About: Ted

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Larry Wheeler has a great amount of pride for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. He has lived in this community all his life and has been attending or showing or working at the annual exposition ever since his birth. That’s just the way things are in the Wheeler family; it’s important to be involved and active. Nobody is more active in this year’s fair and rodeo, set for Friday, Aug. 2-Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. Wheeler, 55, is the chairman of the Lea County Fair Board, a group of volunteers that lead others willing to answer the call to produce one of the biggest expositions in the Southwest. “My brother, Dickie, started showing when I was just a baby, so I’ve been there even before I can remember,” he said. “It’s something we’ve always looked forward to. We passed it on down to our kids, and they’re involved. I’ve got a stepson that’s showing steers, and my brother’s grandkids are still showing.” That’s the legacy instilled by his father, Jimmie Wheeler, who died in March. That birthright is still on display. Larry Wheeler is now in his third year on the fair board, his first as chairman. “When County Commissioner (Dean) Jackson got elected, he asked me to come on as a board member,” Wheeler said. “I was beef superintendent for three or four years, then I was asked to be on the fair board. My dad and Dickie both served as beef superintendents as well. “I had never really thought about being on the fair board, but my family’s been involved in the fair all my life. We’ve shown steers for 57 years in a row at the Lea County Fair. Even being involved with it for years and years, there was a lot more to it when I got into the position on the fair board. It’s been quite a learning experience, but I’ve really enjoyed being on the board.” He’s done a great job, too, but that’s just what Jackson envisioned when he asked Wheeler to be more involved. “I think Larry brings a very level head to the fair board,” said Jackson, a former fair board chairman. “Larry has been involved in the show part of the fair his whole life, and he grew up in the steer barn. “The fair is so important to me, and I wanted to put two individuals on there that I knew would work for it, which is why I asked Larry and Trey (Kerby) to be on the fair board.” Kerby also serves as the board’s rodeo chairman, and he’s worked alongside Wheeler for several years as they prepare and work the five performances inside Jake McClure Arena. “Larry brings a personal touch, a local touch, and he brings experience,” Kerby said. “I know a little more about the rodeo side. I’ve had to learn some of the stuff on the fair side. There’s so much to know about that. The rodeo and the entertainment get all the glory, but there’s so much more. “Larry knows so much about the shows, the little particulars about how to do things – something as particular as how to take the picture to show the animal and the kid the best they can show it. The fair gets a little overlooked, but truly that’s why we’re there: For the kids.” It’s a nine-day exposition that is great for the entire family. Between the concerts, exhibits, daily shows, livestock shows, carnival and rodeo, there will be many activities. “I think it’s an incredible event for the people of Lea County and the surrounding areas of west Texas,” Wheeler said. “There aren’t too many counties that are able to do what we do here as far as the entertainment and the PRCA rodeo. A lot of city folks enjoy the carnival. To be able to put that all together for a $10 ticket is pretty incredible. “I go to the (New Mexico) State Fair and the Eastern New Mexico State Fair and some other shows in Texas, and most are not able to have this much for the people to come do. My hat’s off to our commissioners for allowing it. It wouldn’t be possible without them. “What makes things even better is that we have so many wonderful sponsors that are willing to give, to support this fair and help make our fair so great. Our sponsors know what this fair means to the people of Lea County, and they are willing to help make it a great experience.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – The first time Johnny Dudley appeared at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, he was cast in a supporting role. Now, he will be one of the main characters for this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 5, at Roundup Arena. That includes Xtreme Bulls at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. Five years ago, Dudley spent a portion of his week in Dodge City visiting celebrated rodeo clown Justin Rumford, who then put Dudley into one of his acts. “My family and I left Joseph, Oregon, heading to Leoti (Kansas),” he said. “My wife and Ashley (Rumford) are best friends, and Rump and I are great friends. He asked me to do his cheerleading act, so I acted like a drunk guy and did a backflip off the top of the gate.” It was a hit, but that’s not why he’s returning half a decade later. It’s the comedy and acts he provides that makes him a sought-after entertainer in rodeo. “We really like what we’ve seen and heard about Johnny,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, president of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “We believe he will interact well with our team and our fans.” That’s the mark of a good entertainer, and Dudley has been recognized as such. Just last year, he was nominated for the PRCA Clown of the Year and Comedy Act of the Year. While it’s nice to have that added to his name, it’s not what defines the man from Denton, Texas. “All the buckles and glory and big rodeos are things that most rodeo clowns want, but I just want people to say I’m a good guy,” Dudley said. “Everybody wants to be recognized in their field, but at the end of the day, I’m just out doing my job.  But with that recognition, other people see that, and it leads to bigger and better rodeos, which leads to more money, which leads to my family having a better life. Known by the moniker of “Backflip,” family is the most important part of his life. When he can, he tries to spend as much time with his wife and two boys as possible. But life in rodeo oftentimes means being away from loved ones for an extended time. “My boys are 3 and 5 now, so they’re at the point when the realize that Dad’s leaving,” he said. “I grew up in a single-parent home. When I was a kid, I never had anybody teach me how to fish or play baseball with me. I always said I wanted a boy that I could enjoy the outdoors with. Now that I have a 5-year-old that wants to do that, I try to make all the time I can with him.” A former Marine, he knows that being on the road is the best way he can support his family. But when one is good at his job, he knows a busy schedule is important. “The best part of my job is just getting people to laugh,” Dudley said. “When people come to a rodeo, I don’t know the difficulties they have in their life. For two hours, if I can help them forget about that and laugh and smile, then it’s worth it. “In the stands, there might be a millionaire sitting next to a broke person. For those two hours, those same people are sitting side by side enjoying the same thing.”

Gainesville stop was a Classic in every way possible   GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Luke Kaufman and Ross Hill made clear statements about the Bullfighters Only Southern Classic presented by Franklin County Livestock this past weekend. “I’ve watched bullfighting very closely for the last 15 years, and that was probably the rankest 20 bullfights in one night that I’ve ever seen,” said Kaufman, BFO’s production manager. “I’ve watched every Wrangler Bullfight Tour tape there is, every stand-alone bullfight there’s been, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in one two-hour show. “We had a guy score 88.5 points in a three-man bullfight, and he finished in last place. That was insane.” Hill has been around the game longer and still stands as a wily veteran in the BFO. He’s seen thousands of bullfights and hundreds of events over his storied career, and even he was in awe of what happened in Gainesville. “Without a doubt, it’s one of the top bullfights I’ve seen in my career,” said Hill, a BFO pioneer from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. “Just watching everybody step up was great, then you got to see the young guys just now coming up and stepping into it all. It was just amazing, and it goes back to what we’re doing with the Development Camps.” Of the men in the field, many were former BFO D-Camp participants. Fifteen qualifiers battled on Friday night to fill five spots in the field with the top 10 men in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings on Saturday night. Many of them had been through the camps. “Chance Moorman went out there and was 91 points twice,” Hill said. “When you see him lay down two front flips and do what he did with that bull, he could have just led that bull around with a lead rope. That was one of the coolest events I’ve ever been to.” Moorman earned his victory in style. Being 90 points in any bullfight is tough, and to do it twice in one night is incredible. But what was bigger was that he was part of the greatest three-man round in BFO history. While his 91-point bout won the round, first-timer Dekevis Jordan was 90.5 to finish second and three-time world champion Weston Rutkowski was 88.5 points to finish third. “When I saw that I was in the same round with Weston in both Reno and Gainesville, I knew it was going to be really good,” said Moorman, 18, of Lytle, Texas. “When I saw that Dekevis was drawn into our round after he came out of the qualifier, I knew it was going to be a very tough round. We had the three-time champ and two young kids that like to jump out of the building.” It certainly was electric. “Weston set the bar high, and Chance and I knew we really had to do something special to beat that,” said Jordan of Madill, Oklahoma. “I knew both of us were going to do something over that bull. I had to do something next level.” That happened in both height and performance for Moorman and Jordan, the latter of whom just completed Development Camp earlier in June and was competing at his first BFO event. “It was pretty awesome to be part of that, a dream come true,” Jordan said. “It was a blessing, and those guys made me feel like I fit right in. “There was a lot to learn over the weekend. I haven’t been around that many people in a professional event like that. It was new to me, and I’m the newest guy on the team. I’ve got some adapting to do. I learned that you enjoy everything that’s going on and that at the end of the day, you’ve just got to fight your bull.” It came down to basics for many, but there were big dollars up for grabs. For winning the Southern Classic title, Moorman pocketed $12,000 and moved into the No. 2 position in the world standings. He now trails the top dog, Aaron Mercer of Calgary, Alberta, by $4,000. “That’s just a crazy feeling,” Moorman said. “I’ve gone through a rough patch. I’ve been drawing on the smarter set of bulls, and I’ve been getting thrown around. To come in here and put it all on the line and come out with the win and be second in the world is just crazy. “I didn’t know if there was any way I could put myself back in close of reach of that world title, but here we are. It’s going to be a crazy summer.” The money is a great incentive. BFO paid out more than $60,000 this past weekend with over $30,000 paid in Gainesville; the largest payout of the summer run of freestyle bullfighting. But there are hundreds of bouts that lie ahead before the world champion is crowned at the Tropicana Las Vegas in December. “The one thing about what we saw in Gainesville is the young talent that can really play this game,” Kaufman said. “It was almost like a passing of the torch. To see Ross, Weston and Toby (Inman) out there doing the best they can, then you see these 18-year-old and 19-year-old Chance and DJ out there letting it all hang out. “There are two kinds of bullfighters out there: Those that have seen it all, and those that are too young and dumb to know better. They came together pretty good.” It bodes well for what’s coming in freestyle bullfighting. The BFO was created four years ago and has quickly become the face of the game. It has rebranded and helped regenerate an audience, and the top men in the game earn their way to specialized events like the one in Georgia. “This is the gateway for the BFO to come to the East Coast,” Kaufman said. “We’ve done the Speedway Series down here, but I would compare that to the Wrangler Bullfight Tour in that it is  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – Casey Lincoln found his way to this community of 6,500 people through football. After high school in southeast Arizona, he attended Mesa (Arizona) Community College to play the game he loved. After his time there, he received a scholarship to continue his education and his playing days at Western State University, and he fell in love with everything about Gunnison. That’s why he returns every summer to volunteer his time and his talents to the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration, set for Saturday, July 5-Sunday, July 14, at Fred Field Western Heritage Center in Gunnison. “The first year I was up there, in an attempt to learn more about the football program, I stayed in Gunnison and worked out with the football team,” said Lincoln, who now lives in San Tan Valley, Arizona, just outside Phoenix. “I got a job at a welding business, because I grew up doing it and became a certified welder in junior college. “I just love the small-town feel of Gunnison.” That’s why he makes the 12-hour drive every July to make sure he’s part of the community’s celebration. “I really enjoy it in Colorado in the summer, and I made some lifelong friends with Kevin Coblentz and his family and others in town,” he said. “Some aren’t in town anymore, but they seem to come back to town every year for the rodeo. “It was my home away from home for a couple of years, and it’s really good to catch up.” Lincoln is one of dozens of volunteers who make Cattlemen’s Days work, and he isn’t the only one to travel a great distance just to devote several hours, time and talents to the process. Whether they are helping get the complex ready or helping with the 4H exhibits or greeting contestants at the rodeo, each task is important for the heritage of the celebration. “The great thing about Cattlemen’s Days is that we have an outstanding group of volunteers that put in so much work just to make an event of this magnitude happen,” said Coblentz, president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “Some of the stuff we need done is hard labor, and we always have the people there to get it done. “Casey is just one of several of our volunteers who travel to be here, and I appreciate them and all the others for all they do. Casey’s been a close friend of ours for several years, and we love to have him back every year for Cattlemen’s Days. He’s good people.” Lincoln is also fascinated with rodeo. He’s a member of the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo Association, an amateur group that has events primarily in Arizona and New Mexico. “I grew up team roping and riding horses, but I never competed in actual rodeos, but it’s something that’s near and dear to my heart,” said Lincoln, who is a heavy equipment trainer and consultant for a Caterpillar dealership in the Phoenix area. “Going to Gunnison is a good vacation from work.” And a good escape from the heat in Arizona. The average July temperature in his hometown is a high 106; meanwhile in Gunnison, the average July high temperature is 80. “Getting away from the heat is a big reason why I go back,” he said. “But I also like the small town that Gunnison is. In Phoenix, from my house to work can take two and a half hours, depending on traffic. It’s a nice change of pace to go up to Gunnison, and you can drive across town in five minutes. “It’s just a wonderful place to be in July.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – The sentiment “Back by Popular Demand” may be cliché, but it’s also fitting for the return of Ken Stonecipher and the Wooden Nickel Band to Gunnison for Cattlemen’s Days. “When we brought Ken and the band to town last year, we quickly realized that we wanted them back this year,” said Kevin Coblentz, president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “We had so many people telling us how much they liked the band and how much fun both nights were, so it was a no-brainer.” Cattlemen’s Days will run from Friday, July 5-Sunday, July 14, at Fred Field Western Heritage Center in Gunnison. The band will perform after the Friday and Saturday rodeo performances – at Wapiti Ridge Saloon on July 12 and at Garlic Mike’s after the final night of the rodeo. “We’re excited to be coming back Gunnison and to be in town for the rodeo,” said Stonecipher, who has led the band for nearly 20 years. “It was such a great experience to be there last year, and it’s really an honor to be invited back. “The crowds were great, and we really like the environment.” He considers the band’s sound dancehall music, a variety of cover songs that most have heard and that will entice those that enjoy dancing. “The first filter on what we play is songs that I like,” he said. “There are a lot of good songs out there that aren’t good for dancing. They’re good to listen to in a concert. “I grew up in dancehalls, so I have an ear for that kind of music, stuff that is a good two-step and is a good waltz. That’s how we put our set list together. We try to have something for everybody, from Hank Williams Sr. to the Turnpike Troubadours. We try to have something people can enjoy.” That’s the epitome of dancehall music. “We try to play your favorite, but we’ll dang sure play music you can dance to,” Stonecipher said. “We play to have fun, but we want the people that are dancing to have fun, too.” The Wooden Nickel band has been transformed over the years. After playing and singing primarily in church services, he and another musician would play acoustically. The duo then added a bassist, then a drummer. Now it’s a five-piece band with all the fixings. Only Stonecipher remains from the original band, but he’s added the flavor of professional musicians who enjoy the opportunity to play their brand of music. They average between 20-30 shows a year, depending on his work schedule and when he might be announcing rodeos across the Midwest. “We have a variety of old and new, and we put it all together,” Stonecipher said. “I’m a rodeo guy, so I think I understand rodeo crowds. They don’t call music classic because it’s old; they call it classic because it’s good.” And that’s just what people in Gunnison will get on the final weekend of Cattlemen’s Days.