Monthly Archives: November 2019

DECATUR, Texas – Most champion racehorses have a great pedigree, with outstanding bloodlines coming from both sire and dam. The same is true for four-time world champion Tuf Cooper, whose father, Roy, is best known as the “Super Looper,” a ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboy with eight gold buckles. On his mother’s side, Cooper’s grandfather, Clifton Smith, was a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, while his uncle, Stran Smith, is a 10-time NFR qualifier and the 2008 world champion tie-down roper. “This is what I was born to be, a cowboy,” said Cooper, 29, of Decatur, Texas. “This is what God created me for. This is my calling today. Tomorrow it might change; 10 years from now it might change. “But I love this job, and I’m so fortunate to have this job. My goal is to do this as long as I can. I told my dad that I wanted to qualify for the NFR when I’m 50. That’s going to be taking care of good horses and taking care of my body.” He’s doing a pretty good job so far. He has qualified for the NFR 11 times and this year sits fourth in the tie-down roping world standings with $105,592. He moved to third in the all-around standings with $159,756, about $23,000 behind the leader, roughstock cowboy Stetson Wright. He won two go-rounds and placed in two others at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in late November, and the nearly $23,000 he pocketed in Mulvane, Kansas, moved him up one spot in the all-around world standings. “Anybody can be a champion, but to live a lifestyle that I want to live as a champion is the same thing that being a cowboy means to me,” said Cooper, who credits his success to his family and close friends as well as his sponsors, Rock & Roll Denim, Panhandle, Platinum Performance, Bloomer Trailers, American Hat Co., Tate Branch Auto Group, MGM Grand and OE Outlaw Equine. “A champion is a good loving, hard-working, respectable man that cares about others, cares about animals and cares about the country that we live in.” That definition fits him to a tee and has since he was a little boy growing up in north Texas. He has three older siblings, all of whom have qualified for the NFR – barrel racer Shada and tie-down ropers Clint and Clif. His favorite childhood memory centers around roping. “My childhood was in the dirt,” he said. “That’s where I wanted to be. That’s where we were all the time.” He still toils in the dirt and does so at rodeo arenas all across the country. He owns three tie-down roping world championships (2011-12 and ’14) and the 2017 all-around gold buckle. He earned the latter after adding steer roping to his repertoire and has qualified for the NFSR each of the past three seasons. “My team roping wasn’t going so well,” he said with a laugh, “and I wanted to win the all-around.” He stands a good chance, but it’ll come down to who does the best in Sin City from Dec. 5-14. While he has always loved being a cowboy and all that it stands for, Cooper has gained a better perspective about what he does and how he does it. Life on the rodeo trail isn’t easy, with all-night drives and traveling tens of thousands of miles to compete for a living. There are no guarantees in this sport – the only way to make money is to beat most of the contestants in the field. “In 2016 when we didn’t ProRodeo, I learned so much about myself, my industry and my job,” said Cooper, who married his wife, Tiffany, on New Year’s Eve last December. “I learned how much I actually love what I get to do. Since I was 13, roping has been a job for me. “I realize how fortunate I was to get to wake up and be a cowboy. It’s the coolest thing in the world. I never really understood, because I had been treating it like it was a job. I found out how fortunate I am to put on my American Hat cowboy hat and do what I do. Once I learned to love the process, there’s no way to beat that. Every part of the day is my favorite part of the day.” He lives every day with Tiffany, whom he’s been with for several years. They are more than a married couple; they are a team. She travels the country with him, driving and doing so many other things necessary for the team to win. “It’s so cool to be with her,” he said. “I love being married. She does everything for me but nod my head.” While the all-around title in ProRodeo is the most coveted – “It’s the most prestigious title in the game,” he said. “I love it, and that title is so cool.” – he knows the road to a second goes through Las Vegas and what he does in tie-down roping there. It’s been five years since he last won a tie-down roping gold buckle, and he would love to keep adding to his collection. “All roads lead back to impatience on my part,” Cooper said. “Knowing I could do it and wanting it so bad, I was impatient with the process instead of trusting my style and my ability. “There’s so much money in Vegas that season leads don’t matter. You’ve got to make 10 good runs. As long as you qualify. Tyson (Durfey) won the world coming from 14th a few years ago. You’ve got to do well in Vegas, focus on 10 runs and 10 calves.” That’s easier said than done. The Thomas & Mack Center can be the toughest place to play the game. There’s a $10 million purse, and go-round winners will earn $26,231 each night. That adds a ton of pressure. But he’s been through that before. He was raised by  Continue Reading »

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Cervi Rodeo has been around professional rodeo for half a century and has many accolades that come with that type of experience. For the Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park, the Cervis’ circle I brand has been a key part of the event’s success over the last five years. The rodeo committee and the town of Estes Park are expecting that to continue, as the town recently agreed to renew its contract with Cervi Rodeo for another five years. “We are excited that the town of Estes Park has been successful in renewing its agreement with our livestock producer,” said Mark Purdy, chairman of Estes Park Western Heritage Inc., a group of volunteers that works with the town of Estes Park to produce the annual rodeo. “Over our first five years with the Cervi family, we have been nominated virtually every year for the PRCA’s Medium Rodeo of the Year, and we believe the Cervis have a great deal to do with that. We’re also excited to have a Colorado-based firm to produce our rodeo every year.” Mike Cervi founded Cervi Rodeo in 1967 and was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2003. Over that time, the outfit was twice named the PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year. He has now handed the operation over to his sons, Binion and Chase. The firm also produces the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo as well as many other top rodeos across the country. It has been innovative with its outreach program to fill roughstock events and helping rodeos network with each other. “They have demonstrated a passion to give back to the rodeo community, and they have always provided innovative parade ideas,” Purdy said. “They arrange great bucking horses and bulls for our rodeo each year, and they also recognize that the town owns Rooftop Rodeo, and Cervi Rodeo is the provider. We all know what to expect, and that makes our relationship very strong.”

CHECOTAH, Okla. – There’s only one member of his family that Riley Duvall has yet to catch. “I don’t think I’m going to catch Roy,” said Duvall, 27, who has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo for the third time in his career, one more than his dad, Sam, Uncle Spud and cousin Tom. “I don’t bring that up around the house.” He laughed at the thought, but there’s a certain pride that rings through the Duvall clan that Riley is continuing on the great tradition of steer wrestlers and holding up to nickname of their hometown; Checotah is known as the Bulldogging Capital of the World. “Of course, there’s a 21-time difference between Roy and me,” he said. Roy Duvall is a three-time world champion and 24-time NFR qualifier who earned his gold buckles in the 1960s-70s. His great-nephew is carrying on the family business through its third generation and doing a bang-up job in the process. “I’ve never felt pressure by that,” Riley Duvall said. “Ever since I first got in the practice pen, I’ve had the best guys in the world helping me out. I learned not to ever be intimidated by those guys. You show up at a rodeo, and you don’t worry about who’s there. It’s just bulldogging.” He earned his way by finishing the regular season with $85,963, seventh on the money list heading into ProRodeo’s grand championship, set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. He had some key wins – Burwell, Nebraska; St. Paul, Oregon; and Sikeston, Missouri, for example – but his biggest money-maker came in March at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, where he pocketed just shy of $13,000. “I hadn’t won a check in almost six weeks, and I broke a barrier in the final round to win it all,” said Duvall, who posted a 3.8-second run in the championship round, but the 10-second penalty for not allowing the steer an appropriate head start pushed him to fourth instead. “That jumped me back up in the standings. That boosted my confidence back up to where I was ready to roll and get back after it.” Before his spring slump, he was well on his way to returning to Las Vegas. He won the 2018 Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo average title, pocketing more than $5,000 in the process. Then he kept building through the winter months. In fact, 2019 was the best year of his career, and it’s not over. “It was really a weird year,” he said. “I started off hot. I had $20,000 won going into February, then all the big rodeos came and went, and I didn’t win a penny. When I did win, it was a good check, but it wasn’t consistent until the summer. I had a good enough start to the winter that I was still a step or two above where I’d been in years past.” A key factor in was his horsepower. He competed primarily on two bulldogging horses this year, Gray, owned by Charlene Neal, and Houdini, owned by one of his traveling partners, Denver Berry. In April, he purchased Cash, which served as the team’s haze horse. “Gray is owned by my wife’s aunt,” said Duvall, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Wrangler, Purina, Stierwalt Superflex, Cowhorse Supply, the Mirage, Rodeo Vegas and Best Ever Pads. “Gray is 18, and he’s really quick across the line, real sharp out of the corner, and he runs a tight pattern. My percentages of catching went up on him.” He knows how important that is, which is why he will ride Gray at the NFR. His father, Sam, will ride Cash and will haze, helping keep the steer lined out. Over the years, Sam Duvall has hazed hundreds of runs inside the Thomas & Mack for many cowboys. It’s a family tradition; Riley’s grandfather, Bill, hazed for Roy for nearly every run he made at the NFR. Before he qualified, Riley was a sought-after hazer who helped cowboys to big wins in Vegas. “Dad hazed for me in ’16, the first year I made the finals,” Riley Duvall said. “I haven’t had a hazing horse that I thought would make it out there. I bought Cash from Brady McFarren, and I think he’ll do well. “Dad likes him. He thinks he’s fast. He feels confident on him, so that’s big.” Confidence is key in any run at a championship, and Riley Duvall is feeling it now more than ever. Though he considers the last two trips to the NFR less than successful, he earned just shy of $120,000 combined in those ventures to the Nevada desert. In 2016, he placed in four rounds, including at least a share of two round victories. A year ago, he placed in just one round, but the bulk of his money came by placing fourth in the average; that was worth nearly $32,000. “With this being my third time, I’ve figured out what to do and what not to do,” he said. “I’m going to have a different attitude and a different mindset and just go at it. “Last year I was so nervous, I could hardly sleep at the end of the week. I think if I can get off to a quick start, that’ll loosen some things up and make a big difference. I’m going to go at it every round. I’m going to try to win every round, stay positive and not let as many things bother me.” That’s easier said than done. The NFR is the sport’s marquee event, and every cowboy that has ever played the game wants to compete inside those famous yellow gates at the Thomas & Mack Center. It features a $10 million purse, with go-round winners earning $26,231 each night. There also is something special about the environment and the fact that Las Vegas becomes a cowboy town for two weeks in early December. “For me, the best part is the fulfillment that you  Continue Reading »

REXBURG, Idaho – After injuries kept him from qualifying for the 2018 National Finals Rodeo, bull rider Garrett Smith was a man on a mission. A fractured pelvis suffered at Couer d’Alene, Idaho, in August 2018 forced Smith to miss the final month of the regular season, and he finished 23rd in the world standings – only the top 15 cowboys on the money list at the conclusion of the regular season advance to ProRodeo’s grand finale. He more than made up for it this year. “I finally got healthy the last month of this year,” said Smith, 24, of Rexburg, who returns to the NFR for the third time in four years. “You’ve got to learn to ride when you’re not healthy, but it makes a huge difference on how you ride when you’re healthy. It helped to have a good last month, and it was a lot more fun. “That last (two) weeks of September, I won the four rodeos I entered.” That was worth $14,568 and catapulted him to No. 7 in the world standings with $123,975. In fact, he was one of 16 bull riders to have earned more than $105,000 through the regular season, the first time in ProRodeo history that has happened. “The money is crazy this year,” he said. “There’s no one that would have thought it would take $100,000 to make the finals. That’s how tough the bull riding is getting and how much these rodeos are adding for us as far as money. They’re helping us out tremendously.” “Added” money is how much cash each committee puts into the pot, which is added to the contestants’ entry fees to make up the total purse. The more money that’s added at a rodeo, the more attractive it is for the cowboys to attend. After all, this is how they make a living. “This is really good for rodeo, and I think it’s just going to keep getting bigger,” he said. “It’s great to be part of it. There’s no telling what the future will hold for bull riding and the PRCA.” Money doesn’t just pay bills and cover the expenses that come along the way, but dollars equal championship points. The contestants in each event that finish the year with the most money won will be crowned world champions. He’s been close before. He finished the 2017 regular season No. 2 in the world standings, then suffered an injury at the NFR and fell to fifth despite winning a round, placing in two others and finishing eighth in the average standings. He finished the 10-round affair, then opted for surgery afterward. This year, he’ll have some ground to make up once he arrived in Las Vegas. He trails the leader, five-time world champion Sage Kimzey by more than $121,000, but that ground can be made up inside the Thomas & Mack Center. If everything goes his way, Smith can catch Kimzey by the halfway point of the 10-round championship. “This NFR probably means more to me because I came through so many injuries to come back for it,” said Smith, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Idaho Project Filter, CINCH, Resistol, Rodeo Vegas, Rodeo Tax, Rodeo Graphics, Truth Bucking Stock and Streamline Sports Chiropractic & Physical Therapy. “I’d just like to finish it healthy once; that would be nice.” This might be the first year he enters ProRodeo’s marquee event in perfect health, but he didn’t start this season that way. He tried to return to action a little more than two months after his 2018 injury, but that didn’t work out. He came back in January, but that, too, was early. He didn’t come back again until late February, then went on a tear. That included his victory at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, where he pocketed just shy of $30,000. “It’s hard coming off an injury, because you don’t know what’s going to hurt,” he said. “I was kind of hesitant. If you’re hesitant in this deal, it doesn’t work out a lot. “Winning the RAM Finals was huge. That helped me out not only in the standings, but also confidence-wise. When you’re hurt for that long, you’re waiting for that one big win that helps you out.” Smith has learned to overcome adversity and adjust to obstacles that have come is way. He’ll have to likely do both at the NFR, the most stressful 10 days in the game. It’s been three decades since a cowboy has ridden all 10 bulls in Las Vegas, so it’s a tough stretch for any man in the mix. “I was on a roll going into the finals in ’17, so that was probably the best year I’ve ever had,” Smith said. “Just to make it back this year is just going to be awesome.” Through every surgery, every recovery, every bad stretch, he has had many people he’s leaned on, whether it’s his father, Lynn; mother, Valorie; or brothers Wyatt and Payson. Wyatt Smith was a 2014 NFR qualifier in steer wrestling, and Garrett served as his hazer during the final five rounds. “I don’t really know where I’d be without them,” Garrett Smith said. “Having Wyatt make it and show us the way is big. Payson is always there for support. What means the most is having someone to call and talk to. You give those guys a call, and they’ll cheer you up right and keep you humble. “I’ve also got a bunch of support from Allen Teller; that’s who I have all my bulls with. He’s like a second dad. He’s the one who taught me all about bull riding and keeps my head where it should be. Without him, I wouldn’t be anywhere.” Whether they’re with him in Vegas or cheering him on from a distance he understands how important they are to his career. Now, he’ll make a run at the $10 million purse. “A lot of what changed for me this  Continue Reading »

RAMONA, Kan. – Tanner Brunner isn’t ready to move to Canada, but he had some serious success north of the border. Brunner, a 26-year-old steer wrestler from Ramona, competed at 16 rodeos that were co-sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association through the regular season and earned $20,923 at them. That money counted for both the Canadian and world standings, and they were a big reason why he will compete for the second time at the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. He also made a late-season push in September to secure his spot as the No. 15 bulldogger in the game, less than $1,700 ahead of the 16th cowboy. “It’s always a sigh of relief when you finish inside the top 15 and make it to the NFR,” said Brunner, who was raised in a rodeo family that all attended Kansas State University and competed on the rodeo team in Manhattan, Kansas. “It’s not only a sigh of relief that you made it, but you also have a little time off and be off for an extended period of time for the first time in four months.” His big push came in early July, when he won two Alberta rodeo in Medicine Hat and Ponoka, and pocketed $17,139 between them. He utilized the bulk of his July earnings to also qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo, where he added $15,795 by placing in three rounds and finishing third in the average. He finished sixth in the Canadian standings. “Making the Canadian Finals definitely wasn’t on my list of goals at the beginning of the year,” said Brunner, who credits a great deal of his success to his family and sponsors, Coats Saddlery, Cow Camp Ranch, SportZone, MJE Livestock Equipment, KSU Rodeo Club, Animal Health International and the Outpost Western Store. “After Ponoka, I had a good shot at making the finals. “I was pretty fortunate to go up there and get on horses up there, having some guys helping me out to try to get my rodeo count in. I think I did alright at the CFR. It’s a long six days, a lot like the NFR. I was happy to come away with some money and try to build on that.” Now, his goal is to stay sharp though the remaining practices he has before he nods his head at the biggest rodeo of the year. The NFR offers a $10 million purse, with go-round winners earning $26,231 each night. “Every little bit of experience helps you when you get to the finals,” he said. “At the CFR, I got to be on the same horse with the same hazer and haze horse that I’ll be on for the NFR. Being on those horses in that setup, it is almost as close as you can replicate the NFR, especially getting a little bit of pressure put on you and getting some runs in competition.” The horses are owned by Sean Mulligan, a four-time NFR qualifier from Coleman, Oklahoma, who has served many times as hazer in Sin City. It’s his duty to haze the steer into position to give the bulldogger his best chance to make a good run. He also happens to own Miss Kitty, which Brunner will ride, and Shooter, the haze horse. “Those horses really fit my style,” Brunner said. “When you’re bulldogging, you’ve got to think less and react more. They make it pretty easy. “About every year, Sean’s out there hazing for someone. There’s a lot of trust with Sean. I feel 110 percent comfortable with him on the other side, what’s underneath me and what’s underneath him. I think we’ll have one of the best teams there.” Just two weeks before Mulligan and Brunner were in Red Deer, Alberta, for the CFR, they were in Duncan, Oklahoma, competing at the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. Brunner won the opening round, then finished in a tie for second in the next. He finished the rodeo with a three-run cumulative time of 13.0 seconds to win the average championship. “Winning the average at our circuit finals has been a big goal of mine for quite a few years, and to finally accomplish it feels really good,” Brunner said. “Our circuit is one of the toughest ones year in and year out as far as competition; a lot of guys that make the circuit finals every year have been to the NFR.” He earned his first qualification last year and placed in the third go-round. He would have liked to have performed better, especially with so much money available, but that can be the rollercoaster that is ProRodeo’s grand championship. There are 17,000 people a night inside the Thomas & Mack Center, and the pressure to perform well inside that building is intense. “I’ve never felt pressure from anywhere but myself, so I’m learning how to deal with that and using it to my advantage, using that in a good way,” he said. “This year, I’ve had a little more adversity. To learn how to deal with that and make the best of it has really helped me out, not just in the arena but getting down the road.” Part of that was being away from home. He spent just 12 hours in Ramona from June to September. It was difficult, because family has always been important. But this is a business, and the biggest part of his business is chasing the big bucks in Las Vegas each December. “You always wish you were home more, especially now that I’m getting older and wanting to contribute a little more to the family operation,” Brunner said. “They’re pretty understanding of me. I’ve got a great family that keeps everything going. In five or 10 years when I’m done rodeoing, I’ll be there to help out a little bit more. “When you’ve worked so hard to get to the top, you don’t  Continue Reading »

MANDAN, N.D. – Bareback rider Ty Breuer kicked off his 2019 ProRodeo season in a big way, winning the championship at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in early February. Two weeks later, he won the rodeo in Tucson, Arizona, and he was officially on a roll. Between those two rodeos alone, he had earned $16,436 to put himself near the top of the world standings with seven months remaining in the regular season. He continued to build on that, and it all proved quite vital. In March, he collected $23,000 at RodeoHouston, which was in its first year of being tied to the world standings in several years. “I had the best winter I’ve ever had,” said Breuer, 29, of Mandan, North Dakota. “All of the sudden, I came home, spent time calving and went back and started the summer run in June.” But it didn’t last long, as some sort of virus entered his body. He felt weak, light-headed and wasn’t sure what was going on. Trips to the doctor revealed no answers. It lasted for weeks, and it kept him absent from the sport he loves and his primary business. “It pretty much took me out for the whole summer, and we never did figure out what was wrong,” he said. “I couldn’t even work at home. I was just resting. It was a good thing I had a pretty good nest-egg built up.” Each dollar he earned through the season came in handy for many reasons. In all, he finished the regular season with $88,699 that counts toward the world standings. He fell to 12th on the money list, but he has a chance to improve on it all when he competes at the National Finals Rodeo for the fifth time in his 10-year career. “It’s an honor to be going back to the finals,” said Breuer, who shares his home with his wife, Kelli, and their two children, 2-year-old Kayd and 5-month-old Treyt. “A guy can’t take anything for granted in this sport, and you have to realize it’s something special to still be going.” He knows all about what that means. Two years ago, his younger brother, Casey, suffered an injury that ended his career. Last year, one of Ty Breuer’s traveling partners, J.R. Vezain, also suffered a career-ending injury after having had a strong enough season to qualify for the NFR. So, having the opportunity to compete at a high level is something in which Breuer takes great pride. It’s a special occasion for any rodeo cowboy to compete at ProRodeo’s grand championship once; there’s something even more special for a man who has been there five times, including each of the past four seasons. “It’s always tough to make the finals, because the horses get better and the riders get better,” he said. “Every year you have to improve, too. It’s crazy how fast it’s getting better … the sport, the money, everything. “The money is a big thing. Now that I have a family, and that’s how I make money, you really have to push yourself to get all that you can.” Money is important, not only for caring for a family but also for chasing titles. In rodeo, only the top 15 on the money list at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the NFR. When it ends, the contestants in each event with the most money won are crowned world champions. As he heads into Las Vegas for the most stressful and most rewarding 10 nights of the year, he is $93,000 behind the standings leader, Clayton Biglow. But with a $10 million purse and go-round winners earning $26,231, Breuer can make up ground in just four rounds if everything goes well. “You just can’t let the stress of Las Vegas get to you,” said Breuer, who credits a great deal of his success to his sponsors, D Day Trucking, Cattleman’s Club Steakhouse, Phoenix Performance Products, B. Tuff Jeans and Fettig Pro Rodeo. “There’s a lot going on, but there’s a lot of money up for us out there to get, and I get to spend time with my family. “It’s hard to be away from them when I’m gone, and it seems like it gets harder every year. That’s one of the main perks of going to Vegas, that everybody gets to go with us. Kayd is old enough now that she’ll have fun down there. It’ll be great to be down there with family and see everybody again.” That family includes his traveling partners, Steven Dent and Tanner Aus. They will join Breuer in Sin City, all competing for that coveted Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. “It was a weird summer, because I think we just went to four rodeos where all three of us were together,” he said, noting he competed at just 27 rodeos this year and still qualified for the NFR. “But we still had each other’s backs. We know each other well, and we take care of one another. “It’s pretty awesome that all three of us will be at the finals. It’s funny to think we didn’t go to that many rodeos together, and now we’ll be together all 10 nights. It’ll be fun with all our families. That’s huge support, and all three of us will support each other every night.” Until then, he’ll continue to train. He admitted that his summertime illness pushed him backward a bit, but he’s been building his strength while training with Tanner Schweitzer of Recreational Athletic Wellness Strong in Bismarck, North Dakota. “Working out with Tanner always helps, because you’ve got to be in shape in this sport,” Breuer said. “I was pretty out of shape the first couple of weeks, but we kept working on it. He mostly works on my core muscles and things you don’t use every day. You don’t really lift weights, but he has you sweating in the first three minutes.” The work is paying off, and  Continue Reading »

Tuf Cooper’s New Year’s Eve Roping and Concert a special night to kick off 2020 FORT WORTH, Texas – The inaugural Tuf Cooper’s New Year’s Eve Roping and Concert was part of a celebration that culminated in a magnificent wedding. Cooper and other organizers are making it a tradition, and the next step is this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. “It was actually my mother’s idea, because we never had something good to do on New Year’s Eve,” said Cooper, a four-time world champion from nearby Decatur, Texas. “We’d been talking about it for years, and when I was getting married last year, I said we could do it. “She said, ‘Let’s continue to do this thing. It’ll be an annual event for your anniversary. It’ll be a fun event after the NFR.’ ” So it began, and so it continues. Coliseum doors open at 5:30 p.m., and fans will have the opportunity with a meet and greet with the more than two dozen cowboys in the field, including world champions like Cooper, Trevor Brazile, Shane Hanchey, Junior Nogueira, Tyson Durfey, Marcos Costa and Monty Lewis. The roping will begin at 7:30 p.m., then concerts featuring Jarrod Morris and Shea Abshier and the Nighthowlers is set to begin at 9:30 p.m. “It’s just an exciting time right after the National Finals Rodeo, everybody’s excited about the roping,” Cooper said, adding that it’s going to be a family-friendly event for event-goers of all ages. “You do the holidays and Christmas, and it’s just a great time of year. This is the last chance to reflect and appreciate the year that you had and are getting ready to move forward with the new season. “All the fans are coming off the excitement from the NFR, and they’re really familiar with rodeo at the time.” For 11 of the cowboys, they will be just two weeks removed from the most stressful 10 days of their season. All had battled through the rigors of the regular season to qualify among the top 15 contestants in their events to advance to ProRodeo’s championship, a 10-night battle royale set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas that will crown world championships. The Cooper roping will still feature a world-class competition but in a more relaxed environment. Of the 27 men in the field, all but eight have played the game at the NFR. “We’ve got a lot of world champions and a lot of NFR qualifiers, a lot of guys that are going to be competing at the NFR this year,” Cooper said. “There are a lot of other good guys with a lot of talent. We wanted to provide opportunities to those guys, like John Douch, who have a great talent but are just a little bit shy of making the NFR. “It was such a fun event last year, because I had the event right before I got married. Everybody was loose and laid back. That’s the culture we’re trying to obtain and that we’ve created. Hopefully it stays that way.” There’s a reason behind that thinking, too. Beginning in January, rodeo cowboys will travel tens of thousands of miles a year to make their livings in the sport they love. Once the summer heats up, it’s a non-stop push to be one of the best through the end of the regular season with hopes of returning to Vegas again in December 2020. That means all-night drives and multiple runs in a day during key stretches of the year. There are times of little sleep and road-weariness that come with playing the game they love. A break from the stress and a chance to have some fun together is a vital way to reinvigorate the cowboys involved. The New Year’s Eve roping will feature $10,000 in “added” money, meaning Cooper and other organizers have raised sponsorship dollars that will be mixed with entry fees to make up the total purse. “I want the added money to grow every year, that way we can turn it into a big-time money maker for the guys,” he said. “I want it all to be healthy … a good, fun New Year’s Eve celebration. I want it to be good for the contestants, producers, announcers and fans. I want it to be the funnest event we go to every year because there’s not a world championship up for grabs, but it’s where the competition is super.” Throw in some good, Texas County Music, and it makes for a great evening for everyone involved. “Both of these acts are up-and-coming stars in Texas Country Music,” Cooper said. “That’s just going to make the night that much more fun.”

CALDWELL, Idaho – Much has changed in the last year for Jordan Spears, and that’s a good thing. At the conclusion of the 2018 ProRodeo season, the California-raised bull rider found himself on the outside looking in. He was 18th in the world standings, but the sport’s Super Bowl – the National Finals Rodeo – features only the top 15. After qualifying for the NFR in 2014, ’16 and ’17, injuries kept him out of the game long enough to keep him away from the biggest event in rodeo. He more than made up for it in 2019, earning $121,548 and finishing the regular season ninth on the money list. “There aren’t many people that have made it four times, so it’s an accomplishment for me,” said Spears, now living in Caldwell. “It’s a big deal for me. Every year I rodeo, I try to make the finals. It’s where we have the biggest opportunity to make money, and that’s important to me, because eventually I want to give back to the sport and to put on rodeo schools for kids that want to do what I do. “I rodeo to make the NFR, so I can win as much money as possible and set myself up for the future when I’m done riding bulls. The NFR is where you can make as much money is possible.” He’s right. Go-round winners will pocket $26,231 each of the 10 nights of the sport’s premier event, set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. There are thousands of contestants in ProRodeo, and only 120 earn the right to compete in the Nevada desert. But that’s where the world champions are crowned. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so the contestants with the most money earned in each event will win world titles. It’s the dream of every young cowboy who has slept through the night with visions of the yellow bucking chutes and gold buckles. “I’m approaching the NFR a little differently than I have in the past,” said Spears, who grew up in Redding, California, and attended Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and Feather River College in Quincy, California, on rodeo scholarships. “I’m eating differently, and I’m working out a lot more. “I’ve had some success at the NFR in the past but not where I’m capable of. I’m a veteran, so now I’m more focused on being prepared and being in the best tip-top shape.” The rodeo season is a difficult grind. In addition to strapping himself to 1,800-pound bulls, he also travels tens of thousands of miles a year in order to make a living in the sport he loves. That means there are plenty of all-night drives on the schedule just getting from one rodeo to another. There are restless nights and sore bodies, and injuries are bound to happen in this rough-and-tumble sport that involves man vs. bovine. Still, Spears craves those moments, and they’re important; they are the direct path to the NFR. “Missing the finals last year left a bad taste in my mouth knowing I came that close,” he said. “I worked all year and just missed it, and that was because of a little bit of bad luck. I got hurt and had to sit out in a time of year when I was usually winning. “It just pushed me to work harder and put more effort out. It’s an eye-opener to know you’ve got to be dedicated to put everything into it to make the NFR. It showed me things I need to work on and change to make the NFR again.” A key part to his campaign came in the way of 10 event titles, including the Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale in Ellensburg, Washington; the San Angelo (Texas) Livestock Show and Rodeo; and the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo in San Juan Capistrano, California. Still, for the bull rider who spent so much time in California, he has a specific victory that stands out. “I’d say Clovis (California in April) was probably my biggest win,” said Spears, who credits his sponsors – CINCH, Cody’s Cowboy Hats, Sexy Extracts and the Mirage – for helping him get up and down the rodeo trail. “Both that one and the Xtreme Bulls Finale were game-changers, but in Clovis, I rode a bull that I’d had good luck on before and had some history with. “But to ride him on one of his best trips ever and to win that rodeo at that time of year, it was a good time to get hot at a lot of those big rodeos close to home with a lot of family and friends there. It drives you and gets you excited for the summer run, and you’re more confident and ready to hit the road.” His confidence showed with the amount of money he earned through the regular season, and he has a chance to earn even more over those 10 December nights. The fact that he has earned more than $120,000 and still sits ninth in the standings is saying something, but there’s more: A year ago, the top 10 cowboys all earned more than $100,000; this year, the top 16 bull riders earned at least $105,000. “It’s crazy how fast it’s growing,” said Spears, who earned more money so far this season than he did in all of 2014, his first year in Vegas. “As a bull rider, you’re not necessarily looking at the money; the reason you ride bulls is because you have a passion for it. The fact that it’s growing more each year is exciting. “It makes me appreciate the rodeo committees, the sponsors and everybody that’s put into the sport to make it grow, how much more comfortable you can live riding bulls and doing it for a career. It makes me very thankful that it’s growing while I’m still part of it.” He is just in his sixth year of professional rodeo, but Spears has been around the game all  Continue Reading »

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – From his first National Finals Rodeo qualification in 2014 to his fifth this year, Richmond Champion gets amped up knowing he’s about to compete on the biggest stage of ProRodeo. “The excitement never goes away; the butterflies never go away,” said Champion, 27, of The Woodlands, Texas, now living in Stevensville, Montana, with his wife, Paige, whom he married this past May. “I have a good idea of what to expect when I’m there. That’s a comforting thing you can use to your advantage. “It’s a busy week, and you’re giving everything you can to the fans. You have the appearances, your friends and your family there supporting you, then you go and nod your head for the biggest opportunity of the year.” The NFR features a $10 million purse, with go-round winners earning more than $26,000 each of the 10 nights of ProRodeo’s grand finale, set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. It is a tremendous opportunity to cash in; a year ago, he earned just shy of $125,000 over that 10-day stretch. In his four previous appearances, he has collected $436,296 in NFR earnings. “It’s a whirlwind, but that’s what we work for,” he said. “I’m proud of the work I’ve put in, and I feel really good about where I’m heading into my fifth NFR. I’ve had good NFRs in the past, and I’ve always left there feeling good about what I’ve done.” He has a fantastic track record. Last season, he finished the campaign with more than $240,000 in earnings. This year, he finished the regular season with $130,829 and sits fifth in the world standings. Champion recorded 10 outright victories in 2019, six of which were co-sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association. “This was the best winter I’ve ever had,” Champion said of the early season rodeos from January-March. “There were a lot of changes with Houston and The American on board with the PRCA. The race was definitely changed by that, so you wanted to get out of the gates early and get some money won. “It was good through the spring, and my Canadian season was really good. I hit a little lull after the Fourth of July, battling injuries and battling equipment.” The fight was on, and he finished the regular season on a high note. More importantly, Champion knew the things he had to prepare for the postseason, which not only included the NFR but also the Canadian Finals Rodeo. While at the CFR in Red Deer, Alberta, the end of October, he placed in four of six rounds, finished second in the six-ride aggregate and earned just shy of $29,000. He also finished second in the Canadian standings. Over those magical 10 December nights in the Nevada desert, he’ll have the opportunity at nearly that much money per night. “The Canadian finals went good, and I did what I wanted to do there: I got on good horses, and I rode good,” he said. “I went in sitting second in the standings, and I left second. It was a good marker to see what changes I need to make before Vegas.” There were a lot of changes to Champion’s life in 2019. At the same time of his wedding in his wife’s hometown of Kennedy, Saskatchewan, he moved from Dublin, Texas, to their new home in Stevensville. He continued to travel with fellow bareback rider Caleb Bennett, an eight-time NFR qualifier living in Corvallis, Montana, just a 15-minute drive from Champion. “Doing a wedding and a move at the same exact time was a little bit interesting,” said Champion, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Yeti, Hooey and Nocona. “Everything else seemed like a breeze. It was nice to be able to come home every once in a while this summer. “Going to Canadian rodeos is much easier. I’m seven hours from Calgary, so I can hit all those spring and summer rodeos and be home by midnight instead of jumping on a plane out of Dallas every weekend. There were big changes this year, but they’re all really good.” While there have several adjustments, the constant presence in his life is his family. In addition to his wife, he has unwavering support from his mom and dad, Lori and Greg, and his older brother, Doug, whom Champion identifies as the reason he rides bucking horses for a living. They were there when he was a rookie in 2012 and again in 2014, when he was the first – and still only – $1.1 million earner at The American, a one-day rodeo in Arlington, Texas. They followed him to his victory in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and to his first trip to Vegas for ProRodeo’s championship event. With Paige by his side, Champion has another set of competitive eyes on the situations that come his way. Paige Champion was raised around rodeo and also is a world-class figure skater who qualified for the 2014 Olympics in pair skating for Canada. That comes in handy, whether she’s with him on the road, visiting with him during his small breaks from the rodeo trail or talking over the phone. “As a competitor, she has a way of breaking things down and making them simpler, so when I need to make adjustments to my riding, it makes the transition a short one so it’s automatic,” he said. “You don’t have to know bareback riding to know the brain and what’s going to bring success. She’s a big part of what I do.” He also has Bennett to bounce ideas off of as they make their way from one rodeo to another. It didn’t hurt that both were newlyweds – Bennett was married in October, and he enters the NFR seventh in the world standings, $20,000 behind his traveling partner. “You get married, you move and you start figuring out how to balance everything you do with family,” Champion said. “We  Continue Reading »

Trevor Brazile just beat his own record. On Saturday night during the final five rounds of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, Brazile clinched his 25th world championship, his seventh Montana Silversmiths gold buckle in steer roping. After Friday’s opening night, he had placed in four go-rounds and led the average most of the way, pocketing $17,364 in the process. Brazile led the world standings heading into The Clem, then kept his foot on the pedal through the weekend. He finished the weekend by placing in six go-rounds and winning the average, earning $56,708 at the arena in Mulvane, Kansas. He finished his year with $128,553. It was a two-man race most of the weekend between Brazile and Vin Fisher Jr., whose big hiccup came with a no-time on Friday. Still, Fisher had the best financial weekend of them all. He won three rounds, placed in four others and finished second in the average. He won $60,988 at The Clem. Fisher finished the year as the reserve world champion with $120,832. It is the best year he’s ever had regarding earnings.   *Totals are not official; journalist doing math is not always an accurate telling, and official amounts have not been released just yet. Once they are, the figures will be updated.

PRYOR, Okla. – Coleman Proctor had more fun this year than he’s ever had in his 15-year ProRodeo career. He and his heeling partner, Ryan Motes, ignited their seasons in one of the biggest ways possible, battling through The American qualifiers to advance to championship day. There, on that Sunday in early March, the tandem won the championship and the $100,000 that is awarded to winners in each event. But because they were qualifiers, they were eligible for a share of the $1 million side pot. They split it with bull rider Joao Ricardo Vieira, meaning each man pocketed $433,000 that day. “Winning The American was huge,” said Proctor, who utilized $50,000 of that money to count toward the world standings in accordance with PRCA rules. “After we won The American, we decided to keep our ears pinned back and go hard. We went to California, and I bought some new horses. “As it got later in the season and my wife and I were expecting our little girl, Ryan and I had a talk before the summer started, and I told him I wanted to skip the Northwest (run of rodeos beginning in August) and be home for Steph and the family after the baby came.” That baby, Caymbree, was born July 29, and Proctor was there for her birth. Then he hit the rodeo trail for a couple of weeks to close out events closer to home in August before settling in to care for his family. All the while, he had his eyes set on his fifth qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “The American was a game-changer on our regular season standings,” said Proctor, 34, who lives in Pryor with his wife, Stephanie, and their two daughters, including 2-year-old Stella. “We had a chance to break the regular-seasons earnings record, then we realized we were going to be in the top five, so that allowed me to go this summer then sit home for four to five weeks and be a dad. “Winning The American set us up financially, and it made a big change in a lot of places, but it really changed the year for me and made it to where I didn’t have to be gone as much, so that was a lot of fun.” He had all the amusement and still pocketed $104,318, sitting third in the heading world standings. He trails the leader, Clay Smith, by $46,000, but Proctor can make up that ground in a hurry. The NFR features a $10 million purse, with go-round winners earning $26,231 each of the 10 December nights. He and Motes teamed late last summer and made a serious push to earn an NFR bid in 2018. Both men fell just short, finishing 18th in their respective standings; only the top 15 contestants in each event at the end of the regular season qualify for the season-ending championship. Proctor returned to the Nevada desert and serves as a host of the pregame show on the Cowboy Channel; it was the first time he’d been to the NFR when he wasn’t competing. “It was a real eye-opening experience for me, and the biggest thing I came away with last year was that it was almost relaxing,” he said. “I got to see the guys who struggled through the week, see them fight that battle. I’ve been that person before, waking up with sleepless nights, cold sweats. Your whole year comes down to that, and it can be a lot of pressure. “What I gained was that you can enjoy these 10 days. It should be fun. It’s what we’ve dreamed of since we were kids. It gave me a new perspective heading out there this year.” That might just be the attitude necessary when he arrives in Sin City. He’s had success at the NFR in the past, and he’s partnering with a man who’s done well. In fact, the last time Motes played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage in 2015, he earned $133,000 and finished the year No. 2 in the world standings. “Ryan is one of the greatest guys,” said Proctor, who credits a big deal of his success to his sponsors, Southern Welding, SpeedRoping.com, Riverbend Arena, Lonestar Ropes, Justin Boots, Wrangler, Coats Saddlery, CSI Saddlepads, Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, DF Quarterhorses, Purina, Hot Heels, Classic Truck Sales and American Hat Co. “He’s a super person in and out of the arena. After winning The American, he was probably one of my biggest advisers, because he’s pretty savvy on all that. He’s also super savvy at the finals. He’s had a lot of success there. I’m looking forward to roping with him in Vegas. I know we’re a team that ropes fast, and you have to do that in that building.” Through his four previous appearances, Proctor has gained considerable experience with the goings-on in the Nevada desert over those magical 10 days. He knows the appearances, stresses and caring for horses can be draining. He relies on a schedule to get him through the hectic time. “It’s almost easier once you get out there,” he said, noting that between packing and planning for Vegas, he also is producing fun roping this weekend, capped off with an NFR simulated roping set up like the Thomas & Mack Center, all at Riverbend Arena in Inola, Oklahoma. “The preparation at the finals is getting your autograph times set, lining up this and that. Steph does a great job and is such a huge part of this, but that part is all in her wheelhouse. I really enjoy the time with the sponsors, meeting the public and getting to the autograph sessions.” His personality is the perfect fit for fans that want to get close to the top cowboys in the game. That’s why he’s so popular among those tens of thousands of fans who flock to Vegas every day during that 10-day stretch. But his main job is to compete that night and give  Continue Reading »

MULLEN, Neb. – In the sandhills of northwest Nebraska, the landscape features rolling hills and grasslands filled with cattle. This is where Steven Dent grew up and where he learned the value of nature alongside hard work in the ranching industry with his family. This is where he gained the understanding of what a strong work ethic can do for an individual and why it’s vital to gathering great achievements. It’s one of the many reasons Dent has been so successful in rodeo and why he returns for the 10th time to ProRodeo’s grand championship, the National Finals Rodeo, set for Dec. 5-14, in Las Vegas. “That’s really all I know anything about,” said Dent, 33, who lives about 25 miles north of Mullen with his wife, Kay, and their three children: son, Cylas, 6, and daughters Emri, 4, and Dailie, 2. “I grew up with ranching and rodeo with some high school sports sprinkled in. That’s pretty much everybody in this area. Even if you don’t work on a ranch, it’s what makes our economy roll. “There are about 450 people that live in Mullen, so you know everybody. It’s a good place to raise a family.” It’s also the area that raised him. He was part of a state championship football team and also won a state title in wrestling. He was just as competitive in rodeo, and he carried that with him to Ranger (Texas) College, where he won the all-around championship at the 2007 College National Finals Rodeo, helping Ranger to the men’s team title that year. “I feel like my ranching background taught me how to work hard, which led to success on the football field and in wrestling,” he said. “Then, when you are successful in one thing, you’re competitive and you hunger to be successful and find a way to win. “I think it all ties together, from ranching all the way to how you work for what you aspire to become, the training it takes to be successful and just knowing that you can be the best at what you try to be the best at. That success through high school and leading into college and on to rodeo gives you the confidence you can take the next step.” He credits great coaches for teaching him how to win the right way, which included making a list of goals. “If you don’t have the other stuff and just try to rodeo, it would be hard to know hot to prepare and how to set goals, how to reach the pinnacle of your sport,” he said. Dent has been at the greatest heights of his sport most of his 14-year career. In 2006, he was named the all-around and bareback riding rookie of the year, and a year later, he made his way to Las Vegas for the first time. Last year, he finished his best season ever, co-winning the NFR average championship and pocketing more than $145,000 over those 10 December nights. He finished the campaign with $254,734, good enough for second place in the final world standings. “That was great, and it’s probably the biggest win of my career,” he said. “But as far as going into this year, it really means nothing. All that matters now is my first-round horse on Dec. 5. “It’s a humbling sort, because we are on animals. You can win Houston one day and get drilled the next. I can’t go in thinking I won the average last year. For me, it’s motivation just to compete at the finals and to have the opportunities that are there for me.” The key to Dent’s success over the years was learning to let go of the past. Good rides can’t guarantee success in the future, and wrecks might just be followed with a winning performance. The focus has to be on the upcoming situation. Afterall, he’ll have 10 chances at $26,231, which is what go-round winners will pocket each night in Sin City. “The NFR’s a hard rodeo,” he said. “You can go to 10 straight rodeos in the middle of the summer and maybe do bad at one, then you change scenery and drive across the country and it’s a whole new day. It’s hard to do that in Vegas, especially when you’re young. I would do bad on one and it’s hard to push it away. “I’ve learned over the years to get away from it. I don’t really care about what happened the day before. I try to do as good as I can on the horse I have that night. It sounds simple, but it’s harder to do, and I struggled with that when I was younger.” While it’s a new rodeo every night, there is the added pressure of playing the game on its biggest stage. The NFR features a $10 million purse, and that’s big because the contestants in each event with the most money won through the season are crowned world champions. So far, that coveted Montana Silversmiths gold buckle has eluded Dent, but he doesn’t let that worry him. His experiences have allowed him a refreshing outlook on his job, and that’s riding bucking horses for a living. Still, he knows why the stress of Vegas can become cumbersome. “You know the whole Western world is watching it,” said Dent, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Kraye Angus, Barstow Pro Rodeo Equipment, Nuttelman Panels & Fencing, Sandhills Physical Therpy, Tehrani Motors, Top Tree Ranches and Smith Pro Rodeo. “You want to show why you’re supposed to be there. Even if you don’t win anything, you want to ride good. If you get in a slump there, it can wear on you. “The last two finals were the best I’ve ever had. Along with my experience, I’ve got confidence going in there that I’m going to have success there.” He finished the regular season with $93,799 and enters the NFR 10th in the world standings. That’s  Continue Reading »

ZWINGLE, Iowa – To break down bareback rider Tim O’Connell’s seventh ProRodeo season, it’s a simple procedure. He spent the first five and a half months of 2019 recovering from a major injury. Over the final three months and 10 days of the season, he dominated. He finished the regular season with $113,168 and sixth in the world standings. It was a miraculous run for a man who already owns the last three world championships, but it also was a different year that featured a complex surgery, five months of rehabilitation, two months of living away from home and more time with his family than he’s ever experienced in his professional career. “From June 20 to the end of the season, I won more money this year than I did last year,” said O’Connell, 28, of Zwingle, now living in Marshall, Missouri, with his wife, Sami, and their 1-year-old son, Hazen. “I thought that was pretty cool based on how I competed. I rodeoed a lot differently than I did in years past. “This year, I entered two or three rodeos a day and gave myself the best option possible based on where I drew the best horses. I think that really made a difference.” It did, but it was a long road to get there. The road began at the 2018 National Finals Rodeo, and it will culminate in this year’s championship, set for Dec. 5-14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The story winds around the final night of last year’s campaign, the 10th round of the NFR. O’Connell rode J Bar J Rodeo’s All Pink for 87 points to finish fifth in the round. After the qualifying eight seconds, All Pink got the champ out of position, flipped the cowboy over his bareback rigging and had O’Connell in a precarious position with his hand still attached to the horse. Only when the horse step on him did his hand pop out of the rigging. Alas, his shoulder was damaged severely. If he were a ragdoll, O’Connell’s left shoulder would have been held together by just a few stitches. So, on Jan. 16, well-known rodeo surgeon Dr. Tandy Freeman performed the procedure to repair the extensive damage to the cowboy’s shoulder. “Six out of the eight tendons in my shoulder were torn,” said O’Connell, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, 12 Gauge Ranch, Polaris, Panhandle and Rock and Roll Clothing, Justin Boots, Veach’s Custom Leather, Ortho Equine, Capri Campers, Twin Cities Featherlite, American Hat Co. and Super Duty Fans. “My shoulder was hanging on by a thread. “They fixed the tendons and a capsule, and I started rehab 48 hours after surgery.” The rehabilitation included some intense workouts. With the cowboy intent to beat the initial deadline of return to action in six months, he put in six days a week, but that backfired a bit. When he saw Freeman again in April, he and his family opted to move to Texas for a few weeks to complete therapy. That’s when he was introduced to sports massage therapist Benny Vaughn. “Tandy called him his 911,” O’Connell said. “I worked out at Fit N Wise in Decatur (Texas) and saw Tandy every other week for checkups. I finished down there until a week before I started rodeoing in June. “I was down there two months, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Cody Lambert,” he said of the former NFR qualifier who still is heavily involved in the PBR. “The Lambert family actually put us up. They were such a blessing. We stayed in his bunkhouse, which is nicer than 90 percent of America’s homes. He’s a good man, and I wasn’t the only one he put up while I was there. He takes care of rodeo cowboys.” His extensive time away from the rodeo arena meant more time with his wife and son, and that was very important to the three-time champ. The rodeo schedule – especially from the end of June to the final day of the regular season on Sept. 30 – oftentimes means he’s away from them for extended periods of time. By missing out on rodeos in Denver, San Antonio, Houston and Arlington, Texas, he was able to share more experiences while watching Hazen grow first-hand instead of increments at a time. “I got to be home, be a dad, be a husband and experience real life,” he said. “I was getting a little sour of rodeo at the end of last year. I think God finally said, ‘If you don’t want to take a break, then I’m going to make you take a break.’ “I see it more as a blessing than as a curse. I got to be with my son at his first birthday party instead of being at The American, and I got to take care of a lot of things.” Those little things can be missed, so he cherished every episode. He also gained a hunger for competition that might have been missing. “It lit a fire in me,” said O’Connell, whose father, Ray, was a pickup man, and whose brother, Will, is considered one of the best pickup men in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “I had good days, and I had bad days. I’m a competitor, and I don’t like sitting on the sidelines and watching. But my wife kept me grounded and kept me humble, and that kept my spirits up. “Sitting out relit a passion for rodeo in me.” It showed, and he actually scored big even through the final 30 days of the campaign. That included victories in Elk City, Oklahoma; Ellensburg, Washington; and Fort Madison, Iowa … all took place in the same week, totaling $21,000. “I didn’t go to any rodeo that didn’t count for the world standings,” he said, pointing out that he missed financially rewarding opportunities at the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede and event that were part of the World Champions  Continue Reading »

MILAN, Minn. – On an early November Sunday morning in Calgary, Alberta, the life of J.D. Struxness changed dramatically. Everlee Grace Struxness entered this world on Nov. 10, weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring at 19 inches long. “It was something else,” Struxness said. “I’ve had quite a few happy tears in my eyes.” Now, he has even more motivation to close out the 2019 ProRodeo season on a high note. That chance comes with his third qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in four years, with ProRodeo’s grand finale set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. First, though, his focus was on being with his newborn baby girl on her special day. “We were actually picking steers in Checotah (Oklahoma) for the NFR on Saturday (Nov. 9),” he said, noting that he got the call from is girlfriend, Jayden Crowe, late that evening informing him of the situation. “Stockton (Graves) drove me to the airport in Dallas so I could fly up there.” No matter the love a man feels for anyone else, there’s something completely different when a child of his own is born. “It’s really special, and I got to feel it in FaceTime videos and pictures on the way to the airport, then I got to feel that again when I got to Calgary,” he said. It’s that feeling he’ll have every time he looks at her face, and he’ll have a couple weeks’ worth in the Nevada desert. He earned the right to be among the steer wrestlers competing in Vegas by finishing the regular season $82,829, good enough for 10th in the world standings. Now, he hopes to pad his 2019 earnings at the NFR, where go-round winners will pocket $26,231 each night for 10 go-rounds. After all, he’s got plenty of diapers to buy over the next couple of years. “I’m ready to be back,” said Struxness, 25, of Milan, Minnesota, primarily living in Alva, Oklahoma, home of his alma mater. “Making it to the NFR is always our goal, and there’s a really good chance to make some money this year.” He knows all about that. In his first year of playing the game in Sin City in 2016, he earned nearly $130,000 in 10 December nights, including at least a share of four round victories. A year later, he won just shy of $110,000 over the same stretch. He missed making the championship in 2018, finishing a disappointing 27th in the world standings – only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the NFR. That’s a big reason why his excitement level is high heading into the richest rodeo in the world. “It was frustrating on my part because I felt like I shouldn’t have missed it last year,” said Struxness, who attended Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri, before transferring to Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he earned the steer wrestling title in 2016. “Looking back on the mistakes I made, they were just little ones that are fixable and shouldn’t have made. “I think it was more that I got too comfortable last year and lost focus. But missing the finals last year lit a fire into me, and it made that fire burn even hotter. Having the baby is just a little extra motivation to keep you sharp and keep you on point.” A big reason for his focus comes with his four-man traveling posse this year. Graves, the man who drove him to the airport the day Everlee was born, is the established veteran of the group, having qualified for the NFR seven times before taking over as rodeo coach at Northwestern. Also in the mix were Billy Boldon and Bridger Anderson, the latter of whom won the 2019 college bulldogging title while also attending Northwestern. Through the rigors of the season, where the foursome traveled tens of thousands of miles, Struxness competed primarily on Freeway, an 11-year-old blue roan gelding owned by Graves. “I practiced on that horse when Stockton was starting him, and he’s always been easy for me to ride and get along with,” said Struxness, who credits his sponsors – Arena Trailer Sales, 4-Star Trailers, Wrangler and Nutrena – with helping him compete on a high level. “We clicked then, and that’s the way he was all summer. “He gave me good goes, so all I had to do was handle my job on the ground and pull a check.” While he competed on his own horse, Peso, at previous NFRs, he’ll ride Freeway at this year’s NFR, and Graves will be hazing on a horse owned by fellow steer wrestler Kody Woodward. “We’ve been using that haze horse all summer, and Stockton’s pretty confident in that horse,” Struxness said. “He wanted to go out there with me this year and make sure his horse was functioning at its highest level. He’s been out there before and knows how to do it. We’re really confident in the team we have going out there.” He’s also confident in Graves, who recruited him to Northwestern and who has continued to coach him in ProRodeo. “It’s good that he’s going with me this year,” Struxness said. “Every time I’ve made the finals, we’ve had a few conversations during the week. He’s always had good advice for me out there. This year having him out there, he’ll be able to take care of the horses because he knows what they’ll need to preform out there. “We’ll talk every night, and he’ll give me the advice I need right there on the spot. Confidence should be pretty high with everybody. It should turn into a good week.” It’s already been a great year. A cowboy doesn’t earn more than $80,000 without it, and it all started off with a victory in Reno, Nevada, where he pocketed $12,725. He had a few other wins along the way, but most of his success came  Continue Reading »

COMANCHE, Okla. – Colt Gordon firmly believes in the old cliché: If you want to be successful, surround yourself with winners. It proved to be right for the young saddle bronc rider. He spent most of his 2019 season traveling the rodeo trail with reigning world champion Wade Sundell, and the lessons learned in that classroom on the highways of rodeo paid off: Gordon has earned his first bid to the National Finals Rodeo. “The NFR is what everybody works for,” said Gordon, 22, of Comanche, a community of 1,600 people in southern Oklahoma. “It’s a dream come true, and I’m excited and ready to get there and get started.” He finished the regular season with $91,071, good enough for 14th in the world standings. That’s important, because ProRodeo’s grand finale features only the top 15 contestants on the money list. A year ago, Gordon finished 21st, so he made the necessary adjustments to be in Las Vegas for the championship, set for Dec. 5-14. “I think the biggest difference was the group I traveled with,” he said of Sundell and Tegan Smith, another young bronc rider. “The experience we had with Wade, him knowing when to enter, what rodeos to go to and when the good horses were going to be out was a bit help. It was a really good opportunity to surround myself not only with him, but also Tegan. Both guys were great all year.” Sundell was well on his way to a ninth NFR qualification when he suffered a serious injury in late August. He was hospitalized for weeks and was unable to complete the season. He still finished the season 24th. Smith, who placed third at the 2019 College National Finals Rodeo, finished the ProRodeo season among the top 30. “The great thing about our rig is that when a guy is having a bad week, somebody in the rig is winning, so we’re all winning,” Gordon said. “Everybody’s really positive, and nobody ever gets down. It’s a race to win in that rig. We support each other, but we sure like beating each other. We do all sorts of things to make us all get better.” That’s the key to the young cowboy’s success, but so has his work ethic. He was raised around ranching in Comanche and found rodeo to his liking. “I got bucked off a lot, but you just keep getting back on,” he said of his upbringing. “That’s all I did before, day work and helping around a few of the ranches around the house. I started out riding colts and being around it, then getting around the rodeo scene a little more. “I started off getting on a few ranch broncs, then I got a bronc saddle and just jumped into it.” Gordon began competing as a young boy, team roping and roping calves. His father, Andy, rode bulls and still ropes, and his mother, Krissie, was a barrel racer who also ropes. His brother, Dylan, is a ProRodeo team roper, and his uncle, Gary Ledford, was a 15-time NFR qualifier in tie-down roping. “I roped calves for a little bit, but it wasn’t for me,” Gordon said, noting that he began riding broncs as a teenager. “I think bronc riding is a little more cowboy. When I was at that age getting into rodeo, that’s all I wanted to do. I got into bronc riding, and it pays a little better than trotting horses around the pasture all day than doing day work on a ranch.” He began his career in 2016, and in the four years since that beginning, he has learned a great deal about the game. Much of it came this year, thanks to Sundell, but he’s been a bronc riding student for some time. It’s helped, and he’s earned more money each year he’s been in ProRodeo. In fact, he earned nearly $40,000 more this year than last. “I think the biggest change in my riding this year was just being more consistent,” he said. “Last year I made just as good of bronc rides as I did this year, but they were more frequent this year. Before I’d go on a roll where I’d fall off 10 horses in a row, then I wouldn’t fall off 15 horses. “I think Wade’s helped in that aspect. He’d get on you a little bit, so it was nice to have someone there that could help. That’s where he could tell you what you did and you fix it on the next one and do your job, winning more money.” Money is vital in any business, but it’s even bigger in rodeo. Not only does it help cover the expenses that come with traveling tens of thousands of miles a year, but it’s also how championship points are counted. The contestants in each event who finish the year with the most money will be crowned world champions in Las Vegas. But there’s something about rodeo that is drawn by passion. “I sure don’t do it for the money; I do it because I love riding broncs,” said Gordon, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Dakota Rodeo, Woody Creek Ranch and Enerwest Trading Co. “If it didn’t pay anything, I’d still be getting on buckin’ horses.” At an elite level, though, rodeo can pay well and the NFR is the biggest event in the game with a $10 million purse paying out $26,231 to go-round winners for 10 December nights. “As of right now, this is my biggest accomplishment,” he said. “Every year I’ve got that goal set where I’m not going to stop until I achieve it. That was my goal this year since I didn’t make it last year. I got to come back and knock two of my goals out this year. “Now we’ve got a new one going into the finals.  I’d like to win the average, then let the chips fall where they may.” If that happens,  Continue Reading »

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. – The support system Tanner Aus has had through his 10-year career has been instrumental to his success. The number of supporters is growing, and he has a lot to do with it. Aus and his wife, Lonissa, are expecting their second child next spring. It will be a nice addition to go along with Bristol, who was born a year and a half ago. “I honestly think the key to my success this year was just the support,” he said as he prepares for his fourth qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale set for Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. “First and foremost, I’ve got my family. My wife kept me going, kept me out on the road. She’s supported me through and through and keeps me focused. “She supports my dreams, and I’m thankful for that. My mom and dad, too, even at this point in my career, they encourage me to keep going. I’ve also got my traveling partners, Ty (Breuer) and Steven (Dent); they’re good guys to have in the rig, and they keep a positive attitude.” In a nutshell, he understands the importance of a team atmosphere, even when it comes to an individual event like bareback riding. “I’m just a product of the people who choose to support me, and I’m very grateful for that,” he said. “I have goals and dreams and put in time outside the arena, but if I don’t have people pushing me, I don’t think I’d make it on my own.” He made it by earning $81,595 through the rigors of the regular season. That meant he will head to the NFR in 13th place, a far cry from his 2018 season that saw him just miss the chance to play for the biggest pay in the game. He sat out part of the injury with an injury and finished 18th in the world standings; only the top 15 on the money list in each event advance to the year-end championship in the City of Lights. “That was a huge motivator,” said Aus, a Granite Falls cowboy who utilized rodeo scholarships to attend both Iowa Central Community College and Missouri Valley College; he won the collegiate national championship attending the latter in 2012. “It was one of those times when you take a step back and look at your career, then you realign your goals. “It’s hard on your spirit not making the finals, then I finished on the bubble this year. I know that if you miss the NFR two years in a row, it’s hard to get back, so I was hard charging to make it this year.” Charge he did. He earned 10 event titles, including big payouts in Nampa, Idaho, and Lovington, New Mexico. Still, his biggest title came at the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, which paid its winners $100,000 in a tournament-style shootout. In all, Aus pocketed $115,000, but because Calgary is not sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the money didn’t count toward the world standings. “I was a late replacement, and I took a little time off from the PRCA to go up there,” he said. “I felt like I couldn’t turn down that opportunity. It panned out for me, and it was a great week. I had my whole family up there. “While the money didn’t count, it does provide you a little freedom financially to rodeo on. It was also a major boost in the mind game. I felt like I was riding well leading up to it. I spent a lot of time training in the spring and right through June. I drew well, and I left Calgary pretty darn confident. I went to Nampa right after that and was 91 points in the short round. It was a really good couple of weeks there.” It all added up to another trip to Las Vegas for ProRodeo’s grand championship. Aus doesn’t take that lightly. He knows how important it is to be part of the richest rodeo each year, where go-round winners will pocket $26,231 for each of the 10 nights. Over his three previous NFRs, he has earned more than $260,000 – not a bad total for 30 days of work. Each of those experiences will pay dividends at this year’s finale. “The biggest thing is knowing the routine,” said Aus, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Granite Falls Dairy Queen, Jug Waterers, Carroll Spur Co., Phoenix Performance Products and Wrangler. “The first year I went out there, the bright lights, the action and the extracurriculars all held my attention for about half the NFR before I realized the place can wear a guy out. Now I go out there and get that Vegas life out of my system in about a day. “I know what to expect on how the rounds run, how I’m going to feel after three nights and how I’m going to feel after seven nights. After not going out there for a year, I might be more nervous for my fourth finals than I was for my first finals, but we’ll take it as it comes.” He’ll also have a full team of supporters with him through NFR, a rugged test of a man’s talent and mindset in the most stressful run of high-dollar rounds through the season. Both traveling partners, Breuer and Dent, will be in the field of the top 15 bareback riders in the game; together, they make up 19 NFR qualifications: Aus (4), Breuer (5) and Dent (10). “I’m excited to have my family out there, with my mom, dad, wife and daughter there the whole time,” Aus said. “Where we live, my wife has a full-time job. I’d like to take them on the road with me more than I do, but I can’t, so the fact that we get to spend 15 days together in one place and we’re at the greatest rodeo in the world is  Continue Reading »

INGLIS, Manitoba – For most professional athletes, there’s a playoff system before competing for a world championship. That’s not always the case in ProRodeo, but it worked out to be the perfect catalyst for bareback rider Orin Larsen, who is hoping to utilize his 2019 Canadian Professional Rodeo Association championship as a launching point for his fifth straight qualification to the National Finals Rodeo. “Winning the Canadian title has been a goal of mine since I first ran my hand into a bareback riding rigging,” said Larsen, 28, of Inglis, now living with his wife, Alexa, in Gering, Nebraska. “Just being at the Canadian Finals was a huge honor. It was a cool feeling to have your family there and your wife there to support you, then watch you accomplish your goals.” At the CFR in October, Larsen rode six horses for a cumulative score of 522.75 points to win the aggregate title. It was highlighted by a 90-point ride to win Round 5 and an 89.5-point ride to win the sixth round, and, more importantly, the $60,345 he earned that week was more than any other competitor in Red Deer, Alberta. “I was drawing good horses all week,” he said. “Even though you bring the cream of the crop to the NFR and the CFR, you’re not going to win on every horse that’s going to be there. Any of those guys in the locker room are just as deserving to win it, but I was more fortunate that week the way it all worked out.” It marked the second straight year he’d earned the average title, but the bigger news for Larsen is what he accomplished through the regular season in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In all, he heads to the NFR with $173,422, his best season ever in ProRodeo. Still, he sits third in the world standings, just $8,500 behind the leader, Clayton Biglow. “There’s so much money to be won in the sport of rodeo right now,” said Larsen, who earned college national titles while attending the College of Southern Idaho and Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “It’s propelled to another dimension since the first year I made the finals (in 2015). I think rodeo is going in the right direction, and I think it’s going to continue to go in that direction.” Through the campaign, he earned nine event titles, with the biggest and most far-reaching being his championship at The American, which was in its first year of being sanctioned by the PRCA. Winners in each event were awarded $100,000, with half that counting toward the world standings. “That was huge,” he said. “I’ll admit that The American not only was big as far as money won, but going through on with that kind of confidence and that kind of high definitely helped me through the rest of the season. “I think it made me a better competitor. I didn’t want to be the guy that made the NFR because of one rodeo; I wanted to do as well as I could at every single rodeo I went to.” His point was made. Of his regular season earnings, $123,422 came from rodeos other than the big one in Arlington, Texas. He and Alexa were able to use some of money to purchase land in Harrison, Nebraska, not far from their home in the state’s panhandle. “When I won San Antonio, it was the second time to win it,” he said. “San Antonio is one of my favorite rodeos to go to. The committee does a lot of work to cater to the cowboys. I think it’s just the atmosphere there. You get on really good horses, and the format itself is pretty forgiving as far as qualifying and making it in to the short round.” That gave Larsen a nice lead heading into the rush of summertime rodeos. By early May, he had pocketed $86,000. “I treated my season like I hadn’t won that money,” said Larsen, who credits much of his success to his sponsors, Rock & Roll Denim, Rieta Creek Scoreboards and Tim Cooper Custom Hats. “I feel like if I concentrated on that, I would have relaxed a little bit more or maybe not tried quite as hard. I love the sport of rodeo and all that it’s offered me, but I wanted to just go to rodeos and get on bucking horses, because that’s what I love to do. “You want to to feed off the feeling of winning The American and San Antonio, but you have to have your mind in the right spot, and that’s what it came down to.” As happens in rodeo, there were plenty of gut-check moments through the season, but his early-season earning helped divert much of that. Of course, growing up on a ranch in Manitoba also played a roll in knowing how to overcome adversity. He was born in Alberta but the family moved two provinces east when he was young. His father, Kevin, runs the ranch, and his mother, Wanda, runs a barbershop in nearby Roblin, Manitoba. His only sister, Cassie, is the oldest of four siblings, and she’s a hairdresser like their mom. He has an older brother, Tyrel, and a younger brother, Kane, who also compete in rodeo. Family is vital to Orin Larsen, and their support has been a backbone for his successes over the years. He has been with his wife for several years, though they just celebrated their two-year anniversary in October. All may not be in Las Vegas with him for those 10 magical nights of the NFR, but he knows their support will be on his side. “Lex knows me better than I know myself, and she helps me in every way possible,” he said. “When I was struggling this year, she asked me what I was thinking and what I was doing in 2016 when I was doing so good. I said, ‘I just did the basics.’ “She brought me down to  Continue Reading »

ALVA, Okla. – When he was searching for a college home, Jaden Trimble was looking for the right environment. He’s found it at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and he proved it this past weekend at the Rangers home rodeo. Trimble, a freshman from Coffeyville, Kansas, partnered with heeler Marley Berger of Coffeyville Community College to finish second in team roping, earning big points in the process. “When you’re trying to be good at what you do, you want to be around people with a winning mentality,” he said. “People that go to school here practice hard and know how to win. That’ll make you a winner, too.” Trimble and Berger stopped the clock in 7.1 seconds to finish fourth in the opening round, then blistered a solid run of 6.0 seconds to win Saturday’s championship round and finish second overall. They were just four-tenths of a second behind the winners and earned 140 points. That moved Trimble to sixth in the Central Plains Region’s heading standings. “It was very special to do well at this rodeo since it was my first Northwestern rodeo,” he said. “I did alright at Colby (Kansas, the first event of the season), but I like this one better because it was our hometown rodeo.” He’s made himself quite comfortable since moving from southeast Kansas to his new hometown. Just 19 years old, he found joy in what was offered when he toured the campus with coach Stockton Graves last year. “I wanted to find a place where I could rope every day and still go to school, and this college just had more of a welcoming atmosphere,” Trimble said. “I was welcomed from the get-go. All the teachers I met were very open and tried to help me from the start. Once I told them my goals, they immediately sent me to the right people to talk to.” He was the leading force for the Rangers over the weekend, but fellow header Zane Thompson of Cheyenne, Wyoming, utilized his strong finish to move up the region standings. Roping with heeler Sam Goings of Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Thompson finished third in the opening round with a 6.6-second run. In the final round, a single-leg catch resulted in a five-second penalty, but the tandem still finished with an 11.4-second run to finish fourth in the round and overall. Thompson’s 100 points earned at the Northwestern rodeo pushed him to a slim lead in the circuit. Another region leader, steer wrestler Bridger Anderson of Carrington, North Dakota, snuck into the short round with a 5.4-second run, then placed in both the short round and average. He owns a 305-point lead over the field, but Jace Rutland of Harrisonville, Missouri, placed in both rounds and the average to move into the top 15 in the region. Saddle bronc rider Denton Mars of Freedom, Oklahoma, finished third in the first round; none of the bronc riders earned a qualified ride in the short round, so his 66-point ride held up for third overall. He is 10th in the circuit standings. For the women, barrel racer Kayla Wilson of Quincy, Illinois, placed fourth in the final round and finished in a tie for fifth in the average. Goat-tier Meghan Corr of Rapid City, South Dakota snuck into the short round, where she stopped the clock in 6.4 seconds to finish in a tie for third in the round; her two-run cumulative time of 13.2 seconds was good enough for fourth overall. Megan Turk of St. Paul, Nebraska, finished fifth in the first round to earn points. “There were some struggles overall, but I think for the circumstances, we did fine this weekend,” Trimble said. “I think this is the best team in the region.” The Rangers will have a three-month break before its next rodeo in the spring semester, but that doesn’t mean the work is done this fall. “For me, I find a place to practice and go to different ropings to stay sharp,” Trimble said. “We’re not going to back off, and I think that’s the key. As long as you don’t back off in the offseason, you’re going to stay ahead of the competition.”

Canadian scores big in Fort Worth victory to edge Moorman for Speedway Series title FORT WORTH, Texas – The Speedway Series Finale at Texas Motor Speedway was the perfect synopsis to the 2019 Bullfighters Only regular season. There were some outstanding bouts by the top men in freestyle, but Aaron Mercer dominated the 12-man event and pocketed $5,000 in the process to extend his lead in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings. He posted the two highest-marked bullfights of the day to claim the championship, pushing his season earnings to $61,350. “Winning 11 events this year makes a guy feel on top of the world,” said Mercer of Calgary, Alberta. “It stresses you out a little bit, because you feel like you’ve got to stay on top, but it feels good in the way it worked out. “That was my favorite win of the year. It was two good, fundamental bullfights. I don’t think I could have asked for a better way to end the season. Winning one of those Speedway Series events is cool; just being part of a NASCAR atmosphere is awesome.” He won his first-round set with an 89-point bullfight, upending Dayton Spiel and Chance Moorman in the process. In the Hooey Championship Round, he faced off with the other round winners: Beau Scheuth, Kris Furr and Weston Rutkowski, all of whom are among the top six in the standings. “It turned out that I had the best calf in the long round,” Mercer said of an inexperienced, yet formidable foe from Penthouse Fighting Bulls. “I’m glad I drew him. I actually thought that fight was better than my short-round fight.” It may have been, but the scores proved otherwise; Mercer dominated the final round of the regular season with a 91-point bout, three and a half points better than Furr’s 87.5. “The fights were a blur, but that’s because they were all reactionary,” he said. “I think that’s the best way to fight a bull.” His aggressive style has proven beneficial, and a big reason why he holds a lead of more than $20,000 over the runner-up, Rutkowski, the three-time world champion. “I never thought winning that much money was possible,” Mercer said. “I figure it’s still a job, even as much as I love it. I look at it as a way to eat my next meal. If it weren’t for my winnings, I wouldn’t even be able to compete.” While Mercer padded his standings lead, and ultimately finished as the Speedway Series champion, earning the inaugural BFO Checkered Flag. The series took place in conjunction with NASCAR races in Atlanta; Charlotte; Sparta, Kentucky; Bristol, Tennessee; and Fort Worth. It was a photo finish with Chance Moorman who burst onto the BFO scene a little more than a year ago and finished the 2018 campaign in 11th place. He is sitting third as he prepares for the year-end championship, set for Dec. 5-14 at the Tropicana Las Vegas. He has been a force, especially at the NASCAR events. While he has competed at many of the Bullfighters Only events across, he holds a special fondness for the Speedway Series. “I just like the crowds at those events,” Moorman said. “They’re always into it. We are normally set up close to the track, so the people can stand up in the stadium and watch us. It’s an amazing feeling to look up and see that many people watching you.” That was no different in Fort Worth. “There were more people there than any other Speedway Series event I’ve been to,” Mercer said. “It was packed, and the crowd was wild.” There’s little time to rest and recuperate, though. The world championship will be decided when the competition begins in a month in Las Vegas. “From here until we get there, we’re just training and getting ready for Vegas,” he said. “Bullfighting is nothing but determination and willpower as far as I’m concerned. It’s not like any other sport.” Speedway Series Finale Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas Nov. 3, 2019 Round 1: Beau Scheuth, 84 points; 2. Dylan Idleman, 75; Tucker Lane, no score. Round 2: 1. Kris Furr, 86 points; 2. Justin Josey, 81; 3. Dekevis Jordan, 79. Round 3: 1. Weston Rutkowski, 82 points; 2. (tie) Toby Inman and Zach Call, 81. Round 4: 1. Aaron Mercer, 89 points; 2. Dayton Spiel, 86; 3. Chance Moorman, 85. Hooey Championship Round: 1. Aaron Mercer, 91 points; 2. Kris Furr, 87.5; 3. Weston Rutkowski, 87; 4. Beau Scheuth, 86.5.

GUNNISON, Colo. – The goal each year for the annual Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo committee is to produce the best event possible for the fans, contestants and sponsors. Consider the 2019 celebration a success. During the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo the final weekend of October, voters selected Gunnison’s popular event as the Medium Rodeo of the Year in the region made up of contestants and events primarily in Colorado and Wyoming. “This is a big deal for us, because it represents all the hard work our volunteers have done over the years and, especially, this past year,” said Kevin Coblentz, president of the volunteer committee. “We have many longtime sponsors that step up every year, and when we decided to increase our ‘added money’ this year, they stood by us. “This award is a testament to everybody in our community.” “Added money” in rodeo refers to the local organizers’ financial commitment to the payout for cowboys and cowgirls. In the case of Cattlemen’s Days, the committee offered $5,000 per event ($10,000 in team roping) that is added to the contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall purse. That made for a significant increase. Jacob Edler, for example, pocketed $2,017 this past July for winning the steer wrestling title; a year ago, Payden McIntyre earned a little more than $1,700. But that’s just part of what was offered in Gunnison, where the committee has long been recognized as one of the most hospitable in the country. From offering free hay to stalls to making sure cowboys and cowgirls feel at home, the Cattlemen’s Days volunteers go above and beyond to make sure every detail is handled. “It’s pretty awesome for a committee to go above and beyond for us cowboys,” McIntyre said in 2018. “It’s real nice to come down here and have a lot of people appreciate when you do well. “This is an awesome community, and it’s a good place to relax and hang out. The hospitality has been great, and they’ve taken care of us. We haven’t won a lot of money the last few weeks, so if somebody will feed you for free, you can’t complain about that.” It’s comments like those that serve as a benefit to the members of the committee. “We always appreciate the contestants that vote for us, and we really appreciate the support and constant positive feedback,” Coblentz said. “We really want any feedback we can get, though, because we will continue to try to improve Cattlemen’s Days to the point where it is considered one of the top rodeos in the country.”

North Carolinian is looking to turn things around in Fort Worth FORT WORTH, Texas – Kris Furr is a proven winner in Bullfighters Only, but he hasn’t kept up his end of the bargain as of late. “I think I’m trying too hard to win,” said Furr, the fifth-ranked man in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings. “I have been watching (Aaron) Mercer light it up and watching Beau Schueth win about everything he’s gone to lately, and last week I definitely put too much pressure on myself instead of just being me.” He hopes to remedy that at the Speedway Series Finale, set for 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth. He stands a good chance, since he’s excelled in the Speedway Series’ inaugural run with the BFO. “I’m just going to keep going at them,” said Furr of Hamptonville, North Carolina, now living in nearby Decatur, Texas. “I like the Speedway Series events. They are early in the day, so it’s easier to keep your mental focus. I wake up, fight a bull, make my moves, then go watch the race.” Texas marks the final event of the Bullfighters Only regular season and will feature BFO’s best battling for the checkered flag. The athletes are also using the event to position themselves for the season-ending championship, set for Dec. 5-14 at the Tropicana Las Vegas. All are chasing Mercer, a Canadian who has led the standings for much of the season. He has a lead of nearly $20,000 over three-time world champion Weston Rutkowski. Since the BFO was established, Rutkowski has been the man with the target on his back. Now he’s taking aim. “It’s new territory, except for 2016, when I was in a position where I was chasing,” said Rutkowski of Haskell, Texas, who also lives in Decatur. “It doesn’t change the aspect of the way Vegas pays out. It’s not a great feeling for me, because I’m a guy that wants to win every event I go to. “The good news is Vegas has a lot of money up for grabs, and it’s a situation I’ve been in heading to Vegas.” Like Furr, he plans to take a step back in time and refocus his energy as he closes out the regular season and sets his sights on the championship. He knows the next step is performing well before the crowd at Texas Motor Speedway. “This is going to be another event to take advantage of,” Rutkowski said. “It’s one I need to win and put on some good, fundamental bullfighting. I can’t worry about whether I beat this guy or beat that guy. It’s going back and putting in the time to prepare and producing the type of bullfight I can when I get into that arena.” Just a week ago, most of the combatants in this weekend’s field were in northwestern Washington for the inaugural BFO Kent Cup. Upon returning home, they went back to the work of preparation because they understand the importance of having a sound mind and body is in the world of freestyle. “The big thing is staying in shape and staying in the gym,” said Furr, one of several men who utilize the training opportunities at Fit N Wise Rehabilitation and Performance Center in Decatur. “I want to stay strong and stay fast, keep my cardio up and keep my footwork up. When you are in peak physical shape, then you can do anything.” He also is utilizing a focused regimen at home. “I want to stay zoned out and keep my mind totally on what I’m doing,” he said. “I’m only worried about what’s going on in my world. I stay in my lane and think to myself. I’m kind of selfish when it comes to fighting bulls; it’s about me, because it’s about the trust I have in myself.”