Monthly Archives: July 2025

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The Waller County Fair and Rodeo is an investment into the community and into future generations. As always, finding ways to benefit area youth is foremost in the minds of the members of the Waller County Fair Association, which organizes the annual exposition, but there’s so much more that goes into producing an event of this caliber. The fair board continues to make that investment, and county residents reap the rewards. “I actually went to the board this year request an increase to our budget to help us get top-of-the-line acts for our concerts,” said Michelle Gaston, chairwoman of the fair’s entertainment committee. “We wanted to up our game a little bit on the entertainment. It takes a little more for that first weekend to have two headliners, and the board supported us.” The proof is in the overall lineup for the nine-day expo, which kicks off with a double play of Texas Country/Red Dirt music Saturday, Sept. 27. The evening begins with singer/songwriter Chaser Crouch of Corsicana, Texas, performing at 6 p.m. in the Wagon Wheel. As for the headliners, William Clark Green will open the evening at 9 p.m., sharing his Lubbock, Texas-flavored artistry before yielding to Southall at 11 p.m. “We have long awaited the opportunity to have William Clark Green take the stage at the Waller County Fair,” Gaston said. “To have Southall with us is just icing on the cake.” To bake something that special, it takes a little more dough, which is why Gaston and the fair board agreed to increase the stakes. “We’ve always been able to raise the money with our cornhole tournaments and different sponsors, but to get acts like this, it took just a little bit extra,” Gaston said. “We’re always trying to find the up-and-coming artists. Last year we had Hudson Westbrook, and look at him now: He’s breaking into the charts. It’s fun when we can find some of those up-and-coming artists and bring them in.” Things become a little more traditional when the PRCA rodeo hits town, with the Thursday, Oct. 2, opening performance being led off by Cole Annoot at the Wagon Wheel and Neal McCoy closing the night on the big stage. With Matt Mercado opening, Gen Xers will live their youth with McCoy’s distinguished voice and tunes like “No Doubt About It” and “Wink.” “Matt is a local kid who grew up and still lives in Waller, and he’s being sponsored by Buckshot’s Roadhouse and Cattleman’s,” Gaston said. “We have another Waller County kid starting the night out at the Wagon Wheel, so why not bring back one of the most popular acts we’ve had at the fair with Neal McCoy?” Another local, Sloan Gatlin, will open the Wagon Wheel on Friday, Oct. 3, while Texas Country entertainer Trent Cowie will begin the stage show, opening the door for Josh Weathers. “You’d better be prepared to dance that Friday night away,” Gaston said. “You don’t want to miss this show. We’re expecting to do well with Josh Weathers, and we’re excited to bring in Kate Watson as our Saturday night opening act. She’s about ready to break into Nashville.” She will be part of a triple threat on the final night of the fair and rodeo. Waller area band Bout to Git Western will play for the fifth straight year at the Wagon Wheel, then Watson will hit the stage after the final bull bucks at in the rodeo arena. She’ll dress the stage for Easton Corbin, the crescendo to this year’s entertainment. Corbin has had two chart-topping hits, “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It.” “Easton Corbin broke attendance records in 2010, and we expect a similar crowd this year,” Gaston said. “We’ve got some big names with hopes of drawing some big crowds. We’re pretty excited about our entertainment all the way around. We’ve worked hard and secured some good lineups, but I think this is one of the best lineups we’ve had in the five years I’ve been doing this.”

Yerigan, Kenyon will join forces to announce the action in Gooding GOODING, Idaho – The eloquence of Steve Kenyon’s voice has reigned over the Gooding Pro Rodeo for more than two decades. His calls as the event’s emcee are as iconic as the rodeo itself. He’s been “Beer Worthy” since the vibrant signs were first introduced. Kenyon has watched this small-town affair become a major player in ProRodeo, which is why he’s supporting an enhanced sound starting this year. Organizers are increasing the melody to the action with the addition of Garrett Yerigan, an Oklahoma-born play-caller and two-time PRCA Announcer of the Year who will be on hand for this year’s Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers, set for Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 16, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 13. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “I’ve heard lots of great things about Gooding from my friends,” he said. “They have raved about that rodeo. The Cowboy Channel’s Katy Lucus fell in love with the place. “It’s got its own celebrity status of being the ‘Beer Worthy’ rodeo. It’s unique, and just listening to my friends talk about a small-town community that comes together for four big nights of rodeo makes it special. It embodies the American spirit and the Western culture, and it sounds like the perfect mixture.” It is, and it’s an experience unlike any other. Just ask Kenyon. “Garrett has announced some big rodeos,” he said, referring to Yerigan’s work in Fort Worth, Texas; Cheyenne, Wyoming, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; The American in Arlington, Texas; and a host of others. “But the crowd in Gooding is its own special animal. You’ve got a little town that puts more people in the stands over four days than actually live in the county. “That crowd takes on a light and an energy of its own. Gooding is famous for that. Gooding is famous for not just having the crazy people that put up the ‘Beer Worthy’ signs but for a crowd that just takes off on its own. Could you imagine how loud that place would be if it had twice the seating it’s got?” Kenyon is right. The aura that surrounds the Gooding County Fairgrounds has a dose of electricity, which stirs the energy. It’s exuded into the playing field, and the results are most often fast times and high scores. “The cool thing about the Gooding Pro Rodeo is you’ve got this very intimate setting, where the crowd is right on top of the rodeo,” Kenyon said. “At no point, if you’re in the audience, are you more than 50 feet away from the arena. At no point around that arena are you detached from the action. You’re right on top of it wherever you are. “It’s one of the most enthusiastic, lively, just unbelievable audiences that we have to work with in front of anywhere in the sport of rodeo. As many big crowds and as much noise as Garrett has heard in his career, he’s going to notice right away the energy, the exuberance, the knowledge that crowd brings to the rodeo.” It’s a sight that needs to be seen and an atmosphere that must be felt to completely understand. “I think Garrett will be blown away the first night and enjoy the hell out o fit after that,” said Don Gill, the fair and rodeo’s manager. Every word spoken invigorates Yerigan. By joining forces with Kenyon, he will match talents and expertise in presenting the action to the thousands in the stands at Gooding and the hundreds of thousands who will watch live on The Cowboy Channel. The two have worked in tandem before; in fact, they’ll work together in Hermiston, Oregon, the week prior to arriving in southern Idaho. “We will just convoy from Hermiston to Gooding, so we’ll be in sync, in tune and ready to rock ’n’ roll when we get there,” Yerigan said. “I’m happy to join the band. and hopefully I can lend some help where needed. “I’ve just got to keep up with that crowd. I’m excited to go to a place where the fans lead me to it. I love having fun. I love being entertained, and if you can sit there and laugh along with the people and genuinely be entertained by them, I think it’s something that is very unique. What excites me most about coming to Gooding is experiencing the fans.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Seth Peterson began his ProRodeo career in 2021 as a permit-holder, a designation for young contestants trying to prove themselves. He became a card-carrying member of the PRCA two years later, and he competed primarily in the Mountain States Circuits, a region made up of rodeos and contestants from Colorado and Wyoming. It was the perfect fit for the recent University of Wyoming graduate who has dabbled in coaching. But 2025 is truly his rookie year on tour. “I’ve just circuit rodeoed up until this point in my career,” said Peterson, 27, originally from Minot, North Dakota, but now living in northern Colorado. “This year I finally decided to start going all over the place and rodeo full time.” He’s starting to feel comfortable in this position. He competed during Wednesday’s opener of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo and began the day with a 4.0-second to sit in second place in the first round. He then stopped the clock in 4.6 seconds, and his two-run cumulative time of 8.6 seconds helped him to the top spot. “My horse has been amazing,” Petersson said of Coors, a 12-year-old gray gelding he’s dubbed as “The Silver Bullet.” “He’s 12 this year, and I’ve had him three or four years and was finally able to buy him last spring. To have him as a great partner makes my job a lot easier.” That’s a big reason Peterson has made the transition to rodeoing full time. It’s not easy, but he’s climbing the charts. He is 40th in the world standings and is hoping to climb the ladder this year. The ultimate goal for every contestant is to finish the regular season among the top 15 on the money list in order to advance to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand championship. “Making the NFR has been my dream since I was little, and I just never really had the opportunity or the finances to be able to do that,” said Peterson, the 2024 Mountain States Circuit bulldogging champion who was the runner-up in 2023. “My wife and I have been very blessed to be on our own place now. The stars have kind of aligned to where I could be gone full time and not have to worry about leaving her to do everything. “She still has to take care of a lot, but the timing was just right that I was able to do it.”   There is an adjustment, though. He’s not just heading off to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, or Rock Springs, Wyoming. “It’s a different level of bulldogging out here,” he said. “There are great circuit guys in the Mountain States, but out here, they’re full-grown men. They take advantage of every good steer they draw, so when you draw a good one, you have to bulldog correctly and make great runs. Your horse has to be on point every time. You’ve got to have a good hazer on the other side that helps you. “You can definitely tell it’s a professional sport when you’re out here. It’s full contact every day, and there are no days off.” Peterson proved Wednesday he’s ready for the battle and the opportunities that sit in front of him. He will return to town for Championship Sunday and test his talent against other top cowboys in a quest for Dodge City magic. Dodge City Roundup RodeoDodge City, Kan.July 30-Aug. 3Bareback riding leaders: 1. Roedy Farrel, 85.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Sum Buck; 2. Waylon Bourgeois, 85; 3. Tanner Aus, 84.5; 4. Cole Franks, 84; 5. Andy Gingerich, 82; 6. (tie) Nick Pelke and Tucker Carricato, 79; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 3.7 seconds; 2. Seth Peterson, 4.0; 3. Mike McGinn, 4.4; 4. Eli Lord, 4.6; 5. Justin Shaffer, 4.7; 6. Dalton Massey, 4.9; 7. Nick Guy, 5.0; 8. Darcy Kersch, 5.2. Second round leaders: 1. Darcy Kersch, 3.8 seconds; 2. Jake Holmes, 4.2; 3. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Seth Peterson, 4.6; 5. Winsten McGraw, 4.8; 6. Mike McGinn, 4.9; 7. Ryan Shuckburgh, 5.5; 8. Nick Guy, 6.1. Average leaders: 1. Seth Peterson, 8.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Darcy Kersh, 9.;0; 3. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Mike McGinn, 9.3; 5. Nick Guy, 11.1; 6. Ryan Shuckburgh, 11.6; 7. Jake Holmes, 12.2; 8. Winsten McGraw, 12.6; 9. Will Lummus, 14.7; 10. Eli Lord, 18.6. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 4.9 seconds; 2. Cory Kidd V/Will Woodfin, 5.2; 3. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 5.6; 4. Jesse Stipes/Cordell Collins, 5.7; 5. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 5.9; 7. Coy Rahlmann/Cole Curry, 6.0; 8. J.C Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 7.4. Second round leaders: 1. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 4.1 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.0; 3. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 5.3; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.4; 5. Cory Kidd/Will Woodfin, 5.6; 6. Wheston Jones/Lane Reeves, 5.7; 7. Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 5.8; 8. Jesse Boos/Reed Boos, 10.7. Average leaders: 1. Cory Kidd/Will Woodfin, 10.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 10.9; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 11.3; 4. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 1.5; 5. Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 11.7; 6. Jesse Stipes/Cordell Collins, 21.4; 7. Jesse Boos/Reed Boos, 27.1; 8. Wyatt Nelson/Jonathan Torres, 4.9 seconds on one run; 9. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.0; 10. Wheston Jones/Lane Reeves, 5.7. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Ryder Sanford, 85.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Colorado Kool-Aid; 2. Shea Fournier, 90.5; 3. (tie) Waitley Sharon and Trent Burd, 80; 5. Gus Gaillard, 79; 6. Cooper Thatcher, 76; 7. Cooper Lane, 71; 8. (tie) Jackson Ford and Korben Baker, 69. Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Alli Masters, 2.5 seconds; 2. Aspen Miller, 2.8; 3. Samantha Haardt, 3.1; 4. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, TiAda Gray and Mable McAbee, 3.7; 7. Whitney Jennings, 4.2; 8. Macayla Womaack, 5.9. Second round leaders: 1. Shalee King, 2.7 seconds; 2. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 2.8; 3. Kelsey Hallin, 3.5; 4. Brett Woolsey, 3.6; 5. Libby Winchell, 4.5; 6. Mable McAbee, 4.6; 7. Whitney Jennings, 4.8; 8.  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The last words Clay Tom Cooper heard from his older brother involved a statement he already knew, but they brought to life the relationship the two have shared for a lifetime. “He told me, ‘I love you, and I respect you for always being honest with me,’ ” Clay Tom Cooper said. “So, I laughed. Even when we was fighting, he knew I was honest. “That was our last conversation. He loved me for being honest and told me he loved me. That’s as good a closure as a guy could have.” Roy Cooper died April 29, 2025, in a house fire at his home near Decatur, Texas. He leaves behind his brother; and three sons, Clint, Clif and Tuf, all of whom roped calves at the National Finals Rodeo; other family members; and a host of friends and fans that simply referred to him as the “Super Looper.” Born at Hobbs, New Mexico, in 1955, Roy Cooper was raised on rodeo and roping, just as his siblings were. His roots run deep in southeast New Mexico, which is why the Lea County Fair and Rodeo will honor him during a special memorial on the final night of the exposition, Saturday, Aug. 9. “After his passing, we had a little meeting about it and said we wanted to have something for him,” said Kyle Johnston, a member of the Lea County Fair Board and the chairman of the rodeo committee. “It will be Saturday night before the tie-down roping.” It’s a fitting time in a fitting place for a rodeo legend who began roping as a toddler and stayed with it his entire life. He was the oldest son of Dale “Tuffy” and Betty Rose Cooper, who met at a college rodeo more than a half century ago. They raised three children near Monument, New Mexico. Jake McClure Arena on the Lea County Fairgrounds was like a second home. “We grew up in that arena,” Clay Tom Cooper said. Roy Cooper was an intercollegiate champion while attending Southeastern Oklahoma State College, then showed his talents on the sport’s biggest stages in the PRCA. He was an eight-time world titlist with six gold buckles in tie-down roping and one each in steer roping and the all-around. He’s been inducted into the ProRodeo, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Rodeo Historical Society and several other halls of fame. “Roy brought a flavor with him in everything he did,” his brother said. “I remember the three of us would get off the school bus, go through the house, change clothes and hit the arena because the horses were saddled and the calves were loaded. We’d rope until it was time for supper. What made Roy so tough was that he’d go down at night after we’d eat supper and practice tying by himself until somebody would come down and tell him to go to bed. “You put in your time, God’s going to reward you.” The Cooper family legacy in Lea County is strong. This is home to rodeo greatness, and the region will celebrate it and the life of Roy Cooper on a special August night.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Quade Benton is just 4 years old, but he’s willing to battle for what he wants. “I’m going to fight my daddy for those spurs,” he said. Daddy is Trey Benton, who has found some magic in western Kansas. For the second time in six years, he collected the spurs awarded to the champion of the Dodge City Xtreme Bulls; it’s also the third time in his career that he’s claimed the crown inside Roundup Arena, earning the bull riding title during the 2012 Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. This one, though, is very special because he can share it with his wife, Reba, and their three sons: Quade, Quincy, 2, and Quest, 1. Now 33 years old, Trey Benton knows he’s on the downside of his established career, but he’s chasing his gold buckle dreams with his family in tow. “You’ve just got to keep living it and loving it,” said Benton, a seven-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Richards, Texas. “Don’t let the little things bother you. My wife’s been really good about doing that for me. I kind of get overwhelmed a lot, and she keeps me grounded. “I love my boys, and this is what every man dreams of.” His first set of spurs came in 2019, but he matched it again Tuesday night. Riding Frontier Rodeo’s Fair Trade, the two teamed for 88.5 points. Benton collected $5,443 for his night’s work. “I feel like I’m just as good as I ever have been,” he said. “We’ve got some goals we’re set on, and the road to the NFR will get us there.” The road to the NFR winding and long, but with Reba and the three tykes along for the ride, Benton is keeping the gas pedal to the floor. Making it happen with three boys under the age of 5 means it’s a wild ride. “It’s been a learning process, no doubt,” he said. “An hour before I ride, I go up in the stands, and my wife has three rowdy boys for two hours. I always tell everybody that she works way harder than I do.” The work is just beginning. With two months remaining in ProRodeo’s regular season, it’s time for the Texan to make a move. His takeaway from Dodge City will come in handy. It will move him into the top 20 in the world standings, but he needs to keep climbing; only the top 15 on the money list on Sept. 30 will earn the right to compete for the biggest money in the game at the NFR in Las Vegas. “I won this rodeo my rookie year, about 13 years ago,” he said. “I’ve had lots of good luck here and am grateful to be here.” Dodge City Roundup Xtreme BullsDodge City, Kan.July 29, 20251. Trey Benton, 88.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Fair Trade, $5,443; 2. Ernie Courson, 88, $4,173; 3. Hudson Bolton, 86.5, $3,084; 4. Colten Fritzlan, 85.5, $1,997; 5. Colton Byram, 84, $1,270; 6. Luke Mackey, 83.5, $907; 7. Ky Hamilton, 83, $726; 8. (tie) Cutter Kaylor and Qynn Andersen, 81, $272 each.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – In the classical ballet that is professional rodeo, having the right dance partner can make all the difference. It’s a big reasons hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls make their way to southeastern New Mexico for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6-Saturday, Aug. 9; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 5. A key component in that is the Lea County Fair Board’s relationship with its livestock producer, Dallas-based Pete Carr Pro Rodeo. The rapport began nearly two decades ago, and it’s been growing ever since. The culmination of that bond will be highlighted during five days of action in early August. “The quality of livestock Pete Carr provides is the best,” said Kris Allen, the fair board’s chairman. “You’re going to get high scores and see good cowboys and cowgirls. With the mixture of his livestock, you’re going to see good quality entertainment.” It’s a drawing card to the rodeo for sure. Over Carr’s years in Lovington, world champions have performed at a high level, including bareback horses Real Deal, Big Tex, Deuces Night and Dirty Jacket, the latter of which was named PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2015. Bayou Bengal was named the PRCA Bull of the Year in 2023. How good are Carr’s bucking animals? Eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Brody Cress won the saddle bronc riding championship in Lea County a year ago on Dirty Jacket, now 21 years old. “That’s the first time that I’ve got to get on him,” said Cress, 29, of Hillsdale, Wyoming. “I’ve got to see him a lot. I grew up getting to watch that horse in the bareback riding at the NFR, and he’s just so memorable for that giant jump he used to have right out of the chute. It’s definitely one to be able to check off my bucket list, one that I’ve wanted to be able to get on for a long time, so I’m glad I was able to finally.” While Cress won on a celebrated bronc with a grand legacy, two other cowboys took advantage of younger bucking animals to stake their claims. Then-rookie Wacey Schalla won the Lea County Xtreme Bulls title thanks in large part to an 89.5-point ride on Carr’s Richard Slam, a black bull with a white face that was just 4 years old when he bucked at the NFR this past December. “That little Richard Slam is just a calf of Pete Carr’s, and that bull has a little something to him,” said Schalla, the top-ranked bull rider so far in 2025 with nearly $300,000 in earnings. “He don’t get rode very often. I got bucked off him (in San Angelo, Texas, in 2024), so it was dang sure good to get him rode.” Another 2024 newcomer, Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year Weston Timberman, also claimed the Lea County title in his discipline after also marking 89.5 points on a young bucker. Timberman’s was on Carr’s Secret’s Out, and the explosive bay mare was just 6 in Las Vegas, where she helped cowboys win two go-rounds – Bradlee Miller was 88.5 points to win Round 4, and Jess Pope scored 89.5 points to win the ninth night. “I knew what the caliber of horses were going to be, and everybody knows this is a big stop for a lot of guys,” said Timberman, who utilized the $8,425 payday to secure his first NFR bid. “To come out on top with these great horses and great cowboys is a great feeling.” It’s the perfect mix to bring out the best competition around. Athletes like to perform, whether they’re men and women or bucking horses and bucking bulls. But rodeo is a well-rounded affair, and part of what makes the sport special is the package presented to the fans. Ticket-buyers want to see amazing athletes while also being entertained, and that’s where the fair board’s trust in the Carr crew comes in to play. Producing an incredible event takes a team of professionals who understand the aspects that come to a rodeo of this caliber. The audiences that absorb the action in Jake McClure Arena every August have come to expect greatness. “Pete Carr and his stock are very good, and everybody around here talks about it,” said Kyle Johnston, a fair board member and chairman of the rodeo committee. “His guys are very good to work with, and they put on a very entertaining show.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The volunteers who help organize Lovington’s annual rodeo do everything they can to make it as special as possible for everyone involved. That sometimes calls for adjustments to be made, and it’s the case for this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6-Saturday, Aug. 9; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 5. “We changed the women’s breakaway roping to a two-header,” said Kyle Johnston, a Lea County Fair Board member and chairman of the rodeo committee. “We’re also changed our Xtreme Bulls to a one-header.” Breakaway roping’s popularity has exploded in recent years. It first appeared in Lovington’s rodeo in 2021 and has grown since then. Over the last few years, cowgirls have made just one run. This year’s schedule will allow them to rope twice; once will be done in slack each morning, and the ladies with the fastest times will return for that evening’s performance to make their second run. The other competitors will make Run 2 later in the morning. Since it was added to the fair and rodeo in 2012, the Xtreme Bulls has been a two-ride affair. The top scores from the “long round” advanced to the championship round, and the cowboy with the best two-ride cumulative score was crowned champion. This year’s night of bull riding only will crown the champion who posted the best score out of 40 rides. “Some of the girls over the last several years have been talking about making it a two-header,” Johnston said. “We thought, ‘We’ll try it, because it’s not going to take up that much more time as far as our slack goes, so let’s give it a try.’ “As for the Xtreme Bulls, a lot of those guys are pretty beat up by that time of year, so it’s tough to consider coming to get on two rank bulls in one night when you’re already beat up. We thought by making it a one-header, we might get a few more entries from the top guys.” In both cases, the rodeo committee was looking out for the best interest of the contestants. Why? Lovington’s rodeo has always been a cowboys’ (and cowgirls’) rodeo. The region is rich with men and women who raise livestock or work in the elements. Fairgoers and rodeo fans know they have a good thing when it comes to their hometown rodeo. This is the second straight year the rodeo will feature $25,000 of “added money” in each event. Those dollars will be mingled with contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall purse. That’s attractive to the cowboys and cowgirls that make their living on the road, fighting for every penny available. Xtreme Bulls also features a large payout. There will be $37,500 in local dollars added into the mix. In all, Lea County is contributing $287,500 into this year’s payout. “With every move we make, we’re trying to get more of the top guys, pull them down here from the North,” Johnston said. “We want them to enter the rodeo, and we want them to come to Lovington, so we want to try to make everything better for them.”

Gooding Pro Rodeo teams with JAE Foundation on mental health GOODING, Idaho – The Gooding Pro Rodeo has always been about giving back. Whether it was to the community as part of the county’s annual celebration – this year marks the 100th Gooding County Fair and Rodeo – or to the contestants who battle throughout the year for rodeo’s gold, beneficiaries are always on the mind. It’s why the event is considered one of the top ProRodeos in the country. That mentality is amped up a bit for this year’s Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers, set for Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 16, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 13. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. Volunteers will be “passing the boot” in the stands during the Thursday performance to help raise funds and awareness for Twin Falls, Idaho-based JAE Foundation. “The more we learned about the foundation, the more it felt like a great fit for our rodeo,” said Jamie Lancaster, one of the organizers of the fair and rodeo. “The JAE Foundation is 100 percent committed to mental-health awareness and suicide prevention through their outreach program.” While the boot-passing will happen Thursday, there will be ways to contribute during the other nights of the rodeo and beyond. The foundation has a retail store in Twin Falls and has donation opportunities on its website. While monetary contributions are great, just spreading the word is a valuable resource, too. “I think our first connection to the Gooding Pro Rodeo was with one of our top initiatives at the foundation, which is our high school senior initiative,” said Malan Erke, the organization’s community outreach director who is originally from Gooding. “We brought through about 4,000 high school seniors and shared our experience with them, and the Gooding community really took it seriously. “They built their own ambassador program, and it really just started to ripple.” The JAE Foundation is riding that wave and hoping to increase ways it reaches others. “In general, the conversation needs to be started, and a big part of the mental-health struggle that people have is heavily related to that cowboy mentality,” Erke said. “Clearly the rodeo community doesn’t hat the cowboy mentality, and neither does the foundation. There’s that one piece where we encourage people to be really tough, which gets masked with the idea that you can’t talk about the hard stuff. “That’s not what it’s about. You can be super tough and still talk about your feelings and your struggles that you’re going through. The reality is the way the world is right now, we need people talking. We need to start talking about this hard stuff and working on that. If any rodeo is going to pave the way and open the door for mental health, it’s going to be the Gooding Pro Rodeo for sure.” The community’s marquee event – which will feature hundreds of contestants battling over four days in the Magic Valley – has been on the leading edge of vibrant experiences. From having multiple livestock producers to having two of the top bullfighters in the game to introducing a second emcee with Garrett Yerigan joining Steve Kenyon in the announcers’ stand, the Gooding Pro Rodeo has created an atmosphere that everybody talks about. With nightly audiences that are as entertaining as the action, it’s the perfect setting for a festival of this nature, which is why teaming with the foundation is important. “Mental health and suicide are serious issues in rural Idaho and in the rodeo world,” Lancaster said. “Our staff was given a chance to go through the Boot Check experience at Jae’s Place and learn about Jae Bob Bing’s story. When we left, we all agreed that this was a cause that we needed to support any way we could.” Bing was born in South Korea in 1988 and adopted by a family that lives in Pinedale, Wyoming. His parents owned a Western store there, and their son spent his young life fishing, camping, riding horses, competing in sports and sharing his time with friends. He went virtually everywhere in cowboy boots. When he died by suicide in 2016, many of his friends and family attended the funeral also wearing boots. One of those was Jason Vickrey, who now lives in Twin Falls and is the founder of the JAE Foundation. With each pair of boots given through Jae’s Place, Vickrey and his wife, Paige, have strengthened their promise to others who may need a supportive ear. “We’ve got to open the door around mental health for everybody,” Erke said. “At the foundation, we’re going to go about as fast and as hard as we can to open that door, but we can’t get to every single person if that door doesn’t get opened by their people. If somebody comes through the foundation, the challenge is when they leave that we encourage them to go open the door for people in their lives. “We have some strategies for success, and they fit a rodeo theme, too. We tell people to rope people in. You’ve got to tell your friends and family about the foundation, the conversations you’ve had and maybe the impact it’s had in your journey. Then you’ve got to get in the saddle, spend some time talking about mental health; you’ve got to take the reins. Every step we take is a step in the right direction for a conversation around mental health if we open that door.” The communication doesn’t have to be Earth-shattering. Speaking about mental health can be as easily done as over a cup of coffee at the breakfast joint or just being a good friend to someone who needs to talk about their feelings, their emotions. “If we just love our people a little bit harder and open that door on mental health,” Erke said, “there’s some big stuff on the other side of that.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Fairgoers in southeastern New Mexico have grown accustomed to a homegrown festivity. The Lea County Fair and Rodeo features nine days of entertainment, from Friday, Aug. 1-Saturday. Aug. 9. It’s an opportunity for local residents to enjoy all the activities, including the concerts, carnival, rodeo, livestock shows, other exhibits and plenty of vendors. A key feature in that is making it a celebration, one that has drawn acclaim throughout the region. Folks from across west Texas and New Mexico flock to this community of about 12,000 souls to be part of the bash, and they’re looking to be entertained. The Lea County Fair Board has taken the steps to ensure that happens, with daily performances from Timberwork’s Lumberjack Shows. “The county has hired them as one of our small stage acts during the nine days of the fair,” said Wyatt Duncan, the fairgrounds’ director. “They will be set up in our old concert area for spectators to watch.” Timberwork’s boasts of extensive work over the years in lumberjack entertainment, which it describes as fast growing in popularity. The company, which features four touring groups performing at more than 50 venues annually, has been on scene at other fairs, sports shows, corporate gatherings and special events. “Our lumberjacks have been (featured) on national television,” the company’s website states, pointing out that the loggers have been shown on ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games, STIHL’s Timbersport Series and ABC’s Wild World of Sports. With the popularity of axe-throwing businesses worldwide, the call to athleticism involved in lumberjacking skills has grown. Members of the team will be involved in that aspect of the games, but they will also be log-chopping, chainsaw-carving and log-rolling. Each of those disciplines has been shown on television. The shows will allow audiences to have an up-close view of what people have been doing for centuries. The term, lumberjack, came about nearly 200 years ago and identified individuals who helped clear the land from timber. In doing so, lumberjacks also created other opportunities with the wood, from helping form buildings to developing paper products. While there are lumberjack competitions that feature the athletes’ talents, the showcase during this year’s exposition is a show with full entertainment value. It coincides with many of the other acts that have been part of the activities in Lovington over the years, like the annual Fiddler’s Contest, which is celebrating its 64th consecutive year at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9.  “The thing I like about our specialty shows and the Fiddler’s Contest is the chance for some people who are just enjoying a day at the fair to take in something unique to us,” said Kris Allen, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “We don’t have a lot of trees in this part of the country, so to see the lumberjacks doing their thing is pretty entertaining. Of course, we’re just a year away from celebrating the 65th year of the Fiddler’s Contest, and I know a lot of people love coming to that every year.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – A couple of decades ago, Justin Rumford was engrossed in the tourism that is part of this western Kansas community. Tens of thousands of visitors arrive in Dodge City to relive history, the television series “Gunsmoke” and take a peek at what life was like for the early settlers and cowboys who tamed the Old West. That’s why Boot Hill Museum is around and why its spot next to downtown is the perfect setting. “I was ‘Dirty Bill’ on the stage coach at the Boot Hill Museum,” Rumford said of his character, the man who drove the vehicle for tourists. “We’d go three or four blocks around there, then I’d park the stage. They’d all go over and eat at Applebee’s, then go to the night show with Miss Kitty. “I had a good time at the Boot Hill Museum.” He will recognize a bit of his own past as the featured entertainer at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 3, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 29. A 10-time PRCA Clown of the Year, Rumford provides a brilliant rodeo history with his showmanship, and he is eager to return to Ford County. “I’ve been there twice, once in 2014, and then I came back in 2020,” he said, noting that the latter took place during the COVID pandemic. “That was a little rough, because there weren’t a lot of people there. I’m pretty excited about coming back with a full crowd.” He should be. Roundup Rodeo is home to excited crowds filled with energized spectators eager to see the athletic action in the arena and to giggle at Rumford’s antics. He’s a natural fit to the biggest event annual in the state. Raised in Abbyville in central Kansas in the Rumford Rodeo family, he’s been around the game all his life. The family also owned the team of horses used during the summertime rides at the museum, which is how he had the opportunity to be the tourists’ guide. “I’m going to take my kids back to the museum and tell them how cool I used to be,” Rumford said with a laugh. He’s a comedian and has been one for most of the last four decades. Even when he was riding broncs or driving trucks or wrestling steers or flanking bucking animals or rescuing cowboys as a pickup man, Rumford was sharing his insights and personality with others. It was an easy transition 15 years ago when he opted to become a rodeo clown. Whether he’s at a rodeo in west Texas or eastern Oregon, though, he’s proud of his roots. Now living in Ponca City, Oklahoma, with wife Ashley and their triplets, Bandy, Livi and Lola, he makes sure everyone knows where he came from. He’ll likely be wearing a Jayhawks T-shirt or a Chiefs jersey while bragging about his home state. That makes his return to Roundup even more exciting. “When you look at rodeo history in Kansas and how big it is, it’s in Dodge City,” said Rumford, a standout athlete at Fairfield High School. “Even though the days of the Wild West are over, they’re not over in Dodge City. It is the Wild West. When you tell somebody from back East about Dodge City, they think of cowboys, horses and rodeos. “That’s our heritage, and it’s something to market: ‘Come to Dodge City and see the cowboys.’ ” And the rodeo clowns.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Rodeo is unique. It’s competition, but it’s also entertainment. The Lea County Fair Board has recognized that, which is why there will be a couple of true entertainers for this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6-Saturday, Aug. 9; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 5. Ten-time PRCA Clown of the Year Justin Rumford will provide the comedy, while Brian Patton, “The Misfit Cowboy,” will showcase Western flair during each of the five days of ProRodeo action at Jake McClure Arena inside the Lea County Fairgrounds. “We just like to break (the action) up a little bit and bring in something different,” said Kyle Johnston, a fair board member and chairman of the rodeo committee. “It’s been that way for us for a long time, and I think it’s a good fit for our rodeo.” Other sports have breaks in the action. There are halftime shows, and cheerleaders perform during time-outs. Baseball stadium’s feature hotdog and/or condiment races. Rodeo has funnymen, trick riders, fancy ropers and Patton, who does something altogether different. “My main act is an 1,800-pound American red brahma bull that’s saddle broken,” said Patten, of Epps, Louisiana, in the state’s northeastern corner. “He’s trick-trained, so he kneels, bows, lays down and gets on a pedestal. We have a lot of pyro in my act and lots of tricks. We have big props and fire on top of a red brahma bull.” The description is spot-on, but Patton’s performance is best seen live. It’s where spectacular meets the New Mexico night, and the animal’s stoic nature when working with the props helps make it stand out. There is an energy to Patton’s act that is undeniable and quite fitting to a fair and rodeo of this magnitude. That’s something Patton understands well. He’s been around the sport in some form or fashion all his life. He’s made a progression over the years. “My dad was a rodeo contestant, so I’ve always been around it a little bit,” Patton said. “I bought a Texas longhorn steer and used it for picture-taking. I used to go to rodeos; people would sit on him, and I’d take their picture. One thing led to another, and I ended up buying another Texas longhorn steer that was really impressive to look at. “I started a rodeo act with him, and it’s been all down hill from that point.” Raised on a farm not far from where he lives now, Patton knows the importance of hard work. The best part of his job, though, is being able to travel the country with his family. “Two of my kids are a big part of my dress act,” he said. “That’s one of the things I love about rodeo; I get to travel with my family all over the country. We get to experience a lot of things, and we just come from a little quiet spot in northeast Louisiana.” Their country nature will fit into Lovington’s rodeo, where know what it means to work with animals, and they’ll love the showmanship involved with Patton, two kids and a bull trained to perform. “I’ve watched some of his stuff, so I think it will work for us,” Johnston said. “I think it’s important that we change things up from time to time, and I think it’s going to be good to watch.”

Munsell found a passion in breakaway roping and is breaking barriers Taylor Munsell may as well have been born carrying a rope. When one is raised in the western Oklahoma hamlet of Arnett and in the Munsell clan, it’s just a way of life. “Team roping is what my family’s known for,” said Munsell, a 28-year-old Cinch endorsee now living in her intercollegiate hometown of Alva, home of Northwestern Oklahoma State University. So, she roped, and she got pretty good at it. It wasn’t just team roping, either. She roped just about everything, but she expanded her punch while in school. Athletes tend to do that, especially at a small school where there are fewer young men and young women to field teams. The Arnett High Wildcats needed someone, anyone like Munsell, but she was having issues that affected her work in roping and basketball. It was her right shoulder, the one she used to shoot balls and catch cows. Her right hand would go numb; doctors diagnosed her with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition in which the nerves and blood vessels pinch off between the top rib and pectoral muscle. She had MRIs and X-rays, injections and physical therapy. She worked at everything experts offered, but the trouble reared its head during her second year in high school. Surgeons removed the top rib and conducted rotator-cuff surgery More than a decade later, Munsell’s medical issues seem to be resolved. She’s proven it over time, from winning the 2019 intercollegiate breakaway roping title to her four straight qualifications to the National Finals Breakaway Roping. As of mid-July, she was the No. 1 lady in all the land with nearly $120,000 in the bank. “The year’s been pretty good,” Munsell said. “I definitely can’t complain, but I’ve let some slip away. I should have probably executed a little better, but I feel that’s always the case.” It is, because that is sports. Baseball players can win Gold Gloves with errors, and football players are still elite after dropped passes. Even the greatest to have ever played a game have failed to execute from time to time. Munsell has succeeded more times than not, and she has some big wins in 2025 to account for her financial windfall. The first came in March, when she took advantage of the tournament-style format to win the lion’s share of the RodeoHouston money. She finished in Super Series 1 to advance to the semifinals, where she placed in a tie for third to sneak into the 10-woman field for the final day. There, sheposted a time of 3.9 seconds to be one of four ladies chasing the biggest prize with just one run each. Munsell stopped the clock in 2.7 seconds to win the championship and the $65,000 first-place prize, accumulating more than $70,000 over her run inside NRG Stadium. “It took me a while to figure (tournament-style rodeos) out,” she said. “I struggled advancing at first. In the first couple of years I rodeoed, I never made the semifinals at the winter rodeos, so it took me a little bit to figure stuff out. I do like them now. It’s just a little different format, and you just try to advance, then it’s a one-header at the end. “I’ve been working really hard on figuring out how to be smart at those things but still make the best runs I can so that I’m winning enough to advance but also putting myself in a place where I feel like I was competitive enough to win at the end, too.” It’s safe to say she’s got it figured out, but she’s still able to rope in a consistent manner throughout a multiple-head rodeo. Take Reno, Nevada, where she’s won the last two titles and collected a couple sets of spurs in the process. This past June, she placed in the second round, won the championship round and took the aggregate crown with a three-run cumulative time of 8.0 seconds to pocket just shy of $12,000. Yes, that means Houston and Reno have accounted for $82,000 of her 2025 earnings. That’s a nice average. “Winning Houston is very important,” Munsell said. “I think it’s on everybody’s bucket list and one of the biggest rodeos of the year. To start your year out that early and that well, it’s definitely huge.” And Reno? “I will say that averages are the rodeos I tend to do good at,” she said. “Last year, I went the first half of the summer, and the only rodeos I placed at were average rodeos where there are two head are more. Those are definitely more my strong suit.” Consistency plays a role in how she performs. She won the average titles in Reno with the same aggregate time of 8.0 seconds. “I actually didn’t realize that until after I’d roped that it was the exact same time both years,” Munsell said. “I was like, ‘That’s crazy.’ Reno’s been great to me. The BFI in Reno was the first big roping I ever went to, and I won it and made The American the first year they had breakaway roping at The American. “I’ve made the short round every year they’ve had breakaway roping at the ProRodeo at Reno.”  Big rodeos mean the big time, and Munsell has left her mark. While fellow Cinch endorsee Shelby Boisjoli-Meged rightfully owns the crown for being the first $50,000 breakaway roping winner at her hometown Calgary Stampede, Munsell was the first to win the title in Calgary, having done so in 2023, when Canada’s biggest rodeo featured team roping and breakaway roping in a special section separate from the actual performances. This year changed, and Boisjoli-Meged won the showdown round to claim the big bucks. It’s another grand opportunity for the women who rope calves for a living. The Canadian-born cowgirl pocketed $64,500 in Calgary. Munsell, though, settled for $9,625 but didn’t advance out of her pool. The opportunity is something, though, and she’s hoping  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Amber Groves smiles a bit as she reflects on the past two years at the Junior Livestock Sale at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. The emotion comes from watching the children succeed, seeing their parents’ pride and everyone on the fairgrounds knowing that a bunch of hard work has been justly rewarded. She can feel the sense of accomplishment in the youngsters’ hearts as they show their pigs, goats, steers, etc. She’s been there before, but she was never part of something this big. The auction has produced million-dollar sales each of the past two years, and that’s a reflection of the kids, their work and a society celebrating the fruits of that labor. “We have absolutely wonderful support from our community,” said Groves, a Lea County Fair Board member and chairwoman of the livestock show committee. “It seems like everybody wants to come out and make sure these kids are successful in their showing careers, and I just think that’s wonderful.” Can those records be broken at this year’s sale, set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9? “I sure hope so,” she said. “We’re very appreciative of all our buyers that show up, and, hopefully, we’ll get some new buyers that didn’t know about it before and will make it even better.  “That would be awesome.” Yes, it would. While the last two years have seen a financial windfall for the youngsters, the support for the children showing livestock has been prevalent for years. Groves was raised around it, showed herself and was part of the livestock judging program at New Mexico State University. She has felt frustration of getting an animal ready to show. She has sensed the rush of walking into that ring. She has experienced the highs of winning and the lows of losing. Through cleaning out stalls to grooming her animals, she’s grown and learned and understood the importance of work ethic. “Showing livestock is just so rewarding,” said Groves, now in her third year on the fair board. “It is hard work. These kids get up every day and go out and feed their animals and work with them. They spend their entire summers working very, very hard to get that reward at the fair. “Whenever they get rewarded and they go into that sale ring and somebody buys their animals, that just gets them money for next year to keep continuing it. It teaches responsibility, which is why it’s so rewarding.” Groves spent 11 years of her youth showing. Over that stretch, she obtained friendships, and she always loved those August days in the show barn. It’s a sense of family and kinship that is highlighted by passion to care for something other than oneself. She’s been part of the growth in local livestock showing, with more animals coming to the fair this year. She wants to see the sale continue to grow and the children rewarded. “I love the entire fair, but I’m going to be a little biased and say the livestock showing and what we give back to these kids is the best part of the fair,” she said. “I’m excited to see the human beings that they’re able to be and the adults they become and be successful in their lives. That’s hard to beat.”

Local, regional, national supporters help bring top talent to Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – Maybe the most difficult question to answer in southern Idaho is this: What makes the Gooding Pro Rodeo special? Sure, there’s incredible action with ProRodeo’s elite in the mix. There are incredible bucking athletes and timed-event horses. Those things stand out, but there are a lot of rodeos across North America that feature superstars, those National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and world champions. “The only way to answer that is to just experience it for yourself,” said Don Gill, manager of the Gooding County Fair and Rodeo. “It’s hard to explain, but I think once people have seen it for themselves, they realize what we have here in Gooding.” The Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers is set for Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 16, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 13. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. In fact, it’s sponsors like the Idaho Ford Dealers that have seen the magic happen, which is why they support the rodeo so intently. “We’re very blessed to have some incredible partners, whether they’re in the community, in the region or national,” Gill said. “Our sponsors have helped us improve our rodeo across the board. They support us, built us and helped us increase our added money so that we’re one of the premier rodeos in the country.” That’s true. Hundreds of contestants will make their way to Gooding in mid-August with hopes of securing their fair share of Idaho cash. It’s in their nature to be competitive, but there’s something else that attracts them to town. “I think everyone who comes to our rodeo comes to interact with and see that crowd,” Gill said. “There’s just something about it that I don’t think any other rodeo has. Our entire crowd is electric for four nights.” The combination of an enthusiastic audience and superb competition is why so many sponsors have elected to be part of the spectacle. This is the first year that Idaho Ford Dealers has served as presenting sponsor, but there are others that prove to be community supporters: Burk’s Tractor, Glanbia, Magic Valley Milk Producers, Pendleton Whisky, Quanta, Watkins Distributing, Valley Wide, Sliman & Butler Irrigation and Northwest Livestock Buyers. “We have a fantastic community that supports this rodeo, but the sponsors are the ones who really make this thing happen,” Gill said. “Without them, we don’t draw the top cowboys, we don’t have three great stock contractors and we don’t have our ‘Beer Worthy’ section. This rodeo is amazing because of the sponsors.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – It started with a query from a friend about 15 years ago. That was just the little engine that could for Shona Able and her husband, John. They jumped aboard, and the train has been rolling down the tracks for them ever since. “My friend, Lisa McNeill, was in charge of the special rodeo, and she caught me and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come and help with the special rodeo?’ ” Able said. “That was it; I’ve been doing it ever since.” The event – which takes place at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, at Jake McClure Arena on the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington – is a longstanding tradition with the annual fair and rodeo to highlight children with special needs. The night that kicks off rodeo week is a perfect opportunity for those youngsters to have an evening all to themselves and learn a little more about the sport. “I just have a heart for special needs kids,” Able said. “I just wanted to do something that was just for them. I want to see the look on their faces, the smile they have when they’re happy and they’re so excited. It makes me feel good to know I’ve just helped them do something that they probably would never get to do any other place.” The special rodeo features an average of 20 youngsters between the ages of 3-21. That coincides with special education in the school districts, where students can begin pre-kindergarten at age 3 and can remain enrolled until 21. “On the first Saturday, which is just two days before our special rodeo, they open the carnival for my special needs kids,” Able said. “They get to ride all the rides at the carnival for two hours completely for free. It’s early in the morning, so it’s still kind of cool, and I’ll have a lot of the kids who want to be part of that.” That’s “special.” Every youngster wants to be involved, and that’s even more the case for the kids who face developmental challenges. Here’s the caveat: The folks who help the youngsters are beneficiaries of their own time and energy. “I tell everybody that they can come out and volunteer,” she said. “Please volunteer, but I’m going to tell you something: You’re going to get more out of this than they do. You truly volunteer because you just can’t imagine how wonderful it is to see them smile and get to experience things that they don’t ever get to experience again throughout the year. “We have all kinds of volunteers, from cowboys to ranchers and people in our community that volunteer. I have a lot of people from my church, my co-workers … I’ve got a little bit of everything. We get the rodeo clown usually and at least one of the bullfighters. The rodeo announcer, Andy (Stewart), always comes and does my announcing.” That’s a reflection of the community, whether it’s folks in Lea County or members of the family that live the gypsy lifestyle that is rodeo. Everyone involved wants to give, wants to be part of something spectacular. “We can’t do this without all the amazing volunteers,” Able said. “We can always use volunteers, because I don’t want to have to turn a child away because there is nobody to help them. I have never turned a child away, and I don’t have any intention of doing that. I’ll do whatever it takes to have somebody in the arena with every one of them. I’ve pulled people from registration, from taking pictures; I was pulling everybody, because we’re not turning kids away.” No, that’s not going to happen with Shona and John Able in the mix. They’ve seen the impact the special rodeo has on the children, the families and the volunteers, and they’ll continue to strive for greatness on a night that celebrates diversity and love. It’s the smiles, though, that bring them the greatest joy. “When you see that kid on a horse and he is smiling big and he’s running and he’s going down there on that horse and he’s picking up that flag and he’s coming back and you tell him to wave … that smile on their face is just it,” Shona Able said. “I don’t need anything else.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – For several years, a transition has been in place at Roundup Arena. Major enhancements have happened, from bettering the electrical to adding aluminum bleachers to an upgraded entryway with a spiffier ticket booth. Every step of the process is done with the audience in mind. That includes a new food court, which will be up and running in time for this year’s Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 3, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 29. “In essence, we’re restructuring our food-vendor area and making it into a dedicated food court,” said Steve Deges, president of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual event. “We’ll have picnic tables in the middle for dining purposes.” The food court will be set up on the north end of the Roundup complex – just north of the Women’s Chamber concession stand – and will feature food options in a “U” shape. This will group all food vendors in one place, and it will include a picnic area. The construction will not only help improve the looks of the facility but will also help with the flow and functionality of the ticket-buyers’ experience.  “We’ve always had food vendors scattered throughout the grandstands side of the arena, and that was causing some issues,” Deges said. “We had two vendors situated near the beer garden, which just made for more congestion. That didn’t help with the family-friendly experience we want to provide, and it often created some struggles for some of the vendors. “Our new food court will give our vendors more opportunities because they will be centralized in one location. We’ll have a big-screen TV installed and sponsors signage, so anyone in the food court won’t have to miss any of the action.”   Much of the enhancements began years ago. Organizers began replacing wooden planks with aluminum bleachers in 2021, and those upgrades continued. In 2023, the new gateway/ticket booth were added, and the Women’s Chamber booth was updated. “We really want to make it where our guests really feel like they belong,” Deges said. “With the new food court, we want to ease some of the congestion in those high-traffic area while also utilizing spaces that were probably underutilized. Some of our non-food vendors will move to the south end.” Through each step of this process, Roundup is also opening the door to a 20 percent increase in vendor capacity. The revamp is being partially funded by $50,000 from the Kansas Attraction Development Grant; Roundup contributed to 60 percent of the costs of the project, and each phase was done with the fans in mind. “We’re creating a better experience for our guests overall,” Deges said. “We’re trying to do things that help with the flow of traffic and provide more for the fans to enjoy. We’ve had a great rodeo for years, and a big reason for that is the fans that come to the performances, so this is our way to make it better for everyone that comes to Roundup Rodeo.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – This was the perfect night for the Hildreth family to celebrate. First, Jace and Coy posted the fastest team roping run of Saturday’s third performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, stopping the clock in 5.3 seconds to finish in a tie for eighth place, with $1,129 per man. A few minutes later, the boys stood behind a contingent of the Cattlemen’s Days board as they honored their dad, Kelly, as the Committeeman of the Year. While it’s an award for the calendar year, most people who understood realize it was recognition of a lifetime of work done for the community’s biggest annual event. “That’s so special and a huge thing for Dad,” said Jace Hildreth, the oldest of the sons by two years. “He’s done it forever. He’s been a huge part of this, and he’s done a great job, too. “He was one of the guys that got the (timed-event) boxes moved down here (to the south end of the arena). We grew up with him putting a lot of time and effort into this since the days we were little kids. We spent a lot of time down here working, helping him. He’s been active in this rodeo for as long as I can remember.” The family is proud to call Gunnison home, and they kept a little of the rodeo’s cash here, too. Cattlemen’s Days features hundreds of contestants from across the country, so catching a check for the local boys is a big deal. “We grew up doing it and practicing together,” said Coy, the team’s heeler. “He’s headed for me, and then vice versa. We’ve got our run down pretty good.” It showed on a special night in front of a third straight packed crowd. Organizers were calling it a record attendance for the first two nights of rodeo, and the final performance was just as full. “No, we haven’t had this big of a crowd at the Watershed (Team Roping), but we’ve entered this rodeo before,” said Jace, the header. “It’s been several years, and it’s definitely an advantage to having a hometown advantage. It’s also nerve-wracking to have that many people you know around.” Team roping is the most popular participation event in rodeo, so there are other opportunities for the Hildreths than the PRCA. Still, competing during Cattlemen’s Days offers opportunities. The two realize they have something special in the home-raised horsepower. “We’ve always done it, and in the early spring or winter, my brother comes and said, ‘Let’s go to some rodeos this summer,’ ” Coy said. “I thought, ‘Yeah, we’ll go,’ but I didn’t think much about it. The next thing I know, here we are going to them.” “It’s one of those years we both had good horses,” Jace said. “We’ve been roping a lot and roping good. When you have a good horse, it makes you want to go. You feel like you have a chance. Both of our horses are brutal, so why don’t we?” Cattlemen’s Days is a lifetime pursuit for Jace and Coy Hildreth, and the rewards came Saturday night. Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 11-13Bareback riding: 1. Ben Kramer, 82.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat, $2,659; 2. Taylon Carmody, 81.5, $2,039; 3. Kelton Maxfield, 79.5, $1,506; 4. Jacoby Campbell, 79, $975; 5. (tie) Matthew Tuni and Bodee Lammers, 78.5, $532 each; 7. (tie) Briar Dittmer and Boyce Kraut, 78, $310 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Pratt, 4.2 seconds, $2,443; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 4.6, $2,124; 3. (tie) Colt Honey and Marc Joiner, 4.7, $1,646 each; 5. (tie) Jacob Edler and Trey Nahrgang, 4.8, $1,009 each; 7. Tait Kvistad, 4.9, $531; 8. Cayden Schulz, 5.3, $212. Team roping: 1. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 4.4 seconds, $2,952; 2. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 4.5, $2,605; 3. (tie) J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford and Jaxson Hill/Jessen James, 4.6, $2,084 each; 5. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 4.9, $1,737; 6. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson and Cole Eiguren/Breck Ward, 5.1, $1,476 each; 8. (tie) Tyson Charley/Pace Blanchard and Jace Hildreth/Coy Hildreth, 5.3, $1,129 each; 10. (tie) Blake Walker/Gabe Williams and Gabe Williams/Faron Candelaria, $347 each. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.0 seconds, $3,290; 2. Sierra Spratt, 2.1, $2,797; 3. Samantha Haardt, 2.4, $2,303; 4. (tie) Amanda Terrell, Grace Perez, Rheagan Cotton and Erin Johnson, 2.5, $1,398 each; 8. (tie) Kassie Kautzman and Shai Schaefer, 2.6, $617 each; 10. Bailey Bates, 2.8, $494; 11. Libby Winchell, 3.0, $411; 12. (tie) Dana Mildenbeger and Jessie Miller, $165 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 86 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush, $2,786; 2. Cauy Pennington, 85, $2,136; 3. Michael Story and Jackson Ford, 83, $1,300 each; 5. (tie) Blake Starrett and Roper Kiesner, $557, 82.5; 7. Gus Gaillard, 81, $371; 8. (tie) Ross Griffin and Ira Dickinson, $139 each.  Tie-down roping: 1. Andrew Burks, 8.8 seconds, $2,488; 2. Lane Webb, 8.9, $2,510; 3. Booker McCutchen, 9.3, $2,175; 4. Hagen Houck, 9.7, $1,841; 5. Ace Reese, 10.1, $1,6736. Riley Pruitt, 10.2, $1,506; 48 (tie) Matt Peters and Cooper Andersen, 10.6, $1,088 each; 10. Darnell Johnson, 10.9, $669. Barrel racing: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.63 seconds, $2,557; 2. Alex Odle, 17.89, $2,173; 3. Shali Lord, 17.93, $1,790; 4. Mackenzie McCuistion, 17.98, $1,534; 5. Kiersten Pettus, 17.99, $1,278; Makenzie Mayes, 18.02, $895; 7. Kailee Murdock, 18,08, $639; 8. (tie) Taryn Boxleitner and Delaney Siebert, 18.28, $479; 10. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.31, $384; 11. Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi, 18.34, $320; 12. Jamie Olsen, 18.35, $256. Bull riding: 1. Canyon Bass, 86.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Hatari, $4,706; 2. Colton Byran, 75, $4,090; no other qualified rides (all totals include ground money).

Cattlemen’s Days committee buys swine, donates it to family GUNNISON, Colo. – The foundation of every county fair is giving back to the community, especially youth. It’s no different for Cattlemen’s Days, which has been celebrating 125 years for a week and a half. It’s an opportunity for children to showcase their hard work and fortitude as they carry on an agriculture-based legacy. In the process, it teaches the importance of helping out and caring for others. The volunteers with the Cattlemen’s Days committee are taking it up another level this year, the first in which the beneficiary of the group’s giving nature is pediatric cancer through the Golden Circle of Champions. The proof came during Saturday afternoon’s Junior Livestock Auction, when the committee purchased a swine from Grady Buckhanan for $4,230, then donated the animal to the family of 15-year-old Wesley Sudderth, who is undergoing treatments for leukemia at Children’s Hospital of Colorado in Aurora. “He is one of five children in his family,” said Karla Rundell, the second vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days Committee. “Essentially, he was playing basketball one week and diagnosed with cancer the very next week. The fact that his family’s supporting three kids in college, another one in high school, plus Wesley, it really stuck to us.” The Sudderths can use the animal however they wish. “It can feed their family and take care of what they need to take care of,” Rundell said. “Our kids are literally our future, and when a child goes through cancer, it’s the whole family that goes through cancer; life takes place outside of cancer. Groceries still have to be bought. Rent and utilities still have to be paid. It’s a whole-family battle.” Wesley started feeling ill earlier this year. He felt like he had a bad cold, but it lingered for weeks. When he finally got it checked out, doctors found that the teen was severely anemic. He was flown to Aurora and diagnosed with leukemia in February. “He threw the fastball right away … 100 miles an hour,” said David Sudderth, Wesley’s father. “We were afraid. We were uncertain of what would happen. We were parents who, up to that point, had felt capable of handling most of the things, but we felt helpless.” That’s what happens when a family is affected by cancer. First, it’s the unpredictable diagnosis, then the mad scramble to get everything figured out. There were logistics that had never been foreseen. There were three-and-a-half-hour, one-way trips to Aurora. It was chaos. “They give you what they call a road map, and it changes constantly,” David Sudderth said. “You think you have the ability to do this or that for your other children or for work or for your spouse or for yourself, and those, inevitably don’t work out. It’s incredibly stressful and difficult for Wesley, because he is someone who loves order and routine and predictability, and he’ll have none of that for basically two years. “It’s really tough.” But so is Wesley. He’s felt the illness, the pain, the side effects, the uncertainty of it all, and he’s just 15 years old. To look at him, though, he stands tall in his own skin. He understands the challenges, maybe better than many in his situation. But there’s no doubt about it, fear is part of his life, too. One can look at fear and cower, or one can look at it and attack. Wesley Sudderth is doing the latter. “I instantly thought of my grandpa, who passed away from skin cancer in December,” he said. “I was like, ‘OK, well, leukemia isn’t that bad,’ but I just always thought of myself as someone who was always going to see people that had cancer and not actually have it myself. I just froze. I didn’t really know what to think in that moment.” He’s gone through series of steroids and “Probably a dozen different types of chemos.” The plan right now is to continue weekly treatments through February, then transition to monthly appointments. The regimen will continue until 2027. It’s still early in the process. Because every step of this is filled with conflicts and emotions and life-changing moments for all seven members of the family, folks in the Gunnison community have stepped up to offer a hand. That’s where the Cattlemen’s Days committee and Golden Circle of Champions has entered the show ring. “It goes back a lot more than just being a member of the Cattlemen’s Days committee,” said Tyler Hanson, the group’s first vice president. “I had a sister that had a swimming accident, and this community stepped up and helped us when my sister was in need. This is a way for me to help give back to this community. I’m just so fortunate to be part of an organization that can put the funds together to help a family in need again. “I understand the financial burden that another family goes through. It’s important to me that they get some relief in any way they can.” It’s a long-lasting impact. The swine the committee purchased Saturday afternoon will go a lot further to the Sudderths than the potential meat alone. “We felt like while this was really hard, we’ve got this,” David Sudderth said. “We came to realize that there’s a reason groups like this exist, and we’re really grateful, because we’re always going in different directions with this. You have to split your family apart. It’s very expensive. It’s very difficult for everyone emotionally, psychologically. It’s not just the support from groups like Golden Circle; it’s that sense of the community coming together through those groups and in other ways that you realize you’re not alone. “You’re part of something bigger, and there’s a lot of strength you can get from that.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – Two years and 16 days ago, Jacobs Crawley’s long career as an elite bronc rider was put into jeopardy. He’d suffered a broken back while competing at the 2023 Greeley (Colorado) Stampede. It was bad, a burst fracture of his T12 vertebra and damage to the T11 and L1. He had surgery to fuse five vertebrae together. It’s the type of injury that extended beyond rodeo; his life could have been affected. Thank goodness he was in amazing shape. “The doctor said that was the only reason I wasn’t paralyzed, because I tore every muscle in my back when I had those burst fractures in the vertebrae,” said Crawley, a 10-time National Finals Rodeo and the 2015 world champion saddle bronc rider. “They said the only thing that saved me was the muscle around the tears and breaks holding the back up.” It has taken many months, but the breaks are now working in his favor. He’s back to riding bucking horses, chasing that elusive rodeo gold and enjoying a life he will never take for granted again. He proved it during Friday’s second performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo by riding Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush for 86 points to take the bronc riding lead. “We didn’t know how much strength I’d have,” said Crawley, 37, of Stephenville, Texas. “We didn’t know if I’d e able to walk right, run, all that. For that first couple weeks, it’d been touch and go. By the grace of God and human will through His power, what was supposed to take eight months took four; what was supposed to take maybe a year, I was doing in six or seven months.” Each step was progress, and he’s returning to form, just like the spur stroke that helped him earn gold 10 seasons ago. He is already 39th in the world standings with a good chance to move up after this week. “When everything’s clicking, there’s nothing like it,” he said. “In a physical aspect and obviously your spiritual walk, you have moments that are powerful, like when you have children, when you’re married. But in physical competition, feeling like you’re at your best is just an adrenaline high.” His return to Gunnison – just like his return to competition – has been triumphant. He loves the rush he gets in the arena, but there’s more to it for a man who absolutely adores the life he lives. “This experience, the roots of rodeo, is what I missed over the last two years of not competing,” Crawley said. “I missed that Americana, that feeling of community. You’ve got all these people here; they’re celebrating. Then you have a great rodeo committee that really cares about the product they’re putting out there. You’ve got contactors to care and cowboys that want to win. “That is, in my opinion, what rodeo is.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 11-13Bareback riding: 1. Ben Kramer, 82.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat; 2. Taylon Carmody, 81.5; 3. Kelton Maxfield, 79.5; 4. Jacoby Campbell, 79; 5. Matthew Tuni, 78.5; 6. Briar Dittmer, 79; 7. Tyler Ferguson, 67; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Pratt, 4.2 seconds; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 4.6; 3. (tie) Colt Honey and Marc Joiner, 4.7; 5. (tie) Jacob Edler and Trey Nahrgang, 4.8; 7. Tait Kvistad, 4.9; 8. Cayden Schulz, 5.3. Team roping: 1. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 4.4 seconds; 2. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 4.5; 3. (tie) J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford and Jaxson Hill/Jessen James, 4.6; 5. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 4.9; 6. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson and Cole Eiguren/Breck Ward, 5.1; 8. Tyson Charley/Pace Blanchard, 5.3. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.0 seconds; 2. Sierra Spratt, 2.1; 3. Samantha Haardt, 2.4; 4. (tie) Amanda Terrell, Grace Perez, Rheagan Cotton and Erin Johnson, 2.5; 8. Kassie Kautzman, 2.6; 9. Bailey Bates, 2.8; 10. Libby Winchell, 3.0. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 86 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush; 2. Cauy Pennington, 85; 3. Michael Story and Jackson Ford, 83; 5. Blake Starrett, 82.5; 6. Brady Hill, 78; 7. (tie) Parker Kempfer and beau Ryan Scarborough, 77.  Tie-down roping: 1. Lane Webb, 8.9 seconds; 2. Hagen Houck, 9.7; 3. Riley Pruitt, 10.2; 4. (tie) Matt Peters and Cooper Andersen, 10.6; 6. Darnell Johnson, 10.9; 7. Matt Gutierrez, 11.5; 8. Creede Guardamondo, 11.7. Barrel racing: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.63 seconds; 2. Alex Odle, 17.89; 3. Shali Lord, 17.93; 4. Mackenzie McCuistion, 17.98; 5. Kiersten Pettus, 17.99; 6. Taryn Boxleitner, 18.28; 7. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.31; 8. Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi, 18.34; 9. Jamie Olsen, 18.35; 10. Rayne Grant, 18.42. Bull riding: 1. Canyon Bass, 86.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Hatari; 2. Colton Byran, 75; no other qualified rides.

NFR champ Lockhart takes the title on final night of Estes Park’s rodeo ESTES PARK, Colo. – Fourth of July may have been six days ago, but there were plenty of fireworks during Thursday’s final performance of the 2025 Rooftop Rodeo. Eighteen-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Lisa Lockhart provided the dramatic climax with a lightning-fast display and a firecracker run of 16.30 seconds to win the barrel racing title, pocketing $6,296 along the way. “This is pretty exciting,” said Lockhart, a three-time NFR average champion from Oelrichs, South Dakota. “I hit a barrel here last year and on the same horse, so I was determined to go around the barrels. That was something I messaged to somebody today: ‘#GoAroundThem.’ ” The Montana-born cowgirl can use those Estes Park earnings. She sits 19th in the world standings and has two and a half months left in the regular season to work her way into the top 15 in order to return to Las Vegas in December. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so only the top earners qualify for ProRodeo’s grand championship. That’s something Lockhart knows well. Since 2007, she hasn’t missed an NFR. She took advantage of her rodeo schedule to give herself a better opportunity by competing in Estes Park. “I think this is my third time, so it works out great going to Colorado Springs and coming from Calgary,” she said. “It’s a great rodeo; I absolutely love it and love being up here on the hill. “It’s been on my itinerary for the last couple of years.” Bareback rider Kade Sonnier made the most of his trip up the mountain, riding Cervi Brothers’ Mood Swingss for 84 points to split the victory with fellow riggin’ rider Clay Stone. Both men pocketed $4,297. Of course, the added perk of Rooftop Rodeo increasing the local investment to $10,000 per event was part of the attraction, along with the beauty of Estes Park. “Anymore during the summer, you try not to enter rodeos that add less than $10,000 (an event),” said Sonnier, a 2023 NFR qualifier who is 12th in the world standings. “The way I see it, I try to win $150,000 in a year, and if you do that, you’re pretty much going to guarantee your spot at the NFR.” The finale, which takes place over 10 December nights in Las Vegas, features the biggest paydays in the game. There are no world championships without the NFR. “The ultimate goal is that gold buckle at the end of the year,” said Sonnier, 25, of Carencro, Louisiana. “I fell short my rookie year and ended up third in the world. Last year, I got hurt and battled a hand injury all year. “I’m finally healthy. I’m finally feeling great. I feel like I’m back on top of my game, smashing the buckers and dressing up the hoppers. That’s all you can really as for and just be ready for them to run more underneath me.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10All-around cowboy: Stetson Wright, $4,726, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Kade Sonnier, on The Cervi Brothers’ Mood Swingss, and Clay Stone, on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe, 84 points, $4,297 each; 3. (tie) Roedy Farrell, Andy Gingerich and Darien Johnson, 80.5, $1,892 each; 6. (tie) Colt Eck and Gavin French, 80, $730 each; 8. Monte The3rd Downare, 78, $486. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Payden McIntyre, 4.2 seconds, $1,807; 2. Colt Honey, 4.6, $1,571; 3. Dirk Tavenner, 4.8, $1,335; 4. (tie) Hadley Jackson, Trisyn Kalawaia and Justin Shaffer, 4.9, $864 each; 7. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2, $275 each. Second round: 1. Grant Peterson, 4.0 seconds, $1,807; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.3, $1,571; 3. Tucker Allen, 4.4, $1,335; 4. Colt Honey, 4.5, $1,100; 5. Nick Guy, 4.8, $864; 6. Jacob Wang, 4.9, $628; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 5.0, $393; 8. Marc Joiner, 5.1, $157. Average: 1. Colt Honey, 9.1 seconds on two head, $2,710; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2, $2,357; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Logan Kenline, 10.4, $1,826 each; 5. Nick Guy, 10.8, $1,296; 6. Logan Wiseman, 10.9, $943; 7. Laramie Warren, 11.8, $589; 8. Tucker Allen, 12.0, $236. Team roping: 1. (tie) Mason Appleton/Rance Doyal, Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison and Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 4.1 seconds, $4,637 each; 4. (tie) Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn and Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 4.2, $3,304 each; 6. (tie) Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.3, $2,609 each; 8. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4, $2,087; 9. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 4.5, $1,739; 10. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6, $1,391; 11. Cody Lane/Dusty Taylor, 4.7, $1,217; 12. Cash Duty/Trae Smith, 4.8, $1,043; 13. (tie) Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, Riley Minor/Brady Minor and Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.9, $522 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl, $4,991; 2. Shea Fournier, 85, $3,827; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5, $2,828; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84, $1,830; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5, $1,165; 6. Ryder Sanford, 82.5, $832; 7. Easton West, 82, $666; 8. Riggin Smith, 81, $499. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds, $4,249; 2. Brooke Ladner, 2.5, $3,399; 3. (tie) Emilee Charlesworth, Taylor Raupe, Madalyn Richards and Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7, $1,965 each; 7. (tie) Coralee Andersen, Sutton Mang and Suzanne Williams, 2.9, $956 each; 10. Taylor Munsell, 3.0, $744; 11. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Samantha Fulton, 3.1, $584 each; 13. (tie) Martha Angelone, Jenna Dallyn, Kaydin Finan, Cara Liggett and Lacey Nail, 3.3, $191 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds, $4,759; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons and Shad Mayfield, 8.3, $3,966 each; 4. (tie) Paden Bray and Riley Pruitt, 8.5, $3,014 each; 6. John Douch, 8.6, $2,538; 7. (tie) Carter Anderson and Sam Lewis, 8.7, $2,062 each; 9. Marcos Costa, 8.9, $1,586; 10. Tyson Durfey, 9.0, $1,269; 11. Roan Hudson, 9.1, $1,110; 12. Kyan Wilhite, 9.2, $952; 13. (tie) Hunter Reaume and Cole Tierney, 9.3, $555 each; 15. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4, $317. Barrel racing: 1. Lisa Lockhart, 16.30 seconds, $6,296; 2. Paige Jones, 16.37, $5,037; 3. (tie) Keyla Costa and Austyn Tobey, 16.42, $3,620 each; 5. McKenna Coronado, 16.43, $2,518; 6. Kylie Wells, 16.48, $1,889; 7. Tana  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – Cody Pratt loves Cattlemen’s Days almost as much as locals. Of course, having continued success in one arena is always important, but there’s more to it. There’s a feeling that encompasses the Fred Field Western Center when the rodeo is in town, and it’s even more sensational now celebrating its 125th year. “They just keep giving back to the rodeo,” said Pratt, 37, of Pueblo, Colorado. “Every year they up the added money. The crowd’s great. They just work hard at it. It’s nice to go to a rodeo where we can see the rodeo progress like it has over the years.” Pratt is progressing, too. He is seventh in the Mountain States Circuit, a series of rodeos and contestants primarily from Colorado and Wyoming. He’s plenty busy this time of year, with several events taking place this week, from Gunnison to Estes Park to Casper to Sheridan. Money won at each of those will count toward his regional standings. There’s a lot that goes into competing at this level. Cowboys will travel hundreds – sometimes thousands – of miles in a day just to make a ride or a run. Pratt did that during Thursday’s opening night of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, wrestling his steer to the ground in 4.2 seconds to take the bulldogging lead. It didn’t come without a little help from his friends, Prime Time and I.B. They’re his horses, and he relies on them. Prime Time is his steer wrestling horse, and I.B. is what he uses as a hazer and for the hazer to use when he makes his run. “The hazing horse was raised by my wife’s grandpa, and we’ve had him awhile,” Pratt said. “I bulldogged on him first, then we switched him over this year, and he’s been great. He’s racehorse bread and has lots of run, probably the most talented horse I have. “The last few years, I hazed on the bulldogging horse. He was really good on the hazing side, but he wanted to get pretty strong. I just finally decided to switch him over, and things worked out. He’s been doing good, he’s been fun and he’s been progressing and getting better all the time.” That’s helpful, especially for a man who has goals of winning the circuit title. He is about $9,000 behind the leader, Nick Guy, but a win in Gunnison would help him make a big move on the field. Pratt will have to wait out the final two performances of Cattlemen’s Days to see where the dollars fall. “This is a good step,” he said. Last year didn’t go like I wanted to. This year’s been a lot better, and it’s good to do good at a big rodeo.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 11-13Bareback riding: 1. Ben Kramer, 82.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat; w. Kelton Maxfield, 79.5; 3. Jacoby Campbell, 79; 4. Briar Dittmer, 79; 5. Tyler Ferguson, 67; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Pratt, 4.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Colt Honey and Marc Joiner, 4.7; 4. Jacob Edler, 4.8; 5. Tait Kvistad, 4.9; 6. Chisum Docheff, 5.4; 7. Tyke Kipp, 5.5; 8. Michael Bates, 5.6. Team roping: 1. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 4.4 seconds; 2. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 4.5; 3. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 4.6; 4. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson and Cole Eiguren/Breck Ward, 5.1; 6. Tyson Charley/Pace Blanchard, 5.3; 7. (tie) Teagan Bentley/Blake Walker and Gabe Williams/Faron Candelaria, 5.5. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.0 seconds; 2. Sierra Spratt, 2.1 3. (tie) Amanda Terrell, Grace Perez and Rheagan Cotton, 2.5; 6. Kassie Kautzman, 2.6; 7. Bailey Bates, 2.8; 8. Libby Winchell, 3.0; 9. Dana Mildenberger, 3.3; 10. Reagan Davis. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Michael Story, on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Deep Water, and Jackson Ford, on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Grab Your Gun, 83; 3. Blake Starrett, 82.5; 4. Rady Hill, 78; 5. Parker Kempfer, 77; 6. Jase Stout, 76.5; 7. Caleb Brangham, 73; no other qualified rides.  Tie-down roping: 1. Lane Webb, 8.9 seconds; 2. Hagen Houck, 9.7; 3. Darnell Johnson, 10.9; 4. Matt Gutierrez, 11.5; 5. Creede Guardamondo, 11.7; 6. Zaine Mikita, 13.3; 7. Ryan Belew, 13.4; 8. Kyle Belew, 15.6. Barrel racing: 1. Mackenzie McCuistion, 17.98 seconds; 2. Kiersten Pettus, 17.99; 3. Taryn Boxleitner, 18.28; 4. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.31; 5. Jamie Olsen, 18.35; 6. Rayne Grant, 18.42; 7. Sami Buum, 18.57; Sommer Creasy, 18.58; 9. Kari Boxleitner, 18.69; 10. C.J. Vondette, 18.74. Bull riding: No qualified rides.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Every cowboy knows he needs a good horse under him in order to find success. Shad Mayfield has one in Lollipop, the 2024 tie-down roping horse of the year. She was the guiding force behind his first all-around world championship last season, one that watched him earn nearly $400,000, $111,062 of which came at the National Finals Rodeo. Mayfield used the 15-year-old bay mare again during Wednesday’s fifth performance of Rooftop Rodeo, stopping the clock in 8.3 seconds to move into a tie for second place in the tie-down roping standings. “My horse was a lot of it,” he said, explaining how the animal helped him secure such a fast time. “That calf was really tricky. He ducked back there to the left, and I knew what I needed to do on the calf. I had to have a game plan and be ready for what that calf was going to do. “But what made it happen was my horse adjusting to the situation.” Sports is about making adjustments, and rodeo is no different. Mayfield knows to trust his teammate, and it’s been paying off in spades. He is second in the world standings with $144,977 and will add more to his earnings when Rooftop Rodeo ends Thursday night. “You’ve got to have good horses, and I’m blessed to have two amazing horses,” said Mayfield, 24, a six-time NFR qualifier and the 2020 tie-down roping world titlist from Clovis, New Mexico. “What’s been a big thing for my success is having those two horses. Without them, I think I’d just be a regular roper. Just having these two horses really steps up my game a lot.” He’s taking advantage of the situation he’s in. He’s suffered with hip injuries for a couple of years but has worked through them, and he took advantage of his schedule to make a stop in Estes Park. He roped Friday-Sunday in Calgary, then worked his way back to the States. He competes Thursday and Friday – and hopefully Saturday if he makes it to the championship – at the national circuit finals rodeo in Colorado Springs. He will return to Calgary for Sunday’s finale. “It worked out for me to come here,” Mayfield said. “I think it’s a really cool rodeo down here in the mountains. This is the first year I’ve really got to make it work, being able to come down for Colorado. With the added money increase here, it helps a lot to be able to put it down on our list.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Clay Stone, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe; 2. (tie) Andy Gingerich, Roedy Farrell and Darien Johnson, 80.5; 5. Colt Eck, 80; 6. Monte Downare, 78; 7. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 8. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Ben Kramer, 74. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Payden McIntyre, 4.2 seconds, $1,807; 2. Colt Honey, 4.6, $1,571; 3. Dirk Tavenner, $1,335; 4. (tie) Hadley Jackson, Justin Shaffer and Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.9, $864 each; 7. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2, $275 each. Second round: 1. Grant Peterson, 4.0 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.3; 3. Tucker Allen, 4.4; 4. Colt Honey, 4.5; 5. Jacob Wang, 4.9; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 5.0; 7. Marc Joiner, 5.1; 8. (tie) Tyke Kipp, Talon Sterkel and Logan Kenline, 5.2. Average: 1. Colt Honey, 9.1 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Logan Kenline, 10.4; 5. Logan Wiseman, 10.9; 6. Laramie Warren, 11.8; 7. Tucker Allen, 12.0; 8. (tie) Marc Joiner and Dirk Tavenner, 12.2. Team roping: 1. Korbin Rice/Kooper Freeman, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Clint Summers/Jade Corkill and Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn, 4.2; 4. (tie) Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 4.3; 6. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4; 7. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 4.5; 8. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 9. Cash Duty/Trae Smith, 4.8; 10. (tie) Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.9. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 6. Eastan West, 82; 7. Riggin Smith, 81; 8. (tie) Clint Reed and Jake Watson, 80. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Brooke Ladner, 2.5; 3. (tie) Kassandra Shoemaker, Madalyn Richards, Taylor Raupe and Emilee Charlesworth, 2.7; 7. (tie) Sutton Mang, Suzanne Williams and Coralee Andersen, 2.9; (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Samantha Fulton, 3.1. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Brodey Clemons, 8.3; 4. (tie) Riley Pruitt and Paden Bray, 8.5; 6. John Douch, 8.6; 7. (tie) Sam Lewis and Carter Andreson, 8.7; 9. Marcos Costa, 8.9; 12. Tyson Durfey, 9.0. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 3. Millie Marquet, 16.53; 4. Dina Allred, 16.63; 5. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 6. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 7. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 8. Gracen Harman, 16.71; 9. (tie) Laura Lambert, Christy Hefley and Abigail Knight, 16.75; 12. Gwyneth Cheyne, 16.80; 113. Julie Plourde, 16.81; 14. Blake Molle, 16.82; 15. (tie) Kaycee Thomas and Morgan Addison, 16.85. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Cade Griego, 87; 3. Kane Taylor, 84; 4. Sage Vance, 82; 5. Cooper Jacobs, 74; no other qualified rides.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Cynthia Hawley is one of four new faces on the Lea County Fair Board, but she’s hardly a stranger to the exposition. “I’m a Lea County native, born and raised,” said Hawley, whose appointment came from Gary Eidson, the Lea County District 3 commissioner, and was made official in February. “I’ve been here my whole life, and the county fair has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, whether it was just going to experience it as a kid or getting into the stock show myself. “Being part of the fair board is something that falls right into the things I’m passionate about. I’ve seen the fair as an exhibitor, a parent, a supporter and, now, I want to contribute as a board member to help ensure it stays strong for the next generation.” The bulk of activities for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo will take place the first full week of August, but there are plenty of activities that begin before that. The local team roping kicks off the competitions July 27, but the nine-day exposition will start in full swing Friday, Aug. 1. It’s the perfect time of year to bring a community together and celebrate its history. “I’m excited to step into this new role and gain a behind-the-scenes perspective,´ said Hawley, who lives in rural Lea County with her husband, Jim, and their sons, Cooper, 17, and Cayson, 14.  “There’s so much that goes into making the Lea County Fair a success, and I look forward to working alongside a dynamic and diverse group of board members to help enhance the experience for our community. There’s a lot that goes into making an event like this take place, so I’m learning a lot.” She and the other newbies have hit the ground running, but that’s what it takes to produce a fair of this magnitude. It’s not just for folks in the southeast corner of New Mexico; the Lea County Fair attracts thousands of visitors from around the region. Hawley has seen it grow and prosper, and now she is one of the decision-makers who helps that process continue. “When I was growing up, the fair was just a highlight for so many people in the community, including myself,” she said. “It was one of the biggest events of the year, something I always look forward to.” A professed “city girl” who was raised in Hobbs, she had always longed to live in the country. She had friends who were more rural, and one thing led to another. When she was 9 and old enough to join 4H, she did. She began showing and by the time she reached high-school age, she was involved in FFA. “I think everything triggered from there,” Hawley said. “I’ve always wanted to be part of the agriculture industry. It didn’t happen overnight, but now we have a small farm where we raise our own beef, pork, and chickens – providing a true farm-to-table lifestyle for our family.” After graduating from Hobbs High School, Hawley attended Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and was part of the livestock judging team. She earned a degree in animal science and returned to Lea County. It wasn’t long before she was working in the oil fields, where she held a post in a midstream gas business for 15 years. She met Jim, another Hobbs High alumnus, and marriage followed. In addition to their small farm between Hobbs and Lovington, they also operate H&R Enterprises. If that weren’t enough, they’re active with their church and the Hobbs FFA alumni group and just about everything else they’re asked to do. When Cooper was old enough to join 4H, the Hawleys were fully engrossed in it with him. Cayson has joined in the mix since then. “Cooper started out doing horses, because that’s something my husband did and that my mother-in-law’s really involved in, so that’s where we started out,” Cynthia Hawley said. “He decided he wanted to show an animal the next year, and he chose pigs. Now, we’re eight years into it, and his younger brother has since started showing pigs. We’ve raised chickens for show as well, but now primarily focus on pigs.” It’s natural, then, that the stock show side of the fair is her favorite aspect of the expo. Of course, she loves the rodeo, concerts, vendors and all other extras that come with a fair ticket, but the stock show will always be her passion. “I love to see the kids out there with their projects,” she said. “I know how hard they work all year. Those kids are amazing, and to see the friendships they have built is also incredible. They may not see each other all year long, but when they get back to the fair, it’s like they never left off. They’re running around, supporting each other. “We may have one group of kids helping everybody with sheep one minute, then the next thing you know they’re all over there working with everybody’s pigs. The comradery that it brings and the hard work that comes out of it is going to take these kids far in life.”  Work ethic is a powerful tool, and Hawley has seen how it builds minds and frames while also contributing to excellence in and out of the show ring. She’s lived it and felt it, but most of all, she has the passion to see it continue.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – It’s one thing for Rooftop Rodeo to include ladies breakaway roping into its schedule; it’s another to place the event on the same plateau as all the others in its inaugural year. That’s why 70 cowgirls entered into the fray to test their talents in Estes Park, and the competition is tough. Of those set to compete, eight have qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping, and five of those are world champions. That just adds to the madness that is rodeoing in the Rocky Mountains. “The weather up here is so beautiful, just like the place,” said Haiden Thompson, who roped her calf in 2.4 seconds during Tuesday’s fourth performance to take the Rooftop Rodeo lead. “More and more rodeos are adding breakaway roping, but not very many rodeos have added equal money. To be able to rope for this much money is pretty exciting.”  Everything’s moving at a rapid pace for Thompson. Not only is she leading the race in Estes Park, but she’s in the top spot in the Resistol Rookie Year standings. Oh, and she happens to be traveling with 2022 world champion Martha Angelone. “Martha has been a huge lifesaver,” said Thompson, 21, the 45th-ranked cowgirl in the world standings from Yoder, Wyoming. “She knows the ins and outs of every rodeo. She knows all the contractors. I actually credit a lot of my success the last couple of weeks to her, just because she’s such a huge help. “It’s nice to have someone with that much knowledge and support behind you.” Angelone’s experience has come in rather handy, whether it’s knowing the right roads to take from one rodeo to another or stopping at the best restaurant along the way. “We totaled it up the other day, and over the last week, we’ve gone almost 7,000 miles,” Thompson said. “It’s been a lot, but it’s super fun, especially going with Martha.” Over the past five years, the discipline has blossomed. The first breakaway finals took place in 2020, and many big-time rodeos have begun to include it into the mix. Like every cowboy and cowgirl that grows up in this sport, battling for rodeo’s gold is the ultimate dream. Thompson has her eyes set on that prize, but she understands the development stages she’ll have to take to make it happen. “This year, I definitely want to win the rookie title,” she said. “I feel like that goal is pretty well within reach, but I’m definitely going to try to make the (breakaway) finals. It would be cool to get out there with Martha. We pretty much rope together all the time, but to compete there together would be pretty cool this year. “We’ll be there eventually. It may not be this year, but it’s always a goal to rope there at the NFR.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Clay Stone, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe; 2. Andy Gingerich, 80.5; 3. Colt Eck, 80; 4. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 5. Taylor Broussard, 74; 6. Jacob Raine, 73.5; 8. Colton Clemens, 73; 8. Jade Taton, 71. Steer wrestling: 1. Hadley Jackson, 4.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2; 4. Nick Guy, 6.0; 5. Tai Kvistad, 7.0; 6. Marc Joiner, 7.1; 7. Seth Peterson, 7.2; 8. Talon Sterkel, 7.5. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 3. Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, 4.9; 4. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.1; 5. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 5.7; 6. Bodie Mattson/Tucker White, 10.1; 7. Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 6. Clint Reed, 80; 7. (tie) Leon Fountain, Stetson Wright, Spencer Wright and Tanner Hayes, 78. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7; 3. (tie) Sutton Mang and Suzanne Williams, 2.9; 5. (tie) Kaydin Finan, Martha Angelone, Lacey Nail and Cara Liggett, 3.3; 9. (tie) Abby Farris and Rickie Fanning, 3.7. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds; 2. John Douch, 8.6; 3. Carter Andreson, 8.7; 4. Roan Hudson, 9.1; 5. Cole Teirney, 9.3; 6. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4; 7. (tie) Bernard Girard, Austin Lawrence and Cash Fuesz, 9.5. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Millie Marquet, 16.53; 3. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 4. Dina Allred, 16.63; 5. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 6. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 7. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 8. Christy Hefley, 16.75; 9. Gwyneth Cheyne, 16.80; 10. Blake Molle, 16.82; 11. Morgan Addison, 16.85; 12. Chloe Gray, 16.91. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Kane Taylor, 84; 3. Sage Vance, 82; 4. Cooper Jacobs, 74; no other qualified rides.