Monthly Archives: May 2013

SILVER CITY, N.M. – The tree-lined grassland in east Texas is home to some of the greatest bucking animals in rodeo. In the coming days, those majestic animals will arrive in Grant County to be a major part of the showcase that is the Wild, Wild West Pro Rodeo, set for 8 p.m. Thursday, June 6-Saturday, June 8, at Southwest Horseman’s Park. When they arrive in Silver City, they’ll be ready to perform. “They’re all bred to buck, and even though they all have different personalities, they’re ready to go,” said Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo, two elite livestock producers in the sport. “By getting on the truck, they know they’re going to go buck. They’re pretty eager to get on the truck.” They’re pretty good, too. In fact, the Carr firms accounted for 31 animals that were selected to buck at the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand championship that takes place each December in Las Vegas. In all, more than 70 NFR animals make their home on Carr property about 900 miles east of Silver City. “These animals thrive on this,” Carr said. “It’s just like people. When somebody feels good, they’re happy and they’re upbeat. They carry themselves differently. “It’s the same with a horse. When a bucking horse knows he’s going to get to buck, he gets excited, and he’s ready to go.” This year the Carr firms will produce 33 rodeos in 13 states, and they’ll have the type of power that’s a major draw for the sport’s top cowboys. “The thing about Pete Carr’s rodeos is that when you go to one, you know you’re going to get a chance to win first,” said bareback rider Matt Bright, a three-time NFR qualifier from Azle, Texas. “A lot of guys don’t have that. “I really respect that guy a lot, because he used to be a bareback rider himself. I think that’s why he’s got such a good pen of bareback horses. He knows what kinds of horses guys can win on.” Fans in Silver City know what kind of animal athletes come to town every June. Three years ago, Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo horse Big Tex helped bareback rider Tilden Hooper to a world record-tying 94-point ride inside Southwest Horseman’s Park. Big Tex went on to be named the 2010 Bareback Horse of the Year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In fact, three Carr horses have earned that title: Real Deal won in 2005, and MGM Deuces Night earned the title last year. The Carr roster also includes River Boat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion bareback horse; Dirty Jacket, the 2012 runner-up reserve world champion bareback horse; and Grass Dancer, which guided bareback rider Ryan Gray to record-tying 94-point ride in 2009 at Eagle, Colo. “Pete has a list of really good animals,” said saddle bronc rider Taos Muncy, a two-time world champion. “That’s what’s great about going to his rodeos; you know you’re going to get a good horse.”

PECOS, Texas – Dale McCracken has multiple personalities, but it’s not a disorder. It’s quite the opposite, really. Like a superhero donning his cape, McCracken covers his face with greasepaint and enters the world of his alter-ego, Gizmo, the funnyman/barrelman who has entertained rodeo crowds for much of his life. It’s as if Dale drives and Gizmo does all the work, but it works well for McCracken. “The guy that wears the makeup gets paid better, that’s for sure,” said McCracken, who will be one of the featured acts at the West of the Pecos Rodeo, set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 26-Saturday, June 29, at Buck Jackson Arena. “The name came along several years ago. I worked on a music show in Branson (Mo.) for about eight years, and there you’ve got to have a stage name. “So with all the gizmos and gadgets I had, they came up with the name, ‘Gizmo, the Ozarks Greatest Inventor.’ So instead of selling a particular act, I sell a character.” That character carries on several personas, but they’re all comedic. During much of the rodeo, he’ll do what is called the “walk and talk,” sharing his comedy with the audiences each night of the three-performance rodeo. “We’ve got a lot of stuff planned for Pecos,” said McCracken, still referring, possibly, to his multiple personalities. “It’s been awhile since we’ve been there, but we’ve got a lot of friends and fans there. It’s always good to go to a rodeo where you see a bunch of fans. “The big thing we do is the ‘walk and talk,’ and we work it from the hello to the end. I’ll bring out a lot of characters throughout the rodeo, because I think if you come for more than one night, you should see the different characters.” McCracken returns to Pecos after a successful run last June, but he’s got enough in his bag of tricks to show the fans something special, something fresh. Besides, he likes working in West Texas. “I’m just ready for some good, hot weather,” he said. “We’ve been in so much cold and rain so far this year that we’re looking forward to getting to Pecos. “It’s a huge arena, but the way it’s laid out, everybody’s got a good seat. That is a great crowd. They pay attention to what we do, and they love rodeo. It’s a lot of fun.” McCracken joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1992 and has earned several honors in that time: he’s worked several PRCA circuit championships and has been a nominee for the association’s Comedy Act of the Year. At each rodeo, there are a variety of duties for McCracken. As a comedian, he will interact with the crowd throughout each performance and put on skits that tend to leave fans in stitches. During bull riding, he continues to provide comedic relief as well as a necessary tool for the bull riders, bullfighters and others that are in the arena. “First of all when I’m in the barrel, my best friend is Jesus, and my second best friend is the barrel,” he said. “It’s your safe haven there a lot. It also has its important part for cowboys and bullfighters to use, a place for them to go in the arena if they’re in a bind. That barrel is like that one tree out in the middle of the desert that gives you a little protection.” And it’s also a heavy object with which some of the feistier bucking beasts love to play. So what’s it like for McCracken to be hit with that much force? “It’s like getting into an aluminum trashcan and put into the back of a pickup going down the road at 35 miles per hour,” he said. “Then when you get up to speed, you have your buddy throw you out of the pickup, and you just bounce along down the road. “The first time they hit you, it’s like a carnival ride. Then they hit you again, and it’s more like a car accident that turns into a carnival ride. It’s a pretty exciting tilt-o-whirl.” So is McCracken’s life as a rodeo clown. He spends many weeks on the road, working events in several states, but he loves what he does. He enjoys the crowds and the excitement that comes with rodeo, and loves to see the smiles and hear the laughter. “I really enjoy seeing people have a good time,” McCracken said. “Maybe there’s a guy that’s had it pretty rough, is struggling some. If we can just get him to the rodeo and use our last American heritage sport to help him forget his troubles, then he’s had a good night, and we, as a rodeo, have had a good night, too. Laughter is pretty good medicine, and the way things are right now, everybody needs a shot.”

SILVER CITY, N.M. – Southwestern New Mexico is picturesque, sitting on the edge of the Gila National Forest. It’s a beautiful setting for a piece of Americana, the Wild Wild West Pro Rodeo, where onlookers will see the incredible feats of amazing animal athletes. They’ll see that the beauty of a bucking horse comes from its power. They’ll also see the beauty and power of Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo and Carr Pro Rodeo, the premier livestock producers in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The Carr crew will be bringing the power to the Wild Wild West Pro Rodeo, set for 8 p.m. Thursday, June 6-Saturday, June 8, at Southwest Horseman’s Park. “Pete Carr is one of the premier stock contractors in the world,” said saddle bronc rider Heith DeMoss, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Heflin, La. “Pete taking it another step further is amazing to me. It’s just going to make it better for everybody.” That’s the idea. The two firms are established and have been recognized for years as the elite among livestock producers. This spring, Carr made put everything together by purchasing Classic. “I’m combining two of the best crews in rodeo to form one of the greatest rodeo companies,” Carr said. “I’m excited about the new opportunities that are ahead for the company. I want committees to know we have a lot to offer them. We’re going to have unprecedented resources for all the rodeos, which will benefit everyone involved: committees, sponsors, contestants and spectators.” The contestants who make their living in the sport recognize the impact of the Carr firms. “Pete has such an array of horse now that no matter where he goes, he will have it to where everybody has a chance to win money,” DeMoss said. “It’s a riding contest instead of a drawing contest, and that’s what Pete’s got in his mind to do. I’m behind him all the way.” DeMoss won the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo on Pete Carr’s Classic’s Spur Strap, so he knows the kind of horse power it takes to be successful. He’s not the only bronc rider who touts the athletic animals now owned by Pete Carr. Wade Sundell rode Pete Carr’s Classic’s Big Tex for 90 points in February to win the $50,000 round at RodeoHouston. “Pete’s got a heck of a string put together,” said Sundell, a four-time NFR qualifier from Boxholm, Iowa. “There are not a lot of people that can match him anymore.” Sundell also fared well in Guymon two weeks ago, matching moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Congeniality for 85 points to finish in a tie for second. He recognizes the importance of riding great horses throughout the year if he hopes to win the elusive world championship. “It’s awesome when you have a good horse underneath you, because you know something good is going to happen,” he said. That’s a major factor in why cowboys loving going to Carr-produced rodeos like Silver City. “There are a lot of rodeos that are going to be hard to beat because of what Pete Carr brings to the table,” said bareback rider Steven Peebles, a four-time NFR qualifier from Redmond, Ore. “Pete has raised the bar in rodeo. He’ll have better horses and better production.” This is about giving spectators with the best entertainment value while serving the committees with elite performances and providing contestants with the best opportunities.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Bull rider Trevor Kastner has almost clinched his third straight qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Kastner, 25, of Ardmore, Okla., scored an 85-point ride on Sunday night on the Carr Pro Rodeo bull Fletch to win the Will Rogers Stampede, adding $1,740 and bringing his 2013 earnings to nearly $44,000; it’s not even June, when the summer run begins in ProRodeo and features numerous opportunities to add to those dollars. “A month ago it was pretty slow,” said Kastner, the No. 3 bull rider in the world standings. “The past two weeks have been pretty good.” Yes they have. Last week Kastner won the Elks Helldorado Days Rodeo in downtown Las Vegas and finished second at the Wrangler Champions Challenge in Redding, Calif. On Sunday, he matched his skills against a seasoned bull. “I’d seen him quite a bit, but I’d never been on him,” Kastner said. “He’s usually a pretty good bull, and it turned out that way tonight. He’s just a little bit sluggish and built uphill, so he makes a guy have to try a little bit more.” Besides competing at the NFR, Kastner is also a qualifier to the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, featuring the top 12 contestants from the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. He joined tie-down roper Cole Wilson of Kincaid, Kan., as Prairie Circuit finalists who found their way to the winner’s circle on the final night of Claremore’s rodeo. “It couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Wilson, who shared the calf roping title with Oklahoman Trent Creager; both cowboys roped and tied their calves in 8.6 seconds and earned $1,506 each. “I have a house payment and a truck payment, and we’re entered up for the rest of the week so this is going to soften the blow to the bank for sure.” It marked the first time the 23-year-old Kansan had cashed a check from Claremore. “I like to come to Claremore every year,” Wilson said. “It’s usually got pretty good odds and some pretty good calves, and the pay is pretty good, too. “My blue horse is back this year. He’s been hurt all last summer and all winter. It gives you a little confidence heading into the summer.”   Claremore, Okla. May 24-26 Results Bareback riding: 1. Bill Tutor, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $1,270; 2. (tie) Jared Smith and Tim O’Connell, 83, $827 each; 4. Caine Riddle, 81, $462; 5. Justin McDaniel and Kyle Brennecke, 80, $231 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Shane Henderson, 4.2 seconds, $1,939; 2. Matt Reeves, 4.7, $1,686; 3. Royce Johnson, 4.9, $1,433; 4. (tie) Tooter Silver, Teddy Johnson and Jason Thomas, 5.3, $927 each; 7. (tie) Alan Frierson, Ryan Swayze and Tommy Cook, 5.4, $197 each. Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Trent Creager and Cole Wilson, 8.6 seconds, $1,506; 3. Derrick Traylor, 9.2, 1,191; 3. Jared Kempker, 9.5, $981; 5. Jarod Branch, 9.7, $771; Tyler Garten, 9.8, $561; 7. (tie) Blake Deckard and Jerome Schneeberger, 9.9, $245 each. Saddle bronc riding 1. Wade Sundell, 83 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Social Call, $1,254; 2. Ty Atchison, 82, $950; 3. Curtis Garton, 80; 4. Cody Hamm, 456; 5. (tie) Lance Wilson, Joseph Dean Lufkin and Cody Anthony, 78, $152 each. Team roping: 1. A.J. Horton/Kyle Horton, 4.8 seconds, $1,994; 2. Drew Gartner/Tim Franzen, 4.9, $1,734; 3. Coleman Proctor/Jett Hillman, 5.2, $1,474; 4. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 5.4, $1,214; 5. Troy Boone/Tad Sheets, 5.7, $954; 6. (tie) Joe Macoubrie/Dawson McMaster and Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 5.8, $563; 8. Casey Hicks/Cody Heflin, 5.9, $173. Steer roping: First round: 1. J. Paul Williams, 10.6 seconds, $888; 2. Joe Wells, 10.7, $735; 3. Jay Sellers, 10.8, $582; 4. Trevor Brazile, 11.4, $429; 5. J.P. Wickett, 12.2, $276; 6. Chuck Thomson, 12.8, $153. Second round 1. Bryce Davis, 9.8 seconds, $888; 2. J. Tom Fisher, 11.3, $735; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 12.7, $582; 4. Rocky Patterson, 13.6, $429; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 13.7, $276; 6. Pecos Bill McNiel, 13.8, $153. Third round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 9.7 seconds, $888; 2. Cody Lee, 10.8, $735, 3. Jake DeGeer, 11.0, $582; 4. Chuck Thomson, 11.2, $429; 5. Chet Herren, 11.6, $276; 6. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.7, $153. Average leaders: 1. Jay Sellers and Vin Fisher Jr., 39.3 seconds on three runs, $1,217 each; 3. Cody Lee, 41.2, $873; 4. (tie) Rocky Patterson and J.P. Wickett, 43.2, $528; 6. C.A. Lauer, 45.7, $230. Barrel racing: 1. Christy Loflin, 16.99 seconds, $1,912; 2. Carlee Pierce, 17;05, $1,639; 3. Cheyenne Kelly, 17.27, $1,367; 4. (tie) Shelley Morgan and Gretchen Benbenek, 17.41, $1,047; 6. Sandi Brandi, 17.42, $728; 7. Alexia Mehrle, 17.49, $546; 8. Sally Young, 17.50, $364; 9. $273; 10. (tie) Jessi Eagleberger and Michele McLeod, 17.53, $91 each. Bull riding: 1. Trevor Kastner, 84 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Fletch, $1,740; 2. Trey Benton III, 82, $1,318; 3. (tie) Shawn Hogg and Bart Miller, 80, $791 each; 5. Guthrie Murray, 79, $369; 6. Dylan Werner, 71, $264.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Bill Tutor’s No. 1 goal in 2013 is to win the Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year title in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The young cowboy got a big boost from a veteran bucking horse and moved closer toward that goal on Saturday night when he rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket for 85 points to take the bareback riding lead at the Will Rogers Stampede, with just one performance remaining at 7:45 p.m. Sunday. “I got on him last year in Eagle, Colo.,” said Tutor, a 21-year-old cowboy from Huntsville, Texas. “I was 87 on him there. I felt like I rode him 10 times better tonight.” The judges seemed to have liked it, but that’s been the case almost every time the horse has performed over the last five years. The 9-year-old bay gelding has been named one of the best bareback horses in ProRodeo; in 2012, he was named the runner-up reserve world champion. “He’s just electric in himself,” Tutor said. “He stands out among the other horses. He’s way flashier, but he bucks to where he helps the rider out a lot. You have enough hang time to expose yourself.” Judges mark half the score for the animal and half for the rider, and scores are on the 100-point scale. “He’s gaining points himself, but he allows you to gain points yourself,” Tutor said. He was one of two cowboys who moved into the lead on Saturday night, joining bull rider Trey Benton III. He rode Lancaster & Pickett Rodeo’s Short Stack for 82 points. “I didn’t know much about the bull, but he started real good,” said Benton, the 2012 PRCA rookie of the year who qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last December. “I wish he would’ve stayed left, but he went back right and flattened out a little bit. We made a good ride.” Taking the lead in Claremore is a nice momentum-booster for the Rock Island, Texas, cowboy. “I had a bad finals, and it got to me a little bit the beginning of the year,” Benton said. “Then I broke my face at Fort Worth, and I had to sit out two months after that. Now I’m coming back and starting to get on my grind, so it’s going good. “You’ve got one goal when you go all year, and that’s to stay on all your bulls and they’ll pay you.” Will Rogers Stampede Claremore, Okla. May 24-26 Leaders through second performance Bareback riding: 1. Bill Tutor, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket; 2. Jared Smith, 83; 3. Caine Riddle, 81; 4. Justin McDaniel, 80; 5. Colt Bruce, 79; 6. Richie Champion, 76. Steer wrestling: 1. Shane Henderson, 4.2 seconds; 2. Matt Reeves, 4.7; 3. Royce Johnson, 4.9; 4. (tie) Tooter Silver, Teddy Johnson and Jason Thomas, 5.3; 7. (tie) Alan Frierson, Ryan Swayze and Tommy Cook, 5.4. Tie-down roping: 1. Trent Creager, 8.6 seconds; 2. Derrick Traylor, 9.2; 3. Jared Kempker, 9.5; 4. Tyler Garten, 9.8; 5. (tie) Blake Deckard and Jerome Schneeberger, 9.9; 7. Jeff Miller, 10.5; 8. Cody McCartney, 10.7. Saddle bronc riding 1. Wade Sundell, 83 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Social Call; 2. Curtis Garton, 80; 3. (tie) Lance Wilson and Cody Anthony, 78; 5. Alan Frierson, 77; 6. James Greeson, 75. Team roping: 1. A.J. Horton/Kyle Horton, 4.8 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Jett Hillman, 5.2; 3. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 5.4; 4. Troy Boone/Tad Sheets, 5.7; 5. (tie) Joe Macoubrie/Dawson McMaster and Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 5.8; 7. Casey Hicks/Cody Heflin, 5.9; 8. Gavin Foster/Derrick Jantzen, 6.1. Steer roping: First round: 1. J. Paul Williams, 10.6 seconds, $888; 2. Joe Wells, 10.7, $735; 3. Jay Sellers, 10.8, $582; 4. Trevor Brazile, 11.4, $429; 5. J.P. Wickett, 12.2, $276; 6. Chuck Thomson, 12.8, $153. Second round 1. Bryce Davis, 9.8 seconds, $888; 2. J. Tom Fisher, 11.3, $735; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 12.7, $582; 4. Rocky Patterson, 13.6, $429; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 13.7, $276; 6. Pecos Bill McNiel, 13.8, $153. Third round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 9.7 seconds; 2. Cody Lee, 10.8, 3. Jake DeGeer, 11.0; 4. Chuck Thomson, 11.2; 5. Chet Herren, 11.6; 6. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.7; 7. Landon McClaugherty, 13.0; 8. C.A. Lauer, 13.1. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Jay Sellers and Vin Fisher Jr., 39.9 seconds on three runs; 3. Cody Lee, 41.2; 4. (tie) Rocky Patterson and J.P. Wickett, 43.2; 6. C.A. Lauer, 45.7. Barrel racing: 1. Christy Loflin, 16.99 seconds; 2. Carlee Pierce, 17;05; 3. Cheyenne Kelly, 17.27; 4. (tie) Shelley Morgan and Gretchen Benbenek, 17.41; 6. Sandi Brandi, 17.42; 7. Alexia Mehrle, 17.49; 8. Sally Young, 17.50; 9. Michele McLeod, 17.53; 10. Reann Zancanella, 17.56. Bull riding: 1. Trey Benton III, 82 points on Lancaster & Pickett’s Short Stack; 2. Shawn Hogg, 80; 3. Guthrie Murray, 79; 4. Dylan Werner, 71; no other qualified rides.

We’ve had two days of competition at the Will Rogers Stampede, and we’ve seen possibly the second fastest barrel racing run in the 67-year history of the Claremore, Okla., rodeo – Wrangler National  Finals Rodeo qualifier Christy Loflin posted a time of 16.99 seconds on Thursday morning; reserve world champion Carlee Pierce posted a 16.96 in 2011 to set the arena record. Pierce is in Claremore and will run tonight. She is the two-time reigning Will Rogers Stampede champion. We’ve had a lot of fast runs in the timed events, and we’re just kickstarting this Carr Pro Rodeo/Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo production. Tonight, Bill Tutor will get his chance to ride the great horse Dirty Jacket, the runner-up reserve world champion bareback horse in 2012. We’ll also see a lot of great NFR-caliber animals perform over final two performances, set for 7:45 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. But you can get a glimpse of the goings-on in the behind-the-scenes photos from the first two days. Click on the photo below, and you’ll see them.  

CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Will Rogers Stampede has been a major stop in the Prairie Circuit in the four decades the ProRodeo circuit system has been in place. On Friday night at Will Rogers Round Up Club Arena, the circuit’s stars shined brightly. Bareback rider Caine Riddle of Vernon, Texas; saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell of Coleman, Okla.; and steer wrestler Shane Henderson of Winfield, Kan., all to the leads in their respective events on the opening night of Claremore’s rodeo. They’ll have to wait out the results from the remaining two performances, set for 7:45 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. “They changed stock contractors this year, and it gives everybody a bit more of a chance to win,” said Riddle, the No. 19 cowboy in the world standings who won the Will Rogers Stampede in 2011. “I drew at the top of the herd, and I rode good and felt good.” Riddle scored 81 points Carr Pro Rodeo’s Outa Sight, an 8-year-old paint mare that has been selected to perform twice at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “This is a good rodeo,” he said. “I’ve been here six or seven times and have been successful at it.” Riddle is joined by Henderson as a former Claremore champion – in fact, Henderson has earned the bulldogging title twice. He grappled his steer to the ground in 4.2 seconds and is five-tenths of a second faster than the second-place cowboy, Matt Reeves of Cross Plains, Texas. “This is one of the better circuit rodeos we have,” said Henderson, a four-time Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo qualifier. “The money always helps. That’s a big bonus. It’s a really good goal to get to our circuit finals, and this is a big stepping stone to get to that. “I think we’ve got the best cowboys and cowgirls in ProRodeo in our circuit.” That includes Sundell, an Iowa-born cowboy who is competing in the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region for the first time in his career. He rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s Social Call for 83 points. “Pete (Carr) said he was just a young horse and that I needed to give him some reign,” said Sundell, who has finished in the top five in the world standings each of the past three years. “It worked out good; I’m winning first, so I can’t complain. Friday’s ride marked the first time in Sundell’s career that he had ridden in Claremore. In addition to winning the elusive world title, he hopes to qualify for the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. “Every time I nod my head, I’m trying to be 90 or nothing,” Sundell said. “I just need to stay healthy, and this is the best I’ve felt in a long time. Everybody better look out, because I’m coming from the back door.” Will Rogers Stampede Claremore, Okla. May 24-26 Leaders through first performance Bareback riding: 1. Caine Riddle, 81 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Outa Sight; 2. (tie) Tyler Pasour and Luke Creasy, 75; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Shane Henderson, 4.2 seconds; 2. Matt Reeves, 4.7; 3. Royce Johnson, 4.9; 4. (tie) Teddy Johnson and Jason Thomas, 5.3; 6. (tie) Alan Frierson, Ryan Swayze and Tommy Cook, 5.4. Tie-down roping: 1. Trent Creager, 8.6 seconds; 2. Jared Kempker, 9.5; 3. (tie) Blake Deckard and Jerome Schneeberger, 9.9; 5. Jeff Miller, 10.5; 6. Cody McCartney, 10.7; 7. Colby Dorsey, 11.2; 8. Scotty Shelton, 11.5. Saddle bronc riding 1. Wade Sundell, 83 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Social Call; 2. Lance Wilson, 78; 3. Alan Frierson, 77; 4. Cody Goertzen, 74; 5. Blane Stacy, 72; 6. Clayton Zibell, 71. Team roping: 1. A.J. Horton/Kyle Horton, 4.8 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Jett Hillman, 5.2; 3. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 5.4; 4. (tie) Joe Macoubrie/Dawson McMaster and Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 5.8; 6. Casey Hicks/Cody Heflin, 5.9; 7. Gavin Foster/Derrick Jantzen, 6.1; 8. Spencer Griffith/Jacob Griffith, 6.2. Steer roping: First round: 1. J. Paul Williams, 10.6 seconds, $888; 2. Joe Wells, 10.7, $735; 3. Jay Sellers, 10.8, $582; 4. Trevor Brazile, 11.4, $429; 5. J.P. Wickett, 12.2, $276; 6. Chuck Thomson, 12.8, $153. Second round 1. Bryce Davis, 9.8 seconds, $888; 2. J. Tom Fisher, 11.3, $735; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 12.7, $582; 4. Rocky Patterson, 13.6, $429; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 13.7, $276; 6. Pecos Bill McNiel, 13.8, $153. Third round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 9.7 seconds; 2. Cody Lee, 10.8, 3. Jake DeGeer, 11.0; 4. Chuck Thomson, 11.2; 5. Chet Herren, 11.6; 6. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.7; 7. Landon McClaugherty, 13.0; 8. C.A. Lauer, 13.1. Average leaders: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., 39.3 seconds on three runs; 2. Cody Lee, 41.2; 3. (tie) Rocky Patterson and J.P. Wickett, 43.2; 5. C.A. Lauer, 45.7; 6. Landon McClaugherty, 46.6; 7. Justin McKee, 70.7; 8. Trevor Brazile, 21.1 on two runs. Barrel racing: 1. Christy Loflin, 16.99 seconds; 2. Cheyenne Kelly, 17.27; 3. (tie) Shelley Morgan and Gretchen Benbenek, 17.41; 4. 5. Sandi Brandi, 17.42; 6. Alexia Mehrle, 17.49; 7. Sally Young, 17.50; 8. Michele McLeod, 17.53; 9. Reann Zancanella, 17.56;  10. Tana Poppino, 17.57.+ Bull riding: 1. Guthrie Murray, 79 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Southern Fried; no other qualified rides.

My girls got out of school at 3 p.m. today and were home shortly thereafter. My youngest was being her rascally self and had to suffer a couple of consequences. I was a little frustrated, because I have some things I need to finish before Wednesday morning, and taking time for a 4-year-old’s attitude adjustment wasn’t what I needed. Nonetheless, it’s what she needed, so I handled the situation. Upon returning to my desk, I started noticing the reports from the deadly tornado in Moore, Okla. I sat awestruck while watching the coverage from KFOR-TV, the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City. When the “chopper” video showed the leveled Tower Plaza Elementary School, my heart switched from aching to broken. Mother Nature is a cruel mistress. We need her for so many things; this wasn’t one of them. I somberly walked upstairs, where I found my 11-year-old reading. I told her what was happening in Oklahoma, kissed her, hugged her and told her I loved her with all my heart. I found my rascal playing in her sister’s room, so I picked her up, looked her square in the eyes and said, “I know we had a little trouble today, but I want you to know that no matter what happens in our lives, I will ALWAYS love you.” I held her, and tears just flooded my face. Not a day goes by that I don’t tell my girls just how much I love them. Today, though, I just wanted to hold them closer than ever. My heart, and my prayers, go out to all those affected by this storm. May God help you find the peace you deserve.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appears in the May 2013 edition of Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the official publication of the WPRA. Yeah Hes Firen just hadn’t been himself. Duke is one of the top barrel horses in ProRodeo, having guided Brittany Pozzi to Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications and lots of money in recent years. But the 10-year-old gelding out of Spendid Discovery by Alive N Firen just hadn’t felt right to kick off the 2013 campaign. That changed the first weekend in April when Duke led Brittany Pozzi to her second straight Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo barrel racing championship in Oklahoma City. “He felt outstanding,” Pozzi said of Duke on April 6. “It’s been a really hard winter. He’s been off and on and hurt and not hurt.” It was a valuable rodeo, too. Pozzi won $19,125 for her take over the three-day competition; she also added a $20,000 voucher for a Ram pickup. The tournament-style format seemed to work quite well for the talented tandem. Pozzi finished fifth in the opening go-round, with her 15.61-second run being worth $997. She scored that time in the opening performance, then waited two days to run again. But that final day was quite busy. Pozzi ran in the final preliminary performance, blistering the pattern in 15.42 seconds, finishing second in the go-round and second in the two-run average. That evening, she and Duke scored a 15.48 to win the semifinal round, then followed that with a 15.35 to win the championship. “He’s coming back really strong,” Pozzi said of Duke. Everything seems to be pointing in a positive direction for the two-time world champion from Victoria, Texas. But there were a lot of great things that happened over the five performances of ProRodeo’s national championship. Theresa Walter of Billings, Mont., kick-started the rodeo with a 15.59-second run to take the early lead after the opening performance that began at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 4. That evening, the second half of the field of 24 competed, and that’s where the lead changed hands. Carlee Pierce, a two-time NFR qualifier from Stephenville, Texas, won the first round with a 15.42, pocketing $4,607 in the process. She then kicked-off the second round with the fastest run of the RNCFR, posting a 15.25. In just two days, she earned $13,821. “I think being first on the ground helped a little bit,” said Pierce, who ran her great horse, Rare Dillion, inside State Fair Arena. “He likes this arena. As many times as I can run in here the better. “I just feel at home here. It’s a great set up.” The format works The Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo features the top 24 circuit barrel racers in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association – the year-end champions and the circuit finals champions from each of the 12 ProRodeo circuits; in case the year-end champion wins the circuit finale, the year-end runner-up earns the right to compete in Oklahoma City. In the Texas Circuit,  for example, Pierce won the year-end and the circuit finals, so Pozzi, as the No. 2 cowgirl in the year-end, qualified for the RNCFR. Because of the sheer numbers, each round is broken into two performances. There are great payouts in both go-rounds, but the key is that the top eight in the two-run aggregate qualify for the clean-slate semifinals – money is still tabulated, but the times are thrown out. Pierce, Pozzi and Walter were joined by Nancy Hunter of Neola, Utah; Cindy Smith of Hobbs, N.M.; Barbara Merrill of Axtell, Utah; Pamela Capper of Cheney, Wash; and Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D. Pozzi won the round and was followed by finalists Hunter, 15.63; Pierce, 15.70; and Smith, 15.94. With less than an hour from semifinals to the finale, the girls kept their horses warmed up and got ready to attack the cloverleaf pattern again. Pozzi and Duke rounded the pattern in 15.35 seconds, two-tenths of a second faster than Pierce, who finished runner-up to Pozzi for the second straight year. Smith finished third with a 15.59, while Hunter tipped a barrel to finish fourth. Racing to the title Pozzi has had great success over the last decade. She first qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 2003 at the age of 19. In 2013 alone, she won Denver; San Angelo, Texas; Logandale, Nev.; Pocatello, Idaho; Red Bluff, Calif.; Riverdale, Calif.; Livermore, Calif.; Santa Maria, Calif.; Belle Fourche, S.D.; St. Paul, Ore.; Molalla, Ore.; Spanish Fork, Utah; Salt Lake City; Salinas, Calif.; Casper, Wyo.; and Sheridan, Wyo. There aren’t many titles she hasn’t won, and she owns an outstanding pen of great barrel horses. But there’s something about the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo that has caught Pozzi’s fancy. “It pays great,” she said. “I did not know how awesome the Ram finals were until I made them last year. Now every year from now on I’ll make sure I make my circuit finals. It’s really awesome to be here.”

CLAREMORE, Okla. – By the time Chris Kirby is ready for bull riding at the Will Rogers Stampede, he will already be drenched in sweat from a full night’s worth of work tackling many of the behind-the-scenes duties that are involved in producing an event of this caliber. It’s OK, though. It’s something in which Kirby takes great pride. You see, the Kaufman, Texas, man is a professional bullfighter who will work alongside Clay Heger of Odessa, Texas, in keeping fallen bull riders out of harm’s way. That is their main job at Claremore’s rodeo, with three performances set for 7:45 p.m. Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26, at Will Rogers Round Up Club Arena. But they have many others with Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo, which will be providing livestock in Claremore for the first time in the rodeo’s 67 years. “I’m just doing something I love to do,” said Kirby, 31. Kirby will be in charge of hauling some of the best animal athletes to Claremore. Once on site, Kirby and Heger will work with other crewmates and members of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “We have a family atmosphere, and we all know what to expect with each other,” Kirby said. “I’ve just kind of jumped in there. If there’s a void that needs to be filled, I just go with it. We all try to make sure that what needs to get done gets done. It’s a smooth deal. “If we do it all right, it looks effortless. Everybody has an understanding of what each of us does, and it’s a team effort.” A longtime athlete, the Texas-born Kirby likened it to another professional sport. “It’s no different than the Dallas Cowboys playing,” he said. “When they’re in the huddle and the play is called, everybody’s supposed to know their situation and know what they’re supposed to do. The offense drives down the field, and you score, just like you’re supposed to. “There’s no one-man hero. We’ve got people who don’t mind going the extra step out of their way. We always make sure everybody’s got what they need.” Kirby grew up competing in more traditional sports like baseball and football. His family cared for livestock, so he’d been around horses and cattle all his life, but it wasn’t until his early 20s that the man learned why rodeo gets in one’s blood. “I played other sports, and really I didn’t know roping calves could pay you money,” he said. “I saw a buddy I went to college with fight bulls, and I thought I’d give it a try. The first one I ever got in front of ran me smack over. I got up and said, ‘Let’s do this again.’ That was a decade ago, and he’s been doing it ever since. In fact, he began taking it seriously just five years ago. In 2010, he became a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the top sanctioning body in the sport, and got involved with the Carr crew. “It’s a job I get paid for that I really enjoy,” Kirby said. “I never really looked at it like it’s a dangerous job. It’s just what I do. And, really, I’m just as safe in that rodeo pen as if I’m driving down the highway. “Plus you get to travel and you get to meet a lot of nice people doing it.” Still, not many others get a chance to look in the eyes of a bull toting nearly a ton of kicking, spinning muscle. As a bullfighter, Kirby moves in once a bull rider comes off the animal, battling to get the bull’s attention, then using his natural athletic ability to get himself and all others in the arena out of harm’s way in the blink of an eye. “It’s exhilarating,” he said. “It’s everything about it. It’s truly sensational to know there’s a wild animal right there that I’ve got a hold of that’s going to follow me wherever I go. “I showed calves in high school, and it took me three or four months to get him to follow me so I could show him. All I have to do is be in the same pen as the bull, and he’ll follow me everywhere I go.” While he works in front of thousands of fans at any given rodeo, Kirby tests his night on how little he is recognized in the arena. If he’s doing his job well and everybody stay’s out of harm’s way, then a bullfighter goes unnoticed. That’s his goal in Claremore, but that’s also his “working behind the scenes” personality. “Going from amateur rodeos to the professional level, I didn’t realize the production of a good rodeo,” Kirby said. “It took me about a year to really see it, but what Pete wants and what we want is to have the kind of production where everybody that paid to be there got their money’s worth and then some. That’s our goal every time.”

Earlier today, world champion bull rider Dustin Elliott announced his retirement. Elliott was born in John Day, Ore., and attended Chadron (Neb.) State University. He has, for the most part, stayed in Nebraska ever since with his wife, Cynthia, and twins, Ethan and Emma. He won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association gold buckle in 2004 and also saw success on the PBR and CBR tours. He also qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2005, 2006 and 2010. “I’ve always told myself there will be a day I wake up and not want to ride anymore, and that day was April 10th,” Elliott wrote on a Facebook post Thursday morning. “I’ve thought about it for a month, and the drive just isn’t there like it used to be. I have other endeavors I’d like to embark on. I will stay involved in the sport in some way or another, and that door is open.” Over the course of his career, I interviewed Elliott several times; he always was easy to talk to and offered anything I needed. “My career was so much more than I ever expected as a kid from Oregon,” Elliott wrote. “I accomplished almost every goal I ever set.”

Cowboy church, pink night, memorial and Zip Gordon fund-raiser a part of rodeo’s finale CLAREMORE, Okla. – A rodeo cowboy is the epitome of tough. It takes a great level of toughness to ride bucking horses or wrestle steers. It takes a great level of toughness to drive hundreds of miles in a single stretch to get from one event to another. But they have nothing on people battling cancer, and cowboys and cowgirls recognize that. That’s why most that make their living in rodeo support the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign, which helps raise money and awareness in the fight against cancer. It also is why organizers of the Will Rogers Stampede are including a pink night during this year’s rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26, at the Will Rogers Round Up Club Arena in Claremore. “We’ve got a lot of things planned for our Sunday night performance, and we really wanted to include the Tough Enough to Wear Pink night into that great evening,” said David Petty, chairman of the volunteer rodeo committee. “We also want to honor cancer survivors in addition to raising awareness about the ways to fight the disease.” It’s not the only disease the rodeo is hoping to battle. During the performance, volunteers also will be passing around pink boots to raise funds for the International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressive Association. Zip Gordon is 5 years old, but he has been diagnosed with FOP; also known as stone man disease, the debilitating genetic disorder causes bone to form in muscle and connective tissue, potentially creating a second skeleton that severely restricts movement. “FOP affects 1 in 2 million people,” said his mother, Amy Gordon. “They’re close to a cure. Until a cure is found, we will continue to raise money.” The Gordons are conducting another fund-raiser in which they are drawing for a Jeep Wrangler, provided by Melton Motors. “All of the funds from the Jeep will go toward research,” she said, noting that there are three cases of FOP in Oklahoma, including another in Rogers County. “The funds from the event and the auction items will go to IFOPA, because as a family, IFOPA is important to us. They do a fantastic job in what they do. “Still, 85 percent of the money goes to research. Until a cure is found, we have to keep raising awareness.” Of course, the Gordons have received great support from others in Claremore and Rogers County. “The community has been there so many ways,” Amy Gordon said. “So many people want to be part of the community, but they don’t know how. This is something they can be involved with. It’s a little boy, and everybody can relate to a little boy. “We have just been astounded as to how they stepped up. They look at this little guy as our guy, and we’re not going to go until we have a cure.” More information can be found on a special website established for Zip, www.ZipperQ.com. They can also sign up for the Jeep drawing at the rodeo, and they need not be present to win. It’s just one way to celebrate a community that has reached out, but that’s what the rodeo is all about. “Sunday night is also our Rogers County Memorial Night, and we will have a special tribute to three prominent individuals: Clem Rogers, Will Rogers and Clem McSpadden. I think the rodeo being on Memorial Day weekend fits right into this theme, and I believe we should honor those that have made our area what it is.” It’s a great tie-in to the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, which is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. every day of the year. “This is the 75th anniversary of the Will Rogers Memorial,” said Steve Gragert, the museum’s director. “This tribute at the rodeo is a way to recognize individuals that were key to the museum and key to Oklahoma. “The rodeo is representative of Will Rogers. The last day he spent in California before he left to Alaska, he was at a rodeo. They had competitions that he was involved in – roping competitions and cowboy competitions – and they were a key part of his life that would take him into the entertainment world. Rodeos were an important part of his life.” But that’s just a small sampling of a bountiful evening of fellowship, entertainment and competition. A cowboy church service will take place inside the arena at 6:30 p.m., and all fans that arrive prior to 7 p.m. will be admitted for free. “Our church service is sponsored by our Northeast Oklahoma Baptist Church Association, the Oklahoma Area of Cowboy Churches, Cowboy Gathering Church in Inola, Cowboy Junction in Vinita, Cowboy Capital Fellowship in Lenapah and Cowboy Up Cowboy Church in Owasso,” Petty said. “This is the fourth year of having a cowboy church service before our final performance, and I think it’s been a success. I think it’s good that we join our faith with our rodeo.”

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Passion defines rodeo cowboys, and it has to. One doesn’t ride nasty bucking horses or bulls without having a love for it. That passion leads the best in the game to reach out to others, offering their insights to the next generation of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association stars. That’s the primary focus of the PRCA Championship Rodeo Camps, where any young cowboy with the dream can learn from the men who make their livings in the sport. It’s why the volunteers who produce the annual Will Rogers Stampede are excited to be part of a free roughstock rodeo camp, set for 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at the Will Rogers Round Up Club Arena in Claremore. “Everyone on our committee wants to continue to see interest in rodeo grow,” said David Petty, chairman of the volunteer committee. “We are involved in hosting several junior rodeos throughout the year, and this camp is an excellent way to get kids involved in rodeo. It’s also great having professional contestants teach the kids the proper way to rig and dismount roughstock animals.” The camp also allows beginners lessons on safety, including chute procedures prior to the ride and what to do when the ride is complete. It takes place during a busy week of rodeo action with the Will Rogers Stampede, which will have three performances set for 7:45 p.m. Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26. “PRCA Championship Rodeo Camps are great for beginners and have proven to be very beneficial for advanced riders,” said Julie Jutten, who is with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s industry outreach department. “If you are new to the sport, the camp will get you off to the right start, which will help your long-term success in the sport.” The camp is open to participants of any ability, but they must be at least 8 years old. Students can register in all three roughstock events and may do so online at http://prorodeo.com/youthrodeo_form.aspx. Students also can register by calling Jutten at (719) 304-1471. “The classroom will include sessions on preventing and managing injuries, which will prolong careers, and understanding the PRCA, which will ease an athlete’s transition into ProRodeo,” Jutten said. “The camps are free and a great chance to learn from the best of the PRCA.” It’s just another big step for the Claremore committee, which has worked hard the last 11 months preparing for the weekend full of festivities and competition. “We will be hosting a national Little Britches rodeo this fall, and it will be one of the first Little Britches rodeos in Oklahoma from the national association,” Petty said. “We all have a love for rodeo and for the Will Rogers Stampede. We hope that we will draw more cowboys and cowgirls to our sport, and that, in turn, will entice them to come back every year to be part of our rodeo.”

JACKSONVILLE, Texas – Teamwork is a major factory in the success of any operation. Pete Carr knows that as well as anyone, and it’s why he has the utmost confidence in the staff that will help Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo and Carr Pro Rodeo in producing  the Tops in Texas Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15-Saturday, May 18, at Lon Morris College Arena in Jacksonville. “I’ve got the best crew going down the road, bar none,” Carr said. It shows in the overall product. Both firms have been recognized as top livestock contractors in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and Carr points to the staff as the primary reason for any success. “I’m only as good as the people around me,” Carr said. “These people believe in the value of hard work. When you look at events like this, those people make the effort and take pride in it being successful. That means a lot to me, and I hope the fans see it, too.” Every play has its lead performers; in Carr’s case, those are some of the greatest bucking beasts in ProRodeo. Without an outstanding crew backstage, those performers won’t be showcased in the right light. The philosophy is the same in rodeo. Carr established Carr Pro Rodeo in 2005 and purchased Classic Pro Rodeo this spring. Now Carr has brought together the teams from the two companies to form something rather magical. “We’ve got some guys like Travis Adams that have been working for us for 20 years, and we’re mixing that with younger guys who work hard and are eager to learn,” said Jeremy Hight, a cowboy from Carthage, Texas, who is in his fourth year serving as a pickup man. “When we put the two crews together, outstanding things happen. We all bring a lot to the table, but every person that’s part of this is willing to work hard to get things done and to do it all right.” This year’s Tops in Texas Rodeo will be the fourth for Hight, one of two pickup men in the arena. The pickup men might be the most important cowboys in the arena throughout a rodeo, but it’s best that they’re not recognized. Their primary tasks are to keep cowboys as safe as possible while also helping with the overall production. They knew the necessity of getting the animals out of the arena in quick fashion after each ride and run. “The thing about our crew is that everybody knows what needs to happen, and any one of us will jump in and do it,” Hight said. “Now we’ve got more people involved, and it works really well.” The behind-the-scenes staff members put their blood, sweat and tears into their work in an effort to make each run, each ride and each performance come off as flawlessly as possible. Whether it’s feeding the animal athletes or moving them into the chutes to perform, there numerous tasks that need to be accomplished in order for a rodeo to come off without a hitch. In addition to the family entertainment, crew members also keep in mind that this also is a competition featuring the brightest young stars in the sport. “I think the best part of our stock company is that we have quality people involved in everything we do,” Carr said. “You can have the best animals in the world, but you’re not going to be very good without great people on your team. I’ve got great people on my team.”

CLAREMORE, Okla. – In his lifetime, John Payne has worn many hats. No matter their shape or their style, they all would be considered cowboy. Payne is a cowboy, and he’s quite proud of it. So when he has faced adversity, Payne has tackled it head on, just like most other cowboys. When he was electrocuted and brought back to life 40 years ago, he dealt with it. It was a life-changing event that led to his right arm being amputated, but it didn’t take away from the man, the cowboy Payne has always been. Now he makes a living showcasing his talents and the unique brand of ranching he uses on his piece of land a couple hours northwest of Claremore near Shidler, Okla. John Payne of the One Armed Bandit & Co. will be the featured act at the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, which will have three performances set for 7:45 p.m. Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26, at Will Rogers Round-Up Club Arena. “I’ve always been a showoff, and I’m pretty good at showing off with my animals,” said Payne, who works the business with his son, Lynn, 37, and daughter, Amanda, 34. “It’s kind of like a paid vacation. You get to travel all over the country and get paid for it. “But I like to show off the talents of my animals and my horsemanship.” And while his children have their own version of the act, Payne is the original One Armed Bandit, a shout-out to his ability to overcome all sorts of adversity. When he was electrocuted in June 1973, he fell 25 feet to almost certain death. His work partner revived him with CPR. But the voltage did plenty of damage – the electricity exited his body through his abdomen, leaving a nasty hole there and on his left leg. His rodeo career began in the mid-1980s, when he went to an event close to his home. He told the folks at the 101 Wild West Rodeo in Ponca City, Okla., that they could get a better act if they hired him. He put something together, then went back to ranching. That’s when legendary announcer Clem McSpadden called Payne. “He was the one who prompted me into pursuing a career in the entertainment business in ProRodeo,” Payne said. “Clem told me that I could do that and make a heck of a living at it. Heck, I’ve been in business 23 years now.” It’s a pretty good business. The One Armed Bandit & Co. has been named the PRCA Specialty Act of the Year 12 times. “John is a rodeo legend, and he puts on a great show every time,” said David Petty, chairman of the committee that produces the annual rodeo. “He’s also an Oklahoma icon, which is pretty important to me in having someone of his caliber here at our rodeo. “We have a lot of great, long-term rodeo fans in our area that love to see the One Armed Bandit work, and we’re excited to bring him to Claremore this year.” Payne has made an impression on many throughout his award-winning career. “He’s not scared to be a cowboy,” said Jesse James Kirby, one of the elite saddle bronc riders in Pro Rodeo from Dodge City, Kan., a Stampede regular in every May. “He can make whatever happen, whether he’s riding a mule or a horse, and he can make those buffalo do anything you can think of.” Payne has been amazing people for more than two decades. He has a custom-made trailer that he utilizes in the act, allowing himself and the animals a rather high perch to show off to the fans. It takes guts and true horsemanship skills to handle the act. “When you look at the things he does, it’s just awesome,” said rodeo announcer Scott Grover, who has called the action in Claremore for nine years. “When you consider he does all this with just one arm, it’s downright incredible. “It has been one of my favorite acts for a long, long time, and it continues to amaze me.”

JACKSONVILLE, Texas – The beauty of a bucking horse comes from its power. The same can be said for Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo and Carr Pro Rodeo, the premier livestock producers in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The Carr crew will be bringing the power to the Tops in Texas Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15-Saturday, May 18, at Lon Morris College Arena in Jacksonville. “Pete Carr is one of the premier stock contractors in the world,” said saddle bronc rider Heith DeMoss, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Heflin, La. “Pete taking it another step further is amazing to me. It’s just going to make it better for everybody.” This week’s festivities mark the 16th year Classic has produced the Tops in Texas Rodeo. Carr’s acquisition of the firm earlier this spring helps bring even more power to the athleticism and production of Jacksonville’s annual event. “I’m combining two of the best crews in rodeo to form one of the greatest rodeo companies,” Carr said. “I’m excited about the new opportunities that are ahead for the company. I want committees to know we have a lot to offer them. We’re going to have unprecedented resources for all the rodeos, which will benefit everyone involved: committees, sponsors, contestants and spectators.” The contestants who make their living in the sport recognize the impact of the Carr firms. “Pete has such an array of horse now that no matter where he goes, he will have it to where everybody has a chance to win money,” DeMoss said. “It’s a riding contest instead of a drawing contest, and that’s what Pete’s got in his mind to do. I’m behind him all the way.” DeMoss won the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo on Pete Carr’s Classic’s Spur Strap, so he knows the kind of horse power it takes to be successful. He’s not the only bronc rider who touts the athletic animals now owned by Pete Carr. Wade Sundell rode Pete Carr’s Classic’s Big Tex for 90 points in February to win the $50,000 round at RodeoHouston. “Pete’s got a heck of a string put together,” said Sundell, a four-time NFR qualifier from Boxholm, Iowa. “There are not a lot of people that can match him anymore.” Sundell also fared well in Guymon two weeks ago, matching moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Congeniality for 85 points to finish in a tie for second. He recognizes the importance of riding great horses throughout the year if he hopes to win the elusive world championship. “It’s awesome when you have a good horse underneath you, because you know something good is going to happen,” he said. That’s a major factor in why cowboys loving going to Carr-produced rodeos like Jacksonville. “There are a lot of rodeos that are going to be hard to beat because of what Pete Carr brings to the table,” said bareback rider Steven Peebles, a four-time NFR qualifier from Redmond, Ore. “Pete has raised the bar in rodeo. He’ll have better horses and better production.” The drawing card is about giving spectators with the best entertainment value while serving the committees with elite performances and providing contestants with the best opportunities.

If you rope or are involved in ranch rodeo, or if you just want to support a great cause, I’d recommend finding your way to Groesbeck, Texas, for a benefit event over Memorial Day Weekend to benefit the families of the first responders at the explosion in West, Texas. Bobby Joe Hill, who owns Hill Rodeo Cattle, is one of the organizers of the event. Click on the poster below and get all the details.  

CLAREMORE, Okla. – If laughter is the best medicine, then Mark Swingler needs a prescription pad. No, Swingler isn’t a doctor by any means. He is, in fact, one of the most sought-after clowns in professional rodeo, and he’s bringing his brand of funny to the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26. It’s his job to be as entertaining as possible. He got started in the rodeo business as a competitor and went from bull rider to bullfighter to entertainer. “I don’t want anybody to think I’m working,” said Swingler of Austin, Texas. “Humor and laughter is contagious. Nobody wants to see anybody work. They want to have fun. That’s why you have spoofs when the act goes south. “Plus I like the fresh stuff. I kind of use my wit and my humor with my surroundings. You just look up in the stands, and you’ve got enough material for a long time.” Swingler has been in the business most of his life. He began as a bull rider, then took a shot at protecting fallen cowboys as a bullfighter. In fact, that’s how Swingler got his start in ProRodeo. “I started in 1987, and I actually fought bulls until 1992,” he said. “It was kind of old school back then, when you fought bulls and did the comedy. I was mainly fighting bulls, but I found myself enjoying the entertaining part. By 1993, I worked one into the other. By 1994, my bullfighting cleats were hung up.” In the years since, Swingler has been nominated for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Clown of the Year and Comedy Act of the Year. He has a nice load of entertaining acts, but his specialty is the “walk-and-talk,” where he observes the goings-on in and out of the arena and maintains the level of excitement for fans. “I’m not what we call a canned person,” he said. “I don’t have a routine. I have acts, and even when I work Denver and 23 performances they have there, I was rotating seven acts. With the walking and talking, I just go with the flow. I’m one of those guys that says what everybody’s thinking, so I don’t know what’s going to happen. A lot of that depends on the announcers, but it’s a blast. “I learned a long time ago that if you have a great performance, you usually forget what you did because it was just spontaneous and you just go with the flow. If you try to repeat it, it’s not going to work.” Plus he gets to put smiles on thousands of fans each year. That’s a wonderful benefit he shares with Swingler. “I just enjoy entertaining people, seeing them enjoy themselves,” Swingler said. “If I can get people to forget about their worldly troubles for just two and a half hours, then I feel like I’m successful.”

ProRodeo announcer Bob Feist, who also owns and publishes Ropers Sports News, has been selected as a nominee for induction into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s 2013 Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Feist, nicknamed “the godfather of team roping” by his peers, has been instrumental in giving professional team ropers the chance to compete for large purses and achieve great recognition in the sport of team roping by creating and producing the Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping for 34 years. Before Feist started his announcing career, you could find him at ProRodeos across the country competing in team roping. He headed for the likes of Rickey Green, E.V. Dorsey, Al Hooper, Jerold Camarillo, Ken Luman, John Paboojian, Sam Fancher and Frank Ferreira Sr. He competed for many years, until an injury semi-retired him from the arena floor and sent him to the announcer’s stand. Feist also enjoyed the time he spent on the PRCA board as an alternate team roping director. The selection committee of the Rodeo Historical Society chose nine nominees out of many outstanding candidates to be included on the 2013 ballot. Living nominees are Doug Brown, Bobby DelVecchio, the Etbauer Brothers, Bill Feddersen, Bob Feist, John McBeth, Gene McLaughlin and Dennis Reiners. Deceased nominees are Earl Bascom, O Raymond Knight, Jessie Like, Bud Parker, Rex Dunn and Johnny Quintana. Quail Dobbs is the Rodeo Hall of Fame Directors Choice inductee. Members of the Rodeo Historical Society will select four nominees from the living and three from the deceased categories by secret ballot for induction into the prestigious Rodeo Hall of Fame. Only members of the RHS are eligible to vote for inductees. Membership in the RHS is open to the public. Annual membership is $35 per person. If you are not a member of the RHS or know someone who would like to join so they may vote on nominees, please visit our website to join: http://store.nationalcowboymuseum.org/products/memberships/m.products/80/view/rodeo-historical-society-membership Ballots will be mailed in late May and voting will close the first part of June. The Rodeo Hall of Fame ceremony will take place during Rodeo Weekend at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City on Sept. 27-28.

GUYMON, Okla. – Seth Hardwick has been a rising star in ProRodeo the last couple of years. Night Bells is an established bucking horse that performed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The two entities got together Sunday for 88 points and the bareback riding championship at the 81st edition of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. It was a magical afternoon for Hardwick, a 24-year-old bronc buster from Laramie, Wyo. “I’d heard of that horse, but I’d never seen him,” Hardwick said of the Carr Pro Rodeo horse, which was sired by the great stallion Night Jacket. “He was supposed to be really good and very rider friendly. He made the finals last year, so that was good enough for me.” It was good enough for a check worth $4,147 for Hardwick, who attended college on a rodeo scholarship at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, just 10 miles southwest of Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “Guymon’s like a hometown rodeo for me,” he said. “I went to school here at Panhandle for four years. Craig Latham was my coach, and we had a lot of help from the Etbauer brothers. They taught me how to keep getting on time after time. They taught me how to do it. “It feels great to be able to win this rodeo in front of those people. It’s one of the best rides I’ve ever had.” Hardwick is just one of two Panhandle State cowboys to have won 2013 titles, joining three-time world champion Rocky Patterson in the winner’s circle. Patterson roped and tied down five steers in 65.7 seconds and earned $8,347 – it was the most money won by any contestant at this year’s rodeo. “This is pretty big because it’s a circuit rodeo, No 1,” said Patterson, who also won the Guymon title in 2010. “No 2, it’s just a great rodeo. The committee here does such a great job. “It’s a rodeo with a lot of tradition, and it’s a nice one to win.” Patterson also borrowed a friend’s horse in order to secure this year’s title. “I rode my sorrel homes on Monday and Tuesday and got along really good,” he said. “Friday I went home to ride him, and he was pretty sore. That’s the great thing about rodeo and steer roping in particular.” So Patterson rode a horse owned by Chet Herren, a seven-time National Finals Steer Roping qualifier from Pawhuska, Okla., on Sunday afternoon. “There are a lot of good people in steer roping,” Patterson said. While this was Patterson’s second Pioneer Days Rodeo title, it was the first for steer wrestler Stockton Graves, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Newkirk, Okla. It’s not that Graves has performed poorly in the Oklahoma Panhandle, but it’s the first time he’s earned the championship. “I’ve had Guymon start my year off more than once,” said Graves, who also is the rodeo coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “It’s always been a good rodeo for me. It’s good for our circuit and good for the world standings, too. “This is one I’ve always wanted to win. We got a good win off early this year, so hopefully it’ll just keep going.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Final results All Around Cowboy: Tuf Cooper, $3,527 Bareback riding: 1. Seth Hardwick, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Night Bells, $4,147; 2. Jason Havens, 86, $3,179; 3. Caine Riddle, 85, $2,349; 4. Ty Breuer, 84, $1,520; 5. (tie) Kaycee Field, Tyler Scales and Clint Cannon, 80, $737; 8. Clint Laye, 79, $415. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Seth Brockman, 3.3 seconds, $1,908; 2. Matt Mousseau, 3.9, $1,659; 3. Jacob Talley, 4.0, $1,410; 4. (tie) Bray Armes and Sean Santucci, 4.1, $1,037 each; 6. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Cole Edge, 4.2, $539 each; 8. (tie) Josh Peek, Ty Lang and Wyatt Smith, 4.4, $55 each. Second round: 1. K.C. Jones, 3.4 seconds, $1,908; 2. (tie) Tooter Silver, Gary Gilbert, Hunter Cure, Stockton Graves and Miles Mark Switzer, 3.8, $1,162 each; 7. Bray Armes, 3.9, $415; 8. (tie) Josh Peek and Stan Branco, 4.0, $83. Third round: 1. Stockton Graves, 3.8, $1,908; 2. (tie) Wade Sumpter and Matt Reeves, 3.9, $1,535 each; 3. (tie) Riley Duvall and Kyle Irwin, 4.1, $1,037 each; 6. (tie) Ryan Mims and Weston Taylor, 4.2, $539 each; 8. Tyler Pearson, 4.3, $166. Aggregate: 1. Stockton Graves, 12.5 seconds on 3 runs, $2,862; 2. Kyle Irwin, 12.8, $2,489; 3. (tie) Wade Sumpter and Josh Peek, 13.5, $1,929 each; 5. Trell Etbauer, 14.1, $1,369; 6. (tie) Tyler Pearson, Jace Melvin and Hunter Cure, 14.3, $622 each. 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. Fifth round: 1. Jake DeGeer, 10.5 seconds, $1,803; 2. Rod Hartness, 12.5, $1,568; 3. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and J.D. Yates, 12.6, $1,215 each; 5. (tie) J. Paul Williams and JoJo LeMond, 14.6, $745 each; 7. (tie) Howdy McGinn and Ralph Williams, 15.1, $274 each; Aggregate: 1. Rocky Patterson, 67.5 seconds on 5 runs, $5,408;  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Some guys have a four-leaf clover. Others have a rabbit’s foot. Tyler Smith wears his lucky charm around his waist. It’s the championship buckle the Fruita, Colo., cowboy earned in 2010 for winning the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo bull riding title. “I’ve got my Guymon belt on; it’s been good luck,” said Smith, who used his win in the Oklahoma Panhandle three seasons ago to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “Hopefully I’ll get another one.” On Saturday night during the 81st edition of Guymon’s rodeo, Smith rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s Rio Bravo for 93; it was the highest-marked ride of the cowboy’s five-year career. “I’ve had real good luck here,” he said. “I love coming here.” He should. That 93-point ride will be tough to beat during the final performance, set for 2 p.m. Sunday. “He’s real little,” Smith said. “He probably weighed only 1,000 pounds. He sucked back and got my feet behind me. I shot forward and got my feet set back down. Because he’s so little, it was hard to keep my feet down on him.” Apparently, the judges saw that, too. The score is based on the 100-point scale, with half the score coming from the animal; the other half comes from how well the cowboy rides. That works in all three roughstock events: bull riding, bareback riding and saddle bronc riding. Saturday night featured lead changes in all three, with bareback rider Jason Havens scoring an 86-point ride on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Good Time Charlie and saddle bronc rider Heith DeMoss posting an 87 on Classic’s Spur Strap. “That was the third time I had him,” Havens said of Good Time Charlie, a horse that has been selected numerous times to buck at the NFR. “It’s always fun coming to a rodeo like this where there are so many good horses and to have a great horse like that. You don’t have a chance to get on horses like that every day, so when you get the chance, you get pretty excited.” “I’m so excited, it’s ridiculous. To be winning something at this rodeo is awesome,” said DeMoss, a four-time NFR qualifier from Heflin, La. “It’s a great rodeo. It’s a bronc riding-type nation around here, and I’m thrilled to be doing good in it.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results through the third performance Bareback riding: 1. Jason Havens, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Good Time Charlie; 2. Caine Riddle,85; 3. Ty Breuer, 84; 4. (tie) Kaycee Field, Tyler Scales and Clint Cannon, 80; 7. Clint Laye, 79; 8. Cody DeMers, Morgan Heaton and Ryan Gray, 78; Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. (tie) Wade Sumpter and Matt Reeves, 3.9 seconds; 3. Riley Duvall, 4.1; 4. (tie) Ryan Mims and Weston Taylor, 4.2; 6. Tyler Pearson, 4.3; 7. Jace Melvin, 4.4; 8. Jule Hazen, 4.7. Aggregate: 1. Wade Sumpter, 13.5 seconds on 3 runs; 2. (tie) Tyler Pearson and Jace Melvin, 14.3; 4. Drew Slade, 14.7; 5. Riley Duvall, 14.9; 5. Matt Reeves, 15.1; 6. Brad Johnson, 15.3; 7. Brad Johnson, 15.3; 8. Dru Melvin, 15.7. Steer roping: Fifth round leaders: 1. Jake DeGeer, 10.5 seconds; 2. Rod Hartness, 12.5; 3. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and J.D. Yates, 12.6; 5. Howdy McGinn, 15.1; 6. (tie) Chuck Thomson and Dee Kyler Jr., 15.2; 8. Brian Garr 15.5. Aggregate: 1. Scott Snedecor, 71.5 seconds on 5 runs. 2. J.D. Yates, 75.3; 3. Howdy McGinn, 79.8; 4. Will McBride, 81.8; 5. John Bland, 82.9; 6. Chuck Thomson, 92.4; 7. Mike Outhier, 95.0; 8. Shay Goad, 98.1. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Heith Allan DeMoss, 87 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Spur Strap; 2. (tie) Wade Sundell and Bryce Miller, 85; 4. (tie) Tyrell Smith and Tyler Corrington, 84; 6. (tie) Ty Thompson and Lyle W. Welling, 83; 8. Cort Scheer, 82. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Ryan Von Ahn/Derrick Peterson, 6.7; 2. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 6.8; 4. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 7.2; 5. Nick Pullara/Justin Price, 7.7; 6. Quisto Lopez/Christian Morris, 8.4; 7. A.J. Horton/Kyle Horton, 9.2; 8. Colby Siddoway/Shay Carroll, 9.5 Aggregate: 1. Quisto Lopez/Christain Morris, 23.8 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Nick Pullara/Justin Price, 24.5; 3. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 25.1; 4. Ryan Jarrett/Marty Yates, 28.5; 5. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 29.2; 6. Colby Siddoway/Shay Carroll, 29.5; 7. Lany Ivy/Lane Siggins, 29.6; 8. Ryan Von Ahn/Derrick Peterson, 30.5. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders:  1. Cade Swor, 7.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 8.3; 3. Boe Brown, 8.9; 4. Jeremiah Peek, 9.0; 5. Dane Kissack, 9.2; 6. Trell Etbauer, 9.4; 7. Brice Ingo, 9.6; 8. Kiel Rowan, 10.3. Aggregate: 1. Cade Swor, 25.7 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Tyson Durfey, 26.4; 3. Seth Childers, 28.7; 4. Dane Kissack, 29.0; 5. Trell Etbauer, 29.4; 6. Jeremiah Peek, 29.7; 7. Marty Yates, 30.8; 8. Cory Solomon, 31.4. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Kassidy Dennison, 17.30 seconds; 2. Victoria Williams, 17.4; 3. Jessica Frost, 17.42; 4. Sammi Bessert, 17.43; 5. Kimmie Wall, 17.44; 6. Alicia Stockton, 17.46; 7. Kelly Bass, 17.5; 8. Kelly Yates, 17.54; 9. Emily Efurd, 17.55; 10. Cindy Smith, 17.56. Aggregate: 1. Alicia Stockton, 34.92 seconds on 2 runs; 2. Sherry Cervi, 35.03; 3. Tammi Reynolds, 35.26; 4. Jana Bean, 35.29; 5. (tie) Kaley Bass and Lindsay Sears, 35.30; 7. Chelsie Clement, 35.37; 8. Kimmie Wall, 35.39; 9. Kassidy Dennison, 35.44; 10. Cindy Gillespie, 35.51. Bull riding: 1. Tyler Smith, 93 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Rio Bravo; 2. Parker Breding, 89; 3. (tie) Cody Whitney and Josh Koshel, 88; 5. Rorey Maier, 85; 6. Tyler Willis, 84; 7. (tie) Chandler Bownds and Taylor Toves, 83.

GUYMON, Okla. – Last season, Kaley Bass lit the barrel racing world on fire, winning seven ProRodeos, including five in a two-week span. Alicia Stockton had a front row seat for every run; now she’s hoping some of that magic has come her way. Stockton circled the cloverleaf pattern in 17.46 seconds on Saturday afternoon and leads barrel racing heading into the final two performances of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, which take place at 7:30 tonight and 2 p.m. Sunday. “This rodeo pays really well, and it would be a great start to the summer,” said Stockton, an East Coast native now living in Stephenville, Texas. “Going into the big outdoor arenas, it gives me a lot of confidence because that’s never been my strength.” Stockton’s cumulative time of 34.92 seconds puts her No. 1 in the all-important average race, which is what crowns the Guymon champion in all timed events. She posted another 17.46 in the opening round and finished fifth; she sits sixth in the second round. “I actually ran the same horse two years ago, and I placed in the second round,” she said. That’s proof positive that there’s plenty of talent in Stockton’s stable. “I went with Kaley starting last June, and we got home the middle of September,” Stockton said. “This is exciting. I’m hoping it keeps going the same way.” Stockton wasn’t the only contestant to have moved into the lead on Saturday afternoon; bull rider Josh Koshel of Nunn, Colo., spurred Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Footloose for 88 points to share the lead with Cody Whitney, an Asher, Okla., cowboy who rodeo Friday night. “It’s just seven hours from home, so it’s not too far, and I guess I make it count,” Koshel said. “I’ve drawn awesome bulls here and done good.” Koshel is the No. 1 bull rider in the world, which makes being successful in Guymon a bigger draw for the Colorado cowboy; he needs every advantage he can get if he wants to claim that elusive gold buckle that is awarded to the world champion at the conclusion of the season. “I plan to go to all the (Xtreme) bull ridings and all the good rodeos,” he said, referring to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s stand-alone bull riding tour. “I don’t know if I’ll go to as many rodeos as some of the guys, but I plan to make the ones I go to count as much as I can.”   Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results through the second performance Bareback riding: 1. Caine Riddle, 85 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Fancy Free; 2. Ty Breuer, 84; 3. (tie) Kaycee Field and Tyler Scales, 80; 5. Clint Laye, 79; 6. Cody DeMers, 78; 7. Blaine Kaufman, 77; 8. Tyler Pasour, 75; Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Wade Sumpter, 3.9 seconds; 2. Riley Duvall, 4.1; 3. Tyler Pearson, 4.3; 4. Drew Slade, 4.8; 5. Chance Campbell, 5.0; 6. Brad Jonhson, 5.1; 7. Jacob Sterkel, 5.2; 8. (tie)  Kyle Broce and Logan McDonald, 5.9; Aggregate: 1. Wade Sumpter, 13.5 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Tyler Pearson, 14.3; 3. Drew Slade, 14.7; 4. Riley Duvall, 14.9; 5. Brad Johnson, 15.3; 6. Kyle Broce, 16.1; 7. Chance Campbell, 16.3; 8. Jacob Sterkel, 16.9; Steer roping: Fifth round leaders: 1. Jake DeGeer, 10.5 seconds; 2. Howdy McGinn, 15.1; 3. (tie) Chuck Thomson and Dee Kyler Jr., 15.2; 5. Brian Garr 15.5; 6. Scott Snedecor, 18.7; 7. Gib Bell, 27.1 no other qualified times. Aggregate: 1. Scott Snedecor, 71.5 seconds on 5 runs. 2. Howdy McGinn, 79.8; 3. Chuck Thomson, 92.4 seconds on 5 runs; 4. Rocky Patterson, 50.1; 5. Trevor Brazile, 52.6; 6. Scott Snedecor, 52.8; 7. Jason Evans, 58.9; 8. Jake DeGeer, 60.7; Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Wade Sundell, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Congeniality, and Bryce Miller, on Powder River Rodeo’s Miss Chestnut, 85 points; 3. Tyrell Smith, 84; 4. (tie) Ty Thompson and Lyle W. Welling, 83; 6 Sterling Crawley, 81; 7. Louie Brunson, 80; 8. Troy Crowser, 79. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Ryan Von Ahn/Derrick Peterson, 6.7; 2. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 6.8; 4. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 7.2; 5. Quisto Lopez/Christian Morris, 8.4; 6. A.J. Horton/Kyle Horton, 9.2; 7. Lane Ivy/Lane Siggins, 13.4; 8. Ryan Jarrett/Marty Yates, 13.6 Aggregate: 1. Quisto Lopez/Christain Morris, 23.8 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 25.1; 3. Ryan Jarrett/Marty Yates, 28.5; 4. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 29.2; 5. Lany Ivy/Lane Siggins, 29.6; 6. Ryan Von Ahn/Derrick Peterson, 30.5; 7. Brett Christensen/Shannon Frascht, 32.4; 8. A.J. Horton/Kyle Horton, 36.7. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders:  1. Cade Swor, 7.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 8.3; 3. Boe Brown, 8.9; 4. Jeremiah Peek, 9.0; 5. Kiel Rowan, 10.3; 6. Seth Childers, 10.8; 7. Payden Emmett, 11.0; 8. Marty Yates, 11.5; Aggregate: 1. Cade Swor, 25.7 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Tyson Durfey, 26.4; 3. Seth Childers, 28.7; 4. Jeremiah Peek, 29.7; 5. Marty Yates, 30.8; 6. Boe Brown, 31.5; 7.  Kiel Rowan, 33.7; 8. Paul David Tierney, 34.5. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Kassidy Dennison, 17.30 seconds; 2. Victoria Williams, 17.4; 3. Jessica Frost, 17.42; 4. Sammi Bessert, 17.43; 5. Kimmie Wall, 17.44; 6. Alicia Stockton, 17.46; 7. Kelly Bass, 17.5; 8. Kelly Yates, 17.54; 9. Emily Efurd, 17.55; 10. Cindy Smith, 17.56. Aggregate: 1. Alicia Stockton, 34.92 seconds on 2 runs; 2. Sherry Cervi, 35.03; 3. Jana Bean, 35.29; 4. Kaley Bass, 35.30; 5. Kimmie Wall, 35.39; 6. Kassidy Dennison, 35.44; 7. Shelby Fraisier, 35.53; 8. Morgan Figueroa, 35.56; 9. (tie) Shali Lord and Becky Larson, 35.59. Bull riding: 1. (tie) Cody Whitney, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pearl Snap, and Josh Koshel, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Footloose, 88 points; 3. Tyler Willis, 84; 4. Chandler Bownds, 83; 5. Nevada Newman, 81; 6. Reese Cates, 78; no other qualified rides.

GUYMON, Okla. – Cade Swor knows it takes a little something special to be successful in rodeo. Swor, a tie-down roper from Winnie, Texas, has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo three times in his career. He’s seen success on ProRodeo’s biggest stages, but he’s never done well at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. That could change in 2013. “I feel like I made a good run tonight, and I should get some good money out of the round and be able to finish in the top two or three in the average,” said Swor, who tied his calf down in 7.9 seconds on Friday night in the opening performance of the 81st year of Guymon’s rodeo. He has a cumulative time of 25.7 seconds through three rounds and leads the aggregate heading into the final three performances, set for 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. “I caught a ride … from Clovis, Calif., and (fellow roper) Justin Maass was good enough to let me ride his horse. “I’ve been coming here for a long time, and I never have placed in the average.” Swor knew he needed a speedy run to finish his run in Guymon on a strong note. But that’s the game plan he has for his 2013 season – he hasn’t qualified for the NFR since 2006, so he’s itching for a return trip to Las Vegas. “My mindset is the same all the time, but this year I have a new attitude,” he said. “I’m going to try to blow the barrier out and tie them as fast as I can.” That worked. When he tied the calf’s legs, he used just one wrap and a half-hitch, a gamble of sorts – traditional ties call for two full wraps and a half-hitch to secure the tie. “I took a chance,” Swor said. “Roping these days, you’ve got to go as fast as you can every time. I just try to give myself a chance to win something.” That’s a similar approach taken by bull rider Cody Whitney of Asher, Okla. Whitney rode the Carr Pro Rodeo bull Pearl Snap for 88 points to take the early lead. He’ll await the remaining three performances to see where he places, but that high of a score on the 100-point scale should be good enough for one of the higher paychecks in Guymon. “That’s a good bull, but I don’t think that bulls been that good the last few times they’ve bucked him,” said Whitney, a four-time NFR qualifier. “He fired back tonight and it worked out good. “This is probably the first time I’ve done any good at the ProRodeo in Guymon. As bad as my year’s been, it’s nice to do good just about anywhere.”   Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results through the first performance Bareback riding: 1. Caine Riddle, 85 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Fancy Free; 2. (tie) Kaycee Field and Tyler Scales, 80; 4. Cody DeMers, 78; 5. Blaine Kaufman, 77; 6. Tyler Pasour, 75; 7. Orin John Larsen, 74; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Wade Sumpter, 3.9 seconds; 2. Tyler Pearson, 4.3; 3. Drew Slade, 4.8; 4. Brad Jonhson, 5.1; 5. Jacob Sterkel, 5.2; 6. Kyle Broce, 5.9; 7. Beau Clark, 14.4; no other qualified rides.  Aggregate: 1. Wade Sumpter, 13.5 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Tyler Pearson, 14.3; 3. Drew Slade, 14.7; 4. Brad Johnson, 15.3; 5. Kyle Broce, 16.1; 6. Jacob Sterkel, 16.9; 7. Beau Clark, 23.6; 8. Bray Armes, 8.0 seconds on 2 runs. Steer roping: Fifth round leaders: 1. Jake DeGeer, 10.5 seconds; 2. Chuck Thomson, 15.2; 3. Brian Garr 15.5; no other qualified runs. Aggregate: 1. Chuck Thomson, 92.4 seconds on 5 runs; 2. Rocky Patterson, 50.1; 3. Trevor Brazile, 52.6; 4. Scott Snedecor, 52.8; 5. Jason Evans, 58.9; 6. Jake DeGeer, 60.7; 7. JoJo LeMond, 61.6; 8. J.D. Yates, 62.7. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Wade Sundell, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Congeniality; 2. Tyrell Smith, 84; 3. Ty Thompson, 83; 4. Jesse Bail, 78; 5. Taos Muncy, 76; 6. (tie) Bradley Harter and Cody Martin, 75; 8. Isaac Diaz, 72. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 6.8; 3. Quisto Lopez/Christian Morris, 8.4; 4. Lane Ivy/Lane Siggins, 13.4; 5. Ryan Jarrett/Marty Yates, 13.6; no other qualified runs. Aggregate: 1. Quisto Lopez/Christain Morris, 23.8 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 25.1; 3. Ryan Jarrett/Marty Yates, 28.5; 4. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 29.2; 5. Lany Ivy/Lane Siggins, 29.6; 6. Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 14.1 seconds on 2 runs; 7. Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes, 14.4; 8. Jess Tierney/Justin Hendrick, 14.5. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders:  1. Cade Swor, 7.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 8.3; 3. Jeremiah Peek, 9.0; 4. Kiel Rowan, 10.3; 5. Marty Yates, 11.5; 6. J.D.McCuistion, 16.2; 7. Trent Creager, 18.4; 8. Cody McCartney, 19.7. Aggregate: 1. Cade Swor, 25.7 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Tyson Durfey, 26.4; 3. Jeremiah Peek, 29.7; 4. Marty Yates, 30.8; 5. Kiel Rowan, 33.7; 6. Trent Creager, 37.1; 7. Cody McCartney, 41.3; 8. J.D. McCuistion, 49.2. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Kassidy Dennison, 17.30 seconds; 2. Victoria Williams, 17.4; 3. Jessica Frost, 17.42; 4. Sammi Bessert, 17.43; 5. Kimmie Wall, 17.44; 6. Kelly Yates, 17.54; 7. Emily Efurd, 17.55; 8. Cindy Smith, 17.56; 9. Jean Winters, 17.61; 10. Kenna Squires, 17.62. Aggregate: Kimmie Wall, 35.39 seconds on 2 runs; 2. Kassidy Dennison, 35.44; 3. Shelby Fraisier, 35.53; 4. Morgan Figueroa, 35.56; 5. (tie) Shali Lord and Becky Larson, 35.59; 7. Katie Jolly, 35.68; 8. Emily Miller, 35.72; 9. Kara Fox, 35.78; 10. Carolyn Uhler, 35.80. Bull riding: 1. Cody Whitney, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pearl Snap; 2. Chandler Bownds, 83; 3. Reese Cates, 78; no other qualified rides.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kendra Dickson, 17.27 seconds, $2,228; 2. Sherry Cervi, 17.40, $1,910; 3. Michelle McLeod, 17.44, $1,592; 4. Alicia Stockton, 17.46, $1,379; 5. Carlee Pierce, 17.49, $1,061; 6. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.50, $849; 7. (tie) Kim Couch and Molly Powell, 17.51, $531 each; 9. (tie) Cindy Woods and Nicole Aichele, 17.64, $285 each.