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Garcilazos continue long-time La Cherreria tradition at Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – The Garcilazo family is made up of showmen – and a show-woman – who not only love to entertain but also have passion for tradition. It drives them across North America and beyond as they perform incredible horsemanship and other talents that have been passed down from one family member to another via La Cherreria, a skill performed through the generations only by the Mexican charro. Tomas Garcilazo learned the skills as a youngster from his elders, and he’s passing them down to his own sons, Louis, Gaspar and Ulyesse. Tomas’ wife, Justine, also is involved in the production, and the family affair will be a big part of the Gooding Pro Rodeo, set for Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 17, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 14. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “On my mother’s side, they are all charros,” Garcilazo said. “I grew up competing all my life. I picked my skill with a rope and had a vision to develop this with the horses. “It’s a way of developing my dream. My rope, as a child, was a toy. Now, I develop the artistry with a rope in such an extensive way. It takes time, effort, patience and the (willingness to) develop all the desires to succeed in horse and roping skills.” Tomas Garcilazo is a third-generation charro, and while the littlest two of their sons are a bit young to step into the limelight, Louis is not only comfortable in the arena but has already developed the talents to be a featured part of the family’s heritage. “When you bring someone to provide a treat, it’s nice because you contribute something to the community,” said Garcilazo, who has been selected to perform the opening act at the NFR more than a dozen times and has been named the PRCA’s Dress Act of the Year four times. “It’s going to bring more people together.” That thought is why organizers of the Gooding Pro Rodeo wanted to bring the Garcilazos to town. “We have the most amazing fans in rodeo,” said Don Gill, the fair and rodeo’s manager. “They are the reason we exist, but they’re also why the contestants continually talk about the Gooding Pro Rodeo. We draw the top cowboys and cowgirls because of the support we receive, and everybody talks about our crowd. “We want that excitement to continue year after year, so we work very hard to bring in the top talent we can. Tomas has been an incredible performer for decades, and with his family involved in his acts, it just ups the ante for us and for our fans. It’s something they’re not only going to enjoy, but it’s also something nobody wants to miss.” The Garcilazos present a fascinating display of specialized roping and horses that are as magnificent as the Mexican-style outfits the family wears. Their equine partners shine in the spotlight, a testament to their training, mixed with the care the Garcilazos give them and the raw, athletic talent they possess. While rodeo is a Western sport, it’s roots trace back to when much of the American Southwest was part of the Mexican territory. It’s that foundation that has been the guiding force for the family. It’s a love affair by which Tomas Garcilazo has built a life, not only for himself but for the next generation. “Being in the entertainment business, you get to see the different traditions and different people from different personalities,” he said. “When you develop something with passion with your heart and express this on stage, it shows. When I see a performer, when they do these with their heart, it shows right away. I have a lot of passion for what I do, and I hope everyone sees that.”

Landingham hoping to continue streak of good fortune at Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – Bareback rider R.C. Landingham has never lived in Gooding County, but it’s a good place to call home when the opportunities arise. “I’ve spent time there, and when I go through Idaho rodeoing, that’s one of the places I hang out at because my good buddy, Kash Wilson, lives there,” said Landingham, 33, of Hat Creek, California. “Kelly Wardell lives right down the road from there in Shoshone, and I spent some time there with him, too. “Kelly’s helped me out a lot over the years, basically just learning ow to ride bareback horses in the beginning and working out the kinks when I’ve gone through things. He’s really good at breaking down the event, picking things apart and helping you fix things you’re trying to fix.” Landingham is expected to return for the Gooding Pro Rodeo, set for Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 17, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 14. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. He’s riding a hot streak as the rodeo season rolls into August, and he hopes it continues. He is fourth in the world standings with less than two months remaining in the regular season and has virtually locked himself into position to make his fifth qualification to the National Finals Rodeo. So far this year, he’s won titles at lucrative stops in Reno, Nevada; Red Bluff, California; and Calgary, Alberta. “This year’s been pretty unreal,” said Landingham, who has earned nearly $140,000 already this season. “Throughout your career, you have a checklist of rodeos you want to get won, and I’ve gotten to check off quite a few. I got to set the arena record (92.5 points on C5 Rodeo’s) Virgil in Red Bluff, and I got the win in Reno; I’ve had luck in Reno, but I’d never won it. “I got the win in Calgary. Those are rodeos you want to win, and to actually get that done so soon in one season has been pretty incredible.” For the second time in three months, he rode Virgil – the big, gray bucker that’s twice been named PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year – to win the $50,000 shootout round in Calgary. “I’ve been rodeoing for 15-16 years, and Virgil’s been in the draw at a lot of rodeo’s I’ve been to,” Landingham said. “When I had him in Red Bluff, being the hometown rodeo and being able to get on that horse has been an incredible opportunity in itself. When I got off him at Red Bluff, I thought I’d never get to get on him again. “Because I won the 12-man round at Calgary, I got to be the first pick for the four-man round, so I picked him. I’ll never expect to get on him again, but any chance to get on that horse is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To be 94 points on him there is something that guys dream about for their entire careers. You go down that list, and there’s not very many guys that ever got that accomplished. It will always be something special to remember.” Every step of this year’s journey has continued to build confidence in the California cowboy. Every ride has built confidence, and he’s hoping to carry that and a healthy body through the final few weeks of the ProRodeo season. He expects to be battling for the title in Gooding in mid-August. “It’s the people there that make me want to come back,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of friends and family close by there. It’s a really good rodeo that has worked hard to improve its quality every year. It’s a good, central location for that time of year, and it’s an easy one for guys to enter. They want to keep improving it, and that just makes it easier to throw your name in there.” Of course, he hopes to put on a show to prove to the large crowds that pack the arena that he’s “Beer Worthy.” “You’re either going to have to make a really good ride or have a really good wreck to be ‘Beer Worthy,” ” Landingham said. “At least when you do it in Gooding, you get to go on the sideline and have a drink with somebody.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Life on the rodeo trail can be special at times. Cowboys make a living eight seconds at a time and get to travel the country doing it. Life on the rodeo trail can be rugged at times. When the results one is seeking aren’t there, cowboys are away from home, and it’s a test of will and fortitude. Since he began competing in ProRodeo six seasons ago, Jess Pope has experienced both sides of that equation. I’m not going to lie: Two weeks ago, I was over it,” said Pope, 25, of Waverly, Kansas. “I wasn’t drawing good, and I was sore. Being able to come home for three days and reboot and rodeo close to home brought it all back. I know I ride really good, and I just have to have them underneath me.” Them? Those are the bucking horses he rides, and he’s matched with them via a random draw. The better the horse, the better the opportunity. He took advantage of that Sunday night during the championship round of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. “When I get them underneath me, I’ve got to take advantage of them, and I felt like I did this week. I’m excited to finish the year.” He rode Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks for 91 points to win the short go-round, which catapulted him to the top in the two-ride aggregate and the Roundup title. That’s a big deal for any contestant; it’s a bigger deal for a Kansas-born-and-raised cowboy. During a few days in western Kansas, Pope earned $6,605. Sitting 20th in the world standings, every dollar counts. Only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo. Once there, Pope has been dominant. He won three straight NFR titles, the third of which helped him earn the 2022 world championship. Last December, he finished second in the average in Las Vegas; over his four trips to ProRodeo’s grand finale, he’s finished no worse than third. Now, he’s got the Roundup buckle to go along with his NFR average and world championship trophies. “It’s the history that I have here at this rodeo to be close to home, and to have my family and friends here with me means a lot to get that buckle that I’ll get to take home and cherish,” Pope said. “I’ve got junior high and high school buckles from here, and it will be really fun to be able to make a little picture-profile thing to put all my buckles together.” He may need to add a special addition for all his trophies. In addition to his title in Dodge City, he finished third in Phillipsburg, Kansas, and won the title in Dalhart, Texas. He pocketed more than $11,000 this week alone. “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going,” he said. “I’m not where I want to be in the world standings, but this week really helped, and I sure feel good about it. I think it’ll keep going good.” Dodge City Roundup RodeoDodge City, Kan.July 31-Aug. 4, 2024All-around champion: Coleman Proctor, $1,853 in team roping and steer roping. Bareback riding: First round: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels, $3,163; 2. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois, Dean Thompson and Jess Pope, 85, $1,792 each; 5. Weston Timberman, 84.5, $738; 6. Sam Petersen, 84, $527; 7. Mason Clements, 83, $422; 8. (tie) Cooper Cooke, Jacek Frost and Bradlee Miller, 81, $105 each. Final round: 1. Jess Pope, 91 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks, $1,650; 2. Mason Clements, 88, $1,250; 3. (tie) Sam Peterson and Waylon Bourgeois, 87, $750 each; 5. Weston Timberman, 85.5, $350; 6. (tie) Dean Thompson and Rocker Steiner, 84.5, $125 each. Average: 1. Jess Pope, 176 points on two rides, $3,163; 2. Rocker Steiner, 172.5; 3. Waylon Bourgeois, 172, $1,792; 4. (tie) Mason Clements and Sam Peterson, 171, $949; 6. Weston Timberman, 170, $527; 7. Dean Thompson, 169.5, $422; 8. Kade Sonnier, 164, $316. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Ty Bauerle, 3.8 seconds, $3,473; 2. (tie) Jacob Edler and Tyler Waguespack, 4.0, $2,793 each; 4. Brady Reneau, 4.1, $2,114; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 4.3, $1,661; 6. (tie) Kalane Anders, Gage Hesse, Tyke Kipp, Will Lummus, Isaiah Na’auao-Asing and Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $377 each. Second round: 1. Quade Potter, 3.6 seconds, $3,473; 2. 2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $3,020; 3. Kyle Irwin, 3.9, $2,567; 4. Cody Devers, 4.0, $2,114; 5. Sam Goings, 4.1, $1,661; 6. Bridger Anderson, 4.2, $1,208; 7. (tie) Winsten McGraw, Tanner Brunner and Travis Munro, 4.3, $352 each. Final round: 1. Bridger Anderson, 3.6 seconds, $1,276; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 3.7, $1,056; 3. Will Lummus, 3.8, $836; 4. Justin Shaffer, 4.4, $616; 5. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Kalane Anders, 4.5, $308 each. Average: 1. Will Lummus, 12.0 seconds on three runs; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 13.3, $4,530; 3. Kalane Anders, 13.6, 3,850; 4. Jacob Edler, 13.8, $3,171; 5. Bridger Anderson, 14.1, $2,491; 6. Ty Bauerle, 14.4, $1,812; 7. Tyler Wageuspack, 14.5, $1,132; 8. Justin Shaffer, 14.9, $453. Team roping: First round: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.9 seconds, $3,547 each; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2, $3,085; 3. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4, $2,622; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 5.5, $2,159; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6, $1,697; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.7, $1,234; 7. (tie) Trey Blackmore/Whip Peterson and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 5.8, $540 each. Second round: 1. Reno Stoebner/L.J. Yeahquo, 4.7 seconds, $3,547; 2. Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 4.9m $3,085; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.1, $2,622; 4. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4, $2,159; 5. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 5.5, $2,159; 6. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7, $1,234; 7. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 5.8, $771; 8. Shay Carrol/Jace Helton, 6.0, $308. Final round: 1. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.5 seconds, $1,240; 2. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 6.2, $1,026; 3. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 6.9, $813; 4. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, $599; 5. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 7.7, $385; 6. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 8.0, $214. Average: 1. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 18.5 seconds on three head, $5,321 each; 2.  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – During her reign as Miss Rodeo America, Emma Cameron will have traveled approximately 50,000 miles as the official ambassador of ProRodeo. None, though, will be as sweet as those she maneuvers in her home state of New Mexico. She will return to the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday. “There aren’t many places you can go where rodeo so purely relates to the life story as it does here in New Mexico,” Cameron told New Mexico Magazine earlier this year. “Everywhere in the country has rodeo, but in New Mexico, it truly translates to the people here and the life here.” From Santa Fe, Cameron was crowned the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association’s queen in 2016. A year later, she won the National High School Rodeo Association queen title, becoming the first New Mexican to win the crown in nearly 50 years. She graduated with honors from Cornell University and worked as a commodity risk management analyst in the Midwest before taking a job as a diagnostic technical specialist in the animal-health industry in the Southwest. After serving her role in ProRodeo, she plans to attend law school. For now, though, she is going to events across North America representing the sport she loves. “You hit the ground running, and you have that whole last week of the (National) Finals in Vegas,” Cameron said. “Then right after the new year, you get on the road to Denver and have to learn as you go. The support system behind Miss Rodeo America makes it a really smooth, enjoyable transition, so I’ve been really grateful for that. “You learn so much that you didn’t know, not only about rodeo and how rodeos work, but also about yourself and how you see the world and what you want to do. It’s a really phenomenal experience.” Her reign will end this December, when the next Miss Rodeo America is crowned in Las Vegas during the pageant held in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo. “It’s really a dream come true,” Cameron told the Albuquerque Journal. “I’ve been doing pageants for 15 years now. It was really special because I remember the moment when I was a child meeting Miss Rodeo USA. “It’s my turn to carry that torch.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Growing up in the western Oklahoma hamlet of Arnett, breakaway roper Taylor Munsell made many trips to compete at Roundup Arena. She’s done well at youth rodeos and the amateur rodeos in the storied complex, but she’s never done well at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Her luck may be changing this year. She roped her first calf Saturday morning in 2.5 seconds to finish the opening round in a three-way tie for first, then stopped the clock in 3.0 seconds that evening. Her two-run cumulative time of 5.5 seconds puts her in the No. 2 spot heading into Championship Sunday, just half a second behind the leader, McKenna Brennan. They will battle it out for the Roundup title along with 10 other breakaway ropers. “It almost feels like a hometown arena to me,” said Munsell, 27, now living in Alva, Oklahoma, where she won the 2019 intercollegiate championship while competing for Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “It’s so nice. It’s close to home, so my whole family gets to come and watch.” Arnett is just two hours south of Dodge City, so it’s an easy drive for folks who have supported rodeo. Munsell travels tens of thousands of miles a year chasing her rodeo dreams, and she’s pretty good at it. In addition to the college title, she has qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping each of the past three years finishing among the top 10 in the world standings each time. She rolled into western Kansas as the No. 2 cowgirl on the money list with $93,225, about $13,500 behind the leader, Jackie Crawford. Munsell has already added $1,924 for her first-round finish and is looking to add to it. Every cent counts when it comes to rodeo, where dollars equal championship points. The top 15 money-earners at the end of the regular season punch their ticket to the finale, which takes place in December at Las Vegas. She’s a virtual lock to return for the fourth straight year to Sin City, but having a good final night at Roundup would be rather beneficial when it comes to battling for rodeo’s gold in four months. “That would be super important,” Munsell said of finishing strong in Dodge City. I’m in a great spot, where I want to be. I get to go right before (Brennan), but I’ve got a pretty good jump on everybody below me, too. I can make a good run and set the pace and let her come beat me if she wants to. However the cards lay, it’ll pay good either day.” She will entrust much of the work on her equine partner, Colonel, the horse she rode during the 2021 and 2023 breakaway finals. The 12-year-old sorrel gelding has been a guiding force for much of Munsell’s success, but she’s also had some other talented horses in her stable.  “Luckily the way I was raised, I learned to ride a horse for what they were and not what I wanted them to be, and I feel like that’s benefitted me a lot,” she said. “I have three great horses that work completely differently, but they serve me in the ways I need them to. I figured out how to make it work and win on them.” Like a lioness lurking to grasp her pray, Munsell is putting herself into position to claim the coveted Roundup buckle. “I like chasing,” she said. “It’s a lot more fun.” Dodge City Roundup RodeoDodge City, Kan.July 31-Aug. 4, 2024Bareback riding: First round: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels, $3,163; 2. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois, Dean Thompson and Jess Pope, 85, $1,792 each; 5. Weston Timberman, 84.5, $738; 6. Sam Petersen, 84, $527; 7. Mason Clements, 83, $422; 8. (tie) Cooper Cooke, Jacek Frost and Bradlee Miller, 81, $105 each. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Ty Bauerle, 3.8 seconds, $3,473; 2. (tie) Jacob Edler and Tyler Waguespack, 4.0, $2,793 each; 4. Brady Reneau, 4.1, $2,114; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 4.3, $1,661; 6. (tie) Kalane Anders, Gage Hesse, Tyke Kipp, Will Lummus, Isaiah Na’auao-Asing and Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $377 each. Second round: 1. Quade Potter, 3.6 seconds, $3,473; 2. 2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $3,020; 3. Kyle Irwin, 3.9, $2,567; 4. Cody Devers, 4.0, $2,114; 5. Sam Goings, 4.1, $1,661; 6. Bridger Anderson, 4.2, $1,208; 7. (tie) Winsten McGraw, Tanner Brunner and Travis Munro, 4.3, $352 each. Average: 1. Will Lummus, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Edler, 8.4; 3. Kalane Anders, 9.1; 4. Ty Bauerle, 9.5; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 9.6; 6. Cody Devers, 9.7; 7. (tie) Quade Potter and Kyle Irwin, 9.8; 10. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Bridger Anderson, 10.5; 12. (tie) Grant Peterson and Cash Robb, 11.2. Because of the tie-breaker, Cash Robb advances to the championship round Team roping: First round: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.9 seconds, $3,547 each; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2, $3,085; 3. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4, $2,622; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 5.5, $2,159; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6, $1,697; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.7, $1,234; 7. (tie) Trey Blackmore/Whip Peterson and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 5.8, $540 each. Second round: 1. Reno Stoebner/L.J. Yeahquo, 4.7 seconds, $3,547; 2. Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 4.9m $3,085; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.1, $2,622; 4. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4, $2,159; 5. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 5.5, $2,159; 6. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7, $1,234; 7. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 5.8, $771; 8. Shay Carrol/Jace Helton, 6.0, $308. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 11.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 11.3; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 11.9; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 12.1; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 12.8; 6. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 13.3; 7. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 13.0; 8. Max Kuttler/Dylan Ahlstrom, 13.7; 9. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 14.0; 10. Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 15.0; 11. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 15.9; 12. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 16.1.   Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Gus Galliard, 87.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big Cloud, $3,325; 2. Brody Cress, 87, $2,549; 3. Isaac Diaz, 85, $1,884; 4. Colt Gordon, 84, $1,219;  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Team ropers Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira have had a lot of success competing together over the years. They won world championships in 2021 and 2022 and are the No. 1 tandem in the world standings this week with about $130,000 in earnings each. They’ve also had a lot of success at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, an event they won together in 2019. While winning another Roundup buckle would be nice, they will take what they can get. Driggers and Nogueira stopped the clock in 5.1 seconds during Friday’s third performance to take the second-round lead. They are ninth in the aggregate with one night remaining in the preliminary rounds, so they are on the bubble to return to Championship Sunday. “We’re always looking at everywhere we compete at, we want to win first,” said Nogueira, the 2016 all-around world champion and the first Brazilian team roper to ever qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. “We’d like to win it again, but we didn’t have a great run (Friday) morning. If we come back here and make another good run, we have a chance.” Anytime the two are roping together, they have a chance. They have excelled in ProRodeo since they first teamed eight years ago. Driggers is 34 of Hoboken, Georgia, and he’s been to the National Finals Rodeo 11 times since 2011. Nogueira is 33 from Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil, and he’s qualified for the last 10 NFRs, most of them with Driggers leading the way. They’ve remained consistent over time, but there have been changes in rodeo since they first competed at ProRodeo’s grand finale in Las Vegas. The key component is seen in the payouts. There was a time that contestants were hoping to get close to six figures before they arrived at the NFR; now, it’s a staple, and it will likely take $100,000 or more just to earn the trip – only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event qualify for the championship. “In the roping, all the rodeos are paying really well,” Nogueira said. “We know a lot of rodeos are adding more money. That makes a huge difference, and that’s great for us. It’s going to take a lot more money than it before just to make the finals.” Roundup is one of those lucrative rodeos that offers a big payout; Nogueira and Driggers have earned their fair share over the years. They’ve won multiple go-rounds and have another chance to do it again. “That’s good to get a good check out of here,” Nogueira said. “Hopefully we’ll keep our fingers crossed and we can make it back (to the short round). We’ve got to go to Castle Rock (Colorado) in the morning, then go to the Spicer Grip (in Hereford, Texas) Sunday morning, and hopefully we can come back over here. “Sometimes you just have to make a run and see what we can come up with.” Dodge City Roundup RodeoDodge City, Kan.July 31-Aug. 4, 2024Bareback riding leaders: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels; 2. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois, Dean Thompson and Jess Pope, 85; 5. Weston Timberman, 84.5; 6. Sam Petersen, 84; 7. Mason Clements, 83; 8. (tie) Cooper Cooke, Jacek Frost and Bradlee Miller, 81; 11. (tie) Darien Johnson and Kade Sonnier, 80. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Edler, 4.0 seconds; 2. Brady Reneau, 4.1; 3. Dakota Eldridge, 4.3; 4. (tie) Kalane Anders, Will Lummus, Gage Hesse and Isaiah Na’auao-Asing, 4.4; 8. Shawn Musil, 4.6. Second round leaders: 1. Quade Potter, 3.6 seconds; 2. 2. Will Lummus, 3.8; 3. Kyle Irwin, 3.9; 4. Sam Goings, 4.1; 5. Bridger Anderson, 4.2; 6. (tie) Winsten McGraw and Tanner Brunner, 4.3; 8. (tie) Trevor Nelson, Jacob Edler, Jesse Brown, Chance Howard, Ty Cochrane and Jarek VanPetten, 4.4. Average leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Edler, 8.4; 3. Kalane Anders, 9.1; 4. Dakota Eldridge, 9.6; 5. (tie) Quade Potter and Kyle Irwin, 9.8; 7. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Bridger Anderson, 10.5; 9. Grant Peterson, 11.2; 10. Grady Payne, 12.4; 11. Jarek VanPetten, 13.4; 12. Colt Honey, 13.9. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.9 seconds; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2; 3. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 5.5; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.7; 7. (tie) Trey Blackmore/Whip Pop Peterson and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 5.8; 4. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 5.9; 5. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 6.3; 6. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 6.4. Second round leaders: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.1 seconds; 2. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4; 3. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 5.5; 4. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7; 5. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 5.8; 6. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 6.1; 7. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 6.5; 8. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 6.6. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 11.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 11.3; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 11.9; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 12.1; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 12.8; 6. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 13.0; 7. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 14.0; 8. Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 15.0; 9. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 15.9; 10. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 16.1; 11. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 17.3; 12. Nelson Wyatt/Johnathan Torres, 17.4.   Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Gus Galliard, 87.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big Cloud; 2. Brody Cress, 87; 3. Colt Gordon, 84; 4. Tegan Smith, 83; 5. Jake Finlay, 82.5; 6. (tie) Parker Fleet and Logan Cook, 82; 8. Darcy Radel, 81.5; 9. (tie) Jackson Ford and Weston Patterson, 81; 11. (tie) Cooper Thatcher and Tucker Bourdet, 80.5. Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Ashley Goforth and Erin Johnson, 2.5 seconds; 3. Layni Masters, 2.6; 4. Kaitlyn Ricke, 2.7; 5. (tie) McKenna Brennan, Timber Allenbrand and Shayla Hall, 2.9; 8. (tie) Kamie Landolfi and Addie Weil, 3.1; 10. Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, 3.2. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) McKenna Brennan and Danielle Lowman, 2.1 seconds; 3. TiAda Gray, 2.4; 4. (tie) Chenoa Vandestouwe and Martha Angelone, 2.7; 6. Shelby Whiting, 2.8; 7.  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – For the past several years, Brody Cress has been one of the “rankest” saddle bronc riders in rodeo. He’s made the National Finals Rodeo seven straight times and is on pace to make it eight. He has finished among the top five bronc busters in the world standings five times and is a three-time winner of the NFR average, meaning he had the best cumulative score after 10 go-rounds in Las Vegas. The defending Dodge City Roundup Rodeo champion has returned to the scene of the crime in hopes of repeating that feat. He rode Frontier Rodeo’s Big Sister for 87 points Thursday night to take the bronc riding lead and almost assure himself of a chance to compete again during Championship Sunday at Roundup Arena. “It’s awesome coming into a rodeo that I won last year,” said Cress, 28, originally from Hillsdale, Wyoming, but now living in north Texas. “It gives you a little bit of confidence, but my main thing is to take every rodeo and focus on doing the same thing every single time: Show up, run through the same process. (It) allows me to be successful no matter where I’m at, whether it’s at a rodeo I’ve won multiple times or the practice pen. “I’ve got the same thing I’m doing before I get on a bucking horse to prepare my mind and my body and just be ready to go out there and do my job.” He’s pretty good at it. A year ago, he won the first round in Dodge City and finished second in the short go-round, which features only the top 12 contestants in each event from the four days of competition that precede it. He had the highest two-ride cumulative score to claim the coveted Roundup buckle and $7,646. He finished the year fourth in the world standings with $313,949, with $180,206 coming those magical 10 days in the Nevada desert. The wizardry didn’t end there. Just a little more than a month ago, Cress and his wife, Sierra, welcomed their first child, a boy they named Roweler Rank Cress. Life has changed for the man known to spur massive broncs as well as anyone. “He’s absolutely a true blessing to his mother and I,” Brody Cress said. “It’s way different when you have a kid. He’s been an amazing baby so far. They just got to be up in Cheyenne (Wyoming) for the whole week, and I just sent them home to the airport yesterday. It’s definitely a lot harder to leave them than it was before. “I told my wife, ‘I’m going to make sure and focus and make the time away I have worth it.’ I’m going to take every horse and do my job no matter if they’re ones you’re supposed to win on or not but make it worth being away from home and missing days with them.” Life on the rodeo trail is already difficult. After his ride in Dodge City, he was off to two other stops before returning to Sunday’s final performance. It’s a life he loves, traveling North America riding bucking horses and showcasing his abilities. “I’m going to ride bucking horses for as long as the Lord blesses me,” Cress said. “It’s an amazing way to make a living and to get to see all this. I’m going to focus and work hard, work out and take care of my body and get as long of a career as I can out of it.”  Dodge City Roundup RodeoDodge City, Kan.July 31-Aug. 4, 2024Bareback riding leaders: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels; 2. Waylon Bourgeo0is, 85; 3. Mason Clements, 83; 4. (tie) Cooper Cooke, Jacek Frost and Bradlee Miller, 81; 7. Darien Johnson, 80; 8. Cole Franks, 79.5; 9. Brayze Schill, 77.5; 10. Tanner Fine, 74; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Edler, 4.0 seconds; 2. Brady Reneau, 4.1; 3. Dakota Eldridge, 4.3; 4. (tie) Kalane Anders, Will Lummus and Gage Hesse, 4.4; 7. Garrett Curry, 4.7; 8. Stan Branco, 5.0. Second round leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 3.8 seconds; 2. Sam Goings, 4.1; 3. Bridger Anderson, 4.2; 4. (tie) Winsten McGraw and Tanner Brunner, 4.3; 6. (tie) Trevor Nelson, Jacob Edler, Jesse Brown, Chance Howard and Ty Cochrane, 4.4; 8. (tie) Jace Melvin and Kalane Anders, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Edler, 8.4; 3. Kalane Anders, 9.1; 4. Dakota Eldridge, 9.6; 5. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Bridger Anderson, 10.5; 7. Grant Peterson, 11.2; 8. Grady Payne, 12.4; 9. Colt Honey, 13.9; 10. Garrett Curry, 14.5; 11. Brady Buum, 14.7; 12. Jesse Brown, 14.9. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.9 seconds; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2; 3. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 5.5; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.7; 7. Trey Blackmore/Whip Pop Peterson, 5.8; 4. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 5.9; 5. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 6.3; 6. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 6.4;8. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 5.9. Second round leaders: 1. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4 seconds; 2. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7; 3. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 6.1; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 6.6; 5. Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 7.8; 6. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.9; 7. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 10.4; 8. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 10.9. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 11.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 11.3; 3. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 12.1; 4. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 12.8; 5. Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 15.0; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 16.1; 7. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 17.3; 8. Nelson Wyatt/Johnathan Torres, 17.4; 9. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 22.1; 10. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 28.9; 11. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4 seconds on one run; 12. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6.   Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Brody Cress, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big Sister; 2. Colt Gordon, 84; 3. Tegan Smith, 83; 4. Jake Finlay, 82.5; 5. (tie) Parker Fleet and Logan Cook, 82; 7. Jackson Ford, 81; 8. (tie) Cooper  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Jake McClure Arena is much like home to Logan Medlin. Just 20 minutes or so from his family’s home near Tatum, New Mexico, Medlin cut his teeth roping at the massive arena inside the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. Following in the footsteps of his father, Jeff, being a cowboy is just something natural for the 33-year-old cowboy. Now in his 12th year competing in ProRodeo, he has continued to follow his dreams of becoming one of the greatest heelers ever. He’s qualified for the last four National Finals Rodeos and has finished as high as sixth in the world standings. Medlin has won many big rodeos. He and Oklahoman Coleman Proctor became the first team ropers to win at the prestigious Calgary Stampede. They’ve won NFR go-rounds and titles in Cody, Wyoming; Puyallup, Washington; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Medlin won two straight college national titles a decade ago while competing at Eastern New Mexico University in nearby Portales. He has yet to win his home rodeo in Lovington. “That would be cool and would be something that would be checked off my bucket list,” said Medlin, the seventh-ranked heeler in the world standings. “It would also be cool if they gave a buckle or a trinket that you could show in the long term that you won it. “I remember when I was a little boy and my dad won Lovington. That was pretty cool.” Jeff Medlin is a pretty talented heeler, too. He twice qualified for the NFR, doing so in 1991 and 1996. He set a pretty high standard, but it’s one his son has surpassed in regards to playing on ProRodeo’s biggest stage. Only the top 15 contestants in each discipline at the end of the regular season advance to play for the biggest payday in the sport this coming December. Doing it once is a sign of excellence. Doing it four times in a row is something spectacular, with Medlin and Proctor hoping to make it five straight. They will be two of 167 NFR qualifiers in the mix at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7-Saturday, Aug. 10; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 6. Of those, there are 37 world champions representing dozens of Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. While that’s always the goal, competing at an elite level is proof of Medlin’s place in the world of professional rodeo. “I win something a lot of times when we compete at Lovington,” he said. “I’ve placed really good in the first round a couple of times, then had something go wrong, but I usually do decent there. “I don’t know that it’s any tougher than where we go all the time. The best people in the world enter that rodeo. You have to draw good and rope good when you draw good. Anytime you go against the best people in the world, you have to have both of those things happen to have much luck.” No matter his history, Medlin is excited to return to this year’s rodeo and have another shot to claim the crown. “It may be my favorite rodeo of the year,” Medlin said. “I like going to Cheyenne (Wyoming), but going back to your hometown rodeo is something I look forward to so I can see everybody I grew up with and see people I don’t get to see very often. I love roping in Lovington.”

Bucking horses, bulls proving themselves before returning to Idaho GOODING, Idaho – The excellence that’s found at the Gooding Pro Rodeo is also found across North America. “We believe we bring in the best stock contractors in rodeo, and they have some incredible bucking animals that are featured at a lot of rodeos,” said Don Gill, the fair and rodeo’s manager. “We have three livestock producers that have excellent athletes in their herds, which is one of the big reasons why our rodeo is so popular among the cowboys.” That’s true. Hundreds of contestants will make their way to southern Idaho for this year’s Gooding Pro Rodeo, set for Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 17, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 14. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “All three of our contractors had multiple animals at last year’s NFR for a reason,” Gill said of Wyoming-based Summit Pro Rodeo, South Dakota-based Korkow Rodeos and Alberta-based Macza Pro Rodeo. “When the cowboys see the kind of animals we have bucking in Gooding, they definitely want to be here. Maybe the biggest win came last week when bareback rider Clay Jorgenson scored 90 points on Summit’s Game Trail to win the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days. That was the biggest victory of Jorgenson’s young career and shot him up to several spots to 25th in the world standings. “That thing bails in the air and kicks out so hard, it gives you every opportunity to win,” Jorgenson said of Game Trail during an interview in Cheyenne. “Thanks to another Summit horse that got me through the semifinals, they were paired up well with me.” But there were other recent success stories: Two-time world champion Ryder Wright won the sixth performance of saddle bronc riding in Cheyenne on Summit’s Wondering Witch; bull rider Lane Vaughan matched moves with Macza’s Wreckonciled for 86 points to win nearly $11,000 in Joseph, Oregon; bareback rider Richmond Champion won the first round of Pool B of the Calgary Stampede on Macza’s Grit Your Teeth; bull rider Wyatt Gleeson won the third round of Pool B on Macza’s Red Rocker; and Idaho saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno rode Korkow’s 443 for 87.5 points to share the victory in Ogden, Utah. “We made a purposeful decision to have three stock contractors in Gooding,” Gill said. “We’re going to get the best horses and the best bulls these guys have to offer. That makes our rodeo better and gives our outstanding crowd plenty of things that they can find to be ‘Beer Worthy.’ ”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Over his career, Will Lummus has some amazing accomplishments. He’s won the Calgary Stampede, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and the average championship at the National Finals Rodeo, an event he has qualified for each of the past six seasons. He’s a two-time reserve world champion, having finished second in both 2021 and 2022, and has been one of the shining faces of steer wrestling for half a decade. He’s never won the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. He’d like to change that this year and gave himself a good chance during Wednesday’s opening performance at Roundup Arena. He knocked his steer to the ground in 3.8 seconds to take the second-round lead; more importantly, that run, combined with his 4.4 from the morning’s first go-round, pushed Lummus into the overall lead. “Back when I first started rodeoing with K.C. Jones, I did make the short round, and I’ve placed good in the average,” said Lummus, 32, of Byhalia, Mississippi. “I’ve placed in a round here, but that one time was the only time I’ve made the short round here. It’s usually hit or miss. Sometimes it comes down to the luck of the draw. “Today I was just blessed to have to gentle steers and get by them. Hopefully we’ll come back Sunday and have a doozy.” All timed-event contestants compete in two go-rounds, with the top 12 in each event qualifying for the championship round, which will conclude this year’s rodeo Sunday night. That’s where the champions will be crowned, and it’s a special night of rodeo. That Roundup buckle is one of the most prized trophies in the sport, but it’s elusive. The competition to even qualify for the final go-round is tough. “There’s just so many good guys,” said Lummus, ranked fifth in the world standings with $97,216. “Any of the top 75 guys in the world can beat you. Anytime you show up to a rodeo, if a guy draws a good steer, it doesn’t matter who he is or where he’s from, he can beat you. It comes back down to the luck of the draw.” Organizers try to set the pens of livestock as evenly as possible to give every competitor as equal of a shot at winning money, but there are always animals that stand out over the rest. It’s the way the game is played, and all the contestants understand that. The ones who can overcome the adversity through the season the best typically earn a spot among the elite at the NFR, which features only the top 15 contestants in each event at the conclusion of the regular season. He’s been close to touching that world championship, but it’s just escaped his grasp. It’s a lot like that Roundup title; he’s going to keep reaching for it as long as he can. “Rodeo has been great for me,” said Lummus, who also serves as the rodeo coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College. “I’m right here toward the end of my career now, and it’s been awesome for me. Jen and I have our land paid for, then we owe a little bit on the house, but we’ll know here in the next couple of years that we may be debt free, and rodeo has been a big part of that.” Dodge City Roundup RodeoDodge City, Kan.July 31-Aug. 4, 2024Bareback riding leaders: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels; 2. Waylon Bourgeo0is, 85; 3. Mason Clements, 83; 4. (tie) Cooper Cooke and Jacek Frost, 81; 6. Darien Johnson, 80; 7. Cole Franks, 79.5; 8. Brayze Schill, 77.5; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Edler, 4.0 seconds; Dakota Eldridge, 4.3; 3. (tie) Kalane Anders and Will Lummus, 4.4; 5. Stan Branco, 5.0; 6. Brady Buum, 5.1; 7. Grant Peterson, 6.2; 8. Mike McGinn, 9.5. Second round leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 3.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Winsten McGraw and Tanner Brunner, 4.3; 4. (tie) Trevor Nelson, Jacob Edler, Jesse Brown and Chance Howard, 4.4; 8. (tie) Jace Melvin and Kalane Anders, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Edler, 8.4; 3. Kalane Anders, 9.1; 4. Dakota Eldridge, 9.6; 5. Grant Peterson, 11.2; 6. Brady Buum, 14.7; 7. Jesse Brown, 14.9; 8. Eli Lord, 15.9; 9. Stan Branco, 20.6; 10. Walt Arnold, 25.6 Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2; 2. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4; 3. Trey Blackmore/Whip Pop Peterson, 5.8; 4. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 5.9; 5. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 6.3; 6. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 6.4; 7. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 6.5; 8. Ben Jordan/J.R. Gonzalez, 8.2. Second round leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7 seconds; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 6.1; 3. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 10.9; 4. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 11.0; 5. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 16.7; 6. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 17.7; 7. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 23.0; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 11.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 11.3; 3. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 17.3; 4. Nelson Wyatt/Johnathan Torres, 17.4; 5. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 22.1; 6. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 28.9; 7. Trey Blackmore/Whip Pop Peterson, 5.8 seconds on one run; 8. Ben Johnson/J.R. Gonzalez, 8.2; 9. Cooper White/Tucker White, 11.2; 10. Blaine Turner/Trent Vaught, 11.5.   Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Tegan Smith, 83 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Knock Em Out John; 2. Jake Finlay, 82.5; 3. (tie) Parker Fleet and Logan Cook, 82; 5. Skinny Parsons, 77.5; 6. (tie) Noel Johnson and Coleman Shallbetter, 77; 8. Parker Kempfer, 75; 9. Ryder Sanford, 72; no other qualified rides. Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Ashley Goforth, 2.5 seconds; 2. Layni Masters, 2.6; 3. Kaitlyn Ricke, 2.7; 4. McKenna Brennan, 2.9; 5. Haley Sage, 3.3; 6. Mataya Eklund, 4.5. Second round leaders: 1. McKenna Brennan, 2.1 seconds; 2. TiAda Gray, 2.4; 3. Shelby Whiting, 2.8; 4. Kaitlyn Ricke, 3.4; 5. Amber Coleman, 3.5; 6. Aspen Miller, 12.0; 7. Seirra Heinert, 12.2; 8. Mataya Eklund, 12.5; 9. (tie)  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Just past the main entrance to the Lea County Fairgrounds sits one of the most versatile facilities on the property. Inside the Yucca Building will rest a variety of projects created by a wide age group, from youngsters showing off their photography skills to older folks displaying their gardening prowess to quilters of all ages eager to share their talents with the tens of thousands of fairgoers who will make their way to the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for Friday, Aug. 2-Saturday, Aug. 10, in Lovington. “We’ve expanded our exhibits considerably,” said Dee Ann Kimbro, a Lea County Fair Board member and the chairwoman of the Yucca Building committee. “In recent years, we’ve had two or three kids in sweepstakes, and this year we have six. That’s 35 more exhibits per child. “We formed the Yucca Building committee to help get the exhibits back up.” Kimbro has been instrumental in the panel’s formation and growth. She joined the fair board three years ago and has seen some major upgrades to the exhibit hall since. It’s just an extension of what she does full time as owner of Country Store Quilt Shop, which is six block straight west of the fairgrounds in Lovington. “We have a lot of kids that show livestock and also put 4H projects in on top of that,” she said. “We have an open youth division, and we have added three more cases for open youth, bringing the total to nine. “That’s why I wanted on the fair board and why I wanted to form the Yucca Building committee. I have a quilt shop, and quilting has been a big part of the fair. I never thought I should put my quilts into the fair, because it didn’t feel ethically right, and I don’t want to compete against my customers.” Instead, she’s feeding their thirst for showing at the county fair. Whether it’s quilting, photography, gardening, arts and crafts, canning or other handy projects, the opportunities for locals to show their wares are abundant. It also opens the door for potential exhibitors of all ages. “We get them from little all the way up to 90-year-old women,” Kimbro said. “They’re canning, baking, painting, knitting, sewing, crocheting … you name it. Some of those things have really come back. I have seen some things that have been crocheted by kids that look like something I wore in the 1960s. “Nobody else has any displays or a way to show their projects like we do. We have the most diverse show at the fair.”   It’s also growing. There have been upgrades to the building, which also has the benefit of being air-conditioned. It offers a comfortable setting not only for the exhibitors but also for those who enjoy seeing what’s inside. “We’d love to see it double in size, and we would love it if that building was busting at the seams,” Kimbro said. “We still have room to grow. This year is going to be different where the produce is with new stands for them, so it’s going to be really nice. We gave the queens the option, and they wanted to use the foyer that is always been empty. We bought beautiful cases, so when you walk in, it will be all about the queens. They will have their own location, and that place is big enough where they can put posts up and their saddles can be behind. “We still have tables set up where people can go in there and enjoy a meal or just walk through and look at the exhibits. A lot of people that are there working can go in there all day every day and have a place to sit down and relax.” Most importantly, though, the Yucca Building is a place to showcase the work of people from every age group imaginable. “I see one family, and not only is the child showing her projects, but so is her mother, her grandmother and her great-grandmother,” Kimbro said. “They have four generations. That says something about our fair.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – It’s been about 10 months since his first one, but Hayden Harris finally secured his second event victory this year. This one might mean as much, if not more. Harris rode Frontier Rodeo’s County Jail for 88.5 points to win the Dodge City Roundup Xtreme Bulls title Tuesday night. “That bull’s been around awhile, and they’ve won a lot of money on him,” said Harris, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. “When you get on a bull like that, you’ve just got to stay on him and make it count.” He did, earning nearly $5,400 in one night of bull riding at Roundup Arena. He also outlasted some of the top names in the world standings. Of the men in the mix, several have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. It’s just another step up the ladder of success for the young Oklahoman, who hopes to add his name to that list of elite cowboys. “I started out riding sheep when I was 5 years old,” Harris said. “I just kept going from sheep to calves up the rankings until now.” Rodeo also helped him get an education. He was a three-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier while competing at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. “Growing up I’ve competed everywhere, but in Oklahoma, they’ve got some stout competitors for sure,” he said. “Christie Braudrick is the coach there, and I’ve known her and her husband, Kyle, my whole life, so I just ended up going down there. When I was there, we had a bunch of bull riders and did pretty good in the bull riding.” It gave him the head start he needed once he decided to pursue the sport professionally. Harris is part of the Oklahoma Wildcatters, a member of the PBR teams competition. That has kept him busy and away from some ProRodeo events. No matter where he rides, though, he keeps his attention on the details. “I just need to keep knocking them down and riding my bulls, finish strong and look to next year,” Harris said. “One of the main parts about bull riding is keeping your mind sound, always be positive and look for the next thing. I’d love to win the world title but for sure make the (National Finals Rodeo), but I want to be able to provide for myself and for my family doing what I love instead of working 9 to 5. “I’ve nailed boards and stuff, and it’s a lot easier to stay on eight seconds than work eight hours.” Dodge City Roundup Xtreme BullsDodge City, Kan.July 30, 20241. Hayden Harris, 88.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s County Jail, $5,386; 2. Jate Frost, 86, $4,129; 3. (tie) Tyler Bingham and Mason Moody, 85.5, $2,514 each; 5. Creek Walker, 85, $1,257; 6. T.J. Gray, 84.5, $898; 7. (tie) Maverick Potter and Coy Pollmeier, 84, $628 each.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – When the top bull riders in ProRodeo arrive in southeastern New Mexico, they’ll have something big waiting for them. “We’re going to have an even bigger purse for the bull riding,” said Kyle Johnston, a member of the Lea County Fair Board and the rodeo committee chairman. Lea County Xtreme Bulls will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, and will feature the top cowboys in the game chasing their share of the $37,500 payday. It’s become quite a tradition for fans in this part of the country, the perfect way to kick off five days of rodeo action at the regional exposition. It is one of the top Xtreme Bulls events in the PRCA with regards to payout, and it’s only getting bigger. “Everybody likes a good bull riding,” Johnston said. “They want to see a wreck on top of seeing a guy ride one. The type of people that live in this area really enjoy coming to the Xtreme Bulls.” Why? It’s incredible action. Many of the bulls that will be in Lovington have been featured at the National Finals Rodeo. Added in that mix of athletic bovines will be some up-and-coming animals that will likely be invited to perform at this year’s NFR, set for December in Las Vegas. Dallas-based Pete Carr Pro Rodeo is the livestock producer, and Carr brings in the top bulls from other firms to ensure that it will be a night everyone will remember. “Everybody comes to this Xtreme Bulls,” said Coy Pollmeier, the defending champion from Fort Scott, Kansas. “No matter where they are, they all come down to Lovington. Everybody in the top 20 was here plus other great guys, not to mention the caliber of bulls we got on. This is probably the best set of bulls we’re going to get on this year.” That includes Carr’s Bayou Bengal, the 2023 PRCA Bull of the Year. Over his lifetime, the 7-year-old brindle has been ridden just three times, most recently when four-time NFR qualifier and two-time reserve world champion Josh Frost scored 90 points to win in Pecos, Texas. “That bull is super athletic,” said Trey Benton, a seven-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Richards, Texas. “It’s hard to believe that a 2,100-pound bull can get that high in the air; I bet you’d be able to drive under him when he’s bucking.” “I’ve never seen that bull have an off trip,” said Creek Young, the 2021 Lea County Xtreme Bulls champion from Nixa, Missouri. Last August, Pollmeier was the only cowboy in the field to ride two bulls. By winning the title, he pocketed more than $10,000. It was the biggest win of the 23-year-old cowboy’s young career. Two years before, Young capitalized on the momentum of winning the Lea County Xtreme Bulls title and the bull-riding crown at the Lovington rodeo that same week to advance to the first of three straight NFRs. “The fans can come to our bull riding and see the same guys that they see all the time on TV,” Johnston said. “They want to see the big names, and the big names come to Lovington. “People tell us all the time that they want to make sure we keep having the Xtreme Bulls, because it’s something they really enjoy.”

Acclaimed music director provides the right beats to make event stand out GOODING, Idaho – Jill Franzen Loden was just a teenager when she found her true passion, but she didn’t even know it yet. “I’ve been doing this for 24 years,” said Loden, now in her 18th year as the sound director for the Gooding Pro Rodeo. “Back when (the late) Chad Nicholson was announcing for my folks, his wife would do the music. He called one day and said his wife wouldn’t be able to do it, and my mom said, ‘Jill can do it.’ “I filled in when he needed me, then Chad said, ‘Why don’t I hire you for the summer to help with music at these shows.’ That’s how I got my start.” She did that for a few years while in high school, and it even served as a nice side gig while she was in college. Nicholson eventually opted out of doing sound altogether, and Loden picked up more work, even helping rodeos produced by her family’s stock-contracting firm, Powder River Rodeo. “Chad could hook me up, and Mom said they could use me at some of their shows,” she said. “I had a handful of rodeos that were my first ones, and I had my own little sound system. As I grew, I graduated college and started full time with it. I was really fortunate. I had big-time names like Hadley Barrett, Lecile Harris, Charlie Throckmorton, Hal Burns, Bennie Beutler and Don Gill that all gave me a chance when I first started. “It helped a lot.” Barrett and Harris have passed on, but she still works regularly with the others mentioned, including Gill, the fair and rodeo manager in Gooding, who is already busy preparing for this year’s rodeo, set for Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 17, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 14. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “It’s not just my family but also my extended rodeo family that is the biggest part of my success,” Loden said. “The people I’ve gotten to meet and the connections I’ve made is a huge part of what’s made me successful.” A lot of it, though, is the talent she possesses. No longer working with cassette tapes and CDs, she has a vast musical and sound library at her fingertips that are organized onto laptops. One click of a button allows Loden the opportunity to marry a sound or a song with what’s happening in the arena. It’s part gift and part understanding of rodeo production, a lifelong journey that comes with being part of the Franzen family. “I have always loved music,” she said. “I played piano and saxophone when I was younger, so I have a knack for it naturally. It’s not that I come from a musical family, but since I was a kid, you could play two beats of a song, and I could tell you what that song was. “I know the ins and outs of rodeo so well that when it came to putting music to rodeo, I wanted to have the timing. I know when I’ve got the right sound to go with something. I love messing with the crowd and getting the crowd involved. Listening to the announcer, I want to be the exclamation point at the end of his sentence.: It’s almost a calling. “This job found me; I didn’t find it,” Loden said, She makes the most intense multitasker look like a slacker, because she’s prolific at it. She’s been named the PRCA Sound Director of the Year three times since the award was brought into existence seven years ago. What makes that title so special isn’t just the buckle that comes with it. “That award means a lot because it comes from your peers and your colleagues who have aa chance to vote for whoever they want,” she said. “When they take the time to vote for you, it makes it feel like all the hard work and long drives and long days of setting up and tearing down are worth it. They’re appreciative of the hard work you’ve put in. “It doesn’t justify why we do this, but at the end of the day, you feel like you’re doing it for a reason.” Her work is definitely appreciated by the folks in Gooding. “Jill’s the best at what she does, and we are very blessed to have had her for so long,” Gill said. Take a situation last year, when a patron was handcuffed and escorted out of the stands by law-enforcement officers. Within moments, Loden played “In the Jailhouse Now.” “She has amazing timing when it comes to what’s happening at our rodeo,” Gill said. “She’s on top of her game right when the occasion calls for it.” Loden is tuned in to every aspect of the  rodeo, from the first bucking horse to the clown’s performance to the crowd’s reaction to what Gooding Pro Rodeo announcer Steve Kenyon says to the thousands in attendance. Everything she does is to make the overall sound of the evening the perfect fit for what the fans are experiencing. “Different music directors like to wear headsets or be set off away from the crowd a little bit,” Loden said. “I prefer to be part of the crowd and the interaction. When you’re out there and you’re hearing the live crowd and you can see the whole arena, you’re seeing what they’re seeing. That helps me be a better music director.”  

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The primary beneficiary of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo has always been youth. From the time the fair’s gates open Friday, Aug. 2, until they close Saturday, Aug. 10, there are plenty of activities to give back to the next generation of county residents that hope to follow in the footsteps of those that led the way for them. The most identifiable aspect of the fairgrounds in Lovington isn’t the concert series or even the rodeo; it’s the livestock shows that allow so many young people the chance to mature and gain experiences through their raising of animals. “Our livestock show is going to be huge,” said Kris Allen, president of the Lea County Fair Board. “It just keeps getting bigger. Our sale went over $1 million last year, and that’s one of the key things we’re focusing on. Lea County businesses and ranches have stepped up so much over the years, and they’re giving back to our youth.” Amber Groves has been involved with the livestock shows most of her life. She is a member of the fair board, chairwoman of the livestock show committee and a livestock superintendent. In her youth, she showed animals and got into livestock judging. That paved the way for her to attend college at New Mexico State University. “I went to my first fair when I was an infant,” said Groves, now in her second year on the fair board. “My family has always been involved. My grandparents were involved in the very first buyers’ breakfast. I showed lambs, goats and horses.” The lessons she gained as a youngster continue to help her as an adult. When Lea County Commissioner Dean Jackson approached her about joining the fair board, Groves not only took to the role but found a way to build on her lifetime of experiences. “Showing livestock teaches youth so many lessons in life,” she said. “It teaches responsibility, money management and helps make for more well-rounded individuals. It creates comradery for people. Going to the fair and having fair friends is like having another family. “After the county fair, it’s the state fair and the eastern fair. When I was showing, I had friends from all over the state.” Each phase of showing is vital. Children work with untrained animals and help them be comfortable with all aspects necessary to show well. There are many hours that are involved, with handing the animals correctly to cleaning their pens to keeping them fresh and in the best possible showing shape. “I do credit showing with how I’m able to handle myself at my job and how I handle certain situations,” Groves said. “I’m definitely more humbled because of it, and I know how to manage my money, how to budget from it. “You can work hard, and you’re not always a winner, so you can learn by losing,” she said. “My life was very much involved in agriculture. Judging and showing got me through college and got me the resources to live fairly comfortably doing so. I got an education from judging, which made me choose my degree field, entomology. I work in the oilfield now, but that science degree got me here.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Tony Reina has been around ProRodeo for more than three decades. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in tie-down roping in 2013 and has made five trips to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Reina added another prestigious title to his resume Tuesday, winning the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo’s steer roping crown. He roped three steers in a cumulative time of 37.2 seconds to win the aggregate championship. He also finished second in the opening round, earning $4,270 for his day in western Kansas. Dodge City Roundup RodeoSteer RopingJuly 30, 2024Steer roping: First round: 1. Cody Lee, 11.0 seconds, $1,802; 2. Tony Reina, 11.1, $1,567; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 11.8, $1,332; 4. Luke Blanton, 12.4, $1,097; 5. (tie) Stratton Lopez, Cole Patterson, Brodie Poppino and Ryan Willberg, 13.5, $509 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Kyle Cauthorn and Jess Tierney, 10.2 seconds, $1,684 each; 3. Chet Herren, 10.3, $1,332; 4. Tanner Stec, 10.5, $1,097; 5. (tie) J. Tom Fisher, Tuff Hardman and Trenton Johnson, 10.6, $627 each; 8. (tie) John E. Bland and Jake Clay, 10.7, $78 each. Third round: 1. Chet Herren, 9.8 seconds, $1,802; 2. Will Eddleman, 9.9, $1,567; 3. Billy Good, 10.4, $1,332; 4. Tuff Hardman, 10.5, $1,097; 5. John E. Bland, 10.9, $862; 6. Ryan Willberg, 11.4, $627; 7. Brian Garr, 11.6, $392; 8. Coleman Proctor, 12.0, $157. Average: 1. Tony Reina, 37.2 seconds on three head, $2,703; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 39.1, $2,350; 3. Will Eddleman, 41.7, $1,998; 4. Tuff Hardman, 42.5, $1,645; 5. Stratton Lopez, 43.2, $1,293; 6. Chet Herren, 20.1 on two head, $940; 7. John E. Bland, 21.6, $588; 8. Kyle Cauthorn, 23.5, $235.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Several years ago, the organizers of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo entrusted the production of it’s ProRodeo to a rising star in the stock-contracting game. Pete Carr Pro Rodeo was established two decades ago, and Lovington’s marquee event was one of the first in the country to bring in the Dallas-based company. In the years since, Carr and his team of professionals have proven to be the perfect choice to produce the annual event, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7-Saturday, Aug. 10; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 6. “One thing we’ve realized over the years is that Pete Carr and his stock are very good,” said Kyle Johnston, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board’s rodeo committee. “We trust what those people are going to do, and they make it very entertaining for our fans. “Pete and his guys are very good to work with, and that makes it easier on us when it comes to putting on this rodeo.” Carr is one of the most recognizable and reputable names in the sport. There have been six world champion animals: Bareback horses Real Deal, 2005; Big Tex, 2010; Deuces Night, 2012; and Dirty Jacket, 2014-15. Bayou Bengal, which was named the 2023 PRCA Bull of the Year. Over that stretch, Carr has been nominated for PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year 14 times. Most recently, though, the biggest honors in the firm’s history came this past April. Pete Carr and Dirty Jacket were inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. “We’re pretty blessed to have Pete Carr coming back to our rodeo,” said Kris Allen, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “The quality of his livestock is hard to beat. You’re going to see high scores, and because of that, we’re going to draw good cowboys and cowgirls. “With the mixture of his livestock, you’re going to see good quality of entertainment.” That’s important, because folks in Lea County, New Mexico, know rodeo like few other regions. This is cowboy country, and most of the fans understand the ins and outs of the game better than most other rodeo crowds. They know what looks good and what to expect with the Carr crew running the production. The fair board has also increased its contribution to the overall purse. The rodeo will feature an increase of $100,000 from last year’s event, which helps Lovington have the largest “added money” payout of all the rodeos across North America that week. “We’re doing a lot of things to help entice the contestants to come to Lovington for our rodeo,” Johnston said. “Increasing our added money is one thing, but having Pete Carr as our stock contractor is another.”   It’s not just the Carr animals that help make an impact. The livestock producer also enlists other contractors, who bring in their best animals. Last year, for example, Richmond Champion won the bareback riding title on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Uncapped. Bull rider Trey Kimzey won the title on Stockyards Rodeo’s Cheddar Biscuit. Having the top bucking stock in rodeo is a big deal.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Over the decades of excellence at Lovington’s rodeo, there have been repeat winners and people who have found a redemption of sorts. Rodeo can be an unforgiving sport. A misfire during an eight-second ride or run can spell doom, but there’s always something graceful about it, too. The next opportunity offers a chance at the fastest time or the highest score. Trouble on Day 1 might mean grand success 24 hours later. Brilliance is well within range every day, and that’s just the way the game is played. A trio of specialists will have that opportunity during this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7-Saturday, Aug. 10; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 6. “We’re bringing back our clown (Zack Cook) and our specialty act, Jessica (Blair-Fowlkes), who were here with us last year, and we’re also bringing back Summer and Co. to perform on Saturday night of mutton bustin’ (Aug. 3) and the Xtreme Bulls,” said Kyle Johnston, a Lea County Fair Board member and chairman of the rodeo committee. “We’ve heard some good things about Cookie from other rodeos, so we’re looking forward to that. He’s still pretty new to this, so we’re excited to help him step up his game. I think we’re going to see some good things out of him.” Cook is just in his fifth year of clowning, and he came about the job auspiciously. He was working as a laborer for the Cody (Wyoming) Nite Rodeo when the producer asked him to step in as the clown. He’s been growing his repertoire ever since. “I’m still nervous every time I get ready to go in the arena,” he said, noting that he travels the country with his wife and daughter. “I always have anxiety, am stressed, am nervous. I’m anticipating what’s going to happen. If I didn’t feel that, I’d probably have to give this all up. As soon as I get out there and say that opening joke, then all that goes away.” Summer and Co. is a Lea County original featuring trick rider Summer Boyd and her daughters, Emmie, 9, and Jinsen, 7. Boyd and her husband, Seth, have lived in Lovington for the past decade. She and the girls travel the rodeo trail in order to entertain crowds and showcase their talents and the adorable fun of two youngsters following in their momma’s footsteps. “It means a lot to be able to work that,” Boyd said. “People say in our industry that a lot of times you never get hired at your hometown rodeo. To be acknowledged and to be part of the event means so much to us. It’s a rodeo we go and watch when we’re at home, so this means so much.” The family has been featured at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo the last few years, and it’s always a highlight for them and so many that attend the world-class rodeo. While packed into the storied Jake McClure Arena, they also will witness the incredible horsemanship of Blair-Fowlkes, whether she’s doing a trick-riding act, a Roman-riding act, a liberty act or showing off her patriotism through a little Americana during the rodeo introduction. “Jessica is just very good, and her acts are very entertaining,” Johnston said. “We had lots of comments from people that really enjoyed it. It’s going to be hard to top it.”

Jestes, Tuckness understand uniqueness of Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – A decade ago, Nathan Jestes drove into this community for the first time to work as a bullfighter at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. “I remember pulling into town and wondering, ‘Where in the hell am I?’ ” said Jestes, a seven-time nominee for PRCA Bullfighter of the Year who has been selected to work the National Finals Rodeo four times. “Then the rodeo started. It’s a small community, but everybody comes to Gooding for a great time from all the surrounding communities. “As a rodeo athlete, you don’t necessarily hear the crowds, but you feel the energy. The atmosphere and energy inside that arena is something you’ve never felt before.” Jestes will return to work the Gooding Pro Rodeo for the 10th year and will be joined by Dusty Tuckness, a 10-time Bullfighter of the Year who has worked every NFR since 2009. They are excited to be part of the action, set for Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 17, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 14. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. When the show begins, thousands pack into the Gooding County Fairgrounds for one of the best rodeos in the region. They will see some of the top bucking horses and athletic bulls in ProRodeo, and they’ll witness two of the greatest cowboy protectors in the sport. It’s a fantastic value for the endless entertainment possibilities. “It’s pretty cool to see how the rodeo’s grown in that small community,” said Tuckness, now in his sixth year at Gooding. “(Organizers) just put a lot of work into it, and it continues to grow. There are a lot of good rodeos that week, but if I had a pick, I’d pick Gooding every time.” The event is a different rodeo experience, even to the people who make a living in the sport like Tuckness and Jestes, who can feel the energy that comes out of the stands. Whether it’s dancing to the music or cheering for every ride and run, the people who come to enjoy the Gooding Pro Rodeo make it memorable. “Gooding is generally unique,” said Jestes of Douglas, Wyoming. “It’s a rodeo-knowledgeable crowd that loves to have fun. When the crowd knows what they’re watching and is having a good time, it transfers over to everybody: Contestants, the bullfighters, the other personnel and the members of the committee. “When you have fun doing your job, there’s no better place to be.” Make no mistake; Tuckness and Jestes take their jobs seriously. Their primary purpose is to help protect fallen bull riders and others in the arena during the final event of the night, and it takes a focused mind and an aggressive nature to make that happen. Both men will utilize their ability to read livestock and their athleticism to help draw the animals away from their targets. If there’s a wreck, they will jump into the middle of it, but most of their efforts seem almost choreographed. It’s like a little dance in the dirt, and it can be exquisite. “Nate and I work a little bit throughout the year, but come August and September, there aren’t too many rodeos we don’t work together,” Tuckness aid. “It’s good to work with a guy like Nate who’s got your back. When you go to those big rodeos like Gooding, that’s where everybody’s at. We have five or six weeks left in the regular season; everybody’s tired, but that’s when you’ve got to mash on the gas and finish strong.” Having that familiarity is helpful. “There’s nothing like it to me,” Jestes said. “Me and Tuck are good friends, and we fight a lot of rodeos together. We know what each other’s doing. It just makes our job that much easier in the arena. We are going to be at our spots, and we can anticipate each other in an instant. It’s hard to beat that kind of chemistry.” That’s true. “The best part is the people you work with,” said Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyoming. “When you’ve got a good crew, it’s hard to call it work. At Gooding, they provide a great crew, from multiple award winners to great stock to everything that makes it run so smoothly. They get guys that want to put on the best show that week. It’s not just one thing; it’s the whole thing mixed together.” Of course, Gooding also where great work is rewarded by a special group of fans who offer up a “Beer Worthy” sign when they think something magnificent happens in the arena, whether it’s a fast time in team roping or a big buckoff in bronc riding. When Tuckness and Jestes make a big save, the signs are targeted directly on them. “Being ‘Beer Worthy’ means everything, because Gooding, Idaho, is the only place where you can be ‘Beer Worthy,’ ” Jestes said. “When you’re there, you want to be ‘Beer Worthy.’ ”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The Lea County Fair and Rodeo featured a new attraction a year ago, and it might grow into one of the most popular pieces of the annual exhibition. The Lea County Fair Board will begin its second year of the peewee showmanship competition, featuring children between the ages of 5-8. It will take place during this year’s fair, set for Friday, Aug. 2-Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. “There are a couple of other county and regional shows that do this, so we wanted to see what it could do here,” said Dustin Gaskins, the agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Eunice High School and a fair board member. “Last year, we showed in beef cattle with a bottle calf, so this year we started to implement it into other species.” This is a great opportunity for the youngsters to get their feet wet in showing animals instead of just watching their big brothers or big sisters have exhibits at the county fair. “We have younger siblings that go to the fair and see their older siblings able to show,” said Amber Groves, chair of the livestock committee and a livestock superintendent. “These younger kids are always involved in the work that is put in, but they weren’t getting to show. Now, they get to show the work they’ve put in. “My hope is that it grows in the future so that those kids feel included when they get to the fair.” For most families that show livestock, it’s just part of their daily lives. They already have animals for which they are caring, and developing the skills to show allow the younger generation to learn by doing. It’s a caregiver’s mentality; those animals are fed before their human counterparts and receive the best treatment possible. Livestock showing involves a little more tender, loving care for the particular animals involved. They have to be trained with a halter and lead rope and not be skittish around people. The animals’ calmness and demeanor go a long way when it is shown at the county fair. “We’re just trying to get some of the younger kids involved,” Gaskins said. “We want to help them get involved and get them hooked on showing before they’re of the age to do it full time.” Children must be in the third grade in order to join a 4H club, where they can be involved in a variety of activities. The pee wee show allows kids just a few years younger the opportunity to work with animals and put themselves in the spotlight. “Our goal is to help grow our numbers across the board and taking the pee wee group and growing them into regular showmanship,” he said. “We hope this will help grow our 4H numbers for our county. A lot of parents are really interested in it. We had a couple of parents who reached out to specific superintendents originally and were pushing for it; those superintendents brought it to us as a fair board. I think the parents are excited about it.” It’s just another step in the right direction for many rural families “I enjoy seeing the kids, the livestock,” Gaskins said. “Being an FFA adviser, I help a lot in the barns, and I get to see the kids grow. That’s the best part of the fair for me.”  

DODGE CITY, Kan. – The void that Jeff Lopp left behind has yet to be filled. It’s an empty space that his family hopes to one day occupy, but it’s still too soon. It’s an abandonment with which the community is handling. It’s a long-term relationship that’s been vacated since his death in late December. “Dad was a very generous man,” Jeffrey Lopp said of his father, a lifelong Dodge City resident and second-generation owner of Lopp Motors. “Any way that he could help somebody in need, he would. He had a very big heart, and it didn’t matter if it was in the community or an organization or one of the employees in need, he gave back to them.” Jeff Lopp was community-minded, a trait that was passed down to him by his father, Bill. It’s also something he shared with his son, who will continue the partnership Lopp Motors has had for decades with Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, which will take place at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 4, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. “My grandad jumped in with Roundup from the get-go,” Jeffery Lopp said of the rodeo’s inaugural run 47 years ago “It’s been a very strong tradition in our family. That’s something we were always very supportive of and very proud to be part of. We started from scratch just like Roundup did. “To see what it has become today and the name that it has for Dodge City is spectacular.” While the rodeo has been recognized as one of the best for decades – it has been named PRCA Rodeo of the Year nine times and is enshrined in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame – much of that has to do with the support it receives from the community. Thousands of fans flock to Roundup Arena each summer, which is an attractive feature for sponsors. Lopp Motors was on board long before the rodeo experienced such growth and has remained a vital cog in the wheel that brings hundreds of the sport’s top contestants to Dodge City. “What people don’t get is what goes on down at the arena when the actual rodeo performance isn’t going on,” Jeffrey Lopp said, referring to the high number of contestants who compete at Roundup. “To sit there and try to put a dollar amount on what is sitting out there in the parking lot during slack is absolutely mind-blowing. “On top of that, you look at all the people that give their time to help that rodeo thrive and strive to be better and don’t get near the accolades they should. They do it because they’re proud of it and what they do for Dodge City.” The economics of the rodeo are simple: Between the number of contestants that come to Ford County and the large fan base that watches the action, people are spending a bundle in this community while the rodeo is in town. “The rodeo is the single most promotional thing in Dodge City that people talk about year-round,” he said. “Inevitably when you’re having a conversation, something gets brought up abut the rodeo. It’s a staple. It’s something the community looks forward to.” It’s why the Lopp family has been a supporter for so many years. It was important four decades ago, and it’s still vital today. Lopp Motors has been part of the Dodge Rodeo/Ram Rodeo promotion, and it was something in which Jeff Lopp took great pride. “My dad loved this business,” Jeffrey Lopp said. “He lived the business probably 24/7. He was proud to be on the dealer council for Chrysler and give dealer feedback at the corporate level, and he took great pride in that. “He was listening to the problems that inevitably go on in any industry, and he was always looking for ways to move forward with that.” Jeff Lopp graduated from Dodge City High School and attended Dodge City Community College and Emporia State University. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, NASCAR and coaching youth sports. “One of his claims to fame is that he got to throw out the first pitch at a Royals baseball game,” Jeffrey Lopp said. “To this day, I still have that jersey hanging on my wall.” Reflections of a life well-lived are hard, especially just a few months after losing his father, but Jeffrey Lopp has a memory bank to cherish and an appreciation for his dad that is unmatched. The pain he feels is just a reminder of the love the two have shared. “I want him to be remembered for the person he was, how gracious he was and what he did for anybody and everybody,” he said.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – There are only two certainties in life: Birth and death. The aging process isn’t easy, and death isn’t only for the geriatric. Julie Pinkerton knows that as well as anyone in Ford County. She’s the executive director for Hospice of the Prairie and Prairie Home Health and has been with the two entities for 30 years. “We just had a meeting, and we were talking about the similarity of birth and death and how, indeed, when we entered this world, we were surrounded by peace, love, dignity and respect and how much attention is given to that new mom as she is birthing her baby,” Pinkerton said. “We talked about how similar that is to what we do as people walk through the dying process. “A lot of people ask us if that’s depressing and how we do it. As one of my coworkers said so eloquently, ‘The thing is the person is going to die whether we are there or whether we are not, so is it not better that we are there?’ I know that we are making that difference. While it can certainly be sad, it’s not depressing.” Hospice is intended to not only help the terminally ill through the final stages of their lives but to also assist the families and other loved ones who are affected by the impending deaths. Still, there’s so much more to what Pinkerton, her staff and their volunteers have to offer, and that includes Prairie Home Health. Both are beneficiaries of the Wrangler Tough Enough to Wear Pink fundraiser at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 4, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. The money raised through the pink campaign will be used for the organizations’ patient needs fund. “Roundup has been a very important part of our community for decades, and one of the neat things that Roundup has always focused on is community services,” Pinkerton said. ”Their support of Circle of Hope has been phenomenal, and Hospice of the Prairie and Prairie Home Health has been part of that for many years to pass the hat on all types of things.” The opportunity for Prairie Home Health and Hospice of the Prairie came about with Circle of Hope being dissolved. Pinkerton and her staff of 25 individuals understand the importance of the money that will come from Roundup this August. They have more than 50 volunteers and serve about 150 hospice patients and 300 home-health patients each year. “These dollars that go into that fund are used to support patients and their families for things like electric bills, groceries and many other things, like equipment in their homes that would not typically be provided by hospice,” she said. “We also use the funds to help family members who may not live locally to be able to return home to see their loved ones before their loved ones’ end of life. “We might be able to find an airplane ticket, or it might be as simple as a family member of the patient that lives six hours away and simply doesn’t have enough money to buy gas or groceries to get here, nor do they have the money to have a place to stay when they get here just to be able so they could be with their loved one.”  Being able to utilize those funds in this way will help many families in a variety of ways. “While saddened that Circle of Hope dissolved, we are truly honored to be chosen to receive the funds that are raised,” Pinkerton said. “Those funds will go directly to the patient needs funds and will be only used for the special circumstances that hospice and home-health patients face. I think it’s an important thing for the community to know. Those funds are not gong to our general account for the organization to function. “It is very special.” As families mature, they are thrown into many variations of circumstances. Some deal with childhood illness, while others are battling other challenges. Organizations like Prairie Home Health and Hospice of the Prairie were established many years ago to help families who have those needs. Whether helping folks come to terms with the final days of a loved one’s life or helping the elderly age gracefully while still receiving the appropriate care, Pinkerton and her crew of dedicated workers are building memories while helping families. It’s their foundation, and it’s a fundamental approach to true giving. “I think it’s a calling,” Pinkerton said. She’s right.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – It gets plenty hot in this neck of the woods throughout the summer months, but that’s just part of living in a desert. Organizers of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo realize this is part of the equation when it comes to drawing the top contestants in rodeo to town, which is why they’ve invested in cold, hard cash as a way to fan away the heat and park themselves in Lovington during the second week of August. “We’ve seen a lot of turnouts, because you see a lot of rodeos up north that time of year,” said Kris Allen, the Lea County Fair Board’s president and member of the rodeo committee. “A lot of them still come down to Lovington, but I want them to know that making that trip down south is worth it. They can come here and get the big money that counts for Vegas.” This year’s rodeo is for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7-Saturday, Aug. 10; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 6. Hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls put their names in the hat to compete in Lea County, but there are several who opt out when the competition starts. They “turn out,” meaning they pay a small fine in order to skip the trip. The fair board is hoping the additional $100,000 investment into the rodeo purse will offer the right enticement to the contestants who make their living in the game and who strive to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, which takes place in early December at Las Vegas. “Last year when we were at the PRCA convention, they brought up the issue of turnouts at all the rodeos,” said Kyle Johnston, a member of the fair board and chairman of the rodeo committee. “We looked at that, and we thought this was a way to get our turnout number down and get some more people come down this way and stay. We’re going to test it this year and see how it goes.” Allen said the fair board has recognized the importance of every dollar when it comes down to cowboys and cowgirls making decisions as to where they play the game. In rodeo, money doesn’t just pay for expenses and cover bills; it’s also how points are tabulated. Only the top 15 on the money list in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR, where world champions will be crowned. “We are now going to be the third highest-paying rodeo in the circuit,” he said. “We are the highest-paid rodeo in the month of August. We want to continue to draw the top 10 in the world standings in regards to the cowboys and cowgirls.” The rodeo has done that consistently. In addition to increasing its contribution to the purse to $25,001 per event, the Lea County Fair Board is also increasing the Lea County Xtreme Bulls payout to $37,500 – that’s an increase of $7,500 over previous years, and it was already one of the best-paying stand-alone bull-riding events in the PRCA. “We’ve had a lot of comments from the contestants about how nice our facility is, and that it actually does cool off at night,” Johnston said. “We also have Pete Carr as our stock contractor, and he and his stock are very good. He makes our rodeo very entertaining, and his guys are great to work with.” Lovington’s rodeo has always been about putting on a good show while also catering to the contestants. Jake McClure is a Hall-of-Fame cowboy, and his name is emblazoned across the arena. Folks in southeastern New Mexico recognized the greatness that comes out of Lea County when they talk rodeo. The fair board wants that trend to continue. “Pete Carr provides the best livestock to our rodeo, and I think that tells the cowboys and cowgirls why they want to come to our rodeo,” Allen said. “You’re going to get high scores and fast times, and you’re going to see good cowboys and cowgirls. With the mixture of Pete’s livestock, you’re going to see a good quality of entertainment.” Fans will also see the best in the business battle for big bucks in Lea County. “The prior people that took care of this rodeo did a great job, and we’ve just seen the opportunity to maybe grow our rodeo a little bit,” Johnston said. “That’s a lot of extra added money, and it moved us up pretty high in the rodeo world.” That’s just where the Lea County Fair and Rodeo belongs.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – When members of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo committee reached out, the city of Dodge City answered in a big way. “The committee wanted to upgrade the main grandstands at the arena, and we felt that it was probably in our best interest as a community to help with the safety and longevity of the facility,” City Manager Nick Hernandez said. “We’ve been partnered with Roundup for decades in helping with funding for different projects, and this project – given the magnitude of it – was something that took us looking at a different approach given the size and being outside the normal budget that we work with. “With discussions, we looked at different client opportunities and made available a cost-share with Roundup and help them finalize their efforts.” The updated, aluminum bleachers across the main grandstands on the west side of the arena are now in place and are ready for this year’s Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 4, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. “A loan from a local bank got the project started, then we received a grant for $60,000 from the city and another level of matching funds have helped us finance the bleachers,” said Teresa Winger, secretary for the Roundup committee. “We have received a little over $44,000 in matching funds so far.” The original facilities at Roundup Arena were built nearly 50 years ago, but local organizers have done some major upgrades over the last few years to not only enhance the overall use of the complex but to make it safer. There are thousands of visitors who attend the annual rodeo, and the safety measures not only help make it a better experience for them but also for the contestants and their livestock partners. Each year, hundreds of contestants converge on Ford County to compete for big money and to win one of the most prestigious rodeos in North America. Dodge City’s rodeo has been recognized as one of the best over the years, being named the Rodeo of the Year nine times; it also has been inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “I think Roundup Rodeo is pretty integral to the success of Dodge City and has long been a staple of our Dodge City Days,” Hernandez said of the annual community celebration. “The rodeo just brings somebody different to town. There are so many people from all across the United States – and across the world in some occasions – to participate and also view a world-class rodeo here in Dodge City.” Keeping the arena as a top-notch facility is also important, not just to the rodeo organizers but to members of the community as well. “I think they’re continually making improvements to the facility, and this just shows the commitment that the community and the city has for the rodeo and for Roundup Arena,” he said. “I think it shows that we anticipate this facility being around for a long time.”