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I found a problem with livestreaming the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: There was so much traffic Wednesday night that I had trouble maintaining the speed needed to actually livestream. There were so many hiccups that it was difficult to watch. Nonetheless, I’ll try again. When you can watch one of the greatest rodeos in the world, you may as well try.

I feel rather foolish. It took me eight days to figure out the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo had livestreaming of the rodeo on its website. I’ve been missing out on something special. The action is great, and there are plenty of added benefits to taking in RodeoHouston this way. I loved the interviews, something that would jazz up about any production. Plus, I believe, the livestreaming is what patrons inside Reliant Stadium are viewing when they look at the screens. With this feature, fans got to see Kansan Jeanne Anderson win Tuesday’s second go-round in Super Series II. Anderson, a veteran barrel racer, qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the first time in her career his past December. Tyson Durfey placed second in tie-down roping for the second straight night and leads the average. His $2,000 in earnings puts him in a tie for most money earned with Cory Solomon, Monday’s round winner, and Shank Edwards, who won the second go. Other winners were bareback rider Jessy Davis, team ropers Turtle Powell and Jhett Johnson, steer wrestler Kenneth Lewis and bull rider Clayton Savage. Saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere took advantage of a re-ride to win his second straight go-round. And the best part is I got to watch it live from the comfort of my recliner.

Of the 40 bull riders at RodeoHouston, 17 are members of the Professional Bull Riders organization. Most earned their way to their way into the field through their ranking in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, but they own both PRCA and PBR cards. In fact, Jay Dougherty, the PBR’s vice president for event tours, said all those who had qualified for Houston had the option to purchase a PBR card for 2011. This is important because money won inside Reliant Stadium will count toward qualifications to the PBR World Finals because the PBR is sanctioning the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; it is not sanctioned by the PRCA. That means the winner of the Super Series shootout, who earns $50,000 for that feat, will be a virtual lock to ride bulls in Las Vegas in October when the PBR rides into Sin City; if that bull rider is just with the PRCA, the money doesn’t count for any standings. The PBR World Finals is where they can ride for some the biggest paychecks in bull riding, so there’s plenty of incentive. Of course, there’s always the prestige of winning RodeoHouston.

Call it karma or coincidence or whatever you want, but I find it kind of cool: I posted the story on TwisTED Rodeo today about Stockton Graves’ qualification to the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, and the Oklahoma cowboy won the first round of steer wrestling during Super Series III at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Monday night. Graves posted a 4.5-second run to win the round and earn $2,000. He’s well on his way to qualifying for the next round in the bracketed format. He joined barrel racer Lindsay Sears, bull rider Howdy Cloud, tie-down roper Cory Solomon, bareback rider Bo Casper, team ropers Travis Tryan and Rich Skelton, and saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere, who all earned go-round wins. They return for the second go-round Tuesday evening, and they’ll bring plenty of firepower to the show.

Heith DeMoss travels all across the United States competing for rodeo glory. He knows the two-late roads and interstates that lead down the rodeo trail. But he likes competing for some of the biggest prizes in his sport, which is why he’ll be part of the field 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. “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.”

The extremes of Japanese culture found their way into cowboy culture Sunday night when Jet and Cord McCoy competed in the third leg of “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business.” Through the hour-long show, which was recorded last November and December, the McCoys and nine other teams raced around the Tokyo area tackling challenges and trying to stave off elimination in the race around the world for $1 million. The brothers began the episode in third place, then left Sydney for Tokyo. There were two flights up for consideration, one a direct and another that connected through Hong Kong. The direct through Qantas Airlines was scheduled 15 minutes later than the connection on Cathay Pacific, so half the teams took the chance on the connection in order to try for a 15-minute head start. “Jet and I’s idea was to get the guaranteed straight through flight,” said Cord, who competed in the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series event this weekend, the Chicago Invitational, where he rode one bull and finished in a tie for 17th place. The five teams that took the Qantas trip arrived an hour and five minutes ahead the others, however, when one of the connection flights was delayed. Once in Tokyo, the teams had to find their way to the city of Kamakura for a challenge, a “road block.” But first, each team had to get a car from a Tokyo parking garage, which featured a large mechanical cylinder that rotated the vehicles around to a ground-level position, and the unique way of parking cars was noted. “I just thought I’d get me a soda pop out of it,” Cord said of the machine. While teams made their way to the Yabusama Dojo to take part in the “road block,” the McCoys seemed to have some trouble navigating the streets around Japan’s largest city. At one point, the brothers were eastbound, when they should have been driving south. “We’ve been driving around, and all the signs are in Japanese,” Jet said. When they finally arrived at the dojo, Jet and Cord were in ninth place, ahead only of the NFL cheerleaders, Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal. But Cord cut through the challenge fairly quickly, from dressing as a samurai to learning the proper Yabusame ritual and techniques that are needed to hit a target using a bow and arrow from a wooden horse. “You know, I’m from Oklahoma,” Cord said. “I shoot a bow and arrow; I feel right at home.” Home at that time was seventh place for the cowboys, both of whom own five world championships from the International Professional Rodeo Association. The next challenge was a “detour,” where the teams chose from “cleansing” their purity or seeking the frog of luck. The brothers took a stab at the latter, where they stripped down to diaper-looking outfits and searched into a mud pit while onlookers pelted them with mud. The teams’ objective was to find a frog, then give it to the grandmaster, who then gave them the next clue. “Cord was sporting that Japanese loin cloth,” Jet said, his words tailing off. “I do what I can, man,” Cord replied. “I do what I can.” In an interview format that aired during the show, Cord revealed that throughout the challenge he was looking for a live amphibian, not the plastic frog that was the muddy prize. “I kept listening for the ‘brrrp,’ ” he said while imitating the sound a frog makes. “Live frogs jump at any time, so, you know, you want to stay quiet, stay down.” Then he looked to his brother and said, “The frogs weren’t alive. Did you know that?” Jet just nodded his head. Once the teams finished their “detour” challenges, they raced to Commodore Perry’s Landing and the “pit stop” for the third leg of the race. Zev Glassenberg and Justin Kanew won the leg, their second straight victory, and the McCoys placed sixth. The father-son team of Mel and Mike White were eliminated, leaving just nine teams.

When Stockton Graves learned the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo was moving to Oklahoma City, he knew he wanted to be part of the field. He’s competed for the national title six times in his career, but this year’s championship means even more to the Newkirk, Okla., cowboy because the 25th anniversary event will take place March 31-April 3 at the Jim Norick Arena at the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. “Qualifying has always meant a lot to me,” said Graves, 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.” The DNCFR pits the top cowboys and cowgirls from the 12 regional ProRodeo circuits against one another for the prestigious national title. Contestants will compete in the seven traditional rodeo sports of bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and bull riding. The central location could prove to be an advantage for competitors from the Prairie Circuit, made up primarily by rodeos and contestants from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. “It’s a great rodeo with a lot of money,” Graves said. “This year was even more important to me since it’s in Oklahoma and just an hour and a half from the house.”

A lot of money has been won at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we’re just two-fifths of the way through the first level of competition. Congratulations to those who won Super Series II in their event: – Tie-down roping, Scott Kormos, $6,500: won the first round, finished third in the third round and won the average. – Bareback riding, Kaycee Feild, $10,000:  he won all three go-rounds and the average. – Team roping, Erich Rogers and Kory Koontz, $8,000 each: won he second round, finished runner-up in the other two and won the average. – Saddle bronc riding, Cort Scheer, $9,000: Won the first two rounds, finished second in the third and won the average. – Steer wrestling, Kyle Hughes, $8,500: Won the first round, tied for first in the third round, was runner-up in the second round and finished first in the average. – Bull riding, Kanin Asay, $7,000: Won the first round, finished second in the second round and won the average. – Barrel racing, Sherry Cervi, $10,000: Won all three rounds and the average.

Sherry Cervi and Stingray made quite a statement in 2010. Together they won the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s barrel racing world championship, set the single-season earnings mark and established a new arena record with the fastest run at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. She’s also the reigning Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo barrel racing champion. Based on the first two go-rounds of Super Series II, Cervi will be tough to beat. She posted a 14.31-second run Friday night, then bettered that by 1-100th of a second Saturday. She’s earned $4,000 and has clinched a spot in the next round of the bracketed format. Bareback rider Kaycee Feild also added his second straight round win and has secured his advancement into the next level of play. Saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer, coming off his first trip to the NFR, also captured another first-place finish; he scored 80.5 rides each night to earn the victory lap. Bull rider Kanin Asay is the only contestant in the field to have ridden two bulls; his 81.5 on Saturday earned the Wyoming cowboy the round win. Dane Hanna won bulldogging with a 3.9, but Kyle Hughes, who won Friday, finished just a 10th of a second behind. Hughes has earned $3,000 in two days. Ace Sloan won calf roping with an 8.4-second run and is atop the leaderboard with Scott Kormos with $2,000, but Kormos has a two-head aggregate of 17.8 seconds, nearly two seconds ahead of Fred Whitfield, who has earned $1,500 but is second in the average race. The tandem of Erich Rogers and Kory Koontz won team roping Saturday, and combined with their second-place finish on Friday night have surged into the series lead with $6,000 in combined earnings.

Californian Kyle Lockett proved the power of experience when he won the 2011 Timed Event Championship, earning that prestigious gold buckle for the second time in his career. Of recent champions, most had earned the title before. Josh Peek, who won the title a year ago, is the most recent first-timer to have made worn the crown. The event, which features contestants competing in the five timed-event disciplines in each of the five rounds, is a test of the tremendously talented cowboys who tend to make their living on the rodeo trail. Trevor Brazile, who finished second this weekend, has won six championships; he also was the only player in the field to have qualified for the ProRodeo national finals in all four roping events. But this weekend was about Lockett, who has earned his stripes and that well-deserved gold buckle.

Ah, the Timed Event Championship can be quite fickle. Four former champions were atop the leaderboard after Friday’s first go-round, but that changed dramatically Saturday night. In fact, six-time champion Trevor Brazile and two-time winner Daniel Green fell to the bottom half of the standings in the 20-man field. Brazile had trouble in heeling, where he was saddled with a 60-second run, equal to a no time in this unique event. Green suffered 60s in steer wrestling and steer roping and 18th, while Brazile is 13th. JoJo LeMond leads the race in 127.3 seconds through two rounds and 10 runs, where contestants must perform all five timed-event disciplines in order to complete a go-round. He’s followed closely by first-time contestant Clayton Hass, who posted a 127.9. Hass was added to the field just three days before the competition began That’s looking at pressure square in the face and asking for more.

Kyle Hughes has been around ProRodeo for more than a decade, best known as a great all-around cowboy. On Friday night during the opening round of Super Series II at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the talented Colorado hand made a significant statement with a blistering 3.2-second run. The feat matched an arena record. More importantly, it gave Hughes the $2,000 first-place prize, a giant advantage in qualifying for the next level in the bracketed format. Two-time and reigning bulldogging world champ Dean Gorsuch posted a 4.0-second run to finish second and collect $1,000. Les Shepperson had a 4.4 to finish third, earning $500. Saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer, coming off his first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, scored an 80.5 to win saddle bronc riding, followed by Tyler Corrington’s 78 and Josh Reynolds’ 75. Team ropers Ty Blasingame and Cody Hintz won the round with a 4.9, while Texan Scott Kormos won tie-down roping in 7.8 seconds. Second-generation bareback rider Kaycee Feild scored 85 points for the win, just two points ahead of Joe Gunderson. Bull rider Clayton Foltyn had an 86.5 to win the round, where just three cowboys earned qualified rides. Barrel racer Sherry Cervi, the three-time champion, rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 14.31 seconds. She finished 26/100ths of a second ahead of Jill Moody, who won the NFR average title in December. The race continues with Saturday’s second go-round of Super Series II.

Ryan Gray isn’t scheduled to compete at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for another 10 days. The six-time bareback riding qualifier for the National Finals Rodeo hasn’t been on a bucking horse since the second night of the 2010 championship, when he was bucked off, then stepped on and suffered a lacerated liver. But I suspect Gray was pretty tickled when he learned of Wednesday’s third performance of RodeoHouston, where traveling partners Jason Havens, Bobby Mote and Steven Dent advanced out of Super Series 1 of the bracketed format. Havens won the second and third go-rounds, then added $4,000 for being No. 1 in the average for a total earnings of $8,500. Mote scooted in with $4,750, followed by Justin McDaniel with $3,000 and Dent at $1,000 – Dent actually tied with Micky Downare in earnings, but the Nebraska cowboy advanced because he beat Downare by a point in the average. Cody Ohl topped the list of tie-down ropers with $6,500, followed by Jerrad Hoffstetter at $2,750, Jake Pratt at $2,625 and Timber Moore at $2,500. Kelsey Parchman and Michael Jones took $14,000, the lion’s share of the prize money in team roping, followed by Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza with $12,500, Keven Daniel/Caleb Twisselman at $5,000 and Tommy Edens/Cody Doescher at $3,000. Oklahoman Sean Mulligan earned $5,500 to advance in steer wrestling, followed by Clayton Morrison, $4,500; Billy Bugenig, $2,750; and Olin Hannum, $2,500. Meanwhile, 2007 world champion Taos Muncy pocketed $6,750 to lead the way in saddle bronc riding, followed by Jesse Bail, $5,500; Chad Ferley, $2,000; and Isaac Diaz, $1,750. Ferley won the third go-round to earn his spot in the next round. Luke Kelley was the only cowboy in the field of eight to ride all three bulls. He placed in all three rounds, including wins in Rounds 2-3, and won the average, earning $8,500. He moves on with Clint Craig, $4,250; Ardie Maier, $2,000; and Reece Cates, $1,500. Minnesota cowgirl Jane Melby pulled in the biggest barrel racing paycheck, earning $7,000. She will be joined in the next round by Kassie Mowry, $2,750; Brittany Pozzi, $2,500; and Kenna Squires, $2,000, the same amount earned by Tammy Whyte, but Squires advanced by scoring better in the three-run aggregate. Super Series II will take place over the next three days and will feature world champions Sherry Cervi, Luke Branquinho, Dean Gorsuch, Nick Sartain, Kollin Von Ahn, Ryan Jarrett and Fred Whitfield.

The Iron Man of ProRodeo is returning to the Lazy E Arena. The Timed Event Championship will feature 20 of the top cowboys in the sport competing in all five timed events, heading, heeling, tie-down roping, steer roping and steer wrestling. It’s a grueling five-round affair that takes place at noon and 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday, and noon Sunday. Each cowboy will compete in each discipline in each of the five go-rounds. But for a top prize of $50,000 to the average winner, there’s plenty of incentive for the best players in the game. And that’s reason to watch.

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 four 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. 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. “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.”

The Timed Event Championship looks to have begun with a shotgun start during the first go-round Friday afternoon. Of the top six placers, two thirds have won this championship before. In fact, they account for 10 Timed Event titles. Kyle Lockett, the 2005 champion, leads the way after a 53.8-second opening round. His blistering time was assisted by a 4.8-second steer wrestling run, the second fastest of the competition – reigning champ Josh Peek scored a 4.5-second run, which helped him to a 58.8, third place overall heading into the second round that begins at 7:30 tonight. Six-time champion Trevor Brazile sits No. 2 in the race with a 54.5-second round. As is typically the case, the 14-time PRCA champion was consistent, with an 8.3 in heading, an 11.5 in calf roping, 7.5 in heeling, a 5.9 in bulldogging and a 21.3 in steer roping. Fourth place belongs to Clayton Hass, a first-timer in this championship, and two-time steer roping world champion Scott Snedecor, who each scored 62.9-second rounds. Daniel Green, who owns two Timed Event titles, sits sixth with a 64.8.

With one round to go in RodeoHouston’s Super Series I, there are some competitors with some work to do if they want to advance to the next level of the bracketed format. But some great hands secured their advancement during the second round Wednesday night, including saddle bronc rider Jesse Bail, who finished second in the round with a 79-point ride. He finished just behind 2007 world champion Taos Muncy, who won the round with an 83. That gave Bail $3,000 in just two nights of work, while Muncy has pocketed $2,500. The top money-earners in each of the five Super Series advance to the next level. Meanwhile, 2006 champ Chad Ferley was bucked off Wednesday night and is at the bottom of the series standings. The tightest race is the barrel race, where three ladies sit atop the standings with $2,000 in earnings. Two-time world champion Brittany Pozzi has finished second both nights, while Kenna Squires ran a 14.30 on Wednesday to win the round. They’re tied with first-night winner Jane Melby. Sabrina Ketcham has added two third-place finishes for $1,000 and fourth in the standings. One of the biggest names so far in the competition is a relative unknown, steer wrestler Clayton Morrison, who won the first two rounds and has secured $4,000. Olin Hannum has pocketed $1,500, and Tommy Cook $1,000, so it’s still up in the air as to who else might move on. The tandem of Charly Crawford and Russell Cardoza scored a 6.1-second run to win Wednesday night, their second straight go-round victory. Each man has earned $4,000. Kyle Parchman and Michael Jones have pocketed $2,000 each and sit second. Six-time champion Cody Ohl, who won the first night of tie-down roping competition, added another $500 paycheck Wednesday with his third-place finish. His $2,500 secures Ohl a place in the next round. But he’s just $500 ahead of Timber Moore, who won Wednesday’s round. Traveling partners Bobby Mote and Jason Havens are tied atop the bareback riding standings with $2,500. Mote split the opening night with Justin McDaniel, while Havens finished third. Meanwhile, Havens won Wednesday’s performance and finished third Tuesday. Out of the mix right now is 2004 world champion Kelly Timberman. Reigning CBR champion Luke Kelly is atop the bull riding leaderboard, the only cowboy to have ridden two bulls. He’s pocketed $2,500, $2,000 of which came Wednesday with his round-winning 83.5-point ride.

The opening night of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo featured an explosive start to 20 days of competition. In fact, the top two bareback riding scores make up the last three world championships and five overall. Four-time champ Bobby Mote, who has won the last two gold buckles, and 2008 titlist Justin McDaniel spurred their horses for 82 points to win bareback riding in the opening round of Super Series I. They each earned $1,500, while Jason Havens, who had an 81, pocketed $500 for third place. Each contestant will have three tries in each of the five Super Series, so every cowboy and cowgirl who was in Tuesdays’ field will compete again Wednesday and Thursday. The top money-earners in each event in each Super Series advance to the semifinals in the bracketed format. Six-time world champion Cody Ohl posted an 8.7-second run to win tie-down roping and the $2,000 first-place check, while the tandem of Charly Crawford and Russell Cardoza scored a 5.8 to win team roping. North Dakotan Clayton Morrison won steer wrestling in 4.5 seconds, while Clint Craig’s 88 won bull riding; Jane Melby rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 14.03 seconds to win barrel racing. A trio of Oklahoma Panhandle State rodeo team alumni finished 1-2-3 in saddle bronc riding, with Jesse Bail earning the top prize with 83.5. Jeff Willert, the 2005 world champion, had an 81.5 to finish second, while Taos Muncy, the 2007 world champ, scored 80.5 for third. Now we can see why this series is super.

There are three things that are a must for rodeo cowboys who hit the road chasing their gold buckle dreams: grit, determination and the means to get from one rodeo to another. Bareback rider D.V. Fennell might have just added the final touch to the coveted, yet elusive, world championship in his partnership with James Hodge Ford of Muskogee, Okla. The sponsorship agreement provides the two-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo the resources he needs to make a third straight trip to ProRodeo’s grand finale. “I’m pretty dang proud to be part of HodgeFord.com,” said Fennell, 37, of Neosho, Mo. “Jack Hodge has been awesome to work with, and he’s taken great care of me. It’s just an honor to work with somebody that goes out of their way for you, the way Jack’s done for me. I really appreciate that guy.” This isn’t the first foray into ProRodeo for Jack Hodge, owner of the Muskogee dealership. In fact, he’s had an established partnership with Fennell’s traveling partner, 2008 bareback riding world champion Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla. Over the past year, he’s seen how the partnership with an elite cowboy can help get word out about the dealership. “D.V. and Justin are two of the greatest guys you’ll ever meet, and it just so happens they’re two of the best bareback riders in rodeo,” Hodge said. “They’re the kind of people I like working with, and it’s something we’ve built our brand around since my dad opened his first dealership in Idabel (Okla.) 41 years ago. “I’ve gotten to know D.V., and I’m excited to have him and Justin carrying the HodgeFord.com brand to every rodeo they go to, including the National Finals Rodeo. That’s great exposure.” Hodge was born in Idabel, which is in the southeastern corner of Oklahoma. That’s a familiar neck of the woods for Fennell, who was born in Utah and raised just 20 miles from Idabel. “You’re not going to find too many people that are better than Jack and Eric Norris,” Fennell said, referring to the State Farm Insurance agent in Neosho. “Eric’s been with me a long time and has been a true friend. Even though this sponsorship with Hodge Ford is new, I know Jack and know what he’s about. “I want to give back to them more than they’ve given to me, and the best way I can do that is go out and win that gold buckle.”

HOUSTON – To watch Matt Sherwood compete, one realizes his focus and extreme athletic talent. But deep in his chest beats the heart of a champion, from his two Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association team roping-heading world titles to the way he carries himself and handles the challenges life hands him. That’s why Sherwood’s faith is so important to him and his family; it’s the guiding force to the way he lives his life, in and out of the rodeo arena. He will carry it with him when he competes Tuesday-Thursday during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s first Super Series of the 2011 campaign. “I don’t share my faith a whole lot,” said Sherwood, a devout Mormon from Pima, Ariz., who ropes with Travis Woodard of Stephenville, Texas. “I have standards I try real hard to live by that our outlined by our church. Faith means a lot to me and my family. The only things you take with you are your knowledge and the relationships you have on this earth. “For me as a father, it’s my job to teach my children those values. If my kids don’t make it to what I call the celestial kingdom, what else matters? There’s no success that can make up for failure at home.” There are a number of challenges rodeo cowboys face just competing for their livelihood while battling for those coveted world championships. There are no guarantees in rodeo, where combatants must pay a fee in order to compete. Only the very best in each competition earn a paycheck. Cowboys will travel more than 100,000 miles in a given year chasing their gold buckle dreams. “My challenges aren’t your challenges,” said Sherwood, who with his wife, Kim, has seven children ages 7 to 17. “How you deal with defeat or success defines you.”

HOUSTON – The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is host to hundreds of the top rodeo athletes in the world every March. Tana Poppino of Big Cabin, Okla., is one of those, earning her credentials to compete inside Reliant Park from March 7-9 through her three qualifications to ProRodeo’s grand finale, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. And she loves competing in RodeoHouston, where she will race around the cloverleaf pattern for a chance at the biggest regular-season events in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. “It’s always a great rodeo with a lot of great action,” said Poppino, a former marketing executive who transitioned from a part-time rodeo cowgirl to a full-time barrel racer in 2003. “It’s always fun to compete in an arena like Reliant Stadium. “But what’s really fun to me is the fact that they have the best Cowboy Church. It’s great for me to be part of that, and it’s an experience I take with me all year long.” Raised in southeastern Colorado, Poppino graduated from Panhandle State University, where she was part of the rodeo team. She and her husband, Marty, have raised their son, Brody, around rodeo; they’ve also shared their love of God. “My faith is a very important part of my life,” she said. “I am who I am because of my faith.”

Halfway through Sunday’s second episode of the CBS-TV reality series “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business,” Jet McCoy made quite an understated comment. “Cord, this is a milestone,” said McCoy, who is racing around the world for $1 million with his brother. “We’re not in last place. Woohoo.” Many fans, especially those who have fallen for the cowboys on the series, had been biting their nails. The Season 18 episodes feature some of the most popular tandems to have ever been part of the race, and that includes the rodeo champion brothers from southeastern Oklahoma. But the McCoys had fans holding their collective breaths through the opening episode, which continued into Sunday night’s race across Australia. The brothers finally finished the first leg of the race, although the other 10 teams were shown doing so the week before. “Jet and Cord, I’m sorry to tell you you’re the last to arrive,” host Phil Keoghan told the brothers when they arrived at the first “pit stop” of this season. “We know,” Cord said. “I want you to go redeem yourselves,” Keoghan said. “The race is still going, man. Here’s your next clue.” The brothers took off on their next venture. Looking exhausted, they walked the streets of Sydney searching out their final clue. With darkness upon them, they finally met the challenge, though hours behind the other teams. But in doing so, they got on the second of two charter flights to the Australian outback, so they were already within 30 minutes of the race leaders. That was a “long day today, but in this one instance, we are very glad there’s other teams on this flight,” Cord said. “We’re just glad to still be in the race,” Jet responded. The flights landed in Broken Hill, an isolated mining town in the far west of the outback New South Wales. The teams went to the Living Desert, where they took part in their first detour, choosing between two aboriginal customs dealing with the spirit world and the natural world. All the teams chose the spirit world, where they had to build a mosaic and dance to raise the spirits. The engaged couple, Amanda Blackledge and Kris Klicka, had to do both challenges as part of the “U-turn,” a punishment for coming in last in the opening challenge of the season. “Everybody else was doing it,” Jet said. “We might as well, too.” The brothers left the Living Desert in seventh place, having moved up four spots in the first 30 minutes of the hour-long show. They made their way to the Central Football Club, where each contestant donned a kangaroo outfit and had to find the answer to the puzzle involving the periodic table. “What is Hg and Bi?” Jet asked his brother. “I don’t know, Jet,” Cord said. “You watch way more Discovery Channel than I do.” Their clue took them to the intersection of Mercury and Bismuth streets in Broken Hill, where they found their final clue of the leg and were directed to the second episode’s “pit stop.” While still decked out in their kangaroo outfits, the teams piled back in their vehicles and went to an abandoned mine. Best friends Zev Glassenberg and Justin Kanew won the leg. But there was a pretty good race to finish out the competition. While some teams struggled to take off their anti-gravity jumping boots, the McCoys took off. “We passed like three teams,” Jet said as the brothers zoomed around parked vehicles. Once at the mine, the McCoys sprinted past sisters LaKisha and Jennifer Hoffman and finished the leg third. Worst to third made for a pretty good episode for the brothers, but they’ve been in a similar position before. During the 16th season that aired last spring, the brothers finished last in the seventh episode of the race, which worked out to be a non-elimination leg. The McCoys then won the eighth leg of the race, becoming the first team in the history of the reality series to go from worst to first in a single leg. The engaged couple of Blackledge and Klicka weren’t so fortunate, though. They were the 11th team at the “pit stop” and were eliminated.

GUYMON, Okla. – Each May the largest community in the Oklahoma Panhandle hosts nearly 1,000 of the best athletes ProRodeo has to offer, from world champion cowboys and cowgirls to the outstanding bucking beasts. The key ingredient in the magnitude and scope of such an event is the group of community volunteers that tackle every task, from raising funds to cleaning the facilities and handling all matters in between. It takes thousands of man hours to get everything ready, much less the work it takes during the seven straight days of rodeo competition in Texas County, Okla. To be that involved means a real commitment, following a calling. That’s the case for so many people who not only invest their time and talents throughout the year, but also use their vacation time to work their tails off the week of the rodeo. “I do this because I love rodeo,” said Becky Robinson of Guymon, who tackles the scheduling, appearances and contests involving the rodeo queens. “I love all the people involved in it. Rodeo people are just good people.” That’s Robinson’s driving force, but it’s also a passion for her to help produce the biggest event in the community, with performances 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. “I think the reason we have a great rodeo is because we cater to the contestants,” said Robinson, who has been part of the rodeo committee for 10 years and is involved with her sister, Gina Horner. “We have good stock, and we always try to get the top stock. I think the reason so many cowboys come to Guymon is because of the stock and the format. “But I think, too, they come here because of the hospitality. That’s important.” The Pioneer Days Rodeo committee does what it can to reach out to contestants, but the hospitality reaches into the community. “I think the opportunity to compete for money is going to be in the contestants’ thoughts as much as anything, but I believe the hospitality we provide is a big part of it, too,” said Horner, who joined the committee with Robinson in 2002. “I don’t believe it’s just the rodeo committee or just the rodeo, but everyone else, too. I think they need to put fuel in their trucks and buy food for their horses and themselves, and they get to interact with the people here. “This feels like home to them. We’re rodeo people here. Our kids rodeo, just like their kids.” The rodeo is just one piece of the large Pioneer Days celebration, which has roots to the Depression, when Guymon was in the middle of the “Dust Bowl.” But the rodeo is the cornerstone of the festivities that take place the first weekend of May each year. That means the volunteers put together their time and talents to help produce the event. Last year alone, a record number of contestants and a record crowd saw the action inside. How does that happen? “We have a lot of people who put in a lot of their time and energy all year long to put together the best rodeo we can,” said Jim Quimby, chairman of the rodeo committee. “Most of the volunteers take off the week of the rodeo so they can help out and be part of it. It’s a lot of work, but I think every person that is involved believes in this rodeo that much. We’re awfully proud of it and the work we do.” They should be. Over the years, Pioneer Days Rodeo has grown from a small event to one that attracts most of the top contestants in the sport. It has happened because people took their pride in the rodeo and built on it, sharing their passion with others. “I’m on the rodeo committee for personal reasons, to spend quality time with my sister,” Horner said. “I love doing my part with the rodeo because of our childhood, of sitting in those wooden bleachers with my cousins and Becky. The rodeo is so important to my mom, and they’ve all pulled me into that with them. “It’s a family thing for us, but the bonus is you get to help your community.” And the community is the beneficiary. Recent figures reveal the rodeo offers a $2 million economic impact to Texas County. That means a lot to Robinson and Horner, who grew up in No Man’s Land and have been around the annual rodeo most of their lives. “I help wherever else we need help at,” said Robinson, whose duties keep her so busy during the week of the rodeo that she hasn’t seen an entire performance in 10 years. “Guymon is such a good rodeo, and it seems like it always has been.” Horner is proud to be part of the committee, but she’s more proud to see her sister excel. Like a lot of the volunteers who bust their humps to make things happen, Robinson has been a guiding light for the last decade. “I think Becky is the real story, because she really puts so much into the rodeo,” Horner said. “This is a woman who has taken vacation for the rodeo when she won’t take a vacation for herself. This is important to her. That’s why I’m here.”

There are many facets in the world of rodeo, from the variety of events to the personalities of the contestants to the contractors and committees. Each has a vital role in the sport’s success. But the backbone of rodeo isn’t the roper, wrestler or rider, nor is it an amazing animal athlete; the driving force behind rodeo’s greatness is the volunteer, the person who raises the money, promotes the event, paints the fence, moves the livestock, works the ground, sells the tickets, puts up the banners, sells the concessions, handles the hospitality and thousands of other duties that go unnoticed to most folks in the community. World champions could enter any rodeo they want, but no rodeo will succeed without the volunteers who produce it. Thanks for all the work you do.