About: Ted

GUYMON, Okla. – The party is about to begin. The Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo committee will conduct its 13th Draw Down Raffle beginning with a social hour at 6 p.m. and the fun starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Pickle Creek Center. “One of the biggest changes we’re doing this year is making it a party,” said Rebecca Robbins, a key member of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “We wanted people to start thinking about it early. It’s one of the main fundraisers for us. It’s really important to get out in the community. After last year’s success with the rodeo, we thought we’d change a few things up leading to this year’s rodeo. We tweaked the draw down a little bit.” That includes door prizes from several merchant members of the Guymon Chamber of Commerce that are at a $50 value as well as a new band, the Buster Bledsoe Band out of Amarillo, Texas. “Seaboard Foods is donating pork, and the Pub on the Bricks is stepping up to where we have a cash bar and free beer,” Robbins said. “We’re making it a destination event. There’s still a band so we can have dancing, and for $50 a person, people have a chance to win $3,500.” That’s an awfully good incentive, but the primary goal is to raise awareness and funds toward the largest community-based event in Texas County. Each year, nearly 1,000 ProRodeo contestants make their way to the region once known as No Man’s Land to take part in Pioneer Days Rodeo, which has been inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo. That helps make for an economic boon to Guymon and the surrounding communities. Millions of dollars are brought into Texas County the week of the rodeo. “We’re excited to have such a storied event in such a small town,” said Robbins, who moved to the area five and a years ago and is a veterinarian at Seaboard. “This was a big change for us, moving from the East Coast, but this community’s great. To have activities like this helps us to be involved. “This requires a lot of volunteering. I helped last year, but I’m officially on the committee this year.” She is one of the organizers of the draw down, then she will dip her fingers in other areas of the committee to help where necessary. Her husband, Andy Brown, is handling concessions for the rodeo. They understand the importance of the rodeo in this Oklahoma Panhandle community. “This year marks 87 years of the rodeo, and it’s such a big community event,” she said. “You know everybody involved is interested in a great outcome, and we get to work together to make sure that happens.”

Top freestyle bullfighters set to compete at first ever Barrett-Jackson Invitational SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Bullfighters Only is teaming up with Barrett-Jackson Auctions to produce an unprecedented freestyle bullfighting event that will take place at the famed Scottsdale Auction, Jan. 17-19. “We are very excited to be a part of the legendary Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction,” said Aaron Ferguson, BFO’s founder. “Presenting our sport to new audiences, is what we are all about. The combination of Barrett-Jackson and BFO should prove to be the perfect fit.” The Bullfighters Only Barrett-Jackson Invitational will feature the top athletes from BFO, showcasing their talents in the ultimate display of man-vs.-beast. The three-day showdown is a testament to each man’s hardy courage, while facing down intensely angry Spanish fighting bulls. “Barrett-Jackson has become more than just an auction, it is a lifestyle event,” said Craig Jackson, CEO and chairman of Barrett-Jackson. “Our team strives to bring something new to the table every year and make the Barrett-Jackson experience even more incredible. We are happy to host Bullfighters Only as they compete in this truly unique and exciting western sport.” Combatants have up to 60 seconds to gain as many points possible. With 100 points being the perfect score, bullfighters can earn up to 50 points by exhibiting style and control while maneuvering around and jumping over the fighting bull. The bull, bred for this type of fight, can also tally up to 50 points for its speed, aggressiveness and willingness to stay engaged in the bout. The competition begins at 7:30 p.m. each day at the WestWorld Equidome in Scottsdale and will be a great fit for fans who want to get their motors running in a different capacity. Unlike traditional Latin bullfighting, the bulls in BFO’s competition are at no disadvantage. Superstars like “Spitfire” and “Sid Vicious” weigh around 1,500 pounds and possess an aggressive and forceful nature that’s been bred into them for more than 1300 years. Bullfighters Only is the premier freestyle bullfighting organization in the world, and having the top athletes on both sides of the equation is a key reason why. The Barrett Jackson Invitational will feature the greatest freestyle bullfighters in the game, including Weston Rutkowski, Beau Schueth, Toby Inman and Ross Hill.

North Dakotan stands out among talented crop of rookies LAS VEGAS – Justin Ward of Richardton, N.D., outlasted a fierce group of Development Camp graduates and outsider talent to be named 2018 Bullfighters Only Rookie of the Year. Ward was a standout at the BFO’s Development Camp in San Bernardino, Calif., in April, and then burst onto the scene with a dominant win at the BFO Tri-Cities Invitational in May. He pocketed $10,000 in his first professional event. “He almost made it look too easy,” said Luke Kaufman, the BFO’s production manager. “It was the who’s-who of bullfighting, and no one was even mad they lost. Everyone was just excited about seeing a brand-new superstar step out of the shadows.” With more than $17,000 to his credit, he finished 2018 in seventh place in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. Ward’s stellar performance in the regular season earned him the right to compete in the Roughy Cup and have an automatic bid into the BFO Las Vegas Championship. “This really means a lot to me because they took a lot of interest in me,” Ward said. “I came to that D-Camp and showed up to play the game the way it was supposed to be played. Having Ross Hill coach me, and then going up against Weston in Ada (Okla.) was pretty cool. It was definitely an eye-opener for me for sure.” He was rivaled for the honor by Chance Moorman of Lytle, Texas; Tucker Lane McWilliam of Oak Grove, Mo.; Andres Gonzalez of Woodland, Calif.; and Cade Gibson of Pilot Point, Texas. “The level of talent this year was truly impressive, and it’s a testament to the rapid growth of freestyle bullfighting,” Kaufman said. “The older fighters understand the importance of helping out the younger athletes rather than hindering them.” “I think the D-Camps are crucial, because a lot of guys wouldn’t get a chance without them,” Ward said. “Just look at Chance Moorman, who was with me in San Bernardino. He is impressive.” They all were, but Ward came out on top and he got to play a starring role in the 2018 BFO Las Vegas Championship at the Tropicana Las Vegas. “That was the biggest bullfight of my career,” Ward said. “I got to go up against Weston in the Wild Card Round. Even though I didn’t come out with a score, it was still one of the biggest thrills of my life.”

CLAREMORE, Okla. – David Petty has dedicated much of his life to the sport he loves, and that’s rodeo. Petty has been involved with the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo for more than two decades, much of that time as the chairman of the volunteer committee. With his wife, Dawn, he operates Double Rafter D Scoreboards, providing video support to rodeos across the country. Starting later this month, he will expand upon his support of the game while serving as a director on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association board. “It’s quite an honor to be elected by your peers to represent our group,” said Petty of Chelsea, Okla. “I’ve served eight years on our executive committee council, so I plan to bring that experience and a lot of communication to this new assignment.” He is the representative for the small rodeos in the PRCA, and he knows a thing or two about events of that size. In addition to working many rodeos in that category throughout the year with the scoreboard, Claremore’s rodeo has been recognized as the Small Rodeo of the Year each of the past five seasons. “I feel like me being voted in to this position is very important for our community,” he said. “It’s a very important role for us. I refer to a rodeo as the four Cs: community, contestants, contract personnel and committees. It takes all of them working together to have a successful event. “Sometimes there are tough changes required, but you’ve got to look at those with an open mind and see how it’s going to affect all facets of our sport.” Now as one of nine board members, he knows there will be some tough decisions ahead. As the governing board, the directors have the final say on all aspect of operations. He understands that he brings one of many opinions to the table when it’s time to make those decisions. “Things that work in Claremore, Oklahoma, don’t necessarily work in Gooding, Idaho,” Petty said. “I feel like I can look at it from all sides of the coin, not just the heads and tails but also the edges, too. “I realize I have some pretty big shoes to fill and lots of responsibility. We need to grow the base of our organization and focus on getting new members.” That means open communication, not only with his constituents in the small-rodeo category but also the general membership. He will lean on his experiences and take the lessons taught him by those who came before. That includes Clem McSpadden, a member of rodeo royalty and an American statesman from Chelsea who passed away a decade ago. “I wish I could sit on that bench outside his office and let him guide me again,” Petty said. “He was a very big part of teaching me about the business of rodeo, and he would be an asset to me if he were still around. “He was a great mentor, and I just hope I can make him proud by doing the very best job I can.”

Costa, Sid Vicious earn end-of-the-season honors LAS VEGAS – There were many great Spanish fighting bulls featured during the Bullfighters Only 2018 season, but none were better than the now two-time BFO Fighting Bull of the Year, Sid Vicious. Aptly named, the small red bull has the perfect attitude for the battlefield. He’s part of the herd from Manuel Costa, who the bullfighters voted as the 2018 BFO Stock Contractor of the Year. “I think it boiled down to the fact that Manuel has a solid number of bulls you could win on,” said Weston Rutkowski, the reigning three-time world champion from Haskell, Texas. “This year, his were consistently a notch above. They were not only hard to fight, but they were also rewarding to fight. “Sid Vicious is a bull that stands out and is in a league of his own. I was fortunate to fight him twice this year. The first time, he ended up getting the better of me in the end, but I got a few blows in first. I fought him in Vegas, and he just handed it to me.” He may be little, but he has longer horns than most bulls. Sid Vicious also was the BFO Bull of the Year in 2017. “When guys get along with him, they’re normally in the high 80s and 90s,” said Beau Schueth, the reserve world champion from O’Neill, Neb. “He’s got big horns and is fast, and he knows how to wheel around and hook guys. He follows you like a dog; he’s always on your hip for the whole 40 to 60 seconds.” Costa has dozens of high-caliber bulls that are regularly featured at BFO events. Many were part of the Las Vegas Championship, which was the season-ending title bout for the top men in the sport. “Manuel’s got great bulls all around,” Schueth said. “A lot of guys in the bull business go through him a little bit to find bulls. That says a lot about what he means to the sport.” Sid Vicious, though, stands out among Costa’s bulls, which is why he got the unanimous nod from the fighters. “He brings it every single time,” Rutkowski said. “I don’t think there was a guy that had a clean fight with him all year. That speaks for itself, because the talent in the BFO is second to none. To have that many good guys not get a clean fight out of him stands for itself.” Another factor is how many times the bull was fought. “Even with a bunch of outs, he still fights lights out,” Schueth said. “He still takes a fake, but you don’t have too much time to wheel around. He is always right there.”