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Johnny Dudley is an accomplished clown and rodeo entertainer, and he will have his first Oklahoma Panhandle experience during this year’s Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. (PHOTO BY JOSH HOMER   GUYMON, Okla. – The sunsets in the Oklahoma Panhandle have something spectacular about them. Whether it’s a combination of the atmosphere, the relative flatness of the Plains or the dust that invigorates the region, Johnny Dudley will get to experience it during the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “That’s one of the places I’ve never been to, but I’m looking forward to it because I know I’m going to work with a great crew,” said Dudley, 47, of Aubrey, Texas. “Andy Stewart is (one of the announcers), and one thing I know about working with Andy is that I don’t have any problems. He’s going to make sure we have a great show no matter what.” That’s part of the production value that comes with the Richest Rodeo in Oklahoma, with Stewart and hometown cowboy Ken Stonecipher on the microphones. They’ll work closely with the man who goes by the moniker “Backflip,” a well-recognized rodeo clown and entertainer. He will provide a unique approach to his comedy and antics in the arena and collaborate with Stewart, Stonecipher and the crew from Frontier Rodeo to ensure the fans get an experience that will rival a sunset. “I’m more of a safe clown, a hybrid-type of clown,” Dudley said. “I’m not really an old-school clown, but I’m also not one of these cheerleading entertainers. I’m a little bit of both, and I think that my blend of comedy kind of spans multiple generations. I can relate to the young kids, but my old-school comedy and my old-school upbringing – piggybacking off Rudy Burns and Lecille Harris – also gets me in with the older crowd.” Dudley’s purpose is to coincide with the competition while also serving as a comedy relief for the thousands of fans that help make the Guymon rodeo such a showcase. He can help the transitions between events, rides and runs become seamless, and he uses humor to do it. There are also the acts that he hopes will keep the audience in stiches. “I now have the act, ‘Cow Patty,’ which is the act Jim McLain had for a long time, and I would watch those old VHS tapes of Rodeo Bloopers and see that act in Guymon,” he said of the shows produced by Rodeo Video that were released on VHS cassettes decades ago. “That was the first time I ever saw the Guymon rodeo, and there were a bunch of videos of ‘Cow Patty.’ “I remember watching that and thinking, ‘That’s a cool act.’ Now, I own it.” “Cow Patty” will be back at Hitch Arena for the first time since McLain was a regular fixture in Guymon. It’s quite fitting that a man who goes by “Backflip” is making it happen. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Dudley has been entertaining for better than 20 years. His work has transitioned over time. “I don’t know if the comedy part of what I do has progressed as much as the timing of how I do it,” Dudley said. “One thing I pride myself on – and something a lot of announcers and producers have come to me about – is my timing. It’s knowing the right joke for the right situation, and I pay attention to what else is going on in the arena. “I’m able to divide my arena situational awareness. I know what’s going on at all times. I know who’s about to compete. I know when to say a joke and when not to say a joke. If Shad Mayfield is next up, it’s pretty important for me to know that a world champion is up and to stay out of the way. I don’t think I’m funnier than I was 10 years ago, but the timing and placement is where I’m excelling.” For that, peers in the PRCA have honored him. Dudley has been nominated for Clown of the Year and Act of the Year, and in 2019, he was named the Coors Man in the Can for his work as a barrelman. That award and other accolades are nice, but they don’t define the husband and father of two. “For people that don’t know me personally, I’m not an outgoing guy,” he said. “I’m not one of those little jitterbugs that’s just trying to entertain all the time. I’m just kind of a laid-back guy, but whenever I put that clown makeup on, I transform, like a superhero. “The thing that stands out to me is booking a rodeo back. If I work a rodeo, and that rodeo hires me back, that’s the biggest honor I can get.” That’s an achievement that pays dividends, and Dudley is ready to show the folks in the Oklahoma Panhandle what he’s got in Year 1 at Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo.

Riley O’Rourke has found a honey hole with the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Oklahoma. He leads the charge for the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic, the richest steer roping rodeo in Oklahoma, after winning that championship each of the past two years. He is also the 2025 Steer Roping Rookie of the Year and the reserve world titlist. (PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)   CLAREMORE, Okla. – Most professional cowboys have a place that fits them better than most of the others. In fishing terms, they’re honey holes. RCB Bank in Stampede Park at Claremore is such a place for steer roping phenom Riley O’Rourke, the 2025 Rookie of the Year who finished the campaign second in the world standings. He has won a Will Rogers Stampede championship each of the past three seasons, collecting $11,500 along the way. “That’s about as close to a hometown rodeo as I get,” said O’Rourke, 21, of Skiatook, Oklahoma, a 40-minute drive west of the arena. “I won the all-around the first year (2023), and then I won the steer roping the last two years.” The rodeo – with paid performances set for 8 p.m. Friday, May 22-Sunday, May 24 – actually kicks off Thursday, May 21, with the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic, the richest steer roping rodeo in Oklahoma with the seventh-largest payout in the country. This year’s event, set for 1 p.m., will feature the event’s top hands all chasing money that will feature $10,500 in local dollars, which are added to the contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall purse. “In our part of the world, Clem was a legend as an announcer and an ambassador to rodeo who announced our rodeo for many years,” said David Petty, a longtime director of the rodeo. “Clem announced the Will Rogers Stampede for 62 years and loved steer roping, so about eight years ago, we decided to name our steer roping competition after him and feature it.” Steer roping is older than the sport of rodeo. Ranchers were using the techniques of the event while caring for cattle long before the first documented competition took place nearly a century and a half ago. When a cowboy was alone on the range and had to treat a sick cow, he had to utilize his rope to lay the animal down and secure it so he could administer medicine. The “World’s First Rodeo,” the West of the Pecos Rodeo in west Texas, is cited to have begun in 1883 when drovers from differing ranch operations began discussing who was the better roper. On July 4, the contest happened near the town courthouse. Steer roping remains an important part of the Pecos rodeo, as well as others in places like Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Pendleton, Oregon. “Until I was 12, I lived in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, which they call the ‘Steer Roping Capital of the World,’ ” O’Rourke told the PRCA. “There wasn’t anybody who roped calves or anybody who team roped; everybody tripped steers. Since I started roping when I was 12 or 13, all I wanted to do was trip steers.” Things have changed in time. He competed two years on his PRCA permit, a training ground for up-and-coming ProRodeo cowboys. He won Claremore’s all-around the first year, then won the Tub Handle Classic the second year. Adding a third title in Rogers County was just a nice dose of extra cheese on the supreme pizza that is O’Rourke’s early tenure as a steer roper. Going into last season’s final round of his first qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in Mulvane, Kansas, O’Rourke was in position to claim a world championship. He laid down a run of 9.1 seconds in the 10th round and put the pressure on the top dog in the fight, Cole Patterson. “I had a lot of confidence until Cole tied one in 8.5,” O’Rourke said. “I knew it was close going into the last round, and I thought if I could win or split the round, I’d have a pretty good chance. For about 37 seconds, I really thought I had a chance, and then he nodded. “The whole year was pretty good from beginning to end. I felt like I won pretty much everywhere I went, and it was a lot of fun.” The Tub Handle Classic is not only a big-time stop for the world’s best steer ropers, but it also serves as a qualifier to the Ben Johnson Memorial Steer Roping, which takes place June 18-21 in Pawhuska. The limited-entry event will also feature the top two ropers in each of the three Claremore go-rounds as well as the top four in the aggregate that weren’t among the top 30 to qualify. O’Rourke once untied calves during the Johnson roping, but he’s been part of the competition the last two and placed both times. He hopes to be among the elite by the time June rolls around, but he knows the Will Rogers Stampede is another avenue should the need arise. “Everybody’s got a favorite rodeo like Cheyenne and what not,” he said. “Claremore is one of my favorites, just because I seem to win pretty good there.”

Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Tyra Tsosie won the goat-tying championship at the Kansas State University rodeo this past weekend in Manhattan, Kansas. The sophomore transferred to the Rangers rodeo team in the fall semester to join her twin brother, Tydon, who was already at Northwestern. (PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)   ALVA, Okla. – Tyra and Tydon Tsosie grew up together around the Navajo Nation. Always competitors, they never backed down from a challenge. Rodeo has always been a way of life for the twins from Crownpoint, New Mexico. For a year, though, they separated. Tyra made her way to Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, along the state’s border with the Texas Panhandle. Tydon ventured to Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and the “Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo” was perfect for the steer wrestling hopeful. The twins were reunited last fall when Tyra Tsosie transferred to be part of the Rangers rodeo team. Her avenue to Alva paid off this past weekend, when she won the goat-tying title at the Kansas State University rodeo, the first of the next six events in the Central Plains Region that took place in Manhattan, Kansas. She stopped the clock in 7.3 seconds to finish in a tie for third in the opening round, then sped to a 6.7-second run to win the championship round and the aggregate title. “It’s a pretty cool start to the spring semester,” said Tsosie, a sophomore who also competes in breakaway roping for the Rangers. “My horse worked great. She did her job, but she always does her job.” That’s Bit-O-Honey, a 13-year-old sorrel mare Tsosie has had since the animal was a filly. “My mom named her after my grandpa’s favorite candy,” Tsosie said. “I grew up with her. She’s an all-around horse. I have taken her to junior rodeos. She wasn’t my first goat horse, but I’ve always had her. She ended up learning goats, and now she’s my main horse; she’s my breakaway horse, too.” Familiarity is important. It’s why she rides a mare she’s ridden most of her life and why she opted to transfer to the Alva institution and sit out the first three rodeos of the season because of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s transfer rules. The first Central Plains event in which she competed was the Northwestern rodeo in early November. “I came here because my brother goes to school here,” she said. “I visited during my spring break last year, and I really like he practice facility, the coach, the team … just how they do things. I thought it’d be more fun with my brother here, too.” Tydon Tsosie has already accumulated points for the Northwestern men, winning the first round in Stillwater last fall. His sister one-upped him in Manhattan. “I just tried to be smooth and do my part,” Tyra Tsosie said. “I did it on my first run, and then the second run went really good.” She led the way for the Rangers women. She was joined in the short round by fellow goat-tier Payton Dingman of Pryor, Oklahoma, and a quartet of breakaway ropers: River Hamaker of Leon, Iowa; Brylee Zook of Garnett, Kansas; Trista Regner of Apple Valley, California; and Maggie King of Granville, New York. King, Regner and Zook all gathered points in Manhattan. King and Zook were each 2.5 seconds to finish the opening round in a four-way tie for fifth place. Both placed in the final performance and the aggregate – Zook was sixth in the short round and sixth overall, while King posted a 2.6-second run to finish second in both. Regner won the first round with a 2.2-second run. A couple of cowboys from the Northwestern men’s team took top honors. Heeler Colter Snook of Ford, Kansas, won the rodeo while roping with header Dexton Hoelting of Western Oklahoma State College. They were third in the first round with a 7.3-second run and won the final round with a 7.5. Meanwhile, Nathan Duvall of Henryetta, Oklahoma, dominated bulldogging, sharing the first-round win and taking the second round to claim the overall prize. Assistant coach Emmett Edler also garnered some steer wrestling points. He posted a 5.3-second run to finish fifth in the opener, then was 4.3 to place third in the short round and the aggregate. Payden Nusser of Alva was 5.2 to finish fourth in the first round, while Hazen Sparks of Talihina, Oklahoma, was 5.3 to finish fifth on Championship Sunday. Tie-down ropers Carter Anderson of Merriman, Nebraska, and Kerry Duvall of Oakdale, California, were solid. Duvall placed in a tie for fifth in the long round, and Anderson took advantage of sneaking into the finals by placing fifth in the round and sixth in the average. Freshman Riley Smith of Poteau, Oklahoma, made the short round in saddle bronc riding and finished with two solid rides. In all, 14 Rangers were part of the final performance. Northwestern finished second in the men’s team standings. It was proof to Tyra Tsosie that she made a good decision to transfer. “Eastern was a lot smaller of a team,” she said. “I think there were about 15 or 20 girls on the team, but at Alva, there’s a lot more girls. We have good athletes in every event.” That’s a testament to the tradition established years ago, one that continues under coach Cali Griffin, who was not in Manhattan while tending to other responsibilities. “I didn’t really know Cali until I met her during my visit at spring break last year,” Tsosie said. “She’s a good coach, and you can see that from watching her during practice, during the rodeo and being there for the team. Since she wasn’t there, the team was there for each other, and we had Emmett (Edler) there with us, too. Everybody stepped up and helped.” That’s what teams do. “I’m really proud of them for stepping up and helping each other while I was gone,” Griffin said. “I’m lucky to have this group of  Continue Reading »

The Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl has been around for 76 years, so organizers of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo have been making upgrades to the arena with bigger plans also being part of the picture. The new dates for the rodeo will be June 4-6, and it’s all part of the intended growth of the rodeo. (PHOTO BY TED HARBIN)   BIG SPRING, Texas – It’s been 36 years since Wacey Cathey last competed at the National Finals Rodeo, but he’s still very much a cowboy. He’s an icon in these parts, a fixture at the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. He was a featured athlete during his competitive days, and he’s seen countless performances inside the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl. “I just got interested in rodeo when I was little,” said Cathey, who, as he put it, has a small role in the rodeo’s volunteer committee. “I’m not one of the main guys on the committee; I just show up and help a little bit. When I was a kid, I was around it all the time, and I still watch a lot of rodeo on TV and try to keep up with it a little bit.” His experience as one of the elite bull riders in rodeo has been part of the draw to the game, and he’s seen a lot of changes in his more than 70 years. With that, he’s also witnessed the growth of his hometown rodeo, which has adjusted its dates starting this year. The festivities will take place Thursday, June 4-Saturday, June 6. “I think it’s growing and going to continue to grow,” Cathey said. “I’d like to get more contestants, the top-end of the contestants. A lot of them are going to the bigger-money rodeos, so you’re going to have to get more money to draw them big-name contestants to town.” That’s part of the intended growth volunteers on the committee have in mind for the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo. The first phases have begun, with the date-change being placed at the forefront. There was a time not long ago that the “summer run” began in late June, with cowboys and cowgirls from Texas heading north and west to begin their three-month trek away from home in order to make a living in the sport they love. Whether it was North Platte, Nebraska, or Reno, Nevada, contestants knew their schedules were going to ramp up around the first day of summer. The calendar for big-time events has shifted closer to Memorial Day weekend. “The change of date for our rodeo is a win-win for everybody,” said Scot Herrin, a longtime member of the committee. “The calendar should be a lot more friendly for the contestants as far as being able to make our rodeo, and then they can go on from there. The rodeo in Weatherford (Texas) is the next week, and that puts us to where we’re not on top of Reno. “I’m glad it finally got done, and, of course, we have a big thank you to our stock contractor, Pete Carr. He made it work, too, so it’s big for us and big for rodeo.” That was just the first step with many others to follow. Organizers have already begun upgrading the Rodeo Bowl, which was built in 1950. There was some deterioration over the 76 years it’s existed, plus there are enhancements that will make the overall viewing experience better for ticket-buyers. “The seating has been redone,” Herrin said. “It’s a 70-plus-year-old facility, so it was time to give it a facelift. Some of the structure was starting to crumble, and we had to get that fixed for safety and aesthetics. It needed to be redone, and in order to expand on other improvements we want to do, that’s where we need to start and get that done first. “Our plans are to make everything better. It’s going to be really, really nice, and then we can expand with better VIP boxes and other things that go with it. It’s a complete package.” The Rodeo Bowl was 3 years old when Cathey was born to a ranching family. He watched world champion Toots Mansfield volunteer for the Big Spring rodeo long after the tie-down roper hung up his competitive rope. “For our community, the rodeo is one of the bigger events,” Cathey said. “This is a farming and ranching community, and you get a lot of people that know rodeo. “I’d like to see the Big Spring rodeo get more added money and get the top-end contestants coming in. The stock is a lot better, so I’d love to see more bull riders, bronc riders and bareback riders. I think that would really help.” Rodeo has certainly changed since Cathey last made the NFR in 1991. He finished the season 10th in the world standings with $64,954, equivalent to $150,000 today. Australian Qynn Anderson finished 10th in 2025 with $269,000 in earnings, and world champion Stetson Wright finished the year with nearly $550,000 – Wright also won the all-around gold buckle with combined earnings of $941,000. “I’m glad to see these guys are finally getting some money,” Cathey said. “We were pretty much broke all the time when we was rodeoing full time.” That’s why the Big Spring volunteers are working diligently to improve all aspects of the community’s biggest event. “We want to make the experience at our rodeo better for everybody: the contestants, the fans, the vendors, the sponsors,” Herrin said. “We want our sponsors to know that we’re increasing the value for their sponsorship. We’ve been cram-packed with big crowds the last two years, and that’s just amazing. We’re making property expansions, and we’re going to have more parking, which is going to be huge for the fans and for the contestants. “Everything we’re doing is for everybody. We’ve been fortunate in the grants we have received and the local philanthropy we get to help with those improvements. That’s  Continue Reading »

Heeler Dawson McMaster stops the clock in 6.3 seconds with partner Dexton Hoelting to win the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. McMaster won the title a year ago with Hoelting’s older brother, Cam, when it was the final PRCA rodeo in Jim Norick Arena, then won this weekend at the first ProRodeo in its replacement, OG&E Coliseum. (PHOTO BY NICOLE STEVENS)   OKLAHOMA CITY – Heeler Dawson McMaster has the rare distinction of being a two-time champion of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. in its first two years of existence. He’s also won in two buildings with two headers who share the same last name and the same genetics. Last January, McMaster won the team roping title with Camden Hoelting at the last PRCA rodeo in Jim Norick Arena. On Sunday afternoon, he repeated but with Dexton Hoelting at the first PRCA rodeo in OG&E Coliseum. “This is just his second (ProRodeo) ever,” said McMaster, 36, of Madison, Kansas. “I was lucky enough to win the last one with Cam at the old building, so it’s pretty cool to win this one for the first time in here. “Deston is a lot younger than Cam, just a freshman in college, but he’s been learning off his brother. We practice together every day, so it sure works out good for us. He’s been learning, trying to figure it out and just trying to get a little bit better every day. He sure works at it.” It’s paying off, the two stopped the clock in 6.3 seconds for the fastest run of the rodeo. “Roping with Dawson has been great,” said Hoelting, 19, a student at Western Oklahoma State College from Olpe, Kansas, just a few minutes’ drive from McMaster’s home in the Flint Hills. “Cam decided to go strictly ProRodeo, so him and Dawson split ways. I called Dawson and asked if he could do it with me, so here I am.” It’s a good start to a new partnership. The duo competed Saturday night in Park City, Kansas, but were unable to score a time. They took their time driving through packed snow conditions to make it to Oklahoma City, so the adventure was a success. “I didn’t know if we were going to be able to make it,” McMaster said. “We waited until this morning, then decided to try to make it. I’m glad we did.” McMaster will return to action with Cam Hoelting next weekend during the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo at Pawhuska, Oklahoma, to wrap the 2025 campaign. After that two-day rodeo is complete, McMaster will jump back in with Dexton Hoelting, who a year ago at this time was in the middle of a basketball season that saw Olpe High School win the Class 1A state title – he finished with 24 points in the championship-game victory. His focus now is on rodeo, though he’s not afraid to test his talents in pickup basketball games. “I’d like to make the circuit finals and be up there at the top of (a couple amateur associations),” he said. “I’m really excited to be with Dawson, because he’s a veteran. He’s been around it for forever, and he knows where to go. He’s done really good with me and helped coach me along the way, so I’m hoping I can keep making strides, and we can just keep getting our run faster.” It was fast enough in Oklahoma City, and Hoelting and McMaster have a title to prove it. Oklahoma City ProRodeo Oklahoma City Jan. 23-25 Bareback riding: 1. Jade Taton, 82.5 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Rachel, $880; 2. Tristan Hansen, 80.5, $670; 3. Blayn Hughston, 77, $440; 4. Kash Martin, 76, $220. Steer wrestling: 1. Hazen Sparks, 4.2 seconds, $968; 2. Adam Musil, 4.3, $801; 3. Chris Bechthold, 4.6, $634; 4. Colton Swearingen, 4.7, $467; 5. (tie) Laramie Warren and Shawn Musil, 4.9, $234 each. Team roping: 1. Dexton Hoelting/Dawson McMaster, 6.3 seconds, $1,107; 2. Kyler Kreder/Joe Day, 6.4, $917; 3. Paul Tierney/Tyrel Larsen, 6.9, $726; 4. Jhett Vander Hamm/Shannon Frascht, 7.0, $535; 4. Britton Grinstead/Clint Heller, 7.1, $344; 6. Brandon Farris/Braden Harmon, $191. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Justin England, 84.5 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Timex, $1,247; 2. Christopher Nelson, 84, $945; 3. (tie) Trygg Madsen and Clay Greenslade, 77, $567 each; 5. (tie) Roper Kiesner, 76.5, $227 each. Tie-down roping: 1. McKade Wickett, 10.5 seconds, $1,307; 2. Paul Tierney, $1,138; 3. Ryler Allred, 13.4, $967; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Kallie Gates, 16.00 seconds, $1,414; 2. Emily Griffin, 16.24, $1,212; 3. Jaycee Pritchett, 16.36, $1,010; 4. Rachel Werkmen, 16.40, $876; 5. Robbie Stearns, 16.51, $674; 6. Crystal Glidden, 16.55, $539; 7. (tie) Darla Hoover and Suzanne Van Ness, 16.63, $337 each; 9. Katie Chism, 16.69, $202; 10. Sherry Assmann, 16.75, $135. Bull riding: No qualified rides

OKLAHOMA CITY – Jade Taton returned to that familiar Oklahoma red dirt, and he felt right at home during Saturday’s second performance of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. An alumnus of the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team, Taton rides bucking horses as a second job. He handled his business, matching moves with McCoy Rodeo’s Rachel for 82.5 points to take the bareback riding lead with one day remaining in OG&E Coliseum at OKC Fair Park. Tickets for the 2 p.m. Sunday show are available at McCoyRodeo.com. “That horse came from (National Finals Rodeo qualifier) Rod Hay, and (his son) Devon talked to me about her and showed me some videos,” said Taton, 27, originally from Kersey, Colorado, but now living near Weatherford, Texas. “She looked really good, so I was pretty excited to have her. “I haven’t really been anywhere for a while, so to show up and do that feels pretty good.” He is well-traveled. While he was in college, Taton competed in the Prairie Circuit, which is made up of rodeos and contestants primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. After college, he tried his hand in the Texas Circuit before returning to the Mountain States Circuit, which consists of Colorado and Wyoming. He’s made the regional championship in all three circuits and even represented his home state at the national circuit finals rodeo, now known as the NFR Open, this past July. He’d like to get back, and being matched with horses like Rachel can go a long way toward that qualification. Of course, he’ll have to do it at rodeos closer to his family’s ranch, but he’ll take the momentum he gained in Oklahoma City. “She felt really good, but she was kind of weird leaving (the chute),” he said. “She tucked her head in the gate, so it felt a little goofy right out of there. Once she got going, she felt really good. She was just bailing in the air and stacking up underneath me, so that made it a lot of fun.” That wasn’t his only duty on a cold Saturday, one that featured windchills whipping through Oklahoma at negative-9 degrees. He also competed in saddle bronc riding, where he was matched with Generations Pro Rodeo’s Red Hot Rod; together they marked 71 points. Taton has done well at McCoy Rodeo-produced events, so finding a bit of success in Oklahoma City is a nice step forward. “I entered a few of those McCoy Rodeos last year, but then I tore my groin and wasn’t able to go,” Taton said. “I’ve had some pretty good luck at some of his. “This new building is nice, and I think it can get pretty loud if they pack people into it. It has a really cool feel to it, and it’s pretty nice. It sure makes it fun to ride here.” Oklahoma City ProRodeo Oklahoma City Jan. 23-25 Bareback riding: 1. Jade Taton, 82.5 points on Cian Daly, 74; 2. Koltdyn Heath, 73; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Chris Bechthold, 4.6 seconds; 2. Colton Swearingen, 4.7; 3. Laramie Warren, 4.9; 4. Stetson Thompson, 5.5; 5. Hadley Skaggs, 6.9; 6. Cooper Orr, 13.5; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Jhett Vander Hamm/Shannon Frascht, 7.0 seconds; Britton Grinstead/Clint Heller, 7.1; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Justin England, 85 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Timex; 2. Christopher Nelson, 84; 3. Dylan Suhr, 73; 4. (tie) Clay Greenslade and Trygg Madsen, 77; 6. Brady Irvine, 75.5; 7. (tie) Blain Pengelly and Quirt Carroll, 73. Tie-down roping: 1. McKade Wickett, 10.5 seconds; 2. Ryler Allred, 13.4; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Kallie Gates, 16.00; 2. Emily Griffin, 16.24; 3. Rachel Werkmen, 16.40; 4. Robbie Stearns, 16.51; 5. Crystal Glidden, 16.55; 6. (tie) Darla Hoover and Suzanne Van Ness, 16.63; 8. Katie Chism, 16.69; 9. Elena Bowling, 16.88; 10. Lakota Elkins, 17.15. Bull riding: No qualified rides

College life didn’t pan out for Colton Swearingen, but that hasn’t stopped him from gaining an education from the best in the business while he’s in Oklahoma. He stopped the clock in 4.7 seconds to take the steer wrestling lead at the Oklahoma City ProRodeo. (PHOTO BY NICOLE STEVENS)   OKLAHOMA CITY – Colton Swearingen moved to Oklahoma for an education. His time in college didn’t last that long, but he’s been learning a lot more about his selected trade by remaining in the Sooner State. He showed that those in-person classes are paying off with a 4.7-second run to take the steer wrestling lead during Friday’s opening performance of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo at OG&E Coliseum. “I’ve been really lucky to be around really good guys,” said Swearingen, 25, from Cowlesville, New York, but living in Coleman, Oklahoma. There is a ton of steer wrestling talent in Oklahoma, including world champion Tyler Pearson and another National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Sean Mulligan. Both live in southeastern Oklahoma and have joined another NFR bulldogger, Bray Armes, in helping Swearingen further his education on the rodeo trail. “We bulldog at Sean’s or go to Tyler’s, and those guys help you with your hazing or your bulldogging or your horses or anything like that,” Swearingen said. “Those guys have been there and done that, and they can help guide you a little bit, point you in the right direction. “They’re just good guys to be around because they know how to win.” Winter weather hit Oklahoma on Friday afternoon, but Swearingen and a trio of other steer wrestlers – Laramie Warren, Tyler Ravenscroft and Logan Mullin – braved the conditions to battle for the bucks in the state’s capital city. “We wanted to come anyways, and it wasn’t really going to get bad until this evening,” Swearingen said. “It’s not too far, so we’ll just creep on home.  We ain’t got anywhere else to be, so we can go slow and take out time.” The poor weather is supposed to remain through most of the weekend, but organizers are planning to continue the rodeo through the final two performances, which begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at McCoyRodeo.com. Once Swearingen figured out the steer he’d been matched with via a random draw, he and the others tried to do a little homework on the animal. “Tyler Ravenscroft called J.J. Miller about him and let me know, and that steer was just what J.J. said he was,” the New York cowboy said. “With the snowstorm and stuff and not everybody coming, I knew I just had to catch and throw him down. I’m glad it worked out.” He will remain in the region for a few more months, hitting what rodeos he can. When the summertime arrives, he’ll return to the Northeastern United States to handle some business and rodeo when his schedule allows. “I’m going to go where I can and just have fun doing it,” Swearingen said. “I’ve rodeoed hard the last few years, and I’m taking a year to get my things back in order. I’m sure I’ll venture off to some rodeos and stuff when I want to, and I’ll sure enjoy doing it.” As a lifelong cowboy, there are gold-buckle dreams and playing the game on the biggest level. That means qualifying for the NFR. “I’ve just got to keep putting my head down and win more,” he said. “I think that time’s coming. I need to get my things in order, get some horses and get back to rodeoing. “Wherever God puts me, that’s where I’m at right now and going with that.” Oklahoma City Jan. 23-25 Bareback riding: 1. Cian Daly, 74 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Transient Grandf; 2. Koltdyn Heath, 73; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Colton Swearingen, 4.7 seconds; 2. Laramie Warren, 4.9; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Britton Grinstead/Clint Heller, 7.1 seconds; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Justin England, 85 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Timex; 2. Christopher Nelson, 84; 3. Dylan Suhr, 73; 4. Zane Magner, 72; 5. Jake Schlattman, 71; 6. Bryett Larsen, 79. Tie-down roping: No qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Rachel Wrkmen, 16.40 seconds; 2. Katie Chism, 16.69; no other qualified runs. Bull riding: No qualified rides.

Trick rider Dusti Dickerson will bring some of the heat to the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co., which takes place Friday-Sunday at OG&E Coliseum. With winter weather expected to hit central Oklahoma, producer McCoy Rodeo expects the action to keep all spectators warm in new building at OKC Fair Park. (PHOTO FROM DUSTI DICKERSON SOCIAL MEDIA)   OKLAHOMA CITY – Break out every cliché possible, but the folks at McCoy Rodeo are ready for every scenario this weekend. “The Show Must Go On” is a longstanding motto in the entertainment industry. There is also an old saying about neither snow nor rain would interrupt a postal service carrier. The hope is that nothing is going to rain, nor snow, on the parade that is the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. “We’ve got the perfect remedy for wintertime blues,” producer Cord McCoy said of this weekend’s rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at OG&E Coliseum inside OKC Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Tickets are available at McCoyRodeo.com. “The great thing about rodeo is we can have one anytime anywhere, and that means having it inside a brand-new building that was made for it.” It’s going to be a reprieve from the chilly temperatures and wintry moisture that is expected to his Oklahoma over the weekend. It will be an opportunity to witness world-class rodeo competition in a warm and cozy setting. Rodeoing in the winter is nothing new. Denver is well known for a having Jack Frost nipping at its toes in January, but that’s also when the city’s National Western Stock Show and Rodeo takes place annually. The Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo is a fixture this time of year, with stops in Iowa and Ohio and Minnesota. The rodeos continue, primarily because people still seek high-quality entertainment. It’s going to be adrenaline-pumping, high-intensity action over three days. Rodeo offers a glimpse of the Old West in heart-pounding fashion, and the athleticism is displayed in both human and animal form. Nearly 400 cowboys and cowgirls have signed on the dotted line in order to compete at Oklahoma City, and McCoy Rodeo will have top bucking horses and bulls ready for the fray. “The cold and the snow is just part of January, but those of us that are from Oklahoma are tough,” McCoy said. “If you take care of yourself getting here, we’re going to take care of you once you’re here. That building is going to give us a chance to put on a good rodeo for a lot of people no matter what the weather is like outside.”

Cord McCoy had heard that twins Dayna and Madison Eilert might be the best women to have ever ridden bulls. He saw it for himself, which is why he wanted them to be part of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co., set for Friday-Sunday at OG&E Coliseum at the OKC Fair Park. (PHOTO COURTESY OF EILERT TWINS SOCIAL MEDIA)   Eilert twins to help bring an adrenaline rush to OKC rodeo OKLAHOMA CITY – Rodeo is already an entertaining piece of Americana, but there are times a spark of enthusiasm just ignites the overall experience. Dayna and Madison Eilert are going to make it happen when they compete at the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at OG&E Coliseum inside OKC Fair Park in Oklahoma City. The bull-riding twins will be featured in a woman-vs.-beast showcase of athletic talent, and their involvement will certainly be a spectacle of women’s toughness in a sport typically dominated by men. Tickets are available at www.McCoyRodeo.com. “I had heard about these bull-riding cowgirls, so I started to follow them,” said Cord McCoy, the rodeo’s producer who co-owns McCoy Rodeo with his wife, Sara. “I heard a famous bull rider say they are the best female bull riders he’d ever seen, and there are two of them.” McCoy had to check it out for himself. He caught the competitors at an event, watched them ride and offered them a shot to show off their talents. “I just asked, ‘How would you like to ride in your first PRCA rodeo in Oklahoma City?’ ” McCoy said. “They both lit up and said, ‘Yes.’ “History is going to be made in the brand-new building in Oklahoma City.” The Eilerts were just looking for some fun as 12-year-old girls. They climbed on the backs of bucking steers for the first time with no equipment. They weren’t even wearing gloves, which is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to having the right grip on a rope that’s wrapped around the bovine’s chest. Why do such a thing? They were just looking for that surge of adrenaline that drives all athletes toward extreme sports. It’s that rush of chemicals through the body that happens at a skateboard park or speeding down a snowy mountain. It’s the feeling motocross racers have flying through the air from one jump to another. “I’ve spent my life in rodeo, and I never expected to see girls ride bulls that well, much less them being twins,” McCoy said. “This hasn’t been seen on a stage like this, so it’s exciting to bring another facet of rodeo to the fans here in Oklahoma.” Adrenaline is what bull riders feel when they wrap their hands to 1,600 pounds of bucking bovine flesh. McCoy has experienced it. He rode bulls for a couple decades, earning IPRA world championships, then qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo and the PBR World Finals. Haing young ladies excel at bull riding is another level of McCoy producing an event for all fans to enjoy. Rodeo is like other professional sports in that its equal parts competition and entertainment. In addition to seeing some of the biggest stars in the game, ticket-buyers will be in awe at the overall production. It starts with announcer Brandon McLagan and sound director Mark Evans, who establish the tone with the sounds electrifying OG&E Coliseum. That energy is then passed on to the cowboys, cowgirls, pickup men, bullfighters and other aspects of each of the three shows. Whether it’s the Eilert twins riding bulls or Dusti Dickerson displaying her trick-riding talent and her ability to maneuver two-, four- and six-horse teams while standing astride two of them in Roman riding. “In my opinion, there are trick riders, then there’s Dusti,” McLagan said. “She is wide-open from the time she comes in that gate to the time she leaves. There’s a reason she’s performed at the NFR. The girl does an outstanding job, and she’s just a great entertainer.” So is the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co., which will be adding a bit of flair to an already entertaining experience.

Steer wrestling world champion Jacob Edler is one of the 384 contestants who entered next weekend’s Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. and is also part of the more than one-third who reside in Oklahoma. After graduating from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Edler has remained in Alva and also owns a business there. (PHOTO BY JAMES PHIFER)   OKLAHOMA CITY – The word about the Oklahoma City ProRodeo is spreading. The event is building a case for fans to enjoy the inaugural PRCA-sanctioned Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. at the OG&E Coliseum, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at OKC Fair Park in Oklahoma City. The evidence is the hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls that want to be part of the mix, so that just adds to the excitement in a state with a massive history. World champions have been crowned here, and world champions were born here, have lived here and have died here. So, it’s no surprise that Oklahoma continues to be a rodeo hotbed and why 384 contestants have entered for a chance to compete in the state’s capital city next week. “We were blown away from the response we got last year,” said Cord McCoy, who owns Lane, Oklahoma-based McCoy Rodeo with his wife, Sara. “I know a lot of people wanted to be part of the last PRCA rodeo at Jim Norick Arena, but to see that we have so many who want to be part of this one tells me we’re doing something right.” McCoy Rodeo produces several events nationwide, from Illinois to Utah and Phoenix to New Orleans. Along the way, the company mixes world-class competition and family-friendly entertainment, the perfect breeding ground for rodeo. But cowboys and cowgirls are in it for the money. The elite will travel tens of thousands of miles in a given year to battle for the big bucks. Many of them will be at OG&E Coliseum. In fact, there are a couple dozen National Finals Rodeo qualifiers who are expected to be in the competition, from world champions like Clay Tryan and Jacob Edler to men and women who have been to ProRodeo’s championship multiple times. “The level of competitors and the level of stock we’ll have in Oklahoma City is going to be pretty incredible,” said Brandon McLagan, the voice of Oklahoma City ProRodeo. “It’s a week ahead of the Prairie Circuit Finals, so there are going to be guys and girls that are going to be getting tuned up to go to Pawhuska (Oklahoma) for that. “On top of that, everybody wants to get their year started off on a good note, and three days in Oklahoma City – right in the middle of the country – is going to be outstandings.” There are a lot of top players from the state in general. Edler lists State Center, Iowa, as his hometown, but he has lived in Alva, Oklahoma, for more than a decade. He was the runner-up to his national champion steer wrestler teammate, J.D. Struxness, at the 2016 College National Finals Rodeo. Edler then went on to advance to the 2020 NFR, where he won the aggregate title and the gold buckle. In all, there are 147 entrants from the Sooner State ready for next week. That’s more than a third of the field, which also consists of Oklahoma greats like Paul David Tierney, who has won the Timed Event Championship three times; Emily Beisel, a seven-time NFR qualifier; Riley Duvall, who has made four NFRs; and Dona Kay Rule, a five-time finalist. How big is rodeo in the state? Of the 118 qualifiers to the 2025 NFR this past December, 19 ties to the state, including nine who chose to be part of one of the college rodeo programs. Take the 2025 team roping world champions: Header Andrew Ward is from Edmond and has competed in this area all his life, and his partner, heeler Jake Long, was raised just north of the border in Coffeyville, Kansas, but was a Ranger at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. It’s ties like that that help maintain Oklahoma’s place in rodeo lore, sharing the spotlight with names like Jim Shoulders, Roy Duvall, Freckles Brown and the Etbauer brothers, South Dakota transplants that have lived most of their lives in the familiar red dirt. “Shoot, I’m pretty stinkin’ proud of what we have here in Oklahoma, and that’s the reason why I wanted to have a rodeo in Oklahoma City,” McCoy said. “This is the state that built me, built my family, and this is just one of the ways I can give back.”

Jet McCoy is all cowboy and has been from the day he was born. Raised on the family’s ranch near Tupelo, Oklahoma, he still works daily with horses and trusts them in another aspect of his job. He’s one of the pickup men for McCoy Rodeo, a livestock production company owned by his brother, Cord, and Cord’s wife, Sara. He will be working next week at the Oklahoma City Pro Rodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. (PHOTO BY CASEY THARPE PHOTOGRAPHY)   OKLAHOMA CITY – In his lifetime, Jet McCoy has held many titles, from son and brother to husband and father to champion and reality-television star. Through each layer of each job, one description stands out: Cowboy. It’s a title he’s had for all 46 of his years, and he’ll show it off during the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at OG&E Coliseum inside OKC Fair Park in Oklahoma City. “My mom always said if you didn’t have kids horseback by the time they were 4, it was too late,” said McCoy of Ada, Oklahoma, who will be one of three pickup men next week. “That experience on the ranch has played such a huge role in being a good pickup man, because you have to be able to read livestock and know where they’re going before they get there. “You also have to know how to handle livestock. What a lot of people don’t realize is that, obviously, our first priority is the safety of the cowboy. Once that’s taken care of, the safety of the livestock is a close second.” It’s vital, and it’s why he’s part of the mix. The rodeo’s producer is McCoy Rodeo, which is owned by Jet’s baby brother, Cord, and Cord’s wife, Sara. Jet and Cord are the two youngest children born to Janet and the late Denny McCoy, two lifelong ranchers who raised rodeo hands. Justen is the oldest of the quintet at 58, and Nikki came next. JoRay is the middle child at 52, then there are six years between him and Jet, who’s 13 months older than Cord. Yes, it’s a family business, but Jet McCoy is a hired man. “As a rodeo producer, it’s my job to get the best people on my team, and I’d be a fool to overlook Jet just because he’s my brother,” said Cord McCoy, who pointed out that Jet McCoy will be joined in the arena by J.J. Hatcher and Dillon Cox in serving as the rescue team. “When you’re looking for pickup men, you want cowboys, and we’ve got that with those three.” In addition to being raised on the family’s ranch near Tupelo, Oklahoma, Jet McCoy has been involved and around rodeo all his life. He was a four-time International Professional Rodeo Association champion – he won the 1997-98 saddle bronc riding titles, then added all-around crowns the following two years – and competed at an elite level from his teens to his 30s. He’s raised and trained horses and has spent considerable time in recent years competing in reigned cow horse competitions. Each step he has taken has been a reflection of being a cowboy, but it’s also about bettering himself in that capacity. Being a pickup man is an extension of that. “I think any pickup man would tell you it’s the adrenaline,” he said. “There’s a little bit of an adrenaline rush that goes along with riding next to a bucking horse and being in the chaos of it all. It’s also about being a cowboy. During the course of the rodeo, the pickup man is the only guy that’s horseback the entire rodeo, and I really don’t like to get off my horse.” His role, and that of his compadres, is to keep every person and every animal in the arena as safe as possible. Having been around livestock is important, but he has a little extra knowledge that comes from his time as a rodeo cowboy. “All those years of riding broncs and competing, you understand what it’s like from the contestant viewpoint, and you know what they’re expecting,” Jet McCoy said. “You also have situational awareness. You can see when a guy is in a bind, and you can almost see the wreck coming before it happens. There’s no question that it makes a big difference for a pickup man.” He will join Hatcher and Cox as the men on the job at the first PRCA-sanctioned rodeo at OG&E Coliseum; it replaces the historic Jim Norick Arena, which was home to rodeo and Western-related sports since the 1960s. That’s where Jet McCoy won all four of his IPRA titles, but his history at OKC Fair Park. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a continuation of a long story,” Jet McCoy said. “I can remember I’ve rode broncs in that arena. I started showing horses there. I’ve shown cow horses and reiners in that arena. Last year, I picked up at the last ProRodeo in that arena, so it was part of my journey that centers around horses in one way or another. “There’s a lot of stuff that’s happened in that arena, and it’s been a blessing just to be part of it. Now, I get to pick up at the first ProRodeo at OG&E Coliseum.” It’s a maturation, of sorts. It’s the next phase of being a cowboy to Jet McCoy, just like it was for his father and brothers. He’ll share the stage with two other men who share the same title. “Having three guys helps us split the work up three ways instead of two ways, so it helps to save pickup horses and makes it easier to do your job in an arena that size,” he said. “The biggest reason is because of the number of horses we’re bucking. I mean, last year we had slack in saddle bronc riding,  Continue Reading »

McCoy Rodeo’s Pegasus was named Bull of the 2025 National Finals Rodeo after bucking off Stetson Wright in the fifth round and Tristen Hutchings on Night 10 in a combined 7.02 seconds. The nearly 1,700-pound gray bull had suffered an infection and had his right horn removed. Pegasus recovered well enough to join the elite field of athletes in Las Vegas, then outshined them all. (PRCA PHOTO BY CLICK THOMPSON)   OKLAHOMA CITY – As he was inside the yellow bucking chute synonymous with the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, the gray bull without a right horn stood motionless. Pegasus was familiar with his surroundings. It was the 8-year-old bull’s third straight December being at ProRodeo’s grand finale, and he’d shown off his athleticism once five days before, when he overpowered 10-time world champion Stetson Wright in 4.99 seconds. “He’s been the rankest bull of all 10 days,” said Don Gay, an eight-time bull riding world champion and television analyst said before the 1,685 pounds of explosive bovine muscle exited the chute Dec. 13, the final night of the NFR and the 2025 season. Pegasus was poised, much like a prize fighter in the corner before the referee calls the combatants to the center of the ring. On his back was Tristen Hutchings, a 25-year-old Idaho cowboy who just happens to be the only man to have lasted a qualifying eight seconds on the gray wonder during the bull’s ProRodeo career. That happened during the 2023 NFR, when Hutchings won the eighth round after posting an 89-point ride. The four-time qualifier to the sport’s biggest stage didn’t stand a chance. Pegasus looked out the opening between the slats before Hutchings nodded his head, a call to open that yellow gate and allow the bout to begin. The animal leapt out of the box and made one and a half revolutions to the left while jumping and kicking three times. That’s all that Hutchings could handle, and he hit the ground 2.03 seconds after the chute gate opened. In his two performances at the most recent NFR, two of the greatest bull riders in ProRodeo lasted a combined 7.02 seconds. For that, Pegasus was crowned the Bull of the NFR, an honor when considering only the top 100 bovine athletes were featured in Sin City. “That is one special animal,” said Brandon McLagan, the voice of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co., set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at OG&E Coliseum inside OKC Fair Park in Oklahoma City; tickets are available at McCoyRodeo.com. “The McCoy Rodeo gang never ceases to be amaze me that when there’s a good bull out there, they’re going to get him.” From the McCoy Ranch in the southeastern Oklahoma community of Lane, it’s a 1,255-mile quest to the desert city of Las Vegas. Pegasus made that journey just a few weeks ago with a couple of pasture-mates, Blue Duck and Ugly This. They are just a trio of the top bucking athletes from Sara and Cord McCoy, the latter of whom is a retired bull rider with his own pedigree. The six-time PBR World Finals qualifier who earned the right to compete at the 2005 NFR, Cord McCoy has transitioned from being an elite athlete to raising them. His most popular bull is Ridin Solo, which was selected as the PBR’s Bull of the Year twice and was also featured at the NFR. While Ridin Solo rode off into the sunset of retirement, Pegasus has stepped in to fill that void in a big way. He will be one of many McCoy bulls to help kick-start the first ProRodeo inside OG&E Coliseum in a couple weeks. “That bull got a horn infection, and they knew something was wrong,” McLagan said. “Once they got that horn removed, that bull has come back stronger than he was before.” It’s a heroic tale of overcoming adversity to thrive in the spotlight. It’s akin to quarterback Alex Smith returning to the NFL after suffering a lower leg fracture and a life-threatening infection, but this episode came in a man-vs.-beast sport. In the fifth round of this past NFR, Pegasus was the barbarian, but Wright was just as beastly as the winningest cowboy of this generation. If his gold buckles, three have come in bull riding, including the 2025 title; one came in saddle bronc riding; and he’s won six of the last seven all-around titles – since 2019, the only year he didn’t win the all-around was 2024, when an injury that almost ended his career sidelined Wright for the entire campaign. Through that nearly five-second battle, Pegasus’ power was overwhelming, as the G-force generated was too much for Wright. The bull had already overcome the challenge of the infection, so the greatest cowboy in the game today was just another hurdle he cleared. “To have that adversity with the horn infection and have surgery to remove it, it says something about that bull to get back to being healthy in order to make it back to the NFR,” McLagan said. “To win the Bull of the NFR on top of that is very cool.”

OG&E Coliseum is a modern arena at OKC Fair Park and stands as a beacon for future events at the fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, including the Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co., a McCoy Rodeo production that takes place Jan. 23-25. (PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT OKLAHOMA CITY)   OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma-based McCoy Rodeo has a unique distinction. Not only did the company produce the final Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event in the historic Jim Norick Arena, but it will also produce the first PRCA event in its replacement, OG&E Coliseum at the OKC Fair Park. “When we decided we wanted to bring ProRodeo back to Oklahoma City, we wanted it to continue year after year,” said Cord McCoy, a rodeo champion who co-owns the company with his wife, Sara. “To be the first PRCA rodeo in OG&E Coliseum is pretty cool.” The Oklahoma City ProRodeo presented by Tractor Supply Co. is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, in Oklahoma City. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, Jan. 6, at www.McCoyRodeo.com. With nearly 500 contestants entered to compete in last year’s event, expectations are high as McCoy and his team plan for this year’s lineup. “We paid out over $50,000 last year, and I expect that to increase this year,” said McCoy, a five-time IPRA champion who qualified for the 2005 National Finals Rodeo and advanced to the PBR World Finals six times before transitioning to the role of stock contractor. “Our goal is to continue to grow this rodeo, and just moving into this new building is a big part of that.” The fanfare around rodeo is growing, and fans are flocking to arenas across North America, where attendance is up. More businesses are partnering with rodeos, contractors, cowboys and cowgirls, and payouts are increasing. Contestants are setting new standards for single-season earnings because of the sport’s popularity. In all, six cowboys earned more than $500,000 in 2025. That number will likely increase this year. How much has the money improved over the past 20 years? McCoy finished his only NFR 15th in the 2005 world standings with $82,234. The 2025 No. 15 bull rider was Rawley Johnson, who earned $158,778. Two cowboys ended their all-around race in Las Vegas. Stetson Wright won the bull riding gold buckle for the third time and added his sixth all-around championship, clearing $941,429 while also finishing third in the saddle bronc riding standings. Wacey Schalla of Arapaho, Oklahoma, was the reserve all-around champion after earning $741,428 riding bulls and bareback horses. That’s an incredible annual salary, but this is a professional sport that requires a lot out of its players. There are no guaranteed contracts, and expenses aren’t covered by a team. Cowboys and cowgirls must pay their own way, including the entry fees in order to compete. The only way they’re paid is if they beat most of the field. “The money has certainly changed over the years, but you still have to have the fire and passion,” McCoy said. “We rodeo because we love it and because we’re competitive. It’s a lifestyle more than it is making a living. It’s good that we get to do this, but I think we do this because we’re cowboys.”

Announcer Scott Grover has been a big part of the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Oklahoma, for more than 20 years. He’s seen how the rodeo has grown over that time, and he’s experienced why it is so good. (PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)   Will Rogers Stampede reinvents itself with growth, progress CLAREMORE, Okla. – This isn’t the same, old rodeo. No, the Will Rogers Stampede has been reimagined and reinvigorated over the years, thanks to great community support and an ongoing fascination with the cowboy way of life. This is the Will Rogers Stampede of the mid-2020s, a vibrant, award-winning brand of entertainment. “I’ve watched that rodeo grow by leaps and bounds since the first time I went there in 2005,” said Scott Grover, the voice of the Will Rogers Stampede, set for 8 p.m. Friday, May 22-Sunday, May 24, at RCB Bank Arena in Stampede Park at Claremore. Gates open at 6 p.m., with mutton bustin’ and other entertainment beginning at 7. “It has grown and matured a lot over those years and had a lot of positive changes.” Claremore and the surrounding communities have reaped rewards. Awards and honors have coincided with those adjustments. From 2014-2018 and again in 2021, the stampede was named the PRCA’s Small Rodeo of the Year before stepping up in class to a medium-size rodeo. The event was also nominated among the best in the country in 2022-23, even as it became a higher-paying rodeo. That 2021 event was something special. In addition to the PRCA honor for the sixth time, Will Rogers Stampede was also honored as the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s Small Rodeo of the Year. Awards like that come directly from the competitors. “One of the things we’ve realized over time is that having a better product makes for a better fan experience, so we’ve done the things to step up our game,” said David Petty, a longtime director of the rodeo. “We’ve increased our ‘added money,’ thanks to some incredible sponsors who have been fantastic partners. “With help from the Interlocal Rodeo Arena Cooperative, the facilities are probably some of the best you’re going to see in Oklahoma and most likely across this part of the country.” It’s being noticed. The most recent honor came from regional superstars, those who compete in the PRCA’s Prairie Circuit, made up of events and contestants primarily from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Voters selected the Will Rogers Stampede as the top large rodeo in the circuit for 2025. “That rodeo went from a small rodeo to what it is now and has still been able to hold on to the honors and the nominations it’s had,” said Grover, now in his 21st year calling the action in Claremore. “The cowboys continue to turn out. I think the average has been 750 contestants the last several years. “It’s becoming a very popular place that those guys continue to make sure is on their schedule every year.” Rodeo is a reward-based enterprise, and the “added money” Petty talked about refers to local dollars that infuse the payout. That money is added with the contestants’ entry fees in order to make up the entire purse. Winners in 2015 averaged around $1,800; 2025 champions averaged almost $3,100. “This coming May, we’re going to celebrate our 80th year, and with that, we’re offering over $80,000 in added money as we continue to make Claremore a destination rodeo for top contestants,” Petty said. “With the large number of contestants we expect to get, we should pay out over $200,000 next May to help the contestants start their summer run.” Rodeo is a unique professional sport; there is no guaranteed income for the contestants. They must pay their own expenses, and, on top of that, must pay an entry fee in order to compete. The only way to secure money is to beat most in the field. That’s why big-money rodeos are attractive. “The people in Claremore are doing everything right,” said Jesse Knudsen, who will be the rodeo’s music director for the sixth consecutive year. “When I first showed up, the cowboy hospitality area was a tent, and now it’s a covered pavilion that can be used year-round for different functions. “They also want to put a VIP area over the bucking chutes.” That’s true. Petty said infrastructure improvements continue with what is being dubbed as “Chute Heaven,” allowing for private-access and VIP/sponsor seating that will be new for the 80th edition of the Will Rogers Stampede. “That’s going to be significant to have that VIP deck,” Grover said. “When you can bring in your sponsors and the people who invest in your rodeo for a special thing, it’s always beneficial to the rodeo and to the overall experience. Everybody wants the best seats in the house, and the people that probably deserve the best seats in the house are the companies that pay for it.” It’s a winning combination, but that’s nothing new for the stampede. “Anytime you get nominated or win an award, it shows what you’re doing is working,” Knudsen said. “It shows that the contestants appreciate the hospitality, appreciate the added money, appreciate the nice venue. It shows what we’re doing at Claremore is working and that the contestants are taking notice.” It begins with RCB Bank Arena at Stampede Park, and the redevelopment of that began more than eight years ago. That year of 2018 also marked the inclusion of the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic Steer Roping, which kicks off the Memorial Day weekend festivities with a Thursday evening competition. It is the richest steer roping rodeo in Oklahoma and among the top 10 in steer roping payouts in the PRCA. “For me, I’d say the biggest change I’ve seen is just how the stadium has come together and the increased support of the community with the cooperative getting involved,” Grover said. “From the grounds to helping raise prize money to getting more sponsors, the community has done some things that  Continue Reading »

Rodeo announcer Scott Grover will conduct the Big Top Rodeo Announcer & Music Director Seminar from Feb. 20-22 at the Four Points by Sheraton Kansas City Airport as a way to give others the insights he didn’t have when he began his career. He will be working with noted sound director Jesse Knudsen through the three-day seminar. (PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)   Seminar will help rodeo announcers, sound directors improve KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Like most things, Scott Grover’s idea of Big Top Rodeo has evolved over time. The foundation remains the same. A lifelong cowboy who has a way with words, Grover has always wanted to give back to the sport. He’s one of the elite announcers in rodeo, and his credentials speak to that, but his heart goes well beyond serving as the sport’s emcee. That’s what led to the creation of his special project. “Our original thought was to help athletes get ready for interviews, scholarships or public speaking and maybe what they’re going to do after rodeo,” said Grover, who operates the business with his wife, Becky. “One day, I had an announcer reach out that had questions, so I told him that I was doing some one-on-one Zooms with athletes and that we could do one, too.” The adjustment was made, and Grover began doing seminars to help others involved with the game. He and good friend Jesse Knudsen will conduct the Big Top Rodeo Announcer & Music Director Seminar, set for Feb. 20-22 at the Four Points by Sheraton Kansas City Airport. “I had that announcer send me some video, and we broke down his opening ceremony and talked for about an hour, and then I had another guy do the same,” Grover said. “All of the sudden, we realized that there weren’t announcing schools anymore. We thought I’ve been doing this long enough and with my teaching background that maybe I could do it. “I got all that figured out and the curriculum written, and then I was like, ‘Well, music directors and announcers work hand-in-hand, so it would be good to have a music director seminar at the same time.’ ” Those credentials? Grover has been named the WPRA’s Announcer of the Year, has worked the PBR World Finals eight times and has been one of the voices at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping three times, including each of the past two years. He’s also the voice of the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver and one of the emcees at the Days of ’47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City, just to name a couple of the many rodeos he works annually. “I want these people to invest in themselves,” he said. “I’m doing this to help you, because nobody helped me.” Enter Knudsen, who has been part of rodeo most of his life. He was a competitor before becoming an announcer and sound director. His behind-the-scenes work is well known in the business, and the respect he’s achieved is recognized in his position as the announcer/music director representative for the PRCA’s executive council. “These seminars help people advance in their careers,” said Knudsen of Manawa, Wisconsin. “When I started, it was all trial and error. I didn’t have anybody to sit down and show me how to set up my computer. I didn’t have anybody show me that this is what you look for to help your announcer or help your clown as a music director. For most of us, we didn’t have anybody to show us the ropes. “The seminars are so important now, because when a young music director or a young announcer is starting, we’ve been able to show them stuff to look for. We can eliminate a lot of the learning process. “A wise man learns from his mistakes, but a genius learns from another man’s mistakes.” Originally from the tiny town of Morrowville, Kansas, Grover lives near Weston, Missouri, with his wife and their three children. He attended Southeast Community College in Beatrice, Nebraska, then graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in agriculture education. Teaching high school students and advising the FFA program was a full-time job, but announcing was the dream. He chased it, but that teacher’s training has never left. Grover and Knudsen typically work with a dozen and a half every seminar. “We’ve been averaging about 10 announcers and between six and eight music directors every time,” Grover said. “I had a crash course in rodeo, and I didn’t want everyone to do that. I was going to as many rodeos as I could just to listen to guys and try to figure out who Scott Grover was behind the microphone.” He’s still doing a crash course, but it’s done over a long weekend in February. Grover has matured in his voice and in his presentation, from announcing small events to being the face of the PBR on CBS Sports and PBR’s Ride Pass. “We cover a pretty wide gamut of stuff, from how to write a production log so that you can help your committees and your stock contractors maybe be better to how to write contracts, the business side of things,” he said. “We also talk about voice control and pausing in the right spot and how to write an opening ceremony, how to write a script when the committee brings you a list of 20 businesses and says, ‘Here’s out sponsor list.’ ” It’s an extension of professionalism that is vital in today’s world of rodeo production. It’s more than having a strong voice and the ability to call the action in the arena. It’s more than playing a song through the speakers. For those that have done it, continuing education is also a way to sharpen skills. “When I rode bulls, I loved going to schools because it got you back to the basics,” Knudsen said. “I think I get a lot out of teaching as much as the students, because it  Continue Reading »

Cinch cowboy Riley Webb secured his third straight world championship at this year’s National Finals Rodeo, becoming the first tie-down roper in more than 40 years to win at least three consecutive gold buckles. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   Cinch tie-down roper claims his 3rd straight world championship Four years ago, little went right for then-19-year-old Riley Webb during his first venture to the National Finals Rodeo. He placed in five rounds but finished no higher than third, which happened during the fourth night of the 2022 championship. He finished that 10-day affair with three straight no-times. The Resistol Tie-Down Roping Rookie of the Year left the Nevada desert with $71,092. “My rookie year here in ’22 was rough,” Webb told CalfRoping.com. “But when I left here, it lit a fire under me, and that fire’s still burning.” Yes, it is, and it might be hotter than ever. Webb has placed himself in rare company with three straight world championships, having earned $1,483,610 during that stretch. He became the first calf roper to win at least three consecutive titles since “Super Looper” Roy Cooper did it 41 years ago; Cooper won five straight starting in 1980, as did Dean Oliver from 1960-64. Don McLaughlin had four in a row from 1951-54 and Toots Mansfield (1939-41) had three. “I feel great,” Webb told the PRCA. “The Lord gave me the ability and talent to shine for Him. I try to emulate that every day.” If shouting scripture from the mountaintop is the best way to preach, then Webb is in the right place to share his sermon. He just happens to do his with a rope, a heavy dose of athleticism and the 2025 Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year in Rudy, a 12-year-old sorrel gelding sired by Metallic Cat out of HA Gay Freckles. “That horse, Rudy, is so special,” he said. “I’ve talked about him the last three years here. He just lets me win.” A Cinch endorsee, Webb won his first Montana Silversmiths gold buckle in 2023, finishing the year with $452,852 – $172,000 came at the NFR. A year later, he pocketed nearly $260,000 in Las Vegas to claim the title with $475,214. This year, he earned another $250,000 at the NFR but finished the year with $555,533. Of that, $94,000 came in the form of his second straight average title, which he earned by placing in seven go-rounds, including the third-round win. It’s just part of a magical journey he began after his inaugural business trip to Las Vegas. “It’s special to be the first person to (threepeat) since Roy Cooper,” said Webb, 22, of Denton, Texas. “Roy passed away this year, but he was instrumental for me growing up. I was lucky enough to rope with him and his family. It was a huge part of my roping career, and I’m honored to sit alongside him in the record books.” There were a lot of consecutive marks for the young Texan. He established a single-season earnings mark in 2024, then he obliterated it in 2025. That comes from a combination of rodeos increasing their purses across North America and the roper’s winning formula. In addition to winning the NFR, Webb also earned titles at 12 other rodeos, including Houston; Puyallup, Washington; Hermiston, Oregon; Reno, Nevada; and the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo. He entered the NFR No. 1 in the world standings with more than $300,000 in earnings. Once he arrived in Sin City, he ran away with the title. The No. 2 cowboy in the final world standings was world champion Shad Mayfield of Clovis, New Mexico, who won the 2020 tie-down roping crown and the 2024 all-around title. Mayfield finished the year $167,000 behind Webb. It was a profitable year for the world’s best tie-down ropers. The top six finished the season with more than $300,000 in earnings, and Webb lapped the field. The No. 3 man, Kincade Henry of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, more than $200k behind his buddy. It’s just further proof of the Lone Star State’s dominance in calf roping. Over the last five years, just two men have won rodeo’s gold, Webb and four-time titlist Caleb Smidt, who won his final two crowns in 2021-22. Four others with Texas addresses have also added their name on the gold buckles since 2010: Trevor Brazile, Tuf Cooper, Tyson Durfey and Brazilian Marcos Costa, who was living in Childress at the time of his 2017 championship. This season, though, was all about the boy from Denton who has spent his lifetime as a tie-down roper. He rode the sport’s best horse, won the sport’s best rodeo and put a new shine on a new piece of golden hardware that he’ll either wear or put in his elaborate trophy case. This was the season was about Riley Webb, who won more money in 2025 than any other single-event cowboy and provided more proof why he will be enshrined in rodeo halls of fame for eternity.

T.J. Gray placed on all seven bulls he rode during the National Finals Rodeo. He won the average championship, which included a $94,000 payday, and earned $295,665 during his 10-day stay in Las Vegas to also win the Top Gun award. He finished his second straight NFR as the reserve world champion bull rider. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   Oregon bull rider pockets nearly $300k in 10 days at NFR T.J. Gray has had a December to remember. Gray was a magician on the backs of some of the rankest bulls in professional rodeo during the week and a half of the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale at Las Vegas. He tested his skills and his mental approach over 10 rides and came out as the best of them all over that stretch. “I was a little more relaxed and had a lot more fun,” said Gray, 24, of Dairy, Oregon. “I think having fun works for me.” It certainly did in Sin City. He rode seven bulls for a cumulative score of 610.5 points to win the NFR average title, with a bonus of $94,000. He won three rounds and finished no worse than fourth over the other four nights in which he had a qualified eight-second ride. For all that, he finished the championship with $295,665 in Las Vegas earnings. He did that in just 10 days and finished the season second in the world standings with $513,810, about $33,000 behind the world champion, Utah cowboy Stetson Wright. Gray also won the Top Gun award for having the highest earnings in a single event, beating out a field of 118 cowboys and cowgirls competing in a variety of disciplines; he also snagged some nice gifts with the Top Gun, including a $20,000 voucher to be used toward a new vehicle. “I’m not going to complain about winning money, but I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily money driven,” Gray said. “It’s not the money that excites me about it, but more, I just love the competition. That’s what drives me. However, Chase Dougherty won the Top Gun in 2018. When he did it, I thought, ‘I’ve got to do that one day.’ “Chase is another Oregon cowboy, and I thought it was very cool. It’s a very prestigious award, because not only are you the best bull rider that week, but you are making more than all the other events. I’m pretty proud of that one, too.” He got there by riding the most animals of any bull rider, which is no small feat. Their bovine counterparts are athletic, too, and outweigh the cowboys by 1,400 to 1,800 pounds. Three men rode six bulls, while there were three others that rode five. “Riding only seven bulls leaves room for improvement,” he said. “We’ll see what next year brings.” The top bulls make things more difficult, even for rodeo’s elite. Only three men have ridden all 10 at the NFR since its inception in 1959, and the last to do it was Brazilian Adriano Moraes in 1994. “Quite a bit of people also agreed that we had a pretty good NFR as far as having a lot of guys staying on in most rounds,” said Gray, who also secured bigger paychecks in certain rounds because of ground money; the NFR pays out more than $118,000 per night over six placings, and if only a handful of cowboys ride, the rest of the money goes to those that made the whistle. “That makes me happy that the competition was as good as it was. To be able to stay on more than anyone else is pretty cool.” There were three go-rounds that featured fewer than six qualified rides, and Gray won two of them. Only two cowboys rode in Round 7, when the Oregon cowboy matched moves with McCoy Rodeo’s Blue Duck for 90.5 points; Gray earned $63,000. Only four cowboys made it in Round 9, when he was 78.75 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Mellow Yellow to finish fourth worth $19,000, and four more made it when he won Round 10 with an 89.5-point ride on Rosser Rodeo’s Mr. Priefert, valued at $40,512. When he rode, he placed, which is why he cornered the market inside the Thomas & Mack Center. He did have a lonely stretch, though, bucking off in Rounds 3-5. “The first two were legit buck-offs,” he said. “The third one, I got in my head, and I started trying to overcomplicate it. Fortunately, I picked up on what I was doing. You’ve got to have fun and quit thinking about it.” He reeled off five checks in a row to close his 2025 campaign. In that stretch along, he earned $174,764 in go-round money. “It helps to not overthink things,” Gray said. “Don’t worry about the outcome. I told myself, ‘I don’t care if I fall of the next five, we’re just going to enjoy it no matter what,’ and it turned around pretty fast.” As with any athlete, a good mental approach is vital when doing things physically. The muscle memory and fundamentals are already in place, so taking a simplified approach to business is the best way to handle the tasks at hand. Consider this: Gray did all this while competing with an ankle injury that pestered him half the year. In early June, he was hung up to Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Tiny Tornado at the Sisters (Oregon) Rodeo Xtreme Bull Riding, and the bull stepped on his lower leg. Gray suffered a crack in his fibula in his ankle, and two weeks later, surgeons place a metal plate and screws to stabilize the fracture. He went back to riding and earned enough to qualify for the NFR for the second straight year, but there was something else wrong. Gray contracted an infection in that ankle. He had surgery after the finale to remove the infection, but he was still slowed a little by the swelling caused by the  Continue Reading »

Steer wrestling world champion handles his cow during another solid run at the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. Allen rode Banker, the 2025 Bulldogging Horse of the Year owned by Justin Shaffer, then dominated the 10 days of competition in Las Vegas. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   Cinch bulldogger handles the biggest rodeo test for championship The things in Tucker Allen’s life aren’t really any different than they were a couple weeks ago. He’s trying to figure out a replacement for the pickup truck that was stolen during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He’s been in contact with law enforcement officials; they say they have a suspect, but that’s about it. The main discrepancy in life would be in the title he now holds. Sure, he’s still a cowboy and a hell of a bulldogger, but he’s added the banner of world champion steer wrestler to his moniker. It’ll never go away, but neither will the little things that need to be dealt with at his home in Ventura, California. “I understand what I’ve done, and even Justin (Shaffer) asked me if I feel any different,” Tucker said of his traveling partner, friend and hazer. “I was like, ‘Honestly, no. I’m back home and have got to do real-life stuff.’ “I’ve got to fix water lines and still pay bills, and I have horses to ride. The day-to-day doesn’t feel any different, but the sense of accomplishment is for sure there. Right after I got that average saddle, that’s when it all set it.” Cowboys dream of being a world champion in their given disciplines. Second on that list is to win the NFR’s average title for having the best 10 days out of all 15 contestants in each event. Allen did that in one fell swoop the first week and a half in December. “That average title sealed the deal,” he said. “Then when I saw Luke (Branquinho) and Dakota (Eldridge) and Bridger (Anderson) all in the hallway, that’s when it really hit me. After I’d made my run, Rowdy (Parrott) and Ty (Erickson), all them guys gave me hugs. “I’m normally not emotional at all, but it got a little emotional there.” Allen had earned the sentimental feelings. He’d accomplished something many mean dream about but few achieve. There were 14 other bulldoggers in the mix, but the Cinch cowboy from a Southern California beachside community outlasted them all. He placed in six go-rounds, including three in which he had the fastest run of the night. He cleared $248,000 over 10 December nights in the Nevada desert; most of that came in the rounds, but there was also a $94,000 bonus paid out on Dec. 13, the final night, for having the best aggregate score. He finished with a cumulative time of 46.4 seconds and won the average by 10.4 seconds. That was a dominant stretch of competition for the 5-foot-10, 180-pound cowboy, who continually overcomes a size disadvantage in comparison to other steer wrestlers to grapple a 600-pound steer to the ground. Will Lummus, for example, stands 6-2 and checks in at 250 pounds. Erickson is 6-5, 240. But just as he learned from California world champions Branquinho and John W. Jones, it takes more than brawn to tip over a farm animal. Proper technique and riding a good horse are critical no matter how big the bulldogger is. “Hopefully the title of world champion will make those announcers and all the other people stop talking about how small I am,” Allen said with a slight grin. “I always like to think I’m last year’s world champion; I’m not this year’s world champion. They’ve still got rodeos to win money at, and I’ve got green horses that I could probably make.” That goes into the horsemanship that’s so valuable. He has some horses that aren’t quite savvy to rodeo and the needs that come with competing at an elite level, so he will “make the green” ones better by taking them through the paces and exposing them to what it takes to be great. “I’m not taking anything for granted,” Allen said. “I know that for whoever I haze for, I want to be better at it. I’ve still got work to do.” For now, though, he’ll enjoy the moments he’s had on Banker, the 2025 AQHA/PRCA Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year owned by his friend and traveling partner, Justin Shaffer of Hallsville, Texas. There were five cowboys in the travel group, which also included Holden Myers, Jace Melvin and Jesse Brown, the latter of whom joined Shaffer and Allen at the NFR. In fact, those three cowboys that rode Banker earned more than $529,000 in Las Vegas. “He for sure got a big hug from me,” Allen said of the athletic bay gelding. “Even when I went to Justin’s (after the NFR) to practice, Banker was out in the pasture, and I had to stop and take a look at him. I was like, ‘God, you’re cool. You let me accomplish my dreams.’ “We took pictures of him the next morning, and I put the world champion saddle on him because, to me, he’s the champ. Without that horse, I don’t win that gold buckle, so that horse is pretty impressive.” So is Allen, who had to clear many hurdles en route to rodeo’s gold. First, he had to earn a spot in the Las Vegas field, which features only the elite at the end of the regular season. He then had to battle through 10 grueling go-rounds at the sport’s premier event. He was in contention for the world title midway through the NFR, and it was his to lose after the ninth night. “They’re not lying when they say it’s a marathon,” Allen said. “Even if you have one round that just goes so-so, you just have to keep pushing. There were runs that I could have been better, but at the same time, almost as soon as you  Continue Reading »

When bull rider Tristen Hutchings won the third round of the National Finals Rodeo, he wanted to honor the fight of 6-year-old Casyn Cates, who has beaten pediatric cancer. Casyn and his mom went on the South Point Showroom stage with Hutchings on Dec. 6 to talk about Golden Circle of Champions, the organization that helps raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. Casyn and Hutchings are pictured with Casyn’s mom, Cashlee, and Hutchings’ girlfriend, Delani Cunningham. (PHOTO BY TED HARBIN)   GUNNISON, Colo. – Flint Rasmussen might have said it best. “There’s more to Tristen Hutchings than just bull riding,” said Rasmussen, one of the most decorated entertainers in rodeo history and co-host of the nightly Montana Silversmiths Go-Round Presentation at the South Point Resort in Las Vegas. Rasmussen made that statement at the close of the show Dec. 6 after Hutchings appeared on stage with a small entourage that included 6-year-old Casyn Cates, who is in remission after battling B-cell acute lymphoma. It was a way to celebrate Casyn, his fight and all the children who have suffered pediatric cancer and were part of the Golden Circle of Champions Day at the National Finals Rodeo. “This is actually my champion today,” Hutchings said on stage while looking down at the youngster. “He’s actually had a hard fight.” Yes, he has. Casyn was diagnosed in February 2022 when he was just 2 years old. The battle lasted three years, and with every treatment and every rough day, the child went toe-to-toe with the devil. He spent his day with rodeo superstars like Hutchings, team ropers Lightning Aguilera, Travis Graves and Jake Smith, and veteran bareback rider Tilden Hooper. The six of them did cowboy things, but most importantly, they celebrated a child that was willing to scrap for his life. Casyn and his family also attended Round 3 of the NFR “He’s finally starting to get his personality,” said Casyn’s mom, Cashlee, who lives in Sheridan, Wyoming with husband Chantz and their two other children, sister Carsyn, 9, and brother Corbyn, 8. Still quite young and a bit shy, he’s coming out of that shell created by needles and doctors and days of just feeling downright pitiful. The fear is unimaginable, but, as Hutchings pointed out, champions fight past through the anxiety and horror to come out victorious. “I was in a poor mood, and then I got to participate today, and I know this little one personally,” he said, looking at Casyn. “I’ve been cheering him on for two years. Being there brightened my mood, and it reminded me how blessed I am. “We know him personally, so we got it lined up to where we got to be with them. Then after I won the round, we called them as fast as we could to get them to the South Point. I was very excited to bring him up on the stage.” Karla Rundell was on the stage with them, too. The first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee, she has spearheaded the volunteer group’s campaign toward raising funds and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer. “Cattlemen’s Days has been with Golden Circle of Champions since the beginning,” Rundell said. “We raised over $11,000 locally and aim to help not only with local kids but also start helping kids in the Mountain States Circuit (Wyoming and Colorado). “These kids are champions, and it’s a blessing that we can do our part in helping them after they’ve been in this fight. It’s pretty special that our champion got to be a star in Las Vegas.”

Kade Sonnier rides the 2025 PRCA Horse of the Year, Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven, for 90.75 points to win Saturday’s 10th round of the National Finals Rodeo. He also finished fourth in the average and fourth in the world, earning almost $200,000 in Las Vegas. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – The final day of the 2025 ProRodeo season may have been one of the best of Kade Sonnier’s year. He rode the PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year for 90.75 points to win Saturday’s 10th round of the National Finals Rodeo, pocketing $36,668. He also finished fourth in the average race, worth another $60,325. In all, he cashed in all his chips to the tune of $199,057 during his 10-day stay in Las Vegas. He finished the season fourth in the world standings with $360,564. “I turned everything loose going into that round,” said Sonnier, and two-time NFR qualifier from Carencro, Louisiana. “I knew I was riding for a bigger purpose. I was out of a world title, and I’ve got a little girl to provide for, a lot of goals to accomplish in life outside of rodeo. The money helps. I was going to let it all hang out. “There are a lot of people that don’t get to see $200,000 in a year, much less have fun doing it. We’re just fortunate I’m able to make a living doing what I love, get to have good friends and get to have my family around me and get to enjoy as much as I do. This is living the dream right here.” He certainly wasn’t hallucinating Saturday night on Lunatic Heaven. The sorrel owned by Brookman Rodeo out of Montana earned the honor in a vote by the bareback riders who compete on the powerful broncs. She bucked in both the fifth and 10th rounds at the NFR and guided cowboys to the nightly titles both times – eventual world champion Rocker Steiner won the fifth round on her. “There’s only one word that truly describes that horse, and that’s electricity,” Sonnier said. “She fired out of there and hit right. I knew she was going to buck really hard, but she kind of surprised me on that first jump, and I got a little bit off-centered. I knew I just had to. The harder and faster I spurred, it seemed like the faster and higher she was bucking. “That’s a special animal right there.” It was a phenomenal way to close the NFR, the most successful of his young career. “This is the second time I’ve been here, and for the second time, I’ve put myself in a world-title race,” he said. “The reality is the 2026 season as started, and we’re not gunning for anything shy of a gold buckle.”

Bridger Anderson cashed in for the seventh time with a fifth-place finish during Saturday’s 10th round of the National Finals Rodeo. He finished the 10-day championship with $117,540 in earnings. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – On the final night of the 2025 ProRodeo season, steer wrestler Bridger Anderson did what he had to do. When his horse, Whiskers, caught up to the cow, the fight was on. Anderson tipped the steer over in 4.5 seconds and napped his seventh-round paycheck of this year’s 10-night National Finals Rodeo. It was worth $5,914 and increased his Las Vegas earnings to $117,540. It was an impressive run, but there’s more to it. He had that kind of a week but was still saddled with two no-times. “We shouldn’t have had those,” said Anderson, a three-time NFR qualifier from Carrington, North Dakota. “Those steers sucked, but I ain’t even worried about it. With those two no-times, I should have caught those steers, but it was still a good week. “I’m super happy for Tuck.” That’s Tucker Allen, who won the bulldogging world title after an impressive run in Sin City. He and Anderson were roommates at Northwestern Oklahoma State University for a short time and have remained close friends. Outside the college ties, it’s a common bond between steer wrestlers. “We’re all buddies, and we’re rooting for each other,” Anderson said. “We’re just a group of best friends that are not going to root against each other. That would be silly. We don’t compete against each other as much as we compete against the cow we have drawn, and then the rest falls out the way it does.” That mentality is why their bond is tight. It’s why Anderson is genuinely happy for his friend. “Tucker and I both had Luke (Branquinho) as one of our biggest mentors,” he said of the five-time world champion. “He’s been studying with Luke a lot longer than I have, but this is awesome. I’m so pumped for him.” Allen finished the year with almost $400,000 in earnings, while Anderson closed the campaign with $226,867, good enough for ninth in the world standings. His year of competition is complete, and it’s time for a short break. “I’m not going to think about rodeo for a couple weeks,” he said with a laugh. “I’m going to hang out in Arizona for a few days, then go up to South Dakota for Christmas. Then it’s time for Odessa, Denver and San Diego, so we’re right back into it. It’s all gas, no breaks at that point.” He wouldn’t have it any other way.

Even though the breaks never came his way, J.D. Struxness was solid during his seventh National Finals Rodeo. He finished third in the average and left Las Vegas with more than $134,000. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – The look of disappointment was evident. J.D. Struxness wanted another Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. It went to California instead of Minnesota, but it was still a solid performance for the 2024 steer wrestling titlist. He placed in just five rounds, half that of the National Finals Rodeo, and his biggest day check came on opening night when he finished in a three-way tie for second place. Still, he was solid through the 10-day championship. He grappled 10 steers to the ground in a cumulative time of 63.1 seconds, one of just four men who had a time in every round. He finished third in the aggregate race and added a $60,325 payday for doing so Saturday night. He concluded his seventh NFR with $134,198 and ended the season seventh in the world standings with $272,870. “This is one of the first times I’ve thrown down all 10 steers,” said Struxness of Milan, Minnesota. “Overall, it was a good week, especially for bringing a new horse out here. I thought he did extremely well and has some confidence in the building. “We’re really looking forward to him the next few years and then getting to bring him back up here and see what it’s like with maturity and getting bigger and stronger.” Ice is just 7 years old, so the vibrant, packed stands in the Thomas & Mack Center were a new adventure for the young horse. It’s a major source of pride for Struxness. “We’re going to see what kind of horse he’s going to be,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting. As far as the 10 days, we’re pretty happy about it. We never really made any mistakes; we just didn’t have any breaks go our way. Usually in this building, you need at least one break to go your way, and then you can make an outstanding run somewhere. “To be able to come out and walk our way back up to third in the average is a big deal.”

Bareback rider Cole Franks considered his fourth National Finals Rodeo a disappointment, but he still earned almost $108,000 in 10 days. He finished fourth in the average race, and that $44,356 bonus was added into his earnings. He finished sixth in the world standings. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – It’s been a whirlwind 365 days for bareback rider Cole Franks. He left Nevada last December with more than $155,000 in earnings and a plan to be back. He set out on a plan to do that, but there were other aspects to his life that were also a priority. Franks was married in May to the former Dustie Warr, then set off on the rodeo trail that kept him on the road for much of the summer. He kept winning, and the result was a fourth qualification to the National Finals Rodeo. He and his bride are also expecting their first child in February, so he arrived in Las Vegas two weeks ago with gold on his mind and a goal of buying diapers and baby food for months to come. This is the world’s richest rodeo, where a disappointing 10 nights still resulted in a payday of $107,781. “It’s still a good payday, but it’s definitely not what I wanted to get done or anywhere close to what I had envisioned,” said Franks, 24, of Clarendon, Texas. “Nothing felt right the last four rounds. I don’t know necessarily if it was equipment or my body. A lot of stuff is hurting right now, my hips, my neck, everything.” The business of bareback riding is brutal on one’s body. Cowboys wear specially designed gloves with binds on the ring and pinky fingers to lock their hands into the riggings, which are strapped tightly to the horse’s back. They then try to spur from the front of the animal’s shoulders back to the rigging before surging the feet back to the front before the bronc’s front feet hit the ground again. All the while, 1,200 pounds of bucking dynamite is exploding beneath them. It’s time. “I finally committed to just saying getting my hip,” said Franks, the 2021 intercollegiate champion at Clarendon College in both the all-around, bareback riding and as part of the men’s title team. “I’ve got a torn labrum and bone spurs growing in my hip. I feel like it’s probably the best time to do it, get it done before the new year and come back in mid-April. “That’ll give me two months at home with a new baby. I won’t have to worry about being gone and missing the baby or missing him being born because his due date is in the heat of winter rodeo.” Rodeo is how Cole Franks makes a living, and it’s a pretty good one. He finished the year with $308,143 riding bucking horses, and his consistency at the NFR came through despite his ailments. He rode 10 broncs for a cumulative score of 846 points, placing fourth in the aggregate, which was worth $44,356. It’s time to get things fixed and heal so he can continue to support his growing family. That’s the priority, after all.

Weston Patterson closed out his first National Finals Rodeo in a big way. He placed in three of the final four nights, including an 87.75-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper to finish fifth during Saturday’s 10th round. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – The National Finals Rodeo can be a strange place. Take saddle bronc rider Weston Patterson. He entered the sport’s Super Bowl 11th in the world standings, then accumulated $94,573 in wealth. Still, he dropped two spots on the money list to No. 13. His final payday came during Saturday’s 10th go-round, where he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper for 87.75 points to finish fifth, worth $9,463. He finished the year with $268,308. “It was a very fun 10 days of my life, and I’m never going to forget it,” said Patterson, a first-time NFR qualifier from Waverly, Kansas. “I really can’t complain. Obviously, I could be greedy and say I wanted more, but I’m very thankful to have it go this way. I’m very appreciative.” He should be. Only the top 15 bronc busters on the money list at the end of the regular season get to play on this stage. Patterson kicked off his Las Vegas adventure by finishing second on opening night, Dec. 4. He had another fifth-place finish in Round 7, then won the eighth night. It’s still a windfall, even though others cashed in their NFR slots for more cash. World champion Statler Wright earned $274,000 inside the Thomas & Mack Center. This was a building block. A ride like he produced on the final night of the 2025 campaign would win most rodeos. At the NFR, he settled for fifth. Just like when he finished second at the College National Finals Rodeo in 2021, he was part of the Clarendon (Texas) men’s team that won the national title. He knows what it’s like to be a winner, but he’s also just two years removed from his rookie season. Every phase in life can be a learning tool, and this is just another rung on his ladder toward longstanding success. “One thing I learned is it’s a long week,” Patterson said. “Everybody says, ‘Take it one horse at a time,’ and that ain’t no lie. It can get cold and get real hot real fast. You just need to keep your head down. There’s obviously a reason why every one of us is here. “You just have to keep going after them one after another and believe in yourself.”