Big concerts headline June rodeo
BIG SPRING, Texas – What do an American Idol and Red Dirt royalty have in common? They’ll be part of this year’s concert series during the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. John Foster – who finished as the runner-up in Season 23 of “American Idol” last spring – will kick off two nights of […]
Devers rides to San Angelo lead
Steer wrestler Cody Devers slides onto his steer during Wednesday’s 5.0-second run to move into the aggregate lead at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. He’s ridden his “green” horse, JoJo, all three rounds and has a nearly two-second advantage. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas – Raising young ones isn’t […]
Trophy belt lasts the test of time
If you look as this cover photo of the June 2008 Western Horseman close enough, you will see that Billy Etbauer’s gold buckle shines. It’s attached to the first Guymon Pioneer Days championship belt he earned in 2002. Even now, 24 years after he won one, the five-time world champion saddle bronc rider still wears one […]
Sparks takes two titles at SWOSU
Hazen Sparks, a sophomore at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, roped and bulldogged his way to two titles this past weekend in Weatherford, Oklahoma. He won the all-around and steer wrestling championships and placed in tie-down roping. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN) ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboy Hazen Sparks has been waiting on […]
Rookie wins Xtreme Bulls title
Rookie Noah Lee rides Stockyards Pro Rodeo’s Shakin Dominos to win Sunday’s San Angelo Xtreme Bulls title. Lee, the 18-year-old son of 2004 PBR world champion Mike Lee, is No. 1 in the Xtreme Bulls standings and in the top 20 of the PRCA world standings. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas […]
Morgan, Bee race toward short go
Shelley Morgan has to wait out the final two preliminary performances next Wednesday and Thursday to see if she will advance to the short round of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. She sits third in the two-run aggregate aboard Bee, a 9-year-old buckskin gelding. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas […]
Powell’s roping prayers answered
Breakaway roper Megan Powell finishes off her 2.0-second run to take the second-round lead during Friday’s sixth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas – John Rae Powell is a bit of a roping legend in Texas. He’s a Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame […]
Thompson grabs San Angelo lead
Cimarron Thompson made a businessman’s run during Thursday’s fifth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo and moved into a tie for the steer wrestling lead. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas – Just before he backed into the timed-event box, Cimarron Thompson slapped hands with his hazer, Nebraskan Tyler […]
Rodeo is ready for new dates
Big things are happening with the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo with changing its dates to the first weekend in June. That will open opportunities for contestants and the community, featured in local barrel racer Liz Herrin’s run during last year’s rodeo. (PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN) BIG SPRING, Texas – The tagline is […]
Women supporting women
Ally Bradley competes in the Women’s Ranch Bronc Riding Championships event recently in Steamboat Springs. Women’s ranch bronc riding will be part of this year’s Cattlemen’s Days celebration. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL MAGILL) Cattlemen’s Days bringing female bronc riding to Gunnison GUNNISON, Colo. – In the rough-and-tumble world of rodeo, there aren’t many competitors […]
Cowboy life is perfect for Casper
Wyatt Casper rides Gossip Girl to win the 2025 Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo title. Casper, the 2024 National Finals Rodeo average champion, spent much of his youth competing at Hitch Arena in Guymon. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN) GUYMON, Okla. – Before he won the intercollegiate saddle bronc riding title or qualified five straight years […]
Smith, Crimber make big moves
Tibba Smith ropes her calf in 2.1 seconds to share the second-round lead at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. She’s also second in the two-run aggregate and has almost clinched her spot in the April 17 championship round. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas – When she’s not working as […]
Tator Tot burns hot for Berry
Leighton Berry rides Korkow Rodeo’s Tator Tot for 92 points Saturday afternoon to take the bareback riding lead at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas – Leighton Berry has plenty of accolades under his belt. He’s a four-time qualifier to the National Finals Rodeo. He’s […]
Harris grabs early San Angelo lead
Tie-down roper Joel Harris dismounts his horse during Friday’s 9.4-second run to take the third-round and aggregate lead at his hometown event, the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY) SAN ANGELO, Texas – Joel Harris is a little biased toward his hometown event, the San Angelo Stock Show and […]
Rodeo is an Estes Park fixture
The first rodeo in Estes Park, Colorado, took place in 1908, ties to the community’s Western heritage. Rooftop Rodeo will celebrate its 98th year this July but not without recognizing its history. In this image, Rooftop Rodeo Queen Suzanne Thompson poses in the arena in 1963. (PHOTO wm_2006.013.316 COURTESY OF ESTES PARK MUSEUM) Rooftop […]
Upgrades continue for rodeo arena
Construction crews have begun the development of Chute Heavens, which is specialized seating above the bucking chutes at RCB Arena inside Stampede Park in Claremore. The seating will be for the biggest supporters of the Will Rogers Stampede. (COURTESY PHOTO) CLAREMORE, Okla. – Construction crews have returned to Stampede Park. For the last several […]
Top stock is part of the Frontier
Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire has been recognized as one of the best bucking horses in rodeo. The mare was named the 2022 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year and helped cowboys to the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo title three years in a row through 2024. Gun Fire is one of many elite animals from Frontier, […]
Nebraskan wins first college title
Northwestern Oklahoma State University junior Sam Daly earned his first intercollegiate title this past weekend, picking up the steer wrestling championship in Garden City, Kansas. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN) ALVA, Okla. – In the Nebraska Sandhills, Sam Daly is one of about 400 people who live in McPherson County. It’s sparse, inhabited mostly with […]
Duvall wins, pads standings lead
Northwestern Oklahoma State University steer wrestler Nathan Duvall went from worst to first during Sunday’s championship round at the Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College rodeo. Duvall, shown in this image from last fall in Stillwater, Oklahoma, was atop the race but was followed by teammates Tydon Tsosie and Emmett Edler. (PHOTO BY EMILY VILLEIUX) […]
Logo is more than a brand
Travis Hamblen carries his family’s legacy with him every day. It’s the foundation for Hamblen Hats, and it’s part of the company’s logo. From loving cowboy hats as a youngster his passion for building and repairing them, his passion continues. (PHOTO BY IN THE WILD WONDER PHOTOGRAPHY) Hamblen Hats’ Flying H stands for hope, […]
Guymon rodeo lands Backflip
Johnny Dudley is an accomplished clown and rodeo entertainer, and he will have his first Oklahoma Panhandle experience during this year’s Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JOSH HOMER GUYMON, Okla. – The sunsets in the Oklahoma Panhandle have something spectacular about them. Whether it’s a combination of the atmosphere, the relative flatness of […]
Claremore rodeo is a honey hole
Riley O’Rourke has found a honey hole with the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Oklahoma. He leads the charge for the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic, the richest steer roping rodeo in Oklahoma, after winning that championship each of the past two years. He is also the 2025 Steer Roping Rookie of the Year and […]
Tsosie makes transfer pay off
Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Tyra Tsosie won the goat-tying championship at the Kansas State University rodeo this past weekend in Manhattan, Kansas. The sophomore transferred to the Rangers rodeo team in the fall semester to join her twin brother, Tydon, who was already at Northwestern. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN) ALVA, Okla. – Tyra and Tydon […]
Rodeo growing in Big Spring
The Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl has been around for 76 years, so organizers of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo have been making upgrades to the arena with bigger plans also being part of the picture. The new dates for the rodeo will be June 4-6, and it’s all part of the intended growth […]