Monthly Archives: September 2024

DUNCAN, Okla. – The aches and pains that Roper Kiesner felt were getting the better of him. He needed – and took – a break from the game of rodeo. He did that for more than a couple years before returning to action late in the 2023 season. Now at age 30, he’s at the top of his game and is the No. 1 saddle bronc rider heading into this year’s Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17-Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. “For the past two years, I had stopped just because my body got to hurting too much,” said Kiesner, now competing at the regional finale for the 10th time in his career. “I’ve broken 17 bones, and I’ve had seven surgeries over my career. My body couldn’t do what I was wanting it to do. It was getting in my head a little bit, and I just wasn’t riding to the ability that I know I could ride. “So, I took just a little bit of time off from rodeo to get my head right and let my body heal. I went to training rope horses down in Texas, and then I was going to a little open rodeo in Meeker, Oklahoma, to team rope at, and I got to talking to my old bronc-riding buddy, Joe Lufkin.” The two decided to ride broncs again for the fun of it. “Joe got off his horse, and he was like, ‘Man, that was a lot of fun; that’ll be the last one I ever get on, though,’ ” Kiesner recalled. “I was like, ‘You know what? My body still feels pretty dang good. I think I’ve still got a few more years left on me.’ So, I went ahead and bought my (PRCA) card again. “That was right at the end of July (2023), so I had about a month to make the circuit finals. I won about $7,000 in August and made the circuit finals last year. I rodeoed through the wintertime and got into some of the big rodeos. I won about $10,000 outside my circuit, but I was just focused on my circuit this year and trying to get my qualifications up so I could rodeo a little bit more for 2025.” It worked. He has earned $17,119 in the region made up of contestants and events primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. He picked up seven victories, four in the region and three others that were outside the region but co-approved so that money counts toward the Prairie Circuit: Kansas stops in Longford, Eureka, Fredonia and Phillipsburg and rodeos in Ashland, Missouri; Magnolia, Arkansas; and Dayton, Iowa. “Probably my biggest win would be Phillipsburg, where I was 90 (points) to win it,” said Kiesner of Ripley, Oklahoma. “That was pretty exciting. I put on a good ride, and I tipped my hat, and then when they said 90, boy, I threw my hat, and I jumped around. The whole crowed enjoyed it.” He built off that victory, and it was a major stepping stone into why he’s the top man on the money list heading into the three-day championship. He owns a lead of nearly $6,000 over the No. 2 bronc rider, Cooper Thatcher. Ean Price, the defending year-end titlist, is third and still in contention to catch the leaders. “It’s always been a goal of mine to win my circuit,” Kiesner said. “Going in No. 1 and having a good lead on the standings makes me feel really good. I’ve set myself up for a good chance to win the circuit, and I’m excited to see what happens.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – In the 1989 Universal Studios’ movie “Field of Dreams,” Kevin Costner’s character heard the whispering echoes of the same phrase: “If you build it, they will come.” The Waller County Fair Board has had the same sound reverberating for years, and members of the organization have acted upon that. The upgrades for the Waller County Fairgrounds have been a major source of pride for the community and for people who use it. “We’ve increased a lot to the facility,” said Paul Shollar, the fair board’s president. “We certainly want to make this complex something that’s put in use as many weeks as we can throughout the year, and we believe this is the best way to do it.” One of the biggest moves came over the last two years, when construction crews covered the rodeo arena and built a stadium that is not only elaborate but also makes a statement. It was unveiled in time for the 2023 Waller County Fair and Rodeo, but the work didn’t end there. The fair board has just expanded on everything with several other upgrades that will be ready for this year’s exposition, which takes place Thursday, Sept. 26-Saturday, Oct. 5, in Hempstead. “We’ve added four more elite boxes and have two of them still available for the fair and rodeo,” said Dustin Standley, a longtime fair board member. “We’ve upgraded to a premier sound system for the rodeo arena, and we have added three more Big Ass Fans to help with climate control. We’ve installed an underground sprinkler system, which will expedite our ability to water the arena. That’s just what we’ve done in the arena complex.” The biggest steps have taken place outside the covered arena, including the addition of a 102-stall barn that features concrete alleyways. A few acres north of the fairgrounds are accessible, and that ground will feature a 200-foot-by-200-foot rock pad for contract personnel, trucks and trailers and will have six RV plugs with water included. “We’re just opening things up a little bit to make it a little better for the people that come to work our rodeo,” Shollar said. “We’re opening this up to increase donor parking while also allowing our contract personnel a little more privacy.” In addition to the stall barn and more RV hookups on the east side of the complex, rodeo contestants will also take note of other positive changes. A 50-foot-by-20-foot wash rack has been added to the complex, as has a 120-foot-by-120-foot warmup arena. The contestants’ entry gate has been moved to the northeast side of the complex. “All of our contestants will come through that gate and won’t have to fight coming through the crowd,” Shollar said. “If they’re at the stall barn, they can go to the warmup area. The minute they’re warmed up, they can come directly across to that gate and come into the fairgrounds there.” These are just the changes that have happened since the fair and rodeo closed last October, and it’s a symbol of the work that continues to be done to make the Waller County Fair and Rodeo the premier exposition in southeast Texas. “We’re doing all this to help make for a more comfortable and efficient facility for both the fair and for our renters,” said Clint Sciba, a longtime fair board member. “We are always looking for ways to make it a better experience for everyone involved.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – Since the inception of the PRCA’s circuit system 47 years ago, the Prairie Circuit has been a hotbed for steer wrestling. Not only are there some outstanding homegrown bulldoggers, but men from out of the area – and even out of the United States – make their way to the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region in order to compete with the best. No other year has this been more prevalent than 2024. All 12 men in the field are in contention to win the year-end championship during the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17-Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. Jarek Van Petten of Cimarron, Kansas, leads the way on the money list with $17,211, but Tyler Pearson of Atoka, Oklahoma, is at the bottom of that order and can still run away with the crown if he has a solid three days of competition in Duncan. With a large purse awaiting the players, anything can happen over the long weekend. Pearson, the 2017 world champion who is closing in on his sixth National Finals Rodeo qualification, moved to Oklahoma several years ago as a more centralized location. Originally from Mississippi, he’s collected $11,326 so far this season, and he’s still on the bottom rung of the standings ladder. “This is, by far, the most money it’s ever taken to make the finals,” said Riley Duvall, the No. 3 man in the standings with $14,461. “It usually takes around $8,500.” That increase is vital for contestants who make their livings in rodeo. They compete for prize money, and only the top few collect cash at each rodeo. That means they must beat most of the field in order to be paid. In addition, they cover their own expenses, so every penny counts, especially in rodeo, where dollars equal championship points. Duvall and Pearson make up the most NFR bids among an elite field of bulldoggers; Duvall is a four-time qualifier, but the top 12 includes Cody Devers of Perryton, Texas, a two-time qualifier, and Jacob Edler, who earned his shot in 2020 and won the world title that year, from State Center, Iowa. Edler is a two-time average champion in Duncan who won the year-end title in 2022; Duvall did the same two years prior and also won the aggregate in 2016. Devers was the 2021 average titlist. Edler sits second in the standings, just $1,700 behind Van Petten. Trisyn Kalawaia of Hilo, Hawaii, the defending year-end winner, is fourth with $14,131. Below them, in order, are Chance Howard of Sallisaw, Oklahoma; Mason Couch of Bronaugh, Missouri; Travis Munro of Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Devers; Adam Musil of Crescent, Oklahoma; Emmett Edler, Jacob’s younger brother also from State Center; Riley Westhaver of High River, Alberta; and Pearson. Only the top four contestants will earn money in Duncan during each go-round, and the top four in the aggregate will cash in the most. Every dollar is critical, but the bulldoggers wouldn’t have it any other way.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The popularity of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo concert series has only continued to blossom over the years. “We’ve been very lucky over the years to have people who are diligent in bringing in great concerts,” said Paul Shollar, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “We’ve had Cody Johnson here before he made a big name for himself, and we’ve had quite a few others. That’s something we take a lot of pride in here in Waller County.” There are reasons behind it, and the trend of outstanding music being offered during the exposition continues with this year’s fair, set for Sept. 26-Oct. 5 at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, the Josh Abbot Band is in the Texas Country genre and has had two albums reach the top 10 on the country charts. It is highlighting the opening Saturday night of the series on Sept. 28. This year’s fair opens two days earlier than normal thanks to hosting the CPRA Finals Rodeo. Country artist Glen Templeton will perform after the rodeo at the CRC Hospitality Building on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27. “We’ve got a lot going on that opening weekend, and I think having the Josh Abbott Band in town is an excellent way to showcase the start of our fair,” Shollar said. The opening night of the PRCA rodeo on Thursday, Oct. 3, is a perfect fit for Western artist Chancey Williams, a former saddle bronc rider who has developed a big following with his style of music. He has competed in and performed his music during the coveted Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in his home state of Wyoming. He was recently inducted into the Frontier Days Hall of Fame on Sept. 6.   Josh Ward returns to Waller County to perform during the exposition. He last put on a show inside the fairgrounds in 2020, and the expectations for the Friday, Oct. 4, show are out of this world. Ward left his work in the oilfield to pursue a life in music, and it was the right move. He has staying power, but that was catapulted by 13 straight No. 1 songs on the Texas Country charts. The final show of the fair on Saturday, Oct. 5, will feature Texas music legend Kevin Fowler and his opener, Trent Willmon, the latter of whom had three consecutive albums reach the top 50 on the country charts two decades ago. Now a producer and songwriter, Willmon has produced songs and albums for Cody Johnson and albums for Fowler, among several other credits; he’s also won a CMA award for his producing talents. Fowler was raised in Amarillo, Texas, and began playing in rock bands in his home state, then transitioned into a solo act in the early 2000s. In addition to putting his talent on stage, Fowler also has had other artists find success with songs he has written. He’s known for an energetic show, which adds to the enthusiasm of the night. “Kevin draws a party crowd, and there’s not a better party the first weekend in October than our fair and rodeo,” Shollar said. “The folks that come to our fair are excited to have a good time, and I think all of our concerts are going to provide that.”

ALVA, Okla. – Jaci Traul put a little more student into her role as a student-athlete during her performance this past weekend at the Colby (Kansas) Community College rodeo. Traul took a cerebral approach to her job and came away with the breakaway roping championship. She roped her first calf in 2.5 seconds to finish the opening round in a three-way tie for fifth place, then stopped the clock in 2.3 seconds to win the championship round and the aggregate title. The 130 points she earned in northwest Kansas pushed her to a tie for second place in the Central Plains Region standings. “I knew going into the long-go that I drew one of the better calves but that he was going to try and he was probably going to go right, like he did,” said Traul, a senior from Fort Scott, Kansas. “My game plan was to just knock the barrier out and put it on him with my first shot, and that’s what we did right before he took off to the right. “Coming back into the short-go, I knew with that set of girls and those calves that it was probably going to be fairly tight. I just made it my goal and made it my mindset that I was going to try to put a time on the board where they knew they were going to have to beat me.” It was the right call at the right time. “My initial goal this season was to get out ahead of them coming into the fall and knowing when we end the fall we’ll be coming into the spring, so I am very excited that we were able to get some points on the board pretty quickly this season,” she said. Traul led the way for the Rangers, which featured 11 competitors in the championship round. The women, who finished sixth in the team standings, also had goat-tiers Payton Dingman of Pryor, Oklahoma (third); Dale Lee Forman of Highmore, South Dakota (fifth); Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon (eighth); and Morgan Poust of Hughesville, Pennsylvania (12th) in the final performance. The Rangers finished third in the men’s team race, led by senior Emmett Edler of State Center, Iowa; he finished second in steer wrestling and 10th in tie-down roping. He was joined by fellow calf-roper Kerry Duvall of Oakdale, California, who placed fourth. In bulldogging, Hazen Sparks of Talihina, Oklahoma, finished sixth, Grady Aasby of Highmore was 10th, and Jacob Haren of Callaway, Nebraska, was 11th. Team roping heeler Evan Barrios of Crescent, Oklahoma, finished fifth while roping with Garrett Novotony of Oklahoma State University. Northwestern has had two champions successive weeks to kick start the 2024-25 Central Plains campaign; a week before, Edler won the all-around title in Manhattan, Kansas, so Traul was excited to get her name on that leaderboard. “My horse is kind of a freak of nature,” she said of Jerry, a 17-year-old bay gelding. “I bought him from some really good family friends of ours, and he was just a heel horse when we bought him. They were kind of roping some calves on him to see where he was at, and I was in a situation with horses and needed something, and it just worked out that he fell into my lap. He has exceeded all of the expectations I could have ever had.” Being well-mounted is important in rodeo, and time-event contestants understand the importance of having a trusted equine partner in their corners. Jerry wasn’t the only soul who helped Traul out when it was time to compete, though. Cali Griffin is the Rangers coach, taking over the program this season, and her work with the team members is already showing dividends. “I was ecstatic when we found out Cali was coming, because she’s known me since I was about 9 years old,” Traul said. “I honestly credit a lot of my roping to Cali, so when she came to Alva, I was over the moon. Having her back in my corner 24/7, I think, has really helped my mental game. Also knowing that one of the people who really put the love for this sport in my heart is with me every day also helps a ton.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The Waller County Fair Board is expanding the community’s annual exposition, and that means bigger opportunities for fairgoers at this year’s event. The Waller County Fair and Rodeo will begin Thursday, Sept. 26, and continue through Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. It’s two days longer than years before, and that’s a good thing. “It gives our community more to come watch,” said Paul Shollar, the fair board’s president. “The CPRA is having its finals at our facility, so that’s what’s going to kick off our fair and rodeo. We’re bringing in our carnival a day earlier. Our vendors are coming in a week earlier to make sure that we have vendors on site for everybody coming to the CPRA Finals.” It’s a big step, but that’s been a common trait for the fair board. Over the last decade, many infrastructure and other upgrades have been added. There’s a fresh look and a fresh feel to everything happening inside the fairgrounds. That includes the rodeo arena, which was reconfigured, updated and covered in time for the 2023 fair. The plan behind that was to have a facility that could be used more often by as may suitors as possible. It seems to be working. The CPRA Finals will encompass the opening three days of the fair, but the rodeo arena will be busy during all 10 days of the expo. The Sydney Arthur Memorial Breakaway roping will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. “We wanted to do something special when the CPRA said they wanted to come,” said Shollar, who pointed out that local fan favorite Glen Templeton will perform in the CRC Hospitality Building the first two nights of the CPRA Finals. “We wanted to make sure we give those cowboys and cowgirls a full effect of a finals and not just a rodeo on Thursday and Friday.” The Josh Abbott Band will be the headliner for the opening Saturday. Hudson Westbrook will be the opening act that evening, and the Lonely Road Band will perform at the Wagon Wheel. “Our opening weekend has always been a big deal for us, but I think we’re offering so much more than we ever have,” Shollar said. “By adding two more days to our schedule, it’s a great chance for our community to see some excellent rodeo action the entire fair. We’re also showing off our community and this fair to a new set of people who are going to come to the CPRA Finals. “I really think this is going to open a lot of things up for the fairgrounds and the community.” In fact, the fair board is really opening opportunities for fairgoers on that first Saturday. The day begins with the fair parade at 10 a.m., followed by the Little Mister and Miss Waller County pageant at noon. From 12:30-3:30 p.m., all children 12-under get in free with a paying adult, and the fairgrounds are theirs. “We had two generous sponsors that wanted to bring back the good old days of a county fair,” said Sharon Burger, a fair board member. “We will have a greased-pig contest, a pet show, the duck-pond game and the old bucket-ball toss. “We’ll also have complementary snow cones and popcorn for the kids. We’ll close out the day with mutton bustin’ at 4 and the queen coronation at 5, and the final performance of the CPRA Finals will start at 7.” While that is considered the opening weekend, festivities begin six days prior to the exposition with the Next Generation Barrel Race on Friday, Sept. 20. The Next Generation Junior Breakaway Roping and the Next Generation Junior Tie-Down Roping will run Saturday, Sept. 21, and the Waller County Youth Rodeo is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22. “We’ve extended that to put on the kids’ deal they have down at Houston,” Shollar said. “That all takes place the weekend before, along with the largest welding competitions going on, so we’re actually going to have three full weekends of activities.” It adds up to another growing trend for the Waller County Fair and Rodeo.

DUNCAN, Okla. – Much has changed since Allan Dessel worked his first Prairie Circuit Finals. That was in 2010, when the rodeo was in Park City, Kansas, and Dessel was teaching school in Soper, Oklahoma. In 14 years since, he has moved back to his native Iowa and operates a bookkeeping business, all while still working as a rodeo clown at up to 50 performances a year. He will return the regional finale, the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17-Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. “My office is actually in Cherokee, but my home address is in Paullina,” he said of the communities that are about 25 miles apart in northwestern Iowa. “It’s exciting to go back to the Prairie Circuit Finals. This is my first circuit finals I’ve worked since 2013, so it’s been a while. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the rodeo there in Duncan, so I’m ready to come back.” Dessel began his rodeo career at age 15, when he fought his first bull. He was following in the footsteps of his father, a bullfighter in the 1970s and ’80s. Dessel’s mom was a barrel racer, so her son was horseback even before he was born. Allan Dessel fought bulls and was selected to work several big events as such. He fought at his first PRCA rodeo the day after his 19th birthday at Cherokee, his hometown. That was in 2003, and he continued to chase his bullfighting dreams. He began the transition from bullfighter to clown three years later at the urging of his peers. He moved to Soper to learn from John Harrison, the most awarded entertainer in the PRCA today, and earned the right to work as a clown in the association in 2008. He’s focused on that side of the business for the last five years, and it’s just part of who he is. “I feel like my walk-and-talk is really strong, but my dance act is very much crowd-participation,” Dessel said. “It’s not a classical clown act at all. I do dance evolution. I do every major dance hit, starting with the Charleston all the way up until now, and I do it in four minutes. It’s like (announcer) Roger Mooney always says, ‘It doesn’t matter if your 6, 66 or 96, you’re going to know one of the songs in there.’ I don’t wear a mic, so I don’t say anything during the dance. We just play music, and I dance. It’s kind of like being in a small bar, and you always have fun in a small bar. If there’s one person in a small bar having fun, then you’re all having fun.” Now 40 years old, making those kinds of moves in a four-minute span can be exhausting. “It hurts; every day it hurts,” he said with a laugh. “I’m definitely not in the shape I should be in, but I try to eat right and work out on the weekends at least. “Everybody says, ‘Hey, you must work out a bunch,’ and I am like, ‘No, but if you do that dance act three days a week, that’s enough.’ ” Dessel had never really considered clowning until he got the push from Harrison, who had transitioned from trick rider to full-fledged rodeo entertainer and comedian. “I didn’t really see it until John said something, and then I started thinking about it,” he said. “I was always the kind of guy that was willing to do whatever it took to make a rodeo work.” He’s still that guy, and he’ll be doing it in Duncan.

SALT LAKE CITY – Orin Larsen is on the outside looking in. He’s qualified nine straight times for the National Finals Rodeo and entered this week of competition 16th on the money list; only the top 15 in the world standings in each event earn the right to play for the sport’s biggest pay this December in Las Vegas. He’s doing everything in his power to make it 10 in a row, and he got a big push during Monday’s final performance of Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo at Utah State Fairpark. He rode Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail for 90 points to earn the bareback riding title and pocket $3,913. “I got on Game Trail in 2020 at the tour finale in Rapid City (South Dakota),” said Larsen, 33, originally from Inglis, Manitoba, now living in the tiny western Oklahoma community of Hydro. “She was good then, but she was way better this time around. She was good that time, but she was better today.” It was not only a boost to his financial status – money earned in Salt Lake City pushed his annual salary to more than $112,000 and shot him to 14th in the standings – but it helped his confidence. Any time a bronc buster can score 90 points out of a possible 100, it’s a big deal. “Right out of the box, she got at it,” Larsen said of Game Trail, who has guided cowboys to championships at six events this year, including the prestigious Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days. “That kind of caught me off guard, and I felt like I was trying to play catch up from there on out. I was just trying to hit something. “I was expecting her to trail off a little bit, and then start at it, but she pretty much did it right there. At that point, you just rely on what your body already knows and just press in your subconscious you know how to do this stuff.” While he’s pocketed six figures this season, most of that has come in the last couple of months of rodeoing. He struggled early in the campaign, but he’s found a great deal of success since July. That’s been a game-changer, but he’s still in chase-mode. He has just three weeks remaining in ProRodeo’s regular season to earn his spot back in Sin City. “Yeah, it blows,” Larsen said, a breath of desperation and relief coming in one sigh. “It’s a position that I’m fortunate enough not to have been really familiar with in the past, but I’m just taking it one horse at a time. I don’t want to be in this position, but it puts a little added pressure, which I like and enjoy and am going to play to my advantage.” Utah’s Own PRCA RodeoSept. 6. 7 and 9Salt Lake CityAll-around cowboy: Jake Hannum, $1,600, tie-down roping and team roping. Bareback riding: 1. Orin Larsen, 90 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail, $3,913; 2. (tie) Jaceklane Frost, Bradlee Miller and Donny Proffit, 87, $2,217 each; 5. Lane McGehee, 86.5, $913; 6. Dean Thompson, 86, $652; 7. Sam Petersen, 85, $522; 8. Taylor Broussard, 84.5, $391. Steer wrestling: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.6 seconds, $1,665; 2. Jesse Brown, 3.9, $1,448; 3. Coby Brown, 4.0, $1,230; 4. Zach Trapp, 4.2, $1,013; 5. Olin Hannum, 4.4, $796; 6. (tie) Eric Logan, Seth Peterson and Jake Stocking, 4.5, $362 each. Team roping: 1. Kaden Richard/Whitt Crozier, 6.0 seconds, $2,443 each; 2. (tie) Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan and Rhen Richard/Coby Drake, 6.2, $1,965 each; 4. (tie) Ben Jordan/JR Gonzalez and Chris Olson/Riley Oberg, 6.6, $1,328 each; 6. Cole Eiguren/Tyler Eiguren, 7.0, $850; 7. Willow Wilson/Todd Wilson, 8.5, $531; 8. Travis Whitlow/Tyler Whitlow, 10.2, $212. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Logan Hay, 89 points on Kirsten Vold Rodeo Company’s Crossbreed’s Cap, $3,863; 2. Ben Andersen, 88.5, $2,962; 3. Cash Wilson, 88, $2,189; 4. Jake Finlay, 87.5, $1,417; 5. (tie) Dawson Hay and Ryder Wright, 86.5, $773 each; 7. Q Taylor, 86, $515; 8. Q McWhorter, 85, $386. Tie-down roping: 1. Britt Bedke, 8.8 seconds, $1,989; 2. (tie) Jake Hannum and Jase Staudt, 8.9, $1,600 each; 4. Colton Kofoed, 9.5, $1,211; 5. Justin Brinkerhoff, 10.1, $951; 6. Rylee Rogers, 11.3, $692; 7. Seth Hall, 13.3, $432; 8. Booker McCutchen, 13.7, $173. Breakaway roping: Aspen Miller, 1.9 seconds, $2,438; 2. Kash Gay, 2.1, $2,090; 3. (tie) Zoie Bedke, Peggy Garman and Willow Wilson, 2.3, $1,470 each; 6. (tie) Kaydin Finan, Ryland Lufkin, Harley Meged and Jill Tanner, 2.4, $609 each; 10. Makayla Boisjoli, 2.5, $232. Barrel racing: 1. McKenna Coronado, 17.01 seconds, $1,893; 2. Caitlyn White, 17.37, $1,623; 3. Anita Ellis, 17.44, $1,352; 4. Katelyn Scott, 17.47, $1,172; 5. Haylee Woodward, 17.51, $901; 6. Amanda Butler, 17.52, $721; 7. Sharon Harrell, 17.57, $541; 8. Sandy Bywater, 17.58, $361; 9. Terri Wood Gates, 17.64, $270; 10. Jordan Argyle, 17.68, $180. Bull riding: 1. Luke Mackey, 86 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Kermit, $4,561; 2. Dixon Tattrie, 85, $3,642; 3. Miles Johnson, 82, $2,855; 4. Braden Richardson, 80.5, $2,067; no other qualified rides. 

ALVA, Okla. – The new Central Plains Region 10-event season kicked off in a different location and a different feel, but the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team came out with two titles, strong finishes and a boatload of confidence. Senior Emmett Edler of State Center, Iowa, earned his first all-around championship at the Kansas State University rodeo, which opened the 2024-25 campaign for the first time. The event was conducted the event at the outdoor arena at Cico Park instead of its longstanding home inside Weber Hall, which is undergoing renovations. “It was a really good weekend,” said Edler, who also shared the steer wrestling victory at the PRCA rodeo in Fort Madison, Iowa, over the same time frame. “It can be a little bit tricky traveling like that, especially in the fall, but it’s not too bad. We got up in all of our events (at Manhattan) on Saturday, so it worked out pretty good. I went up to Fort Madison Friday morning, and then got to Manhattan about 3 in the morning on Saturday and did all of the events then.” Edler, who qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in steer wrestling this past June, placed in both rounds and finished second overall in bulldogging and also finished sixth in tie-down roping to claim the all-around prize.  “It’s huge to start the season off on the right foot,” he said. “It helps build confidence going into these next rodeos, and I plan to just keep doing the same thing, keep chipping away and keep winning every time. Hopefully I’ll be in good position by the end of the year.” Edler was joined in the winner’s circle by sophomore Colter Snook, a sophomore header from Dodge City, Kansas, who won the team roping championship with his heeler, Cale Morris of Western Oklahoma State College. The tandem stopped the clock in 6.8 seconds to win the first round, then managed a 7.8-second run in the final round to finish as the runner-up in the short-go; their cumulative time of 14.6 was the best of the weekend. “Cale bagged,” Snook said of his partner’s heeling prowess in Manhattan. “I just laid up, because I knew it was going to be somewhat soft.” Times weren’t that fast, and there were a lot of teams that missed, so securing a time was a priority for Snook and Morris. By not rushing, they took advantage of the situation. “I just ran in the middle of (the steer), and Cale heeled him fast,” Snook said. “Sometimes the rounds get tough, but I think if you catch one, you make it back to the short-go nine times out of 10. That’s my goal. I want to catch all my steers and make the (college) finals.” Payton Dingman kicked off her rookie intercollegiate campaign in a big way, finishing second in the women’s all-around race. A breakaway roper at heart, she added goat-tying to her repertoire once she arrived in Alva, and it has already paid off. Dingman finished the first round of goats in a tie for fourth place with a 7.7-second run, then posted a 7.4 in the final round to finish second overall. She also placed in both rounds of breakaway roping – including a 2.3 to finish second in the long round – to close out her first weekend in the Central Plains. “I was a little nervous going into it, just because it was my first college rodeo,” said Dingman, a freshman from Pryor, Oklahoma. The nerves were amped a bit more; it was her first time tying goats after a couple years. That came about because new coach Cali Griffin had asked Dingman to try it again. “I haven’t tied goats in over two years, so the first week I was in Alva, Cali asked me to come out and tie with the girls and maybe get another event. I tied about two goats, and Cali said, ‘You’re tying goats for the rest of the year.’ ” It wasn’t anything new for Dingman, who had competed in the event most of her life. Burnout came in, and she focused her attention on breakaway roping. That break is now, over, and Dingman likely will be involved in multiple events for the remaining nine events on the calendar. “Just being around the girls here, and definitely with Cali encouraging me and pushing me and making practices fun, that makes it better,” she said. “I’ve definitely had so much fun. The horse I’ve been tying goats on is actually one of my breakaway horses. I just kind of trotted her around the pen and did some get-offs, and she took to it.” While Dingman, Snook and Edler were the top hands for the Rangers this past weekend, there were several others who made their marks. Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon, was in line with Dingman by finishing among the ladies who placed fourth in the long round of goat-tying, while Dale Lee Forman of Highmore, South Dakota, made the short round in goats. Breakaway roper Morgan Poust of Hughesville, Pennsylvania, was also among the Northwestern women in the championship. Steer wrester Tevin Cowan of Harrold, South Dakota, finished third in the opening round after making a 5.3-second run. He failed to place in the short round and the aggregate. Tie-down ropers Logan Mullin of Clay Center, Kansas; Kerry Duvall of Oakdale, California; and Jacob Haren of Callaway, Nebraska, also made the championship round with Edler. Mullin ha the greatest success, posting a 10.8-second run to finish second in the opener; Duvall was 11.0 seconds to finish third in the long round. While many college sports have a preseason campaign, rodeo is a game that goes directly into the competition. The Rangers now have a starting point to gauge their progress, and the confidence is building with a new coach on the sidelines. “Cali’s been a really good coach,” Edler said. “I think she’s taken a lot of good things Stockton did  Continue Reading »

SALT LAKE CITY – Kash Gay has a couple of big goals she wants to accomplish as a breakaway roper. The first, of course, is to qualify for the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo, which will take place this fall in Heber City, Utah; if she can win the year-end championship, that would be a bonus. The second is to raise awareness for Kash Gay Equine Insurance, a business she operates. “Competing is like being a traveling billboard,” said Gay, 22, of Plain City, Utah, a community of 8,300 souls about 45 minutes north of Utah State Fairpark. “Rodeo is great for business. Everywhere I go, I feel like I get more, so right now I’m just trying to get my name out there.” She’s also excelling. Gay roped her calf in 2.1 seconds during Saturday’s second performance of Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo to take the breakaway roping lead. She will await the results of Monday’s final performance to see where she ends up. “I knew the calf was fast,” said Gay, who won New Plymouth, Idaho, last month and sits fourth in the circuit standings – only the top 12 in each event when the region’s regular season comes to a close advance to the championship. “I knew he was good, started strong and ran straight. He was actually out here last night, so I texted the girl that ran him, got a video and made a game plan from there.” The homework paid off, and she’s in a great position to take some big-time cash out of Salt Lake City this weekend. That’s big, because dollars equal championship points in rodeo. Heading into her runs at the Utah State Fair, Gay had accumulated $8,873. A victory inside the Days of ’47 Arena would vault her to second place. She’d still be a long ways behind the season leader, Addy Hill of Thatcher, Utah, but it provides Gay with the motivation she needs to push through the final few weeks. The Wilderness Circuit is made up of rodeos and contestants primarily from Utah and southern Idaho. The year-end and finale-aggregate champions from each region advance to the national circuit finals rodeo, which is the NFR Open that takes place each July in Colorado Springs. “I’ve been working for it all yar, and that would mean the world to me,” she said. “That’s what I’m going for.” Now in just her sophomore season in ProRodeo, Gay is well equipped to qualify for her second straight regional championship “I’ve actually grown up with horses my whole life, and I’ve roped since I was a little kid,” she said. “My dad rodeoed a lot, and I’ve just picked it right up.” Her venture to the state fair is already paying off, and she still has a chance to sell a little insurance while she’s at it. Utah’s Own PRCA RodeoSept. 6. 7 and 9Salt Lake CityBareback riding: 1. Bradlee Miller, 87 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Hillbilly; 2. Sam Petersen, 85; 3. Tilden Hooper, 84; 4. (tie) Darien Johnson and Gauge McBride, 83 each; 6. Richmond Champion, 82.5. Steer wrestling: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.6 seconds; 2. Jesse Brown, 3.9; 3. Olin Hannum, 4.4; 4. (tie) Eric Logan and Jake Stocking, 4.5 each; 6. (tie) Chet Boren and Hazen Smith, 5.0 each. Team roping: 1. (tie) Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan and Rhen Richard/Coby Drake, 6.2 seconds each; 3. Ben Jordan/JR Gonzalez, 6.6; 4. Cole Eiguren/Tyler Eiguren, 7.0; 5. Travis Whitlow/Tyler Whitlow, 10.2; 6. Howard Hutchings/Scott Lauaki, 10.8. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cash Wilson, 88 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool; 2. Jake Finlay, 87.5; 3. Ryder Wright, 86.5; 4. (tie) Ira Dickinson and Statler Wright, 84.5 each; 6. (tie) Allen Boore and Traylin Martin, 84 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Britt Bedke, 8.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Jake Hannum and Jase Staudt, 8.9 each; 4. Colton Kofoed, 9.5; 5. Rylee Rogers, 11.3; 6. Seth Hall, 13.3. Breakaway roping: 1. Kash Gay, 2.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Zoie Bedke and Peggy Garman, 2.3 each; 4. (tie) Kaydin Finan, Harley Meged and Jill Tanner, 2.4 each. Barrel racing: 1. McKenna Coronado, 17.01 seconds; 2. Caitlyn White, 17.37; 3. Anita Ellis, 17.44; 4. Katelyn Scott, 17.47; 5. Haylee Woodward, 17.51; 6. Amanda Butler, 17.52. Bull riding: 1. Miles Johnson, 82 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Mighty Merle; 2. Braden Richardson, 80.5; no other qualified rides.

SALT LAKE CITY – Cash Wilson’s dreams of competing at the National Finals Rodeo may have to wait, but he understands that’s just part of the game he plays. He looked like a contender for the world title after posting an 88-point ride on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool during Friday’s first performance of Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo to take the saddle bronc riding lead. “I’m still quite a long shot to make the NFR this year, but I just had a rough winter and tore my (medial collateral ligament) and didn’t ride very good this (past) winter,” said Wilson, 23, of Wall, South Dakota. “Things are finally rolling again. I’m back in my old saddle and ready for the new year.” Wilson has accumulated more than $62,000 and sits 27th in the world standings, but only the top 15 on the money list in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to Pro Rodeo’s grand finale. To put it into perspective, Ryder Sanford has earned more than $107,000 and sits 16th this week, on the outside looking in. Still, this is how Wilson makes a living, so every dime he can muster over the final three weeks of the regular season will be good. “I knew that horse I had was a really good draw and really bucked,” said Wilson, who was part of the 2021 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association men’s championship team while competing at Clarendon (Texas) College and finished second individually the next season while at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Cowboys are matched with their animals via a random draw. In the early days of the sport, cowboys would draw their horse out of the hat. With modern technology, those draws are computer generated. “That was a really outstanding horse,” he said. “I’m really thankful to have a good draw. It felt really good, but I never felt like I was ever safe. It felt like I was almost bucked off every jump. “I could have rode it a touch better, but it was still good. It was a lot of fun.” He credited the owners of Summit, a Wyoming-based livestock contractor that is producing this rodeo, which is part of the Utah State Fair. The company also provides stock for nearly two dozen other rodeos throughout the year, and cowboys have learned to trust Summit’s bucking animals for a chance to win. “They had a great set of horses tonight,” Wilson said. “When you get broncs like that, it makes it really fun.” While his plans to play for the biggest pay in rodeo at the NFR have been dashed, he still has some zealous goals for the 2024 campaign. “I want to make $100,000 this year toward the standings,” he said. “It’s just a small goal after I figured that I was kind of an outside shot to make the NFR. That would be a good short-term goal for right now, so I just need to keep riding and keep getting better every ride.” Utah’s Own PRCA RodeoSept. 6. 7 and 9Salt Lake CityBareback riding: 1. Bradlee Miller, 87 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Hillbilly; 2. Tilden Hooper, 84; 3. Darien Johnson, 83; 4. Richmond Champion, 82.5; 5. Mason Stuller, 79; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.6 seconds; 2. Jake Stocking, 4.5; 3. (tie) Chet Boren and Hazen Smith, 5.0 each; 5. Talon Roseland, 5.4; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Howard Hutchings/Scott Lauaki, 10.8 seconds; 2. Rhett Anderson/Jared Fillmore, 11.0; 3. Bryan Rasmussen/Jay Johnson, 24.0; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cash Wilson, 88 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool; 2. Ira Dickinson, 84.5; 3. Riggin Smith, 83.5; 4. Stran Nielson, 77; 5. Luke Logan, 70; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Jase Staudt, 8.9 seconds; 2. Colton Kofoed, 9.5; 3. Seth Hall, 13.3; 4. Kolbey Hughes, 16.0; 5. Tom Simpson, 18.5; 6. Zane Brackett, 19.6. Breakaway roping: 1. Peggy Garman, 2.3 seconds; 2. Harley Meged, 2.4; 3. Makayla Boisjoli, 2.5; 4. Jessica Johnson, 3.1; 5. Codi Anne Judkins, 12.0; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Sandy Bywater, 17.58 seconds; 2. Jordan Argyle, 17.68; 3. Lexie Goss, 17.77; 4. Kelsey Larsen, 18.04; 5. Katelyn Udy, 18.13; 6. Stephanie Kunz, 18.41. Bull riding: 1. Miles Johnson, 82 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Mighty Merle; 2. Braden Richardson, 80.5; no other qualified rides.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The changes for the Waller County Fair and Rodeo keep coming. “We are one of the few fairs, if not the only one, in southeast Texas that has two pro rodeos, the CPRA Finals and the PRCA rodeo,” said Paul Shollar, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “It benefits everybody involved, from our vendors to the members of our community by giving them more. Because of that, we’re actually extending our fair two days. “We’re starting off Thursday instead of Saturday and will have three full nights of the CPRA Finals. We’ve got a lot more going on during our opening weekend than we’ve ever had before, and that’s going to be a good deal for everyone.” The Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association is made up of contestants and events primarily from southeast Texas, said Darrell Petry, the organization’s president and a longtime rodeo cowboy. For the past several years, the CPRA has conducted its finals in Angleton, Texas, but has made the move to Waller County starting this year. Its three-day championship will feature the top 15 contestants in the association’s standings from each event and will take place Thursday, Sept. 26-Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “We’ve been thinking for the last couple of years about getting a more centralized location,” said Petry of Cheek, Texas. “Hempstead came up, and they’ve developed that complex, covered it, added new stalls, and we were like, ‘It’s more central to most of our rodeos.’ “We thought it was phenomenal.” So, the move was made, and it’s going increase the overall exposure for exposition to 10 days, from Sept. 28-Oct. 5. The covered rodeo arena was introduced to the community a year ago, and it’s been a successful development. “We just thought it was a smart move for us to get there to that new place,” Petry said. “It’s attracted a lot of people to our organization. I think it’s really helped our membership tremendously. Our membership shot up because of the location. We think we’re going to grow from this.” The idea behind the newly covered arena was to make it available throughout the year for a variety of events to utilize. Everything seems to be going according to plan. Because of the opportunities available, plenty of people want to take advantage of the facilities, which include the addition of 102 stalls, additional RV hookups, a new wash rack for animals and an updated sound system. “I was talking to Clint Sciba and Dustin Standly, and we decided to not do anything temporary,” Shollar said. “We decided we’re going to build it and said, ‘Let’s just go and build it to where when we’re done, we can say that’s going to be here for our grandkids.” It’s being noticed. “We just saw an opportunity to grow our association and make it that much better and elevate it,” Petry said. “It’s not that Angleton was bad, because we really appreciated them and what they’ve done for us, but the contestants were just ecstatic that we were changing locations, plus we’re right outside of Cypress and all those outlets. It’s a great partnership.” Waller County has a longstanding tradition in the sport of rodeo, and fans make their way to see the action that takes place inside the complex. The CPRA Finals will just enhance that. While the PRCA is the most identifiable association in the sport and will crown world champions at the National Finals Rodeo in December, the CPRA is home to some outstanding talent. Among the CPRA leaders expected to compete each of three days of competition are a handful of cowboys and cowgirls that have played on the sport’s biggest stages. Petry is one of them. “When you’re done and don’t want to travel and stay gone for five or six months out of the year and you have families, these guys want to work but still want to rodeo,” he said. “This give them great competition, and they can still go to work. They can get off work on Fridays, and probably still make a few rodeos. It’s convenient, and it’s guys that still have the talent but don’t want to travel as much. “The competition is great, and they still get that competitive feel.” The CPRA is the perfect association for families from this part of the state. Now, everyone feels right at home for the organization’s championship event at the Waller County Fairgrounds.

SALT LAKE CITY – There’s beauty in the sheer force of power draft horses possess. These equine marvels put the true meaning of horsepower to work, toting tons of freight at a time. Their expertise will be on display during the horse pull, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. Admission is free with an $8 admission to the Utah State Fair. “You’ll pretty much see only Belgians at the state fair,” said Justin Palmer, a draft-horse trainer and driver from South Jordan, Utah. “That’s because they’ve got the breeding down through generations and generations.” There are two classifications that will be on display. Two horses weighing 3,500 pounds or less combined will be in the lightweight class. Two-horse teams weighing over that limit are in the heavyweight division. Palmer and his family will be involved with both, and they love working with the powerful beasts. “It’s a family affair,” he said. “My grandpa actually did it, then my dad did it. I think my great-grandpa did it, too. I was working three teams of horses for my dad at, like, 12 years old. I’ve got pictures of my little brother; he was not knee-high driving horses. We’ve done it literally our whole lives.” They’ll be part of an expected couple dozen teams involved in the state fair horse pull. The teams not only show off the pure power of their equine partners but also demonstrate just how much the animals love to be part of the competition. “What a lot of people don’t realize is these horses are so jacked up to do this job,” Palmer said. “They want to do this. I work with these horses every day. They’re trained to do this. They love to do this.” It’s something fans will enjoy seeing. Feats of strength have been part of the landscape for centuries, and there’s no better display of brawn than watching these phenomenal athletes work at the Utah State Fair. “Until you’re standing there next to the heavyweight team we have, Leroy or Turbo, you don’t realize just how massive they are,” Palmer said. “The lightweights are going to hook on to anywhere from 9,500 pounds to 10,000 pounds, and the heavyweights are going to hook on somewhere from 10,000 to 11,000 pounds. “It’s going to be impressive.”

Utah State Fair event will honor specific groups during each performance SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah State Fair’s primary focus is on celebrating the state’s youth, providing opportunities for many who qualify to show their exhibits during the exposition. While the focus is on families, entertainment and the festivities, there are ways to help honor those in the community that help build toward the future while also recognizing the past. Utah’s Own Rodeo realizes that, which is why each of the three performances will feature specific beneficiaries over the course of the weekend. The rodeo is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 7, with the final performance at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City; tickets can be purchased at UtahStateFair.com/tickets. The rodeo will target three honorees: Friday will be Patriot Night, and attendees are urged to wear red, white or blue to recognize those that have served, either through the military or by being a first-responder. Saturday will be Utah Foster Care Night, and purple will be the choice to show support for foster-family guests Monday will be Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night, and that color is a way to honor breast-cancer research. “We really want to celebrate all these people during the rodeo to show how much it means to us to have them be at fairpark and to enjoy a night out at the state fair,” said Jacee Lancaster, the livestock director for the Utah State Fairpark & Event Center. “Rodeo is a very patriotic sport, so it’s a natural fit for us to honor those that have served and put their lives on the line.” The evening specific to the Beehive State is that Saturday, where the rodeo will recognize Utah Foster Care and what it does for individuals and families. The organization “believes every child deserves a safe home with a loving family,” according to verbiage on its website. “Foster families are part of an extended team of child-welfare experts and other foster families dedicated to the care of abused and neglected children.”   While many youngsters are involved in the various livestock shows and other 4H and FFA exhibits, the rodeo is stepping up to showcase something special close to home. “That night is big for us,” Lancaster said. “We’ve worked closely with Utah Foster Care to help get the word out. They have an urgent need for foster families, and we believe in what they are trying to do for the youth in our state.” Children come from varied backgrounds, Utah Foster Care wrote on its website. Most have a history of abuse or neglect, and their ages vary from newborns to teenagers. “They come from every part of the state and every race, region and socio-economic group,” the organization wrote. The final performance of the rodeo will be the fair’s way of honoring those that have been in a fight with cancer. While Pink Night is specific toward breast cancer, virtually everyone has been affected by all variations of the deadly disease. “Pink Night has been part of rodeo for several years, and it’s always been focused on the fight against breast cancer and cancer in general,” Lancaster said. “It’s not just the patients who need our support; the families are also in that fight, too, so we want to honor them and honor what they’ve been through, while also raising awareness and funds for the fight against cancer.”

Talented announcer makes the right calls when it comes to state fair event SALT LAKE CITY – When Garrett Yerigan walks around Utah State Fairpark, the sights, sounds and smells are familiar. “They just bring that special feel,” said Yerigan, the voice of Utah’s Own Rodeo who will call the action during this year’s affair, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 7, with the final performance at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City; tickets can be purchased at UtahStateFair.com/tickets. “It’s like a family feel, at least to me. When you set foot on the grounds, you can feel the 4H and FFA livestock shows and their families over there helping ensure the success of the exhibitors. When you look out there across the grandstands, you see families that come to the rodeo. If you walk on the midway looking for something to eat, you see a bunch of families, so it’s just a really cool atmosphere to be part of. It also ties the whole state together.” This is one of several state-fair rodeos for Yerigan, who was raised around the sport by two competitors: His bulldogging father, Dale, an 11-time International Professional Rodeo Association world champion and the organization’s general manager, and Kathy, who qualified several times for the IPRA’s championship. Garrett Yerigan was just a couple weeks old when attended his first rodeo. The passion and the love for the game just soared from there. He was about 6 or 7 when he began announcing, and by age 12, he was calling the shots at a once-a-month barrel race. It wasn’t long before he was announcing the Oklahoma High School Finals Rodeo in his home state. “I wholeheartedly believe this is what God put me on Earth to do,” Yerigan said of his announcing career. Divine intervention helped with his God-given talent, but Yerigan also takes to his craft as any professional. He works hard at the job, and it shows in his preparation. This will be his third year as Utah’s Own Rodeo announcer, but it will be his first time on the microphone by himself. Each of the previous two years, he worked alongside veteran Mike Mathis, and the tandem made each transition seamless. Mathis, though, died this past December, but his memory will continue to live inside the arena. “I don’t know how many years Mike was there, but he was such an integral part from not just being the announcer, but that he has his finger on the pulse of Salt Lake City,” said Yerigan, the 2021 and 2022 PRCA Announcer of the Year. “He knew everybody around there, and he knew how things operate. “It will be a major void there, because he still had a lot of knowledge that I am still trying to figure out in my short time there. It will be a little bit somber at times when we all show up and Mike’s not there with us. I enjoyed the two years I got to work with Mike. I thought our styles complemented each other. Any time you get to stand alongside a guy that’s been the places he’s been, done the things he’s done, seen the places he’s seen, there’s always wisdom you can pick up.” That wisdom comes in handy. Each experience lays the foundation that can be used at a later time. It’s something Yerigan has been doing since he was a child. “Garrett is one of the most intelligent guys you’ll ever meet,” said Matt Merritt, one of the clowns who will be working Utah’s Own Rodeo. “He has a lot of talent, and he’s very well-spoken. He doesn’t miss a beat.” That’s vital, especially when it comes to rodeo production. Yerigan must understand the ins and outs of every performance, from the bucking stock to the cowboys and cowgirls in the competition. He can explain the match-ups and the talented hands getting ready to perform, and he does so in a way that makes it easy to understand by the audience, whether they’re rodeo-savvy or just out for an enjoyable evening at the Utah State Fair. “That rodeo has a lot of history and tradition,” said Yerigan, who now lives in Weatherford, Texas. “The combination of it being a fair rodeo and being a Utah rodeo, it’s got such a recipe for success. Anybody that’s been to a state fair rodeo knows there’s just something a little extra in the air with the family feel and the lights and sounds of the carnival and the smells of the food. “When you add the reputation of Utah crowds with their energy, it’s a really fun event. They’ve been having great growth the last couple of years, so it’s cool to see that rodeo on the rise and getting some attraction from not just the fans but the contestants as well.”