BIG SPRING, Texas – The greatest athletes stand on their own talents and how they battle through competition.

Historical figures like Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain and Roger Staubach have stood the test of time. Their exploits in their arenas of work are parts of lore, along with the championship resumes they built. Rodeo has its own, but it’s more than the names of Roy Cooper, Ote Berry or Lary Mahan.

As a sport based on the Old West, champions also come in animal form, like the great bronc Descent or Bodacious, the bull with a bad reputation. Fans who want to be part of the action that is rodeo also hope to see the electricity that comes from amazing animals and the cowboys that ride them.

That’s what many will expect from the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19-Saturday, June 21, at the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl.

“One of the great things about our rodeo is our stock contractor,” rodeo committee chairman Cash Berry said of Dallas-based Pete Carr Pro Rodeo. “He’s got some of the best bucking stock in rodeo, and a lot of those animals will be here and be part of our rodeo.

“We pay attention to rodeo all over, and if you look at some of the big rodeos that have already happened this year, they’re winning on Pete’s animals. That makes it exciting for us and gives us an idea of what we’re going to see in Big Spring.”

Just recently at Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, Texan Rocker Steiner won bareback riding after posting a 90-point ride on Carr’s Worth The Whiskey, a bronc that has received high scores all season. Sage Allen was 89.5 points at San Angelo in April, while Cole Franks was 87.5 points in San Antonio earlier this year.

“Pete makes sure to bring the kind of animals that will be a great fit for our rodeo,” said Berry, the fourth generation of his family to be involved in the hometown event. “Everyone wants to see the big rides and big scores, and we’re going to get that.

“We see a lot of National Finals Rodeo qualifiers come to our rodeo. Part of that is because we’ve increased our (purse), but another part of that is because Pete brings the horses, bulls and timed-event cattle that makes our rodeo better. Cowboys just want a chance to win, and Pete does a good job of giving everyone who enters our rodeo a shot.”

That’s a staple for a quality stock contractor, and the Carr name has been synonymous with that for two decades. He is a 15-time nominee for PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year, a two-time winner of the WPRA Stock Contractor of the Year and has had hundreds of animals selected to perform at the NFR, the sport’s grand finale.

In addition, Carr has been inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and was named the 2024 Resistol Man of the Year. Add that to the list of great champions that carry the Carr brand, and there’s a lot that goes into making the Big Spring rodeo a success.

“We are a historic rodeo, and we pride ourselves in making sure we put on a great event for our fans and for the contestants alike,” said Zach Herrin, a member of the volunteer organization that presents the event. “We trust what Pete and his crew do when they get to town, because we know that’s going to help us be the best rodeo we can be.”

A key ingredient in that is working closely with announcer Anthony Lucia, sound director Josh Hilton, the entertainers – rodeo clown Justin Rumford and trick riders Summer & Co. Fearless Equine Stunts trio – and the Carr team to ensure the competition and production are equally as great as they can be.  

“We work hard all year to make sure everything comes together for the community,” Berry said. “Once it’s time for the rodeo, we rely on the professionals we bring in to put on the show that has everybody talking about our rodeo for another year.”