About: Ted

Stuntwomen to showcase talents during Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo SALT LAKE CITY – The pageantry that is professional rodeo is exposed through incredible action and amazing athleticism. Men and women display their talents across various disciplines through competition, and all of that is accentuated by entertainers. They are people like comedian Cody Sosebee and the trick-riding tandem of Shelby Pierson and Bella Da Costa, who showcase their acrobatics while horseback. The trio of superstars will be part of Utah’s Own Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5; Saturday, Sept. 6; and Monday, Sept. 8, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. Tickets can be purchased at UtahStateFair.com/tickets. “We just get along real well,” Da Costa said of her relationship with Pierson. “Our families get along well, and it’s really fun being out there with her. We’re very uplifting with each other, which makes it really easy. We know our horses, and we know each other. We know the show we’re going to do.” It’s an invigorating experience for the two ladies from Alberta. While each is independently credentialed, their work together has brought out something spectacular in their performances. “Bella and I have been traveling together, especially the last few years,” said Pierson, a six-time Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Contract Act of the Year, a three-time Canadian trick-riding champion and a nominee for PRCA Dress Act of the Year. “I think we want each other to do well, and we’re having fun while doing it. I think that shows in our act a lot. “We both push each other to be better and try harder tricks and go faster, which is also great. It’s a very positive performing environment.” That zeal will be evident through all three performances inside the Days of ’47 Arena, because both ladies bring that type of energy to the shows. Pierson and Da Costa developed their love for trick riding as youngsters who had an affection for horses. “I started trick riding when I was 8 years old,” Pierson said. “My Grade 1 teacher was actually a professional trick rider, and I grew up on my family’s ranch, so I was always riding and involved with horses. She sparked my interest, and I started doing lessons and performing that same year. “I just love it. I have always loved horses, the Western culture and the way of life. I love it because I get to travel and meet so many amazing people, and it’s a fun job to have.” Her partner echoed those sentiments. “I stated when I was 5 years old,” said Da Costa, also a Canadian champion. “I’d seen it at a rodeo, and I told my mom, ‘I want to do that.’ She thought I was completely crazy and was like, ‘No way in heck am I letting my daughter hang off the side of a running horse.’ “So, we went to move cows the next day, and I started hanging off the side of my horse. She kept giving me trouble, but I wouldn’t listen. Over time, I finally got lessons. I’ve stuck with it the whole way.” It’s not just the two performers who work as partners; they also will share the arena with their horses, which have been trained to work in this capacity. Each lady will have three mounts ready for Salt Lake City. “I have my main horse, and I will use her as much as I can,” Da Costa said. “But if there’s just the slightest thing that doesn’t feel right, I’ll switch to a different horse. They all run different. Some are faster, some are slower. They hold me different in tricks.” It takes great trust to lay off the side of a galloping horse or do just about any trick the ladies do. “You can’t do this on just any horse,” Pierson said. “They’re all specially trained, and they’re all amazing.” It’s taken years of work by both Pierson and Da Costa to get to this level, but their act is something many would love to witness in person. The fans at Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo will have that chance. “I enjoy performing and enjoy getting to meet everyone, and we oftentimes get to meet little kids and see how they react,” Da Costa said. “It reminds me of how I looked up at other trick rider when I was little, and now I get to have people look at me the same way I looked at her.” Da Costa and Pierson not only engage audiences, but they’re sharing their love for trick riding and entertaining others in the process.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – No tall building stands without beams to support it. The same can be said for the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, a 10-day exposition 45 minutes northwest of Houston. While the foundation is decades old and solid, the key factor for the event’s success is within the beams that surround it – those businesses and individuals that support it. “None of these companies or individuals have any obligations to our fair,” said Susan Shollar, the chairwoman for the auction committee. “They see what we do. They see what type of people these kids turn into because of the fair, and they want to support that.” It’s an ongoing trend for the expo, which takes place Thursday, Sept. 25-Saturday, Oct. 4. Renovations have been made across the complex over the years. Much of that has to do with an impressive capital campaign, but nothing happens at the fairgrounds without people who want to be involved. “Sponsorships and capital campaign are two different things, and the building, the add-ons and all that stuff doesn’t come from corporate sponsorships,” said Dustin Standley, the sponsorship chairman. “There is some crossover with some sponsors who are involved with the capital campaign, but they are separate deals altogether. “I have a hard time determining one sponsor is different than any other. I treat everybody the same, whether you’re a $500 sponsor or a $5,000 sponsor. You’re one of our partners in what we do.” Partnership is an important word to Standley and the Waller County Fair Association. They realize for businesses and individuals to invest in something so magnificent, there needs to be a solid relationship. Partners are valuable to the overall mission, and most have been involved every year for a long time. “We do that by giving them a package, then we deliver on what we’ve promised in that package,” Standley said. “Their expectations of what they want when they come to the event are met so they can have their companies advertised and get to entertain their guests, their customers and their employees. “These partners want to build within the youth of our Waller County organization. They want to put money into our fair and see our kids grow.” The cornerstone of any community event is having people willing to do that. In order to have world-class events at the rodeo arena or great artists during the concerts or commit to helping fund the scholarship program, it takes financial backing. “The level of support we get across the board – whether at the auction or showing up to watch the kids at the sale or event he participants who come through the back gate for the PRCA Rodeo – is incredible,” Standley said. “You have to have that, but we’re also blessed because we have people who are paying their hard-earned dollars to come watch the entertainment and have fun at the carnival, too.” Those are just pieces to the puzzle for the fair association. There’s so much that goes into producing the exposition, and a look at the schedule reveals all the happenings that take place in late September and early October in Hempstead, the seat of the county with roughly 65,000 people. The work for the youth involved in the fair goes well beyond that. Most have been laboring all year to prepare to show their exhibits, and the culmination is the Junior Livestock & Exhibit Auction at noon Saturday, Oct. 4. “Last year, we raised in excess of $1.4 million at our auction,” Shollar said. “In comparison, we were at $402,000 in 2005. In 2015, we were at $707,000. In 2018, we hit the $1 million mark. Since 2021, we’ve been at $1.3 million or higher. Our goal this year is $1.5 million.” That’s a big adjustment over the last two decades, but it’s reflective on the community. One thing that’s stayed the same is the number of lots for sale, which averages at 220. “We haven’t increased our total sale earnings by increasing the number of lots we sell,” Shollar said. “We’ve done it by having the best supporters in the state of Texas.” There are big dollars invested in Waller County youth, but the fair organizers have taken it a step further with a bonus bid that helps raise more funds for the scholarship program. That comes with taking an animal up for bid; when that animal is sold, the price is set by the buyer. The animal is then auctioned off at a decreasing value. “We have a lot of people who want to be involved and want to give back to the kids, but a lot of times the bids for these exhibits are much bigger than they are able to give,” Shollar said. “By doing this, we’re giving them an opportunity to be part of it. Usually we raise $100,000 for that lot, and all that money goes into the scholarship fund.” It’s proof of the supportive nature the folks in Waller County have for the fair, the rodeo and the community’s youth. “The people who support us are very community-minded,” she said. “We also treat our buyers right and let them know we are very appreciative of them. We keep them informed. The individual exhibitors will send letters prior to the auction inviting them, then they’ll send out thank yous after it’s over “We just want our supporters to know that we appreciate them.”

Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo will feature rodeo champions in September SALT LAKE CITY – There is a grand history of finding gold in the Beehive State. Sure, miners located it around Salt Lake City, but there’s another branch of the element that is prevalent in Utah: Rodeo gold. It comes from being the best in a given task every year, and there’s quite a bit of that across the state. Take the 2024 season, for example. ProRodeo dished out 10 world championship gold buckles, and three of them reside in Utah with bareback rider Dean Thompson of Altamont, saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright of Beaver and bull rider Josh Frost of Randlett. “I was waiting for it to sink in, but when that buckle showed up, that was when I realized that was what I was waiting for,” he said of the wearable trophy, which he has donned since it arrived at his home several months ago with his name engraved on it. In his mind, it’s an award that is meant to be worn. “I go with this theory, which I learned from Robert Etbauer: He said, ‘If I worked my whole life to win this buckle. I’m going to work the rest of my life wearing it every single day,’ ” Frost said of his former coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “That’s where I am. I stuck her on my belt the night it showed up.” Gold is a vital element. It’s valuable, and the shine may dull, but the thrill of earning gold through competition is tough to beat. Ask an Olympic champion or any other athlete that strives for it. The only way to earn it is to beat an elite field. In rodeo, that happens every week. There are 17 world champions – accounting for 38 gold buckles – scheduled to compete at Utah’s Own Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5; Saturday, Sept. 6; and Monday, Sept. 8, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. Tickets can be purchased at UtahStateFair.com/tickets. From eight-time world champion Stetson Wright, who has returned to action on a blaze of glory after being on injured reserve for the 2024 season, to defending breakaway roping titlist Kelsie Domer, the elite will compete at Salt Lake City in early September. Nearly 500 cowboys and cowgirls put their name in the hat to be part of a proud rodeo. Part of that is the chance to battle with the best, but another deciding factor is the increase in local dollars. Utah State Fair’s rodeo features $10,000 included in each event, and that money is then added to the contestants’ entry fees to make up the total purse. It’s an overall increase of $30,000 to the payout. That’s also why, in addition to the world titlists, there are 80 other National Finals Rodeo qualifiers. This is a major event to kick off the final month of the 2025 regular season. Many in the Salt Lake City field are battling for one of the spots at the NFR, which features only the top 15 contestants in each event when the season concludes Sept. 30. “This rodeo’s such an amazing event,” said Thompson, 23, who is among the top 10 on the bareback riding money list. “It’s one of the last ones where guys have a chance to make that push for the NFR. The competition there is phenomenal for that reason.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – The annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration does more for the community than most people realize. Sure, this is a chance to reconnect with friends and family while also enjoying all the comforts that come with a county fair. Cattlemen’s Days also offers plenty of entertainment, from great food selections to the carnival to the ProRodeo. It’s valuable to the people who live in this Rocky Mountain town or call Gunnison County home. Still, Cattlemen’s Days goes way beyond that. The annual festival is week-long boom to the businesses in town, from full hotels and restaurants to busy fuel stops and vibrant local shops. “In doing the math, we can figure that the economic impact to Gunnison for Cattlemen’s Days is worth millions of dollars,” said Kevin Coblentz, a longtime member of the organizing committee and a local business owner. “The food vendors were making between $2,000 and $4,000 a night just during the rodeo time. “Every dollar that comes from Cattlemen’s Days is spent right here. Sure, we put on Cattlemen’s Days for this community, but the benefit to the community extends a lot further than just what happens at the fairgrounds.” These are building blocks, not only for the celebration but also for the people that support it. When a community thrives, local thrive. There’s a reciprocating effect to it, too. “I’d say per pound, our 4H sale is one of the biggest in the state,” Coblentz said, referring to the total dollars in relation to the number of animals shown. “We’ve always had some amazing support for our Junior Livestock Auction.” The auction is one of the few remaining that sell by the pound instead of by the head.   “We’ve had a lot of our kids that have funded their education by selling livestock,” he said. “They totally paid for their college education from that.” It’s a tell-tale sign of the importance of Cattlemen’s Days. The event is organized by a core group of volunteers who pride themselves on being community-minded. “I’ve asked around, and I believe we are the only stand-alone rodeo – small or medium sized – that is totally funded by our ticket sales, our liquor sales and our sponsorships,” he said. “Other than a city grant we receive every year, we are totally funded by our own hustle.” It also helps that the PRCA rodeo is the only Western event in Gunnison that is nationally televised. Cattlemen’s Days has been aired on The Cowboy Channel and its app for several years. “We’ve also made it to where Cattlemen’s Days has no administrative costs to it. There are no paid employees. We pay an accounting firm to do our taxes. Our officers used to get a stipend to help with general expenses – like postage – that comes our way, but we don’t do that anymore. All of that money goes right back to the community, scholarships and other things that are important to us.” That’s the mindset that has helped festival organizers give back to the county residents and why Cattlemen’s Days is such an asset to the Gunnison Valley.

GOODING, Idaho – It’s only fitting that the final night of the 100th celebration of the Gooding Pro Rodeo featured an arena-record-tying ride by possibly the winningest cowboy of this generation. Eight-time world champion Stetson Wright rode Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool for 90 points Saturday night to tie an arena record established 12 years earlier … by his father, Cody Wright. The result was the saddle bronc riding victory at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. “I didn’t really get to rodeo with my dad,” Stetson Wright said. “That was something Rusty and Ryder did, so the closest thing I can do is try to tie records and do what he did and try to do it better. He set the bar pretty high. To be able to tie an arena record with him is pretty awesome, especially one that’s been held for that long. “You don’t get too many rodeos these days where the record’s held for that long, and just to top it off and have it be with my dad, that’s super special. In and out of the arena and every aspect of my life, he’s my hero, my idol, what I look up to. I’m going to cherish this moment forever.” He made it memorable for many reasons. When he was awarded his championship buckle, Wright went directly to Summit Pro Rodeo’s J.D. Hamaker, then handed the livestock producer the trophy after autographing it. “He just liked the horse and was 90 on one of our horses, and he thought enough of it to give the buckle to me,” Hamaker said. “He could have taken it home and put it in his trophy room. “He’s just a quality guy.” Wright has a lot of trophies. The whole family does, but Stetson Wright owns five all-around world championships, two bull riding gold buckles and a saddle bronc riding title. The family is synonymous with rodeo excellence: brother Ryder is a three-time bronc riding world champ, dad Cody has two and uncles Spencer and Jesse also have reached that elite status. There’s no pressure to follow in their footsteps, but there’s the stress they put on themselves to excel. If they need any motivation beyond that, they just look at one another. “I rodeo with the top-end guys,” Stetson Wright said. “I know they’re my brothers, but Ryder right now is riding with a back injury, and it’s kind of crazy what he’s done with it. Rusty’s riding with a torn up knee, and he’s got a femur bruise. Then Statler, he’s had some bumps and bruises all year long, and they seem to be adding up. “When them guys are ahead of me in the world standings, I just look over there and think, ‘Dude, you’ve got to be a cowboy; you’ve just got to cowboy up, because they’re not complaining about it.’ “Every little injury I’ve had, it seems like it’s not even a big deal because you’ve just got to ride through it. You don’t hear them talking about it. I’ll brag on them and tell you how tough they are because I get to see it every single day. They give me no option other than to get better.” Gooding Pro RodeoAug. 13-16All-around cowboy: Wacey Schalla, $1,031 in bareback riding and bull riding. Bareback riding: 1. Richmond Champion, 87.5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Stevie Nicks, $6,874; 2. Cooper Cooke, 87, $5,270; 3. Sage Allen, 86.5, $3,895; 4. (tie) Mason Stuller and Jess Pope, 86, $2,062 each; 6. (tie) Wacey Schalla and Clay Jorgenson, 85.5, $1,031 each; 8. (tie) Jacek Frost, Donny Proffit and Tanner Aus, 85, $229 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Riley Duvall, 3.4 seconds, $4,746; 2. Will Lummus, 3.6, $4,188; 3. Riley Westhaver, 3.7, $3,629; 4. (tie) Cody Devers and Rowdy Parrott, 3.8, $2,792 each; 6. (tie) Tristan Martin, Landris White and Talon Roseland, 3.9, $1,954 each; 9. (tie) Jacob Edler, Trisyn Kalawaia and Garrett Oates, 4.0, $1,117 each; 12. (tie) Don Payn and Darcy Kersh, 4.1, $279. Team roping: 1. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 4.0 seconds, $5,272; 2. (tie) Kolton Schmidt/Chase Tryan and Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning, 4.3, $4,393 each; 4. (tie) Brodi Jones/Cody Burnside, Cory Kidd V/Will Woodfin, Clint Summers/Jade Corkill and Dustin Egusquiza/J.C. Flake, 4.5, $2,987 each; 8. (tie) Kavis Drake/Denim Ross and Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, 4.6, $1,933 each; 10. Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 5.0, $1,406; 11. (tie) Dylin Ahlstrom/Dan Scarbrough, Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham and Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 5.1, $996 each; 14. Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn, 5.5, $427; Cyle Dennison/Lane Mitchell, 5.6, $351. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 90 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool, $6,768; 2. Mitch Pollock, 89, $5,189; 3. (tie) Statler Wright and Zac Dallas, 88.5, $3,158; 5. Tanner Butner, 87.5, $1,579; 6. (tie) Damien Brennan, Lefty Holman and Ben Andersen, 87, $902 each.   Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Aubryn Bedke, Kash Gay and Brooke Bruner, 2.1 seconds, $5,531 each; 4. (tie) Maddy Deerman, Beau Peterson and Hali Williams, 2.2, $2,709 each; 7. (tie) Jessi Everett and Rylee George, 2.3, $1,609 each; 9. Shayla Hall, 2.4, $1,355; 10. Bradi Good, 2.5, $1,185; 11. (tie) Martha Angelone, Erin Johnson, Taylor Raupe and Kinlie Brennise, 2.6, $762 each; 15. Brittany Truman, 2.7, $339. Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) John Douch and Riley Webb, 7.4 seconds, $5,067 each; 3. Cody Craig, 7.7, $4,343; 5. 4. Bryce Derrer, 8.2, $3,619; 5. (tie) Seth Hall, Shad Mayfield, Bo Pickett and Chet Weitz, 8.4, $2,714 each; 9. Shane Hanchey, 8.5, $1,810; 10. (tie) Tyler Calhoun and Brushton Minton, 8.6, $1,357 each; 12. Hagen Houck, 8.8, $1,086; 13. Tom Crouse, 8.9, $734; 14. (tie) Justin Brinknerhoff, Britt Bedke and Chase Webster, 9.0, $302 each. Barrel racing: 1. Summer Kosel, 16.66 seconds, $6,740; 2. (tie) Halyn Lide, Kassie Mowry and Anita Ellis, 16.72, $4,381 each; 5. LaTricia Duke, 16.74, $2,696; 6. (tie) Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Tayla Moeykens, 16.75, $1,853 each; 8. Jordan Driver, 16.78, $1,516; 9. Caitlyn White, 16.87, $1,348; 10. Katie Halbert, 16.88, $1,179; 11. Katelyn Scott, 16.90, $$1,011; 12. Julia Johnson, 16.93, $842; 13. Carlee Otero,  Continue Reading »