Monthly Archives: July 2022

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Each August, Roundup Rodeo announcer Boyd Polhamus opens championship night by introducing most of the world champions that are competing for that year’s Dodge City title. Over the last decade, there have been hundreds of gold buckle-wearing souls that have been part of the final night of Roundup Rodeo. In that time, 20 of those titlists have walked away with at least one Dodge City title, and there are a handful that have won the championship twice. In all, those world champions and Roundup winners over the last 10 years account for 50 gold buckles. They are men like Clay O’Brien Cooper, a seven-time world champion and a hall of fame inductee. They are men like Cody Wright, a two-time titlist whose sons, Rusty and two-time champ Ryder, have also won Roundup. They are women like Jordon Briggs, who utilized her earnings in western Kansas to claim the gold buckle last year. That’s the kind of competition fans have come to expect at Roundup, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Sunday, Aug. 7, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2. Why do so many elite cowboys and cowgirls make their way to western Kansas every August? Because Roundup is one of the greatest rodeos on the planet and has been for a long time. Ten summers ago, the rodeo was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and is a nine-time winner of the PRCA’s Rodeo of the Year. “We take a lot of pride in the rodeo we produce in Dodge City,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, president of the volunteer committee that brings the contestants to town. “We have tremendous support from our sponsors and this community. Because of that support, we’re able to have a payout that’s attractive to all the contestants. “They’re traveling all over the country going from one rodeo to another, and they’re paying nearly $6 a gallon for diesel … more in some places. We want them to make their way to Dodge City, so we have one of the top purses in rodeo.” That’s not all. Contestant hospitality is also at a premium in Dodge City, and the committee does things that go above and beyond for the cowboys and cowgirls. This year, the rodeo is adding ladies breakaway roping to the competition. “Breakaway roping has shot up in popularity, and we thought this year would be a good time to add it to our rodeo,” Trotter said. “It’s going to add a fast-paced event to our program, and I think the fans are really going to like it.” It’s just another move that proves why Roundup remains one of the elite events in ProRodeo.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – For most of his life, Rod Swafford has been part of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. He’s been a member of Roundup since 1978 and been a director for the past 42 years. He’s not just one of the dozens of people necessary to pull off an event like the rodeo; he’s a vital cog in the machine that is involved in everything from the planning stages to the finished product. What he and others have done the last year will be on full display for this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Sunday, Aug. 7, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2. “There are hundreds of volunteers for this rodeo, and damn few of them get thanked for what they do,” said Swafford, 74, a retiree who still dedicates his time to the biggest event in western Kansas every year. “I was a member of the organization the first year they had the new grandstands here. This was on the west side of the arena; we didn’t have the stands on the north side or the south side back then.” No, those came along later, thanks to the dedicated group of volunteers that have been involved in Roundup Rodeo over its 46 years in existence. In his time with the organization, Swafford has seen his share of changes. He’s worked with dozens of Roundup presidents and lent his talents and work ethic into building the rodeo into what it is today, an event that was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame a decade ago. “Nowadays, the younger members and directors do all the heavy lifting,” he said. “But I feel blessed to still be part of Roundup.” In fact, his work over the years has been recognized by the local organizers: He was inducted into the Roundup Hall of Fame in 2014. “There are a lot of people from Dodge City and the PRCA that I have such respect for that are part of that group,” he said. “It’s an honor to be part of that group of people. There are people that are in that hall of fame that were part of this rodeo when we started, and I’m honored to be there alongside them.” Now retired as the head of the livestock department at the High Plains Journal, Swafford has worked with people like Floyd Kirby, Bill Austen, Tom Shirley, Harry Vold, Clem McSpadden, Phil Gardenhire and several others that also have been honored by the Roundup hall. Why does he still do this, even eight years after being honored? “I’ve asked myself that a few times,” he said with a laugh. “I still feel like I have something to offer with my rodeo knowledge as a former contestant and having been part of it most of my life. I feel like I would be letting down my predecessors if I left when I still have something left to offer the organization.” He’s also very proud to be part of Roundup and what it brings to all of southwest Kansas. Yes, it’s part of the annual Dodge City Days celebration, but it’s even bigger than that. Each year, with hundreds of top-name contestants in the mix, Roundup has a multi-million-dollar economic impact to Dodge City and the surrounding communities. “I think Dodge City acknowledges the rodeo about half as much as it should,” Swafford said. “Dodge City Roundup Rodeo is the biggest link to the second largest Western celebration in Kansas. “When it started out, it was just the parade, the rodeo and a Friday night concert. Now, Dodge City Days is 10 days, and the rodeo makes it all fit into place.” Of course, he would think that way. He’s a cowboy, after all. As a youngster, he competed in nearly every event in rodeo, and he was still involved as a competitor into his later life. He competed in the senior steer roping for several years and wants to make sure Dodge City is still home to the country’s best single steer ropers. “I’ve done everything they’ve asked me to do except serve as an officer,” he said. “One of the biggest things I’ve undertaken is keeping the steer roping alive. If my memory serves me, Dodge City was the first rodeo in the state of Kansas to have steer roping. Steer roping is one of the founding events of rodeo, and I want to see it continue in Dodge City.” He also loves the idea of Roundup featuring a championship round, where the top contestants from the previous days of competition all qualify to make another run in Sunday’s short go-round. The winners of Roundup’s prestigious trophy buckle will be honored at the conclusion of that performance on the final night. “I’ve parked cars, I’ve sold programs, I’ve mowed and I’ve weed-eated,” Swafford said. “I want Dodge City to have a first-class rodeo, and I think we do. It’s a rodeo’s rodeo. It’s not a circus or a sideshow. It’s two hours of the best Western entertainment on the face of the Earth.”

Veteran cowboys know to put southern Idaho rodeo on their schedules GOODING, Idaho – It’s been two decades since Will Lowe made his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo and was the overall and bareback riding Resistol Rookie of the Year. That was 2002, the same year the Gooding Pro Rodeo returned to its status with the PRCA, the premier sanctioning body in the sport. In the 20 years since, both Lowe and the rodeo have become household names to those that care about the game. “The thing I like about Gooding is every year they try to make the rodeo better for the cowboys and for the fans,” said Lowe, 39, a three-time world champion bareback rider from Amarillo, Texas. “I really appreciate committees like them that try to build something, and the proof is in the pudding.” He and many others will see it again at this year’s event, 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. “If you look to see where they were eight or nine years ago and see how it’s changed, nowadays it’s one of the biggest rodeos to go to in August,” he said. “It’s one you want to go to.” Over his storied career, Lowe has 15 NFR qualifications. He won rodeo’s gold in 2003, 2005 and ’06, and he’s been “beer worthy” on multiple occasions when he’s ridden in this southern Idaho community. “I was there at the beginning for the beer worthy stuff,” he said with his trademark grin. “If somebody goes to hand you a beer across the fence, you don’t say no. So, I hammered some lady’s beer down. “Every year I go back, they have more and more signs, and the people get more and more into it. The crowd gets bigger, and the rodeo gets bigger and better. It’s just a great place.” For men who ride bucking horses for a living like Lowe, having three of the premier stock contractors in rodeo helps. He is assured a good chance at good money, and that’s all he can ask for. In Gooding, Summit Pro Rodeo, Korkow Rodeo and Macza Pro Rodeo all work together to help showcase big-time bucking animals. “They just keep bringing better stock, and the committee there works so hard to keep building things better,” Lowe said. “It shows how much work they put into it. They should be extremely proud of what they have to show for it now.” Fellow bareback rider Caleb Bennett of Corvallis, Montana, makes sure he’s part of the Gooding Pro Rodeo lineup every August. It’s not far from where he was raised in Utah, and it’s only a six-hour drive home. It’s also a lot of fun. “It has a wild crowd, and you can’t miss the beer worthy section,” said Bennett, a nine-time NFR qualifier. “It’s the icing on the cake. They scream. They’re top-end supporters of us cowboys. That beer worthy section is something special at Gooding. “That rodeo’s come a long way the last few years. It’s got an unreal crowd, great stock and it’s a fun environment.” Yes, cowboys make their livings in eight-second increments, but it takes more than money to drive them to about 100 rodeos a year. They want the whole experience to pay off in a positive way, and finding fun is a good way to make it happen. Gooding provides that in many ways. “I promise you there are not a lot of crowds that are anything like the Gooding Pro Rodeo crowd,” said team roping header Coleman Proctor, a six-time NFR qualifier from Pryor, Oklahoma. “They stay up until 1 in the morning watching slack after the performance, staying the whole time. They give you a bottle of whisky if you get the victory lap. It’s like nothing I’ve ever been part of, and we look forward to it every August.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The 2022 Lea County Fair and Rodeo has plenty going on during its nine-day run. From various livestock shows to the exhibits in the Yucca Building, amusement attractions and carnival rides, concert series and five nights of high-flying, heart-stopping rodeo action, the entertainment options at the 86th fair and rodeo are endless. This year’s theme is Honoring Our Heritage, and the annual exposition is the perfect place to do that. From opening night on Friday, July 29, through the final Saturday, Aug. 6, each day is packed full of activities. Children will be scrambling to make sure their exhibits are in perfect shape, and families will be working together to see what happens when the exhibits are judged and livestock is sold. “When you look at all the entertainment opportunities you can have at the fair and rodeo, there’s just so much packed into it,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “Because our county commission believes in it, they underwrite the costs. That, along with the great sponsors who support it, makes it terrific. “There’s a lot going on for a $10 admission.” That includes a concert series that is second to none in this region of the country. Headlined by country artist Cody Johnson on the final Saturday, there are five other nights of incredible concerts: Friday, July 29: Ramon Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte and La Leyenda (Hispanic Heritage) Tuesday, Aug. 2: Randall King Wednesday, Aug 3: Zach Williams (Faith and Family) Thursday, Aug. 4: Randy Rogers Band  Friday, Aug. 5: Joe Nichols That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Wednesday of the fair is Faith and Family night, and that means free admission all day. “Our admission price is very reasonably, especially when you consider all the entertainment that comes with it, but we wanted to have a night where families can enjoy a night without worrying about the cost of getting in,” Wheeler said. “We want families to enjoy the rodeo and exhibits, along with Zach Williams that night, and we can help by removing a big portion of the costs. “Our goal is to provide for the kids, and a lot of the time we’re talking about our exhibitors. This is a chance to reach everyone in the county and give them a night of entertainment at no admission fee.” The fair is a perfect opportunity to help educate others about where food comes from. Meals are more than trips to the grocery store; hard-working ranchers and farmers toil their daily tasks to make sure the world is fed. “That’s very important, especially in our society where there’s such a separation from urban to rural lifestyles,” Wheeler said. “We also must maintain our purpose as a fair board to entertain and provide for the people in our community and beyond. That, too, makes our fair and rodeo special.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The Lea County Fair and Rodeo is the biggest community event for this nearly 4,400-square-mile section of land in extreme southeastern New Mexico. There are 75,651 souls that live within the county’s borders, and most of them make their way to their county exposition throughout the 10-day affair, set for Friday, July 29-Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. Beyond that, tens of thousands of others make the Lea County Fair and Rodeo part of their annual schedule. At just $10 per person to enter the gates, the attraction to evenings out in Lovington is high, especially for folks that live in the region. How can an event of this magnitude produce big-time concerts, a world-class rodeo, a first-rate carnival, livestock shows, other county exhibits and fun daily entertainment options? The Lea County Commission underwrites the entire event. From paying for top concerts and acts to providing a big local purse for the PRCA Rodeo, the five people in charge of the county’s government make sure their people are entertained. “The county commission is huge in what they do for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo and for the people of Lea County,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “The added money they give us for our rodeo allows us to bring in all the big names in rodeo. Lea County is a big rodeo community, and everybody enjoys getting to see all the big names that come here. “Of course, the concerts are a big draw now. I don’t think any event in this area tops what we can do as far as entertainment, but the county commission does just that.” That’s big, and it’s a good sign of what each member of the county commission thinks of the fair and rodeo, and what that event means for the county’s residents. Each commissioner – Dean Jackson, Rebecca Long, Gary Edison, Jonathan Sena and Pat Sims – makes up one of five districts, and each district has two representatives that serve on the fair board. That’s just the first step. The rest comes down to the budgeting process and what the commission decides to do with its allocation to the fair and rodeo each year. None of the money spent on concerts, rodeo, livestock shows or carnival can be designated without the approval of the commission. But they do it every year. They realize the fair and rodeo’s importance to people from Tatum to Jal and all the farmsteads, ranches and homes in between. It’s why over the years, the Lea County Fair and Rodeo patrons have seen world champions like Joe Beaver and Trevor Brazile and Ty Murray. It’s why they’ve seen, Dwight Yoakam, 38 Special, , Martina McBride and Cody Johnson. “Because of what the county commission does, we’re able to keep our tickets at $10 per person,” Wheeler said. “When you consider the price of going to a movie or seeing any concert, I’d say $10 is a pretty inexpensive admission price. With $10, you can go to a PRCA rodeo and catch a concert. “In this day at time, that’s pretty awesome.” Yes, it is.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The Lea County Fair and Rodeo offers locals a great opportunity to gather together and celebrate all that the community has to offer. It’s also a time to reflect and appreciate how it all came to be. “We have certain days to celebrate during our fair and rodeo, but we wanted to take time during our marquee event, the rodeo, and set aside two nights to honor the people that got us here,” said Trey Kerby, vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board and chairman of the rodeo committee. “Our Friday night performance will be American Heroes Night, and we will be honoring our military and first responders.” Freedom isn’t free without the sacrifices made by others over the last 250 years. Those who have served our country have offered their lives for the freedom for which we stand, and it’s not just those in the military. As September 11, 2001, proved, first responders are willing to surrender their own freedoms in order to care and protect others. While that serves as a patriotic way to honor others, there’s a more local fragrance on board for the final Saturday of the rodeo, which will have performances set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Saturday, Aug. 6, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 2. “Our last Saturday will be Volunteer Appreciation Night,” Kerby said. “It takes so many volunteers to make this fair and rodeo happen every year, and we simply can’t do it without them and without what they do for us. “Just hearing ‘Thank you’ is enough for them, but it’s not enough for us. We wanted to honor every volunteer who has ever done all the work necessary to make this fair and rodeo go off without a hitch. Beyond that, volunteers are an important part of our society, our community. We want to show that volunteerism is strong in Lea County, and I think this is a good way to do it.” It is. With five nights of rodeo, there will be plenty to see inside Jake McClure Arena. From world champions to National Finals Rodeo qualifiers to some incredible animal athletes, the action is always intense during Lovington’s rodeo. This is where world champions will work their magic and prove why they are at an elite level of the game. This is where rising stars will show the talent they’ve developed in an effort to earn their place among the best in the game. A year ago, local cowgirl Tibba Smith became the first breakaway roping champion in the history of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. Can she do it again, or will the door open for other top ropers in the WPRA? For 85 years, the rodeo has been the premier event of Lea County’s annual exposition. The Western way of life is thriving in this part of the country, and Lovington’s rodeo is the best way possible to showcase that.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Over the last few years, a buckskin mare born in the prairies of northwestern Oklahoma has made quite a name for herself. Now 11 years old, Gun Fire is a proven winner and is a major part of the equation for winning bareback rides. A year ago, a newcomer to the game, Cole Franks, won the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo title after a 93-point ride on Gun Fire in the championship round. He went on to be named the PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year in bareback riding and finished third in the world standings. “I was very nervous getting on that thing,” he said with a hint of a laugh. “I’d never been on anything like that caliber of horse. She’s one of the most powerful horses I’ve ever been on. She’s big and strong, and she bucks with everything she’s got every time. It was dang sure a dog fight. “You feel every pound of that horse when she’s bucking.” Cowboys have won the Roundup championship round on Gun Fire three of the last five years; Franks and 2018 winner Seth Hardwick utilized their short-round scores to win the aggregate championship, too. With animals like that, there are plenty of reasons for cowboys to try their hands at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Sunday, Aug. 7, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2. “Powerful is the best word I can come up with to describe that horse,” Franks said. “Pure power. “For the most part, she just stands in the chute like a rock. I pressed on her neck when I was putting my rigging on her, and it felt like I was pressing on a brick wall.” Over the last 16 months, there have been eight cowboys ride Gun Fire, and the average score was better than 90 points. In fact, of those eight trips, all but two were 90 points or better. She’s good for big scores, and three of those have come from Franks’ traveling partner, Jess Pope of Waverly, Kansas. Pope was 89.5 points on the mare in Spanish Fork, Utah, last July, then scored 92 points to win the 10th round of the National Finals Rodeo and 92 points to win in Guymon, Oklahoma, in early May. “She’s as good as you can get,” said Pope, the NFR average champion each of the past two years. “She is the best horse going in my opinion, and I was tickled to have her by my name in the draw.” Caleb Bennett, a nine-time NFR qualifier from Corvallis, Montana, has earned the Cody (Wyoming) Stampede title on the big buckskin two times in the last three years. “That horse should be bucking horse of the year,” he said in a news release issued last year. Gun Fire was born and raised on the Frontier Rodeo ranch near Freedom, Oklahoma, and general manager Heath Stewart said her breeding is a big reason she’s so good at what she does. “From the first day we started her, she bucked,” Stewart said. “I’ve got a couple full sisters and brothers to her, and four of them have (injured) themselves because they just buck so hard. “The thing about her is, if you stub you’re toe, she’s going to buck a guy off, but for the most part, she’s pretty rider-friendly. She’s not the most rider-friendly, because she bucks so hard, but she’ll sure enough get you the points.”

Well-known announcer has a great history with well-known Idaho rodeo GOODING, Idaho – Steve Kenyon is from Oregon, lives in Texas and makes Gooding his home for about a week every August. It’s a great place to be for a man with one of the most recognized voices in rodeo. Now in his 21st year announcing the Gooding Pro Rodeo, Kenyon looks forward to his annual visit. “When I first started going to that rodeo, it was just a small-town rodeo,” he said. “Every year, Don Gill does the right things to make that rodeo better, little things, little improvements. When he got to the point where me showing up with a sound system wasn’t adequate, he hired Jill (Franzen) Loden.” Loden has been handling sound at rodeos for better than a decade, and she’s a two-time winner of the Music Director of the Year. Some of that is because of the work she does at 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. “In my opinion, hiring Jill was the single best thing Don’s done,” Kenyon said of Gill, the fair and rodeo’s manager. “The electricity and energy that she provides in that place is just unbelievable.” The rodeo has been nominated for the PRCA’s Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year and is often recognized for its rambunctious crowd. “For a small town and a small county – the city has about 3,000 people and the county has roughly 15,000 people – this is a big-money added rodeo,” Kenyon said. “That rodeo adds equal money in breakaway roping. “It attracts every single big name in rodeo. A lot of the guys have gotten to be known in the community by doing little things like going down to the local Stampede Burger and signing the wall and doing things around the community like that.” What makes a great rodeo? World-class competition is a good start, and Gooding has that. There also has to be a level of entertainment, and organizers and volunteers work to make sure that happens. They want everyone involved to get the most bang for their entertainment dollars. Kenyon has experienced that over the last two decades, all while watching the Gooding Pro Rodeo blossom into the spectacle it is today. “This is one of the most unique rodeos in the PRCA,” he said. “It’s not just the contestants; we get the top 15 in each event. It’s not just because of the stock; we bring in three of the premier stock contractors in ProRodeo with Summit, Korkow and Mazca. “It’s because of that crowd. That crowd is incredible. I don’t know if it’s legal or sanitary, but there’s a little group that sits in that spot where the contestants know. A guy could jump out and ride for 85 or 90 points or a guy could have an ugly dismount and be 72 points, and they’ll hold up the sign that says ‘Beer Worthy,’ and guys are trotting over there to get a free chug.” It just adds to the experience. “The people in Gooding have so much fun, and they are so into this event,” Kenyon said. “The rodeo is a major part of the little fair in Gooding. I think the rodeo has become the major identifying factor of the community.” That says something about the residents and about the town’s rodeo. Cowboys from all across the country will make sure to put their names in the hat to compete in Gooding. “I hear it all the time: ‘I’m not going to miss Gooding,’ ” Kenyon said. “The contestants like Gooding. They like the fact that they have great contestant hospitality and the caliber of stock that Gooding gets. They don’t have a concern over the arena or ground conditions. “The people in Gooding put on a first-class event. The rodeo is almost on a National Finals Rodeo level when it comes to livestock. So much of what is done in Gooding is to make it a top-flight production, and the contestants can win some good money and have fun.” When it comes to the Gooding Pro Rodeo, the sentiment from one person to another seems to be the same. “That crowd makes it the most entertaining few days of rodeo you’ll ever experience in your life,” Kenyon said.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – It’s been nearly 20 years since Pete Carr and his stock contracting firm first arrived in southeastern New Mexico to produce the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. Over that time, Carr and his team of professionals have proven to be in the upper echelon of livestock producers, and it’s a key reason so many of the top names in rodeo make their way to Lovington for the rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Saturday, Aug. 6, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 2. “(The stock contractor is) a pretty important role in our rodeo,” said Trey Kerby, vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board and chairman of the board’s rodeo committee. “If you’ve just got some stock, you’re not going to get the big names to show up to your rodeo. That’s who our fans come to watch, the best of the best. Anything that can get the best guys and the best girls here is pretty important to us.” The big names come to Lovington every year. This is a big-money rodeo, and winners often utilize their Lea County Fair and Rodeo earnings to advance on to the National Finals Rodeo. Only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event at the end of the regular season qualify for the NFR, which takes place in December at Las Vegas. Bareback rider Richmond Champion won his first Lovington title a year ago with an 88.5-point ride on Carr’s Night Bells. With that, the Montana cowboy secured his seventh trip to the NFR and finished the year eighth in the world standings. Steer wrestler Stockton Graves, who hadn’t qualified for the NFR since 2011, utilized his win to earn an eighth trip to ProRodeo’s grand finale, while bull rider Creek Young solidified his first NFR bid by winning both the Lea County Xtreme Bulls and the rodeo titles on Carr bulls. “Pete and his crew are one of the most important parts of our rodeo,” Kerby said. “That’s what keeps this rodeo as big as it is, with the big names and the people that come to town. They will travel a long way to do it. They will turn down a rodeo closer to them so they can get on the stock Pete Carr has.” Members of the fair board have seen it year after year. Whether it’s bareback rider Tanner Aus riding 14-time NFR horse Good Time Charlie for 90 points or Koby Radley winning the bull riding on Half Nutz, folks in Lovington have come to expect greatness at their rodeo. “We’re very fortunate to have Pete Carr, partly because he brings some great horses and bulls but also because he’s been a great partner for a long time,” said Larry Wheeler, the fair board’s chairman. “Pete produces an amazing rodeo for us, and we all work together to make our rodeo the best that it can be.” From the time the first chute opens during Tuesday’s Lea County Xtreme Bulls until the last ride on Saturday night, it’s always a rodeo to remember. “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.”

Idaho rodeo uses leather-like look on concrete wall for safety’s sake GOODING, Idaho – It stands but just a few feet tall, but the wall that surrounds Andy James Arena was troublesome. The animals that were part of the annual Gooding Pro Rodeo couldn’t see the gray concrete. Horses would run into it; cowboys were being injured and more were going to be. “I’ve been here 24 years,” said Don Gill, manager of the fair and 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. “About 15 years ago, they had hauled in a bunch of dirt and had a 4-foot concrete wall with a fence around it. “The first couple of years, I don’t think the horses could see it. I just started painting the wall so it would be visible to the horses; it’s been every color in the world.” It became a regular thing to paint the concrete, and that’s why the colors would change. A few years ago, an idea sparked a plan to make it decorative instead of just colorized, so he went about the work to make it so. There aren’t many things that point to the Western lifestyle than a hand-tooled leather, so why not prepare the concrete to look like it? “I hand-drew the thing on the concrete all the way around,” said Gill, who was assisted by his daughter, Hailey (Gill) Loose, and another helper, Tyler Wines. “It was actually Hailey’s idea; she said, ‘Dad, why don’t you make it look like a belt?’ So, we did. “The three of us painted that whole thing.” It was painstaking work, and there were several hours involved in making it look as authentic as possible. At the time, Wine was a student who competed in college rodeo; now he’s Dr. Tyler Wines. Loose is married now, but she also was a flag-bearer at the National Finals Rodeo for a decade. All their work paid off. A few years ago, Gill came up with the brilliant idea to have a template made to make the process easier, so he reached out to a Nancy Martiny, a saddle-maker. “When I hand-drew it, the pattern changed,” said Gill, who designs the rodeo’s posters every year. “You forget that you’re on a 600-foot wall. I asked Nancy if she could make me a pattern. “We just cut it out, and then you trace around it. Basically, it’s like paint by numbers at that point.” The work they’ve done has been noticed. “That rodeo does all the little things right to make the rodeo better,” said Steve Kenyon, the event’s announcer. “Don Gill is a great artist, and he created a belt on that entire concrete wall, and it looks very cool when you see it.” Even the cowboys that compete in Gooding have recognized the unique design on the inside of the arena that hosts a unique rodeo experience. “It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen,” said Caleb Bennett, a nine-time NFR qualifier from Corvallis, Montana. “It adds some class to the inside of that arena. It looks really sharp; it’s clean-looking and very detailed. It adds some spunk.” What began as a tool to help animals see the gray concrete wall better has turned into a recognizable piece of Gooding Pro Rodeo lore. It adds to the spice and flavor of an already exciting venue, and it’s something that showcases the little details Gill and others do to make their rodeo special to fans and contestants alike. “We never have a horse close to it now, because they can see the wall,” he said. “Yes, it’s decorative, but the whole idea was because with the lights on at night, that gray concrete just blended in. I just wanted to make sure they see it.” They do, and so does everyone else that makes their way to that historic arena.

Colorado Cinch cowgirl keeps her priorities in place while still competing Shali Lord had just made a run at the Greeley (Colorado) Stampede and was just waiting for word from four hours away in her hometown of Lamar, Colorado. Rain had hit that area, and she was unsure of what was going to happen with her son’s baseball game that night. Was the field going to be dry enough to play? Was it going to be delayed? She just didn’t know. With just enough time to make the drive, she learned that the game was on. She scrambled, made sure her horses were in a good place at Greeley and launched her truck southward so she could make the game in time. Like her parents before her, being involved in her children’s lives is important. Being there for Slade meant everything, even though she’s in the middle of a season that she’d like to seen end at the National Finals Rodeo for the third time in her established career. “The experience my parents gave me as far as the opportunity to ride, to go to clinics, to ride with professionals when I was young helped me a lot,” said Lord, who qualified for the sport’s grand championship in 2005 and 2019. “I was able to ride a lot of different horses. I didn’t have one really good one that I stuck with forever. “It helps me now later in life running barrels, because I’ve been on different horses. It’s easier to adapt to different horses.” She was born in Guymon, Oklahoma, just 20 miles from her first family home in Texhoma, a town on the Oklahoma-Texas border in the Panhandle. She was still pretty young when her father took a job with the PRCA in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and that’s where she started riding. She competed in Little Britches, then on to the Colorado Junior Rodeo Association. As an only child, she had her parents’ full attention. Dad, Jim, has competed all his life; her mom, Lesli, was an athlete, too, a basketball player in high school. “She didn’t run barrels, but she’s very competitive,” said Lord, married to Phy for nearly two decades. Lord gets her competitive from both sides of her parents, who are originally from Texhoma. They live in Wickenburg, Arizona, now and produce two ropings a week in the winter there with their company, High Call Productions. Through whatever competition in which she was part – she also ran poles as a youngster and competed in breakaway roping and cutting while in high school – she worked herself to be better.  It helped her earn a degree in education at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where she was on the rodeo team. She even worked as a substitute teacher for a bit after she and Phy were married. It was about that time that she acquired Slider, and the horse was so good, fellow competitor Molly Powell borrowed him for her run at the 2004 National Finals Rodeo. He helped her win the average championship. A season later, the talented bay gelding guided his owner to her first NFR qualification. “When we bought Slider, it was just to circuit rodeo,” she said of her prized mount, which died earlier this year at 30. “It was a lot bigger than that after we got him. “Slider did so much for our family. He made it for the better. The kids rode him. You would never think it would go well with him and the kids, because he was so on point and ready to go. When the kids got on him, he was wonderful. Slade rode him in the peewee rodeos. Steely got to ride him at home for a little bit.” Other than the birth of her kids – Slade is 11, and Steely just turned 6 – and maybe her wedding, there aren’t many greater memories than running through 10 rounds at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, home of the NFR since 1985. “That was definitely a dream come true,” she said of her inaugural run 17 seasons ago. “When you’re going, it’s so hard to get to the finals, but when you’re winning, it’s easy. That season started off good and we made it, and you don’t realize how hard it is to get there. “In 2006, I ended up 16th. I hit a lot of barrels that winter. I think I ended up in the top 20 a couple of years after that. Then we had our kids. It seems like I’ve always rodeoed, but some years I just stayed in the circuit. As Slider got older, I had to pick and choose where I was going.” Three seasons ago, Lord returned to the NFR, this time aboard Can Man, now a 13-year-old sorrel stallion. He was injured last fall, and she’s running barrels on a couple of Can Man’s 5-year-old colts. She was set to compete the second week of July at the NFR Open, the new name for the longstanding National Circuit Finals Rodeo. She’ll see how that goes and what kind of payday she can earn in Colorado Springs to decide her route for the rest of the season. It doesn’t matter, though; she’s still going to find time to be with her family. She and Phy have horses and run a cow-calf operation in southeastern Colorado. He also competes in ranch rodeo – his team has won the Working Ranch Cowboys Association World Finals four times – but travels with his wife when possible. “It seems like when we go to the rodeos, we go as a family,” Lord said. “it’s not easy to rodeo with kids, so my parents have always been really helpful to go with me. Phy’s parents are helpful on the ranch. “Everything revolves around our family, so we’re very blessed in that aspect.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Kris Allen has always known the importance of giving. It’s why he decided to be a firefighter, now retired from the Hobbs Fire Department. It’s also why he has agreed to be a member of the Lea County Fair Board, a group of 10 people in charge of operating the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for July 29-Aug. 6, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington “For me, being a firefighter and serving Hobbs and Lea County all these years, I believe I still serve the Lea County communities,” said Allen, who lives in Hobbs and now works for Oxy, an energy company. “I think being on the fair board still gives me the opportunity to give back.  “Putting on something like that, the Lea County Fair and Rodeo is an iconic thing for us every year. It’s pretty special to be part of it, organizing the event and working with all the people you get to work with and the people who work in the background.” Allen was raised across the border to the east in Andrews County, Texas. Though he spent his summers working on ranches, he wasn’t much into showing at his county fair and more interested in traditional sports. That changed once he was married and started having children. “We live out in the country, and they like animals,” he said. “We raise beef; right now, we’re raising longhorns. Over the years, we’ve raised all sorts of livestock.” He is, after all, at home in Lea County, and being a bit of a rancher is a very southeastern New Mexico thing to do. As a member of the fair board, Allen is chairman of the buckle committee and a member of the rodeo committee. He and others on the buckle panel make sure there are plenty of buckles for each event that needs one, as well as other trophies that are dished out over the course of the 10-day exposition. In all, they’ll hand over 80 buckles and two saddles each year. “Our job is to make sure all the winners of all those competitions have those and that they’re ready to go by fair time,” he said. It’s just one of the jobs he takes very seriously. He understands that the exhibitors have taken the time to prepare their exhibits, whether those be from the garden or an animal raised for show. Each person involved deserves the recognition. All three of his girls – Katy, Maddy and Samantha – have all shown, with Samantha still showing. They are, after all, the reason why he got more deeply involved in the fair and rodeo in the first place. “The best part of the fair, from a dad standpoint and from just being a resident of Lea County, is being able to spend all this time with my kids, watching them grow and prosper,” Allen said. “Win or lose, to see them grow and present in the ring with no fear brings me so much pride. “I’ve got two grown girls, and I can see where this fair and showing has helped them and where they’re headed in life, and I can say I’m proud of that.” As a fair board member, he knows there’s something amazing going on in Lea County. “The county commission and the county employees … to put on such an event for Lea County residents and all the people pouring in from all over the place means something,” he said. “I love walking around and seeing families together. The last couple of years have been really rough for our county, so it’s amazing to see people enjoying themselves. “That’s where I get my sense of pride about what’s best for this fair, and that’s seeing the family atmosphere. For Lea County putting it on, it’s not a revenue thing. It’s a giving-back-to-the-community thing.” From grandparents to toddlers to everything in between, there is so much to take in when it’s fair time in Lea County. “What I think makes this fair and rodeo so good is the combination of everything you get out of it,” Allen said. “You have the carnival for the kids and the livestock shows and other events for the kids. It’s to give them a project to learn something, something about life and the responsibilities that come with it. “It’s more than about gardening in the Yucca building; it gives people a purpose, something to accomplish. As the public gets to come in and view that, they also get some quality entertainment. We’ve got a great concert series and one of the best rodeos in the country, and this year it’s going to be streamed live on TV, because that’s how good the rodeo is. “We’ve got good entertainment, and it draws a lot of people here. It draws good rodeo athletes.  It draws good entertainers. Those entertainers know people are going to show up, and it makes it easier for us to put on a good fair for the county.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – In the world of rodeo, Tilden Hooper has been around the block a few times. He’s 34 years old, which is on the senior end for bareback riders, especially for one who almost saw his career come to an end a decade ago because of a serious neck injury. When he wasn’t hurt, he was stellar. He’s an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who is working his way to a ninth trip to Las Vegas in December. He helped himself a bit Saturday night during the final performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. He rode New Star Pro Rodeo’s Chosen One for 85 points to win the title, $2,042 and a rifle awarded to the winning bareback rider. “Anytime you win a prize at a rodeo, it’s special, but winning a gun is real special,” said Hooper, the 2007 college champion and Resistol Rookie of the Year in ProRodeo. “You don’t get an opportunity to win a rifle very often, so I was pretty tickled to have the chance. It’s part of the reason I came.” He had a decision to make. Earlier in the week, he placed seventh in the first round at the rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, and qualified for its championship round, which was also Saturday night. Hooper opted for the 500-mile drive south and is glad he did. “It’s a really good rodeo,” said Hooper, who made the trip with his wife, Melissa, and toddler son, Tell. “It’s pretty cool whenever you can ride somewhere that they’ve been having a rodeo for over 100 years. There’s a lot of history. I’m sure every great cowboy I’ve ever looked up to rode here. “To get a chance to come here and get to win this rodeo is special to me.” The money doesn’t hurt. He sits 18th in the world standings and has two and a half months to make his move before the regular season comes to a close. Only the top 15 on the money list in each event advance to the NFR, the sport’s grand finale. “Every dollar counts this time of year,” he said. “I’m not really in the position I want to be, but I’m kicking and scratching, and I’ll be back where I want to be by the time the bell rings at the end of the year.” Another reason he opted for the trip to Gunnison was because of the horse he’d been matched with. Chosen One has been around the last couple of years, but he’s still new to the rodeo trail. “I believe Rod Hay raised him,” Hooper said of the 20-time NFR qualifier in saddle bronc riding that now has sons riding broncs in ProRodeo. “To have a chance to get on a cool horse that the person who raised him is someone I looked up to for a long time … that’s cool, that’s fun. That horse was really good and about got the better of me at the end. “Anybody that talks and wins and doesn’t acknowledge the horse, they’re doing that horse a disservice. It takes two to tango. I go to a lot of rodeos where you don’t have a chance, and today I had a chance and was able to take advantage of it.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 14-16Bareback riding: 1. Tilden Hooper, 85 points on New Star Pro Rodeo’s Chosen One, $2,042; 2. Lane McGehee, 84.5, $1,565; 3. Mason Clements, 83, $1,157; 4. Dean Thompson, 81.5, $749; 5. Jayco Roper, 79.5, $476; 6. (tie) Kade Berry and Colton Crawford, 77, $306 each; 8. Matt Tuni, 76.5, $204. Steer wrestling: 1. Justin Shaffer, 3.8 seconds, $1,924; 2. (tie) Ty Everson and Justin Kipp, 4.0, $1,548 each; 4. Cole Trainor, 4.1, $1,171; 5. Rooster Yazzie, 4.2, $920; 6. (tie) Jace Logan and Travis Munro, 4.3, $543 each; 7. (tie) Cash Robb and Tucker Allen, 4.5, $84 each. Team roping: 1. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 4.0 seconds, $2,942; 2. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 4.4, $2,533; 3. Kyon Kreutzer/Clancey Kreutzer, 4.5, $2,323; 4. Kolby Krieger/Cutter Thomison, 4.7, $2,013; 5. (tie) Chad Masters/Paul Eaves and Brit Ellerman/Marcus Banniser, $1,549 each, 4.8; 7. Clayton Van Aken/Jayden Johnson, 4.9, $1,084; 8. Chance Hine/Bodie Hine, 5.0, $774; 9. Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe, 5.1, $465; 10. Braden Pirrung/Coley Nicholls, 5.3, $155. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jake Clark, 85.5 points on New Star Pro Rodeo’s Southpoint Buckle, $2,019; 2. Cree Minkoff, 82.5, $1,548; 3. Tyler Beebe, 81.5, $1,144; 4. Statler Wright, 81, $740; 5. Jake Watson, 80, $471; 6. (tie) Dean Wadsworth and Keene Justesen, 79, $303 each; 8. Chris Williams, 77, $202. Tie-down roping: 1. Justin Brinkerhoff, 8.7 seconds, $2,865; 2. (tie) Dallen McIntire and Tom Crouse, 9.0, $2,304 each; 4. Chase Webster, 9.2, $1,744; 5. Cody Darnell, 9.6, $1,370; 6. Cole Ford, 9.7, $996; 7. Chet Boren, 10.0, $623; 8. Westyn Hughes, 10.1, $249. Barrel racing: 1. (tie) Jimmie Smith and Mary Walker, 18.02, $1,934 each; 3. Amberley Snyder, 18.12, $1,463; 4. Kelly Yates, 18.31, $1,254; 5. Brooke McGehee, 18.32, $1,045; 7. Carly Longo, 18.45, $523; 8. Jenna Pruitt, 18.47, $418; 9. Wendy McKee, 18.48, $366; 10. Teneille Angland, 18.54, $314; 11. Shali Lord, 18.55, $261; 12. Kelcey McNamee, 18.52, $209.    Bull riding: 1. Jeff Askey, 88.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Game Day, $3,558; 2. Dustin Bowen, 87.5, $2,936; 3. Bryce Burnell, 84.5, $2,402; no other qualified rides.

Big crowds hang around for ‘slack’ competition at the Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – Rodeo is a unique sport. It’s often wild and Western, with excitement and danger mixed together in a two-hour performance. The world standings are based on money earned, so when the regular season comes to an end on Sept. 30, only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event advance to the sport’s playoffs, the National Finals Rodeo. It’s a 10-day run for the gold, and it’s where they’ll see the best livestock and have the opportunity to make a substantial income in short order. To get there, cowboys and cowgirls will travel tens of thousands of miles and compete at about 100 rodeos over the course of a campaign. The Gooding Pro Rodeo is one of hundreds of events in the PRCA, but it’s well-established and much appreciated. Its performances are 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. As happens every August, hundreds of ProRodeo contestants will make their way to Gooding. In fact, there will be more contestants than will fit in the performances, and a good portion of them will compete in an extra session, known as “slack.” They’ll compete against the same men and women who will be part of the paid performances. “Gooding is a great rodeo,” said Kodie Jang, an Australian-born steer wrestler now living in the States and competing in ProRodeo for a living. “The atmosphere is good, whether you’re in slack or a performance.” That’s telling. Cowboys and cowgirls know they have the support of some of rodeo’s greatest fans. They’ve created an identity that is uniquely Gooding. “It’s great,” fellow bulldogger Bridger Anderson said. “It has a fast start, good steers and a great crowd. We usually have to be in slack afterward because we’re trying to work six rodeos in three days. The crowd sticks around for slack after, and it’s always a blast.” The reason behind it is the crowd. Fans pack the stands, and they get into the overall entertainment of the show. In fact, they make it entertaining themselves. Cowboys and cowgirls from all over the spectrum have said so. The most common theme among them is about the “beer worthy” section, where big things are recognized for being beer worthy. “That rodeo has really good contractors and a really good committee,” Jang said. “I’ve been beer worthy winning a check and beer worthy for getting my shirt ripped off. It’s always a good time at Gooding, Idaho.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – Patrick Smith first qualified to the National Finals Rodeo in 2003. He was 23 years old. Tanner Tomlinson 2. Now, the two cowboys are roping together with hopes of advancing to ProRodeo’s grand finale at Las Vegas in December. They took another step toward it Friday night with a 4.0-second run to take the team roping lead at Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. “I love it here,” said Tomlinson, 21, a third-year pro from Angleton, Texas. “I placed here my rookie, and last year we were long, but I still love it. The fans are great, and the committee is, too.” Tomlinson is the 15th-ranked header in the world standings after finishing 25th in 2020 and 20th last year. Smith is the veteran in the tandem and owns two Montana Silversmiths gold buckles, one in 2005 and another five years later. “I haven’t been here a whole lot, but it’s beautiful,” said Smith, 42, of Lipan, Texas. “They’ve done a great job of adding money to the rodeo, taking care of all the contestants. You can work it in. It’s a bit of a drive over here, but it’s a good enough rodeo right here before (Wyoming rodeos) Cheyenne, Casper and Sheridan. “Guys are starting to recognize Gunnison and make sure we’re entered, because it’s that good of a rodeo.” It also got fast in team roping on Friday night. Tomlinson and Smith are a half-second faster than the field with one night remaining in this year’s rodeo. They should snag some good money, which will help them in their bids to advance to the NFR together – only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event at the end of the regular season make the finale. It’s one thing for a good header to rope with a good heeler; that’s what makes teams so special. It’s quite another thing when one of them is twice as old as the other. Smith was the Resistol Rookie of the Year in 2003 while roping with Matt Tyler. He has qualified for the NFR roping with Clay Tryan, Trevor Brazile and Kaleb Driggers – all three are world champions. Tomlinson is now getting that type of experience with his heeler. “It’s a true blessing,” he said, realizing he’s half Smith’s age. “I believe the good Lord put us together for a reason, and I think it’s showing. I’ve learned so much from this guy, and I’m blessed to be around him and be part of it.” The teaming of their talents works. “There’s no doubt in my mind if I do my job that we’ll be (at the NFR) this year,” said Smith, the No. 18 heeler in the world standings. “This guy (Tomlinson) is on fire; he heads as good as anybody on the planet. I’m just so blessed to have a good partner, great heel horses and (have) my family with me. “I don’t have a whole lot of years left in me, so I’m going to enjoy it and hope to finish with a bang.” Rodeo’s unique in that contestants must earn their money through competition, and that means extensive travel. With other big-money rodeos on the horizon, they are busy trying to put the finishing touches together with two and a half months left in the regular season. It’s not an easy road, and they don’t have an NFL or NBA team to foot the bill for all the expenses that come with it. They do it because they love it. “Without the sponsors and them being here for us as a team, we wouldn’t be here with the fuel prices and the prices of horses and hay and everything else,” Smith said. “We also want to thank the rodeos and the fans. We’re looking forward to a great year.” Cattlemen’s Days has already seen record crowds with a Saturday night show left on the calendar. The contestants have taken note, and Gunnison isn’t the only community hosting big numbers of fans at their rodeos. “I think 2020 got everybody wanting to get out an do more, and I think rodeo is making a major push worldwide,” said Smith, who last qualified for the NFR in 2015. “I think people are looking for the organic side of the other sporting events and the mess of other sporting events and all the political-ness of it. “America is rodeo, and rodeo is America. That’s what we stand for: God first and country next. I’m proud to be part of it.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 14-16Bareback riding: 1. Dean Thompson, 81.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Hot Flash; 2. Jayco Roper, 79.5; 3. (tie) Kade Berry and Colton Crawford, 77; 5. Matt Tuni, 76.5; 6. Quentin Holcomb, 75; 7. Will Lowe, 74.5; 8. Donny Proffit, 74. Steer wrestling: 1. Justin Shaffer, 3.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Ty Everson and Justin Kipp, 4.0; 4. Cole Trainor, 4.1; 5. Rooster Yazzie, 4.2; 6. Jace Logan, 4.3; 7. (tie) Cash Robb and Tucker Allen, 4.5. Team roping: 1. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 4.0 seconds; 2. Kyon Kreutzer/Clancey Kreutzer, 4.5; 3. Kolby Krieger/Cutter Thomison, 4.7; 4. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 4.8; 5. Clayton Van Aken/Jayden Johnson, 4.9; 6. Chance Hine/Bodie Hine, 5.0; 7. Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe, 5.1; 8. Braden Pirrung/Coley Nicholls, 5.3. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jake Clark, 85.5 points on New Star Pro Rodeo’s Southpoint Buckle; 2. Cree Minkoff, 82.5; 3. Tyler Beebe, 81.5; 4. Statler Wright, 91; 5. Jake Watson, 80; 6. (tie) Dean Wadsworth and Keene Justesen, 79; 8. Chris Williams. Tie-down roping: 1. Justin Brinkerhoff, 8.7 seconds; 2. Chase Webster, 9.2; 3. Cody Darnell, 9.6; 4. Cole Ford, 9.7; 5. Chet Boren, 10.0; 6. Westyn Hughes, 10.1; 7. James Kolacek, 10.2; 8. Wade Hatch, 10.4. Barrel racing: 1. Jimmie Smith, 18.02; 2. Kelly Yates, 18.31; 3. Brooke McGehee, 18.32; 4. Carly Longo, 18.45; 5. Jenna Pruitt, 18.47; 6. Wendy McKee, 18.48; 7. Shali Lord, 18.55; 8. Kelcey McNamee, 18.52; 9. Sarah Rose Waguespack, 18.66; 10. Kristin Carlson, 18.70.     Continue Reading »

Tegan Smith carrying a family tradition into an elite rodeo status The state of Iowa isn’t quite as well known in the rodeo world as others. Cinch cowboy Tegan Smith is trying to change that. The 24-year-old saddle bronc rider has one qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale that takes place in Las Vegas every December. He earned his trip last season and promptly found success. He won the third go-round and finished 10th in the final world standings. “When I was growing up getting on the mini bulls and steers when I was in youth rodeo, Dad and I talked and laughed that we were riding bulls, but we’re going to ride broncs some day,” said Smith of Winterset, Iowa, a community of 5,300 not far from Des Moines. “I was 14. I got on that first one, and it rared out of (the chute) and loped, and I stayed on. I knew then that this is what I’m going to do.” There’s joy in his voice when he talks about his youth. His grandfather rode broncs and bulls, and his dad and uncle also competed in rodeo. “It’s just what we’re supposed to do,” he said. “I’ve always rode bulls and broncs. I did it through high school. I rode bulls in college and made the college finals in bull riding. I won the all-around title in the Southwest Region because of bull riding. “Then it was time to go rodeoing (for a living), and I always knew I wanted to be a bronc rider.” Iowa is best known for its political caucuses, corn, the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones, but there are some pretty handy cowboys. Smith now travels the rodeo trail with Wade Sundell, the 2018 world champion from Boxholm, Iowa. Over the last six seasons, there have been three Iowa-born cowboys that have won a combined five Montana Silversmiths gold buckles: Sundell, three-time bareback riding titlist Tim O’Connell from Zwingle and 2020 steer wrestling champ Jacob Edler from State Center. Smith’s first cousin, Riggin, also won the 2019 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s saddle bronc riding championship while competing at Clarendon (Texas) College. Both Smith boys attended that college, coached by three-time NFR qualifier Bret Franks. That year that his cousin claimed the title, Tegan Smith finished third at the College National Finals Rodeo. “We went and checked out all those other schools,” Tegan Smith said of him and his family. “Dad always said he wished he would have went south to go to college to rodeo, further away from home. I was either going to school there to rodeo for Bret Franks or Panola (Texas) College to rodeo for Jeff Collins (the 2000 world champion bareback rider). “That facility at Clarendon was phenomenal, and Bret had the perfect set of practice horses. Jeff and Bret are good friends, so you were actually getting coached by both of them.” There was also a little history at Clarendon. Fellow Cinch endorsee Wyatt Casper had won the college title for the college in 2016, so that just added to the intrigue. “He was just some Oklahoma team roper who decided to be a bronc rider, and now he’s one of the best in the world,” Smith said. It’s the process that comes with learning through every phase of life. Smith is on the verge of becoming one of ProRodeo’s elite bronc riders. He’s played on the biggest stages of the sport. When necessary, he’ll still reach out to his mentors for assistance. He travels with one in Sundell, but he doesn’t mind contacting his father or Franks or anyone else with advice. “Right before the spring started this year, I went back over to Clarendon and got on some practice horses,” he said. “Some were still those same old good ones I was excited to get on every week. Bret was great when I was going to college there, but when I finally left, it made me realize what he was talking about. It was all parts of life, not even riding broncs. “Nobody from Iowa had gone to the National Finals in bronc riding that I would know, but Wade did it. Once I got on the road and realized how hard it was, I had a lot of respect for him. Now, he’s a nine-time National Finals qualifier and a world champion. It’s crazy that he’s done it that good and for that many years.” The yellow bucking chutes at the NFR offer a glowing view of the sport’s championship event, but they also serve as motivation for young cowboys who want to play the game at its highest level. Smith had dreamed of the moment when a surge of electricity burst out of one of those chutes with him on the back of it. “It was the coolest experience,” Smith said. “When you’re a young guy starting out, that’s what you dream of. I always told myself I wasn’t going into the Thomas & Mack until I made it, so I got to hold myself to that. Wade and I walked down (the alley that leads to the arena floor) carrying our stuff in. We walked to the out-gate. You look around, and you realize you’ve done it. “It makes all the hard work, all the stress, all the miles make sense.” The hard work started 10 years ago when he was still a teenager. Over time, he’s adjusted his approach and improved along the way. He’s still doing that. How much has he improved since turning pro in 2018? “You think you ride good, but then you watch all these other guys straight-up beating you, and you have to ride better,” he said. “You don’t realize you’re doing it, but mentally you’re just getting better every day. I’d say the biggest reasons for getting better is mental and in your own maturity.” Consistency is key when it comes to competition, especially in rodeo. There are times through the summer run  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – In the world of rodeo, many cowboys – especially those that ride bucking horses and bulls – will travel together to help keep the costs down and to provide a bit of a team atmosphere. Jake Clark has some good ones, and they’re always helping each other. Between Clark, Wyatt Casper, Brody Cress and Lefty Holman, the foursome has some handy credentials and some bronc savvy. It all comes into play in one way or another. Only one of the four made his way to Gunnison for the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo; Casper is at home for a couple weeks with an injury, while Holman and Cress are competing this week at the Calgary Stampede, an invitation-only event that features a $1.5 million purse. Clark made the most of his opportunity, riding New Star Pro Rodeo’s Southpoint Buckle for 85.5 points to take the saddle bronc riding lead. “I saw a couple of videos of him at Fort Worth (Texas from earlier this year),” said Clark of Crane, Oregon. “He’s always been a nice horse. He’s a pretty young one, but he’s really good.” Stace Smith Pro Rodeos is the stock contractor of record at Cattlemen’s Days, but the company oftentimes brings multiple contractors to Gunnison to ensure the competition is as even as possible. “Stace tries to get the best stock at all of his rodeos,” Clark said. “We normally have a chance to win every time we nod out head. All the horses that were out tonight were the good ones.” Clark was also wearing a pink shirt, which helped him earn a $1,000 provided from the Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign and other sponsors that helped come up with the money. Only the contestants with the top score or the fastest time in each event that were wearing pink were eligible for the bonus. “Wyatt Casper called me right as I got here, and he told me about the bonus,” he said. “I got ahold of a friend that lives here, and his cousin got me a pink shirt. I put it on right before I crawled on.” With fuel being around $5 a gallon, every dollar helps for contestants who make a living competing one rodeo at a time. He appreciates the Gunnison rodeo because of the crowd and the committee’s dedication to breast cancer awareness, but he also appreciates being able to travel the rodeo trail with some of the best in the game. Cress is a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who has won the NFR three times; he’s also third in the world standings. Casper is a two-time NFR qualifier who is fourth on the money list, while Holman qualified for the finale in 2020 and is 11th in the standings. “It’s great traveling with them,” Clark said. “Every time I get off a horse, they better me. They’re the best going, hands down, and they’ve helped me more than anything. They changed my bronc riding.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 14-16Bareback riding: 1. Jayco Roper, 79.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Enough Said; 2. Kade Berry, 77; 3. Quentin Holcomb, 75; 4. Will Lowe, 74.5; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Justin Shaffer, 3.8 seconds; 2. Ty everson, 4.0; 3. Cole Trainor, 4.1; 4. Tucker Allen, 4.5; 5. Hadley Jackson, 4.7; 6. Kodie Jang, 5.0; 7. Cody Pratt, 5.1; 8. Brock Powell, 5.2. Team roping: 1. Kyon Kreutzer/Clancey Kreutzer, 4.5 seconds; 2. Kolby Krieger/Cutter Thomison, 4.7; 3. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 4.8; 4. Clayton Van Aken/Jayden Johnson, 4.9; 5. Chance Hine/Bodie Hine, 5.0; 6. Braden Pirrung/Coley Nicholls, 5.3; 7. Blaine Redhorse/Justin Borrego, 6.2; 8. Payton Norell/Jace Norell, 6.3. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jake Clark, 85.5 points on New Star Pro Rodeo’s Southpoint Buckle; 2. Cree Minkoff, 82.5; 3. Statler Wright, 91; 4. Jake Watson, 80; 5. Zac Dallas, 76; 6. Jesse James Kirby, 73; 7. Brody Wells, 70; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Chase Webster, 9.2 seconds; 2. Cody Darnell, 9.6; 3. Cole Ford, 9.7; 4. Westyn Hughes, 10.1; 5. James Kolacek, 10.2; 6. Wade Hatch, 10.4; 7. (tie) Logan Vick and Sy Felton, 11.7. Barrel racing: 1. Kelly Yates, 18.31 seconds; 2. Brooke McGehee, 18.32; 3. Carly Longo, 18.45; 4. Jenna Ppruitt, 18.47; 5. Wendy McKee, 18.48; 6. Shali Lord, 18.55; 7. Kelcey McNamee, 18.52; 8. Sarah Rose Waguespack, 18.66; 9. Kathryn Varian, 18.82; 10. Kaylee Barker, 19.00.    Bull riding: 1. Jeff Askey, 88.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Big Country; no other qualified rides.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Over the last four decades, no ProRodeo clown has received more honors than Keith Isley. His brand of humor is a hit no matter where he is, and it’s been that way since he started working at his craft so long ago. Whether he’s near his hometown in North Carolina or in the far-reaching communities of the Northwestern United States, Isley resonates with spectators and contestants alike. It’s a reason he’s earned so many awards in his lifetime. It’s also why local organizers are bringing him back to this year’s Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Sunday, Aug. 7, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2. “When you have a chance to get someone as talented and as appreciated as Keith Isley, you make sure you get him,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, president of the volunteer committee that produces the annual event. “Keith has been to our rodeo several times, and we get people who are always asking when he’s coming back. “Keith has the kind personality that fans thoroughly enjoy, and he adds a lot to Roundup when he’s here.” Over his career, Isley has been named Specialty Act of the Year five times, Comedy Act of the Year six times, Clown of the Year six times and Coors Man in the Can five times, most recently in 2020. “With what I’ve won and with as blessed as I’ve been, I’ve already been recognized for what I do,” he said. “It’s been way more than I ever dreamed of. When I was a kid, you always wanted to go to Calgary (Alberta), Cheyenne (Wyoming), Pendleton (Oregon) and the NFR. I’ve worked every major rodeo there is and a lot of really good smaller rodeos, too. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It’s been an amazing venture.” He continues to live his dream, the preeminent rodeo clown in the game. Even as his career is closer to winding down than getting its start, he is still one of the most sought-after entertainers in the sport. Returning to another major rodeo is proof of that. He wasn’t naturally funny, but he has a talent and strong work ethic, which helped him develop a comedic sense and amazing timing. He’s also had some memorable acts. “The acts were tough to come by for me, because I was not interested in the acts in the beginning,” said Isley of Goldston, North Carolina. “I was not interested in being funny. I was interested in protecting cowboys and getting people out of a bind.” He got his start like many clowns. He was a bullfighter, and while he may not still have the skills needed to keep everyone in the arena out of harm’s way, he’s still quite athletic. It’s come into play in his acts as well as his comedic genius. “Back in that time of rodeo, you were expected to do some comedy and fight bulls, too,” he said. “Now, I’m in my 60s, so I don’t get as close to the bulls as I used to. The brain says I’m willing, but the body definitely says I’m not able.” In addition to entertaining the crowds that will pack Roundup Arena, Isley is also a big part of the production. He utilizes his rodeo-savvy in order to know when there’s a lull in the action, then he will capitalize on his strengths: a smart-aleck nature with a Carolina accent and a quick-hitting attention to detail “I try to keep my mouth shut and not do anything that will disrupt a contestant; I want to make sure the contestants have their time,” he said. “The sponsors and the fans like to hear that person’s name, so let that person have that moment. But if there’s a lull, I like to keep things moving.” That’s just part of what makes him so good at his job. When he’s filling time or helping through a transition in the show’s lineup, he’s doing so comedically. “Before each rodeo and during the national anthem, I say a little prayer,” Isley said. “I thank God for giving me the talent and giving me the opportunity to make people laugh and have a good time. Everybody has problems at some point in their life. If you can make people laugh, at that point, they will have forgotten their problem.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – Hadyn Perkins is a very busy young lady, and she’s about to be busier. As a member of the Future Fitters 4H Club, she will be actively involved in Cattlemen’s Days, which runs through Saturday, July 16, at the Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. It’s a hectic time for many families in the Gunnison Valley, but it’s also a perfect time to enjoy all that their lives have to offer. “For me, showing livestock is about the experience, the family time that is involved with it and the learning,” said Hadyn, 16, who lives in Gunnison with her father. “My dad owns his own business; my mom passed away, so it’s just my dad. He showed when he was younger.” Those times together make it all special for the teenager. She loves what she does and all the experiences that come with it. Oftentimes, they travel to eastern Colorado for more family time and a chance to showcase what she’s learned over the years and what she wants to do. “The Western Slope doesn’t have really big jackpots, and my uncle is the ag teacher in Lamar (Colorado),” she said. “On weekends, we go there and spend time with him, then we travel all over and go to the shows.” She has gone to five shows over the last year, two in Tribune, Kansas, and one each in Elkhart, Kansas; Garden City, Kansas; and Monte Vista, Colorado. She placed in the top five of showmanship at each. She’s done pretty well close to home, too. At Cattlemen’s Days, she has won the goat show each of the past five years, lambs for the last three years and the pig show once. She’s won showmanship with all animals for the past several years. What does she like most? “Probably pigs,” Hadyn said. “My uncle breeds and sells show pigs, so it’s what we’ve learned to enjoy. I think it’s also where most of my family bonding time happens.” Once the showing begins at Cattlemen’s Days, though, she’ll turn her attention to whatever need is pressing with her schedule. She will be showing swine, lambs, goats and a steer. She’s also going to show why family means so much to her through her genealogy exhibit. “I’m looking forward to mostly just getting together with my friends during Cattlemen’s Days, and for the show,” she said. Hadyn is homeschooled and involved. She knows the priorities in her life, and she presents them in a way befitting a grand champion.       

LOVINGTON, N.M. – All Matt Tarr had to do to find inspiration for his craft was look up to some of the greatest men who have ever done it. Tarr is a rodeo clown, and he will be one of the featured entertainers for this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3-Saturday, Aug. 6, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 2. “I talked to (announcer) Andy Stewart about Lovington, and he said it’s going to be one of the funnest rodeos I’ll get to do,” said Tarr, who lives in Hico, Texas, with his wife, Stacie, and their two children, son Bransen, 10, and daughter Memphis, 2. “They’ve got Pete Carr as the stock contractor, so, to me, that says it’s going to be a first-class rodeo.” That it is, and it’s been around 86 years. Jake McClure Arena has seen its share of clowns and acts in its days, so Tarr realizes he’ll have to bring his best to the show when he arrives. That’s perfectly fine for him, though; he does that every time he puts on the greasepaint. “Justin Rumford gave me some advice in the beginning: ‘Go all in; put everything you’ve got into it,’ ” Tarr said of the reigning 10-time PRCA Clown of the Year. “It was the best and worst advice at the same time. It made me work at it and made me really focused on what I needed to do in order to do this for a living.” Rumford was just one force that guided Tarr early in the man’s career, but there have been others, and many of them have performed in Lovington over the years. Another attribute was having grown up around the game. He is originally from Cody, Wyoming, which boasts of a nightly amateur rodeo throughout the summer and also has one of the biggest Fourth of July rodeos in the PRCA. “I’ve roped all my life,” he said. “The Cody Stampede was always a big rodeo for me.  I watched Butch Lehmkuhler, and I loved his trampoline act. I got the opportunity to fight bulls, and I loved it, but I grew up in the era of (Dusty) Tuckness and those really good guys, and there was not a place for me.” That’s when PRCA stock contractor Maury Tate reached out to Tarr. Tate, who produces the Cody Night Rodeo, asked the young cowboy if he wanted to try his hand at being a clown. “He said, ‘You ought to think about doing this instead of what else you are doing,’ ” Tarr said. “It just worked. “’For me, it’s the family aspect of it. We had a young son when we were going into it. I had big aspirations of wanting to raise my kid around rodeo. I didn’t realize how great the people were until I got into it. Having people like (fellow rodeo clowns) Robby Hodges or Rump or John Harrison or Keith Isley or any of those guys offer to help means something. It’s cool to have my family around that caliber of a person.” Rodeo offers a bit of a gypsy lifestyle. People who make a living in the sport are gone from home for weeks, even months, at a time, so they make their homes anyway they can. That oftentimes opens the door to finding an extended family wherever the nomads make camp. It’s then that the true meaning of “rodeo family” comes to life. Tarr is a five-time nominee to be the barrelman at the National Finals Rodeo. “That’s really weird for me,” he said. “I’m just a guy, but it’s so humbling to get calls telling you that you are top five for the NFR. I cry every October, because I never expected to have anything like that.” He’s earned that, though. It takes a lot of hard work and real talent to be successful in rodeo. It’s hard to stay busy, much less be recognized as elite. Some of it comes from ever-growing experiences, but to understand Tarr is to realize he’s a student of the game and a student of the crowd. He takes time to study the situations he might find himself in, and he builds upon that. “I do tell some jokes, but there’s so much going on at a rodeo and there are so many people in one spot,” Tarr said. “I like to shoot from the him and go with what’s going on. I want to make it tangible to the people in the crowd. If you can make it tangible, then they are a part of it. They’re going to feel like they’re a part of it instead of just watching it. “I’m very aware of what’s going on around me. When the gates to the rodeo open, I try to pay attention to the people coming in. I’m scared to pick on a lot of people, so I’ll try to be mindful of that. A lot of it is not picking on people but pointing things out.” Much of Tarr’s success comes from his work ethic and realizing he can lean on others for support when he needs. That may have been fellow entertainers or members of his own family, but it always has paid off. “I’m in a position now where committees call me, but in the 10 years that go into this before that, it would take me a lifetime to repay everything those people have done for me,” he said. “I made a promise to my mom – she passed away unexpectedly – but she wanted me to try to make a living doing this; I told her I would. “The day after my mom passed away, my wife said, ‘We have to keep a promise. You told me you never broke a promise to your mom, and I’m not letting it happen on my watch.’ ” That’s what family means  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – It’s 1,100 miles from Crossett, Arkansas, to this mountain community, but Robby Freeman doesn’t mind one bit of that 17-hour drive. He looks forward to his annual trip to Gunnison, where he is the official photographer for the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for Thursday-Saturday at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. It’s a major stop on his schedule, and it’s one that allows him to utilize his expertise for some incredible images. “That is one of my favorite rodeos, just because I get away from the South, where it’s so hot and humid, and I can go there and enjoy the weather and see a different brand of rodeo fans,” said Freeman, a PRCA photographer for nearly 20 years. “The people there are very into the event. It’s not just the rodeo, but it’s about them having a good time.” Whether it’s the action in the arena or the people in the stands enjoying themselves, Freeman captures the images, and it’s why he was named the 2021 PRCA Photographer of the Year. It all started with a little camera he was provided decades ago when he was an employee at his hometown newspaper. “I was working part-time at the Ashley News-Observer, and the rodeo came to town,” he said. “They sent me over with a point-and-shoot camera, and it just got in my blood. The week after the rodeo, I went to a pawn shop and bought a Pentax K1000 for $60, then I just started looking at and studying rodeo pictures. I found some rodeos to shoot, and it just went from there. “For me, it was the adrenaline rush I got. I was standing in a little gate, and I would step through that gate and into the arena and try to shoot pictures with that point-and-shoot camera. It was the rush that I was getting trying to capture something but not knowing what I was doing.” He knows what he’s doing now, and he’s proven that time after time. His images are crisp and clean, and it’s one of the reasons he’s been asked to shoot the National Finals Rodeo and other large events in the PRCA. Over time, he’s continued to invest in his craft, from buying better camera bases to better lenses and everything else he needs to do his job. “When I first started, it was all film,” said Freeman, the oldest of three sons born to Robert and Cindy Freeman. “It was a totally different way of shooting rodeo, because you had to use high-speed film, and you had to carry a light-meter with you everywhere you went so you could set up your camera to get the right lighting. “I had to find a lighting system that would work when I shot a night rodeo, and that was an on-camera flash, which is what seemed to be the system everyone was using in rodeo at the time. Along came strobe lighting, then digital came along. When that happened, it changed the whole gamut of photography across the board. “When I started, you didn’t have the advantage of taking a photo and seeing how it looked. Now, you can test your lights in the arena, take photos and make your decision to adjust your strobes in different situations. It changed the way everything is done.” His experiences, though, are what make him one of the elite photographers in rodeo. He realized long ago that his Pentax wasn’t going to hold up to the rigors of the workload he was going to handle. He will shoot hundreds of images during a single rodeo performance, thousands over the course of a weekend in Gunnison. It’s why he’s so well respected by contestants, other personnel and his fellow photographers. “Whether you’re a chef or a carpenter or doing whatever profession you’re in, you’ve got to have the right tools to do your job,” said Freeman, who also owns Gold Buckle BBQ in Crossett with his wife, Lori. “If you don’t have the right tools, you’re not going to have the workmanship that you should.” He has the right equipment, the right mindset and the willingness to go the extra mile to do his job to the best of his ability. It’s why the Cattlemen’s Days committee continues to bring him back to Gunnison and why the members of the PRCA voted him the association’s top photographer. “Winning that was a very humbling experience, because it was voted on by the membership,” said Freeman, who not only celebrated the honor with his wife and their children, Brooks and Robbi Jo, but also shared his award buckle with his parents. “Knowing the class of people that’s won it ahead of me, to be put into that category and know that you’re known by the membership of the association, it’s an award that nobody can ever take away. “It’s a lot of hours, a lot of time being away from the family. At times, it can be grueling, not just for contestants but for contract personnel as well. To win an award that is at the top of your game is a rewarding finish to everything you’ve worked toward.” When he arrived home from Las Vegas last December, he walked into his parents’ home not far from his own. He went to his mother and showed her the glass-covered case that held his Montana Silversmiths award buckle. “When I handed her that case with the buckle in it, she just looked at it and smiled, and I could tell, even with her disease, that she was excited for me to win that award,” he said of his mother, who died last week after a battle with dementia. “You’ve got to have support from your family. If you don’t have that, everything crumbles around you. My wife and my kids, my mom and my dad … they were always supportive. “It’s a rewarding feeling to have that backing from your family.”   Robby Freeman has  Continue Reading »

ESTES PARK, Colo. – There aren’t many bronc busters in ProRodeo that still compete at a high level after 35, but the ones that do prove that age isn’t everything. Take Chet Johnson, who has long since passed his 35th birthday. On Monday night during the final performance of Rooftop Rodeo, Johnson proved his talent is timeless. He spurred Cervi Championship Rodeo’s High Rolling Sidney for 84 points to finish third in bronc riding, pocketing $3,244 in the process. “When you get on good horses, this is a lot more fun,” said Johnson, 41, of Buffalo, Wyoming. “Winning helps. If you’re drawing good and winning, I’ll never want to quit. Someday I’ll have to, but right now I love it.” Now in his 23rd year of riding bucking horses, he has proven himself among the elite in the game for most of that time. He’s qualified for the National Finals Rodeo four times and has won most major rodeos across the country and into Canada. “Doing well in Estes Park feels really good,” said Johnson, who pocketed $3,244 for his efforts. “I’ve had a pretty slow July. I only got to go to three rodeos over the Fourth (of July, because of the scheduling). To get this kind of hit at this rodeo is pretty special. I’ve never had any luck here before, and I’ve been coming to this one a long time. “I wish I would have gotten the win, but I’ll take (third) any day of the week.” It’s been a long time coming. Rooftop Rodeo has been a great place for the sport’s brightest stars for many years. To pick up a big payday is good for any contestant, much less someone who has been waiting for success inside Granny May Arena for many years. “I feel really good,” he said, showcasing his trademark smile. “I worked pretty hard this winter getting back into shape. I know I’m in my final years, so I want to make the most of it. I’ve worked hard for it.” What is it about Rooftop Rodeo that has kept drawing him back over the years? There were times when the schedule didn’t allow for him to make his way to Estes Park, but he’s competed at the rodeo more times than not. “You can look at this scenery, and this crowd gets into it,” Johnson said. “They love this rodeo. This committee works their tails off to make it good. To look around and see how beautiful it is, it’s a cool destination to go to.” Being able to finally cash in helps, too. Rooftop RodeoJuly 6-11All-around cowboy: Seth Hall, $2,753, tie-down roping and team roping. Bareback riding: 1. Bill Tutor, 87 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Jelly Bean, $5,168; 2. Keenan Hayes, 86.5, $3,962; 3. Garrett Shadbolt, 84.5, $2,928; 4. (tie) Lane McGehee and Chad Rutherford, 84, $1,550 each; 6. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois and Tyler Griffin, 83.5, $775 each; 8. (tie) Colton Crawford and Cole Reiner, 83, $258 each. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Sam Goings, 3.8 seconds, $1,807; 2. Stockton Graves, 4.1, $1,495; 3. Travis Munro, 4.2, $1,184; 4. Cody Devers, 4.3, $872; 5. (tie) Ty Allred, Grady Payne and Landris White, 4.6, $291 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Caden Camp and Talon Roseland, 3.3 seconds, $1,807 each; 2. Clayton Hass, 3.5, $1,495; 3. (tie) Kyler Dick and Shane Frey, 3.6, $1,028 each; 5. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Eli Lord and Landris White, 3.9, $436 each. Average: 1. (tie) Cody Devers, Sam Goings, Kyler Dick and Landris White, 8.5 seconds on two head, $2,009 each; 5. Rowdy Parrott, 8.9, $841; 6. Eli Lord, 9.0, $467. Team roping: First round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.3 seconds, $1,869 each; 2. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 4.6, $1,547; 3. (tie) Chad Masters/Paul Eaves and Kolton Schmidt/Cole Davison, 4.7, $1,064 each; 5. (tie) Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 4.8, $301 each. Second round: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 3.9 seconds, $1,869 each; 2. Tyler Wade/Trey Yates, 4.0, $1,547; 3. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 4.1, $1,225; 4. Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 4.4, $902; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.5, $580; 6. Austin Crist/Josh Fillmore, 5.2, $322. Average: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 8.8 seconds on two head, $2,804 each; 2. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 10.3, $2,320; 3. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 10.6, $1,837; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Cole Davison, 10.9, $1,354; 5. Paul Beckett/Jesse Jolly, 12.8, $870; 6. Austin Crist/Josh Fillmore, 15.5, $483. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85.5 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Cookies, $5,725; 2. Statler Wright, 84.5, $4,389; 3. Chet Johnson, 84, $3,244; 4. Houston Brown, 83, $2,099; 5. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Jake Watson, 82.5, $1,145 each; 7. Spencer Wright, 82, $763; 8. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Riggin Smith, 81.5, $286 each. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Riley Pruitt, 7.4 seconds, $1,890; 2. Lane Livingston, 7.9, $1,644; 3. Cody Craig, 9.1, $1,397; 4. Ryan Thibodeaux, 9.4, $1,151; 5. Blane Cox, 9.8, $904; 6. Jeremiah Peek, 10.2, $657; 7. (tie) Macon Murphy, Brody Stallard and Buck Tate, 10.4, $192 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Kasen Brennise and Hunter Reaume, 8.2 seconds, $1,890 each; 2. Garrett Jacobs, 8.6, $1,644; 3. Blake Chauvin, 8.8, $1,397; 4. Cash Enderli, 8.9, $1,151; 5. (tie) Seth Hall, Cason Kingsbury, West Smith and Brody Stallard, 9.1, $657 each; 8. Chance Derner, 9.2, $164. Average: 1. Brody Stallard, 19.5 seconds on two head, $2,835; 2. Marcos Costa, 19.8, $2,465; 3. Seth Hall, 20.0, $2,096; 4. Hunter Reaume, 20.4, $1,726; 5. (tie) Blane Cox and Cash Enderli, 20.6, $1,171 each; 7. Jase Staudt, 20.9, $616; 8. (tie) Jeremiah Peek and Chance Derner, 21.1, $123 each. Barrel racing: 1. Tarryn Lee, 16.36 seconds, $4,177; 2. Nicole Driggers, 16.39, $3,342; 3. Shelley Morgan, 16.45, $2,715; 4. (tie) Josey Owens and Londyn Ross, 16.49, $1,880 each; 6. Margo Crowther, 16.54, $1,253; 7. (tie) Carley Cervi and Kelly Yates, 16.57, $992 each; 9. Michelle Darling, 16.58, $835; 10. Kathryn Varian, 16.62, $731; 11. Sadie Wolaver, 16.64, $627; 12. Keyla Polizello Costa, 16.66, $522; 13. (tie) Elizabeth Ellis and Sarah Waguespack, 16.67, $366 each; 15. (tie) Suzanne Brooks, Laura Mote and Jessica Routier, 16.69, $70 each. Bull riding: 1. Jesse Flores, 87  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – For years, the PRCA rodeo was the big drawing card for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, but that changed a few years ago. The Lea County Fair Board and the Lea County Commission have worked in unison to create an annual concert series that makes Lovington, New Mexico, the place to be in August. It’s a world-class exposition and is scheduled for July 29-Aug. 6 at the Lea County Fairgrounds. But one event may be helping another. This year’s concert series is highlighted by country artist Cody Johnson, who will close out the fair during his show after the Saturday, Aug. 6, rodeo performance. “Cody Johnson is right at the top of the charts right now,” said Larry Wheeler, the fair board’s chairman. “We’re very fortunate to get him. I’ve heard there may have been other venues that wanted him for that date, but we were able to get him to Lovington. “I think our PRCA rodeo had a lot to do with him coming here.” Johnson played the fair in 2019, and he was greeted by throngs of fans awaiting to hear his style of music. A former bull rider who also ropes, Johnson’s ode to his past life as a rodeo cowboy, “Dear Rodeo,” has hit a trigger with fans across the country. “It’s so hard to watch the fight to get the cowboy back on the radio,” Johnson said in a statement on his website. “Because that’s who I am and the lifestyle I live. I can’t sacrifice my integrity for who I am. I am just being myself.” “Dear Rodeo” also inspired an autobiographical documentary, “Dear Rodeo: The Cody Johnson Story,” and it showcased Johnson’s growing up in rodeo, his passion for the sport and how his life transitioned to music.   Johnson may be the headliner in Lovington, but he’s just one of several big acts that will be featured in the concert series: Friday, July 29: Ramon Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte and La Leyenda will be the featured acts during the annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration on opening night. Tuesday, Aug. 2: Randall King grew up in west Texas, and his sound reflects that. Wednesday, Aug 3: Zach Williams has seen his life change over time, from being a hard-playing and hard-partying musician to a powerful Christian artist. Thursday, Aug. 4: Randy Rogers Band has been around a while, and the chemistry shines as brightly today as it did two decades ago. Friday, Aug. 5: Joe Nichols has been singing country songs for two decades, with songs like “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” being among his hits. “I’m just really thrilled about the lineup we were able to put together.” Wheeler said. “Randall King is one of the up-and-coming, big-time artists. I’m looking forward to seeing Zach Williams, and a lot of people love the Randy Rogers Band. Joe Nichols has been popular for a lot of years.” When mixed together, each act makes for one phenomenal series.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – To watch Lane McGehee, it’s easy to see an infectious smile and a passion for rodeo. He comes by it naturally, and he fits into his identity as a bareback rider. On Sunday night, he rode the Cervi Brothers’ Matchbox for 84 points to move into a tie for second place at Rooftop Rodeo. “This is one of my favorite rodeos; I enter it every year,” said McGehee, 24, of Victoria, Texas. “Every year the committee adds more money. The hospitality is great. The atmosphere is great. This is one of my favorite rodeos in all the pro circuit.” It’s more than the mountains and cooler weather, but he’s enjoying that, too, while he’s in Estes Park. It doesn’t hurt that he posted a nice score on a nice horse. “I really didn’t know anything about that horse,” he said of Matchbox. “I called Rocker Steiner, who won a round in Houston. He said the horse was great and to, ‘Just go out and ride like you know how.’ ” It worked out well for the Texas cowboy, who won the 2017 College National Finals Rodeo championship while competing for Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Though injuries have hampered his early career, he’s ready to make a run for the National Finals Rodeo. He’s got some work to do, because only the top 15 in the world standings in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the grand finale in Las Vegas. “I do this because my daddy did it,” said McGehee, who is 25th in the world standings. “I love my dad to death. I just want to make him proud, but I always knew I wanted to be a bareback rider. “I’m 10 places out of the 15th spot right now. I don’t have much money won, but there are a lot of rodeos to go to and a bunch of money to be won. You’ll see me at the NFR.” This is his first full season back after suffering through some injuries, and he’s excited about what the future holds. He should. He’s got a plan of attack for the rest of the season, and he knows how important his education is. “Those college events just gear me up for the big shows in the pros,” he said. “I also do it because I want to get a degree and have a life after rodeo. I’m actually getting my master’s degree. I love what I do. Rodeo’s fun, and this is what I do right now, but I will be a CEO one day.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 6-11Bareback riding: 1. Bill Tutor, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Jelly Bean; 2. (tie) Chad Rutherford and Lane McGehee, 84; 4. (tie) Tyler Griffin and Waylon Bourgeois, 83.5; 6. Colton Crawford, 83;7. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Leighton Berry and Dean Thompson, 82. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Sam Goings, 3.8 seconds, $1,807; 2. Stockton Graves, 4.1, $1,495; 3. Travis Munro, 4.2, $1,184; 4. Cody Devers, 4.3, $872; 5. (tie) Ty Allred, Grady Payne and Landris White, 4.6, $291 each. Second round: Clayton Hass, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Kyler Dick and Shane Frey, 3.6; 4. Landris White, 3.9; 5. Rowdy Parrott, 4.0; 6. (tie) Cody Devers, Riley Duvall, Colt Honey, Tait Kvistad and Cash Robb, 4.2. Average: 1. (tie) Cody Devers, Sam Goings, Kyler Dick and Landris White, 8.5 seconds on two runs; 5. Rowdy Parrott, 8.9; 6. Grady Payne, 9.5; 7. Jace Logan, 10.0; 8. Ty Allred, 10.2.    Team roping: First round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.3 seconds, $1,869; 2. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 4.6, $1,547; 3. (tie) Chad Masters/Paul Eaves and Kolton Schmidt/Cole Davison, 4.7, $1,064 each; 5. (tie) Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer, Luke Brown/Hunter Koch and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp 4.8, $301 each. Second round: Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 3.9 seconds; 2. Tyler Wade/Trey Yates, 4.0; 3. Coy Rahlman/Douglas Rich, 4.1; 4. Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 4.4; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.5; 6. Austin Crist/Josh Fillmore, 5.2. Average: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 8.8 seconds; 2. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 10.3; 3. J.C Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 10.9; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Cole Davison, 10.9; 5. Austin Crist/Josh Fillmore, 15.5; 6. Britt Smith/Jake Smith, 15.6.   Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85 points on Cervi’s Two Cookies; 2. Statler Wright, 84.5; 3. Houston Brown, 83; 4. (tie) Jake Watson and Jacobs Crawley, 82.5; 6. Spencer Wright, 82; 7. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Riggin Smith, 81.5. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Riley Pruitt, 7.4 seconds, $1,890; 2. Lane Livingston, 7.9, $1,644; 3. Cody Craig, 9.1, $1,397; 4. Ryan Thibodeaux, 9.4, $1,151; 5. Blane Cox, 9.8, $904; 6. Jeremiah Peek, 10.2, $657; 7. (tie) Macon Murphy, Brody Stallard and Buck Tate, 10.4, $192 each. Second round: 1. Hunter Reaume, 8.2 seconds; 2. Garrett Jacobs, 8.6; 3. Blake Chauvin, 8.8; 4. Cash Enderli, 8.9; 5. (tie) Brody Stallard and West Smith, 9.1; 7. (tie) Sy Felton, Tom Joe Crouse and Marcos Costa, 9.3. Average: 1. Brody Stallard, 19.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Marcos Costa, 19.8; 3. Hunter Reaume, 20.4; 4. (tie) Cash Enderli and Blane Cox, 20.6; 6. Jase Staudt, 20.9; 7. Jeremiah Peek, 21.1; 8. (tie) Cason Kingsbury and Pryce Harris, 21.3.   Barrel racing: 1. Tarryn Lee, 16.36 seconds; 2. Nicole Driggers, 16.39; 3. Shelley Morgan, 16.45; 4. (tie) Josey Owens and Londyn Ross, 16.49; 6. Margo Crowther, 16.54; 7. (tie) Carly Cervi and Kelly Yates, 16.57; 9. Michelle Darling, 16.58; 10. Kathryn Varian, 16.62; 11. Sadie Wolaver, 16.64; 12. Keyla Costa, 16.66. Bull riding: 1. Jesse Flores, 87 points on Cervi’s Skim Walker; 2. Ernie Courson Jr., 86; 3. Brody Yeary, 85.5; 4. Robbie James Taylor, 84.5; 5. J.R. Stratford, 84; 6. Koby Radley, 82; 7. Jake Gardner, 80; 8. Jackson Ward, 79.