About: Ted

BELLVILLE, Texas – The 2019 ProRodeo regular season was a big learning experience for steer wrestler Jacob Edler. “I was excited to have the year that I had, but I had higher hopes and expectations,” said Edler, who finished the campaign 23rd in the world standings with more than $55,00 in earnings. “This is the best year I’ve ever had and the brokest I’ve ever been. I’ve come to find out you’ve got to be in the top 15 to make any money in this game.” Only the top 15 in the world standings in each event advance to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale. It’s a goal for every cowboy that competes for a living, and Edler fits that bull well. He’s already off to a good start for the 2020 season, which began Oct. 1 – he placed in Hempstead, Texas, last week and sits atop the leaderboard this week at the Austin County Fair and Rodeo after posting a 3.7-second run during Thursday’s opening night, sharing the lead with Cody Harmon, who competing in Wednesday’s slack. “The end of the 2019 season didn’t fair out, so since Oct. 1, I’ve been hungry and ready to get after 2020,” said Edler of State Center, Iowa. He had a little help from his horse, Rattle, owned by fellow steer wrestler Matt Reeves. It takes solid teamwork between horse and rider to make it work, and he was also assisted by Cameron Moorman, who served as the hazer. “I’ve had quite a bit of success on her,” Edler said. “She just fits me like a glove.” That’s important, because the first key to a fast time is to have an equine partner that can get the cowboy to the steer in a hurry and in position. Everything else that happens falls on how well the cowboy handles his business, something the Iowa man has learned. This past year, he gained a great education while traveling the rodeo trail with two-time world champion Hunter Cure. “Hunter’s a winner in everything he does,” Edler said. “I’m glad I got to see him on the road, in the practice pen and even out there working by my side. No matter what we’re doing, we’re going to do it right and try to do it as perfect as we can, and the results show.” Even though he’s been part of ProRodeo for eight seasons, he’s still relatively young in some aspects of the game. Three years ago as a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, he finished second at the College National Finals Rodeo to teammate J.D. Struxness. The two traveled after that, and Struxness made the first of three qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo. “I have climbed mountains since I first started,” Edler said. “I was a kid from Iowa with a mullet halfway down my back. I was shell-shocked when I went to my first PRCA rodeo. The only reason I’ve gotten to where I am today is the people who have taken the time and seen the potential in me and helped me. “That year, I don’t know how we got anybody to the NFR. We might have been more focused on having a good time than bulldogging, but it’s a process that you’ve got to grow up and mature through it. When it’s your time, you’ve just got to be ready for it.” Austin County Fair and Rodeo Oct. 10-12 Bellville, Texas Bareback riding: 1. Cole Reiner, 82.5 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Rawhide; 2. Leighton Berry, 77; 3. Yance Day, 74; 4. Tucker Zingg, 61; Tyler Johnson, 59; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Jacob Edler and Cody Harmon, 3.7 seconds; 3. (tie) Kodie Jang and Jacob Talley, 4.3; 5. Shayde Tree Etherton, 4.4; 6. Dylan Schroeder, 4.9; 7. Maverick Harper, 5.2; 8. Gabe Soileau, 5.3. Team roping: 1. Lightning Aguilera/Brady Norman, 4.1 seconds; 2. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 4.2; 3. Colby Lovell/Corey Hendrick, 4.6; 4. Shane Philipp/John Philipp, 4.7; 5. Caleb Smidt/Logan Moore, 4.8; 6. Joe Hub Baker/Chuck Butler, 5.0; 7. Aaron Macy/Jason Johe, 5.1; 8. (tie) Lane Ivy/Dillon Wingereid and Jess Tierney/Joel Oden, 6.5; 10. Landon McClaugherty/Joel Hurta, 10.5. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jarrod Hammons, 81.5 on United Pro Rodeo’s Sky Fall; 2. Cole Elshere, 80; 3. Chet Johnson, 78; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Zack Jongbloed, 8.1 seconds; 2. Tanner Green, 8.6; 3. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Cade Swor, 8.7 each; 5. Landyn Duncan, 9.2; 6. King Pickett, 9.6; 7. Benny Mosley, 10.1; 8. Reid Zapalac, 10.2. Barrel racing: 1. Lisa Thornton, 15.45 seconds; 2. Taylor Langdon, 15.50; 3. Shelley Morgan, 15.54; 4. Fallon Taylor, 15.55; 5. (tie)Kelly Tovar, Cassidy Champlin and Lori Todd, 15.59; 8. Deb Guelly, 15.65; 9. Amanda Slaughter, 15.66; 10. (tie) Abby Phillips and Shelby Bates, 15.69; 12. Amy Jo Reisdorfer, 15.70. Steer roping: First round: 1. (tie) Clay Smith and Jim Locke, 9.7 seconds, $1,103 each; 3. Tuf Cooper, 10.0, $791; 4. Trevor Brazile, 10.2, $583; 5. Cole Patterson, 10.4, $375; 6. Jess Tierney, 10.7, $208. Second round: 1. Cole Patterson, 9.9 seconds, $1,207; 2. (tie) Jason Stockton and Lawson Plemons, 10.2, $895 each; 4. Tanner Green, 10.8, $583; 5. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Landon McClaugherty, 10.9, $291 each. Average: 1. Cole Patterson, 20.3 seconds on two head, $1,811; 2. (tie) Jim Locke and Trevor Brazile, 21.1, $1,343 each; 4. Jess Tierney, 22.0, $874; 5. Tuf Cooper, 22.9, $562; 6. Scott Snedecor, 24.4, $312. Bull riding: 1. Braden Richardson, 81 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Knot Head; 2. Chris Bechthold, 78.5; 3. Brett Custer, 73; no other qualified rides.

ALVA, Okla. – A change in approach has already begun working for Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboy Zane Thompson. “I’ve done a lot of thinking about it and questioning why I haven’t made the college finals yet, and at the end of the day, I realized that I just needed to be more aggressive,” said Thompson, a senior from Cheyenne, Wyoming. “Not very often do we practice just to catch; we are aggressive in practice. “This year I just decided I’m going to go at them. I’m not going to be silly about it, but if my shot’s there, I’m not going to second-guess myself.” He’s a header, and this past weekend at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Rodeo in Durant, he partnered with heeler Sam Goings of Oklahoma Panhandle State University to win both rounds and the overall team roping title. “It’s a great start to the year,” said Thompson, who transferred this year from Western Oklahoma State College. “I feel like I got the ball rolling. I’ve never had the college season I really wanted, and this is my last shot at it. It felt great to show up, have my horse do good and for me to do my job and come out on top.” The tandem took advantage of a good steer to win the first round, but part of that was the change in mentality when it came to the cowboy’s approach to his game. “I didn’t take the highest percentage shot, but the last three years that I’ve come to these rodeos, I’d always take safety’d up,” he said. “After the first rodeo of the year in Colby (Kansas), I decided I wasn’t going to lay off too much. “That steer had his head up, and my man did a great job to finish it up. In the short round, we drew great again, but I knew I needed to make sure I got out without breaking the barrier.” In college rodeo, contestants earn points for how well the place in rounds and the average, with 60 points going to the winner and 10 points for sixth place. By dominating things in Durant, Thompson earned 180 and now has the lead in the Central Plains Region’s heading standings. “It’s really nice to be ahead of the game this early instead of feeling like you have to battle back the whole time,” he said. He wasn’t the only Northwestern header to find success at Southeastern. He was joined on the leaderboard by Camden Hoelting, who finished third overall while roping with Michael Esquibel of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. Reigning national champion steer wrestler Bridger Anderson finish the rodeo tied for second overall with teammate Brent Woodward, while Braden Sorenson also earned points for the Rangers. Anderson remains the top dog in the region standings. For the women, breakaway roper McKayla Alliston had the highest point earnings by finishing fourth overall, while defending national champ Taylor Munsell added to her total; she is fourth in the region. Megan Corr added points in goat-tying, while Sierra Schott scored in barrel racing. For Thompson, it’s just the next step in what he hopes is a solid year. He spent the first three seasons of college rodeo in Altus, Oklahoma, before transferring to Northwestern. He made the move for one reason: “They win,” he said. “It’s a great program, and Stockton (Graves) is a guy that’s won and has been at the very highest level. I don’t care if it’s football, baseball, basketball or rodeoing, when you’re around a guy that’s successful and can learn from him, that’s what you do. I wanted to get around Stockton and get around some guys that really work at it.” He knows a bit or two about being around greatness. He is the son of Frank Thompson, the 2000 world champion steer wrestler. In addition to team roping, Zane Thompson also ropes calves and wrestles steers, and he’s carrying on a family tradition quite well. “Ever since I was a little kid, I knew that if you wanted to rope calves or team rope, you had to go south (from Wyoming),” Zane Thompson said. “I remember being 12 years old and knowing that when I go to college, I was either going to Oklahoma or Texas. “I’m glad I did.”

BELLVILLE, Texas – Many of the biggest names in rodeo will converge on this southeast Texas community, starting tonight for the Austin County Fair and Rodeo. The showcase begins with slack on Wednesday, featuring hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls making their runs in non-performance competition that all counts toward this year’s championship at Bellville’s rodeo, which will have three shows set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10-Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Austin County Fairgrounds in Bellville. In all, there will be at least 60 contestants that have qualified for either the National Finals Rodeo or the National Finals Steer Roping, the season-ending championships in ProRodeo. Of those, 14 contestants have won world titles that make up more than 50 Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. Of course, the biggest name in the game is Trevor Brazile, who has trimmed his rodeo schedule but still has qualified for the steer roping finale that takes place in late November in Mulvane, Kansas. He will compete solely on Wednesday night and is chasing his 25th gold buckle Also in the mix are cowboys that have won multiple world titles, like seven-time champ Rich Skelton, four-time titlists Tuf Cooper and Scott Snedecor, three-time winner Jade Corkill and two-time world champions Walt Woodard and Caleb Smidt, the latter of whom is competing at his hometown rodeo on Saturday night. Smidt finished the 2019 regular season as the No. 1 cowboy in the tie-down roping world standings and is hoping to close out the campaign by defending his 2018 world championship. The 2020 campaign began Oct. 1, so he not only is keeping his game sharp but is also hoping to get off to a good start to the new season even before the current campaign comes to a close at the NFR in Las Vegas in December. It’s proof that the best in the game make their way to Austin County each October, because they know there is a great opportunity at Bellville’s rodeo.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – There really aren’t many rodeos across the United States that Bradley Harter hasn’t won. He just wrapped up his 17th season in ProRodeo, closing out the campaign last weekend by finishing 12th in the world standings with $99,351. He began the 2020 regular season by sharing the saddle bronc riding victory at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo; he also won the crown in 2016. He rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Life of Riley for 82 points to share the title with brothers Jacobs and Sterling Crawley, who matched that score on Friday night. Each man pocketed $1,403 that counts toward the National Finals Rodeo that will take place in 14 months. “This is a great rodeo; I love coming here,” said Harter, 38, of Loranger, Louisiana. “We’re coming off a dramatic ending to 2019, so this is more of a relaxing environment. You get a good start to the next year, but you keep getting on great horses and go to a great rodeo that pays really well.” Harter and the Crawleys have other business to tend to before focusing on the 2020 campaign too much. Each man has qualified for the 2019 NFR based on their finish through the regular season, which concluded Sept. 30. This marks Harter’s 11th qualification to ProRodeo’s grand finale, which features only the top 15 in each event in a rugged test of talent and guts over 10 nights in December. “For me, I like getting on three to four (horses) a week, so I like to keep my subconscious sharp and my body loose,” he said. “I say trust your stuff, so I get on good horses, and I can trust my ride instead of going into the NFR cold. “The Crawleys are tough to beat; they’re great bronc riders. That’s another great thing about this rodeo; you’re still competing against great guys on great stock. There was a line of cars to get in, so you know it’s a great rodeo.” Though he’s nine years younger than Harter, Cory Solomon from nearby Prairie View, Texas, is every bit as veteran. He was raised in Waller County, and he has made hundreds of runs inside the rodeo arena at the Waller County Fairgrounds. This is his hometown rodeo, and on the final night of this year’s event, he roped and tied his calf in 8.8 seconds to finish in a tie for fifth place, with $910. “This rodeo is very important to me,” said Solomon, 29, a six-time NFR qualifier. “You’ve got people that don’t understand rodeo that you with to high school with, and they come out to watch. One of my biggest sponsors is Sim-Tex, and they come out to watch. It’s one of those rodeos that your family and friends come out to watch. It’s almost the hardest rodeo to win, because you want to do good.” That’s the inner-pressure that comes from wanting to be at one’s best in front of hundreds of people excited to see a local cowboy do well. “Everybody’s so supportive, so I try to my best every time I come to town.” Actually, Solomon has spent a considerable amount of 2019 in Waller County. He suffered an injury to his hand at the 2018 NFR, which kept him sidelined until March. Things didn’t get much better as the season went on. “I’m at about 80 percent,” he said. “I missed a lot of good rodeos. I started back up trying to make up early this summer, and I was doing OK and hurt my knee. Everything happens for a reason.” Though disappointed he wasn’t competing, he focused on what he could do. In the process of rest and rehabilitation, Solomon found something that might help him make a big change in the 2020 season. “I was pretty blessed to find another really good horse out of Brazil, that I’ll get in about a week,” Solomon said. “I’m pretty close to being heeled up with possibly the best horsepower I’ve ever had, so 2020 is the most excited I’ve been in my life. “I feel like I spent more time at home this year than ever. I’ve never had roping taken away from me. I’ve not won, but I can always figure out a way to get back to winning. When you absolutely cannot rope, it’s another battle that I’ve had to fight this year. Hopefully it makes me stronger than I am right now.” Waller County Fair and Rodeo Oct. 3-5 Hempstead, Texas All-around cowboy: Clay Smith, $4,388 in steer roping and team roping. Bareback riding: 1. Yance Day, 85 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s YoYo, $1,884; 2. (tie) Win Ratliff and Zach Hibler, 84, $1,256 each; 4. Paden Hurst, 691; 5. (tie) Craig Wisehart and Cole Reiner, 82, $377 each; 7. (tie) Waylon Guy Bourgeois and Anthony Thomas, 79, $220 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Doescher, 4.0 seconds, $2,356; 2. Dylan Schroeder, 4.2, $2,049; 3. (tie) Payden McIntyre and Jacob Edler, 4.5, $1,583 each; 5. (tie) Kalane Anders and Ben Goodman Jr., 4.6, $873; 7. (tie) Heath Thomas, Levi Rudd and Chase Crane, 4.7, $239 each. Team roping: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Jake Long, 3.8 seconds, $3,264; 2. Lane Ivy/Dillon Wingereid, 4.4, $2,920; 3. Garett Chick/Walt Woodard, 4.5, $2,577; 4. (tie) Mason Boettcher/Ty Arnold and Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 4.6, $2,061 each; 6. (tie) Reno Cash Stoebner/Colton Brittain and Cody Snow/Travis Graves, 4.7, $1,374 each; 7. (tie) Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, Andrew Livingston/Seth Smithson and Tate Kirchenschlager/Ross Ashford, 5.0, $515 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Mike and Ike, Sterling Crawley, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Brown Eyed Girl, and Bradley Harter, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Life of Riley, $1,403, 82 points; 4. Wyatt Casper, 78, $674; 5. Jarrod Hammons, 76, $429; 6. (tie) Logan Hay, Dean Wadsworth and Roper Kiesner, 75, $245 each. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Marcos Costa, 8.4 seconds, $2,616; 2. (tie) Clint Singleton, 8.5, $2,275; 3. Blane Cox, 8.6,  Continue Reading »

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – After two and a half years away from the game he loves, Yance Day has returned with a vengeance. He showed it Friday night, when the Oklahoma cowboy took the bareback riding lead at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo with an 85-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s YoYo. In doing so, he made an emphatic statement that he is back to chase his dreams. “I want that gold buckle,” said Day, 29, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. “That’s what I see in my head, and I’m going to do what it takes.” The proof comes in the way he’s conducted himself since his return. It’s paying off when he arrives at the arena. He liked the little he knew about YoYo, a horse that has bucked at the National Finals Rodeo. “All I knew is just what I’d seen on the stock stats, and I saw a lot of 21s and 22s (based on scores of up to 25 for each judge),” he said. “I was pretty excited to see those numbers, and I was more than happy to make the trip down here. “I went over to Leesville (Louisiana) and was 82 and winning it when I left, and I’m winning it when I leave here, so I’m pretty tickled.” Day left rodeo to help out his family back home, but after time away, he realized he needed to return to the sport. He received assistance from a couple of former bareback riders, Brody Cooper and D.V. Fennell, the latter of whom is a two-time NFR qualifier. “Brody took me under his wing, and I just started working out like crazy,” Day said. “He pushed me, irritated me on some days, but for the most part he helped me out a bunch. “With D.V., it started out when Brody took me under his wing. I started driving a truck for him, and we’d talk about things.” After retiring from rodeo, Fennell started Mane Line Transportation, a trucking company based in Oklahoma. While he made ends meet behind the wheel, Day gathered lessons while crossing the country and having conversations with his boss. “We’d talk about what I was doing, and I’d be driving past Colorado Springs, and he’s say, ‘Champ there; my name’s on the wall.’ That helped me more than anything. Him telling me stuff that he’d won kept it in my mind. I want to be able to say that.” If he finishes the 2020 regular season the way he’s started it this week, he might say that quite often over the next 12 months. Waller County Fair and Rodeo Oct. 3-5 Hempstead, Texas Bareback riding: 1. Yance Day, 85 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s YoYo; 2. (tie) Craig Wisehart and Cole Reiner, 82; 4. (tie) Waylon Guy Bourgeois and Anthony Thomas, 79; 6. Leighton Berry, 78; 7. Tim Murphy, 77; 8. Tyler Berghus, 76.5. Steer wrestling: 1.  Dylan Schroeder, 4.2 seconds; 2. Jacob Edler, 4.5; 3. Ben Goodman Jr., 4.6; 4. (tie) Heath Thomas, Levi Rudd and Chase Crane, 4.7; 7. Garrett Oates, 4.8; 8. A.D. Davis II, 4.9. Team roping: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Jake Long, 3.8 seconds; 2. Lane Ivy/Dillon wingereid, 4.4; 3. Garett Chick/Walt Woodard, 4.5; 4. Mason Boettcher/Ty Arnold, 4.6; 5. (tie) Reno Cash Stoebner/Colton Brittain and Cody Snow/Travis Graves, 4.7; 7. (tie) Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, Andrew Livingston/Seth Smithson and Tate Kirchenschlager/Ross Ashford, 5.0; 10. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 5.2. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Mike and Ike, and Sterling Crawley, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Brown Eyed Girl, 82 points; 3. (tie) Logan Hay, Dean Wadsworth and Roper Kiesner, 75; 6. Riggin Smith, 73; 7. Toby Collins 70; 8. Ben Andersen, 61. Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Marcos Costa, 8.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Clint Singleton, 8.5; 3. Blane Cos, 8.6; 4. Sy Felton, 8.7; 5. (tie) Tanner Green and Tyler Prcin, 8.8; 7. (tie) Charlie Gibson and Hudson Wallace, 8.9. Barrel racing leaders: Kelly Bruner, 15.27 seconds; 2. (tie) Amanda Cupp and Lauren Davang, 15.54; 4. Stephanie Fryar, 15.60; 5. Jimmie Smith, 15.63; 6. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.64; 7. (tie) Ashley Castleberry and Abby Phillips, 15.65; 9. (tie) Taryn Boxleitner and Jessi Fish, 15.66; 11. (tie) Abby Pursifull and Kelsey Knight, 15.68. Bull riding: 1. Creek Young 82 points on Lancaster & Jones’ Mr. Jones; 2. Laramie Mosley, 81; 3. Jacob O’Mara, 80; no other qualified rides.