Steer roping luncheon
The Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping kicked off Friday afternoon with a luncheon. Primarily it’s a time to recognize the 15 qualifiers, but it’s also a time for everyone to gather together and celebrate this championship event. Here are a few snapshots of the event: This is the 53rd year for the event and […]
Last run to qualify
J.W. Wickett slipped into the field of this weekend’s Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in the 15th spot. Actually, it came down to the final rodeo of the season. Wickett placed fourth in the opening round in Anadarko, Okla., collecting a $510 check. That gave him the first cushion of the season, and he […]
Cowboy Town
The Devon Tower cuts through the sky, slicing an opening in the Oklahoma City landscape and creating another touch of expansion to downtown. This city has changed a lot since I first stayed 32 years ago. It’s changed in the six years since I left The Oklahoman newspaper, too. The Ford Center became the Oklahoma […]
Deadlines approaching
I’ve been working feverishly to prepare for the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and all that goes into it. Truly, it is an awesome experience, and I’m blessed by it. But before we get carried away on the happenings in Las Vegas, we have some important business to tend to in Guthrie, Okla., with the […]
CHET HERREN
When you’re born in the Osage Country of Oklahoma, steer roping is just part of who you are. That’s Chet Herren in a nutshell, born in Pawhuska, Okla., 32 years ago and still working the rangeland. This weekend marks the sixth time in Herren’s career he has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer […]
RALPH WILLIAMS
It’s taken the Tulsa-born cowboy 26 years to make it to the grandest stage in his event, the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, but Williams has finally earned a spot in this weekend’s field. If you don’t think this is a special trip from Skiatook, Okla., to the fabulous Lazy E Arena, then you […]
CODY SCHECK
Scheck’s traveling partner is Rocky Patterson, the reigning World Champion Steer Roper who also won the 2009 Gold Buckle. Scheck, himself, is the reigning Average Champion from the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. That’s a prestigious place for the cowboy who has just qualified for his third trip to the finale. That 10-round victory […]
KIM ZIEGELGRUBER
The Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping takes place in Ziegelgruber’s back yard. The 11-year pro lives just minutes away from the storied Lazy E Arena, the longtime host of this championship, yet this is the first year the Oklahoma cowboy has competed in it. If anyone realizes how tough it is to qualify for […]
MIKE CHASE
It’s hard for many in the game to realize that this is just the second time in his 15-year career that Mike Chase has earned the right to play on the biggest stage in this event, the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The McAlester, Okla., cowboy just missed the mark a season ago, finishing […]
JESS TIERNEY
This isn’t the first time Tierney has competed in the Lazy E Arena. He’s been a player in the Timed Event Championship, which takes place in March. This is, however, Tierney’s first qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The son of World Champion Paul Tierney, Jess has proven he’s more than just […]
CHANCE KELTON
The transition is complete: Chance Kelton is an elite steer roper. This weekend marks his third straight qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping and equals the number of qualifications he had in all those years as one of the best headers in team roping. Of course, Kelton still competes in multiple events, […]
J.P. WICKETT
Ask any of the other 14 steer ropers in this field, and they’ll tell you just how valuable Wickett is to the sport of Steer Roping. As the event representative, the other ropers lean on Wickett’s experience and understanding of what it takes to improve all aspects of the sport. In addition, the 2011 campaign […]
CODY LEE
In Amarillo, Texas, during the biggest steer roping of the regular season’s final week, Lee won the three-head average and $3,259. That pushed him over $60,000 for the season; he is one of four ropers to come into this weekend’s event with $60,000 in regular-season earnings, joining Trevor Brazile, Vin Fisher Jr. and Rocky Patterson. […]
WILL GASPERSON
It’s been three years since Gasperson last qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. In fact, he’s never competed for the championship in all the years its taken place inside this magnificent arena. That changes this weekend. In fact, the $1,100 the Texan earned the final weekend of the season moved him up […]
SCOTT SNEDECOR
Snedecor’s career can be summed up in two-word phrases. Most of his life, it’s been rodeo cowboy. Since 2005, he’s been better known as World Champion. In fact, he’s earned the title twice (2005, 2008), but you can call him Champ any day. That’s the significance of the gold buckle. Not only that, he finished […]
BRYCE DAVIS
Two seasons ago, Davis proved to be quite an impressive first-timer in the field of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The third-generation roper won the 10-round average in the championship’s return to this grand arena after an eight-year hiatus. It was quite a celebration for Davis, whose father, Jim Davis, won two Steer […]
VIN FISHER JR.
Is this the year the veteran makes his move toward that elusive gold buckle? Fisher certainly hopes it is. The 2011 season has been good to Fisher, a third-generation steer roper who is competing in his eighth Clem McSpadden National Steer Roping Finals. In fact, eight is the perfect number for the 30-year-old cowboy; that’s […]
NFSR is hosting great athletes this weekend
In addition to the top 15 cowboys, steer roping finals will feature the greatest horses GUTHRIE, Okla. – It takes a great horse to make a cowboy. No matter which rodeo event it is, each cowboy realizes the path to championships is on talented mounts. “There’s no event in rodeo where you need a great horse […]
TREVOR BRAZILE
Brazile is the No. 1 man in rodeo. Not only is he the No. 1 money-earner this season, he is also the top gun in Steer Roping. That bodes well for the record-breaking 14-time World Champion. The last two times he wore the No. 1 back number at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping […]
Rocky Patterson
EDITOR’S NOTE: For the next few days, I will be running biographies on the qualifiers to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about the top 15 cowboys. ROCKY PATTERSON The Kansan is the two-time reigning World Champion Steer Roper for a reason: He earned […]
A great description
Benette Barrington used a great word to describe her barrel racing mount, JL Dash Ta Heaven, during his first-round run at the American Royal Rodeo a little more than a week ago. “He was very fluent,” she said of the 6-year-old sorrel stallion, whose daddy, Dash Ta Fame, is a top breeding stud in barrel […]
Roping the all-around
Shane Proctor has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the first time in his career. It’s not that the roughstock cowboy hasn’t been at the top of his game before, but he’s focused his attention on the Professional Bull Riders organization. Proctor is also a saddle bronc rider, and he heads into the […]
Celebrating good times
This is championship season. In a week, I’ll be getting prepared for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. That weekend also will feature the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, Alberta. Not only is that the home of great Canadian champions, but several Americans have walked away from the Northlands with those coveted Canadian titles. […]
The comforts of home
Home is where the heart is, or in the case ofLas Vegas, where the body rests for a few hours at a time. The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino will be the home of Rodeo Media Relations and TwisTED Rodeo during the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It’s an awesome resort, and it’s just west […]