Monthly Archives: February 2019

Rutkowski wins San Antonio; Moorman claims Speedway Series title in Atlanta Between them, Weston Rutkowski and Chance Moorman made a combined $17,500 at Bullfighters Only events over the past weekend. It was a busy week for the BFO, with the sport’s richest one-day bullfight taking place Saturday afternoon in conjunction with the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo; it was followed by the season’s first Speedway Series event less than a day later at Atlanta Motor Speedway in conjunction with the QuikTrip 500 NASCAR race. In all, more than $35,000 was paid off at the two major stops. “You can’t put into words what it means to be in front of 17,000-plus fans in San Antonio,” said Rutkowski, who won the Wrangler Bullfight Tour stop and pocketed $12,500. “Now we’re packing out arenas like that, and the people know the BFO. It’s definitely surreal.” That’s because he’s been a part of freestyle’s premier organization’s growth from the ground up. Not only is he the three-time world champion, he also is one of the original BFO pioneers; a group of 15 bullfighters who have fought exclusively for BFO over the last three years. Moorman, on the other hand, is just nine months removed from his high school graduation and first BFO Development Camp. At 18, he’s definitely a rising star in the game and proved it in Atlanta, posting a 90-point fight in the championship round to win the title in dominant fashion. “The bulls we had there were a ton of fun,” said Moorman, who earned $5,000 for his victory. “The key was just to stay calm and collected. I let the bull do what he does; try to kill me. But I kept going at him.” He won his first-round bracket with an 87.5-point fight to advance to the finals, where he faced Rutkowski and Kris Furr of Hamptonville, North Carolina. That’s when he put together one of the strongest bullfights of the 2019 season, starting off with his signature move, a front flip over the bull from horns to tail. “That was probably the loudest they got all day,” Moorman said of the crowd. “We had a lot of rain, and guys weren’t too sure of the footing but I just decided to do that trick right out of the gate.” It paid off. He stayed smooth and in control of the red bull for the initial 40 second period, then added another jump to finish off the fight. Moorman’s 90-point score was the highest score of the entire weekend, and it’s his second 90-plus point fight in only three events. “When you’re in a fight like that, it just feels like slow motion,” said Moorman of Lytle, Texas. “With that red bull, it just felt super slow. I could drape my hand over him as he just went by. It was great.” Rutkowski, one of four men who competed at both events, has been impressed with what he’s seen in the teenager. “Chance is dangerous,” he said. “He’s a young kid with a bright future ahead of him.  He’s got a lot of talent, and he reads bulls well. For a young guy, he’s very seasoned. To watch as a fan, he’s got the total package. “He can jump out of the arena, and he’s going to be a contender for this season and a lot of years to come.” Rutkowski knows a bit about the game. He is the three-time champion of the BFO, and his earnings over the weekend moved him to the No. 1 spot in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. His win in the Alamo City was a key reason behind it. “It’s pretty easy to get excited when you’re in the middle of AT&T Center,” said Rutkowski of Haskell, Texas. “The atmosphere in there is just incredible. All you have to do is feel that energy, and you’re going to get excited. “The money that San Antonio puts up is second to none. It’s a testament to what the BFO has done for freestyle bullfighters like myself.” He was joined in the field at both events by Furr, Colt Oder and Tucker Lane, and they all boarded the same flight on Saturday evening to make sure they arrived together in Atlanta. Furr placed second in both states. “The beautiful thing about the BFO is you’re up against the best guys in the world,” Rutkowski said. “You’ve got guys like Kris Furr there, so you know if you stub your toe, they’re going to beat you.”

GUYMON, Okla. – Carson Kane and Bailey Akers grew up attending the annual Pioneer Days Rodeo, and now they’re helping produce it. Kane and Akers are lifelong Guymon residents, and every spring centered around the community celebration in this town of 11,500, the largest in the Oklahoma Panhandle. It was – and still is – a major part of family affairs and times gathered with friends. They are new members of the volunteer committee who organize and plan the annual rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. They’re also engaged and planning a June 1 wedding. “I’m 24 years old, and I’ve only missed one Pioneer Days weekend in my life,” said Kane, a full-time firefighter and paramedic with the Guymon Fire Department. “That was in 2011, and we couldn’t make it because the state golf tournament was that weekend.  My mom and dad took me to everything with Pioneer Days growing up. “I remember how devastated I was to not be there, but we won state, so that made up for it.” His fiancé is part of the family that own’s Naifeh’s Steak House, another Guymon tradition. Pioneer Days is a big weekend for the restaurant, so she understands the celebration’s importance to the community. “Then I started working at Anchor D (Bank), and that’s how I got involved with the rodeo,” she said. “We did a lot of stuff with the rodeo, and my boss, Lynne, does a lot, so I offered to help her last year. This year I joined the rodeo committee.” It’s a necessary part of the community-based event. It takes many man-hours to produce an event like this, the largest in Texas County annually. “The rodeo doesn’t run without these volunteers, and it’s always been a highlight event for Guymon,” Akers said. “We have people coming from all over the country to our town for our rodeo. I just wanted to be part of it and help my community as much as I could. “I think it brings in so much revenue, not just to the rodeo but also the hotels, restaurants and other businesses. It just gets Guymon’s name out there. I’ve always known that you never book anything the first weekend in May, because you know the rodeo’s going on and everybody’s going to that.” How big is Pioneer Days Rodeo? There are nearly 1,000 ProRodeo contestants who make their way to the region once known as “No Man’s Land.” In fact, the rodeo committee was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2002, PRCA members voted it the Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. “The rodeo is a big thing, because it’s so steeped with tradition,” Kane said. “It brings in revenue and brings people from all over the world who come to celebrate this town and this community. They schedule school reunions for Pioneer weekend. There’s something different every year, and it’s a changing dynamic.” It also brings in the very best cowboys from across the country. The slogan “Champions Come to Play the First Weekend in May” is true: there are dozens of world champions that have won the Pioneer Days Rodeo’s trophy belt in the event’s 87-year history. Both will be utilizing their backgrounds and their success in trying to make this year’s rodeo one of the best. Akers will help handle social media promotion, while Kane is working in sponsorships. Both are vital to the rodeo’s success: Promotion helps spread the word, and social media is one of the best methods of doing that, and events this size can’t make it without the support of sponsors. “I help my brother do our family business’ social media, so I know how important it is to utilize all forms of that to get the word out,” Akers said. Kane, though, uses his vibrant personality in talking to business owners and/or managers about partnering with the rodeo. It’s a strong marketing opportunity for the businesses as they also support a major community event. “Originally I was on the social media side, but then I got involved in the sponsorships,” he said. “I run a golf tournament for the fire department in August, so I’m used to going up to people and talking to them about sponsorships. I enjoy going to see these people and asking them to be involved, especially with something as big as Pioneer Days Rodeo.” Kane and Akers enjoy what they do for the rodeo, and they like why they do it. It takes a passion to volunteer for something so big, but it’s a labor of love. They know about that, too.

CINCH Timed Event Championship contestants helping youngsters get their start GUTHRIE, Okla. – The future of rodeo looks bright, and one of the reasons behind it is the Jr. Ironman Championship. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the kids to expose their talent,” said Erich Rogers, a CINCH Timed Event Championship regular from Round Rock, Arizona. “There’s a lot of raw talent in the world that nobody knows about, and the Jr. Ironman shows them they have the ability to do anything in the big leagues.” The Jr. Ironman features 10 all-around timed-event contestants ranging in age from 15-20 competing in tie-down roping, heading, heeling and steer wrestling. It is the perfect precursor to what happens over the five rounds of the CTEC, and it is a development system in place for the future of the 35-year-old championship. “I think the Junior Timed Event is really good,” said Trevor Brazile, the winningest all-around cowboy in the history of the sport. “I remember how excited I was when I was 18, and I came here to compete in this. To see the Junior Timed Event here and getting those young cowboys involved early – in being multi-event cowboys and not specializing – means a lot to me. “I hope to see some of those guys competing in the Timed Event in a few years. It gets in their blood early and lets them not be one-dimensional. For them to be able to reap the benefits of being a multi-event cowboy is fun to see. My hat’s off to the Lazy E for involving them.” Rogers is more than a CTEC competitor. He’s a world champion header who is proud of his Navajo roots. In fact, he’s supporting a fellow Navajo cowboy, teenager Hiyo Yazzi of Brimhall, New Mexico, who is part of the Jr. Ironman field. “He’s a young kid coming off the reservation, and he’s hungry,” Rogers said of Yazzi. “He’s got all the ability to do it.  I’ve been around him since he was a little guy, at junior rodeos, then on to high school and to the Indian rodeos. I competed against his dad several times, and his dad’s a pretty good hand right there on the reservation who had the ability to take off and rodeo, but he stayed behind to take care of those kids.” The champ works to motivate the young cowboy, avoid the pitfalls that come with living on the Navajo Nation and keep his focus on rodeo. “There’s a lot of stuff that happens back home,” Rogers said. “What little I got to see him, I just told him to stay away from the bad stuff. He’s got the talent and ability to make an impact in rodeo.” Jess Tierney is the 2017 CTEC champion who grew up around the event; his father is a four-time winner, and his brother has two titles. He likes what he sees with the growth of the Jr. Ironman, and part of that comes from being the rodeo coach at Western Oklahoma State College in Altus. “What rodeo does for kids today is outstanding,” Tierney said. “They’ve got a lot more chances to do things than we did when I was a kid. The Jr. Ironman is the ultimate in youth sports. When you look at rodeo these days, there are a lot of single-event cowboys. There aren’t a lot of people doing multiple events. “I think the Jr. Ironman keeps kids interested in being an all-around cowboy, which I like. To just be a cowboy, it’s so impressive when you can do anything you need to do with a rope or sitting behind a barrier. The Timed Event is so special, and the future for it looks bright because of this.” He’s also been visiting with another Jr. Ironman competitor, Cole Walker of Sparta, Tennessee. It’s not been much a mentorship, but Tierney likes what he sees in Walker. “He’s a real impressive kid who has a great personality and a great outlook on what he’s doing,” Tierney said. “He’s very talented, and I think he’ll have some success there.” But there are eight others vying for the top prize and the opportunity to stake claim to the title. This is just the third year for the Jr. Ironman, but it’s building a foundation for years to come. “It’s making things better for rodeo,” Rogers said. “It’s making the rodeo industry for the Timed Event and for cowboys in general. It brings all the young caliber of ropers that have that ability. You just don’t see that in a cowboy every day.” There’s also something about the youngsters who are willing to step out of their comfort zones and try their hands at events they haven’t mastered. The Jr. Ironman, just like the CTEC, is a rugged test of mental and physical challenges. “What I like about the Jr. Ironman is they’ve got some grit,” Tierney said. “Kids that are going to be in that event are my kind of kids, because they look for ways to win instead of making excuses. That’s what I like. “We’re going to lose enough in life, so we might as well figure out how to win.” 2018 Jr. Ironman Championship Contestants Rowdy Norwood – Amarillo, Texas                                        Quade Hiatt – Canyon, Texas Rylen Sutherland – Benton, Kentucky                                   Trevor Meier – Garden City, Kansas Dillon Jones – Weir, Mississippi                                             Hiyo Yazzi – Brimhall, New Mexico Allen Morse – Dawson Springs, Kentucky                             Cole Walker – Sparta, Tennessee Laine Moore – Asbury, Alabama                                            Charles Tyler West – Mertzon, Texas

2018 CINCH Timed Event Championship winner knows the challenges he will face GUTHRIE, Okla – Jordan Ketscher has had the last year to reflect and remember the biggest win of his young career. “Watching last year’s (CINCH) Timed Event Championship still gives me chills,” he said of viewing replays of his magical win. “Just to be in the arena with the top 20 timed-event cowboys is pretty unreal. To get that victory let me know that all the practices paid off and that it’s worked out. That means everything.” Ketscher beat a talented field to stake the claim as the champion of the “Ironman of ProRodeo,” the most unique event in all of Western sports. He roped, wrestled and tied 25 animals in 324.3 seconds to become just the 14th man in the CTEC’s 35-year history to claim the prestigious gold buckle. His task now is to defend that title, and he will get that chance during the five-round, three-day festival. “I’ve got to practice and keep working at it,” said Ketscher, 29, of Squaw Valley, California. “I know if I’m not, somebody else is. It’s not an easy feat. I know everybody’s going to be on their A game, so I’ve got to be, too.” The field of features six of the 14 past champions, including Ketscher, Jess Tierney, Paul David Teirney, Kyle Lockett, K.C. Jones and Trevor Brazile. It’s a true test of each cowboy’s skill, endurance and fortitude. It’s where steer wrestlers rope and ropers bulldog, and it happens over a rugged five-round competition held over just three days, March 8-10 at the Lazy E Arena. Added to the event will be the marketplace and the CINCH Fan Zone. The marketplace will have fashion, tack, leather goods, farm and ranch equipment and more. The CINCH Fan Zone will have autograph sessions daily beginning after the noon at 7:30 p.m. performances on Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9. It will also feature a bar, games, giveaways, a lounge area to watch each performance live, a photo booth and the CINCH Kids Dummy Roping presented by Smarty – kids can rope with the Jr. Ironman contestants before the Friday and Saturday evening performances. The key ingredient, though, is what happens inside the arena. “The reason I like it is you have to go there and do all five events,” Ketscher said. “It’s not like you can expect to do good in all five. You’ve got to work on your weaknesses. I’ve got to work on my steer roping and get a little better at it, because I know that’s where I’m going to lose a little time. “You have to compete in events you’re not comfortable with and get through it. It’s exciting. It’s not like a rodeo, where you have to try to place in the top five or six. In each event, you have to make the best run you can and let the average take care of itself.” While the top three in each round will pocket money, the big prizes come at the conclusion of the CTEC. The event champion with the best aggregate score through 25 runs will pocket $100,000. Ketscher earned $103,000 last March because he also won the third round. “That money sure helps out, lets you get some horses paid for, buy some new horses and set yourself up for the upcoming years,” he said. It’s not easy. “It’s a combination of a physical and mental grind,” Ketscher said. “Because you run so many times, the physical part comes into play. You try not to, but the $100,000 is in the back of your mind, and that just wears on you mentally through the weekend. You can start off great, then have one thing take you down. You’ve just got to keep a level head through the whole thing.” That’s easier said than done, which is why so few people have won the title since it first began in 1985. Whether it’s Brazile’s record of seven CTEC championships or Jones’ five titles, few people understand just how tough it is. “I think the key to winning is being consistent and keeping that mental attitude strong throughout the whole thing, not letting one thing get you down too much,” Ketscher said. “You’ve just got to play it smart, reflecting back to where you’re making those good runs.”

ALVA, Okla. – Alyssa Gabrielson and Kayla Copenhaver have been putting in a lot of extra work preparing for the spring half of the Central Plains Region season, along with their teammates. The preparation paid off this past weekend; Gabrielson and Copenhaver were the driving forces behind the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team winning the women’s title at the Kansas State University. Both left Manhattan, Kansas, with titles: Copenhaver won barrel racing, while Gabrielson parlayed solid runs in barrel racing and breakaway roping to claim the all-around title. “What makes me most proud is us winning as a team,” said Gabrielson, a senior from Perham, Minnesota. “As a team, we did really good, and it looks good on the school. It feels good after a rough fall.” The fall semester featured four events, and the Rangers women were down the list in the team standings. Now they’re hoping to capitalize on the six-event spring semester to return as one of the top two teams in the region so they can advance a full team to the College National Finals Rodeo. “Everybody’s been working hard, and I think it showed,” Gabrielson said. Copenhaver and Gabrielson both posted 13.03-second runs to share second place in the opening round. Copenhaver then won the championship round with a 12.67-second run, and her two-run cumulative time was seven-hundredths of a second faster than the No. 2 cowgirl. Gabrielson was third in the final round and the aggregate. “I’ve been legging up my horse really good, and I knew she would like that pen because she likes little pens,” said Copenhaver, a sophomore from St. James, Missouri. “I also tried not to stress about it, too, because that’s been a sticking point with me.” The relaxed approach worked. She moves into the No. 3 spot in the regional barrel racing standings. That’s important as she looks to wrap the final five events of the campaign and finish among the magical top 3 – while only the top two teams in the circuit advance to the college finals, the top three individuals in each event qualify automatically. “I wasn’t expecting to win it,” said Copenhaver, who was joined in the short round by Ashlyn Moeder of Oakley, Kansas, and Trinity St. Andrews of Newkirk, Oklahoma – Moeder finished fifth and St. Andrews sixth. “I was planning to make the short go because she likes that size of arena, and I was planning to do good. Winning it just topped it off.” Gabrielson was one of two Rangers who made the final round in breakaway roping, joining Taylor Munsell of Arnett, Oklahoma. Munsell won the first round, finished third in the short round and finished fifth overall. Gabrielson placed fourth in both the short round and average to secure more points for herself and the team. Northwestern’s women won the team title with 395 points, 180 more than the runners-up. That was a statement for the Rangers in Manhattan. “My good barrel horse that I ran this weekend got hurt last year at this rodeo, so it was good to have her back,” Gabrielson said of Mady, an 11-year-old palomino mare. “She won the short round in Manhattan last year, then a week later the vets told me she’d torn her tendon. “I think the team victory shows how much hard work we’ve put in.” In goat-tying, both Meghan Corr of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Aundrea Dufrain of Dawson, Minnesota, advanced to the championship round, then found points there. Corr finished second in the short round with a 7.7-second run, and Dufrain was a 10th of a second behind for third. Overall, Corr finished third and Dufrain fourth. The men’s team was paced by steer wrestler Bridger Anderson, a sophomore from Carrington, North Dakota. He was 4.8 to share the first-round win, then was 5.1 to finish second in the short round; his cumulative time on two runs gave him the aggregate championship. Kelton Hill of Canadian, Texas, finished second in the first round of tie-down roping, while Ethan Price of Leedey, Oklahoma, finished in a tie for sixth place; Riley Wakefield of O’Neill, Nebraska, joined them in the final round. Hill was unable to snag his calf in the short round, but Wakefield posted a 9.5-second run to finish fourth; Price was 9.9 and finished in a tie for fifth place in the round. Price’s two-run total of 19.5 seconds was good enough for fifth overall, while Wakefield’s 19.9 was sixth. In team roping, heeler Tanner Nall of Colcord, Oklahoma, finished second in both rounds and the average with his partner, Ethan Griffin of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, while header Danniel Durkes of Eskridge, Kansas, finished third in the first round and fifth overall with his partner, Zeke Hall of Fort Hays (Kansas) State University. While the men had success, it was the Northwestern women who stole the show in Manhattan. It all adds up to a solid start to the spring portion of the season for the team coached by Stockton Graves. “Stockton helps with my mind, focusing on the mental game,” Gabrielson said. “I used to struggle in the short goes, but he has helped me sit down and focus, know what I’m there to do and not look ahead. He really tells us to take each rodeo at a time, and the results at the end of the year will show.” It’s working.

Top freestyle bullfighters to battle for sport’s biggest one-day purse SAN ANTONIO – When Toby Inman walked down the tunnel into the AT&T Center a year ago, he marveled at the surroundings associated with the legendary San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. “I really didn’t know what to expect,” said Inman, the reigning BFO San Antonio Wrangler Bullfight champion from Davis Junction, Illinois. “It was a crazy atmosphere, so it was easy to get pumped up to do big tricks in front of a crowd like that.” The Wrangler Bullfights return to this year’s San Antonio Xtreme Bulls event, set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Inman is one of six elite bullfighters vying for the richest one-day paycheck in the sport; the San Antonio rodeo is offering a $25,000 purse. “It’s exciting for me just to be part of it,” said Weston Rutkowski, the three-time Bullfighters Only world champion. He will be joined by fellow veterans Inman, Kris Furr and Ross Hill – and a couple of newcomers in Tucker Lane and Colt Oder. “There are only six of us invited to go; that means a lot in itself. “To compete for the amount of money that’s there is incredible. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.” Rutkowski earned his spot, as did the other five men in the mix. The San Antonio BFO event is part of the prestigious Wrangler Bullfight Tour, which was developed decades ago and re-invigorated by the BFO. To qualify for the event, bullfighters had to finish inside the top 6 in the 2018 Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “I feel extremely lucky to be part of this event,” said Tucker Lane of Oak Grove, Missouri. “Everything’s been a giant step-up to me, with Ada (Oklahoma) being my first big deal, and that was a huge crowd. “I can’t wait to be in an arena like that, because it has so much history, and being in the field with the top guys in the world after being on tour for just a few months.” That’s the reality of BFO, which only features the greatest athletes in the game. Lane worked his way up the standings through the rigors of the 2018 season and finished the campaign higher than expected in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “These young cats have proven themselves and they are worthy of competing for money like this,” Rutkowski said. “This will be a cool event for them. Then you’ve got us veterans, and we’re going to have our hands full. Just because we’ve been there and done that doesn’t mean these kids will bow down.” That just adds to the drama that is freestyle bullfighting, but the action is what keeps fans on the edges of their seats. Bullfighters Only features the best bulls in the game, and San Antonio will be a true test with Rockin’ B & Magnifica providing the livestock. “I know it’s going to be a great show, because nobody is going to hold anything back,” Lane said. “It’s definitely going to be exciting.” CONTESTANTS Weston Rutkowski Toby Inman Kris Furr Ross Hill Tucker Lane Colt Oder

SAN ANGELO, Texas – As Caleb Bennett reflected on his San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo bareback riding championship, he noted that the final round was a bit different than past years. “The San Angelo short round has always been a high-scoring affair in bareback riding,” said Bennett, who matched moves with Northcott Macza’s Spilled Perfume for 93 points on Friday night to claim the title. “Instead of it being a bunch of high-scoring rides on really electric bucking horses, this one was about having to ride the smarter, buckier ones.” That was definitely the case with Spilled Perfume, a powerfully athletic bay bucking horse that is typically featured in the “eliminator pen” at the National Finals Rodeo because it is one of the toughest-to-ride equines in the game. “I had her at the Canadian Finals in 2017, and I ended up second in the round there after a pretty good go at her,” said Bennett, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Corvallis, Montana, who posted the highest score of his career Friday night. “That’s all I kept replaying in my head all day … that good trip with her. “She’s definitely stepped it up a notch since then. She’s a lot more of a horse. She just bucks. She’s got a little hesitating rear out of the chute; when she hits the ground, she hits so hard that she shoves the riggin’ into your gut.” The result was two arena records for the Utah-born cowboy. He beat his score of 90.5 points from the 2016 rodeo, then his two-ride cumulative score of 178.5 topped the mark set the same year by Jake Vold. Where most bucking horses will start out strong, he said, they typically line out and perform a more natural bucking motion. That wasn’t the case with Spilled Perfume. “She just keeps getting stronger, and she dang sure got stronger today,” he said. “That was a fist-fight, riggin’-fight, 93-point bareback ride. “That bareback riding short round ranks right up there among the greatest, but that’s typically the case in San Angelo. When you make the San Angelo short round, you’re sexcited to go, because you know you’re going to have to be 88, 89 or 90 to win the round and have a high score just to place in the round.” For his efforts in this west Texas community, Bennett has earned $8,333, all of which will go toward his place in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. He returns to Foster Communications Coliseum on Saturday for the Cinch Chute Out. “That’s a heck of a chunk of money to win here,” said Bennett, who finished the 2018 season sixth in the world standings with more than $240,000 in earnings. “I didn’t have any luck at Denver. This is only the third rodeo I’ve been to so far this year, so to win it and get the ball rolling feels awesome. “It takes some weight off your shoulders, lets you breathe easy for a minute and keeps your confidence level up there and keeps you rolling to the next one. Momentum is so big in our sport, so you just want to ride that momentum as long as you can.” It’s that type of mindset that has seen him as one of the best in the game for a long time. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding: 1. 2. Nate S. McFadden, 90 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s South Point Gambler, $4,890; 2. Bill Tutor, 88, $3,749; 2. Kody Lamb, 85, $2,771; 3. Caleb Bennett, 85.5, $1,793; 4. (tie) Austin Foss and Clayton Biglow, 85, $978 each; 7. (tie) Taylor Broussard, Jake Vold and Wyatt Ortega, 84, $380 each. Final round: 1. Caleb Bennett, 93 points on Northcott Macza’s Spilled Perfume, $1,650; 2. Clayton Biglow, 89.5, $1,250; 3. Kody Lamb, 89, $900; 4. Hunter Brasfield, 85.5, $600; 5. (tie) Zach Hibler and Tanner Aus, 82, $300 each. Average: 1. Caleb Bennett, 178.5 points on two rides, $4,890; 2. Kody Lamb, 175, $3,749; 3. Clayton Biglow, 174.5, $2,771; 4. Hunter Brasfield, 168.5, $1,793; 5. Wyatt Ortega, 165.5, $1,141; 6. Tanner Aus, 164.5, $815; 7. Zach Hibler, 164, $652; 8. Jake Vold, 154, $489. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds, $3,636; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7, $2,925 each; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Sam Shelton, 3.8, $1,976 each; 6. Denell Henderson, 3.9, $1,265; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.0, $791; 8. Dru Melvin, 4.2, $316. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds, $3,636; 2. Edward Beardsworth, 3.7, $4,162; 3. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8, $2.688; 4. Tom Lewis, 3.9, $2,213; 5. (tie) Tanner Brunner, Gary Gilbert and Bridger Anderson, 4.0, $1,265; 8. (tie) Sam Powers, Ross Mosher and Josh Garner, 4.1, $106 each. Final round: 1. Cody Devers, 3.5 seconds, $1,645; 2. Tyler Pearson, 4.3, $1,430; 3. Jacob Edler, 4.4, $1,216; 4. Mike McGinn, 4.5, $1,001; 5. Tucker Allen, 4.6, $787; 6. Denell Henderson, 5.0, $572; 7. Stephen Culling, 6.5, $358; 8. Josh Clark, 12.5, $143. Average: 1. Tucker Allen, 12.8 seconds on three runs, $5,455; 2. Cody Devers, 13.2, $4,743; 3. Denell Henderson, 13.3, $4,032; 4. Jacob Edler, 13.6, $4,032; 5. Tyler Pearson, 13.8, $2,609; 6. Mike McGinn, 14.3, $1,897; 7. Stephen Culling, 16.2, $1,186; 8. Josh Clark, 21.2, $474. Team roping: First round: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds, $3,763; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Rich Skelton, 3.7, $3,272; 3. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 3.8, $2,782; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 3.9, $2,291; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, Manny Equsquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy and Tyler Waters/Brady Norman, 4.0, $1,309 each; 8. Anthony Lucia/Wesley Moss, 4.1, $327. Second round: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds, $3,763; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Paul Eaves and Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, 3.6, $3,027 each; 4. Brandon Webb/Kollin VonAhn, 3.7, $2,291; 5. (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, Lathen Bryant/Morgan McVay and Shane Phillip/John Phillip, 3.8, $1,309; 8. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 3.9, $327. Final round: 1. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 4.2 seconds, $1,711; 2. Garett ChickRoss Ashford, 4.6, $1,416; 3. Lane Santos  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Something magical happens when 90-point rides occur at a rodeo. The sparks flew Thursday night when Nate McFadden spurred Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s South Point Gambler for 90 points to win the first round of bareback riding at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. “That was my first time to ever be 90,” said McFadden, 26, a fourth-year pro from tiny Elsmere, Neb. “It’s something you can’t even explain. It’s so tough to be 90 points. You have to draw the right horse and be at the right rodeo. The starts have to align. I’ve been waiting for it, and it feels outstanding.” By winning the round, he earned $4,890 and has the top spot heading into Friday’s championship round. Only the top 12 contestants in each event advance to the short round, so it’s a true showcase of the best of the best in San Angelo this year. That may have been the best description for the match-up between McFadden and South Point Gambler, a 5-year-old buckskin that was raised on the Carr Ranch in eastern Texas. “It was a young horse, and I didn’t know a lot about him,” he said. “They bucked him once this year in West Monroe (Louisiana), and I’d seen the video. They said he really bucked and would be electric and good. “Anytime you can get on a colt out of River Boat Annie, you know there’s something special. (South Point Gambler) is outstanding.” Friday will mark the first time McFadden has qualified for the San Angelo short round, but he’s excited to be part of that exclusive field. “I turned it around big time,” he said with a laugh. “This coliseum is electric. The crowd here is amazing, and it feels like the horses buck in this arena.” They have over the last few weeks, anyway. In bareback riding, cowboys had to have scores of at least 84 points to place in the opening round. The bottom score making it back to Friday’s round is Tanner Aus’ 82.5. “My No. 1 goal is to make the (National) Finals, but that’s my goal every year,” said McFadden, who has qualified for the regional championship – the circuit finals – each of the past four years. “I would really like to win the circuit this year and make it down to Kissimmee (Florida).” The winners of each region – along with the winners of each circuit finale – advance to the National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which takes place in Florida every spring. It would just be the next step for the lifelong cowboy who was raised on a ranch in the middle of Nebraska. For now, though, he’s just enjoying his ride in San Angelo. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding: 1. 2. Nate S. McFadden, 90 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s South Point Gambler, $4,890; 2. Bill Tutor, 88, $3,749; 2. Kody Lamb, 85, $2,771; 3. Caleb Bennett, 85.5, $1793; 4. (tie) Austin Foss and Clayton Biglow, 85, $978 each; 7. (tie) Taylor Broussard, Jake Vold, 84, $380 each; 10. (tie) Hunter Brasfield and David Peebles, 83; 12. Tanner Aus, 82.5. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds, $3,636; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7, $2,925 each; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Sam Shelton, 3.8, $1,976 each; 6. Denell Henderson, 3.9, $1,265; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.0, $791; 8. Dru Melvin, 4.2, $316. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds, $3,636; 2. Edward Beardsworth, 3.7, $4,162; 3. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8, $2.688; 4. Tom Lewis, 3.9, $2,213; 5. (tie) Tanner Brunner, Gary Gilbert and Bridger Anderson, 4.0, $1,265; 8. (tie) Sam Powers, Ross Mosher and Josh Garner, 4.1, $106 each. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Tucker Allen, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 3. Denell Henderson, 8.3; 4. Dru Melvin, 8.4; 5. Josh Clark, 8.7; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler and Blake Knowles, 9.2; 8. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 9. Payden McIntyre, 9.6; 10. (tie) Stephen Culling and Cody Devers, 9.7; 12. Mike McGinn, 9.8. Team roping: First round: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds, $3,763; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Rich Skelton, 3.7, $3,272; 3. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 3.8, $2,782; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 3.9, $2,291; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, Manny Equsquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy and Tyler Waters/Brady Norman, 4.0, $1,309 each; 8. Anthony Lucia/Wesley Moss, 4.1, $327. Second round: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds, $3,763; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Paul Eaves and Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, 3.6, $3,027 each; 4. Brandon Webb/Kollin VonAhn, 3.7, $2,291; 5. (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, Lathen Bryant/Morgan McVay and Shane Phillip/John Phillip, 3.8, $1,309; 8. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 3.9, $327. Average leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 7.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 8.1; 3. Kelsey Parchman/Matt Kasner, 8.5; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 9.5; 5. Garett Chick/Ross Ashford, 9.7; 6. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 9.8; 7. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 10.0; 8. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy, 10.1; 9. Curry Kirchner/Daniel Reed, 10.3; 10. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 11.5; 11. Lane Santos Karney/Dillon Wingereid, 11.9; 12. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes and Ryan Reed/Monty Joe Petska, 13.4s. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Zeke Thurston, 88.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Aces Wild, $3,508; 2. (tie) Rusty Wright and Lefty Holman, 87.5, $2,339 each; 4. (tie) Cody DeMoss and Colt Gordon, 87, $1,052 each; 6. Ryder Wright, 84, $585; 7. Jade Blackwell, 83.5, $468; 8. (tie) Preston Burr, Wade Sundell, Chase Brooks and Shade Etbauer, 83, $88 each; 12. Kolby Wanchuk, 82.5. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Jake Pratt, 7.0 seconds, $4,792; 2. Michael Otero, 7.1, $4,167; 3. Kyle Lucas, 7.4, $3,542; 4. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Blair Smith, 7.5, $2,604 each; 6. Tuf Cooper, 7.6, $1,667; 7. (tie) Blane Cox, John Douch and Bryson Sechrist, 7.7, $486 each. Second round: 1. Adam Gray, 7.1 seconds, $4,792; 2. (tie) Justin Smith, Marty Yates Bradley Bynum, 7.2, $3,542 each; 5. (tie) Tyler Milligan, Cory Solomon and Reid H. Zapalac, 7.3, $1,667 each; 6. (tie) Cimarron Boardman and Jesse Clark, 7.6,  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Zeke Thurston is just 24 years old, but he’s already become one of the bet saddle bronc riders in rodeo. He burst onto the scene in 2015 and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo as a rookie. He followed it a year later with the most coveted prize in the game, a world champion’s gold buckle. Now he’s a four-time NFR qualifier. On Wednesday night, Thurston rode Rafter H Rodeo’s Aces Wild for 88.5 points to take the saddle bronc riding lead at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo inside Foster Communications Coliseum. “I didn’t know a whole lot about that horse,” said Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta. “I looked it up on stock stats to see what they’d been on her, and I asked a couple guys about her. She ended up being everything they said she was. “She just turned out of there, and when she hit, she was jumping and kicking. She was flashy and electric. I got a good spur out, and it rolled on from there.” In both bareback riding and bronc riding, cowboys start their rides with the heels of their boots over the front of the horse’s shoulders. It’s the key to getting into a good rhythm with the bucking animal. It’s also necessary; failure to secure the proper mark-out results in a no score. Thurston finished the 2018 season strong. He pocketed just shy of $150,000 at the NFR in December and finished the campaign with $262,041 – third in the world standings. He knows every check he can collect any time of year can be the key to winning another gold buckle. Getting off to a good start to the new season is always beneficial. “It’s not as much as being important; it’s that it gives you confidence and relief knowing that you’ve got money won,” said Thurston, whose father, Skeeter, was a six-time NFR qualifier in bronc riding. “There’s a lot of money to be won all year. “To start the year off and get the ball rolling is the main thing that helps. When you’re riding good and feeling good, it tends to go a lot better, and you can have a lot of fun.” He’s definitely having fun, and the fans in San Angelo helped. “It’s a west Texas town with a lot of agriculture around here, and it has a lot of rodeo fans because of the area,” said Thurston, who is seventh in the world standings. “It’s a Wednesday night, and that’s a pretty good-sized building that was packed. The people around here like their rodeo. The crowd really gets into it; it’s a really good rodeo.” While Thurston knew nothing about Aces Wild, fellow Canadian Kody Lamb knew a little more about his horse; he just didn’t like what he knew. After his original horse was injured, Lamb was matched with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pink Cadillac, a powerful red roan mare that has a notorious reputation for being hard on cowboys. “When I found out my horse was crippled, they told me that I had one of three horses,” said Lamb of Sherwood Park, Alberta. “I knew about all of them, and the one I liked least was the one I got.” He did everything he could to give the strong horse her best chance, and it paid off for 86.5 points, moving Lamb into second place with one preliminary round remaining in San Angelo. When Thursday’s final performance is complete, the top 12 contestants in each event advance to Friday’s championship round. The champions will be crowned that night, and he has earned his spot in that field. “She was really good,” Lamb said of Pink Cadillac. “She took a scoot right out of the chute, then bucked really good.” He’ll have a day to rest, then he returns to fight for his shot at the San Angelo title. “I was in the short round here a couple years ago, and the horses are always really good,” he said. “It’s huge to the start of the season. I made the short round in Denver but didn’t win much money there ($217 for placing in the opening round). I’m in a little better position here. It’s good to be able to make it back here Friday. I’m excited.” He should be. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. Kody Lamb, 85; 3. Caleb Bennett, 85.5; 4. Austin Foss, 85; 5. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 7. (tie) Hunter Brasfield and David Peebles, 83; 9. Tanner Aus, 82.5; 10. Zach Hibler, 82; 11. Jesse Pope, 81; 12. (tie) Tony Barrington and Cody Cabeen, 79. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds, $3,636; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7, $2,925 each; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Sam Shelton, 3.8, $1,976 each; 6. Denell Henderson, 3.9, $1,265; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.0, $791; 8. Dru Melvin, 4.2, $316. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.9; 4. (tie) Tanner Brunner and Gary Gilbert, 4.0; 6. (tie) Sam Powers, Ross Mosher and Josh Garner, 4.1. Average: 1. Scott Guenthner, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Tucker Allen, 8.2; 3. Denell Henderson, 8.3; 4. Dru Melvin, 8.4; 5. Josh Clark, 8.7; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler and Blake Knowles, 9.2; 8. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 9. Payden McIntyre, 9.6; 10. (tie) Stephen Culling and Cody Devers, 9.7; 12. Mike McGinn, 9.8. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds, $3,763; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Rich Skelton, 3.7, $3,272; 3. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 3.8, $2,782; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 3.9, $2,291; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, Manny Equsquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy and Tyler Waters/Brady Norman, 4.0, $1,309 each; 8. Anthony Lucia/Wesley Moss, 4.1, $327w2er. Second round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Paul Eaves and Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, 3.6;  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Around the time of his 42nd birthday last November, Trevor Brazile announced that he was slowing down his rodeo schedule, meaning the 2018 National Finals Rodeo was likely to be his last. He proved this weekend at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo that he’s not done. On Saturday night, he roped and tied his calf in 7.5 seconds and is fourth in the opening round; on Sunday afternoon, he stopped the clock in 7.7 seconds and is eighth in the second round. His cumulative time of 15.2 seconds is atop the leaderboard, sharing the top spot with Michael Otero of Weatherford, Texas, with just two preliminary performances remaining on Wednesday and Thursday. “I didn’t say I wanted to win part time,” said Brazile, the winningest cowboy in ProRodeo history with 24 world championships. “I said I wanted to go part time.” He’s used to winning and has been doing so since his rookie season 24 years ago. Those overall gold buckles are a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association record, as are the 14 all-around crowns. He’s won individual titles in heading, tie-down roping and steer roping, and he’s one of just two men to have qualified for the National Finals in all four roping disciplines – he first qualified in 1998 as a heeler. Brazile has qualified for the National Finals 52 times – 31 to the NFR and 21 to the National Finals Steer Roping, which is a separate event from the 10-day championship in Las Vegas but still features only the top 15 steer ropers in the game. So, it’s no wonder he wanted to take a break from the game and focus his attention toward his family, which includes his wife, Shada, and their three children. “There are a lot of big rodeos in the first quarter of the year, and most of them happen in Texas,” Brazile said, noting that living in Decatur, Texas, allows him to make those events easier; San Angelo’s rodeo overlaps other big stock shows in Fort Worth and San Antonio and leads into another in Houston. As for his runs over the weekend, he credits a smart approach to his tie to being at the top of race heading into the championship round, which takes place Friday and features just the top 12 contestants in each event from the preliminary rounds. “I put two wraps on those calves,” he said, explaining that it makes for a more secure tie to the calf’s three legs and cuts down on the chances that the animal can break free of the grasp, which would have resulted in a no-time. “The first one I had at Fort Worth kicked lose for me to win the first round because I put a wrap and a hooey on him, so I wasn’t going to let that happen again.” Brazile will return to San Angelo for a four-day run inside the storied coliseum. He and Clay O’Brien Cooper will compete in team roping Wednesday and Thursday, then there’s the short round on Friday and the Chute-Out on Saturday. “It’s always a great rodeo,” Brazile said. “I always say I love to compete there, because there are so many tie-down roping fans. There are a lot of rodeo fans in general, too, but between the (Roping) Fiesta and the stock show, there are some die-hard roping fans.” No wonder he’s already excited about his return to west Texas in just a few days. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. Caleb Bennett, 85.5; 3. Austin Foss, 85; 4. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 6. (tie) Hunter Brasfield and David Peebles, 83; 8. Tanner Aus, 82.5; 9. Zach Hibler, 82; 10. Jesse Pope, 81; 11. (tie) Tony Barrington and Cody Cabeen, 79. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Sam Shelton, 3.8; 6. Denell Henderson, 3.9; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.0; 8. Dru Melvin, 4.2. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.9; 4. (tie) Tanner Brunner and Gary Gilbert, 4.0; 6. (tie) Sam Powers, Ross Mosher and Josh Garner, 4.1. Average: 1. Scott Guenthner, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Tucker Allen, 8.2; 3. Denell Henderson, 8.3; 4. Dru Melvin, 8.4; 5. Josh Clark, 8.7; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler and Blake Knowles, 9.2; 8. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 9. Payden McIntyre, 9.6; 10. (tie) Stephen Culling and Cody Devers, 9.7; 12. Mike McGinn, 9.8. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Rich Skelton, 3.7; 3. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 3.8; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 3.9; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, Manny Equsquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy and Tyler Waters/Brady Norman, 4.0; 8. Anthony Lucia/Wesley Moss, 4.1. Second round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Paul Eaves and Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, 3.6; 4. Brandon Webb/Kollin VonAhn, 3.7; 5. (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, Lathen Bryant/Morgan McVay and Shane Phillip/John Phillip, 3.8; 8. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 3.9. Average leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 7.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 8.1; 3. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 9.5; 4. Garett Chick/Ross Ashford, 9.7; 5. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 9.8; 6. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 10.0; 7. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy, 10.1; 8. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 11.5; 9. Lane Santos Karney/Dillon Wingereid, 11.9; 10. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes and Ryan Reed/Monty Joe Petska, 13.4; 12. Cory Clark/Lane Mitchell, 13.7. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Rusty Wright, 87.5 points on Northcott & Macza’s Banshee; 2. (tie) Cody DeMoss and Colt Gordon, 87; 4. Ryder Wright, 84; 5. (tie) Preston Burr, Wade Sundell and Chase Brooks, 83; 8. Kolby Wanchuk, 82.5; 9. (tie) Aaron Lide and Wyatt Casper, 82; 11. Brody Cress, 81.5; 12. (tie) Tate Owens, Hawkins Boyce, Jake Wright and CoBurn Bradshaw, 81. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1.  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – While residents in this west Texas town were bundled up in layers and parkas, Scott Guenthner was enjoying his own little heat wave at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. From the tiny hamlet of Provost in eastern Alberta, temperatures in the 30s were likely quite comfortable to Guenthner. If they weren’t, he provided a bit of his own sizzle to his Saturday in San Angelo, bulldogging two steers in a cumulative time of 8.2 seconds to take the overall steer wrestling lead – he was 3.8 seconds on Saturday afternoon, then followed with a 4.4-second run that evening. “I had a good day,” said Guenthner, a 27-year-old cowboy who has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo each of the past two seasons. “I haven’t really had much luck this winter, so I needed to change my luck, and it worked today.” He found his luck in drawing two solid steers and having a couple of strong horses working in his favor. Guenthner rode Rooster, owned by fellow bulldogger Bridger Chambers, and had assistance from his traveling partner, Tanner Milan, who hazed for him while riding Major. The two equine partners helped put Guenthner in position during both runs in front of packed stands at Foster Communications Coliseum. “I enjoy running two in the same day during the performances,” he said. “It makes it fun, and I like it better than slack, where I really have to motivate myself to get pumped up.” In rodeo, slack refers to the overflow of contestants who are in the competition but did not run in any of the paid performances. For bulldoggers, tie-down ropers and team ropers, that took place this past Monday and Tuesday. They all compete against one another, and the top 12 in the two-run aggregate through next Thursday’s 10th performance will return Friday to compete in the championship round. “That is a really loud, intense crowd,” said Guenthner, who is fifth in the world standings. “They really get behind you. You can hear them when you ride out into the arena, and it got really loud in the middle of the pen when I threw those steers over. That’s a big thing to us cowboys, because it really gets us motivated.” Of course, he wants to stay that way through the campaign. In rodeo, the 2019 regular season began Oct. 1, 2018, and won’t end until Sept. 30. The goal for all contestants is to be among the top 15 on the money list by that date to secure their spots at the NFR, which features the largest purse in the sport paid out over 10 December nights in Las Vegas. Over the last two seasons, Guenthner has earned nearly $375,000 wrestling bovines, $195,562 coming at the NFR. “Horsepower is huge there, especially with the fast start,” he said. “My first year there, I rode my own horse for a couple of rounds, then I switched horses and rode Tom Lewis’. This past NFR, I got on Curtis Cassidy’s horse the whole NFR, and it paid off. “Coming off a good NFR definitely helps your year. I had a good start (to 2019) by winning Waco (Texas), but the momentum from the NFR is a big deal. You’ve had a good finals, and you want to carry that over. You need to build up some money this time of year before you get the spring when you’re going just once a week or once every couple of weeks.” If his hot streak in San Angelo stays this way, he could do just that. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. Caleb Bennett, 85.5; 3. Austin Foss, 85; 4. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 6. (tie) Hunter Brasfield and David Peebles, 83; 8. Zach Hibler, 82; 9. Jesse Pope, 81; 10. (tie) Tony Barrington and Cody Cabeen, 79; 12. Grant Denny, 78.5. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Sam Shelton, 3.8; 6. Denell Henderson, 3.9; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.0; 8. Dru Melvin, 4.2. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.9; 4. Tanner Brunner, 4.0; 5. Josh Garner, 4.1; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler, Stephen Culling, Dru Melvin and Cyler Dowling, 4.2. Average: 1. Scott Guenthner, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Tucker Allen, 8.2; 3. Denell Henderson, 8.3; 4. Dru Melvin, 8.4; 5. Josh Clark, 8.7; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler and Blake Knowles, 9.2; 8. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 9. Payden McIntyre, 9.6; 10. (tie) Stephen Culling and Cody Devers, 9.7; 12. Mike McGinn, 9.8. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Rich Skelton, 3.7; 3. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 3.8; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 3.9; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, Manny Equsquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy and Tyler Waters/Brady Norman, 4.0; 8. Anthony Lucia/Wesley Moss, 4.1. Second round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Paul Eaves and Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, 3.6; 4. Brandon Webb/Kollin VonAhn, 3.7; 5. (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, Lathen Bryant/Morgan McVay and Shane Phillip/John Phillip, 3.8; 8. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 3.9. Average leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 7.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 8.1; 3. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 9.5; 4. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 9.8; 5. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 10.0; 6. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy, 10.1; 7. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 11.5; 8. Lane Santos Karney/Dillon Wingereid, 11.9; 9. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes and Ryan Reed/Monty Joe Petska, 13.4; 11. Cory Clark/Lane Mitchell, 13.7; 12 Jake Cooper/Caleb Anderson, 14.1. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Rusty Wright, 87.5 points on Northcott & Macza’s Banshee; 2. (tie) Cody DeMoss and Colt Gordon, 87; 4. Ryder Wright, 84; 5. (tie) Preston Burr, Wade Sundell and Chase Brooks, 83; 8. Kolby Wanchuk, 82.5; 9. (tie) Aaron Lide and Wyatt Casper, 82;  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – The state of Utah was well represented Friday night during the fifth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. The big ride came late in the show, when 19-year-old Stetson Wright matched moves with United Pro Rodeo’s Happy Days for 89 points to tie for the bull riding lead with Aaron Williams, who rode last weekend. Both men are virtual locks to make the championship round, which takes place next Friday, Feb. 15, at Foster Communications Coliseum. “All they told me about my bull was that he was mean,” said Wright, the third son of two-time world champion saddle bronc rider Cody Wright. “He felt great. He hipped himself, and after I got sat back down, he felt really good and turned into my hand.” Oftentimes, animals leaving the chute will bang on the metal post, and that could foul the rider as he tries to make the moves necessary for high scores. Obviously, Wright recovered. But that’s nothing new for the family, which boasts of a host of top-rated saddle bronc riders. Cody Wright led the way, earning his first gold buckle in 2008, then following it in 2010. Jesse Wright followed with the world title two years later, then Spencer Wright claimed gold in 2014. Along the way, that generation of Wrights includes Jesse’s twin, Jake, and brother-in-law CoBurn Bradshaw as National Finals Rodeo qualifiers. Since then, Cody’s sons, Rusty and Ryder, have played on the biggest stage in the game. Stetson seems to be following suit, albeit in bull riding. He competes in saddle bronc riding – he was 76 points on Friday night and will not advance to next week’s short round in that event – but he loves the idea of riding both styles of roughstock events. Ryder Wright scored 84 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Red One and is third in bronc riding. “It’s gone a little bit better in the bull riding, but I can’t complain about either,” said Stetson Wright of Beaver, Utah. “It’s important for me to compete in both. “All of us starting out doing both events. They call me the stupid one, because they’re all smart enough to focus on bronc riding, and I’m still doing both.” He made that comment in jest, but he’s making it work. He’s excited that he’ll be back in this west Texas community in a week to battle for the prestigious title. It’s the first time he’s competed in San Angelo. “That was awesome, because that crowd was crazy,” Wright said. “There aren’t many rodeos that have fans as crazy as these guys. “I’d say making the short round is really important. I didn’t have much confidence heading into tonight, because I’ve been struggling. Now I feel like I have all the confidence back. It takes one ride to boost your confidence and one ride to take it away.” Caleb Bennett knows that well. Born in Ogden, Utah, he lived in the Beehive State all of his life until moving to Corvallis, Montana, recently. He’s ridden the big waves of success and the deep dives the sport can bring … all in a single season. On Friday night, Bennett rode United Pro Rodeo’s Pow Wow Rocks for 85.5 points to move into second place in bareback riding. He also is a virtual lock to return to the championship round. Two months ago, he was in a very tight race for the 2018 world championship with eventual titlist Tim O’Connell. “It was awesome in a sense, being in that race and being in the position I was in – battling 1-2 with Tim – was something you always look forward to,” said Bennett, 31, a seven-time NFR qualifier. “I can look at the winter run I had last year and the way the year went clear up to the finals was what I’d dreamt of doing in my career. “Looking back on it, you realize it wasn’t meant to be. For what ever reason, I wasn’t meant to capitalize. I was down about it for a little while, but now it just sends me in a different way to look at it. I look at all the ways I can improve so if I’m in that position again, I can capitalize.” That’s the approach he had Friday. This won’t be his first time advancing to the short round at the stock show and rodeo. “San Angelo is one of the bigger rodeos this time of year,” he said. “If you can have a heck of a winter run, you can set yourself up for the rest of the winter. To be able to capitalize on a good horse like I had tonight can set the year up. “The crowd was awesome tonight. I was just taking that in. I stepped back as they were doing the opening, and that pace was packed. I’d say it was standing-room only, and it’s such a cool arena. That atmosphere and energy just runs through your veins and sends chills down your back.” No wonder the best in the business look forward to competing in San Angelo each February. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. Caleb Bennett, 85.5; 3. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 5. (tie) Hunter Brasfield and David Peebles, 83; 7. Zach Hibler, 82; 8. Jesse Pope, 81; 9. Tony Barrington, 79; 10. Grant Denny, 78.5; 11. (tie) Waylon Guy Burgeois, Connor Hamilton and Steven Dent, 78. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7; 4. Sam Shelton, 3.8; 5. Denell Henderson, 3.9; 6. Jacob Talley, 4.0; 7. Dru Melvin, 4.2; 8. Payden McIntyre, 4.4. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.9; 4. Tanner Brunner, 4.0; 5. Josh Garner, 4.1; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler, Stephen Culling, Dru Melvin  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – There’s not a hotter tandem in team roping than Clay Smith and Jake Long, and they kept up their scorching pace this weekend at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. On Sunday afternoon, Smith and Long stopped the clock in 3.5 seconds to set the rodeo record. That, combined with their 3.6-second run Friday night, puts the duo in the lead with 10 more preliminary performances remaining as every contestant in the field battles for a spot in the championship round, set for Friday, Feb. 15, at Foster Communications Coliseum. “I think we’re roping really well right now,” said Long, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in heeling from Coffeyville, Kansas. “Our horses are working great. We’re drawing good steers, and we’re both just doing our jobs.” They’re doing it very well. Over the last month, Smith and Long have won the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo, the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver and the Wildfire Roping last weekend in Hamilton, Texas. They sit No. 1 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings – both have earned $14,714. And they stand a great chance of pocketing even more in this west Texas community of about 100,000 people. By setting a new arena record, they have at least put themselves in a place in the rodeo’s storied past. “It’s cool, especially at a rodeo with the tradition of San Angelo,” Long said. “I remember hearing about that arena record a long time ago; it was a world record at the time, so there’s history behind it. We were just trying to make a good run, and it just happened to come together.” He and Smith decided last October to join forces for the 2019 season, but both had some unfinished business to tend to first – both had qualified for the NFR with their previous partners. Smith then put on an outstanding performance in Las Vegas with Paul Eaves and left the Nevada desert with the most cherished prize in the game, the world champion’s gold buckle. “It means a lot to have that world title,” Smith said. “That’s something you’ll probably never forget. Then again, it doesn’t matter, because as soon as the 10th round was over, it’s a new year, and you’re just trying to make it back to the finals.” Even with his success with Eaves, Smith likes the opportunities that are before him with Long serving as his heeler. “We figured we had the same mentality on everything,” Smith said. “We’re both aggressive, and he heels super fast. We’re not opposed to winning second or third, but we sure like winning first.” They are in that position through the first weekend of competition in San Angelo, and they’d love to be there when it comes down to Championship Friday in less than two weeks. “Clay is amazing in any setup, and his horses are great,” Long said. “This is a cool rodeo. It’s not an overly big building, but they pack it, and the crowd seems to be in it. It makes for fast times and is enjoyable to watch. It’s like roping at the finals, and you feed off what everybody else is doing.” San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 4. Hunter Brasfield, 83; 5. Zach Hibler, 82; 6. Jesse Pope, 81; 7. Tony Barrington, 79; 8. (tie) Waylon Guy Burgeois and Connor Hamilton, 78; 10. Paden Hurst, 77.5; 11. Wyatt Maines, 77; 12. BoDell Jessen, 76. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Talley, 4.0 seconds; 2. Kyle Irwin, 4.7; 3. Blake Knowles, 4.9; 4. (tie) Jacob Edler and Tyler Pearson, 5.0; 6. Steven Culling, 5.5; 7. Dalton Massey, 70; 8. Shane Frey, 7.2. Second round: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Jacob Edler and Stephen Culling, 4.2; 4. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Blake Knowles, 4.3; 6. Dalton Massey, 4.4; 7. Tyler Pearson, 4.5; 8. Eli Lord, 4.8. Average: 1. (tie) Jacob Edler and Blake Knowles, 9.2 seconds on two runs; 3. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 4. Stephen Culling, 9.7; 5. Dalton Massey, 11.4; 6. Tanner Brunner, 17.8; 7. Hunter Cure, 27.5; 8. Jacob Talley, 4.0 seconds on one run; 9. Tyler Waguespack, 4.3; 10. Kyle Irwin, 4.7; 11. Eli Lord, 4.8; 12. Jason Thomas, 5.8. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Justin Yost/Jake Edwards and Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 4.3; 4. Eli Lord/J.W. Beck, 4.6; 5. Billy Bob Brown/Shay Carroll, 4.7; 6. Bart Brunson/Trace Poter, 7.5; 7. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 9.3; 8. Jacob Dagenhart/Zack Mabry, 9.6. Second round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds; 2. Luke Brown/Paul Eaves, 3.6; 3. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 3.8; 4. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 4.0; 5. Erich Rogers/Clint Summers, 4.3; 6. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 9.0; 7. Jacob Dagenhart/Zack Mabry, 9.8; 8. Tyler Wade/Billie Jack Saebens, 13.8. Average leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 7.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 8.1; 3. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 11.5; 4. Jacob Deganhart/Zack Mabry, 19.4; 5. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 23.2; 6. Eli Lord/J.W. Beck, 24.7; 7. Luke Brown/Paul Eaves, 3.6 seconds on one run; 8. (tie) Justin Yost/Jake Edwards and Erich Rogers/Clint Summers, 4.3; 10. Billy Bob Brown/Shay Carrol, 4.7; 11. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 9.3; 12. Tyler Wade/Billy Jack Saebens, 13.8. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. (tie) Cody DeMoss, on Lancaster and Jones’ Total Equine Angel Fire, and Colt Gordon, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Sadie’s Gal, 87 points; 3. (tie) Preston Burr and Wade Sundell, 83; 5. Aaron Lide, 82; 6. (tie) Tate Owens, Hawkins Boyce, Jake Wright and CoBurn Bradshaw, 81; 10. Josh Davison, 79.5; 11. (tie) Dawson Dahm and Jesse Wright, 79. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jake Pratt, 7.0 seconds; 2. Tuf Cooper, 7.6; 3. Blane Cox, 7.7; 4. Haven Meged, 7.9; 5. (tie) Ike Fontenot and Westyn Hughes, 8.0; 7. Blake Ash, 8.4;  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Jacob Edler doesn’t have to look too far to find a trusted adviser. After having a relatively successful 2018 rodeo season, Edler found his way to Holliday, Texas, and the home of Hunter Cure, a steer wrestler who won world championships in 2013 and 2015. Now the States Center, Iowa-raised cowboy is hoping to parlay that into more success on the rodeo trail this year. “Hunter has just helped me mentally,” said Edler, who was the runner-up to the champion at the 2016 College National Finals Rodeo. “I moved down to his house about two months ago, and I’ve been working for him. It’s been great being around a two-time world champion. Everything he does is about getting better, and now I’ll be able to incorporate that into my bulldogging.” It showed Saturday during the second day of competition at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. Edler wrestled his first steer to the ground in 5.0 seconds during the matinee performance, then posted a 4.2-second run in the evening. He’s placing in both rounds and leads the two-run aggregate by three-tenths of a second. “I believe I bulldogged solid,” he said, noting that he rode Rattle, a mare owned by Matt Reeves, who served as Edler’s hazer. “That mare did outstanding, and Matt did a great job. I drew two pretty honest steers and got good starts on both of them.” While steer wrestling seems to be all about the big men who do it, none would be very successful without having a solid mount. The Iowa cowboy likes what he seeks in the talented bay. “She’s kind of a little, compact thing, but she scorers so good,” he said. “She just drives you right up over the steer’s back every time and puts you in the right place. She’s really easy to win on.” Edler has done his share of winning so far in the 2019 season. He’s placed along at several rodeos heading into this weekend and now sits 10th in the world standings. The main thing, though, is he wants to be among the leaders when the season ends Sept. 30. “Last year I finished 35th, and I’ve got so many more opportunities to get into great rodeos,” said Edler, who graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, commonly referred to the Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo. “I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a little easier to fulfill my goal to get into these rodeos that limit people who are outside the top 40.” His goal, of course, is to earn his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s premier championship that boasts of $10 million purse and features only the top 15 on the money list at the conclusion of the regular season. Edler will return to San Angelo in two weeks to compete in the championship round, set for Friday, Feb. 15. “This is my fourth time to San Angelo, and the crowd was great; it was a packed house,” said Edler, who will compete in Fort Worth, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; and San Antonio before he returns for the final weekend of rodeo. “It was good energy, and it dang sure gets a guy fired up.” San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 4. Hunter Brasfield, 83; 5. Jesse Pope, 81; 6. Waylon Guy Burgeois, 78; 7. Paden Hurst, 77.5; 8. Wyatt Maines, 77. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Talley, 4.0 seconds; 2. Kyle Irwin, 4.7; 3. Blake Knowles, 4.9; 4. (tie) Jacob Edler and Tyler Pearson, 5.0; 6. Steven Culling, 5.5; 7. Dalton Massey, 70; 8. Shane Frey, 7.2. Second round: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.0 seconds; 2. Jacob Edler, 4.2; 3. Tyler Waguespack, 4.3; 4. Tyler Pearson, 4.5; 5. Tristan Martin, 6.2; 6. Hunter Cure, 12.8; no other qualified runs. Average: 1. Jacob Edler, 9.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 3. Tanner Brunner, 17.8; 4. Hunter Cure, 27.5; 5. Jacob Talley, 4.0 seconds on one run; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 4.3; 7. Kyle Irwin, 4.7; 8. Blake Knowles, 4.9. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Justin Yost/Jake Edwards and Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 4.3; 4. Eli Lord/J.W. Beck, 4.6; 5. Billy Bob Brown/Shay Carroll, 4.7; 6. Bart Brunson/Trace Poter, 7.5; 7. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 9.3; 8. Jacob Dagenhart/Zack Mabry, 9.6. Second round leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Clint Summers, 4.3 seconds; 2. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 9.0; 3. Jacob Dagenhart/Zack Mabry, 9.8; 4. Eli Lord/J.W. Beck, 20.1; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Jacob Deganhart/Zack Mabry, 19.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 23.2; 3. Eli Lord/J.W. Beck, 24.7; 4. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds on one run; 5. (tie) Justin Yost/Jake Edwards, Erich Rogers/Clint Summers and Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 4.3; 7. Billy Bob Brown/Shay Carrol, 4.7; 8. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 7.5. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Cody DeMoss, 87 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Total Equine Angel Fire 2. Preston Burr, 83; 3. Aaron Lide, 82; 4. (tie) Tate Owens and Hawkins Boyce, 81; 6. Josh Davison, 79.5; 7. Dawson Dahm, 79; 8. (tie) Dean Wadsworth and Logan Cook, 74. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jake Pratt, 7.0 seconds; 2. Tuf Cooper, 7.6; 3. Blane Cox, 7.7; 4. Haven Meged, 7.9; 5. (tie) Ike Fontenot and Westyn Hughes, 8.0; 7. Blake Ash, 8.4; 8. Cade Swor, 8.6. Second round leaders: 1. Justin Smith, 7.2 seconds; 2. Rhen Richard, 8.1; 3. Ryle Smih, 8.4; 4. Haven Meged, 8.6; 5. Jake Pratt, 8.9; 6. Cooper Mathews, 9.9; 7. Shad Mayfield, 10.2; 8. Ike Fontenot, 20.7. Average leaders: 1. Jake Pratt, 15.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Haven Meged, 16.5; 3. Ryle Smith, 18.8; 4. Shad Mayfield, 18.9; 5. Cooper Mathews, 21.3; 6. Ike Fontenot, 28.7; 7. Justin Smith, 7.2 seconds on one run; 8. Tuf Cooper, 7.6. Barrel  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Cody DeMoss has won just about every major title there is in saddle bronc riding, but there are two items missing on his resume: He’s never won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world championship He’s never won the outright title at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. He’s well on his way to erasing the latter. On Friday night during the opening performance of the 2019 rodeo, DeMoss rode Lancaster and Jones’ Total Equine Angel Fire for 87 points to take the bronc riding lead. He is given himself a solid chance to earn that first San Angelo title, but first he will advance to the championship round, which will take place Friday, Feb. 15. DeMoss just turned 38 a few weeks ago, and this marks his 20th year riding broncs professionally. He has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 13 times in his storied career, and he just missed the mark last season; he finished 23rd in the world standings, but only the top 15 on the money list at the conclusion of the regular season advance to rodeo’s grand championship. Over his career, DeMoss has ridden inside Foster Communications Coliseum numerous times. In 2006, he won the championship round, back when the PRCA conducted its nationally televised tour. This will be the closest to the title he has been since that glorious season. He’s one of two saddle bronc riding brothers from Heflin, Louisiana; his younger sibling, Heith, is a nine-time NFR qualifier. Cody DeMoss, though, has the edge in most categories. Since he began in the PRCA in 2000, he has earned just shy of $2.3 million. His earnings, though, go well beyond that. He’s won several titles at events that didn’t count toward in the PRCA, including the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, RodeoHouston and The American, which takes place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. When DeMoss won that title in 2017, he pocketed $433,000 for eight seconds of work. He’s won the average championship at the NFR, ProRodeo’s finale that takes place over 10 December nights in Las Vegas. That happened in 2012, the last of five times the Louisiana cowboy finished the season No. 2 in the world standings – he was also the reserve world champ in 2004, ’05, ’06 and ’09. He took advantage of a strong horse in Angel Fire, a Texas-raised horse that has been to the NFR each of the past several years. In fact, the athletic bay gelding was still sporting the NFR tag during Friday’s performance. That strong bucker was just the first of what DeMoss hopes is two great horses he’ll get to ride in San Angelo. Now he’ll await Championship Friday in two weeks to see if fortune finds him. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Taylor Broussard, 84 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lady’s Man; 2. Tristan Hansen, 64; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Talley, 4.0 seconds; 2. Blake Knowles, 4.9; 3. Steven Culling, 5.5; 4. Dalton Massey, 70; Jake Fulton, 7.3; no other qualified times. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Justin Yost/Jake Edwards, 4.3 seconds; 2. Eli Lord/J.W. Beck, 4.6; 3. Billy Bob Brown/Shay Carroll, 4.7; 4. Jacob Dagenhart/Zack Mabry, 9.6; Rhen Richard/Quinn Kessler, 14.2; no other qualified times. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Cody DeMoss, 87 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Total Equine Angel Fire 2. Tate Owens, 81; 3. Josh Davison, 79.5; 4. Dean Wadsworth, 74; 5. Tyrel Larsen, 73; 6. Scott Davis, 70; 7. Nick LaDuke, 66; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jake Pratt, 7.0 seconds; 2. Haven Meged, 7.9; 3. (tie) Ike Fontenot and Westyn Hughes, 8.0; 5. Shad Mayfield, 8.7; 6. Cody Quaney, 9.2; 7. Ryle Smith, 10.4; 8. Cody Craig, 10.5. Barrel racing: First round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 15.91 seconds, $4,295; 2. Jill Tanner, 15.97, $3,681; 3. Sidney Forrest, 15.99, $3,068; 4. Ryann Pedone, 16.00, $2,659; 5. Jackie Jatzlau, 16.04, $2,045; 6. Angela Ganter, 16.05, $1,636; 7. Kelly Bruner, 16.07, $1,227; 8. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 16.08, $819; 9. Hailey Kinsel, 16.09, $614; 10. (tie) Sara Withers, Nisa Berry, Jimmie Smith, Brittney Barnett and Kenna Squires, 16.10, $82 each. Second round leaders: 1. Stevi Hillman, 14.32 seconds; 2. Jill Wilson, 14.60; 3. Hanna Forbes, 14.63; 4. Tori Morris, 14.65; 5. Lindsay Kruse, 14.72; 6. Sara Ward, 15.11; 7. Jody McPherson, 15.12; 8. Katie Carroll, 15.26; 9. Toni Dixon, 19.46; 10. Sadye Simpson, 19.91. Average leaders: 1. Stevi Hillman, 30.62 on two runs; 2. Jill Wilson, 30.93; 3. Tori Morris, 31.26; 4. Hanna Forbes, 31.62; 5. Lindsay Kruse, 31.40; 6. Sarah Ward, 31.86; 7 Jody McPherson, 31.87; 8. Katie Carroll, 32.00; 9. Toni Dixon, 35.92; 10. Sadye Simpson, 36.66. Bull riding leaders: 1. Brady Portenier, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Beauty; 2. Rorey Maier, 85; 3. Dalan Duncan, 70; no other qualified rides.

Now semi-retired, the winningest cowboy in rodeo still loves the CTEC GUTHRIE, Okla. – The grind of professional rodeo offers many challenges and requires many sacrifices for those that are successful. Nobody understands that better than Trevor Brazile, the “King of the Cowboys” who owns the most world championships in the sport’s history. He owns several PRCA records, including the most world titles (24), most all-around world championships (14) and the most money earned over his career – so far, that figure sits at nearly $7 million. Now 42, he’s realizing that the sacrifices need to be fewer while still chasing challenges. That’s why he is limiting his rodeo schedule, likely eliminating the chances for more PRCA gold buckles or even qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo. His focus is on family, and that’s a good thing. As his three children grow, their activities do, too, and Brazile doesn’t want to miss as many of those. While his schedule will be diminished greatly, he still has some major events on his calendar, and the CINCH Timed Event Championship is at the top of his list. He will return to the unique competition, dubbed the “Ironman of ProRodeo,” set for March 8-10 at the Lazy E Arena. For information on the event and to order tickets, visit www.LazyE.com. “When I started off, I wanted to be diversified, to be a well-rounded cowboy,” said Brazile, 42, of Decatur, Texas. “The Timed Event is a true test of it.” It’s a test he knows well. In the 22 years since he first competed at the CTEC, he’s won the Montana Silversmiths CTEC gold buckle seven times, more than any other competitor in its 35-year history. It also offers a great financial incentive, the $100,000 prize that goes to the winner at the conclusion of the five-round, three-day slugfest. In an event where each cowboy must compete in all five timed-event disciplines – heading, heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and steer roping – just to complete one round, it takes a mental fortitude and true athleticism to come out successful. But the rewards are plentiful: the runner-up will earn $25,000. “When you talk about the mental and physical grind that it takes, it’s a lot of both,” Brazile said. “I don’t know what makes it fun, but it’s fun. I love competing. If I were to make a list of what makes it fun, No. 1 would be the $100,000. Second would be getting on the same playing field with 19 other guys. “I work multiple events all the time, and it’s the one time a year I feel like it evens the playing field for me because everybody has to compete in multiple events.” There are fireworks that happen each round, but the CTEC is a true spectacle. As has happened in years past, the annual chuckwagon cooking contest will take place in conjunction with the festivities. It was named the 2017 American Chuck Wagon Association’s event of the year. Breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, and the dinner will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets may be purchased through www.Ticketmaster.com. The hottest ticket, though, is to see the 20 greatest all-around timed-event cowboys in ProRodeo today. Over the course of the storied championship, only 14 men have walked away from the Lazy E with the title. Seven of those men will be in this year’s field, and Brazile is just one of them. He will be joined by K.C. Jones (5), Daniel Green (3), Kyle Lockett (2), Paul David Tierney (2), Jess Tierney and Jordan Ketscher, the last of whom is the reigning titlist. “There’s not another event like it,” said Brazile, who has earned $808,000 at the CTEC. “It is the purest of timed-event contests, then you put it in a venue like the Lazy E, and it adds that much more of a cowboy contest.” It goes back to being one of the most unique events in the sport, where team ropers must wrestle steers and steer wrestlers must rope them. It challenges every man, and it happens through five rounds over just three days. While the cowboys are used to stopping the clock in 7.0 seconds in tie-down roping or 3.5 seconds in bulldogging, the key to success at the CINCH Timed Event Championship is being consistent over 25 runs. “That part of it’s changed a lot over the years I’ve been part of it,” said Brazile, who joins header Clay Smith as the 2018 PRCA champions who are part of this year’s “Ironman.” “If you go into it with a practice-pen mentality too much, you’re not going to win it. You still have to be somewhat aggressive. There are some things that will happen that are out of your control, and you can’t let them be a downward spiral. “If you try not to lose, it’s not going to be good enough in that event.” Make no bones about it, he’s good. In fact, he’s the best there is in the game today. He’s a factor, and the other competitors know that very well. Some of that has to do with his impeccable work ethic, and part of it has to do with his talents in the arena. “He’s a top 15 contender in every event he chooses to be in,” said fellow CTEC cowboy JoJo LeMond, who pointed to Brazile’s two Triple Crowns, when he won three gold buckles in 2007 and 2011. Brazile cherishes every victory and every moment. He celebrates the opportunity to engage with fans, and there are none better than the ones who fill the Lazy E Arena through the second weekend in March. “I go to rodeos all over the world, and people will come up to me and say they go to their hometown rodeo and the Timed Event every year,” he said. “If you’ve ever been a fan of the Timed Event, you’re always a fan of it. They’re fans of grit and determination as much as they are of  Continue Reading »