Monthly Archives: August 2017

DUNCAN, Okla. – With less than a month remaining in the Prairie Circuit season, the races for the 2017 regional championships are coming down to the wire. The most heated contests may be for those cowboys and cowgirls on the bubble to qualify for the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19-Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. You see, it’s an honor for the best regional contestants to make their way to Duncan every fall. It offers a chance at big bucks and the biggest prizes of all – the year-end title in each discipline or the average championship at the regional finale, which is awarded to the contestants who have the best three-round cumulative score or cumulative time. Those two individuals not only claim coveted championships, but they then advance on to the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which takes place next spring in Kissimmee, Fla. That’s important in that any contestant in the Prairie Circuit field has a chance to win the average title. One of the toughest events in the race to Duncan is tie-down roping, where Comanche, Okla., cowboy Ryan Jarrett has a solid lead for the championship. Still, there are six cowboys who are battling for that 12th position in the championship, all separated by less than $1,700. As of this week, Lane Jeffrey of Wilburton, Okla., is 11th with $4,349. He is followed by Billy Hamilton, Perry Dietz, Blake Eliason, Cody Shelley and Shade Etbauer – all are within range of claiming those bottom two spots for the circuit finale. The chase for the steer wrestling year-end title will come down to how well the top performers do during the regional finals. J.D. Struxness leads the standings with just shy of $14,000, but the No. 5 man, Cole Edge, is just $3,000 behind. In essence, a cowboy on a roll could make up about $8,000 in just three days in Duncan. But there are more than nine cowboys just trying to squeeze their way into qualifying for the circuit finals. Richard Coats sits 10th in the bulldogging standings with $7,781, while Jeff Miller is 19th and less than $3,000 behind. Other leaders heading into the final few weeks of the 2017 campaign are bareback rider Steven Dent of Mullen, Neb.; header Coleman Proctor of Pryor, Okla; heeler Reagan Ward of Edmond, Okla.; saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden of Welch, Okla.; bull rider Kyle Ziegler of Atwood, Kan.; steer roper Chet Herren of Pawhuska, Okla.; and barrel racer Tracy Nowlin of Nowata, Okla.

BELLVILLE, Texas – This town of about 4,300 people understands rodeo, and there are plenty of credentials to prove it. Just two years ago, then-26-year-old Caleb Smidt proved it by bringing home the tie-down roping world championship to Bellville, becoming just the second hometown person to stake claim to the most prestigious title in the sport. He joins barrel racer Kelly Kaminski, who won two gold buckles in 2004 and ’05. After traveling the rodeo circuit hard over the last few months, Smidt is ready to return home for the Austin County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Austin County Fairgrounds in Bellville. “I grew up in Yorktown,” he said of the community 122 miles southeast of Bellville. “My wife was born and raised in Bellville, and we’ve lived there ever since we’ve been married.” Caleb and Brenna Smidt married almost four years ago, so Austin County is now home to the talented roper. With a month left in the 2017 season, Caleb Smidt sits No. 2 in the all-around and the tie-down roping world standings. He is a virtual lock for his fourth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification. He earned his first trip to ProRodeo’s grand finale in 2013, where he finished 10th in tie-down roping. After an injury sidelined Smidt in 2014, he returned to the NFR to claim gold by placing in eight of 10 go-rounds and winning the all-important average championship. He left Las Vegas with more than $242,000 in 2015 earnings, then returned this past December. He pocketed more than $107,000 over 10 nights and finished sixth in the world standings. Now he looks to kickstart his 2018 season in Bellville, one of the first events of the new campaign – the rodeo season runs Oct. 1-Sept. 30 each year, so the sport actually begins its new year before it crowns its world champions. “Bellville is a great rodeo, and a lot of people come and watch it,” Smidt said. “There are a lot of rodeo fans in Bellville. The fair has concerts every night, and it’s a great atmosphere for rodeo. It’s always good when actual rodeo fans show up and know what’s going on.” The Austin County Fair and Rodeo has been somewhat of a hidden gem, he said. There is plenty of action and plenty to do, and it’s at a perfect time of year for those cowboys and cowgirls that want to begin the new season in a big way. There are several other rodeos going on the same week, and the contestants can take advantage of close proximity to the All American Finals in Waco, Texas, that time of year. “I don’t know if we’ll be as big of a rodeo as some towns, but hopefully people will know what we have to offer and where we’re at,” Smidt said. He knows as well as anyone. Locals have had his back since his first NFR qualification four years ago, and they know they have something special in the 28-year-old roper. “I’ve had a lot of support when I left for the NFR,” he said. “A lot of fans expect a lot from me, so I try to do the best I can to put Bellville on the map.”

KENNEWICK, Wash. – Kris Furr isn’t content being one of the best competitors in Bullfighters Only. He wants to win the world championship. Based on his performance this August, he’s going to be a contender by the time the season wraps up. In less than a month, the Hamptonville, N.C., man has won three event titles – most recently he won BFO-Kennewick, which was part of the Benton County Fair and Rodeo this past week. “I’ve been working my way into the top five, one event at a time,” said Furr, who sits fifth in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings. He earned the championship with an 85-point bout against WAR Fighting Bulls’ Two Timer, a quick and aggressive bull that stayed right on Furr’s heels throughout the 60-second bout. “He caught me there at the end and gave me one heck of a hooking, but that was fun, too,” he said. “It could’ve been better and could’ve been prettier, but I knew it was going to be tough in Kennewick. I’d seen the videos from last year, and I knew the arena was going to be tiny. “I also knew they were bringing some young, hot and fresh bulls. It’s more difficult when you’ve got bulls that hot in a smaller arena, because it’s hard to get separation. I thought it made it more fun even though it was harder.” As Two Timer came sprinting out of the chute, Furr threw a solid fake, but the animal turned back quickly. Furr made a few rounds with the bull, then had a step-through in tight quarters. More fakes, rounds and back fakes followed, then the bull got the better of the North Carolinian at the end of the fight. “The thing about those small arenas is that as soon as you call for him, he’s on you the whole time,” he said. “It gives the bull more of an advantage. It’s definitely a little different. The fight went by so fast, because he was on me from the word go.” That’s the way all three fights went Friday night. Furr and his fellow bullfighters – Dayton Spiel and Alex McWilliams – all took a hooking. “The bulls WAR brought were all hot, all on you,” Furr said. “That’s exactly what you want, and that’s what makes the bullfights so much fun for everyone.” RESULTS 1. Kris Furr, 85 points 2. Dayton Spiel, 78 3. Alex McWilliams, 77

GUYMON, Okla. – For just the third time in its history, a Miss Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has earned the Miss Rodeo Oklahoma title. Taylor Spears, a 20-year-old agriculture communications junior at Oklahoma State University, will begin her reign in January, just days before her 21st birthday. In all the hoopla, this is another chapter in the storybook life of a rodeo queen. “My sister was a rodeo queen before me,” Spears said. “By default, I wanted to do everything my sister did. When she got older, she got involved in a lot of other things in school. I decided that while all those other things were fun, they weren’t for me. I just kept going on. I’ve been going to queen pageants since I was 7 or 8 years old.” She’s been successful at it, too. She first served as Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Sweetheart, advanced to Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Teen and then became Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Princess. She’s climbed the next rung up the ladder and will hold the highest title in the Sooner State through 2018; with that, she became the first person to have owned all four titles in Oklahoma. That December – which is still 15 months away – she will hope to continue living out her dream as Miss Rodeo America. “It’s been a fun, growing dream,” Spears said. “It’s very surreal to me to be Miss Rodeo Oklahoma. I never imagined when I entered this summer that I would win. It’s very humbling, but it’s also very exciting for me at the same time.” She is from Cleveland, Okla., a town of more than 3,000 on the Arkansas River just northeast of Tulsa. It’s 300 miles from her home to Guymon, which hosts the annual Pioneer Days Rodeo each May. That’s quite a drive to be part of a ProRodeo Hall of Fame event, but it was important for Spears. “Guymon has been a pageant that’s been on my radar for years,” she said. “I went twice before, in 2010 as Teen and 2013 as Princess. The pageant coordinator, Becky Robinson, and Jada Breeden (executive director of the Guymon Chamber of Commerce) were very accommodating, and I got to meet Becky’s mom. “I was part of the family, but more importantly, you knew their queen was going to be supported. That’s something I cherish most.” It will come in quite handy as she spends her 2018 touring the state, primarily, and the country while sharing her love for the game she represents. “I’ll be traveling outside of Oklahoma to some of the bigger rodeos in the PRCA,” said Spears, who joins Sherri Lynn Stewart and Stacey Schneeber as previous Miss Pioneer Days Rodeo winners who were selected as Miss Rodeo Oklahoma. “Being able to live the drams I’ve only imagined, I’m excited to experience everything and put my own personal twist on it. “What I want to do when I’m done with the pageants changes depending on the day. Ultimately, I want to be a news reporter, starting with local news stations with the end goal being a national news reporter.” Taylor Spears is off to a running start, and she’s excited about the next year – or two – of the experiences her life will bring her.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The Waller County Fair Board has one thing on its mind when it comes to planning this year’s festivities: Give back to the community. “This is the biggest fundraiser for the youth and scholarship program in Waller County,” said Dustin Standley, the fair board’s president. “We gave away over $75,000 in scholarships last year.” This year’s Waller County Fair and Rodeo is set for Friday, Sept. 29-Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. It’s a true regional showcase that attracts thousands of fair-goers each year, and there’s good reason for it. While there are the traditional livestock shows, games, carnival rides and rodeo-related activities, the fair and rodeo boasts of some of the greatest entertainment opportunities available in southeast Texas. That includes top-rated musical acts: Jason Cassidy, Shenandoah and Wade Bowen on Saturday, Sept. 30 Rick Trevino on Thursday, Oct. 5 Kevin Robinson and The Voice’s 2016winner Sundance Head on Friday, Oct. 6 Glen Templeton and Josh Ward on Saturday, Oct. 7. “It’s really exciting to have this kind of musical lineup for our fair and rodeo,” Standley said. “It’s what helps draw people to experience all the other things we have going on, but I think once they get here they’ll see we have a lot to offer them.” Adult admission is just $10, with children 6-12 and seniors admitted for $5. That stands as a huge value for the price, especially considering all the activities and fun that awaits each person as they arrive through the gate. There are also season passes that can help pass along the savings to those who plan to attend multiple days – $25 per person in advance and just $30 at the gate. “We want to keep prices reasonable so everybody can come enjoy the fun, the food and the concerts,” Standley said. “We are very proud to be part of the fair board and put on this type of entertainment for our community and those visiting our community. “All the hard work and dedication we put into this is to provide the scholarships. The youth are our future, and the youth is going to be the backbone of who we’re going to be when we’re older, so we are investing in that.”

HERMISTON, Ore. – Kris Furr made the most of a week of Bullfighters Only competition. After winning the championship at BFO-Sidney, Iowa, the North Carolina man followed it in a dominating fashion, claiming the BFO-Hermiston championship through the two-day competition last week. He’s now No. 5 in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “It feels great to win both those events,” Furr said. “The one thing I wanted to do was be consistent. I don’t want to be just the middle of the pack. I want people to know I’m a competitor and that I’m there to win.” He did just that at the event held in association with the Farm-City ProRodeo. Furr won both go-rounds to walk away with the overall championship. In all, he walked away with $3,500 in Hermiston, which shot him up the standings. He won the first round with an 84-point fight against WAR Fighting Bulls’ War Party, then maneuvered around WAR’s Wolverine for 85 points to earn the second-round victory. “I’ve been dying to get in front of WAR’s bulls,” Furr said. “I’ve seen a bunch of videos of those bulls, and they just look fun to get around. I was glad I got a shot and came out on top.” In his few days off between Sidney and Hermiston, Furr found some time to work on his game. “I met (fellow bullfighter) Dayton Spiel in South Dakota, and we went to the gym while we were there,” he said. “I figured out what I was messing up on jumping those bulls in Sidney, and I fixed that.” It paid off. “My first bull was one bullfighters would love to have every day,” Furr said. “I had to drag all the points out of my second bull that I could, but it worked out for me. The goal is winning the BFO world championship, and while No. 1 man Weston Rutkowski has a big lead in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings, at least Furr has a shot. That’s all he can hope for as a first-year bullfighter in the BFO. HERMISTON RESULTS First round: 1. Kris Furr, 84 points on WAR Fighting Bulls’ War Party; 2. Justin Josey, 74; 3. Dayton Spiel, 74. Second round: 1. Kris Furr, 85 points on WAR Fighting Bulls’ Wolverine; 2. Dayton Spiel, 78; 3. Justin Josey, 74. Average: 1. Kris Furr, 169 points on two fights; 2. Dayton Spiel, 152; 3. Justin Josey, 150.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Bareback rider Orin Larsen has played on ProRodeo’s grandest stage each of the past two years. He’s hoping to return to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the third straight time, but he’s got some ground in the final month and a half in the regular season. Heading into this week’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, he sits 18th in the world standings with $53,414. Only the top 15 contestants in each event advance to Las Vegas in December. “Any win like this, big or small, is huge for me at this point,” said Larsen, who rode Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlets Web for 90 points to win the title and $5,351. “That’s just a great horse that I’ve wanted to get on for a long time. “It was pretty cool to get on her here.” That’s because Lovington’s rodeo is a big-money event, featuring a purse of more than $200,000. “This is one of the best $10,000-added rodeos all year,” he said, referring to the amount of money the rodeo committee puts into the pot that’s mixed with contestants’ fees to make the overall purse. “It’s definitely one we want to go to, especially during a busy week like this.” This is a busy time of year for ProRodeo’s biggest stars. This week alone, there are 30 ProRodeos that have taken place. The money and the horse were reason enough for the Manitoba cowboy to make the trip to southeastern New Mexico. “I just know she was a big, fat, awesome, fun horse,” Larsen said of Scarlets Web, with which he was matched via random draw. “When I got here, everyone thought I was cheating because I’d drawn her so that was a good thing.” He’s actually feeling strong and healthy, which is important when competing on bucking animals of that caliber. In fact, a nagging rib injury didn’t affect his ride Saturday night. “It actually felt really good,” he said. “It started in Calgary (Alberta) a few weeks ago. I had to take two weeks of the busiest part of the summer off, so that really hurt me. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, and hopefully go to Vegas. “It’s a good thing my fiancé is a nurse, because she’s been taking care of me.” That’s just one of his goals. He is also in the running for the Canadian Finals Rodeo, so he’d like a shot at the championship in his home country while also chasing his dreams of winning a world championship. “It’s easy to make the finals when you draw good ride good and are consistently doing well,” Larsen said. “I’ve been missing one or two of those throughout the year. It’s going to be tough to make it, but we’re just going to have to rodeo hard and make the finals up there, too.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 9-12 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Orin Larsen, 90 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlets Web, $5,351; 2. J.R. Vezain, 87, $4,103; 3. Will Lowe, 84, $3,032; 4. Anthony Thomas, 83.5, $1,962; 5. (tie) Seth Hardwick and Tilden Hooper, 83, $1,070; 7. Evan Jayne, 82, $713; 8. Jake Brown, 81.5, $535. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Cody Cabral, 3.5 seconds, $1,637; 2. K.C. Jones, 3.7, $1,423; 3. Matt Reeves, 3.8, $1,210; 4. Casey Martin, $996; 5. (tie) Billy Bugenig, Wyatt Lindsay and Clayton Tuchscherer, 4.1, $569 each; 8. Jule Hazen, Tristan Martin and Jacob Edler, 4.2, $47 each. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Jule Hazen and Kyle Irwin, 3.8 seconds, $1,530; 3. Tanner Brunner, 3.9, $1,210; 4. (tie) Mike McGinn, Chance Howard, Ryan Swayze, Tanner Robinson, Tyler Pearson and Trevor Duhon, 4.0, $474 each. Average leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 7.9 seconds on two runs, $2,456; 2. (tie) Cody Cabral and Jule Hazen, 8.0, $1,975 each; 4. (tie) Chance Howard and Kyle Irwin, 8.3, $1,335; 6. Tristan Martin, 8.4, $854; 7. (tie) Wyatt Lindsay and Jacob Edler, 8.5, $374 each. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Shank Edwards and Chase Williams, 8.4 seconds, $2,092 each; 3. Cory Solomon, 8.7, $1,654; 4. Tuf Cooper, 9.0, $1,362; 5. Cade Swor, 9.2, $1,070; 6. Ryan Jarrett, 9.3, $778; 7. (tie) Clay McCuistion and Ty Baker, 9.4, $341 each. Second round leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 7.2 seconds, $2,238; 2. Caleb Smidt, 7.5, $1,946; 3. (tie) Timber Moore and Cory Solomon, 7.6, $1,508; 5. Justin Smith, 8.1, $1,070; 5. Marcos Costa, 8.8, $778; 7. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Bubba Flores, 8.8, $341. Average leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 16.3 seconds on two runs, $3,357; 2. Ryan Jarrett, 18.1, $2,920; 3. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Marty Yates, 18.2, $2,262 each; 5. Shank Edwards, 18.4, $1,605; 6. Kody Mahaffey, 19.2, $1,168; 7. (tie) J.D. McCuistion and Ty Baker, 19.5, $511 each. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Heith DeMoss, 84.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Who Knows, $4,597; 2. Isaac Diaz, 83.5, $3,524; 3. Hardy Braden, 82.5, $2,605; 4. (tie) Dean Wadsworth and Sterling Crawley, 82, $1,379 each; 6. Dylan Henson and Brody Cress, 81.5, $689 each; 8. (tie) Kobyn Williams and Leon Fountain, 81.5, $230 each. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 9.1 seconds, $1,920; 2. (tie) Brian Garr and Jason Evans, 10.8, $1,424 each; 4. Roger Branch, $927; 5. Rocky Patterson, 11.2, $596; 6. Leo Campbell, 11.3, $331. Second round leaders: 1. Shay Good, 9.6 seconds, $1,920; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.2, $1,589; 3. (tie) Cody Lee, Tuf Cooper, Chet Herren and Mike Chase, 10.5, $778 each. Third round leaders: 1. J.P Wickett, 8.9 seconds, $1,920; 2. Marty Jones, 9.3, $1,589; 3. Trevor Brazile, 9.4, $1,258; 4. Cash Myers, 9.7, $927; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber, 10.1, $596; 6. Rocky Patterson, 10.4, $331. Average leaders: 1. Rocky Patterson, 33.2 seconds on three runs, $2,881; 2. Chet Herren, 33.3, $2,384; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 33.7, $1,887; 4. Trevor Brazile, 34.9, $1,391; 5. Brian Garr, 35.3, $894; 6. Mike Chase, 35.8, $497. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Shay Carroll/Nano Garza  Continue Reading »

SIKESTON, Mo. – Toby Inman has his sights set on the biggest prize in freestyle bullfighting, the Bullfighters Only world championship. “I’m nipping at Weston’s heels,” Inman said, referring to the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings leader and reigning BFO world champ, Weston Rutkowski. “I think he can feel me breathing down his neck.” The two talented bullfighters matched their skills Thursday and Friday during BFO-Sikeston in conjunction with the Sikeston Jaycees Bootheel Rodeo, and Inman claimed the championship belt. The Davis Junction, Ill., man won the opening round with an 86.5-point bout, then followed it Friday with a solid 83. His two-fight cumulative score of 169.5 points was enough to edge Rutkowski by half a point. “I thought Weston stole it from me Friday night,” Inman said, referring to the Texan’s 90-point fight to win the second round. “Thankfully I was able to pull enough out.” It marked his third victory in less than a month. More importantly, it pushed him into the No. 2 position in the standings. A key, he said, was being able to remain calm even when the bulls he battled in Sikeston got a little too close and got Inman on the ground. “In bullfighting, you’re going to get run over, but you’ve got to pop right back up and get back in the fight,” he said. “I’m getting better with each fight, and I’m still having fun.”   It’s easy to have fun when he’s winning, but there were other aspects of BFO-Sikeston that made for an overall amazing experience. “The place was packed,” Inman said. “They were loud and excited, and that’s how you want every crowd. Whether I was getting hooked or Weston was making some nice rounds, they were extra loud. “Because of the great committee and the fans, it was a great bullfight. Anytime you can have fans excited and want you there, it makes your job as a bullfighter that much more pleasant.” SIKESTON RESULTS First round: 1. Toby Inman, 86.5 points; 2. Tanner Zarnetski, 84.5; 3. Schell Apple, 83; 4. Beau Schueth, 80; 5. Toby Inman, 79. Second round: 1. Toby Inman, 90 points; 2. (tie) Tanner Zarnetski and Beau Schueth, 84; 4. Toby Inman, 83; 5. Schell Apple, 0. Average: 1. Toby Inman, 169.5 points on two fights; 2. Weston Rutkowski, 169; 3. Tanner Zarnetski, 168.5; 4. Beau Schueth, 164; 5. Schell Apple, 83 points on one fight.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – To make a living riding bucking horses, it takes talent, passion and a lot of miles on the rodeo trail. Dean Wadsworth, Sterling Crawley and 2015 world champion saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley do it together and have for a number of years. While the Crawleys are brothers by blood, Wadsworth is just as much family. On Friday night during the third performance of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, Sterling Crawley and Wadsworth moved into the top four in the saddle bronc riding standings with a pair of 82-point rides. “That’s a good horse I had,” Sterling Crawley said of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Molly, his mount on Friday. “I’m always excited to have her, because you feel like you always have a chance to win on her. “I’ve had a rough start to the week, and that one makes everything feel a little bit better.” Sterling Crawley won the Pecos, Texas, rodeo in June with an 85.5-point ride on the red roan mare and is in good position to catch another nice payday in Lovington. Wadsworth matched moves with Carr’s Deuces Wild, a veteran bucking horse that has been consistent for many years. “That horse has been around since I’ve been going,” he said. “That’s the first time I’ve actually been on him, but I’ve been wanting to get on him for a long time. He’s everything I’d hoped he’d be.” After a few years away from Lea County, Wadsworth has returned to town the last two years, and he’s found it to his liking. He finished in a tie for third place a year ago; now he will have to wait through Saturday’s final performance to see where he and Sterling Crawley finish in 2017. “This is a great rodeo,” Sterling Crawley said. “The bucking stock is outstanding. When you go to a Pete Carr rodeo, everybody’s got a chance to win. “This is a good time of year, this rodeo has a lot of money and the crowd is always good. That’s hard to pass up.” There aren’t many rodeos the trio passes up. After all, riding broncs is how they pay their bills. Picking up checks along the way important to the business. Jacobs Crawley leads the world standings and has much of the season, while Sterling Crawley is 10th; Wadsworth isn’t listed among the top 50 cowboys, but he’ll get there soon enough. The key for him is being able to do something he loves with partners who make it even more enjoyable. “Traveling with them is an absolute blast,” Wadsworth said. “I’ve traveled with several people, and I’ve never had as much fun in my life than I have while going with these two guys. Just the positivity in that van is incredible.” Part of it is the general attitudes of all three cowboys, but they have a genuine friendship. When Jacobs Crawley won the gold buckle two seasons ago, there was plenty of excitement to go around. It was the culmination of all their dreams combined in a season of wonders. “I don’t know how excited Jacobs was, but it was going to be tough competition to be as excited as I was,” Wadsworth said. Now the trio will continue down the path the rodeo trail takes them. Jacobs Crawley is locked in for his seventh Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Sterling Crawley would like to cash in a little more if he returns to Las Vegas a fourth time. But he’s going in the right direction. “The season has been great,” he said. “Things really turned around later in the season. Usually the winter is a good friend of mine. This year the summer has been good to me, so I’m just trying to keep the momentum going and keep my foot on the gas.” There’s no better way to close out a solid season. Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 9-12 Bareback riding leaders: 1. J.R. Vezain, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Painted River; 2. Anthony Thomas, 83.5; 3. Evan Jayne, 82; 4. (tie) Jordan Pelton and Richmond Champion, 81; 6. David Peebles, 80.5; 7. Grant Denny, 78; 8. (tie) Ty Breuer and Tanner Phipps, 75. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Cody Cabral, 3.5 seconds; 2. K.C. Jones, 3.7; 3. Matt Reeves, 3.8; 4. (tie) Billy Bugenig and Wyatt Lindsay, 4.1; 6. Jule Hazen, 4.2; 7. (tie) Chance Howard and Blair Jones, 4.3. Second round leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.8 seconds; 2. Tanner Brunner, 3.9; 3. (tie) Mike McGinn and Chance Howard, 4.0; 5. Matt Reeves, 4.1; 6. Jacob Shofner, 4.3; 7. (tie) Wyatt Lindsay and Stockton Graves, 4.4. Average leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 7.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Cody Cabral, 8.0; 3. Jule Hazen, 8.0; 4. Chance Howard, 8.3; 5. Wyatt Lindsay, 8.5; 6. Jacob Shofner, 8.7; 7. J.D. Struxness, 9.1; 8. Cody Moore, 9.2. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Shank Edwards and Chase Edwards, 8.4 seconds; 3. Cory Solomon, 8.7; 4. Tuf Cooper, 9.0; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 9.3; 6. Clay McCuistion, 9.4; 7. Catfish Brown, 9.5; 8. Tyler Milligan, 9.6. Second round leaders: 1. Caleb Smidt, 7.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Timber Moore and Cory Solomon, 7.6; 4. Justin Smith, 8.1; 5. Marcos Costa, 8.8; 6. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Bubba Flores, 8.8; 8. J.D. McCuistion, 9.0. Average leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 16.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Ryan Jarrett, 18.1; 3. Caleb Smidt, 18.2; 4. Shank Edwards, 18.4; 5. J.D. McCuistion, 19.5; 6. Timber Moore, 19.6; 7. Tristan Mahoney, 19.7; 8. Chase Williams, 20.2. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Isaac Diaz, 83.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Hometown Girl; 2. Hardy Braden, 82.5; 3. (tie) Dean Wadsworth and Sterling Crawley, 82; 5. Dylan Henson, 81.5; 6. (tie) Brody Cress, Kobyn Williams and Leon Fountain, 81.5. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 9.1 seconds; 2. Brian Garr, 10.8; 3. Rocky Patterson, 11.2; 4. Leo Campbell, 11.3; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 11.4; 6. Mike Chase,  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Matt Reeves knows as well as anyone how vital it is to compete at ProRodeo’s grand finale, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He’s been there six times. This past December, he arrived in Las Vegas No. 12 in the steer wrestling world standings with $62,402. Ten nights later, he added $164,141 after placing in seven of 10 go-rounds and finishing third in the all-important average race. As the curtain fell on the 2016 season, Reeves was the No. 2 man. It was his best season yet and, by far, his greatest NFR. Now he hopes to return for the seventh time in his 14-year career, but he’s got some work to do. He sits 14th in the world standings with a little more than a month and a half left in the season. “I should’ve been doing better,” said Reeves of Cross Plains, Texas. “This horse has been doing good. This is the first year he’s been the main horse.” He was talking about Roy, a 9-year-old sorrel gelding, which guided him to the bulldogging lead at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo on Thursday. Reeves posted a 3.8-second first-round run in the morning, then followed that with a 4.1 during the second performance that evening. His 7.9 seconds on two runs is just a 10th better than the runner-up, Hawaiian Cody Cabral. “I’ve done well here quite a few times,” Reeves said. “It means a lot to me right now. I only went to two rodeos last week and had some stuff to do at home. All that went well, so now we’re ready to go back at it.” He also enlisted the help of Alabama steer wrestler Quinn Campbell to serve as Reeves’ hazer for a bit – the hazer’s main duty is to keep the steer going in a good line so the steer wrestler can make a good transition from his horse and set up a solid run. “It’s been a good week,” Reeves said. “We’ve made three good runs. I haven’t had three good looks at three steers in a row, and now I’ve had the same look three times. “We had a practice session Tuesday, and Quinn knocked some rust off me while he was knocking some rust off himself. The last two that day were right down the middle. I was having a lot of steers move off to the right and stop right out in front, but Quinn is a little more aggressive at the start and gives me the look I need.” That kind of teamwork is important, and it’s the same type of comfort he has found in Roy. The gelding’s dam is a barrel racing horse, while his sire is Ote, which has been a solid bulldogging horse for a while. In fact, Reeves once owned Ote before selling the palomino stallion. “The mare was why we bought him, but it’s a great cross for this kind of horse,” he said. “I hauled him around as a backup and rode him some last year. This is the fourth horse I’ve made that I’ve rodeoed on. He’s cool and fun.” Now he’s hoping Roy carries him back to Las Vegas, and finishing well in Lovington will go a long way into securing his spot to be there. Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 9-12 Bareback riding leaders: 1. J.R. Vezain, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Painted River; 2. Anthony Thomas, 83.5; 3. Evan Jayne, 82; 4. (tie) Jordan Pelton and Richmond Champion, 81; 6. David Peebles, 80.5; 7. Grant Denny, 78; 8. Kenny Haworth, 72. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Cody Cabral, 3.5 seconds; 2. K.C. Jones, 3.7; 3. Matt Reeves, 3.8; 4. Billy Bugenig, 4.1; 5. Chance Howard, 4.3; 6. Jacob Shofner, 4.4; 7. (tie) Christian Pettigrew and Cody Moore, 4.7. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Mike McGinn and Chance Howard, 4.0 seconds; 3. Matt Reeves, 4.1; 4. Jacob Shofner, 4.3; 5. (tie) Cody Cabral Cody Moore, 4.5; 7. Ryle Smith and Miguel Garcia, 4.8. Average leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 7.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Cody Cabral, 8.0; 3. Chance Howard, 8.3; 4. Jacob Shofner, 8.7; 5. Cody Moore, 9.2; Miguel Garcia, 9.7; 7. Blake Knowles, 10.5; 8. Ryle Smith. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Shank Edwards and Chase Edwards, 8.4 seconds; 3. Cory Solomon, 8.7; 4. Tuf Cooper, 9.0; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 9.3; 6. Catfish Brown, 9.5; 7. Tyler Milligan, 9.6; 8. Matt Kenney, 10.3s. Second round leaders: 1. Caleb Smidt, 7.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Timber Moore and Cory Solomon, 7.6; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 8.8; 5. J.D. McCuistion, 9.0; 6. Josh Peek, 9.6; 7. Cody Jordan, 9.9; 8. Shank Edwards, 10.0. Average leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 16.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Ryan Jarrett, 18.1; 3. Caleb Smidt, 18.2; 4. Shank Edwards, 18.4; 5. J.D. McCuistion, 19.5; 6. Timber Moore, 19.6; 7. Chase Williams, 20.2; 8. Tyler Milligan, 20.3. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Isaac Diaz, 83.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Hometown Girl; 2. Hardy Braden, 82.5; 3. Brody Cress, 81.5; 4. (tie) Will Smith and Jake Finlay, 80; 6. Cameron Messier, 78; 7. Corey LeFebre, 74; Telden McLain, 68. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. Brian Garr, 10.8 seconds; 2. Leo Campbell, 11.3; 3. Trevor Brazile, 12.1; 4. Tuf Cooper, 12.4; 5. Kelton McMillen, 12.8; 6. Kenyon Burns, 13.8. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Cody Lee and Tuf Cooper, 10.5 seconds; 3. Brian Garr, 11.3; 4. Leo Campbell, 11.3; 5. Chance Kelton, 12.0; 6. Trevor Brazile, 13.4. Third round leaders: 1. Marty Jones, 9.3 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile, 9.4; 3. Billy Good, 10.5; 4. Kelton McMillen, 10.9; 5. Cody Lee, 11.2; 6. Brent Lewis, 11.3. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 34.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Brian Garr, 35.3; 3. Leo Campbell, 42.2; 4. Kelton McMillen, 44.6; 5. Cody Lee, 21.7; 6. Tuf Cooper, 22.9. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Trace Porter, 5.5 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 5.8; 3. Billy  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – There’s something about Jake McClure Arena that draws Wyoming cowboy J.R. Vezain back to town every year. Maybe it’s the Pete Carr bucking horses. Maybe there’s something that’s in the water. Nonetheless, Vezain has found his share of success at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, and the 2017 edition seems to follow the same pattern. “I always seem to do good this week every year,” said Vezain, who rodeo Carr’s Painted River for 87 points to take the lead in bareback riding. “I always seem to have good luck here. I always draw good. I feel like I’m riding good, so I just need to keep it rolling through the summer.” He sits seventh in the world standings and is making his way to his fifth qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition, he sits No. 2 in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association standings, so he’s in line to make both finales. “This is as good as I’ve ever ridden in my whole career,” said Vezain, has placed four times in Lovington since 2011, including winning the championship in 2014. “I just keep learning little tricks as I go along. I broke my back in 2015, and that humbled me quite a bit and made me readjust my goals and start working a little harder. “I’m here to use this platform to glorify God, and He’s blessed me with the tools and talents to be one of the best and ready to get that gold buckle. I started working at it, and I feel like I’m inching my way there.” A key piece of his success has come in the horses he has been riding. By drawing top-flight animals, he’s been able to showcase his strong spurring motion; that, in turn, shows the judges just how well he’s handling his business, and the points turn into big-time dollars. That’s exactly what he’s hoping for with his experience on Painted River, an 8-year-old mare that was raised on the Carr ranch in Athens, Texas. “That’s one of Pete’s better horses, and the proof’s in the pudding,” he said. “She’s flashy and one you can win on. I didn’t want to get off after the buzzer. She was fun to be on.” Electric horses are bareback riders’ dreams. They jump high in the air and allow the cowboys to show their spurring motions. “We work hard from the beginning of the year to the end of the year to make the finals,” Vezain said. “I believe luck is where preparation and opportunity meet. When you have an opportunity like that horse, it gives you the ability to capitalize. That’s the horses that’s going to give you the opportunity to do that all day long.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 9-12 Bareback riding leaders: 1. J.R. Vezain, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Painted River; 2. Evan Jayne, 82; 3. (tie) Jordan Pelton and Richmond Champion, 81; 5. Grant Denny, 78; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Cody Cabral, 3.5 seconds; 2. K.C. Jones, 3.7; 3. Billy Bugenig, 4.1; 4. Jacob Shofner, 4.4; 5. Blake Knowles, 4.9; 6. Josh Peek, 5.3; Second round leaders: 1. Mike McGinn, 4.0 seconds; 2. Jacob Shofner, 4.3; 3. Cody Cabral, 4.5; 4. Jesse Brown, 5.0; 5. Blake Knowles, 5.6; 6. Billy Bugenig, 11.6. Average leaders: 1. Cody Cabral, 8.0 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Shofner, 8.7; 3. Blake Knowles, 10.5; 4. Jesse Brown, 15.5; 5. Billy Bugenig, 15.7; 6. Josh Peek, 20.1. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Shank Edwards, 8.4 seconds; 2. Tuf Cooper, 9.0; 3. Tyler Milligan, 9.6; 4. Matt Kenney, 10.3; 5. J.D. McCuistion, 10.5; 6. Josh Peek, 10.8. Second round leaders: 1. Timber Moore, 7.6 seconds; 2. J.D. McCuistion, 9.0; 3. Josh Peek, 9.6; 4. Cody Jordan, 9.9; 5. Shank Edwards, 10.0; 6. Tyler Milligan, 10.7. Average leaders: 1. Shank Edwards, 18.4 seconds on two runs; 2. J.D. McCuistion, 19.5; 3. Timber Moore, 19.6; 4. Tyler Milligan, 20.3; 5. Josh Peek, 20.4; 6. Tuf Cooper, 21.1. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Hardy Braden, 82.5 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Gold Coast; 2. Will Smith, 80; 3. Cameron Misser, 78; 4. Cooper DeWitt, 60; no other qualified rides. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. Brian Garr, 10.8 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile, 12.1; 3. Tuf Cooper, 12.4; 4. Chad Mathis, 17.9; 5. Chance Kelton, 18.6; 6. Quay Howard, 23.7. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Cody Lee and Tuf Cooper, 10.5 seconds; 3. Brian Garr, 11.3; 4. Chance Kelton, 12.0; 5. Trevor Brazile, 13.4; 6. Brent Lewis, 15.1. Third round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 9.4 seconds; 2. Cody Lee, 11.2; 3. Brent Lewis, 11.3; 4. Brian Garr, 13.2; 5. Chad Mathis, 21.1; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 34.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Brian Garr, 35.3; 3. Cody Lee, 21.7 seconds on two runs; 4. Tuf Cooper, 22.9; 5. Brent Lewis, 26.4; 6. Chance Kelton, 30.8. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Trace Porter, 5.5 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 5.8; 3. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 7.0; 4. Bobby Boyd/Bubba Paul, 7.9; 5. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins II, 10.5; 6. Ryan Hutton/Chase Hansen, 12.4. Second round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Trace Porter, 5.6 seconds; 2. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 6.5; 3. Chase Massengill/Daylan Frost, 14.3 seconds; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Trace Porter, 11.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 13.5; 3. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 5.8 seconds on one run; 4. Bobby Boyd/Bubba Paul, 7.9; 5. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins II, 10.5; 6. Ryne Hutton/Chase Hansen, 12.4. Barrel racing leaders: 1. Jana Bean, 17.56 seconds; 2. Delani Wood, 17.80; 3. (tie) Aimee Kay and Jasarra Baca, 17.83; 5. Tillar Murray, 17.84; 6. Blyth Beshears, 22.71; 7. Jean Winters, 24.41; no other qualified runs. Bull riding leaders: 1. Brennon Eldred, 86 points on Salt River Rodeo’s 419; 2. Elliott Jacoby, 85; 3. Tim Bingham, 72; no qualified rides.

Top bullfighters will be featured in Sikeston, Mo., and Hermiston, Ore. Beau Schueth needs no extra motivation when it comes to fighting bulls, but he’ll take it. This week, he returns to the Sikeston (Mo.) Jaycees Bootheel Rodeo to defend his Bullfighters Only title, and he knows he’ll get all the help he needs from the knowledgeable fans. “It’s just an awesome atmosphere, and the crowd really gets into it,” said Schueth, the No. 4 man in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings from O’Neill, Neb. “When the crowd’s into it, that makes me want to do something crazier and fight harder for them. “They love the bullfights. They pack that place every night and definitely gets your motor running when that many people are cheering you on.” BFO-Sikeston takes place Thursday and Friday right after the rodeo performance. BFO-Hermiston at the Farm-City ProRodeo in northern Oregon, takes place Wednesday and Thursday. In both events, the bullfighters will compete both nights, and the man with the best two-fight cumulative score will be crowned champion at each location. “The reason we do the bullfights is that it’s an event you don’t see everywhere,” said Jeremiah Quick, now in his third year as a director of Bootheel Rodeo. “It’s old school man vs. beast, and you’ve got the rankest bulls in this part of the country and the top bullfighters in the world with BFO. “For us, the fans love it, and Bullfighters Only puts on the best bullfights you can get right now.” Of the five men competing in Sikeston, four are ranked among the top five in the standings. That includes the No. 1 man, Weston Rutkowski, the reigning BFO world champion from Haskell, Texas. “This is my third time to Sikeston, and I haven’t won it yet,” he said. “I was second my first time, and last year I was third. This is another one of those rodeos that I really want to win. I come to every bullfight with the mindset to win it. Hopefully I can put all the pieces together and cross this one off the list.” He’ll have to defeat a very talented group of bullfighters to earn that coveted BFO-Sikeston title; in addition to Schueth, the event will also feature No. 3 Toby Inman, No. 5 Schell Apple and Tanner Zarnetski, the 12th-ranked man in the standings. “It means a lot that I won it last year and that I’m coming back to defend my title,” Schueth said. “It’s an awesome rodeo and a great bullfight.” This will be the first year for Bullfighters Only to be in Hermiston, but the excitement level is just the same. The three men in the field – Kris Furr, Justin Josey and Dayton Spiel – have a ton of talent and will be showcasing it in front of a big crowd in a new stadium. Josey has returned to the game after taking some time away, and Spiel has burst onto the bullfighting scene this year. Furr is coming off his first victory this past weekend in Sidney, Iowa. SIKESTON CONTESTANTS Weston Rutkowski Schell Apple Beau Schueth Toby Inman Tanner Zarnetski HERMISTON CONTESTANTS Justin Josey Kris Furr Dayton Spiel

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Three-time world champion Sage Kimzey knows no lead in the regular season is big enough when the top cowboys get to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The No. 1 bull rider in the world wants to keep padding his lead as the 2017 campaign winds to a close. He did that by $11,987 on Tuesday night by winning both rounds and the average championship at Lea County Xtreme Bulls at Jake McClure Arena. “You need as much money going into the finals as you can have,” said Kimzey, who pushed his ProRodeo earnings to $199,353. “A guy that wins the Xtreme Bulls (year-end) title has a pretty good shot of coming into the NFR pretty high.” Besides being the No. 1 man in the world standings, the Strong City, Okla., man also is the top dog in the Xtreme Bulls money list. Of his season earnings, $58,560 has come on the stand-alone bull riding tour. In Lovington, he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Tin Cup for 89 points to win the first go-round. He followed that with an 87-point ride on Carr’s Black Gold. “The first one just felt good,” said Kimzey, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday later this month. “He was just a good spinner to the left and was really smooth and had a lot of timing to him. The second bull was the opposite. He’s one of those that’s tough to get by. (Fellow bull rider) Tyler Bingham said he’s a tough bull to get by and bucks pretty high. “It just cranks the RPMs a little higher. There’s something about getting on an 1,800-pound athlete; if you mess up, he can hurt you, and that really gets your motor running and gets your adrenaline going that much more.” While he owns a lead of more than $40,000 over the No. 2 man, Garrett Smith, Kimzey knows that advantage can be swallowed up once the top 15 get to Las Vegas in December. With go-round winners earning $26,262 per night, Garrett could catch Kimzey before the start of Round 3. That’s why winning a big event like Lea County Xtreme Bulls is big. “There are only a few of the top-notch events that I haven’t had the pleasure of winning event, and Lovington Xtreme was one of them,” he said. “Coming out to Lea County, I had one thing on my mind.” In rodeo, Kimzey has made it known that one of his biggest goals is to win nine world championships to beat the record set by Donnie Gay, who rode in the 1970s and ’80s. Being healthy is important, but winning is just as vital. “It’s important to be on a roll,” he said. “Confidence is important in bull riding. You can see the same bull riders ride 20 in a row then fall off 10 in a row. To have the ball rolling like it’s moving into the later part of the season is definitely a good feeling.” Lea County Xtreme Bulls Lovington, N.M. Aug. 8, 2017 First round: 1. Sage Kimzey, 89 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Tin Cup, $3,447; 2. (tie) Trey Benton and Elliot Jacoby, 86, $2,298 each; 4. Dustin Bowen, 84.5, $1,264; 5. Brady Portenier, 83.5, $804; 6. Trevor Kastner, 83, $575; 7. Nate Perry, 82.5, $460; 8. (tie) Nolan Steen and Cole Melancon, 81, $172. Championship round: 1. Sage Kimzey, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Gold, $2,605; 2. Chase Dougherty, 86, $1,992; 3. Cole Melancon, 85.5, $1,456; 4. (tie) Trevor Kastner and Elliot Jacoby, 84.5, $804 each. Average: 1. Sage Kimzey, 176 points on two rides, $4,746; 2. Elliot Jacoby, 170.5, $4,405; 3. Trevor Kastner, 167.5, $3,256; 4. Cole Melancon, 166.5, $2,107; 5. Chase Dougherty, 162, $1,341; 6. Trey Benton, 86 points on one ride, $958; 7. Dustin Bowen, 84.5, $766; 8. Brady Portenier, 83.5, $575.

SIDNEY, Iowa – When Kris Furr cross-jumped his bull Saturday night, he put a nice polish on his first Bullfighters Only title on the final night of Iowa’s Championship Rodeo. “I had a good bull, and he was a lot of fun,” said Furr, 26, of Hamptonville, N.C. “He wasn’t extremely aggressive, so I decided to keep him close to me. I made a few rounds, then I’d square back up with him and get some fakes on him. I knew I had to keep him hooked, keep him interested.” Furr posted an 86-point bullfight while matched with Double S Bulls’ Teen Spirit. By making rounds with the bull, he kept the little red animal close on his heels. As soon as Teen Spirit would run through the fake, Furr would gather the bull back in tight. “The first win is unreal. I guess I’m doing something right.” It was a simple game plan that worked well, and he remains firmly in the top 10 in the Bullfighters Only Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “It’s pretty crazy to think that I can be in the top 10 with all those great guys like Weston Rutkowski, Toby Inman and Dusty Tuckness,” he said. “It’s pretty surreal for a little guy from North Carolina. “It’s awesome to be part of the BFO. I remember last year watching everybody going to them, and I just wanted to be there. Now that I’m part of it, it’s amazing. Every week I’m getting to compete against the best guys in the world. That’s what I like more than anything.” That’s part of what Bullfighters Only brings to fans at every stop. Furr earned his championship by being the best of a 12-man field, which featured a preliminary round of four three-man bullfights. The winners from the first four days of competition advanced to Saturday’s championship round. Furr was joined in the finale by Dakota Knight, Cody Greer and Justin Josey, and the North Carolinian came out on top. “I just want to keep winning,” he said. “I’m laying one brick at a time and hopefully build that wall by the end of the year. If I can keep doing well and go to Las Vegas, then I think I can finish pretty well.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Two decades ago, an Etbauer was the winner of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo saddle bronc riding more often than not. Brothers Robert, Billy and Dan Etbauer have been recognized as one of the greatest set of siblings to ever compete in ProRodeo. Combined they have dozens of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications; Robert is a two-time world champion, and Billy owns five gold buckles. Now the next generation is taking over the scene. On Sunday night during Roundup’s championship round, Shade Etbauer rode Frontier Rodeo’s Medicine Woman for 86.5 points to win his first Dodge City buckle. “It’s just awesome to be here and make the short round,” said Etbauer, 23, of Goodwell, Okla.. “To be able to win that means a lot to me It’s a pretty close rodeo, almost like my hometown rodeo in a way.” And he rode one of the most decorated broncs in ProRodeo today. Medicine Woman has been named Saddle Bronc of the Year four times, including the last three in a row. The Roundup Arena record was set on the big bay mare in 2015, when four-time NFR qualifier Isaac Diaz scored 93 points on her back. “That was one of the coolest feelings to get on a horse of that caliber,” Etbauer said. “That the first time I’ve ever got on her, and to be able to get on horses like that is just awesome.” Sunday’s field of finalists featured three world champions: reigning titlist Zeke Thurston, 2015 winner Jacobs Crawley and two-time champ Cody Wright. Etbauer – who placed fourth in the first round with an 93.5-point ride – beat them all and was a point better than the runner-up, seven-time NFR qualifier and 2014 Roundup champion Wade Sundell. This marks the second time the young Oklahoman has qualified for the Dodge City championship. He played on the biggest stage in the region a year ago when he was riding on his permit – contestants must first earn the right to compete as card-carrying members of ProRodeo through the permit system. Now Etbauer leads the saddle bronc riding Rookie of the Year standings with more than $40,000 in season earnings. “Last year I got lucky and made it to the short round and finished fifth,” said Etbauer, the youngest of three children born to Robert and Sue Etbauer. “This is my third year coming to Dodge City, and it’s always tough competition and the top guys in the world. To be able to compete against them is incredible.” But being around the greatest in the game is nothing new to Etbauer. He grew up around it, and he has had plenty of good bronc riding educators in the game. He’s taken great strides every year and now sits in the top 25 in the world standings. He needs to move up 10 spots to be among the top 15 in order to qualify for this year’s NFR. “My goal is to win the rookie title,” he said. “I’ve got a way to go to go to make the finals, but I’m going to try to make it. I’m going to work my hardest to get there.” Etbauer wasn’t the only cowboy in the field thinking about his family. Steer wrestler Tom Lewis of Lehi, Utah, helped his mother celebrate her 66th birthday by winning the Roundup championship. “She was diagnosed with lung and bladder cancer,” Lewis said. “They say we might have her for eight to nine months, maybe a year, God willing, but you never know for sure. “I’m a momma’s boy, and I’m here because she wants me to be here. She pushes us, she loves us and she keeps our whole family together. She’s the first lady I call when I’m done. Today’s important for my mom.” And there’s nobody prouder of Tom Lewis than her. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. Aug. 2-6 Bareback riding: First round: 1. Tilden Hooper, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist, $3,149; 2. Tim O’Connell, 86.5, $2,414; 3. Shane O’Connell, 85.5, $1,784; 4. Clayton Biglow, 84.5, $1,155; 5. (tie) Mason Clements and Orin Larsen, 84, $630 each; 7. Wyatt Denny, 83, $420; 8. J.R. Vezain, 81.5, $315. Final round: 1. Clayton Biglow, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire, $1,650; 2. Orin Larsen, 86.5, $1,250; 3. (tie) Steven Dent and Tilden Hooper, 86, $750 each; 5. Wyatt Denny, 85, $350; 6. J.R. Vezain, 82.5, $350. Average: 1. Tilden Hooper, 173 points on two rides, $3,149; 2. Clayton Biglow, 172, $2,414; 3. Orin Larsen, 171, $1,784; 4. (tie) Wyatt Denny and Tim O’Connell, 168, $945 each; 6. (tie) Steven Dent and Shane O’Connell, 165, $472; 8. J.R. Vezain, 164, $315. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Trever Nelson, 3.6 seconds, $2,886; 2. Riley Duvall, 3.7, $2,509; 3. Clay Mindemann, 3.8, $2,133; 4. (tie) Tyler Pearson and T.J. Hall, 3.9, $1,568 each; 6. (tie) Tom Lewis and Joby Allen, 4.1, $815 each; 8. (tie) Levi Rudd, Cody Charmasson and Ryan Swayze, 4.3, $63 each. Second round: 1. Jon Ragatz, 3.3 seconds, $2,886; 2. Ryle Smith, 3.7, $2,509; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.8, $2,133; 4. (tie) Kyle Whitaker, Walt Arnold and Will Lummus, 4.1, $1,380 each; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 4.2, $627; 8. (tie) Kyle Eike and Josh Peek, 4.3, $125 each. Final round: 1. Tyler Pearson, 4.0 seconds, $1,305; 2. Tom Lewis, 4.3, $1,080; 3. Joby Allen, 4.7, $855; 4. Levi Rudd, 4.8, $630; 5. (tie) Nick Guy and Tyler Waguespack, 5.2, $315 each. Average: 1. Tom Lewis, 12.2 seconds on three runs, $4,328; 2. Tyler Pearson, 12.8, $3,764; 3. Tyler Waguespack, 13.9, $3,199; 4. Joby Allen, 14.3, $2,635; 5. Levi Rudd, 14.5, $2,070; 6. Nick Guy, 15.6, $1,505; 7. Jacob Talley, 14.8, $941; 8. Josh Peek, 15.1, $376. Team roping: First round: 1. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 4.6 seconds, $2,532 each; 2. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 4.7, $2,201; 3. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, Charly Crawford/Joseph Harrison and Colby Lovell/James Arnold, 5.1, $1,541 each; 6. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.2, $881; 7.  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – In ProRodeo, Sage Kimzey has earned $184,631. In reality, the reigning three-time world champion bull rider has collected a lot more than that. His biggest payday so far in 2017 was for $433,000 for winning The American in Arlington, Texas, in March, but he’s been collecting big paychecks all along the way. A month ago, he pocketed $270,000 in just nine days of riding bulls. First he won the Calgary Stampede’s $100,000 first-place check, then followed that with $50,000 at the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in Salt Lake City and a $100,000 bonus for winning the Championship Bull Riding world championship. In that stretch, the Salt Lake City victory and a few big checks at lucrative rodeos around the Fourth of July were all that count toward his race for a fourth straight gold buckle. All the other is just icing on the cake. “July was a really good month for me,” said Kimzey of Strong City, Okla. “Winning the Calgary Stampede again is just awesome.” Whether they count for the PRCA world standings or not, every dollar is important for men who ride bucking beasts for a living. On Saturday night, gave himself a shot to earn more and the coveted Dodge City Roundup Rodeo title when he rode 4L and Diamond S Rodeo’s Lost Highway for 82.5 points. He finished tied for seventh place in the opening round, pocketing $355. Most importantly, though, is he qualifies for Sunday night’s championship round and a chance to earn one of the most cherished buckles in ProRodeo. “I didn’t know much about him,” he said of the bull. “He’s a quick, little, athletic bull. You can feel when you’re on them whether they’re going to change leads or whether they’re really committed to the spin, and I could tell the whole time that he might do something else. “I just tried to stay centered and not set any traps for him, because I knew at any time he could change it up.” The bull did, but it wasn’t quite as spectacular as other rides during the first four nights of the competition. Dodge City-born Tyler Hessman and Jeston Mead of Holcomb, Kan., both scored 87 to win the opening round. But Kimzey owns a $43,000 lead over the No. 2 man in the standings, Garrett Smith of Rexburg, Idaho. He’d like to keep padding that if he can in Dodge City. The rodeo life is like that of a gypsy, which means traveling thousands of miles a year in order to compete in the sport they love. How does a bull rider stay at the top of the game like the Oklahoman. “We get on so many bulls through the summer that we don’t have any time to do much else,” Kimzey said. “You definitely have to stay in shape, whether it’s jumping rope or running the bleachers at the rodeo grounds. You have to be in shape and stay healthy. “When I’m home, and sometimes when I’m on the road, I watch a lot of video. I think about it all the time, and I have since I was a little kid. I think the mental side of the tame is more important than anything.” His goal is to top the record set by Donnie Gay, the only bull rider with eight world titles. He hopes to do that by remaining technically sound with his bull riding. “It helps me stay on,” he said. “It also helps me stay healthy. I don’t put myself in a lot of compromising situations. That’s a key to this sport, too. If you’re not healthy, you can’t win any money.” Kimzey is proof of that. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. Aug. 2-6 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tilden Hooper, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist, $3,149; 2. Tim O’Connell, 86.5, $2,414; 3. Shane O’Connell, 85.5, $1,784; 4. Clayton Biglow, 84.5, $1,155; 5. (tie) Mason Clements and Orin Larsen, 84, $630 each; 7. Wyatt Denny, 83, $420; 8. J.R. Vezain, 81.5, $315; 9. Austin Foss, 80; 10. (tie) Anthony Thomas, Steven Dent and Justin McDaniel, 79. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Trever Nelson, 3.6 seconds, $2,886; 2. Riley Duvall, 3.7, $2,509; 3. Clay Mindemann, 3.8, $2,133; 4. (tie) Tyler Pearson and T.J. Hall, 3.9, $1,568 each; 6. (tie) Tom Lewis and Joby Allen, 4.1, $815 each; 8. (tie) Levi Rudd, Cody Charmasson and Ryan Swayze, 4.3, $63 each. Second round leaders: 1. Jon Ragatz, 3.3 seconds, $2,886; 2. Ryle Smith, 3.7, $2,509; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.8, $2,133; 4. (tie) Kyle Whitaker, Walt Arnold and Will Lummus, 4.1, $1,380 each; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 4.2, $627; 8. (tie) Kyle Eike and Josh Peek, 4.3, $125 each. Average leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 7.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Ryle Smith, 8.5; 3. Tyler Waguespack, 8.7; 4. (tie) Tyler Pearson and Riley Duvall, 8.8; 6. Josh Peek, 9.3; 7. (tie) Nick Guy and Jacob Talley, 9.4; 9. T.J. Hall, 9.5; 10. Joby Allen, 9.6; 11. Levi Rudd, 9.7; 12. Clay Mindemann, 9.8. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 4.6 seconds, $2,532 each; 2. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 4.7, $2,201; 3. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, Charly Crawford/Joseph Harrison and Colby Lovell/James Arnold, 5.1, $1,541 each; 6. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.2, $881; 7. Nelson Wyatt/Trace Porter, 5.5, $550; 8. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 5.6, $220. Second round leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 4.4 seconds, $2,532 each; 2. Paul David Tiereney/Levi Tyan, 4.5, $2,201; 3. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 4.6, $1,871; 4. Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens, 4.7, $1,541; 5. (tie) Jesse Stipes/Jake Clay and Curry Kirchner/Derrick Jantzen, 5.1, $1,046 each; 7. Billy Bob Brown/Logan Medlin, 5.3, $550; 8. (tie) Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold and Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 5.4, $110 each. Average leaders: 1. 2. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 10.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 10.5; 3. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 11.4; 4. (tie) Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward and Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 11.8; 6. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 12.4; 7. Jake Pancost/David Hinman, 12.7;  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Every Kansas cowboy has one title they want to own: Dodge City Roundup Rodeo champion. Buddy Hawkins is no different. Raised 326 miles east of Dodge City in the tiny southeastern Kansas town of Columbus, he has had aspirations of collecting the most prized rodeo trophy in the Sunflower State. “Being born and raised in Kansas, Dodge was a dream for me,” said Hawkins, a heeler who qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2013. “I didn’t even get to watch this rodeo until I was competitive in the PRCA because we couldn’t afford to come over here and buy a ticket.” He can afford to now but is hoping for a nice payback. During Friday’s third performance, he and his header, Lane Ivy of Adrian, Texas, stopped the clock in 5.6 seconds. That, combined with their 4.7-second run in the first round Friday morning, moved them to the top spot in the two-run aggregate heading into the final day of preliminary rounds. Hawkins wasn’t the only Kansan-born cowboy to do well Friday. Bull rider Tyler Hessman of Beaver, Okla., was born in Dodge City, and he posted an 87-point ride on 4L and Diamond S Rodeo’s Foolish Dreams to take the lead. They are almost guaranteed a good position at the top of the leaderboard for Sunday’s championship night, which will feature only the top 12 contestants in each event from the weeklong competition. “We had a really good steer this morning,” Ivy said Friday evening. “We knew we had to put on some sort of 5-second or 6-second run to put ourselves in good position for the short round Sunday. We drew a good steer and made a great run. We’ve got two really good horses and are drawing good steers.” It’s been working well. The tandem has earned four key victories over the last month and a half, including three during the Fourth of July run of lucrative rodeos. Ivy sits 15th in the heading world standings with $42,778, while Hawkins is 14th in heeling with $54,298. Now they will wait out Saturday’s competition to see if they’ll hold down the No. 1 spot heading into the final night of Roundup. “Everybody that’s out here rodeoing this time of year has done great, but the odds are that we’ll make it back to the short round in good position,” said Hawkins, who earlier this year won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, the national championship. “This rodeo counts for the Prairie Circuit, which is more important now that the All-American Finals, the circuit finals and the RAM finals all count toward the world standings.” Now 30, he’s the veteran in the rig and has the NFR experience to boot. “Buddy just makes your job a whole lot easier,” Ivy said. “He’s an outstanding heeler and an even better person.” Now they stand a chance to win the biggest rodeo in Hawkins’ home state and one of the most prestigious trophy buckles in the game. “Of the top five rodeos I’d like to win, it’s definitely going to be on that list,” Hawkins said. “I’ve won a few big rodeos in my career, but it would be a big thing for a Kansas kid to win a big Kansas rodeo.” Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. Aug. 2-6 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tilden Hooper, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist; 2. Tim O’Connell, 86.5; 3. Shane O’Connell, 85.5; 4. Clayton Biglow, 84.5; 5. Mason Clements, 84; 6. Wyatt Denny, 83; 7. J.R. Vezain, 81.65; 8. Austin Foss, 80; 9. (tie) Anthony Thomas, Steven Dent and Justin McDaniel, 79; 12. Luke Creasy, 77. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Clay Mindemann, 3.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Tom Lewis and Levi Rudd, 4.1; 4. (tie) Levi Rudd, Cody Charmasson and Ryan Swayze, 4.3; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.4; 8. (tie) Richard Coats and Blair Jones, 4.7. Second round leaders: 1. Ryle Smith, 3.7 seconds; 2. Tom Lewis, 3.8; 3. Kyle Whitaker, 4.1; 4. Kyle Eike, 4.3; 5. (tie) Riley Krassin and Aaron Vosler, 4.4; 7. Tristan Martin, 4.5; 8. (tie) Blake Mindemann, Cody Doescher, J.D. Struxness, 4.6. Average leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 7.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Ryle Smith, 8.5; 3. (tie) Nick Guy and Jacob Talley, 9.4; 5. Levi Rudd, 9.7; 5. Laine Herl, 10.1; 7. Kyle Whitaker, 10.1; 8. Tristan Martin, 10.3; 9. Riley Krassin, 10.6; 10. Richard Coats, 10.7; 11. J.D. Struxness, 10.8; 12. Cody Doescher, 11.0. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 4.6 seocnds; 2. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 4.7; 3. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher and Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 5.1; 5. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 5.6; 6. Brett Stuart/Wesley Moss, 6.1; 7. Jake Pancost/David Hinman,6.2; 8. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.4. Second round leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 4.4 seconds; 2. Paul David Tiereney/Levi Tyan, 4.5; 3. Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens, 4.7; 4. Jesse Stipes/Jake Clay, 5.1; 5. Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 5.4; 6. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 5.6; 7. Dylan Gordon/Hunter Koch, 6.1; 8. Jake Pancost/David Hinman, 6.5; 9. Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 6.7; 10. Cale Markham/Austin Rogers, 7.1. Average leaders: 1. 2. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 10.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 10.5; 3. (tie) Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward and Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 11.8; 5. Jake Pancost/David Hinman, 12.7; 6. Cale Markham/Austin Rogers, 13.6; 7. Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens, 15.5; 8. Jesse Stipes/Jake Clay, 16.5; 9. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 16.5; 10. Thompson Berryhill/Cody Heflin, 18.2; 11. Brit Ellerman/J.D. Yates, 18.5; 12. Will Clark/Tanner Ward, 24.9 Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Rooster; 2. Brody Cress, 84; 3. Shade Etbauer, 83.5; 4. Dean Wadsworth, 82.5; 5. Wade Sundell, 81; 6. (tie) Dylan Henson and Zeke Thurston, 79.5; 8. Cody DeMoss, 79; 9. (tie) Jace Lane and Leon Fountain, 77.5; 11. Jake Wright, 77; 12. CoBurn Bradshaw, 76. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Riley Pruitt, 8.0 seconds; 2. Scott Kormos, 9.1; 3. Jerome Schneeberger, 9.6; 4. Tuf Cooper, 9.7; 5. Timber Moore, 9.8; 6.  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – One of the most coveted buckles to win in ProRodeo is the one handed out to Dodge City Roundup Rodeo champions each year. Bareback rider Tilden Hooper owns one, earned earlier this decade. He’s been back many times since with hopes of earning that crowning achievement again. On Thursday night during the second performance of this year’s rodeo, he set the wheels in motion with an 87-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist to take the first-round lead. “I was on that horse earlier this year and was 86 or 87 points,” said Hooper, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Carthage, Texas. “That’s a really fun horse. When they jump way high in the air like that, it really gives us a chance to show off, and it’s real fun for us.” The high-leaping buckskin allowed the Texan to showcase his spur stroke in a dramatic fashion. With scoring based on a 100-point scale, Hooper knows how important it is to have a solid mount beneath him. He’s been there many times before. In fact, Hooper is one of four men who owns a share of the world record after posting a 94-point ride on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex in 2010, the same year the animal was named Bareback Horse of the Year. Like Night Fist, Big Tex was an electric horse to be matched with but was still fairly rider-friendly. With Thursday’s score, Hooper has secured his spot in Sunday’s championship, which will feature only the top 12 contestants from the preliminary rounds. That’s when the bareback riders will face some of the rankest bucking horses in the business in order to claim the coveted championship. “I hope I get matched back up with Show Stomper,” he said of the Frontier Rodeo horse that’s bucked several times at the NFR and is considered one of the greatest on the rodeo trail today. “I had him at Spanish Fork (Utah) the other day, and he bucked me off. I’d like to have another chance at him Sunday.” The two danced across the Roundup Arena floor three years ago for 87 points. Hooper, who had qualified for the short round in ninth place, finished just one point behind the 2014 Roundup winner, Richmond Champion. “This is a great rodeo” he said. “It’s one of my favorites to come to every year, and I’ve always had good luck here.” Hooper sits 26th in the world standings with $37,527 in earnings. He needs to move up at least 11 spots on the money list if he intends to advance to the NFR for a fifth time. “I think there’s still time, but you have to win at some of the big rodeos like this,” Hooper said. “If you can’t win at these big rodeos, then I guess you shouldn’t be going to the finals anyway. “I figure I’ve got to earn another $30,000 to $40,000 to make it, but I’m going to go after it.” Qualifying for Vegas is vital to cowboys that rodeo full time. The NFR features 10 days of action, and go-round winners will pocket more than $26,000 each night. It’s an amazing opportunity to cash in while in the Nevada desert. “The stock and the money added at a lot of these rodeos has really increased a lot,” he said. “it’s a great time for us to be rodeo cowboys. It’s fun and the best job in the world.” Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. Aug. 2-6 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tilden Hooper, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist; 2. Tim O’Connell, 86.5; 3. Shane O’Connell, 85.5; 4. Mason Clements, 84; 5. Luke Creasy, 77; 6. Logan Corbett, 75; 7. Cody Kiser, 72; 8. Casey Colletti, 71; 9. Kaycee Feild, 70; 10. Trenten Montero, 68. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Levi Rudd and Cody Charmasson, 4.3; 4. Jacob Talley, 4.4; 5. Richard Coats, 4.7; 6. (tie) Stockton Graves, Nick Guy and Ryle Smith, 4.8. Second round leaders: 1. Ryle Smith, 3.7 seconds; 2. Tom Lewis, 3.8; 3. Kyle Whitaker, 4.1; 4. Kyle Eike, 4.3; 5. (tie) Riley Krassin and Aaron Vosler, 4.4; 7. Tristan Martin, 4.5; 8. (tie) Blake Mindemann, Cody Doescher, J.D. Struxness, 4.6. Average leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 7.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Ryle Smith, 8.5; 3. (tie) Nick Guy and Jacob Talley, 9.4; 5. Levi Rudd, 9.7; 5. Laine Herl, 10.1; 7. Kyle Whitaker, 10.1; 8. Tristan Martin, 10.3; 9. Riley Krassin, 10.6; 10. Richard Coats, 10.7; 11. J.D. Struxness, 10.8; 12. Cody Doescher, 11.0. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher and Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 5.1 seconds; 3. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 5.6; 4. Brett Stuart/Wesley Moss, 6.1; 5. Jake Pancost/David Hinman,6.2; 6. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.4; 7. Cale Markham/Austin Rogers, 6.5; 8. Brenten Hall/Casey Stipes, 6.7. Second round leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 4.4 seconds; 2. Paul David Tiereney/Levi Tyan, 4.5; 3. Jesse Stipes/Jake Clay, 5.1; 4. Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 5.4; 5. Dylan Gordon/Hunter Koch, 6.1; 6. Jake Pancost/David Hinman, 6.5; 7. Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 6.7; 8. Cale Markham/Austin Rogers, 7.1. Average leaders: 1. Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold, 10.5 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward and Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 11.8; 4. Jake Pancost/David Hinman, 12.7; 5. Cale Markham/Austin Rogers, 13.6; 6. Jesse Stipes/Jake Clay, 16.5; 7. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 16.5; 8. Brit Ellerman/J.D. Yates, 18.5; 9. Will Clark/Tanner Ward, 24.9; 10. Paul David Tierney/Levi Tyan, 4.5 seconds on one run; 11. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 5.6; 12. (tie) Brett Stuart/Wesley Moss and Dylan Gordon/Hunter Koch, 6.1. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Rooster; 2. Shade Etbauer, 83.5; 3. Dean Wadsworth, 82.5; 4. Wade Sundell, 81; 5. Dylan Henson, 79.5; 6. (tie) Jace Lane and Leon Fountain, 77.5; 8. Bradley Harter, 75; 9. Colt Gordon, 74.5; 10. (tie) Jake Finlay and Jake Watson, 74; 12. (tie) Weston Pierschbacher and Logan Allen, 69. Tie-down roping: First round  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – It’s been six years since Tom Lewis has played on ProRodeo’s grandest stage, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He’s trying to make his second trip in 2017. As of Wednesday night, he was 33rd in the steer wrestling world standings with $32,731, but he’s only $17,000 away from that magical No. 15 spot. What’s better yet is that he still has two months to make up that kind of ground and earn another qualification to Las Vegas. On Wednesday’s opening night of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, Lewis wrestled his steer to the ground in 3.8 seconds to lead the second go-round. What’s more is that his 4.1-second post Wednesday morning also sits No. 1, as does his two-run cumulative time of 7.09 seconds. “Right now, we’re just chasing points,” he said, noting that dollars equal points in ProRodeo, and only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR. “I’ve only been here once, and I made the short round and won some money.” He’s virtually locked into Sunday’s championship with his aggregate time. What’s more important to the Lehi, Utah, cowboy is his opportunity to make nearly $10,000 in this southwest Kansas community. “I’m on the bubble for making the NFR, but at this time of year, I guess I’m just a fourth-quarter guy,” he said. “I don’t like to be, but at this point, I have to go at them.” How does he do that? He travels across the country taking advantage of any bulldogging paycheck he can find, and he rides a trusty stead named Maverick, a 12-year-old sorrel that Lewis has raised and trained. “Maverick is working good,” he said of the stout gelding that he owns with his parents, Stan and Peggy. “He backs in the box and is so strong. He’s the most willing horse I’ve ever made, and he loves to win.” It showed Wednesday. Now Lewis and his traveling partners, Levi Rudd and Jarrett New, will head west to a couple of other rodeos before returning to Dodge City for Sunday’s short round. “It’s really good here,” Lewis said. “There’s a great rodeo in Great Falls, Mont., that we usually go to, and we decided to come down here and chase this one. The hospitality is good, and the committee is good. We appreciate them. It’s nice driving this far, exposing ourselves and making it pay off.” Obviously squeaking into the top 15 at season’s end is critical. The biggest pay in the game is in Las Vegas every December, “I finished 16th a couple of years ago, and it broke my heart,” he said. “But I have realized that at my age, if I make the finals or not, I’m doing what I love, and I get to take Maverick with me. That’s pretty special.” Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Dodge City, Kan. Aug. 2-6 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tim O’Connell, 86.5 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Angel Face; 2. Shane O’Connell, 85.5; 3. Luke Creasy, 77; 4. Logan Corbett, 75; 5. Cody Kiser, 72; 6. Casey Colletti, 71; 7. Trenten Montero, 68; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 4.1 seconds; 2. Levi Rudd, 4.3; 3. Stockton Graves, 4.8; 4. Tristan Martin, 5.8; 5. J.D. Struxness, 6.2; 6. (tie) Jarek VanPatten and Cody Doescher, 6.4. Second round leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 3.8 seconds; 2. Aaron Vosler, 4.4; 3. Tristan Martin, 4.5; 45. (tie) Blake Mindemann, Cody Doescher and J.D. Struxness, 4.6; 7. Cody Pratt, 4.9; 8. (tie) Jake Johnson, 5.3. Average leaders: 1. Tom Lewis, 7.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Levi Rudd, 9.7; 3. Tristan Martin, 10.3; 4. J.D. Struxness, 10.8; 5. Cody Doescher, 11.0; 6. Jerek VanPetten, 11.7; 7. Shawn Musil, 17.0; 8. Aaron Vosler, 21.2. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 5.1 seconds; 2. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 5.6; 3. Brett Stuart/Wesley Moss, 6.1; 4. Brenten Hall/Casey Stipes, 6.7; 5. (tie) Bryce Crites/Tanner Braden and Britt Ellerman/J.D. Yates, 7.4. Second round leaders: 1. Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 6.7 seconds; 2. Britt Ellerman/J.D. Yates, 11.1; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher, 11.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Britt Ellerman/J.D. Yates, 18.5; 3. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 5.6 seconds on one run; 4. Brett Stuart/Wesley Moss, 6.1; 5. Brenten Hall/Casey Stipes, 6.7; 7. Brice Crites/Tanner Brade, 7.4; no other qualified times. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Shade Etbauer, 83.5 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Bear; 2. Wade Sundell, 81; 3. Jace Lane, 77.5; 4. Colt Gordon, 74.5; 5. (tie) Jake Finlay and Jake Watson, 74; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Riley Pruitt, 8.0 seconds; 2. Scott Kormos, 9.1; 3. Trent Creager, 10.5; 4. J.D. McCuistion, 11.8; 5. Michael Otero, 12.8; 6. Chris McCuistion, 13.4. Second round leaders: 1. Kelsey Garrison, 8.2 seconds; 2. Chase Williams, 9.9; 3. Reno Gonzales 10.5; 4. J.D. McCuistion, 10.7; 5. Lane Jeffrey, 11.1; 6. Trent Creager, 11.9; 7. Riley Pruitt, 12.5; 8. Braden Buckley, 13.9. Average leaders: 1. Riley Pruitt, 20.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Trent Creager, 22.4; 3. J.D. McCuistion, 22.5; 4. Kelsey Garrison, 23.2; 5. Michael Otero, 29.4; 6. Russell Schilling, 47.3; 7. Scott Kormos, 9.1 seconds on one run; 8. Chase Williams, 11.9. Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 17.35 seconds; 2. Elizabeth Broussard, 17.50; 3. Amy Wilson, 17.79; 4. Monica McClung, 17.89; 5. Jenna Beaver, 17.96; 6. Marsha Nelson, 17.97. Second round leaders: 1. Michelle Darling, 17.16 seconds; 2. Deb Cox, 17.49; 3. Dona Kay Rule, 17.52; 4. Amy Wilson, 17.58; 5. Peyton Glenn, 17.60; 6. Lynn K. Brown, 17.69; 7. Monica McClung, 17.69; 8. Keyla Polizello, 17.88; 9. Alishea Broussard, 17.98; 10. Marsha Nelson, 18.11. Average leaders: 1. Dona Kay Riule, 34.87; 2. Amy Wilson, 35.37; 3. Monica McClung, 35.60; 4. (tie) Keyla Polizello and Marsha Neilson, 36.08; 6. Alishea Broussard, 36.12; 7. Lynn Brown, 38.24; 8. Michelle Darling, 39.42; 9. Deb Cox, 40.29; 10. Peyton Glenn,  Continue Reading »

Rutkowski finds the Dodge City winner’s circle after finishing last in 2016 DODGE CITY, Kan. – About halfway through his 60-second fight Tuesday night, Weston Rutkowski was flipped to the ground hard by a Rockin’ B and Magnifica bull called Manchada. Bullfighters Only’s reigning world champion was down, but he wasn’t there for long. “I got caught throwing too many left fakes, but he kept putting me in that shoulder, so I had to,” he said of his bull’s advances. “He cut me off and flipped me, but I was able to catch my whereabouts and figure out where I was.” It was a solid rebound that led to his 86.5-point and a BFO-Dodge City victory. He sealed the title by cross-jumping the bull at the end of his bout. “I got to prove to the people in Dodge that I know how to fight a bull,” he said with a laugh, pointing out that he finished in last place a year ago during the BFO’s inaugural visit to the western Kansas town. “When you’ve got guys like Zach Call and Cody Greer after you, you better finish it with a bang or else you’ll go home second.” Of the five men in the fight, Rutkowski was the third to go. Schell Apple of Fay, Okla., had posted a 77-point fight, which was followed by an 81 from Beau Schueth of O’Neill, Neb. Call’s bull, Dueno de Nada, tested the Mullen, Neb., man, but faded toward the end of the bout. Greer, of Chelsea, Okla., started off a solid fight, but the bull got the better of him in a couple of situations towards the end of his 60 seconds. Rutkowski utilized a strong bull, even though the Haskell, Texas, bullfighter had to be the aggressor in several instances throughout the match. “I finally drew pretty good,” he said. “You have to take advantage of the good ones. Every bullfight is important, and it’s good to win this one. Now we move forward and get ready for Sikeston (Mo.).” RESULTS 1. Weston Rutkowski, 86.5 points; 2. Zach Call, 84; 3. Beau Schueth, 81; 4. Cody Greer, 80.5; 5. Schell Apple, 77.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Boudreaux Campbell is just 18 years old, but he proved he has plenty of talent to earn a trip to Las Vegas in December for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Steve Woolsey is a veteran at 31 years old, and he’s eager to return to ProRodeo’s grand championship. Both men made the moves necessary Tuesday night by sharing the victory at the Dodge City Roundup’s Xtreme Bulls competition. “I’m happy to finally be No. 1 and split it with Boudreaux,” said Woolsey, a six-time NFR qualifier from Payson, Utah. “That was a good little bull that I didn’t know anything about. I talked to Sage (Kimzey) before the bull riding, and he said he’s pretty sweet. He was.” The bull was JK Rodeo’s Reaper, and Woolsey knows a lot more about him after scoring 87 points to tie Campbell, who rode 4L and Diamond S Rodeo’s House of Pain. Both cowboys earned $4,459. “I didn’t know that bull at all, but everybody else said he was good,” said Campbell of Crockett, Texas. “He fit me, and it all worked out. “This is my first year. I grew up watching some of Steve’s tapes, so it’s awesome to split the win in Dodge City with him.” He is on the verge of earning that trip to Vegas. Heading into Tuesday’s event, he was 20th in the world standings. The money he earned in Dodge City will shoot his season earnings to more than $55,000. As it stands, he is already up to 16th – only the top 15 contestants in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the NFR. “Making the NFR was my goal coming into this year,” Campbell said. “If I could make the NFR this year as a rookie, then I could make my dream come true.” Woolsey has lived that dream half a dozen times in his career. He’s not ranked among the top 50 bull riders as of Aug. 1, but he knows there are plenty of opportunities to move up. “It’s been a pretty slow year,” he said. I’ve been healthy and felt good, but I’ve been riding a lot for 7.5 seconds. I’ve just not been breaking over that hump. I finally feel like I’ve got it figured out and got my old mojo back.” Dodge City Roundup Xtreme Bulls Dodge City, Kan. Aug. 1, 2017 1. (tie) Boudreaux Campbell, on 4L and Diamond S’s House of Pain, and Steve Woolsey, on JK Rodeo’s Reaper, 87 points, $4,459 each; 3. (tie) Jeston Mead and Trevor Reiste, 86.5, $2,356 each; 5. (tie) Jordan Wacey Spears and Eli Vastbinder, 84, $1,010 each; 7. (tie) Dustin Boquet and Chase Hamlin, 83.5, $589 each.

Vin Fisher Jr., a 13-time Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping qualifier from Andrews, Texas, earned the first Dodge City Roundup Rodeo title Tuesday afternoon. Andrews placed in just one round – he tied for third in the third go-round – but roped and tied three steers in a cumulative time of 36.7 seconds to win the crown. He earned $3,810. Cody Scheck, a four-time NFSR qualifier from Dighton, Kan., finished second with a three-run cumulative time of 40.4 seconds. Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Steer Roping Aug. 1, 2017 First round: 1. J.P. Wickett, 10.9 seconds, $1,842; 2. Jarrett Blessing, 11.1, $1,524; 3. Tony Reina, 11.2, $1,207; 4. (tie) Rocky Patterson and John Bland, 11.5, $730 each; 6. Reo Lohse, 11.8, $318. Second round: 1. Chet Herren, 9.7 seconds, $1,842; 2. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Cody Scheck and Travis Mills, 10.6, $1,207 each; 5. Scott Snedecor, 10.7, $572; 6. Cody Lee, 11.0, $318. Third round: 1. Trevor Brazile, 10.0, $1,842; 2. Jeff Whellis, 10.6, $1,524; 3. (tie) Bryce Davis and Vin Fisher Jr., 11.0, $1,048 each; 5. (tie) JoJo LeMond and Thomas Smith, 12.1, $445 each. Average: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., 36.7 seconds on three runs, $2,762; 2. Cody Scheck, 40.4, $2,286; 3. Kim Ziegelgruber, 42.1, $1,810; 4. Will Gasperson, 44.9, $1,334; 5. Corey Ross, 45.5, $857; 6. Travis Mills, 46.0, $476.

Bullfighters Only’s top stars to battle for titles in Dodge City, Sidney Zach Call and Cody Greer understand they are behind the eight ball when it comes to the race for the Bullfighters Only world championship. “I have a lot of ground to make up,” said Call of Mullen, Neb., the ninth-ranked bullfighter in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. Both bullfighters will get twice the opportunities this week in Dodge City, Kan., and Sidney, Iowa. Call and Greer will be part of a five-man battle Tuesday during Dodge City Roundup Rodeo’s Xtreme Bulls Tour/Bullfighters Only competition. “I used to go to college there, so it’s like a homecoming,” said Call, who attended Dodge City Community College from 2012-13. “I’m excited to go back, and it should be a really good bullfight.” He and Greer will be joined by reigning world champion Weston Rutkowski, Beau Schueth and Schell Apple. Greer – who is just returning from six weeks off due to an injury sustained in early June – will then make the 400-mile drive to Sidney in Iowa’s southwest corner to compete Wednesday. The competition there will feature four three-man bouts set for Tuesday-Friday. The winners of each night will advance to Saturday’s championship round. Call is scheduled to compete Thursday and hopes to return for the final performance. Call would love to make it three big bullfights in a five-day span by earning a trip to Sidney’s short round. “A lot of it depends on how the first bullfight goes,” Call said. “If you win your round, most of the time it’s pretty smooth.” Things haven’t gone so smoothly for the Nebraska man as of late. He’d like to change that around this week. “Right now, I’m not really happy with how the last two events have gone,” said Call, who finished third last weekend at the BFO stop in Burlington, Colo. “I like winning.” There’s nothing better than having multiple opportunities to clean up a few things in one man’s game. Take his last bout in eastern Colorado; since then, he’s gone over the video multiple times and dissected every second of it. “I look at my weak points and try to focus on them and make them strong points,” Call said. “You can look at what you did right and pat yourself on the back, but it’s the things that you did wrong that are keeping you from winning.” There were very few hiccups in Rutkowski’s run to the world title in 2016, but he always points to his run in Dodge City last year as the struggle he hopes to avoid. “That was the first time I’d ever taken last place at any bullfight I’d ever been in,” said Rutkowski, the No. 2 man in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “I got a piece of humble pie. “It’s a great rodeo, and we will have great bulls coming from Brett Hall. It’s another one on the list that I want to cross off, and I want to prove to those people that I can fight one.” It’s that kind of mentality that makes Bullfighters Only a big-time draw, whether it’s one night in southwest Kansas or five nights at Iowa’s Championship Rodeo. DODGE CITY CONTESTANTS Weston Rutkowski Beau Schueth Zach Call Cody Greer Schell Apple SIDNEY CONTESTANTS Evan Allard Dakota Knight Ray Carlson Dayton Spiel Cody Greer Ely Sharkey Tate Rhoads Kris Furr Zach Call Jimmy Essary Justin Josey Tanner Zarnetski