Monthly Archives: August 2013

The first post I noted on Facebook today was from Troy Crowser, who posted a request for prayers for friend and fellow saddle bronc rider Chuck Schmidt. An update came through friends via Cole Elshere’s page, which reported early Saturday morning that Schmidt suffered two broken vertebras in his neck, the C6 and C7. For those of the praying nature, I join those in asking for your heeling help. Schmidt, 25, is one of the best young bronc riders in the game. He qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2011 and has won titles in Dodge City, Kan.; Billings, Mont.; Sheridan, Wyo.; just to name a few. This from whomever posted on Elshere’s Facebook page: “Cole is with him and asking for a million prayers.” I’m asking for more. UPDATE FROM ELSHERE’S FACEBOOK PAGE, 10:25 a.m. Central Saturday, Aug. 31: “Chuck has full use if his arms and legs!! He is going into surgery at 5 … please keep the prayers coming!”

American Royal preparing for its annual celebration, numerous festivities KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The excitement around the American Royal complex is building. It’s a regular occurrence this time of year in the West Bottoms. Volunteers and personnel are buzzing with anticipation of the 2013 Fall Festival, which takes place Sept. 3-Nov. 16. “This will be another great year of events to help us spread the word concerning our primary focus, which is our mission toward youth and education,” said Bob Petersen, the American Royal’s president and CEO. “The American Royal generates funding for our mission through our many events, charitable contributions and various sponsorships. We take tremendous pride in being one of the premier charitable organizations in the Kansas City area.” That it is. The American Royal contributes more than $1 million annually in its support in youth and education, and it honors that commitment through the two-plus months of its Fall Festival, which also honors the traditions that have served as the community’s foundation for decades. From being the home of the Barbecue Hall of Fame and the World Series of Barbecue competitions to the livestock shows, horse shows and rodeos, there are numerous activities that reach to the core of Kansas City’s legacy. “Kansas City has a rich history, and we celebrate it every fall,” Petersen said. “This is a wonderful way for us to showcase that history and to reach out to all the people from our area to celebrate it with us.” The festivities begin Tuesday with the youth photography contest, followed closely by the first horse show of the Fall Festival, the Quarter Horse Show that takes place Thursday, Sept. 5-Sunday, Sept. 8. It’s big start to a busy time at the American Royal complex. “Throughout each day of our Fall Festival, we will honor our mission,” Petersen said. “We begin with youth, and I believe that’s a great way for us to begin this season’s festivities.”

GUTHRIE, Okla. – Over the last eight years, just three men have laid claim to the title of World Champion Steer Roper. With just one month left in the 2013 regular season, all three are in position to be part of the 2013 championship event, the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8-Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Fabulous Lazy E Arena in Guthrie. Three-time and reigning World Champion Rocky Patterson of Pratt, Kan., has a strong hold on the No. 1 spot in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings, having earned $62,933 through the end of August. His lead is about $11,000 over the No. 2 cowboy, Patterson’s traveling partner Chet Herren of Pawhuska, Okla. “When you’re talking about Trevor Brazile, Cody Lee and Chet Herren, any lead’s a good lead, but no lead’s good enough,” said Patterson, who won gold in 2009-10 and last year. Another three-time World Champ, Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, sits in the No. 3 spot, just $3,000 behind Herren, while Cody Lee of Gatesville, Texas is fourth with $47,998. Brazile, a 17-time World Champion who owns a record 10 PRCA All-Around titles, earned steer roping gold in 2006-07 and 2011. He and Patterson are joined by two-time titlist Scott Snedecor of Fredericksburg, Texas, who is 12th on the money list with $29,892; Snedecor won his gold buckles in 2005 and 2008. “I think a lot of our steer roping fans that’ll be at the finals in Guthrie are older, and they have a connection with steer roping because it’s one of the oldest events and it’s one of the first events in rodeo,” Patterson said. “They like to see good horses work and see good cowboys rope.” They’ll get that chance the second weekend of November, when the brightest stars in the sport converge on the Lazy E Arena. Only the top 15 cowboys on the money list at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the Clem McSpadden NFSR, where they’ll compete for the largest purse in the sport. With just four weeks remaining in the regular season, cowboys will be pushing hard to qualify for the NFSR, which will crown the first World Champion of the 2013 season. The Lazy E is the perfect facility to host the Clem McSpadden NFSR. The arena was built in 1984 and was completed in time for that year’s championship. It has been event’s host for most of the last 30 years.   “When I was a kid, I got to go to the Lazy E and watch the National Finals Steer Roping,” said Patterson, a 19-time finalist who qualified for the first time in 1994. “I always had a desire to rope at the finals, and that always included the Lazy E. “Amarillo was a great host, and Hobbs did well for steer roping, but to me, the steer roping finals belong at a place like the Lazy E.” Steer roping fans will enjoy all of the activities planned for the performances and in addition, the Senior National Finals Steer Roping will take place during the day at the Lazy E Arena on Nov. 8-9.  VIP ticket prices for each performance of the NFSR are $40 … Box seats $35 and general admission $23 pre-show.  Children 12 and under are free in general admission. Group discounts are also available … Call (800) 595-RIDE for complete details. A portion of the proceeds from the 2013 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping will again be donated to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and the Clem McSpadden Endowed Chair at Oklahoma State University. The Lazy E is proud to support these institutions for Western preservation. Tickets will be on sale Sept. 25 at www.lazye.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 or by calling the Lazy E directly at (800) 595-RIDE. Call early for the best seats possible for this world championship.

Nestled along the east side of Ray Roberts Lake in north Texas is a stream of athletic horses and the training complexes that serve as their home. It’s where many of the top reining horse trainers handle their business. “It’s really become a reining horse mecca,” said Tim McQuay, owner of McQuay Stables and one of the most recognized breeding programs in the sport. “You fly into Dallas, and you can look at 5,000 horses within two days if you really want to. It’s been good for us.” McQuay’s facility is one of the complexes featured in the next episode of “The Ride with Cord McCoy,” which airs at 1 and 11 p.m. Eastern on Monday, Sept. 2, on RFD-TV. McCoy tours McQuay Stables in Tioga, Texas, and Tim McCutcheon Reining Horses, with complexes near the Texas communities of Pilot Point and Aubrey. McQuay moved his operation from Minnesota in 1989 and has built a powerful business. “The biggest reason we moved was Hollywood Dun It,” he said, referring to the champion stallion that became the foundation of the McQuay breeding program. “We bred 40 to 50 mares to him up there. The first year we came down here, we bred right at 80 mares. Every year after that, we bred over 100 mares to him.” Part of the reason was that mares in the northern climate didn’t have a long reproductive cycle because, as McQuay put it, “Spring doesn’t hit until the first weekend in May.” But there was more to it. “People come to Texas,” he said. “It’s easier to get horses to Texas. At that point, you had to bring the mares to the stud.” While training is important to the cause, the breeding program is what has led McQuay to his greatest successes. “It’s been a good career for us,” he said. “The training business is a good business, but it doesn’t really make a lot of money. It’s not a cheap game to be in the training business, so the stallions have been our profit. When I started with Hollywood Dun It, there wasn’t very many stallions out there breeding reining horses. It was a small enough group that there wasn’t very many people breeding them. “He did very well with his colts from the very beginning of his colts showing. He helped us pay for this monstrosity.” Hollywood Dun It produced AQHA world champions, national half-Arab champions and multiple NRHA world champions and reserve world champions, according to the McQuay website. Dun It lived to be 18 years old. In 2005, McQuay and his wife, Colleen, acquired another key stud, Colonels Smoking Gun, in 2005. He continues to be a major player in the family’s breeding program. “When we got Gunner, we crossed him on the Dun It (mares), and, man, it’s been a good mix,” Tim McQuay said. “In the last 20 years, our industry has changed because of the breeding.” Technology has played a factor in changes, too. McCoy went to neighboring McCutcheon Reining Horses, where he witnessed the facility’s equine rehabilitation center and spa. Ranch manager Barb Wibbles showed off the center’s Aqua-Tred, which allows horses the opportunity to exercise in water without suffering potential impact injuries from other activities. “The therapy program is really important,” said Mandy McCutcheon, an owner of the ranch. “I feel like any pro athlete needs to take care of themselves. That’s how we need to take care of the horses.” Tom McCutcheon told McCoy that one key reason he loves the reining horse business is because of the friendships he and his family have developed over the years. It’s something he shares with Tim McQuay. “The horse business has kept everybody together,” McQuay said, referring to his family. “We go to horse shows; we spend a lot of time with our families, too.” That’s a common theme for those who live the Western lifestyle. McCoy has seen it in his family, and he puts it on display for the fans of “The Ride,” especially with the focus on facilities that have so many family members involved in the operation. “I’ve been real fortunate to have a lot of success in the reining horse world,” Mandy McCutcheon said, “but nothing brings me more joy than watching my son try and do the same thing, and the passion he has for it is just amazing.” That’s what it takes, and the families in the north Texas reining horse business seem to have a good handle on it already.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appears in the August edition of Women’s Pro Rodeo Today, the official publication of the WPRA. With her heart, her spirit and her mind all focused in on the same goal for this season, Liz Combs set out on her summer run chasing her gold buckle dreams and a shot at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. She knew she had something special in Bogies Lil Skeeter, a 10-year-old gray gelding out of Street Royal by Bogies Bainkus. In fact, Skeeter had carried Combs to the 2011 and 2012 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association barrel racing championships. “I was just trying to make the NFR,” she said of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the year-end championship that pays out the largest purse in the sport over 10 December nights in Las Vegas. “The thing that has been so frustrating about this is that my horse was finally running good.” The “this” she’s talking about is the wreck she experienced Sunday, June 23, while saddling Skeeter prior to her scheduled run at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo. The gelding was spooked and knocked Combs into her trailer. She suffered a fractured skull and will be out of action the remainder of the season. “I hit the back of my head on the trailer, which it split my head open and knocked me out,” Combs said, describing the mishap in matter-of-fact detail. “I don’t know what happened from the time I was knocked out and the time I hit the ground, but the skull fracture happened on my right side and it severed an artery, so I had a pretty significant bleed in my brain. “Thankfully it was only a two-minute ride in the ambulance to the hospital. They got me into the CT scan, told me what was going on, and thankfully there was a neurosurgeon there who was in surgery, and as soon as he got done with that surgery, he got to me right away.” The surgeon removed a 5- to 7-centimeter piece of Combs’ skull, cauterized the artery to stop the bleeding and drained the excess. He then replaced that piece of bone and put a plate in to stabilize it. It sounds horrific, but Combs doesn’t see it that way. “I’m doing really good,” she said July 12, less than three weeks removed from the accident. “I’ve been really blessed. I have no brain damage, and I’m going to make a complete and full recovery. It’s just going to take some time before I can get back on my horses.” That’s great news. Sure, it’s frustrating, but that’s the competitor coming out in her, and she’s a big-time competitor. She earned those two college titles while finishing her final two years at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where she spent much of this year. Originally from Eltopia, Wash., Combs attended Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College her first two years. “I’ve had a couple days where I’ve been really upset,” she said. “I know this is part of God’s plan, and He’s going to use me in some way through this. I’m just trying to stay strong in my faith right now. “I love rodeo, but it’s not the most important thing in the world. My horse is sound, and he’ll be there next year. Hopefully I can get back on him in January, and we can do good next year.” Combs and Skeeter finished the 2012 season No. 20 in the ProRodeo World Standings. She’d like to move up at least five spots in 2014 and make up for some lost time. By mid-July, she had earned more than $16,000 and was in the top 40 in the world. A key part of that came just four days prior to her accident, when Combs and Skeeter rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 17.33 seconds to win the title at Rodeo de Santa Fe (N.M.). “My horse was really firing hard,” said Combs, who earned $2,147. “I tipped the first barrel and lifted my leg over it. I didn’t know it was still up until I got around the second barrel. He made a really good run.” That’s an important ingredient in running barrels. Another factor is knowing where to run and why, given that Santa Fe was part of the WPRA’s Qualifying Tour. “I wasn’t really focused on the Qualifying Tour events,” she said, noting that she’s been traveling with Emily Efurd of Pittsburg, Texas. “We had been in Texas, and we figured we would go over to Santa Fe, then up to Pleasant Grove (Utah), then over to Reno. We stayed in Texas as long as possible for our horses’ sake to keep them fresh. “He was feeling fresh, and we were ready to get out of Texas. It was a pretty exciting way to start our summer run.” Sometimes the best plans don’t work out, and detours occur. She admitted that there’s a hunger to compete already, but she’s in no hurry. “I haven’t lost any of my abilities to do anything,” she said. “It would be silly for me to get back on my horse. The doctor said that I’m going to feel fine in the next few months, but even if I get a minor concussion, it could cause some major problems. “The doctor said I could be damaged permanently; I don’t want to take a chance on that.” For the time being, Combs has returned home to Washington, where her parents are caring for her while she recuperates. But she knows she found a lot of success in the Lone Star State. She leaned on her faith when deciding where to transfer to after junior college, and it paid off. “A friend of mine from up here was going to Sam Houston State, and it caught my interest,” Combs said. “I looked into the school and ended up meeting the rodeo coach, Bubba Miller. That’s why I went, and it turned out to be the best decision I’ve  Continue Reading »

The talk in the world of rodeo today concerns the news of RFD-TV’s The American, a one-day event that will pay $2 million on March 2 at Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium. The announcement came during a live news conference, which featured Randy Bernard, the CEO and president of Rural Media Group; Stephen Jones, the COO and executive vice president of the Cowboys; Jim Haworth, chairman and CEO of the PBR; Dr. Robert Cluck, the mayor of Arlington, Texas; and a host of rodeo legends, including Donny Gay, Cody Lambert, Larry Mahan, Ty Murray, Fred Whitfield and two-time PBR champion Justin McBride. The American will invite the top 10 contestants in each of the traditional rodeo events, most of which will be based on the final PRCA and WPRA world standings, decided after the conclusion of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (set for Dec. 5-14); bull riding will feature the top 10 cowboys from the PBR at the conclusion of the World Finals (set for Oct. 23-27 in Las Vegas). Five additional spots will be available through regional qualifiers. This is a major play in rodeo, and the contestants look to be the grand beneficiaries, and RFD-TV will carry the event live. That’s a powerful move on the part of the network and its parent company, Rural Media Group, which last December announced Bernard’s hiring. The competition also will be carried live on Rural TV and Rural Radio on SiriusXM Channel 80. “In my opinion, this has a chance to change the landscape of rodeo forever and is way overdue,” he said in a release issued Thursday. While ProRodeo’s world standings will be in place, The American will have events sanctioned by the PBR, Pro Roughstock Series, United States Team Roping Championships, Better Barrel Racers and the Ultimate Calf Roping Series. “The American will make a huge impact on the sport of rodeo,” Tuf Cooper, the two-time reigning tie-down roping world champion, said in the release. “The opportunity to compete at one event in one day and walk away with a possible six-figure check is huge.”

Champion trainer Hendricks showcased on next episode of ‘The Ride’ Dell Hendricks is the premier reining horse trainer in the world, and there’s a good reason for it. In his established career, Hendricks has earned more than $1.4 million in the National Reining Horse Association winnings. In addition, he raises, trains and shows a number of the top horses in the business. The key components as to why he’s considered the best will be on display for all to see during the Aug. 26 episode of “The Ride with Cord McCoy,” which airs at 1 and 11 p.m. Mondays on RFD-TV. “A lot of people call it horse whispering, but the training focuses on teaching the horse to read your cues,” McCoy said. “In a sense, if I push this little button, I want you to that. If I want a horse to do something, then all I have to do is push that button. I don’t think the people give the horses enough credit on how smart they are. I could make the horse do so much with just a little cue.” McCoy has learned a few of those things over the last few years. He and Hendricks met in 2008 during the Reining Horse Sports Foundation’s 4R Performance Horses Celebrity Slide and were teamed as part of a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma. They were teamed with Starbucks Sidekick, a champion reining horse, and Luke Good, a child receiving the Make-A-Wish benefits. “Me meeting Dell Hendricks was pretty special,” McCoy said. “It seemed like all four of us made a bond in the one day we were together.” That bond continues today, and fans will get to see it in the half-hour show. “I’ve been all over the world teaching people about reining and showing horses,” Hendricks said on the show. “When I had the opportunity to help Luke and make his wish come true, it was a great opportunity. When you got in the mix, it was a fun opportunity.” It marked the first time McCoy stepped onto a reining horse. That day also set the wheels in motion for McCoy’s brother, Jet, who traveled the world with Cord in two seasons of the reality-television show, “The Amazing Race.” Jet McCoy met Hendricks at the benefit and has since gone into the business; he owns Wranglin in Chex, a half-brother to Sidekick that has become one of the top 20 reining money-earners this year. “That makes Jet one of the top 20 reining horse owners in the world,” Cord McCoy said, noting that Hendricks shows Wranglin in Chex for his brother. “It’s made a full turn, and it started with a little wish.” During the show, Hendricks takes viewers on a little ride around his Hendricks Reining complex in north Texas. “It was an interesting combination for me getting paired up with you,” Hendricks told Cord McCoy. “It was a great thing for me because I’ve made a lot of friends. Luke has come to the ranch a couple of times and got to get on horses here at the ranch.” He also explained just why he loves working with reining horses. “When you get on them, they actually feel a lot different than people think they do,” he said. “It’s almost like stepping into a Ferrari and driving down the road as fast as you can and turning corners, because they handle so much better than a lot of horses. For me, personally, it’s the most challenging thing I’ve ever done on a horse.” It’s a challenge that’s befitting of talented horsemen. “A lot of people on the ranch have the misconception that show horses are just show horses and ranch horses are just ranch horses,” Jet McCoy said on the show. “Once I got a little better introduced to it and started realizing the things these reining horses are doing, (I though) if I could get my ranch horses doing a little, tiny part of that, it would make way better horses. “When Cord got the opportunity to be in the Celebrity Slide, I got to meet Dell. About two weeks later, I took him up on the offer and got to come down and ride some nice horses.” The key is in the work done at Hendricks Reining. “Top athletes only get to be top athletes because of the work they put in on the practice field,” Cord McCoy said. “Horses are the same way. They get prepared the same way even for practice. Dell Hendricks makes his living on what he can train these horses to do and how much he can win in performance. The care of these animals is as tip-top as you can make this. It’s pretty neat to hang out on his place.” The episode shows Hendricks and the McCoys in the practice arena, with the trainer teaching the principals that have made him so successful. “There are seven different components to a reining run,” Jet McCoy said. “All of those seven components … I use them every day when I’m working on the ranch or if I’m riding a roping horse.”

‘The Ride’ features the top young talent in the sport during IFYR showcase Fifteen years ago, teenage brothers Jet and Cord McCoy were the talk of the town in Shawnee, Okla., host of the annual International Youth Finals Rodeo. The brothers McCoy already were big names in the sport, and they added to it in Shawnee. Cord McCoy won the IFYR’s all-around championship in 1997, and Jet, older by just 13 months, claimed the title a year later. In the Aug. 19 episode of “The Ride with Cord McCoy,” the show’s host revisits his old haunts and introduces the show’s fans to the next generation of rodeo’s stars. The show airs at 1 and 11 p.m. Eastern on Monday on RFD-TV. “A lot of cowboys and cowgirls will be breaking into their careers,” Cord McCoy said while opening the show, noting that many of the sport’s biggest names have competed at the IFYR over the years. The competition features high school-aged contestants from all over the country, and a few from outside the borders of the United States. Unlike the National High School Finals Rodeo, which features those who qualify from every state, the IFYR is open to any appropriately aged competitor and features a purse of greater than $200,000 annually. This year, the rodeo celebrated its 21st year all at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center. McCoy took “The Ride” cameras behind the chutes to get insights on the event and why it’s such an important step in the development of young cowboys and cowgirls. “It gave me a big step up,” said bull rider Joseph McConnel, the 2012 bull riding champion. “I thought, ‘Alright, you’re going to have to take it a little more serious.’ ” The IFYR has served as a catapult for the collegiate and professional careers of many great names. Mike Outhier, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in saddle bronc riding, continues to be one of the best all-around cowboys in the sport. He won the IFYR all-around crown and competed in all six boys events for two years in the mid-1990s. Will Lowe burst onto the scene in 1999, winning the bareback riding championship in Shawnee that summer. By 2002, he was making a significant living in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, winning the Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year crown and earning a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Since then, he’s added three world championships to his resume. Other PRCA world champions who have competed at the IFYR over the years include bareback rider Justin McDaniel, all-around champs Trevor Brazile and Ryan Jarrett, barrel racer Janae Ward-Massy and bull rider Blu Bryant. McCoy is a bull riding qualifier to the 2005 NFR and has earned six trips to the PBR World Finals. He was a five time world champion in the International Professional Rodeo Association and still owns the single-season earnings mark, so he realizes the impact the IFYR has on young players. “The IFYR is definitely the biggest, has the most competition,” said two-time IFYR breakaway champion Samantha Little of Hackberry, La. The players aren’t the only ones who see a great benefit of it. Mike Visniesky, the rodeo coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, said college rodeo programs gain a lot from being in Shawnee and watching the competition. “The IFYR is a huge opportunity for coaches to recruit for the best high school talent there is,” Visniesky said. “When we get to watch them compete all together at the national level, that’s really important when you’re trying to put together a competitive team.” The event has certainly grown over the years. It began in 1993 after Shawnee hosted the high school finals. Organizers saw an opportunity to make things happen in the central Oklahoma community annually. “You look at the (economic) impact that all these contestants and their families bring on this town,” said Michael Jackson, the event’s coordinator. “That’s what this facility is about … to bring in the impact to the town. In 2008 was the last impact study we had, and it was estimated to be $5.4 million through the week.” The IFYR begin with about 300 contestants that first year. It has peaked at more than $1,000; this year, there were 897 contestants and more than 1,500 entries. “We went to three arenas to make it a little more exciting,” Jackson said. “We’ve had a lot of kids that have went on and had great pro careers. “To me, it’s a great opportunity for them.” That’s the way the show’s host looks at it, too. “After 21 years of the International Youth Finals Rodeo, it’s always good to be back,” McCoy said, closing the show.

Every news agency works very hard to present its top news to its constituency. The same is being said by the communications staff at the PRCA, a small group of people who work very hard to prepare the news and information for the magazine, ProRodeo Sports News, and its website, ProRodeo.com. In addition, the staff members serve as the PR division for the association. That’s a lot to pile on to a handful of people, but they handle the load admirably. By Monday evenings, they have put all that information together, gathered the world standings and compiled them in an easy-to-read fashion and present it in the PRCA’s weekly news release, sent out to media nationwide. Today’s main story – including a terrific photo from Peggy Gander – is on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket and Jessy Davis, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. You can read the story HERE, and you can see why Davis is one of the top bareback riders in the game and why Dirty Jacket is considered one of the greatest bucking beasts in the sport today.

Bareback rider Ty Breuer earned nearly $5,300 at the Farm-City ProRodeo last week by sharing the title with Clint Laye. It’s a good thing for Breuer, because his trip from Hermiston, Ore., the Lea County Fair and Rodeo on Thursday wasn’t what he’d hoped for. You see, the 2010 bareback riding rookie of the year had been matched in the random draw with Scarlet’s Web, a Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo bronc that’s been a major player at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. How good is the horse? They’ve won go-rounds at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on the athletic bay mare, which was sired by the great Night Jacket. She’s also been named one of the best bareback horses in the Texas Circuit. Earlier this year, Richie Champion rode her for 87 points to share the championship at the Eagle County (Colo.) Fair and Rodeo. Breuer and his traveling posse – consisting of fellow bareback riders Wes Stevenson, Caine Riddle and Will Lowe, along with saddle bronc riders Taos Muncy, Isaac Diaz, Travis Sheets, Jesse Bail, Curtis Garton and Will Smith – hustled as fast as possible to Lovington, N.M., tucked in the southeastern most county in the state after stopping off at the Salt Lake City airport to drop off Lowe and Riddle for their flight to Missouri for the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. Unfortunately, they were just a few minutes getting to Lovington late for Breuer to take his shot on Scarlet’s Web, but it wasn’t without great effort. Speed limits were ignored, as the van filled with eight top ProRodeo cowboys – seven of whom were competing that night – rumbled across the New Mexico plains just hoping to get on their horses. It paid off for Bail and Diaz, who earned nice paychecks for their rides; the gamble, however, failed to produce the rest of the posse in that section of the rodeo. Stevenson, who was just catching a ride eventually to his home in Lubbock, Texas, returned to Lovington on Saturday night to compete, riding Pete Carr’s Classic’s Lady’s Man for 83 points to share third place and $2,161 with Austin Foss and Richie Champion. But if you ask each of the 10 in the van at one time, it was worth the effort.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The numbers were in the favor bronc riding brothers at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo on Saturday night. Five Wright brothers from Milford, Utah, rode Carr Pro Rodeo bucking horses inside Jake McClure Arena on the final night of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour Rodeo. Three scored high enough to place, and two of those earned a share of the title: Cody and Jake rode for 87 points to big victories in Lovington, while Jesse posted an 83 to finish in a tie for seventh place. “It’s nice to go to a rodeo and have really good horses out for everybody,” Jake Wright said. “The stock contractor here has that kind of caliber that it’s really a riding contest and not a drawing contest. “Either I’m riding better or drawing better; maybe both.” Contestants are matched against their livestock by a blind draw. Cody Wright rode Mike & Ike, a big bay that ducked and dived across the dirt, while Jake Wright danced on the arena floor on the back of Miss Molly. In all, the brothers Wright headed back to Utah with Lea County checks totaling $9,125. Cody Wright, a two-time world champion is just six days removed from another big tour victory in Dodge City, Kan. He is the No. 2 bronc rider in the world standings with $79,325, followed closely by Jesse Wright, the reigning world titlist. Jake Wright, who qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last December, is 13th. “It’s been good this year,” Jake Wright said. “When I went to Reno (Nev.), everything turned around. I wasn’t having the best year, and Cody just told me to keep going and trying hard, and it will happen. Sure enough, it’s all coming around. “Cody told me that he had won less one year than I had going into Reno, and he still made the finals that year. He’s been there and done that, and he’s lived through it, so I thought, ‘Just have fun and ride broncs.’ That’s one of the great things about having a big brother who has had tremendous success in the same line of work. It helps, too, that they travel together. “I’ve learned a lot from him just going down the road and riding broncs,” Jake Wright said. “I thought I was a pretty good bronc rider until I started hanging out with him a bunch, then I really figured out there was a lot to learn.” Cody Wright is the eldest of seven boys, and they’re all cowboys. He’s 12 years older than the twins, Jake and Jesse, and Cody has much to offer his siblings. Of course, it helps that the oldest brother is riding bucking horses as well as he ever has. “He’s in his prime, and he’s in the best shape of his life,” Jake Wright said. “He’s doing great.” Trevor Brazile won the all-around championship, earning $2,813 competing in steer roping, team roping and tie-down roping. Other winners swere bareback rider Jessy Davis, who rodeo Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket for 87 points; steer wrestler K.C. Jones, 7.4 seconds on two runs; tie-down roper Jesse Clark, 15.3 on two; steer roper J.P. Wickett, 32.4 seconds on three runs; team ropers Chace Thompson and Jaytin McCright, 10.3 on two; barrel racer Kaley Bass, 17.31 seconds; and bull rider Corey Navarre, 86 points on Footloose of Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo. Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 7-10 Bareback riding: 1. Jessy Davis, 87 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $5,58; 2. Ryan Gray, 86, $4,261; 3. (tie) Austin Foss, Wes Stevenson and Richie Champion, 84, $2,161 each; 5. (tie) Clint Laye, Clint Cannon, Casey Colletti and Brian Bain, 83, $556 each. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Matt Reeves and K.C. Jones, 3.5 seconds, $1,821 each; 3. Dean Gorsuch, 3.7, $1,440; 4. Tyler Waguespoack, 3.9, $1,186; 5. (tie) Hunter Cure/Ty Erickson, 4.4, $805 each; 7. Clayton Hass, 4.5, $424; 8. (tie) Jacob Shofner and Shawn Mills, 4.6, $85 each. Second round leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.6 seconds, $1,948; 2. K.C. Jones, 3.9, $1,694; 3. Ben Shofner, 4.0, $1,440; 4. (tie) Ryan Swayze and Ty Erickson, 4.1, $1,059 each; 6. Chance Campbell, 4.2, $678; 7. Hunter Cure and Casey Martin, 4.3, $296 each. Average leaders: 1. K.C. Jones, 7.4 seconds on two runs, $1,948; 2. Ty Erickson, 8.5, $1,694; 3. Jule Hazen, 8.6, $1,440; 4. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Hunter Cure, 8.7, $1,059 each; 6. Dean Gorsuch, 9.1, $678; 7. Matt Reeves, 9.2, $424; 8. (tie) Jacob Shofner and Stockton Graves, 9.5, $85 each. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jesse Clark, 7.7 seconds, $2,485; 2. Justin Maass, 7.8, $2,161; 3. Adam Gray, 7.9, $1,827; 4. Tuf Cooper, 8.0, $1,512; 5. Scott Kormos, 8.1, $1,188; 6. Joseph Parsons, 8.2, $864; 7. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Johnny Salvo, 8.3, $378 each. Second round leaders: 1. Randall Carlisle, 7.3 seconds, $2,485; 2. Jerrad Hofstetter, 7.5, $2,161; 3. (tie) Clif Cooper, Shane Hanchey and Jesse Clark, 7.6, $1,512 each; 6. Garrett Hale, 7.8, $864; 7. (tie) 7.9, $378. Average leaders: 1. Jesse Clark, 15.32 seconds on two runs, $3,727; 2. Shane Hanchey, 16.5, $3,241; 3. Cody McCartney, 16.7, $2,755; 4. (tie) Monty Lewis and Caleb Smidt, 16.8, $2,026 each; 6. (tie) Clif Cooper and Justin Maass, 17.4, $1,053 each; 8. (tie) Clint Cooper and Garrett Hale, 17.5, $162 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Cody Wright, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Mike & Ike, and Jake Wright, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Molly, 87 points, $4,280 each; 3. Jesse Bail, 86, $2,746; 4. (tie) Cole Elshere, Jacobs Crawley and Isaac Diaz, 84, $1,238 each; 7. (tie) Heith DeMoss and Jesse Wright, 83, $565. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Chet Herren, 9.2 seconds, $1,772; 2. Joe Wells, 9.7, $1,541; 3. Lawson Plemons and Dan Fisher, 9.8, $1,194 each; 5. Bryce Davis, 10.0, $848; 6. Rocky Patterson, 10.3, $616; 7. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.0, $385; 8. (tie) John Bland and Vin Fisher Jr.,  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – It takes tremendous passion to follow gold-buckle dreams in ProRodeo. Saddle bronc rider Heith DeMoss has it. The four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Heflin, La., followed his passion Friday to the Lea County Fair and Rodeo for a rematch with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Air Miles. “I actually got on her four years ago here, and she bucked me off,” he said of the horse, a 13-year-old sorrel mare. “It was sweet revenge tonight.” The tandem matched moves across Jake McClure Arena for 83 points to move into fifth place in the standings. That’s good for now, because only the top eight cowboys earn money in Lovington; DeMoss could use every dime he can manage if he hopes to finish the regular season among the top 15 on the money list and return to the NFR for a fifth time – he sits 17th in the world standings with $32,805 so far this season. New Mexico money can go a long ways to help. “It means a lot, because I’m not high on the tour standings, so this is must-have,” he said. The Lea County Fair and Rodeo is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, a series of lucrative rodeos that pays a nice bonus at the end of the year. This week alone, there are three tour events on the contestants’ schedule; Lovington joins events in Hermiston, Ore., and Sikeston, Mo. In fact, DeMoss and his traveling partners are making all three events in consecutive days. They rodeo Thursday in Sikeston, then made the 1,000-mile, 15-hour drive to southeastern New Mexico. As soon as they were done riding Friday, DeMoss, Bradley Harter, Doug Aldridge and Sam Spreadborough hustled to their vehicle for the 1,500-mile, 24-hour drive to Hermiston. “I ain’t seen a shower or a bed in a long time,” DeMoss said. “There’s not a better living in the world than this right here. It gets to be a grind, but when you’re winning, this is the funnest thing in the world. “What I love best is that it is just so man against beast. You’re against something that’s 10 times more than you are, and you try to just counteract and manipulate him into working to what you want him to do. It’s the most extreme rush you can imagine.” He got that with Air Miles. The horse has performed at the NFR, and she bucks strong enough to return to the City of Lights. On Friday night, Air Miles was slow leaving the chute, and DeMoss had to catch up in order to be in position to show off for the judges. “I couldn’t get a good shot out of there, so I couldn’t get her on the first lick like I wanted to,” he said, referring to the spurring motion that is in rhythm with the horse’s bucking motion. “She was jumping and kicking like you’d want one to.” DeMoss returned to Lovington on Friday night even though he’s never had any success at McClure Arena. In rodeo, contestants have to take the best shot they can, so DeMoss rolled the dice. He’ll probably do it again next August, especially if his score holds up through Saturday’s final performance for a nice paycheck. Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 7-10 Bareback riding: 1. Jessy Davis, 87 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket; 2. Ryan Gray, 86; 3. (tie) Austin Foss and Richie Champion, 84; 5. (tie) Clint Laye, Clint Cannon, Casey Colletti and Brian Bain, 83. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Matt Reeves and K.C. Jones, 3.5 seconds; 3. Dean Gorsuchy, 3.7; 4. Tyler Waguespoack, 3.9; 5. (tie) Hunter Cure/Ty Erickson, 4.4; 7. Clayton Hass, 4.5; 8. (tie) Jacob Shofner and Shawn Mills, 4.6. Second round leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.6 seconds; 2. K.C. Jones, 3.9; 3. Ben Shofner, 4.0; 4. Ryan Swayze, 4.1; 5. Chance Campbell, 4.2; 6. Hunter Cure, 4.3; 7. Monty Eakin, 4.4; 8. (tie) Pepe Arballo and Stockton Graves, 4.5; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 4.8; 8. Jacob Shofner, 4.9. Average leaders: 1. K.C. Jones, 7.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Jule Hazen, 8.6; 3. Tyler Waguespack and Hunter Cure, 8.7; 5. Dean Gorsuch, 9.1; 7. Matt Reeves, 9.2; 7. (tie) Jacob Shofner and Stockton Graves, 9.5; 6. Ryan Swayze, 9.7; 7. Nick Guy, 10.3; 8. Monty Eakin, 10.4. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jesse Clar, 7.7; 2. Justin Maass, 7.8 seconds; 3. Adam Gray, 7.9; 4. Tuf Cooper, 8.0; 5. Scott Kormos, 8.1; 6. Joseph Parsons, 8.2; 7. Caleb Smidt, 8.3; 8. (tie) Cody McCartney and Trevor Brazile, 8.4. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Clif Cooper and Shane Hanchey, 7.6 seconds; 3. Clint Singleton, 8.0; 4. Seth Childers, 8.1; 5. 5. Cimarron Boardman, 82; 6. (tie) Monty Lewis, Clint Cooper and Cody McCartney, 8.3. Average leaders: 1. Shane Hanchey, 16.5 seconds; 2. Cody McCartney, 16.7; 3. (tie) Monty Lewis and Caleb Smidt, 16.8; 5. (tie) Clif Cooper and Justin Maass, 17.4; 7. Clint Cooper, 17.5; 8. Marty Yates, 17.6. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jesse Bail, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Hard Tack; 2. (tie) Cole Elshere, Jacobs Crawley and Isaac Diaz, 84; 5. Heith DeMoss, 83; 6. Bradley Harter, 82; 7. Bryan Martinat, 81; 8. (tie) Chuck Schmidt and Travis Sheets, 80. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Chet Herren, 9.2 seconds; 2. Joe Wells, 9.7; 3. Lawson Plemons, 9.8; 4. Rocky Patterson, 10.3; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.0; 6. (tie) John Bland and Vin Fisher Jr., 11.2; 8. Leo Campbell, 11.4. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, 32.4 seconds on three runs; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 33.0; 3. Trevor Brazile, 34.5; 4. Kim Ziegelgruber, 35.3; 5. Jarrett Blessing, 36.3; 6. Tony Reina, 37.5; 7. Randy Wells, 38.1; 8. Chet Herren, 38.9. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Drew Homer/Buddy Hawkins II and Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 4.8; 5. (tie) Chace Thompson/Jaytin McCright and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.1; 6. (tie) Brock Hanson/Kory Koontz and  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Jessy Davis needs a little help. Davis, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Power, Mont., sits 17th in the bareback riding world standings. If he intends to earn a fifth trip to Las Vegas in December, he needs to make up the ground on the money list over the next month and a half. He got a little help Thursday night during the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. Davis and Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket danced across the Jake McClure Arena dirt for 87 points to lead bareback riding in Lovington, a Silver Tour event on the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. “This would be a big win,” Davis said moments after the ride. “Hopefully it sticks now.” He’ll have to wait out the final two performances to see where he stands at the end of the four-day event in New Mexico’s southeastern most county. He owns a three-point lead over Austin Foss, the 2012 PRCA Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year who posted an 84 on Wednesday night on Carr’s Real Deal, the 2005 bareback of the year. If the score holds for the top spot, it will mark the eighth time in nine performances this season that Dirty Jacket has guided a cowboy to the top score. The 9-year-old bay gelding finished the 2012 season as the Texas Circuit Bareback of the Year and the runner-up Reserve World Champion Bareback Horse. “That first jump is what makes bareback riding fun,” Davis said, noting that Dirty Jacket leaves the chute with a powerful and high leap. “That first jump out when they explode out of there and you know you’ve got him hooked, it feels pretty dang good. You can feel him after that and build your ride. “That’s a dang nice horse, one that will help you out a lot. He’s a pretty well-built horse, too.” Davis has earned $41,618 so far this season, but he’s just $1,200 behind the No. 15 cowboy, Winn Ratliff of Leesville, La. Thursday marked the first time he had been matched with the athletic gelding, so it was nice that it happened at an event like the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. “With that horse, you could really feel how athletic he was,” Davis said. “It feels pretty dang good. I wish I could get on a horse like that every day.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 7-10 Bareback riding: 1. Jessy Davis, 87 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket; 2. Austin Foss, 84; 3. (tie) Clint Laye and Clint Cannon, 83; 5. R.C. Landingham, 79; 6. Evan Jayne, 78; 7. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Chase Erickson, 77. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 3.5 seconds; 2. Tyler Waguespoack, 3.9; 3. Jacob Shofner, 4.6; 4. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Wyatt Lindsay, 4.7; 6. (tie) Joe Buffington, Cimarron Thompson and Rusty Hamilton, 4.8. Second round leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.6 seconds; 2. Ben Shofner, 4.0; 3. Ryan Swayze, 4.1; 4. Chance Campbell, 4.2; 5. Monty Eakin, 4.4; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 4.8; 7. Jacob Shofner, 4.9; 8. Nick Guy. Average leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 8.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 8.7; 3. Matt Reeves, 9.2; 4. Jacob Shofner, 9.5; 5. Ryan Swayze, 9.7; 6. Nick Guy, 10.3; 7. Monty Eakin, 10.4; 8. Rusty Hamilton, 10.7. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Justin Maass, 7.8 seconds; 2. Scott Kormos, 8.1; 3. Caleb Smidt, 8.3; 4. (tie) Cody McCartney and Trevor Brazile, 8.4; 6. Monty Lewis, 8.5; 7. Kyle Dutton, 8.7; 8. Seth Emerson, 8.8. Second round leaders: 1. Clif Cooper, 7.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Monty Lewis, Clint Cooper and Cody McCartney, 8.3; 5. (tie) Caleb Smidt, Marty Yates and Payden Emmett, 8.5; 8. (tie) Cody Ohl and Michael Otero, 8.6. Average leaders: 1. Cody McCartney, 16.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Monty Lewis and Caleb Smidt, 16.8; 4. (tie) Clif Cooper and Justin Maass, 17.4; 6. Clint Cooper, 17.5; 7. Marty Yates, 17.6; 8. Trevor Brazile, 17.9. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jesse Bail, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Hard Tack; 2. (tie) Cole Elshere, Jacobs Crawley and Isaac Diaz, 84; 5. Bryan Martinat, 81; 6. (tie) Chuck Schmidt and Travis Sheets, 80; 8. Sterling Crawley, 78. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Chet Herren, 9.2 seconds; 2. Joe Wells, 9.7; 3. Lawson Plemons, 9.8; 4. Rocky Patterson, 10.3; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.0; 6. (tie) John Bland and Vin Fisher Jr., 11.2; 8. Leo Campbell, 11.4. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, 32.4 seconds on three runs; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 33.0; 3. Trevor Brazile, 34.5; 4. Kim Ziegelgruber, 35.3; 5. Jarrett Blessing, 36.3; 6. Tony Reina, 37.5; 7. Randy Wells, 38.1; 8. Chet Herren, 38.9. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Drew Homer/Buddy Hawkins II and Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 4.8 seconds; 3. (tie) Chace Thompson/Jaytim McCright and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.1; 5. (tie) Brock Hanson/Kory Koontz and David Key/Jett Hillman, 5.2; 7. Clay Smith/Jake Smith, 5.4; 8. Aaron Tsinigine/Victor Begay, 5.5. Second round leaders: 1. Brandon Beers/Jim Ross Cooper, 4.5 seconds; 2. Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton, 4.5; 3. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 4.8; 4. Aaron Tsinigine/Victor Begay, 5.1; 5. Chace Thompson/Jaytin McCright, 5.2; 6. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.4; 7. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.7; 8. Jackie Gillispie/Scotty Raines, 6.6. Average: 1. Chace Thompson/Jaytin McCright, 10.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Victor Begay, 10.6; 3. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 10.8; 4. Travis Bard/Tom Bill Johnson, 13.5; 5. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 14.5; 6. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 15.1; 7. Jackie Gillispie, 17.8; 8. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 19.6. Barrel racing: 1. Kaley Bass, 17.31 seconds; 2. Brittany Pozzi, 17.56; 3. Lizzy Ehr, 17.68; 4. Danyelle Campbell, 17.69; 5. Michelle McLeod, 17.83; 6. Nalynn Cline, 17.86; 7. Tonya Parrish, 17.87; 8. Jessica Frost, 17.88; 9. Kelly Waide, 17.95; 10. Bailey Bownds, 17.96; 11. Meghan Johnson, 17.99; 12. Janie Johnson, 18.02; 13. (tie) Erin Parsons and Jenna Cadwallader, 18.04; 15. Morgan Figueroa, 18.07. Bull riding: 1. Corey Navarre, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Footloose; 2. (tie) Scottie  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – For years, Jule Hazen made three phone calls after a solid performance wrestling steers on the rodeo trail: to wife, Heidi; parents, Steve and Kelly; and his grandfather, Richard Degnan. “I’d change up the order, but I’d call all three,” said Hazen, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Ashland, Kan. “The other day, I couldn’t call my grandpa. It makes it hard.” Degnan died last Thursday, and Hazen was making his run at rodeos across his home state. On Sunday night, he placed in the championship round at the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup, the closest ProRodeo event to his southwest Kansas home. On Monday morning, Hazen helped bury his grandfather. Two nights later during the opening performance of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo at Jake McClure Arena, Hazen grappled his steer to the ground in 3.6 seconds; he leads the second go-round and, more importantly, has a two-run cumulative time of 8.6 seconds to lead the field for the 2013 steer wrestling title in this southeastern New Mexico community. “He’s been everything as far as rodeo with me,” Hazen said of his grandfather. “My folks are wonderful, but my grandfather had three girls, and they are great girls; but I was the first grandson, and I was the only one who showed an interest in rodeo. “He taught me how to ride horses and gave me all my horsemanship, which sometimes doesn’t show up. But he meant everything to me. It’s going to be hard.” The loss of a loved one is always hard, especially one that had such an impact on one’s life. The No. 8 cowboy in the steer wrestling world standings, Hazen is well on his way to a third trip to Las Vegas in December. Doing well in Lovington is important for every contestant who has put his or her name in the hat to compete. “This is a big tour rodeo, and it’s a good one,” he said. “I knew I had a real good steer. The only thing about that steer that might be troublesome was to not let my mind get in the way. I just went out and ran him, and it worked out.” In rodeo, contestants tend to travel in packs. In addition, their biggest competition might just be their friend and traveling partner. In the case of steer wrestlers, they oftentimes travel with their hazers, the cowboy that helps guide the steer into place. In Hazen’s case, he’s going down the rodeo trail with Chad Van Campen of McCook, Neb. “This afternoon, Chad’s hazing horse came up a little sore, so we gave him the night off,” Hazen said. “I had my old hazer, Darrell (Petry), here to pick up for my second one. It’s nice having them both here. It helps calm me down; that’s why you have a good team with you.” Part of that team is Bam Bam, an 11-year-old brown gelding who charges out of the chute and runs down steers in a hurry. That might be one of the biggest components to Hazen’s success this season. “I like having horsepower on both sides,” he said, referring to quality steer wrestling and hazing horses. “My bulldogging horses and my hazer are very important. Last year, well, I got hurt, but I wasn’t doing that good anyway. The only difference I went back to Chad to haze for me. “That’s the major difference for me, having him in there. You know he’s going to be right there every time. He’s dang sure one of the best hazers there is. You could put him on a donkey, and he’d be there.” Right now, Hazen is there; he’s the No. 1 man in Lovington, and he’s in line to return to the NFR. He’s got the right tools in place to help him every step of the way. Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 7-10 Bareback riding: 1. Austin Foss, 84 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal; 2. (tie) Clint Laye and Clint Cannon, 83; 4. R.C. Landingham, 79; 5. Evan Jayne, 78; 6. Caleb Bennett, 77; 7. (tie) Tyler Nelson and Chad Rutherford, 75. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tyler Waguespoack, 3.9 seconds; 2. Jacob Shofner, 4.6; 3. (tie) Joe Buffington and Cimarron Thompson, 4.8; 5. Nick Guy, 4.8; 6. Jule Hazen, 5.0; 7. Ryan Swayze, 5.6; 8. Cooper Shofner, 5.7. Second round leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.6 seconds; 2. Ben Shofner, 4.0; 3. Chance Campbell, 4.2; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 4.8; 5. Jacob Shofner, 4.9; 6. Cimarron Thompson, 9.6; 7. Aaron Vosier, 13.6; 8. Darrell Petry, 14.2. Average leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 8.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 8.7; 3. Jabo Shofner, 9.5; 4. Chance Campbell, 11.2; 5. Cimarron Thompson, 14.4; 6. Ben Shofner, 19.9; 7. Joe Buffington, 22.2; 8. Aaron Vosier, 27.7. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Scott Kormos, 8.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Cody McCartney and Trevor Brazile, 8.4; 4. Kyle Dutton, 8.7; 5. Marty Yates, 9.1; 6. (tie) Marshall Leonard and J.D. McCuistion, 9.4; 8. Cody Jordan, 9.5. Second round leaders: 1. Trevor Thiel, 8.8 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile, 9.5; 3. Cody Jordan, 9.7; 4. Kyle Dutton, 10.8; 5. Tyson Runyan, 11.4; 6. Wacey Walraven, 11.7; 7. Fred Whitfield, 20.4; 8. Bryce Runyan, 23.5. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 17.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Cody Jordan, 19.2; 3. Kyle Duttton, 19.5; 4. Wacey Walraven, 21.6; 5. Trevor Thiel, 22.4; 6. Tyson Runyan, 26.9; 7. Bryce Runyan, 36.7; 8. Scott Kormos, 8.1 seconds on one. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Cole Elshere, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Wild, and Jacobs Crawley, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lonestar, 84 points; 3. Bryan Martinat, 81; 4. Chuck Schmidt, 80; 5. Sterling Crawley, 78; 6. Dawson Jandreau, 75; no other qualified rides. Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Chet Herren, 9.2 seconds; 2. Joe Wells, 9.7; 3. Lawson Plemons, 9.8; 4. Rocky Patterson, 10.3; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.0; 6. (tie) John Bland and Vin Fisher Jr.,  Continue Reading »

‘The Ride’ showcases the next generation of tremendous bucking bulls An athlete is born that way, a combination of genetics and God-given talent; an elite athlete must be willing to put in the work it takes to get to the next level. Michael Jordan is one example. Adrian Peterson is another. The Aug. 12 episode of “The Ride with Cord McCoy” turns the audience’s attention on yet another, the athletic animals that are part of the annual American Heritage, a bucking bull competition for rising stars in the sport. The show airs at 1-11 p.m. Eastern on Monday on RFD-TV. “Other than the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, the American Heritage is the biggest event throughout the regular-season tour,” said McCoy, the show’s host who also rides and raises bucking bulls. Organized by American Bucking Bull Inc., the sport’s registry system and a producer of numerous competitions each year to showcase the next generation of bucking power, the American Heritage took place at the Lazy E Arena near Guthrie, Okla., in June and featured a massive purse. “This is the greatest opportunity, from the ABBI’s, standpoint for us to take these planned matings,” said Russ Gant, who had served as the interim executive director of the ABBI at the time of the American Heritage. “We have a database where we take these planned matings and can go back and see the DNA.” That DNA comes into play in the arena; think the Mannings in football, where Archie Manning was a star quarterback in the 1970s and sons Peyton and Eli are Super Bowl champions playing today. Bull breeders try to match known superstar bulls with cows that have a strong bloodline. “There are some bulls in here that breeders have spent thousands of dollars on these matings and thousands of hours getting them ready,” Gant said. It’s not just about beating their competitors but about bringing value to ranch. It’s not just the swell of winning, but there’s money in there, too.” Whether it’s selling a top-of-the-line animal athlete for big money or earning it through competition, bull breeding is big business. The competition featured hundreds of young bulls, all showcased and cared for in comfort inside the Lazy E, an arena built in 1984 specifically for Western events. The Lazy E has been involved in the bull riding business since 1989, when the late Lane Frost worked with the arena’s producers to develop Bullnanza, a stand-alone bull riding event that featured the top cowboys in the game, all of whom had ponied up the $1,000 entry fee. “We were pre-PBR,” said Robert Simpson, director of events, sponsorship and marketing at the Lazy E. “In 1994 was the first PBR World Finals. From 1992 to 1994, Bullnanza was the entire tour except, I believe, for George Michal’s event and Tuff’s (Hedeman) event in Fort Worth (Texas). “From those first days when we hand-selected those bulls … we brought about three to four bulls from 30 different contractors. Now you’ve got 150 contractors that have 50 great bulls. The industry, in how it’s exploded, is phenomenal.” That history is why the Lazy E continues to be involved in the industry. “Just the caliber of bulls … untouchable,” Simpson said. “The purse is just phenomenal. It’s just awesome to see that kind of purse for a bucking bull event. “We are very prideful in it. We want to think we do it the best. When you come here, we’re going to try the hardest.” How big is the American Heritage to those who raise bucking bulls? The winning animal’s owner collected a check for more than $92,000. Royd Doyal, a former bull rider who judged the event, said he and other officials who worked the event based their opinions on the criteria provided. “I’m going to look for the one that really stands out,” Doyal said. “Usually the winner or top two to three bulls will separate themselves by being exceptional in one or two of those criteria.” The episode showcases the true magnitude of the competition and what it takes to develop the next generation of amazing bucking beasts.

DUNCAN, Okla. – When Jerome Schneeberger was busy crisscrossing the highways that make up a big portion of the landscape, he was a champion in the rodeo arena. Seven times he won his region, the tie-down roping title in the Prairie Circuit, made up of contestants and events in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. He also qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 11 times in 14 years; one of those years, 2001, he earned the coveted average championship in Las Vegas. “I’ve been there, done that,” said Schneeberger,  of Ponca City, Okla. “I was actually entered everywhere and was going to try to make the finals again, but then I thought about it. I just thought I’d stay home and enjoy it.” That’s why the circuit system was developed in mid-1970s and why it’s such a valuable piece of the puzzle for most of the contestants who compete – they can work a full-time job and rodeo on the weekends, and they still have the opportunity to compete for championships. In fact, Schneeberger is working hard to qualify for the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for Oct. 17-19 at the Stephens County Fair and Expo Center in Duncan. He’s well on his way. The 37-year-old cowboy won the first round and placed in the short go-round to win the coveted title at the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo, which took place the first weekend in August. In all, he pocketed $6,727, which moved him to the No. 1 spot in the circuit standings with $9,991. “I like this arena,” he said, standing just a few yards away from Roundup Arena, host of the rodeo that features the largest purse in the region. “It’s always been good to me. If it’s not one year, it usually comes back the next year, and I’ll win something. “I think everything’s just clicking. You get a good horse, and you get in that groove. It’s fun right now.” There were a number of circuit cowboys who found success through that hot August run in southwest Kansas. Young gun Sage Kimzey of Strong City, Okla., added to his strangle-hold on the bull riding race by adding $4,285 last week while placing in Dodge City and Abilene, moving his circuit earnings to $27,809. Meanwhile, Trevor Kastner made a solid move in the race by winning the first round, placing in the second and sharing the average championship with Texan Clayton Foltyn. “This is pretty big for me because this is a pretty well-known rodeo, plus it helps for the circuit, too,” said Kastner, a two-time NFR qualifier from Ardmore, Okla. “This is also a tour rodeo with a bonus at the end of the season, so that helps, too.” Kastner is third in both the world standings ($70,984) and the circuit money list ($11,277). He’s a long ways from catching Kimzey, but qualifying for Duncan as one of the top 12 in each event is vital. At the circuit finale’s conclusion, the year-end champions and the contestants who win the average titles at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals then earn the right to compete at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for next spring in Oklahoma City. “If a guy can win one of those circuit titles and go to Oklahoma City, it gives them a chance to win a lot of money there and one of the big titles in rodeo,” Kastner said. Other circuit standings leader as of this week are bareback rider Caine Riddle of Vernon, Texas; steer wrestler Stockton Graves of Newkirk, Okla.; header Andrew Ward of Edmond, Okla.; heeler Billie Saebens of Nowata, Okla.; saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell of Coleman, Okla.; and barrel racer Tana Renick of Kingston, Okla. They’ll all be in a frenzied race through the remaining weeks of the season to see who earns those few spots for Destination Duncan.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – A year ago, Brett Stall parlayed Xtreme Bulls Tour victories into his first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He’s hoping history repeats itself. Stall rode two bulls for a cumulative score of 171.5 points to win the Lea County Xtreme Bulls on Tuesday night, earning $9,701 in the process. That’s key, because those dollars stand as championship points, and only the top 15 cowboys in the bull riding world standings earn a shot to compete at ProRodeo’s grand finale. “This is huge this year,” said Stall, 24, of Detroit Lakes, Minn. “I had hip surgery at the beginning of the year. It’s been up and down all year. This bull riding is a blessing to me this year. I don’t know what I’d do without it.” The stand-alone bull riding tour features the top 40 cowboys in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and has its own championship. It all counts toward the final world standings, which is a big reason why Stalls was in Las Vegas last December. He won the Xtreme Bulls events in Rapid City, S.D., (a Division 1 event) and Greeley, Colo., (Division 2). “Last year I was top five in the year-end Xtreme Bulls,” Stalls said. “I’m right inside the top 30. This is going to help me tremendously put a whole new outlook on the rest of the year. Instead of hitting a few of them circuit rodeos, we’ll head to the Northwest and try to make the top 15.” Stall was one of just two cowboys to ride both his bulls, and he edged fellow NFR qualifier Beau Schroeder of China, Texas, by just two points to claim the championship. In fact, Stall just squeaked into the short round, joining young gun Sage Kimzey with 82.5-point rides – Lon Danley of Tularosa, N.M., also scored 82.5, but he was left off the short-round list because of a tie-breaker. Stall rode Salt River Rodeo’s Sure Enough to move into final round, then matched moves with Lineman of Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo for 89 points to stake claim to the coveted buckle. Tyler Smith of Fruita, Colo., won the first round with a 90-point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Blue Duck. “Rapid City was my biggest career win,” Stall said. “It got my name out there. It made me to where I got to the NFR. I think this one tops it, because it’s going to make a huge impact on this year for me. “This is going to rank up there with top wins in my career.” Lea County Xtreme Bulls Lovington, N.M. Aug. 6 First round: 1. Tyler Smith, 90 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Blue Duck, $3,384; 2. J.W. Harris, 87, $2,594; 3. Josh Koschel, 86.5, $1,918; 4. Parker Breding, 85.5, $1,241; 5. Tyler Willis, 85, $790; 6. Elliot Jacoby, 84.5, $564; 7. (tie) Beau Schoeder, Shawn Proctor and Clayton Foltyn, $263. Final round: 1. Brett Stall, 89 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Lineman, $4,061; 2. Beau Schroeder, 85.5, $3,459; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Brett Stall, 171.5 points on two rides, $5,640; 2. Beau Schroeder, 169.5, $4,324; 3. Tyler Smith, 90 points on one ride, $3,196; 4. J.W. Harris, 87, $2,068; 5. Josh Koschel, 86.5, $1,316; 6. Parker Breding, 85.5, $940; 7. Tyler Willis, 85, $752; 8. Elliot Jacoby, 84.5, $564.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – In his 17-year career, Jerome Schneeberger has earned more than $1.5 million on the rodeo trail. He’s an 11-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the 2001 NFR tie-down roping average champion. He’s won most of the biggest rodeos in the sport and has been crowned the Prairie Circuit champion numerous times. Now just days shy of his 37th birthday, the Ponca City cowboy has a much different focus in life than burning the miles and chasing gold buckle dreams down the rodeo trail. “I’m not interested in going that hard, trying to make the finals,” Schneeberger said. “I’m not rodeoing near as much at all. I’ve been there, done that. I was actually entered everywhere and was going to try to make the finals again, but then I thought about it. I just thought I’d stay home and enjoy it.” He has another job now, and focuses on competing in the Prairie Circuit, made up of contestants and rodeos in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. On Sunday night, he made a big move to winning another regional title by staking claim to another Dodge City Roundup Rodeo title, pocketing $6,727 in the process and moving toward the top spot in the circuit standings. For a part-time cowboy, that’s pretty good. “There’s just so much expense that goes into it when you try to make the finals,” he said, noting that of the money he’s earned in his storied career, most of it went back toward the cost of traveling, paying entry fees and other things that come with it – in rodeo, the only way a contestant is paid is if he or she is better than the rest of the field. “I decided I’d just stay at home and take that guaranteed paycheck.” Schneeberger won the opening go-round, then finished in a tie for second place in the championship round on Sunday. His cumulative time of 26.9 seconds on three runs earned him his second Roundup title in four years. “I like this arena,” he said. “It’s always been good to me.” Bull riders Trevor Kastner and Clayton Foltyn will be saying that after their few days in the southwest Kansas community. Foltyn posted the highest marked ride of the rodeo with a 94-point ride Sunday on the bull Rustler’s Paradise from 4L & Diamond S Rodeo. That moved him up in the average with a two-ride cumulative score of 180 points, sharing the Roundup title with Kastner, who won the first round with a 90-point ride Saturday; he then posted an 89 on Frontier Rodeo’s Centerfield on Sunday. “This is pretty big for me because this is a pretty well-known rodeo, plus it helps for the circuit, too,” said Kastner, a two-time NFR qualifier from Ardmore, Okla. “This is also a tour rodeo with a bonus at the end of the season, so that helps, too.” This season marked the second time in Foltyn’s career that he’s earned a trip to the final round in Dodge City – the first time, he came away with a season-ending injury, but this one worked out much better; he earned $4,837, while Kastner pocketed $5,551. “This is a great rodeo to win,” said Foltyn, a two-time NFR qualifier from El Campo, Texas. “I’ve been coming here for a long time, and this is the best I’ve done.” Of the 11 bull riders in the short round, six had qualified rides, including two in the 90s – Foltyn’s 94 and a 92 from runner-up Chris Roundy of Spanish Fork, Utah. They weren’t the only explosive scores on the final night of the 2013 rodeo. Cody Wright won the final round and the average championship after scoring a 91-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Top Gun, while brother Jesse scored 90 on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Happy Valley to finish second Sunday – Jesse, the reigning world champ, jumped from ninth to third because of the score. “Anytime you can start winning, especially at a big rodeo and a tour rodeo so that you can stay in the race, it’s great because there are so many great bronc riders out there,” Cody Wright said. “They all ride great. Anytime you can be right there with them, it’s great.” But that’s what happens when ProRodeo’s elite perform at venues like Roundup Arena. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. July 31-Aug. 4 All-around champion: Caleb Smidt, $8,417 in team roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: First round: 1. Steven Peebles, 87 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Dust Devil, $2,645; 2. Luke Creasy, 83, $2,028; 2. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Evan Jayne, 82, $1,234 each; 3. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Justin McDaniel, 81, $529 each; 7. Seth Hardwick and Austin Foss, 80, $309; 9. (tie) Tom McFarland and Tilden Hooper, 79. Final round: 1. (tie) Austin Foss, on Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage, and R.C. Landingham, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Kates Hot Sister, 86 points, $1,450 each; 3. Tim O’Connell, 86, $900; 4. (tie) Tom McFarland and Justin McDaniel, 85, $475 each; 6. (tie) Seth Hardwick and Steven Peebles, 82, $125 each. Average: 1. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Steven Peebles, 169 points on two rides, $2,337; 3. (tie) Austin Foss and Tim O’Connell, 167, $1,234; 5. Justin McDaniel, 166, $617; 6. Tom McFarland, 164, $441; 7. Seth Hardwick, 162, $353; 8. Evan Jayne, 157, $265. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. 3. Dean Gorsuch, 3.9 seconds, $2,747; 2. Beau Clark, 4.0, $2,489; 3. Casey Martin, 4.2, $2,031; 4. (tie) Matt Reeves and Sean Thomas, 4.3, $1,493 each; 6. Chad Van Campen, 4.4, $956; 7. (tie) Ty Willick and K.C. Jones, 4.5, $418. Second round: 1. Bray Armes, 3.2 seconds, $2,747; 2. Casey Martin, 4.0, $2,389; 3. (tie) Ben Shofner, John Kloeckler and Jason Thomas, 4.1, $1,672 each; 6. Dru Melvin, 4.2, $956; 7. Kody Woodward, 4.3, $597; 8. Monty Eakin, 4.4, $239. Final round: 1. Seth Brockman, 4.1 seconds, $1,494; 2. Cody Pratt, 4.5, $1,236; 3. Jule Hazen, 5.2, $979; 4. Dean  Continue Reading »

We’re just a few hours away from an exciting championship night at the 2013 Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers will fill every event, and we will feature 11 world champions that have earned the right to compete in the Sunday night championship round. More photos have been added, and you can see them HERE. Here is the roughstock draw for tonight’s action with some amazing match-ups: Bareback riding: Tilden Hooper-Frontier’s Delta Ship Tom McFarland-Vold’s Pillow Talk Austin Foss-Frontier’s Full Baggage Seth Hardwick-Jim Kinney’s Brother Justin McDaniel-Frontier’s Times Up Tim O’Connell-Jim Kinney’s Molly Evan Jayne-Frontier’s Short Stop R.C. Landingham-Vold’s Kates Hot Sister Luke Creasy-Frontier’s Show Stomper Steven Peebles-Vold’s Wrangler Valley Saddle bronc riding: Brady Nicholes-Vold’s Matterhorn Jake Wright-Vold’s Painted Valley Jesse Wright-Vold’s Happy Valley Ty Atchison-Vold’s Pilot Point Cort Scheer-Frontier’s Wild Bill Jesse Bail-Frontier’s Medicine Woman Jacobs Crawley-Frontier’s Let Er Rip Bradley Harter-Frontier’s Rooster Tyler Corrington-Jim Kinney’s Dakota Babe Chad Ferley-Vold’s Pepsi Valley Cody Wright-Frontier’s Top Gun Cole Elshere-Frontier’s Midnight Delight Bull riding: John Young-Frontier’s Bo Diddley Shane Proctor-Frontier’s Big Red Lane Wilhelm-Frontier’s Cowboy Compactor Chris Roundy-4L & Diamond S’s Haunted Mesa Joe Frost-Frontier’s Feeling So Fly Brad Harris-4L & Diamond S’s Panhandle Wind Bart Miller-4L & Diamond S’s Yes Deer Clayton Foltyn-4L & Diamond S’s Rustler’s Paradise Sage Kimzey-4L & Diamond S’s Weak Link Nate Perry-Frontier’s Stanley’s Pick Trevor Kastner-Frontier’s Centerfield

DODGE CITY, Kan. – The final preliminary performance of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo revealed plenty of secrets on Saturday night. In addition to securing Sunday’s championship-round qualifiers, the fourth night of Kansas’ largest rodeo featured lead changes in four of the seven events: bareback rider Steven Peebles of Redmond, Ore.; team ropers Trey Harmon of Pocasset, Okla., and Jace Crabb of Mangum, Okla.; saddle bronc rider Cole Elshere of Faith, S.D.; and barrel racer Sabrina Ketcham of Yeso, N.M. “Dodge City has been one of my favorites to come to, and I look forward to coming every year,” said Elshere, 23, a 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “I’ve come to this rodeo a few times and made the short round two or three times. It’s got a big short round with a lot of money in it, and it’s a tour rodeo, so that counts for a lot right now.” Yes, it does. Every dime counts, and not just for covering expenses. In rodeo, money earned equals championship points. The contestants in each event with the most money at the end of the season are crowned world champions. For his part, Elshere matched moves with Harry Vold Rodeo’s Spring Creek for 85 points, earning $2,221 for winning the first go-round – the top 12 contestants in each event through the preliminary rounds in Dodge City earned the right to compete Sunday. Elshere wasn’t the only contestant to find success Saturday. Harmon and Crabb moved into the lead on two runs after posting a second round-winning 4.5-second run. Combined with their morning run of 5.2 seconds, they jumped into the lead by just two-tenths of a second over Kaleb Driggers and Travis Graves. Ketcham scored the fastest run of the rodeo in Saturday morning with a 16.87 to win the first go-round. She then blistered another run around the cloverleaf pattern in 17.08 to finish in a tie for second place in the second round. So far, she’s earned $3,498 in Dodge City with another round and the aggregate check yet to be paid. Peebles, a four-time NFR qualifier who finished second in Dodge City a year ago, scored an 87 on Vold’s Dust Devil to claim the first-round win and the $2,645 payday. It was the second time the Oregon cowboy has tried his skill against the mare, which, he said, had been away from the arena while raising colts. “They brought her back and she’s been fresh this year,” he said. “I knew how big she got and how hard she’s been bucking, so I knew she’d be all there.” She was, but so was Peebles. Heading into this past week of rodeos, he was 21st in the world standings and needs to make a significant move if he hopes to move into the top 15 on the money list in order to qualify for a fifth-straight NFR. “This is a very important move for me, because we’re not at the end of the season yet, but we’re just a couple months away from it,” Peebles said, noting that the regular season ends Sept. 30. “Everybody’s fighting for those holes to make it for the NFR, and for me, especially, it’s important to be winning at these tour rodeos that have a lot of money. “To be able to win the long round here at a tour rodeo like this is an awesome feeling. It pays pretty good, but I’m focused on winning the short round and the average tomorrow and see where it all adds up from there.” Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. July 31-Aug. 4 Bareback riding: 1. Steven Peebles, 87 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Dust Devil, $2,645; 2. Luke Creasy, 83, $2,028; 2. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Evan Jayne, 82, $1,234 each; 3. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Justin McDaniel, 81, $529 each; 7. Seth Hardwick and Austin Foss, 80, $309; 9. (tie) Tom McFarland and Tilden Hooper, 79 Steer wrestling: First round: 1. 3. Dean Gorsuch, 3.9 seconds, $2,747; 2. Beau Clark, 4.0, $2,489; 3. Casey Martin, 4.2, $2,031; 4. (tie) Matt Reeves and Sean Thomas, 4.3, $1,493 each; 6. Chad Van Campen, 4.4, $956; 7. (tie) Ty Willick and K.C. Jones, 4.5, $418. Second round: 1. Bray Armes, 3.2 seconds, $2,747; 2. Casey Martin, 4.0, $2,389; 3. (tie) Ben Shofner, John Kloeckler and Jason Thomas, 4.1, $1,672 each; 6. Dru Melvin, 4.2, $956; 7. Kody Woodward, 4.3, $597; 8. Monty Eakin, 4.4, $239. Average leaders/short round qualifiers: 1. Bray Armes, 7.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Casey Martin, 8.2; 3. Seth Brockman, 9.4; 4. Dean Gorsuch, 9.6; 5. Riley Duvall, 9.7; 6. Glen Clark, 9.8; 7. Shayde Etherton, 10.0; 8. Ben Shofner, 10.1; 9. Clayton Moore, 11.0; 10. Cody Pratt, 11.1; 11. Jule Hazen, 11.5; 12. Cody Kroul, 11.7. Team roping: First round: 1. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 4.3 seconds, $2,470 each; 2. (tie) Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, $4.8, $1,987 each; 4. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner and Brady Tryan/Cody Doescher, 4.9, $1,343 each; 6. (tie) Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Erich Rogers/Cory Petska and Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 5.0, $537 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Justin Davis/Clay O’Brien Cooper and Trey Harmon/Jace Crabb, 4.5 seconds, $2,309 each; 3. Matt Sherwood/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6, $1,826; 4. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves and Garrett Tonozzi/York Gill, 4.8, $1,343 each; 6. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby and Landon McClaugherty, 4.9, $698 each; 8. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.1, $215. Average leaders/short round qualifiers: 1. Trey Harmon/Jace Crabb, 9.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 9.9;3. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 10.1; 4. Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 10.4; 5. Brady Tryan/Cody Doescher, 10.6; 6. Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero, 10.7; 7. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 11.0; 8. Caleb Smidt, 12.0; 9. (tie) Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 12.1; 11. Chase Wiley/Ace Pearce, 13.3; 12. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 13.7. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cole Elshere, 85 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Spring Creek, $2,221; 2. (tie) Cody Wright and Chad Ferley, 84, $1,481 each; 4. (tie) Tyler Corrington and Bradley  Continue Reading »

The first round of the timed events at Dodge City Roundup Arena is complete, and the winners look like a list of who’s who in ProRodeo. Two-time world champion Dean Gorsuch won the steer wrestling with a 3.9-second run and will compete in his second round during tonight’s performance, which begins at 7:45 at Roundup Arena. Bray Armes still leads the two-run average and is a lock to qualify for Sunday’s championship round. Turtle Powell, the 2011 heading world champion, worked with his partner Dugan Kelly to win the first round in team roping with a 4.3, which happened Friday morning. That tandem will be back Sunday night. Former NFR average champion Jerome Schneeberger not only leads the tie-down roping average, but he earned the lion’s share of the first-round money with an 8.5-second run two days ago. Meanwhile, barrel racer Sabrina Ketcham blistered a 16.87-second run this morning, scoring the fastest run of the rodeo so far. After tonight’s performance, we’ll pay out the second round in the timed events and the long round in the roughstock events, and we’ll know the qualifiers that will chase the coveted Dodge City titles tomorrow. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. July 31-Aug. 4 Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. 3. Dean Gorsuch, 3.9 seconds, $2,747; 2. Beau Clark, 4.0, $2,489; 3. Casey Martin, 4.2, $2,031; 4. (tie) Matt Reeves and Sean Thomas, 4.3, $1,493 each; 6. Chad Van Campen, 4.4, $956; 7. (tie) Ty Willick and K.C. Jones, 4.5, $418. Second round leaders: 1. Bray Armes, 3.2 seconds; 2. Casey Martin, 4.0; 3. (tie) Ben Shofner, John Kloeckler and Jason Thomas, 4.1; 6. Dru Melvin, 4.2; 7. Kody Woodward, 4.3; 8. Monty Eakin, 4.4. Average leaders: 1. Bray Armes, 7.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Casey Martin, 8.2; 3. Seth Brockman, 9.4; 4. Riley Duvall, 9.7; 5. Shayde Etherton, 10.0; 6. Ben Shofner, 10.1; 7. Cody Pratt, 11.1; 8. Jule Hazen, 11.5. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 4.3 seconds, $2,470 each; 2. (tie) Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, $4.8, $1,987 each; 4. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner and Brady Tryan/Cody Doescher, 4.9, $1,343 each; 6. (tie) Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Erich Rogers/Cory Petska and Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 5.0, $537 each. Second round leaders: 1. Justin Davis/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 4.5 seconds; 2. Matt Sherwood/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6; 3. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves and Garrett Tonozzi/York Gill, 4.8; 5. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby and Landon McClaugherty, 4.9; 7. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.1; 8. Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero, 5.2. Average: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 9.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 10.1; 3. Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 10.4; 4. Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero, 10.7; 4. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 11.0; 6. Caleb Smidt, 12.0; 7. (tie) Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 12.1. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.5 seconds,$2,370; 2. E.J. Roberts, 9.0, $2,081; 3. Cody Ohl, 9.1, $1,751; 4. (tie) Bryson Sechrist and Landon McClaugherty, 9.3, $1,288 each; 6. (tie) Ben Madsen, Josh Peek and Scott Kormos, 9.4, $515 each. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Hunter Herrin, 7.8 seconds; 3. (tie) Fred Whitfield and Ryan Watkins, 8.1; 5. (tie) Paul David Tierney and Clint Carpenter, 8.4; 7. (tie) Clint Cooper/Jimmy Jumper, 8.5. Average leaders: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 17.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Caleb Smidt, 19.1; 3. Cody Ohl, 19.4; 4. Clint Carpenter, 19.9; 5. (tie) Blake Deckard and Tuf Cooper, 20.6; 7. Ben Madsen, 21.1; 8. Don Coffell, 21.2. Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Sabrina Ketcham, 16.87 seconds, $2,211; 2. Taylor Jacob, 17.10, $1,895; 3. Christine Laughlin, 17.12, $1,579; 4. Laura Lambert, 17.22, $1,053; 5. Shali Lord, 17.23, $1,053; 5. Carley Richaradson, 17.26, $842; 7. Annesa Self, 17.29, $632; 8. June Holeman, 17.30, $421; 9. Layna Kight, 17.32, $316; 10. (tie) Jessica Frost and Jaime Barrow, 17.33, $105. Second round leaders: 1. Lizzy Ehr, 17.06 seconds; 2. Kendra Dickson, 17.08; 3. Carley Richardson, 17.10; 4. Laura Lambert, 17.13; 5. (tie) Kaley Bass and Whitney Baker, 17.14; 7. Christine Laughlin, 17.15; 8. (tie) Jessica Frost and Shali Lord, 17.18; 10. Natalie Bland, 17.21. Average leaders: 1. Christine Laughlin, 34.27 on two runs; 2. Taylor Jacob, 3432; 3. Laura Lambert, 34.35; 4. Carley Richardson, 34.36; 5. Shali Lord, 34.41; 6. Jessica Frost, 34.51; 7. Lizzy Ehr, 34.54; 8. Carol Chesher, 34.59; 9. Jean Winters, 34.60; 10. Kelly Waide, 34.69.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – It’s just been four months, but the team roping partnership of header Kaleb Driggers and heeler Travis Graves seems to be working quite well. They’re No. 1 in the world standings, both having earned more than $75,000 since joining forces in March – Driggers has pocketed $75,904, while Graves has $79,012. They own at least a $10,000 lead over the No. 2 cowboys on the money list, and they’re a lock to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the year-end championship that takes place in December in Las Vegas. They’re also the No. 1 team at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo heading into the final two days of competition and have virtually clinched their spot in the championship round that is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sunday night at Roundup Rodeo and features the top 12 contestants and teams in each event from the preliminary rounds. “It means a lot to do well here, because it hasn’t been a good week for us,” said Driggers, a two-time NFR qualifier from Albany, Ga. “Actually, it’s been pretty tough the last two or three weeks. It’s been kind of a dry slump for us, but if you can win, you can keep it rolling. “When you’re not winning, you seem to try too hard and mess things up. Today I just wanted to take my time and get my steers down.” That’s a valuable lesson and something the tandem did quite well Friday. They scored a 5.1-second run and sit fifth in the opening go-round in the morning, then followed that with a 4.8 (placing third in the second round) during the third performance. Their cumulative time of 9.9 seconds gives them a two-tenths of a second lead over the current runners-up, Erich Rogers of Round Rock, Ariz., and Cory Petska of Marana, Ariz. “We had a pretty good steer, and we made a really good run,” said Graves, a four-time NFR qualifier from Jay, Okla. “My partner set him up so I could heel him quick.” It’s a good start to the weekend, and it’s a big step for Graves. Because Dodge City is just 400 miles from his northeastern Oklahoma home, he’s always wanted to do well in the Old West town. “This is the biggest rodeo, by far, in this part of the country,” said Graves, who admitted he hasn’t had much success inside Roundup Arena. “That’s why it’s such a big deal to me, because since I was a little kid, Dodge City was the biggest rodeo I’d ever heard of.” Driggers, though, has seen his share of success. He’s qualified for the short go-round twice in a career that began in 2009 and has placed every year he’s competed in Dodge City. A year ago, he and then-partner Brad Culpepper won the second go-round. “I like this rodeo, but once you’ve rodeod for a little bit, you figure out where your spots are,” Driggers said. “This is one of those for me.” Now the tandem hopes to build on its lead in the standings. “Our goal is to keep doing what we’re doing and finish it,” Graves said. It starts by finishing well this weekend in southwest Kansas. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. July 31-Aug. 4 Bareback riding: 1. Luke Creasy, 83 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Breezy Weather; 2. R.C. Landingham, 82; 3. Tim O’Connell, 81; 4. Seth Hardwick, 80; 5. (tie) Tom McFarland and Tilden Hooper, 79; 7. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Brian Bain and Tyler Scales, 77. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Casey Martin, 4.2 seconds; 2. Matt Reeves, 4.3; 3. Chad Van Campen, 4.4; 4. Ty Willick, 4.5; 5. (tie) Bray Armes Seth Brockman, 4.6; 7. Riley Duvall, 4.9; 8. (tie) Jacob Shofner, Jule Hazen and Shayde Etherton, 5.0. Second round leaders: 1. Bray Armes, 3.2 seconds; 2. Casey Martin, 4.0; 3. (tie) Ben Shofner, John Kloeckler and Jason Thomas, 4.1; 6. Dru Melvin, 4.2; 7. Kody Woodward, 4.3; 8. Wade Sumpter, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Bray Armes, 7.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Casey Martin, 8.2; 3. Seth Brockman, 9.4; 4. Riley Duvall, 9.7; 4. Shayde Etherton, 10.0; 5. Ben Shofner, 10.1; 6. Cody Pratt, 11.1; 7. Jule Hazen, 11.5; 8. Cody Kroul, 11.7. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 4.3 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 4.9; 3. (tie) Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager and Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.0; 5. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, and Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 5.1; 7. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Cole Davison and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.2. Second round leaders: 1. Justin Davis/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 4.5 seconds; 2. Matt Sherwood/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 4.8; 4. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 4.9; 5. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.1; 6. Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero, 5.2; 7. Coleman Proctor/ Matt Kasner, 5.5; 8. (tie) Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 5.8. Average: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 9.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 10.1; 3. Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 10.4; 4. Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero, 10.7; 4. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 11.0; 6. Caleb Smidt, 12.0; 7. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 12.1; 8. Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 12.1. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Wright, 84 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Chloe; 2. (tie) Tyler Corrington and Bradley Harter, 83; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 81; 5. Jesse Bail, 80; 6. (tie) Cort Scheer, Ty Atchison and Jesse Wright, 79. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.5 seconds; 2. E.J. Roberts, 9.0; 3. Cody Ohl, 9.1; 4. Bryson Sechrist, 9.3; 5. Ben Madsen, 9.4; 6. Tyler Garten, 10.0; 7. Justin Maass, 10.1; Tuf Cooper, 10.2. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Hunter Herrin, 7.8 seconds; 3. (tie) Fred Whitfield and Ryan Watkins, 8.1; 5. (tie) Paul David Tierney and Clint Carpenter, 8.4; 7. (tie) Clint Cooper/Jimmy Jumper, 8.5. Average leaders: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 17.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Caleb Smidt, 19.1; 3. Cody Ohl, 19.4; 4. Clint Carpenter, 19.9; 5. (tie) Blake Deckard and Tuf Cooper, 20.6; 7. Ben Madsen, 21.1; 8. Don  Continue Reading »

We’ve seen significant changes in the leaderboard during the first part of competition today at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. In fact, we had a great team roping this morning, so tonight’s third performance should be absolutely fantastic. To see the updated photos, click HERE. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. July 31-Aug. 4 Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Casey Martin, 4.2 seconds; 2. Matt Reeves, 4.3; 3. Chad Van Campen, 4.4; 4. Ty Willick, 4.5; 5. (tie) Bray Armes Seth Brockman, 4.6; 7. Riley Duvall, 4.9; 8. (tie) Jacob Shofner, Jule Hazen and Shayde Etherton, 5.0. Second round leaders: 1. Bray Armes, 3.2 seconds; 2. Casey Martin, 4.0; 3. (tie) Ben Shofner, John Kloeckler and Jason Thomas, 4.1; 6. Dru Melvin, 4.2; 7. Kody Woodward, 4.3; 8. Wade Sumpter, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Bray Armes, 7.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Casey Martin, 8.2; 3. Riley Duvall, 9.7; 4. Shayde Etherton, 10.0; 5. Ben Shofner, 10.1; 6. Cody Pratt, 11.1; 7. Jule Hazen, 11.5; 8. Cody Kroul, 11.7; 9. Joe Buffington, 12.0; 10. Richy Coats, 12.4; 11. Sean Mulligan, 13.0; 12. Matt Reeves, 16.5. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 4.3 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 4.9; 3. (tie) Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager and Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.0; 5. (tie) Kelb Driggers/Travis Graves, and Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 5.1; 7. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Cole Davison and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.2. Second round leaders: 1. Justin Davis/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 4.5 seconds; 2. Matt Sherwood/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6; 3. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 4.9; 4. (tie) Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 5.8; 6. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 7.2; 7. Gavin Foster/Jett Hillman, 15.5; 8. Trent Barrett/Jake Pelton, 21.1. Average: 1. Caleb Smidt, 12.0 seconds on two runs; 2. Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 12.1; 3. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 13.7; 4. Justin Davis/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 19.4; 5. Gavin Foster/Jett Hillman, 31.0; 6. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 4.3 seconds on one run; 7. Matt Sherwood/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6; 8. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby and Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 4.9; 10. (tie) Erich Rogers/Cory Petska and Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 5.0; 12. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 5.1. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.5 seconds; 2. E.J. Roberts, 9.0; 3. Cody Ohl, 9.1; 4. Bryson Sechrist, 9.3; 5. Ben Madsen, 9.4; 6. Tyler Garten, 10.0; 7. Justin Maass, 10.1; Tuf Cooper, 10.2. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Hunter Herrin, 7.8 seconds; 3. (tie) Fred Whitfield and Ryan Watkins, 8.1; 5. (tie) Paul David Tierney and Clint Carpenter, 8.4; 7. (tie) Clint Cooper/Jimmy Jumper, 8.5. Average leaders: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 17.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Caleb Smidt, 19.1; 3. Clint Carpenter, 19.9; 4. Blake Deckard, 20.6; 5. Ben Madsen, 21.1; 6. Tyler Garten, 22.2; 7. Fred Whitfield, 26.9; 8. Tylen Laton, 29.0; 9. Cody Quaney, 34.1; 10. Hunter Herrin, 7.8 on one run; 11. Ryan Watkins, 8.1; 12. Paul David Tierney, 8.4. Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Taylor Jacob, 17.10 seconds; 2. Christine Laughlin, 17.12; 3. Laura Lambert, 17.22; 4. Shali Lord, 17.23; 5. Carley Richaradson, 17.,26; 6. June Holeman, 17.30; 7. Layna Kight, 17.32; 8. Jessica Frost, 17.33; 9. Kelly Waide, 17.34; 10. (tie) Morgan Figueroa and Carol Chesher, 17.35. Second round leaders: 1. Lizzy Ehr, 17.06 seconds; 2. Kendra Dickson, 17.08; 3. Laura Lambert, 17.13; 4. Kaley Bass, 17.14; 5. (tie) Jessica Frost and Shali Lord, 17.18; 7. (tie) Carol Chesher and Emily Miller, 17.24; 9. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.34; 10. Kelly Waide, 17.35. Average leaders: 1. Laura Lambert, 34.35 on two runs; 2. Shali Lord, 34.41; 3. Jessica Frost, 34.51; 4. Lizzy Ehr, 34.54; 5. Carol Chesher, 34.59; 6. Kelly Waide, 34.69; 7. Kaley Bass, 34.76; 8. Gretchen Benbenek, 34.94; 9. Samantha Lyne, 25.03; 10. Tye Green, 35.11; 11. (tie) Ryann Pedone and Sandy McElreath, 35.34.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – There are a lot of great things to like about the 2013 Lea County Fair and Rodeo. What’s the best part? It’s one of the least expensive forms of entertainment anyone can find, and it features a world-class lineup from start to finish. From the opening of the carnival on Friday, Aug. 2, to the local team roping a couple hours later, there are nine straight days of action-packed excitement at the Lea County Fairgrounds on the east side of Lovington. “I’m just thrilled at what we’ve put together this year,” said Dean Jackson, who is now in his eighth year on the Lea County Fair Board. “We’ve got the Texas Jamm Band featuring members of George Strait’s Ace in the Hole Band on the first Saturday, and we close with Josh Turner on the final Saturday. That’s pretty good stuff.” Mixed in between is one of the most respected carnivals in New Mexico; the Lea County Xtreme Bulls event, which will feature the top bull riders in ProRodeo; the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour rodeo, which brings in dozens of world champions each year; the daily entertainment, including a ventriloquist, racing pigs and a two-person circus act; and plenty of concerts. And what a concert lineup fairgoers will get to experience, all for the admission price of just $7. –        Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Randy Rogers Band with Morgan Frazier –        Wednesday, Aug. 7, Jeremy Camp –        Thursday, Aug. 8, Josh Abbott Band –        Friday, Aug. 9, Sara Evans –        Saturday, Aug. 10, Josh Turner That’s just one side of the puzzle for fairgoers, though. The key to any fair and rodeo is how much the families are involved, from the local barrel race to the livestock shows, there are plenty of special activities planned. “We’ve got great food for everyone every night,” Jackson said. “I think what’s so great about our fair and rodeo is that there is just so much going on that everyone can find something they really, really like. You’re not going to find that everywhere you go, but you’ll get it in Lovington.” Quite possibly the most celebrated event happens during the annual sale, which enables youngsters from around the county to show off a year’s work and see the support they receive from the rest of the community. “With our livestock show and the sale, it teaches the young folks responsibility,” said Dale Dunlap, a Lea County Commissioner. “It could pay off in the long run. The sale is what I like to see because there are so many people who turn out to support these kids.” All told, the value is just one great part of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, but there are many others over its nine-day run. It’s why more people take in the festivities every year, and why Lovington is a hot spot of activity every August.