About: Ted

ALTUS, Okla. – Madison Kovar knew that competing at an elite level in college rodeo meant testing her skills against some of the best. That’s why she made the move from her home in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, to Western Oklahoma State College in Altus – a 22-hour-plus drive one way. It’s a long way from home, but it’s the perfect place for her. “I really like being in the Central Plains Region,” said Kovar, now in her third year in the nursing program at Western Oklahoma State. “At nationals, everybody said that it was always one of the toughest regions in college rodeo. I think you have to rope with the best to be the best. “If you’re not pushing yourself every time, you’re not going to go anywhere.” She proved her point this past weekend by finishing fourth overall at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Durant. She was one of just four cowgirls to rope both calves, and now she sits among the top       10 in the region standings after just two events this season. “I was the second one to go in the first round,” Kovar said. “My goal was to just go out there and rope a good calf.” She stopped the clock in 3.1 seconds; even though she didn’t place in the opening round, she earned a spot in the championship round. A broken barrier saddled Kovar with a 10-second penalty, but she roped solidly and took advantage of a few others’ failed times to score important points. “When I nodded my head (to start the run), the calf turned his head back, and my mare went forward and kept going forward,” she said. “I broke the barrier, but I roped the calf fast.” Kovar was recruited to Altus by former rodeo coach Guy Smith, who wrapped up a 10-year run this past spring. She’s received a ton of encouragement by the new coach, Jess Tierney, an all-around cowboy who has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping six times. “When I went into the box for the first round, Jess said, ‘Just make your run,’ ” she said. “That really helped, because it put me at ease. “He is a very positive person, and he shows that in practice. He never gets down on you, and he’s always trying to lift you up, build you up.” That comes in handy, but so does her partnership with her breakaway roping horse, Pearl Snap, a 6-year-old sorrel mare. “I think a good horse sets up your whole run,” Kovar said. “My little mare is really honest and gives me the shot I need. She runs until you sit down and tell her to stop. She gives you the opportunity. I like a horse that’s a little more free and can take the cues and listens to you.” She was joined in the short round by tie-down roper J.T. Adamson of Cody, Neb. Having other top ropers around helps everyone involved. “We have a lot of great ropers around all the time,” she said. “You can find little things here and there, and you learn new things every time you watch somebody rope.” If that’s the case, it’s no wonder Kovar is getting plenty of education at Western Oklahoma State.

DUNCAN, Okla. – As the hooves pound, the muscles strain. When done right, bull riding can be poetry in motion. That lasts just seconds. When those moments are over, the bullfighters move in quickly with great agility and tremendous athleticism. It is their job to distract the bull, move him away from the cowboy and try to keep everyone in the arena safe. It’s a job that Wacey Munsell and Chuck Swisher know well. Both will return to southern Oklahoma for the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19-Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. It’s an honor, really. Both have been selected multiple times to protect cowboys at the regional finale. Their places are determined by the bull riders, and it’s recognition that Munsell and Swisher are good at their jobs. “The quality of cowboys in our circuit is really good,” said Munsell, 31, of Ulysses, Kan. “If you can make the circuit finals, I think you could do just as well at the NFR. As a bullfighter, getting votes from that quality of cowboy means a lot. It’s a big honor.” This marks the seventh time Munsell has been selected to fight at the circuit finals, the second time since it moved to Duncan in 2012. Swisher will now work the championship for the third time. “It’s really cool because the bull riders trusted me enough to step into the arena and work the rodeo,” said Swisher, 27, of Dover, Okla. “That’s pretty awesome to have those guys pick you out of a list full of bullfighters so that you can do what you love at an event like that.” It takes true athleticism to handle a bullfighter’s load effectively. They will work together, gain the animals’ attention and finish by utilizing their athletic ability to remain out of harm’s way. Both men have worked some of the biggest events in ProRodeo. Munsell has worked rodeos in Denver; Tucson, Ariz.; Greeley, Colo.; and Dodge City, Kan., just to name a few. Among Swisher’s highlights are San Antonio; Sikeston, Mo.; and a 2014 assignment to protect bull riders at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “What’s great about the circuit finals is that it’s the top 12 in each event,” Swisher said. “It’s cool to see all that talent coming together and compete against each other.” Both men were raised in the region, so they comprehend the talent level that sits inside the Prairie Circuit. Whether it’s all-around world champion Ryan Jarrett of nearby Comanche, Okla., or a rising star like saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden of Welch, Okla., it doesn’t get much better than seeing all the top cowboys competing inside Stephens County Arena. “What makes the circuit finals great is the quality, both contestants and stock,” Munsell said. “There are a lot of horses and bulls that have been to the NFR, so you know we’re going to have top-quality stock. The circuit usually produces really good cowboys, and a lot are NFR caliber. “When you have that, it makes for a great rodeo.”

ALVA, Okla. – Team roping is the Johnson family business, and Jayden Johnson is doing his part. The junior header at Northwestern Oklahoma State University teamed with his heeling partner, Riley Wakefield of O’Neill, Neb., to win the team roping championship this past weekend at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Durant. “It means a lot to get that win,” said Johnson, a seventh-generation rancher near Casper, Wyo., whose father, Justin, is a Northwestern graduate. “This is what we do, and we work at it every day. Whether we’re roping the dummy or watching film, we’re working at it. We don’t have to run steers to work at it. “We do rodeo every day, so it’s nice to see our hard work pay off so early. I’d like to keep that momentum going as we move forward.” Both the Northwestern men and women placed second in Durant. Johnson and Wakefield were two of five Rangers who scored points in team roping. They were joined by the tandem of Kass Bittle of Kremlin, Okla., and Jaydon Laubhan of Follett, Texas, and header Dylan Schulenberg of Coal Valley, Ill. Northwestern had five steer wrestlers who garnered points, led by Jace Rutledge of Harrisonville, Mo., who won the final round and the average. Colten Madison finished in a three-way tie for third place in the first round but was unable to secure a time in the finale, while Brent Woodward placed in a tie for second overall, and Bridger Anderson placed fifth. Wakefield made a push for the all-around crown by finishing third in tie-down roping. Tanner Nall placed fifth, and Ethan Price finished sixth. In all, the Rangers scored 560 points – even though it was better than their winning score two weeks ago in Colby, Kan., the team settled for second place. “I chose both schools I went to because of how good I think the teams are going to be,” said Wakefield, who transferred from Gillette (Wyo.) College. “I knew a few guys on this team, and I knew they were really handy.” Similar to his partner, Johnson transferred from Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo., so this was his first big win in the Central Plains Region. Wakefield won the tie-down roping title in Colby, so this was a fresh start for the team ropers. “It’s been really nice to have Riley,” Johnson said. “If I turn the steers, he’s going to catch them. He’s that type of guy. I’m glad to have him as a partner.” The women’s team was led by a quartet of barrel racers, who all gathered points. Sara Bynum of Beggs, Okla., paved the way; she won the first round, finished fifth in the short round and earned the average championship with a two-run cumulative time of 33.59 seconds – she was four-tenths faster than the runner-up. Ashlyn Moeder finished third in the opening round but fell off pace in the final round. Alyssa Gabrielson placed sixth in the first round, fourth in the short round and sixth in the average. Jennifer Massing was fourth in the opener, sixth in the short and fifth overall. Breakaway roper Taylor Munsell of Arnett, Okla., finished second overall, helped in large part to her 3.4-second, second-place run in the championship round. She was joined in the finale by Gabrielson, who finished in a tie for third place in the first round. Overall it was a solid team effort by both the Rangers men and women. “This is the best team I’ve been on in college rodeo,” said Johnson, whose uncle, Jhett, was the 2011 heeling world champion and attended school at Northwestern in the early 1990s. “Everybody is here to compete, and they do a good job of staying focused. They all want to work hard and try to get better every day.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Members of the Waller County Fair Board are innovative. They have to be, they believe, because they have an annual goal to give back. It’s not just providing the region with an excellent exposition that is the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for Saturday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 7. No, it’s about meeting a mission of giving to youth and scholarship. “We work to make sure we have a sturdy lineup for attractions,” said Dustin Standley, the fair board’s president. “We put on the PRCA Rodeo, which we keep adding to each year. But we’ve also been creative in other events we do, like the eliminators.” That’s true. The first is the Tie-Down Roping Eliminator, which features eight cowboys with excellent pedigrees – combined, they have nearly 100 qualifications to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and 36 world championships. It will take place Tuesday, Oct. 4. The following night will feature the Team Roping Eliminator; like Tuesday’s show, it will feature eight of the top teams in ProRodeo. All competitors will compete in the first round, with the slowest times being eliminated. That will continue in all subsequent rounds until champions are crowned each night. Those are just two of the innovative events that are part of the nine-day exposition. While there are plenty of traditional fair favors, there is something special when it comes to the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. Part of the innovation is getting the right acts at the right time to perform during the concerts. “This community looks forward to the concerts every year,” said Steven Pfeiffer, chairman of the Fair Board’s entertainment committee. “It’s something they can do with the carnival and the rodeo and everything else we have going on. The way we time it out, everything works together. “For $15 to get in the gate, you get to see all these acts. You can’t go anywhere else and get that kind of entertainment for that kind of money. We want to get good bang for our buck.” The concert lineup is spectacular, just as it has been for several years. Jason Cassidy, Shenandoah and Wade Bowen on Saturday, Sept. 30 Rick Trevino on Thursday, Oct. 5 Kevin Robinson and The Voice’s 2016winner Sundance Head on Friday, Oct. 6 Glen Templeton and Josh Ward on Saturday, Oct. 7. “Adding a third act to the first Saturday so we have three big-time acts allows us to start earlier,” Pfeiffer said. “We’re starting at 8:30 p.m. and going until 1 o’clock in the morning. It allows those that are a little older a chance to see Shenandoah hit the stage at 10 o’clock. They can stay if they want to see Wade Bowen, but it really gives us a chance to open it up to people of all ages to enjoy those concerts.” The key, he said, it to continue the fair’s giving. Every director involved understands the value behind all the work they put in to make the Waller County Fair and Rodeo such a regional showcase. “We do all these things because they are our successors,” Standley said of the youth. “If we don’t give them the platform for them to open their education, then we’re not doing them justice. “We have to give them the pathway. If we don’t give them the structure, then they have the opportunity to stray away. We want them to succeed.” That not only serves as the Waller County Fair and Rodeo’s mission, it is also a strong lesson in life. “We give money away to benefit our Waller County high school kids,” Pfeiffer said. “We’re really proud of the scholarships, giving back to the community and seeing the kids’ hard work. Watching those kids go through the show ring or the sell ring is amazing to see. “It truly makes me happy, makes me smile. That’s why I do this every year.”

BELLVILLE, Texas – With two world championships on her belt and two more reserve world titles, Kelly Kaminski could have her pick of many rodeos that are her favorites. “This is our hometown rodeo,” said Kaminski, who won barrel racing gold buckles in 2004-05 and was runner-up the two years previously. “It’s very special to me. I won this rodeo one year, and you would’ve thought I won the NFR. It was as I was up and coming and before I won the world, but it is still a special memory.” It should be, and she’s excited about this year’s rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Austin County Fairgrounds in Bellville. There are many reasons behind it, from great action to the best personnel in the game. “There are a lot of special memories here, and we’ve had some great concerts and great country artists over the years at the fair,” she said. “Our little rodeo has some amazing talent that some folks in our county don’t even understand.” That talent includes the voice of the Bellville rodeo, Boyd Polhamus, a four-time PRCA Announcer of the Year who has called the action at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 21 times. He will work with John Harrison, a three-time Comedy Act of the Year winner; Dusty Tuckness, now the reigning seven-time Bullfighter of the Year; and Sandy Gwatney, the 2016 PRCA Secretary of the Year. “For a small rodeo like this, it’s really special,” Kaminski said. “What’s neat about rodeo is you can see the people up close. From a fan’s perspective, these are the people you admire or look up to in your sport. You can see people you’ve watched at a national level. That’s a pretty neat thing.” That’s what makes rodeo great, especially in Bellville, where the fans know the sport. They understand what it means to witness a world champion in action, and they show up to see the best in the world compete in their hometown. Kaminski has been one of the best during her storied career. She spends a great deal of her time now with the Junior NFR, an event that features youngsters competing in Las Vegas in conjunction with ProRodeo’s grand championship. She also spent a great deal of time this year on the road with her 19-year-old daughter, Kenna, who is running barrels just like Mom. “We’re very close, because I raised her on the road,” Kaminski said of her relationship with Kenna. “The girl can ride. Her horsemanship is outstanding, and she’s got a lot of talent with horses.” Some of that is genetics, but a big portion comes from the hard work Kenna has put in alongside her mother. Kelly Kaminski competed some over the summer, mostly on backup horses to help them get seasoned as the animals and Kenna learned the ropes of the rodeo trail. Now they’re back in southeast Texas. It’s home, a place Kelly Kaminski has lived for 26 years. She’s proud of the heritage that sits in Austin County, and she’s excited to be part of rodeo’s history. “The first time I went to the finals and came back as reserve (world champion), I got such a wonderful reception,” said Kaminski, one of just seven women to have won back-to-back gold buckles. “For me, it was really special because I felt like I put our town on the map. Bringing that attention to it and make my town proud really meant a lot to me.”