Australian Tom Webster rides Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Saya’s Eyes during the 2025 Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. The Carr firm has been the stock contractor in Big Spring for two decades.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

BIG SPRING, Texas – Folks in this West Texas community understand that change can be a good thing.

There are a lot of adjustments this year, from the increased local influx of dollars to the purse to the biggest move of all, the changing of dates. Traditionally, the rodeo has taken place the third weekend of June, around the first days of summer. This year, though, begins a new standard for the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4-Saturday, June 6, at the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl.

It’s similar to a move made by the volunteer committee two decades ago, when Pete Carr Pro Rodeo became the producer and stock contractor. Since then, the Texas-based livestock firm has been recognized as one of the premier companies in ProRodeo.

“We were his first rodeo a long time ago,” said Dane Driver, a longtime board member. “He’s professional in what he does and how he treats us, and the quality of his stock is always amazing. He’s willing to keep reinvesting in his livestock, and it shows in a lot of ways. For us, we know we can trust him to put on a great rodeo, and his animals help attract the cowboys to town.”

Over the last decade, no other PRCA stock contractor has had more animals selected to the National Finals Rodeo. This past December, 21 Carr animals bucked in Las Vegas, a couple were part of round wins.

Another bucker, Larry Culpepper, returned to the NFR after a stellar year in which he was selected as the reserve world champion saddle bronc horse in a vote of the cowboys that ride them.

“He’s just everything you want to feel on a bucking horse,” said Zeke Thurston, a four-time world champion from Big Valley, Alberta. “He’s a big boy; he weighs a lot, and he’s athletic. That’s a large animal to be able to do what he does, and when he does it, he does it really good. It’s pretty impressive.”

The firm has had a lot of incredible animals since the company’s inception, which is why Carr has been inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. It’s that type of herd that will buck inside the storied Rodeo Bowl. In addition to a top-level breeding program, the Carr team works hard to make each performance as entertaining as possible for fans while also keeping the competition elite.

“Pete and his crew not only produce our rodeo and do a dang good job, but Pete is instrumental in our success,” said Cash Berry, the fourth generation of his family to be part of the rodeo. “The best part of our rodeo is the people, the contract acts, Pete Carr and his people. Those guys are professionals, and they do their best to make our rodeo a world-class event.

“I’ve made lifelong friends because of the people we bring in to help us with our rodeo. It’s nice to see them come back every year.”