Monthly Archives: September 2013

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Dirty Jacket achieve a level of near perfection that is rarely seen in professional rodeo. The 9-year-old bay gelding performed in 10 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events during the 2013 season and helped cowboys to at least a share of round victories nine times. That’s greatness that most cowboys don’t often see, even among the greatest bucking horses in the game. The latest victor was bareback rider Bill Tutor, a rookie from Huntsville, Texas, who matched moves with Dirty Jacket for 88 points to win the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo on Sunday afternoon in Stephenville. It was the second time this season Tutor has won a rodeo on the great gelding; he also won the Will Rogers Stampede over Memorial Day weekend. Tutor joins fellow bareback rider George Gillespie of Placerville, Calif., as multiple event winners this season; Gillespie won the Navajo Nation Fourth of July PRCA Rodeo in Window Rock, Ariz., and shared the event title at the Eagle (Colo.) Fair and Rodeo. “He’s just electric in himself,” said Tutor, who placed second on Dirty Jacket in Eagle in 2012 with an 87-point ride. “He stands out among the other horses. He’s way flashier, but he bucks to where he helps the rider out a lot. You have enough hang time to expose yourself.” Dirty Jacket will buck at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the fifth time in five years. Each year, he’s been featured in the TV pen of horses, considered the most electric animals to be selected to perform in Las Vegas in December. And here’s the inside scoop: the powerful bay is having the best season of his life. That’s exceptional when considering that in 2012, Dirty Jacket was selected as the runner-up Reserve World Champion Bareback Horse in the PRCA and the Texas Circuit Bareback Horse of the Year.

NFR QUALIFIERS STAND OUT IN KC; CORRINGTON WINS AMERICAN ROYAL, CRAWLEY SECOND KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tyler Corrington and Jacobs Crawley came to the American Royal Rodeo on Saturday with redemption on their minds. The saddle bronc riders hadn’t had much luck at the Justin Boots Championships, which are taking place in Omaha, Neb., this weekend. It offers one of the largest purses in the sport annually, but it’s limited to the top contestants in the world. Corrington and Crawley fit the bill. Corrington, of Hastings, Minn., was third in the world standings heading into this weekend’s festivities with $94,042, while Crawley, of Stephenville, Texas, is fourth, just $116 behind. They added a little more to their bank accounts on the final day of competition in Kansas City. Corrington won the American Royal title after an 84-point ride on Smith, Harper and Morgan’s Almost Heaven during Saturday’s matinee. For that, he earned $2,109. “It was really important for me to do well here,” said Corrington, who has earned his second qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the year-end championship that features only the top 15 contestants on the money list at the end of the regular in each event; it will take place Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. “I made a few changes in my saddle the last couple of days, and I’m happy with it. Hopefully I’ll get a little confidence going to the end of the year.” Crawley – who posted an 83 Saturday night to finish in a tie for second with Brad Rudolf of Winnemucca, Nev. For second place – knew a little bit about his horse, Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Polyester Pants, but he knew he had to hold up his end of the bargain if he wanted to earn a nice check; in the roughstock events, the score on the 100-point scale is based on points from both horse and rider. “It’s important to finish the season feeling good about your riding,” said Crawley, a three-time NFR qualifier. “I went to Omaha and didn’t have much luck, so to come here and have a nice horse and feel good about your riding is big. “You don’t want to go two months, with not many rodeos to go to, feeling down about your riding. You want to be on top of the hill for two months, then go out to Las Vegas. I’m hoping that tonight will boost that confidence that much more and feel good for two more months.” Both cowboys have had outstanding seasons. One doesn’t finish the rugged rodeo season among the top in his game without excelling. For a good portion of the season, Corrington was the No. 1 bronc rider in the world. “This year has really been a dream come true,” Corrington said. Now he hopes to continue that dream during the NFR, just like Crawley. “Behind where I was this year around the No. 5 mark (in the standings) has been outstanding,” Crawley said. “I’m just having fun getting on bucking horses. “I’ve never ridden as well as I have the last three months. Hopefully I can transfer what I had going on in August and July to 10 days in Las Vegas.” American Royal Rodeo Sept. 27-28 Kansas City, Mo. Bareback riding: 1. Winn Ratliff, 85 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s R.D. Mercer, $1,995; 2. Caleb Bennett, 84, $1,530; 3. (tie) Taylor Price and Tilden Hooper, 83, $931 each; 5. Evan Jayne, 81, $466; 6. Tanner Phipps, 80, $333; 7. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Richie Champion, 79, $233 each. Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Jacob Burks, 4.0 seconds, $2,425; 2. (tie) Jeff Miller, Bray Armes and Clayton Moore, 4.2, $1,793 each; 5. (tie) Kyle Whitaker and Matt Reeves, 4.3, $1,002 each; 7. Olin Hannum, 4.4, $527; 8. (tie) K.C. Jones, Kody Woodward and Clayton Hass, 4.5, $70 each. Team roping leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds, $2,704; 2. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.8, $2,351; 3. Ty Blasingame/Chase Tryan, 5.4, $1,999; 4. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 5.6, $1,646; 5. Wayne Knutson/Chad Mathes, 6.4, $1,294; 6. Tyler Johnson/Dawson McMaster, 7.1, $941; 7. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 9.8, $588; 8. Chad Masters/Jett Hillman, 10.3, $235. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tyler Corrington, 84 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Almost Heaven, $2,109; 2. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Brad Rudolf, 83, $1,406 each; 4. Sam Spreadborough, 81, $773; 5. Hardy Braden, 80, $492; 6. Doug Aldridge, 79, $352; 7. Jade Blackwell, 78, $281; 8. (tie) Louie Brunson, Cody Martin and Wyatt Barstow, 77, $70 each. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. (tie) Fred Whitfield and Justin Maass, 8.4 seconds, $1,838 each; 3. (tie) Shane Slack and Paul David Tierney, 8.5, $1,325 each; 5. (tie) Hunter Herrin and Randall Carlisle, 8.6, $812 each; 7. Cody Ohl, 8.7, $428; 8. Shane Hanchey, 9.7, $171. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Natalie Foutch, 14.57 seconds, $2,021; 2. Sabrina Ketcham, 14.68, $1,732; 3. Jeanne Anderson 14.71, $1,444; 4. Julie Meyer, 14.77, $1,251; 5. (tie) Shada Brazile and Fallon Taylor, 14.78, $866, each; 7. Karissa Gipple, 14.80, $577; 8. Mary Walker, 14.83, $385; 9. (tie) Emily Miller and Kaley Bass, 14.85, $241 each. Bull riding: 1. Tim Bingham, 88 points on Wild Card Rodeo’s 822, $2,594; 2. (tie) Garrett Smith and Brett Stall, 85, $1,739; 4. Sage Kimzey, 84, $951; 5. Scottie Knapp, 82, $605; 6. (tie) Wade Phelps and Chandler Bownds, 389; 8. (tie) Dusty Green and John Young, 80, $130.

COWBOY LEADS AMERICAN ROYAL, MAKES PLANS FOR VEGAS KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Caleb Bennett wiped the sweat off his face, smiled and sighed. He’s been waiting on this moment for several weeks, and it finally happened Saturday afternoon during the second performance of the American Royal Rodeo. He rode Three Hills Rodeo’s Spoony for 84 points to take the bareback riding lead. His place on the leaderboard is key, because it means he should collect a nice check for placing well inside Hale Arena this weekend. He’ll await results from the final performance, which begins at 7:30 tonight, to see how it all shakes out. But this money, alongside earnings he’ll get for a solid score on Friday night in Stephenville, Texas, guarantee the Bennett his second straight qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I’ve got one more rodeo to go, and I’ve got a really good horse there,” said Bennett, 24, of Morgan, Utah, referring to the rodeo in San Bernadino, Calif., which concludes Sunday. Two weeks ago was on the outside looking in, sitting 18th in the world standings with $55,156 – only the top 15 on the money list earn the right to compete at ProRodeo’s grand championship. Heading into this weekend’s run of rodeos, Bennett had moved to 15th, adding $8,236 at four rodeos last week – he collected nice checks in Amarillo, Texas; Albuquerque, N.M., Pasadena, Texas, and Bowman, N.D. He also is the No. 1 bareback rider in Stephenville this weekend, so he’s looking at solid earnings there. He’s taken the roller-coaster ride that has been his 2013 and overcome the obstacles that hindered him. “I’m learning that it’s a little bit harder and a little more humbling to get back there a second time,” he said of the NFR. “I’ve had a hit-and-miss year. I had to work for it a little bit more. It made me realize a few things and that there are guys out there working at it as hard as me, if not harder. I need to step up my game next year if I want to make it again. “The last few weeks, I’ve been working pretty hard and trying to get there, and things have been paying off for me. Hopefully it seals the deal after this weekend.” It does. Oregon cowboy R.C. Landingham sits 16th in the world standings, and he won’t have a chance to move past Bennett for that coveted spot in the field. “The last couple weeks, I’ve rode with more of a clear mind,” Bennett said. “I’ve just been putting my hand in my rigging and riding bucking horses. I’ve been having fun doing it and drawing good horses. The last couple weeks, I feel like I’ve been riding better than I have all year long.” That’s saying something. Bennett won the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede in July, collecting more than $100,000 in the process. While that money doesn’t count toward the NFR – Calgary is not sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, so earnings at that large rodeo are not included – it has been an asset in paving the way to Vegas. “It’s given me a lot of comfort,” he said of the money. “I know I can enter, and I can go where I need to go to make the finals, and I don’t have to worry about funding for travel. I’m flying everywhere. My pocketbook’s pretty padded, so I don’t have to worry about debt or credit card problems trying to get from A to B.” When A and B are added together, it equals NFR. That’s all that matters to Bennett. American Royal Rodeo Sept. 27-28 Kansas City, Mo. Bareback riding: 1. Caleb Bennett, 84 points on points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Spoony; 2. Taylor Price, 83; 3. R.C. Landingham, 79; 4. (tie) A.J. Yocham and Joel Schlagel, 78; 6. (tie) Kyle Brennecke and Bo Casper, 77; 8. Naudy Exposito, 65. Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Jacob Burks, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Jeff Miller, Bray Armes and Clayton Moore, 4.2; 5. (tie) Kyle Whitaker and Matt Reeves, 4.3 each; 7. Olin Hannum, 4.4; 8. (tie) K.C. Jones, Kody Wooddward and Clayton Hass, 4.5. Team roping leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds; 2. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.8; 3. Ty Blasingame/Chase Tryan, 5.4; 4. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 5.6; 5. Tyler Johnson/Dawson McMaster, 7.1; 6. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 9.8; 7. Aaron Tsinigine/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 14.0; 8. Will George/Chad Day, 16.0. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tyler Corrington, 84 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Almost Heaven; 2. Sam Spreadborough, 81; 3. Hardy Braden, 80; 4. Jade Blackwell, 78; 5. (tie) Louie Brunson and Wyatt Barstow, 77; 7. (tie) Travis Nelson and Logan Allen, 72. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Justin Maass, 8.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Shane Slack and Paul David Tierney, 8.5; 4. Randall Carlisle, 8.6; 5. Cody Ohl, 8.7; 6. Shane Hanchey, 9.7; 7. Caleb Smidt, 9.8; 8. Cory Solomon, 10.4. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Natalie Foutch, 14.57 seconds; 2. Sabrina Ketcham, 14.68; 3. Jeanne Anderson 14.71; 4. (tie) Shada Brazile and Fallon Taylor, 14.78; 6. Karissa Gipple, 14.80; 7. Mary Walker, 14.83; 8. (tie) Emily Miller and Kaley Bass, 14.85; 10. (tie) June Holeman and Haley Sheldon, 14.86. Bull riding: 1. Tim Bingham, 88 points on Wild Card Rodeo’s 822; 2. Garrett Smith, 85; 3. Sage Kimzey, 84; 4. Scottie Knapp, 82; 5. Dusty Green, 80; 6. (tie) Trevor Reiste, Dusty Elkinton and Tate Stratton, 79.

Some interesting things are happening on this, the final weekend of the 2013 ProRodeo season. In Kansas City, Mo., 16th-ranked bulldogger Clayton Moore sits in a tie for second place with two other cowboys. More is about $4,000 out of the top 15, so he’s going to need a lot more help if he’s going to sneak into the field to play in Las Vegas for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Bareback rider Caleb Bennett is another cowboy on the bubble. He sits 15th in the world and is just $2,500 ahead of No. 16 R.C. Landingham. Bennett rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s Alberta Child for 85 points in Stephenville, Texas, on Friday night to help his cause. He leads the rodeo heading into the final two performances, but he should collect a good check in the Cowboy Capital of the World. He is scheduled to ride this afternoon in Kansas City and has drawn Three Hills Rodeo’s Spoony. Landingham, too, is scheduled to compete during the 2 p.m. performance, so there’s going to be a lot on the line for them when the chute gates open. Tie-down roper Cory Solomon is $832 behind Randall Carlisle for the coveted 15th spot on the money list. During slack on Wednesday, Solomon turned in a 10.4-second run. He sits eighth right now and holds only a small possibility that he will catch a check at the American Royal. Carlisle is out of the money in Kansas City, but he’s placing third in Poway, Calif. While the top 12 in the world standings try to pad their pocketbooks in Omaha, those on the bubble are scrambling. It’s definitely exciting.

 WINSCONSIN STEER WRESTLER TAKES THE LEAD AT AMERICAN ROYAL RODEO KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Every cowboy who has ever nodded his head in competition has thought of winning a ProRodeo world championship. Now 35 years old, Jacob Burks has long since let his gold buckle dreams fade, and he loses no sleep. Rodeo is still very much a part of the steer wrestler’s life, and it’s quite likely he’ll be involved for many years to come. But there are other priorities than traveling the rodeo trail full time, which is what it takes to win world titles. “When I got out of college, I tried to be the rodeo cowboy for a living, but my ability showed up,” Burks said jokingly. “I didn’t get to make a living at it by any means, but it’s good for me to be a circuit cowboy and get to go to 30 good rodeos a year.” He took advantage of one of the few opportunities he competes on Friday night to take the steer wrestling lead at the American Royal Rodeo, grappling his steer to the ground in 4.0 seconds at Hale Arena. He’ll have to wait out the final two performances – set for 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday – to see if his time holds on to the top spot. “This rodeo is an awesome one for our circuit, because the winner is going to win about $2,000 or so,” said Burks of Lancaster, Wis. “That’s pretty big for me right now because of our circuit.” Money won at Kansas City’s rodeo not only counts toward the world standings but also for those from the Great Lakes Circuit, which is made up of rodeos and contestants in Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. “Back in the middle of the summer, I was rolling along pretty good, but then I fiddled around and didn’t win much in July,” Burks said. “I’ve come back a little bit, and I think I’m about $4,000 out of first place. If I get a good check here, it at least gives me a shot. If things happen just right at the circuit finals, at least I have my name in the hat to try to win the circuit.” That’s his goal every year. The Great Lakes Circuit Finals Rodeo will take place in Louisville, Ky., in November, and he’d like to walk away with the coveted title. When a man has a full-time job and still makes his way to rodeos across the region, the circuit crown is his pot of gold at the end of his rainbow. American Royal Rodeo Sept. 27-28 Kansas City, Mo. Bareback riding: 1. Taylor Price, 83 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Mississippi Queen; 2. (tie) A.J. Yocham and Joel Schlagel, 78; 4. Kyle Brennecke, 77; 5. Naudy Exposito, 65; no other qualified rides Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Jacob Burks, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie)Jeff Miller, Bray Armes and Clayton Moore, 4.2; 5. (tie) Kyle Whitaker and Matt Reeves, 4.3 each; 7. Olin Hannum, 4.4; 8. (tie) K.C. Jones and Clayton Hass, 4.5. Team roping leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds; 2. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.8; 3. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 5.6; 4. Tyler Johnson/Dawson McMaster, 7.1; 5. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 9.8; 6. Aaron Tsinigine/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 14.0; 7. Travis Tryan/Jake Long, 17.8; no other qualified times. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Hardy Braden, 80 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Wampum; 2. Jade Blackwell, 78; 3. Louie Brunson, 77; 4. Travis Nelson, 72; 5. J.R. Bonner, 67; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Justin Maass, 8.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Shane Slack and Paul David Tierney, 8.5; 4. Randall Carlisle, 8.6; 5. Cody Ohl, 8.7; 6. Shane Hanchey, 9.7; 7. Caleb Smidt, 9.8; 8. Cory Solomon, 10.4. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Natalie Foutch, 14.57 seconds; 2. Sabrina Ketcham, 14.68; 3. Jeanne Anderson 14.71; 4. (tie) Shada Brazile and Fallon Taylor, 14.78; 6. Karissa Gipple, 14.80; 7. Mary Walker, 14.83; 8. Kaley Bass, 14.85; 9. (tie) June Holeman and Haley Sheldon, 14.86. Bull riding: 1. Garrett Smith, 85 points on Smith, Harper and Morgan’s Manic Monday; 2. Sage Kimzey, 84; 3. Scottie Knapp, 82; 4. Dusty Green, 80; 5. (tie) Trevor Reiste, Dusty Elkinton and Tate Stratton, 79; 8. Danny Schlobohm, 76.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Many of the biggest names in rodeo will converge on Waller County in just a few days to be part of the high-dollar festivities. It’s what fans have come to expect out of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, which will conduct its Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3-Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “You can tell just by looking down the list that these cowboys and cowgirls are looking forward to our fair and rodeo,” said Clint Sciba, the Waller County Fair Board president and chairman of the rodeo committee. “We’re going to have dozens of contestants who are regulars at the National Finals Rodeo, so that means a lot for our town, our communities that make up Waller County.” This year’s rodeo features 65 National Finals qualifiers, including locals like Clint Cannon of Waller, Texas, and Cory Solomon of Prairie View, Okla. The field also includes seven world champions – like eight-time titlist Fred Whitfield of nearby Hockley, Texas; between them, they account for 34 gold buckles. “When I saw our entries, I got really excited,” Sciba said, noting that more than 450 of ProRodeo’s stars are scheduled to compete in Hempstead for the three-day rodeo. “I think it says a lot about our community that we’re able to have something like that.” So how does the Waller County Fair and Rodeo attract top contestants like four-time world champion bareback rider Bobby Mote? It takes a strong financial commitment and powerful bucking stock. The Hempstead rodeo features both. “We’re very fortunate to have the sponsors that are willing to invest in our fair and rodeo, which, in turn, is investing in this community,” Sciba said. “They’re willing to invest in this because they see the positive impact this plays on our community and what it draws to our community. When you can draw the cowboys the fans really want to see, then you’re rewarding the community, too.” Cowboys who compete in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding know they have an opportunity to compete on great animals provided by Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo, the livestock producer in Hempstead. Last year alone, he took 31 animals to the NFR. In his herd, Carr has featured many of the greatest animals in rodeo, including three that have earned the coveted title of Bareback Horse of the Year: Real Deal, Big Tex and MGM Deuces Night. Though Big Tex is part of bronc riding these days, he’s still one of the elite horses in the game. Carr also has Dirty Jacket, the 2012 runner-up Reserve World Champion Bareback Horse; River Boat Annie, the 2007 Reserve World Champion Bareback Horse; and Grass Dancer, who, with pasture-mate Big Tex, has been part of world record-tying 94-point bareback rides. “I’ve been around the sport, so I know what kind of horsepower Pete Carr brings to our rodeo every year,” Sciba said. “What has amazed me is how much others are talking about the animals. That, to me, says the most about what Pete Carr brings.” The cowboys know, and that’s why they’ll be in Hempstead, too.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The Texas Music genre has taken the hearts of millions of fans, many of whom are proud Texans themselves. Now there’s a big-time Texas Music showcase to help push a final salute to this year’s Waller County Fair and Rodeo with concerts by Josh Ward and Cody Canada & The Departed on Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “The folks around here love Texas country, and we’ve built our concert series with that in mind,” said Clint Sciba, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “We’re excited about all the acts we have, but I’m thrilled that we have The Departed as part of a fantastic Saturday in Hempstead.” Canada has been part of the scene for several years. Also known as Red Dirt Music, Canada was the front man for Cross Canadian Ragweed, then joined band mate Jeremy Plato in developing The Departed. Now they’re tearing up the highways in order to celebrate their brand of music with fans all across the country. “I think it’s going to be a great way to finish an awesome final Saturday,” Sciba said. Some of the awesomeness will feature a Waller County salute to the military, which is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. – just ahead of the junior livestock auction, which will begin at 1 p.m. “We’re very proud to be able to salute our military and to bring awareness to the fallen soldiers that have served our country so well,” he said. “It’s vital to me that we recognize the sacrifices these people have made to protect us and to make our country so great.” The timing of the salute is perfect. The junior livestock auction is a well-attended affair that recognizes the hard work put in annually by the youth who show their animals at the fair. It takes months of hard work to prepare animals for the various shows that take place over the course of the expo, and the youth receive the benefit. “That day, our carnival kicks off at noon and runs to midnight, so we’ll have a lot of things everyone can enjoy once they get to the fairgrounds,” Sciba said. That includes the final performance of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event, which will feature many of the top contestants in the sport. In addition to the numerous world champions who are scheduled to qualify – including eight-time titlist Fred Whitfield of nearby Hockley, Texas – the rodeo will feature regular qualifiers to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, including Clint Cannon of Waller, Texas, and Cory Solomon of Prairie View, Texas. The rodeo also will feature many top contestants, like Bobby Mote, who has won the bareback riding world title four times; eight-time world champion Joe Beaver; three-time world champion Rocky Patterson; two-time world champion Scott Snedecor; world champion Kappy Allen; and dozens of National Finals qualifiers. “We’ve got the best stock contractor in rodeo coming to Waller County in Pete Carr, so we’re going to have the best bucking horses and bulls to go along with the top cowboys and cowgirls,” Sciba said. “I think our final Saturday is going to be great from start to finish.”

Bray Armes likes the American Royal Rodeo. Armes, a Ponder, Texas, cowboy who won the steer wrestling title in Kansas City a year ago to clinch his first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, threw his steer down in 4.2 seconds Wednesday afternoon to share the early lead with Clayton Moore of Pouce Coupe, British Columbia. They will be tested over the course of the three performances of the rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Other leaders after the initial competition were team ropers Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds; tie-down roper Justin Maass, 8.4 seconds; and barrel racer Natalie Foutch, 14.57 seconds. American Royal Rodeo Sept. 27-28 Kansas City, Mo. Steer wrestling leaders: 1. (tie) Bray Armes and Clayton Moore, 4.2 seconds each; 3. (tie) Kyle Whitaker and Matt Reeves, 4.3 each; 5. Olin Hannum, 4.4; 6. (tie) K.C. Jones and Clayton Hass, 4.5 each; 8. Jason Thomas, 4.6. Team roping leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds; 2. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.8; 3. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 5.6; 4. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 9.8; 5. Aaron Tsinigine/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 14.0; no other qualified times. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Justin Maass, 8.4 seconds; 2. Shane Slack, 8.5; 3. Randall Carlisle, 8.6; 4. Cody Ohl, 8.7; 5. Shane Hanchey, 9.7; 6. Caleb Smidt, 9.8; 7. Cory Solomon, 10.4; 8. Cade Swor, 10.8. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Natalie Foutch, 14.57 seconds; 2. Sabrina Ketcham, 14.68; 3. (tie) Shada Brazile and Fallon Taylor, 14.78 each; 5. Mary Walker, 14.83; 6. Kaley Bass, 14.85; 7. (tie) June Holeman and Haley Sheldon, 14.86 each; 9. (tie) Trula Churchill and Brittany Pozzi, 14.91 each.

The results from Tuesday’s American Royal Invitational Youth Rodeo senior division have been posted. Be sure to check it out HERE.

ALVA, Okla. – Goat-tier Karley Kile seems quite ready to have a solid junior season for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team. Kile, of Topeka, Kan., scored solidly, posting a two-run cumulative time of 14.4 seconds to win the Colby (Kan.) Community College rodeo last weekend. She was one of four Rangers women to earn a spot in the championship round, and she was the top performer from the squad. Kile is one of three returning cowgirls who qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo this past June, joining all-around talent Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan., and goat-tier Trisha Price of Faith, S.D. Kile had the best showing in Casper, Wyo., in June, finishing fifth overall with a cumulative time of 27.2 seconds on four runs. How solid was she in Colby? Her aggregate time was a second and a half faster than the second-place cowgirl, Kaylee Moyer of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Kile was joined breakaway ropers Kelsey Pontius of Watsontown, Pa., and Chelsea Bryant of Hope, Kan., and barrel racer Samples as short-round qualifiers. “Karley stood out for us this last weekend,” said Stockton Graves, Northwestern’s rodeo coach. “I think we got a good feel for what it’s going to take this season.” The Northwestern women finished with 185 points, strong enough to finish third in the team standings. The men’s team, with 190 points, placed fourth. “I was hoping we’d have more guys in the short round, but this is a good learning process for them,” Graves said. “I think they see what it’s going to take to win.” The Rangers men were led by senior Ryan Domer of Topeka. He posted a two-run cumulative time of 20.5 seconds to finish third in tie-down roping. That was a big plus when it came down to accumulating team points. Domer was joined in the short round by steer wrestler Stephen Culling, a junior from Fort St. John, British Columbia, and team roping heeler Chase Boekhaus, a senior from Rolla, Kan. Culling posted two runs in an aggregate of 10.7 seconds to finish fourth overall, while Boekhaus, roping with Southeastern Oklahoma State University header Ethan Fox, posted a two-run cumulative of 30.9 seconds to finish fifth. The Rangers return to the arena for the Pratt (Kan.) Community College rodeo, scheduled for Oct. 4-6. Other than the home event, which takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 2, the Pratt rodeo is the closest event to Alva for the team. “We’ve basically got a week to get everything set up for Pratt, but I’m expecting some good things,” Graves said. “It’s always been a good rodeo for us.”

CONTESTANTS HOPE TO WIN BIG AT AMERICAN ROYAL TO CLINCH THEIR NFR QUALIFICATIONS KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It’s been a year since one of the most emotional days in Bray Armes’ steer wrestling career. The Ponder, Texas, cowboy had just completed his 2012 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association season with a statement-making victory at the American Royal Rodeo. He earned $2,326 for the feat and, more importantly, slipped Armes into the top 15 in the world standings and earned the right to compete in ProRodeo’s grand championship, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I was plumb full of emotion when I found out I was going to the NFR,” said Armes, who finished last season just $55 ahead of the No. 16 man, 2007 world champion Jason Miller. “My wife and I sat in the front yard just hugging and in tears. I couldn’t believe it was finally happening. It was something I’d dreamed about for a long time, and it was finally coming true.” Armes hopes to return to the NFR for the second straight year, but he again seems to find himself on the bubble for finishing high enough in the standings – only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event earn the right to compete at the finale, set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. Heading into this week’s rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Hale Arena at the American Royal complex, Armes is 14th in the standings. He knows better than anyone just how important it is to do well in Kansas City, which is one of the most lucrative rodeos in the country on the final weekend of the 2013 season. “I don’t think it’s going to be as important as last year, because I have an $8,000 lead over the 16th guy,” Armes said, referring to British Columbia bulldogger Clayton Moore. But it’s still important to go out and try to win first like I did last year. I hope I can extend my lead over him a little more. “My goal this year was the same as last year: To make it to the NFR. Now I’m going to try to catch Casey Martin for first place.” Martin, of Sulphur, La., is atop the world standings with a little more than $91,000. He’s got a $36,355 lead over Armes, but the NFR offers the largest purse of any event all season long. Two go-round wins will erase that lead during the 10-round affair in Las Vegas. That’s why just qualifying for the NFR is so important to contestants who make their livings on the rodeo trail. Last year alone, Armes pocketed $85,397 in the City of Lights and moved from 15th to sixth in the final world standings. In Kansas City, he will be joined by several others who are hoping to clinch their rides to Vegas. He’ll be joined by: Bareback riders: Caleb Bennett (15th), R.C. Landingham (16th) and Clint Laye (18th) Steer wrestlers: Luke Branquinho (13th), Dakota Eldridge (15th), Moore (16th) and Jake Rinehart (17th) Team roping headers: Trevor Brazile (12th), Charly Crawford (13th), Travis Tryan (15th), Colby Lovell (16th), Aaron Tsinigine (17th), Chad Masters (18th), Coleman Proctor (19th) and Arky Rogers, (20th) Team roping heelers: Cesar de la Cruz (12th), Dugan Kelly (13th), Clay O’Brien Cooper (14th), Jake Long (15th) and Martin Lucero (16th) Saddle bronc riders: Sterling Crawley (14th), Heith DeMoss (15th) and Tyrel Larsen (16th) Tie-down ropers: Stetson Vest (14th), Randall Carlisle (15th), Cory Solomon (16th), Blair Burk (17th), Cade Swor (18th) and Adam Gray (19th) Barrel racers: Sydni Blanchard (14th), Trula Churchill (15th), Brenda Mays (16th) and Kim Schulze (17th) Bull riders: Elliot Jacoby (14th), Steve Woolsey (15th), Clayton Foltyn (16th) and Bobby Welsh (17th)

The history behind Willow Brook Farms is immense, and viewers of the Sept. 30 episode of “The Ride with Cord McCoy” will get to experience it. “Only about 45 minutes from Philadelphia and 20- minutes from New Jersey lies one of the best equine facilities on the East Coast,” McCoys said as he opened the show, which airs at 1 and 11 p.m. Eastern time Mondays on RFD-TV. “We’ve definitely found a diamond in the rough.” The 325-acre property sits between Bethlehem and Allentown in eastern Pennsylvania, which was acquired by James W. Fuller. His son, C.T., however, is the one that made Willow Brook Farms into grand piece of equine history. “I stepped off the plane, and 10 minutes later I’m on the back of a horse,” McCoy said, explaining the property’s proximity to the urban life that exists in eastern Pennsylvania. “That, actually, was one of the advantages of that place back in its heyday, because if somebody wanted to view a horse, they could fly in and ride a horse, then be on a plane back home in an hour.” There were a lot of advantages when it came to horses at Willow Brook, and it centered on horses. “When I was a little girl, I would see pictures of my grandmother and my grandfather riding horses,” said Holly Fuller McLain, C.T.’s daughter. “When I was 8 years old, he bought a horse.” C.T. Fuller hired Bob Anthony as a stable boy and to ride some of the farm’s horses. “He asked my dad if he could start riding my one horse, breezy,” McLain said. “That fall he entered the horse in the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg. He won the open stock horse class on Breezy. “That was the start of it.” Fuller realized he had something, and he built upon the passion that was burning. He acquired the great Joe Cody, which has been inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association and the National Reining Horse Association halls of fame with Fuller. “My dad had very talented natural athletes,” McLain said. “Bob Anthony was very naturally gifted as a horseman and trainer. Gene Brandner was the one who developed and created a good sliding plate. The first sliders were Gene Brandner putting sliding shoes on these horses so they could go out and really slide. “The team my dad had was amazing. When we got horses and Bob Anthony was champion, my father got a spark to do something with horses. He had a vision about Quarter Horses and promoting them. He was a very good businessman, and he always had a vision of what he wanted, and this was it. He had a dream, and he made it come true.” Those who were around him most saw that spark, and they knew then they were part of something special. But it’s the legacy that took McCoy and “The Ride” video crew to Pennsylvania to shoot the episode. “The history of the place is what got to me,” McCoy said. “When you’re there, you realize that the most famous reining horse trainers have been through Willow Brook forever. It’s pretty awesome.” It is. Willow Brook farms sits on rolling hills and is tucked away in the country living that’s just a stone’s throw from the city life. But alongside the trees and grasslands is majesty for those who understand. “There’s just something about this place that is reining,” horse trainer Josette Conti said. “It sort of is where reining came from. It feels like home.” It was for C.T. Fuller, and he passed along his love and his legacy to those closest to him. Now they’re excited to carry it forward. “There are so many people behind the farm that I’m excited for its future,” McCoy said. “You talk to some of the people who worked with him or grew up around him, and C.T. is the kind of guy, that if you had a time machine, you’d definitely want to meet.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Rodeo is a competition featuring tremendous animal athletes and rugged cowboys and cowgirls. In this part of Texas, it is so much more, and that’s just what Clint Sciba has planned for the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3-Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “My main basis on that deal was that if we were going to spend that much on a PRCA rodeo, I really wanted to make it the best in the Southeast, whether it’s southeast Texas or the Southeastern United States,” said Sciba, the Waller County Fair Board president and chairman of the rodeo committee. “We wanted to produce the most non-stop, action-filled rodeo within the constraints of our finances, so that’s what we set out to do.” How? The foundation for a great event is based on its production. That’s why the fair board hired Pete Carr to produce the annual rodeo. Carr owns Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo, which, combined, has become the largest stock contracting company in the sport. “When you want to be the best, you need to be associated with the best, and that’s what we’ve got with Pete,” Sciba said. “He’s been nominated for stock contractor of the year in the PRCA, and in my opinion, he’s the best there is. He’s got great horses and bulls, and that’s one of the main reasons we get all the best cowboys to our rodeo.” Great rides and fast times make for amazing competition, but Waller County’s rodeo features so much more. This year, in fact, it will feature two great acts, including the return of funnyman Troy Lerwill, a six-time winner of the PRCA Specialty Act of the Year Award, along with Bobby Kerr and his Mustang Makeover act. “Troy is one of the funniest guys out there, not just in rodeo,” Carr said. “I try to get him as often as I can, because he brings a whole new dimension to each show. He’s the best entertainer in rodeo because of how he handles the crowd.” Kerr is the perfect fit for the high-action entertainment, showcasing the versatile nature of once-wild mustangs. “Fans are going to love what these mustangs can do,” Sciba said. “When you combine that with Pete Carr’s great bucking horses, you get to see some awesome animals work. We’re pretty fortunate to have that kind of a show to put on.” That’s why the Waller County Fair and Rodeo is a must-see for anyone who wants to enjoy a great night of entertainment. “It’s really special for us to be involved in an event that wants to grow and be part of professional rodeo.” Carr said. “Clint Sciba took a chance on us, and we will continue to try and exceed his and everyone’s expectation in Waller County. The entire fair and rodeo team are excited about what all is going on in Hempstead. They want to continue to grow the whole fair and rodeo, and I think they’ve got the community support and enthusiasm to make it happen.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There is something special about the American Royal Fall Festival to Connie Crouse. It’s been that way most of her life. The Gallatin, Mo., woman recalls the days of attending the various activities in the West Bottoms. As a cowgirl, she competed in the ProRodeo at the American Royal, alongside her husband, Gene. Now it all comes full circle with her children, Kirbie, 17, and Tommy, 11, set to compete at the Invitational Youth Rodeo, which takes place Tuesday, Sept. 24-Friday, Sept. 27, at Hale Arena. “The Royal has so much heritage and history to it,” she said. “When I was a kid, we weren’t rodeo people but ranchers, but my family would go every year and walk around the trade show and go to the ProRodeo one night. The American Royal was an important event, and we cherished it. It is the same with my husband and his family. “Gene and I both competed at it, so, to us, it’s still a big part of our lives.” Kirbie will compete in the senior division, which takes place at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. A goat-tier, breakaway roper and team roper, the teenager will test her talents against the other competitors in the roping events – the Invitational Youth Rodeo doesn’t feature goat-tying, even though she’s the reigning Missouri State High School Rodeo Association champion in that event. “She’s a very aggressive competitor,” Connie said. “Sometimes it hinders her, because she’s all or nothing. She’s going to be fast, and she’s going to try to win first. She’s not afraid to go for it. But that’s also her strength.” Indeed. In 2012, Kirbie won the second round in goat-tying at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo. She’s also competed in breakaway at the national level. “Both my husband and I were the first generations of our family to rodeo, so our kids would be second generation,” Connie said. “It’s a good thing for families because, in my eyes, my kids are in my horse trailer with me on the weekends. They enjoy it, like it, and they’re competitive.” Tommy is a calf roper who will compete in breakaway roping in Kansas City in the junior division, which will begin at noon Wednesday and Thursday – the finals will take place at noon Friday. Tommy is scheduled to compete Wednesday, with hopes of qualifying for Friday’s festivities. “He really likes to tie-down rope,” his mother said, referring to the next step in calf roping, where contestants tie three of an animal’s legs in order to earn a qualified time. “He’s done really well so far, so we’ll see.” The youth rodeo is a unique event in the fact that the competitors are invited to participate. The senior division features high school-aged cowboys and cowgirls, while the junior division includes eighth-graders and younger. “I think it’s one of the coolest rodeos I work because we get to give those kids a venue like most of them have never seen before,” said Scott Grover, the arena announcer from Weston, Mo. “To me, it’s exciting because we get to peak at what the future is going to bring to ProRodeo.” Grover knows, because he’s one of the rising stars among Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association announcers. He tours the country, lending his voice and his expertise to the fans to help enhance their experience. “You get to see the excitement these kids have in that event, which is amazing,” Grover said. “I’m getting to an age now where I’ve watched their moms and dads rodeo, and now I’m announcing the kids.” That brings it all back to the Crouses. Gene and Carrie still compete, primarily in the Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association and the United Rodeo Association. Their children are part of those organizations, too, so they all have the opportunity to compete together. “Our kids were horseback all their lives, and I think that’s a good thing,” Carrie Crouse said. Hopefully it pays off for the family over a few days in Kansas City.

Animal rights extremists have set a tone that endangers rural America and the Western way of life. Forest Lucas doesn’t like it. Lucas, president and CEO of Lucas Oil Products, is ready to fight the extremism by shedding light on the truths involving animal welfare. That’s why he created Protect The Harvest, which was developed to defend families, farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and animal owners from the growing threat of the radical animal rights movement. “When I was raised, no one was allowed to steal or lie,” Lucas told Cord McCoy on the Sept. 23 episode of “The Ride with Cord McCoy,” which airs at 1 and 11 p.m. Eastern time Mondays on RFD-TV. “I still live that way. I don’t like liars and thieves, and these animal rights people are liars and thieves. They’re taking people’s money that think they’re giving to real animal welfare, and it’s not being used for animal welfare.” Lucas is passionate about the cause, and he’s putting up his own money to promote it. A farm-raised man who grew up poor and worked as a long-haul trucker before creating the oil empire, Lucas realizes he has a means to make a difference – the company has the naming rights to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, and is heavily involved in auto racing. “There’s a lot of people going to come to my side, but right now we’re able to fund the thing ourselves,” he said, noting that Protect The Harvest is a division of Lucas Oil. “I feel so blessed that I can do this because this is the most important thing in the world to me right now. Something has to be done, and nobody else is going to do it.” Protect The Harvest utilizes proven techniques and Lucas Oil resources to educate the public about animal welfare. On the show, he provided a clear-cut example during the Indiana State Fair, which took place in early August in his hometown of Indianapolis. “It encompasses more than farming and ranching,” said Keri MacBeth, the West Coast representative for Protect The Harvest. “It touches everybody. What we did here was try to educate people in a colorful way with the meats and uses we get out of these animals. “We also came up with a lot of additional fun facts on domestic animals.” While extremists turn to sympathetic members of the media to spread the word, Protect The Harvest takes a grassroots campaign straight to the people so they might learn more about the differences behind animal rights and animal welfare. “I think Protect The Harvest’s mission fits well with what our views on the agriculture industry in Indiana have been in my part of the world,” Indiana State Rep. Mark Messmer said. “It’s taken that educational process across the country, across our world. The way they approach it makes sense and works well to be able to feed a growing population.” The episode also reveals the difference between local humane shelters and the Humane Society of the United States, which is a radical animal rights organization. “The local humane societies are independent and not part of a national group and provide a great service to their community,” said John Eleshire, CEO of the Humane Society of Indiana. “Mr. Lucas is a prominent citizen here in Indianapolis who cares about our work and invited us here to showcase our work, independent of anything else, and to let people know there’s a difference. “It’s all about the animals.” McCoy, a ranch-raised cowboy from southeast Oklahoma, knows all about the importance of animals in today’s society. He raises animals, including bucking bulls, and made a name for himself as one of the top cowboys in the PBR. He spoke to fair-goers, and his comments sent a powerful message home. “I think there’s a responsibility for us,” McCoy said. “I definitely want to pat Forest Lucas on the back for taking that first step in protecting our harvest. I want to do my part to help educate the world on our harvest and protecting it for me, my kids and, maybe someday, my grandkids.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – How big is the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo? Many of the biggest names in the sport have worked hard all season to earn the right to compete at the regional championship, set for Oct. 17-19 at the Stephens County Fair and Expo Center in Duncan. They’ve circled dates on the calendar and traveled all over Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska to focus on Destination Duncan and a chance to compete for the coveted circuit championships. On the line are year-end titles in virtually every event, while others will try to secure average championships during the three days of competition in southern Oklahoma. Most importantly, the list of potential contestants reads like a who’s who in ProRodeo: world champions and numerous qualifiers to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s super bowl. “If you rodeo for a living and you live in the Prairie Circuit, it’s where you want to be,” said Stockton Graves, a seven-time steer wrestling NFR qualifier from Newkirk, Okla. That’s true. Graves not only leads the steer wrestling standings, he’s the No. 1 man in the all-around race, just $78 ahead of three-time circuit all-around champ Trell Etbauer, a three-time Linderman Award winner for excelling in both timed events and rough stock riding – he earns his keep in steer wrestling, tie-down roping, steer roping and saddle bronc riding. Etbauer also is the son of two-time world champion bronc rider Robert and the nephew of five-time titlist Billy. Those are just two of the big names who have earned the right to compete in Duncan; they’ll be joined by several who own ProRodeo gold buckles: 2008 bareback riding world champion Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla.; three-time world champion steer roper Rocky Patterson of Pratt, Kan.; two-time steer wrestling world champion Dean Gorsuch of Gearing, Neb.; 2009 heading world champion Nick Sartain of Dover, Okla.; 2009 heeling titlist Kollin VonAhn of Blanchard, Okla.; and 2005 all-around world champ Ryan Jarrett of Comanche, Okla. The field should also include several National Finals qualifiers: steer wrestlers Jule Hazen of Ashland, Kan.; saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell of Boxholm, Iowa; and Ty Atchison of Jackson, Mo.; tie-down ropers Jerome Schneeberger of Ponca City, Okla., Hunter Herrin of Apache, Okla., and Garrett Nokes of McCook, Neb.; barrel racer Tana Poppino of Big Cabin, Okla.; steer ropers J.P. Wickett of Sallisaw, Okla., Mike Chase of McAlester, Okla., Ralph Williams of Skiatook, Okla., and Rod Hartness and Chet Herren, both of Pawhuska, Okla.; and bull riders Tate Stratton of Kellyville, Okla., and Trevor Kastner of Ardmore, Okla. But those may not be the brightest story in the Prairie Circuit this season. That honor should belong to newcomer Sage Kimzey of Strong City, Okla., who has already clinched the year-end bull riding championship. He has earned $47,726 this season, setting a single-season record by earnings from a permit-holder in any event. Of that, $36,347 came from rodeos in the region. But there will be plenty of year-end titles up for grabs. In addition to the all-around, the team roping, saddle bronc riding and tie-down roping will come down to the wire. That’s why they play the game.

EIGHT-TIME WORLD CHAMP TO ROPE IN K.C., SIGN AUTOBIOGRAPHY KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fred Whitfield is the most decorated African-American in rodeo, the owner of eight world championships and 20 qualifications to the sport’s marquee event, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In a pro career that has spanned 24 years, he has won titles at many of the most prestigious events in the game, including the American Royal Rodeo. He returns to Kansas City next week for another run at the championship during the 2013 rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, inside Hale Arena at the American Royal Complex. “I won it my rookie year and a couple of other times,” said Whitfield, 46, of Hockley, Texas. “It’s always been a good rodeo, and I’ve always had success there. Fans have always been so great, which is another reason I like coming to Kansas City.” He’ll have a greater opportunity to meet with rodeo fans at this year’s event. You see, Whitfield co-authored his biography – Gold Buckles Don’t Lie, the Untold Tale of Fred Whitfield – with writer Terri Powers, and he will conduct a book-signing in conjunction with the rodeo. Whitfield will have books available at the American Royal complex and will sign during Saturday’s 2 p.m. performance and from 6-7:30 p.m., prior to the start of the evening show. “If I need to, I can still meet with fans after I rope that night,” he said. Roping has been Whitfield’s primary focus most his life. The book details how he overcame childhood struggles – growing up in a poor family with an abusive father and battling through numerous challenges along the way – to reach the pinnacle of rodeo. He earned his first tie-down roping gold buckle in 1991, at the age of 24 in just his second year of roping in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the premier organization in the sport. “I never envisioned myself doing a book, but over the years, there’s just been so many things I’ve been through in my life that I never talked about,” Whitfield said. “There are so many emotions in this book … the highs, the lows, the feel-good moments. It just makes you feel good, and it’s also inspiring. “There are a lot of kids that grow up that have to go through this stuff. If they read something like this, it gives them some hope.” Through the tumultuous times he experienced, Whitfield balanced it with passion for roping. He’d spend as much time as possible in the arena, whether it was riding bareback on a pony or being mounted on world-class horse. He found solace in it and the people that helped him along the way. “I went through hell, but a lot of it was building character,” he said. “I can realize that now. When I was going through that stuff, it made no sense to me. “The reason I never talked about it before was I felt like the success was better for it. No matter how bad it was, I was always positive. That’s just the type of person I am.” He found what worked to build on his success. In telling his tales, Whitfield reflected on days when arrogance was getting the better of him. He realizes the fine line cockiness plays with confidence, and he tries to stay on the conservative side. “I knew I was good, but I wasn’t trying to be cocky,” he said. “I’d celebrate, but I’d never rub in in their face when I beat them. I was having success in roping. I was molded to be quiet and subdued, but in order to be a world champion – a Fred Whitfield, a Joe Beaver, a Ty Murray – you have to be different. “You think a lot different. You eat, you breathe, you crave whatever your profession is. That’s the only way you can go.” Whitfield still craves the competition, but he realizes that a man in his mid-40s has certain limitations. The arena is still a great place to be, but the miles it takes to get from one event to another has taken its toll. When he ran his final calf in the 10th round of the 2012 NFR, Whitfield knew it was the last time he was going to compete in ProRodeo’s championship. Roping is still very much who he is and what he’s about, which is the main reason he’ll be in Kansas City. But he loves spending time with his family and getting to chat with fans. “The one thing I can say about my career is that no matter what, I’ve been accepted by my fans with open arms,” Whitfield said. “It means the world to me.” BOOK SIGNING: Eight-time world champion Fred Whitfield will conduct a book-signing of Gold Buckles Don’t Lie, the Untold Tale of Fred Whitfield at the American Royal complex during the second performance of the American Royal Rodeo, which begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. He will return to sign from 6-7:30 p.m. later Saturday. Books can be purchased on site for $25 cash only.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The logistics of producing an event are tough enough for anyone to manage. Throw in all the variables involved in a rodeo, the job just got tougher – livestock, contract personnel, competitors, fans, just to name a few. When you add the prestige and history involved in the American Royal Rodeo, there’s even more that goes into making everything work; this year’s championship is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, inside Hale Arena at the American Royal Complex. Welcome to the world of Todd Harrington and Darby Zaremba, the co-chairs of the American Royal Rodeo committee, who have found it their tasks to produce one of America’s longest standing sports that takes place in one of America’s historic Western towns now surrounded by a metropolis. “I had never had any dealings with rodeo other than watching it as a kid,” said Harrington, who, by day, is the vice president for business development at MHC Truck Leasing Inc. “I really had no idea how much work it took to put on a successful performance and a successful rodeo until I started volunteering for the American Royal Rodeo.” You see, Harrington and Zaremba lead a core crew of people who donate their time, their talent and their work to help organize, fund and produce the rodeo, which is just another extension of the American Royal’s purpose, to help raise money that returns to the community in the form of charitable donations. In 2012, the American Royal provided $1.4 million in scholarship and educational awards. None of that is possible without many of the events that are part of the Fall Festival, and the annual celebration isn’t possible without the assistance of the many volunteers. “Volunteers make up a tremendous amount of our work force during the two and a half months of our Fall Festival,” said Bob Petersen, president and CEO of the American Royal. “We have so many things going on around our complex in that time that it takes many people to make it happen. We couldn’t give back to the community without the help of our volunteers.” Harrington began his volunteer service to the Royal about 10 years ago. In addition to spending his time in the West Bottoms each fall, he has a little help from each member of his family. “The reason I started was that we were trying to set a good example for our kids and show them there’s a lot more to life than working 8 to 5 and going home,” he said. “You’re not completely fulfilled as a human unless you’re giving back, whether it’s a community service like the American Royal or a church or the multitude of other services. “It’s important to us, as parents, that our kids understood and lived that.” That’s why his wife, Diane, and their two children, Courtney, 23, and Aaron, 20, have been key members of the enlisted staff since Harrington signed up for his service. “A lot of people take all the events over the two and a half months at face value … the parade, the barbecue, etc.,” he said. “Those are all just instruments to generate the scholarship money that’s given every year. That’s the conduit. If the rodeo contributes X number of dollars this year, you build on that next year, and the American Royal and its mission is going beyond its expectations and fulfilling and affecting hundreds of thousands of kids’ lives … many of those kids that may not have a chance somewhere else.” That’s the foundation of the volunteer program, one in which Harrington takes great pride. It’s why so many people are part of the American Royal. “Whatever brought them to volunteer for the committee, we utilize all that they have to offer,” he said. “The contributions of their time and what they bring to the committee … you couldn’t pay a staff enough to do everything they do.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – When Randy Corley arrives in Kansas City to work the final week of September, he will bring his family with him. Corley is the American Royal Rodeo announcer, one of the top personalities in the sport. While he tackles his tasks on the West Bottoms, he will have the opportunity to work with his wife, Michelle Corley, and his daughter, Amanda Corley-Sanders. Yes, it’s a family affair, but that’s also a great way to describe rodeo itself. “It is quite an honor for me to get to work with two of the greatest ladies in my life,” said Randy, an 11-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Announcer of the Year, who returns as the voice of Kansas City’s rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, inside Hale Arena at the American Royal Complex. Michelle Corley will work as a timer, while Sanders is the rodeo’s secretary. It’s a detailed description of what makes the rodeo family so special. “We were married on the phone for twenty-some years,” Michelle said, noting that as an announcer, her husband is on the rodeo trail most weeks throughout the year. “When both of our kids were raised, we decided to do this together. “The first time I got in the truck with him, we weren’t even two hours from the house, and he looked at me and said, ‘I feel like I’ve got my best friend back.’ ” Randy has four children: Amanda and Kassi from his first marriage to their mother, Diane, and Cole and Brittany with Michelle. Only Amanda has taken to the sport that’s been such a big part of their lives, but it’s not the only extension of the family tree that is the Corley home. Michelle is the daughter of ProRodeo Hall of Fame announcer Hadley Barrett, with whom Randy works numerous events per year. “His two older girls are all over the country,” Michelle said, noting that Kassi is a teacher in Powell, Wyo. “Now we get the chance to see them more often, and I get to see my dad a lot more. Kansas City will be the first rodeo she’s secretaries that we’re both working with her. It’ll be a lot of fun.” Just by the gypsy nature of the sport – traveling from town to town all across the country – the people involved in rodeo develop a tight, familial bond. It comes with the passion that is involved in the game and a strong Western heritage. It’s easy to see friends who rely on one another like brothers and sisters. It’s also one of the most attractive pieces of the pie for many who make their living on the rodeo trail. “I think one thing that drew me to the sport from the very beginning is the family atmosphere,” said ProRodeo announcer Scott Grover, who has called the American Royal Invitational Youth Rodeo for the last seven years. “I can drive through any state in this country, and if I need something, it’s only a phone call away. “Just because we’re not related by blood does not mean we’re not family. My closest friends don’t live close to me; they live thousands of miles away, but we share every aspect of our lives together.” Grover, of Weston, Mo., is a newlywed and, like Randy Corley, travels from town to town, state to state with his bride, the former Becky McGee. She, too, comes from a strong rodeo family – her father, Bobby, was a bullfighter and clown, and her mom, Danelle, was a trick rider – so Becky knew what to expect. “I was pretty much born into it,” said Becky, the 2003 Miss Rodeo Missouri who is now president of the Miss Rodeo Missouri Pageant. “When that’s all you’ve ever known when you grow up, it just seems to be a normal thing. As I’ve gotten older, I appreciate the camaraderie and the family aspect of it.” By traveling with their wives, the announcers have developed a family business. Because of their lifelong experiences in rodeo, Michelle and Becky bring much more to the table than a typical spouse, and that aids in what both men do. “She’s not the kind that’s just going to sit around, and she has made things so nice,” Randy said. “We have a database on my computer of over 6,000 head of horses and bulls, and we keep up with everything that’s going on. She does such an amount of work it’s unbelievable; she’s made my job much easier.” That’s a big part of the Grover’s life. When they’re on the road, she provides all the detailed assistance he needs. “She’s absolutely amazing, because she does everything from giving me directions to helping me with my stat work to helping me get my horse ready,” said Scott, who will announce the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo for the sixth time in October. “She critiques every once and a while to keep me on the level and to help me improve.” Beyond the work, there is a genuine love for rodeo, and they get to share it together. “The people in rodeo have a really deep care for one another,” Michelle Corley said. “For the ones who don’t get to have their wife or husband with them, they have family in the rest of us. For me, I’m having a lot of fun. “I get to be with my husband, my best friend that I missed for twenty-some years; plus I get to laugh and have a lot of fun.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The Waller County Fair and Rodeo has long been a destination point for folks in southeastern Texas because of the overall entertainment packed into 10 days. Fair and rodeo organizers have stepped it up for 2013, including a major move on opening weekend. The opening Saturday night of the fair will feature an incredible lineup that includes Bull Mania and the Stoney LaRue concert, all happening at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “We’re really excited about the lineup we have at this year’s fair, because it’s going to be great all 10 days,” said Clint Sciba, president of the Waller County Fair Board and chairman of the rodeo committee. “I think we’ve got the best lineup we’ve ever had on that first Saturday.” The evening is kick-started at 6:30 p.m. with mutton busting, a fan-favorite that features young daredevils riding sheep. It will be followed by calf riding, a calf scramble and Bull Mania, a stand-alone bull riding event that is part of the Triple Crown Championship Bull Riding Series. The LaRue concert closes out a full day of activity. “We’ve got our Kid Zone, which begins at 12 noon that day and runs all the way until 5 p.m.,” Sciba said, noting the Kid Zone will feature moon walks, a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, a pet show at 2 p.m., a miniature cattle show at 3 p.m., and the Texas “Gator Country,” which will feature educational sessions, photographs with snakes, alligators and all other types of reptiles from 1-4 p.m. “The great thing about that day, like almost every day of our fair, is that you can come early and enjoy a full day with the entire family,” Sciba said. Bull Mania will feature 30 outstanding bull riders competing. The top six scores from the first round qualify for the championship round. “We have something going on in our rodeo arena every day of the fair, and I can’t think of a better way to begin this thing than to have Bull Mania,” Sciba said. “In this part of the country, we love our rodeo. But the cool thing about Bull Mania is that people who don’t know much about rodeo still love to watch bull riding. “It’s man vs. beast, and it can be like watching a wreck about to happen every time the gate opens. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” So will the LaRue concert, which will being about 11:30 on the fair’s main stage. His single “Travelin’ Kind” surged to No. 1 on the Texas Music Chart this past February. LaRue released his first album a decade ago; since then, he has been one of the elite acts on the Red Dirt scene. His current album, “Velvet,” was released two years ago and marked the first time in six years he had released a studio album – “The Red Dirt Album” was released in 2005, then LaRue followed with “Live at Billy Bobs” in 2007. “ ‘Live at Billy Bobs’ was like jumping straight into the fire,” LaRue said. “Two weeks after putting the band together, we recorded the album, hit the road and did 250 dates a year. We never looked back.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There was a time when Randy Corley rode bucking beasts. From horses to bulls, the rodeo lifestyle was in his blood at a young age. These days, Corley talks about and shares just why it’s still a passion all these years later. You see, Corley is one of the elite announcers in ProRodeo, an 11-time announcer of the year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “I know it’s competition, but it is also entertainment, and we get to watch some pretty cool athletes in a real Western tradition,” said Corley, who has been nominated for the award again this year. “I guess that’s why I love it, because I’m Western. It’s something, I think, most people can understand. There’s not a kid that grew up in American that didn’t want to be a cowboy. I think somewhere in your young life, you wanted to ride horses and be a cowboy. “For me, I spurred the back off my mom’s couch.” It’s that passion that will be part of the show at the American Royal Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, inside Hale Arena at the American Royal Complex. Corley returns to Kansas City to call the action and be part of the first-class production that is one of the most prestigious events in the history of professional rodeo. “I’ve always loved it,” he said of rodeo. “As an announcer, you feed off the fans, and you love to see the fans have fun. I have fun. I’m a huge rodeo fan. I get excited when great rides are happening.” It’s at that moment that Corley not only calls the action, but also becomes part of it. “I don’t think you try to make a crowd cheer for every ride, because every ride isn’t worthy,” he said. “Sure, every cowboy deserves the respect, but not every ride deserves that kind of energy. But when something exciting happens, I have somewhere to go with it, and the fans do, too.” It’s easy for Corley, because it comes with his love affair with the game. Being one of the best in the business also means handling the tasks like the business it is. “I do three hours of homework for every performance, whether it’s during the National Finals Rodeo or the American Royal,” he said. “You try to find something to use on the contestants to help the fans along. You can have a daysheet full of information, and you’re just hoping there’s so much action that you don’t have to use any of it. You just want the entire performance to just flow along, and then it’s my job to play along with the crowd and make it a better show for everyone.” If the 11 announcer of the year buckles aren’t enough of a recognition, then throw in the fact that Corley has called ProRodeo’s grand championship, the NFR, 11 times in his storied career. That’s a great indication of talent for a man who began his announcing career more than three decades ago on the recommendation of Jim Ivory, a bareback rider who had made the NFR in the 1960s. “I had a hat store at the time in Cody (Wyo.), and Jim heard me do my commercials,” Corley said. “He suggested I start announcing some rodeos.” Corley became a member of the PRCA in 1980, and he’s been telling rodeo’s stories ever since. He works events all over the country, including summertime Kansas rodeos in Pretty Prairie, Hill City and Phillipsburg, as well as North Platte, Neb., which he calls with his father-in-law, ProRodeo Hall of Famer Hadley Barrett. He’s worked some of the largest rodeos in the country, and he’s always excited to return to Kansas City in the fall to tackle the American Royal Rodeo. “It’s always great, and it’s one of the most noted old Western towns in the country,” Corley said. “When you reflect on the stockyards, you realize that you’re standing down there in history. The rodeo is still a connection with that, and it’s an honor for me to work that event.”

ALVA, Okla. – When Stockton Graves walks to the practice arena in this Oklahoma community, he can’t help but smile. This is hallowed ground for Graves, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier who attended college at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Two years ago, he returned to campus to coach the rodeo team at his alma mater. “It’s a pretty neat deal to be able to coach here and to be part of this program,” Graves said. “We’ve got some great kids, and I’m really excited to see what we have ahead of us.” The 2013-14 Central Plains Region season begins at the Colby (Kan.) Community College Rodeo, set for Friday, Sept. 20-Sunday, Sept. 22. The Rangers ride into northwest Kansas with a team that features all but one College National Finals Rodeo qualifier from last year’s team. “I’m pretty pumped about this season,” Graves said. “With our new recruits coming in and with the team we have from last year, I think we can be really good.” The newcomers will match up well with the veterans, which feature seven contestants who competed for the intercollegiate championships last June: women’s all-around talent Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan.; goat-tiers Trisha Price of Faith, S.D., and Karly Kile of Overbrook, Kan.; men’s all-around hand Ryan Domer of Topeka, Kan.; heelers Chase Johnson of Snyder, Texas, and Dustin Searcy of Mooreland, Okla.; and header Ethan McDowell of Mooreland. “I really think both our men’s and women’s teams will be better this year,” Graves said. “If I can keep them focused and after the goals we set, I think we’ll be just fine. “We add four bull riders to the team, but I think our timed-event guys will be under the gun as far as the men’s team goes. I think they realize that it’s good that they’re in that position and understand that it boils down to winning.” As student-athletes, the college experience generates outstanding opportunities to learn in every phase of life. Classwork is important, but so is the development as a young person. In the case of cowboys and cowgirls, it’s a matter of succeeding in all those aspects. Many have aspirations of competing in ProRodeo, following in the footsteps of alumni like Graves who have experienced the pinnacle of the sport. “If you want to be successful at rodeo, you have to be winning to win,” he said. “No matter what level you’re competing at, you need to realize that. It takes hard work, and I think they understand that.” It’s that way in life, too, especially in rodeo. Professional cowboys and cowgirls compete in a sport that rewards the upper echelon. There are no guaranteed paychecks on the rodeo trail; one only earns money when he or she performs better than most of the field. “The good news for us is that these kids realize they can compete and win,” Graves said, noting that having so many returning finalists has helped develop a hunger among the team members. “Maybe a little of the pressure is off their shoulders, and now they know it’s going to take more to go back to the college finals. I think they’re ready to put in the work it takes.” The first test is this weekend.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The oldest known breed of riding horse will be on display this week during the American Royal Arabian Horse Show, set for Thursday, Sept. 19-Saturday, Sept. 21, at Hale Arena inside the American Royal complex. The horse – known for its stamina, spirit and beauty – was bred by the Bedouins as war mounts for thousands of years and used for long expeditions and quick descents into enemy camps, according to the Arabian Horse Association. The horses lived among the desert tribes of the Arabian Peninsula and handled the desert conditions. The show, one of six horse shows that are part of the American Royal’s Fall Festival, will feature numerous classes: Halter Class, Youth Showmanship at Halter, Western Pleasure and Equitation, English and Country Pleasure and Hunter Pleasure and Dressage Suitability. Divisions include classes for youth and amateur riders as well as an open division for trainers. The American Royal Arabian Horse Show will feature animals and riders from all over the country, all of whom converged on Kansas City to be part of the prestigious event. The American Royal Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that has been a Kansas City tradition since 1899. Each year more than 270,000 people attend events at the American Royal Complex. In 2012, the Royal was able to give $1.4 million in scholarship and educational awards. In addition to its educational mission, the American Royal generates some $60 million of economic impact, $4.4 million in local tax revenues, and supports 450 jobs. For further information, see www.AmericanRoyal.com

The nominations are out for PRCA end-of-the-year awards. If you are a PRCA card member, I urge you to make your vote count. Alas, only a small percentage of the membership takes the vote seriously on an annual basis. Part, I’m sure, is apathy; another key reason, though, is that the ballots are sent by “snail mail” to the primary address. For contestants, that could be home or a post office box, but it’s not tagged to where they might be. For instance, several of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the world are just now returning home from their summer-long rodeo adventure. Weeks, months on the road means there is other business to tend to when one returns home, and that stuff is going to take a priority over filling out a ballot that, in all likelihood, could be lost in the massive shuffle of paperwork that is acquired over a three-month stretch. The technology is out there, and I suspect it’s time for the PRCA to invest in the computer program that will enable voting to take place from any location and from mobile devices. This goes well beyond the annual awards; it’s time to do this for the better business of the PRCA. This type of technology could better serve the staff, directors and other corespondents by allowing for appropriate and timely input from the entire membership. Hopefully this step will happen soon. Until then, I urge all PRCA members to dig through their heaps of papers and find those ballots. Make the first significant move in telling the association your thoughts by voting on the awards, whose nominees are: Announcer Wayne Brooks, Lampasas, Texas Randy Corley, Silverdale, Wash. Mike Mathis, Lufkin, Texas Boyd Polhamus, Brenham, Texas Andy Stewart, Collinston, La. Secretary Linda Alsbaugh, Alamosa, Colo. Sunni Deb Backstrom, Congress, Ariz. Amanda Corley-Sanders, Laramie, Wyo. Haley Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla. Vickie Shireman, Elk City, Okla. Stock Contracting Firm Beutler & Son Rodeo Company, Elk City, Okla. Carr Pro Rodeo, Dallas, Texas Frontier Rodeo Company, Winnie, Texas Powder River Rodeo, Riverton, Wyo. Stace Smith Pro Rodeos, Athens, Texas Dress Act of the Year Tomas Garcilazo, Oak Hills, Calif. Jason Goodman, Fort Collins, Colo. Anthony Lucia, Weatherford, Texas Melissa Navarre, Weatherford, Okla. Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls – Jennifer Nicholson and Brandi Phillips, Three Rivers, Calif. Comedy Act of the Year Bert Davis, Penn Valley, Calif. Lecile Harris, Collierville, Tenn. John Harrison, Soper, Okla. Keith Isley, Goldston, N.C. Cody Sosebee, Charleston, Ark. Mark Swingler, Austin, Texas Clown of Year J.J. Harrison, Walla Walla, Wash. John Harrison, Soper, Okla. Keith Isley, Goldston, N.C. Justin Rumford, Ponca City, Okla. Cody Sosebee, Charleston, Ark. Bullfighter of Year Travis Adams, Gary, Texas Kenny Bergeron, Iota, La. Kelby Pearah, Mansfield, La. Dusty Tuckness, Meeteetse, Wyo. Cody Webster, Wayne, Okla. Small Rodeo of Year Crosby, Texas Elizabeth, Colo. Goliad, Texas Huntsville, Texas Riverton, Wyo. Medium Rodeo of Year Coleman, Texas Crossett, Ark. Deadwood, S.D. Estes Park, Colo. Ogden, Utah Large Outdoor Rodeo of Year Cheyenne, Wyo. Lovington, N.M. Pendleton, Ore. Salinas, Calif. Springdale, Ark. Large Indoor Rodeo of Year Denver, Colo. Fort Worth, Texas Jackson, Miss. Rapid City, S.D. San Antonio, Texas