Monthly Archives: December 2016

CINCH Timed Event Championship will feature world’s best all-around cowboys GUTHRIE, Okla. – One of the greatest events in Western sports history is about to get even better. The CINCH Timed Event Championship returns to the Lazy E Arena March 3-5, 2017, with a world-class list of top cowboys – titlists like Trevor Brazile, Paul David Tierney, K.C. Jones, Daniel Green, Josh Peek and Kyle Lockett. It will be 20 of the greatest all-around cowboys in the game today, battling through five rounds of heading, heeling, tie down, steer wrestling and steer roping over three days. The Cinch TEC, acclaimed as the “Ironman of ProRodeo,” it is a true test of the athletes’ skills, and a showcase for the thousands of fans who flock to the Lazy E Arena to see the winner pocket $100,000. What makes it even better in 2017 is the addition of the Jr. Ironman Championship, which will be a major test for timed-event cowboys ages 15-20. They will compete in three rounds in heading, heeling, tie-down roping and steer wrestling and for their share of the $20,000 purse; the champion will snag $10,000. It is a rugged test of their talent, horsemanship and stamina over three days. The Jr. Ironman will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, with the Cinch TEC performances at noon and 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. “Our philosophy behind Jr. Ironman is to connect the sport’s top high school competitors with the pro champions of today,” said Dan Wall, the Lazy E general manager. “We want to give those young men a clear vision of what is possible.” “As they move through the college ranks and eventually on to competing at the pro level, they will know there is true potential to be competitive in more than one event.” The weekend will be full of activities, from the Cinch TEC pro-am team roping on Thursday, March 2, to the Chuckwagon Cook-Off on Saturday and Finals of both the Cinch TEC and the Jr. Ironman on Sunday. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. With more than 40 events a year calling the Lazy E Arena home, the first weekend in March is truly showcase of rodeo’s established veteran’s and the sport’s up-and-coming stars. The 2017 CINCH Timed Event Championship is sponsored by CINCH, Priefert Ranch & Rodeo Equipment, Montana Silversmiths, ABI Equine, Cavender’s, American Farmers and Ranchers Insurance, Nutrena, Bloomer Trailers, MacroAir, National Saddlery, Cross Bar Gallery, John Vance Motors, Western Horseman Magazine, Spin to Win Magazine, Guthrie CVB, Made In Oklahoma Coalition, Pendleton Whisky, CSI Saddlepads, Sherwin-Williams, Bio S.I. Technology, La Quinta Edmond and the Fairfield Inn & Suites – Edmond. The 2017 CINCH Timed Event Championship is a Lazy E Production. For more information on the CINCH Timed Event Championship or other Lazy E events, contact the Lazy E Arena, 9600 Lazy E Drive, Guthrie, OK  73044, (405) 282-RIDE, (800) 595-RIDE or visit www.lazye.com.   CINCH Timed Event Championship Contestants Paul D. Tierney                                                                                   Trevor Brazile Dustin Bird                                                                                          Josh Peek Cody Doescher                                                                                   Rhen Richard Kyle Lockett                                                                                        Daniel Green Jess Tierney                                                                                        Clayton Hass Cash Myers                                                                                         Russell Cardoza Landon McClaugherty                                                                         Clay Smith Trell Etbauer                                                                                       Brodie Poppino KC Jones                                                                                            Erich Rogers Ryle Smith                                                                                           Morgan Grant Jr. Ironman Championship Contestants Haven Meged – Montana                                                                    Kash Cattoor – Utah JD Draper – Kansas                                                                            Allen Morse – Kentucky Clay Morlan – Colorado                                                                      Myles Neighbors – Arkansas Bo Yaussi – Kansas                                                                            Garrett Jacobs – New Mexico Wyatt Hansen – California                                                                  Tanner Green – Texas

LAS VEGAS – Sandy Gwatney has something in her trophy case nobody else can claim. For the first time in ProRodeo history, the same person was selected as the Secretary of the Year in both the premier organizations – the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association – in the same year. “The best part of my job is being able to help the cowboys, cowgirls and committees and try to make their jobs easier,” said Gwatney of Marquez, Texas. That’s a big reason she earned both honors. She received word Oct. 3 about the WPRA honor but didn’t know about the outcome of the PRCA voting until the year-end awards banquet that took place Nov. 30 in conjunction with the sport’s grand finale, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. “It was a complete and total surprise,” she said. “This is the third time I’ve been nominated. When they called my name, I looked over at my husband, John; he jumped up, and everybody at the table was screaming. I had to take it in and make sure they really called my name.” The announcement confirmed what members of the PRCA had decided through a vote of the top five secretaries, and it allowed Gwatney to offer her thanks to a packed ballroom at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa. “I feel honored to be part of that list of five,” she said. “There are a lot of good secretaries, a lot of people that love what they do. I guess mine just happened to show through this year.” It did. The PRCA features thousands of members, and Gwatney collected the majority of the votes in 2016. “She puts all of her effort into her job and is devoted to it,” said JoJo LeMond, who finished sixth in the steer roping world standings and 10th in the all-around race. “She’s worked all ends of a rodeo, not just as a secretary. She’s been sorting cattle, running a neck rope and doing all sorts of other things, so she understands all aspects of a rodeo. “She’s a very valuable player for a rodeo organization.” It’s true, and it’s something in which she takes great pride. “The committee people are the most un-thanked, underappreciated people in the world,” Gwatney said. “If I can do anything for them and make one step easier and make sure they’re appreciated, it’s easy enough for me to get that done.” But that’s not all she does. As secretary, she has her fingers in every aspect of every rodeo she works. She is the greeting face for every contestant who enters her work space and makes sure the officials and other rodeo personnel have everything they need. That group includes her husband. John Gwatney is a hard-working and well recognized chute boss in ProRodeo. The couple travels together and shares successes. “This is huge, because we travel about the countryside doing what we love,” said Sandy Gwatney, who was raised in northern California. “This is about the love of the game, and we can never say it enough. I think it’s a huge part of my life that I got to compete with him, that I got to haze for him when he was still bulldogging. “I got to see the contestant side of it, so I know how important it is that they get trades and they get the splits they need. I think that experience helps me exponentially in my job.” She has worked as secretary of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping each of the past three years. Over her career, Gwatney has timed that same championship as well as the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo; she also has been the NFR’s assistant secretary. Each step has served as a testament to her talent and passion. “If you don’t love what you do, don’t do it,” she said. “I do this because of the people. I like to go all over the country and see all the people I only get to see once a year. It’s like spending time with family. “I’m very blessed to have committees and stock contractors who believe in me, like Pete Carr. Most of the rodeos I work are with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, so I appreciate Pete for having faith in what we do.” The rodeo family is large, and generations run deep. This year they honored one of their own in Sandy Gwatney.

Over the last 11 days, I have written 55 stories. It’s been a busy time in Las Vegas, but I’m so thankful for many things. No. 1, I’m thankful that God gave me the talent to do this and the passion to follow some of the greatest people on our planet. They are my sources and my stories, but also they are my friends. I’m proud to be their storyteller. There were so many great story lines that came out of this Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. A Brazilian all-around champ in Junior Nogueira; the first Canadian team ropers to qualify come through with the gold buckles; Tyson Durfey exploding from 14th to the world title. The emotions run high in the pressure-packed confines of the Thomas & Mack Center, from pure frustration to exhilaration. Tim O’Connell saw me in the media room after the final round concluded and gave me a giant hug. I haven’t told his story, but he’s told it himself pretty well, dominating this year and putting an exclamation point on his first world championship over 10 December nights. I experienced the humbleness of Coleman Proctor, who didn’t have much luck at all in Las Vegas. He caught two go-round checks, but he remained positive and influential and caring through every missed opportunity. As a competitor, it had to eat at him, but you would never see it in his face, and you’d never hear it in his voice. His wife, Steph, has every reason to be proud. Speaking of frustration, I join many who want to just give Richmond Champion a pat on the back and tell him he deserved better. The judges penalized him greatly throughout all 10 days, and it was so obvious that several other bareback riders expressed it; as many said, he should have placed more than the three times he was credited. I’m not sure what they didn’t like about Richie, but it was disappointing to watch. What wasn’t was Orin Larsen’s toughness, grit and the fact that in spite of all the pain of separated ribs that occurred on the opening night of the championship. It took him four more rounds to find a way to ride through the pain. Once he did, they couldn’t keep him away from the pay window. The NFR is one of the greatest championships in all of sports because of the number of contestants all vying for those coveted gold buckles. But it goes beyond all that. This is a place where friends gather. It’s a family reunion. I’m happy to be part of the family.

LAS VEGAS – Bull rider Garrett Smith accomplished many goals during his 2016 season. First he qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, entering the championship 10th in the world standings. Like everyone who earns the right to compete for the biggest payday in the game, he had dreams of leaving Las Vegas with a world championship and the gold buckle that comes with it. While that didn’t happen, he earned a cherished buckle on Saturday night by winning the 10th go-round with an 84-point ride on Rafter G Rodeo’s J Lazy. He pocketed $26,231 and moved up to fifth in the average with a five-ride cumulative total of 330.5 points; that was worth an additional $22,846. “Winning that round means everything,” said Smith of Rexburg, Idaho. “Making here was awesome, but finally getting a buckle is great. I was the second one out in a pen of awesome bulls, so I thought there was no chance.” It held up, with only five men staying on their bulls for the qualifying eight seconds. Smith did that more often than most of the top 15 bull riders in the game. Only four men rode more bulls in Las Vegas. He only placed in the second and 10th rounds, but earning that many qualified rides paid off in the end. In all, he pocketed $72,269 in Las Vegas and pushed his season earnings to $171,698. He moved up five spots to finish fifth in the final world standings. “The nights I finally rode one, it seemed like everyone was going to ride one,” said Smith, who finished one spot out of the money twice by placing seventh in both the sixth and seventh rounds. “I could’ve done better, but I’m really happy with how this went. I learned a lot. “You learn about the bright lights and learned to just take it one bull at a time. Anything can happen. You could be down for a couple nights and right back at the top then next night, so you have to be ready for anything.” Possibly the best part of the finale was that he was able to share his moment on the biggest stage in the game with his family and friends. At one point or another, many family members made their way to the City of Lights to show their support. “Family is everything to me,” he said. “Having my mom and my dad and my little brother was great, and my older brother came for a little while. It was the first time I’d seen him in quite a while, so for him to come down and to get calls and texts from him every day was just like old times. “This whole experience has been very awesome. I couldn’t do it without the family.” Now his focus turns to the 2017 season, which actually began Oct. 1. He would like to return to the Nevada desert every December as he plays the game he loves. “I’ve had a really good start to next year already,” said Smith, who has earned more than $17,000 and sits No. 1 in the world standings as he heads toward the 2017 NFR. “Hopefully I can roll this over and keep the momentum up. “But anything can happen, so I just have to focus on one bull at a time. That’s all it takes.” It worked over 10 December nights to the tune of more than $70,000, so it should again.

LAS VEGAS – Ryan Jarrett’s engine was just getting revved up, just in time to put the brakes on the 2016 ProRodeo season. The tie-down roper from Comanche, Okla., closed out his campaign by placing in the final two nights of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It was a needed experience for Jarrett, who struggled through a good portion of the 10-round championship in the Nevada desert. He shared the ninth-round victory with Texan Marty Yates, then put the wraps on his NFR with a 7.6-second run Saturday night, finishing tied for fifth. He pocketed $5,500 for that, but more importantly, moved up to eighth in the average with a nine-run cumulative time of 94.1 seconds; that was worth an additional $6,346. “I had a pretty good calf,” said Jarrett, who was raised in Summerville, Ga., and competed in Las Vegas for the eighth time in his career. “I would be excited if there was another 10 rounds.” Instead, he earned $70,284 in Sin City, nearly doubling his season earnings in the process. He finished with $143,688, which put him 11th on the year-end money list. Though his dreams of walking away from Las Vegas with a world title were dashed fairly early in the NFR, he continued to battle. In all, he placed in four go-rounds, including three of the last four. That might be the perfect bit of momentum he needs as he rolls toward next season, but he has some unfinished business he has to care for first. “I’m going to get a little late start,” said Jarrett, the 2005 all-around world champion. “I’m probably going to have surgery on my left wrist when I get home to repair a fracture I got back in the early spring. I never did anything about it, because I was trying to hold that off so I could rodeo and make the finals. “I’ll get that tended to, and hopefully I’ll be ready for Fort Worth (Texas) and Denver and hopefully start cashing checks.” Though he’s dealt with the nagging injury most of the season, Jarrett sees the surgery as an opportunity to heal. The timeline puts him back into competition in about a month. He doesn’t want to take too much time off, because the race for the next world championship has already begun. “It’s going to be a lot different for us next year,” he said, pointing out that tie-down ropers will be able to compete at 100 rodeos starting in 2017 after years of being limited to 75. “I’m going to go to a lot of small rodeos and quite a few circuit rodeos that I probably wouldn’t go to before. It’s going to change this up. “I’m going to try to make more money when I show up and rope.” Since dollars equal championship points, he knows every penny counts if he wants to take home more gold buckles.

LAS VEGAS – With every run he made in the Thomas & Mack Center, Riley Duvall earned some valuable lessons. That training paid off to the tune of $67,926 over 10 nights in the Nevada desert, where he placed in four Wrangler National Finals Rodeo go-rounds and moved up five spots to eighth in the world standings. “I learned everything about the NFR this week,” said Duvall, 24, of Checotah, Okla. “With 10 head and it paying $26,000 a night, you can’t let yesterday bother you. It took me three or four rounds to forget about that and just go on to the next one.” He earned at least a tie in two go-rounds, sharing the sixth-round victory with eventual world champion Tyler Waguespack and NFR veteran Billy Bugenig; he won the ninth round outright. He downed his steer in 4.2 seconds to finish in a four-way tie for third place Saturday on the final night of the season. “I had a good steer,” he said of his run, which was worth $9,413. “I felt like I should’ve been faster. I rushed him on the ground, but I’ve gotten two checks in the last two rounds, so I have a little confidence heading into next year.” “I guess I placed in four of the last six (rounds), so that was alright.” It wasn’t the first time Duvall had backed into the timed-event box inside the Thomas & Mack, the home of the NFR since 1985. He has been a hazer – the mounted rider who helps keep the animal running in a straight line during steer wrestling – on two occasions. “This was a lot different from hazing, but I’ve got some confidence going into next year,” Duvall said. “I finished strong, so I’m pumped.” He should be.

LAS VEGAS – The smile spread across bareback rider Orin Larsen’s face, and it was real. It was not to cover up the pain or the chill of the ice that rested on his ribcage. Larsen was experiencing pure joy of a strong finish to his 2016 season, despite separating ribs on the first night of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “One word to describe it would be blessed,” he said of his NFR, in which he didn’t earn a paycheck until the sixth night of the 10-round slugfest. “I had a rocky start to the first five rounds, and sports med did an awesome job putting me together. Somehow by the grace of God we were able to put an exclamation point on the end of the finals.” Larsen placed on the final five nights, including a win in the eighth go-round, and earned $81,077 in Sin City. He had finally figured out how ride through the intense pain of having the rib injury, and it paid off quite well. He finished the season with $219,373, third in the final world standings. His exclamation point came with an 85-point ride on Picket Rodeo’s Scarlet Belle, finishing in a tie for fifth place in the round, worth $8,885. “Honestly I’m ready for another 10 rounds,” said Larsen, who was raised in Inglis, Manitoba, and now lives in Gering, Neb. “With sports med putting me together, I’ve learned to ride through the pain. I just wish I had more momentum to go forward in the finals. “It is what it is, and I’m very fortunate to have the finals I did with all things considered. We’ll be back next year.” Larsen first qualified for ProRodeo’s grand finale in 2015. He placed in just three rounds and earned less than $33,000 in Las Vegas. He more than made up for it over the last 10 days, so he has plenty of time to celebrate – and maybe rest and heal. He had a great showing of support, from many family members making the trek from Canada for the championship to other friends and family that flew in for even few days. “It’s awesome to have any support, especially from your immediate family,” Larsen said. “There’s nothing else like it.”

LAS VEGAS – Tyson Durfey had almost given up on his dream of winning a world championship. “I wondered at one point if it was ever going to happen, because I’ve been here so many times,” said Durfey, a nine-time tie-down roping National Finals Rodeo qualifier who was raised in Savannah, Mo., a tiny community tucked in northwest Missouri. “It’s really a gift from God.” He put the wraps on his first world title Saturday on the final night of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association season by stopping the clock in 7.4 seconds. He finished in a tie for third in the NFR’s 10th round, worth $13,327. He also finished second in the average race with a 10-run cumulative time of 94.0 seconds. That was worth an additional $54,577. In all, he earned $148,000 in his 10 days in Las Vegas and pushed his year-end earnings to $212,445. He edged Brazilian Marcos Costa by $3,518 to claim the coveted gold buckle, moving up from 14th in the world standings when the NFR began Dec. 1. “This experience is unbelievable for me,” said Durfey, who became a first-time father to Praise Royal on Sept. 1 with his wife, Shea. “I used to get up at 4 in the morning, practice, flank and tie, ride horses, feed animals and go to school. I’d come back, rope on 10 more horses, shoe a few, and that was a day’s worth of work and didn’t allow for much time to sleep. “I’ve always dreamed about it, and I’ve worked very hard for it.” He has chased his gold buckle dreams since, pushing hard the last decade. He first qualified for the NFR in 2007, and his best finish prior to this season was third in the final 2009 world standings. “I know my dad in Savannah, Mo., is happy right now because this was something that was part of his lifelong dream also,” he said of Roy, a tie-down roper who also trained horses and up-and-coming ropers. “This has been going on for 50-60 years. This one moment means the world.” From the birth of his daughter to scrambling to make the finale, the 2016 ProRodeo season is one for his memory banks. A man of strong faith, he persevered through prayer and the support of his family. “The way I look at this year is it was just meant to be,” Durfey said. “From all the things that happened to making the finals at the end of the regular season to having a beautiful baby to having to miss Ellensburg (Wash.) to be there for her birth, even when I was outside the top 15. I had a horse that almost died that God healed to my wife performing here at the NFR, all this stuff came together for me. “I’m so thankful for my family, my God, my sponsors and my friends. It’s just unbelievable.” The dream has become real, and that reality will sink in soon enough. He has the gold buckle to prove it.

All-around world standings: 1. Junior Nogueira, $231,728; 2. Clayton Hass, $228,108; 3. Clay Smith, $215,924; 4. Dustin Bird, $214,181; 5. Russell Cardoza, $204,720; 6. Caleb Smidt, $197,277; 7. Josh Peek, $164,363; 8. Ryan Jarrett, $155,416; 9. Shay Carroll, $120,306; 10. JoJo LeMond, $112,623; 11. Ryle Smith, $99,862; 12. Rhen Richard, $81,497. Bareback riding: 1. R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 88.5 points on Pickett Rodeo’s Top Flight, $26,231; 2. Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev., 88, $20,731; 3. Evan Jayne, Marseille, France, 87, $15,654; 4. (tie) Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, and Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 85, $8,885 each; 6. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 84.5, $4,231; 7. J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 84; 8. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah; Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn.; and Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 83; 11. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 81; 12. Jake Brown, Hillsboro, Texas, 80; 13. Clayton Biglow, Clements, Calif., 76; 14. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 72.5; 15. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., NS. Average standings: 1. Tim O’Connell, 840 points on 10 head, $67,269; 2. (tie) Jake Vold and J.R. Vezain, 815, $48,865 each; 4. Caleb Bennett, 810, $31,731; 5. Richmond Champion, 807.5, $22,846; 6. Clayton Biglow, 805, $16,500; 7. R.C. Landingham, 799.5, $11,423; 8. Evan Jayne, 787, $6,346. World standings: 1. Tim O’Connell, $374,272; 2. Jake Vold, $240,161; 3. Orin Larsen, $219,373; 4. Caleb Bennett, $217,167; 5. Tanner Aus, $213,152; 6. R.C. Landingham, $211,986; 7. Clayton Biglow, $171,064; 8. J.R. Vezain, $159,508; 9. Winn Ratliff, $153,680; 10. Wyatt Denny, $148,862; 11. Richmond Champion, $129,092; 12. Jake Brown, $120,282; 13. Evan Jayne, $119,081; 14. Ty Breuer, $114,330; 15. Jessy Davis, $79,916. Steer wrestling: 1. J.D. Struxness, Appleton, Minn., 3.9 seconds, $26,231; 2. Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, 4.0, $20,731; 3. (tie) Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo.; Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev.; Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla.; Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.2, $9,413 each; 7. Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 4.4; 8. (tie) Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., and Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 4.6; 10. Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark., 4.9; 11. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 5.3; 12. (tie) Baylor Roche, Tremonton, Utah, and Cody Cabral, Hilo, Hawaii, 6.0; 14. (tie) Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., and Jacob Talley, Keatchie, La., NT. Average standings: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 41.9 seconds on 10 head, $67,269; 2. Jason Thomas, 49.8, $54,577; 3. Matt Reeves, 50.0, $43,154; 4. Dakota Eldridge, 55.6, $31,731; 5. Nick Guy, 60.1, $22,846; 6. Clayton Hass, 43.7 on nine, $16,500; 7. Cody Cabral, 57.9, $11,423; 8. Josh Peek, 59.9, $6,346. World standings: 1. Tyler Waguespack, $298,676; 2. Matt Reeves, $226,543; 3. Clayton Hass, $213,111; 4. J.D. Struxness, $213,108; 5. Jason Thomas, $205,137; 6. Dakota Eldridge, $176,673; 7. Ty Erickson, $145,673; 8. Riley Duvall, $129,104; 9. Josh Peek, $119,157; 10. Nick Guy, $118,308; 11. Billy Bugenig, $109,330; 12. Trevor Knowles, $101,336; 13. Cody Cabral, $101,331; 14. Jacob Talley, $96,686; 15. Baylor Roche, $93,636. Team roping: 1. (tie) Zac Small, Welch, Okla./Wesley Thorp, Stephenville, Texas, and Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alberta/Jeremy Buhler, Arrowwood, Alberta, 4.3 seconds, $23,481 each; 3. Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 4.5, $15,654; 4. Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 4.7, $11,000; 5. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 5.5, $6,769; 6. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Burleson, Texas, 9.4, $4,231; 7. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Billie Jack Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 9.9; 8. Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 14.3; 9. (tie) Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore.; Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan.; Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta/Shay Carroll, Prineville, Ore.; Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz.; Garrett Rogers, Baker City, Ore./Jake Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.; Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif.; Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz./Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, NT. Average standings: 1. Levi Simpson/Jeremy Buhler, 54.2 seconds on nine head, $67,269; 2. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 62.6, $54,577; 3. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 71.9, $43,154; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 51.6 on eight, $31,731; 5. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 51.7, $22,846; 6. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 37.5 on seven, $16,500; 7. Zac Small/Wesley Thorp, 48.2, $11,423; 8. Matt Sherwood/Quinn Kesler, 50.2, $6,346. World standings (headers): 1. Levi Simpson, $249,133; 2. Kaleb Driggers, $230,284; 3. Luke Brown, $228,436; 4. Riley Minor, $220,166; 5. Clay Smith, $218,611; 6. Dustin Bird, $200,102; 7. Erich Rogers, $189,185; 8. Matt Sherwood, $145,907; 9. Zac Small, $143,787; 10. Kolton Schmidt, $132,378; 11. Colby Lovell, $122,245; 12. Tyler Wade, $114,529; 13. Garrett Rogers, $109,731; 14. Cody Snow, $100,718; 15. Coleman Proctor, $92,049. World standings (heelers): 1. Jeremy Buhler, $258,311; 2. Junior Nogueira, $230,284; 3. Jake Long, $225,091; 4. Paul Eaves, $219,900; 5. Brady Minor, $218,658; 6. Russell Cardoza, $193,441; 7. Cory Petska, $190,411; 8. Quinn Kesler, $145,876; 9. Wesley Thorp, $138,221; 10. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $120,755; 11. Shay Carroll, $110,968; 12. Jake Minor, $109,152; 13. Dugan Kelly, $106,510; 14. Travis Graves, $106,450; 15. Billie Jack Saebens, $98,834. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 90.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Wound Up, $26,231; 2. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 86.5, $20,731; 3. (tie) Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, and Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 86, $13,327 each; 5. Clay Elliott, Nanton, Alberta, 83, $6,769; 6. (tie) Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D., and Jake Watson, Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia, 82.5, $2,115 each; 8. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 82; 9. Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah, 80.5; 10. CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, 76.5; 11. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas; Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah; Jake Wright, Milford, Utah; Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas; and Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, NS. Average standings: 1. Zeke Thurston, 747.5 points on nine head, $67,269; 2. Jake Watson, 745.5, $54,577; 3. Allen Boore, 729.5, $43,154; 4. CoBurn Bradshaw, 725.5, $31,731; 5. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Cody Wright, 662 on eight, $19,673 each; 7. Jesse Wright, 581.5 on seven, $11,423; 8. Jake Wright, 578.5, $6,346. World standings: 1. Zeke Thurston, $265,449; 2. Jacobs Crawley, $262,618; 3. CoBurn Bradshaw, $219,867; 4. Ryder Wright, $211,758; 5. Jake Watson, $204,102; 6. Cody Wright, $196,927; 7. Allen Boore, $184,385; 8. Jake Wright, $166,818; 9. Rusty Wright, $163,904; 10. Jesse Wright, $150,424; 11. Clay Elliott, $139,760; 12. Cody DeMoss, $138,768;  Continue Reading »

LAS VEGAS – J.D. Struxness arrived in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago with a world championship on his mind. He’ll have to settle for making big money in Sin City and a No. 4 finish in the world standings. That’s not too shabby for a first-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in just his second year competing in ProRodeo. His 10 days in the Nevada desert was highlighted by victories in Rounds 3, 4, 5 and 10. “To be able to come into my first NFR and win four go-rounds is great,” said Struxness, 22, of Appleton, Minn. “We had to work out the mistakes at my rookie NFR. We could have had a better week. If we could have got in the average, maybe we could have given it a run at the world title.” Instead, Louisiana cowboy Tyler Waguespack claimed the gold buckle, but Struxness finished with the fastest time in the 10th round, a 3.6-second run worth another $26,231. In all, the Minnesota man walked away from Las Vegas with $128,673. He finished the season with $213,108. “You can’t make that kind of money anywhere else,” Struxness said. “That’s a pretty good daily wage coming out here to Vegas.” Struxness attended Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., then transferred to Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he is a senior. He is the reigning college champion, but his lessons continued into the Nevada desert. “The things I learned the most is not making the simple mistakes I made in Rounds 2 and 6,” he said. “Don’t relax in this building. I feel like in those two rounds I might have just relaxed a little bit and made those two mistakes. They were costly at the end of the week, but we were able to still make a good week out of it.” It was a great way to close out his season. “I knew I had a good steer that they placed on, so I was just trying to get aggressive and make a good run,” Struxness said. “I just wanted to make a good run and get in the money. Being able to come out on top was even better.”

Sage Kimzey earned his third straight world championship, clinching it with a ride in Saturday’s 10th go-round. The wild night is complete with fantastic races in what might have been the best Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in many years.

Make that two times in 11 years for Mary Burger. The Pauls Valley, Okla., grandmother parlayed big payouts in Houston and Calgary, Alberta, into her second world championship.

Tyson Durfey, who was raised in Savannah, Mo., and now lives in Weatherford, Texas, finished atop the tie-down roping world standings, taking home the gold buckle for the first time in his career.

Team ropers Levi Simpson and Jeremy Buhler were the first Canadians to ever win titles in their respective divisions, but they weren’t the only ones to claim the world title. They are joined by Zeke Thurston, who won the bronc riding title. Oh, and that all-around world champ? That’s Brazilian Junior Nogueira.  

1. J.D. Struxness, 3.9 seconds, $26,231, 2. Matt Reeves, 4.00, $20,731, 3. (tie) Trevor Knowles, Josh Peek, Riley Duvall and Dakota Eldridge, 4.2, $9,413 each.

Levi Simpson and Jeremy Buhler won the average and world titles

1. R.C. Landingham, on Pickett Rodeo’s Top Flight, 88.5 points, $26,231, 2. Wyatt Denny, 88, $20,731, 3. Evan Jayne, 87, $15,654, 4. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Orin Larsen, 85, $8,885 each, 6. Jake Vold, 84.5, $4,231.

Texas man wins BFO Las Vegas Championship, pockets $21,500 in Sin City LAS VEGAS – For Weston Rutkowski, Saturday was more than redemption. It was a mission accomplished. Rutkowski is a 27-year-old freestyle bullfighter who is chasing the first true world championship in nearly two decades, and he made a big move toward that by winning the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship, pocketing $15,000 and grabbing the title belt. “This is those earning mornings you get up to put in the work is paying off,” he said. “It’s a satisfying feeling to know you are reaping what you sow when you get here.” He put the finishing touches to a marvelous run in the City of Lights with a 90,5-point fight with 12x and Costa Fighting Bulls’ Bad Intentions on Saturday morning at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. He finished his stay in Las Vegas by earning $21,500 – he won his second straight Roughy Cup last week, worth $6,000, and also collected $500 for winning his first-round set this past Wednesday. That pushes his season earnings to $41,825 and gives him a commanding lead in the race toward the inaugural Bullfighters Only world title. “This is the next step,” Rutkowski said. “Every day is a new goal. I’m going to celebrate this one, because I came here with the mindset to win both of them. “Tomorrow we get ready to fight the next bull and finish out the season as the first BFO world champ. I have put myself in position to do that, but it’s not over yet.” The Las Vegas Championship was a tournament-style competition. Nine men qualified for Saturday’s final day, which featured three three-man bouts. The winners of each set advanced to the short round. Rutkowski posted the highest score of the opening round with an 87-point fight to advance. “I knew he was a good bull, but that dude was hot,” he said, explaining that the animal was aggressive and remained in close contact with Rutkowski throughout the one-minute bout. “You can’t let that wig out your mind out. You have to focus on those moments of chaos.” It worked, and he was matched in the championship round with Nebraskans Beau Schueth and Zach Call. That’s when Rutkowski stepped up his game with Bad Intentions, starting the fight with his back facing the bull, jumping up and allowing the animal to run between his legs. “It’s called the Ol Swoosh,” he said of the move. “Chuck Swisher and Dusty Tuckness came up with it a few years ago. I haven’t done that move since 2014. “I had two of the best guys in the world that were part of the short round. I had to ante up. There’s no way you’re going to become the champ in any event if you’re not willing to sacrifice.” Those sacrifices are paying off in a big way.

LAS VEGAS – For three straight nights, J.D. Struxness was the hottest cowboy at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He won at least a share of the title in Rounds 3-5 and pocketed just shy of $76,000 for doing so. But his hot streak turned cold in Round 6. Like his run earlier in the week, the cold front stuck around for three straight nights. He turned the heater back on with a 4.5-second run on Friday night to finish fourth in on Night 9 of ProRodeo’s grand finale. He added $11,000 to his NFR earnings, which have exceeded $100,000. “When I missed that steer right after my hot streak, that threw a loop into things,” said Struxness, 22, of Appleton, Minn. “We came back and had a fluke thing happen in Round 7. That steer didn’t leave like he was supposed to, and I broke the barrier.” The barrier line provides the animals a head start in the timed events. When he broke that line, he was saddled with a 10-second penalty. Without that, he would have finished third that night. Instead, he failed to earn any NFR cash. “That happens, and we bulldogged good that round,” said Struxness, who attended Missouri Valley College and is a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he won the college championship this past June. “(Friday) night I got a pretty good start and was able to make a good run and get some money out of it.” Nobody should complain about earning six figures in nine days, but the young Minnesota cowboy was in the middle of a world championship race at the midway point of the NFR. He has pocketed $186,406 this season and sits third on the money list, but he is mathematically eliminated from grabbing the gold buckle. Still, he has a chance to pad his pocketbook even more during Saturday’s final round, the last night of the 2016 season. “We’ve got $26,000 more to run at, so we’ll try to get a start and see what we can do,” he said. He’s done it before, so there’s no reason for him to believe anything else.

LAS VEGAS – Ty Breuer has ridden pretty well at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, though the statistics may not show it. Through nine rounds of ProRodeo’s premier event, the Mandan, N.D., bareback rider has placed four times. He hasn’t had that big-hitter that contestants dream of when they arrive in the Nevada desert, but he’s earned money. He has nickeled-and-dimed his way to $43,212 and has one night remaining in his season. That’s one more chance to reach for that $26,231 payout to the top finisher. “It feels like it’s coming around, and it feels like I’m riding like I like to,” said Breuer, who entered the finale 12th in the world standings and has moved up one spot with $114,330 in earnings. “It’s starting to feel better. “For the first couple of rounds, I don’t know if I was nervous or what. I wasn’t on top of my game, that’s for sure.” The bright lights of Las Vegas can be blinding at times. The NFR is the sport’s super bowl, and the pressures that come with playing in the biggest game of the year – for 10 straight nights – can be great. This marks Breuer’s second trip to the NFR – he earned the right to compete in 2013. At that championship, he placed in just one round as he battled an injury. He’s fared considerably better. He showed that with an 83.5-point ride on Wayne Vold Rodeo’s True Grit to finish sixth on Friday night. “I’ve seen that horse in Canada a couple of times, and he was outstanding,” he said. “I was excited to get on that horse.” He finishes his season Saturday night and has been matched with Flying U Rodeo’s Lil Red Hawk, the same horse Canadian Jake Vold won the fourth round on this past Sunday. He’d like to follow in Vold’s footsteps and walk away from the 10th night with a go-round buckle. “I want one of those bad,” Breuer said. “We’ll see what happens, but that’s the plan.” It would be the perfect way to close out another strong campaign.

LAS VEGAS – Orin Larsen might be the perfect player in the second half of any game he plays. The Canadian cowboy failed to place in the opening half of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but he hasn’t missed a shot yet over the last four nights of the 10-round championship. That’s a good thing, too. On Friday night, Larsen rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Dirty Jacket for 86.5 points to finish third in the ninth round. That was worth $15,654. “That’s an awesome-feeling horse,” said Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba. “He felt better than I expected him to be. I just wish I was fully healthy.” Larsen has been far from healthy at this year’s NFR. He suffered separated ribs on opening night and has battled the painful experience every step of the way. It just took him five rounds to understand what it takes to ride through the pain and how to win. It helped that the MGM Dirty Jacket was a rider-friendly horse. It was the second time in his career that Larsen had ridden the 12-year-old bay gelding, which was selected as the 2014-15 Bareback Horse of the Year; the last time was an 88-point ride in which Larsen shared the title in Allen, Texas. “There were two other horses that would have been ideal for me, so I’m pretty blessed to have the nicer part of the pen,” he said. The pain is intense, but Larsen has ridden through it with a powerful mental toughness. Just breathing can be tough for anyone who has had any rib injury; to ride bucking horses and be successful is an amazing feat. “You just have to block it out the best you can, but it’s easier said than done,” Larsen said. “I just hang out in the room and relax and not waste too much energy walking around Cowboy Christmas or something dumb like that. “It’s a mind deal for me. I try to go at it as a warrior and put your mark on it.” His mark stands at $72,192, the amount of money he has earned through nine nights in Las Vegas – all but $10,000 came in the last four nights. He has one more round in the 2012 season, then he’ll take some time off and let his wounds heal. “I’m going to nod tomorrow like that round belongs to me,” he said. “I’m going to enter Denver (a January rodeo), but I’m going to enter for the last weekend so that I’ve got some time to heal up. “I’m going to sit on the couch for a while, and I can’t wait for that.” That time comes Sunday. For now, though, he hopes to endure the pain on one more bucking horse so he can earn a little more cash in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Ryan Jarrett has wanted to be fast since he first arrived in Sin City. He was for just the third time this week on Friday, scoring a 7.4-second run. It was the fastest tie-down roping of the night, and he shared the victory with Marty Yates on Night 9 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It was Jarrett’s biggest check of ProRodeo’s finale, worth $23,481, and he’s hoping it’s the momentum he needs as he rolls into Saturday’s 10th go-round. “It’s great, for sure,” said Jarrett, a Georgia cowboy now living in Comanche, Okla. “I haven’t gotten along very good, but I split the go-round. Now I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. “I hope I draw good and let the good Lord take care of it.” Jarrett started off the 10-night championship well. He finished fifth in the opening round, then went through a rough stretch. He didn’t catch another check until the seventh round, when he finished in a tie for second place. That changed for the better on Friday, when he roped in a share of the first-place check worth $23,481. Even though his success in Las Vegas has been limited, the Oklahoma cowboy has earned $58,442 in the Nevada desert. Of course, $41,672 came in the seventh and ninth rounds. It helped to have a solid draw. “They hadn’t won much on that calf, but I liked him,” he said. “I was pumped when I drew that calf. I was excited and felt confident, and it worked.” It was the first go-round Jarrett has earned at least a share of the title since the eighth night in 2013. That was a long ways between big-time paydays. “It was something we needed, that’s for sure,” he said. He needs another on Saturday night, when he rides for the last time in the 2016 season.

LAS VEGAS – The City of Lights roller coaster continues for steer wrestler Riley Duvall. On Friday night, the Checotah, Okla., cowboy wrestled his steer to the ground in 3.6 seconds to win the ninth go-round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He also grappled away $26,231 for the victory. “I felt like that run has been a long time coming,” said Duvall, who collected just his third check at the NFR. “I had a good steer to night and knew I had to have a good start. (The horse) Ote worked outstanding. I really couldn’t tell you what happened. It didn’t feel that fast. When I looked at the clock and saw 3.6, I was speechless for a minute.” He should be. The 24-year-old bulldogger is playing on ProRodeo’s grandest stage for the first time. He finished in a three-way tie for sixth place in the fourth round, then was part of a three-way tie for first place on Round 6. In all, he has earned $58,513 in nine nights and has pushed his season earnings to $119,690. Better yet is that he has one more chance to add to it when the season comes to a conclusion with the 10th round Saturday night. “I’m no good in the average, so I am just going as fast as I can and hoping it works,” he said, discussing the bonus paid to the top eight men in the 10-round aggregate. “I haven’t ridden very good the last two nights. I finally rode up there tonight, and it felt good.” Riding well and pushing the limits for big money worked once, so he’s going to do it again on the final night. “I’m going to go as fast as I can, hopefully on a good steer, and try to do the same thing we did tonight,” said Duvall, who is the fifth man in his family to compete at the NFR, including his father, Sam; uncle, Spud; cousin, Tom; and great-uncle, Roy. “I want to try to get a little confidence going for next year. It’s been a little bad the last two nights, so tonight was needed. “When I was walking over here, I just visualized it over and over again.” As with any job, earning as much money as possible is vital. For someone who competes in rodeo, there are no guaranteed salaries, and the only income occurs when competitors do better than most in the field. With a chance to earn more than $26,000 ahead of him Saturday night, there’s no reason to hold anything back. “I’ve got a wife and kid at home that like to buy a lot of clothes, so I have to try to get all the money I can,” he said with a laugh. That’s the right attitude to have going into the NFR’s 10th round.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1. Ryder Wright, on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Alpha Dog, 88.5 points, $26,231, 2. Jesse Wright, 85.5, $20,731, 3. Sterling Crawley, 895, $15,653, 4. Cody Wright, 83.5, $11,000, 5. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and CoBurn Bradshaw, 83, $5,500. Tie-Down Roping: 1. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Marty Yates, 7.4 seconds, $23,481 each, 3. Cade Swor, 7.5, $15,654, 4. (tie) Cory Solomon and Blane Cox, 8.00, $8,885, 6. Hunter Herrin, 8.7, $4,231. Barrel Racing: 1. Amberleigh Moore, 13.49 seconds, $26,231, 2. Cayla Small, 13.54, $20,731, 3. Stevi Hillman, 13.59, $15,654, 4. Jackie Ganter, 13.66, 5. Ivy Conrado, 13.68, $6,769, 6. Kimmie Wall, 13.71, $4,231. Bull Riding: Brennon Eldred, on D & H Cattle’s SweetPro’s Bruiser, 94.5, $26,231, 2. Tim Bingham, 90.5, $20,731, 3. Garrett Tribble, 86, $15,654, 4. Joe Frost, 71.5, $11,000; no other qualified rides.