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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

Saddle Bronc Riding Round 2 leaders 1.         (tie) Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 79 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Rawhide Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, 79 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Raylene Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 79 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 79 points on Western Rodeos’ Hippy 5.         Bryan Martinat, Marsing, Idaho, 76 6.         Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., 74 Aggregate leaders 1.         Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 160 points on two head 2.         Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, 159 3.         (tie) Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 156 Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., 156 5.         Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 153 6.         Jake Costello, Newell, S.D., 146 7.         JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 85 on one 8.         Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 81

Team Roping Round 2 leaders 1.         Casper May, Pryor Creek, Okla./Derrick Peterson, Stillwell, Kan., 4.8 seconds 2.         Cody Graham, Everton, Mo./Troy Hermelbracht, Homer, Neb., 5.2 3.         Spunk Sasser, San Antonio, Fla./Michael Harris, Vilonia, Ark., 6.2 4.         Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 6.3 5.         Brett Price, Faith, S.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D., 6.5 6.         Jason Handy, Stobey, Mont./Kory Mytty, Lolo, Mont., 8.0 Aggregate leaders 1.         Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 12.1 seconds on two head 2.         Brett Price, Faith, S.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D., 12.9 3.         Jason Handy, Stobey, Mont./Kory Mytty, Lolo, Mont., 14.0 4.         David Ballantyne, Elverson, Pa./Casey Cox, Fort Edward, N.Y., 21.9 5.         Chris Lawson, Dripping Springs, Texas/Casey Chamberlain, Colorado City, Texas, 22.7 6.         Casper May, Pryor Creek, Okla./Derrick Peterson, Stillwell, Kan., 4.8 on one 7.         Cody Graham, Everton, Mo./Troy Hermelbracht, Homer, Neb., 5.2 8.         Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 5.5

Barrel Racing Round 2 leaders 1.         Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 15.31 seconds 2.         Bobbie Bohlman, Eland, Wis., 15.32 3.         Michelle West, Henryetta, Okla., 15.41 4.         Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 15.51 5.         Nellie Williams, Cottonwood, Calif., 15.55 6.         Janna Beam, Hallsville, Texas, 15.62 Aggregate leaders 1.         Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 30.77 seconds on two runs 2.         Michelle West, Henryetta, Okla., 30.85 3.         Nellie Williams, Cottonwood, Calif., 31.17 4.         Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 31.19 5.         Lindsay Karp, Missoula, Mont., 31.23 6.         Bobbie Bohlman, Eland, Wis., 31.56 7.         Kristine Roy, Hagaman, N.Y., 31.76 8.         Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 31.96

Bareback rider Clint Cannon prides himself on a great attitude and a commitment to winning. That’s why he was so flustered after his first-round ride on Friday night during the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo at Jim Norick Arena. A 75-point score just didn’t cut the mustard. “I feel like I didn’t ride up to par last night,” said Cannon of Waller, Texas, a two-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He was better than par Saturday afternoon during the third of five performances in the 25th anniversary of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association national circuit championship, matching moves with Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Alley Trail for 84 points. It gives Cannon the second-round lead heading into Saturday night’s performance, which will conclude the second round. “I think the key to success is getting consistent, which is what it takes for me, but I need to stay in shape for me to be competitive for a longer period of time,” said Cannon, who finished seventh in the 2010 world standings. “It’s important for me to stay consistent and have a good attitude, to know I’m going to win. “Last night, I came in with a new rigging. I was doubting myself, and it showed. Today I told myself I was going to win, and that showed.” Leading the round is big, but the most important ingredient in winning the DNCFR title is to succeed and advance in the tournament-style format. The top eight times or scores in the two-round aggregate advance to Sunday’s performance, set to begin at 1 p.m. Semifinalists will compete in a clean-slate round, with the top four times or scores advancing to the finals. “I get to compete in the Texas Circuit, which is tough, but it’s also a fun circuit,” said Cannon, who is No. 2 in the average race with 159 points, just a point behind leader Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., the 2004 world champion. “We’ve got great rodeos, and at our circuit finals, we’ve got some of the best livestock. All the horses have been to the NFR.” Other round leaders are steer wrestler Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.9 seconds; tie-down ropers Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., and Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 8.3 seconds; saddle bronc riders Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., on Rafter G Rodeo’s Rawhide, Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, on Korkow Rodeos’ Raylene, Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane, and Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., on Western Rodeos’ Hippy, 79 points; team ropers Casper May, Pryor Creek, Okla./Derrick Peterson, Stillwell, Kan., 4.8 seconds; barrel racer Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 15.31 seconds; and Jacob Tyner, Sacramento, Calif., 81 points on MoBetta Rodeo’s Corky.

Ryan Jarrett hasn’t lived in Oklahoma all that long, but he realizes the significance of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo taking place in his home state. Jarrett, the 2005 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association all-around world champion, roped and tied his calf in 8.3 seconds for the fastest time in tie-down roping Friday night at Jim Norick Arena. That was good enough for second place in the opening go-round, a tenth of a second behind round winner Brett Fleming of Warden, Mont. “It always feels good to win something close to the house,” said Jarrett of Comanche, Okla. “Being this rodeo is a national championship, it’s kind of like double-dipping.” It’s a pretty nice double dip. Originally from Summerville, Ga., Jarrett earned $3,428 for his runner-up finish – Fleming, who competed Thursday night, won $4,525. More importantly, he’s in a good position heading into the second go-round, set for performances at 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. “Tomorrow afternoon I’ll just try to be close to the barrier and don’t take a bad throw,” he said, explaining the string barrier that allows the timed-event livestock a head start. “I need to be in there for a good position in the average. It’s about Sunday from here on out.” The DNCFR features 24 contestants in each of the standard rodeo events – each cowboy and cowgirl will compete in two go-rounds. The top eight in the two-run aggregate qualify for the semifinals set to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, where they slate will be cleaned and no times carried over. The top four times or scores qualify for the final round, where the slate is cleaned again. The fastest time or highest score will be crowned national champion Sunday afternoon. It’s a title each of the contestants wants when the weekend concludes, and it’s what’s driving them through the rugged test of competition. For Jarrett, he’s taking this test on Buddy, a horse owned by Ronnie Austin of Ringling, Okla. “I won fourth on him at Fort Worth (Texas),” said Jarrett, a three-time DNCFR qualifier. “I just take him to these deals that are close to the house. Ronnie’s been real good about me taking him and using him whenever. He likes to see someone doing good on his horse.” The best scores and times from Friday’s second performance included bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., 77 points on Painted Pony’s Shasta; steer wrestler Seth Murphy of South Heart, N.D., 4.2 seconds; saddle bronc rider Townsend Prince of Livermore, Colo., 82 points on Kesler Rodeo’s Starburst; team ropers Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 5.8; barrel racer Tana Renick of Kingston, Okla., 15.26 seconds; and bull rider Seth Glause of Rock Springs, Wyo., 88 points on Burns Rodeo’s Kid Twist. Bareback Riding 1.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 84 points on J Bar J’s Freckled Doll, $4,525 2.         (tie) Dave Worsfold, Queensland, AU, 80, $2,948 Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 80, $2,948 4.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 77, $1,645 5.         (tie) Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 76, $329 Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 76, $329 Justin Miller, Billings, Mont., 76, $329 Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 76, $329 Wyatt Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 76, $329 Steer Wrestling 1.         Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., 3.3 seconds, $4,525 2.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 3.9, $3,428 3.         John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo., 4.1, $2,468 4.         Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., 4.2, $1,645 5.         (tie) Adam Strahan, Kankakee, Ill., 4.3, $823 Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 4.3, $823 Tie-Down Roping 1.         Brett Fleming, Worden, Mont., 8.2 seconds, $4,525 2.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 8.3, $3,428 3.         (tie) Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 9.1, $2,057 Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., 9.1, $2,057 5.         Grady Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 9.5, $960 6.         Blake Hirdes, Turlock, Calif., 9.6, $686 Saddle Bronc Riding 1.         JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 85 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane, $4,525 2.         Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., 82, $3,428 3.         (tie) Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 81, $2,057 Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 81, $2,057 5.         (tie) Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 80, $548 Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, 80, $548 Jake Costello, Newell, S.D., 80, $548 Team Roping 1.         Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 5.5 seconds, $4,525 2.         Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 5.7, $3,428 3.         Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 5.8, $2,468 4.         Jason Handy, Stobey, Mont./Kory Mytty, Lolo, Mont., 6.0, $1,645 5.         Brett Price, Faith, S.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D., 6.4, $960 6.         Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.8, $686 Barrel Racing 1.         Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.24 seconds, $4,525 2.         Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 15.26, $3,428 3.         Michelle West, Henryetta, Okla., 15.44, $2,468 4.         Linda Vick, Hesperia, Calif., 15.50, $1,645 5.         Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 15.51, $960 6.         (tie) Jessi Eagleberger, Stringtown, Okla., 15.52, $343 Lindsay Karp, Missoula, Mont., 15.52, $343 Bull Riding 1.         Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo., 88 points on Burns Rodeo’s Kid Twist, $4,525 2.         Ryan Shanklin, Rocksprings, Texas, 86, $3,428 3.         Shawn Proctor, Tooele, Utah, 85, $2,468 4.         Jacob O’Mara, Prairieville, La., 83, $1,645 No other qualified scores

Bareback Riding Round 2 leaders 1.         Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 84 points on Kesler Championship’s Alley Trail 2.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 83 3.         Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 80 4.         Scott Montague, Rapid City, S.D., 79 5.         (tie) Justin Miller, Billings, Mont., 75 Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 75 Aggregate leaders 1.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 160 points on two head 2.         Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 159 3.         Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 156 4.         (tie) Justin Miller, Billings, Mont., 151 Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 151 Scott Montague, Rapid City, S.D., 151 7.         Wyatt Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 150 8.         Brandon Holmes, Eva, Ala., 137

Steer Wrestling Round 2 leaders 1.         Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.9 seconds 2.         Todd Suhn, Hermosa, S.D., 4.2 3.         Shane Henderson, Winfield, Kan., 4.3 4.         Dean McIntyre, Wickenburg, Ariz., 4.5 5.         Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 4.6 6.         Alex Hover, Ogden, Utah, 4.9 Aggregate leaders 1.         Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 8.9 seconds on two head 2.         Dean McIntyre, Wickenburg, Ariz., 9.2 3.         Shane Henderson, Winfield, Kan., 9.7 4.         Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 9.8 5.         Ivon Nelson, Williston, Fla., 10.0 6.         Adam Strahan, Kankakee, Ill., 10.5 7.         Alex Hover, Ogden, Utah, 12.1 8.         Todd Suhn, Hermosa, S.D., 13.6

Tie-Down Roping Round 2 leaders 1.         (tie) Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 8.3 seconds Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 8.3 seconds 3.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 8.7 4.         Blake Hirdes, Turlock, Calif., 9.2 5.         Brian Hill, Lewiston, Idaho, 9.3 6.         J.R. Myers, Felton, Pa., 9.5 Aggregate leaders 1.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 17.0 seconds on two head 2.         Blake Hirdes, Turlock, Calif., 18.8 3.         Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 19.1 4.         Zeb Chapman, Lafayette, Ga., 20.3 5.         Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., 20.4 6.         (tie) Brian Hill, Lewiston, Idaho, 20.5 Houston Hutto, Tomball, Texas, 20.5 8.         Matt Kenney, Onawa, Iowa, 24.0

Stockton Graves is an Oklahoma cowboy who is proud of the state’s rodeo heritage. He’s also excited to be competing in his capital city for one of the most coveted championships in his sport during the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo at Jim Norick Arena on the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. On Thursday night during the first of five performances, Graves posted a 3.3-second run to take the lead in steer wrestling. “I think it’s great being able to compete in Oklahoma City for the national championship,” said Graves, 32, of Newkirk, Okla. “I think they’ve done a great job trying to put this rodeo on and bringing it back to where the NFR was for so many years. It’s a rodeo state.” That it is. The State Fair Arena was home of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from 1965-78, though Oklahoma City hosted at the then-called Myriad Arena through 1984, when Las Vegas became the host. So returning this type of championship to central Oklahoma is important for the region and the competitors who are in town competing. Graves has qualified for the Wrangler NFR six times, while this is his fourth trip to the national circuit finals. He won the national championship in 2006, and his hot start gives him an advantage – half of the 24 contestants in each event competed Thursday, and the other half will compete at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The second round will take place Saturday, with performances scheduled for 1 and 7:30 p.m. The final performance, set for 1 p.m. Sunday, will feature the top eight cowboys and cowgirls from each event and will be pared down to the eventual champions. “It’s very good to have a good run to start,” Graves said. “It takes some pressure off on the next run. If you don’t place, then you still have a good chance to make it back in the top eight. I always like to do good on my first one, and hopefully it just keeps rolling.” That’s what helps champions earn the buckles they crave and the titles for which they battle. “This is the first time I’ve ever ridden that horse,” he said of Maximus, owned by fellow steer wrestler Todd Suhn of Weatherford, Texas. “Horses like Maximus make our jobs easy. You’ve got to ride the best to beat the best.” He wasn’t the only one who was best Thursday night. Other winners were tie-down roper Brett Flemming of Warden, Mont., 8.2 seconds; bareback rider Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 84 points on J Bar J’s Freckled Doll; saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 85 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane; team ropers Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 5.5 seconds; barrel racer Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.24 seconds; and bull rider Ryan Shanklin, Rocksprings, Texas, 86 points on MoBetta Rodeo’s Carter Hou. Bareback Riding 1.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 84 points on J Bar J’s Freckled Doll 2.         (tie) Dave Worsfold, Queensland, AU, 80 Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 80 4.         Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 76 5.         (tie) Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 75 Clint Lear, Anderson, Calif., 75 Steer Wrestling 1.         Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., 3.3 seconds 2.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 3.9 3.         John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo., 4.1 4.         Casey McMillen, Redmond, Ore., 4.4 5.         Damian Padilla, Rio Rico, Ariz., 4.5 6.         Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, 4.9 Tie-Down Roping 1.         Brett Fleming, Worden, Mont., 8.2 seconds 2.         Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 9.1 3.         Grady Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 9.5 4.         Wes Arcement, Raceland, La., 10.2 5.         Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 10.4 6.         Carmine Nastri, Ballston, N.Y., 11.2 Saddle Bronc Riding 1.         JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 85 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane 2.         Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 81 3.         Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 80 4.         Jacobs Crawley, College Station, Texas, 78 5.         Curtis Garton, New Zealand, NZ, 75 6.         Travis Sheets, Hyannis, Neb., 73 Team Roping 1.         Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 5.5 seconds 2.         Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 5.7 3.         Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.8 4.         Ross Lowry, Summerville, Ga./Stephen Britnell, Maryville, Tenn., 7.1 5.         Ryan Siemsen, Worden, Mont./Ross Carson, Killdeer, N.D., 8.2 6.         Jason Arndt, Fort Scott, Kan./Gabe Gwaltney, Carthage, Mo., 8.4 Barrel Racing 1.         Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.24 seconds 2.         Linda Vick, Hesperia, Calif., 15.50 3.         Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 15.51 4.         Jessi Eagleberger, Stringtown, Okla., 15.52 5.         Shali Lord, Lamar, Colo., 15.56 6.         (tie) Theresa Walter, Billings, Mont., 15.60 Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 15.60 Bull Riding 1.         Ryan Shanklin, Rocksprings, Texas, 86 points on MoBetta Rodeo’s Carter Hou 2.         Shawn Proctor, Tooele, Utah, 85

The 2011 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo will be the last event that carries the Dodge brand. The Chrysler Group is making a significant marketing change, and its truck line will now be under the Ram brand. That means it will be the Ram 1500 and Ram Dakota, while Dodge will focus on cars. But the announcement, made Friday during a news conference at Jim Norick Arena in Oklahoma City in conjunction with the DNCFR, points to the automotive maker turning its marketing attention to Ram Rodeo. “We’re very fortunate that we’ve been around so long,” said Mike Orman, president of Ram Rodeo. “This is quite a program we represent at the circuit level.” Chrysler has partnered with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for three decades and has been the title sponsor of the national circuit championship for all of its 25 years. “Rodeo is the single largest marketing program we have in the trucks,” said Bo Puffer of the Chrysler Group. “We are going to be taking rodeo even more mainstream. We’re going to get into markets we haven’t before.” That’s good news for rodeo.

The first performance of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo begins at 7:30 tonight, and I’m excited about being part of this national championship. This is your place for updates and information throughout the weekend, so check back. Not only do I plan to provide regular updates from the competition, but I hope to give you other tidbits along the way.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to post repeated updates tonight from the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, but I plan to have these technical difficulties fixed by Friday’s second performance.  

Bobby Mote is a World Champion Bareback Rider who has put together a hall-of-fame career on the backs of bucking beasts. He’s hoping to add a few lines to his resume at the 2011 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 31-April 3 at Jim Norick Arena at the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, where the top cowboys and cowgirls from the 12 regional ProRodeo circuits will compete for national championships and big money. “It’s always a good rodeo, and it’s a chance to win all that money and a chance at a Dodge truck,” said Mote of Culver, Ore. “Any time I get to compete against the top guys on the top horses, I get excited about it. “Plus it’s something I haven’t won yet. I’d obviously like to win it.” Through his career, Mote has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 10 times and walked away from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas with four gold buckles given to World Champions, including the last two. But he’s also a regional cowboy, competing at rodeos close to home in the Columbia River Circuit. “I think the circuit system is really important for rodeo,” said Mote, one of many NFR qualifiers scheduled to compete for the national championships. “The circuit system gives guys the chance to come up through the ranks and get the experience they need, plus the National Circuit Finals gives the guys that are outstanding in their circuit the opportunity to go in front of a national stage and compete against the best.” Mote is one of many world champions who have qualified to compete at the DNCFR, which takes the year-end and finals champions in each event from each circuit. That means 24 bareback riders, 24 tie-down ropers and 24 teams of team ropers will do battle over four days inside State Fair Arena, which housed the NFR when it first moved to Oklahoma City in the 1960s. “Qualifying has always meant a lot to me,” said Stockton Graves of Newkirk, Okla., a six-time NFR qualifier who won the DNCFR steer wrestling title in 2006. “It’s a great deal with Dodge being involved, and it’s always been important to me to make the circuit finals and try to win the circuit and qualify for the Dodge National Circuit Finals. “It’s a great rodeo with a lot of money, and this year was even more important to me since it’s in Oklahoma and just an hour and a half from the house.” That’s a benefit to the Prairie Circuit qualifiers. But many contestants like the central location. “I think it’s pretty historic to get to go back to Oklahoma City for the National Circuit Finals the first year it moves there,” said Heith DeMoss of Heflin, La., a three-time NFR qualifier in saddle bronc riding who also is competing at the DNCFR for the third time. “It’s closer for me, but it’s also a good rodeo town. I think it’ll be beneficial for all the stock contractors and fans, too.” But where does this rank among his list of accomplishments? “The DNCFR is the next step under the NFR,” said DeMoss, who competes in the Southeastern Circuit. “This is darn sure a big deal, and I’m excited to make it. “Usually it doesn’t pay off for me to go to the circuit rodeos, because every bit of money I’ve won there is already spent just trying to get to those rodeos. All the chips are in trying to cash in here at the finals. It’s quite a gamble, but I believe in having good horses and riding at the finals. I believe in myself and think I’ve got what it takes to do well there.” When you’re looking at a who’s who of ProRodeo, you know the competition will be fierce. Not only does the DNCFR host the top regional players who choose to stay close to home to compete, but it’s also home of the elite players in the game, those who are regular fixtures at the NFR: Bareback riders Mote, Ryan Gray, Scott Montague, Kelly Timberman, Wes Stevenson and Kaycee Field; steer wrestlers Graves, Trevor Knowles, Wade Sumpter and Todd Suhn; team ropers Daniel Green, Russell Cordoza, Charly Crawford, Jhett Johnson, Matt Sherwood and Randon Adams; saddle bronc riders DeMoss, J.J. Elshere, Jesse Kruse, Taos Muncy and Cody Wright; tie-down ropers Tyson Durfey, Hunter Herrin, Ryan Jarrett, Houston Hutto, Matt Shiozawa and Clint Robinson; barrel racers Sherry Cervi, Lisa Lockhart, Brenda Mays, Kelly Yates, Shali Lord and Annesa Self; and bull riders Seth Glause, Clayton Savage, Shawn Proctor and Wesley Silcox. “It’s always been a really good rodeo and one that you want to qualify for,” said Cervi of Marana, Ariz., a three-time and reigning Women’s Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing champion who has claimed the DNCFR title in her storied career. “It’s a really good bonus program. “What I think is neat about it is the team deal, where you were trying to get the team title. It made it to where you stayed and watched the other events, which made it fun for us.” That’s a lot of team pride, but the team concept is built through the rigors of the circuit season. Contestants build camaraderie at all the rodeos in which they compete in order to win the circuit crowns. As a Turquoise Circuit competitor, she’ll probably bee rooting for another Arizona world champion, team roping-header Matt Sherwood of Pima, Ariz. “I love competing at that rodeo, and it’s something I work at every year in order to make it there,” said Sherwood, a two-time world champion who has qualified for the DNCFR eight times. “To me, it’s a great opportunity to compete against 24 guys for a lot of money. Six seasons ago, Sherwood and then-partner Rube Woolsey secured the team roping national championship. He knows how important it is to do well in this championship. “At the time, it was the biggest win of my  Continue Reading »

From Wayne Brooks, the reigning Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association announcer of the year, to the 33 world champions to the dozens of qualifiers to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo features a who’s who list of the top names in ProRodeo. Added in that is the Justin Sportsmedicine Team, which will be represented at the Jim Norick Arena over the next four days by Program Director Rick Foster, therapists/trainers Lisa Herring and Larry Gardner, and Dr. Tandy Freeman. Together they’ve all helped keep the contestants competing at a high level for many years. They’ll do so again this weekend in Oklahoma City.

Mark Swingler got started in the rodeo business as a competitor and went from bull rider to bullfighter to entertainer. Dave Arnold got started in rodeo because he had some outstanding border collies that worked well with sheep. When a friend recommended Arnold take his animals to the Dodge City, Kan., a mutton busting stock-contracting career began. Together they will bring their flavor of fun and frivolity to 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 just a great rodeo, and I’m always excited to come to Guymon,” said Arnold, who lives in Ashland, Kan. “The way Guymon does it pre-performance takes away a lot of the stress I might have if I did the mutton busting during the performance. I’d like to see more people come to the rodeo earlier in Guymon so they could see the kids ride. It’s a lot of fun, and I think everybody would enjoy it.” The 2011 rodeo will mark the ninth straight year Arnold and his herd have made their way to the Oklahoma Panhandle. Arnold said he enjoys the atmosphere and working with the Guymon committee of volunteers. That’s something Swingler will get to see first-hand when he arrives in town the week of the rodeo. He realizes his job as a funnyman/barrelman is to help the rodeo be as entertaining as possible. “I don’t want anybody to think I’m working,” said Swingler of Austin, Texas. “Humor and laughter is contagious. Nobody wants to see anybody work. They want to have fun. That’s why you have spoofs when the act goes south. “Plus I like the fresh stuff. I kind of use my wit and my humor with my surroundings. You just look up in the stands, and you’ve got enough material for a long time.” Swingler has been in the business most of his life. He began as a bull rider, then took a shot at protecting fallen cowboys as a bullfighter. In fact, that’s how Swingler got his start in ProRodeo. “I started in 1987, and I actually fought bulls until 1992,” he said. “It was kind of old school back then, when you fought bulls and did the comedy. I was mainly fighting bulls, but I found myself enjoying the entertaining part. By 1993, I worked one into the other. By 1994, my bullfighting cleats were hung up.” In the years since, Swingler has been nominated for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Clown of the Year and Comedy Act of the Year. He has a nice load of entertaining acts, but his specialty is the “walk-and-talk,” where he observes the goings-on in and out of the arena and maintains the level of excitement for fans. “I’m not what we call a canned person,” he said. “I don’t have a routine. I have acts, and even when I work Denver and 23 performances they have there, I was rotating seven acts. With the walking and talking, I just go with the flow. I’m one of those guys that says what everybody’s thinking, so I don’t know what’s going to happen. A lot of that depends on the announcers, but it’s a blast. “I learned a long time ago that if you have a great performance, you usually forget what you did because it was just spontaneous and you just go with the flow. If you try to repeat it, it’s not going to work.” There is no repeating in mutton busting; wild sheep won’t allow for that. But it’s always entertaining, from the little girl who holds on long after the sheep has spit the bit to the names given to the animals: Baaaaaaad to the Bone, Sheepless in Sheattle, etc. “Ken Stonecipher comes up with those names in Guymon, and I steal them,” Arnold said of the longtime Pioneer Days Rodeo committeeman who also serves as one of the arena announcers. “When I go to a rodeo, I’ll pick out a list of sheep names and give them to the announcer that’s calling the mutton busting.” Arnold said he contracted 50 performances in the 2010 rodeo season, while turning out 1,030 sheep in the fun competition at rodeos. So how did he become a rodeo stock contractor? “A friend of mine, a guy I’d sold a dog to, was on the Round-Up committee in Dodge City,” Arnold said of the large western Kansas rodeo that takes place each August. “They’d had mutton busting at Round-Up before, and apparently it was a wreck. I guess they couldn’t get the sheep out of the arena, and someone suggested they needed someone with a good dog. “They were putting on the PBR event in 1995, so my friend contacted me. That first year went very well, and everybody seemed to like it.” Rodeo isn’t Arnold’s primary business, but it’s something he has loved since he was a youngster competing in the sport. “I make my living with cows,” he said. “I have 400 head of momma cows. I got into border collies about 1987, and we started out with a few sheep to train the dogs on.” The rest has led him around the region hauling sheep and watching his dogs work. “I enjoy the atmosphere around rodeo,” Arnold said. “I get to go to a bunch of rodeos in the summer, and I always draw a check, which is something I didn’t do when I tried to calf rope in high school.” Plus he gets to put smiles on thousands of fans each year. That’s a wonderful benefit he shares with Swingler. “I just enjoy entertaining people, seeing them enjoy themselves,” Swingler said. “If I can get people to forget about their worldly troubles or what’s going on at work for just two and a half hours, then I feel like I’m successful.”

If the $1 million prize for winning “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” weren’t enough, Jet and Cord McCoy have plenty of motivation for taking part in the CBS-TV reality series. “My family’s making as big a sacrifice for me to be here as I’m making for me to be here,” Jet said during the sixth leg of the race, which aired Sunday night. “My wife … she’s staying home taking care of my 2-year-old girl, taking care of the ranch, same as Cord’s wife. So that’s a little added incentive. We really don’t want to go home empty-handed.” The cowboys were the first team to leave from their starting spot in Kunming, China, after winning the fifth leg of the race, but they were just two minutes ahead of the father-daughter- team of Gary and Mallory Ervin. The teams began the trip by taking parting in a traditional tea tasting at the Jin Fu Yi Zhan Tea Shop before leaving Kunming for Kolkata, India. All the teams were on the same flight, which landed in the bustling commercial capital of eastern India. As the teams ran out of the airport to take separate taxis to Town Hall, they were surrounded by what seemed like thousands of people. They also realized there was a high level of traffic in Kolkata even in the early-morning hours. “We’ve got us a good cab driver,” Jet said as he and Cord zipped passed other teams. “He’s fixin’ to pass another one.” As the brothers passed the Ervins and the Globetrotters, Herb Lang and Nate Loften, they paid tribute to their driver. “This guy’s got some nerves,” Jet said. “Nerves of steel,” Cord followed. Once the groups arrived at Town Hall, they realized it didn’t open until 10 a.m., so all eight teams waited together. The Globetrotters even snuck in a quick prank, revealing the camaraderie among the remaining racers. When the gates to Town Hall opened, the teams learned of their first “road block,” where one team member had to search through hundreds of cups of tea to find the exact match to the flavor they sipped in Kunming the day before. Jet handled the task, and he finished second. The teams were directed to the Jorashanko area to find the Tiwari Tea Stall, where they were to find their next clue. The McCoys, who were raised on a ranch near Tupelo, Okla., seemed to struggle finding the stall, eventually arriving in fifth place. But their trip around Kolkata was incredible, nonetheless. “My goodness,” Jet said. “This place is amazing.” The clue at the tea stall directed them to the “detour,” where teams had to decide whether they wanted to tour Hindu art or Bengali literature. The brothers chose the book route, so they were directed to a bookstore. There they had to take eight stacks of children’s books, then squeeze themselves and their stacks of schoolbooks in the back of a rickshaw bus. They directed the driver through the congested streets of Kolkata to a school, where they delivered the books to the headmistress. The McCoys seemed to have trouble finding the publishing company, but once they did, they went to work. “This is a heck of a school bus right here,” Jet said. “I’m guessing he can’t go any faster.” Jet stuck his right leg out the back of the vehicle and helped push the bicycle-peddaling driver along. “Push, push,” Cord said, urging his brother and the rickshaw driver. “Get down on it.” As they read the clue that took the teams to the “pit stop,” the champion cowboys were surrounded by the schoolchildren – both were five-time world champions in the International Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and Cord is a fan favorite on the Professional Bull Riders tour. They tipped their hats to the kids and found the cab to take them to the Fountain of Joy. Most of the teams seemed to complain about the gridlocked traffic, but not the McCoys. “Sweet,” said Cord, revealing one of his trademark comments. “Look at that sign to the left. It says, ‘India is great.’ ” “India IS great,” Jet responded. The Ervins finished the leg in first place in what seemed like a big lead ahead of the rest of the teams. In a tight race to the finish, the brothers crossed the street racing for the finish line. “They’re right behind us, Jet,” Cord said. They jumped on the mat in second place, and Cord shook hands with host Phil Keoghan. The brothers were then joined by the father-daughter team of Ron and Christina Hsu, best friends Zev Glassenberg and Justin Kanew and the Goth couple, Kent Kaliber and Vyxsin Fiala. “Come on in here with us,” Cord said, greeting his combatants in a matter that is understood by rodeo and bull riding folks but not many other competitors. The mother-son team of Margie and Luke Adams finished last and were eliminated. The show takes next weekend off because of the Academy of Country Music Awards, but “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” is scheduled to return April 10.

Bareback rider Matt Bright made his big return to the arena Thursday night at RodeoAustin. It was the first time since he suffered a broken back at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo three and a half months ago. Bright, a Tennessean who now lives in Azle, Texas, scored 73 points on the first of two rides in the Texas capital city. It wasn’t the glorious comeback he’d envisioned; Bright had hoped the blind draw that matches the cowboy with the bucking stock would’ve teamed him with one of the many outstanding horses in the pen. But Bright still has a great sense of humor about it. “Guess I should have taken an art class in my time off to learn to draw better,” he wrote on Facebook.

I visited with third-graders today, and I got to share my passion for rodeo and the stories that come with it. I loved seeing the wide-eyed looks they gave as I shared the stories from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the various pieces I’ve done on the McCoy family. I even showed them how you can take similar information and write different stories for different publications. I hope a few of these youngsters will share a passion for writing, and I wish them the blessing of writing about something they love.

Like many bullfighters, Mark Swingler got his start in the business after converting himself from being a bull rider. But for the last 17 years, the Texan has focused on entertainment, transitioning yet again. It was quite natural for the greasepaint-wearing bullfighter to transfer his abilities to being a rodeo clown, the barrelman/funnyman. It’s the way he’s made a living since 1994. Oh, and did I mention that he’s one of the best, having been nominated as PRCA Comedy Act of the Year and Clown of the Year. He also carries that act all across the country. This weekend, he’s working in Nacogdoches, Texas. The first weekend in May, he will be working the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo, and that’s where I’ll get to see him perform for the first time in several years. I’m looking forward to it, because Mark takes an outstanding approach to his duties. He’s a pro, and he’ll help produce a great show.

Jody Sheffield is the epitome of a circuit cowgirl, someone who works a full-time job and competes at events closer to home. But she won the Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup last year and earned the right to play at some big events this winter and spring. One of those was RodeoHouston. Her husband, also a rodeo cowboy, mentioned that Sheffield could quit her day job if she won Houston. Well, the Utah cowgirl did just that, and my first question was if she needed me to help write her resignation letter. Unfortunately for her full-time rodeo career, Sheffield is keeping her day job. Insurance benefits are too hard to come by, even with $55,400 she earned in Houston. And that’s OK. Besides, it might be the first time in a long time that a part-time cowgirl qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Dusty LaValley is a two-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, having finished ninth in the 2008 bareback riding world standings and 10th last year. He’s doing all the right things early this season to finish even higher when the 2011 season ends. He won more than $7,000 at RodeoHouston, which doesn’t count toward the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings; but it does count in the confidence standings. So far, LaValley and fellow Canadian Luke Creasy lead the average at RodeoAustin with 159 points on two rides. Both have clinched a spot in Saturday’s championship round. LaValley is 16th in the most recent world standings issued Monday by the PRCA, but look for that to change very quickly. The way the Alberta cowboy is riding, he could be atop the leaderboard very soon.

With the father-daughter team of Gary and Mallory Ervin hot on their tails, brothers Jet and Cord McCoy sprinted to the “pit stop” in first place during the fifth leg of “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business.” It marked the first time in the 18th season of the CBS reality TV series the cowboys have met host Phil Keoghan ahead of the other teams in the race around the world for the $1 million first-place prize. The McCoys, raised on a ranch near Tupelo, Okla., finished second in Season 16, which aired 12 episodes from February-May in 2010. Last spring the brothers won four legs of the race, earning three trips and a pair of sailboats. For their first win of this spring’s show, the McCoys earned $5,000 each. That prompted Cord to toss his cowboy hat, a regular occurrence in their world of rodeo when a winning feat is accomplished. The teams began the leg in Li Jiang, China, and all were awaiting the same train ride to Kunming, China, on the first steps of the leg. But they didn’t let a little down time get in the way of a good time while at the Li Jiang Train Station. “All the teams got there, and we were sitting around, and I knew ‘Flight Time’ had told me they had a basketball,” Cord said, referring to Herb Lang, one of two Globetrotters on the race. “Hey, I see a basketball goal.” So they put together a three-on-three game pitting Jet, Flight Time and LaKisha Hoffman against Cord, Nate “Big Easy” Loften and Jennifer Hoffman, LaKisha’s sister teammate. “Who would’ve ever thought we’d be playing basketball …” Jet said. “Two cowboys …” Cord added. “… With the Harlem Globetrotters, in China,” Jet said. “Wow,” Cord said. “It was like playing basketball with trees,” Jet said. Once in Kumning, the teams had to find their way to the Dounan Flower Market, where they found the clue that directed them to the Golden Horse and Jade Cock Memorial Arches. The McCoys were in seventh place when they left the flower market. But the cab the brothers used took them to a McDonald’s – a Golden Arches instead of the memorial arches. The brothers moved to last place among the nine teams by the time they reached the memorial. There the teams faced their first detour, choosing either a challenge to honor the past, watching a traditional Tibetan performance, or embracing the future, which is what the McCoys chose. There they offloaded complete solar water heating system from a truck, then carried it up a few flights of stairs to the roof of a building to install it. The cowboys were the fourth team to arrive at the building and the second to leave, moving from last to sixth overall. Once the teams finished their detours, the clues led them to a double “U-turn” section of the race, where two teams can slow down two other teams by forcing them to do the other side of the detour. The mother-son team of Margie and Luke Adams reached the “U-turn” first, followed by the McCoys. Neither of those teams chose to force the penalty on any other teams, but the Goth couple Kent Kaliber and Vyxsin Fiala penalized the former NFL cheerleaders Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal, who directly followed that by penalizing the Globetrotters. The next clue took the teams to the Stone Forest, where they had to put together a life-size dinosaur. Jet handled the task for the cowboys, who arrived at the Stone Forest in fifth place. “I went back and checked the little diagram more than anybody to make sure, as I went, I kind of had it all together,” Jet said. The Ervins, who arrived last at the Stone Forest, opted to use the Express Pass they earned by winning the first challenge. Jet finished the dinosaur puzzle first, so the cowboys took off on the rest of the leg of the race. In fact, the McCoys passed the Ervins before leaving the Stone Forest and held the lead to the “pit stop” at Green Lake Park. The cheerleaders, Edmondson and Rosenthal, finished last and were eliminated. The remaining eight teams will continue the race for $1 million when they’re scheduled to visit India in next week’s episode.

Cort Scheer made a good living during 10 days in Las Vegas for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, where he earned a little more than $70,000 But over the last 20 days, the saddle bronc rider topped it. Scheer, of Elsmere, Neb., competed in nine go-rounds at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and earned $88,350. He won the Super Series Shootout, then became the only $50,000 prize winner to earn the Cinch Super Shootout victory, adding $25,000 – he also earned $10,350 through the Super Series. That’s an awesome run in Houston. In fact, Scheer won the first two and last three go-rounds in which he competed. Other Super Shootout winners were bareback rider Will Lowe, bull rider Douglas Duncan and barrel racer Sherry Cervi.