Monthly Archives: June 2012

For the second straight weekend, I’m working from the cool confines of my home in northwest Missouri, but my mind’s 1,000 miles away in west Texas. The West of the Pecos Rodeo is where hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls kicked off their 2012 Cowboy Christmas. Tonight will feature the final performance in Pecos, and some  Continue Reading »

The “8 Seconds to Glory” gala is more than a reunion for the 1992 movie “8 Seconds.” The celebration is a benefit to Western Wishes, which was founded in 1994 by Donnalyn Quintana. The gala will take place at the Little America Event Center Grand Ballroom on July 21 in Cheyenne, Wyo., coinciding with the  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – It looks like Dirty Jacket is up to his old tricks. Clint Cannon is quite happy about it, too. Cannon, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Waller, Texas, rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s 8-year-old bay gelding for 90 points on Wednesday night to take the bareback riding lead at the West  Continue Reading »

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – A few years ago, T.J. Holgate was one of a few Navajo bareback riders in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Holgate, the chairman of the Navajo Nation Fourth of July PRCA Rodeo, was a couple decades too early to test his skills against the awesome bucking horses from Carr Pro Rodeo.  Continue Reading »

Far removed from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, it’s sometimes difficult for me to be in touch with the news touching Colorado. That’s not the case right now. The wildfires that are scorching the beautiful landscape have made national news. Destination locales for vacationers have been blackened and charred. And now, the breathing  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – Steven Dent has been one of the best bareback riders going down the rodeo trail most of his six-year ProRodeo career. MGM Deuces Night has been one of the best bareback horses in the sport each of the past three seasons she’s bucked. They’ll meet during the final performance of the West  Continue Reading »

BIG SPRING, Texas – History is a big part the sport of rodeo, but it’s the foundation of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. The event bucked for the 79th time from June 21-23 at the Big Spring Rodeo Bowl, and fans witnessed an outstanding competition and a fantastic celebration. “The highlight for me  Continue Reading »

It’s almost time for the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo short go-round, which features the top 12 contestants (and teams) from the preliminary rounds in the western Nevada city. Tonight’s field is filled with world champions and regular qualifiers to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Payouts have been made in each of the first two go-rounds, so  Continue Reading »

My phone dinged today, making that sound that identifies an incoming text message. It was my dear friend, Sandy Gwatney, and it was one of two. Now, I know Sandy is hanging out in Big Spring, Texas, for the three days of the Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. As I open my little bundle, I get  Continue Reading »

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – T.J. Holgate wears many hats, and almost all of them are cowboy. Holgate is a Window Rock District Court judge, a cowboy and a proud Navajo. He ties it all together quite nicely as the volunteer chairman of the Navajo Nation Fourth of July PRCA Rodeo, set for 6 p.m. Wednesday,  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – When Paul Peterson leans over the chute to grab the strap wrapped around Dirty Jacket’s flank, the veteran cowboy knows there’s danger ahead. “When he leaves the chute, he’s trying to kick the flankman off the back of the chute,” said Kaycee Feild, the reigning bareback riding world champion who won the  Continue Reading »

DUNCAN, Okla. – Over the course of his career, Stockton Graves has been one of those cowboys who battled every step of the way to play on the biggest stages of ProRodeo. Whether it’s qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo or the championship round of the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo, Graves competes for  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – The last time she performed, MGM Deuces Night helped rising star J.R. Vezain to the bareback riding victory in Guymon, Okla. The two athletes worked together quite well in the Oklahoma Panhandle community, posting an 89-point ride and sending another statement in the already rich resume of the 7-year-old bay/paint mare. Each  Continue Reading »

When I first met Tanner Aus, he seemed to be a soft-spoken young man who was learning the ins and outs of the rodeo world with veteran cowboy D.V. Fennell. “He’s good, Ted,” is what D.V. told me last August as the two camped out in my basement for a couple of days. Yes, he  Continue Reading »

Last year in my first venture to Lea County, N.M., I had no idea what to expect. I arrived in Lovington, home of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, wondering about the little things that go into the community of 10,000 and why it’s host to a Wrangler Million Dollar Tour event in ProRodeo. Oh,  Continue Reading »

CASPER, Wyo. – The score sheet doesn’t say much about what Tanner Braden did for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University men’s rodeo team during the College National Finals Rodeo. Braden, a senior heeler from Dewey, Okla., failed to record a qualified time in the opening two go-rounds of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s championship event;  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – ProRodeo’s best have made a statement: The West of the Pecos Rodeo is an important part of the schedule. More than 630 contestants have signed up to compete in the annual rodeo, set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 27-Saturday, June 30, at Buck Jackson Arena. That’s up nearly 10 percent from a  Continue Reading »

BIG SPRING, Texas – The Big Spring Rodeo Bowl will be the showcase for some of the greatest animal athletes in the sport. The foundation, though, is on the Carr Pro Rodeo ranch southeast of Athens in east Texas. It’s where bucking horses and bulls are pampered and where trees align pastureland to provide shade  Continue Reading »

Tyrel Larsen has worked long and hard to win the first of what I suspect to be many major championships. The Inglis, Manitoba, cowboy sealed his first College National Finals Rodeo title with a big-time short-round ride on Saturday night in Casper, Wyo.  It was an important night for Larsen, his family and those who  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – By the time Chris Kirby is ready for bull riding at the West of the Pecos Rodeo, he will already be drenched in sweat from a full night’s worth of work tackling many of the behind-the-scenes duties that are involved in producing an event of this caliber. It’s OK, though. It’s something  Continue Reading »

I first met Chris Kirby in May 2011 at the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo. I liked him immediately. On Friday night, I found out a little more about the Kaufman, Texas, bullfighter and why I like him. The man isn’t afraid to work, and he tackles every task with gusto. Kirby is a truck  Continue Reading »

BIG SPRING, Texas – Rodeo is a tough sport, an even tougher profession. The only way for cowboys and cowgirls to earn their pay is to beat most of the others in each competition. Even for the best in the business, it’s a daunting task. For roughstock cowboys, those who ride bucking animals, it means  Continue Reading »

BIG SPRING, Texas – One of the toughest jobs in the world of rodeo is being a bull rider; just try staying on nearly a ton of twisting, spinning muscle that was bred to do this. Just staying on doesn’t necessarily guarantee a cowboy will win a big check. In fact, once the first task  Continue Reading »

DALLAS – Pete Carr knows what it takes to produce high quality. He strives to do it with every thing he prepares, from his commercial construction company to his livestock firm. It makes good sense that he is doing the same thing with Carr Pro Rodeo’s updated and enhanced website, www.CarrProRodeo.com. He reached out to  Continue Reading »