Rumford ready for Rooftop
Decorated clown, entertainer returns to Estes Park rodeo for its 90th anniversary ESTES PARK, Colo. – Justin Rumford has always made people laugh. It’s his naturally gregarious nature, a personality developed from a life on the rodeo trail. He’s a third-generation cowboy who has done just about everything there can be done in the sport […]
Pecos rodeo building on success
PECOS, Texas – The West of the Pecos Rodeo has been around for 134 years, but the 2015 version may well have been one of the very best. The volunteer committee that organizes the annual event was recognized as one of the very best a year ago, nominated for Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year […]
Struxness claims national title
CASPER, Wyo. – Northwestern Oklahoma State University has finally crowned its first national champion in rodeo. Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness wrestled four steers in a cumulative time of 18.1 seconds to better the best field of bulldoggers in the country, claiming that elusive title during the weeklong College National Finals Rodeo in Casper. “It was […]
Making their way to Reno
Bullfighters Only to feature elite contestants during prestigious Reno Rodeo RENO, Nev. – Not many would stare a beast in the eyes. Fewer yet would tangle with it. But nine men will get that opportunity Sunday-Thursday when the Bullfighters Only Tour hits western Nevada for a four-night affair in conjunction with the annual Reno Rodeo. […]
Taking the next step
Bullfighter, rodeo clown Burelle acquires Groundmaster stall flooring business A chance meeting nearly two decades ago turned into great friendship for Bill and Jan Pearson and Andy Burelle. It’s now become much more than that. Burelle and wife, Robyn, has recently acquired Groundmaster Products LLC from the Pearsons, taking their relationship to a new level. […]
Carr helps rodeo uphold its legacy
BIG SPRING, Texas – For the past 83 years, this west Texas community has had a considerable legacy. “We have a strong history, and we have a good amount of second-, third- and fourth-generation families that are still involved our rodeo,” said Dane Driver, a longtime member of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual […]
Circuit leaderboard taking shape
DUNCAN, Okla. – Success in the Prairie Circuit in early May can be a major contributor to end-of-the-year prizes for cowboys and cowgirls who live within the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. Thousands of dollars have been paid out so far, and it’s still early in the circuit season. Since dollars equal championship points, each one is vital […]
Rangers ready for college finals
ALVA, Okla. – A year ago, steer wrestler Jacob Edler let the national title slip out of his grasp on the final run of 2015 College National Finals Rodeo. “I had a 9-second lead going into the short round last year,” said Edler, a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University from Statesville, Iowa. “After missing […]
Xtreme Bulls heading to Weatherford
WEATHERFORD, Texas – When rodeo fans in Parker County had a stand-alone bull riding come to the area, they grew accustomed to the late-summer event. When it ended in 2012, it was like a void had hit Weatherford. That void will be filled during this year’s Parker County Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo with the […]
McLeod, Slick excel in Guymon
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appears in the June issue of Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the official publication of the WPRA. It is republished here with the approval of the WPRA. The dry climate of the Oklahoma Panhandle is vastly different from his lake-washed environment of his north Texas home, but Slick By Design seems to […]
Northcott, Markham win Claremore
CLAREMORE, Okla. – It’s been 17 years since Steve Northcott last roped at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It’s about time he returns. On Sunday night, he and his partner, Cale Markham, stopped the clock in 5.0 seconds to win the team-roping title on a damp final night of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo. […]
Schlegel finds Sadie’s Gal to his liking
CLAREMORE, Okla. – Joel Schlegel has found young lady to his liking. Sadie’s Gal is a 9-year-old dark brown mare from the Dallas-based livestock firm of Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo. On Saturday night, Schlegel matched moves with the horse for 84 points to take the bareback riding lead during the second performance of the […]
Etbauer rides The Darkness to the lead
CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Etbauer name remains synonymous with saddle bronc riding, but it’s the next generation that is taking the game to the top of the leaderboard. On Friday night during the first performance of the Will Rogers Stampede Pro Rodeo, 22-year-old Shade Etbauer rode Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s The Darkness for 85 […]
Silver City is ready for rodeo fun
SILVER CITY, N.M. – Folks in this picturesque southeastern New Mexico community have come to expect big things out of their local rodeo. In fact, businesses and members of the community have continually stepped up to make sure the Wild, Wild West Pro Rodeo is a marquee event in Grant County. “This is our 26th […]
Stampede ready for 2016 celebration
CLAREMORE, Okla. – After months of planning and intense labor around their arena, the organizers of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo are ready for the event’s 70th anniversary celebration. “From the time we closed the curtain on our 2015 rodeo, we began the process for this year’s rodeo,” said David Petty, chairman of the […]
Carr team key to Stampede’s success
CLAREMORE, Okla. – A commitment to rodeo fans in northeastern Oklahoma is a big reason for the success of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo. Members of the Professional Rodeo Association have taken note of that distinction, and it’s a key reason why they have recognized Claremore’s rodeo as the Small Rodeo of the Year […]
Changes are key to rodeo’s future
JACKSONVILLE, Texas – The volunteers that organize this community’s annual rodeo are making all things possible for rodeo fans. “We’ve had some people who have asked us to do a few different things, so we’re doing that this year,” said Byron Underwood, chairman of the Tops in Texas Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, May […]
Thomas ready for cowboy experience
CLAREMORE, Okla. – Jim Thomas has never claimed to be a cowboy, but he’s ready to play the part. Thomas is Claremore’s city manager, and this year he’s received two major honors: He was named the Claremore’s Progressive Person of the Year in the Claremore Progress, then was named to be the grand marshal at […]
Elliott, Reed show off at ‘home’
GUYMON, Okla. – They come from separate parts of North America, but Audy Reed and Clay Elliott have traveled a similar path. Both have been part of the storied rodeo program at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in nearby Goodwell, and now they’re traveling the ProRodeo circuit together riding saddle broncs. On Saturday night, the two […]
Peek lassos Guymon’s all-around
GUYMON, Okla. – Josh Peek took a bad situation on Sunday and made it considerably better, and that paid off with the all-around championship at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. “They hadn’t done much on my bulldogging steer, and I just went out and made the best run I could,” said Peek, a six-time Wrangler […]
LeMond chasing all-around gold
GUYMON, Okla. – The 2015 ProRodeo season was a bit of a dream for JoJo LeMond. He earned his second straight qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, then moved in as an injury replacement for Jake Barnes at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In all, he finished sixth in steer roping and […]
Young bull rider injured in Guymon
GUYMON, Okla. – Clay Wagner got to see the good and bad in the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo during Friday’s first performance. Wagner, an 18-year-old bull rider from Round Rock, Ariz., rode the Lancaster & Jones bull Mongol for 81 points and took the early lead. But just as soon as the ride ended, Wagner […]
Waguespack finds his comfort zone
GUYMON, Okla. – For all the limited success Tyler Waguespack has had at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, he’s never finished things off. “I’ve done well in a round here just about every year I’ve been here, but I’ve never been able to get in the average,” said Waguespack, a 2015 Wrangler National Finals steer […]
Rodeo has plenty to offer its fans
BRIDGEPORT, Texas – It’s getting easier for rodeo fans to get tickets to the Karl Klement Butterfield Stage Days Rodeo. “We’ve been wanting to have online ticket sales for a few years, and we were able to make that available this year,” said David Turnbow, chairman of the volunteer committee that organizes the local rodeo, […]