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Knudsen happy to share his voice for others on PRCA council MANAWA, Wis. – Jesse Knudsen is more than a rodeo music director and announcer. First and foremost, he’s a cowboy. Raised in central Wisconsin, Knudsen knew at an early age what it means to care for livestock. That’s the primary purpose of a cowboy, and it’s a lifelong trait he shares with many others. After early years as a competitor, Knudsen has spent the last several on the production side of rodeo. It’s both a contest featuring incredible athleticism and a brand of entertainment for fans. That’s where his dual roles come into play, knowing the right words or the right music to go with the action that’s happening in the arena. “Being involved in rodeo is such a great way to make a living,” said Knudsen, who still lives in Manawa. “I love the travel, the fellowship, a chance to be a witness for Christ throughout our travels. We’re in a different state every weekend, and you get to meet different people.” It’s the best part of his job and always has been, but there’s much more to him than meets the eye. Several years ago, he was approached by an announcer to consider being the group’s representative on the Contract Personnel Executive Council. He ran for the post and began the first of his two-year terms. Since then, though, announcers and sound directors have continued to have Knudsen be their voice. He began his fifth term April 1. “It means a lot that they value my opinion and that they believe in me to do battle for each and every one of them,” he said. “Yes, it’s a thankless job, but when guys each out to tell you ‘thank you,’ it means the world. “It’s very humbling that those people believe enough in me to be their representative.” It’s a necessary piece of the PRCA’s administrative efforts. Rodeo’s premier association is controlled by the board, which includes four representing contestants, two representing stock contractors, two representing rodeo committees and one for contract personnel. Knudsen shares his voice to the personnel director, Josh Edwards, who also hears from timers, clowns, bullfighters, specialty acts, laborers, secretaries, pickup men and photographers. “The biggest phrase that everybody says to me is, ‘You communicate,’ ” Knudsen said. “The communication part is something I take pride in.” Being the representative isn’t about his personal agenda or about just sharing his thoughts. It’s about being the voice of the majority. That’s why he fills all other announcers and sound directors in on the topics up for discussions. “I think it’s about giving people a head’s up,” he said. “I want to let them know what’s going on, and sometimes there’s not a lot to communicate. Other times, there’s stuff going on that they need to know about. Those of us on the council don’t have a vote on the board, but Josh does. If there are situations we need to vote on, I poll the room and give Josh the vote we decided on. “Ultimately, I have to put my feelings aside because those are the people that put me in that position, and I’m supposed to represent the group as a whole.” It’s a vital cog that is the rodeo machine, just like every other aspect of the sport with which Knudsen has been involved. Being on the council is the next phase for the Wisconsin man, who has been involved in the sport since the day he was born. “My dad was on the Little Britches of Wisconsin Board of Directors,” Knudsen said, who will begin his “summer run” of rodeos May 15 in Abbyville, Kansas. “He used to keep all the bucking bulls at our house during the winter. He was the flank man and kind of the ramrod, like livestock director. “I was 8 years old the first time I actually got to enter an official rodeo.” He rode bulls and bucking horses, even doing both at Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College. Once he turned his attention to ProRodeo, he focused more on bull riding. “I was never really successful in bull riding,” he said. “I had to have reconstructive shoulder surgery twice in the matter of 358 days, so I transitioned to bullfighting. “It was a lot of fun; I got hooked on the first one I fought. A little Mexican (fighting bull) hooked me, and I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to keep doing this.’ I was only going to do it to give my shoulder a break, but when you weren’t real successful at riding them and you’re getting paid every time you fought them, it was kind of a no-brainer to just stick with bullfighting.” Rodeo is unique in that contestants only get paid when they beat most of the field, and they have to pay a fee in order to compete. Contract personnel are paid for the work, so the money was guaranteed, unlike his days on the backs of bulls. It’s not the only thing he’s done in rodeo, though. Before he got into announcing and sound directing, he was a pickup man, a flank man, a laborer and even served as a judge at a couple of rodeos. Every post has influenced how he works today. That experience is why Knudsen is the man others want as their voice on the council. “It’s quite an honor for me to represent these people,” Knudsen said. “I don’t take their trust in me for granted.”

CLAREMORE, Okla. – When roper Jesse Stipes was injured a week ago, it wasn’t long before a call for help was made. His cowboy friends went to work to help raise money to cover the expenses that have been and will be incurred because of a seriously broken leg that happened during the steer roping competition April 30 at Clovis, New Mexico. “I got my slack under my stirrup as I was leaving to trip my second steer, and it just shot me out in front of my horse,” said Stipes, 41, of Salina, Oklahoma. “I landed on my feet, which, it turns out, might have been the wrong way to land.” He suffered a compound fracture of his right leg, was transported to a hospital in Amarillo, Texas, and had surgery soon after. He is back in Salina recovering, but follow-up appointments and rehabilitation are now on his schedule. Before the weekend came to a close, fellow steer ropers were already organizing a benefit that will take place during the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic during the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore. There will be a Calcutta auction at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, May 21, at Stampede Park, with a cowboy luncheon. A live auction will follow between the first and second rounds of competition, roughly 3:45 p.m. “I can’t take credit for it, because Riley O’Rourke kind of came up with it and his dad called me and asked if we could do something like this,” said Brodie Poppino, 35, a four-time National Finals Steer Roping qualifier from Big Cabin, Oklahoma. “I called Marshall (Perkins) and David (Petty) in Claremore to make sure that would be alright, and they were good with it and asked me to handle it.” “Anytime you get to help somebody that needs it, it’s just a blessing,” Poppino said. “You hate the situation of needing the help, but Jesse’s a good dude, a good Christian man. He’s got a good family, so we just want to help.” Poppino is counting on his fellow cowboys and neighbors in northeastern Oklahoma to lend a helping hand. Poppino is one of a record 843 contestants that have entered the Will Rogers Stampede, about 80 of which are steer ropers competing at the Tub Handle Classic. Claremore’s rodeo has been a hot spot for cowboys and cowgirls who compete for big prize money, and that trend continues this year. “We have always had a big number of timed-event contestants, but this year stands out,” said Petty, a longtime director of the rodeo. “To have almost 1,000 contestant says something about what Claremore is doing with its rodeo. On top of that, the cowboy mentality is something that’s hard to beat. Cowboys all come together to help out our friends. “That’s why we were happy to host the benefit.” Handmade bits and bridles, artwork and a stud fee are just a few of the items donated, and there are a number of smaller items that will be up for auction, like boots, packs and buckets. “I think the cool thing is that we had an African safari donated that has like a $17,000 value to it that’s been donated,” Poppino said. “We’ve still got a little time before the auction, but it’s amazing to watch and see a community come together to help somebody. “To see the sheer number of people willing to donate items or who are willing to be there to help out is amazing.” The injury is a small part of what’s happening for Stipes. He’s been through them before, though this is significant. He will be out of competition for a few months; surgeons placed a rod from knee to ankle and included some plates and screws for good measure. That, combined with a hip replacement four years ago, means Stipes will have a right leg full of metal. Nonetheless, the healing has begun. “This may not be the toughest part of it, but being able to accept some help is up there,” Stipes said. “I’m usually the guy that would like to help others, and I get a little uncomfortable when other people offer to help. It’s very humbling and very appreciated.”

Chase Brooks, a six-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, celebrates after making an 85-point ride during last year’s Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. Brooks is one of many NFR qualifiers who have competed at Big Spring, and with a change of dates and an increase in the purse, organizers are expecting even more to compete at the legendary rodeo. (PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)   BIG SPRING, Texas – The volunteer committee that produces the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo is making a statement. “We want to do everything we can to make the experience better for the fans, the sponsors and the contestants,” said Cash Berry, the committee’s chairman. “Without the fans and the sponsors, we don’t have a competition for the cowboys. Without the cowboys, we don’t have a rodeo to put on for the fans. Everything has to come together to make it work” The proof is in the prize money. The committee has increased its “added money” starting in 2026. It’s an investment of more than $33,000 over last year. Local dollars are set per event, and then mixed with contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall purse. Eight of the nine disciplines will feature $8,000 in added money; bull riding will be at $14,400. “None of this happens without a community that’s behind our rodeo,” Berry said. “We’ve made some important updates to the Rodeo Bowl, and we’ve been able to increase our added money to help us pull more contestants to town.” This year’s event – set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4-Saturday, June 6, at the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl – moves up a couple weeks to a cooler part of the month, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Another part of the decision for us to change the dates is to make our rodeo easier for the contestants to work,” Berry said. “Rodeo is a big sport out here in West Texas, and the fans want to see the best.” Money is certainly an enticement for those who make a living in the sport. World champions and NFR veterans have included Big Spring on their schedules, but the changes made for this year offer a bigger incentive. Knowing that the community has raised $78,400 toward the overall purse will certainly spark interest. “Anytime rodeos can coordinate like that, guys will take advantage of it and make sure the enter those rodeos,” said bareback rider Jacob Lees, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier originally from Caldwell, Idaho, but now living in Boyd, Texas. “Guys are more likely to hit Big Spring now. “With that rodeo raising the ‘added money,’ that also helps a lot. The fact of the matter is we do this for a job, so I have to be smart with the rodeos I go to. When it comes down to it, we do this to provide for our families and to pay the bills.” The committee’s decision to up its part of the prize money will play well among contestants. “Increasing the added money is always going to help a rodeo like that gain more interest,” Lees said. “Having good hospitality is amazing, but most of the time it comes down to money.”

Holly Spreitzer, the 2016 Rooftop Rodeo queen, is now the rodeo’s royalty coordinator and would love to involve more young people in the program, which allows youth to grow through Estes Park’s Western legacy. (PHOTO BY TED HARBIN)   Rodeo’s royalty program helps mold Estes Park’s young people ESTES PARK, Colo. – For many, rodeo is much more than a sport. Sure, there’s a rough-and-tumble attitude toward it, just based on the brawn and tests of talent that are part of every ride and run. But there’s also a beauty to it, whether it’s a high-leaping bucking horse seemingly floating through the air or a barrel racer speeding around the arena on her athletic partner. There’s also majesty in the form of rodeo royalty, and that’s certainly the case for Rooftop Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Monday, July 6-Saturday, July 11, at Granny May Arena inside the Estes Park Fairgrounds. “Being in the royalty program builds confidence, and it builds an understanding of animals and the relationships you can have with animals,” said Toni Brown, who was Rooftop Rodeo attendant in 1978 and queen in 1979. “I think continuing strong horsemanship is a good quality.” Rooftop Rodeo has a long and storied history of royalty alumni, from Patty Moomaw in 1941 to Sharidan Huggins in 2025. The rodeo is also interested in maintaining communication with its former royalty members, so a form has been established at https://www.rooftoprodeo.com/past-queens.html for alumni to provide information. “We’d love for all our Rooftop Rodeo royalty alumni to fill that form out so we can contact them and keep the communication flowing,” said Cindy Schonholtz, the Rooftop Rodeo coordinator. That will help open the dialog while also trying to make the program the best it can be. “There are a lot of other things that being a queen helps with that you will need going forward,” Brown said. “You need the ability to speak, the ability to understand the rodeo and the ability to understand the town and be a good representation of the town.” It’s been several decades, but everything Brown gained during her reign is still being used today. “I think the big things are to be respectful and responsible,” she said. “I think that holds true today more than ever given the use of technology.” Queens and attendants are ambassadors for Rooftop Rodeo, but they’re not the only ones. Estes Park’s rodeo is unique in that it has a program designed for boys to learn and grow within the values of representing one of the community’s marquee events. “The royalty program is ultimately the development of youth,” said Holly Spreitzer, the 2016 Rooftop Rodeo queen and the Rooftop Rodeo royalty coordinator. “The youth is our future. Rodeo is becoming more popular, but it’s also becoming more challenging to continue on what we have in our Western heritage. Being able to cultivate an environment where youth can grow up in an environment that helps preserve our past while building our future is the goal with our royalty program. “Ours extends not just for the young women but also the young men in our program. We have young men that are able to be wranglers and junior wranglers. Not only do we teach the girls the side of rodeo, but I also want to teach the men to cultivate the next rodeo athlete or the next rodeo supporter in some way.” There is something to be said about cowboy culture, where folks look out for their neighbors, care for animals like loved ones and are willing to work for everything they have. “I want to help build and create an environment for them to grow into amazing human beings that are going to be successful in any facet that they choose to go into in their lives,” she said. Spreitzer has experienced those benefits. “It was an amazing opportunity,” she said. “The year before I got into the Rooftop Rodeo Royalty program, I was part of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Posse, and it really started there because that was my first rodeo experience as a local queen. They took me under their wing. “Because I was in the royalty program, I got some amazing opportunities that helped me propel into the future of working inside of rodeo, not just being a representative of rodeo. That was a very positive experience to kind of kick-started my entrance into the rodeo industry.” While there have been changes to the royalty program over the decades, one thing remains constant: The mission is for the betterment of youth involved. “We were part of every performance and part of both parades,” Brown said. “Back then we had four days and five performances, so we had a double-performance day in there. On Saturday afternoon, there was a kids’ rodeo gymkhana, which was super fun. We also had other requirements that we tended to, like going to five or six parades and rodeos in our area. “Our job was representing Estes Park, representing Rooftop Rodeo and representing Estes Park as a Western-heritage town.” It sparks pride in the community as well as in oneself and continues to be a major part of the program. “I think one of the biggest benefits I gained out of it is having initiative and being able to have confidence to enter any environment not only with an open mind, but also a learning heart,” Spreitzer said. “The biggest thing in rodeo is that there’s always something to learn. Something I took away from when I first started as the attendant and went on to carry through with as the queen is that there’s a lot of responsibility that goes into it. “There are so many other things that a queen does. It’s not just a pretty face you see. It’s the person that helps sit you down and talks to you about your life experiences and how you got yourself here and what brought you to the rodeo industry. It’s also the person that is  Continue Reading »

All-around talent Trell Etbauer wrestled his steer in 3.6 seconds Saturday to take the third-round lead at Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. It was the fastest run of the rodeo so far. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)   GUYMON, Okla. – Colemon Proctor, Travis Graves and Trell Etbauer can write an Oklahoma history book on rodeo. Between them, they own 25 qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo, four Linderman Awards and three Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo championship belts. During Saturday afternoon’s second performance, all three put their chips on the table and were in position to rake in a lot more with just one day remaining in the seven-day rodeo. “I definitely wanted to take over the lead in the average with Nicky Northcott and Tyler Tryan, who have made this muley roping ag Guymon look like the goat roping at Bob’s the other night,” said Proctor, a header from Pryor, Oklahoma, who ropes with Graves, a heeler from Jay, Oklahoma. “They’re so far ahead that I just wanted to be taking the lead and maybe win something round right there. “We’ve had a long winter, but we’ve started stacking checks together, and we’re just trying to get things going in the right direction.” Proctor is a three-time Pioneer Days Rodeo titlist, with one in team roping and two coming in the all-around. He is in great shape to get another belt, if not two, by the time the weekend comes to a close. He and Graves – a 16-time NFR qualifier – stopped the clock in 7.2 seconds Saturday but own the aggregate lead with a three-run cumulative time of 21.1 seconds. They placed in the first two rounds and have already collected $1,074 in team roping dollars. Proctor also placed in a steer-roping round, adding $1,114 to his coffers, so he leads the race for a third all-around crown. He and Graves could catch a check in the third round, too, and will most likely earn their biggest payday in the Oklahoma Panhandle via the average race. They trailed Tryan and Northcott by 2 seconds heading into the third round, but now they have the targets placed on their backs. “Travis and I have jackpotted a lot and roped a lot our whole lives, but it just wasn’t clicking this winter like we thought it would right off the bat,” said Proctor, a nine-time NFR qualifier. “Now, it’s just good that things are starting to come together. We started putting a lot of good runs together.” After a soft couple of days wrestling steers earlier in the week, Etbauer knew he needed something good to happen in his third-round run. It did. He bulldogged his animal to the ground in 3.6 seconds to post the fastest run of the rodeo so far. By moving into the round lead, he set himself up for a significant payday; should he win the round, he will pocket nearly $2,400. “I was kind of down in the average a ways, and in order to have a chance to get out of here with money, I needed to go for the round,” said Etbauer, 41, of Goodwell, Oklahoma, which is just 10 miles west of Guymon. “The key there was getting a good start and riding a fast horse. That’s Mason Couch’s horse, and he was kind enough to let me on.” Etbauer is the son of two-time saddle bronc riding world champion Robert Etbauer, who raised his children to be all-around cowboys. For years, Trell Etbauer added tie-down roping and bronc riding to his repertoire; he was so successful that he won four Lindermans, which is awarded to cowboy who earns the most money competing in roughstock and timed events. While Proctor is the only man to have won a Guymon title, it’s something all contestants want, especially those raised miles from Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “This is my favorite rodeo of the year, where I get to come and compete in front of the hometown crowd,” Etbauer said. “I’ve had a lot of luck here, placed a bunch, but I have never won it. I’ve come close a few times, but I always enjoy getting to come here.” Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo May 1-3 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Carson Hildre, 87 points on Double J Rodeo’s Café Risque; 2. Logan Patterson, 82.5; 3. (tie) Bryce Eck and Tim O’Connell, 82; 5. (tie) Colt Eck and Lane McGehee, 81; 7. (tie) Payton Lackey and Ty Pope, 80. Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Jake Clay/Whip Peterson, 5.7 seconds; 2. Luke Brown/Buddy Hawkins, 5.9; 3. Austin Crist/Dave Tripp, 7.0; 4. Coleman Proctor/Travis Graves, 7.2; 5. Tee McCleod/Trey Yates, 7.3; 6. Roan Oldfield/Creed West, 7.4; 7. Johnny Salvo/John Hisel, 7.8; 8. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 8.2.  Average leaders: 1. Coleman Proctor/Travis Graves, 21.1 seconds on three runs; 2. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 21.7; 3. Luke Brown/Buddy Hawkins, 23.1; 4. Denton Parish/Corey Hendrick, 24.0; 5. Jake Clay/Whip Peterson, 25.0; 6. Tee McLeod/Trey Yates, 26.1; 7. Johnny Salvo/John Hisel, 28.8; 8. Austin Crist/Dave Trip, 29.9. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Trell Etbauer, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Jace Melvin and Tristan Martin, 4.0; 4. (tie) Seth Peterson and Trace Harris, 4.2; 6. (tie) Dane Haas and Riley Westhaver, 4.4; 8. Trey Bohmbach, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Seth Peterson, 11.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Tristan Martin, 13.5; 3. Cole Pugh, 13.9; 4. Winsten McGraw, 14.2; 5. Trell Etbauer, 14.4; 6. Jacob Daniell, 14.5; 7. Jake Holmes, 14.9; 8. Ryden Martin, 15.1. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Wyatt Lavergne, 86.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Ed Bishop; 2. (tie) Blake Steuck and Coleman Shallbetter, 83.5; 4. Wyatt Casper, 83; 5. Tegan Smith, 82; 6. Isaac Diaz, 81; 7. (tie) Cauy Pennington and Joe Macqueen, 79. Breakaway roping: Third round leaders: 1. Beau Peterson, 2.6 seconds; 2. Melyssa McDonald, 2.7; 3. (tie) Josie Conner and Libby Winchell, 2.8;53. Carlee Potter, 2.9; 6. Shay Clements, 3.0; 7. Taylor Munsell, 3.2; 8. Cali Griffin, 3.3. Average leaders: 1. Beau Peterson, 9.9 seconds on three  Continue Reading »

Wyatt Lavergne rides Frontier Rodeo’s Ed Bishop for 86.5 points to take the early saddle bronc riding lead during Friday’s first performance of Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN   GUYMON, Okla. – Wyatt Lavergne just wants to have a percentage of the accomplishments of his Friday night dance partner during the opening performance of Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. Lavergne rode Frontier Rodeo’s Ed Bishop for 86.5 points to take the saddle bronc riding lead, setting the early stage during the Craig Latham Memorial Bronc Riding at Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo. “That’s a horse you see at the NFR almost every year,” Lavergne said, referring to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s super bowl. “You’ve seen her at every rodeo, and this is one you dream of getting on. I thank the good Lord above for giving me the opportunity to get on him.” It was a big deal. Ed Bishop has been selected to the NFR in both bareback riding and saddle bronc riding. He’s shown his versatility in that capacity, because only the top 100 bucking animals in each event are selected each year. “Frontier has the pen of horses I’d love to draw out of at every rodeo,” Lavergne said. “I get excited whenever I see my name next to their’s. I’d say me and Ed Bishop made a pretty good team.” It takes two to tango. Judges mark each ride on a 100-point scale, with half the score coming from how well the animal bucks and the other half on how well the cowboy spurs in rhythm with the horse’s bucking style. Guymon is well known for its bronc-riding prowess. Dozens of NFR qualifiers have either lived in Texas County, Oklahoma, or attended Oklahoma Panhandle State University. The event is named after Latham, a nine-time NFR qualifier who coached the Panhandle State rodeo team for several years. “It was perfect bronc-riding weather,” Lavergne said of the evening in which temperatures dipped into the 50s. “This is a great rodeo. We had a handful of great guys, and everybody rode good. I was just blessed to compete in the bronc riding like it is here. I loved the atmosphere.” He will await the final three performances to see where he finishes, but Lavergne’s first venture to the Oklahoma Panhandle is paying off so farm. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo May 1-3 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Bryce Eck, 82 points on Double J Rodeo’s Annabelle; 2. Colt Eck, 81; 3. Koltdyn Heath, 77.5; no other qualified rides. Team roping: First round: 1. Luke Brown/Buddy Hawkins II, 5.7 seconds, $2,354 each; 2. Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott, 5.9, $2,047; 3. James Arviso/Levi Lord, 6.6, $1,740; 4. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 6.7, $1,433; 5. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 6.9, $1,126; 6. Jaxon Hill/Jessen James, 7.0, $819; 7. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 7.1, $512; 8. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Travis Graves and Kreece Thompson/Cutter Pake Thomison, 7.2, $102 each. Second round: 1. Shay Dixon Carroll/Denton Dunning, 5.7 seconds, $2,354 each; 2. Lightning Aguilera/Kaden Profili, 5.8, $2,047; 3. Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott, 6.0, $1,740; 4. Curry Kirchner/Tanner Braden, 6.4, $1,433; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Travis Graves and Blaine Turner/Scout McElroy, 6.7, $972 each; 7. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 6.8, $512; 8. Jet Toberer/Casey McCleskey, 6.9, $205. Third round leaders: 1. Luke Brown/Buddy Hawkins, 5.9 seconds; 2. Austin Crist/Dave Tripp, 7.0; 3. Tee McCleod/Trey Yates, 7.3; 4. Johnny Salvo/John Hisel, 7.8; 5. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 8.2; 6. Denton Parish/Corey Hendrick, 8.3; 7. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 16.7; no other qualified runs.  Average leaders: 1. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 21.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Luke Brown/Buddy Hawkins, 23.1; 3. Denton Parish/Corey Hendrick, 24.0; 4. Tee McLeod/Trey Yates, 26.1; 5. Johnny Salvo/John Hisel, 28.8; 6. Austin Crist/Dave Trip, 29.9; 7. Wawa Ben Jr/Brandon Ben, 36.9; 8. Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott, 11.9 seconds on two runs; 8. Coleman Proctor/Travis Graves, 13.9. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Walt Arnold, 3.6 seconds, $2,390; 2. Cole Pugh, 3.8, $2,078; 3. Colin Fox, 3.9, $1,767; 4. (tie) Seth Peterson and Talon Roseland, 4.0, $1,299 each; 6. Rhett Witt, 4.1, $831; 7. (tie) Eli Lord and Gavin Soileau, 4.2, $364 each. Second round: 1. Cody Harmon, 3.6 seconds, $2,390; 2. Seth Peterson, 3.7, $2,078; 3. (tie) Winsten McGraw and Gavin Soileau, 3.9, $1,611 each; 5. Cody Devers, 4.0, $1,143; 6. (tie) Trace Harris and Rhett Witt, 4.1, $675 each; 8. (tie) Tristan Martin, Cole Pugh and Sawyer Strand, 4.3, $69 each. Third round leaders: 1. Trace Harris, 4.2 seconds; 2. Dane Haas, 4.4; 3. Trey Bohmbach, 4.7; 4. (tie) Coy Johnston and Tory Johnson, 4.8; 6. Andrew Morian, 6.9; 7. Cade Fedor, 17.5; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Trace Harris and Tory Jonson, 15.5 seconds on three runs; 3. Andrew Morian, 16.5; 4. Coy Johnston, 19.7; 5. Dane Haas, 20.2; 6. Trey Bohmbach, 20.4; 7. Cade Fedor, 32.2; 8. Seth Peterson, 7.7 seconds on two runs. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Wyatt Lavergne, 86.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Ed Bishop; 2. (tie) Blake Steuck and Coleman Shallbetter, 83.5; 4. Tegan Smith, 82; 5. Isaac Diaz, 81; 6. Brett Larsen, 778; 7. Carson Neal, 76; 8. (tie) Cooper Thatcher, Cauy Masters and Warwick Southern, 73. Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Cali Griffin, 2.3 seconds, $2,060; 2. (tie) Reagan Davis and Brandi McDowell, 2.5, $1,657 each; 4. (tie) McKenna Brennan and Jacelyn Frost, 2.6, $1,120 each; 6. (tie) Molly Hamilton and Amy Ohrt, 2.7, $582 each; 8. (tie) Alyssa Bigon and Jessi Everett, 2.8, $90 each. Second round: 1. Kelsie Domer, 2.9 seconds, $2,060; 2. Sawyer Gilbert, 3.0, $1,791; 3. (tie) Shalee King and Josey Murphy, 3.2, $1,388 each; 5. (tie) Addie Beth Denton and Taylor Engesser, 3.3, $851 each; 7. Brooke Bruner, 3.4, $448; 8. (tie) Sydney Herrin and Emma Ricke, 3.5, $90 each. Third round leaders: 1. Carlee Potter, 2.9; 2. Alyssa Bigon, 3.3; 3. Brighton Bauman, 3.8; 4. Whitney Profilli, 3.7; 5. Shalee King, 3.8; 6. Sawyer Gilbert, 10.1. Average leaders: 1. Alyssa Bigon, 9.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Carlee Potter, 11.5; 3. Sawyer Gilbert, 17.4l  Continue Reading »

Jacee Lancaster   Magazine recognizes Utah State Fair director in its 30 Under 30 SALT LAKE CITY – Over the last four years, Jacee Lancaster has made an impact on the Utah State Fair. The notice has reached far beyond Salt Lake City. Editors and executives at COWGIRL have recognized Lancaster as one of the magazine’s 30 Under 30, which recognizes “remarkable women” in the Western industry. “I’m very honored, because this is a pretty big accomplishment,” said Lancaster, the livestock director for Utah State Fair and production manager for Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo, which takes place during the annual exposition. “For women, especially younger women, to be recognized in the industry is a big deal. “When I was growing up, my mom was pretty encouraging about the fact that there was a place for us in the industry, but you would always have to work harder and be better to prove yourself. I think that’s proven true, but I think it’s pretty eye-opening to see how things are shifting. There’s a place for women – and young women – in the industry.” She’s proven it to the point that COWGIRL is recognizing her on a national stage. The publication opted in 2020 to begin crediting young women who shape the future of the Western way of life. The women will be recognized during the Wrangler COWGIRL 30 Under 30 Empowered Gala, which takes place during the COWGIRL Leadership Summit from May 20-22 in Arlington, Texas. Lancaster is part of the leadership team at the Utah State Fair, which takes place Sept. 10-20 at Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. With her dual role as livestock director and rodeo producer, she utilizes a lifetime of experiences and relationships to help both the livestock shows and the annual rodeo blossom. Utah’s Own Rodeo will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11; Saturday, Sept. 12; and Monday, Sept. 14, in the Days of ’47 Arena, which is on the fairpark grounds. “When I went to college, I knew I wanted to be involved in agriculture,” said Lancaster, who owns an associate’s degree in business and a bachelor’s degree in marketing and corporate communication from Idaho State University. “As far as the fair side of things, we always grew up at the county fair. My family was there. My mom was pregnant with me at the fair. That always piqued my interest, and then I have a sister is involved and my aunt running a fair, as well.” She was born into a family in the southern Idaho town of Jerome, where the county fair was a major community happening. It’s that mindset she took with her when she took the post in Salt Lake City. Her father, Mike, worked in the grain-and-seed industry after graduating college. He still farms and raises cattle full time, but he also remains busy with crop adjusting, catering and other activities on this side. Her mother, Laurie, worked in management of a dairy testing association, and then was part of a milk, forage and animal diagnostic lab. Together, they provided a solid foundation that has guided all three daughters. Jacee Lancaster has been building her own credentials on top of it. “It was kind of scary thinking about doing anything outside agriculture,” she said. “They always say the further generations are further removed from the farm, but that wasn’t something that I wanted. I wanted to be someone that still promoted agriculture. That’s why I love the rodeo side of things, because my grandpa passed that down to is. We just continue to promote and compete in that ourselves.” Part of that comes through sharing her passions with others. Many people – especially those in the cities – don’t have an understanding of how food products are grown and developed. Her place in agriculture is also one of education, and it’s an important part of the process at the state fair. “I think educating everyone about agriculture starts in the classroom,” Lancaster said. “I think the more you can get involved in FFA or just taking nutrition classes teaches you more about what you’re consuming and where it comes from. It’s not just food product, but if you ate anything, if you wore clothes, if you’ve written on a piece of paper, most of the things you do are connected to agriculture or animal byproducts.” Having curiosity offers a chance to learn and gain insight on something like agriculture and how it plays into everyday life. She loves being able to point people in the right direction and answer questions like that during the fair. “What both my sisters and me do aren’t all the same, but we are all connected to agriculture in different ways,” she said. “Just being able to use my knowledge and skills for our operation as well as what I do now is important to me.” A mindset like that is why industry leaders recognize the value Lancaster adds to the Utah State Fair.

Whether they’re preparing food, selling tickets, ushering fans, parking cars or helping with the production, volunteers are a vital part of the Will Rogers Stampede. It’s a rewarding and celebratory time for those who donate their time and talents to Claremore’s rodeo.   CLAREMORE, Okla. – One of Karen Hanson’s first duties as a volunteer with the Will Rogers Stampede was to get a handle on the parking situation. “Erin (Pegorsch) just asked me to help out, and the committee was very warm and inviting,” said Hanson, now in her fifth year helping with Claremore’s rodeo, which will have paid performances at 8 p.m. Friday, May 22-Sunday, May 24, at RCB Bank Arena in Stampede Park at Claremore. Gates open at 6 p.m., with mutton bustin’ and other entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. “I had attended the rodeo prior to volunteering and loved it, and I could quickly see the need to streamline how parking was handled. I saw an opportunity to make the parking lot flow better. When Erin asked me if I minded overseeing the parking lot, I was like, ‘I’d love to, but do you mind if I change it up a bit?’ I’m used Disneyland parking, where everybody faces one way.” It worked, and it’s been working ever since. Hanson brought a little bit of California with her when she and her family moved to Claremore a few years ago. “When we were in Southern California, I felt like a fish out of water,” she said. “We wanted a different life than California. I wanted our girls to have opportunities to be able to have animals and run free. “We looked at many different places like Idaho, Tennessee and Texas. One of my husband’s best friends moved here eight years ago and said we needed to come here. By the grace of God, we fell in love with the place. Now, I have animals: horses and goats and barn cats … the whole shebang.” She also volunteers her time plenty, and her role with the rodeo is vital. Hanson is the volunteer coordinator, overseeing dozens of others who donate their time and talents to one of the biggest annual events in Rogers County. “We have organized our volunteer base to cover all of our needs: parking lot, seat ushers, special-section seating attendants and ticket booths,” Hanson said. “We’re still looking for volunteers. If anyone is interested, we’ll find the right duty for them.” That includes the addition of parking attendants for the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic, the richest steer roping rodeo in Oklahoma that begins at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 21. There will also be needs for more parking attendants during the evening performances that follow. “Thursday’s volunteer schedule is during the day because we have barrel racing slack and steer roping event, and it gets pretty busy that day, too.” The Clem McSpadden’s Tub Handle Classic will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 21, and will feature dozens of the top steer ropers in ProRodeo. It’s become a must-see event, but it’s just the first of four straight days of competition in Claremore. It takes a village to produce an event of this magnitude. Not only will there be hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls converging on northeastern Oklahoma, but fans from all over the area are going to flock to town. “It might be hard to believe, but the Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo has people from Montana, Utah, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Australia, England, The Netherlands, Japan and German,” Pegorsch said. That’s why rodeo organizers are always on the lookout for people willing to invest their time and energy into the program. “We have a handful of local youth groups volunteering their time, and we are always open to more groups willing to join them,” she said. “This is a growing experience, a growing environment, and we are spreading our wings this year. We’re going to be doing fireworks after the Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances, and we will have Trett Charles performing in the arena in concert after the fireworks Saturday. We haven’t had a concert for many years. “We’re always looking for more volunteers. It’s work for us, but I think we get more out of it than anyone could imagine. When we get together for our rodeo meetings, it’s like sitting at the table on Thanksgiving with your family.” The goal for the organization is to produce the best rodeo possible. It’s a mix of world-class competition and family-friendly entertainment. Community members with a giving heart become valuable pieces to this annual puzzle. “I think the 80th anniversary of the Will Rogers Stampede is going to be an incredible experience,” Hanson said. “We try to improve something from year to year, and our improvements and new offerings are big this year. It’s setting us and our spectators up for something great.”

Volunteers put the finishing touches to preparing the timed-event chutes for this week’s Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. The committee and the city of Guymon made some substancial upgrades to Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. They were put into use during the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo this past week and will get fully initiated during the seven days of Pioneer Days Rodeo. (PHOTO BY THE GUYMON PIONEER DAYS RODEO COMMITTEE)   GUYMON, Okla. – At first glance, the changes to Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena are miniscule. A tweak here. An adjustment there. The work it took to make those changes was grand. Volunteers have been busy getting the complex ready for this year’s Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. “I think one of the biggest upgrades we’ve done is at the timed-event end,” said Ken Stonecipher, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual event. “We have an awful lot of timed-event slack, which is one of the hallmarks of our rodeo. If we can take some of the work that goes into sorting timed-event cattle, it’s going to be smoother in the long run.” Priefert Rough Stock gates – which are the most durable gates available from the company – have been installed to help move cattle from one pen to another. They will be matched with new arrow pens, which will make for easier sorting. “From a livestock perspective, the less you handle those cattle, the better they’re going to be in terms of being even for the competition,” he said. “That’s another reason why we’re excited to have those Rough Stock gates and arrow pens in place.” With more than 1,000 cowboys and cowgirls making their way to the Oklahoma Panhandle annually, the arrow pens will not only help volunteers and Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo members who sort cattle, but it will make the entire operation run more smoothly. That’s a common theme for recent work that’s been done at the arena. “We poured concrete just under the pens themselves,” Stonecipher said. “Daniel Marquez and Sharp Construction donated the labor to pour that. “We also have a new set of Priefert adjustable roping boxes. We won’t adjust them for the rodeo, but when the arena is used for team ropings or other event during the year, it’ll allow the organizers to adjust the depth of the box. City Manager Mike Shannon has been a big help with that. The city owns the arena, and it’s been a great partnership with the city. “Mike’s leadership has guided them to provide some of that stuff, so we’re excited about that upgrade. We’re going to make the boxes a little narrower, so it’ll be a little easier for the ropers to be in the right position. It’ll also be a little easier to set up barriers and other things like that. The old boxes were solid pipe, and we tore all that out. We didn’t take out any of the full-height posts, so we still fit under the grid the way it was laid out. We did have to move a light post, which Tri County Electric and Sims Electric have helped relocate.” In order for The Cowboy Channel broadcast to have the best view of the rodeo, the committee has also built extensions on the camera platform. Along the way, there have been other steps taken to ensure the 94th edition of the rodeo meets the standard of Oklahoma’s only ProRodeo Hall of Fame event. “We upgraded the lights to LED last year, and we’ve got some more of those ordered that will just even out the coverage of the arena,” Stonecipher said. “We’ve also got a long-term plan to put up some taller light poles around the arena to get more overhead light versus shooting across the arena. “We have a very big vision for Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo.”

Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Emmett Edler, who has a dual role of graduate-student competitor and assistant rodeo coach, earned another qualification to the College National Finals Rodeo with his last-rodeo heroics this past weekend. With his move to No. 3 in the standings, all Central Plains Region steer wrestling representatives are Rangers. Nathan Duvall won the region, and Tydon Tsosie finished second. (FILE PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)   ALVA, Okla. – Emmett Edler’s back was against the wall. Entering the final weekend of the Central Plains Region season, Edler needed to place high enough to sneak into the top three of the steer wrestling standings if he was going to extend his final year of intercollegiate eligibility into June with a qualification to the National College Finals Rodeo. He secured 80 points, most of which came by winning the opening round this past weekend at the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo in Guymon. With that, Northwestern Oklahoma State University scored a sweep, with all three Central Plains bulldoggers wearing the black Rangers vests. “I had looked through it and saw the points and had a pretty good idea of what I needed to do and what was going to have to play out,” said Edler, the Rangers’ assistant coach and a graduate student from State Center, Iowa. “I knew before it started that I at least needed to have a decent weekend.” He will join region champion Nathan Duvall of Henryetta, Oklahoma, and runner-up Tydon Tsosie of Crownpoint, New Mexico, at the college finals, which runs June 14-20 in Casper, Wyoming. In addition to the Northwestern trio atop the regional leaderboard, Sam Daly of Tryon, Nebraska, and Riley Smith of Poteau, Oklahoma, scored points in Guymon; Daly finished the year sixth and Smith eighth in the standings. “Probably one of the things I’m most proud of is what they did in the bulldogging,” coach Cali Griffin said. “For us to make all three qualifiers from one school just goes to show the effort Emmett has poured into that group. I’m so proud of what he’s doing with that group.” For his part, Edler was one of three Rangers to qualify for Guymon’s championship round in multiple events. He also advanced to the finale in tie-down roping, while Smith led the way by also advancing to the short round in tie-down roping and saddle bronc riding. Sadie Rempel of Nelson, Nebraska, was among the top 12 in barrel racing and team roping. “That was good, especially in calf roping,” Edler said. “I haven’t practiced it a whole lot, and it’s definitely my second event, so I was just happy to put a couple of good runs together and have some fun at this last rodeo. “Guymon’s always a great rodeo, and it’s just a great atmosphere. When you walk up there, it feels like a rodeo movie out of the ’90s: the music and the big arena and being outdoor and the sunshine in your face. It’s always a great feeling anytime you get to run one in a performance in Guymon. With this being my last year, I was just trying to soak it all in, because I knew that would be the last time I’d get to experience it at the college rodeo.” The goal, though, was to get back to Wyoming and join the likes of breakaway roper Taylor Munsell and steer wrestlers J.D. Struxness and Bridger Anderson as winners over the seven-day championship in Casper. “My whole intent with coming back for another year and rodeoing again was to have a chance to win a national championship,” Edler said. “I was starting to think I might have put the cart before the horse, because toward the end, I realized, ‘Hey, I’m going to have to bear down to make the college finals and even have a chance.’ “It was just a weird season for me.” It ended in the right way. While most of the Rangers closed out their seasons, there were two others who will join the bulldoggers at the college finals: Goat-tier Payton Dingman of Pryor, Oklahoma, and team roping-heeler Colter Snook of Ford, Kansas; both finished second in their respective standings. Northwestern had 13 contestants in the Guymon short round. Smith and Edler earned points in all their events and even placed in tie-down roping’s average: Smith was fourth, and Edler was sixth. Even though they had no-times in the championship round, Edler and Daly placed in the aggregate. Breakaway roper Saddie Hammond of Avondale, Colorado, led the way for the Rangers women, placing fourth in the short round and average. Dingman was joined in the final round of goat-tying by Tyra Tsosie, the twin sister of Tydon also from Crownpoint; Tsosie stopped the clock in 7.8 seconds to finish as the first-round runner-up and placed fourth overall. Dingman placed in a three-way tie for fifth place in the final round. Rempel was joined as a barrel-racing finalist by Waci Thomson of Lundbreck, Alberta, whose 17.23-second run was good enough for fifth in the opening round. Snook, a heeler who made the college finals last year as a header, earned points by placing fifth in the first round while roping with Dexton Hoelting of Western Oklahoma State College. Header Cooper Mott of Kansas, Oklahoma, made the final round with Braxton Hogle of Murray State College. The final round also featured Northwestern tandems Trisha Regner of Apple Valley, California, who roped with Rempel, and Y’Leigh Yarbrough of Cheyenne, Oklahoma, and John Harrell of Sperry, Oklahoma. “I think one of the cool things is that the top three bulldoggers in the region are from Northwestern,” Edler said. “I think it’s a testament to the work we’ve put in here. We do a lot of practicing and work really hard at it. Those guys that won first and second deserve every bit of it. They show up, they work hard, and they’ve been winners. I’m happy to be right there beside them.”

Dusty Myers, an old-school rodeo clown who also adds some new-school flavor, will bring his National Finals Rodeo resume to be one of the featured entertainers at the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo during this year’s festivities, moved to the first weekend in June. (PRCA PHOTO BY CLICK THOMPSON)   BIG SPRING, Texas – Dusty Myers is a student first. His lessons have led him to be a well-recognized entertainer. His first appearance at this year’s Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo will reflect that. Howard County is the home of Quail Dobbs, a rodeo-clowning legend who has been inducted into four halls of fame, and Myers will be working on hallowed ground. “I’ve talked to the committee a couple of times over the years, and one of the reasons they wanted to bring me there was because I’m kind of an old-school rodeo clown,” said Myers, 44, of Jumpertown, Mississippi. “It’s exciting to me to get to go to someplace new.” Clowning is nothing new to Myers. He’s been nominated for PRCA Clown/Barrelman of the Year and Comedy Act of the Year. This past December, he was selected to work the National Finals Rodeo. Dobbs had a few of those honors over his career, too. “Lecile Harris was my role model,” Myers said, pointing out that the late-Mississippi rodeo clown has joined Dobbs in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “When I was 2 or 3 years old, I dressed up like a clown.” He’s still doing it. “For as long as I can remember, this is what I’ve done,” he said. “From a small child, I have loved being in the trailer and on the road. I love going to new places. It’s exciting for me to go to new rodeos, so when I book some new places each year, it is very exciting.” He’s added a few in 2026, but the biggest “new” in his career came at the NFR. Inside the Thomas & Mack Center with more than 17,000 packed into the coliseum, Myers shined in the dirt and in the barrel. It’s an honor he never expected. Why? “I try to stay in the Midwest, and I don’t really go out West that much,” Myers said. “A lot of the guys that’s been featured at the NFR over the years work a lot of them Western rodeos. I just didn’t feel like it would be me, but when it come down to the votes, I guess I had a chance.” Members of the PRCA decided the Mississippi man deserved the opportunity. “That means a lot to me,” he said. “Anytime you get to work some thing like the NFR, it absolutely does.” In the 66-year history of ProRodeo’s Super Bowl, less than 35 men have been chosen as its barrelman. Myers is in distinguished company, with men like Dobbs, Leon Coffee and Keith Isley. “I call myself a traditionalist,” Myers said. “I’m really an old-school rodeo clown. I still wear the makeup and the baggy clothes. I still do big-prop acts, and I want to mix it with the dancing, getting up in the crowd and bringing out the laughter. I’m kind of a mixture between what we call an old-school clown and what they call an entertainer.” His approach to his job is about bringing value to the rodeo, whether it’s laughing with folks in the stands or just interacting with announcer Anthony Lucia. “I tell a lot of jokes, and I like to do a lot of stuff with the crowd,” Myers said. “I try to do a lot of my own material so that it’s new and not something they see all the time. I’ve studied the guys that did that really well, so I enjoy bringing that into my own work.” “I’m excited to be there and help bring smiles to everybody’s faces.” That’s what being a clown is all about.

Shank Stephens, riding for Oklahoma Panhandle State University several years ago, competes at Hitch Arena during the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo, which takes place Thursday-Saturday in Guymon. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)   GUYMON, Okla. – When Dusty Moore and Paul Peterson return to town, they’ll have a lot going on. They are two of the three pickup men who will work the annual Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. They’re also alumni of the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team. “It’s pretty cool that we have two of our alumni here for the ProRodeo,” said Shelbie Rose, Panhandle State’s rodeo coach. “The same kind of thing happens at our college rodeo. If the kids want to pick up during the year at practice, they usually get to pick up at the college rodeo, too.” Pickup men are typically some of the most versatile cowboys. They know how to read livestock, and they’re horsemanship and roping skills are valuable. They can be called on to rescue another cowboy out of a wreck or handle any of the many other duties that come their way. For decades, the Panhandle State rodeo team has been training great cowboys and cowgirls. The program boasts of seven national team titles and 22 individual champions. The program will host its annual event – the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo – from Thursday-Saturday at Hitch Arena. “The community we have is very vital,” Rose said. “Without it, there would be no Panhandle State rodeo team. It’s not just Goodwell, and it’s not just Guymon. It’s not even just Texas County. Our community is pretty broad, probably the whole Panhandle of Oklahoma and some of Texas, and it reaches a lot further than that.” The Panhandle State program and the Pioneer Days Rodeo volunteer committee have come to realize not only the community support but also the benefit they have in collaborating with one another. “I think the two go hand-in-hand,” said Ken Stonecipher, the committee’s chairman. “We can’t do this without them, and that’s not an exaggeration. They come during slack, sort cattle, load cattle, untie calves. The committee has some folks there, too, but without them, we’re not getting that all done.” The two entities share more than the arena. They share a passion for the sport, and they work closely together to ensure greatness happens for two weeks every spring. This first week belongs to the roughly 500 intercollegiate cowboys and cowgirls, and next week is the return of favor for when more than 1,000 ProRodeo contestants. “The Guymon ProRodeo committee has been absolutely great to us,” Rose said. “It’s a blessing to have our rodeo right before theirs. It allows us to share equipment and bulldogging cattle. They’ve helped us with roping chutes over the past several years. They always show up to our fundraisers. They buy ads to support our rodeo. “They’re a very big part of what we do.” The same can be said of the rodeo program’s work with the PRCA event. Competition for the ProRodeo begins two days after the championship round of the college rodeo and lasts for seven days. Panhandle State contestants and coaches are on hand through the duration. “I’ve known Shelbie since she was a student on the Panhandle State team, and she has an unmatched work ethic,” Stonecipher said. “You cannot outwork her. From the practice pen to fundraising to building new barns for the kids’ horses, she’s out there. “When student athletes come to college, they all don’t have the same amount of natural talent, but the thing that overcomes that difference in talent is hard work. Shelbie is a great person to lead that effort.” Pioneer Days Rodeo will certainly have a Panhandle State flair. Whether it’s the pickup men or student helpers or alumni riding broncs, the university’s reflection is seen throughout the seven-day rodeo. With 10 days of competition at Hitch Arena between the two events, Guymon becomes Rodeo Town. “Rodeo is a way of life out here,” Rose said. “Most of the people around here are tied to agriculture in some way, so rodeo is naturally a favorite sport. At the college, the rodeo program, by far, has had the most success. It’s a great place to have a rodeo program, because we have a lot of support. “It’s a staple around here, and people that aren’t from an ag background have really grown to love it because it’s one of the best things that happens around here.”

Northwestern Oklahoma State Univerity freshman Riley Smith grabbled the steer wrestling title for the Rangers this past weekend at the Fort Hays (Kansas) State Rodeo. It was his first intercollegiate title. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)   ALVA, Okla. – Riley Smith’s rodeo resume looks like an octopus’ arms. He’s a bronc rider, a team roper, a steer wrestler and a tie-down roper for Northwestern Oklahoma State University. He might be one of the busiest cowboys at any intercollegiate rodeo. The kicker? He wasn’t even raised in a rodeo family. “My grandpa team roped a little bit,” he said. “Ever since I’ve started, I’ve worked both ends of the arena and tried to do as many events as I could. I just enjoy doing all of it, and I think it helps be to be able to go to a rodeo and if one thing doesn’t go well, then I have another even that I can try to make up for it.” He more than made up for it this past weekend, winning the Fort Hays (Kansas) State University rodeo’s steer wrestling title. He dropped his first steer in 4.7 seconds to finish in a three-way tie for second place, then stopped the clock in 5.3 seconds to finish fourth in the championship round. His two-run cumulative time of 10.0 seconds was just enough for the outright victory. “I do all the events, but steer wrestling is definitely my top priority,” said Smith, a freshman from Poteau, Oklahoma. “I knew I wanted to go to a school where I was going to grow with that. I looked at a couple of schools that were closer to my home in southeast Oklahoma. “But I came up here and saw what they had, and I really liked it. I thought it would be a good group of people to be around to help me get better and push me.” It must be working. The Rangers had five bulldoggers in the Fort Hays State short round, and all gathered points. Nathan Duvall of Henryetta, Oklahoma, finished third; Tydon Tsosie of Crownpoint, New Mexico, was fourth; Sam Daly of Tryon, Nebraska, was sixth; and Hazen Sparks of Talihina, Oklahoma, joined Smith in that three-way tie for runner-up in the opening round. In the Central Plains Region standings, Duvall leads the charge with 735 points. Tsosie is second, 170 points behind. Four more Rangers bulldoggers are among the top 10. Smith, who sits eighth, has a legitimate chance to move up in the points race during the final rodeo of the region’s season this coming weekend in Guymon, Oklahoma. “That would mean a lot,” said Smith, who recognized a lot of things must go right if he were to finish among the top three and advance to the College National Finals Rodeo. “That’s been my goal since I came here. I had to send my bulldogging horse home at the start of this semester because she got hurt, and it’s been rough just trying to get some practice runs in and trying to get a horse I can get a feel for.” He’s found it in Daly’s Rogue, an 11-year-old sorrel gelding. The combination of a trusted stead and all-around athleticism worked in Smith’s favor. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity, and coming to college has been a lot of fun and been a lot of help in my events because I’ve had a lot of resources and a lot of supportive people,” he said. “I think I drew good, and I also rode Sam Daly’s bulldogging horse. He gave me a good opportunity to do my job. After I sent my bulldogging horse home, I’ve been mounting out on other people’s horses, and Sam was nice enough to let me ride his and haze for me as well.” That’s teamwork at its finest. “I’m really excited for Riley to get his first college rodeo win under his belt,” coach Cali Griffin said, pointing out that assistant coach Emmett Edler has been an asset. “Emmett’s been doing a great job in the practice pen with the guys, and I think it shows in the standings as well as individual rodeo placings. “Riley is a great kid who works hard in multiple events for us. I’m glad to see his hard work is paying off.” The Rangers had several others in the championship round at Hays, including tie-down roper Kerry Duvall of Oakdale, California, who finished sixth. Bleu Hall of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, led the way for the Rangers women, placing sixth in both breakaway roping and goat-tying. Maggie King of Granville, New York, scored a tie for third place in the opening round of goats. Joining Hall in the breakaway finale were Payton Dingman of Pryor, Oklahoma, who earned the most points, and Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon, who also earned a short-round bid by winning the first round of team roping with teammate Grady Aasby of Highmore, South Dakota. Dingman placed in both rounds and finished second in breakaway roping. The tandem of Greenfield and Aasby weren’t the only Rangers in the short-round field of team ropers. Y’Leigh Yarbrough of Cheyenne, Oklahoma, and John Harrell of Sperry, Oklahoma, placed in the first round. Header Carter Anderson of Merriman, Nebraska, placed in the finale and average while roping with James Drueke of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Header Kendyll Miller of Hennessey, Oklahoma, made the short round with Cole Beasley of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. With just one rodeo remaining, there are several Rangers fighting to finish among the top three to advance to Casper, Wyoming, in June. Dingman is second in goat-tying; Miller and Brylee Zook of Garnett, Kansas, are in the mix in breakaway roping; Anderson has an outside shot in tie-down roping; and Colter Snook of Ford, Kansas, is third in heeling. Duvall and Tsosie are locked into their steer wrestling qualifications to the college finals, but there are three other Northwestern cowboys in the hunt: Edler, a graduate student from State Center, Iowa,  Continue Reading »

Bareback riding rookie Toby Deudney picked up the biggest win of his career after scoring 93 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler to claim the San Angelo Cinch Chute-Out title. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – Toby Deudney isn’t just carrying the Australian flag as he rides bucking horses in the United States. He’s trying to create something back home while competing 8,500 miles away. He crossed a hemisphere and the Pacific Ocean to live out his dreams. “There’s not very many bareback riders in Australia,” said Deudney, 20, of Tumut, New South Wales. “I’m hoping to build a legacy for bareback riders in Australia so we can have some more. I’m hoping everyone at home can look and think, ‘OK, we’re from Australia, but we can make it.’ ” Deudney is making it so far. He arrived in the United States two and a half years ago. On Saturday night, he scored the biggest ride – and the biggest win – of his young career during Saturday’s San Angelo Cinch Chute-Out. The driving force was his dance partner, Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler, the 2023 and ’24 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year. The match-up was worth 93 points. “I had some nerves, but I was really excited,” said Deudney, who attends Odessa (Texas) College and sits No. 2 in the Caprock Region’s bareback riding standings. “It was just a blas the whole time. “This will be one to remember.” The Aussie entered the weekend No. 6 in the Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year Race. The $7,500 he earned in San Angelo will move him into the top five. He is not among the top 50 in the world standings, but he will be next week. “It’s been kind of a rough year,” he said. “I’m just trying to build on it. I bought my card, because I thought it was time. Well, it’s time. I guess that was just the right time, and now I’m just going to build it from there.” Night Crawler is an electric bay that has been featured in the “TV pen” of bareback horses at the National Finals Rodeo. Deudney was the first contestant out in the championship round, setting the tone early. He’d like that to continue so he can join the Pickett horse in Las Vegas soon. The last Australian bareback rider to make it to the NFR was Jamie Howlett. The 35-year-old from Roma, Queensland, qualified in 2020. “I’m planning on making them yellow bucking chutes,” Deudney said. “I hope to be a world champion.” Other winners were steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack (3.9 seconds); tie-down roper Tom Crouse, who won the tie-breaker with Kyle Lucas, (7.5 seconds); barrel racer Jana Bean (14.35 seconds); team ropers Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres (16.1 seconds); saddle bronc rider Blake Steuck (88 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Straight Moonshine); and bull rider Tristen Hutchings (86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bone Tomahawk in the first round; none of the bull riders had qualified rides in the chute-out round). San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Cinch Chute-Out April 18 Bareback riding: First round: 1. Keenan Hayes, 93 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Nite Faded; 2. Brayze Schill, 90; 3. Toby Deudney, 88. Championship: 1. Toby Deudney, 93 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler, $7,500; 2. Brayze Schill, 90.5, $3,000; 3. Keenan Hayes, 87, $2,000. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.5 seconds; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 4.1; 3. Ty Erickson, 4.3. Championship: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.9 seconds, $7,500; 2. Ty Erickson, 4.3, $3,000; 3. Jesse Brown, no time. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Kincade Henry, 8.8 seconds; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.9; 3. Kyle Lucas, 9.1. Championship: 1. (tie) Tom Crouse and Kyle Lucas, 7.5 seconds, $5,250 each; 3. Kincade Henry, 9.4, $2,000. Crouse wins tie-breaker. Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. (tie) Blake Steuck, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Chilly Winds, and Coleman Shallbetter, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Stockyards Babe, 87 points; 3. (tie) Roper Kiesner and Damian Brennan, 86.5. Championship: 1. Blake Steuck, 88 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Straight Moonshine, $7,500; 2. Coleman Shallbetter, 87.5, $3,000; 3. Roper Kiesner, 77, $2,000; Team roping: First round: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 3.8 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Coleby Payne, 4.0; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.1. Championship: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 16.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Tanner Tomlinson, Coleby Payne, no time. Barrel racing: 1. Jana Bean, 14.48 seconds; 2. Taylor Baize, 14.51; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.55. Championship: 1. Jana Bean, 14.35 seconds, $2,000; 2. Taylor Baize, 14.42, $1,250; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 19.53, $250. Bull riding: First round: 1. Tristen Hutchings, 86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bone Tomahawk; 2. Sage Vance, 85.5; 3. Jhett Wheeler, 81.  Championship: 1. (tie) Sage Vance, Tristen Hutchings and Jhett Wheeler, 0, $4,167 each.

Sam Lewis, a member of the Angelo State University rodeo team, ropes his calf during an 8.8-second run during Friday’s championship round to win the tie-down roping title at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – Sam Lewis is building a resume based on a solid foundation. He’s the 20-year-old son of Brent Lewis, an 11-time tie-down roping qualifier to the National Finals Rodeo. He’s also on the rodeo team at Angelo State University, the No. 2 man in the Lone Star Region tie-down roping standings. Sam Lewis a key component of coach Casey Sisk’s program, one of a couple of cowboys who will compete for the Rams at the College National Finals Rodeo in June at Casper, Wyoming. On Friday night, he collected the biggest ProRodeo win of his career by winning the championship round of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo with an 8.8-second run. That propelled him to the top spot in the four-run aggregate race and pushed his three weeks of earnings in West Texas to $16,102. Most that know rodeo understand San Angelo’s place in tie-down roping. The community hosts the annual Cinch Roping Fiesta, but this year’s rodeo was something special. Three of the top five tie-down ropers have ties to this city of more than 100,000 residents, with locals Joel Harris placing second and Dylan Hancock finishing fifth. Combined, they kept $35,000 in Tom Green County. “(These people) have done a lot for me and that school,” Lewis told The Cowboy Channel’s Hayley Novak. “Casey has done a tremendous thing for me, and he backs me all the way. I appreciate him. “This is a tremendous win.” From Amarillo, Texas, Lewis entered this weekend’s festivities 13th in the race to be the Resistol Tie-Down Roping Rookie of the Year. By the time Friday came to a close, he had moved into the top five in that race. It all came from being the most consistent man in the field over four go-rounds. His fastest run was 7.2, which helped him share the second-round victory with three-time world champion Riley Webb. Lewis wasn’t the only competitor who took advantage of short-round success. Steer wrestler Jesse Brown, a six-time NFR qualifier, won the final round with a 4.2-second run, then won the average title with a four-run cumulative time of 18.3 seconds, more than a second ahead of the runner-up, Cody Devers. World champions Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira utilized their round winning run to claim the average with an 18.7-second cumulative time on four runs. Bull rider Noah Lee rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Smokey Joe for 93 points to win the bull riding short round, then claimed the rodeo’s crown with it. All-around cowboy Wacey Schalla posted a 91-point ride on J Bar J Rodeo’s Damn Straight to win the final round and aggregate championship. Other winners include breakaway roper Danielle Lowman (7.2 seconds on three runs); saddle bronc rider Chase Brooks (90 on J Bar J’s In The Lou; 176.5 on two); and barrel racer Michelle Alley (43.94 seconds on three runs). San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo April 3-18 Bareback riding: 1. Leighton Berry, 92 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Tator Tot, $7,128; 2. Cole Reiner, 88.5, $5,465; 3. Luke Thrash, 88, $4,039; 4. Wacey Schalla, 87.5, $2,614; 5. Wyatt Warneke, 87. $1.663; 6. Kade Sonnier, 86.5, $1,188; 7. (tie) Jayco Roper, Cooper Cooke, Bradlee Miller and Clayton Biglow, 86, $416 each. Final round: 1. Wacey Schalla, 91 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Damn Straight, $1,650; 2. Rocker Steiner, 90.5, $1,250; 3. (tie) Bradlee Miller and Kade Sonnier, 88, $750 each; 5. Jayco Roper, 87.5, $350; 6. Clayton Biglow, 87, $250. Average: 1. Wacey Schalla, 178.5 points on two rides, $7,128; 2. Leighton Berry, 177, $5,465; 3. Rocker Steiner, 176, $4,039; 4. Cole Reiner, 175, $2,614; 5. Kade Sonnier, 174.5, $1,663; 6. (tie) Luke Thrash and Bradlee Miller, $174, $1,069 each; 8. Jayco Roper, 173.5, $713. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Cimarron Thompson, 3.8 seconds, $4,794; 2. Colin Fox, 4.0, $4,169; 3. (tie) Cody Devers and Jude Leonards, 4.1, $3,231 each; 5. (tie) Riley Duvall, Don Payne and Seth Peterson, 4.2, $1,667 each; 8. Cade Goodman, 4.3, $417. Second round: 1. Chase Crane, 3.6 seconds, $4,794; 2. Colt Honey, 3.8, $4,169; 3. (tie) Jacob Daniell and Ty Erickson, 3.9, $3,231 each; 5. (tie) Quentin Branden and Peter Haas, 4.0, $1,980 each; 7. (tie) Jesse Brown and Kall Mayfield, 4.1, $730 each. Third round: 1. J.D. Struxness, 4.3 seconds, $4,794; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.4, $4,169; 3. (tie) Dalton Massey, Logan Mullin, Laramie Warren and Jacob Daniell, 4.6, $2,605 each; 7. (tie) Tyler Waguespack, Evan Spady, Cimarron Thompson and Tristan Martin, 4.7, $365 each. Final round: 1. Jesse Brown, 4.2 seconds, $1,909; 2. Trace Harris, 4.4, $1,660; 3. J.D. Struxness, 4.6, $1,411; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 5.0, $1,162; 5. Coy Johnston, 5.2, $913; 6. Colt Honey, 5.6, $664; 7. Chase Crane, 5.9, $415; 8. Cody Devers, 6.1, $166. Average: 1, Jesse Brown, 18.3 seconds on four runs, $9,588; 2. Cody Devers, 19.5, $8,337; 3. Tyler Waguespack, 20.4, $7,087; 4. Trace Harris, 20.9, $5,836; 5. (tie) Chase Crane and Colt Honey, 21.2, $3,960 each; 7. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Coy Johnston, 21.6, $1,459 each. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Ryan Thibodeaux, 8.2 seconds, $4,828; 2. Bodie Mattson, 8.3, $4,199; 3. (tie) Cole Clemons, Joel Harris and Bo Pickett, 8.4, $2,939 each; 6. (tie) Britt Bedke and Hunter Herrin, 8.5, $1,365 each; 8. Brodey Clemons, 8.6, $420.Second round: 1. (tie) Sam Lewis and Riley Webb, 7.2 seconds, $4,513 each; 3. James Mann, 7.5, $3,569; 4. Tuf Cooper, 7.9, $2,939; 5. Ty Harris, 8.0, $2,309; 6. (tie) Beau Cooper, Blane Cox and Sterling Smith, 8.1, $1,050 each. Third round: 1. Cory Solomon, 8.5 seconds, $4,828; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons, Pax Vogel and Cash Enderli, 8.7, $3,569 each; 5. Richard Newton, 9.0, $2,309; 6. (tie) Trevor Hale, Tom Crouse and Quade Hiatt, 9.1, $1,050 each. Final round: 1. Sam  Continue Reading »

Patrons taking Rooftop Rodeo’s “Behind The Chutes” tour learn the details it takes to produce an event of this magnitude. The tours have been part of Rooftop Rodeo for two decades and are a big part of the experience for visitors. (PHOTO BY MARIE GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY)   Rooftop spectators learn more about the sport behind the chutes ESTES PARK, Colo. – The Wizard of Oz never wanted anyone to see the magic behind the mirror, but rodeo experts in Estes Park think the behind-the-scenes work is fascinating. About 20 years ago, volunteers began their “Behind The Chutes” tours to give spectators a sneak peak about what it takes to produce the award-winning Rooftop Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Monday, July 6-Saturday, July 11, at Granny May Arena inside the Estes Park Fairgrounds. “We have a tour every night before the performance,” said Ben Vigil, the tour guide. “We start about 5 (p.m.) and try to get out of there by 6:15 so the tractor can do its thing. We just try to inform the people about animal safety and the safety equipment for the bullfighters and the roughstock guys. “We also talk about how the animals are bred to do what they do and how well they’re taken care of out on Cervi’s ranch or wherever they come from. We try to dispel some of the myths that some people have about the care we give these animals.” It’s a great opportunity for many to gain a better understanding of the Western way of life. After paying admission to the rodeo, tickets for the tour are $10 and can be found at https://RooftopRodeo.com. “This was started in about 2005,” said Vigil, who began volunteering for the rodeo in 2002. “Howell Wright’s wife, J’Ann, came up with the idea to start it, and she did it for a couple of years, I think, and then Joy Barnett took it over and raised it up to where it is now. “I’m just trying to keep it at that level she brought it up to. It’s a really inexpensive way for people to learn a lot more about it, and I think they really enjoy getting back there.” Patrons get to walk into the arena and feel the dirt at their feet. They learn about the timed events and the care and preparation it takes to prepare horses for competition. “We go into exactly what the contestants are doing in each of their events,” Vigil said. “Brett Dennis explains the timed events, and we have some fun there, too, We will have some kids go into the timed-event release gate; we’ll have a kid back into the box and let the kid out of the gate, and the other one chases them down. “They get up real close to the bulls and horses in the pens. We’ll get them up on the dancefloor (the bucking chutes’ platform) so they can get a bird’s-eye view of what the contestants are going to see. We also have a bullfighter or somebody like (rodeo clown) Justin Rumford behind the chutes to talk about what they do.” The tours seem to be a catalyst for interest. As the decades roll, more and more people are further removed from Western heritage and agriculture-based living. Volunteers and professionals offer their insights about how rodeo is not only a form of entertainment but is also a world-class competition. “I’d say most of our fan base are people who are visiting Estes Park for that week, and this is the first time a lot of them have ever experienced a rodeo,” Vigil said. “A lot don’t know what rodeo is, and I think they really enjoy getting to be back there and putting their hands on the chutes and being within a few feet of the animals.” It’s another opportunity Rooftop Rodeo has made for people to gain a better understanding of the Old West and how it continues to thrive through rodeo.   Gates for Rooftop Rodeo open at 5 p.m. Monday, July 6-Saturday, July 11, with the preshow beginning at 6:30 p.m. and the rodeo beginning at 7 p.m. For more information about Rooftop Rodeo, which is a Town of Estes Park signature event, or to order tickets online, log on to www.RooftopRodeo.com. Other ticket inquiries may be made by contacting the Town of Estes Park Events office at events@estes.org or (970) 586-6104.

Chase Brooks rides Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s High Dive for 86.5 points to finish the opening round in fourth place. He’s just a point off the lead, and he will be one of 11 saddle bronc riders competing for the championship Friday night. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – Every sports fan loves it when games come down to the wire to decide the winners. Competitors love it, too. Saddle bronc riding at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is going to be decided during a showdown at Friday night’s championship round. Just three and a half points separates the 11 men who will compete for the San Angelo title. “At a lot of rodeos, it’s just gambling, and there are a lot of factors,” said Chase Brooks, who rodeo Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s High Dive for 86.5 points during Thursday’s 10th performance; he finished fourth in the first round and secured his spot in the finale. “First, we had to get the right horse, and then we both have got to have the right day. So, you just show up do what we do all year, and I figure it’s going to lay the way God has it planned.” It seems simple. It isn’t. Brooks qualified for the National Finals Rodeo six straight years beginning in 2018. Injuries have sidelined him enough the last two years that he stayed home in December. His faith and a young family have been his saving grace when he wasn’t able to ride broncs. “A couple years of injuries slowed me down, but every time I was hurt, I got to spend more time at home with the girls, and I was fortunate for that,” said Brooks, 31, originally from Deer Lodge, Montana, but now living in Brock, Texas, with his wife, Cara, and their two daughters, C.J. and Cecile. “There’s always a reason He puts us somewhere. I think Him giving me a break like that was maybe the best thing that could ever happen to me.” It shows in the arena. Thursday was the second trip for High Dive inside CRC Roofers Coliseum. Canadian Kolby Wanchuk was 85.5 points on the powerful bay on the opening weekend. “I’d been on that horse a few years ago when he was still kind of young, still kind of wild,” said Brooks, who entered this week’s competition sixth in the world standings. “He really didn’t know what he was doing. I saw that Kolby had him earlier, and the horse was really good that day. I figured he’d matured and figured it out. He showed up, and I was happy I matched it.” Four-time world champion Zeke Thurston won the opening round with an 87.5-point ride on Carr’s Uptuck. Brooks is just a point behind, and his fourth-place check was worth $2,610. The big money will come Championship Friday. “The energy’s high in that building,” he said of the coliseum. “It’s a little bit smaller than the big, indoor rodeos like Houston, so the crowd really amplifies a bit more than other places. It fills up, and they have all the lights and the pyro. It’s a really cool setting, and it fires a guy up.” San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo April 3-18 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Leighton Berry, 92 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Tator Tot, $7,128; 2. Cole Reiner, 88.5, $5,465; 3. Luke Thrash, 88, $4,039; 4. Wacey Schalla, 87.5, $2,614; 5. Wyatt Warneke, 87. $1.663; 6. Kade Sonnier, 86.5, $1,188; 7. (tie) Jayco Roper, Cooper Cooke, Bradlee Miller and Clayton Biglow, 86, $416 each; 11. (tie) Rocker Steiner and Kade Berry, 85.5. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. J.D. Struxness, 4.3 seconds, $4,794; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.4, $4,169; 3. (tie) Dalton Massey, Logan Mullin, Laramie Warren and Jacob Daniell, 4.6, $2,605 each; 7. (tie) Tyler Waguespack, Evan Spady, Cimarron Thompson and Tristan Martin, 4.7, $365 each. Average leaders: 1. Cody Devers, 13.4 seconds on three runs; 2. Jesse Brown, 14.1; 3. Colin Fox, 14.2; 4. (tie) Cimarron Thompson and Chase Crane, 15.3; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 13.4; 7. Colt Honey, 15.6; 8. Grant Peterson, 15.7; 9. (tie) Tony Aska and Coy Johnson, 16.4; 11. Trace Harris, 16.5; 12. J.D. Struxness, 17.0. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 8.5 seconds, $4,828; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons, Pax Vogel and Cash Enderli, 8.7, $3,569 each; 5. Richard Newton, 9.0, $2,309; 6. (tie) Trevor Hale, Tom Crouse and Quade Hiatt, 9.1, $1,050 each. Average leaders: 1. Beau Cooper, 26.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Joel Harris, 27.3; 3. Sam Lewis, 27.5; 4. Brodie Mattson, 27.7; 5. Cole Clemons, 28.2; 6. Dylan Hancock, 28.6; 7. (tie) Cash Enderli and Colton Suther, 28.8; 9. Brodey Clemons, 28.9; 10. Sterling Smith, 29.1; 11. Cory Solomon, 29.3; 12. Pax Vogel, 29.4. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Zeke Thurston, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck, $7,118; 2. (tie) Mitchie Story and Damian Brennan, 87, $4,745 each; 4. Chase Brooks, 86.5, $2,610; 5. Lefty Holman, 86, $1,661; 6. (tie) Kolby Wanchuk and Joe Macqueen, 85.5, $1,068 each; 8. (tie) Kade Bruno and Blake Steuck, 85, $356 each; 10. (tie) Ryder Sanford and Tyrel Roberts, 84; 12. (tie) Darcy Radel, Wyatt Casper, Kole Ashbacher and Rusty Wright, 83.5.The final round will only feature the top 11. The four men in 12th place will not advance. Breakaway roping: Second round leaders: 1. Megan Powell, 2.0 seconds, $4,300; 2. (tie) Sawyer Gilbert, Kirby Rawlinson, Hailey Hall, Tibba Smith, Millie Greenwood and Bradi Good, 2.1, $2,078 each; 8. Kinlie Brennise, 2.2, $967; 9. (tie) Amy Ohrt, Jenna Caldarola and Danielle Lowman, 2.3, $752 each; 12. (tie) Cheyanne McCartney and Delani Beatty, 2.6, $484 each; 14. (tie) Zoie Bedke and Maddy Jacobs, 2.7. $269. Average leaders: 1. Danielle Lowman, 4.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Delani Beatty, 4.6; 3. (tie) Cheyanne McCartney and Cadee Williams, 4.8; 5. Amy Ohrt, 5.0; 6. Tibba Smith, 5.1; 7. Jenna Caldarola, 5.2; 8. (tie) Kirby Rawlinson and Adisyn Henderson, 5.3; 10.  Continue Reading »

BIG SPRING, Texas – What do an American Idol and Red Dirt royalty have in common? They’ll be part of this year’s concert series during the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. John Foster – who finished as the runner-up in Season 23 of “American Idol” last spring – will kick off two nights of music and dance Friday, June 5, in the concert pavilion at the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl. This year’s concerts will also feature a double-headliner Saturday, June 6, with Jason Boland & The Stragglers alongside William Clark Green. Both concerts will follow the performances of the rodeo, which begin at 7:30 p.m. “Our concerts this year are the perfect match with our rodeo changing its dates to the first weekend in June,” said Cash Berry, chairman of the volunteer rodeo committee that produces the annual event. “I know our Saturday night is going to be exceptional. Jason Boland and William Clark Green have a huge following, but to also get John Foster is a big deal for our community.” Foster’s style blends a rich voice with strong ties to classic country music. Since his rise on television, he has performed 10 times at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Though he was a student at Louisiana State University while on “American Idol,” Foster has taken a break from studies to chase his musical dreams. “ ‘American Idol’ has consistently produces so many stars in the music industry,” Foster told TV Insider. “I was inspired to audition in hopes that I can become one of the successful musicians that the show has produced her its 23-year history.” The program has produced several top artists, highlighted by Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson and Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, both of whom made it big through country music. Others have followed suit, like Scotty McCreery, who won Season 10. Boland and the band have been playing Red Dirt music for better than 25 years, a true pioneer to the movement. Boland & The Stragglers released their first album in 1999, and anyone who has listened to the genre has certainly heard the high-energy anthem “Pearl Snaps.” Those that know Red Dirt music have likely paid close attention to the rest of the band’s collection. Like Boland & The Stragglers, Green has generated a substantial following since he first began playing years ago. He cut his teeth on the music industry by being part of the live-music scene in Lubbock, Texas, and it’s taken off. His seventh album, Watterson Hall, released in March. “Like every record I’ve done, this record is a biography, but it doesn’t have breakup songs or first-love songs, because that’s not where I’m at,” Green told Billboard. “My mom always said, ‘Follow your heart and you’ll never go wrong,’ so I just wrote what I know.” Fans have come to follow and love what the Texas-born artist has created. The folks in Big Spring are about to prove why.

Steer wrestler Cody Devers slides onto his steer during Wednesday’s 5.0-second run to move into the aggregate lead at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. He’s ridden his “green” horse, JoJo, all three rounds and has a nearly two-second advantage. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – Raising young ones isn’t for the faint of heart, but the love that comes through it shows. Cody Devers doesn’t have children, but he’s been training horses all his life. The same combination of love and aggravation comes with it. He’s experienced a little bit of that with his steer wrestling horse, JoJo, a 9-year-old gray mare he’s been riding for more than a year. “My mare just had surgery at the end of last year, and she was out to the very beginning of this year,” said Devers, 30, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Perryton, Texas. “It just took a little while. She’s never really been to any of these buildings and never had all the outside noise coming in. She’s still green, and we weren’t quite clicking.” JoJo is green like a banana. It still looks similar, but it’s not yet ripe enough to enjoy. That may be changing. She’s been put through the ringer at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo and has pushed her way to the top. Devers competed for the third time during Wednesday’s ninth performance, stopping the clock in 5.0 seconds. That – combined with his 4.1-second run to finish in a tie for third place in the opening round and a 4.3-second run to finish just out of the money – pushed Devers to the top spot with a three-run cumulative time of 13.4 seconds. He has locked his place for Championship Friday, when the winners will be crowned inside CRC Roofers Coliseum. “I knew I had a good steer tonight, and I knew I just needed to stay out of my own way and not mess him up,” said Devers, who has earned $3,231 already in Tom Green County. “I just needed to lay that steer over and make it back to the short round in a good spot.” That was easier said than done. Devers made sure to give the steer the appropriate head start, which added to the mystery. The steer stepped left a little, which tightened the gap where the bulldoggers dismounts his horse. “My mare runs pretty tight anyway, and that makes catching him a little bit trickier,” he said. “That steer actually tried more than I was really game-planning, and my hazer (Garrett Curry) did a great job leaving him pretty straight. He’s also a very light steer, so I was just trying to lift the entire time.” Devers owns the aggregate lead by almost two seconds over the field and will await the results of Thursday’s 10th round to see where he stands heading into Friday’s short round. He likes his chances with the gray mare guiding the way. “Her first rodeo was Tucson, Arizona, last year,” Devers said of the February event, which is outdoors in the Arizona desert. “She made the short round there, but I didn’t ride her anywhere else until the (Prairie) Circuit rodeos in the spring. She worked really good. I have a lot more confidence in the outdoors, but now that we’ve been to these indoor rodeos, she’s matured and is kind of figuring out. “I’m really proud of her.” Devers and his family acquired the horse from roper JoJo LeMond, who made the NFR and the National Finals Steer Roping. The mare was just 3 years old and had already been tried in team roping and cutting. Devers’ mother, Sabrina, tried to work the gray into becoming a barrel-racing mount, but that didn’t work too well. “She loves to run,” he said. “She was great on barrels, but she’d get to running so fast that she can’t physically turn. So, we decided that, ‘You know what, if you want to run like that, we’ll put you in bulldogging.’ “I got to start bulldogging on her, and she decided she didn’t like barrels as much.” It certainly has shown in San Angelo. San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo April 3-18 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Leighton Berry, 92 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Tator Tot; 2. Cole Reiner, 88.5; 3. Luke Thrash, 88; 4. Wacey Schalla, 87.5; 5. Wyatt Warneke, 87; 6. (tie) Jayco Roper, Cooper Cooke and Clayton Biglow, 86; 9. Kade Berry, 85.5; 10. (tie) Taylor Broussard, Cole Hollen and Devon Moore, 84.5; 10. (tie) Colton Clemens, Lane McGehee, Cooper Filipek and Ben Kramer, 84. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. J.D. Struxness, 4.3 seconds; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.4; 3. (tie) Dalton Massey, Logan Mullin, Laramie Warren and Jacob Daniell, 4.6; 7. (tie) Tyler Waguespack, Evan Spady, Cimarron Thompson and Tristan Martin, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Cody Devers, 13.4 seconds on three runs; 2. (tie) Cimarron Thompson and Chase Crane, 15.3; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 13.4; 5. Colt Honey, 15.6; 6. Grant Peterson, 15.7; 7. (tie) Tony Aska and Coy Johnson, 16.4; 9. Trace Harris, 16.5; 10. J.D. Struxness, 17.0; 11. Ty Allred, 17.5; 12. Tad Williams, 17.7. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 8.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons and Cash Enderli, 8.7; 4. Richard Newton, 9.0; 5. (tie) Trevor Hale, Tom Crouse and Quade Hiatt, 9.1; 8. (tie) Beau Cooper and Sam Lewis, 9.2. Average leaders: 1. Beau Cooper, 26.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Joel Harris, 27.3; 3. Sam Lewis, 27.5; 4. Brodie Mattson, 27.7; 5. Cole Clemons, 28.2; 6. Dylan Hancock, 28.6; 7. (tie) Cash Enderli and Colton Suther, 28.8; 9. Brodey Clemons, 28.9; 10. Sterling Smith, 29.1; 11. Cory Solomon, 29.3; 12. Shane Hanchey, 29.6. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Zeke Thurston, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck; 2. (tie) Mitchie Story and Damian Brfennan, 87 points; 4. Lefty Holman, 86; 5. (tie) Kolby Wanchuk and Joe Macqueen, 85.5; 7. Kade Bruno, 85; 8. Ryder Sanford,  Continue Reading »

If you look as this cover photo of the June 2008 Western Horseman close enough, you will see that Billy Etbauer’s gold buckle shines. It’s attached to the first Guymon Pioneer Days championship belt he earned in 2002. Even now, 24 years after he won one, the five-time world champion saddle bronc rider still wears one of his Guymon belts every day. It’s part of who he is. (PHOTO BY DARRELL DODDS, COURTESY OF WESTERN HORSEMAN)   GUYMON, Okla. – On the cover of the June 2008 issue of Western Horseman, five-time world champion Billy Etbauer sits astride a buckskin stallion his family owned. The image is a perfect contrast of the denim Etbauer was known to wear and horse’s golden hide. As if it were meant to accentuate the colors, Etbauer’s blue is highlighted by one of his five world championship gold buckles. It’s affixed by his 2002 Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo title belt, one of two he earned in a distinguished career that included 21 consecutive qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo. “I love that belt,” said Etbauer, still one of the most recognized bronc riders in ProRodeo history alongside his brothers, Dan and Robert, and their late traveling partner and friend, Craig Latham. “It’s the whole scenario, with Guymon being kind of the hometown rodeo. If you’re fortunate enough to win one, it’s pretty special. You pick your size, and it comes with super nice conchos on it to boot.” The belts are not only stylish but also practical. Many rodeos offer buckles to their victors, but Pioneer Days gives winners something on which to showcase those prizes. Each belt features conchos that reflect the event, the year and the rodeo, so it’s a wearable trophy that can last the test of time. Take retired bareback rider Mark Gomes, the 1998 world champion who won his Guymon crown in 2001. “I’ve had that thing 25 years, and I still wear it,” said Gomes, who also helped produce Pioneer Days Rodeo over the years. “That’s my dress belt. I’m honored to wear it. At the time, that was one of the nicest prizes going. Everybody had a buckle, but nobody had anything to hang it on.” A new round of titlists is just around the corner with this year’s Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. The cherished belts are created annually by Dan Wheelock with Anchor Heart Rawhide & Leather in Gruver. “Back in the day, there wasn’t many rodeos that gave a prize at all,” said Bret Franks, a three-time NFR qualifier originally from Guymon. “I always thought that belt deal was just very prestigious. If you looked around in my day, all of your peers might have a Salinas buckle on or an NFR buckle on, but they had that Guymon belt on, too.” Franks earned his in 1997, the same year qualified to the NFR for the first time. He followed that up with two more trips to Las Vegas in 1998 and 2000. He had that Pioneer Days belt on when he arrived. “I wanted one pretty bad,” he said. “That belt reflected a lot of meaningful stuff. That was the first time I ever got on Bobby Joe Skoal. That’s the greatest horse during my time rodeoing, and so to do it at my hometown rodeo. A lot of people still wear theirs.” While most trophies fit nicely in a case, the Guymon keepsake fits perfectly through the loops on the waistband of jeans. It serves as a regular reminder of cherished memories. “That particular year at that rodeo was when I had Sheep Tick,” Gomes said of the Harry Vold Rodeo Co. horse that flipped on him 10 months before inside the bucking chutes at Cheyenne, Wyoming, causing Gomes’ pelvis to break in three spots. “That was a pivotal moment in my career to face that demon. “That was a very personal, special win. I’m a huge fan of Guymon and always have been. That belt will always be special to me.” While Gomes uses his on special occasions, that’s not always the case for cowboys. “When I wean them from being my good belt, then I just turn them into work belts,” said Etbauer, who won his second Guymon title in 2008. “I haven’t had another belt on in forever. Since I got my first Guymon belt, I’ve never put another belt on.” It’s a note to the durability and craftmanship of the leather, but it’s also a sign of how honored many of ProRodeo’s top contestants are to have them. There might come a time when the leather and silver conchos need to be redone, because regular wear will do that to just about any material. “They’re going to wear out when you’re wearing them every day,” Franks said. “I’m going to have mine redone. Ken Stonecipher wants to take my conchos and have Montana Silversmiths redo them, because they’re kind of shoddy looking. I don’t know if I want that. I like having them looking old.” Franks earned his belt 29 years ago. He’s raised two children since then and has a couple of grandsons. He’ll likely still be wearing that Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo belt for years to come.

Hazen Sparks, a sophomore at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, roped and bulldogged his way to two titles this past weekend in Weatherford, Oklahoma. He won the all-around and steer wrestling championships and placed in tie-down roping. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)   ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboy Hazen Sparks has been waiting on his turn to pounce. It came this past weekend at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Weatherford, where he won steer wrestling, finished sixth in tie-down roping and claimed the men’s all-around championship. “It’s about time,” said Sparks, a sophomore from Talihina, Oklahoma. “I started the year off really slow, just like last year, but I screwed together a good weekend. I feel like I went there and did my job. The horses were good. I rode my calf horse, the one that won (Central Plains) Horse of the Year last year, and I rode Nathan Duvall’s bulldogging horse. “I had Sam Daly hazing for me on his horse, and he’s done a good job.” Horsepower is vital in rodeo. Just after the teams completed their performances two weeks ago in Garden City, Kansas, Sparks’ calf roping horse came down with an illness. The good news came when his primary equine partner recovered in time for the trip to Weatherford. “I haven’t been getting to rope too much here lately,” Sparks said. “I hadn’t roped a calf since the long round in Garden City, so Saturday morning was the first calf on her since Garden City, and she went out there and worked good.” He roped two calves that day. He made an 11.7-second run during the morning session to place fifth in the first round, then was 11.4 in the nightcap to place sixth in the championship round and sixth overall. Bulldogging is where everything came together, though. He finished fifth in the opening round, then won the short round with a 4.1-second run to take the overall title. “Me and Nathan’s horse get along pretty good together,” he said. “He can get the start (on the steers) and run you slick up their backs every time. He gives you a good go.” That final-round run was dominating. It pushed him to victory by nine-tenths of a second over teammate Tydon Tsosie of Crownpoint, New Mexico, who was second in both rounds and the aggregate. The 150 points Tsosie earned pushed him to No. 2 in the Central Plains standings behind Duvall, a junior from Henryetta, Oklahoma. All-around cowboy Riley Smith of Poteau, Oklahoma – who made the short round in saddle bronc riding and steer wrestling – placed in both rounds and finished fourth in the bulldogging race, while Duvall finished tied for third in the opening round. Graduate student Emmett Edler was among five Northwestern steer wrestlers in the short round. Tie-down roper Carter Anderson of Merriman, Nebraska, also gathered some important points in his push to be among the top three in the region when the season concludes in two weeks. He placed third in the final round and fourth overall. Team roping heelers Colter Snook of Ford, Kansas, and Jacob Curtis of Gravette, Arkansas, both made the final round; Snook remains in third place in the regional standings. Breakaway roper Y’Leigh Yarbrough led the Rangers women by placing in both rounds. Her 3.2-second run was enough to finish in a tie for second place in the first round, and she also snagged sixth in the final round to finish fourth overall. Goat-tier Tyra Tsosie, also of Crownpoint like her twin brother, made the short round. The Northwestern teams will venture to Hays, Kansas, this week before wrapping the season the following weekend in Guymon, Oklahoma. Only the top two teams and the top three individuals in each event will advance to the College National Finals Rodeo, which takes in June at Casper, Wyoming. This will be the final push to see which Rangers will qualify. “I came into the spring with not a single point,” Sparks said. “I’ve been kind of chipping away, making every short round this spring, but I just haven’t been able to capitalize at any of them until this weekend. I dang sure have to go out and do the same thing at these next two.” He’s putting the pressure on himself to perform at a high level, but those are also the expectations Sparks has on himself. “Since the beginning of the spring, I know I’m going to have to win and get points at all of these rodeos to have a chance. I’ve been running steers in the practice pen to make rodeo runs. It’s been mostly a mental thing for me; I’ve had to fight my mental game more than anything. “I’m backing in there with more pressure than the rest of the guys, because I’m coming from the bottom of the pack where I have to win to get some points out of each rodeo. I’m trying to keep my head clear, just go out and do my job. That’s what I’ve been working on myself most.”

Rookie Noah Lee rides Stockyards Pro Rodeo’s Shakin Dominos to win Sunday’s San Angelo Xtreme Bulls title. Lee, the 18-year-old son of 2004 PBR world champion Mike Lee, is No. 1 in the Xtreme Bulls standings and in the top 20 of the PRCA world standings. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – Just three months after his 18th birthday, second-generation bull rider Noah Lee has made a significant living in ProRodeo. He just added to it Sunday afternoon, riding Stockyards Pro Rodeo’s Shakin Dominos for 89 points to win the San Angelo Xtreme Bulls championship at CRC Roofers Coliseum. With that, he padded his bank account by $13,372. “I didn’t realize I won that much money,” said Lee, whose father, Mike Lee, was a PBR world champion in 2004. “I love the Xtreme Bulls, because they get me really excited. It’s just like riding in the old-school PBRs back in the old days, how my dad used to ride. It reminds me of when I used to go with my dad and be in the locker rooms.” Nostalgia plays a heavy role on creating energy, and riding bulls is just part of that for Noah Lee. He began the year on his PRCA permit and won immediately. His first ProRodeo event was Bullnanza in Guthrie, Okla., and he won it. That was nearly $13,000 in his pocket and filled the requirements of his permit. “I made the mistake of entering four other rodeos, so I ended up winning like $20,000 on my permit,” he said. “Then I bought my card after them four rodeos.” He’s earned better than $61,000 in two and a half months, but only $42,336 count toward the world standings, where he has moved up to be among the top 20 bull riders in ProRodeo. He’s also moved to the No. 1 position in the Xtreme Bulls standings with his San Angelo victory. “I just try to stay humble,” said Lee, who stands 5-foot-2 and weighs 114 pounds. “I don’t like to talk about how I’m going to do, because I don’t know how I’m going to do. I’m just going to stay focused and keep going, try to get everything rode.” It’s a process that’s working so far. Lee has ridden 11 of 15 bulls he’s attempted this season, scoring 73 percent of the time. His Sunday victory marked the sixth time he’s won, and he’s had high-marked rides in each situation. He was 90.5 to win Bullnanza and 91.5 to win the Xtreme Bulls title in Wharton, Texas. He was also 91 in both Goliad, Texas, and Fresnos, Texas, then posted an 89.5-point ride to win in Waxahachie, Texas. In March, Lee rode six of seven bulls and earned $28,964 by finishing third place or better at six rodeos. His April isn’t shaking out to be too shabby, either. He scored 88.5 points on Penthouse Pro Rodeo’s Sky Bandit this past Friday night and sits second at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. He will compete inside the storied coliseum for the third time this coming Friday night during the championship round, opening the opportunity to win both the Xtreme Bulls and rodeo’s bull riding titles in the same week. “I just try to stay calm and talk to God,” Lee said. “He lets me know I’m safe, and I feel Him with me. I just like to talk to God and clear my mind, and He clears it for me. I’m not nervous or anything. I just like to stay calm. It’s a better way to live life. “I’m really excited to come back Friday. I’m in San Angelo for all this next week; I’ll be back here Saturday for the Cinch Chute-Out, too.”  San Angelo Xtreme Bulls April 12 1. Noah Lee, 89 points on Stockyards Pro Rodeo’s Shakin Dominos, $13,372; 2. Ethan Bayous, 85, $10,296; 3. Ernie Coursin, 84, $7,659; 4. (tie) Mason Moody and Cullen Telfer, 83.5, $4,143 each; 6. Jake Gardner, 83, $2,386; 7. Trevor Reiste, 81, $1m946; no other qualified rides.

Shelley Morgan has to wait out the final two preliminary performances next Wednesday and Thursday to see if she will advance to the short round of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. She sits third in the two-run aggregate aboard Bee, a 9-year-old buckskin gelding. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – Shelley Morgan may be a competitor, but there are bigger things in her life. Faith and family are at the top of that list, but not far behind are the horses she cares for. It’s why she’s done so well as a barrel racer. She’s had some good ones in her career, which includes five qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo, where she also won the 2022 average title. She rode Short Go during her first trip to Las Vegas in 2009, then it was Kiss’ turn. The 12-year-old sorrel mare was voted as one of the top barrel racing horses in the game in 2020, the same year the mare was named the WPRA’s Horse with the Most Heart. In her last venture to Nevada two Decembers ago, Morgan also utilized another percolator in Bee, a 9-year-old buckskin mare. On Saturday afternoon, Morgan and Bee put together a 14.24-second run to move into the money and improve their chance at returning to the championship round next Friday. “She just came off a two-week break, so she should be feeling really good,” said Morgan of Eustace, Texas. “She ran good (Saturday).” During Saturday night’s eighth performance, all-around cowboy Wacey Schalla did some magic. He scored 87.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Whisky Trip to move into third place on the bareback riding leaderboard. About two hours later, he rode Rafter H Rodeo’s Time Machine for 86 points to move into a tie for fourth place in bull riding. Schalla finished last season second in the all-around race. He was fifth in the bareback riding world standings and fourth in bull riding with a combined income of $741,428. Already this season, he has earned almost $100,000 riding bucking horses and $30,000 riding bulls. He’s joining Morgan as one of the contestants that is making a big move in San Angelo. Combined with a 16.13-second run in the opening round two weeks ago, Morgan moved into third place in the two-run aggregate. She’d like to stay there by the time next weekend rolls around, because only the top 12 cumulative scores advance to the short round. She likes her chances inside CRC Roofers Coliseum. “I think she’s quite fast, but she’s really quick,” Morgan said. “I think these small setups suit her because she’s so quick. She’s also pretty honest most of the time. All I could do is just push her up in times, and she accelerates quick, which is what I think helps her in setups like this.” The times between Rounds 1 and 2 vary considerably, because the opener took place in Spur Arena. LaTricia Duke posted the fastest time that Sunday, stopping the clock in 15.69 seconds. Having a well-rounded horse who can handle those differences is beneficial. “These horses see all different things out here, so she should be pretty accustomed to changing from one thing to the next,” Morgan said. “She’s fast enough to be good in any set up. I just think when you put her in a small building that her quickness pays off sometimes.” Is Bee the kind of horse that can get Morgan back in Sin City this December? She likes the mare a lot, but with Kiss on the sidelines for an undetermined amount of time, she’s not sure it’s in Bee’s best interest. “We came out strong this season, then we got on the struggle bus a little bit,” she said. “We’ve said we’re going to make a plan after San Angelo, but I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. I have several young horses, and the future is uncertain where Kiss is concerned. I do have Bee, which is really nice, but barrel racing has gotten to where you really need more than one horse out there.” The younger horses just need more time, so she’s also considering focusing her attention to that. As a horsewoman, the overall goal is going to be toward the betterment of her equine partners. “Whether we hit the road hard and take them with us or we hang back and try to get them really good at the barrel races and all the smaller rodeos is still to be determined,” Morgan said. “We just want to do right by the horses.” San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo April 3-18 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Leighton Berry, 92 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Tator Tot; 2. Cole Reiner, 88.5; 3. Wacey Schalla, 87.5; 4. Wyatt Warneke, 87; 5. (tie) Jayco Roper and Cooper Cooke, 86; 7. Kade Berry, 85.5; 8. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Cole Hollen, 84.5; 10. (tie) Colton Clemens, Lane McGehee, Cooper Filipek and Ben Kramer, 84. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. J.D. Struxness, 4.3 seconds; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.4; 3. (tie) Dalton Massey, Logan Mullin, Laramie Warren and Jacob Daniell, 4.6; 7. (tie) Evan Spady, Cimarron Thompson and Tristan Martin, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Cimarron Thompson and Chase Crane, 15.3 seconds on three runs; 3. (tie) Grant Peterson, 15.7; 4. (tie) Tony Aska and Coy Johnson, 16.4; 6. Trace Harris, 16.5; 7. J.D. Struxness, 17.0; 8. Ty Allred, 17.5; 9. Tad Williams, 17.7; 10. Logan Mullin, 18.4; 11. Cade Goodman, 5.0; 11. Cole Pugh, 19.8; 12. Traver Johnson, 20.7. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 8.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons and Cash Enderli, 8.7; 4. Richard Newton, 9.0; 5. (tie) Trevor Hale, Tom Crouse and Quade Hiatt, 9.1; 8. (tie) Beau Cooper and Sam Lewis, 9.2. Average leaders: 1. Beau Cooper, 26.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Joel Harris, 27.3; 3. Sam Lewis, 27.5; 4. Brodie Mattson, 27.7; 5. Cole Clemons, 28.2; 6. Cash Enderli and Colton Suther, 28.8;  Continue Reading »

Breakaway roper Megan Powell finishes off her 2.0-second run to take the second-round lead during Friday’s sixth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JENNINGS RODEO PHOTOGRAPHY)   SAN ANGELO, Texas – John Rae Powell is a bit of a roping legend in Texas. He’s a Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee, and nearly 11 years after his death, he may still have a little bit of influence in rodeo. His granddaughter, Megan Powell, needed some prayers answered during Friday’s sixth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo if she was going to have any chance at big money. “I would say he probably had a hand in that,” she said after posting a 2.0-second run to take the second-round lead inside CRC Roofers Coliseum. “It was either him or the roping gods or God Himself, because somebody probably had a helping hand in that run. I’ll take all the luck I can get. “I didn’t have the perfect run that I needed in the first round, and I knew pretty much the average was out of the question. It’s been a tough round so far, so I knew I needed to be aggressive and take the first shot possible.” She did. Arizonan Danielle Lowman won the first round last week and pocketed $4,300. That kind of money is what draws contestants to San Angelo every spring. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so the more money earned in a given season is beneficial to championships. If she can parlay a big check in Tom Green County into more down the road, she hopes to earn her first qualification to the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo. “I feel like rodeo, unfortunately, has taken just a little of the back burner for me,” said Powell of Hawley, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of San Angelo. “I’m a registered nurse, so I’ve been working on my career a little bit and focusing on just going full force into adulthood. “That comes with some hard choices. Big wins like this will help me be able to hopefully get down the road a little bit more and one day make the circuit finals.” Powell was one of three contestants in Friday’s field who moved into a round lead. Barrel racer Morgan Addison punched her ticket to Championship Round with a 14.17-second run to take the second round lead; she is second in the two-run aggregate. Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness, the 2024 world champion from Milan, Minnesota, stopped the clock in 4.3 seconds to move into the third-round lead. His three-run cumulative time of 17.0 seconds has him in sixth place overall with a solid chance to return for the short round. “It’s a fast start, and them steers are really running in that building there in San Angelo this year, so you definitely need a horse,” said Struxness, who lives in Perrin, Texas, with his wife, Jayden, and their two daughters. “In these progressives and short rounds, it’s a big deal just to get back to the short round. The average is going to be on four head, so a lot can happen.” Struxness has a horse he can trust in Ice, an 8-year-old gray gelding. He also trusts the hazing horse, Jenny, which was ridden Friday night by Struxness’ cousin, Tyler Scheevel. “Ice is really coming in and settling in,” Struxness said. “The haze horse has been working well, too.” He qualified for the first of seven trips to the National Finals Rodeo in 2016, the same year he won the intercollegiate bulldogging title. Like Struxness, Powell used college rodeo as a proving ground, attending New Mexico Junior College. She’s now continuing a passion for the game that has been part of her since birth. “I come from a rodeo family,” she said, noting that her cousin, Tibba Smith, is second in the breakaway roping average. “My dad is a longtime calf roper, and then there’s my grandfather. I grew up roping with both of them pretty much my entire life.” San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo April 3-18 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Leighton Berry, 92 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Tator Tot; 2. Cole Reiner, 88.5; 3. Wyatt Warneke, 87; 4. (tie) Jayco Roper and Cooper Cooke, 86; 6. Kade Berry, 85.5; 7. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Cole Hollen, 84.5; 9. (tie) Colton Clemens, Lane McGehee, Cooper Filipek and Ben Kramer, 84. Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. J.D. Struxness, 4.3 seconds; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.4; 3. (tie) Logan Mullin, Laramie Allen and Jacob Daniell, 4.6; 6. (tie) Evan Spady, Cimarron Thompson and Tristan Martin, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Cimarron Thompson and Chase Crane, 15.3 seconds on three runs; 3. (tie) Grant Peterson, 15.7; 4. (tie) Tony Aska and Coy Johnson, 16.4; 6. J.D. Struxness, 17.0; 7. Ty Allred, 17.5; 8. Logan Mullin, 18.4; 9. Traver Johnson, 20.7; 10. Tyke Kipp, 21.0; 11. Cody Harmon, 24.2; 12. Cody Harmon, 24.2. Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 8.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons and Cash Enderli, 8.7; 4. Richard Newton, 9.0; 5. (tie) Trevor Hale and Quade Hiatt, 9.1; 7. (tie) Beau Cooper and Sam Lewis, 9.2; 8. Britt Bedke, 9.3. Average leaders: 1. Beau Cooper, 26.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Joel Harris, 27.3; 3. Sam Lewis, 27.5; 4. Brodie Mattson, 27.7; 5. Cole Clemons, 28.2; 6. Cash Enderli and Colton Suther, 28.8; 8. Brodey Clemons, 28.9; 9. Cory Solomon, 29.3; 10. Shane Hanchey, 29.6; 11. Michael Otero, 29.8; 12. Britt Bedke, 30.0. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Zeke Thurston, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck; 2. (tie) Mitchie Story and Damian Brfennan, 87 points; 4. Lefty Holman, 86; 5. (tie) Kolby Wanchuk and Joe Macqueen, 85.5; 7. Kade Bruno, 85; 8. Ryder Sanford, 84; 9. (tie) Darcy Radel, Wyatt Casper, Kole Ashbacher and Rusty Wright, 83.5. Breakaway roping: Second round leaders: 1. Megan Powell, 2.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Sawyer Gilbert, Hailey Hall, Millie Greenwood, Tibba Smith and Bradi Good, 2.1; 7. Kinlie  Continue Reading »