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  Continue Reading »

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.  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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.  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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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,  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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  Continue Reading »

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,  Continue Reading »