Monthly Archives: April 2013

GUYMON, Okla. – Since 2005, only three men have been crowned PRCA steer roping world champions: Scott Snedecor, Trevor Brazile and Rocky Patterson. Over that seven years, Snedecor owns two gold buckles (2005-2008), while Brazile (2006, 2007 and 2011) and Patterson (2009, 2010 and 2012) own three each. They’re exceptional at what they do, and that’s why they own gold. Those men also sit atop the average leaderboard at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo through the first four rounds. Patterson leads with a cumulative time of 50.1 seconds, followed by Brazile’s 52.6 and Snedecor’s 52.8. Also among the top eight are JoJo LeMond, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in heading, and J.D. Yates, a 21-time NFR qualifier and 11-time National Finals Steer Roping qualifier. Yates and Patterson are alumni from the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team in nearby Goodwell. Steer roping in Guymon is a five-round progressive. Each entrant gets to rope in the first four rounds, and the top cowboys in the aggregate qualify for the fifth round, which will take place during the four performances, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results Steer roping: First round: 1. Lawson Plemons, 11.4 seconds, $1,803; 2. Scott Snedecor, 12.2, $1,568; 3. JoJo LeMond, 12.3, $1,332; 4. Shandon Stalls, 12.4, $1,097; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.6, $862; 6. (tie) Mike Chase and K.W. Lauer, 12.8, $509 each; 8. Reo Lohse, 13.0, $157. Second round: 1. Bryce Davis, 9.8 seconds, $1,803; 2. Neal Wood, 10.6, $1,568; 3. JoJo LeMond, 11.4, $1,332; 4. Rocky Patterson, $1,097; 5. (tie) Chance Kelton and Rod Hartness, 12.4, $745 each; 7. Howdy McGinn, 12.5, $392; 8. Mark Milner, 12.9, $157. Third round: 1. (tie) Rocky Patterson and Coy Thompson, 11.6 seconds, $1,685 each; 3. Tim Abbott, 11.9, $1,332; 4. Corey Ross, 12.2, $1,097; 5. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Tony Reina, 12.4, $745; 7. Darin Suit, 12.6, $293; 8. Brent Lewis, 13.0, $157. Fourth round: 1. Tim Abbott, 10.5 seconds, $1,803; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.8, $1,568; 3. Chet Herren, 10.9, $1,332; 4. Lawson Plemons, 11.5, $1,097; 5. Trevor Brazile, 11.8, $862; 6. Dee Kyler Jr., 11.9, $627; 7. Shandon Stalls, 12.0, $392; 8. Rocky Patterson, 12.1, $157. Aggregate leaders: 1. Rocky Patterson, 50.1 seconds on four runs; 2. Trevor Brazile, 52.6; 3. Scott Snedecor, 52.8; 4. Jason Evans, 58.9; 5. JoJo LeMond, 61.6; 6. J.D. Yates, 62.7; 7. Riley Christophersen, 64.6; 8. Howdy McGinn, 64.7.

Third round: 1. (tie) Rocky Patterson and Coy Thompson, 11.6 seconds, $1,685 each; 3. Tim Abbott, 11.9, $1,332; 4. Corey Ross, 12.2, $1,097; 5. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Tony Reina, 12.4, $745; 7. Darin Suit, 12.6, $293; 8. Brent Lewis, 13.0, $157.

ALVA, Okla. – Ethan McDowell and Ryan Domer knew they had work to do during the final rodeo of the 2012-13 Central Plains Region season if they hoped to earn qualifications to the College National Finals Rodeo. The labor paid off for both. McDowell won the region’s heading title after roping in a third-place finish at Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo in Guymon, Okla; Domer used points earned by finishing fifth in steer wrestling and seventh in team roping to finish second in the circuit’s all-around race to earn the automatic bid for the college finals, set for June 9-15 in Casper, Wyo. “We knew it was going to be tough; it’s the last rodeo, so everybody was going to try to go out there and win first,” said McDowell, a senior from Mooreland, Okla., who has roped the spring season with Chase Johnson, a sophomore from Snyder, Texas. “It was a real tough rodeo. We drew two good steers and did what we had to with them to come out on top.” McDowell and Johnson were two of nine Rangers team ropers who qualified for the final round in Guymon. In fact, the top four teams featured Northwestern cowboys: Hunter Munsell of Arnett, Okla., and Derrick Jantzen of Ames, Okla. won the rodeo with a two-run cumulative time of 10.9 seconds, followed by Bradley Bullock of McAlpin, Fla., and Chase Boekhaus of Rolla, Kan., who finished in 11.1. McDowell and Johnson finished in 11.7, while heeler Dustin Searcy of Mooreland, Okla., and partner Trey Harmon of Western Oklahoma State College placed fourth in 11.9. Domer, a junior heeler from Topeka, Kan., joined his brother, header Collin Domer, in the final round, finishing seventh. “That’s what we expected out of our team ropers all year,” coach Stockton Graves said. “They had a hard year and took some lumps, but I was sure proud of our team ropers. It was a very tough team roping. Hopefully they’ll build off that next year.” The season certainly has been a developing one for Ryan Domer, who began competing in steer wrestling within the last couple of years. Still, by finishing second in the season all-around race, he’ll be allowed to compete in two events at the college finals, steer wrestling and tie-down roping. “I had to turn it on a little bit and make up some ground to go,” said Domer, who finished seventh in tie-down roping, eighth in steer wrestling and 15th in heeling. “I knew what I had to do, and I knew what it was going to take to make it to the college finals. I just fought to get it done, and it worked out for me.” Domer will join his older brother in Casper – Collin Domer earned the right to compete by being the student representative; this marks Collin’s second straight automatic qualification. They are joined by McDowell, Johnson and Searcy, the latter of whom finished fourth in the region and only earns the nod so Collin Domer has a partner. “It’s pretty good that we have five guys who make the college finals,” said Graves, who noted that the women, by finishing runner-up in the standings, will be able to take a full team of five cowgirls to Casper. “I think both our teams are in a position to do something when we get there.” This marks McDowell’s first qualification to the college finals, and he’s happy Johnson will be there with him – Johnson finished third among Central Plains heelers. “He transferred from Snyder (College), so he had to sit out the first semester,” McDowell said of his springtime partner. “I roped last fall with Dakota Koehn, and he helped me get a lot of my points. “We’ve got some real good team ropers here at Northwestern, and we roped real good out there in Guymon.” That’s a powerful way to finish a rugged season in which the men’s team finished sixth in the region. Ryan Domer said he’s excited for his next competition, and he’s ready for the challenges he’ll face – even if it means wrestling steers for a chance to win the college championship. “It just shows I got lucky this year,” he said. “It really was a lot of fun. Having a coach like Stockton really helps you out a lot. He can see things most people can’t, and he can help you change it.” The women had three Rangers earn the right to compete – all-around runner-up Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan.; runner-up barrel racer Alexis Allen of Alva; and third-place breakaway roper Jessica Koppitz of Alva. The fourth member of the team will be added later. “It was good seeing that we were able to get points throughout the season in all the events,” Graves said of barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying. “I was happy to see that all-around come out in our girls.”

Second round: 1. Bryce Davis, 9.8 seconds, $1,803; 2. Neal Wood, 10.6, $1,568; 3. JoJo LeMond, 11.4, $1,332; 4. Rocky Patterson, $1,097; 5. (tie) Chance Kelton and Rod Hartness, 12.4, $745 each; 7. Howdy McGinn, 12.5, $392; 8. Mark Milner, 12.9, $157. Aggregate leaders: 1. JoJo LeMond, 23.7 seconds on two; 2. Rocky Patterson, 26.4; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 26.6; 4. Jason Evans, 27.2; 5. Scott Snedecor, 27.3; 6. Howdy McGinn, 27.7; 7. Trevor Brazile, 28.4; 8. (tie) Shandon Stalls, Rod Hartness and Trey Sheets, 28.7.

1. Lawson Plemons, 11.4 seconds, $1,803; 2. Scott Snedecor, 12.2, $1,568; 3. JoJo LeMond, 12.3, $1,332; 4. Shandon Stalls, 12.4, $1,097; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.6, $862; 6. (tie) Mike Chase and K.W. Lauer, 12.8, $509; 8. Reo Lohse, 13.0, $157.

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Every sport needs historians. Charlie Throckmorton is that for ProRodeo. For folks in north Texas, the added benefit is that Throckmorton also is the announcer for the annual Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. It’s a powerful combination that serves rodeo fans quite well. “Charlie’s the best in the business,” said Loydd Williams, chairman of the committee that produces the annual rodeo. “It takes someone with the heart and passion to be involved in it. Charlie has that and a great voice that resonates with fans. “He’s one of the best historians in the history of rodeo, and it adds a lot to our rodeo every year.” Throckmorton has called the action in Bridgeport for all seven years it has been part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. He’s watched it grow each year and seen how cowboys have come to respect the competition in Wise County. “Bridgeport, Texas, started through the years as a little open rodeo, a little country rodeo,” said Throckmorton, a PRCA card member since 1987 from Grandview, Texas. “They stepped up to the plate and got it sanctioned with the PRCA. Then they stepped it up another notch with high-definition big screens, which really helps the fans experience the rodeo. “Last year, they went to Pete Carr to bring the livestock and stepped it up another big notch. It shows that over the years, the people here are willing to continue to make it better.” Throckmorton has seen it up close and personal and continues to be a vital piece of the puzzle. It takes a quality announcer to understand the little nuances and adapt to the constant changes that come with producing an elite rodeo, like the one that happens each May in Bridgeport. “One of the things that sold me on Charlie was that we had a situation early on where we needed him to fill a lot of time, and he did it without missing a beat,” Williams said. “He just took it and ran with it, and the show just went on even with the delay. That shows me he can handle just about any situation that comes up.” That’s part of the job description for rodeo announcers. Almost all the competition is unpredictable, so it takes a quick mind – and oftentimes a quick wit – to tackle all the tasks. “There are so many good people there, and that rodeo is not through growing either,” Throckmorton said. “You went from crawling to walking, and now you’re going to run. There’s so much history in Bridgeport, then you have the Butterfield Stage Days and the Butterfield Stage Coach. The stage coach lines ran 200 feet from that arena. You can visualize all that history. You have these high-def. video boards and this great production, but this rodeo still has the cowboy basics of the 1800s, and you can visualize the original Butterfield Stage running west. “This rodeo is the real McCoy.” He knows that as well as anyone. He’s worked some of the biggest events in the sport, from the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. He was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2007, and he’s recognized as one of the greatest voices in the game. “I’m into rodeo because I love the sport. I tried to compete, but I couldn’t beat anybody,” he said. “I’ve grown up with it. I had an arena in my back yard, and I had world champions that schooled me. I still couldn’t do it. I know what it feels like in the arena and the crow’s nest. “I admire what they do and what they go through. To travel down that road and be fresh and ready to compete takes something special. You can’t help but admire that.” There are plenty who admire Throckmorton, too. He realizes his place at a rodeo is to be there for the fans and to enable the production to be better; he’s the in-arena salesman who shares his passions with those who watch the excitement. “I’m just watching what’s happening, which is what everybody else is doing,” Throckmorton said. “I’m just the moderator. The athletes are the stars, and I want to sell the stars. Mary Walker is a great champion, and she is easy for me to sell. That’s what I’m there to do.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – David Petty has seen a few rodeos in his lifetime. Petty is chairman of the ProRodeo in Claremore, Okla., runs a rodeo scoreboard business with his wife and serves on the executive council of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He grew up around the sport, and it continues to be a big part of his life. He thought he’d seen it all, but that changed last May when he was working in Bridgeport. Petty watched the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo blossom, and he knew a key factor was the rodeo’s first-year with stock contractor Pete Carr, who owns Dallas-based firms Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo. “It was the professionalism, the production,” Petty said. “It was a well-oiled machine. I tip my hat to the Bridgeport committee. They recognized the need for making a change and stepped up to do it.” Carr and his crew will return to town to produce the 2013 rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, at the Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. Then two weeks later, they’ll travel to northeast Oklahoma to produce Petty’s Will Rogers Stampede. “We saw the same kind of need Bridgeport had, and we reached out to Pete to help us with that,” Petty said. “One of the things small rodeo committees are struggling with is we have to have a product to keep people coming back, and Carr Pro Rodeo brings that product that entices people to want to see that show. “Once people do see it, the chances of them becoming a regular at the rodeo are higher.” Production is the key to Carr events. “We try to have the theatrical portion of our show not interfere with the competition side,” said John Gwatney, a production supervisor for the Carr firm. “We try to run a good, fast, clean performance without interfering with the competition. “That’s where we’re different from other rodeo companies. If we’re not ready, the cowboy has to wait. When it comes time for that cowboy to compete, we’ve done everything we can to make that animal ready for that cowboy, so all he has to do is nod his head.” It also helps to have some of the top bucking beasts in the sport. Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo had 31 animals at the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In all, the two companies have had three animals named Bareback Horse of the Year. “Pete Carr purchased Classic Pro Rodeo earlier this year, and that makes him the biggest and best stock contractor in rodeo right now,” said Loydd Williams, chairman of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual rodeo. “When you put those two companies together, it’s going to be tough to beat in terms of bucking stock and the overall production of rodeo. “This is not your 1960s stock contractor. This is a great production that fans will love from start to finish. Pete Carr and his crew have made our rodeo better.” That was the key ingredient behind the decision for the Claremore committee to hire Carr. “People think Pete is known for having great bucking horses, but there’s a lot more to it,” Petty said. “With his crew, the timed-event end went smoother; everything went smoother. It was just a better product.” That has Williams and others in Bridgeport excited about fans will experience this year during the two-day rodeo. “The thing with Pete and his crew is that they put in all the work and handle everything so the production is seamless,” Williams said. “We got so much feedback after having Pete at our rodeo last year that we knew we’d made the best decision for our rodeo.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Reality TV has made its way into the lives of everyday Americana. In Wise County, the reality arrives the second weekend in May during Bridgeport’s Butterfield Stage Days. From the festival downtown to the rodeo at the Bridgeport Riding Club Arena, the annual celebration features family fun and world-class competition. That includes the community’s own spinoff of one of reality TV’s most popular shows. “This will be our ninth year for the Bridgeport Idol contest,” said Susan Miller, one of the community volunteers who helps organize Butterfield Stage Days. “The contest has grown so much, and we give away over $1,000 in cash and prizes.” That’s big time for a fun part of the day-long festivities, which takes place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at Harwood Park in Bridgeport. The festival features CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES: Stagecoach rides, petting zoo, kiddie train, face painting, stick horse rodeo, bounce houses a carnival and more. FAMILY FUN: The inaugural rib cook-off sponsored by Mas Meat & Produce Market, a pancake eating conference, the inaugural battle of the boot pancake eating contest, food and craft booths, artisan market, the rodeo pink 5K run, gunfighters, bingo, live entertainment and more. BARBECUE AND RIB TASTE TEST: Brisket sandwich dinner catered by Five Boys Ranch; a $10 wrist band includes a brisket sandwich dinner and the rib cook-off taste test. “There’s a lot happening in Bridgeport that weekend, and we’re very excited about it all,” Miller said. She should be. Butterfield Stage Days may be the perfect way for the community to gather together to celebrate the area’s history, but the word is getting around. More and more people are making Bridgeport a destination for family entertainment. “Bridgeport Idol will take place right after the stick horse rodeo at the festival grounds,” Miller said. “Singers from all ages can compete, but it is limited to the top 10 that apply.” Idol will begin at 12:30 p.m. Contestants are required to have two songs ready, but those songs can be karaoke style or instrumental. “It is a lot of fun, and it’s been a hit with everybody at the festival for quite a while,” Miller said. “I’m looking forward to it again this year.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Home has a special connotation to anyone who has felt that bond. It’s not just a structure. It’s comfort, friendships and family. It’s the local flair. Nobody realizes that more than Loydd Williams, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo, a major piece of the community’s Butterfield Stage Days weekend. He wants as many people as possible to see why he loves his hometown and why the annual celebration is so important to him. “What we strive to do is bring people to the community with the rodeo and festivals that are downtown,” said Williams, who has been involved in Butterfield Stage Days for several years. “We want to draw people to town, not just rodeo contestants. We want everyone in Wise County to come to town and see just why we love it here.” Williams shares his passion for Bridgeport just about anywhere he goes. His work allows him the opportunity to travel, and he gladly tells anyone who will listen about home, the festival and the rodeo. “We have a lot of good things going on here,” he said. “As far as the rodeo, we have a lot of local talent. Everybody knows who Trevor Brazile is and who Tuf and the Coopers are, but we have a lot of other great cowboys and cowgirls in our area. In my book, they’re all just as good as anybody out there.” The rodeo – set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11 at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena – brings in contestants and fans from 30 states and two countries. Add the festival to the mix, and there are grand opportunities for visitors when they arrive the second weekend in May. “From a commercial standpoint, Butterfield Stage Days brings many people to the community who, in turn, spend their money on fuel, hotels, shopping, the rodeo, etc.,” said Susan Miller, one of the celebration organizers. “The tax dollars raised from this event are awesome for the chamber and the city of Bridgeport.” Those are just a few of the benefits of Butterfield Stage Days. But the community actually reaps further rewards. “This one weekend event benefits several organizations,” Miller said. “The festival raises money for the chamber, the stick horse race raises money for Main Street, the rodeo raises money for the riding club and the chamber, the concession stand at the rodeo raises thousands for the Bridgeport Lions Club, which, in turn, buys glasses and eye exams for people of Bridgeport – women and children from the Women’s Shelter. “The local Cross Timbers Aggie Club parks cars at the rodeo that raises money for its scholarships. They then give a scholarship in that amount to a deserving graduating senior.” In essence, Butterfield Stage Days is more than an event, more than a celebration. It’s an important part of the fabric that is woven all across Wise County and north Texas.

GUYMON, Okla. – The annual Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has long been a showcase of rodeo’s brightest stars. Of course, Texas County is home to some of the greatest world champions in ProRodeo, where gold buckle-holders like Billy Etbauer, Robert Etbauer, Tom Reeves, Taos Muncy, Rocky Patterson and Jhett Johnson have all lived and/or were trained in the art of cowboying for a living. In all, those men own 14 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world championships. But the cowboys and cowgirls aren’t the only elite-caliber athletes making the trek to the Oklahoma Panhandle. In addition to the hundreds of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers, Pioneer Days Rodeo annually hosts some of the greatest animal athletes in the business. This year, those numbers have been upped a notch. “We will have right at 60 NFR animals performing during the four performances in Guymon next weekend,” said Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, the primary stock contractor at Pioneer Days Rodeo. “Over 50 of those are horses; the bulls have a shorter life span as far as bucking, but we are bringing some of the best young bulls in the country that are just starting to be recognized nationally.” In addition to Carr Pro Rodeo, other firms will be Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo (which Carr purchased recently), Powder River Rodeo Co. and Korkow Rodeos. All are established and elite contracting companies that provide bucking horses and bulls at rodeos all across the country. “We’ve been recognized for years for having some of the best livestock of any rodeo in the country, and this is a great indication that we’re continuing to strive for more every year,” said Ken Stonecipher, the rodeo’s production manager. “This just adds to the great rodeo our fans know they can experience in Guymon.” Having great bucking stock is another key reason why rodeo’s greatest champions are excited to return to the Oklahoma Panhandle every spring. “Guymon’s one of the rodeos that everyone looks forward to going because there are so many good horses,” said Muncy, a two-time world champion who won the collegiate saddle bronc riding title as a sophomore at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, which rests just 10 miles southwest of Guymon. “You know it’s going to be a spurring contest instead of a drawing contest. “You know that no matter what performance you’re in, you have a chance to win the rodeo.”

Cody Sosebee has been recognized as one of the top acts in the PRCA GUYMON, Okla. – Cody Sosebee has a larger-than-life personality and a gregarious nature that fits well in his extra-large frame. It’s one of the many reasons he’s one of the preeminent rodeo clowns in the business. From his tight-fitting attire that serves as mockery for his size to his understanding of the sport and all that it encompasses as a form of competition and entertainment, Sosebee reaches an audience like few who make their living wearing greasepaint and making fans laugh. “Some people see me weigh about 150 pounds more than the guy next to me, but that’s OK,” said Sosebee, who will work his entertaining magic during the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “I think a rodeo clown is supposed to be a court jester and is supposed to do things you don’t expect. They’ll get to see me do a front flip or do something acrobatic and high energy, and it surprises the crowd, but it’s my job to keep moving for a solid two hours of a performance.” He gets that opportunity at some of the biggest rodeos in the country, which is why he’s excited to be part of the Pioneer Days festivities in Texas County. While modest, Sosebee is already in that category. He’s been in the running for the PRCA’s Clown of the Year and has been recognized as one of the top five barrelmen/funnymen in rodeo. Why? “I think I bring a sense of energy to an event, and I try to bring a new level of energy,” he said. “I try to bring a high level of energy to your show. I think rodeo competes with other extreme sports, and I think we’re in a class of entertainment like those. “When people come to an event, they want to see the level of high energy for the entire two hours they’re there, and that’s what I want to give them.” What Sosebee provides actually goes beyond high energy. His job as a barrelman is to be a safety valve for others who are in the arena during the bull riding competition, but he’s also a big part of the overall production of the show. He provides a flair for comedy, and he’s pretty good at it. Rodeo is nothing new to Sosebee. In fact, he grew up in the sport. His father was a pickup man, and his mother was a barrel racer. He admits to living with an alter-ego, where one day he’s on his place in northwest Arkansas and another he is working his “stage” show in front of thousands of fans. “I just love this,” he said. “I enjoy making the crowd laugh. The times are hard and the economy’s rough, and we’ve got people who are paying a price for the ticket; I want them to come and be entertained, and I want them to forget whatever troubles they’re having for that two hours.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – Fans deserve the best, and the volunteers that produce the annual Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo know that well. “We’ve got great rodeo fans in this area, and we want them to keep coming back to our rodeo every year,” said Loydd Williams, chairman of the festival’s rodeo committee. “We also want them to tell their friends about the rodeo we have. I think everyone has been pleased with what they see.” The rodeo is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena and will feature the top contestants in the game. It also will host some of the greatest animal athletes seen in ProRodeo, from great timed-event horses to tremendous bucking beasts. “Probably our biggest change is that our stock contractor has expanded quite a bit,” Williams said of Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo. Its owner, Pete Carr, just completed purchase of Classic Pro Rodeo, a Waskom, Texas-based livestock firm that has been part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for about 20 years. “Pete was already one of the best contractors in rodeo. Now he’s bigger and better than he was a year ago.” That should be a boon for rodeo fans in Wise County and north Texas, but there’s much more to the entire entertainment package. “We’re bringing in Real Screen Video to provide the scoreboard and the replays for our rodeo,” Williams said. “Rick Sallee and his people do some of the biggest rodeos in the country, like Fort Worth and the NFR. With them handling the replays and commercials for our sponsors, we’ll be able to really showcase our rodeo to the fans.” That’s important. Like any sporting event, a video board comes in quite handy with showing replays of the action, but it also serves as a tremendous marketing tool for potential sponsors. It also can be a place to showcase a community celebration like Butterfield Stage Days. Of course, it’s just another aspect of providing top-level entertainment for fans that come to enjoy the world-class athletes that make the sport. Also in the mix will be entertainer John Harrison, who will provide comic relief throughout the two performances of the rodeo while also showcasing his award-winning talents. “We, as a committee, are looking forward to working with John this year,” Williams said. “As someone who has been around rodeo for so many years and knowing the history of the game, it’s good to know John is carrying on a family tradition. His grandfather was Freckles Brown, who won the bull riding world title and is still a legend in rodeo.” While the competition will be the featured part of the performances, the flavor will be enhanced by announcer Charlie Throckmorton, who has been one of the best in the business for a number of, and Benje Bendele, the premier sound technician in rodeo. Throckmorton has worked as arena announcer at the National Finals Steer Roping many years, and Bendele produces the music and sound at the largest events in the sport, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I think we’ve got the best crew in the sport, and I think the fans will see a difference in our rodeo from any other they’re going to go to this year,” Williams said. “It’s going to be a very good rodeo.”

ALVA, Okla. – In her relatively young lifetime, Alexis Allen has seen great success. Last year, her freshman season on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team, the Alva cowgirl experienced a bit of failure. It was demoralizing. It was frustrating. It was motivation. “I just want to make it to the college finals,” said Allen, who won the women’s all-around championship last weekend at the Fort Hays (Kan.) State University rodeo, placing second in barrel racing and fourth in breakaway roping. “I barely missed going last year. I made all three years of the National Junior High Finals and all four years of the National High School Finals, but I had to sit out last year. “I didn’t like it.” Allen has accumulated 498 points in barrel racing this season and sits second in the Central Plains Region standings, just 52 points behind Ceri McCaffery of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. While the top three in the final region standings, there are a couple of cowgirls on that tandem’s heels: Southwestern’s Emily Rose, third with 485 points, and Tanya Steinhoff of Pratt (Kan.) Community College, 470. Now they’ll race to the finish at the final rodeo of the 10-event season from Thursday-Saturday at the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo in Guymon, Okla. “Hopefully I can be consistent in this last rodeo,” said Allen, who finished second at Panhandle State last spring, runner-up to McCaffery. While the overall goal is to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo – set for June 9-15 in Casper, Wyo. – Allen is well within reach of winning the region’s barrel racing championship. She’ll settle for a strong finish and a return to a national championship event, but Allen knows her finish in Hays set her up for grand opportunities. “It’s exciting to win the all-around in Hays,” she said. “I barely missed out on a buckle last weekend. Winning one this weekend helps a lot. “It would’ve been nice to catch my calf in the short-go and win the breakaway roping, but I’m in a good position in barrel racing, so it’s OK.” Allen rode Superman, an 8-year-old bay gelding, twice around the cloverleaf pattern for a cumulative time of 33.24 seconds, just behind Southwestern’s Dusta Kimzey. For her two-event finish, Allen finished with 205 points, which moved the Northwestern into a third-place team finish in Hays. The Rangers women remain No. 2 in the region standings – only the top two schools qualify their teams to the college finals. “We’ve really hooked it up this semester,” Allen said. “Hopefully we can pull it off and win in Guymon this weekend. We’ve always been in the shadows of the men’s team, so this is an important step for us. “For some reason, everybody’s just picking up their game and being consistent.” Allen was one of several Rangers who placed in Hays, joining Trisha Price of Faith, S.D., who placed second in goat tying; barrel racers Liza Ingram of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (sixth) and Kelsey Pontius of Watertown, Pa. (tied for seventh); heelers Wade Wilson of Laverne, Okla. (fourth), Wade Perry of Lamont, Okla. (fifth) and Chase Boekhaus of Rolla, Kan. (sixth); headers Karly Kile of Topeka, Kan. (third) and Bradley Bullock of McAlpin, Fla. (sixth); and tie-down ropers Ryan Domer of Topeka (second), Travis Cowan of Highmore, S.D. (sixth) and Chase Lako of Hunter, N.D. (tied for seventh). There are several Northwestern contestants who are still in the running to qualify for the college finals, but they’ll need all the help they can get beginning Thursday. It’s further proof the Central Plains is one of the most competitive in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. “I think competing in our region helps us when we get to the college finals,” Allen said. “There are a bunch of girls here that are extremely tough. We’ve been able to compete with Southwestern this year; if we can compete with Southwestern, then we can hold our own in Casper.”

The e-mail that came today brought the news I’d been expecting. Still, I’m saddened by the death a rodeo legend, author Dwayne Erickson who penned thousands of articles for the Calgary (Alberta) Herald and shared the exploits of Canada’s champions for millions of readers over a storied career. If there was a story that needed to be written a Canadian cowboy or cowgirl, Erickson surely was the person who needed to write it. Erickson died Monday after a battle with cancer. I’d learned about his fight just 11 days ago, when another Canadian colleague, Ted Stovin, called to share the news. Dwayne was a fixture in rodeo, and every Canadian who had ever qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo knew it was their duty to march to the media room as soon as they finished their ride or run, where they’d sit and answer his questions each night. Whether it was Rod Hay or Glen O’Neill, Curtis Cassidy or Lee Graves, they would make sure to have that one-on-one time with Erickson, who, for years, smoked and drank beer as he worked in the NFR media room. He was one of the last holdouts when the media room became smoke-free. The last time he covered the NFR was in 2010, my first year to ever be in Las Vegas for all 10 nights of ProRodeo’s championship event. Toward the end of the run, Dwayne motioned me over to his area, and I took the seat next to him typically reserved for Canadians. “You ever thought about moving to Calgary?” he asked. Well … not really, I responded. “Well, my time’s about done,” he said in that matter-of-fact manner for which was his calling card. “I’m not going to be around this Earth for very much (expletive) longer. Hell, it might be pretty (expletive) soon, and we need good rodeo writers in Calgary, and we need someone who knows rodeo.” That was a flattering offer from one of the sport’s most significant voices. He was a two-time winner of the PRCA Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism, in 2003 and 2012. Most importantly, he was a torch-bearer for millions of rodeo fans in Alberta and the rest of North America, and he should be remembered as such.

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – For most associated with the sport, the hometown rodeo is a chance to compete in front of family. It’s a wonderful benefit to the band of gypsies that make a living on the rodeo trail. You see, rodeo cowboys and cowgirls travel more than 100,000 miles a year plying their trade. They ride, rope, wrestle and race for paychecks, whether the competitions are in Pendleton, Ore., or Arcadia, Fla. The Coopers and Braziles are different than most. When they show up to compete, it is a family reunion. Clint, Clif and Tuf Cooper are brothers who live in Decatur, Texas, just a stone’s throw from the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo in Bridgeport. Clif and Tuf’s half-sister is Shada Brazile, one of the top barrel racers in 2013 and the wife of 17-time world champion Trevor Brazile. They live near Decatur, too. Nonetheless, they’re excited to return home for the Bridgeport rodeo, which will have performances at 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 10-11, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. “Every year I’ve had my card, I’ve been to that rodeo,” said Tuf Cooper, the two-time reigning world champion tie-down roper and one of three sons born to eight-time world champion Roy Cooper. “For me, everybody in my family is at every rodeo we go to, but Bridgeport is a great spot. For a lot of my friends who don’t get to see me rope, it’s easy access for them to watch me rope. I’ll get a lot of my friends there, where they don’t get to see me very often.” Butterfield Stage Days is a local celebration for many of ProRodeo’s greatest stars. In addition to the Braziles and Coopers, Wise County is home to National Finals Steer Roping qualifiers Will Gasperson of Decatur and Jarrett Blessing of Paradise. It’s also in proximity to bareback rider Matt Bright, a three-time NFR qualifier from Azle, Texas, and saddle bronc rider Bradley Harter, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Weatherford, Texas. “I like that rodeo because it’s the closest ProRodeo to our hometown, and the people of Brideport are so welcoming and try so hard there,” said Shada Brazile, one of the top 10 barrel racers in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association the end of March. “They usually have really great ground, which is always a plus in my event. “When you’re this close to home, your horses are more rested, and you’re more rested. We travel just 15 minutes to get to the rodeo. That never happens.” Bridgeport is a vital rodeo for Trevor Brazile. It’s one of the few rodeos in this area that allows him the opportunity to compete in all three of his events. He is one of two men who have qualified for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s National Finals in all four roping disciplines, joining Dale Smith in making it in heading, heeling, tie-down roping and steer roping. In addition to his 10 all-around gold buckles, Trevor Brazile owns one heading, three steer roping and three tie-down roping world titles. “That makes Bridgeport even more important to Trevor because he is able to go in all three events,” Shada Brazile said. “The time of the year is really good for us. We’ve been gone, and we’re home that time of year anyway. It’s a great run right before we have to get ready for the summer.” Unlike all-around talent Trevor Brazile, Blessing and Gasperson focus on steer roping. Both have qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping three times, so they know what it means to be among the elite in their chosen profession. They also know what it means to compete at their hometown rodeo. “Being closer to home is always better,” said Gasperson, who qualified for the finals in 2003, ’08 and ’11. “Anytime we can get a rodeo in this area that has steer roping, it brings in a lot more contestants. It’s a lot better for us, because we don’t have the fuel expense. “Bridgeport the last three years has gotten to be a good rodeo, especially for that time of year. For us that are from around here, you’re going to draw y our family and friends, which is going to make the rodeo bigger. I think that’s going to make the rodeo that much better.” Blessing, a teacher at McCarroll Middle School in Decatur, adores the idea of traveling just seven miles to compete. “It’s huge,” said Blessing, who qualified for the NFSR in 2002, ’05 and ’07. “I’m really glad the people in Bridgeport have a ProRodeo and steer roping. For steer ropers, we’ll have to travel all over the country to just compete, and we don’t have a lot of real close ones. It’s nice that they can have steer roping in Bridgeport. There are a lot of guys in this area that compete in that.” Blessing is ranked among the top 10, and he’d love to stay there in order to compete in the finale in November. That’s a tough road to travel, especially considering he has a full-time job in the Decatur Independent School District. “I need to have the year I’m having right now,” he said. “This year’s been really good, and my horse is working really good. I’ve only been to four rodeos, but I’ve won money at all four of them.” The key in rodeo is to take advantage of situations as they arise. While cowboys and cowgirls pay a fee in order to compete at every rodeo, only the very best walk away from the arena with money. “I think it’s great that people from so close to home will get together and have a good rodeo for us cowboys to make some money,” Tuf Cooper said. “When they do that for us, it makes it a good rodeo for the fans.”

BRIDGEPORT, Texas – When Loydd Williams looks around, he sees home and family. That’s Wise County in general. More specifically, it’s Bridgeport. And, really, it doesn’t matter if he’s in Fort Worth or Oklahoma City or on any highway in between; Williams will tell people about home. It’s one of many reasons why he’s part of the community’s annual Butterfield Stage Days, serving as chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual ProRodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 10-11, at Bridgeport Riding Club Arena. “The reason I volunteer is because I try to give something back to my hometown and give back to the sport I love and that’s brought so much enjoyment to me and my family,” Williams said. Williams is the lead person on the 25-member volunteer committee that works year-round in order to put on the best show possible for fans in north Texas. From meeting with sponsors and potential contributors to setting up the arena for competition, the key workers are men and women who donate their time and talent for the annual celebration. “This is our seventh year with the ProRodeo,” Williams said. “Three years prior to that, we had a team roping, so we’re right at 10 years that we’ve been doing something with the goal of bringing more people into Wise County and into Bridgeport.” He got started in rodeo at age 16, when he was introduced to roping by good friend Billy Fred Walker. Since then, it’s been a big part of his life, and he’s quite happy it has. “I wouldn’t take a million  bucks for the experience I got in raising a kid around rodeo,” he said, referring to his son, J.C., who has competed at nearby Weatherford (Texas) College. “Getting to see J.C. qualify for the Texas Circuit Finals and the All American finals while he was still in college is something you just can’t buy. That means the world to me.” And that passion for the sport has continued to be a driving force for Williams. He strives each year to have the Bridgeport rodeo be recognized as one of the best in the country. “I think we all work really hard to be an event that even if I’m 200 miles away from home and tell someone I’m from Bridgeport, that they’ll say, ‘Man, that’s a good rodeo there,’ ” he said. That takes a solid workforce of people willing to put in the hours and effort. “When the rodeo’s over, we’ll get back together around the first of July, go over financials and start the process all over,” Williams said. “You don’t get much of a break on these kinds of productions. “The core of our committee is the seven individuals who take the leadership roles. They’re on task; they take their tasks, and they do them with pride.” From publicity to fund-raising to tackling whatever assignments come up, all the work is done by people who have a passion for the community and for the legacy of Butterfield Stage Days. “When it gets closer to rodeo time, all those pieces come together,” Williams said. “Everybody wants to do it, and they love what they do. We’ve got the best attitudes of any committee I’ve seen. “It’s a love for it and a love for bringing something back to the community. When it comes together, it’s fun that weekend in May, but each one takes their piece of the puzzle and makes it work.”

ALVA, Okla. – It’s been a while since Trey Young was in the winner’s circle at a Central Plains Region event. That changed last weekend when the Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboy won the tie-down roping title at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Weatherford. Young roped and tied two calves in 19.9 seconds, edging Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s Caleb Bullock by one-tenth of a second to claim the title. Young, of Dupree, S.D., hadn’t been atop the leaderboard since February 2012. But it’s an important step for the young cowboy with just two rodeos remaining this season – the university’s men’s and women’s rodeo teams compete at the Fort Hays (Kan.) State University rodeo this weekend, then will perform at the Panhandle State rodeo next week to conclude this season’s campaign. That means there will be much scrambling to gain important points in order to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo, set for June in Casper, Wyo. Only the top two teams in the region qualify full squads for the finals, while the top four in each event earn the right to compete for the most coveted prizes in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. For his part, Young earned 120 points by winning in Weatherford. He sits seventh in the region standings; he’s on the outside looking it, but he has a chance to move into the top four with a fantastic finish. He wasn’t the only Northwestern cowboy to earn valuable points, joining fellow tie-down roper Ryan Domer of Topeka, Kan., who finished sixth; steer wrestler Tee Hale of White Owl, S.D., fourth; and heeler Dustin Searcy of Mooreland, Okla., second. Searcy is another Ranger cowboy who is in contention to qualify for the college finals, sitting fifth in the heeling standings. But he’ll need to take care of business over the next two weekends in order to be one of the qualifiers. The Rangers women fared a little better than the men in Weatherford. The women’s team finished second to Southwestern, powered by barrel racers Alexis Allen of Alva, who placed second, and Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan., who finished third. Goat-tier Karley Kile of Topeka finished seventh. Allen sits fourth in the region barrel racing standings, while Samples is fifth. Kile is fourth among regional goat tiers, while breakaway roper Jessica Koppitz of Alva is No. 1.

Since 2001, I’ve held a close tie to the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo, and I’m very proud of what happens in the Oklahoma Panhandle every spring. This year, I’m proud to report that there are 952 entrants into this year’s rodeo. Those are amazing numbers, but the format seems to work well for everyone involved. There is enough “added” money to make the purse attractive for the sport’s best contestants, and the time of year allows for a great opportunity for hundreds to compete. My initial trip to Guymon’s rodeo took place that May with the support of Melyn Johnson, who worked for the city and talked me into covering the event for the state’s largest newspaper, The Oklahoman. I returned to Guymon a year later to take in the largest event in the region because it was home to the world’s greatest cowboys for a given week. Because the newspaper decided to “bury” rodeo coverage, I missed the annual event in 2003 and 2004. I’ve been back for that rodeo in some form or fashion every year since. Since 2006, I’ve worked with the committee to help promote each edition of Pioneer Days Rodeo. It was the first contract for my business, Rodeo Media Relations; it continues to be a major part of who I am and what I do. I’m honestly blessed by the relationships I have developed in the Oklahoma Panhandle, the most significant, of course, being with my wife. I met Lynette when she was on the committee in 2001, but we were nothing more than acquaintances until 2005. Now she’s my everything: My partner, my love, my biggest critic, my biggest cheerleader and the mother of my children. In Guymon, just as the case with every other rodeo I work, the goal is to draw bigger crowds. We’ve done that, and what fans have learned is that there’s a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo-caliber showcase every performance. It’s been that way for a number of years, and I hope even more people show up at Hitch Arena the first weekend of May. They’ll see rodeo’s biggest and brightest stars compete at one of the most prestigious rodeos in the area every year.

GUYMON, Okla. – Some jobs just seem thankless, yet they still need to be done. Welcome to the world of Danna Danner, Kristina Rodman and Heather Hoeffner. Danner and Rodman are in charge of concessions, while Hoeffner is in charge of the hospitality during the weeklong celebration that is the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for Monday, April 29-Sunday, May 5 at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. From organizing to ordering to planning the schedules of the other volunteers, it all falls on those three ladies. “It’s a drug for me,” Rodman said. “I get a high from the adrenaline rush we get when we bust our butts. It’s just fun to run non-stop. The next week we’re about to die, but we do enjoy running like crazy that week.” They must. Concessions are a valuable piece of the puzzle for any event. Fans who come to take in a show want refreshments. Oftentimes, it’s where they eat as a family as they enjoy their time in the stands. At a rodeo, the need for concessions increases because the competitors also are part of the crowd. “I like being part of it and putting something back into the community,” said Danner, who became a member of the volunteer committee five years ago, then talked Rodman into joining her. “I just love it, and I love volunteering. It’s a rush to meet the deadlines.” Their task is one of the most valuable assignments, too. The committee purchases all the food and drinks that they expect to serve over the seven days of competition, which is highlighted by the four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The profit is mixed with ticket sales and sponsorship money to pay all the expenses it takes to produce an event of this magnitude in the Oklahoma Panhandle. “Danna and Kristina do an amazing job with the concessions, because it takes so much to make it work every year,” said Earl Helm, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the rodeo. “We have a lot of committee members and volunteers who put in countless hours to make our rodeo work, and I appreciate all of them and what they do. “The concessions are so vital to our rodeo, and so are Danna and Kristina.” Rodman and Danner are the spark plugs that run the engine, but there are numerous parts. There are two others who have stepped into leadership roles on the concessions sub-committee, and there are numerous others who make the machine click during rodeo week. “To run a concession, we have to have 23 people to volunteer throughout the community,” Danner said. “The OPSU football players help us a lot.” The help is necessary and appreciated. The rodeo is part of the community’s annual celebration, Pioneer Days, and serves as the largest event in the Oklahoma Panhandle with an economic impact of about $2 million. In addition to the thousands of fans who come to see the family-friendly entertainment, Guymon is home to nearly 1,000 cowboys and cowgirls who are coming to the region to compete at Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo. “We make a lot of money for the committee to help put this thing on,” Rodman said. “It’s very awesome to see our progress. I like knowing we can turn something around and make it successful. I like that we gave it a better name; it makes me proud when the other committee members tell us how well we’re doing and they’re scared that we’ll ever quit. “That tells me we’re doing a good job, and that’s important to me.” It’s important to the community, too. “This is our 81st year as a rodeo, and as far as a community event, it helps with businesses,” Danner said. “We’ll have people hitting the stores, the gas stations, the restaurants because there are so many people in town. “Pioneer Days has been here so long, it’s just part of Guymon. I can’t imagine the community without it. It’s important to me just being able to be part of it and knowing I’ve contributed to our community. We work our butts off, but that’s what makes us tick.” The hospitality area is set up for contestants, personnel and sponsors who make the rodeo what it is, and Guymon’s has regularly been recognized by contestants as one of the best events in ProRodeo. “I think people appreciate the hard work that we do to prepare everything,” said Hoeffner, who works closely with her husband, Ed, and Lanny and Vicki Wilson on the hospitality. “Every person that we talked to last year knew how much work went into it. They saw the hard work and the smiling faces that are serving them food.” The Hoeffners and Wilsons brought a flavor of home to the metal-covered building. Though generous restaurant sponsors donated food, the personal touch was a hit with the contestants, families and friends of the rodeo. “We wanted to change it to where it was home-cooked and where they could sit down and enjoy,” Heather Hoeffner said. “We probably have six to eight people that helped every night every year, but we have all kinds of other volunteers from the community that help with other things. “We just want the people coming in to really enjoy themselves, and we work hard to make that happen.” That’s what volunteering is all about.

The Open Team Roping is just one of the great events taking place in conjunction with this year’s Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Roping. The first 120 teams must enter by noon Wednesday, May 1. Entry fees are $300 per team, and each cowboy can enter twice; it is a three-head progressive. The competition will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at Hitch Arena. The annual Classic Events Championship will follow, featuring 10 cowboys that will compete in steer roping and saddle bronc riding. A free calf, fish and hamburger fry for contestants and sponsors will take place Wednesday evening. Tough Enough to Wear Pink night is Friday, May 3. We’ll have the best bucking stock from Carr Pro Rodeo, Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo, Korkow Rodeos and Powder River Rodeo. Bring your family for a week-long celebration and fun.

Big Tex leads a cowboy to national title for the third straight year OKLAHOMA CITY – The final-four round of the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo featured many of the top bucking horses and bulls in the sport. But nearly every cowboy inside State Fair Arena had their eyes on two great bucking beasts: Big Tex and Dirty Jacket. Both are among the elite animal athletes in ProRodeo, and they’re owned by Texas-based stock contractor Pete Carr. “Coming into this rodeo, they asked me what was my dream draw,” said Curtis Garton, a Kaitaia, New Zealand, cowboy now living in Lake Charles, La. “I didn’t have to think about that: Big Tex.” The dream came true in the final round. Garton matched moves with the bay gelding from Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo for 86 points to win the round at ProRodeo’s national championship. Overall, he won $19,332 in Oklahoma City and a $20,000 voucher to be used for the purchase of a Ram truck or other Chrysler vehicle. “I can’t even explain how happy I am,” Garton said. “It’s a huge thing. This rodeo right here is one of the biggest rodeos in the nation. Las Vegas is the Super Bowl of rodeo, and then this one. For me to be able to win that buckle and get on that great horse and to be national champion of the Ram Circuit Finals is just amazing.” The victory marked the third straight year that Big Tex guided a cowboy to the championship. Two years ago, bareback rider Bobby Mote won his first RNCFR title after an 87-point ride on Big Tex, who was just a few months removed from being crowned the 2010 PRCA Bareback riding Horse of the Year. Last April, Australian saddle bronc rider Sam Spreadborough won the RNCFR title with an 86. “They just got done winning San Antonio on him; they won Houston on him,” said Garton, who shared the semifinal-round victory with an 82-point ride atop Carr Pro Rodeo’s Empty Pockets. “He’s just an amazing horse. He’s big and just loves to buck. “I just thank the Lord that it all worked out.” Combined, RNCFR contestants won more than $30,000 on animals owned by Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo and Carr Pro Rodeo. That’s the kind of livestock that cowboys can see at the 33 rodeos the firms will produce in 2013. That’s a good thing for bareback rider Jared Keylon, a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Uniontown, Kan., who was quite thankful for his final-round match-up with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, a 9-year-old bay gelding. Though he didn’t win the national title, Keylon shared the round win Mote, who won the national title through the tie-breaker – Mote won the semifinal round, which gave him the slight edge over Keylon for the top prize. Still, Keylon earned the lion’s share of the money with $14,533, thanks in large part to his 87-point ride on Dirty Jacket, which voted as the runner-up reserve champion bareback horse in the PRCA and the Texas Circuit Bareback of the Year for 2012. Last weekend, he was named the top bareback horse of the RNCFR. “After that semifinal round when I came off so run, I had dirt all over my face, and I was feeling pretty rough,” Keylon said. “I got in the locker room, and I just kept saying to myself, ‘I hope I get Dirty Jacket; I hope I get Dirty Jacket.’ ” It was the first time the two great athletes have been matched, and the tournament-style championship was the perfect place for Keylon and Dirty Jacket to show off their talent for a national audience. “It was great to finally get on that horse,” Keylon said. “I’ve been dreaming about getting on that horse. He felt better than I ever dreamed.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – Bobby Mote has been in this position before. Actually, it was just two years ago during the 2011 Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. Mote, a four-time world champion bareback rider from Culver, Ore., won the semifinals, then shared the final-round victory. Déjà vu. On Saturday night at State Fair Arena, Mote rode Mo Betta Rodeo’s Wind Walker for 83 points to win the semifinal round of ProRodeo’s National Championship. About an hour later in the finals, Mote matched moves with Southwick’s Rocky Mtn. Rodeo’s Hard Times for 87 points, a score that was matched by Jared Keylon of Uniontown, Kan., on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket. The tie may go to the runner in baseball, but it goes to the semifinal-round winner in this tournament-style rodeo format. Keylon has posted an 81 on Rafter G Rodeo’s Assault in the semifinals. “I guess that’s the way it’s been,” said Mote, whose only two national championships have come in the three years the RNCFR has taken place in Oklahoma City’s historic State Fair Arena. “I’ll take it any way I can.” Mote actually squeaked into the Saturday night field in eighth place based on his two-round cumulative score – of the 24 qualifiers in each event, only the top eight earned the right to compete in the final performance. “I almost went home yesterday, because I was fifth in the average; I thought there was no way I was going to make it back,” he said. “My wife talked me into staying. We went to the zoo today, and I got a text that I made it back eighth. “With this format, it doesn’t really matter as long as you make it back.” Mote actually rode three horses Saturday night; he was awarded a re-ride in the finals after the flank strap fell off his first horse, Painted Pony Rodeo’s Festus. “He’s one they win on quite a bit,” Mote said of Hard Times. “I didn’t really know him, but I didn’t really have time to think about it.” Mote is one of three world champions who won this year’s RNCFR title, joining heeler Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nev., and barrel racer Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas. Pozzi repeated her title, joining tie-down roping champion Matt Shiozawa of Chubbuck, Idaho, in defending their 2012 crowns. Other winners were steer wrestler Ethen Thouvenell of Wittman, Ariz.; header Shane Erickson of Terrebonne, Ore.; bull rider John Young of Orient, Iowa; and saddle bronc rider Curtis Garton, a New Zealand cowboy now living in Louisiana. Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo April 4-6, Oklahoma City Bareback riding: Semifinals: 1. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 83 points on Mo Betta’s Wind Walker, $5,484; 2. (tie) Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., and Jared Keylon, Uniontown, Kan., 81, $3,428 each; 4. Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 80, $1,371. Finals: 1. (tie) Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., on Southwick’s Rocky Mtn. Rodeo’s Hard Times, and Jared Keylon, Uniontown, Kan., on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, 87, $4,799; 3. Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 84, $2,742; 4. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 78, $1,371. Overall earnings: 1. Jared Keylon, Uniontown, Kan., $14,533; 2. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., $10,283; 3. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, $10,192; 4. Caleb Bennett, Morgan, Utah, $9,598; 5. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., $5,793; 6. Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, $4,285; 7. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, $3,976; 8. Joe Gunderson, Agar, S.D., $3,748; 9.Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, $3,291; 10. Casey Colletti, Pueblo, Colo., $1,691; 11. (tie) Caine Riddle, Vernon, Texas, and Tyson Thompson, Bradley, Calif., $411 each; 13. (tie) George Gillespie IV, Placerville, Calif., and Zach Curran, Pavillion, Wyo., $171 Steer wrestling: Semifinals: 1. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 3.5 seconds, $5,484; 2. Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb., 3.8, $4,113; 3. Ethen Thouvenell, Wittmann, Ariz., 4.2, $2,742; 4. Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla., 4.3, $1,371. Finals: 1. Ethen Thouvenell, Wittmann, Ariz., 3.5 seconds, $5,484; 2. Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla., 14.2, $4,113; no other qualified times. Overall earnings: 1. Ethen Thouvenell, Wittmann, Ariz., $14,396; 2. Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb., $11,791;3. Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla., $9,598; 4. Jason Miller, Lance Creek, Wyo., $9,049; 5. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., $7,267; 6. Sean Santucci, Prineville, Ore., $5,073; 7. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, $4,525; 8. Jon Ragatz, Beetown, Wis., $2,057;9. (tie) Nik Hamm, Rapid City, S.D., and Trevor Duhon, Phoenix, Ariz., $343 each. Tie-down roping: Semifinals: 1. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 7.4 seconds, $5,484; 2. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 8.5, $4,113; 3. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., 8.6, $2,742;4. Jody Green, Shakopee, Minn., 9.0, $1,371. Finals: 1. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 9.0 seconds, $5,484; 2. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 9.1, $4,113; 3. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., 10.8, $2,742; no other qualified times. Overall earnings: 1. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, $20,566; 2. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, $15,493; 3. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., $11,928; 4. Bryson Sechrist, Apache, Okla., $5,279; 5. Jared Ferguson, Cottonwood, Calif., $4,525; 6. Jesse Clark, Portales, N.M., $3,359; 7. Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., $2,331; 8. Jody Green, Shakopee, Minn., $1,371; 9. Tim Pharr, Resaca, Ga., $960; 10. (tie) Bryant Mikkelson, Buffalo, Mont., and Chase Johnston, Kersey, Colo., $686 each. Saddle bronc riding: Semifinals: 1. (tie) Curtis Garton, New Zealand, on Rafter G Rodeo’s Billings, and Cody Taton, Corona, N.M., on Painted Pony Champ. Rodeo’s NY Mega Millions, $4,799; 3. Jacobs Crawley, College Station, Texas, 82, $2,742; 4. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 79, $1,371. Finals: 1. Curtis Garton, New Zealand, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic ProRodeo’s Big Tex, $5,484; 2. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 82, $4,113; 3. Cody Taton, Corona, N.M., 77, $2,742; no other qualified scores. Overall earnings: 1. Curtis Garton, New Zealand, $19,332; 2. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., $17,413; 3. Cody Taton, Corona, N.M., $8,958; 4. Jacobs Crawley, College Station, Texas, $5,553; 5. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, $4,525; 6. Mert Bradshaw, Eagle Point, Ore., $4,113; 7. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, $3,999; 8. Troy Crowser, Whitewood, S.D., $1,303; 9. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., $960; 10. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, $571; 11. (tie) Andy Clarys, Riverton, Wyo., and Joaquin Real, Woody, Calif., $229. Team roping: Semifinals: 1. Shane  Continue Reading »

Team roping: Semifinals: 1. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 5.0 seconds, $5,484; 2. (tie) Spencer Mitchell, Colusa, Calif./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., and Nelson Linares, Plant City, Fla./Shawn Harris, Searcy, Ark., 5.2, $3,428; 4. Marcus Battaglia, Ramona, Calif./Kyle Lockett, Visalia, Calif., 5.3, $1,371.

Tie-down roping: 1. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 7.4 seconds, $5,484; 2. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 8.5, $4,113; 3. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., 8.6, $2,742;4. Jody Green, Shakopee, Minn., 9.0, $1,371. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Curtis Garton, New Zealand, on Rafter G Rodeo’s Billings, and Cody Taton, Corona, N.M., on Painted Pony Champ. Rodeo’s NY Mega Millions, $4,799; 3. Jacobs Crawley, College Station, Texas, 82, $2,742; 4. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 79, $1,371.