Monthly Archives: May 2022

ATLANTIC, Iowa – ProRodeo in southwest Iowa typically means warm summer weather for fans in this part of the world. That changes this year with the Atlantic ProRodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3-Saturday, June 4, at the Cass County Fairgrounds in Atlantic. Thanks to Oklahoma-based McCoy Rodeo, the sport’s premier athletes will make their way for two days of competition. “When we looked into Atlantic to have a ProRodeo, I knew there was a great chance we’d find success there,” said Sara Best-McCoy, one of the co-owners of McCoy Rodeo. “I grew up there, and I know the people that live there would love to see a great rodeo. That’s just what I want us to accomplish.” Just north of Atlantic, across Interstate 80, sits the tiny hamlet of Brayton, Iowa, a community of about 100 people. That’s where Best-McCoy grew up and what she still calls home. Twelve years ago in Atlantic, she married rodeo star Cord McCoy, who has since become a reality-TV star, too. The couple has also been in the stock contracting business for several years, raising bulls that have become big names in the PBR. In fact, the McCoys’ Ridin Solo just won the Bull of the Year honors in the PBR, a title that shows the talented bucking animals that are part of the McCoy herd. It will be animals like Solo that will be performing at the Cass County Fairgrounds. “I’m excited to come home for that week of the Atlantic ProRodeo,” Best-McCoy said. “I look forward to seeing my friends and my family, but I’m also excited for them and everyone else in Atlantic to see our brand of rodeo. I’m very happy with what we’ve done, and I think everyone will enjoy it.” McCoy Rodeo is more than bucking horses and bulls, fast horses and ropers; the sport of rodeo in 2022 is about production and bringing a style of entertainment to fans beyond the competition. It’s the perfect mix of family-friendly fun and seeing great athletes in action. The McCoys know all about that. Best-McCoy grew up showing horses and working cattle on the family’s ranch in Brayton. Cord McCoy grew up in rodeo, competing from a young age and highlighted by a National Finals Rodeo qualification and six trips to the PBR World Finals as a bull rider. Now, the McCoys are raising world championship-caliber athletes. “My father was raised in southwest Iowa, and I’m married to a beautiful Iowa girl, so this has always been like a second home to me,” Cord McCoy said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to return to my wife’s old stomping grounds, to be around family and to put on a PRCA rodeo in Atlantic.”

Event’s atmosphere and fan base are a hit among the sport’s elite cowboys GOODING, Idaho – Cowboys know one thing about their rodeo season before it even begins. “Gooding is one rodeo you don’t want to miss,” said steer wrestler Riley Duvall, a four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Checotah, Oklahoma. There are thousands of contestants that compete in the PRCA, and most of them know they want to return to this southern Idaho community every summer for the Gooding Pro Rodeo, set for Thursday, Aug. 18-Saturday, Aug. 20, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 17. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “It’s great, and it’s always a good atmosphere,” said bareback rider Tanner Aus, a six-time NFR qualifier from Granite Falls, Minnesota. “The crowd’s always into it. They’re famous for giving cowboys beers if they do well in the arena. It’s pretty unique and a pretty fun spot to be.” That’s why he and so many others return every year. Gooding Pro Rodeo’s popularity is well known among the contestants who make a living competing in the sport they love. Winning is always important, but performing well is a key to that. What makes Gooding so special is that effort and ability are recognized by the fans that pack into Andy James Arena night after night. If they see a good ride or a fast run, the fans will let the cowboy know their effort is “Beer Worthy.” “I want to be beer worthy,” Aus said. “I’ve been going there quite a few years, and I haven’t been beer worth yet, but this could be my year.” A year ago, the rodeo paid out more than $160,000. The payout has increased virtually every year, nearly doubling from 2018. That’s a fair amount of attention paid to the contestants by the volunteer committee and the rodeo’s sponsors that make it happen. The “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 17, will feature bull riding, bareback riding, bronc riding and breakaway roping, opening the door for wild rides and fast times; it’s a night of explosive action that sets the tone for the four days of rodeo action. “There’s no other rodeo like it,” said saddle bronc rider CoBurn Bradshaw, a four-time NFR qualifier from Beaver, Utah. “It’s awesome to just go there. It’s a different environment in Gooding, and it’s worth the trip just to be beer worthy.” Championship buckles are sought-after in rodeo; they signify excellence in the arena, but there’s something different and something just as special when a fan reaches over the fence after a ride or a run and handing over a beer. It’s what makes the Gooding Pro Rodeo so memorable among the cowboys. “Gooding’s a really good rodeo toward the end of the rodeo season that gets you ready for the fall rodeos,” said bronc rider Wyatt Casper, a two-time NFR qualifier from Miami, Texas. “Coming back to Gooding is always good, and this year means there’s another chance to be beer worthy.” The most beer worthy of all competitors are the champions each season. The 2021 titlists reads like a who’s who among ProRodeo’s brightest stars, from world champions like steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack to perennial NFR standouts like all-around cowboy Rhen Richard, saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright or bull rider Trey Benton III. “I’ve never been beer worthy, but I’ve always wanted to,” said Duvall, the fifth member of his highly decorated family to compete at the elite level of ProRodeo. “I always make it a point to go to Gooding. I love that rodeo and that committee.”

ATOKA, Okla. – Seventeen seasons ago in the PRCA, a southeastern Oklahoma cowboy utilized a big payday at the Xtreme Bulls event in Oklahoma City to catapult him to a National Finals Rodeo qualification. Fast forward to 2022. That same cowboy, Cord McCoy, is now an event producer, and he’s bringing the PRCA’s stand-alone bull riding back to southeastern Oklahoma with the Atoka Xtreme Bulls, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at the Atoka Trail Riders Arena. It’s all part of a long Memorial Day weekend of action that also includes the Atoka Pro Rodeo presented by Choctaw Casino Stringtown, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 27, and Saturday, May 28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 29. “Bull riding is big in this part country,” said Tuff Hardman, an Atoka cowboy who is also part of McCoy Rodeo and will serve as one of the pickup men during the four days of activities in his home town. “You’ve got Lane Frost, one of the best bull riders ever, and he’s from here in Atoka County. “People can relate to bull riding. They’re going to get to see 40 to 50 of the best bull riders in the world right here, and that’s going to be followed up by the best rodeo around.” It will make for the perfect getaway for families looking for things to do over the long holiday. From top-flight competition to family-friendly entertainment, there will be a lot to enjoy at the arena. This is the second year for the PRCA to conduct a rodeo in Atoka County. McCoy established the ProRodeo a year ago, and fans turned out despite heavy rainfall. It was so successful that two more days of rodeo are added to this year’s calendar. “It’s pretty neat to be able to compete in front of your hometown crowd,” said Hardman, who finished the 2021 season among the top 30 steer ropers in the world standings. “At that level, it’s pretty exciting to see ProRodeo here in Atoka. “I thought last year was a hit. Under the conditions we were in, it was probably one of the better rodeos I’ve been to. I enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to it this year.” Big things happened in the muck and the mud a year ago. Cole Patterson won the steer roping title en route to his first world championship, and Jackie Crawford, a 20-time world titlist, captured the breakaway roping crown. Those associated with the rodeo are expecting even bigger things to happen this year. “I think people around here can relate to our rodeo,” Hardman said. “Everything about the Atoka ProRodeo is hometown: the stock contractor, the pickup man and a lot of the contestants. Everything McCoy Rodeo brings to Atoka is local and hometown. “I think people love that. Cord brings the best bucking bulls in the world to his hometown rodeo, so everybody gets excited about that.”

Bronc busters reach out to 5-year-old cancer patient, receive so much more GUYMON, Okla. – Noah Patterson has a sparkling spirit and an infectious personality, one that transcends generations. He radiates joy, and he shares it easily. He’s just 5 years old. “When I first met Noah, he was very active and had a big smile on his face, and you wouldn’t have guessed what he’s gone through,” said Mitch Pollock, a saddle bronc rider from Winnemucca, Nevada, who met the boy last week shortly before the first performance of the 2022 Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo on Friday, May 6. “People say it all the time: Superheroes don’t always wear capes. That night, a superhero was a 5-year-old boy who made everybody around him feel better.” In January 2020, just a couple of months before his third birthday, Noah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He has received chemotherapy and other treatments at the Jimmy Everest Center at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City and will return May 17 for his final treatment. It’s been a long road for Noah and his family, his mom, Morgan Garcia, said this week. “Noah has been a little warrior through this whole thing,” Garcia said. “I think he took it better than all the rest of us.” He proved it on that Friday night. It worked out that the cancer combatant was able to attend the rodeo and be part of the mutton busting competition on the rodeo’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink night, a performance to help raise awareness and funds in the fight against cancer. Garcia had set it up with Mitch Egger and Jeremy Carman, members of the Pioneer Days Rodeo committee and co-owners of Wild West Ford, which organized the sheep-riding signups. “Noah is so strong-willed, and he has the most infectious personality,” his mom said. “He’s all over the place and loves to try new things. When I asked him if he wanted to ride a sheep, he didn’t hesitate a single bit, especially with his two new buddies, Jake and Mitch, by his side.” About an hour and a half before he got on his sheep, Noah met with Pollock and another bronc rider, Jake Finlay, a national champion while competing at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. The two cowboys took their sidekick on a behind-the-chutes tour, showing the boy the ins and outs of the world of rodeo. Noah got to pet bulls and horses and see what it was like sitting in a bronc saddle. He then escorted Pollock, Finlay and his mom into Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena, ready for mutton busting and his time to shine. Outfitted in a perfect pink shirt, he was helped onto his wooly ride by his bronc-riding buddies. “Putting the vest on and his helmet, Jake said, ‘Don’t let go,’ ” Pollock said. “Noah said, ‘Don’t worry, guys; I’ll never give up.’ “When he said that, we just looked at each other. It made my eyes water up a little bit. It just goes to show even at that age, a little boy could make a huge impact on my life. When you think you have it bad, you look at what that little boy has gone through, and you count your blessings and turn every negative situation into a positive one.” Noah rode his sheep, then kept riding. It was a will to win in so many ways for the youngster. It was a moment that signified the fight he’s been going through for the last 27 months. In June, doctors in Oklahoma City will remove his port, and life will become more normal for his family. “It was reassuring to me that he will continue to do things, and leukemia won’t define him,” Garcia said. No, it won’t. Noah was in the moment, riding livestock as if he’d done it his entire life. He has, in a way; for two-plus years, he rode out a storm of four-hour drives to the state’s capital and being invaded by drugs to help him rid his little body of a deadly disease. Monthly lab work shows the treatment has been working, and he’s spurred his way to a big-time score. After he dismounted his sheep, he stood in line with the other mutton busters and awaited the report from announcer Ken Stonecipher, a longtime member of the rodeo committee. His ride was worth the most points, and Noah was named the night’s winner, earning a special buckle for him to wear. “Before we started into the arena for the mutton busting, Noah looked at Jakes buckle and thought it was really cool,” Pollock said. “Jake said, ‘You could win one tonight.’ When Noah opened that up, the smile on his face and how big his eyes got … it was just so dang cool. That was another emotional time where I’m glad I had my sunglasses on. They were happy tears.” “No matter what happened that night, I knew I’d already won. Maybe we were there to help Noah, but Jake and I were the lucky ones.” Shad Mayfield may feel the same way, but not because of Noah Patterson. Mayfield, the 2020 world champion tie-down roper, arrived in Guymon on Wednesday, May 4. Upon pulling up to the arena, he was met by Stonecipher, who asked if Mayfield could visit with a young fan, Jace Sutherland. “Jace’s grandma told me her grandson was getting bullied at school because he wants to be a cowboy and loves rodeo, but the kids tell him there are no Black cowboys,” Stonecipher said. “When she told me that, I invited him to slack and said, ‘We’ll dispel that thought.’ ” Mayfield comes from a mixed-race home, a Black father and a white mother. In addition to winning the world title in 2020, the 21-year-old Mayfield has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo three times and is second in this year’s world standings, just behind John Douch, another Black cowboy. “I put them  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Garrett Smith needed this. He’s spent much of the last two seasons on the injury list – it’s a direct result of his job as a bull rider. In the rough-and-tumble world of professional rodeo, injuries and nagging pain are about to happen. Eight-second rides are followed by hours on the road. It’s an odd mix, but rodeo is also a love affair with the game. On Sunday afternoon, Smith rode Frontier Rodeo’s Gladiator’s Hammer for 91 points to win the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo and the $4,343 that came with it. He also collected a championship trophy belt outlined with the well-established Pioneer Days conchos. “I’ve been coming here a lot of years,” said Smith, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Rexburg, Idaho. “I’ve had a little bit of luck, but nothing like this.” It was the second time the Idaho cowboy had been matched with the Oklahoma bull. The two tangled together at the 2021 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. “I fell off him at 7.8 or 7.9, and I was about to be a lot of points,” Smith said. “I knew I was going to be a lot of points then, so a rematch was awfully fun to win.” Smith first qualified for the NFR in 2016 and finished fifth in the world standings. He returned to ProRodeo’s grand finale a year later and also finished fifth. Injuries knocked him out of competition and a chance to make a run at the gold buckle in 2018, but he qualified again in 2019, finishing 10th overall. He’s eager to return, and he’ll have his chance if he continues to ride like he did in the Oklahoma Panhandle on Sunday afternoon. “A lot of injuries happened around the busiest time, around the Fourth of July,” said Smith, the 15th man in the world standings so far this season. “This year’s been really good. I’ve been a lot healthier, and now I’m just hoping to keep it all rolling.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days RodeoApril 26-May 2All-around cowboy: Caleb Smidt, $4,092 in tie-down roping and team roping Bareback riding: 1. Jess Pope, 92 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire, $3,359; 2. Leighton Berry, 89.5, $2,575; 3. Jayco Roper, 87.5, $1,903; 4. Kyle Bloomquist, 87, $1,231; 5. Tim O’Connell, 85.5, $784; 6. (tie) Dean Thompson and Bill Tutor, 85, $504 each; 8. (tie) Clay Jorgensen and Tanner Aus, 84.5, $168 each. Team roping: First round: 1. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 6.4 seconds, $2,099; 2. Caleb Smidt/Jim Ross Cooper, 6.6, $1,825; 3. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 6.7, $1,551; 4. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 6.8, $1,278; 5. (tie) Haven Meged/Trae Smith, Blake Hughes/Daniel Reed and Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 6.9, $730 each; 8. Jhett TrenanyGralyn Elkins, Clay Tryan/Jake Long, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 7.1, $46 each. Second round: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 6.3 seconds, $2,099; 2. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison, Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 6.6, $1,551 each; 5. Curry Kirchner/Reagan Ward, 6.8, $1,004; 6. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 6.9, $730; 7. (tie) Derrick Begay/Paul Eaves, Chad Masters/Cory Petska and Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 7.0, $213 each. Third round: 1. Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold, 5.7 seconds $2,099; 2. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 7.3, $1,825; 3. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, $1,551; 4. Jake Clay/Billie Jack Saebens, 7.8, $1,278’ 5. Nick Sartain/AustinRogers, 8.3, $1,004; 6. (tie) Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams and Paul David Tierney, 8.6, $593; Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 8.8, $183. Average: 1. 1. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 22.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 22.5, $2,738; 3. Jake Clay/Billie Jack Saebens, 22.9, $2,327; 4. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 24.0, $1,916; 5. Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 24.2, $1,506; 6. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 26.7, $1,095; 7. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 26.9, $684; 8. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 27.3, $274. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.4 seconds, $1,960; 2. Blake Mindemann, 3.5, $1,705; 3. Stockton Graves, 3.6, $1,449; 4. J.D. Struxness, 3.7, $1,193; 5. Tanner Brunner, 3.8, $937; 6. (tie) Tristan Martin and Clayton Hass, 3.9, $554; 8. Blare Romsa, 4.0, $170. Second round: 1. (tie) Payden McIntyre and Grady Payne, 3.4 seconds, $1,832 each; 3. (tie) Hunter Cure, Tristan Martin, Ringo Robinson and Jarek VanPetten, 3.9, $1,065 each; 7. (tie) Riley Duvall and Matt Reeves, 4.1, $298 each. Third round: 1. Hunter Cure, 3.2 seconds, $1,960; 2. Nick Guy, 3.7, $1,705; 3. (tie) Tristan Martin and Tanner Brunner, 3.8, $1,321 each; 5. Bridger Anderson, 4.0, $937; 6. Riley Duvall, 4.1, $681; 7. (tie) Talon Roseland and Tyler Waguespack, 4.4, $298. Average: 1. Tristan Martin, 11.6 seconds on three runs, $2,940; 2. Hunter Cure, 11.7, $2,557; 3. Grady Payne, 12.2, $2,173; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 12.5, $1,790; 5. Tanner Brunner and Bridger Anderson, 12.9, $1,214 each; 7. Riley Duvall, 13.4, $639; 6. Austin Eller, 13.8, $256. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 89 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Maple Leaf, $3,790; 2. Chase Brooks, 88, $2,906; 3. Colt Gordon, 86.5, $2,148; 4. Mitch Pollock, 85.5, $1,390; 5. Wyatt Casper, 84, $884; 6. Riggin Smith, 82.5, $631; 7. (tie) CoBurn Bradshaw, Shorty Garrett, Houston Brown and Jacob Kammerer, 82, $221 each. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Hagen Houck, 7.9 seconds, $3,723; 2. Russell Schilling, 8.1, $3,238; 3. (tie) Hudson Wallace and Will Howell, 8.4, $2,509 each; 5. (tie) John Douch and Chance Thiessen, 8.5, $1,538 each; 7. (tie) Cash Edward Hooper and Marty Yates, 8.6, $567. Second round: 1. (tie) Jerry Adamson and Charlie Gibson, 7.6 seconds, $3,481 each; 3. (tie) Zack Jongbloed, Caleb Smidt and Cory Solomon, 7.7, $2,266 each; 6. Marty Yates, 8.1, $1,295; 7. (tie) Cooper Martin and Richard Newton, 8.2, $567 each. Third round: 1. Cooper Martin, 8.2 seconds, $3,723; 2. (tie) Richard Newton and Luke Potter, 8.4, $2,995 each; 4. Marty Yates, 8.8, $2,266; 5. Marley Berger, 9.2, $1,781; 6. Ty Harris, 9.3, $1,295; 7. Blake Deckard, 9.4, $809; 8. Kincade Henry, 9.7, $324. Average: 1. Marty Yates, 25.5 seconds on three runs, $5,585; 2. Cooper Martin, 25.8, $4,857; 3. Kincade Henry, 27.3, $4,128; 4. Ty Harris, 27.4, $3,400; 5. Will Howell, 27.8, $2,671; 6. Riley Webb, 28.2, $1,943;  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Sometimes a history lesson provides the perfect opportunity. Take Jess Pope, the No. 1 bareback rider in ProRodeo, who found out earlier this week that he was matched with Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire, a bucking buckskin mare has been considered one of the best bucking horses in the sport. Pope had a little history on his side. Last July, he rode the powerful bucker for 89.5 points to share the victory in Spanish Fork, Utah. “That was the lowest score they had on her last year,” Pope said with a wide grin. He followed that with a 92 to win the 10th round of the 2021 National Finals Rodeo to clinch his second straight average title. The Waverly, Kansas, cowboy knew what to expect when he arrived in Guymon on Saturday for his third shot at the horse in less than a year. “She’s as good as you can get,” Pope said. “She is the best hors going in my opinion, and I was tickled to have her by my name in the draw.” The result was another 92-point ride, this time to take the bareback riding lead at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. “This is a great rodeo to win,” he said, hoping his score will hold up through Sunday’s final performance. “It pays a lot of money, and it’s a great way to start your summer run off. “It’s a good warmup, and it’s a great place to get on great bucking horses.” Yes, it is. Gun Fire was in the mix for the PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year last season, and Pope expects the powerful mare to be at the top again when voting takes place later this year. He’s hoping this one will give him that commemorative trophy belt awarded to Guymon titlists. “This is definitely a bucket-list rodeo,” Pope said. “Every rodeo I go to I plan to win, but Guymon would be something a little bit more special. Guymon Pioneer Days has a cowboy aspect to it. It’s out here where they do cowboy (stuff), and that’s what I’m about.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days RodeoApril 26-May 2Bareback riding leaders: 1. Jess Pope, 92 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire; 2. Leighton Berry, 89.5; 3. Jayco Roper, 87.5; 4. Kyle Bloomquist, 87; 5. Tim O’Connell, 85.5; 6. (tie) Dean Thompson and Bill Tutor, 85; 8. (tie) Clay Jorgensen and Tanner Aus, 84.5. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold, 5.7 seconds; 2. Nick Sartain/AustinRogers, 8.3; 3. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 9.7; 4. Tyler Wojciechowski/Blake Walker, 9.7; 5. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 11.9; 6. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Chase Wiley/Brock Hanson, 12.2; 8. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 12.6. Average leaders: 1. Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 24.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 26.7; 3. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 26.9; 4. Chase Wiley/Brock Hanson, 27.8; 5. Tyler Wojciechowski/Blake Walker, 28.3; 6. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 29.4; 7. Pedro Egurrola/J.C. Flake, 30.9; 8. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 34.9. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Nick Guy, 3.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Tristan Martin and Tanner Brunner, 3.8; 4. Bridger Anderson, 4.0; 5. Riley Duvall, 4.1; 6. (tie) Talon Roseland and Tyler Waguespack, 4.4, 8. (tie) Tory Johnson and Austin Eller, 4.5. Average leaders: 1. Tristan Martin, 11.6 seconds on three runs; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 12.5; 3. Tanner Brunner and Bridger Anderson, 12.9; 5. Riley Duvall, 13.4; 6. Austin Eller, 13.8; 7. Talon Roseland, 14.1; 8. Tory Jonson, 14.7. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Ross Griffin, 89 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Maple Leaf; 2. Chase Brooks, 88; 3. Mitch Pollock, 85.5; 4. Wyatt Casper, 84; 5. (tie) CoBurn Bradshaw, Shorty Garrett and Jacob Kammerer, 82; 8. Allen Boore, 80. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Richard Newton, 8.4 seconds; 2. Marty Yates, 8.8; 3. Marley Berger, 9.2; 4. Ty Harris, 9.3; 5. Kincade Henry, 9.7; 6. Chance Thiessen, 9.8; 7. Shane Hanchey, 10.1; 8. Riley Webb, 10.4. Average leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 25.5 seconds on three runs; 2. Kincade Henry, 27,3; 3. Ty Harris, 27.4; 4. Riley Webb, 10.4; 5. Richard Newton, 28.8; 6. Haven Meged, 28.9; 7. J.T. Adamson, 29.7; 8. Cash Hooper, 30.3. Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 16.85 seconds; 2. (tie) Hailey Kinsel and Tarryn Lee, 17.03; 4. Elizabeth Schmid, 17.12; 5. Katelyn Scott, 17.28; 6. Cayla Small, 17.35; 7. (tie) Emily Mangione and Jimmie Smith, 17.36; 9. (tie) Paige Jones and Josey Grovers, 17.42. Average leaders: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 34.22 seconds on two runs; 2. Tarryn Lee, 34.57; 3. (tie) Elizabeth Schmid, Leslie Smalygo and Paige Jones, 34.81; 6. Jimmie Smith, 34.90; 7. Cayla Small, 34,96; 8. Shannon McReynolds, 35.02; 9. Katelyn Scott, 35.03; 10. Loni Lester, 35.03.   Bull riding leaders: 1. Shawn Bennett Jr., 87 points on Magic Poison; 2. (tie) Riley Barg and Kole Bowman, 78; 4. Trey Holston, 76; no other qualified rides.

GUYMON, Okla. – Tristan Martin has good reason to be confident. He’s coming off his best season in the PRCA, and he’s off to a hot start in 2022. It all added up to a phenomenal three days at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. He placed in the first two go-rounds Wednesday and Thursday and has already pocketed more than $1,600. He put an exclamation point Friday night with a 3.8-second run to take the third-round and aggregate leads with three performances remaining at Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo. “That steer had a pretty good track record; they were 4.0 on him and missed him one time,” Martin said of the animal he was matched with via the random draw. “I knew if I got my start and got my hands on him, I’d do my job and it would all be over with.” In addition to having a successful week – with a great opportunity to capitalize even more at the conclusion of the rodeo – he’s enjoying the trip with his wife, Josee, and their 4-month-old baby boy, Boudreaux David. Guymon was a good stopping point for the cowboy from Sulphur, Louisiana, and he and his little family travel for a branding at her family’s place in Wyoming. “We’re having a good time,” he said. “I’ve placed at this rodeo, but I’ve always wanted to win Guymon. The (trophy) belt, I think, is pretty iconic, with the Guymon conchos. Hopefully it’s mine this year.” He understands importance of having a unique trophy like the belt. Many rodeos offer buckles for their champions, but Guymon provides another wearable souvenir. “I’d really like to get a belt from here and a gold buckle this year,” he said of the world champion’s hardware. Martin started competing in ProRodeo five seasons ago and has worked his way up the money list. He earned his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo this past season, where he won the third round and finished third in the NFR aggregate race. He pocketed nearly $110,000 over 10 days in Las Vegas and finished fifth in the world standings. So far this year, he’s earned just shy of $50,000 and is third in the world standings. That’s likely to change if his place in Guymon holds up. “I did good in high school and college and progressed in the pros,” said Martin, 26. “I had to work at it a little more, go to the gym. I feel like I’m at the top of my game, and it feels great.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days RodeoApril 26-May 2Bareback riding leaders: 1. Dean Thompson, 85 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Center Line; 2. Keenan Reed Hayes, 83; 3. Kyle Charley, 76.5; 4. Andy Gingerich, 76; 5. A.J. Ruth, 74; 6. Derrik Thompson, 66; no other qualified scores. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold, 5.7 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 12.2; 3. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 16.4; 4. Bodie Mattson/Bryan Lemmon, 18.1; 5. Caleb Smidt/Jim Ross cooper, 22.1; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 34.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 36.0; 3. Bodie Mattson/Bryan Lemmon, 45.9; 4. Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold, 12.3 seconds on two runs; 5. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 13.9; 6. Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 14.4; 7. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 14.6; 8. (tie) Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich and Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 14.7. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Tristan Martin, 3.8 seconds; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.5; 3. Emmettt Edler, 4.6; 5. Adam Musil, 4.7; 6. Ryan Nettle, 15.0; 7. Gage Hesse, 15.7; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Tristan Martin, 11.6 seconds on three runs; 2. Tory Jonson, 14.7; 3. Blake Mindemann, 14.9; 4. Adam Musil, 16.9; 5. Emmett Edler, 17.6; 6. Gage Hasse, 25.0; 7. Ryan Nettle, 25.2; 8. Grady Payne, 7.7 seconds on two runs. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Mitch Pollock, 85.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Lil Sugar; 2. Wyatt Casper, 84; 3. CoBurn Bradshaw, 82; 4. Tyrel Larsen 78.5; 5. Brady Hill, 78; 6. (tie) Cash Wilson and Kade Bruno, 77; 8. Damian Brennan, 76.5. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Jake Booze, 11.9 seconds; 2. Nolan Richie, 13.7; 3. Cory Solomon, 14.7; 4. Reese Riemer, 15.8; 5. Caleb Smidt, 18.2; 6. Humpty Whayne Jr., 19.2; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Nolan Richie, 32.8 seconds on three runs; 2. Cory Solomon, 33.1; 3. Caleb Smidt, 35.4; 4. Jake Booze, 36.4; 5. Reese Riemer, 42.6; 6. Humpty Whayne Jr., 44.0; 7. Marty Yates, 16.7 seconds on two runs; 8. Will Howell, 17.5. Barrel racing: First round: First round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 16.94 seconds, $2,171; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 17.19, $1,861; 3. (tie) Nicole Driggers and Shelley Morgan, 17.30, $1,448 each; 5. Taycie Matthews, 17.32, $1,034; 6. (tie) Ivy Hurst and Tracy Nowlin, 17.33, $724 each; 8. Kyle Scribner, 17.35, $414; 9. Rachael Werkmen, 17.36, $310; 10. (tie) Paige Jones and Tami Semas, 17.39, $103 each. Second round leaders: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 16.85 seconds; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 17.03; 3. Elizabeth Schmid, 17.12; 4. Katelyn Scott, 17.28; 5. Cayla Small, 17.35; 6. Emily Mangione, 17.36; 7. (tie) Paige Jones and Josey Grovers, 17.42; 9. Cheyenne Wimberley, 17.44; 10. Shanna Simmons, 17.55. Average leaders: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 34.22 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Elizabeth Schmid, Leslie Smalygo and Paige Jones, 34.81; 5. Cayla Small, 34,96; 6. Katelyn Scott, 35.03; 7. Josey Groves, 35.30; 8. Kendall Kennedy, 35.35; 9. Sidney Forrest, 35.36; 10. Shali Lord, 35.53. Bull riding leaders: 1. Shawn Bennett Jr., 87 points on Magic Poison; 2. Riley Barg, 78; 3. Trey Holston, 76; no other qualified rides.

Cinch saddle bronc rider makes time to spend with his family in Texas On Easter Sunday as Cooper and Cheyenne Casper were hunting eggs, their dad was 1,600 miles away from home handling his business. He certainly wanted to celebrate the holiday with his family, but Cinch saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper had a wild horse to ride at the Red Bluff (California) Round-Up. He had placed his association saddle on a big, black Calgary Stampede horse named Yo Yo Marble and turned his attention to the powerful Canadian bucking machine. Once he nodded his head, Casper matched every jump and kick from the animal with a classic spur ride. The result was 88 points, enough to win the ProRodeo Hall of Fame event and add big bucks to his bank account. He may have missed hunting eggs and or going to church, but he better provided for his family and gave Casper a chance to not have to miss more family time in the months ahead. “I feel like family time at home is pretty important,” said Casper, 25, of Miami, Texas. “Just take Red Bluff and Clovis (California): I was at Red Bluff on (April) 17th, and I ended up flying home so I could help (wife) Lesley at a barrel race and flew back to Clovis to ride on the 22nd. “That’s a pretty good example of what I do to make sure I get home.” As of April 25, he had pocketed $61,000 and was fifth in the world standings. That offered a bit of cushion for the cowboy, who was raised in the tiny Oklahoma Panhandle community of Balko before moving an hour or so south into Texas. He’s earned National Finals Rodeo qualifications each of the past two seasons and has proven his place among ProRodeo’s elite. He knows being away from his wife and kids is just part of the job, but he doesn’t mind extending himself to make sure all the Caspers are together when possible. “This year’s been really good; I’m pretty tickled with it,” he said. “I feel like I’m starting to figure out a little bit on how to rodeo and when to rodeo. I’m trying not to rodeo my butt off right now. I want to take it easy and be at home with my family and maybe take a different route on rodeoing this year. “I’m usually pretty high on my rodeo count when I get toward the end of the year, so maybe I’ll skip some rodeos I normally go to and spend that time at home.” It’s definitely a give-and-take. He doesn’t want to miss out on opportunities in rodeo, yet he doesn’t want to miss out on watching his children grow. FaceTime is amazing, and technology allows for more visual contact, but it can’t beat a hug or tucking the little ones in at night. “I wouldn’t say I miss a whole lot of stuff with the kids yet,” Casper said. “I feel like when they get into sports and school, I might miss some pretty important stuff. This is a subject my wife and I talk about a lot. When the day comes that I feel comfortable enough pushing back on the bronc riding for me to do something here at the house, I’m probably going to do that. “I had a pretty good upbringing with my parents being at all my sports events, so I want to teach my kids how to play football and rope and be able to go to all their junior rodeos.” It was a sense of family that drew John and Amy Casper to the Panhandle region in the first place. Originally from Minnesota, they moved to Balko two decades ago to help set up Wyatt and his brothers, Ty and Clay. Family friend Ralph Taton was living in Beaver, Oklahoma, and he suggested the family move south if they wanted the boys to have a future in rodeo. It worked out pretty well. Wyatt was 4 years old when the family made its way to the Sooner State, and that’s pretty much all he’s known. Too young to remember much about his first few years, he’s content to have grown up in warmer temperatures. When he was set to graduate high school, Casper found Clarendon (Texas) College. “I was pretty late on looking at colleges, and Clarendon was the first one I looked at,” he said. “Cody Heck was the coach at the time. They sold me on the indoor practice facility and the welding program. I was really glad to be able to go there. Bret (Franks) took over coaching my second year, and he had been a really good assistant coach for my first year.” Franks is a three-time NFR qualifier in saddle bronc riding, so that mentorship remains valuable. “It was a great time for me,” Casper said. “It was exactly where I needed to be.” He proved that in June 2016, when he became the first Clarendon cowboy to win the national championship, doing so during the bronc riding at the College National Finals Rodeo. He was followed by bronc rider Riggin Smith in 2019 and bareback rider and all-around champion Cole Franks in 2021; last year’s team also won the men’s title, the first in school history. “It’s pretty cool what they’ve accomplished since I’ve been there,” Casper said. In 2020, Casper set his family up for success by winning The American, collecting $603,000 in the process. While only $50,000 counted toward the PRCA world standings, it propelled him to his first NFR, where he finished second in the world standings. That financial windfall allows him the opportunity to travel home a bit more than others, but he’s doing pretty well fiscally riding broncs year after year. Over the last two and a half seasons, Casper has earned nearly $1.1 million riding bucking horses. When he’s not doing that, there are plenty of things to do around his family’s home.  Continue Reading »

ALVA, Okla. – Tucker Huffman will graduate from Northwestern Oklahoma State University this coming Saturday, but he’s already received a pretty nice present. Actually, he gifted it to himself this past weekend. Huffman, a senior from Mutual, Oklahoma, posted the fastest tie-down roping run of the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo presented by Oklahoma Panhandle State University at Hitch Arena in Guymon, Oklahoma. He roped and tied his calf in 9.2 seconds to win the championship round Saturday afternoon and move up to second place in the aggregate with a two-run cumulative time of 20.7 seconds. “It was a good feeling to know I went out on a high note and competed how you want to,” Huffman said. “I really wanted to make the college finals this last year, but I needed to have that kind of rodeo all year instead of just the last one if I was going to do that.” That’s just part of it. The Central Plains Region is tough in all events, which makes it so difficult to win on a consistent level. Of all the events, Northwestern had just one contestant, steer wrestler Kaden Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon, come away with a regional title. He finished second in the long round but was unable to compete in the short round; he was part of the Rookie Roundup, which conducted its final go-round at the same time Saturday as the last performance in Guymon. Greenfield won the championship at the rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas, and his first-round run in the Oklahoma Panhandle helped him clinch the regional title. “Our region is super tough across the board,” Huffman said. “There are so many guys that can compete that you can’t slack off any if you want to be at the top.” While the season was disappointing, the Oklahoma cowboy didn’t let that bother him when it came time to nod his head in the large, outdoor arena. All tie-down ropers ran fresh calves in the first round, meaning the cattle had never been through a rodeo pen and chute system before they were released into competition. The better calves were used in the final go-round. “When we got down to the final round, I was just going for it all,” he said. “It was the last one, so you might as well. I didn’t have anything to lose. Stockton and I were talking right before my short-round calf, and I was the first guy out. I told Stockton, ‘I’ll just run him like he’s fresh again,’ and it seemed to work out.” Two other Rangers tie-down ropers joined Huffman in the championship round: Kade Chace of Cherokee, Oklahoma, finished fourth in the first round with a 10.1 second run, and Kerry Duvall of Farmington, California, was fifth in 10.4. Chace was unable to secure a catch in the short round, but Duvall stopped the clock in 11.5 seconds to finish fifth again; his two-run aggregate of 21.9 was good enough for third overall. The team ropers were led by header Stran Morris of Woodward, Oklahoma, who won the first round, finished third in the final round and second overall while roping with Jordan Lovins of Western Oklahoma State College. The Northwestern teams of Jaden Trimble of Coffeyville, Kansas, and Brandon Hittle of Topeka, Kansas, placed in the short round and finished in a tie for fourth, while T.W. Carson of Gate, Oklahoma, and Cole Koppitz of Alva finished third in the opening round. With that, the 10-event Central Plains Region season is over. It is the first time in two years that the Rangers were able to compete in all 10 rodeos; the 2020 season was canceled because of the pandemic, and the 2021 campaign had at least one cancelation. That gave the Northwestern cowboys and cowgirls more opportunities, and that’s all they had asked for. “I decided to come to Northwestern because of the atmosphere,” Huffman said. “I had a lot of friends that went to school there that said they really liked it. I get to rope all the time. Where I live, there are probably seven arenas within five miles of my place. “Everybody’s really friendly and lets you rope, and everybody’s always helping each other to get better.” After graduation, he will return home to Mutual to handle his business as a cattleman. He’ll rodeo some through the summer, then plans to try his hand at PRCA rodeos starting in the 2023 season. He realizes that he has something special in Thomasita, a 12-year-old mare that helped him find success in Guymon. “She’s the best horse I’ve ever swung a leg over,” Huffman said. “This is the second year I’ve been riding her, and she’s a big part of any success I get. She’s a bit jittery in the box, but she’s always on go and always stops hard and puts me in position I need to be in. “If you don’t have a good horse, you can’t make a good run in calf roping.”