Monthly Archives: May 2012

The last time I’d visited with Christina Richman was during the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. That was two months ago, and she was caring for her rascally partner, a barrel horse named Stitch. Since then, the pair has done quite well. In fact, as her friend Sandy Gwatney termed it, Richman has been on her “Cali burner.” In addition to the title in Nacogdoches, Texas, the California cowgirl has won five home-state rodeos: Clovis, Redding, Hayward, Sonora and Stonyford. She placed at Red Bluff (10th) and Bakersfield (third), and the only California rodeo she didn’t collect a check was in Oakdale. “It was a muddy mess, so I just rode someone else’s heel horse,” said Richman, who has qualified for the NFR each of the past two seasons. This season, she’s won money at virtually every rodeo she’s entered and is sixth in the barrel racing world standings – she failed to cash a check in Oakdale, obviously, but also Scottsdale, Ariz.; that’s the only rodeo on which she rode Stitch that didn’t pay off. That’s taking it – pardon the pun – one Stitch at a time.

Matt Bright got out of his pickup, stretched a bit, then walked back to open the door to his camper. That’s where he stopped. With his hand on the door, Bright’s head slumped a bit. He stormed back to the front of the truck, grabbed his phone and headed to the Will Rogers Roundup Club Arena in Claremore, Okla. He was a man on a mission, and a few minutes after witnessing all that, I found out why. You see Bright, a two-time bareback riding qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, didn’t have his much needed gear back in his truck. The bag – which contains his rigging, vest, boots and spurs, riding jeans, MGM Grand chaps and neck roll – had been left in the trunk of his brother’s vehicle. Unsure of what to do, the Azle, Texas, cowboy started asking around. He found another right-handed bareback rider, Johnathan Taylor, who allowed Bright to borrow the rigging and specially made bareback riding glove. He located boots, chaps and a vest from saddle bronc rider Jesse James Kirby and borrowed those. When it came time for competition, Bright matched moves with the Rafter H Rodeo colt Red Head and scored 72 points – that held up to finish in a tie for second place worth $736. Everything worked out OK, except for that last few seconds of riding on the young horse. “It felt fine until the 6-second mark, and that’s when I really missed my neck roll,” Bright said – bareback riders, whose hands are wedged into a rigging that’s strapped tightly around a horse’s chest, feel the impact of almost every jump and kick a horse makes during that eight-second ride, so the neck roll helps relieve some of the pressure that comes from that. While he made a nice paycheck in Claremore, I don’t see him riding without that piece of equipment again. Neither does Matt Bright.

One of the great things I get to do in my job is take a rodeo neophyte and explain my passion for the sport. That happened last Thursday while announcer Scott Grover and I visited with Mike Collier during the Good Day Tulsa segment on Tulsa’s Channel 8 as we promoted the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo. Collier knows nothing about rodeo, but he seemed to be excited as Grover and I shared our experience and about what fans can experience when they come to ProRodeo. These contestants were the best of the best, from world champions like Rocky Patterson and Dean Gorsuch to Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers like Carlee Pierce, Matt Bright and Isaac Diaz. Collier is a meteorologist at Channel 8, but also he’s one of the three main cast members of Good Day Tulsa. Hopefully next year he can do the weather with a live remote from the Will Rogers Stampede and maybe meet the cast of characters who produce the annual event. That’d make for a great show, don’t you think?

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Over his eight-year career, Jared Keylon has reached many of his goals while riding bareback horses. During Sunday’s final performance in Claremore, Keylon crossed another one on his list. The cowboy from Uniontown, Kan., matched moves with Rafter H Rodeo’s Roany Pony for 75 points to win the 66th edition of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo. “I’ve always wanted a chance to win this rodeo, because it’s close to home and close to Fort Scott; it’s right between the best of two worlds for me,” said Keylon, who grew up in the northwestern Arkansas community of Hagarville – Uniontown is in southeastern Kansas, just 15 miles west of Fort Scott, where Keylon attended the community college. “This is also the first ProRodeo I took my son to, and that just tickled me that he got to watch Dad win.” Gunner Keylon is just 17 months old, so he won’t remember. But Jared Keylon will, especially if he crosses another goal off his bucket list. He’s No. 13 in the world standings, and he’d like to be in similar position four months from now “My goal this year is to definitely make the NFR,” he said of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s championship event for which only the top 15 contestants in each event qualify when the 2012 season concludes the end of September. “My main goal is to just keep eating at them, winning $1,000 and $2,000 a week right now, then work for the $5,000s over the summer when I have to knock heads with all the best guys.” Keylon, who won the Prairie Circuit bareback riding championship in 2008 and 2009, is just one of the winners of the 2012 Will Rogers Stampede; other winners were steer wrestler Heath Thompson of Enola, Ark.; tie-down roper Hunter Herrin of Apache, Okla., a five-time NFR qualifier; saddle bronc rider Tol Cawley of Crockett, Texas; team ropers Destry Graham of Sallisaw, Okla., and Jimmy Thomas of Hodgen, Okla.; NFR barrel racer Carlee Pierce of Stephenville, Texas, who won the Claremore title for the second straight year; and bull rider Ty Clearwater of LaCynge, Kan. “It means a lot to me to win this rodeo,” said Clearwater, who won the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo this past fall. “I’ve been coming to rodeos and bull ridings down here since I was a kid. I’m from a place in Kansas that’s about three hours from here, and my folks came down to watch me tonight. It was really cool for them to come down and see me win one.” Clearwater scored 86 points on Rafter H’s Playing Hooky to win the lion’s share of the money, $1,608. “I think I’ve bucked off just two out of 15 bulls this past month,” he said. “I finally got some soreness worked out, and my confidence is coming back to me.” Will Rogers Stampede Claremore, Okla. Final results Bareback riding 1. Jared Keylon, 75 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Roany Pony, $1,178; 2. Matt Bright and Bee Jay Scott, 72, $736; 4. Jake Self and Heath Ford, 71, $147. Steer wrestling 1. Clay Mindeman and Heath Thompson, 3.7 seconds, $1,593; 3. Shane Henderson, 3.9, $1,260; 4. Walt Sherry, 4.0, $1,037; 5. Sean Mulligan and Crazy Clark, 4.2, $704; 7. Jason Tapley, 4.3, $371; 6. Tommy Cook, 4.5, $148. Saddle bronc riding 1. Tol Cawley, 79 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Slim Jim, $1,144; 2. Andrew Counts, 78, $867; 3. Jesse James Kirby, Jacobs Crawley and Justin Hegwer, 77, $428; 6. Travis Sheets and Louie Brunson, 76, $87. Tie down roping 1. Hunter Herrin, 7.7 seconds, $1,880; 2. Will Howell, 8.6, $1,556; 3. Caddo Lewallen, 8.9, $1,232; 4. Travis Rogers, 9.3, $908; 5. Chris Neal, 9.8, $584; 6. Trell Etbauer, Blake Deckard and Ross Beasley, 10.0, $108. Team roping 1. Destry Graham/Jimmy Thomas, 5.2 seconds, $1,732; 2. Hunter Munsell/Derrick Jantzen, 5.4, $1,506; 3. Trey Harmon/Braden Harmon, 5.5, $1,280; 4. Brett Christensen/J.D. Holland, 5.8, $1,054; 5. Jesse Stipes/Casey Stipes, Cale Markham/Stitches Stanley and Wes Kent/Justin Johnson, 5.9, $602; 8. Tyler Johnson/Mitch Murray, 6.1, $151. Barrel racing 1. Carlee Pierce, 17.36 seconds, $1,768; 2. Kyra Stierwalt, 17.44, $1,515; 3. Mary Walker, 17.47, $1,263; 4. Megan Rinehart, 17.49, $1,094; 5. Jeanne Anderson, 17.50, $842; 6. Robyn Herring, 17.51, $673; 7. Shada Brazile, 17.53, $505; 8. Kara Fox, 17.56, $337; 9. Kara McKim, 17.62, $253; 10. Kaley Bass, 17.67, $168. Bull riding 1. Ty Clearwater, 86 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Playing Hooky, $1,608; 2. Jesse Pohlman and Tyler Bingham, 76, $1,048; 4. Beau Schroeder, 72, $585; 5. Buck Moon, 70, $341; 6. Bayle Worden, 68, $244. Steer roping First round 1. J.P. Wickett, 10.5 seconds, $946; 2. Chet Herren, 11.1, $783; 3. Brad Prather, 11.8, $620; 4. Shane Suggs, 12.4, $457; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber and Cody Scheck, 12.7, $228. Second round 1. Rocky Patterson, 10.1 seconds, $946; 2. Shandon Stalls, 10.4, $783; 3. Jess Tierney, 11.3, $620; 4. Walter Priestley, 11.8, $457; 5. Bryce Davis, 11.9, $294; 6. Mike Chase, 12.3, $163. Average 1. Bryce Davis, 25.2 seconds, $946; 2. Brad Prather, 25.7, $783; 3. Cody Scheck, 27.8, $620; 4. Shane Suggs, 28.0, $457; 5. Shorty Garten, 28.9, $294; 6. J. Tom Fisher, 31.9, $163.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Tie-down roper Will Howell is young, but he’s got the confidence of a crafty veteran. That was quite an advantage Saturday night during the second performance of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, where Howell posted an 8.6-second run to move in to second place in the four-day rodeo. He’s the closest cowboy to leader Hunter Herrin, a five-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier who posted a 7.7 on Thursday night to kick start the competition. “I really like competing on this level, and I feel like I’m good enough,” said Howell, 19, of Stillwater, Okla. “I feel like I’m going to make a long-term career out of it.” Maybe he should. Howell won the National High School Finals Rodeo’s tie-down roping title in 2008 and is competing as a freshman on a rodeo scholarship at nearby Northwestern Oklahoma State University. He has qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo, which will take place in two weeks in Casper, Wyo. But he’s got great aspirations, especially since this is his rookie season in ProRodeo. “I got my permit in June last year, and I filled it at one rodeo,” he said. In order to compete in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, cowboys must go through a try-out phase and must raise enough money to qualify for the opportunity to become card-carrying contestants in the organization. Now that he’s a member, Howell is shooting for the stars. He’d like to be among the top 12 in the region and qualify for the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for October in Duncan, Okla. Of course, he’s sitting in good position to cash a nice check in Claremore – in rodeo, dollars are championship points, and the top money-winner in each event at the end of the season is crowned champion. This weekend has worked pretty well so far for Howell, who won the Poteau (Okla.) Frontier Rodeo. What does it mean to do well at two regional rodeos in the same weekend? “It should put me in the standings right there where I need to be to make the circuit finals this year,” Howell said. “I’m trying to win the rookie title, too, so it all helps.” When a cowboy’s goals are set high, there’s a chance dreams can be crushed. But most often, it means one’s confidence is great. That’s the case with Howell. “I’m 100 percent confident,” he said. He’s also got the same gold-buckle dreams of any contestant who has ever played the game. When he sleeps, he envisions golden chutes and riding for the biggest money in the game at the NFR. “I plan to try to do that in the next two years,” Howell said. That’s what winners do. Will Rogers Stampede Claremore, Okla. Second performance Bareback riding leaders 1. Matt Bright on Rafter H Rodeo’s Read Head and Bee Jay Scott on Rafter H’s Flaxy, 72 points; 3. Jake Self, 71; 4. Jake Brown, 68; 5. Tyler Waltz, 64; 6. Johnathan Taylor, 6. Steer wrestling leaders 1. Clay Mindeman, 3.7 seconds; 2. Shane Henderson, 3.9; 3. Walt Sherry, 4.0; 4. Sean Mulligan and Crazy Clark, 4.2; 5. Jason Tapley, 4.3; 6. Tommy Cook, 4.5. Saddle bronc riding leaders 1. Jesse James Kirby on Rafter H Rodeo’s Stuart Little, Jacobs Crawley on Rafter H’s Festus and Justin Hegwer on Rafter H’s Black Bart, 77 points; 4. Travis Sheets and Louie Brunson, 76; 6. Isaac Diaz, Tyrel Larsen and Jeremy Melancon, 74. Tie down roping leaders 1. Hunter Herrin, 7.7 seconds; 2. Will Howell, 8.6; 3. Caddo Lewallen, 8.9; 4. Travis Rogers, 9.3; 5. Chris Neal, 9.8; 6. Trell Etbauer, 10.0. Team roping leaders 1. Destry Graham/Jimmy Thomas, 5.2 seconds; 2. Hunter Munsell/Derrick Jantzen, 5.4; 3. Eric Flurry/Billie Saebens and Trey Harmon/Braden Harmon, 5.5; 5. Ryan VonAhn/Nick Rowland, 5.6; 6. Jesse Stipes/Casey Stipes, 5.7. Barrel racing leaders 1. Carlee Pierce, 17.36 seconds; 2. Mary Walker, 17.47; 3. Megan Rinehart, 17.49; 4. Jeanne Anderson, 17.50; 5. Robyn Herring, 17.51; 6. Shada Brazile, 17.53; 7. Kara Fox, 17.56; 8. Karri McKim, 17.62; 9. Kaley Bassm, 17.67; 10. Christy Honsberger, 17.71. Bull riding leaders 1. Jesse Pohlman, 76 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Alligator Chomp; 2. Buck Moon, 70; 3. Cole Echols, 68; no other qualified rides. Steer roping First round 1. J.P. Wickett, 10.5 seconds, $946; 2. Chet Herren, 11.1, $783; 3. Brad Prather, 11.8, $620; 4. Shane Suggs, 12.4, $457; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber and Cody Scheck, 12.7, $228. Second round 1. Rocky Patterson, 10.1 seconds, $946; 2. Shandon Stalls, 10.4, $783; 3. Jess Tierney, 11.3, $620; 4. Walter Priestley, 11.8, $457; 5. Bryce Davis, 11.9, $294; 6. Mike Chase, 12.3, $163. Average 1. Bryce Davis, 25.2 seconds, $946; 2. Brad Prather, 25.7, $783; 3. Cody Scheck, 27.8, $620; 4. Shane Suggs, 28.0, $457; 5. Shorty Garten, 28.9, $294; 6. J. Tom Fisher, 31.9, $163.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Jesse James Kirby wants to feel the bright lights of Las Vegas as a first-time saddle bronc rider at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Jacobs Crawley wants to return to ProRodeo’s championship event. They both made positive moves on Friday during opening night of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, posting identical 77-point rides to take the early lead in saddle bronc riding. “This is a great town to come to, a big rodeo town,” said Kirby, of Dodge City, Kan., who rodeo Rafter H Rodeo’s Stuart Little. “That horse is just solid every time. He’s the one everybody wants to have in their back yard and practice on. Tonight everything felt good, and he’s the same way every trip.” With half the score coming from the horse, it’s important for bronc riders to have good horses in order to help themselves make a living. In rodeo, contestants not only pay an entry fee in order to compete, but they must finish better than most to earn money. Crawley experienced that first hand a year ago when he won the Will Rogers Stampede. “I love Claremore,” said Crawley, of College Station, Texas, who rodeo Rafter H’s Festus. “I’m from Texas, so Oklahoma’s not a far drive, and it’s dang sure cowboy country up here. And they sure appreciate bronc riders. “Anytime you can get around here where some of those old ranchers can come out and watch you at the rodeo, they get excited about rodeo, and we get excited about that.” Both cowboys are stars in ProRodeo. A year ago, both finished in the top 30 in the final world standings; Kirby was 29, and Crawley was ninth. Both have won the average championships at their respective circuit finales – Crawley in the Texas Circuit in 2010, and Kirby in the Prairie Circuit in 2009. “It helps when you draw good horses like that one,” Kirby said of Stuart Little. “If I want to win the circuit and make it to the NFR, it’s just trying to place consistently and riding consistently throughout the year.” It’s also important to win and collect checks. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so the contestants in each event with the most money won at season’s end are crowned champions. “My year’s started out great,” Crawley said. “Here the past few weeks, we’ve been nickel-and-diming, but nickels and dimes make quarters. So we’re just going to stick at it, and hopefully when the summer comes around here in a couple weeks, we’ll have some good match-ups at big-money rodeos and hopefully make it to Vegas again.” Money made in Claremore can go a long ways to making it happen for both Crawley and Kirby. Will Rogers Stampede Claremore, Okla. First performance Bareback riding leaders 1. Matt Bright, 72 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Read Head; 2. Jake Self, 71; 3. Tyler Waltz, 64; Johnathan Taylor, 62; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling leaders 1. Clay Mindeman, 3.7 seconds; 2. Shane Henderson, 3.9; 3. Sean Mulligan and Crazy Clark, 4.2; 5. Tommy Cook, 4.5; 6. Tooter Silver and Jeff Miller, 4.6. Saddle bronc riding leaders 1. Jesse James Kirby on Rafter H Rodeo’s Stuart Little and Jacobs Crawley on Rafter H’s Festus, 77 points; 3. Jeremy Melancon, 74; 4. Dalton Davis, 73; 5. Shank Stephens and Sterling Crawley, 72. Tie-down roping leaders 1. Hunter Herrin, 7.7 seconds; 2. Caddo Lewallen, 8.9; 3. Travis Rogers, 9.3; 4. Jeff Miller and Chris Neal, 9.8; 6. Clay Smith and Justin Weichel, 10.3. Team roping leaders 1. Destry Graham/Jimmy Thomas, 5.2 seconds; 2. Hunter Munsell/Derrick Jantzen, 5.4; 3. Eric Flurry/Billie Saebens and Trey Harmon/Braden Harmon, 5.5; 5. Ryan VonAhn/Nick Rowland, 5.6; 6. Jesse Stipes/Casey Stipes, 5.7. Barrel racing leaders 1. Carlee Pierce, 17.36 seconds; 2. Mary Walker, 17.47; 3. Robyn Herring, 17.51; 4. Shada Brazile, 17.53; 5. Karri McKim, 17.62; 6. Kaley Bassm, 17.67; 7. Christy Honsberger, 17.71; 8. Kim Schulze, 17.73; 9. Sherry Cannon, 17.75; 10. Natalie Foutch, 17.76. Bull riding leaders 1. Jesse Pohlman, 76 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Alligator Chomp; 2. Buck Moon, 70; 3. Cole Echols, 68; no other qualified rides. Steer roping First round 1. J.P. Wickett, 10.5 seconds, $946; 2. Chet Herren, 11.1, $783; 3. Brad Prather, 11.8, $620; 4. Shane Suggs, 12.4, $457; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber and Cody Scheck, 12.7, $228. Second round 1. Rocky Patterson, 10.1 seconds, $946; 2. Shandon Stalls, 10.4, $783; 3. Jess Tierney, 11.3, $620; 4. Walter Priestley, 11.8, $457; 5. Bryce Davis, 11.9, $294; 6. Mike Chase, 12.3, $163. Average 1. Bryce Davis, 25.2 seconds, $946; 2. Brad Prather, 25.7, $783; 3. Cody Scheck, 27.8, $620; 4. Shane Suggs, 28.0, $457; 5. Shorty Garten, 28.9, $294; 6. J. Tom Fisher, 31.9, $163.

The summer season is coming soon. Rodeos in the Prairie Circuit are in full swing. Congrats to Jeanne Anderson, who won last week in Abbyville. Next week is chocked full of rodeos in our region: Fort Smith (Ark.), Hugo, Ada, Bennington, Strong City, Licking (Mo.) and Conway (Ark). There will be lots of opportunities for contestants. Both my horses seem to be feeling good; we just need to fine-tune a little. We have entered Reno (Nev.) already; that starts the summer run, so it is coming soon. As a director of the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association, I have been logging many hours on the behalf of the barrel racers. We are making decisions that will affect the future of our sport. They are hard decisions. Sometimes, new paths are scary. We have a great bunch of ladies who are looking at many options, and hopefully, we will come up with the best solution based on the information we have at the time.

The 66th edition of the Will Rogers Stampede began Thursday morning with a full day of slack. I haven’t received any results yet, but here is a quick photo so you know it’s coming.

Spending this past weekend on the Carr Pro Rodeo ranch gave me a new perspective of just what it takes to care for the amazing animal athletes that are part of our sport. Much of the heavy lifting belongs to the man in charge of the day-to-day operations; at Carr Pro Rodeo, that is Jeff Collins, the 2000 bareback riding world champion. As the ranch manager, he handles almost every task, from feeding to doctoring to haying to whatever else. It’s quite impressive seeing all that goes on. These athletes love what they do, and to be among the best, they need as much coddling as possible. From what I saw, they get it.

Scoot is a beautiful palomino who performs really well. Jeff Collins says you can head and heel on him, and he’s easy to work with. Ted is nearly 45 years old and hasn’t been horseback since he was 16. But I stepped up on Scoot like I meant business, even if I damn near overshot the saddle and ended up on the ground anyway. We went to the arena on the Carr Pro Rodeo ranch, me riding Scoot and Jeff leading Ronnie, the other palomino that we were going to lead around for my 3-year-old daughter. I rode for a little bit, then handed to reins over to my 10-year-old. On the ground, I realized just how long it had been since I’d done that – yeah, basic math tells you I haven’t been in a saddle in nearly 29 years. More importantly than that is the fact that I was about 190 pounds back then, frail compared to my 250, which is there only after losing about 40 pounds over the last couple of years. You see, I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy, but I’ve never been. I consider myself blessed to be able to tell their stories, but my dreams are of riding and roping and branding. My hands tell you a story of delicate work like typing, but they get to shake calloused palms of men who have felt the rope burns and the splinters. Jeff Collins is one of those men, a cowboy who has been horseback most of his life and who takes to his tasks on the Carr ranch as if every acre, every fence line and every animal on the place is his. He’s also a winner in the arena, the 2000 bareback riding world champion. On Friday afternoon, he took a cowboy-wannabe and two little girls itching to ride horses on a great adventure. It was one of many my family and I shared during our few days in east Texas this past week. It’s one we’ll remember for years to come, and we have the photos to help.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rodeo is America’s original extreme sport, and every year its greatest athletes make their way to Rogers County to fight for the thousands of dollars in prize money available at the Will Rogers Stampede. This year marks the 66th anniversary of Claremore’s rodeo, and the producers of the annual event are making the celebration a showcase for everyone in the region. “We know we’ve got a great show with the competition, but we want to give the fans everything they’re looking for in the way of entertainment,” said David Petty, the rodeo’s chairman. Sky-diver Bobby Reid will be parachuting the U.S. flag as part of an elaborate opening during each of the three performances of the rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 25-Sunday, May 27, at Will Rogers Stampede Arena just off East Blue Starr Drive in Claremore. “Bobby does this kind of thing at events all across the country, and we wanted to kick off each night of our rodeo with a bang,” Petty said. “I think this is a great way to honor America and to honor our sport of rodeo.” The Will Rogers Stampede will feature outstanding athletes, both human and animal. From the talented bucking horses and bulls to the phenomenal timed-event horses that make the difference in a championship and finishing out of the money. There will be plenty of horse power this year with a record 564 entries. Quite possibly the fastest animals in the competition will be in barrel racing, an event sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. In fact, the ladies in the organization rewarded the Will Rogers Stampede with its 2010 Justin Best Footing award for the Prairie Circuit, the ProRodeo region involving contestants and events from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. “The ground is a big deal in every timed event in rodeo, but good ground is essential in barrel racing,” said Tana Poppino, a three-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “Without quality ground, it can really make a difference in the competition.” The recognition is quite an honor for the volunteers who work hard all year to provide the best opportunity for all those contestants. “When you look at the hours these people put in to make that ground so good, you know how much work it took,” Petty said. “It’s a pretty special feeling that the WPRA selected our rodeo, because it was a statement made by the competitors, the ladies that ran at our rodeo and all the other rodeos in the circuit.”

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Many people associated with rodeo talk about the family atmosphere the sport fosters. None know that any more than the Poppino clan of Big Cabin, Okla.: Tana, Marty and Brodie. Rodeo is in their blood as well as their bloodline, and they travel the country chasing their gold buckle dreams. They also are part of the nearly 500 contestants who have entered the competition at the 66th edition of the Will Rogers Stampede, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 25-Sunday, May 27, at Will Rogers Stampede Arena just off East Blue Starr Drive in Claremore. “It’s awesome because this is one of the few rodeos that we get to go to together,” said Tana Poppino, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in barrel racing. “This is also one of the rodeos that’s closest for us, so it’s one that we all want to do good at. “I think it’s great that our two hometown rodeos, the one in Claremore and the one in Vinita, area both memorials to Will Rogers, and we get to celebrate a famous Oklahoman that the whole world got to know.” Marty and Tana Poppino met while attending Oklahoma Panhandle State University on rodeo scholarships and married in 1985. A few years later, they brought a son into their rodeo world. Now he’s competing in ProRodeo on a permit while receiving his education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. “I’m excited that I get to rope with my dad and be there for my mom,” said Brodie Poppino, 21, who will compete in steer roping and tie-down roping in Claremore. “It’ll also be great for me to get to rope in front of my Pa and Granny and that they’ll be able to watch us all.” Although he’s competed in various events, Marty Poppino has focused on steer roping. He’s pretty good at it, too. He’s been one of the top hands in the Prairie Circuit for a number of years. “We really don’t get to go to too many rodeos together,” Tana Poppino said of the family gathering in Claremore. “We try to go to circuit rodeos between now and the time I leave for the summer. “I’m just glad that Claremore has steer roping so that we can. This part of the world has more steer ropers than about any other part of the world. It’s awesome that our local rodeos have it, because Brodie can rope and have his dad there to kind of mentor him, and I get to see them both compete.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Folks in Wise County, Texas, know a thing or two about rodeo. After all, some of rodeo’s best live right there in the 923-square-mile region. Those educated fans got to see quite a high quality show last weekend during the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo. From newcomers like barrel racer Stevi Hillman to veterans like steer roper Ralph Williams, the Bridgeport champions carried a high tide of pride away from the north Texas festivities. “This year was the best one yet,” said Lloyd Williams, chairman of the volunteer rodeo committee that brings the rodeo to town each spring. “This year’s rodeo was professionally run, and it ran off smooth.” Why? Williams pointed directly at the crew from Carr Pro Rodeo, a Dallas-based stock contracting firm that provided the livestock for the first time this May. “Pete Carr’s crew was just exceptional to work with, and it was very impressive the way it was put together,” Williams said. “It was a combination of our crew and his crew – we all clicked.” The key, he said, was in the true athleticism that was featured during the three days of competition. From bucking beasts like bareback horse Dirty Jacket and bull Synergy to world champions like Trevor Brazile, true athletes made a statement in Bridgeport. “That’s as good a set of bucking horses and as good a set of bucking bulls as you’re going to see,” Williams said. “I thought it was just so smooth, from the action in the arena to the flawless work between our announcer, Charlie Throckmorton, and the best sound man in rodeo, Benje Bendele. “We had a good crowd each night. Even though the weather was kind of crappy, they still came out and saw it, and they saw a good one.” The Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo became the third event this season in which Dirty Jacket helped a cowboy to the winner’s circle – he matched moves with reigning world champion Kaycee Feild in his win in Fort Worth, Texas, and teamed with seven-time Wrangler National Finals rodeo qualifier Wes Stevenson for the victory in San Angelo, Texas. Veteran Carr bull Synergy helped NFR qualifier Tyler Willis to the bull riding victory, and a pair of cowboys shared the saddle bronc riding victory on a pair of standout Carr horses: Dawson Jandreau on Ginger Snap and Tol Cawley on Fiesta Savvy. “We had 16 world champions and 84 NFR qualifications at our rodeo this year,” Williams said. “We had contestants from two Canadian provinces, France and Australia. “We’ve always been good on the timed-event end. What we really grew this year was on the roughstock end. I was floored with the number of entries in our bucking horse events … a lot of bareback riders and saddle bronc riders. It’ll even be better next year.” One of the big things for Williams is proof that everybody involved has is always shooting for improvement. “The atmosphere Pete brings is just amazing, and people are excited from the minute it starts to the minute it’s over,” he said. “I watched real good, and I guarantee you I didn’t lose anybody from start to finish. This is the first time everybody’s stayed for all of it.” Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo Bridgeport, Texas May 11-12, 2012 All-around cowboy: Trevor Brazile, $2,901, team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping. Bareback riding: 1. Jeremy Mouton, 84 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $1,066; 2. Wes Stevenson, 83 on Carr’s Showgirl, $808; 3. Heath Ford, 82 on Carr’s Broken Dreams, $581; 4. Taylor Price, 81 on Carr’s True Lies, $388; 5. Will Lowe, 78 on Carr’s Snowman, $226; 6. Evan Jayne on Carr’s Scruffy and Seth Hardwick on Carr’s High Lonesome, 77, $81 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Shane Frey, 4.3 seconds, $1,212; 2. Seth Morgan, 4.6, $1,003; 3. Jace Melvin, 5.0, $794; 4. K.C. Jones, 5.1, $585; 5. Dean Stermer, 5.2, $376; 6. (tie) Shayde Etherton and Jack Hodges, 5.3, $105 each. Team roping: 1. Bubba Buckaloo/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 4.7 seconds, $1,721 each; 2. (tie) Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, and Trey Harmon/Braden Harmon, 5.0, $1,384 each; 4. Landon McClaugherty/Larry Hammons, 5.1, $1,047; 5. Chace Thompson/Tommy Zuniga, 5.6, $823; 6. Quincy Kueckelhan/Jett Hillman, 6.0, $599; 7. David Key/Travis Woodard, 6.3, $374; 8. David Motes/Justin Copp, 6.4, $150. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Dawson Jandreau on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Ginger Snap and Tol Cawley on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Fiesta Savvy, 80 points, $ $1,047 each; 3. Jace Angus, 77 on Carr’s Smoke Wagon, $599; 4. Sterling Crawley on Carr’s Blue Jeans, Shane Menefee on Carr’s Sweet Emotion and Travis Edwards on Carr’s Couch Jumper, 76, $100 each. Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Ryan Thibodeaux and Colby Lovell, 8.7 seconds, $1,693 each; 3. Bryson Sechrist, 8.9, $1,214; 4. (tie) Chant DeForest and Clayton Shaw, 9.0, $735 each; 6. (tie) Adam Gray and Sterling Smith, 9.2, $160 each. Barrel racing: 1. Stevi Hillman, 15.28 seconds, $1,644; 2. Mary Walker, 15.46, $1,409; 3. Tana Poppino, 15.64, $1,174; 4. Fallon Taylor, 15.69, $1,018; 5. Tana Renick, 15.73, $783; 6. Shelley Morgan, 15.81, $626; 7. Karen Little, 15.82, $470; 8. Tracey Ivy-Austin, 15.84, $313; 9. Debra Cooper, 15.92, $235; 10. (tie) Jodi Ray and Reagan Dillard, 15.93, $78 each. Permit holders steer roping: First round: 1. Shawn Trimble, 15.5 seconds, $725; 2. Justin Bay, 16.2, $551; 3. Scott Welch, 16.6, $357; 4. Jake Radenmacher, 17.3, $184. Second round: 1. Colt Williams, 11.1, $725; 2. Shawn Trimble, 11.9, $551; 3. Austin Bruce, 12.7; $357; 4. Cord Hodge, 13.1, $184. Average: 1. Shawn Trimble, 27.4 on two, $725; 2. Justin Bay, 31.6, $551; 3. Brad Prater, 38.4, $357; 4. Robert A. Fudge, 48.2, $184. Steer roping: First round: 1. Will Gasperson, 10.7 seconds, $1,463; 2. Ralph Williams and Trevor Brazile, 10.9, $1,085 each; 4. Riley Christopherson, 11.1, $706; 5. Ty Herd, 11.4, $454; 6. Rod Hartness, 11.6, $252. Second round: 1. Dan Fisher, 9.9, $1,463; 2. Tony Reina, 10.3, $1,211; 3. Cody Lee, 10.6, $959; 4. Buster Record Jr.,  Continue Reading »

DUNCAN, Okla. – Hunter Herrin has been one of the best tie-down ropers in ProRodeo much of his eight-year career. After winning the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo and placing at the Chisholm Trail Stampede in Duncan, Okla., the first weekend of May, he’s surged into the lead in the Prairie Circuit’s tie-down roping standings. Now he’s one step closer to reaching one of his goals, winning the regional title. Destination Duncan is now part of Herrin’s itinerary, where he will be shooting for a third straight average title set for the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for Oct. 18-20 at the Stephens County Expo Center. “It means a lot to me to qualify for the Prairie Circuit finals, because I’ve qualified for the finals the last two years in Oklahoma City,” Herrin said of the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which features the year-end and finals-average champions in each event from each of the 12 ProRodeo circuits. “We’ve had some success there, and if a guy’s going to rodeo, you’ve got to try to make it there.” If cowboys and cowgirls compete in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, then the destination is Duncan in October. Only the top 12 contestants in each event at the end of the circuit season qualify for the regional finale. With most of the season remaining on the schedule, any one of the hundreds of contestants can make a move into the top spot. With it being one of the largest springtime events, the Guymon rodeo’s payout helps contestants make a significant move in the standings – in rodeo, dollars equal championship points, so the top earners are atop the money list. For most of the Prairie Circuit standings leaders, a good portion of their earnings came from the Oklahoma Panhandle: bull rider Dustin Elliott of North Platte, Neb.; steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb.; steer roper Cody Scheck of Ellinwood, Kan.; bareback rider Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla.; barrel racer Tana Poppino of Big Cabin, Okla.; and team ropers Charles Pogue, a header from Ringling, Okla., and Jett Hillman, a heeler from Purcell, Okla. “Doing well in Guymon is pretty important to me,” said Elliott, who earned $2,164 by placing third. “This is one of our bigger circuit rodeos, and being in the Prairie Circuit, it’s one you don’t want to miss.” In addition to placing in the opening go-round in Guymon, Poppino won the championship at the Old Settlers Reunion Rodeo, a once-every-five-years event that takes place in the tiny western Oklahoma community of Cheyenne. Poppino pocketed $925 for that feat, which is why she carries a $1,500 lead over the second-place cowgirl, Ashlie Withrow of Henryetta, Okla. “The Old Settlers Reunion is just one of many celebrations of Oklahoma history,” Poppino told the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. “Rodeo is a natural fit for the celebration that brings visitors to town. It’s always an honor to win an event that means so much to a community, and it kind of makes you feel like you are part of Oklahoma history.” Elliott, McDaniel and Gorsuch are three of the many world champions who call the Prairie Circuit home. They’re also regulars in championship events like the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. They know the importance of making it to Duncan in October. Elliott won his Montana Silversmiths gold buckle in 2004, while McDaniel won the bareback riding title in 2008 – the 25-year-old cowboy is a four-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo who added NFR average titles in 2008 and 2010. Gorsuch won gold in 2006 and 2010, winning at least a share of the average championship both years. “With the circuit finals being in Duncan, I’d really love to be there to represent Oklahoma,” McDaniel said. “I’ve never won the circuit before, and one of my goals is to win the circuit. If I could do it in Duncan … win it in my home state, that would be awesome.” Of the leaders, only Weston Ireland of Sallisaw, Okla., and Scheck haven’t played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage in Las Vegas, but he owns a circuit year-end championship. Ireland, a saddle bronc rider who attended college at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, won the region three seasons ago. But Scheck is a three-time qualifier to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, the equivalent to the NFR in his chosen discipline. In fact, Scheck won the average title at the Clem McSpadden in 2010. “Winning in Guymon is pretty big, because it helps the summer run if you have a little money won,” he said. “Hopefully I can strike it big at the big rodeos.” The key to winning a championship is staying on that roll and being consistent throughout the season. Both Pogue and Hillman understand that as well as anyone. Pogue qualified for the NFR 15 times in his career and won the average title multiple times in Las Vegas. He and Hillman have won the last two team roping titles in the Prairie Circuit; they’d like to make it a three-peat. “By staying close to home, I try to get to enough rodeos to make sure I get to the circuit finals,” Pogue said. “With it being in Duncan, that’s just 40 miles from my house. That makes it even better. “I know the people on the committee, and they’re working hard to make it a good finals, a special rodeo for us.”

Steer roper Chad Decker of Stephenville, Texas, will remember the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo for a long time. You see, Decker is competing on his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association permit, and permit-holders aren’t eligible to become card-carrying members of the association until they earn enough money in the trying-out stage of competition. Decker finished fifth in the three-run aggregate at the Bridgeport, Texas, rodeo, earning $681, helping him fulfill the requirements needed. It’s just the beginning for Decker, but everybody needs to get off to a good start. Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo Bridgeport, Texas Permit holders steer roping: First round: 1. Shawn Trimble, 15.5 seconds, $725; 2. Justin Bay, 16.2, $551; 3. Scott Welch, 16.6, $357; 4. Jake Radenmacher, 17.3, $184. Second round: 1. Colt Williams, 11.1, $725; 2. Shawn Trimble, 11.9, $551; 3. Austin Bruce, 12.7; $357; 4. Cord Hodge, 13.1, $184. Average: 1. Shawn Trimble, 27.4 on two, $725; 2. Justin Bay, 31.6, $551; 3. Brad Prater, 38.4, $357; 4. Robert A. Fudge, 48.2, $184. Steer roping: First round: 1. Will Gasperson, 10.7 seconds, $1,463; 2. Ralph Williams and Trevor Brazile, 10.9, $1,085 each; 4. Riley Christopherson, 11.1, $706; 5. Ty Herd, 11.4, $454; 6. Rod Hartness, 11.6, $252. Second round: 1. Dan Fisher, 9.9, $1,463; 2. Tony Reina, 10.3, $1,211; 3. Cody Lee, 10.6, $959; 4. Buster Record Jr., 10.8, $706; 5. Jess Tierney and Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.2, $353 each. Third round: 1. JoJo LeMond, 9.6, $1,463; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.6, $1,211; 3. Mike Chase, 10.7, $959; 4. Jay Sellers, 11.0, $706; 5. Dane Noyce, 11.1, $454; 6. Jarrett Blessing, 11,2, $252. Average: 1. Ralph Williams, 38.0 seconds on three runs, $2,195; 2. Trevor Brazile, 38.2, $1,816; 3. Buster Record Jr. and Shane Suggs, 39.8, $1,249 each; 5. Chad Decker, 39.9, $618; 6. Mike Outhier, 40.6, $378.  

GUYMON, Okla. – The Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has been the place where champions play. In 2012, Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena was better known as the place where champions win. Of the 10 disciplines, five winners from this year’s event own gold buckles that are awarded to world champions. As always, this year’s championship was a showcase of ProRodeo’s best. “It’s always a great rodeo in Guymon,” said Jhett Johnson, the reigning world champion heeler from Casper, Wyo., who won the team roping title with header Jake Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., a seven-time world champion. They were joined in the winner’s circle by Chad Ferley, the 2006 world champion saddle bronc rider, who split the victory with newcomer Cole Elshere with 87-point scores; two-time steer wresting world champion Dena Gorsuch, who had a three-run cumulative time of 13.5 seconds; and three-time world champion barrel racer Sherry Cervi, who posted a two-run aggregate of 34.55 seconds. “This is Jake and I’s first rodeo together,” said Johnson, who won his first title last season while roping with Turtle Powell. “Now they have to beat us.” Johnson and Barnes roped their third steer in the first performance on Friday night and set a standard that wasn’t beaten. In fact, second-place finishers Kaleb Driggers and Paul Eaves finished in 23.2 seconds, more than a second off the pace. “With Jake, the handles are very good,” said Johnson, who graduated from nearby Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “With these fresh steers, they can do anything, and Jake set all three of mine to bee heeled easy. “It’s always fun to come to Guymon, going to school here, being one of the alumni and all that. I know the area real well. I know the people and the people putting on the rodeo. Then to come here and do well is always a good deal.” Other winners were bareback rider J.R. Vezain, who rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night for 89 points to win the title; steer roper Shay Good, the only cowboy to rope and tie down all five steers; tie-down roper Hunter Herrin, a five-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo; bull rider Tim Bingham, who rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s Comanche for 86 points; and all-around champion Chase Williams, who won $6,106 while competing in team roping and tie-down roping. “I drew really good calves,” Herrin said after wrapping the title on Sunday. “This afternoon’s calf ran really hard, but my horse was really good today and ran down there to get the calf, and then she was a really good calf when you catch here. Today, though, horsepower was the key.” While Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo is the primary stock contractor, owner Pete Carr realizes the importance of having the very best livestock for the top contestants in the game. That’s why he solicits great bucking animals from other contractors, like Frontier Rodeo, Powder River Rodeo and Korkow Rodeos. Ferley rode Frontier’s Griz and Elshere rode Powder River Rodeo’s Lipstick & Whiskey to win saddle bronc riding. “I’m just out here to make as much money as I can and get on good bucking horses,” said Ferley, of Oelrichs, S.D. “If you get on a good bucking horse, it makes your day even better. If it happens at the end that you get a gold, it’s great.” While Ferley has won ProRodeo’s most coveted championship, Elshere still has those gold buckle dreams. He knows having high-quality horses is the key to a good night’s sleep. “She just kind of rolled out of the chute and was really nice,” he said. “Then she just started getting better and better and jumping higher and higher. There at the end, it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a horse.” Fans have seen how much fun Pioneer Days Rodeo is, which is one big reason why they come out in droves to attend the annual event. This year marked the 80th anniversary of the biggest and best event in the Oklahoma Panhandle, and the crowds were a big part of the success. Of course, the fans know the sport well, and they have learned over the years that their hometown rodeo is one of the best in ProRodeo. “We try hard every time we go to a rodeo, but the fans here are experienced, so we’re trying extra hard to bring the highest quality stock here,” Pete Carr said. “They’re rodeo aficionados, and we want them to enjoy the rodeo.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – The greatest cowboys know they have earned that status by testing their skills on the greatest animals in ProRodeo. That’s one big reason why some of the biggest names in the sport will be in Bridgeport this weekend for the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. Pete Carr, owner of Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo, has become one of the top stock contractors in the sport, and the company’s great animals will be featured on both nights of the rodeo. “You always like going to Pete’s rodeos, because you don’t have to worry about the draw,” said Justin McDaniel, the 2008 world champion bareback rider from Porum, Okla. “You know he’ll have something for you to win on, and that’s what’s important.” It will be champion vs. champion in Bridgeport – McDaniel has been matched with Carr’s Real Deal, the 2005 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Bareback of the Year. The last time the two were showcased together was at the 2010 rodeo in Lovington, N.M., and it was worth 86 points, good enough for third place. “That’s an awesome horse, one I’d like to draw all the time if I could,” said McDaniel, who has won the bareback riding average championships in two of four trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “The last time I got on him was as rank as I’ve seen him, but he’s always rank.” The McDaniel-Real Deal match-up is one of many great ones that will take place in Wise County this weekend. Last weekend, McDaniel matched moves with Carr’s Miss Hollywood for 86 points to finish in a tie for second place in Guymon, Okla. In Bridgeport, 2004 world champion bull rider Dustin Elliott has drawn The Mexican, one of a number of top-caliber bulls that’s new to the Carr bull pen. “Pete has invested his money wisely,” Elliott said. “Watching this pen was an eye-opener. These are all really, really good bulls.” Saddle bronc rider Weston Ireland, a former Prairie Circuit champion who leads the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region standings this year, has drawn NFR bucking horse Coffee Bean in Bridgeport, while all-around talent Seth Glause will be matched with Carr’s Trail Dust – Glause is a three-time NFR qualifier in bull riding, but he’s itching to make a move in bronc riding, too. “I think in order to draw the best contestants to your rodeo, you need to have the kind of stock they want to get on,” Carr said. “You want to give them the chance to win no matter what horse or what bull they get on.”

GUYMON, Okla. – The newest pen of Carr Pro Rodeo bucking bulls made a statement, but MGM Deuces Night stole the show at the 2012 Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. “When I heard callbacks for this rodeo, I was screaming out loud and running around like a little girl,” Vezain said of the great Carr Pro Rodeo horse, which was one of the featured animal athletes in Guymon. “I had my highest marked ride on that horse last year with an 87 at San Antonio, and I was going for the record this year. “I was going for 90; I knew it was going to be good. I was really stoked to be here.” Vezain and MGM Deuces Night danced across the Henry C. Hitch Arena dirt for a rodeo-best 89-point bareback ride on the final day of the four-performance competition at Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo. But there were plenty of memories being made, and a lot of those came from the great young bulls that were in the mix. “I thought the pen of bulls here was fantastic,” said Tim Bingham of Honeyville, Utah, a 20-year-old cowboy who won bull riding in Guymon on Carr’s Comanche, worth $3,819. “I didn’t see any bulls I wouldn’t want to get on. “It was good for me to stay on a good bull like that, especially after going through a dry spell.” Bingham is young and still new to the game. There are a couple of others who were part of the final performance that saw several things they liked in the Carr Pro Rodeo bull pen, including world standings leader Cody Teel of Kountze, Texas, and Trey Benton III, the rookie standings leader and fourth-ranked bull rider from Rock Island, Texas. “I got on a little black motley bull called Private Eye, and he got me down,” Benton said of being bucked off before the eight-second whistle. “I really like the rodeo in Guymon, and I think they had a bunch of really good bulls out today.” Teel, who is riding with a broken leg, also failed to score on Carr’s Poker Face. He knew very well that he was going to take a chance at collecting the check in Oklahoma’s Panhandle. “I knew the bull pretty well and that if I rode him, I had a chance to place high,” Teel said. “I knew he’d never been ridden, but he has not tricks to him. In the short time I was on him, I found out a lot about that bull.” Poker Face is one of a number of bulls that’s new to Carr Pro Rodeo, and they were all out on Sunday afternoon. They caught the attention of the world’s best bull riders. “You don’t mind driving those long hours it takes to get to some of these rodeos like this because you have a chance to win no matter what bull you have,” Teel said. “That’s the main thing. It makes it more of a riding contest instead of a drawing contest. It’s more on you and what you can do; you don’t’ have to worry about the draw so much because Pete Carr has put together a great pen of bulls.” Chandler Bownds is another young gun who failed to mark a qualified ride in Guymon, but he puts the blame on himself. In fact, he knows how important it is that Carr has invested into the bull herd. “The bulls were awesome,” said Bownds, the 2011 rookie of the year from Lubbock, Texas. “Pete brought in some great subcontractors to juice up his great pen of bulls, and there were a bunch of bulls that bucked really hard. All the bulls that bucked today could definitely be in the NFR. “I always try to make it to Pete’s rodeos. They’re always good rodeos, and you always get a chance to get on a good set of bulls, so that helps make them good rodeos to go to.” A lot of the top cowboys in the game have highlighted Carr Pro Rodeo events for several years, but the firm’s recent investment into its herd has made believers among many others. “This is one of the top pens I’ve seen in Guymon,” said Ardie Maier, a 2010 NFR qualifier from Timber Lake, S.D. “There were some of the top guys in the world, and everybody had a chance to win if they stayed on. When you can go to a bull riding like that, it’s saying something about the bulls.” Since he turned pro in 2004, Wesley Silcox has qualified for the NFR six times and won the world championship in 2007. He knows a thing or two about the game of bull riding. He rode Carr’s Panther for 80 points to finish fifth, worth $891. “This is the best pen of bulls I’ve ever seen in Guymon,” he said Sunday afternoon. “I’m excited to follow Pete around and get on more of his bulls.”

The Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo means more to me than being just a great event; it’s also about seeing old friends and sharing my passions. I’ve been to that awesome rodeo eight of the last 10 years; I’m tied to it for many reasons, and I’m proud of that. For the 2006 Pioneer Days Rodeo, I volunteered as the marketing director for the committee with the understanding that I was developing Rodeo Media Relations. I’ve been on a contract every year since. I married an Oklahoma Panhandle State University alumnae who lived in the region for 13 years. I met her there, and each spring trip to Texas County, Okla., is like her trip home. It’s quite impressive to me how the region once known as No Man’s Land can boast of such greatness – it goes well beyond rodeo and into the fabric that weaves the community together, the people. I’m blessed to be associated with one of the greatest events in ProRodeo and the people who are proud of it.

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – The organizers of the local rodeo have one thought in mind: Make the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo the best it can be. To that end, the volunteers who donate their time, talent and energy into producing the annual event reached into the metro area to help take the rodeo to the next level by hiring Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo, one of the top livestock producers in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “I go to a lot of rodeos, and I like what I’ve seen in Pete Carr,” said Lloyd Williams, chairman of the committee. “What sold me on him was that I’ve got a son that goes to 30 to 40 rodeos a year, and I go a lot with him. I saw the animals he took to the circuit finals in Waco and the All-American finals in Waco, and I was impressed. “I’ve seen what he does at his rodeos, and I love the production of things he’s got into it. It’s a good show, and it really runs off good. It seems to be more professional than what we’ve been doing.” That’s why Carr Pro Rodeo will be putting the pieces to the puzzle together for this year’s Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 11-12, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. “We really appreciate the opportunity to work in such a long-standing rodeo town and with such a great committee,” Carr said. “We are very honored that this committee placed their trust in us, and we plan on continuing to bring the best we can bring to all our committees.” The Carr crew includes rodeo veterans like John and Sandy Gwatney and Paul Peterson, all of whom have worked some of the biggest events in ProRodeo, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. By having production experts like that, Carr Pro Rodeo brings in a championship-caliber experience to a local rodeo flair. “Our rodeo grows a little each year,” Williams said. “We’ve got a lot of good things going on. Our Friday show will be our pink night, our cancer night, where we’ll raise money to fight cancer. The money we raise will stay within Wise County.” That’s an important factor, because it’s proof that the committee has reaching out to the community as its focus. “We’ll have a survivor grand entry,” Williams said, explaining that the rodeo’s opening will include cancer survivors. This marks the 36th year for the Bridgeport rodeo but just the sixth year it is part of ProRodeo. Williams said the event was an amateur rodeo for 30 years. “We wanted to be a ProRodeo because we want to try to get the top athletes in,” he said. “It was time for a change. It had gotten stale, so we thought we’d change big time. The city wanted to incorporate it with the Butterfield Stage Days, so we did.” The city’s annual Butterfield Stage Days takes place in the city park at the same time of the rodeo, so there will be plenty of activity around the community all weekend long. Veterans, firefighters and police officer will be admitted to the rodeo for free on Friday night. “I look forward to working with the Bridgeport committee this year and begin building a long-lasting relationship,” Carr said.

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – A great bucking horse has something special, something that makes it stand out above most of the others. Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket is one of those outstanding bucking horses, a fixture at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which features the greatest animal athletes each season. But it’s more than that, really. You see, Dirty Jacket is part of the elite pen of NFR horses, those that are bucked in the fifth and 10th go-rounds of ProRodeo’s grand finale each December. He’s there because the bareback riders want him there; they want the chance to show off their skills on the greatest animals in the business on those particular nights. It’s animals like that that have made Carr Pro Rodeo one of the top livestock producers in the game, and the Dallas-based firm is carrying that tradition to the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 11-12, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. That’s where the sport’s best will showcase their talents both nights and fans will get a chance to see greatness in action. “That horse is in his prime,” said Wes Stevenson, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Lubbock, Texas. “He could be having one of the better years he’s had, and that’s saying a lot.” The best bareback riders in the world have considered Dirty Jacket one of the best bucking horses in the business for several years. “That horse has just gotten better,” said Stevenson, who scored 87 points on Dirty Jacket to win the short go-round and the average titles in San Angelo, Texas, in February. “I think he may have stepped it up from what we’ve seen.” The 8-year-old bay gelding has been quite spectacular this season. “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,” said reigning world champion Kaycee Feild of Payson, Utah, who won the championship round in Fort Worth, Texas, earlier this year on Dirty Jacket. “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.” 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.” Part of it has to do with the genetics that have made the gelding such a great athlete. But the cowboys who ride the bucking machine know there’s more to it. “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.” 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.”

GUYMON, Okla. – To say bareback rider J.R. Vezain was excited about his match-up with MGM Deuces Night might be a great understatement. “When I heard callbacks for this rodeo, I was screaming out loud and running around like a little girl,” Vezain said of the great Carr Pro Rodeo horse, which was one of the featured animal athletes at the 80th Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “I had my highest marked ride on that horse last year with an 87 at San Antonio, and I was going for the record this year. “I was going for 90; I knew it was going to be good. I was really stoked to be here.” Vezain, of Cowley, Wyo., didn’t reach his goal, but he wasn’t far off, matching moves with the 7-year-old mare for 89 points to win the rodeo and $4,019. It was the first time in five years that a bareback rider had earned the Guymon victory on a horse other than MGM Deuces Night’s half brother, Dirty Jacket. “She’s super electric,” said Vezain, who finished 20th in the world standings last season. “She bucks hard like that every time you see her out. She’s one of the superstars of bareback horses going down the road.” Vezain beat out a trio of world champions to win the Guymon title – 2011 winner Kaycee Feild and 2008 champ Justin McDaniel finished in a tie for second place with 86s, while three-time titlist Will Lowe placed fourth with an 84. The young Wyoming cowboy would like to add his name to that elite list very soon. “If your goal isn’t to win and to be the best, then you shouldn’t be doing this,” Vezain said. “I think every cowboy wants to break every world record there is, and that’s my goal.” Many of the greatest athletes in ProRodeo hope to leave the Oklahoma Panhandle with the custom-made belt that is awarded to the winners of Pioneer Days Rodeo every year. Sometimes the greatest names in the sport are the ones who wear the distinguished hardware, and the 2012 event was no different. In fact, five world champions left Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo with the titles – team ropers Jake Barnes and Jhett Johnson, steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch, barrel racer Sherry Cervi and saddle bronc rider Chad Ferley, who shared the bronc riding title with young gun Cole Elshere. Barnes and Johnson, roping together for the first time, caught three steers in 21.8 seconds, while Gorsuch downed three steers in 13.5 seconds. Cervi rounded the cloverleaf pattern twice in a cumulative time of 34.55 seconds, and Ferley and Elshere posted 87s – Ferley matched moves with Frontier Rodeo’s Griz, while Elshere rode Powder River Rodeo’s Lipstick & Whiskey. Other Guymon titlists include all-around champion Chase Williams, who pocketed $6,106 in team roping and tie-down roping; steer roper Shay Good, the only cowboy to rope and tie down all five steers, doing so in 90.8 seconds; bull rider Tim Bingham, who scored 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Comanche; and tie-down roper Hunter Herrin, who posted a three-run aggregate of 23.6 seconds. “I drew really good calves,” said Herrin, a five-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier who posted an 8.4-second run on Sunday afternoon. “This afternoon’s calf ran really hard, but my horse was really good today and ran down there to get the calf, and then she was a really good calf when you catch here. Today, though, horsepower was the key.” The week-long competition featured the top names going down the ProRodeo trail today, and that was one of the many incentives for nearly 20,000 fans to be part of the action. “We had great crowds all weekend, and I think they were very happy with the performances they got to see,” said Earl Helm, chairman of the volunteer rodeo company that produces the annual event. Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo Saturday, May 5, 2012 All Around: Chase Williams, team roping and tie-down roping, $6,106. Bareback riding: 1. J.R. Vezain, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night, $4,019; 2. Kaycee Field and Justin McDaniel, 86, $2,679 each; 4. Will Lowe, 84, $1,473; 5. Steven Peebles, 82, $938; 6. Richie Champion and Ryan Gray, 81, $603; 8. Jessy Davis, Tyler Scales and Ty Fast Taypotat, 80, $134 each. Team roping: Third-round: 1. Charles Pogue/Jett Hillman, 6.2 seconds, $1,974; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Paul Eaves, 6.7, $1,716; 3. Bobby Joe Hill/Mickey Gomez and Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 7.1, $1,330 each; 5. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 7.2, $944; 6. Ty Blasingame/Rich Skelton and Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 7.6, $558 each; 1. Miles Williams/Justen Johnson, 7.7, $172. Average: 1. Jake Barnes/Jhett Johnson, 21.8 on three runs, $2,960; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Paul Eaves, 23.2, $2,574; 3. Chase Williams/Chad Williams, 23.4, $2,188; 4. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 23.8, $1,802; 5. Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, 24.0, $1,416; 6. Charles Pogue/Jett Hillman, 24.9, $1,030; 7. Ryan VonAhn/Nick Rowland, 25.0, $644; 8. David Key/Travis Woodard and Cody Lee/Cole Keith Jackson, 25.1, $129 each. Steer roping: Fifth-round: 1. Cody Scheck, 12.1 seconds, $1,885; 2. Buster Record Jr., 12.3, $1,639; 3. Cody Lee, 12.4, $1,393; 4. J.B. Whatley, 12.6, $1,147; 5. Rocky Patterson and JoJo LeMond, 13.0, $778 each; 7. Chet Herren, 13.5, $13.5; 8. Shay Good, 13.6, 13.6, $164. Average: 1. Shay Good, 90.8 on five runs, $5,654; 2. Brad Mohon, 70.3 on four runs, $4,916; 3. Cody Scheck, 70.5, $4,179; 4. Jarrett Blessing, 71.9, $3,441; 5. Will Gasperson, 73.2, $2,704; 6. J.R. Olson, 83.8, $1,967; 7. Mark Milner, 86.4, $1,229; 8. Brent Lewis, 39.7, $492. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Chad Ferley on Frontier Rodeo’s Griz and Cole Elshere on Powder River Rodeo’s Lipstick & Whiskey, 87 points, $3,066 each; 3. Jesse Kruse and Cort Scheer, 85, $1,620; 5. Jesse Bail, 83, $810; 6. Jeff Willert, 82, $579; 7. Cody Martin, Louie Brunson and Chet Johnson, 81, $270. Steer wrestling: Third-round: 1. Tommy Cook, 3.8 seconds, $1,903; 2. Sean Mulligan, 4.1, $1,659; 3. Casey Martin and Shayde Etherton, 4.3, $1,286 each;  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Sometimes a photograph can tell a great story. Saddle bronc rider Cole Elshere relied heavily on a photo of the Powder River Rodeo horse Lipstick & Whiskey, and it paid off on Saturday night during the third performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. The Faith, S.D., cowboy posted an 87-point ride to tie 2006 world champion Chad Ferley for the top spot in saddle bronc riding. “Wade Sundell was 88 points on it at Pocatello (Idaho) just a couple weeks ago, and its picture was in the PSN,” Elshere said of ProRodeo Sports News, the official publication for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “By looking at the picture, I kind of knew what I should give for rein, and I know it would be a pretty good horse.” That it was. Elshere, 22, is in his third year in ProRodeo. A season ago, he finished 36th in the saddle bronc riding world standings. He’d like to make a big move in 2012, and having horses like Lipstick & Whiskey is a big plus. “She just kind of rolled out of the chute and was really nice,” he said. “Then she just started getting better and better and jumping higher and higher. There at the end, it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a horse. Ferley, a five-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from Oelrichs, S.D., posted his 87 on Saturday afternoon by matching moves with Frontier Rodeo’s Griz. “I didn’t know a lot about that horse,” Ferley said. “I knew it was good. I knew it’d been to the NFR, but she was good.” Riding great horse is more than just an ingredient for posting big scores. For great bronc riders, there’s also a hunger. “I’m just out here to make as much money as I can and get on good bucking horses,” Ferley said. “If you get on a good bucking horse, it makes your day even better. If it happens at the end that you get a gold, it’s great.” For now, the South Dakota cowboys share the advantage heading into the final performance of the 80th edition of Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 2 p.m. Sunday. “This would be the first time I’d be able to place here,” Elshere said. “Hopefully I’d be able to win it and win one of those cool belts they give away. It’s one of the prestigious awards they give in ProRodeo.” Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo Third performance Saturday, May 5, 2012 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Kaycee Feild, 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cool Change; 2. Will Lowe, 84; 3. Steven Peebles, 82l 4. Richie Champion and Ryan Gray, 81.0; 6. Jessy Davis, Tyler Scales and Ty Fast Taypotat, 80. Team roping: Third-round leaders: 1. Bobby Joe Hill/Mickey Gomez and Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 7.1 seconds; 3. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 7.2; 4. Ty Blasingame/Rich Skelton and Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 7.6; 6. Miles Williams/Justen Johnson, 7.7; 7. Ryan VonAhn/Nick Rowland, 8.1; 8. Brock Hanson/Ryan Motes, 8.3. Average leaders: 1. Jake Barnes/Jhett Johnson, 21.8 on three runs; 2. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 23.8; 3. Ryan VonAhn/Nick Rowland, 25.0; 4. David Key/Travis Woodard and Cody Lee/Cole Keith Jackson, 25.1; 6. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 25.4; 7. Bobby Joe Hill/Mickey Gomez, 29.1; 8. Tyler Wade/Tyler Barton, 30.7. Steer roping: Fifth-round leaders: 1. Cody Scheck, 12.1 seconds; 2. Cody Lee, 12.4; 3. Rocky Patterson and JoJo LeMond, 13.0; 5. Chet Herren, 13.5; 6. Shay Good, 13.6; 7. Cash Myers, 13.9; 8. Brent Lewis, 14.0. Average leaders: 1. Shay Good, 90.8 on five runs; 2. Cody Scheck, 70.5 seconds on four runs; 3. Will Gasperson, 73.2; 4. J.R. Olson, 83.8; 5. Mark Milner, 86.4; 6. Brent Lewis, 39.7; 7. Cody Lee and JoJo LeMond, 40.9 on three. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chad Ferley on Frontier Rodeo’s Griz and Cole Elshere on Powder River Rodeo’s Lipstick & Whiskey, 87 points; 3. Jesse Kruse and Cort Scheer, 85; 5. Jesse Bail, 83; 6. Jeff Willert, 82; 7. Cody Martin, Louie Brunson and Chet Johnson, 81. Steer wrestling: Third-round leaders: 1. Tommy Cook, 3.8 seconds; 2. Sean Mulligan, 4.1; 3. Casey Martin and Shayde Etherton, 4.3; 5. Royce Johnson, 4.5; 6. Hunter Cure, , Ryan Swayze, Trell Etbauer and Dean Gorsuch, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Dean Gorsuch, 13.5 seconds on three runs; 2. Todd Suhn, 13.9; 3. Tommy Cook, 14.6; 4. Mitchell Gardner, 14.7; 5. Ricky Riley, 14.9; 6. Cooper Shofner, 15.3, 7. Ryan Swayze, 15.8; 8. Royce Johnson, 16.2. Tie-down roping: Third-round leaders: 1. Dane Kissack and Fred Whitfield, 7.6 seconds; 3. Cody McCartney, 7.9; 4. Ace Slone, 8.1; 5. Blair Burk, 8.5; 6. Brice Ingo and Cody Prescott, 9.0; 8. Chad Masters and Cimarron Thompson, 9.7. Average leaders: 1. Blair Burk, 24.2 seconds on three; 2. Cody McCartney, 24.4; 3. Jeremiah Peek, 27.4; 4. Cody Prescott, 28.3; 5. Fred Whitfield, 28.8; 6. Dane Kissack, 29.3; 7. Clint Cooper, 29.7; 6. Ace Slone, 31.9. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Stevi Hillman and Sabrina Ketcham, 17.19 seconds; 3. Kaley Bass, 17.24; 4. Sherry Cervi, 17.25; 5. Karen Little, 17.35; 6. Fallon Taylor, 17.36; 7. Liz Combs, 17.37; 8. Kenna Squires, 17.43; 9. Brittany Grant, 17.45; 10. Meagan Reichert, 17.46. Average leaders: 1. Sherry Cervi, 34.55 seconds on two; 2. Kaley Bass, 34.80; 3. Karen Little, 34.86; 4. Liz Combs and  Brittany Grant, 34.90; 6. Kenna Squire, 34.95; 7. Meagan Reichert, 34.99; 8. Lisa Ogden, 35.18; 9. Stevi Hillman, 35.22; 10. Whitney Pitmon, 35.25. Bull riding leaders: 1. Josh Koschel, 84 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Tiger Lips; 2. Dustin Elliott, 82; 3. Tag Elliott, 81; 4. Ty Hamaker, 79; 5. Jimmy Anderson, 77; 6. Clayton Savage, 74; 7. Brett Stall, 66.

GUYMON, Okla. – The accolades are great, and the gold buckles are awesome, but that’s not why Chad Ferley competes in rodeo. “I’m just out here to make as much money as I can and get on good bucking horses,” said Ferley, the 2006 world champion saddle bronc rider from Oelrichs, S.D. “If you get on a good bucking horse, it makes your day even better. If it happens at the end that you get a gold, it’s great.” Ferley had a great time on Saturday afternoon, posting an 87-point ride on Frontier Rodeo Co.’s Griz to take the lead at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. He’s two points ahead of 2009 world champion Jesse Kruse heading into the final two performances of Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo, celebrating its 80th anniversary this weekend. “I didn’t know a lot about that horse,” Ferley said. “I knew it was good. I knew it’d been to the NFR, but she was good.” Both Ferley and Griz were atop their game on a hot Sunday afternoon in the state’s Panhandle region. That marking should guarantee Ferley a good paycheck, if not the outright win – it would be the first time in his 12-year career that he had won this rodeo. “I’ve placed here a couple of times,” he said. “The last couple of years I didn’t have very good horses, but I had a good one today.” Cody Scheck of Ellinwood, Kan., has had mixed reviews at Pioneer Days Rodeo over the last few years. Scheck, a three-time qualifier to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, moved into the lead of this year’s championship with a solid 12.1-second run on Saturday afternoon – he sits atop the fifth-round and average standings, having tied down four of five steers in 70.5 seconds. Doing well in Guymon is important to the Kansas cowboy. It means a lot,” he said. “When I first started, I always did good at Guymon. They had the steer roping out at Texhoma, and it was kind of a pasture doctoring contest. The last three years, I don’t think I’ve scratched at Guymon.” Through the first four rounds, Scheck had earned just $656, but he is in position to add to that. Of course, the top cowboys in the aggregate have yet to compete, so he’s keeping that in mind with performances set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. “Making any money here helps because it gives you some money as you set out on the summer run,” Scheck said. Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo Second performance Saturday, May 5, 2012 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Kaycee Feild, 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cool Change; 2. Will Lowe, 84; 3. Richie Champion and Ryan Gray, 81.0; 5. Jessy Davis, 80. 6. Jared Keylon, 77; 7. Matt Bright, 75; 8. Kyle Brennecke, 74. Team roping: Third-round leaders: 1. Bobby Joe Hill/Mickey Gomez, 7.1 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 7.2; 3. Ty Blasingame/Rich Skelton, 7.6; 4. Miles Williams/Justen Johnson, 7.7; 5. Brock Hanson/Ryan Motes, 8.3; 6. Jake Barnes/Jhett Johnson and David Key/Travis Woodard, 8.7; 6. Cody Lee/Cole Keith Jackson, 8.8. Average leaders: 1. Jake Barnes/Jhett Johnson, 21.8 on three runs; 2. David Key/Travis Woodard and Cody Lee/Cole Keith Jackson, 25.1; 4. Bobby Joe Hill/Mickey Gomez, 29.1; 5. Tyler Wade/Tyler Barton, 30.7; 6. Casey Hicks/Nick simmons, 34.2; 7. Bobby Boyd/Shain Sproul, 25.1; 8. Brock Hanson/Ryan Motes, 13.3 on two. Steer roping: Fifth-round leaders: 1. Cody Scheck, 12.1 seconds; 2. Cody Lee, 12.4; 3. Rocky Patterson, 13.0; 4. Chet Herren, 13.5; 5. Cash Myers, 13.9; 6. Justin Bay, 15.4; 7. Will Gasperson, 16.4; 8. Jim Folk, 17.7. Average leaders: Cody Scheck, 70.5 seconds on four runs; 2. Will Gasperson, 73.2; 3. Shay Good, 77.2; 4. Cody Lee, 40.9 on three; 5. Chet Herren, 47.3; 6. Rocky Patterson, 47.5 on three; 7. Shorty Garten, 48.7; 8. Cash Myers, 49.4. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chad Ferley, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Griz; 2. Jesse Kruse, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Corner Guard; 2. Jesse Bail, 83; 4. Jeff Willert, 82; 5. Cody Martin, 81; 6. Jeremy Ray Melancon, 79; 7. Joaquin Real and Justin Browning, 78. Steer wrestling: Third-round leaders: 1. Sean Mulligan, 4.1 seconds; 2. Casey Martin and Shayde Etherton, 4.3; 4. Hunter Cure, 4.7; 5. Cooper Shofner, 4.8; 6. Todd Suhn, 5.0; 7. Matt Reeves, 5.1; 8. Mitchell Gardner and Dru Melvin, 5.3. Average leaders: 1. Todd Suhn, 13.9 seconds; 2. Mitchell Gardner, 14.7; 3. Cooper Shofner, 15.3, 4. Dru Melvin, 17.5; 5. Sean Mulligan, 17.9; 6. Brent Sutton, 20.8; 7. Shayde Etherton, 22.8 on three; 2. Casey Martin and Gabe Taylor, 23.0. Tie-down roping: Third-round leaders: 1. Dane Kissack and Fred Whitfield, 7.6 seconds; 3. Cody McCartney, 7.9; 4. Ace Slone, 8.1; 5. Blair Burk, 8.5; 6. Cody Prescott, 9.0; Cimarron Thompson, 9.7; 8. Colby Lovell and Jeremiah Peek, 10.1. Average leaders: 1. Blair Burk, 24.2 seconds on three; 2. Cody McCartney, 24.4; 3. Jeremiah Peek, 27.4; 4. Cody Prescott, 28.3; 5. Fred Whitfield, 28.8; 6. Dane Kissack, 29.3; 7. Clint Cooper, 29.7; 6. Ace Slone, 31.9. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Stevi Hillman and Sabrina Ketcham, 17.19 seconds; 3. Kaley Bass, 17.24; 4. Sherry Cervi, 17.25; 5. Fallon Taylor, 17.36; 6. Brittany Grant, 17.45; 7. Meagan Reichert, 17.46; 8. Rainy Graham, 17.56; 9. Lisa Ogden and Kara Large, 17.55.  Average leaders: 1. Sherry Cervi, 34.55 seconds on two; 2. Kaley Bass, 34.80; 3. Brittany Gratn, 34.90; 4. Meagan Reichert, 34.99; 5. Lisa Ogden, 35.18; 6. Stevi Hillman, 35.22; 7. Kassidy Dennison, 35.27; 8. Delores Toole, 35.37. Bull riding leaders: 1. Josh Koschel, 84 points on Frontier Rodoe’s Tiger Lips; 2. Dustin Elliott, 82 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Charlie’s Bandito; 2. Jimmy Anderson, 77; 3. Clayton Savage, 74; 4. Brett Stall, 66.