Monthly Archives: August 2012

By Lynette Harbin I don’t normally wear cowgirl hats. I leave cowboy hats to my husband. But I enjoy wearing decorative headpieces, as long as they’re cute and look good on me. That’s why I was willing to try a Whittall & Shon Navajo cowgirl hat. From the selection I saw on the company’s website (seen HERE), I thought it would be the best fit for my style and my wardrobe. When it arrived, I was excited to see it. The black straw hat was laced with rhinestones, and the headpiece in the middle was beautifully strewn in turquoise and beads that shine. The front center is decorated with a beautiful star that shines brightly in the light. When I tried it on, I loved the way it looked on me. But the one-size-fits all feature in the headband came with a bit of a problem – it’s a draw-string tie in the back; to tighten or loosen the hat, you must pinch the tab and slide it up or down the elastic string. In order to then wear the hat, you must either attempt to bunch the string inside or let it hang down in the back. If it’s bunched up inside the hat, the tab presses on the back of your head and provides great discomfort. If you let it hang down in the back then it just looks silly. If I can figure out a way to make the fat hit my head correctly without the tab, then it definitely is worth wearing. If not, then I’ll find alternatives.

One of the most intriguing questions I have for contestants that have won multiple world titles is if there is one gold buckle that stands out more than the others. Yeah, it’s a tough question. What I’ve learned over time is that there are wonderful things about each, and it’s hard for the cowboys and cowgirls to pick one over any of the others. What the question reveals often is a wonderful tale of what had happened leading up to each season’s finale, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Such is the case with Bobby Mote, a four-time world champion bareback rider from Culver, Ore., who won gold buckles in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2010. “They were all different,” Mote told me today. “The first one was about me making right from the year before. I had it won the year before, and I failed in the 10th round. It was about knowing that I could do it even when the chips were down.” The second one came after a dry spell and learning to refocus. In fact, he dominated the season and had a big enough lead heading to the NFR that he held onto the No. 1 spot after the 10 days ended. “In 2009, I was determined I was going to win,” Mote said. “Then 2010 was special, because I had tried to repeat before, but I gained a real appreciation for what it takes to win the world title.” Both were special in another way – Mote overcame some serious ailments to collect gold at the end of those two seasons. The 2009 title came even though he spent four months competing with a serious neck injury; a year later, he began the season with neck surgery, then overcame a sports hernia to finish atop the standings. Over the course of his career, Mote has proven he’s one of the greatest to have ever played the game. He’s also proven he’s one of the toughest.

One of the realities of my 3-year-old daughter’s Monday-Wednesday-Friday preschool schedule is that she’s home with me two days a week. I can look at my busy days and see this as a hindrance – and I sometimes do – but today I choose to look at it as a beautiful opportunity as I work. She’ll be 4 on Dec. 1, and I know that very soon she will be involved in so many of her other activities that I won’t have this to view. It helps, too, that she’s been playing by herself awfully well today, so I’m able to be quite productive while caring for her. It’s a good day at Daddy Daycare. With that, I get the chance to listen to her “conversations” and hear her disgust as I walk across the “soccer field” to get me a drink from the kitchen. I get to listen to her explore her own personality and her own imagination, and I’m thrilled. Channing just asked me to hurriedly take off her medical knee pads – otherwise known as her sister’s old soccer shinguards – because her imaginary playmate just fell and hurt her knee. “She needs them more than I do, so can you help me?” As I did, I couldn’t help but think of that time 40-some years ago when my mother walked into our back yard to ask me what I was doing. She’d been watching me play football for some time from the kitchen window, so she was enthralled as to why, all of the sudden, her 6-year-old son was on his knees not playing football with all those imaginary players anymore. “Because, Mom, I tackled this guy so hard that I hurt him, and I have to do surgery if he’s going to live,” I told her as I sliced and stitched and repaired my opponent’s ailments right there on the 50-yard line. That’s why it’s fairly easy for me to stop writing this piece about the American Royal and help Channing as hurries to help her imaginary playmate. After all, we can’t keep playing if we have no one to play with us, can we?

I’m still awaiting official word on the PRCA standings – which will be released later today – but it looks like the dogfighting has begun for those hoping to secure their spots in the field for the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Take bareback riding, for example. Matt Bright, 29, of Azle, Texas, won two rodeo titles last week – he claimed the outright title in Kennewick, Wash., and shared the championship in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., with three-time world champion Will Lowe – and finished third in Lynden, Wash. At those three rodeos alone, Bright earned $11,382. That moved his season earnings to $51,105 and up to about the 12th spot in the standings – only the top 15 in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the year-end finale in Las Vegas. Now Bright hopes that hot streak continues over the next month of the regular season so he can return for his third straight trip to the NFR. Once the standings are released, though, they will reveal he is among about 10 cowboys with similar earnings at this point in the 2012 campaign. Let the dogfight begin.

The first time I told Tate Stratton’s story was nearly a decade ago when he was an up-and-coming bull rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He’d just won the Lawton (Okla.) Rangers Rodeo, and he was hoping to make a name for himself riding bulls for a living. Fast-forward to 2012, where Stratton is having another magnificent season. He sits seventh in the bull riding world standings, having earned more than $66,000. He has all but secured his third Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification in four years. Much has changed over the last few years, but one thing has remained in the young New Mexican’s life; he’s got a strong will to succeed. Sometimes that’s just the thing it takes to push an athlete over the edge, and I believe that’s the focus for Stratton as he closes out the remainder of his 2012 season. Already he’s less than $15,000 shy of surpassing his earnings from 2011. This past Tuesday, he got a nice boost by winning the Xtreme Bulls Tour event in Kennewick, Wash. He also won the first round and the average titles in Caldwell, Idaho, which concluded a week ago – in the last week and a half, Stratton has pocketed $9,204; that’s how he moved from 10th to seventh in the world standings in short order. It took Stratton a little longer than he had hoped to qualify for the NFR, ProRodeo’s grand finale. Now he’s a fixture in Las Vegas and has earned his place among the greatest that have ever played the game.

It didn’t take long for S.O. PerksAmericanRose to make a statement in ProRodeo. In just her third rodeo, the 5-year-old sorrel mare guided Tara Timms to the title at the 2012 Silverton (Texas) Buck Wild Days Rodeo. “She’s come on for me really nicely,” said Timms, 21, of Sudan, Texas. “I sold my rodeo horses, so now I’m training more horses. I haven’t gotten to go near as much this year and I would’ve liked, but it’s helped me get my young ones going.” To read more, go to the WPRA website.

Sometimes it’s nice just to play catch-up with someone. It’s been a few years since I first visited with Tara Timms, a young cowgirl who won the WPRA Junior Championship in 2008. I did a story about her winning that title for Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the WPRA’s official publication. I visited with her earlier this week for another story, a snippet about her win in Silverton, Texas, last week for the association’s website, wpra.com. What I appreciated most was that we were almost able to pick up where we left off a few years ago. Since then, she’s moved away from her family’s place in Leedey, Okla., and is pursuing her dreams on barrel horses while living in the Texas Panhandle community of Sudan. But she’s genuine and well-spoken. She truly adores working with horses, and she’s awfully proud of her young mare, Stach, which helped Timms collect checks at two of the first three rodeos in which the 5-year-old sorrel has ever run. I’d be awfully proud, too.

American Royal Parade will take place in downtown Kansas City on Sept. 29 KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Midwesterners will have an outstanding opportunity to say thank you to all who have served in the United States Military during the 2012 American Royal Parade. The annual downtown Kansas City spectacle will be highlighted and kicked off by a 10 a.m. flyover of two United States Air Force A-10s on Saturday, Sept. 29, heading north on Grand Boulevard from Pershing Road to 13th Street; it will feature entries from active and retired military as well as marching bands, drill teams, 500 Boy Scouts, 4H and FFA and many other youth-oriented activities. The Midwest is traditionally patriotic and supportive of the military, and the American Royal wants to say thank you to those who have served, regardless of their branch of the service and including all time periods. The theme, “The American Royal, Kansas City and American Agriculture Pay Tribute to the American Military,” is a way to tie in many things that are associated with the annual American Royal fall season, which runs Sept. 6-Nov. 17 in the West Bottoms. “Since 1899, the American Royal’s mission has been to support youth and education because that is the future of our nation,” said Bob Petersen, American Royal president and CEO. “The military has provided us the freedom to do this for many generations … freedom that also allowed our nation’s farmers to provide a bounty of food that fed our population. Without our military, none of this would have been possible. It is time we focused on saying thank you.” From world wars more than a half century ago to the battles in locales like Afghanistan and Iraq, much has been sacrificed by members of the military and their families. “The American Royal has been doing a parade for 87 years, and our focus has always been on youth, education and agriculture,” said Bryden Becker, American Royal’s director of Festival Events & Promotions. “We were very fortunate that our mayor, Sly James, who is a Marine, was willing to send out an invitation on our behalf to every commander and post within 250 miles, asking if they would do the city the honor of being in this parade. The mayor’s personal invitation has helped to establish this parade as a must-attend event.” The parade is a mile and a half route that will be celebrating many of the things that many Midwesterners value. The United States military has kept our lives free; American agriculture has produced a bounty that is the envy of the world; and youth leadership delivers a successful future. The title sponsor for this year’s parade is Cerner Corp. “We are very pleased with the support Cerner has given the American Royal this year and in the past,” Petersen said. They are a great Kansas City institution and have a significant interest in recruiting former military members for future employment.” The Parade embodies the spirit of the American Royal, a charitable organization designed to support youth, education and Heartland values. This reflects the primary mission of the American Royal for more than 110 years, day in and day out. It’s the foundation for the fall season of events; whether it’s the barbecue, the rodeo, the livestock and the equine competitions, it’s all captured in a parade that celebrates the best the Midwest has to offer. The parade will feature Grand Marshal Ike Skelton, the former U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 4th Congressional District. While in Congress, Skelton served as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “This is all about providing the biggest thank you the greater Kansas City area can possibly give to the American military,” Becker said. From the large number of Boy Scouts to the A-10s out of Whiteman Air Force Base, there is a large contingency that will be a major player in the overall appearance of the parade, which includes the 9th Marine Corps with more than 100 troops and vehicles; Gold Star families and the Patriot Guard riders; Veterans Administration; VFW; farm equipment; 4H and FFA participants; Fort Riley soldiers; international officers from Fort Leavenworth; marching bands and drill teams from high schools and military academies; the Kansas National Guard 35th Infantry Division Band; and Junior ROTC units from all over. “We are working hard to make this the kind of thank you that Kansas City and the Heartland want to give,” Becker said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appears in the August issue of Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the official publication of the WPRA. Be sure to get yourself a copy. Whether they’re a two-time world champion like Brittany Pozzi or a newcomer like Nikki Steffes or somewhere in between like Kenna Squires and Jean Winters, the WPRA Qualifying Tour is a big hit already. Just a few weeks into the system, plenty of cowgirls have found the tour to their liking, and it goes well beyond the opportunities that might be in place for them in 2013. No, they’re getting the most bang for their buck right now. “The qualifying tour is a big deal for us, because we’re able to make some decisions about rodeos because they’re part of it,” said Steffes of Vale, S.D., who won the Mandan (N.D.) Rodeo Days and placed second at the Airdrie (Alberta) Pro Rodeo, both of which are part of the newly established tour. “It’ll be interesting. Calgary being approved will be a game-changer for sure. “Houston has a lot of money available, so you want to be part of that field. Calgary has a lot of money, too, and only 20 girls get to run at it. You really want to be one of those 20 girls.” That’s why the qualifying tour works. Only the elite cowgirls in the final tour standings will earn the right to compete in the 2013 Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, one of the most prestigious events in the sport. Pozzi won the average title at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper, reeling in $7,187. She won the first round and finished runner-up in the finale for a two-run total of 33.11 seconds, nearly three-tenths of a second faster than No. 2 cowgirl Kaley Bass. Calgary also a nice bonus for the cowgirls who are chasing the big bucks at these established rodeos. “It means a lot to most of us that are from Texas especially,” said Squires, of Fredonia, Texas, who won the West of the Pecos Rodeo after posting 17.31-second run, worth $3,253. “They do a great job with a great big pen making the ground right. It was worth driving all the way back from Reno (Nev.) to get to Pecos. “It was 109 degrees when we got there, but it worked out alright.” Yes, it did. Winters knows the feeling after posting a 16.90-second run to win the Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale, Ark., to close out the Fourth of July run. She was the only cowgirl in the three-day rodeo to run a time in less than 17 seconds. “It was really cool, because when I found out that I won Springdale, I was sitting at the computer with my husband,” said Winter of Texline, Texas. “It meant a lot to me because it was one of the qualifying tour rodeos. My hauling partner, Kylee Schumacher, won money, too, so that was good for both of us.” The tour is already a big hit among competitors, and there are a number of top-level events to go to help each contender move into that sweet 20 position. West Texas Gem Kenna Squires has been around barrel racing most of her lifetime. She lives for it, and she realizes just how special it is to raise a great horse. Take Rambling For Fame, a 9-year-old brown gelding by Rambling For Gold out of YR Sadie, a Dash Ta Fame mare. “I bought Rambler when he was a long yearling at a sale in Oklahoma,” Squires said. “He’s out of California and was raised on the Western 37 Ranch. He’s never been ridden by anybody but me. “I won the Speed Horse on him when that was a big deal. He had a pretty good futurity year with me.” He’s having a pretty good year in 2012, too. Squires and Rambler blazed around the cloverleaf pattern quickly, bettering Stacey Grimes, who posted a 17.45. That was a nice pull for Squires, who not only earned tour points but also padded her place in the Texas Circuit standings. “At Pecos, they work the ground every five, so it really doesn’t matter where you get up,” she said. “But, I’ll admit, I drew really good on the ground.” Whatever works at this stage of the game. It’s also a nice break from the trouble she had in 2011. “My horses got crippled on me last year,” she said, “It was the year from hell. It was definitely the summer from hell. This year, I decided I’m not trying good enough.” Squires has faith in Rambler, a standout she’s using while the iron is – and temperatures are – hot. “He’s easy going, and he doesn’t take an extra step if he doesn’t have to,” Squires said. “After 320 saddles on him, he was pretty much the same as he is today. He’s easy and fun. He’s pretty. He’s got some great characteristics. You can spot Rambler way off. He’s been good to me. “The other horses are good to me in the winter. In the summertime, there’s not a horse in the world that’s more fun to ride. I’ve got lots of horses, but I’ve never ridden one like him.” Twice As Nice Nikki Steffes realizes she’s got something special in Dash Ta Vanila, a 7-year-old palomino mare by Dash Ta Fame out of SX Frenchmans Vanila. “Nilla was really awesome over the whole Fourth of July,” said Steffes, who won College National Finals Rodeo all-around titles in 2007 and 2009 while attending the University of Wyoming-Laramie. “She ran hard. She handled the ground. She handled the atmosphere.” That’s a lot of maturity out of a fairly young horse, but Steffes knows the palomino has something great. “I love that rodeo in Mandan,” she said. “It’s always been one of my favorites. It’s one of the best in our circuit. “It’s a very high pressure situation, and she thrives on it. She stayed really focused, and she  Continue Reading »

SILVERTON, Texas – World-class horses lead to world champion cowboys. For those who competed at the Buck Wild Days Rodeo last week, the men who ride bucking horses saw that over and over again. But one particular animal athlete, Carr Pro Rodeo’s Centerfold, really showed off inside Wood Memorial Arena. “She had two really nice trips in Silverton,” said Pete Carr, owner of the Dallas-based firm that provided the livestock for the annual rodeo. “She’s been a great mare for a long time.” Yes, she has. Centerfold has been selected to buck at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, an honor bestowed upon by the top saddle bronc riders on the ProRodeo trail. In Silverton, she likely got some more votes for the 2012 finale, which will take place Dec. 6-15 in Las Vegas. Jeremy Melancon of Huntsville, Texas, won the Buck Wild Days Rodeo title by matching moves with the 11-year-old sorrel mare for 83 points. Melancon earned $1,066, but he wasn’t the only bronc rider to cash a check on the horse; Ryan Bestol of Hyannis, Neb., rode Centerfold for 76 points to finish fifth, earning $226. Of course, it helps that both Melancon and Bestol are rising stars in rodeo. “To win a rodeo, a guy has to draw well and take care of business, and I think of those guys handed her just right,” Carr said. Cody Heffernan was the most talented bull rider in Silverton, riding Carr’s Mingus Nights for 84 points in the opening go-round. How tough was the bull riding in the Texas Panhandle community? The Australian cowboy was the only bull rider to stay on for the qualifying eight seconds. Other big winners were bareback rider Bill Tutor of Huntsville, who won the first round and the two-ride aggregate total and $702; all-around cowboy Trell Etbauer, who pocketed $1,434 in tie-down roping and steer wrestling, including a share of the bulldogging title with Justin Blaine Davis; team ropers Trey Harmon and Brady Harmon; tie-down roper Jesse Clark; and barrel racer Tara Timms. Silverton Buck Wild Days Rodeo Silverton, Texas, Aug. 16-18 All-around cowboy: Trell Etbauer, $1,434, steer wrestling and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: First round: 1. Bill Tutor, 81 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Sierra Madre, $351; 2. Colt Bruce, 75 on Carr’s Island Girl, $263; 3. (tie) Codi Myers, on Carr’s Short Fuse, and Wyatt Hancock, on Carr’s Step Mom,73, $132 each. Second round: 1. Shon Gibson, 68 points Carr Pro Rodeo’s Collins Pride, $351; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Bill Tutor, 81 points on one head, $351; 2. Colt Bruce, 75, $263; 3. Wyatt Hancock, 73, $175; 4. Johnae Killian, 70, $88. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Justin Blaine Davis and Trell Etbauer, 4.6 seconds, $919 each; 3. Kash Koester, 4.8, $659; 4. Riley Duvall, 5.2, $485; 5. Monty Eakin, 5.3, $312; 6. Cody Moore, 5.4, $173. Team roping: 1. Trey Harmon/Braden Harmon, 6.2 seconds, $1,291 each; 2. Jake Orman/Boogie Ray, 6.4, $1,069; 3. (tie) Tommy Edens/Trey Norris III and Nick Thompson/Justin Pruitt, 7.0, $735 each; 5. Casey Gattis/Seth Smithson, 7.7, $401; 6. Chase Boekhaus/Austin Rogers, 7.9, $223. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jeremy Melancon, 83 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Centerfold, $1,066; 2. Casey Sisk, 80 on Carr’s Miss Congeniality, $808; 3. Sterling Crawley, 79 on Carr’s Choir Girl, $581; 4. Dean Wadsworth, 77 on Carr’s Deuces Wild, $388; 5. Ryan Bestol, 76 on Carr’s Centerfold, $226; 6. Ryan Montroy, 75 on Carr’s Get Back Jack, $162. Tie-down roping: 1. Jesse Clark, 9.6 seconds, $1,068; 2. R.H. Whitten, 10.8, $884; 3. Tommy Smith, 11.1, $699; 4. Trell Etbauer, 11.3, $515; 5. Shank Edwards, 12.0, $331; 6. Tyson Runyan, 12.1, $184. Barrel racing: 1. Tara Timms, 17.72 seconds, $721; 2. Jordan Taton, 17.94, $627; 3. Cindy Smith, 18.00, $533; 4. Susan Siggins, 18.03, $439; 5. (tie) Andrea Wolf and Tracey Austin-Ivy, 18.08, $298 each; 7. Lizzy Ehr, 18.18, $157; 8. Whitney Dutton, 18.24, $63. Bull riding: First round: 1. Cody Heffernan, 84 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Mingus Nights, $322; no other qualified rides. Second round: No qualified rides. Average: 1. Cody Heffernan, 84 points on one head, $322.

Youth get a great chance to learn about the world, themselves in just four days KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Life’s lessons come in a variety of ways, but Al Davis likes it when they come a little old school. That’s one reason why he likes the American Royal’s Ranch Camp, a four-day adventure in which more than 70 children learn about college, agriculture and a few things about themselves. “It’s getting out of your normal neighborhood and seeing there are other people and other things that are bigger than that,” said Davis, the American Royal’s manager of education. “When you go to camp, you know just a handful of people, but over a few days you’ve become a healthy community. You can’t help but want that around you. You want to keep that. “With today’s social media, they’ve been able to extend that beyond the four days they’re at camp. They communicate all year long, and they have positive role models leading them.” The program was established 13 years ago when Davis served as a 4-H Extension agent. Starting as Open Camp then Cabins 4 Kids, it had the goal of working with inner city youth and designed in the 4-H model to offer support, education and instill youth with agrarian and 4-H values. In the years that have followed, Cabins 4 Kids and the Royal Ranch Camp have blossomed. As children mature in the program, they become more involved. That foundation has been a key ingredient in the teaching and training of the region’s youth. Youngsters from ages 7-12 are campers. Those 13-15 are involved in Leadership 101, which provides training and practicum to assist the teens in taking the next step in the hierarchy of the camp’s program. Those that are 16 and older are counselors and oversee a big portion of what happens over the four days. “It works because little kids look up to big kids, and big kids like to boss little kids,” Davis said. “They all learn positive life skills. They learn whether to lead, how to follow, how to teach. They learn how everything has a consequence. We take all those things and teach through activities.” This year’s camp took place in mid-July. The students left Kansas City on July 13, with stops at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. The caravan’s final stop for the day was at Rock Springs 4H Center near Junction City, Kan. So why detour through Lawrence, Kan., and Manhattan, Kan.? “We want these kids to see a college campus and get a feel for it,” Davis said. “As a first-generation college graduate, I was not scared to go to college it was a matter of where. I had been on college campuses so much as a youth because of 4-H and sports camp, it was not scary to me. The kids who see a campus like that are more likely to go to college. The fear is gone. The kids that don’t want to go to college have never been to a college campus or have had a college experience. “A lot of those kids come from the inner city, where they don’t get those opportunities. The reason the kids that have been involved in 4H and FFA have been so successful is because they have a lot of activities on college campuses. They’ve stayed in the college dorms, so they’ve been able to have the college experience. That’s what we want to give all the kids.” It’s working, but Davis knew it would. He was involved in 4H as a child and saw just how special programs like the Royal Ranch Camp can be. “My dad died when I was a little kid, and my mom was always looking for opportunities for me to be involved,” he said. “I was 12 years old involved in 4H, and they didn’t have enough counselors. The first year, I watched, but I saw that it could be so much better. As a 13-year-old, I was basically running camp. I was teaching, setting up workshops. “I know what it did for me. I was told that I had an opportunity to do something really big, that I could make a difference in other kids’ lives. I think it’s something kids need to experience.” It’s come full circle, too. Davis has seen others who have followed suit. “I look at that original group of counselors, and a lot are following their calling,” Davis said. “They’re teaching or working for non-profits. I know one who is working for the state department for poverty-stricken countries. “For their lives, they’re saying they want to make a difference. Yes, we have some kids that are engineers or are successful in their own ways, but we have so many that are involved. Those first 7-year-olds are now sophomores in college, and they still continue to volunteer. It’s bigger than any one person.” It’s fairly incredible that just four days can make that much of a difference in youngsters’ lives. “We have kids from all different races,” Davis said. “We have kids that are fat; we have kids that are skinny; we have rich kids and poor kids. You can’t tell any difference. “I guarantee they’re going to give back. They’re going to be great parents.” That’s what makes the American Royal’s commitment to youth and education so special. The American Royal is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charity for children that does several activities like the Royal Ranch Camp. It’s why Davis has worked to build the Royal Ranch Camp into what it is today and what he hopes it becomes in the years to come. Whether it’s learning about a college campus or learning to ride a horse, there are many pieces of the puzzle that make the camp worthwhile to so many. “It’s been a great program, because we know we’re reaching kids and teaching them things they didn’t even know about themselves,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, every kid should  Continue Reading »

One of the amazing aspects of my job is learning some things about people I don’t know. Whether it’s visiting with an injured bareback rider from Alberta or interviewing a barrel racer from Pennsylvania, I have an opportunity to do something most people don’t. It’s an odd combination of being curious, which I am, and being fairly talkative, which I am. It’s also the very best way I can think of to tell other people’s stories. I study what I can so I’m able to have as much history on the subject as possible before I start asking questions. Still, some of the most basic questions – “Why do you rodeo?” – bring out the most amazing answers. Since I write so often for Women’s Pro Rodeo News, I have an opportunity to learn so much about some of the most amazing horses in our industry. I get to tell readers about them in the official publication of the WPRA. Do you want to know why Shada Brazile is hot on the rodeo trail this year? You will have a chance in the September issue of the magazine. Brazile, the wife of 16-time world champion Trevor Brazile, will be featured in a story about the WPRA Qualifying Tour, a series of events that will enable cowgirls the opportunity to be part of the 2013 Calgary (Alberta) Stampede. Of the four rodeos involved in the story, Shada Brazile placed in three of them: Longview, Wash.; Gerry, N.Y.; and Lawton, Okla. But you’ll get to read more about that in just a few weeks. Stay tuned.

Today marks a new beginning for me, TwisTED Rodeo and Rodeo Media Relations. Since Dec. 1, 2008, I’ve divided my time between the growth of my business and the growth of my youngest child. It’s an odd combination of an upstart company and Daddy Daycare, and it’s an awesome blessing to have both maturing quite well. Channing started preschool today, the same week her big sister, Laney, began fifth grade. It’s quite different this morning as I work on several projects to not hear toys being banged around or the sound of Barney on the television or the visions of a little girl dancing and twirling in front of me as I work, regularly directing me with, “Daddy, watch this.” I’ll still get a good flavor of my little girl at home with me, since she’ll only be in preschool three days a week. But her next step in education comes at a time when my schedule is at its busiest. God’s timing is awesome, as if He’s allowed me this grand opportunity to share Channing’s first few years and prepared me for an expanding business. It’s something I never will take for granted.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Kaycee Feild is just 25 years old, but he’s already established as one of the very best bareback riders in ProRodeo. Already he’s a world champion, having won the title a season ago. He’s qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo four times, and in the last nine months, he’s won four of the most prestigious titles in the sport – the NFR average, the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo, RodeoHouston and the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede. He added the Lea County Fair and Rodeo title to his resume last week, matching moves with another great world champion in Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year. In doing so, Feild made quite a statement, posting 89 points to win the title and a $4,496 paycheck. “That’s what I ride bucking horses for is to get on the rankest, baddest horses,” Feild said, acknowledging that Real Deal has quite a reputation, one that has him as part of the eliminator group of broncs at the NFR every December. “I can prove, not only to my friends but also to myself, that I can spur anything and that I can spur the bad ones. “It’s definitely a confidence booster when you can get on a bad one and spur him every jump.” It helped quite a bit that Real Deal was quite exceptional inside Jake McClure Arena. “I knew that horse had a different move around the post (of the chute), but I wasn’t expecting it four times,” Feild said of how many times the powerful 12-year-old bay gelding changed leads during the eight-second ride. “It sure was fun. I really couldn’t just sit down the first two or three jumps. It took me that long to extend my spur stroke.” How tough was the bareback riding? Feild’s 89 was just one point better than that of fellow NFR qualifiers Dusty LaValley and Matt Bright. LaValley spurred Carr’s Black Coffee and Bright handled Carr’s Island Girl for the 88-point second-place rides on the final night of competition; they won $2,997 each. Travis Sheets wasn’t quite that many points, but his 85-point ride on Carr’s True Lies was good enough to win saddle bronc riding in Lovington. For that feat, Sheets pocketed $4,190. “I’ve seen him a couple of times, and I’ve heard good stories about him,” said Sheets, of Hyannis, Neb. “I was pretty excited to have him.” Sheets was just a point better than two cowboys who finished in a tie for second place; Troy Crowser rode Carr’s Cool Runnings, while Chuck Schmidt and Carr’s Miss Congeniality danced across the arena dirt. Crowser and Schmidt earned $2,793 each. But the week belonged to Sheets, who posted the winning ride during the rodeo’s opening performance on Aug. 8; True Lies also bucked on Aug. 10 and led Curtis Garton to 81 points, good enough to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place. “That horse felt really good,” he said. “He just feels like a million dollars. I’d like to haul him in the trailer with me and get on him everywhere I go.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – Jeanne Anderson won both the year-end and the finale titles last year in the Prairie Circuit. She’d love to do it again this year. With just a month and a half remaining on the regular season, Anderson is the No. 1 barrel racer in the region, having earned more than $6,800. “It’s really a big deal to me to compete in the Prairie Circuit,” said Anderson, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from White City, Kan. “I really like my circuit, and I make sure I focus on it. Winning both the circuit and the circuit finals last year was really cool for me.” Even though she has a slim lead over Tana Poppino of Big Cabin, Okla., Anderson knows the road to back-to-back titles is winding and uphill. In fact, she is consulting with veterinarians at Kansas State University to find out what is ailing Firebug, the 13-year-old gelding that has been her main partner on the rodeo trail. “It’s something high in her right hind leg, and it’s real hard to X-ray anything up there,” Anderson said. “They’re going to try to do a nuclear scan, and hopefully it’s going to tell us where it is and where to start doctoring.” She knows it’ll take a healthy mount to achieve some of her goals, the primary one being another circuit title via Destination Duncan and the 2012 Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for Oct. 18-20 at the Stephens County Expo Center. “I’m really excited about having the circuit finals in Duncan this year,” Anderson said. “I think the people in Duncan want to put on a good finals, and that’s good for us. We’re one of the toughest circuits in rodeo, so it’ll be good to finally have a good finals.” Anderson is one of nine ProRodeo contestants who lead the standings with a month and a half remaining in the regular season, which ends Sept. 30. Other leaders are bareback rider Jared Keylon of Uniontown, Kan.; steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb.; team roping-header Hunter Munsell of Arnett, Okla.; team roping-heeler Braden Harmon of Mustang, Okla.; saddle bronc rider Jesse James Kirby of Dodge City, Kan.; tie-down roper Hunter Herrin of Apache, Okla.; steer roper Rocky Patterson of Pratt, Kan.; and bull rider Dustin Elliott of North Platte, Neb. The leaderboard is chalk full of great athletes, including world champions Gorsuch (two), Patterson (two) and Elliott. In addition, Herrin is a five-time NFR qualifier, so there is plenty of great talent in the region that includes Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. “My biggest goal is to make it back to the NFR, but my circuit is right there with it,” Anderson said. Sometimes rodeo pays great dividends; sometimes, it’s quite a struggle. The latter has been the case for Anderson this season. “This has been a horrible year,” said Anderson, who has just a $37 lead over Poppino, a good friend and traveling partner. “Firebug’s hurt. During Woodward (the third week in July), he slipped. It got really bad in Hill City.” That was a little more than a week later. She turned out of two rodeos in Iowa that week and rode a younger horse in Dodge City, a tour rodeo with the largest purse of any event in the Prairie Circuit. That particular week included major stops in Abilene, Kan., and Phillipsburg, Kan. “I’m pretty much a one-horse girl right now,” she said. “I did well at Burwell (Neb.), Wahoo (Neb.) and Manhattan (Kan.), and I was really excited to go on my Kansas run that week. It got disappointing pretty fast.” Still, Anderson is holding out hope Firebug recovers quickly. “To qualify for the circuit finals, you need to have a healthy horse,” she said. “You have to be consistent and have some luck.” When it all goes right, championships follow. Year-end champions and winners from the circuit finals earn qualifications to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which takes place next spring in Oklahoma City. “I like representing the circuit in Oklahoma City,” Anderson said. “I would like to win it again and go back to Oklahoma City. I didn’t get to run Firebug this last year because he was hurt, but he runs really good in Oklahoma city. I was really hoping to win the circuit again and give us a chance to run at that deal again together.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Dusty LaValley and Matt Bright know the pressure of the brightest lights in ProRodeo. Both bareback riders are two-time qualifiers to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and they’ve experienced first-hand what it’s like to strap their hands to the backs of the best bucking horses while riding in the biggest spectacle of the sport. It came in handy during the final performance of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo on Saturday night. Each cowboy scored 87 points to share the No. 2 spot in bareback riding, two points behind reigning world champion Kaycee Feild, who scored the winning ride on Thursday night. Bright matched moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Island Girl, while LaValley scored on Carr’s Black Coffee. They each earned $2,999 for their rides; in winning the rodeo, Feild collected $4,496. “I’ve seen that horse go several times the last couple of years, and she looked like a nice little horse,” said Bright, 29, of Azle, Texas. “I thought she was one I could ride in the mid-80s and collect a solid check out off. It turns out that horse had a really good day with me and surprised me. About that second jump, I knew I was going to have to bear down a little more than I thought. “It worked out, and we came together for a great ride.” LaValley knew a little more about Black Coffee, an 11-year-old black mare that’s bucked at the NFR five times. “I’d never been on her before, but I’ve seen her a lot,” said LaValley, 31, of Grand Prairie, Alberta. “I knew I had a good chance. She jumped out of the chute, and it felt great. “She gives you just enough to really help you and get your feet moving fast. She’s got a little bit of drop to her; she’s just the perfect horse.” That’s a key ingredient in riding bucking horses, which is judged on the 100-point scale; half the score comes from how well the animal bucks, and the other half comes from how well the cowboy rides. In the case of bareback riding, contestants are judged on how well they spur from a point above the front shoulders of the horse back to the rigging that binds the athletes together. Of course, it also helps to have great bucking horses, which is one of the main reasons cowboys like coming to the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. “This is a phenomenal rodeo, with Pete bringing all these great horses,” Bright said of Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo. “I’ve just been fortunate to draw good horses and do my job well when I get here. “It’s a big arena, and the crowd was packed and into it. It was loud when I was making that ride. That helps make a better ride. When you can hear the crowd cheering like that, it makes you want to ride better.” Winners were all-around champion Landon McClaugherty ($2,223 in steer roping and tie-down roping); Feild, 89 points to win bareback riding and $4,496; steer wrestler Kash Koester (8.5 seconds on two runs, $1,912); tie-down roper Scott Kormos (17.4 seconds on two, $3,341); saddle bronc rider Travis Sheets (85 points, $4,190); steer roper J.P. Wickett  (42.7 seconds, $2,975); team ropers Erich Rogers and Kory Koontz (8.8 seconds on two, $2,641); barrel racer Kaley Bass (17.14 seconds, $3,927); and bull rider Scottie Knapp (91 points, $4,361).   Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 8-11 All-around: 1. Landon McClaugherty, $2,223 steer roping and tie-down roping Bareback riding leaders: 1. Kaycee Feild, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal, $4,496; 2. (tie) Matt Bright and Dusty LaValley, 88, $2,997 each; 4. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Seth Hardwick, 86, $1,349 each; 6. (tie) J.R. Vezain, Justin McDaniel and Casey Colletti, 83, $599 each. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Dean Gorsuch, 3.5 seconds, $1,912; 2. (tie) Kash Koester and Jacob Shofner, 4.0, $1,538 each; 4. Tommy Cook, 4.3, $1,164; 5. Shayde Etherton, 4.4, $914; 6. (tie) Ben Shofner and Josh Peek, 4.6, $540; 8. Hunter Cure, 4.7, $166. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Riley Duvall and Christian Pettigrew, 4.1 seconds, $1,787 each; 3. Travis Carnine, 4.2, $1,413; 4. (tie) Tom Lewis, Beau Clark, Nick Guy and Aaron Vosler, 4.4, $790 each; 8. (tie) K.C. Jones, Kash Koester and Teddy Johnson, 4.5, $55 each. Average leaders: 1. Kash Koester, 8.5 seconds on two runs, $1,912; 2. (tie) Ben Shofner and Jacob Shofner, 9.4, $1,538 each; 4. (tie) K.C. Jones and Travis Carnine, 9.5, $1,039; 6. Shayde Etherton, 9.7, $665; 7. Bray Armes, 9.8, $416; 5. (tie) Josh Peek, Teddy Johnson and Aaron Vosler, 10.2, $55. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 seconds, $2,227; 2. Clint Cooper, 8.2, $1,937; 3. Stetson Vest, 8.4, $1,646; 4. Ross Beasley, 8.5, $1,356; 5. Clif Cooper, 8.6, $1,065; 6. Shane Hanchey, 8.8, $775; 7. (tie) Sterling Smith and Matt Kenney, 9.1, $339 each. Second round leaders: 1. Cody Ohl, 7.8 seconds, $2,227; 2. Cody Owens, 8.0, $1,937; 3. Scott Kormos, 8.1, $1,646; 4. (tie) Ace Slone and Sterling Smith, 8.4, $1,210 each; 6. J.D. Kibbe, 8.5, $775; 7. Chris Demases, 8.6, $484; 8. Matt Kenney, 8.7, $194. Average leaders: 1. Scott Kormos, 17.4 seconds on two runs, $3,341; 2. Sterling Smith, 17.5, $2,905; 3. (tie) Matt Kenney and Ross Beasley, 17.8, $2,251 each; 5. Stetson Vest, 17.9, $1,598; 6. J.D. Kibbe, 19.1, $1,162; 7. Chris Demases, 19.3, $726; 8. Cody Owens, 19.8, $291. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Travis Sheets, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies, $4,190; 2. (tie) Troy Crowser and Chuck Schmidt, 8.4, $2,793 each; 4. J.J. Elshere, 83, $1,536; 5. (tie) Bradley Harter, Cody DeMoss and Curtis Garton, 81, $745 each; 8. (tie) Cody Taton and Cody Angland, 80, $209 each. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 10.5 seconds, $1,984; 2. Brent Lewis, 11.9, $1,642; 3. Scott Snedecor, 12.4, $1,300; 4. Cody Lee, 12.9, $958; 5 (tie) Rocky Patterson, Jim Davis  Continue Reading »

The past two weeks has been quite busy, and I’m very thankful for that. In fact, a check of the front page of ProRodeo.com reveals just how busy. Of the top nine stories on the PRCA’s website, six of them are ones I produced. Really, it’s more of a tribute to the blessings that have allowed me to work such great events. Not only do I have the opportunity to work two Wrangler Million Dollar Tour rodeos in a row, but also I got to work my first Xtreme Bulls event in the process. I’m very honored.  

LOVINGTON, N.M. – To be the very best in the world, it takes talent, luck and a lot of consistency. Still, ProRodeo’s brightest stars don’t always shine, and the elite cowboys in the game sometimes struggle being consistent. That happened Friday during the Lea County Fair and Rodeo with Clint Cooper and Dean Gorsuch. Cooper, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier who graduated from Lovington High School, sits second in the first round of tie-down roping after his 8.2-second run on Friday afternoon. He had a no-time during his second-round run in the performance. “It’s awesome to be here,” Cooper said. “I failed to catch my second one, and that would’ve been really good for the average. “But it’s good to come to the hometown, see my family, my friends, my loved ones and a lot of people who help me out around here.” Gorsuch, a two-time world champion steer wrestler from Gering, Neb., leads the first round after a 3.5 in the afternoon. He struggled Friday evening, though, with a 7.9-second run, which also took him out of the average. “You think of your run before you go, and you envision it the way you think it’s going to happen,” Gorsuch said. “I just felt like I was going to catch that steer a little quicker, and I got off early. It all kind of happen because I didn’t ride up there and get a good head catch.” Mistakes happen, but the very best in the game do the things to rebound from them. “It’s going to make you frustrated if you don’t win at the level we’re at,” Cooper said. “I just say a little prayer and go on with it. It’s a big deal in one way, but then another it’s not. “I’ll just keep my head up and try to stay positive.” Sometimes that’s half the battle. Not only does the money won pay bills, it’s how championship points are tabulated. Only the top 15 on the money list in each event at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the NFR, the season-ending championship. When the finals are tabulated, the contestants with the most money won in each event are crowned world champions. “I’d like to say my second run wasn’t my fault, but I felt like I could’ve placed on that steer in the round,” Gorsuch said. “Sometimes things happen. Sometimes you overthink things. “I needed to make a better run; that was an opportunity to win this rodeo.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 8-11 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Kaycee Feild, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal; 2. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Seth Hardwick, 86; 4. (tie) J.R. Vezain, Justin McDaniel and Casey Colletti, 83; 7. (tie) Will Lowe and Caine Riddle, 81. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Dean Gorsuch, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Kash Koester and Jacob Shofner, 4.0; 4. Shayde Etherton, 4.4; 5. (tie) Ben Shofner and Josh Peek, 4.6; 7. Hunter Cure, 4.7; 8. (tie) Riley York, Bray Armes and K.C. Jones, 5.0. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Riley Duvall and Christian Pettigrew, 4.1 seconds; 3. (tie) Tom Lewis and Aaron Vosler, 4.4; 5. (tie) K.C. Jones, Kash Koester and Teddy Johnson, 4.5; 8. (tie) Stockton Graves and Matt Reeves, 4.6. Average leaders: 1. Kash Koester, 8.5 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Ben Shofner and Jacob Shofner, 9.4; 4. K.C. Jones, 9.5; 5. Shayde Etherton, 9.7; 6. Bray Armes, 9.8; 7. (tie) Josh Peek, Teddy Johnson and Aaron Vosler, 10.2. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 seconds; 2. Clint Cooper, 8.2; 3. Stetson Vest, 8.4; 4. Ross Beasley, 8.5; 5. Clif Cooper, 8.6; 6. Shane Hanchey, 8.8; 7. (tie) Sterling Smith and Matt Kenney, 9.1. Second round leaders: 1. Cody Ohl, 7.8 seconds; 2. Cody Owens, 8.0; 3. Scott Kormos, 8.1; 4. Sterling Smith, 8.4; 5. J.D. Kibbe, 8.5; 6. Chris Demases, 8.6; 7. Matt Kenney, 8.7; 8. Reese Riemer, 8.8. Average leaders: 1. Scott Kormos, 17.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Sterling Smith, 17.5; 3. (tie) Matt Kenney and Ross Beasley, 17.8; 5. Stetson Vest, 17.9; 6. J.D. Kibbe, 19.1; 7. Chris Demases, 19.3; 8. Cody Owens, 19.8. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Travis Sheets, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies; 2. (tie) Troy Crowser and Chuck Schmidt, 8.4; 4. J.J. Elshere, 83; 5. (tie) Bradley Harter, Cody DeMoss and Curtis Garton, 81; 8. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Jesse Kruse, 78. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 10.5 seconds; 2. Brent Lewis, 11.9; 3. Scott Snedecor, 12.4; 4. Cody Lee, 12.9; 5 (tie) Rocky Patterson, Jim Davis and Buster Record Jr., 13.9. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, 42.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Brent Lewis, 44.4; 3. Cody Lee, 47.8; 4. Rod Hartness, 50.4; 5. Landon McClaugherty, 26.2 on two; 6. Scott Snedecor, 27.2. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.2 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.5; 3. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 4. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 5.3; 5. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 5.4; 6. Nate Singletary/Tom Bill Johnson, 5.5; 7. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Brad Culpepper, 5.5; 8. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 5.6. Second round leaders: 1. Travis Tryan/Jake Long, 4.2 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.3; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 4.5; 4. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 4.7; 5. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 7. (tie) Arky Rogers/Cory Petska and Blaine Linaweaver/Matt Garza, 5.2. Average leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 8.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 10.1; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 10.1; 4. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 11.3; 5. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 11.4; 6. Nate Singletary/Tom Bill Johnson, 12.1; 7. Billy Stephens/Justin Hendrick, 15.8; 8. Tom RichardsNick Sarchett, 15.9. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Kaley Bass, 17.14 seconds; 2. Jana Bean, 17.46; 3. Shada Brazile, 17.64; 4. Caren Lamb, 17.70; 5. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.71; 6. (tie) Savannah Reeves, 17.73; 7. (tie) Kim Schulze and Fallon Taylor, 17.74; 9. Megan Stock, 17.75; 10. Shannon Tidwell, 17.78; 11.  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Since Dec. 1, 2011, Kaycee Feild has won more than $400,000 on the backs of bucking horses. On Thursday night, he assured himself even more by testing his world championship spur stroke against the nasty moves of a world championship beast, Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal. It worked out for 89 points to take the lead at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. “I knew that horse had a different move around the post (of the chute), but I wasn’t expecting it four times,” Feild said of how many times the powerful 12-year-old bay gelding changed leads during the eight-second ride. “It sure was fun. I really couldn’t just sit down the first two or three jumps. It took me that long to extend my spur stroke.” It’s one of the best bareback riding spur strokes going down the rodeo trail today. Feild won the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, scoring a record 860 points through the 10-round slugfest in Las Vegas. That propelled him to his first world championship. Since then, he has won some of the most prestigious events in the sport, including ProRodeo wins in Fort Worth, Texas. But that’s nothing to the day he experienced just nine days ago, when he celebrated his wedding to his new bride, Stephanie. In fact, Thursday’s ride was just his second one since the July 31 nuptials. “I’ve been dating her for two years,” said Feild, 25, a four-time NFR qualifier from Payson, Utah, whose father, Lewis, is a five-time world champion. “She’s been around my family. She understands my job is to go to every rodeo I can and to put every loving minute into riding bucking horses. “In order to be the best, you’ve got to practice to be the best, and she understands that. She loves me whether I do good or do bad, and that’s a good feeling to go home to.” It took Feild five years of competing in ProRodeo to win his first gold buckle. Now he’s got to do everything it takes to defend that title. “I’m friends with a lot of world champions, and they say the first one isn’t the easiest to get but that the second one is harder to get,” he said. “That’s my goal. My goal was to win a gold buckle and to dominate in Vegas. “I didn’t have my goals written down for like a month and a half, and it was showing. Staying at home for 10 days lit a fire under me, and I’m ready to go.” Of course, it helps that a lot when he gets to ride one of the best horses in rodeo. Real Deal was named the 2005 Bareback Horse of the Year, and he looks as powerful as ever. “That’s what I crave,” Feild said. “That’s what I ride bucking horses for is to get on the rankest, baddest horses. I can prove, not only to my friends but also to myself, that I can spur anything and that I can spur the bad ones. “It’s definitely a confidence booster when you can get on a bad one and spur him every jump.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 8-11 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Kaycee Feild, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal; 2. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Seth Hardwick, 86; 4. (tie) J.R. Vezain, Justin McDaniel and Casey Colletti, 83; 7. (tie) Will Lowe and Caine Riddle, 81. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Kash Koester and Jacob Shofner, 4.0 seconds; 3. Shayde Etherton, 4.4; 4. Ben Shofner, 4.6; 5. (tie) Riley York and K.C. Jones, 5.0; 7. Monty Eakin, 5.2; 8. Justin Smith, 5.6. Second round leaders: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Tom Lewis and Aaron Vosler, 4.4; 4. (tie) K.C. Jones, Kash Koester and Teddy Johnson, 4.5; 7. Stockton Graves, 4.6; 8. Ben Shofner, 4.8. Average leaders: 1. Kash Koester, 8.5 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Ben Shofner and Jacob Shofner, 9.4; 4. K.C. Jones, 9.5; 5. Shayde Etherton, 9.7; 6. (tie) Teddy Johnson and Aaron Vosler, 10.2; 8. Riley York, 10.5. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 seconds; 2. Stetson Vest, 8.4; 3. Ross Beasley, 8.5; 4. Shane Hanchey, 8.8; 5. (tie) Sterling Smith and Matt Kenney, 9.1; 7. (tie) Beau Marshall and Russell Cardoza, 9.2; 7. Scott Kormos, 9.3; 8. Cimarron Boardman, 9.5. Second round leaders: 1. Cody Ohl, 7.8 seconds; 2. Cody Owens, 8.0; 3. Scott Kormos, 8.1; 4. Sterling Smith, 8.4; 5. J.D. Kibbe, 8.5; 6. Chris Demases, 8.6; 7. Matt Kenney, 8.7; 8. Reese Riemer, 8.8. Average leaders: 1. Scott Kormos, 17.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Sterling Smith, 17.5; 3. (tie) Matt Kenney and Ross Beasley, 17.8; 5. Stetson Vest, 17.9; 6. J.D. Kibbe, 19.1; 7. Chris Demases, 19.3; 8. Cody Owens, 19.8. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Travis Sheets, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies; 2. (tie) Troy Crowser and Chuck Schmidt, 8.4; 4. J.J. Elshere, 83; 5. Bradley Harter, 81; 6. Sterling Crawley, 78; 7. Cody Martin, 77; 8. Robert Aragon, 75. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 10.5 seconds; 2. Brent Lewis, 11.9; 3. Scott Snedecor, 12.4; 4. Cody Lee, 12.9; 5 (tie) Rocky Patterson, Jim Davis and Buster Record Jr., 13.9. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, 42.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Brent Lewis, 44.4; 3. Cody Lee, 47.8; 4. Rod Hartness, 50.4; 5. Landon McClaugherty, 26.2 on two; 6. Scott Snedecor, 27.2. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.2 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.5; 3. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 4. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 5.3; 5. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 5.4; 6. Nate Singletary/Tom Bill Johnson, 5.5; 7. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 5.6; 8. Billy Stephens/Justin Hendrick, 6.1. Second round leaders: 1. Travis Tryan/Jake Long, 4.2 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.3; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 4.5; 4. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 4.7; 5. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 7.  Continue Reading »

SILVERTON, Texas – It takes great commitment for annual events like Buck Wild Days Rodeo to continue to improve. But that’s just what happens in the quaint community of about 600 people. In just three short years, the Silverton rodeo has become the talk of the Texas Panhandle and everyone involved in ProRodeo. Why? Carr Pro Rodeo provides the livestock and produces the three nightly performances, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16-Saturday, Aug. 18, at Wood Memorial Arena. It’s the third year being sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. “We get a lot of the contestants from around here, but we’re also getting the big names in the sport,” said Ken Wood, chairman of the volunteer rodeo committee that organizes the event. “I think Pete Carr and his people are a big reason for that.” It definitely helps. Timed-event contestants know what to expect, while cowboys who ride bucking beasts know Carr provides every cowboy a chance to make some serious money in Briscoe County. Beyond that, fans have come to know they’ll get top-notch entertainment for three straight nights. “I think everybody knows that they’ll have a great time at the Silverton rodeo from the first bareback horse we buck until the concert ends,” said Carr, owner of the Dallas-based livestock company. The foundation laid in the first two years in the PRCA is something organizers plan to build upon for years to come. “I’ve been to a lot of rodeos, and everybody had a chance to not just place, but a chance to win first place,” Wood said. “I’ve never seen that anywhere. From a contestant’s point of view, you can’t always ask for that. But a chance to win first at a rodeo no matter when you’re out or what you drew, you knew you had that opportunity. That’s outstanding.” While the Carr crew played an integral part in the overall success, the company’s owner kept putting the attention back to the local volunteers who spend their year planning for the event. “There’s a reason why this rodeo has been good and why they decided to make it a PRCA event,” Carr said. “What a great committee. They were very hospitable. They were great to work with. Every time we turned around, they were asking what they could do to make their rodeo better.” What’s even more impressive is that the community bands together to try to produce an event that will bring in crowds from all over the region. Of course, this year’s event will feature John Harrison, one of the top acts in rodeo, and great announcers like Ken Stonecipher and Andy Stewart. “I was just very impressed how large of an event you can have in such a small town with only a few committee members,” Carr said. “It was just amazing what that committee pulled off.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Travis Sheets knew a few things about Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies, but he wasn’t sure exactly what it would be like to ride the 9-year-old bay gelding. “I’ve seen him a couple of times, and I’ve heard good stories about him,” said Sheets, a saddle bronc rider from Hyannis, Neb. “I was pretty excited to have him today.” He had good reason. Sheets and True Lies worked together for 85 points Wednesday night to lead after opening night of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo at Jake McClure Arena. He’ll have to wait until Saturday’s final performance concludes to know the final results, but Sheets has a good feeling about his chances. “That horse felt really good,” he said. “He just feels like a million dollars. I’d like to haul him in the trailer with me and get on him everywhere I go.” Sheets holds a two-point lead over Wrangler National Finals Rodeo veteran J.J. Elshere of Hereford, S.D., who rode Carr’s Deuces Wild for 83 points. Sheets sits just outside the top 40 in the world standings, so he’d like to get on that roll and make a big move up the world standings. “I had kind of a slow July,” he said. “It’s been picking up.” And doing well in Lovington is key, because the rodeo is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, a group of 23 lucrative events all across the United States. “There aren’t too many tour rodeos left, and I need to count every one I go to,” Sheets said. “There’s still a good chance, so hopefully I can keep drawing good and keep riding good.” With the Lea County Fair and Rodeo drawing all the biggest names in ProRodeo, the Nebraska cowboy knows it might be a bit of a stretch to win the event title, but there’s always hope. “To win this rodeo, it would mean a lot,” he said. “This would be one of the biggest rodeos I would have ever won if it holds. I doubt I win it, but I think that score will hold for a good check.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 8-11 Bareback riding leaders: 1. (tie) Caleb Bennett, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Outa Sight, and Seth Hardwick, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s River Boat Annie, 86 points; 3. (tie) J.R. Vezain and Casey Colletti, 83; 5. Will Lowe, 81; 6. Steven Peebles, 78; 7. Richie Champion, 76. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Kash Koester and Jacob Shofner, 4.0 seconds; 3. Ben Shofner, 4.6; 4. Riley Hork, 5.0; 5. (tie) Teddy Johnson and Jack Hodges, 5.7; 7. Aaron Vosler, 5.8; 8. Cooper Shofner, 5.9. Second round leaders: 1. Stockton Graves, 4.6 seconds; 2. Ben Shofner, 4.8; 3.Jacob Shofner, 5.4; 4. Riley York, 5.5; 5. Cimarron Thompson, 5.9; 6. Clay Gravatt, 6.7; 7. Cooper Shofner, 7.7; 8. (tie) Rhett Kennedy and Zack Cobb, 7.8. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Ben Shofner and Jacob Shofner, 9.4 seconds on two runs; 3. Riley York, 10.5; 4. Cooper Shofner, 13.6; 5. Clay Gravatt, 17.4; 6. Zack Cobb, 20.0; 7. Kash Koester, 4.0 on one; 8. Stockton Graves, 4.6. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 seconds; 2. Ross Beasley, 8.5; 3. Shane Hanchey, 8.8; 4. (tie) Sterling Smith and Matt Kenney, 9.1; 6. Beau Marshall, 9.2; 7. Scott Kormos, 9.3; 8. Cimarron Boardman, 9.5. Second round leaders: 1. Matt Kenney, 8.7 seconds; 2. Cimarron Thompson, 10.5; 3. Quay Howard, 10.8; 4. Cliff Kirkpatrick, 13.2; 5. Seth Emerson, 13.8; 6. Taylor Smith, 14.6. Average leaders: 1. Matt Kenney, 17.8 on two runs; 2. Quay Howard, 22.1; 3. Cliff Kirkpatrick, 24.8; 4. Seth Emerson, 27.6; 5. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 on one; 6. Ross Beasley, 8.5; 7. Shane Hanchey, 8.8; 8. Sterling Smith, 9.1. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Travis Sheets, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies; 2. J.J. Elshere, 83; 3. Bradley Harter, 81; 4. Sterling Crawley, 78; 5. Cody Martin, 77; 6. Robert Aragon, 75; 7. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Louie Brunson, 74. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 10.5 seconds; 2. Brent Lewis, 11.9; 3. Scott Snedecor, 12.4; 4. (tie) Rocky Patterson, Jim Davis and Buster Record Jr., 13.9. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, 42.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Brent Lewis, 44.4; 3. Rod Hartness, 50.4; 4. Landon McClaugherty, 26.2 on two; 5. Scott Snedecor, 27.2; 6. C.A. Lauer, 29.3. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.2 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.5; 3. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 4. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 5.3; 5. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 5.4; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 5.6; 7. Billy Stephens/Justin Hendrick, 6.1; 8. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 6.6. Second round leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.3 seconds; 2. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 4.8; 3. Arky Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.2; 4. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.0; 5. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 9.9; 6. Carly Crawford/Jim Ross Cooper, 14.3. Average leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 8.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 11.4; 3. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 20.2; 4. Charly Crawford/Jim Ross Cooper, 22.4; 5. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.2 on one; 6. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 8. Arky Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.2. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Shada Brazile, 17.64 seconds; 2. Caren Lamb, 17.70; 3. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.71; 4. Kim Schulze, 17.74; 5. Kelsi Walraven, 17.89; 6. April Denny, 22.73. Bull riding leaders: 1. Dalton Votaw, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Missing Parts; 2. Friday Wright III, 60; no other qualified rides.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Kanin Asay’s first Xtreme Bulls title came in 2007; now his sights are firmly set on the second championship. He made a big move forward on Tuesday night by winning the inaugural Lea County Xtreme Bulls event in conjunction with the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. Asay placed in both go-rounds and won the average championship by a single point over reigning world champion Shane Proctor of Grand Coulee, Wash. The Xtreme Bulls title is well within his grasp. “To be able to do it this year with everything that happened last year – the hip surgery, and I lsot my mom to a horse accident – to be able to come back, be consistent and ride good, I praise God every day for it,” said Asay, 26, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Powell, Wyo. “This being the first time that Lovington has had an Xtreme event … it’s awesome they’re adding events to the tour. The bulls were good. Everybody seemed to be riding. There were a lot of scores in the long round.” Asay posted an 84-point ride in the first round by matching  moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s The Warden; he then scored 85 on Wild Card’s Plaid Shirt in the final round, sharing second place with Proctor. Asay’s cumulative of 169 gave him the edge over Proctor, who won the Xtreme Bulls stop in Cody, Wyo., a little more than a month ago. “I was very, very excited to have him,” Asay said of Plaid Shirt. “I drew the bull in the long round at Okeechobee, Fla.’s Xtreme earlier this year, and he one-jumped me. He bucked me off so fast, I don’t even think they could’ve started and stopped the clock in time. “Being from Wyoming and being able to get on bulls like that all the time, I’m very fortunate. To be able to get on that bull twice … that’s outstanding. I’m very thankful I got him rode.” In all, Asay earned $7,934. He moved his Xtreme Bulls earnings to $44,959; more importantly, he moved to No. 2 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s world standings, having now earned $82,298. He still trails standings leader Cody Teel of Kountze, Texas, who pocketed $6,241; Teel’s 2012 earnings have reached $99,264. “The goal I do have for the end of the year (is) to win a world title, but you’ve got to compete and do well at the Xtreme Bulls to be able to do that,” Asay said. “I also set a goal at the beginning of this year to win the Xtreme Bulls national title, because, so far, there hasn’t been anybody do it twice.” Three-time world champion J.W. Harris of Mullen, Neb., won the first round with a 90-point ride on Wild Card’s Grinch. Clayton Savage of Cheyenne, Wyo., scored 86.5 on Carr’s Jesse Black Powder to win the short round. Proctor, who won $6,617 in Lovington, moved from 13th to ninth in the world standings. Savage, who pocketed $4,470, moved up two spots to eighth.   Lea County Xtreme Bulls Lovington, N.M. Aug. 8 First round: 1. J.W. Harris, 90 points on Wild Card Rodeo’s Grinch, $3,384; 2. Dalton Votaw, 89.5, $2,594; 3. Cody Teel, 88. $1,918; 4. Seth Glause, 86, $1,241; 5. (tie) Tate Stratton and Kanin Asay. 84, $677; 7. Shane Proctor, 83, $451; 8. Trevor Kastner, 82.5, $338. Finals: 1. Clayton Savage, 86.5 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Jesse Black Powder, $2,482; 2. (tie) Shane Proctor and Kanin Asay, 85, $1,617; 4. Cody Teel, 79.5, $902; no other qualified rides. Average: 2. Kanin Asay, 169 points on two rides, $5,640; 2. Shane Proctor, 168, $4,324; 3. Cody Teel, 167.5, $3,196; 4. Clayton Savage, 167, $2,068; 5. J.W. Harris, 90 points on one, $1,316; 6. Dalton Votaw, 89.5, $940; 7. Seth Glause, 86, $752; 8. Tate Stratton, 84, $564.

SILVERTON, Texas – Every cowboy knows he needs a good horse underneath him if he is to be successful. The members of the Buck Wild Days Rodeo committee know that, too, which is why Pete Carr and his staff from Carr Pro Rodeo are producing the Silverton event for the third straight year. “All the cowboys know they’ll get good stock when they go to one of Pete’s rodeos,” said Ken Wood, chairman of the annual rodeo, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16-Saturday, Aug. 18. “We know we’re able to get the best contestants because of it.” Why? The main reason is bareback riders and saddle bronc riders just want a chance to compete for the prize money. If a cowboy is matched with a good horse, it comes down to his ability to do the right things as the animal performs. “We want our rodeos to be a riding contest, where the guy with the best spur ride wins,” said Carr, owner of the Dallas-based livestock company. The cowboys appreciate it, too. “You definitely want to go somewhere that you have a chance to win,” said Casey Sisk of Corona, N.M. “Pete’s got a great pen of bucking horses, the kind you like getting on.” It doesn’t matter if the cowboy uses a bronc saddle or a bareback rigging. Contestants keep an eye out for rodeos that carry animals emblazoned with the Rafter C brand. “Anytime I draw a Pete Carr horse, I know I will probably win money,” said Cody DeMers, a four-time NFR qualifier from Kimberly, Idaho. “That’s why I go to his rodeos.” In 2011, Carr had 11 horses selected to perform at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, ProRodeo’s season-ending championship – eight bareback horses and three broncs. In that mix stalwarts like MGM Deuces Night, Dirty Jacket and recognized animals like Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year, and River Boat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion bucking horse. “Pete really strives to have the best horses he can get,” said Heath Ford, a three-time NFR qualifier who also serves as the bareback riding representative. “He spends money on them. He’ has one of the most solid pens going down the road.” Fans in Silverton have taken note, too. What they’ll see in Wood Memorial Arena is great action from start to finish. “Pete’s got an eye for good horses and is always trying to make his stock better,” said saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Desdemona, Texas. “Pete’s constantly worried about whether we’re happy, which is good. There are a lot of contractors out there who could care less if we’re happy. Pete’s the opposite. He does what he can to keep us happy. “At most of the smaller rodeos we go to, you don’t have a chance to draw good. At least at Pete’s rodeos, you know you have a good shot of getting on something you can win on. Then it’s just up to you to ride well enough to do it.”

I arrived in Lovington, N.M., this afternoon, driving in from Dodge City, Kan. I’ve gone from one Wrangler Million Dollar Tour rodeo to another. They’re very similar in many regards, but they’re pretty different, too. Last week, Roundup Rodeo had a short round, which meant contestants qualified for Sunday’s final night by how well they performed in the preliminary rounds. Each of the five performances featured the very best ProRodeo has to offer. The Lea County Fair and Rodeo will have the greatest in the game, too. There won’t be a short round, just two rounds and an average for the timed-eventers and one round for barrel racers and roughstock cowboys. But Lovington offers an Xtreme Bulls Tour event, which kicks off the five nights of exceptional rodeo action. Forty of the top bull riders in ProRodeo will be in town for that, then they will return sporadically through the rest of the week for the tour rodeo. It ought to be a great show, but I’ve come to expect that.