About: Ted

Waller County Fair and Rodeo offers incentives for rodeo contestants HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The one thing contestants have come to learn about the Waller County Fair and Rodeo is that there are plenty of incentives to compete. “This is a really good rodeo with good money,” said Lane Ivy, a National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Dublin, Texas, who won the rodeo’s team roping title two years ago with heeler Buddy Hawkins. Money isn’t the only fixture in Hempstead drawing contestants, but it’s a big part of it. The Waller County Fair Association features $5,000 in a local purse for each event, which is then added in with the entry fees to make up the total purse. This provides a great opportunity to make good money to kick off the new season. ProRodeo’s 2019 regular season will end Sept. 30, and Hempstead will be home to the first rodeo of the 2020 season when it takes place Oct. 3-5. Local organizers will provide winners in each event a Ruger 270 deer rifle, while the all-around champ will win a 4-12x50mm Fire Dot Leupold Scope. “We’ve got some really great sponsors who want to be part of our fair and rodeo, so we’re able to come up with some great prizes that the cowboys might not see at other rodeos,” said Clint Sciba, co-chairman of the rodeo committee. “We want as many contestants as possible to come make a run at our money and our prizes, because this adds to the show we put on for our community. “We have also joined the CINCH Rodeo Series, which will donate $250 per event on behalf of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo to the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo.” A key ingredient is the rodeo’s relationship with its livestock producer, Dallas-based Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, which has been nominated for the PRCA’s Stock Contractor of the Year each of the past six years. The Carr firm has had as many as 27 animals selected to the NFR and continues to take several animals to ProRodeo’s grand finale every year. In fact, several of the animals will perform in Hempstead in October before they venture off to the NFR in Las Vegas. It’s a good opportunity for regular NFR qualifiers to test their talents on great bucking animals before showcasing their abilities for the biggest prize money in the game in December. “This is a great rodeo; I love Waller County,” said Jacobs Crawley, the 2015 world champion saddle bronc rider from Boerne, Texas. “It’s got a good turn-out, and they’re trying to make it a better event every year. I’m just a fan. “If the environment’s right, it makes you want it that much more, and that environment is right here. You have a great dance, a great hospitality, and Pete Carr brings great bucking horses.” The hospitality includes a VIP Contestant Tent, which offers a bit of an escape from the elements while cowboys, cowgirls, and their families relax with a nice meal before, during or after the rodeo. Organizers have set up hot meals to provide the comforts of home. For contestants who travel the rodeo circuit full time, efforts like these are always appreciated. “We want to do more for the contestants each year, because each of them is a vital part to what happens during our fair and rodeo,” Sciba said. “This rodeo is an important part of our fair every year, and we want to show everyone why.”

North Carolinian earns second BFO Speedway Series title BRISTOL, Tenn. – Simply put, Kris Furr was ready to get back to work. His job? Juking and jumping over Spanish fighting bulls. After suffering a groin injury last month in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Furr proved why he remains one of the best in the business by winning the Bullfighters Only Speedway Series stop at the Bristol Motor Speedway. He put on two high-marked bouts – an 89 to share the first-round victory and a 92.5 in the Hooey Championship Round – to win the crown. “I’m just trying to get back up in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings,” said Furr, the sixth-ranked man in the BFO from Hamptonville, North Carolina. “I’ve been sitting out, and it’s time to get back to it.” He did that well on a very humid morning in northeastern Tennessee and secured another Speedway Series event title. “Other than it being very hot, it was great, and Chad (Ellison) always brings some really good bulls to those events,” he said. “After my first bullfight, it was one of those where I wasn’t sure if I did enough to be enough points. Usually when I think like that, I’m a lot of points. “Come the short-round time, it was so damn hot, and I was ready to get it done, drink some water and take my stuff off.” Furr tied with Nebraskan Beau Schueth and Canadian Aaron Mercer with 89-point fights in the opening round. They advanced to the Hooey Championship Round along with three-time world champion and world-standings leader Weston Rutkowski, who posted an 86 to advance. All four finals competitors are firmly inside the top 10 in the standings, and it added up to a spectacular display of athleticism. Besides Furr’s 92.5, Schueth finished second overall with a 90-point bout in the final round, followed by Rutkowski’s 88 and Mercer’s 87.5. “The crowd was rowdy at this one,” Furr said. “I think the time of the bullfights are what’s best for me because they’re in the mornings. I like it being early so you’re not thinking about it all day.” While there was plenty to celebrate, a scary situation arose after the first round. Colt Oder of Moorpark, California, was flipped up into the air and landed awkwardly on his head. He regained consciousness and finished his fight, but medical staff quickly realized that something wasn’t right. Oder was airlifted to a hospital in Bristol and treated for head trauma. He has since been released. “With a little more prayer and a little more time, we should make a full recovery,” Oder said on a social media video. Bristol Motor Speedway Aug. 17, 2019 First round: 1. (tie) Beau Schueth, Kris Furr and Aaron Mercer, 89 points; 4. Weston Rutkowski, 86. Hooey Championship Round: 1. Kris Furr, 92.5 points; 2. Beau Schueth, 90; 3. Weston Rutkowski, 88; 4. Aaron Mercer, 87.5.

BELLVILLE, Texas – Dale McCracken has multiple personalities, but it’s not a disorder. It’s quite the opposite, really. Like a superhero donning his cape, McCracken covers his face with greasepaint and enters the world of his alter-ego, Gizmo, the funnyman/barrelman who has entertained rodeo crowds for much of his life. It’s as if Dale drives and Gizmo does all the work, but it works well for McCracken. “The guy that wears the makeup gets paid better, that’s for sure,” said McCracken, who will be one of the featured acts at the Austin County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10-Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Austin County Fairgrounds in Bellville. “The name came along several years ago. I worked on a music show in Branson (Missouri) for about eight years, and there you’ve got to have a stage name. “So, with all the gizmos and gadgets I had, they came up with the name, ‘Gizmo, the Ozarks Greatest Inventor.’ So, instead of selling a particular act, I sell a character.” That character carries on several personas, but they’re all comedic. During much of the rodeo, he’ll do what is called the “walk and talk,” sharing his comedy with the audiences each night of the three-performance rodeo. “We’ve got a lot of stuff planned for Bellville,” said McCracken, still referring, possibly, to his multiple personalities. “The big thing we do is the ‘walk and talk,’ and we work it from the hello to the end. I’ll bring out a lot of characters throughout the rodeo, because I think if you come for more than one night, you should see the different characters.” “You always hope you’re going to win,” McCracken said. “Everybody wants to win something like that. The first couple of years I was nominated, I was hopeful. I was a little jittery. Then we had a dry spell for a few years that we weren’t even nominated. “(In 2016) I was nominated for Clown of the Year and comedy act. I had gotten a little numb to not winning. I felt like I was past my shot at winning it.” Such is McCracken’s life as a rodeo clown. He spends many weeks on the road, working events in several states, but he loves what he does. He enjoys the crowds and the excitement that comes with rodeo, and loves to see the smiles and hear the laughter. “I really enjoy seeing people have a good time,” McCracken said. “Maybe there’s a guy that’s had it pretty rough, is struggling some. If we can just get him to the rodeo and use our last American heritage sport to help him forget his troubles, then he’s had a good night, and we, as a rodeo, have had a good night, too. Laughter is pretty good medicine, and the way things are right now, everybody needs a shot.”

EAGLE, Colo. – The people that live in Eagle County and the surrounding communities have come to expect great happenings. The Eagle County Fair and Rodeo is no different, which is why it was a virtual sellout each of the four performances for this year’s rodeo, which took place July 24-27. There are numerous factors that make the annual event a must-see. “It doesn’t hurt to bring the best of the best,” said Hanna Albertson, chairwoman for the fair and rodeo’s advisory committee. “In Eagle County, we put on the New York Philharmonic with Bravo Vail and the Vail Dance Festival, so it’s expected here. We can’t put on a mediocre rodeo; we have to put on the best rodeo.” That’s been the case for a number of years, and this year’s expo was one of the best. Not only was there a record 91-point saddle bronc ride by Rusty Wright, but he also was one of dozens of competitors with National Finals Rodeo experience to compete in Eagle this July. “I think what makes our rodeo so great is a combination of our amazing sponsors, where we live and who we bring in as our specialty acts, out stock contractor and our contract personnel,” Albertson said. “We work together as a team, and we’re in it to put on a great show.” That’s true. This year’s rodeo featured Justin Rumford, who has been named the Clown of the Year six times in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and charro Tomas Garcilazo, a four-time winner of the PRCA’s Dress Act of the Year. While Rumford and his comedic antics kept the crowd in stitches, Garcilazo and his family, including 5-year-old son Louis, allowed for some “awe” moments each of the four nights. Throw in the great animals and production from the livestock production firm of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, and there’s a reason why there were multiple world champions who found their way to the Eagle pay window. “I think the rodeo was fantastic this year,” said Tanya Dahlseid, the fair’s manager. “I just love working with Pete Carr and his whole crew. They’re like a family, and they’re so helpful. “We have an amazing committee. Hanna does a great job, and we are so fortunate to have all five members of the committee together because they make a great team. It’s an honor to see the world champions here; I love how everyone’s so kind and professional.” The tell-tale sign of excellence came through the large and active crowds that were part of each night’s festivities. “It’s a very excitable,” she said. “It’s cool to have the crowd so into it. It makes for a fun experience for everyone involved.” Albertson agreed. “If you are a contestant or a person just visiting, there’s some definite energy in our rodeo,” she said. “The great thing about Eagle is that there are a lot of first-time rodeo visitors, and when they hear that crowd and that energy, you make a rodeo fan for life. We are promoting and continuing the legacy of the sport of rodeo.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Cody Cabral knew he had a good opportunity Saturday at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. That’s why he flew in and borrowed a horse to could compete on the final day of Lovington’s rodeo, and he made the opportunity pay off. He wrestled two steers in a cumulative time of 7.3 seconds, with the punctuation coming Saturday night with a 3.4-second run. That was good enough to share second place in the second round and give him the edge in the aggregate by three-tenths of a seconds. “I’m pumped up,” said Cabral, a 2016 National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Hilo, Hawaii. “It’s been a pretty slow past couple of weeks. I’ve had a little luck at this rodeo but never been able to win it. Today I had a couple of good steers. “Tonight, I really liked my steer. Wyatt Jurney was 3.9 and place in the first round on him. I knew he would leave good and would stop, so I just tried to get down early and just tried to do my job. I was lucky enough to get the win.” That victory was worth just shy of $4,000. He’ll pay a bit of that in mount money to Stockton Graves, who owns the horse Cabral rode, and Billy Boldon, who hazed. “It’s a cheap price to pay,” Cabral said. “It’s always good when you have to pay mount money.” When borrowing a horse, cowboys pay a percentage of their winnings to the horse’s owner. If the cowboy wins nothing, then the horse owner is paid nothing. “This is always a good week to get on a roll,” he said. “By this time of year, you either have to get it or go home.” Team ropers Coleman Proctor and Ryan Motes have few reasons to go home; it’s been that kind of year. Motes, the heeler, is second in the world standings, and Proctor is fourth. Both are heading to the NFR for the fifth time in their careers. After winning the first round Saturday morning with a 4.3-second run, Proctor and Motes put together a solid, 5.2-second run in the performance to win the title. They finished tied for seventh in the second round and pocketed $5,710 each. “This has been a good week for us,” said Motes, who pointed out a first-round victory in Sikeston, Missouri, and a shared victory in Lawton, Oklahoma, this week. “We had a pretty slow week last week, so it was a good time to have a good week. “All three rodeos we went to this week are tour rodeos, and we were needing a few more tour points to make sure we are in for Puyallup (Washington).” Puyallup is home to the championship for the season’s ProRodeo Tour, so it’s vital for both cowboys to earn their spot. “I’ve had good luck here; this is a good rodeo for me,” Motes said. “I’ve always done good at the three rodeos we went to this week; I’ve won Sikeston a couple times, won Lawton a couple times and won this one a couple times. They’ve all been good rodeos for me.” They’re having a good year, but it was punctuated by a victory this past March at The American where each man earned $333,000. Because of sanctioning by the PRCA, $50,000 of that counts toward the world standings; the rest is just life-changing money that comes in quite handy. “It definitely makes for a much easier year,” Motes said. “We’ve had a great year anyhow, but it makes it good for us. Now Coleman can go home and spend time with his new baby and his family. I’ll go to the Northwest and try to build on what I’ve earned. “The gold buckle is what drives me. That’s the only goal left for me. That’s the one main goal Coleman and I have. I’ve lost the world (title) before by narrow margins. I’m going to go to all 65 rodeos I can go to and give myself the best shot to win that gold buckle.” Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. Aug. 7-10 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tanner Aus, 90 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Good Time Charlie, $5,189; 2. Orin Larsen, 87, $3,978; 3. (tie) Garrett Shadbolt and Zach Hibler, 86, $2,422 each; 5. Kyle Charley, 84, $1,211; 6. (tie) Steven Dent and Kody Lamb, 83, $778 each; 8. (tie) Jake Brown, 81, $259 each. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tyke Kipp, 3.8 seconds, $1,730; 2. (tie) Cody Cabral, Tyler Pearson and Wyatt Jurney, 3.9, $1,278 each; 5. (tie) Brady Reneau and Kalane Anders, 4.0, $714 each; 7. (tie) J.D. Struxness, Justin Shaffer and Will Lummus, 4.1, $175 each. Second round leaders: 1. Cody Harmon, 3.1 seconds, $1,730; 2. (tie) Dakota Eldridge and Cody Cabral, 3.4, $1,391 each; 4. (tie) Nick Guy, Jacob Talley and Cody Devers, 3.5, $827 each; 7. (tie) Tyler Pearson and Bridger Anderson, 3.7, $263 each. Average leaders: 1. Cody Cabral, 7.3 seconds on two runs, $2,594; Tyler Pearson, 7.6, $2,256; 3. (tie) Kalane Anders and Jacob Talley, 7.8, $1,748; 5. Bridger Anderson, 7.9, $1,241; 6. Russell Armenta, 8.2, $902; 7. Dakota Eldridge, 8.3, $564; 8. (tie) Matt Reeves and Denver Berry, 8.5, $113. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Tyson Durfey, 7.8 seconds, $2,480; 2. (tie) Timber Moore and Stetson Vest, 8.3, $1,995 each; 4. Treg Schaack, 8.6, $1,510; 5. (tie) Marty Yates, Clint Cooper and Tanner Green, 8.8, $863 each; 8. Cody McCartney, 8.9, $216. Second round leaders: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.3 seconds, $2,480; 2. Rhen Richard, 7.5, $2,157; 3. (tie) Ty Harris and Richard Newton, 7.6, $1,671 each; 5. Tuf Cooper, 7.7, $1,186; 6. Chance Oftedahl, 7.9, $863; 7. Justin Smith, 8.3, $539; 8. (tie) Randall Carlisle and Luke Jeffries, 8.5, $108. Average leaders: 1. Shad Mayfield, 16.4 seconds on two runs, $3,730; 2. Stetson Vest, 17.2, $3,235; 3. Richard Newton, 17.6, $2,750; 4. Rhen Richard, 18.0, $2,265; 5 (tie) Chance Oftedahl and Cooper Martin, 18.1,  Continue Reading »