo’s championship event and other times throughout the rigorous season. During the 2011 NFR, more than 30 cowboys and cowgirls were part of Team MGM, including world champions Trevor Brazile, Will Lowe, Bobby Mote, Jason Miller, Patrick Smith, Rich Skelton, Billy Etbauer, Tuf Cooper, Stran Smith, Cody Ohl, J.W. Harris, Wesley Silcox, Brittany Pozzi and Lindsay Sears. What became most evident during the 2011 championship is that the MGM Grand is becoming the place to be during the NFR. I expect it to be the No. 1 destination for cowboys, cowgirls and fans that are part of the championship experience in 2012. I’m quite proud to say that I got to see the action from a front-row seat, and I plan to be at the Gold Buckle Zone throughout the 10 days of this year’s finale. The MGM is an awesome host to the NFR, and rodeo is the greatest beneficiary. Find me in early December. I’ll be at the MGM Grand.

This weekend features the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo, otherwise known as the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo. The annual event is one of the final events in the Central Plains Region; this season, it’s the final event, and the College National Finals Rodeo will be secured. There are several events where the fight for the final qualifications will come down to the final run in Saturday night’s championship round in Guymon, Okla. Quite possibly the best part of this weekend’s festivities is honoring Dr. Lynn Gardner, the longtime rodeo coach at Panhandle State. I never got to meet the man, who many friends have called their mentor, a second father, the person most responsible for who they are today. I’ve been blessed enough to write posthumously about Doc, and each time I do, I wish I’d spent time with him. For instance, I’ve  learned a little more about Dr. Garry Brower, the longtime coach at Fort Hays State University, and Dr. Don Mitchell, who retired a decade ago after serving in the same capacity at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. But I married a Panhandle State alumnae, so I get to hear stories from her and many others who knew Doc Gardner so well. “The thing I loved most about him was that he treated everybody very equal and fair, and therefore he garnered a lot of respect from everybody,” my wife said. “He was amazing.” “Amazing” seems to be a common word among those who describe Doc. That’s pretty spectacular.

GUYMON, Okla. – The biggest event in the Oklahoma Panhandle is 80 years old this year, and the celebration to honor the anniversary will be just as grand. This is the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, the annual showcase that provides the largest economic impact of any event in Texas County, Okla., more than $2 million a year. Why? It’s home to the greatest athletes in ProRodeo, and it’s where world champions play – in fact, there were 886 entrants into this year’s event. If they make their living in rodeo, they want to be in Guymon the first weekend in May for a week stocked full of competition and culminated with four championship-caliber performances set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “Our goal every year is to make our rodeo better than ever,” said Earl Helm, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “We want people to talk about this rodeo all year long.” They’ve been doing it for several years. From outstanding rodeo action to the best entertainers in the sport, Pioneer Days Rodeo has had it. This year features a few tweaks to the schedule to make it better for everyone involved and the return of award-winning barrelman Troy Lerwill, whose “Wild Child” act remains one of the most sought-after in ProRodeo. “I believe we’ve got one of the greatest shows around, and this year might be one of the best we’ve had in a long time,” Helm said. “When you get the opportunity to bring in Troy Lerwill, you do it. He’s the kind of act that everybody has been talking about since the last time he was here. “We’re reaching out to a different group of people. They will come watch a rodeo if you bring in something they like. He’s motorcycle. They love seeing something like that.” The schedule changes include moving the first four rounds of steer roping to the beginning of the five days of slack. All steer ropers in the field will compete in four go-rounds Monday, April 30, and Tuesday, May 1. The tie-down ropers, steer wrestlers and team ropers will compete Wednesday, May 2, and Thursday, May 3, in two full go-rounds. The barrel racers will compete Friday morning, May 4. Only the top players in each event – the top 34 through four rounds in steer roping; the top 40 through two rounds in steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping; and the 40 fastest times after one round in barrel racing – qualify for the four performances through the weekend. The barrel racers outside the top 40 will compete in the second go-round Friday afternoon to wrap up the slack competition. “The barrel racers are excited about it, and I am, too,” said Ken Stonecipher, the production director for the Pioneer Days Rodeo committee. “The ground will be much more consistent than we could’ve ever made it from Monday to Friday.” It benefits the other events, too. “We started kicking this around because of steer roping, because we need a good, solid base underneath them,” Helm said. “We don’t need it deep for the ropers, but the barrel racers need it deep. Now we can set it up to where we have more solid ground early in the week. This way, we can try to better prepare the ground for each event as we go. “You always have to think about the stock and the stock’s safety.” The committee also will put on a calf fry/hamburger feed for timed-event contestants and sponsors shortly after Wednesday’s slack. It’s a way the volunteers are giving back to some of the entities that have made the rodeo so successful over the years. While the changes have been put into place to improve upon the existing system, there are plenty of aspects of the Pioneer Days Rodeo that will remain the same. Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo will return as the primary stock contractor, but he’ll team with other top-notch livestock producers, Korkow Rodeos, Powder River Rodeo and D&H Cattle Co., and Frontier Rodeo. That means the very best animal athletes and spectacular production will be part of each performance. This year marks the third straight year of the Classic Events Championship, the Rick Furnish-organized event that features 20 top-level cowboys competing in steer roping and saddle bronc riding. Each contestant in the non-sanctioned event will rope, trip and tie down two steers and ride two broncs – the first round will feature a younger horse, while the second round gives the contestants an opportunity to ride a seasoned bronc. “It’s always a great event and a lot of fun for us,” Stonecipher said. “You get to see true all-around cowboys at work, and it’s a blast.” For a week the end of April and the beginning of May, the best contestants in ProRodeo converge on the Oklahoma Panhandle to battle for some of the biggest prize money in this part of America. “I’m really excited with what we’ve got in store for the fans this year,” Helm said. “I think they’re going to be excited, too.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Pete Carr knows that the line between success and failure is small, and the advantage is always with the people in your corner. That’s why Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, has enlisted the help of the very best that ProRodeo has to offer. They’ll all be in Bridgeport for the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 11-12, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. “I believe that it takes great people to make great things happen,” said Carr, the stock provider in Bridgeport. “I’m proud of the crew that we have, and we’re all excited to be part of the Butterfield Stage Days rodeo.” Paul Peterson is a veteran cowboy, a man who just missed qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding a couple decades ago. In the years since, he became one of the premier pickup men in the sport, working the biggest rodeos in the world, including the NFR three times. He’s worked every rodeo Carr Pro Rodeo has produced since the company was founded. This year, he has transitioned into a new role: Peterson is the flankman, who helps the bucking animals with the strap that gives them the leverage they need to buck. “Everything’s for the better,” said Peterson, who lives in Southland, Texas, with his wife, Danya, and their two daughters. “I really enjoy it.” Carr has served as the flankman for several years, but as owner of the Dallas-based livestock firm, Carr has numerous other responsibilities that need his attention. Therefore, having a veteran like Peterson handling the flanking responsibilities is a benefit to the operation. “Paul has been a valuable part of our team since our first rodeo,” Carr said. “Paul is one of the most versatile people you’ll meet, and in rodeo, he can do almost everything. He knows these animals, and that plays a lot into what he’s done with us from the very beginning. “I want to surround myself with the best, and that’s what I get with Paul.” How important is it to understand the animal athletes? “Every horse is going to take a different kind of flank,” Peterson said. “Those older horses, the ones that have been around a long time, they need a little bit more of a flank, but the colts will need less. You’ve got to figure out what’s going to be the best flank for each of the animals to perform at their best. “You can ruin the horse or get him to the NFR.” Peterson has been around a lot of great animals in his time, and it served him well as a pickup man. Now those duties fall on Shawn Calhoun and Jason Bottoms – Bottoms has worked the NFR multiple times, and Calhoun just picked up at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Now Peterson will take to the task of flankman with the same gusto. “You’ve just got to know the animals,” Peterson said. “I think I’ve watched most of Pete’s horses a long time. So far it’s worked out. “You take into consideration where the horse come from and what they’ve done to him in the past and if you’ve raised him. It helps to know a lot about what their mom is and what she was like; a lot of time they’re going to be just like her.” The NFR is an annual showcase of the very best in ProRodeo, from the top 15 contestants in each event and discipline to the best personnel. John and Sandy Gwatney have worked the NFR for several years and are a big reason behind Carr Pro Rodeo’s success. Bullfighters Chris Kirby and Dusty Duba not only help protect fallen bull riders, but also they handle many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that go on at each rodeo. Fans also will get to see the comedy of barrelman Mark Swingler, recognized as one of the top entertainers in the sport, and they’ll hear the encyclopedic call of announcer Charlie Throckmorton mixed with the tunes and tones of soundman Benje Bendele. Throckmorton has called the action at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping 11 times, and Bendele has provided the sound at the biggest rodeos in North America – including the NFR – for the past two decades. “I think one of our greatest assets is the people we’re involved with,” Carr said. “No matter what their tasks are, we have experienced people in place. I think that makes us a stronger company.”

ALVA, Okla. – The Fort Hays State University rodeo has been somewhat of a sore spot for Northwestern Oklahoma State University junior Karly Benzie. “My freshman year was my glory year until I broke my leg in Hays,” said Benzie, who suffered the injury while competing in goat-tying two springs ago. “I haven’t tied goats since then.” But she has been competing, and she won the breakaway roping title in the western Kansas community this past weekend when she roped two calves in 6.2 seconds. It was the first time this spring that she was able to take advantage of her final-round calf. “I haven’t gotten anything done at any of these rodeos,” said Benzie, from Bayfield, Colo., who also qualified for the short go-rounds in Garden City, Kan., and Weatherford, Okla. “I’ve just been having trouble in the short rounds. I can make it in there and just can’t make it work in the average. “Finally I’ve got a little bit of confidence from winning Hays.” Benzie was one of five Northwestern women to qualify for the final round, joining Lauren Barnes, Alexis Allen, Jenna Hampton and Jacey Jandreau. Barnes (15.7 seconds) finished second in goat tying and ninth in breakaway roping, failing to rope her second-round calf Sunday afternoon. Jandreau also qualified for the short round but failed to score in the finale, finishing in eighth place. Barnes also finished third in the all-around race with 115 points. In barrel racing, Allen (33.32 seconds on two runs) finished fifth, and Hampton (34.21) placed sixth. Still, the four cowgirls that counted toward the Rangers’ team posted 300 points to share the women’s title with Garden City (Kan.) Community College. “Obviously with one rodeo left, I can’t make the college finals, but I’m still going to fight to try to get better and practice hard,” said Benzie, whose points didn’t count toward the team standings. “The girls that are part of the team are regularly in the short round or compete in multiple events, so I have not been part of that.” She’d like to be. Benzie would like to compete in barrel racing, but her good horse has been injured. So she’s focused on her roping – in addition to breakaway, she also competes in team roping. “I’m glad I did well this weekend,” she said. “I broke my leg the first year, then last year we were there and it was freezing and blizzarding, and they even had to cancel one of the nights of the rodeo because of the weather. This year I was just hoping something stupid didn’t happen.” It didn’t. In fact, Benzie wasn’t the only Northwestern contestant to leave Hays with the title: Header Travis Cowan of Highmore, S.D., won team roping while competing with Rhyder Nelson of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Other Rangers who placed were saddle bronc rider Cody Burkholder, fourth; tie-down ropers Trey Young, fourth, and Clint Kindred, sixth; steer wrestler Kyle Irwin, third; and heelers Kyle Searcy, second, and Irwin, sixth. Irwin placed fourth in the all-around with 110 points. Growing up near Durango in southwestern Colorado, Benzie was raised around horses. She began going to play days when she was 5 years old, then began competing in barrel racing. She started roping when she got into her early teens “My dad college rodeoed, competing in the roughstock events,” she said. “My mom showed horses. I was always around horses, and I always lived on a ranch. It’s just something I’ve been around.” And now rodeo is helping her get an education. “I knew a couple kids that went to school up here,” Benzie said. “I like the one-on-one you can get in the classroom. I really like it.” So what does the future hold for the young cowgirl? “Eventually I’d love to be able to get some nice colts up and working and really start barrel racing,” she said. “I’ve been so fortunate to have people along the way that have helped me with words of advice. My parents have really helped me, buying horses when I needed them and being there for me. It’s really hard when you don’t have anybody backing you along the way. “I’m very blessed to have that.”

For many years, the American Royal Rodeo has been one of the biggest and best events in the Midwest. As one of the last big events of the season for decades, it was a must-stop for the best cowboys and cowgirls in the game. If they were on the bubble for qualifying for the NFR, they were in a race to finish the rodeo season among the top 15 in the world standings. I don’t have the statistics to show how many times someone used earnings from the American Royal to squeak into the finals, but I know the numbers are quite high. Oftentimes it came down to the final run of the short go-round to decide the fates of several competitors. Over the last few years, I’ve seen fewer people supporting this great, traditional rodeo. The largest crowd this past October was about 10,000, and the Reba McEntire concert was a major drawing card. What many of those empty seats saw was great rodeo action, featuring outstanding animal athletes and the very best contestants ProRodeo offers. I firmly believe part of the reason for the lackluster attendance has been lack of media coverage. Of course, this is my business, but I know very well what media coverage can do for the success of an event, especially in a market like Kansas City. A good example is that over the last few years, the only significant coverage came in The Star, with a small advance story and daily “game” stories. But when another writer from The Star published a story in Monday’s publication about the rodeo moving back to the West Bottoms, it was picked up by several other news agencies. It’s the most coverage the American Royal Rodeo has received in several years, and it didn’t involve one bit of action. That’s unfortunate. There are so many awesome storylines that come to town with the rodeo, and the media outlets are not presenting them to the readers, viewers or listeners. They should. Maybe we just need to help them.

GUYMON, Okla. – Cody DeMers is the last in a line of elite bareback riders who have tested their mettle on Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night. DeMers, a four-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from Kimberly, Idaho, matched moves with the great young horse during the final round at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo on April 1. The two danced across the dirt in Oklahoma City for 85 points, helping DeMers to a runner-up finish in ProRodeo’s national championship. “I’m embarrassed I didn’t win first on that horse like everybody else in the world does,” he said. That seems to be a common theme for cowboys who test their skills on the 7-year-old mare. They’d love the chance when she bucks next at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6. She has been to the NFR each of the past two seasons and has been bucked four times in Las Vegas. He led cowboys to three round victories and a second-place finish. Ryan Gray scored 90 points on MGM Deuces Night to win the fifth go-round this past December; reigning world champion Kaycee Feild scored 87 to win the 10th round. In 2010, 2004 champ Kelly Timberman scored 88.5 to win the 10th round. That’s saying a lot about a horse purchased a few years ago by Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo. “I could’ve rode that horse better,” DeMers said of his ride in Oklahoma City. “Pete’s awful high on that horse, and he has every reason to be. I’d pack that horse with me in the minivan to every rodeo I go to if I could.” He’s not the only cowboy; a lot of the other top names in the game would do the same thing. MGM Deuces Night was raised by bareback rider Wes Stevenson, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Lubbock, Texas. “I knew she’d have a really good shot to come to the finals,” Stevenson said. “I knew she was that good, so part of the reason I sold her to Pete is that I knew she’d have a good shot to go to the finals. I bought her from Jim Zinser as a brood mare, but she bucked so good, I didn’t want to waste her sitting at my house. I wanted her to have a chance. “She has a lot of heart. I was the first one to get on her with a rigging, and from the first time we ever bucked her, I knew that little filly has a lot of heart. She’s a very electric horse.” Those that have been on the phenomenal mare know that better than most. In a year’s span, Feild won a lot of money on the back of MGM Deuces Night. Last spring, he shared the final-round victory at the RNCFR with a 90-point ride; in December, it was the final round of the NFR; in March, he set a RodeoHouston arena record with a 93-point ride in the $50,000 round. Combined, Feild won $72,685 on the mare in less than a year’s time. “That’s just a unique horse, and she gets real high in the air,” said Feild, a four-time NFR qualifier whose father, Lewis, is a five-time world champion. “That horse tries really hard to buck really good. She gets high in the air and gives you a lot of time to set your feet and crank your toes out. You’ve got to have quick feet and set them high in the neck. With that horse, it seems easy to set them high in the neck. “She’s that way every time I’ve been on her. She’s a pretty cool horse.” Yes, she is. Even though he’s never strapped his rigging to her back, Heath Ford has seen her in action plenty of times. The bareback riding representative, he handles the political side of the game and works with all the bareback riders in selecting the best horses. He’s also a three-time NFR qualifier, so he knows that side of the business, too. “She’s a horse that really gets in the air and gives you a lot of time to show off,” Ford said. “It’s kind of like a quarterback and a receiver; you need a quarterback who can put the pass where the receiver can run after the catch and really show his stuff. “She can do everything to set you up to be successful and show off your talents. She gives you the opportunity to do what you do at a higher level.”

After making a nice run at the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Cort Scheer missed ProRodeo’s grand finale in 2011 after suffering a torn knee ligament midway through the season. Over the past few days, he posted one of the top two scores in saddle bronc riding at the Red Bluff (Calif.) Roundup. He and two-time world champion Cody Wright each scored 84 points to win the prestigious title. I’m still awaiting word on how much money they earned in the northern California community. They weren’t the only big winners over the weekend. In addition to the action in Red Bluff, two-time world champion Rocky Patterson won the Ram National Finals Steer Roping, clinching the championship this afternoon in Torrington, Wyo. Congratulations to all the winners this weekend.

Thanks to Jim Bainbridge with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, who provided the updated results to me today. I’ve never been to Cheyenne, though I’ve heard a lot about it. You can find whatever results the PRCA has by clicking HERE. Below is what happened in Cheyenne last night. Old Settlers Reunion PRCA Rodeo Cheyenne, Okla., April 20-21 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Blaine Kaufman, 80 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s What Happens; 2. Caine Riddle, 74; 3. Will Lowe, 72; 4. Evan Jayne, 69; 5. J.J. Alley, 68. Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Kody Woodward, 5.9 seconds; 2. Trevor Cox, 17.4; 3. Kyle Irwin, 17.9; 4. Mickey Gee, 27.8. Team roping leaders: 1. Cody Harmon/Braden Harmon, 5.9 seconds; 2. Gavin Foster/Jeremy Stewart, 7.2; 3. Brett Christensen/Austin Rogers, 10.4; 4. Scott Graham/Jay Morgan, 16.1. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Allen Boore, 78 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Man Up; 2. Rhys Angland, 74; 3. Shane Hand, 73; 4. Jade Blackwell, 66. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Blake Ash, 10.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Bryson Sechrist and Roger Branch, 10.7 each; 4. Billy Hamilton, 10.9; 5. L.D. Meier, 11.4; 6. Clint Kindred, 11.8. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Tana Poppino, 17.26 seconds; 2. (tie) Jeannie McKee and Andrea Wolf, 17.38 each; 4. Sherri Dean, 17.41; 5. Kynder Starr, 17.52; 6. Heather Wilson, 17.57. Bull riding leaders: 1. Blaine Louis, 76 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s No. 80; 2. Cody Campbell, 72; 3. David King, 69; no other qualified rides.     Old Settlers Reunion PRCA Rodeo   Cheyenne, Okla., April 20-21   Bareback riding leaders: 1. Blaine Kaufman, 80 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s What Happens; 2. Caine Riddle, 74; 3. Will Lowe, 72; 4. Evan Jayne, 69; 5. J.J. Alley, 68.   Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Kody Woodward, 5.9 seconds; 2. Trevor Cox, 17.4; 3. Kyle Irwin, 17.9; 4. Mickey Gee, 27.8.   Team roping leaders: 1. Cody Harmon/Braden Harmon, 5.9 seconds; 2. Gavin Foster/Jeremy Stewart, 7.2; 3. Brett Christensen/Austin Rogers, 10.4; 4. Scott Graham/Jay Morgan, 16.1.   Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Allen Boore, 78 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Man Up; 2. Rhys Angland, 74; 3. Shane Hand, 73; 4. Jade Blackwell, 66.   Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Blake Ash, 10.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Bryson Sechrist and Roger Branch, 10.7 each; 4. Billy Hamilton, 10.9; 5. L.D. Meier, 11.4; 6. Clint Kindred, 11.8.   Barrel racing leaders: 1. Tana Poppino, 17.26 seconds; 2. (tie) Jeannie McKee and Andrea Wolf, 17.38 each; 4. Sherri Dean, 17.41; 5. Kynder Starr, 17.52; 6. Heather Wilson, 17.57.   Bull riding leaders: 1. Blaine Louis, 76 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s No. 80; 2. Cody Campbell, 72; 3. David King, 69; no other qualified rides.   Total payoff: $23,720. Stock contractor: Beutler & Son Rodeo. Rodeo secretary: Dollie Riddle. Officials: Sam Minnick and Kelly Corbin. Timers: Dollie Riddle and TiAda Wise. Announcer: Hadley Barrett. Specialty acts: Melissa Navarre and Dusta Kimzey. Bullfighters: Wacey Munsell and Dustin Brewer. Clown/barrelman: Ted Kimzey. Flankman: Rhett Beutler. Chute boss: Bennie Beutler. Pickup men: Shandon Stalls and Mickey Gee. Photographer: David Seymore.    

My wife is the local program director for Big Brothers Big Sisters, an outreach of the organizations Kansas City chapter. I’m very proud of the work she’s doing with this awesome organization and how it’s growing in our hometown – how beneficial it is to everyone involved. On Thursday, we took part in a photo shoot involving some of the Littles in the program, even one who is part of the local group. The headliners were Kansas City Chief Eric Berry, Kansas City Royal Eric Hosmer and professional boxer Victor Ortiz. Berry, who is the spokesman for BBBS, and the other two men donated their time and, in all likelihood, money to support Men 2 Men, a fund-raiser for the organization. Before that, though, all three men met with the youngsters and took part in the photo shoot. I was pleasantly surprised with how personable and giving all three men were. Ortiz, who is from western Kansas like me, shared a fabulous smile and his insights with everyone. Watching the faces of the boys and girls light up with these famous men and the responses they got made me feel good about it. But also it helped me realize just how special the folks in rodeo really are. While Berry, Hosmer and Ortiz seem to go against the grain of ego-driven, big-name athletes, it’s what you find most often among the professional athletes who make their living in the world of rodeo. Ortiz, Berry and Hosmer were giving and friendly and genuinely cared about the kids with whom they were sharing their time. They’d fit in quite nicely with Will Lowe, Billy Etbauer and countless other cowboys and cowgirls.

GUYMON, Okla. – A great bull ride is equal parts of athleticism, from both the animal and the rider. Every cowboy in the world knows championships are built on hard work and great dance partners. They’ll find it in Carr Pro Rodeo’s ever-evolving bull pen, which will be on display at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “I’ve always tried to get the best animals I can get, whether they’re bulls or horses,” said Pete Carr, owner of the Dallas-based firm that has served as the primary stock contractor in Guymon each of the past five years. “Everybody thinks I’m a horse guy, and I am; I just want to be a bull guy, too.” The bull riders who make their livings on the backs of these bucking beasts are taking notice. In mid-March, Trey Benton III won the rodeo in Mercedes, Texas, after scoring 91 points on Missing Parts, a dark brindle Carr recently acquired. “He was pretty wolfy around to the right just at the gate,” Benton said of the energetic bull’s bucking motion. “He was really good. He just stumbled at the five-second mark, but I think he was even more after he stumbled. He got after it. “You have to have a good bull to score 91, and I got one there.” Benton wants that to happen a lot more, and that gives the Rock Island, Texas, cowboy plenty of incentive to know where Carr Pro Rodeo bulls will be bucking. “Whenever a guy’s trying to make a perfect pen of bucking bulls, that’s great,” said Benton, 20, who is in the middle of the world championship race and run for the rookie of the year award in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, ranked in the top five in the world standings by mid-April. “When you’re trying to improve your pen all the time like Mr. Carr, then that means a lot to us.” Carr has definitely done that. Over the last few months, he has invested into growing his bull herd. “I’ve got some good ones in addition to Missing Parts,” Carr said. “I’ve got some great bulls in The Mexican, Black Ice, Black Powder, Motown and Panther that went to a lot of the winter rodeos. I have some more outstanding bulls that I haven’t bucked just yet, but I think all of them have a lot of potential.” The cowboys have taken notice. At big events like Pioneer Days Rodeo, the bull power is a drawing card for the best cowboys in the game. Of the 886 entrants into the 2012 Guymon rodeo, 124 of them were bull riders. That’s a defining statement to what fans can expect inside Hitch Arena. “Pete Carr has stepped up a lot with his bulls,” said Paul Peterson, the flankman for Carr Pro Rodeo who has been with the company since its inception. “There are a lot of new bulls at the ranch, and I’d say most of them are the kind you can take anywhere and they’ll be pretty strong. “There are also some young bulls we still don’t know much about, but they look like they’re going to be great.”

By Chaney Latham Oklahoma Panhandle State University WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo teams continue to gain momentum heading into the final stretch of the Central Plains Region season. The Panhandle State men took some major strides during the 40th annual Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo last weekend, winning the team title and collecting the all-around championship with Joe Frost collecting big points in bareback riding, bull riding and steer wrestling, qualifying for the final round in all three events. . “I was excited about the effort given from all our kids,” said Craig Latham, the university’s rodeo coach. Frost also competes in tie-down roping and team roping. “It was fun,” Frost said. “Having Craig back really helped.” Latham had been away from the team a big portion of the spring season while undergoing medical treatments; the rodeo in Weatherford was his first since returning home earlier this month. “I could tell he was happy to be back, and he motivated me. I just knew I had to make the best runs I possibly could, and give 110 percent.” Latham was quite happy with what he saw in the young Utah cowboy. “He just had flat determination,” Latham said. Frost tied for second in the two-ride aggregate in bareback riding with 124 points, a 60 in the first round and a 64 in the short round. He also shared second place in the steer wrestling with times of 6.4 seconds and 5.2. He was one of just two cowboys to make the qualifying eight-second ride in bull riding in both rounds, finishing with 133; he had a 76 in the long round. Josh Griggs qualified for the final round in the bareback riding and bull riding. He scored a 68 in the first round of the bareback and a 65 in the bull riding to earn him a few points in each event. Jeff Bertus also competed in the championship round of the bull riding, after earning a 64 point score in the first round. In the saddle bronc riding, four of the eight cowboys in the championship round wore Panhandle State vests. Panhandle cowboys Kole Wynia, Whit Peterson, Allen Boore, and Preston Kafka ended up in second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishes, respectively. Along with Frost, Dusty Moore and Dixon Winn also qualified for the short round in steer wrestling. Only five cowboys managed to throw their steers in the championship round, with Winn finishing second with a two-run cumulative time of 14.1 seconds – he had a 6.2-second run in the first go and a 7.9 in the final round. As for the women’s events, Samantha Martinez finished second in the first round of breakaway roping with a 3.6-second run. She was fast in the short round with a 2.2, but a broken barrier resulted in a 10-second penalty. The wind seemed to play a major factor in the timed events with only two women catching in the final round, and Martinez earned second place even with the penalty. Junior Callie Schafer also competed in the championship round in breakaway roping and goat tying. She tied for fourth place in goat tying with a 16.7-second two-run aggregate. After competing this coming weekend at Fort Hays (Kan.) State University, the Panhandle State teams will wrap the 2011-12 season by hosting the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena from April 26-28. “If we finish strong, we can still reach the goals we started out with,” Frost said. Those goals are important, but so finishing strong is also the team’s main plan of attack. The plan is the “same as it is every time, and that is to win,” Latham said.

GUYMON, Okla. – The first time Paul Peterson shuffled his feet in the Henry C. Hitch Arena dirt, he was a college cowboy with his sites firmly set on a career in rodeo. In the more than two decades since his arrival at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Peterson played the game as well as anyone going down the rodeo trail. When he wasn’t competing, he was still making a living in the sport, serving as one of the premier pickup men in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Every May, he’s been a fixture as a pickup man inside Hitch arena, helping maintain the speed of the rodeo while corralling the animals throughout the competition. His role is changing, though; now he’s the main flankman for Carr Pro Rodeo, the primary stock contractor for the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6. “Everything’s for the better,” said Peterson, who spent a number of years in Texas County, Okla., while working in rodeo. “I really enjoy it.” Pete Carr has served as the flankman for several years, but as owner of the Dallas-based livestock firm, Carr has numerous other responsibilities that need his attention. Therefore, having a veteran like Peterson handling the flanking responsibilities is a benefit to the operation. “Paul has been a valuable part of our team since our first rodeo,” Carr said. “Paul is one of the most versatile people you’ll meet, and in rodeo, he can do almost everything. He knows these animals, and that plays a lot into what he’s done with us from the very beginning. “I want to surround myself with the best, and that’s what I get with Paul.” How important is it to understand the animal athletes? “Every horse is going to take a different kind of flank,” Peterson said. “Those older horses, the ones that have been around a long time, they need a little bit more of a flank, but the colts will need less. You’ve got to figure out what’s going to be the best flank for each of the animals to perform at their best. “You can ruin the horse or get him to the NFR.” Peterson knows a little bit about that. As an all-around cowboy competing in the PRCA, he just missed qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo a few times in saddle bronc riding. As a pickup man, he was chosen by the bareback riders and bronc riders to work the NFR three times. Whatever he’s done, he’s excelled. That means he’ll take to the task of flankman with the same gusto. “You’ve just got to know the animals,” Peterson said. “I think I’ve watched most of Pete’s horses a long time. So far it’s worked out. “You take into consideration where the horse come from and what they’ve done to him in the past and if you’ve raised him. It helps to know a lot about what their mom is and what she was like; a lot of time they’re going to be just like her.” Peterson is just one of many top hands who will work Pioneer Days Rodeo as part of the Carr crew. Dan Etbauer of Goodwell will be one of the pickup men, joined by Jason Bottons and Shawn Calhoun. All three men continue a tradition of greatness in Guymon. Etbauer is one of a handful of cowboys who have qualified for and picked up at the national finals. The NFR is an annual showcase of the very best in ProRodeo, from the top 15 contestants in each event and discipline to the best personnel. John and Sandy Gwatney have worked the NFR for several years and are a big reason behind Carr Pro Rodeo’s success. Bullfighters Chris Kirby and Dusty Duba not only help protect fallen bull riders, but also they handle many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that go on at each rodeo. “I think the best part of our stock company is that we have quality people involved in everything we do,” Carr said. “You can have the best animals in the world, but you’re not going to be very good without great people on your team. I’ve got great people on my team.”

My schedule during the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo kept me from watching most of the action in Oklahoma City. That was three weeks ago. Tonight I’m able to watch the coverage from GAC. It’s quite refreshing. Jeff Medders, who serves as the lead announcer, and his crew at Geronimo Productions do an awesome job with rodeo, and they’ve done a fabulous job with the RNCFR. Because of the format for the final day, I was able to watch the semifinals in the arena. That was nice, actually, but it was short-lived. Once the finals began, the heavy lifting began, coordinating all the media for the champions while handling interviews for the writing I needed to do. So seeing the final four compete gives me a better understanding of what happened inside State Fair Arena on April 1. While I already knew that Matt Shiozawa won the tie-down roping, I didn’t get to see his run until tonight. I also didn’t see that Blair Burk’s calf got up. I also got to see Sam Spreadborough’s winning ride on Big Tex. Spreadborough deserved to win. The RNCFR is an awesome rodeo, and I’m very honored to be associated with it. I’d love to see it sold out for all five performances. The cowboys and cowgirls deserve it. So does rodeo.

ALVA, Okla. – Rodeo has always been a big part of Cody Burkholder’s life. It probably always will. That’s why sharing the saddle bronc riding victory at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo this past weekend is so special to the Clarksville, Iowa, cowboy. “It meant a lot to me,” said Burkholder, a senior in his final year of eligibility. “I honestly didn’t even know I was in contention … that close to winning it.” Burkholder split the championship with Southwestern’s Tyrel Larsen, the Central Plains Region leader. Both cowboys earned 144 points on two rides to better the field of top circuit bronc riders. “My dad’s a saddle bronc rider and rode for a lot of years,” Burkholder said. “It’s nice to be able to call home and get advice from him. We raise bucking horses, so I can go home and get on and fine-tune things. It’s been a lot easier for him to give you advice.” Burkholder was one of two Northwestern cowboys to win championships in Weatherford. Will Howell of Stillwater, Okla., won tie-down roping for the second straight regional rodeo – he won in Fort Scott, Kan., a month ago. More importantly, Howell’s victory marked the fourth straight tie-down roping win for Northwestern – Trey Young won in Manhattan, Kan., in February, and Perry Dietz won in Garden City, Kan., the first weekend in March. The men finished the rodeo third in the team standings; the women finished fifth. Dusta Kimzey lead the way for the women with her second-place finish in goat-tying; Megan White and Lauran Barnes also finished among the top 10. Alexis Allen finished fourth in barrel racing, and Shelby Carpenter, Kelsey Pontius and Karly Benzie placed in breakaway roping. The Rangers are loaded with excellent timed-event cowboys. Howell is second and Dietz is fourth in the region standings, while steer wrestler Kyle Irwin is second. Header Ethan McDowell and heeler Dustin Searcy lead their respective divisions, while heeler Tanner Braden is tied for second. Burkholder, though, is all by himself among the roughstock cowboys. He is fourth in the saddle bronc riding standings. He’d like to move up just a little over the course of the final two regional rodeos in order to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo, set for June in Casper, Wyo. “It’s going to be a bronc riding between everybody that’s sitting down right there in the standings,” said Burkholder, who will compete this weekend at the Fort Hays (Kan.) State University rodeo and the following weekend at the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo in Guymon. “There are a lot of great bronc riders right there in the mix.” Of course, he’s one of them. After graduating from high school in Waverly, Iowa, he attended Miles (Mont.) Community College, then transferred to Northwestern. He also competed in bareback riding until two seasons ago, then turned his focus just on saddle bronc riding. “Riding broncs is fun,” he said. “It’s a big adrenaline rush, and it doesn’t hurt you as much as bareback riding does. I used to ride both, and it just got to the point where I’d rather feel better after my ride instead of hurting all the time.” He decided on Northwestern for several reasons, from affordability to its strong rodeo program to a great learning environment. “It’s not really a roughstock school like some of them, and I’m the only roughstock rider on the team,” Burkholder said. “It does present a challenge for me as far as trying to work, go to school, rodeo and then the fact that I tend to travel by myself. “But it’s centrally located. It’s a smaller university, and the teachers know you well. It’s a more conducive learning environment, instead of going to a lecture hall with 300 students.” Of course, a big part of his education is rodeo. The gold buckle dreams will continue, but how he handles those dreams will depend, primarily, on how well he handles his tasks inside the arena. Rodeo is just in his blood. “It’s something I’ve always grown up as a kid,” said Burkholder, who is expecting a child in September. “When it comes to horses, rodeo … things like that, that’s where I can really come into play. I’ve grown up with it all my life.” And it will be part of his life for many years to come.

Two-time world champion Brittany Pozzi won rodeos in Pocatello, Idaho, and Laughlin, Nev., over the weekend and pocketed an additional $8,800. She wasn’t the only cowgirl to earn money in both cities, where both rodeos were part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. Timi Lickley, who won the 2010 Reno (Nev.) Rodeo on her great horse, Rocks, finished in a tie for seventh place at the Clark County (Nev.) Fair and Rodeo and tied Theresa Walter for second place at the Western Frontier ProRodeo – the latter was her hometown rodeo. Though she’s had some success on the great Hez All Rock, a 12-year-old bay gelding by the great sire Dash Ta Fame, she probably won’t chase her first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo; doing that would take her away from her Jerome, Idaho, home and her two young sons way too often. No, Lickley is quite content to compete in the Wilderness Circuit and venture outside of its borders to those rodeos that best work in her schedule. I got to speak to Lickley today in preparatory work for a Women’s Pro Rodeo News story I’m producing on Logandale and Pocatello, and I found her a wonderful subject. I hope she wins something big so I can focus a story just on her, her family and her background. I think most everyone would enjoy something like that.

I’ve got a call into two-time world champion barrel racer Brittany Pozzi, who just won the Western Frontier ProRodeo in Pocatello, Idaho. Pozzi, of Victoria, Texas, won both go-rounds to clinch the average title. I just interviewed the cowgirl a couple of weeks ago after she won the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, and I’ve interviewed her a few times over the last several years since I do a lot of writing for Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the official publication of the WPRA. So what do you want to know? What questions should I ask Pozzi? She has all but cinched another trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

There are numerous photos that align the walls inside the clubhouse at Beutler Brothers Arena in Elk City, Okla. There was a single image that was most memorable to me: With the action taking place inside the arena, the photographer also captured a tornado in the background. Yes, I understand that weather rarely stops a rodeo – the show must go on – but there was something haunting in the shot. I’m often reminded of that photograph during tornado season, and outbreaks like the one friends in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska are experiencing today bring that image to life in my mind’s eye. I’m fascinated by tornadoes, yet I’m also leery of them. I’ve seen them pass in close proximity and heard (and felt) them pass overhead. I’ve driven through the rubble of Greensburg, Kan., after the 2007 storm and have passed through what used to be Pincher, Okla. Devastation is the only word to be used in both those cases. But like that image, I realize the ride must continue. I pray for those who are in the paths of the storms and hope my friends and family are unscathed today.