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GUYMON, Okla. – Every athlete wants a fair opportunity to compete. In the world of rodeo, no other event does it better than the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 6; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 8, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. It’s why the best in the business return to the Oklahoma Panhandle the first weekend of May each year. “We’ve always focused on the cowboys,” said Jim Quimby, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual event. “For us, that means doing what we can for the contestants, from our hospitality to getting the best stock. That means getting the best bucking horses and bulls and giving the timed-event contestants the best cattle to compete on.” The committee will try to get enough roping cattle and bulldogging steers for each cowboy. In team roping, the animals will be fresh, meaning they’ll come straight from the pasture and will not have been roped prior to the event. “Our team ropers won’t draw for their steers because they’ll be walking fresh and chute run,” said Ken Stonecipher, a longtime committee member. “We’ve had muley steers, those that don’t have horns, but this year we’re using horned cattle in team roping. “They’ll still have a long score with a hand-pulled barrier.” The primary difference is that most rodeo cattle have been through the chutes and know what to expect. They’re trained to do their jobs. “When we get these fresh cattle, you don’t know what to expect, which we hope will make it a little more western,” Stonecipher said. That’s just one aspect of the commitment to great livestock. The barrel racers, ropers and steer wrestlers will showcase some of the most athletic horses in the business, animals with blazing speed that can handle the maneuvers needed to stop the clock in quick order. Of course, primary stock provider Pete Carr of Carr Pro Rodeo will bring with him a pasture full of great bucking horses and bulls. Not only that, but Carr has sought out some other tremendous contractors to help provide the fantastically athletic bucking beasts for this year’s festivities: Powder River Rodeo Co., D&H Cattle Co., Korkow Rodeo and Frontier Rodeo. “It’s important to me that the cowboys can get on any horse or any bull and have a chance to win the rodeo,” Carr said. “We’ve had some great rides in Guymon over the years, and I’m sure we’ll see that again this year.” That’s just what the rodeo needs, Quimby said. “We’ve got several horses and a number of bulls that were at the 2010 NFR,” he said, referring to the year-end championship, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I think, altogether, it’s shaping up to be the best four performances you can see anywhere outside the NFR.” With previous years as indicators, Quimby might be dead on in his assessment. Take Dirty Jacket, a 7-year-old gelding that has helped cowboys win the Pioneer Days Rodeo title each of the last three years. In 2010, Will Lowe scored 87 points on Dirty Jacket to win the rodeo, while Joe Gunderson’s 86 on the horse held up for second place. “The thing I like about coming to Guymon is that we all have a shot,” said saddle bronc rider Bobby Griswold of Geary, Okla., a four-time NFR qualifier. “That’s a rodeo we all want to win.”

D.V. Fennell has had a hunger in his belly for five months. Fennell is a two-time bareback riding qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but bucking horses don’t read resumes. The Utah-born, Oklahoma-raised cowboy hasn’t seen a paycheck since the seventh round of the on Dec. 8, 2010. That’s the way it goes in rodeo sometimes. Even the best cowboys go through trials that would make lesser men squeal. “I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been a struggle,” said Fennell, who earned $5,880 over the past week by finishing second at two rodeos. “But it feels real good now. I’m ready to start my roll.” Fennell’s biggest chunk of change came in Logandale, Nev., where his 85-point ride was second only to Jake Vold’s 87. For that, Fennell earned $4,512. He added another $1,368 by finishing second at Oakdale, Calif., with an 80, just two points behind winner Cody DeMers. “This is a tough business,” he said, noting that contestants must pay entry fees in order to compete and they only earn money back if they do well enough to place; at both rodeos, only the top six places earned a check. “You’ve just got to stick with it and believe in yourself. But when you go through those kinds of slumps, it’s hard not to doubt yourself. “Fortunately I’ve got a great team helping me. I couldn’t have made it this far this year without my little buddy, Justin (McDaniel) or Eric Norris or Jack Hodge.” McDaniel is the 2008 world champion bareback rider and Fennell’s longtime traveling partner, while Eric Norris owns the State Farm Insurance agency in Fennell’s hometown of Neosho, Mo. Hodge runs James Hodge Ford in Muskogee, Okla. – both Norris and Hodge are marketing partners/sponsors of Fennell’s rodeo career, but they bring a lot more to the table. “These guys have kept me going down the road doing what I do,” Fennell said. “But they’ve also been great friends. That means a heck of a lot more to me.” So what’s next? Fennell has expected a “hot” season, meaning many trips to the pay window in a sport where money not only helps pay bills but also counts toward championship points – the contestants in each event with the most money won at the end of the 2011 campaign will be crowned world champions. And while it took several months to get it kick-started, Fennell is still banking on a strong finish. In reality, he’s less than $5,000 outside of the top 20 and less than $13,000 outside the top 10. As he proved quickly in Logandale and Oakdale, a hot run can help Fennell make up a lot of ground. “It’s pretty amazing how momentum works,” he said. “But I feel sharp and know I’m riding good. It’s time to keep getting on good horses and take advantage of that.”

Life in Varanasi, India, is considerably different from life in Tupelo, Okla., and the McCoy brothers know that better than most after taking part in the seventh leg of “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business.” But they also found there are a lot of similarities. “We come clear across the world to haul some hay,” said Cord McCoy, who is on the 18th season of the CBS-TV reality series with his brother, Jet. The brothers from southeastern Oklahoma began the leg in Kolkata, India, in second place. But they didn’t stay there long. In fact, while the other six teams got the earliest flight to Varanasi, the McCoys took a flight that put them an hour behind. “The competition … it just keeps getting tougher and the game gets more intense as we go,” Jet said. “Our game plan from the first has been to minimize mistakes. Seems like we kind of got the kinks worked out these last three legs, and hopefully we can keep that momentum going. No room for error here.” The brothers, though, didn’t realize their mistake until it was about time to board their plane when they didn’t see any other racers. “If nobody else gets on this one, that means they’re all ahead of us,” Cord said. “It’s going to be a long day,” Jet replied. It was. Once the cowboys landed in Varanasi, they realized they were 30 minutes to an hour behind the other teams. Their goal was to go as quickly as possible during the leg’s “road blocks” and “detours” to hopefully make up ground. In fact, as they arrived at the first challenge, only half the teams were still there, the father-daughter teams of Gary and Mallory Ervin and Ron and Christina Hsu and the Goth couple, Kent Kaliber and Vyxsin Fiala. “We see the cowboy hats bobbing over the crowd, and I think all three of us girls were concerned because the cowboys are so efficient,” Fiala said, noting that each team’s men handled the “road block” challenge in which they searched for religious men and completed a puzzle. “I think everyone feels pretty intimidated and threatened by them.” The challenge meant the competitors had to tour the streets of Varanasi in order to find the pieces to their puzzle; Cord tackled the task for the McCoys. “How fast you run is how fast you’re going to get through the road block, but you don’t want to miss anything either,” Cord said. “So you’re whipping your head back and forth, and your feet are going 9.0 and your hands are in front of you in case you hit a car. “The profession that Jet and I grew up doing, competing in rodeos and riding bulls and bucking horses, you don’t get paid unless you win. So you’ve just got to leave all your cards on the table while you’re here.” Cord rushed through the challenge and finished ahead of Ron Hsu. “I knew the cowboys would catch up,” Christina Hsu said. “I was just hoping they wouldn’t catch up to us.” The “detour” involved India’s relationship of livestock. Teams could either feed the fire, making 50 traditional fuel patties made out of buffalo patties, then slapping them onto a wall to dry in the sun; or crossing the Ganges River to retrieve hay, then cross the Ganges again to deliver it to the address that’s listed on each of the bundles of hay. Three teams made the fuel, while the other four teams, including the McCoys, hauled hay. “The crap I do for a million dollars …” said manure spreader Jennifer Hoffman, who is on the race with her sister, LaKisha. The teams then had to cross the Gange River again to find the “pit stop” at Ramnagar Fort. The Globetrotters, Herb Lang and Nate Lofton, finished first. The McCoys finished the leg in fifth place. “Every time we had a chance to bust it and get back in the race by pure grit and try, that’s what we did,” Cord said. The Hsus finished last and were eliminated.

HAYS, Kan. – The future of rodeo is among us, and it’s coming to northwest Kansas for the annual Fort Hays State University Rodeo. The college’s rodeo club will host the event, part of the Central Plains Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. It’s one of the toughest circuits in college rodeo, and the FHSU rodeo team has been part of it for decades. FHSU cowboys and cowgirls will test their mettle against some of the top hands in college rodeo during the four performances scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15; 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16; and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 17 at Doug Phillip Arena. How tough will the competition be? This is where Bronc Rumford was an all-around winner before a he became a professional champion, then the program’s coach. It’s where Lyle Sankey developed his talents before qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo in all three roughstock events, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. It’s where Jule Hazen fine-tuned his steer wrestling talents before a career that’s seen him qualify twice for the NFR. It’s where Jerry Beagley rode bulls and Kevin Rich fought them. It’s where Dr. Garry Brower has coached great student athletes and built a legacy that he’s handed off to Rumford. “We’ve had some great athletes that have been part of our program over the years,” Rumford said. “They know they’re going to be tested every week. A real cowboy knows the challenges he faces, and he wants to tackle them head-on.” The rodeo will feature more than 550 contestants from 27 schools in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The reigning women’s all-around and breakaway roping national champion is scheduled to be part of the 2011 competition at Doug Phillip Arena. Jordan Muncy-Taton is a senior at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, and she helped her team to a third-place finish in the College National Finals Rodeo last June. The Fort Hays State men’s team is led by Cody Pratt, who is third in the circuit’s steer wrestling standings. He’ll need a strong showing to close out the rodeo season if he’s going to qualify for the CNFR. Troy Crowser of Panhandle State won the Resistol Saddle Bronc Riding Rookie of the Year award last year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association – unlike other professional sports, collegians can compete in ProRodeo while maintaining there eligibility. But the history of great rodeo in the Central Plains Region runs deep. Just look at the 1990s, where a team from the circuit made up of rodeos primarily in Kansas and Oklahoma won the college championship from 1992-2001. “This always has been a tough region, and I don’t see that changing any time soon,” Rumford said. “That’s what makes coming to this rodeo so much fun, because you’re going to see the best kids in the country.”

Two-time and reigning world champion saddle bronc rider Cody Wright failed to earn a dime during the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo last weekend. That opened the door for all the other top bronc riders in the game, especially his younger brother, Jesse, who won the national championship and pocketed the biggest paycheck of all competitors in Oklahoma City, $19,195. I’m not so sure Jesse was willing to split his take with his Montana Silversmiths gold buckle-wearing brother, but I reckon he bought dinner Sunday night.

ADA, Okla. – No matter where he’s been all over the world, Cord McCoy’s thoughts return to his home. Southeastern Oklahoma is home to McCoy, one of the elite cowboys in the Professional Bull Riders tour, the Built Ford Tough Series. He makes his living trying to ride the nastiest bucking beasts in the business, a continuation of his life on the ranch. That’s why McCoy is excited about his developing relationship with Ada-based Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc., an organization that has supported McCoy’s bull riding career and has seen the cowboy traverse the world with his brother, Jet, during two seasons of the CBS-TV reality series, “The Amazing Race.” “I’ve worked with Pre-Paid in the past, and I know the kind of people they are,” said McCoy, a five-time champion in the Oklahoma-based International Professional Rodeo Association who has focused his career on riding bulls in the PBR. “It’s very exciting to me to be able to work with everybody at Pre-Paid. We’re still working out all the details of the sponsorship agreement, but I think this is something that’s going to work well for both of us. “I’m a cowboy, but even bigger, I’m an Oklahoma cowboy. It’s important for me to work with an Oklahoma company, and that’s Pre-Paid Legal; it’s Oklahoma from its foundation up.” Pre-Paid Legal offers products that are one-of-a-kind, life events legal service plans, and the company provides legal service benefits provided through a network of independent law firms across the United States and Canada, and include unlimited attorney consultation as well as will preparation, traffic violation defense, automobile-related criminal charges defense, letter writing, document preparation and review and a general trial defense benefit. Pre-Paid Legal Services has an identity-theft restoration product that is also one of a kind because of the combination of outside vendors and provider law firms. More information about can be found at http://www.prepaidlegal.com. Pre-Paid Legal has approximately 600 employees at its corporate headquarters in Ada and an additional 60 employees in Antlers and 100 employees in Duncan. In the partnership, McCoy will carry the Pre-Paid Legal brand with him as he travels the country chasing his bull riding dreams. He will serve as a marketing representative for the company as he meets with fans and the media, wearing the Pre-Paid Legal logo during each appearance, whether in the arena or on television interviews or during autograph sessions. Pre-Paid Legal has been part of the Oklahoma landscape for nearly 40 years, and Jet and Cord McCoy have brought Oklahoma to the masses through their exciting experiences on “The Amazing Race.” The brothers finished second in Season 16, which aired last spring. They are still involved in Season 18, which has aired half its 12 episodes already this spring. The seventh leg of the race around the world for $1 million will air at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 10. “Whether I’m at a bull riding in California or racing around the world, I’m always thinking of home,” McCoy said. “That’s who I am. I’m pretty proud to be from Oklahoma.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – There’s only one title that now eludes Tyson Durfey. The Missouri-born cowboy put together a magnificent run from March 31-April 3 to win tie-down roping during the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo at Jim Norick Arena, the historic site that hosted the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for 13 years. “This event has always been important to me,” said Durfey of Colbert, Wash. “Growing up in Missouri, Billy Huber was a legend in that area. Even my brother and my dad went to the circuit finals, so growing up, everybody that I looked up to was going to the circuit finals.” Huber is from Iowa, Missouri’s neighbor to the north. Both are part of the Great Lakes Circuit, one of 12 regions that are part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s circuit system. Huber has earned 20 qualifications to the DNCFR by winning either the Great Lakes Circuit’s year-end or finals titles, so you can see how a young Durfey found an idol. Durfey was raised near Savannah, Mo., by his father, Roy, who trains calf ropers and calf-roping horses. Twice Tyson Durfey was the tie-down roping champion in the Missouri High School Rodeo Association. At 19, he began his ProRodeo career. In 2006 at the age of 22, Durfey won the first of two Canadian Professional Rodeo Association championships, the first American-born cowboy to accomplish the feat. And even though he’d moved to Washington, being solid in his circuit has always been an important step for Durfey, who has qualified for the national tournament four times in his career. Now he hopes to parlay his excellent run into that elusive gold buckle given to the world champion each year. “It doesn’t look like it in the standings, but I’ve had a pretty good year,” Durfey said. “It’s just it hasn’t been at the rodeos that count for the world standings.” That’s true. The PRCA standings are based on money earned, though the DNCFR earnings don’t count toward the 2011 campaign since qualifying is based on the 2010 season. But Durfey will find a way to spend $14,533 he earned in Oklahoma’s capital city. Still, there’s a wave of momentum that comes along with the title. Durfey placed in the opening two go-rounds and finished second in the two-run aggregate – the top eight advanced to a sudden-death semifinals, then the top four from that round advanced to a sudden-death finals. It was there that Durfey posted the fastest time of the four-day championship, a 7.2-second run. “I’m just blessed to have such a great horse,” Durfey, 27, said of Bailey, his sorrel quarter horse. “That horse has made my career. This really helps my momentum, but I’m not done. I just want to rope sharp and stay focused. If I can do that, everything will take care of itself.”

Clint Cannon was very interested in taking the most money he possibly could out of Oklahoma City when he competed at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo last weekend. That’s why he competed just after getting knocked out in Laughlin, Nev. You see, Cannon’ s bareback riding rigging broke in Laughlin, and he took a ride off the back of his animal. Most likely he suffered a concussion, but the two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier didn’t let that stop him from competing for a national championship. In all, Cannon won $8,364 and earned one of five spots in Sunday’s final go-round — only the top four were to qualify out of the semifinals, but Cannon’s 81-point ride tied Bo Casper and Brian Bain, so five bareback riders advanced. Bobby Mote won the DNCFR title and more than $13,000, while Kaycee Feild earned the most money of all bareback riders over the four days of competition, $17,961. Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champ, earned more than $8,500. The goal of DNCFR qualifiers is to earn that coveted national championship, but the money earned inside Jim Norick Arena will go a long ways down the rodeo trail this season. Sometimes it means battling through a little pain to make it work.

Bobby Mote is one tough son of a gun. Just a couple months ago, he underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia, which he suffered last summer and played with through his fourth world championship. See the story HERE. Mote has returned to the arena, but he admitted Sunday that he may have done so a tad bit too early. It looks as though he’s re-aggravated the injury. And just like he did over the 10 days in Las Vegas for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the Oregon cowboys summoned up the strength, courage and fortitude he needed to win his first Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo title. So will he take time off now? Nope. In fact, he plans to compete in both bareback riding and team roping at all the upcoming rodeos that are part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. Of course, he’s tougher than most.

Tie-Down Roping Round 2 results 1.         Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 8.1 seconds, $4,525 2.         J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 8.2, $3,428 3.         (tie) Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 8.3, $2,057 Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 8.3, $2,057 5.         (tie) Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 8.6, $823 Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 8.6, $823 Aggregate results 1.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 17.0 seconds on two head, $4,525 2.         Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 17.7, $3,428 3.         Blake Hirdes, Turlock, Calif., 18.8, $2,468 4.         Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 19.0, $1,645 5.         (tie) Wes Arcement, Raceland, La., 19.1, $823 Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 19.1, $823

Round 2 results 1.         Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 85 points on Beutler & Son’s High Trails, $4,525 2.         (tie) Curtis Garton, New Zealand, NZ, 79, $1,837 Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 79, $1,837 Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, 79, $1,837 Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 79, $1,837 Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 79, $1,837 Aggregate results 1.         Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 165 points on two head, $4,525 2.         JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 162, $3,428 3.         Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 160, $2,468 4.         Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, 159, $1,645 5.         (tie) Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 156, $823 Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., 156, $823 7.         Curtis Garton, New Zealand, NZ, 154 8.         Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 153

Round 2 results 1.         Casper May, Pryor Creek, Okla./Derrick Peterson, Stillwell, Kan., 4.8 seconds, $4,525 2.         Ross Lowry, Summerville, Ga./Stephen Britnell, Maryville, Tenn., 5.1, $3,428 3.         Cody Graham, Everton, Mo./Troy Hermelbracht, Homer, Neb., 5.2, $2,468 4.         Spunk Sasser, San Antonio, Fla./Michael Harris, Vilonia, Ark., 6.2, $1,645 5.         Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 6.3, $960 6.         Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 6.4, $686 Aggregate results 1.         Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 11.9 seconds on two head, $4,525 2.         Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 12.1, $3,428 3.         Ross Lowry, Summerville, Ga./Stephen Britnell, Maryville, Tenn., 12.2, $2,468 4.         Brett Price, Faith, S.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D., 12.9, $1,645 5.         Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., 13.5, $960 6.         Jason Handy, Stobey, Mont./Kory Mytty, Lolo, Mont., 14.0, $686 7.         Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 16.4 8.         Ryan Siemsen, Worden, Mont./Ross Carson, Killdeer, N.D., 16.8

Round 2 results 1.         Tater Hins, Huron, S.D., 84 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Gold, $4,525 2.         Jacob Tyner, Sacramento, Calif., 81, $3,428 3.         (tie) Allen Helmuth, Ellensburg, Wash., 80, $2,057 Dusty Elkinton, Moundville, Mo., 80, $2,057 5.         Brett Crump, Great Falls, Mont., 68, $960 Aggregate results 1.         Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo., 88 points on one head, $4,525 2.         Ryan Shanklin, Rocksprings, Texas, 86, $3,428 3.         Shawn Proctor, Tooele, Utah, 85, $2,468 4.         Tater Hins, Huron, S.D., 84, $1,645 5.         Jacob O’Mara, Prairieville, La., 83, $960 6.         Jacob Tyner, Sacramento, Calif., 81, $686 7.         (tie) Allen Helmuth, Ellensburg, Wash., 80 Dusty Elkinton, Moundville, Mo., 80

1.         Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 15.31 seconds, $4,525 2.         (tie) Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 15.32, $2,948 Bobbie Bohlman, Eland, Wis., 15.32, $2,948 4.         Michelle West, Henryetta, Okla., 15.41, $1,645 5.         Kelli Tolbert, Hooper, Utah, 15.49, $960 6.         Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 15.51, $686 Aggregate results 1.         (tie) Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 30.77 seconds on two runs, $3,976 Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 30.77, $3,976 3.         Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 30.83, $2,468 4.         Michelle West, Henryetta, Okla., 30.85, $1,645 5.         Jessi Eagleberger, Stringtown, Okla., 31.06, $960 6.         Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 31.14, $686 7.         Annesa Self, Valley View, Texas, 31.15 8.         Nellie Williams, Cottonwood, Calif., 31.17

John Franzen wears denim shirts. It’s a family thing, he said, but it’s also a tribute. That’s a family thing, too. Franzen held it all tight to his chest Saturday night at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, where he posted a 3.6-second run to win the second round of steer wrestling the championship. More importantly, his 7.7-second cumulative time on two runs was best in the field of 24 bulldoggers. In all, he has earned $11,517. “I knew I had a good steer, and I knew what I needed to do,” said Franzen, a third-generation rodeo cowboy whose family is also providing stock at the DNCFR. “I told myself I wasn’t going to lay off the barrier. I had to go after it.” That he did. After finishing third in the opening round with a 4.1, he knew he had some room to move. Besides, he’s living his dream in the world of rodeo, and he’s carrying on a legacy left behind by his cousin, A.J. Franzen, who died Dec. 18 in an automobile wreck. A.J. Franzen was 26 years old. “Me and him were going to travel together this year,” said John Franzen, son of Hank Franzen, owner of Powder River Rodeo Co. and co-owner of D&H Cattle Co. “He’s one of my heroes.” That denim shirt displays A.J.’s brand, a symbol John is proud to wear. But he’s just as proud to be part of the DNCFR competition for the first time in his career. “I’ve worked six of these events when it was at Pocatello (Idaho), and I’m flanking our bulls,” he said. “It’s pretty cool being able to be in the competition and work the rodeo, too. I’d sure like to do that at the National Finals Rodeo, too.” The most important part of Franzen’s victories were his qualification to the semifinals, which begin at 1 p.m. Sunday. The top eight contestants in each event advance to a clean-slate round. The top four from the semifinals advance to the finals, and the contestant with the best score or time will be crowned national champion. Other round winners were bareback rider Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 84 points on Kesler Championship’s Alley Trail, $4,525; tie-down roper Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 8.1 seconds, $4,525; team ropers Casper May, Pryor Creek, Okla./Derrick Peterson, Stillwell, Kan., 4.8 seconds, $4,525; barrel racer Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 15.31 seconds, $4,525; saddle bronc rider Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 85 points on Beutler & Son’s High Trails, $4,525; and bull rider Tater Hins, Huron, S.D., 84 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Gold, $4,525. Other average winners were bareback rider Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 162 points on two head, $4,525; tie-down roper Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 17.0 seconds on two head, $4,525; team ropers Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 11.9 seconds on two head, $4,525; barrel racers Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., and Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 30.77 seconds on two runs, $3,976; saddle bronc rider Wright, 165 points on two head, $4,525; and bull rider Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo., 88 points on one head, $4,525.

1.         Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Big Lights, $5,484 2.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 83, $4,113 3.         (tie) Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 81, $1,371 Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 81, $1,371 Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 81, $1,371

1.         Allen Helmuth, Ellensburg, Wash., 71 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Big D, $5,484 No other qualified rides.

1.         Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 3.9 seconds, $5,484 2.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.4, $4,113 3.         Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.8, $2,742 4.         Casey McMillen, Redmond, Ore., 5.3, $1,371

Bobby Mote and Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex have a lot in common. Both are tremendous athletes. Mote is one of the elite bareback riders in rodeo who owns four Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world championships. Big Tex is one of the elite bareback riding horses that has been scored in some of the highest marked rides in the sport. Oh, and they’re both the reigning world champions in their categories, Mote holding the 2010 gold buckle and Big Tex wearing the 2010 halter. On Sunday afternoon, the two matched moves for 90 points to split the final round victory at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo at Jim Norick Arena – Kaycee Feild matched moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Night for 90 points, but Mote earned the victory because of his semifinal round-winning 85-point ride on Carr’s Big Lights. “He’s an awesome horse, a big horse that fits my style,” said Mote, a nine-time DNCFR qualifier who won his first national championship in the event’s inaugural run in Oklahoma City. “There’s nothing better than when you come down to the final four rounds, and you know you’ve got to go after it because of what’s going on. “I crave getting in that position.” He must. After Feild posted his score to take the lead in the championship round, Mote and Big Tex danced across the arena to match the score – Mote knew he had to be 90 or better to claim the elusive championship. Still, Feild, the son of six-time world champion Lewis Feild, walked away from Jim Norick Arena with $17,961 in earnings over four days; Mote was second best among bareback riders with $13,354. Jesse Wright of Milford, Utah, earned the biggest check of the weekend, all while winning saddle bronc riding. Wright, the reigning DNCFR champion, cashed in for $19,195. His biggest check came in the final round, when he rode the 2010 saddle bronc of the year, Vold Rodeo’s Painted Valley, for 83 points, just a point better than 2007 world champion Taos Muncy of Corona, N.M. “I wanted a work truck, so now I can get me one,” Wright said, referring to the $20,000 voucher event champions earned with their winning weekend. “I hope I can keep the momentum going. Hopefully I can make the finals again this year. That’s the plan, anyway.” Tie-down roper Tyson Durfey has four qualifications to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and owns two Canadian Finals Rodeo titles. He wanted to add the DNCFR title to his trophy case. “This event has always been important to me,” said Durfey of Colbert, Wash. “Growing up in Missouri, Billy Huber was a legend in that area. Even my brother and my dad went to the circuit finals, so growing up, everybody that I looked up to was going to the circuit finals.” Other event winners were steer wrestler Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.6 seconds; team ropers Ross Lowry, Summerville, Ga./Stephen Britnell, Maryville, Tenn., 10.5 seconds; barrel racer Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 15.30 seconds; and bull rider Allen Helmuth, Ellensburg, Wash., whose 71 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Big D in the semifinal round held up for the national title after all the bull riders failed to make a qualified ride in the finals.   Bareback Riding Finals 1.         (tie) Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 90 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Night, $4,799 Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 90 points on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex, $4,799 3.         Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 88, $2,742 4.         Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 83, $1,371 5.         Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 82 Semifinals 1.         Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Big Lights, $5,484 2.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 83, $4,113 3.         (tie) Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 81, $1,371 Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 81, $1,371 Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 81, $1,371 Total event earnings 1.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, $17,961 2.         Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., $13,354 3.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., $8,501 4.         Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, $8,364 5.         Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., $7,404 6.         Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., $4,525 7.         Dave Worsfold, Queensland, AU, $4,250 8.         (tie) Sam Nordick, Mohall, N.D., $1,440 Yance Day, Fort Scott, Kan., $1,440 10.       (tie) Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, $329 Wyatt Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., $329 Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., $329 Justin Miller, Billings, Mont., $329   Steer Wrestling Finals 1.         Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.6 seconds, $5,484 2.         Casey McMillen, Redmond, Ore., 4.4, $4,113 3.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 13.4, $2,742 4.         Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 14.5, $1,371 Semifinals 1.         Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 3.9 seconds, $5,484 2.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.4, $4,113 3.         Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.8, $2,742 4.         Casey McMillen, Redmond, Ore., 5.3, $1,371 Total event earnings 1.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., $14,054 2.         Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., $11,997 3.         John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo., $11,517 4.         Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., $10,489 5.         Casey McMillen, Redmond, Ore., $5,827 6.         Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., $4,525 7.         (tie) Shane Henderson, Winfield, Kan., $2,605 Dean McIntyre, Wickenburg, Ariz., $2,605 9.         Todd Suhn, Hermosa, S.D., $2,468 10.       Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., $1,645 11.       Adam Strahan, Kankakee, Ill., $823   Tie-Down Roping Finals 1.         Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 7.2 seconds, $5,484 2.         J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 9.3, $4,113 No other qualified times Semifinals 1.         Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.2 seconds, $5,484 2.         J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 9.9, $4,113 3.         Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 11.5, $2,742 4.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 14.9, $1,371 Total event earnings 1.         Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., $14,533 2.         J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., $11,654 3.         Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., $10,009 4.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., $9,323 5.         Brett Fleming, Worden, Mont., $4,525 6.         Blake Hirdes, Turlock, Calif., $3,153 7.         Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., $2,879 8.         Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, $2,468 9.         (tie) Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., $2,057 Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., $2,057 11.       Grady Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., $960 12.       Wes Arcement, Raceland, La., $823   Saddle Bronc Riding Finals 1.         Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 83  Continue Reading »

1.         Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.2 seconds, $5,484 2.         J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 9.9, $4,113 3.         Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 11.5, $2,742 4.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 14.9, $1,371

1.         Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 86 points on Kesler Championship’s Bonus Alley, $5,484 2.         Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 85, $4,113 3.         Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 77, $2,742 4.         Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 62, $1,371

1.         Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 4.9 seconds, $5,484 2.         Ross Lowry, Summerville, Ga./Stephen Britnell, Maryville, Tenn., 5.2, $4,113 3.         Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.7, $2,742 4.         Jason Handy, Stobey, Mont./Kory Mytty, Lolo, Mont., 5.8, $1,371

1.         Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 15.29 seconds, $5,484 2.         Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 15.32, $4,113 3.         Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.36, $2,742 4.         Jessi Eagleberger, Stringtown, Okla., 15.37, $1,371

Bareback Riding Round 2 results 1.         Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 84 points on Kesler Championship’s Alley Trail, $4,525 2.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 83, $3,428 3.         (tie) Yance Day, Fort Scott, Kan., 80, $1,440 Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 80, $1,440 Sam Nordick, Mohall, N.D., 80, $1,440 Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 80, $1,440 Aggregate results 1.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 162 points on two head, $4,525 2.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 160, $3,428 3.         Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 159, $2,468 4.         (tie) Dave Worsfold, Queensland, AU, 156, $1,303 Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 156, $1,303 6.         (tie) Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 155, $343 Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 155, $343 8.         Yance Day, Fort Scott, Kan., 154