About: Ted

ALVA, Okla. – Truth be told, Jacob Haren wasn’t satisfied with his performance this past weekend at the Colby (Kansas) Community College rodeo. Sure, he won the all-around title and led the way for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team by earning points in two events, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. He advanced to the championship round in both, but he failed to take advantage when the best of the week were matched together. “It’s definitely a good start, but it could have gone a little better,” said Haren, a senior from Callaway, Nebraska. “It’s always the goal to get points in multiple events, but I wanted to capitalize in the short round more.” He’ll have nine more chances to do that through the rigors of the Central Plains Region season; three of those happen during the fall semester. It’s a long season, but the Colorado-raised cowboy looks at it as more opportunities. The goal of all competitors in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association is an eventual qualification to the College National Finals Rodeo and a shot at the national title. “I think it’s pretty important to start off strong,” said Haren, who placed third in the opening round of steer wrestling and finished in a tie for fifth in the first round of tie-down roping. “You  can then go into the next rodeo and keep that going through the rest of them this fall.” It’s not just bulldogging and calf roping that keep Haren busy. He’s also a team roper, so he gives himself – and the Northwestern men’s team – a chance at earning points in three events. That is valuable not only in the all-around race but also as the team takes step toward its future. While individual accolades are significant, the ultimate prize is pulling through as a team. “Practices have been going good,” he said. “We have a bunch of really good guys this year, and we’re all working together to get better.” It showed. There were several Rangers in the championship round, including team roping header Tanner Meier of Garden City, Kansas; steer wrestler Quade Potter of Stockville, Nebraska; and barrel racers Taralee Haddock of Elbert, Colorado, and Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon. All made the short round but failed to secure points. In following with the tradition that ignited the moniker the “Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo,” the steer wrestlers shined during the competition in northwest Kansas: Trisyn Kalawaia of Waiakea, Hawaii, won the title in Colby, placing in both go-rounds and securing the aggregate title by more than two seconds; Cameron Fox of Tulsa also placed among the top six in both rounds and finished fifth overall; and Sterling Lee of Goetebo, Oklahoma, won the first round with a 4.5-second run. Barrel racer Sierra Schott of McLaughlin, South Dakota, led the way for the Rangers women by winning the first go-round, placing in the short round and finishing third overall. Breakaway roper Lauren Hopkins of Lincoln, California, was solid in her two runs to place third overall. Laci Geiger of Emmett, Idaho, finished in a tie for second in the opening round, while Jaci Traul of Fort Scott, Kansas, placed in a tie for sixth place in the first go; neither cowgirl had success in the short round. After the opening weekend of college rodeo, Haren sees a lot of positives the team can build on as it prepares for the next event, which takes place the final three days of September in Durant, Oklahoma. “I think the bulldoggers are always going to be strong, and have other guys in other events who look strong, too,” said Haren, who transferred from Mid-Plains (Nebraska) Community College a year ago. “I know the girls that made the short round were good in Colby, so you hope that keeps up.” Of course, having an individual who can score points in multiple events helps, and Haren hopes to build on his start to the final campaign in college rodeo. “I always grew up doing every event I was able to do,” he said. “I especially love the roping events, but a friend has a good bulldogging horse and lets me ride him. Going to school with (coach) Stockton Graves, you pretty much feel like you need to bulldog, too.” Graves, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who just missed making the finale this season, has been coach of his alma mater since the spring 2012 season. While he’s best known as a steer wrestler, he has also been an all-around champion at a high level. Since he became coach, three Rangers have won national titles: breakaway roper Taylor Munsell and bulldoggers J.D. Struxness and Bridger Anderson. It’s that type of legacy that pushed Haren from southwest Nebraska to Alva. “I wanted to be in a different region, one that was a little more competitive,” he said. “I liked the fact that it isn’t super far from home. This gives me a good chance to get better.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – From the opening night of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, the folks in southeast Texas will have a big chance to enjoy some top-rated live music. The Hempstead exposition will have four nights of concerts, starting with the opening showcase on Saturday, Sept. 30. The evening will feature a freestyle bullfight, then Kylie Frey and Ian Munsick will take the stage to keep the ball rolling for top-quality entertainment. “I’m so pumped up about that first Saturday and that bullfight,” said Michelle Husky, co-chairwoman of the entertainment committee for the Waller County Fair Association. “Kylie has been on America’s Got Talent. She’s done an amazing job, and we’re excited to have her sing the national anthem to open our newly covered arena and the bullfight that night. “We’d heard about Ian, and we saw him in Vegas. We’re pretty excited to see what he brings to stage, see what kind of a crowd he brings. He’s a different kind of country, and people seem to like him and really seem to like the music he plays.” From opening night to closing ceremonies, there will be a great deal of action and a lot of entertainment for fairgoers. It’s a tradition in Waller County, and there’s no reason to stop now. The concert series might just be highlighted by the final showcase on Saturday, Oct. 7, with Texas-based country artist Aaron Watson. “Opening for him that night is a young girl that is no relation, Kate Watson,” Husky said. “We met Kate back in January, and one of our sponsors was with us and wanted us to book her for the fair. We’re excited to have her open for Aaron. “There’s nothing to say about Aaron Watson that people don’t already know. His name sells the tickets, and we know he’s going to put on a great show.” In between, the concert series will kick back up Thursday, Oct. 5, beginning three straight nights of the artists following the PRCA rodeo. The Brown Sugar Band will showcase it’s versatile talents, from powerful country to classic rock to some traditional soul. The group will set the stage for Coffey Anderson, who has built an acclaimed country career defined by his work ethic, sense of humility and country roots. “We had time to visit with Coffey in January when we booked him,” Husky said. “He had a really good show, and he brings a lot to the table. He’s also going to be singing the national anthem to kick off our PRCA rodeo.” Young artist Kendall Shaffer is carrying the torch for a new generation, but she’s a student of greats like Keith Whitley and George Jones. She will open the Friday, Oct. 6, concert series for a Waller County favorite, Glen Templeton, who has not only played at the fair and rodeo before, but he also has been a staple at events across southern Texas for years. “We don’t normally bring artists back to back, but he puts on such a great show,” Husky said of Templeton. “He’s been hitting up the stages all around the region. He’s ready to come back and rock the Waller County Fair on a Friday night.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – His face may be hidden by greasepaint, but Rob Gann’s smile is authentic. “The best part of my job is getting to entertain and make everybody’s day better and maybe help them to forget what’s troubling them,” said Gann, a rodeo clown who will be working this year’s Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan “I want to make them laugh and put a smile on their faces.” It will be his first time at the regional finale, which has taken place in Duncan every October since 2012. It will be a way for him to showcase the talents that have helped him be recognized across the country. Over his career as bullfighter and clown, he has been selected to work the International Finals Rodeo eight times. “I got to fight bulls there six times,” said Gann of Lonoke, Arkansas. “When I moved to clowning, I’ve done it the last two years. It’s a big deal for me, the next step in my career gave me the hope and confidence that I could do this for a living.” Now, he will have the opportunity to show his stuff on the biggest stages of the sport. By working a ProRodeo championship event, Gann has the chance to build on his resume and take another step in making a name for himself. “This is awesome,” he said. “As of right now, it’s a milestone and absolutely the pinnacle of my career. I finally get to do a finals that’s got a PRCA logo attached to it. It means a lot to me, and this is definitely a proud moment for me, one I won’t forget.” It’s a chance to work with the best in the business and be part of an event that showcases the stars from the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. Not only that, but Gann will also work with other ProRodeo honorees that have been recognized nationally for being on an elite status in their craft. From NFR qualifiers to award-winning personnel, the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo will be the three-day home to incredible talent. If iron sharpens iron, it’s a chance to make everything shine inside the Duncan coliseum. “Announcer Greg Simas has been a huge advocate and motivator, and he’s really helped me with my career,” Gann said. “To get to work my first circuit finals with Greg means a lot to me.” Simas will be working Duncan’s fall rodeo for the eighth straight year and will bring a world-class talent to the show. Whether it’s working together through the action-packed performance or doing a clown act together, Simas and Gann must show why teamwork matters during a rodeo production. “I carry at any time three to four acts in my trailer, but I like the walk and talk that happens during the performance,” Gann said. “I’ve rodeoed my whole life, and I’ve done pretty much every aspect. I like to fill in the spots when they need filled. The walk and talk is unpredictable, and I like to take whatever the moment allows me. There’s nothing better than when a fan gives you something you can go with, and everybody just enjoys that moment.” Having that talent comes through experience, one that has carried Gann from youth competitor to professional rodeo cowboy to bullfighter to clown. He is the third generation of his family in the rodeo business and competed in all events as a youngster, earning a rodeo scholarship to Arkansas State University-Jonesboro. “I think my knowledge of rodeo and my timing allows me to see when a breakdown happen, maybe seeing where the announcer needs a minute to catch his breath,” Gann said. “I want him to know that I will take care of him. “The biggest thing is to keep the energy up, because I truly believe the energy dictates the competition.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – In sports, there is always a battle to be victorious. In rodeo, the levels of success vary from one day to another. Winning doesn’t always define greatness; sometimes getting close is valuable in more than horseshoes and hand-grenades. A series of second-place finishes can be more instrumental to a player’s season than a single win over that same stretch. Why? Because money equals points in rodeo. The top 15 contestants on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo, where the world champions will be crowned. Those 10 December nights in Las Vegas are where every rodeo cowboy and cowgirl dreams to be. In the region made up of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, the very best will get a jump start on their bids to win this year’s Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. Before they ride in the Nevada desert, the region’s elite will battle for titles closer to home at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. While there, they will compete for Prairie Circuit titles, and the year-end and finals-aggregate champions will advance on to the national circuit finals, now dubbed the NFR Open and set to take place next July in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Make no mistake, though; this isn’t just a hometown event. The circuit finale is a chance to see many of the greatest players in professional rodeo while also getting a glimpse of the sport’s future. “We like to tell folks that they’re going to see world champions or eventual world champions when they come to our rodeo,” said Joe Henderson, chairman of the committee that produces the circuit finale in Duncan every fall. “When you look at the history of the Prairie Circuit, you can see a great line of world champions who are from this part of the country. “If we look at Oklahoma alone, this is where the Etbauer brothers lived during most of their careers. This is home to Sage Kimzey and Terry Don West. Oklahoma is home to the Duvalls and Ote Berry. We have hall-of-famers from here, and that doesn’t include the champions from Kansas and Nebraska like Jeffrey Collins and Dean Gorsuch. We have a great legacy of rodeo.” That history will repeat itself during this year’s spectacular, held over three nights in southern Oklahoma. There are men and women fighting for circuit titles while also in the mix to compete at the NFR in a couple months. That includes Jayco Roper, the 11th-ranked bareback rider in the world standings and a regular fixture at the Stephens County Arena each October; Cody Devers, who is 11th in the bulldogging race; team ropers Andrew Ward, Jake Clay, Coleman Proctor, Buddy Hawkins and Logan Medlin; barrel racers Emily Beisel, Wenda Johnson and Paige Jones; breakaway ropers Taylor Munsell and Cheyanne Guillory; and bull riders Creek Young and Trey Kimzey. Steer roping features a handful of top hands, including the No. 1 man in the standings, Cole Patterson, and his world-champion father, Rocky; Billy Good and Mike Chase. There are also a handful of others who still have a chance to qualify for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, set for Nov. 17-18 in Mulvane, Kansas. “Those are just the contestants who are in the top 15 as of early September; there are plenty of others who have either been to the NFR or may be able to jump into the top 15 by the time the regular season comes to an end the end of this month,” Henderson said. “Stockton Graves has won our circuit and our circuit finals, and he has a great chance to go back to the NFR. “That’s the kind of stuff that makes rodeo fun, and it’s why we’re excited to have that kind of competition right here in Stephens County.”

Waller County Fair Board has created a state-of-the-art facility HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The concrete forms were poured months ago, and giant metal rafters were put into place to offer the rigidity needed for the newly covered arena at the Waller County Fairgrounds. They’re not the only support system for the new construction; the Waller County Fair Board has received a great deal of reinforcement for this endeavor, from members of the community to financial backing from major contributors. “This building is a $2.3 million project, and almost $2 million is from private donors thus far,” said Dustin Standley, a longtime fair board member, former president and a key organizer for the annual exposition. “I think by the time we’re done, we’re going to fund this thing completely, and I’m sure we will have an arena with very little cost to the fair board in turn for something this community can use year-round. “We have amazing elite sponsors that bought 21 executive boxes to help with fundraising, and we have several partners in building that have donated anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. We’ve put money in certain spots where it’s going to provide us the best benefit for our needs.” The covered arena will be first put into use during this year’s Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for Saturday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 7, at the fairgrounds in Hempstead. The idea for creating such a cathedral was instigated more than a decade ago by forward-thinking members of the board who envisioned a complex that could house events, sustain growth and create board revenue 52 weeks a year. It will not only be the featured home of the PRCA rodeo, which begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5-Saturday, Oct. 7, but it will be available for a variety of equine competitions, roping’s, bull ridings and other rodeo-related activities. Just as it has done with virtually every other project on the fairgrounds in recent years, the fair board is creating a top-of-the-line complex. During the design phase of the project, special efforts were put in place for future expansion of livestock shows and all yearly fair events with our growing community. “We are going to have a state-of-the-art arena,” said Paul Shollar, vice president of the Waller County Fair Board. “The lighting can be used in a variety of ways, and we can utilize spotlights as we need, undergrounds sprinkles and more than 30 holding pens, etc. A lot of stuff we put into it is going to be cutting-edge. We don’t want to just be a covered arena. The list just keeps going. All the stuff we’re doing is to try to make it better and more efficient for our renters.” The objective when the project originated is the same as it is now that it’s about to be opened. There are an additional 750 bleacher seats, 10 additional box seats for any business or family, and the executive suites, which will grow to 25 or 26 once all the work is complete. In addition, the arena will feature Americans with Disability Act ramps (with appropriate rails) in place and ADA seating for a dozen people in such need. Because the arena is covered and not enclosed, air will be able to flow through the complex and will be aided in distribution by six Big Ass Fans anchored at roof level. “The ceiling is elevated and is super tall, so the wind restriction is very minimal,” said Standley, who emphasized the complex is being created to not only increase opportunities for its use at the fairgrounds but for users at all levels to find comfort. “We want it to be a comfortable experience for the fans, for the contestants, for the livestock and for everybody that is there working on the event, whether it’s during our fair and rodeo or during another event throughout the year. “For years, we’ve taken a lot of pride in our hospitality, and another feature we’ve added is a Cowboy & Cowgirl Facility, which was donated to us by one of our corporate sponsors, CRC – Barns, Arenas & Hangars. That facility has air conditioning, a built-in bar and lights. It’s going to allow a lot more flexibility to do a lot more events in there, make it homier for the contestants and their families during our fair.” Everything was taken into consideration during the rebuilding phase of the arena. Sightlines from every seat should be spectacular, and a two-story press box has been put in place; one level is for announcers and others involved in event production, while there is also a media room to allow for coverage of events, while also serving as dressing room and concession during other events throughout the year. On the competition floor, the fair board has worked with Texas manufacturer Priefert to outfit the arena with new bucking chutes and timed-event boxes and chutes. “Priefert has been a great partner with us, and we decided that we wanted to bring in the new chutes to make sure we had the best products necessary for an arena of this stature,” Shollar said. “We also wanted to make the arena continue to look brand new when we open the doors.” The covered arena will offer a new look – and a new production value – to events at the Waller County Fairgrounds for years to come, and the first glimpse of it all will happen very soon. “We want everyone who comes to enjoy this facility and enjoy what we’ll be able to do with it,” Standley said. “We wanted this to be the best covered arena in southeast Texas, and I think we’re going to have it.”