Monthly Archives: July 2021

DODGE CITY, Kan. – There were 12 people who left the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo as its champions last year, but none were happier than Blake Deckard. Deckard earned money in both tie-down roping and steer roping to claim the all-around title, the most prized trophy of all earned inside Roundup Arena last August. He will return for this year’s event – set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3 – to defend that title and maybe claim a couple more if everything works out just right. “It seems like all the guys I’ve looked up to had a Dodge City buckle, and I was always wanting one,” said Deckard, 32, of Eufaula, Oklahoma. “Trevor (Brazile) and Roy (Cooper) have Dodge City buckles, and this just fell in my lap. I was lucky enough that it went my way. I placed in the average in steer roping and placed in the short round and the average in calf roping.” It was a big thrill, but he wants to add to it. Just last week, he won the second round at the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days Rodeo, and he’ll carry a bit of momentum with him when he arrives in southwest Kansas next week. More importantly, though, he’ll be wearing the stylish trophy buckle that he earned in Dodge City, with its shiny metal and bright, red rubies. One of the coolest aspects of his winning the buckle was that he had someone special with him on the trip. “My dad got to go with me, and he doesn’t get to go with me much,” Deckard said. “He got to go back to the short round, so it was pretty neat to have him with me for that win. “The all-around championship means so much to me. Ever since I was a little kid, I loved winning the all around because all of my heroes like Trevor and Roy were all-around champions. Single-event titles are awesome, but the all-around is really earned.” Deckard earned qualifications to the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo in both steer roping and tie-down roping in 2020, and he’d like to do so again. He’d also love to claim either or both of those titles in Dodge City, especially since it’s the largest rodeo in the circuit, a region made up of contestants and events primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. “Three years ago, I broke the barrier to win the steer roping average,” Deckard said. “I called Roy, and he told me, ‘Don’t ever let the barrier be a factor in steer roping.’ It was a lessoned learned.” And the Roundup buckle is a trophy earned. He was joined in the winner’s circle last August by bareback rider Orin Larsen, steer wrestler Dalton Massey, headers Jeff Flenniken and Nick Sartain, heelers Tyler Worley and Blaine Vick, saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright, tie-down roper Ty Harris, barrel racer BryAnna Haluptzok, steer roper Cole Patterson and bull rider Roscoe Jarboe. “This rodeo is awesome,” said Wright, the reigning and two-time world champion from Milford, Utah. “The horses here are awesome. “This has been on my bucket list. You’ve got to win rodeos like this to win that gold buckle, so it’s nice to win the big ones.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The reputation of the entertainment value of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo is powerful, and it’s one reason why tens of thousands of people make their way to Lovington each summer. It’s the concerts. It’s the carnival. It’s the livestock shows and other exhibits. It’s the world-class ProRodeo. Those are just a few of the superlatives that are mixed with many other aspects of the southeastern New Mexico exposition that make it so attractive to fairgoers. If that weren’t enough, admission is just $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12; kids 5 and younger are admitted for free during the 10-day fair, set for July 30-Aug. 7 at the Lea County Fairgrounds. “One of the things we’ve always discussed as a board is how to keep our fair and rodeo affordable for everyone in Lea County and beyond,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “We are very fortunate to have the entire thing underwritten by the Lea County Commission. They see the fair as a way to give back to the citizens of this county. “Because of that, we’re able to have a pretty darn good fair.” That’s been the case for many years. The fair returns this year after being canceled a year ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Live events have returned, and that’s a good thing for the folks that make the fair and rodeo a part of their annual schedules. The festivities will open Friday with the Hispanic Heritage Celebration with Bronco and Erick Massore on stage. The concerts continue next Tuesday with Mike Ryan; Zach Williams will be the artist for Faith and Family Night on Wednesday; Clay Walker hits the stage Thursday; Confederate Railroad and Exile will play Friday; and Gary Allan will close down the expo on Saturday, Aug. 7. Those and the PRCA rodeo are the big-ticket items, but there are plenty of other pieces of the fair puzzle that makes the event more than just a gathering of friends. With all those little things added in, the overall ticket price makes for a great evening out for the entire family. “There are a lot of rodeos that cost more than $10 just to get a seat in the arena,” said Trey Kerby, the rodeo committee chairman and vice chairman of the fair board. “With our fair, you get the entire complex for just $10. When you come to the rodeo, there’s not a bad seat, and you can enjoy the entire experience without any extra cost.” There is an additional fee for the carnival, the food and the trinkets, but they just add to the overall fair experience in Lea County. The fair’s main purpose, of course, is to benefit the children, and a big part of that involves the 4-H experience. “Our junior livestock sale consistently runs second or third in the state as far as revenue for the kids,” said Dean Jackson, a Lea County commissioner and former fair board chairman. “We have some of the best facilities in all of New Mexico, if not all the Southwest. “Lea County is a great place to live, a great place to work. We’re hard workers, and God has blessed us.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – When the cowboys get to this southeastern New Mexico town of nearly 12,000 to compete at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, they know one thing is certain: the livestock will be outstanding. That’s because local organizers have enlisted Pete Carr Pro Rodeo to produce the event, and the Carr team is loaded with some of the best animals in ProRodeo. The firm has been nominated as PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year a dozen times, and it is routinely recognized as one of the best livestock producers in the sport. “Pete Carr and his crew are one of the most important parts of our rodeo,” said Trey Kerby, chairman of the rodeo committee and vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “I don’t think any other stock contractor could be any better. Pete is very sharp and knows what he’s doing. Those guys put on an excellent show.” This year’s rodeo is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 3. It’s going to be five straight days of intense rodeo action at that storied coliseum inside the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. “When Pete Carr gets to town, I can relax,” Kerby aid. “They’re so good at what they do, and they take their jobs seriously. They work very hard at it.” Kerby and other fair board members realize how important it is to have a stock contractor of Carr’s caliber. This event has been going on for eight and a half decades, and the people in this region of the country understand what a good rodeo looks like. That’s why Lea County officials lean on Carr and his talented crew of professionals. Beyond that, there have been dozens of elite bucking animals that have been selected to perform at the National Finals Rodeo over the years, and they always tend to stand out in Lovington. “You count the Carr animals at the NFR, and you can tell he’s got a bunch of great ones,” Kerby said. “He takes great pride in the animals, and it shows in the arena. They’re always in great shape when they get here, and I’d say most of the NFR animals every year have bucked in Lovington.” That’s typically the case, and animals like that draw the top players in the game. “This is a great rodeo,” said Sterling Crawley, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Huntsville, Texas. “The bucking stock is outstanding. When you go to a Pete Carr rodeo, everybody’s got a chance to win.” Crawley is regularly featured in Lovington, and he’s earned his share of the money while in town. Another Huntsville cowboy, Bill Tutor, has earned the bareback riding title and is always seeking another. “This is one of my favorite rodeos of the whole year,” said Tutor, a two-time NFR qualifier. “There’s always great horses. It’s a tough rodeo to win, because there are a lot of great competitors as well.”

Oklahoma cowgirl uses a trio of horses to Cowboy Christmas success Even under the best of circumstances, Cowboy Christmas is always hectic. Thousands of miles driven, airport drop-offs and multiple rodeos a day for several days. Emily Miller Beisel has been through it before, and she had hoped to make a schedule that would allow for optimum opportunities to cash in big during one of the most lucrative few days of the regular rodeo season. “I’m really big on not backtracking,” said Beisel, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Weatherford, Oklahoma. “I try not to put extra miles on horses. For the first few rodeos out of the gate, there were already problems. I needed to be up in the beginning at Prescott, but I got put at a (performance) in the middle. “I couldn’t get traded, because everybody has about the same game plan. I was able to split my horses. I left Beau at Reno (Nevada), so he went from Reno to St. Paul (Oregon), and I picked him up in Cody (Wyoming). Pipewrench and Chongo came from home. I entered the Dakotas just in case, and I placed at two out of three rodeos there.” All three of her horses won money over the stretch of rodeos wrapped around the Fourth of July holiday. The biggest payday came at the Cody Stampede, which Beisel won on Chongo, the speedy 11-year-old gray gelding. That was worth $10,124 and was the biggest paycheck during her Cowboy Christmas run of $18,913. She also collected money at three other rodeos: St. Paul, $3,771; Belle Fourche, South Dakota, $2,778; and Mandan, North Dakota, $2,240. “Splitting the rig was good for me,” she said. “I was tired because I took a flight, but it gave my horses time off. I needed them firing on all cylinders.” It worked. Beisel’s earnings over the Fourth run was second among all barrel racers, just behind Hailey Kinsel, the reigning three-time world champion. Beisel grew up in western Kansas, a stone’s throw from Dodge City. She attended Garden City (Kansas) Community College, then earned a degree in dental hygiene from the University of Oklahoma Health and Science Center in Weatherford. Much has changed in recent years, from a full-time job to rodeoing year-round to a fall 2020 wedding. “Back in 2019, I went from being a full-time hygienist and doing rodeo part time to the opposite,” Beisel said. “I never dreamed I would get to this point. You always hope it does, but the odds of that happening are slim to none. For me, it’s been pretty incredible. The girls at work are pretty understanding, too. “It’s been nice to get to do this. Those three horses are just incredible. Every year, I’d almost get it all together. I never had it to where all three were dialed in and making it work all the time. This summer, all three are 100 percent. When you have three horses of that caliber, it’s pretty fun.” Doing something you love is one thing; being successful at it adds a new dimension. As of July 19, she was third in the world standings with just shy of $60,000 in the bank. While the Fourth of July featured a number of lucrative rodeos, there are plenty of others left in the final two months of the regular season. She stands in a great place to return to ProRodeo’s grand championship for the third straight year. Of course, none of that would be happening without help. She gets that from husband Austin, members of her family and others who might be able to help when time allows. Over the Fourth run, she enlisted Carlie Jones, a student at Kansas State University. “She has been a great help,” Beisel said of Jones. “Initially I left home and went to Reno with (fellow barrel racer) Ivy Saebens. That rodeo was a progressive round so when Ivy tipped a barrel, we had to change plans.” Making adjustments on the fly is important in rodeo. She will have multiple plans to be prepared for whatever challenges come her way. With the ProRodeo Tour system in place, that also calls for variables that all competitors must understand in order to make it work. “I love those Dakota rodeos, but the biggest thing with them is they’re not tour rodeos,” she said. “The tour puts a lot of money in the pot for us, but also the requirements to make the tour finale are steep. You have to make 35 tour rodeos. It dictates a little where I’m going. I’ve never been to Salinas (California, home of the tour finale in 2021), but I also don’t want to be needing to go to Salinas and miss my rodeo count by three.” While she’s a competitor who has been a contender for that elusive Montana Silversmiths gold buckle, this is also her business. Unlike many women in ProRodeo, Beisel has three genuine threats to help her with horsepower at just about every rodeo in which she enters. Still, it takes some decision-making to figure out which horse works with which rodeo. “You’ve got to know their strengths and their weaknesses,” she said. “They all have a lot of strengths. What makes Beau stand out is he’s really gritty, and he adapts to situations really well. That’s why I ran him at St. Paul, because I knew the trees in the arena wouldn’t bother him. Chongo is really fast. You put him on good ground, and he’s going to excel. “Pipewrench is going to run into the hole really well. I can put him in a tighter spot, like at Mandan, and I don’t have to worry about him. You have to know your horses and pay attention to them.” With that trio of great mounts, Beisel feels more at ease. She knows she can trust them as long as she puts them in the right situation. “There are very few horses that are versatile enough to compete  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Mary McClure isn’t one of the founders of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo’s Fiddlers Contest; she’s just its custodian. She’s pretty proud of it, too. This year’s event will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, the final day of the regional exposition, and it’s a fitting way to close out the fun in Lovington. “I used to come and watch it,” said McClure, 71, of Lovington. “Ralph Wrinkle, who was the one-time sheriff in Lea County, started this.” In fact, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the fiddlers contest, and there’s no better way to honor the history than to put on the next one. McClure is happy to continue the legacy that has been handed down to her. According to reports, Wrinkle got his start in music in the 1940s in Missouri, with initial mentions wrapped around his playing music on a radio station in the town of Lebanon in central Missouri. He eventually moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, where he continued to sing and write music and was dubbed “The Singing Sheriff,” McClure said. As the event’s primary organizer and promoter, McClure takes pride in what the community gets to witness and hear during the contest. She’s excited to bring it back to town after the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down a year ago. “I took it over in the early ’80s,” she said. “I liked it as a youth. Mom mother loved it, and I really think the public likes it. We have some older folks who tell me that’s the only reason they come to the fair every year, so I’m glad we can put this on for them.” The contestants pay an entry fee in order to compete, and those fees are mixed with sponsors’ money to make up the overall purse. McClure says a common year will feature 10 to 15 fiddlers. There was one banner year when nearly 30 musicians were part of the show, and the contest lasted most of the afternoon. That was back when the event took place under a tent between two buildings; now it’s in the air-conditioned confines of the Yucca Building. “We never know until the day of the contest who is going to enter,” she said. “You show up, and you can enter then.” The key to the event’s success comes from the three judges. The crowd, she said, loves to hear them play; it’s just a highlight of the contest every year. “If I didn’t have any contestants but had those three judges, we’d still draw a crowd,” McClure said. “That’s the stipulation when they come to judge is that they play again.” The history of the fair and rodeo is grand, and so are shows like the fiddlers contest. It adds to the unique flavor that is Lea County. “I’m 57 years old, and I can remember the fiddlers contest when I was a little boy,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “There are people from all over that come to enjoy that. It’s a big part of our fair and rodeo, and I’m glad we still do it.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Her title is office manager, but Elaine Gall is more of a jack-of-all-trades for the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Gall is Roundup’s only full-time employee, and since the gates closed on the 2020 edition of Dodge City’s biggest annual event, she’s been busy as part of the organizing and planning group that is focused on this year’s rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “This job is more hectic during the rodeo, but that’s because everything seems to be happening all at once,” said Gall, who is celebrating her 10th Roundup Rodeo this year. “Before we get to this point in the year, I will have contacted every one of our sponsors and personally visited and reconfirm their commitment with us. I deliver all the sponsorships and handle all the prep work necessary so the week of our rodeo runs as smoothly as possible.” That’s for her sake, but it also is part of her helping the dozens of volunteers that make Roundup happen every year. There are many things that go into making an event the size of Dodge City’s rodeo work every year, and it’s a combination of people working together to make it happen. From volunteers to sponsors to contractors to contestants, it all must mesh together. Most of the work that’s done is never seen by the spectators that arrive at the arena to be entertained for a couple of hours a night. “I don’t think many people understand what goes on behind the scenes, and that’s OK,” Gall said. “The real magic happens where nobody sees it, but that makes what happens in front of the audience that much better for everyone.” While she is the only full-time employee, she is the supervisor for the part-time workers that help with consumer needs and selling tickets. Another aspect of the rodeo that goes unnoticed is within the food and drink distribution. The Dodge City Area Women’s Chamber of Commerce handles concessions, but all the money is returned to Roundup be distributed to various charities the volunteer group supports. “I think one of the neat things we do is after the rodeo, we provide free hospitality with food and drinks for the contestants and our volunteers,” she said. “I know some events start feeding before their rodeos start, but this goes back further than I do, and the reason we wait until after is we want to feed our volunteers as well. “Our volunteers don’t have time before the rodeo to really sit down, relax and eat, so this gives them the time to do that and mingle with our VIPs, sponsors and contestants. I think it’s good for everyone that way.”   Everything that happens inside Roundup Arena is part of a community event that benefits all of southwest Kansas, and everyone associated with the rodeo understands how it all works cohesively. “Elaine handles so many things for us that it takes a lot of pressure off our directors,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, the committee’s president. “She is an integral part of our rodeo year after year.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Whether they ride bucking beasts or rope and wrestle steers, many cowboys in ProRodeo today got their starts as youngsters just dreaming of playing on the big stage. For a big number of those, some of their first steps involved riding sheep, better known as mutton busting. Rodeos all across the country have added the event – which features youngsters of a certain age and weight – to their programs. But the Lea County Fair and Rodeo takes things to a different level. “The people are beating down the door to enter the mutton busting this year,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “It looks like we’ll have over 200 kids for our slack (on July 31). That’s a lot of kids wanting to ride sheep.” Yes, it is. Out of those, the top 40 scores will advance to the four performances of the PRCA rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena. Mutton busting will serve as a pre-show and will begin around 7 p.m. each night. “It’s just something those younger kids can get involved in,” Wheeler said, noting that many people arrive at the arena early so they can witness the excitement and fun that comes with mutton busting. “I know it’s a big deal for a lot of the parents, but I also know that a lot of the kids enjoy it, too.” They should. The children are outfitted with protective vests and helmets, and they hang on to the sheeps’ tightly. The longer they stay on the running animal, the better the score. Some will not make it far out of the chute, while others will ride the sheep for several seconds. And since the sheeps’ reactions are unscripted, just about anything can happen in mutton busting. The event was developed decades ago, and the first recorded instances date to the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Nancy Cervi, the wife of stock contractor Mike Cervi and the matriarch of Colorado-based Cervi Rodeo, came up with the idea, and it has expanded from one coast to the other. With 40 qualifiers to the performances, the Lea County Fair and Rodeo will host 10 mutton busters per night. “More than anything, we have people who love to watch kids ride sheep,” Wheeler said. “But it’s always fun to see how much people enjoy our mutton busting. It is definitely a tradition, and we have great support for it in Lea County.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – There is something about this community. This is the desert, and the terrain is only for the most rugged to handle, but it’s also inviting for just about anyone. That’s because of the people and the work ethic that packages everything together. It’s why there is a major exposition in this town of nearly 12,000 and why hundreds of ProRodeo’s biggest stars make their way to southeastern New Mexico every summer. “This has always been a good rodeo to me,” team roping heeler Ryan Motes said of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 3. Motes, a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Weatherford, Texas, won the title the last time the rodeo took place in 2019. Roping with Coleman Proctor of Pryor, Oklahoma, the cowboys knocked down two steers in a cumulative time of 9.5 seconds and walked away with nearly $6,000 in earnings. “This was an important rodeo,” Motes said, noting that he and Proctor made money at other rodeos that week, which helped catapult them to NFR bids together. “We had a pretty slow week the week before, so that was pretty big in the scheme of things.” Cody Cabral, a steer wrestler from Hilo, Hawaii, was making a run at the 2019 NFR when he won the title in Lovington. The money boosted him in the bulldogging standings, but he fell just short of his goal in the end. Saddle bronc rider Bradley Harter of LoRanger, Louisiana, utilized his first-place paycheck of nearly $5,000 to return to the NFR for the 11th time in his career. Alas, an injury during the championship event ended his run at the elusive gold buckle. He retired in 2020. Tanner Aus posted the highest-marked ride of the rodeo week, riding Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Good Time Charlie for 90 points to win the bareback riding title. Good Time Charlie is now 19 years old, but the powerful sorrel gelding has been selected to buck at the NFR 13 times in his storied career. “That horse is just timeless,” said Aus, a five-time NFR qualifier from Granite Falls, Minnesota. “For that horse to be that good for that long is just incredible. “This is a great rodeo with a lot of money up for grabs, so it’s a good place to have him.” Other winners from 2019 were bull rider Trey Kimzey, barrel racer Cindy Smith, steer roper Billy Good and tie-down roper Shad Mayfield, who went on to his first NFR qualification that year and earned his first world championship a year later. “Lovington is one of those rodeos that you want to win,” Aus said. “It’s a tour rodeo, there’s always good stock and the payout is always good.” That’s why so many of ProRodeo’s best find their way to Lovington each year.

Branquinho is still in position to make a run at sixth gold buckle The first time Luke Branquinho won the steer wrestling world championship, he was 24 years old. Ten years later, he earned his fifth Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. Father time has been good to the California bulldogger, but like any athlete, things get a bit more challenging. He’s had his share of injuries over a career that began two decades ago: damaged knees, torn shoulders, ripped pectoral muscles. They’re all hazards that come with big men wrestling big animals, and Branquinho is a big man who oftentimes wears black shirts mixed with his Cinch carpenter pants to make himself look even bigger. It’s not that the steers notice; but he is an intimidating presence in spite of his friendly personality and relaxed demeanor. Life is considerably different than it was in 2001, his second year in ProRodeo and the first year he made the National Finals Rodeo; he followed that up with 13 more trips to the biggest stage in the sport, which takes place annually in Las Vegas. He last won gold in 2014 and hasn’t competed at the Thomas & Mack Center since 2015. “You get hurt, you rehab and you come back,” said Branquinho of Los Alamos, California. “That’s the nuts and bolts of it. You can’t put that in your mind; you’ve got to block it out and just go do your job.” There is a resilience that comes with being a cowboy, and the California kid is proof of that. No matter how many times he’s been knocked down, he bounces up and flashes that recognizable grin. He’s more than a cowboy these days; he’s a true rodeo personality. People like up for blocks to meet him and get his autograph, and he’s as accommodating on the 150th person as he is the first. This year, he’s found his way toward the top of the world standings. In mid-July, he was in the top 10 on the bulldogging money list. That’s saying something for someone of his stature. So, what does it feel like to wrestle 600-pound steers at age 40? “It hurts,” he said with a laugh as he made his way to the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede. “In my mind, it’s not different than it was when I was younger. You have to modify and tweak against these little turds.” He’s not talking about diminutive cowboys. He’s talking about youngsters, like the reigning world champion, Jacob Edler, who is 27, or the runner-up from last year, Stetson Jorgensen, who just turned 28. It’s younger men that he has to butt heads with, whether he’s in Redding, California, or Evanston, Wyoming. That’s the nature of grown men who travel the country to compete in a sport they love. “It’s been good this year,” he said. “I think sometimes I get a little too critical of myself. I’ve been drawing good, and that’s huge, especially in this event. You have to have the right steers. You also have to have good horsepower. The key is drawing good steers and trying to use them the best I can.” If the random draw doesn’t work in his favor, then the veteran knows to handle the steers as best as possible. It might not be a round-winner, but he’s made bad cattle look good for most of his career. His experiences have led him here, still contending for world titles. “I just focus on making good runs and getting good starts,” Branquinho said. “I’m going old school: just run your steers and go onto the next one. “I try to pick and choose rodeos I’ve done good at in the past. It helps your confidence when you’ve done good at a rodeo before. I’m going to pick the right rodeos and make sure I’m riding a good horse.” It’s simple, really. The fundamentals are vital when athletes are first learning their game, but they remain important through each phase of a career. The better one is at the basics, the better that person will be overall. From riding his horse to transitioning to the steer to securing the animal’s nose, the runs get better with each basic maneuver the cowboys make. Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. For many, steer wrestling is the most competitive event in ProRodeo. The top 25 in the world can change on a weekly basis, and it seems to be more difficult to repeat as a champion in bulldogging than any of the other rodeo disciplines. “The competitiveness of rodeo is what drive me,” he said. “When a guy has a competitive edge and can take advantage of it, then that’s what you’re looking for. You’re always trying to go out there and win. Being the youngest of three brothers, I was always trying to be better than them. That’s the way with rodeo: Just stay on top and stay winning.” Like all rodeo cowboys, the toughest part of the job is being away from home. For Branquinho, that means leaving behind his wife, Lindsay, and their three sons, Cade, Jameson and Luke Hayes. Someday soon, he’ll spend more time with them and maybe spend more time commentating on television broadcasts of rodeo. He leans on his family for their support, and he likes giving it back when possible. “My wife likes to make fun of me a lot on social media, but she also builds me up, too,” he said. “A long time ago, we didn’t have the luxuries of FaceTime and social media, so it’s nice to have those. It makes you feel closer to home when you’re in Canada. “I’m going to stay involved in rodeo. Hopefully the commentating will be an avenue where I can stay involved. My kids are big in junior rodeo, and they’ll continue to do that.” In rodeo, success is gauged by the hardware a person wears. Only the best each year earn the most prized trophies, those that are worn around the  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – For people in Ford County, Dodge City Roundup Rodeo is simply the marquee event of the annual Dodge City Days celebration. For those looking in from the outside, it’s the biggest rodeo in Kansas, an event that’s forever memorialized in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Make no mistake, however; this is very much a community event, and the community is ready for this year’s rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “One of the big reasons we’ve been involved for so long is the exposure,” said Jeff Lopp Sr. of Lopp Motors, a longtime sponsor of Roundup Rodeo and a major contributor to the event’s success. “The main thing is Roundup Rodeo brings so much to Dodge City, exposure and economically. It’s very important to the community when they can be involved with Roundup Rodeo and the whole Dodge City Days celebration. It just benefits the entire city.” That’s true. From the Medallion Hunt to the various shows and cookouts to the parade and on to the six nights of rodeo action, there are so many things happening to help bring a community together. Roundup Rodeo got its start in 1977, and it blossomed quickly. In 1984, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association created its Rodeo of the Year award, and Roundup won the first of its nine awards in 1985. In fact, Dodge City’s rodeo earned at least a share of the Rodeo of the Year award eight of the first nine years the honor was presented. In 1993, the award was expanded to include different categories. In 2001, Roundup was named the Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. Since then, it has been nominated for the same award multiple times and was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2012. “Roundup Rodeo has been voted as Rodeo of the Year, and the success from Roundup is not just the officers, but the hundreds of volunteers and the countless hours they put in to make the arena, the rodeo and the grounds accessible, and it becomes a social event,” said Lopp, who first became a sponsor in 1983 when Dodge Rodeo was developed and opened a door for his dealership to really step up its sponsorship level with national support. “It really is a big deal to us.” It’s a big deal all over north America. This southwestern Kansas rodeo is a draw well beyond the region, though the majority of visitors come from Ford County and its surrounding counties. “It’s such a large event for this part of the state,” Lopp said. “We have people that we see at our display that take their vacations to come to Dodge City for Dodge City Days and the rodeo. We are a draw for the local people and the people that have been here before and want to come back. “Part of it, I think, is the quality of the stock contractors and the cowboys that come here. I think some of it has to do with the hospitable attitude of everyone involved with Roundup. The reputation has been established, and the volunteers work tirelessly to maintain that reputation.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Over the years, the Lea County Fair and Rodeo has been recognized for its firepower when it comes to outstanding concerts. There are six nights of musical entertainment on the main stage, and the concerts offer the kind of variety needed in a diverse region like southeastern New Mexico. Fans of all types make their way to Lovington each year to experience concerts that may only be seen in larger communities most of the time. “We’ve set up some of our nights specifically to meet with the needs of the people from around here,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board, which organizes the annual exposition, set for July 30-Aug. 8 at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. “We kick off the fair honoring the Hispanic population, and I think the acts we have for that will really draw the crowds.” Bronco and Erick Massore will open the concert series on Friday, July 30, during the Hispanic Heritage Celebration. The fair board noticed a few years ago how big of a draw they get when they bring popular Hispanic acts to town. Once the PRCA rodeo kicks off with its Lea County Xtreme Bulls on Tuesday, Aug. 3, the concerts kick up again. Mike Ryan will follow the bull riding, sharing his Texas Country hits with the crowds that have come to love that genre of music. Ryan’s “Dancing All Around It” hit No. 1 in 2014 and was name the Single of the Year by Texas Music Pickers. Zach Williams will be the featured act during Faith and Family Night on Wednesday, Aug. 4. He has been one of the contemporary Christian music scene’s leading artists for several years, and he has been nominated for two GRAMMYs. Clay Walker will bring his decades of experience and a showman’s mentality to stage. His vocals provide a unique sound that identifies him even before the chorus. He will take the stage Thursday, Aug. 5, and will likely share some of his 11 No. 1 songs. “I’m pretty excited about that one,” Wheeler said. “Thursday has historically been a slow night for the fair, and we talked about doing away with the Thursday concerts because of that. In 2019, we brought in Cody Johnson for that Thursday night, and that was really big. I think we can have a similar type crowd this year with Clay.” Confederate Railroad, whose top 10 songs “Queen of Memphis,” “Jesus and Momma” and “Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind,” will share the stage with Exile on Friday, Aug. 6. The fair and rodeo will close with a two-part concert with Gary Allan on Saturday, Aug. 7. Exile, now in its 58th year of producing music, is still on tour. The band’s singer, songwriter and guitarist, J.P. Pennington, has been with Exile since 1963, and he’s still writing music. He actually wrote 42 songs during COVID-19. Allan has had four No. 1s: “Man to Man” and “Tough Little Boys” in 2003; “Nothing On but the Radio” in 2004; and “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)” in 2013. “I think we have some great acts,” Wheeler said. “To me, there’s a little bit of something for everybody. They’re all different styles, and I think they’ll all reach people from around here.”  

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Most who have ever been to Dodge City Roundup Rodeo have seen Doug Munsell Sr. over the years. He’s a professional clown and has been for better than 60 years, but he’s much more than that to the biggest rodeo in Kansas every year. Munsell, who has spent much of his life in Liberal, has volunteered for Roundup for the past two decades. He’s already busy getting things ready for this year’s rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “I was at the parade in Garden City (Kansas) for that rodeo, and Doc Trotter was there,” Munsell said of Dr. R.C. Trotter, the longtime president of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual rodeo. “We got to talking, and I’m still here.” Here means his volunteerism, which happens throughout the year. During the week of the rodeo, “PoppaD” will venture around the Roundup Arena grounds and entertain children of all ages. He’s a clown in every sense of the word, and it’s a marvelous payoff for fans who want to be entertained for a few hours every summer. He also comes by it naturally. He was raised in Mooreland, Oklahoma, and around rodeo. He and his family went to the Woodward (Oklahoma) Elks Rodeo every year. “They had steer riding, and I rode steers every year; we got a silver dollar,” he said with a chuckle. “Then I started rodeoing when I moved to Liberal.” He was a bareback rider who tried to ride bulls, and he picked up bullfighting. “It was something else to do, be a rodeo clown and a bullfighter, but it wasn’t very often,” said Munsell, 81. “I did it often enough to make Mama (his wife) mad. Now, the kids are all involved in it.” That’s true. Doug Munsell Jr. is a cowboy who has been a rodeo clown for years. His son, Wacey, is a professional bullfighter who has worked at the National Finals Rodeo and has been involved with Roundup Rodeo for most of the last decade. “That’s changed a lot since I started fighting bulls,” Doug Munsell Sr. said. “Used to, we did nothing but wear our baggy clothes. Now, they look like football players.” But Munsell is more than a clown. He adores rodeo, and he handles a lot of general labor duties behind the scenes. “Every year, I do the pre-rodeo entertainment, going out and doing tricks to entertain the kids … and the adults,” he said. “I’m also the campground cleaner-upper. That takes me most of the afternoon. I go clean out the sheds that need to be cleaned out and whatever else they ask me to do.” It’s all associated with his two-part calling: Rodeo and volunteerism. He’s been doing it for so many years that it’s just second-nature. He’s one of dozens of people who volunteer for Roundup Rodeo every year, and he knows there’s always a need for more. “You just need to reach out to people and offer someone a job you think they could do,” Munsell said. “It might be a small job to start with, but hopefully they get hooked and it takes off from there.”    That’s just what Roundup and the Dodge City community needs.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The sport of breakaway roping has been around for decades, but it’s going to be part of Lovington’s rodeo for the first time this year. Breakaway roping is very similar to tie-down calf roping, which features contestants roping a young cow, then scrambling down the rope to flank and tie the calf’s legs together to stop the clock. Good runs are around 8 seconds. Breakaway roping has the same start, but the rope is not tied tight to the saddle horn as it is in tie-down roping. Once the rope is tight, the string that holds the rope to the saddle horn will break, stopping the clock. Good runs are around 2 seconds. It’s fast and it’s a showcase of great horsepower and incredible roping skills, and it will be part of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena. “We had talked about having it before, but this will be the first year we have the ladies breakaway roping,” said Trey Kerby, the rodeo committee chairman and vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “I’m starting smaller, and I’ve limited it to 60 contestants; we will have 15 in the slack, and we’ll bring back five to the performances each night. It’s set up like every other timed event we have; they’ll run two rounds. “After this year, we’ll see how it all runs and decide how we want to handle it in the future. We’re always up against the clock, because everybody wants to get the rodeo done in time to go see the concerts. I fully intend to raise it to the same status as our other timed events.” Women have roped professionally for 73 years through the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, but the event has just ballooned in recent years. In 2019, RFD-TV’s The American made it part of its nationally televised performance, and it’s seen unprecedented growth. Teenager Madison Outhier won the title and $110,000 that weekend, which also helped propel the event into the big time. This past December, veteran Jackie Crawford became the first world champion in ProRodeo after competing at the inaugural National Finals Breakaway Roping, which took place in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo in its one-time home of Arlington, Texas. Sponsors have opened their pocketbooks, and more and more rodeos have opened their doors. “I think breakaway roping is going to be a big plus for our rodeo,” said Larry Wheeler, the fair board’s president. “I’m really excited about adding that event. Watching other rodeos on The Cowboy Channel, it really seems like everybody’s enjoying that. “We’ve got three local girls that will be part of the 60 cowgirls that will compete, so that’s a big deal to the people around here.” Breakaway roping has changed rodeo over the last couple of years. It’s added another women’s event to the sport and adds a fast-paced and exciting spectacle to an already popular rodeo. “I think it’s going to go off well here,” Wheeler said.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Blane Cox knows what it means to be among the top 20 tie-down ropers in ProRodeo. He’s done it four times in the last five years. If he’s going to do it again this year, he will need to get on a roll like only few others have ever seen. He’s 47th in the world standings heading int the final two weeks of July, and he would absolutely love to be among the top 15 and earn the second National Finals Rodeo qualification of his career. He’s giving himself a fighting chance this week in the Rocky Mountains. On Saturday night, he roped and tied his calf in 7.4 seconds to win the title at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, which was worth $2,500 of the $86,000 purse in Gunnison. “That was a great calf,” said Cox, 28, of Cameron, Texas. “My horse caused me to be a hair late, but it worked out. (The calf) stepped off to the right and gave me a good throw at her, and she was great on the ground. The horse worked great other than out of the box a little bit.” It’s coming at the right time. “It’s been a pretty slow summer,” he said. “The Fourth (of July run) was terrible.  I’ve been roping really good, and the horse has been working pretty good, but I’ve been having heck drawing good calves. “It turned around (last week) in Laramie, Wyoming, and winning Westcliffe (Colorado on Saturday) morning, and now this.” Cox qualified for the NFR in 2016 and finished 12th in the final world standings. He has just missed ProRodeo’s grand finale three times: he was 19th last year and finished 16th in 2017 and ’18. He’s a veteran, and he understands what it takes to move back toward the top, even if the year has been a bit of a struggle. “Horsepower is everything in calf roping,” Cox said. “It’s 75 percent horsepower in my opinion.” He’s got that in Billy, a 10-year-old sorrel gelding he purchased this past February. “He’s been really good to me,” he said of the horse. “I loved him from the get-go.” Now in his 10th year competing in ProRodeo, this year was the second straight trip to Gunnison for its annual rodeo. Many of the top contestants in the sport found this gem in the mountains last year, when the community’s rodeo was one of the few that took place in spite of the global pandemic. He liked what he saw, so he made sure to return. “It was pretty exciting,” Cox said. “The crowd was really good tonight, and they had packed stands. The cooler weather makes it really nice, too.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 15-17Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Casino, $1,974; 2. Cooper Bennett, 84.5, $1,513; 3. Chad Rutherford, 83.5, $1,119; 4. (tie) Jayco Roper, Tucker Zingg and Tyler Johnson, 82, $504 each; 7. Trenton Montero, 81.5, $263; 8. Jake Brown, 81, $197.   Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Jace Melvin and Wyatt Jurney, 3.5 seconds, $2,243 each; 3. Sam Goings, 3.7, $1,774; 4. Tristan Martin, 3.8, $1,461; 5. Riley Duvall, 4.0, $1,148; 6. Payden McIntyre, 4.1, $835; 7. Colt Honey, 4.3, $522; 8. (tie) Mike McGinn, Mike Garcia and Jacob Sterkel, 4.4, $70 each. Team roping: 1. Rhett Anderson/Cullen Teller, 4.0 seconds, $2,661; 2. (tie) Pedro Egurrola/JC Flake and Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 4.1, $2,240; 4. Tyler Walker/Trey Yates, 4.3, $1,821; 5. (tie) Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts and Kyon Kruetzer/Clancey Kreutzer, 4.7, $1,401 each; 7. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and Dylin Ahlstrom/Caleb Hendrix, 4.8, $840 each; 9. Jack Graham/Calgary Smith, 5.2, $420; 10. Nick Pullara/Jason Gilchrist, 5.7, $140. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Charlie’s Angels, $2,042; 2. Cody DeMoss, 86, $1,565; 3. Mitch Pollock, 83.5, $1,157; 5. Ryan Sanford, 82, $749; 5. Jarrod Hammons, 81, $476; 6. Rowdy Dunklin, 80.5, $340; 7. Mason Laviolette, 78.5, $272; 8. Jack Bentz, 74, $204. Tie-down roping: 1. Blane Cox, 7.4 seconds, $2,500; 2. Ty Harris, 7.8, $2,237; 3. Macon Murphy, 8.0, $1,974; 4. (tie) Tyler Milligan and Luke Potter, 8.3, $1,579 each; 6. Thomas Conway, 8.4, $1,184; 7. Tyler Prcin, 8.5, $921; 8. (tie) King Pickett and Ross McAdow, 8.7, $526 each; 10. Colton Farquer, 9.1, $132. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.46 seconds, $2,581; 2. Lake Mehalic, 17.49, $2,194; 3. Amanda Welsh, 17.53, $1,807; 4. Sarah Kieckhefer and Virginya Foran, 17.55, $1,420 each; 6. Jimmie Smith, 17.57, $903; 7. Cassidy Champlin, 17.61, $645; 8. Jessi Fish, 17.67, $516; 9. Carly Taylor, 17.73, $452; 10. Kenna Kaminski, 17.79, $387; 11. Kelly Yates, 17.80, $323; 12. Chenae Vest, 17.86, $258. Bull riding: 1. Ky Hamilton, 83 points on Rafter G’s Johnny Cash, $3,757; 2. Braden Richardson, 81, $2,274; 3. Parker Cole McCown, 79, $1,861; no other qualified rides.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Jace Melvin has grand plans to return to the National Finals Rodeo for the second straight year. He’s going to do anything and everything possible to make it happen. Over the last few weeks, he’s ridden all sorts of horses, and it seems to be working. On Friday night during the second performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, he grappled his animal to the ground in 3.5 seconds to take the steer wrestling lead with one night remaining in this year’s rodeo. “I’ve been riding her all this week, and I rode her a little bit last week,” Melvin said of Monroe, owned by fellow bulldogger Ringo Robinson of Huston, Idaho. “She’s a phenomenal horse, and Mike McGinn’s been doing the hazing. They’ve just got good bulldogging horses, and they’re bulldogging great.” Just a couple months ago, he was still looking to cash in, struggling to make anything work. So, he changed his game plan and started doing whatever it was going to take. He finished the 2020 campaign 10th in the final world standings. Heading into the final two and a half months of the ProRodeo season, he sits 38th – only the top 15 on the money list earn a spot at the NFR, the sport’s grand finale where world champions care crowned. “I don’t know where I am in the standings, but I know I’ve got a lot of money to win to get to where I want to go,” said Melvin, 29, of Fort Pierre, South Dakota. “My goal is to make the NFR, so I’ve got a lot of winning to do.” He’s having the kind of week that will make a big difference. He’s doing well at nearly every rodeo in which he’s competing, and he will ride for the championship Saturday night in Casper, Wyoming. He will ride Monroe again, but that could change next week. He is leaning on the help of friends and fellow bulldoggers to make it all happen. In addition to Robinson, he’s “mounted” horses owned by Tyler Pearson, Curtis Cassidy, Trell Etbauer, Eli Lord, Sterling Lambert and Dirk Tavenner. “I’ve been super blessed to ride good horses and have good hazes everywhere I’ve went,” he said. This marks the second straight year he’s competed at Cattlemen’s Days. He first arrived in 2020, when the crowd was limited to just a handful of people because of COVID restrictions. He liked what he saw, and he opted to make it part of his calendar this year. “This is a great rodeo; I’m glad to be here,” Melvin said. “It’s a good-paying rodeo, adds great money and has a lot of guys here. It just helps toward the end goal. I’m grateful for any check I win at any rodeo. “This is a neat rodeo up here. You get to drive through good country to come here. It was a great crowd. Standing room only. It was a perfect rodeo.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 15-17Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Casino; 2. Chad Rutherford, 83.5; 3. (tie) Jayco Roper, Tucker Zingg and Tyler Johnson, 82; 6. Trenton Montero, 81.5; 7. Jake Brown, 81; 8. Tristan Hansen, 79.   Steer wrestling: 1. Jace Melvin, 3.5 seconds; 2. Sam Goings, 3.7; 3. Tristan Martin, 3.8; 4. Riley Duvall, 4.0; 5. Payden McIntyre, 4.1; 6. Colt Honey, 4.3; 7. (tie) Mike McGinn, Mike Garcia and Jacob Sterkel, 4.4. Team roping: 1. Rhett Anderson/Cullen Teller, 4.0 seconds; 2. Tyler Walker/Trey Yates, 4.3; 3. Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts, 4.7; 4. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and Dylin Ahlstrom/Caleb Hendrix, 4.8; 6. Nick Pullara/Jason Gilchrist, 5.7; 8. Lee Kiehne/Cole Cooper and Clay Norell/Travis Bounds, 6.2; 10. Monty James/Clay Elkington, 8.1. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Charlie’s Angels; 2. Mitch Pollock, 83.5; 3. Ryan Sanford, 82; 4. Rowdy Dunklin, 80.5; 5. Mason Laviolette, 78.5; 6. Jack Bentz, 74; 7. Jake Burwash, 73; 8. Brody Wells, 72. Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Tyler Milligan and Luke Potter, 8.3 seconds; 3. Thomas Conway, 8.4; 4. Tyler Prcin, 8.5; 5. (tie) King Pickett and Ross McAdow, 8.7; 7. Colton Farquer, 9.1; 8. Tyler Boxleitner, 9.2; 9. (tie) Neil Dove and Kalai Nobriga, 9.3. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.46 seconds; 2. Lake Mehalic, 17.49; 3. Amanda Welsh, 17.53; 4. Virginya Foran, 17.55; 5. Jimmie Smith, 17.57; 6. Cassidy Champlin, 17.61; 7. Jessi Fish, 17.67; 8. Carly Taylor, 17.73; 9. Kelly Yates, 17.80; 10. Chenae Vest, 17.86; 11. Josey Schomp, 17.93; 12. Kailee Murdock, 17.94. Bull riding: 1. Ky Hamilton, 83 points on Rafter G’s Johnny Cash; 2. Braden Richardson, 81; no other qualified rides.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Trey Kerby is convinced the cancelation of the 2020 Lea County Fair and Rodeo led to physical problems he’s experienced in the last year. “That’s what caused my heart issue,” said Kerby, the vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “Last June, we had to make all these decisions so we could cancel contracts if needed. We had the county’s money in our hands, and I hated to take a chance to throw away that money and not have anything to show for it. “(County commissioner) Dean Jackson called me toward the end of June and said there was no way we could do this. Our governor was not helping us be able to have that, but I hated to be one of the ones who had to cancel something that hadn’t been canceled in 50-some years.” That’s when the pain of heartache became more than the pain of heartache. “I was sitting on the porch in my shop, and I had my first weird heartbeat,” he said, noting that he has since had a heart ablation to hopefully correct the ailment. “That’s what started it. The stress had finally bubbled up. Nobody wanted to cancel. Everybody was looking for something to do and something to smile about, and we were going to have to cancel it.” It may have taken a year, but it’s go-time for the 2021 edition of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for July 30-Aug. 7, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington.   While there were troubling times that were centered around the global pandemic, there were some positives that happened. With some New Mexico government relief, the county was able to have its junior livestock show and the Junior Livestock Sale. “When we had to cancel, it was just pretty sad, and everybody was down about it,” said Larry Wheeler, the fair board’s chairman. “Under the circumstances that we all faced last year, it was really good that we were able to have that show and that Junior Livestock Sale. It all came down to the last minute. Less than a week before, the governor released us to have the shows at the fairgrounds. “The people of Lea County, as a whole, missed having a fair a lot. It’s pretty neat to see what’s going on around here now. Everybody’s excited to have the fair and rodeo. It’s just fun to see the excitement level.” Oh, what a difference a year makes. Last summer, the Lea County Fairgrounds resembled a ghost town. There were no carnival rides, and the few people creeping around were there to either work on the complex or set up for a livestock show in virtual isolation. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control have learned more about COVID-19 and the preventative care that’s necessary. In just days, Lovington will blossom, and traffic will pack the town as the fair and rodeo returns to its rightful spot. The concert lineup has returned, and families are busy preparing their entries for the various exhibits. Hundreds of ProRodeo’s brightest stars are making their plans to be in southeastern New Mexico that first week of August. “I know I, for one, am very excited to have this year’s fair and rodeo,” Kerby said. “Of course, there are so many people that this affects, and I know they’re as excited as ever to have it this year.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – After making his run on the opening night of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, Garrett Tonozzi made a point to find Heidi Sherratt Bogart, the executive director of the Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink. He wanted to express his gratitude for the largest TETWP campaign in ProRodeo. He also wanted to share that his mother, Michelle, is a breast cancer survivor and that programs like the one in Gunnison are close to his heart. “It’s amazing what they’ve done for women who went through it,” said Tonozzi, who also handed Sherratt Bogart two $100 bills as his donation to the Gunnison campaign. He also wanted to thank her and others associated with the campaign for the $1,000 bonus he received for having the fastest time in team roping while also wearing pink. TETWP raised $8,000 and had hoped to give $1,000 per event (and per man in team roping) to the best times and scores during Thursday’s performance; they were able to pay out half on the incentive bonus. Tonozzi, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, won the money in heading, while his partner, T.J. Watts, won the heeling check. Checks were also paid to bareback rider Will Lowe and steer wrestler Austin Eller; they were the only other winners in their respective events who wore pink on pink night. “This is a great circuit rodeo,” said Tonozzi of Fruita, Colorado, now living in Lampasas, Texas. “They add a lot of money. On pink night, it’s a great bonus. It’s just amazing to get that from the committee and all the people that run the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign in Gunnison.” Watts, of Eads, Colorado, has competed at Cattlemen’s Days nearly a dozen times over the years. He always looks forward to returning. This year was equally special to him. “I’ve always had a lot of luck here,” he said. “I’ve only been in the pink night performance one time. We tried to enter for this night for the bonus. Their Tough Enough to Wear Pink is a great deal. This money helps us get down the road and helps us pay for fuel.” Just as important is the fact that the tandem leads team roping after the opening night. They stopped the clock in 4.7 seconds and hope that time holds on for a solid paycheck. That same time was the second fastest a year ago and would have won both the 2018 and 2019 rodeos. “Doing well here means a lot,” Tonozzi said. “I always wanted to go to up Gunnison when I was a kid. I always watched my uncle Bret, and I came up here with him a couple times. This is my home. Western Colorado is where I’m from. I love coming back. “This is an awesome rodeo.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 15-17Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Casino; 2. (tie) Tucker Zingg and Jayco Roper, 82; 4. Tristan Hansen, 79; 5. Jade Taton, 74; 6. Ethan Mazurenko, 73; 7. Luke Wozney, 69; 8. Jake Kesl and Donny Proffit, 68.   Steer wrestling: 1. Austin Eller, 4.8 seconds; 2. Chisum Docheff, 7.2; 3. Kyle Broce, 14.3; no other qualified times. Team roping: 1. Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts, 4.7 seconds; 2. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 4.8; 3. Lee Kiehne/Cole Cooper and Clay Norell/Travis Bounds, 6.2 seconds; 5. Monty James/Clay Elkington, 8.1; no other qualified times. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Charlie’s Angels; 2. Mitch Pollock, 83.5; 3. Ryan Sanford, 82; 4. Jack Bentz, 74; 5. Jake Burwash, 73; 6. Brody Wells, 72; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Tyler Prcin, 8.5 seconds; 2. Owen Wahlert, 9.5; 3. Ty Pablo, 10.9; 4. Jim Mike Hutto, 12.9; 5. Morgan Muray, 13.4; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.46 seconds; 2. Destri Devenport, 18.16; 3. Timber Allenbrand, 18.21; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 18.25; 5. Mickayla Brown, 18.86; no other qualified rides. Bull riding: No qualified rides.

Traveling group gathers together as a world champ gets married Slack had just ended on July 2 at the Black Hills Roundup Rodeo in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, and the boys were hungry. The bulldogging traveling posse of Jacob Edler, Stockton Graves, Riley Westhaver and Bridger Anderson were ready to eat. Edler ventured off with some company that was in town to see him: daughter Taylee, fiancé Moriah and her mother, Sholi Glaus. “We needed a stirrup for a saddle, so we headed off to get that and were going to meet them at The Stadium,” said Anderson of Carrington, North Dakota. “We called him to get us a table for lunch, and he said, ‘We’re not headed there now.’ “ ‘Where are you headed?’ ” they asked. “ ‘We’re headed to the (Butte County) courthouse,’ ” they were told by Edler, the reigning world champion steer wrestler from State Center, Iowa. “ ‘I might need Bridger to get ordained so he can marry us.’ “Here I am driving down a gravel road, so I get on my phone, and in about 10 seconds, I become ordained. We went back to the courthouse and had a little ceremony in the room across from the clerk. We celebrated with steak tips afterward.” There in the western South Dakota community of 5,600, the proud parents of 2-month-old Taylee got hitched with Anderson as the officiant and Graves and Westhaver as witnesses. Taylee and Grandma stayed out in the car. It may be a little out of the realm of possibilities for some, but it was just right for Jacob and Moriah Edler. “We talked about it, and we were ready to get married,” he said. “She was over there at slack at Belle Fourche, and we had to be up in Mobridge (South Dakota) that evening. I figured if there’s time, we’ll run over to the courthouse and get married. “We needed an ordained minister, because they didn’t have anybody at the courthouse to do it. Bridger found the information on his phone and became ordained.” It’s the perfect story to tell for Edler, who shocked the rodeo world by winning the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle this past December at the National Finals Rodeo in its one-time home in Arlington, Texas. An Iowa farm boy, he found his way to Northwestern Oklahoma State University to compete in college rodeo for Graves, a Northwestern alumnus who is the team’s coach. Now, they travel together. In fact, all four men are alumni of the Rangers rodeo team, and in 2016, Edler was the reserve college champion to teammate J.D. Struxness. Three years later, Anderson left the College National Finals Rodeo as Northwestern’s second national champion. Like Edler, he qualified for the NFR for the first time last December, and both men are Cinch endorsees. It all makes for one of those obscure Cowboy Christmas stories that go under the radar most of the time. With Edler in the mix, it just adds to the flavor and fun of everything that happened. “Moriah’s mom came over to Mobridge with is, and my mom came over to watch, and we went to the beer stand after the rodeo there in Mobridge,” Edler said, noting that the beer garden served as the couple’s wedding reception. “Bridger’s mom, Robin, got us a cake. Moriah’s mom watched the baby, and we had a good time.” It was just that kind of day. It was a nice break from a two-rodeo day for the boys during their Fourth of July run. Mobridge is more than 200 miles northeast of Belle Fourche, but everyone made it there on time and ready to rumble. It was a day they’ll all remember for their own roles into all that transpired. “The ceremony was a little different, and it sure didn’t take very long,” Anderson said. “They didn’t prepare any vows for me, so I had to wing it.  I’d think we’d have to do a better job if we got time to practice before the next one. It was just ‘Eddy’ and ‘Mo;’ ‘Canada’ (the group’s nickname for Westhaver) and Stockton were there to witness it. We didn’t notice it, but later people pointed out that the three of us were wearing striped light blue shirts, and Eddy was wearing a dark blue shirt. “It turns out we were real dressed up and styled in everything, still covered in dirt from throwing out steers that morning. It was a real bulldogger wedding.” They’re all real bulldoggers, too. Three of the four have NFR experience with the coach owning the most. Graves has been to the NFR seven times and, as it happens, has a chance to make it back an eighth time. Of the foursome, he leads the pack at ninth in the world standings as of July 11. Edler is 21st, Anderson is 26th and Westhaver is just outside the top 50. But it’s time to turn things around. After all, Edler has diapers to buy. Much has changed in the last 12 months. He learned of Taylee’s due date shortly before the NFR began in Texas last December. On the final night of the championship, he announced to the ProRodeo world that he was going to be a dad. Since her birth on May 10, 2021, even more has changed in the man’s mind and soul. “It’s made me grow up even more and realize that I have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” he said. “That little girl means everything to me, and so does my wife. Both of them keep me inspired and keep me wanting to do good. “This is my job now and my living, and I’m very fortunate that Moriah understands that and supports that and wants me to do that. I’ve put my whole life into bulldogging, and last year finally came to the surface and solidified that I know this is what I’m meant to do. I’m  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – When Cody Sosebee talks, people listen. It’s not that he’s that big of a deal. No, Sosebee is a clown and entertainer, and when it talks during each of the five nights of rodeo action during the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, something comedic usually happens. He returns to this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 3. “After the last year we’ve all experienced around here, Cody is going to be the perfect remedy for this community,” said Trey Kerby, chairman of the rodeo committee and the vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “The crowd really likes him and engages with him. He’s been here several times, and he’s always a crowd favorite.” Sosebee has been a hit just about everywhere he goes. It’s the reason he’s a regular nominee for the Coors Man in the Can and the PRCA’s Clown of the Year. He’s also been selected to work the barrel at the National Finals Rodeo. In 2018, he was named the PRCA’s Comedy Act of the Year. “He definitely has the kind of pedigree our rodeo crowd likes, but that’s not why we like him coming back,” Kerby said. “He’s about as normal a person as you can get and has a heck of a sense of humor.” It comes naturally to Sosebee, 49, of Charleston, Arkansas. He has a true comic’s sense of timing, but he also understands the intricacies that come with rodeo. He was a champion bareback rider before turning his fancy to the comedy and the barrel. He also likes returning to an event like the rodeo in this southeastern New Mexico community.   “There are a lot of cowboys that come to that rodeo from the ranches and the farms,” Sosebee said. He knows cowboy. He’s been one all his life. He may not wear the hat as often, but he understands the Western lifestyle and what rodeo means to a region. Sosebee has been around rodeo as long as he can remember. He also is good friends with longtime Lovington rodeo announcer Andy Stewart, and their rapport is evident. “I like how well Cody works with Andy,” Kerby said. “They’re pretty flawless together.” Much of his humor comes from his size: Sosebee is bigger than most rodeo clowns, and his raw athleticism shows through the extra cushions his body allows. His acts just accentuate it all into one funny package. “Having the ability to laugh at myself is probably my biggest strength,” he said. “I don’t take anything too serious. When I’m watching a comedian, the funniest thing I see is when they’re honestly open and having a good time.” “I am very humbled by it, because I automatically thought of the guys who had come before me who had never been selected to work the finals,” he said. “There’s no way to describe it, because the guys voted for it. I can take that with me forever.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – John Harrison has worked many of the largest events in ProRodeo over his years as an entertainer – first as a trick rider, now as a rodeo clown and funnyman. He’s never worked the biggest rodeo in Kansas, the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “Dodge City is one of those legendary rodeos you hear about,” said Harrison, 42, of Soper, Oklahoma. “It’s a special rodeo to get to work. It’s one of the great ones. Anytime you get an opportunity to work one of the great ones, you’re just blessed.” Harrison is more than blessed; he’s also talented. He comes by it quite naturally, but he’s also worked at it. It takes a special determination to become proficient at trick riding, and he toured the country for years doing so. In fact, he was part of the opening act at the National Finals Rodeo as a trick rider before he transitioned to the comedic side of rodeo. He’s so good at it that he’s been recognized for his talents. He’s been named the Coors Man in the Can and the Comedy Act of the Year, and he’s served as the NFR’s barrelman six times in the last eight years. “We’ve seen and heard about John for a few years, and we’re very excited to be able to bring him to Dodge City this year,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, president of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “John has a great list of accomplishments, and we believe he will add a different flavor of comedy for our rodeo.” The grandson of 1962 world champion bull rider Freckles Brown, he has incorporated part of his trick riding into comedy, and it’s one reason why he’s been recognized as a top comedy act in ProRodeo. Add to that a natural southern drawl with his distinct humor, and it’s easy to see why rodeo fans have clamored to see him at work. “My clowning has evolved quite a bit,” Harrison said. “I never worked any amateur rodeos, because I already had my PRCA card with trick riding, so I didn’t have any chance to work on my clowning before I started doing it. “That transition the first few years was tough.” He’s no longer transitioning. When the schedule allows, he travels the rodeo trail with his family, including his wife, Carla, and their children. In fact, Roundup will be the last rodeo he will work with his family in tow; they will return to southeastern Oklahoma so the kids can return to school. Like everyone, Harrison is happy to be back at his job of making people laugh. The cancelations from COVID-19 had negative impact on his business, but he’s seeing the blessings now. “It hit us hard,” he said. “We found out how non-essential rodeo clowns are. I’m blessed with the ones that were still going on and needed a clown. This year, every rodeo I’ve been to is up as far as its crowd. It’s crazy. People are wanting out of the house and doing something as a community. It’s great for me as an entertainer, because they make my job easier. They are ready to let their hair down and get wild. That makes it fun.” That’s good news for the people who make their way to the biggest rodeo in Kansas.

Estes Park rodeo returns and puts on a heck of a show for big crowds ESTES PARK, Colo. – In January, the members of the Estes Park Western Heritage Inc., began planning an event they didn’t even know if they’d be able to have. The organization is a group of volunteers that annually works with the town of Estes Park to produce Rooftop Rodeo, which just completed its six-day run Saturday night. After having to cancel the 2020 edition of the community’s most prestigious events, there were some challenges that had to be overcome in order for the rodeo to occur this year. “The first numbers regarding capacity for our rodeo were just ugly,” said Mark Purdy, the group’s chairman. “We were going to be allowed just 25 percent of capacity, and we could not have run it at that level. Once we got to 50 percent, it was still ugly, but we started thinking we could possibly pull this thing off. “We also were at 50 percent of our normal sponsorships at April, and we started tightening our budget so we could have it this year. In May, Colorado went full capacity, so we got to add some things back. We just tried to make it as normal as possible.” Over the years, Rooftop Rodeo has been recognized as one of the best events in ProRodeo. Six times it’s been honored as Rodeo of the Year: five times in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as Small Rodeo of the Year and once as the Medium Committee of the Year in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Regularly it has hosted hundreds of the greatest stars in the game and has been seen as a destination event, but something spectacular happened this year with 830 entries. “We set a record,” Purdy said. “That was just incredible. We were just gratified to see the contestants were coming back. With that, we started seeing other things happen. We had all our box seats sold out three weeks out. We had our stands filled to about 90 percent to 95 percent capacity early in the week, and we were sold out on Friday and Saturday nights. Our traditional sponsors started coming back in a big way.” What they saw was spectacular competition. There were big scores and fast times all week, with one of the biggest winners was Utahan Stetson Wright, who won the bull riding and all-around titles in Estes Park; he is the reigning world champion in both. Actually, the leaderboards of all events were filled with world champions and National Finals Rodeo qualifiers, including saddle bronc rider Sterling Crawley, who claimed the crown with his 83-point ride on the final night. The times in barrel racing were exceptionally fast throughout the week of competition, with NFR qualifier Shelley Morgan winning the title in a time of 16.66 seconds, just two-tenths off the arena record. It all happened because a group of dedicated volunteers made a concerted effort to overcome whatever challenges they faced and produce an incredible event for members of the Estes Park community and the tourists that make it such a vibrant mountain town each summer. “We have a really passionate group of committee people, and they never wavered,” Purdy said. “I know a lot of rodeos and other events had a real big problem with volunteer retainment after the pandemic, but we didn’t have a problem with that. “Everybody stepped up. We were ready for a 50 percent capacity in April, and then it opened up. We also got a handful of new sponsors are now long-term committed to our rodeo. Our future is looking very bright at Rooftop Rodeo.” Rooftop RodeoEstes Park, Colo.All-around cowboy: Stetson Wright, $4,276, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. Bareback riding: 1. Tyler Johnson, 87.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Zipper Trick, $5,534; 2. Tray Chambliss III, 86.5, $4,243; 3. Bodee Lammers, 84.5, $3,136; 4. Garrett Shadbolt, 83.5, $2,029; 5. (tie) Lane McGehee, Will Lowe, Luke Creasy and Jake Brown, 83, $876 each. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Dirk Tavenner, 3.3 seconds, $1,861; 2. Brandon Harrison, 3.4, $1,541; 3. Dalton Massey, 3.7, $1,220; 4. (tie) Tristan Martin and Payden McIntyre, 3.8, $738 each; 6. (tie) Cade Staton, Kyle Broce and Bill Claunch, 3.9, $107 each. Second round: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.4 seconds, $1,861; 2. Grady Payne, 3.5, $1,541; 3. Rowdy Parrott, 3.6, $1,220; 4. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Riley Krassin, Jacob Talley, Will Lummus and Laramie Warren, 3.8, $359 each. Average: 1. Brandon Harrison, 7.9 seconds on two head, $2,792; 2. (tie) Jacob Talley and Will Lummus, 8.0, $2,070 each; 4. Laramie Warren, 8.4, $1,348; 5. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Riley Krassin, 8.5, $674 each. Team roping: First round: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.5 seconds, $1,811 each; 2. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 4.8, $1,499; 3. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 5.0, $1,186; 4. (tie) Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith and Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 5.1, $718 each; 6. Lightning Aguilera/Shay Dixon Carroll, 5.2, $312. Second round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.2 seconds, $1,811 each; 2. John Gaona/Trevor Nowlin, 4.4, $1,499; 3. Colby Lovell/Paul Eaves, 4.5, $1,186; 4. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 4.7, $874; 5. (tie) Tyler Waters/Richard Durham and Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 4.9, $437 each. Average: 1. (tie) Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 9.7 seconds on two head, $2,482 each; 3. Tyler Waters/Richard Durham, 10.3, $1,780; 4. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 10.8, $1,311; 5. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 10.9, $843; 6. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 11.0, $468. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Sterling Crawley, 83 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s 2 week Notice, $5,584; 2. Colt Gordon, 81.5, $4,281; 3. (tie) Jacob Kammerer and Ryder Wright, 79, $2,606 each; 5. (tie) Layton Green, Mitch Pollock, Wyatt Casper and Jacobs Crawley, 78, $884 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Riley Pruitt, 7.3 seconds, $4,054; 2. Trenton Smith, 8.0, $3,627; 3. Bo Pickett, 8.4, $3,201; 4. Andrew Burks, 8.6, $2,774; 5. Tom Crouse, 8.7, $2,347; 6. Ryan Belew, 8.8, $1,920; 7. (tie) Hunter Reaume and Colton Farquer, 8.9, $1,280 each; 9. (tie) Marty Yates and Bryce Barney, 9.1, $427 each. Barrel racing: 1. Shelley Morgan, 16.66 seconds, $4,221; 2. Dona Kay Rule,  Continue Reading »

Clements’ honeymoon put on hold; he had bucking horses to ride Everything was picture perfect: An early-June wedding on a Rocky Mountain setting in beautiful Utah. “The ceremony was going to start at 6:30 p.m., and it was a warm day,” Mason Clements said of his June 5 nuptials to his bride, Brianna. “I prayed for some mid-morning, early-afternoon showers to cool it off, and at about 3 or 4 p.m., it started to thunder, lightning and rain. I was starting to second-guess my prayer. “It all turned out beautiful. The sun came back out, and there were a few clouds, the sunset … it was cool. The venue is a rustic-barn setting with an open pasture of grass behind it. I had seven of my best men there to stand with me and support me, and Brianna had seven of her best women.” The setting and the ceremony were the perfect celebration to the beginning of a marriage that is meant to last a lifetime or more. For a rodeo cowboy from Utah, it was a way to celebrate his roots and put his love on display for all to see, for most to cherish. Before them stood Kelly Wardell, a cowboy himself who had served as Mason Clements’ bareback-riding mentor for many years. On that day, he was the officiant, the man that declared them husband and wife, the man that told him to kiss his bride. “Brianna thinks he’s an awesome guy, and she kept telling me to ask Kelly to officiate our wedding,” he said. “I truly believe he set the tone with his words and his speech. It made this journey I’ve taken through rodeo that much better, because Kelly is someone I’ve looked up to and respected for a long time, since 2012. He’s just that guy that will do anything for you, so it’s special that he did that for us.” That’s a common trait among rodeo cowboys. They understand the ups and downs that comes from the game they play, the life they live. But there will always be a calling that many won’t understand; cowboys are competitors, and rodeo means competition. Instead of packing up his new bride for a beach or a resort somewhere special, Mason Clements found himself in a familiar place the day after his wedding, Sunday, June 6 – he was en route to try his hand on another bucking horse. “I entered the Riggin Rally with a 50-50 intention of going,” he said. “About the week of our wedding, I decided I’d better just stay and hang out with her and our families and enjoy the time. The Riggin Rally and the dates are things you can’t change with ProRodeo and the organizers and sponsors that are involved in it. Here I am, about to say ‘I do,’ but I also have a job that pays the bills and is something that I love just as deep. “When I saw the draw, I knew I had to get on that horse.” The animal was Great Nation, owned by Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics. The powerful bay had bucked at the 2020 National Finals Rodeo, so Clements knew there was something special to the horse, and he was right. He scored 89 points to win his section and advance to the championship round, where he was 89.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Yippee Kibitz, good enough to finish in a tie for third place. He earned $4,815 for his venture to Darby, Montana, and his wife wasn’t at all upset. “She always wanted me to go, but she didn’t want to go the day after the wedding,” Clements said. “ ‘I want you to go,’ she said, ‘and I want you to win and come back as soon as you can. We’ll take care of family stuff.’ “She gave her full support and love there. I also had my awesome traveling partner, Leighton Berry, who came up for the wedding. The next morning, he drove me all the way to Darby, and I slept three-fourths of the way. He made sure I got there on time and got rested. I was really blessed and fortunate to have all the people put in the time and effort to make our day be special for both of us and make sure I was where I needed to be the day after.” The honeymoon is still up in the air. For now, Brianna will join him on the rodeo trail. This is a much different life than she knew before, raised on an oceanfront in Cocoa Beach, Florida, the home of Cape Canaveral. She grew up playing soccer, then moved out West, where she recently graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism. “The summer run would be our unofficial honeymoon,” he said. “We’re planning on going somewhere warm and tropical and relaxing come the end of the season when we can take the whole week off and spend time with each other when everything’s slower.” Brianna Clements understood fully what life with her new husband would be like. He made sure of it when he proposed two years ago, and she agreed to life with a rodeo cowboy. “I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Mason Clements said. “As past years have gone, that first week of June is pretty empty. As luck would have it, there are three rodeos that week before and two to three rodeos the weekend of, and one happened to be the Riggin Rally. It’s the only stand-alone bareback riding event and one of the biggest events of the year.” As of late June, he was 19th in the world standings. That finish in Darby helped with that a bit, but he still needs some help if he hopes to make it back to the NFR for the fourth time in five years. “After Reno, it goes from being a part-time job like it has  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – A local grant mixed with volunteer labor will result in a bit of a facelift to Roundup Arena in time for this year’s Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. The planks of wood that served as flooring and seating for the north grandstands of the arena have been removed and will be replaced in time for this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug-Sunday, Aug. 8; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “The money comes from a grant we received from the Community Facilities Advisory Board, a joint city-county committee,” said Elaine Gall, the office manager for Roundup Rodeo. “We left the frame and rebuilt the flooring, risers and seats with metal. It had been an old, wooden grandstands. “It was more of a safety issue, but we believe it’s going to look good, too.” Roundup Rodeo is one of the biggest annual events to hit southwest Kansas each year, with hundreds of contestants itching to compete inside the storied arena at one of the largest events in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In addition, thousands of fans come from the region and beyond to see the spectacle of Kansas’ largest rodeo. “The funding comes from the ‘Why Not Dodge?’ campaign that was established years ago,” Gall said. “That’s been the best thing for Dodge City as far as making it an entertainment destination.” Oh, and there’s plenty of entertainment when it comes to Roundup Rodeo. In addition to the world-class competition that takes place on the arena floor, the event also will be a showcase of comedy and true horsemanship with the addition of John Harrison, one of the most recognized rodeo clowns and entertainers. Beyond that, each event in rodeo has its own level of entertainment. Whether it’s a high-marked ride on bucking horses and bulls or fast times in bulldogging or barrel racing, there are so many aspects of the rodeo that account for their own entertainment value to fans. That’s why having the most comfortable grandstands possible is important to the local organizers. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of work to put something like this together,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, the volunteer committee’s president. “We had just a few guys who put in all of that work, and between them, they will have put in hundreds of man-hours to make sure the work is done right and looks good. We have some incredible volunteers to get that kind of work done. “This is going to be functional, which is the most important, but I think it’s also going to allow our arena to look even more modern. Plus, after coming off a year like we witnessed in 2020, I hope we have all three grandstands full for all the performances during the week of the rodeo.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – Rodeo’s roots dates back to more than a century ago when ranchers and cowboys found their way to competition to see which outfit had the best hands. It was for bragging rights to begin with, but rodeo has evolved. At the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA rodeo, for example, contestants can walk away with thousands of dollars in their pocket based on how well they performed. Cattlemen’s Days is a celebration of Gunnison County’s ranching and agriculture roots, and there are a host of events that honor that, including the Ranch Rodeo, set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 11, with a ranch bronc riding expected to start around 5 p.m.; the Ranch Arena Team Sort is set for 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 12. “Those are important events for this community,” said Brad Tutor, first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “It gives people that are not PRCA cowboys a chance to show off what they can do. It’s special to them. A lot of our local kids, guys and girls come out to be part of that rodeo. “All these events are important for the committee. We have an elite group of people who are volunteering their time, and people come from all over to help put on this event. From the rodeo to the parade to the things going on with our Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign, they care deeply, and that’s what makes it special for us. Most of them grew up here, and they understand what it means to have Cattlemen’s Days.” The Ranch Rodeo will feature teams of five riders competing in sorting, penning, trailer-loading and stray gather. Just as the ranches did so many decades ago, this will be a place to see which outfit has he most talented cowboys and cowgirls in the area. There are prizes and an incentive pot for local teams, which would include a minimum of three residents within the Gunnison watershed. The Ranch Arena Team Sort will include teams of four riders trying to sort five head of cattle in a 90-second time limit. The sorts are timed events and will also have a 16-under class competition on that Monday evening. “The main thing about being raised on a ranch in Gunnison is the cowboy part,” said Ramon Ray, president of the Gunnison Roping Club and a past participant in the ranching events during Cattlemen’s Days. “I get peace of mind out of working my horses. With our business now, it doesn’t allow me a lot of time to do what I was raised to do. “I get real pleasure to be able to work my horse and see how my horse gets along and advances in all aspects of the ranch rodeo arena.” That’s the basic idea for most who compete. Of course, there’s always those bragging rights, which just as valuable as anything for each year’s winners.