Monthly Archives: May 2019

Canadian overcomes hot bulls and hot weather for third BFO victory CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Aaron Mercer was hot in more ways than one this past Sunday during the Bullfighters Only Speedway Series event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The event was part of the race-day experience at the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600. As sweat poured from his body, Mercer mustered up enough willpower to win the title, pocket $6,500 and move to No. 2 in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “It was crazy, and it was electric,” said Mercer of Calgary, Alberta. “The crowd was just awesome, and the bulls were sweet. It was so cool to be part of the NASCAR race. The experience was just amazing, and to get the win was even better.” The average May temperature in Calgary is 61 degrees Fahrenheit, or 16 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Charlotte on Sunday was 93 with humidity at 63 percent adding to the heat index. That’s sweltering for any athlete, much less one from the drier climate in Alberta. “I’ve never been so warm in all my life, and I’ve never been so tired after a bullfight,” he said. “It wasn’t just hot, but it was humid, and that added to it. When it’s 95 degrees Fahrenheit in Canada, we’re hot, but we don’t have that kind of humidity.” It was an amazing finish to an incredible month for Mercer, who had titles earlier in May in Las Vegas and Redding, California. He also had second-place finishes at stand-alone BFO events in Woodward, Oklahoma, and Kennewick, Washington. He’s earned $20,024 this season – virtually all has come in the first 26 days of the month. “I honestly don’t know what to say about doing this good my first year in the BFO,” said Mercer, who trails leader Toby Inman by $2,626 heading into the summer run. “I’ve been hanging out with guys that I’ve been fans of for a while, and now I’ve become friends with them.” He’s proven that he belongs. Mercer won his round in Charlotte with an 86-point bout to earn his spot in the Hooey Championship Round along with Justin Josey of Apache, Oklahoma, and Chase Blythe of Concord, North Carolina. In the finale, Mercer tangled with the Chad Ellison bull Eighteen & Life. The spotted bull was aggressive, but Mercer countered with some nice back fakes. Eighteen & Life got in a few jabs throughout the bout, but the end result was an event-winning 80.5-point fight. “Now I’ve just got to keep pushing to the top,” he said. “I’ve got some momentum, and I’ve been doing some things outside the arena to help. I’m going to the gym and working hard. That’s what you’ve got to do if you want to be the best of the best.” That’s the thing about being part of the BFO, the premier organization in freestyle bullfighting and the driving force behind the sport’s recent growth. The Speedway Series is just another example of how popular it has become. “Sitting on the fence during the bullfight, the people in the crowd want to interact with you and talk to you,” Mercer said. “It’s cool that they want to be involved, have that kind of support and have people looking up to you. “You don’t choose to be a role model, but it just happens. I never really expected it, but having it all blow up like this is really something.”

Canadian sits 4th in BFO heading into Charlotte Motor Speedway event CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Exactly one-year ago, Aaron Mercer stepped into the freestyle bullfighting arena for the first time ever. Now, he is the No. 4-ranked man in the Bullfighters Only Pendleton Whisky World Standings and has proven to be a quick study of the sport. Since the first of May, he has two wins (in Las Vegas and Redding, California) and two second-place finishes (in Woodward, Oklahoma, and Kennewick, Washington). “A lot of people say if you don’t win, you’re the first loser, but I don’t look at it that way,” said Mercer, 26, of Calgary, Alberta. “This is so new to me, making short rounds at these deals is crazy for me. “I had only stepped around nine fighting bulls when I went down to the (United) States. I’d been watching guys on videos … Justin Josey, Toby Inman and Colt Oder, and those guys are so rank. To be able to make the short round with them is just crazy. I never thought I’d be doing it.” Mercer has pocketed more than $13,500 to assume his spot among the top five bullfighters in the BFO. He will have that momentum with him when he competes at Charlotte Motor Speedway as BFO joins the race-day experience for the Coco-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 26. “Winning Redding or finishing second at Woodward and Kennewick is cool, and you want to keep that streak going,” Mercer said. “My confidence is high. Every time I step out in the arena, my brain is working so fast and my mind is going 100 miles per hour, and I’m like, ‘What am I doing here?’ ” Charlotte is the second stop of the 2019 BFO Speedway Series, with five more events slated for later this season –all set up around major NASCAR races. This weekend marks the BFO’s second time in Charlotte in eight months; the first event took place last September at the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL 400 and was a big hit among NASCAR fans. “I’m excited for it,” Mercer said. “It’s going to be different for me, but I’m ready to go tear one up.” BFO’s menagerie is a new experience for the rookie bullfighter, but each step-through and flip over a charging bull seems to progress the talented Calgarian. That’s why he will be a threat during Sunday’s nine-man bullfight, which features nine fighters battling to advance to the Hooey Championship Round. “Freestyle bullfighting is a game of life and death, a game of inches and a game of deception,” Mercer said. “I seem to learn pretty good when I get thrown into something new and different. I’m not out of the woods yet, but I think I’m on my way. “I thought I had a limit, and I think I can go over it. I’ve been able to push myself further than I ever thought I would. You’ve got to test your limits or you’re not going to go very far in this industry.” He also understands what it means to be an Albertan at the top of the heap. Canadians have a special sense of patriotism when it comes to competition, especially when they’re battling for world championships. Through just the first few months of the season, Mercer has placed himself in contention for the 2019 crown. “I’ve got Canada backing me up,” Mercer said. “All eyes are on me, and I’m OK with that.” CONTESTANTS Tucker Lane Brooks Forsythe Aaron Mercer Toby Inman Riley McKettrick Justin Josey Andres Gonzales Weston Rutkowski Chase Blythe

GUNNISON, Colo. – Every year since its inception, many of the greatest cowboys in the country make their way to this picturesque town for the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration and PRCA rodeo. Two of the greatest cowboys to have ever been here are repeat visitors, working the annual rodeo as pickup men for Stace Smith Pro Rodeo, one of the most decorated livestock firms in the sport. Jason Bottoms and Shawn Calhoun are two of the premier pickup men in the land, and they are regulars in the Gunnison Valley. “We’re just tickled to have guys of that caliber here in Gunnison,” said Kevin Coblentz, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the rodeo. “They are great cowboys, and I know the bareback riders and bronc riders love knowing they have guys like that to help them at Cattlemen’s Days.” Each man has been selected to work the National Finals Rodeo, an honor bestowed on them by the top cowboys who play the game. Once they’ve earned the right to compete at the NFR by finishing the regular season as the leaders, the top 15 bareback riders and saddle bronc riders vote on who will rescue them for 10 straight December nights in Las Vegas. Calhoun was named to the NFR in 2012, while Bottoms’ three ventures to the Nevada desert came in 2005, ’07 and ’11. While the world has seen their talents on the biggest stage of the sport, the folks in Gunnison have seen them up close for many years. They are just two of the faces that come with the Smith Pro Rodeo, an Athens, Texas-based firm that has been named PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year 11 times. They are just a few of the biggest names in the game that are expected to be part of Cattlemen’s Days this year, with three performances set for Thursday, July 11-Saturday, July 13, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. This year marks the return of entertainer John Harrison, who has been named the PRCA Comedy Act of the Year three times and Coors Man in the Can twice. His brand of comedy and his award-winning acts were a big hit for fans in Gunnison last July. “A lot of people don’t know this, but John is the grandson of Freckles Brown,” Coblentz said, pointing out that Brown is a ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee who won the bull riding world title in 1962 at the age of 41. “When you have that kind of legacy, it says something. “But what I think is even bigger is that he’s an outstanding horseman, and a lot of people around here can appreciate that. When he adds that to the comedy, it really makes something cool happen.” Announcer Andy Stewart returns to call the action, providing his baritone voice and distinct flavor to every ride and run that takes place during each performance. From Colliston, La., Stewart has been nominated as PRCA Announcer of the Year each of the past nine seasons, and there’s a good reason for it. Gunnison-raised Linda Alsbaugh serves as the rodeo secretary and has for many years. She offers a great understanding of Cattlemen’s Days to her tasks of the behind-the-scenes work that goes on throughout rodeo week. She, too, is well decorated. Alsbaugh and her late husband, Art, were recipients of the 2012 Donita Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2015, she was named the PRCA Secretary of the Year. “Hands down, I think we bring the best rodeo personnel to our event every year,” Coblentz said. “The cowboys know that when they get here, and it shows in every level of our rodeo.”

There was a time that Josh “Hambone” Hilton did just about anything he could to be involved in rodeo. No matter the task, he kept his eyes and ears open to every experience. Like a sponge, he ingested every ounce of knowledge, hoping that one day he’d be able to put it all to use. That day came a few years ago. Though he’s best known for being the first Music Director of the Year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2017, there’s much more to Hilton. In the world of professional rodeo, he has become a go-to guy for many in the business when it comes to production and giving fans the best experience they can get. “To call him a music director is such an insult, because he is so much more involved,” said Boyd Polhamus, a four-time PRCA Announcer of the Year who has worked the National Finals Rodeo 21 times in his career. “I’d call him a quality-control coach. He’s looking over the overall production. He sees it all, because his job is to play music in conjunction with what is happening. “He has a very good eye for production. He’s been trained in it and understands it.” Born and raised around rodeo in the tiny village of Sidney, Iowa, Hilton utilizes every experience he’s ever had into the business at hand. He’s seen so much in the game, and he has an arsenal of sounds, gadgets and music to make everything melt together flawlessly. “My dad rode bulls, and my brother and I grew up rodeoing,” said Hilton, who now lives in Weatherford, Texas, with his wife, Whitney. “It was always part of us, and I always wanted to be around it. The Sidney rodeo has always been so much to me, because of being around and working with guys like Jerry Dorenkamp and Scott McClain. It was a huge thing for those guys to come to town.” Now he is one of those guys. He travels the country, not only providing the sound effects for events but also helping create new ways to entertain audiences. He was one of the guiding forces behind Bullfighters Only, an freestyle bullfighting organizations that features the greatest athletes in the game as they tangle with aggressive and agile beasts that were bred for that kind of fight. It all developed because of his relationship with Las Vegas Events, who hired Hilton to handle production for various events across the Nevada desert town during the 10-day NFR. “I had the idea to do bullfighting at the arena at Cowboy Christmas,” he said. “I talked to Aaron Ferguson about the idea, and he was all in. He took it full bore. That was just supposed to be a one-time bullfight. By the time the event came around (in December 2015), it was a whole new beast. Ferg’s vision was perfect for it.” But so is Hilton’s. He introduced electronic dance music to the bullfights. It was innovative and remains a key ingredient in the BFO format. “They wanted a whole new look, feel and sound to freestyle bullfighting,” Hilton said. “Now that style is being used everywhere.” Now four years later, Bullfighters Only is the premier freestyle bullfighting organization in the world. The year-end championship will take place over those same 10 days of the NFR. But as the key production consultant for Las Vegas Events, Hilton continues to thrive in his element. “Josh is just a very likeable person, and that’s what helped him not only being good at what he does, but when he’s around people, he’s just a fun person,” said Benje Bendele, a mentor to Hilton who has worked as sound director of every NFR since 2000. “People don’t want to be like him; they want to be him. “He has been involved in several rodeos with production prior to becoming a music director. That carries over. He’s not afraid to speak up, and that’s a great trait to have. He’s also a good front man. For Las Vegas Events to trust him, to hire him to take care of so many stages, means a lot. That’s a great recommendation, because there’s a lot of production for those stages.” Not bad for a man who grew up in a town of just 1,000 in Iowa’s southwestern corner. He has invested heavily into his business – he has spent more than $100,000 in equipment and sound alone – but it is paying off. He’s come a long way from his beginnings. “The first sound system I bought was $12,000,” Hilton said. “I remember, because Mike Cervi loaned it to me. He said to get what I needed and to pay him back when I could. Now the technology has changed the game so much. I blame Benje a lot, because he’s pushed this industry to the level it’s at.” There are dozens of music directors involved in rodeo. In 2017, the PRCA opted to recognize the best of them for the first time by creating the Music Director of the Year award. Based on a vote of PRCA members, Hilton earned the first honor. He’s up for the award again this year and will learn his fate during the awards ceremony in December at Las Vegas. “That award was huge,” he said. “To have legendary announcer and my friend, Bob Tallman, call my name was amazing. I live in Texas now because of Bob. He married my wife and I. That was really special to have him say my name.” And like his mentors Tallman, Bendele and Polhamus, Hilton has become one of the preeminent men in his field in ProRodeo. “He doesn’t just have one or two sound effects he has an arsenal of sound effects,” Polhamus said. “He’ll be able to play it even if it’s never happened at a rodeo before. He’s part entertainer, too. His entertainment value is outstanding, because he has a great sense of humor. He’s not lazy, and  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Over the years, Clayton Hass has always held a special place in his heart for the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. He’s won a bunch of money in the Oklahoma Panhandle, but he’s never walked away from “No Man’s Land” with the title. That changed Sunday, when he wrestled his steer to the ground in 4.3 seconds to win the Guymon title. “It was very important to do well,” said Hass, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Stephenville, Texas. “I was behind the 8 ball a little; I’ve had an OK winter, but not great.” He was 27th in the world standings heading into this week, and the $4,363 he earned will surely propel him up the money list. That’s vital, because only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event advance to the NFR at the conclusion of the regular season. After three straight years competing in Las Vegas in December, Hass has missed the last two opportunities. Other winners at the 87th Pioneer Days Rodeo were all-around champion Ryan Jarrett, bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt, team ropers Cody McClusky and Joe Mattern, saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell, tie-down roper John Douch, barrel racer Kylie Weast and bull riders Stetson Wright and Trevor Rieste. Hass took advantage of things when the time came Sunday. He was second in the aggregate race heading into the final performance, just three-tenths of a second behind Nick Guy of Sparta, Wisconsin. “I knew my steer was good,” he said. “Nick was 4.2 on him in the first round, so I knew I had Nick outdrawn a little bit; if I did my job, he’d have to hump up to get me. Regardless of whether we were first or second, we just had to make a solid run, and we both did.” That wasn’t the only tie-in between Guy and Hass. The Texan’s horse was sore from an incident earlier in the week, so he leaned on Chuck, a 16-year-old buckskin gelding that Guy is leasing from Kyle Whitaker. Guy’s steer then ran a little harder than Hass’, leading to the victory by 1.1 seconds. “My horse is a little sore, so I called Nick to see if I could get on that horse, Hass said. “Nick hazed for me.” Even though both were battling for the top spot at a big rodeo this time of year, they were also willing to help one another. That’s what separates rodeo from most other sports, and it’s what separates the bulldoggers from other events. “We all get along pretty dang good and help each other out,” he said. “It’s pretty awesome. I’m in some other events, and it ain’t that way. We see it as if we’re competing against the steers, so we cheer each other on. We push for each other and haze for each other. It’s pretty cool comradery.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results All-around cowboy: Ryan Jarrett, $4,814 in team roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: 1. Garrett Shadbolt, 87 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Joker, $2,414; 2. Bill Tutor, 86, $1,851; 3. (tie) Ty Breuer and Will Lowe, 85, $1,126 each; 5. Logan Patterson, 84.5, $563; 6. Taylor Broussard, 83.5, $402; 7. Paden Hurst, 82.5, $322; 8. Tanner Aus, 81.5, $241. Team roping: First round: 1. Brice Boatright/Chad Mathes, 6.3 seconds, $1,843; 2. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.9, $1,515; 3. Cole Morgan/Derrick Jantzen, 7.0, $1,288; 4. Laramie Allen/Jace Davis, 7.1, $1,061; 5. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 7.4, $834; 6. Cody Hilzendeger/J.C. Flake, 7.5, $606; 7. Cole Patterson/Darin Suit, 7.8, $379; 8. (tie) Jeff Johnston/Dustin Dan Harris and Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 8.1, $76 each. Second round: 1. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cesar de la Cruz, 5.6 seconds, $1,743 each; 2. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 5.9, $1,515; 3. Luke Brown/Paul Eaves, 6.2, $1,288; 4. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 6.6, $1,061; 5. Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 6.9, $834; 6. Cale Markham/Brye Crites, 7.0, $606; 7. (tie) Jesse Stipes/Jake Smith and Ryan Jarrett/Matt Kasner, 7.2, $265 each. Third round: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 5.2 seconds, $1,743; 2. Tanner Green/Jake Clay, 5.4, $1,515; 3. Brett Christensen/Chase Boekhaus, 6.0, $1,288; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.1, $1,061; 5. Cooper White/Tucker White, 6.2, $834; 6. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 6.3, $606; 7. (tie) Garett Chick/Ross Ashford and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 6.9, $265 each. Aggregate: 1. Cody McCluskey/Joe Mattern, 24.8 seconds on three runs, $2,614; 2. Brice Boatright/Chad Mathes, 25.1, $2,273; 3. Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, $1,932; 4. Cory Kidd/Brady Norman, $1,591; 5. Garret Chick/Ross Ashford, 29.4, $1,250; 6. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy, 29.8, $909; 7. Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 30.4, $568; 8. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 31.5, $227. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Nick Guy, 4.2 seconds, $1,763; 2. (tie) Tyler Murray and Shayde Etherton, 4.3, $1,307 each; 4. (tie) Tanner Brunner and Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $699 each; 6. Ryan Swayze, 4.6, $304. Second round: 1. Hunter Cure, 4.0 seconds, $1,763; 2. (tie) Matt Reeves, Don Payne and Cody Doescher, 4.1, $1,155 each; 5. Clayton Hass, 4.2, $547; 6. (tie) Richard Coats and Brady Reneau, 4.3, $152 each. Third round: 1. Matt Reeves, 4.0 seconds, $1,763; 2. Jule Hazen, 4.1, $1,459; 3. Clayton Hass, 4.3, $1,155; 4. Tom Uttermark, 4.4, $851; 5. Chad Van Campen, 4.5, $547; 6. J.D. Struxness, 4.7, $304. Aggregate: 1. Clayton Hass 13.3 seconds on three runs, $2,644; 2. Nick Guy, 14.4, $2,188; 3. Trell Etbauer, 15.3, $1,732; 4. Chad Van Campen, 15.4, $1,277; 5. Blake Mindemann, 15.9, 4821; 6. Billy Boldon, 16.9, $456. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Wade Sundell, 90 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big News, $2,955; 2. Isaac Diaz, 87.5, $2,266; 3. Tyrel Larsen, 87, $1,675; 4. Mitch Pollock, 86, $1,084; 5. Colt Gordon, 85, $690; 6. Hardy Braden, 84, $493; 7. (tie) Taos Muncy, Cort Scheer and Rusty Wright, 83, $230 each. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. (tie) Glenn Jackson and Shane Hanchey, 8.9 seconds, $1,644 each; 3. Reese Riemer, 9.3, $1,300; 4. (tie) John Douch, Robert Mathis and Cheyenne Harper, 9.6, $841 each; 7. (tie) Westyn Hughes and Tyler Milligan, 9.8, $268. Second round: 1. Tyler  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Saturday night’s third performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo began precisely at 7:30 p.m. The rain started moments thereafter, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the contestants in the mix and the thousands of fans in the stands. While many people ran for cover as the thunderstorm hit, they stuck around the best they could to partake in the biggest event to hit the Oklahoma Panhandle each spring. Meanwhile, Jake Long and Clay Smith were trying to figure out the best way to handle their situation. “I tried to stay in the trailer as long as I could,” said Long, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in heeling from Coffeyville, Kansas. “It’s not the most fun thing to get rained on when you have to run one, but like anything, once you’re out in it, it’s fine.” Neither he nor his header let any of it bother them during their ran-dampened Saturday night, posting a 5.2-second run – the fastest of the rodeo so far. They took the third-round lead and sit fourth in the average with a three-run cumulative time of 32.6 seconds on three runs. “Most of our success there was with the draw,” said Smith, the reigning world champion header and four-time NFR qualifier from Broken Bow, Oklahoma. “We had a pretty good one. It waited on us and let us have a chance. You have to have a cow like that to be 5 (seconds) in those conditions. “Jake heeled him really fast, and that helped; it was a combination of things.” Guymon is different than any other event in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in that it features hornless cattle in team roping. Most rodeos featured horned Corriente steers, but Guymon adds to the flavor of this hometown event by also having walking fresh cattle for every team – none of these animals have ever been through a rodeo chute system, much less been part of a rodeo run. “They’re fun, and they’re challenging, but they haven’t been very nice to me in the past,” Long said. “I won this rodeo when it was on horned cattle. But it’s interesting to rope muleys. Man, they can make you feel really silly.” That’s unless things go well, which happened Saturday night. “We watched when they roped one in 5.4, and it was an unbelievable run,” he said. “We drew such a good one that we got to make a normal run (like roping horned cattle), which doesn’t happen very often around here.” Long and Smith have had a terrific start. Smith sits second in the heading world standings with nearly $64,000 in season earnings; Long is third in heading with more than $56,000. So far this year, they have earned big dollars by winning titles at four prestigious events, and they’re just going to add to it. Elliott seriously injured Saddle bronc rider Clay Elliott, a three-time NFR qualifier from Nanton, Alberta, was seriously injured during Friday’s first performance of Pioneer Days Rodeo. Elliott was bucked off Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Force and landed on his head and suffered multiple spinal fractures. He had fractures in the C3, C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae and has surgery to fuse the C5and C6 vertebrae, said Rick Foster, program director for the Justin Sportsmedicine Team. “Surgery went well, and there were no neuro deficits, so the outcome is good,” Foster said, noting that the procedure took place at Swedish Medical Center in Denver. “He also had a thoracic spine fracture that was treated non surgically. “Typically, that injury would mean six months plus of being out of action.” Elliott was part of the storied rodeo program at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, which is just 10 miles from Guymon. He won the Central Plains Region for Panhandle State in 2015 and has since won a Canadian championship. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results through the first performance Bareback riding leaders: 1. Garrett Shadbolt, 87 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Joker; 2. (tie) Ty Breuer and Will Lowe, 85; 4. Logan Patterson, 84.5; 5. Taylor Broussard, 83.5; 6. Tanner Aus, 81.5; 7. Dylan Riggins, 80.5; 8. (tie) Brazos Winters and Mason Clements, 80. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 5.2 seconds; 2. Tanner Green/Jake Clay, 5.4; 3. Brett Christensen/Chase Boekhaus, 6.0; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.1; 5. Cooper White/Tucker White, 6.2; 6. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 6.3; 7. (tie) Garett Chick/Ross Ashford and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 6.9. Aggregate leaders: 1. Garret Chick/Ross Ashford, 29.4 seconds on three runs; 2. Manny Egusquiza Jr., 29.8; 3. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 31.5; 4. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 32.6; 5. Brett Christensen/Chase Boekhaus, 33.5; 6. Cooper White/Tucker White,35.3; 7. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 37.6; 8. Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 40.5. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 4.0 seconds; 2. Jule Hazen, 4.1; 3. Tom Uttermark, 4.4; 4. Richard Coats, 4.8; 5. Tyrel Cline, 4.9; 6. (tie) Eli Lord and Denell Henderson, 5.1; 8. Cody Devers, 5.3. Aggregate leaders: 1. Blake Mindemann, 15.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Billy Boldon, 16.9; 3. Matt Reeves, 17.3; 4. Tristan Martin, 17.9; 5. T.J. Hall, 18.2; 6. (tie) Jule Hazen and Denell Henderson, 18.6; 8. Hunter Washburn, 20.0 Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Wade Sundell, 90 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big News; 2. Isaac Diaz, 87.5; 3. Tyrel Larsen, 87; 4. Mitch Pollock, 86; 5. Colt Gordon, 85; 6. Hardy Braden, 84; 7. (tie) Taos Muncy and Rusty Wright, 83. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Cooper Martin, 9.2 seconds; 2. Ryan Jarrett, 9.3; 3. Will Howell, 9.4; 4. Paul David Tierney, 10.1; 5. Luke Meier, 10.4; 6. (tie) Seth Cooke and Jase Staudt, 10.6; 8. Justin Smith, 11.1. Aggregate leaders: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 38.3 seconds on three runs; 2. Cooper Martin, 31.4; 3. Jase Staudt, 32.5; 4. Paul David Tierney, 33.9; 5. Will Howell, 34.2; 6. Chase Williams, 35.9; 75. Ty Harris, 36.1; 8. Robert Mathis, 37.1. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Ivy Hurst, 17.39 seconds; 2. (tie) Billie  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – It’s been a decade since Ryan Jarrett last left the Oklahoma Panhandle with the unique trophy belt given to the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo champions. He wants another one, and he’s staking his claim for it this year. On Saturday afternoon during the second performance, Jarrett roped and tied his calf in 9.3 seconds to take the third-round and aggregate leads in tie-down roping. It seems like he’s always finding his way to a good payday in Guymon. “That doesn’t always happen,” he said. “I like this rodeo. It’s a good rodeo and old school as far as everybody being around during slack. It’s the way rodeo was when I first started.” Many rodeos now feature back-to-back runs for the contestants, meaning they will make a first-round run on a certain morning, then follow with their second-round run that evening during a performance. Pioneer Days Rodeo features two full rounds during slack earlier in the week, and the top times return for the weekend performances. Jarrett, a 12-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier now sitting 15th in the tie-down roping world standings, also competed in team roping in the Oklahoma Panhandle. He and heeling partner Matt Kasner advanced from the first two rounds, but Jarrett was saddled with a no-time in that event. “It was good that we made it back, but then I missed a good one,” Jarrett said. “You have to take a deep breath and move on, because I’ve got another one to rope. In reality, I haven’t been focusing on team roping a whole lot.” Pioneer Days Rodeo is unique in that the team ropers compete on hornless cattle, otherwise known as muleys. There are enough cattle for the timed events that each cowboy or team is given a fresh animal on which to compete, so there have been no previous runs on them. “It’s a fresh one for everybody, so it’s about as fair as you can get in all the timed events,” he said. “I drew decent in calf roping. I knew I didn’t want to break the barrier, just give the calf a safe start, knock him down and see how it ended up.” The 9.3 moved his three-run cumulative time to 38.3 seconds. He’ll have to await the outcome of the final two performances to see how it all plays out. Shortly after his performance Saturday afternoon, he was southeast bound, counting down every minute of his five-and-a-half-hour drive home to his wife, Shy-Anne, and 2-month-old baby girl, Junee Rae. “My life in rodeo has changed a lot since she was born,” said Jarrett, the 2005 all-around world champion. “It sure makes it pretty hard to drive away.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results through the second performance Bareback riding leaders: 1. Garrett Shadbolt, 87 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Joker; 2. Ty Breuer, 85; 3. Taylor Broussard, 83.5; 4. Tanner Aus, 81.5; 5. (tie) Brazos Winters and Mason Clements, 80; 7. Daylon Swearingen, 77; 8. Cole Reiner, 74. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Tanner Green/Jake Clay, 5.4 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.1; 3. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 6.3; 4. Garett Chick/Ross Ashford, 6.9; 5. (tie) Laramie Allen/Jace Davis and Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 7.0; 7, Jase Staudt/Clancey Kreutzer, 12.1; 8. Cody Hilzendeger/J.C. Flake, 12.2. Aggregate leaders: 1. Garret Chick/Ross Ashford, 29.4 seconds on three runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 37.6; 3. Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 40.5; 4. Jase Staudt/Clancey kreutzer, 43.7; 5. Tanner Green/Jake Clay, 13.4 seconds on two runs; 6. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 13.7; 7. Laramie Allen/Jace Davis, 14.1; 8. (tie) Cole Morgan/Derrick Jantzen and Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 15.0. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Jule Hazen, 4.1 seconds; 2. Tom Uttermark, 4.4; 3. Richard Coats, 4.8; 4. Cody Devers, 5.3; 5. Hunter Washburn, 5.5; 6. (tie) T.J. Hall and Tyler Pearson, 5.8; 8. Blake Mindemann, 6.0. Aggregate leaders: 1. Blake Mindemann, 15.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Billy Boldon, 16.9; 3. T.J. Hall, 18.2; 4. Jule Hazen, 18.6; 5. Hunter Washburn, 20.0; 6. Tom Uttermark, 20.4; 7. Justin Nokes, 24.0; 8. Tyler Pearson, 24.3. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Wade Sundell, 90 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big News; 2. Isaac Diaz, 87.5; 3. Colt Gordon, 85; 4. Taos Muncy, 83; 5. Cort Scheer, 83; 6. Preston Burr, 82; 7. (tie) Cole Elshere and Jesse Bail, 77.5. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 9.3 seconds; 2. Will Howell, 9.4; 3. (tie) Seth Cooke and Jase Staudt, 10.6; 5. Justin Smith, 11.1; 6. Chase Williams, 11.5; 7. Tyler Prcin, 11.7; 8. Ty Harris, 12.1. Aggregate leaders: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 38.3 seconds on three runs; 2. Jase Staudt, 32.5; 3. Will Howell, 34.2; 4. Chase Williams, 35.9; 5. Ty Harris, 36.1; 6. Robert Mathis, 37.1; 7. (tie) Tyler Prcin and Justin Smith, 38.3. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Ivy Hurst, 17.39 seconds; 2. (toe) Billie Ann Harmon and $yann Pedone, 17.48; 4. Sarah McCormick, 17.49; 5. (tie) Ashley Castleberry and Stevi Hillman, 17.58; 7. Kylie Weast, 17.59; 8. Kelly Yates, 17.60; 9. (tie) Michelle Darling and Shannon Lillard, 17.67. Aggregate leaders: 1. Kylie Weast, 35.12 seconds on two runs; 2. Ivy Hurst, 35.44; 3. Ryan Pedone, 35.49; 4. Michelle Darling, 35.50; 5. Sevi Hillman, 35.53; 6. Billie Ann Harmon, 35.56; 7. Kelly Yates, 35.59; 8. Tracy Nowlin, 35.66; 9. Tyra Kane, 35.68; 10. Sarah McCormick, 35.74. Bull riding leaders: 1. Corey Atwell, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Psychopath; 2. Daylon Swearingen, 84; 3. Eligah Mora, 83; 4. Toby Collins, 82; 5. Josh Frost, 81.5; 6. Cain Smith, 79; no other qualified rides.

GUYMON, Okla. – If asked, Ty Breuer will say that he feels a little rusty on the back of a bucking horse. He didn’t show it Friday night during the first performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. Breuer matched moves with Frontier Rodeo’s Short Night for 85 points to take the early lead in bareback riding. That’s not too shabby for a cowboy that hasn’t been on a bucking horse in more than a month. He’s been busy with his cow-calf operation at home in Mandan, North Dakota. It takes up a considerable amount of time during the early spring, but he proved early why he is one of the best in the business. “This has always been a good rodeo to me,” said Breuer, 29, who won the 2014 Pioneer Days Rodeo trophy belt. “I like coming down here.” He likes going just about anywhere this year. A four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Breuer is having the best season of his career with more than $78,000 in earnings, and it’s only the third day of May – the regular season doesn’t end until Sept. 30, and only the top 15 in the world standings at that point earn berths to the NFR, the sport’s grand finale. “I think I owe a lot of my success to rodeoing smart and being with the people I travel with, Steven Dent and Tanner Aus,” Breuer said. “They’ve helped me out a lot in my bareback riding career. The people I surround myself with have really helped a lot. “Being in better shape helps a lot, too.” Breuer has been dedicated the past couple of years to a stringent workout regimen. That is one of the guiding forces to him having such a success, even though his schedule on his North Dakota ranch has kept him out of the weight room. “It’s awesome that rodeo has come this far that someone can make this kind of money in such a short period of time,” he said. “It also helps because I’m about to have another kid, so hopefully I’ll be able to stay home a little more this year.” He knows, though, that in order to spend more time with his wife, Kelli; daughter, Kayd; and a newborn son come June, he’ll have to stay on this winning formula. While he’s padded his pocketbook quite well, he’ll need tens of thousands of more dollars if he wants to return to Las Vegas in December and battle for the world championship. “I’ll go home now, finishing calving, hit a couple rodeos a week so I can keep getting on bareback horses, then I’ll go pretty hard at the end of June,” Breuer said. “I’ll start making time to go to my trainer, but I haven’t had the chance because of calving. I’ll go to my trainer early in the morning so I can be home when the sun comes up so I can get to work.” That’s what’s worked so far, so why not stay with it. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Results through the first performance Bareback riding leaders: 1. Ty Breuer, 85 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Short Night; 2. Taylor Broussard, 83.5; 3. Tanner Aus, 81.5; 4. Brazos Winters, 80; 5. Daylon Swearingen, 77; no other qualified rides. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Tanner Green/Jake Clay, 5.4 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.1; 3. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 6.3; 4. Garett Chick/Ross Ashford, 6.9; 5. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 15.6; no other qualified runs. Aggregate leaders: 1. Garret Chick/Ross Ashford, 29.4 seconds on three runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 37.6; 3. Tanner Green/Jake Clay, 13.4 seconds on two runs; 4. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 13.7; 5. (tie) Cole Morgan/Derrick Jantzen and Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 15.0; 7. Chace Thompson/Tyson Thompson, 16.6; 8. (tie) Cody McCluskey/Joe Mattern and Ty Blasingame/Jerren Johnson, 16.9. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Tom Uttermark, 4.4 seconds; 2. (tie) T.J. Hall and Tyler Pearson, 5.8; 4. Blake Mindemann, 6.0; 5. Billy Boldon, 6.9; 6. JustinShaffer, 13.9; 7. Austin Eller, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Aggregate leaders: 1. Blake Mindemann, 15.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Billy Boldon, 16.9; 3. T.J. Hll, 18.2; 4. Tom Uttermark, 20.4; 5. Tyler Pearson, 24.3; 6. Justin Shaffer, 26.0; 7. Austin Eller, 32.8; 8. Nick Guy, 8.8 seconds on two runs. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Wade Sundell, 90 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big News; 2. Isaac Diaz, 87.5; 3. Taos Muncy, 83; 4. Cole Elshere, 77.5; 5. (tie) Kash Deal and Jade Blackwell, 77; 7. Brody Cress, 74; 8. Brady Hill, 68. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Justin Smith, 11.1 seconds; 2. Tyler Prcin, 11.7; 3. Ty Harris, 12.1; 4. Dawson Turner, 16.1; 5. Kell Parker, 17.8; no other qualified runs. Aggregate leaders: 1. Ty Harris, 36.1 seconds on three runs; 2. (tie) Tyler Prcin and Justin Smith, 38.3; 4. Dawson Turner, 44.8; 5. Kell Parker, 47.2; 6. Reese Riemer, 17.6 on two runs; 7. Shane Hanchey, 17.9; 8. John Douch, 18.5. Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kylie Weast, 17.53 seconds, $1,804; 2. Sally Conway, 17.57, $1,546; 3. Kellie Collier, 17.63, $1,289; 4. Jill Wilson, 17.65, $1,117; 5. (tie) Shelley Morgan and Skyla Whitters, 17.68, $773 each; 7. Shali Lord, 17.72, $515; 8. Randi Buchanan, 17.75, $344; 9. Lacinda Rose, 17.80, $258; 10. (tie) Michelle Darling and Hollie Etbauer, 17.83, $86 each. Second round leaders: 1. Sarah McCormick, 17.49 seconds; 2. Ashley Castleberry, 17.58; 3. Kylie Weast, 17.59; 4. Michelle Darling, 17.67; 5. Nicole Riggle, 17.86; 6. Tamara Reinhardt, 17.92; 7. Debbie Pate, 18.02; 8. (tie) Alyssa Gabrielson and Michelle Alley, 18.04; 10. Tammy Fischer, 18.05. Aggregate leaders: 1. Kylie Weast, 35.12 seconds on two runs; 2. Michelle Darling, 35.50; 3. Sarah McCormick, 35.74; 4. Nicole Riggle, 36.05; 5. Tammy Fischer, 36.08; 6. Tierra Gray, 36.22; 7. Tamara Reinhardt, 36.30; 8. Deb Cox, 36.32; 9. Tristen Spivey, 36.35; 10. Debbie Pate, 36.49. Bull riding leaders: 1. Corey Atwell, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Psychopath; 2. Daylon Swearingen, 84; 3. Josh Frost,  Continue Reading »

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Through two rounds Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Nick Guy, 4.2 seconds, $1,763; 2. (tie) Tyler Murray and Shayde Etherton, 4.3, $1,307 each; 4. (tie) Tanner Brunner and Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $699 each; 6. Ryan Swayze, 4.6, $304. Second round: 1. Hunter Cure, 4.0 seconds, $1,763; 2. (tie) Matt Reeves, Don Payne and Cody Doescher, 4.1, $1,155 each; 5. Clayton Hass, 4.2, $547; 6. (tie) Richard Coats and Brady Reneau, 4.3, $152 each. Average leaders: 1. Nick Guy, 8.8 seconds on two head; 2. Clayton Hass, 9.0; 3. Taz Olson, 9.3; 4. (tie) Grady Payne and Blake Mindemann, 9.9 each; 6. Billy Boldon, 10.0. Team roping: First round: 1. Brice Boatright/Chad Mathes, 6.3 seconds, $1,843; 2. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.9, $1,515; 3. Cole Morgan/Derrick Jantzen, 7.0, $1,288; 4. Laramie Allen/Jace Davis, 7.1, $1,061; 5. Jake Orman/Walt Woodard, 7.4, $834; 6. Cody Hilzendeger/J.C. Flake, 7.5, $606; 7. Cole Patterson/Darin Suit, 7.8, $379; 8. (tie) Jeff Johnston/Dustin Dan Harris and Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 8.1, $76 each. Second round: 1. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cesar de la Cruz, 5.6 seconds, $1,743 each; 2. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 5.9, $1,515; 3. Luke Brown/Paul Eaves, 6.2, $1,288; 4. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 6.6, $1,061; 5. Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon, 6.9, $834; 6. Cale Markham/Brye Crites, 7.0, $606; 7. (tie) Jesse Stipes/Jake Smith and Ryan Jarrett/Matt Kasner, 7.2, $265 each. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Blake Hughes/Braden Harmon and Cole Morgan/Derrick Jantzen, 15.0 seconds on two head each; 3. Chace Thompson/Tyson Thompson, 16.6; 4. (tie) Cody McCluskey/Joe Mattern and Ty Blasingame/Jerren Johnson, 16.9 each; 6. Adam Rose/Jett Hillman, 17.4. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. (tie) Glenn Jackson and Shane Hanchey, 8.9 seconds, $1,644 each; 3. Reese Riemer, 9.3, $1,300; 4. (tie) John Douch, Robert Mathis and Cheyenne Harper, 9.6, $841 each; 7. (tie) Westyn Hughes and Tyler Milligan, 9.8, $268. Second round: 1. Tyler Prcin, 7.9 seconds, $1,758; 2. Seth Cooke, 8.1, $1,529; 3. Reese Riemer, 8.3, $1,300; 4. (tie) Chase Williams and Ryan Jarrett, 8.5, $956 each; 6. John Douch, 8.9, $612; 7. Shane Hanchey, 9.0, $382; 8. Westyn Hughes, 9.3, $153. Average leaders: 1. Reese Riemer, 17.6 seconds on two head; 2. Shane Hanchey, 17.9; 3. John Douch, 18.5; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 18.9; 5. Westyn Hughes, 19.1; 6. Tyler Milligan, 19.2.

The first champion of the 2019 Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has been crowned. Thomas Smith of Barnsdall, Oklahoma, roped and tied five steers in 64.9 seconds to win the steer roping title during competition that took place Monday and Tuesday at Hitch Arena. The 27-year-old cowboy shared the first-round victory with Trevor Brazile, then placed in two other rounds. In all, he pocketed $7,446. That money will move Smith into the Top 30 in the PRCA world standings and to the No. 1 spot in the Prairie Circuit. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 29-May 5 Steer roping: First round: 1. (tie) Thomas Smith and Trevor Brazile, 11.9 seconds, $1,572 each; 3. Walter Priestly, 12.0, $1,127; 4. Clay Smith, 12.1, $831; 5. Kelton McMillen, 12.3, $534; 6. Tuf Cooper, 12.4, $297. Second round: 1. Chet Herren, 10.1 seconds, $1,721; 2. (tie) Trey Sheets and Shay Good, 11.3, $1,276 each; 4. Jim Locke, 11.4, $831; 5. (tie) Ryan Willberg and Rocky Patterson, 11.5, $415 each. Third round: 1. (tie) Neal Wood and Landon McClaugherty, 10.2 seconds, $1,572 each; 3. Travis Sheets, 10.4, $1,127; 4. J.P. Wickett, 10.9, $831; 5. (tie) Thomas Smith and Jim Locke, 11.4, $415 each. Fourth round: 1. Chet Herren, 9.4 seconds, $1,721; 2. Chris Glover, 10.2, $1,424; 3. (tie) Trenton Johnson and Landon McClaugherty, 10.5, $979 each; 5. Will Gasperson, 10.6, $534; 6. Jess Tierney, 11.0. Fifth round: 1. Jim Locke, 10.0 seconds, $1,721; 2. Scott Snedecor, 10.3, $1,424; 3. Chet Herren, 10.6, $1,127; 4. Neal Wood, 10.8, $831; 5. Walter Priestly, 11.1, $534; 6. Thomas Smith, 11.3, $297. Average: 1. Thomas Smith, 64.9 seconds on five runs, $5,162; 2. Brady Garten, 67.7, $4,272; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 68.5, $3,382; 4. Kelton McMillen, 70.0, $2,492; 5. Scott Snedecor, 72.5, $1,602; 6. Bryce Davis, 73.5, $890.