Idaho saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno rides Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cat Walk during the final round of the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. Cat Walk is one of several NFR bucking horses from Summit that have excelled in the arena. Over the last couple of weeks, cowboys have raked in big-time cash with big-time wins on Summit broncs.
(PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)
Wyoming stock contractor has shining stars in Gooding
GOODING, Idaho – Not long ago, J.D. Hamaker owned a construction company and had a ranch near Centennial, Wyoming.
When his boys – Ty, Blaze and Colt – decided they wanted to follow in their father’s footsteps and compete in rodeo, Dad decided to get some horses around the place so the kids could practice. Over time, J.D. Hamaker got more into the business of raising bucking horses.
“My boys grew to the point where they wanted to start rodeoing,” he said. “We started putting a few horses together for them to practice on, and then there were some of their friends around that wanted to get on, so we’d get a few more.
“Pretty quick, we had enough horses to start contracting some high school and junior rodeos they were going to. We bought out an amateur company, then bought out a professional company, and it just escalated.”
These days, he’s one of three co-owners of Summit Pro Rodeo – joining Byron Juma and Daniel Beard – and they have had a big-time run over the last few weeks. Of the winners at the legendary Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, two came on Summit animals.
Those athletes will be part of the competition at the Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers, set for Thursday, Aug. 20-Saturday, Aug. 22, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 19. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena.
“Those Summit horses really showed out at Cheyenne,” said Garrett Shadbolt, a four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Merriman, Nebraska. “J.D. is one of my favorite contractors. He’s an old-school horseman, I think. He takes a lot of pride in the horses he’s raised.
“We’ve had a lot of good conversations, and I think he cares a little bit more about his horses than some guys.”
It shows. Take Cheyenne, where Summit broncs were part of high-scoring rides to the winners. Jayco Roper won the bareback riding title in the tournament-style format with a 93-point ride on CC Blue. A half hour later, Brody Cress shared the saddle bronc riding championship on Heavy Feathers.
A week later, those Wyoming-based animals were performing at a high capacity again, this time at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo in Castle Rock, Colorado. That’s where Nick Pelke won bareback riding with a 92-point ride on Game Trail, besting a couple of 90s, including one by 2022 world champion Jess Pope, who was matched with Red Feathers.
The top-ranked bull rider, Noah Lee, won that championship with a 90-point ride on Megavolt, while there was a three-way tie in saddle bronc riding that also included Cress. He was 87 points on Black Mesa, while fellow bronc buster Gus Gaillard matched that score on Cowboy Fool.
“I’ve been getting on Summit horses from the very beginning,” said Cole Reiner, a five-time NFR qualifier from Buffalo, Wyoming. “They have put together a string of horses like no one else. I would say Summit has one of the deepest, most-consistent set of horses in the PRCA.”
That’s saying something, considering that there are hundreds of animal athletes across the country. The proof, though, might be in what is winning. Game Trail led Nebraska bareback rider Gauge McBride to the title at the Laramie (Wyoming) Jubilee Days a month ago after the two matched up for 92 points, while Waitley Sharon was 89.5 on Kangaroo Lou to win bronc riding.
The Wyoming buckers will be intermingled in Gooding with horses from Alberta-based Macza Pro Rodeo and South Dakota-based Korkow Rodeos. It’s a triple threat of stock contracting talent that makes that town boom the week the rodeo is in town.
“We’re just trying to keep the quality of the rodeo up all the way through,” Hamaker said.
It’s why rodeo’s biggest stars will be in Gooding County this August.
“J.D. has been one of the guys that’s really put together a set of horses the guys really want to get on,” Reiner said. “Every single horse you’re going to see is going to be good. It’s a testament to what they’ve put together in the last 15 years.”