Reiner riding into NFR position
GOODING, Idaho – The life of a bucking-horse rider isn’t always glamourous. There are all-night drives and bad convenience-store food, and there are nights that broncs don’t do their jobs. When the opportunities rise, the elite cowboys take advantage it. “It’s been a little slow the last couple of weeks, but to have a horse […]
Rookie takes Lovington crown
LOVINGTON, N.M. – This may be Weston Timberman’s first year in ProRodeo, but he doesn’t ride like a rookie. He proved as much during Saturday’s final performance of the Lea County Rodeo, matching moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Secrets Out for 89.5 points to win the bareback riding in Lovington. At the highest-paying rodeo […]
Yates jumps into round lead
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Over the course of his 13-year career, Marty Yates has seen a lot of success. He’s made nine straight trips to the National Finals Rodeo with multiple top-five finishes in the world standings. His best finish came in 2020, when he finished in the tie-down roping money list. He’s won some of […]
Cress gets Dirty in Lovington
LOVINGTON, N.M. – For most of the past decade and a half, cowboys knew they had a chance to be at least 90 points when they rode Dirty Jacket. Whether the big bay gelding was in bareback riding or saddle bronc riding, every man that was matched with the horse knew they had a big […]
Rodeo has evolved over time
Sport has changed through the years, and Gooding Pro Rodeo celebrates it GOODING, Idaho – The sport of rodeo dates back to the 1800s, when drovers from opposing ranches tested their talents against one another in an empty lot in a small town in the American West. A trio communities lay claim to hosting the […]
Berry finds Shady Nights just right
LOVINGTON, N.M. – A glance is about all that Leighton Berry gives the bareback riding world standings. He knows his place. He knows he has a really good chance to return to the National Finals Rodeo for the fourth time in five years. He is third on the money list with $145,349. He also knows […]
Gooding rodeo has stacked deck
With multiple livestock producers, contestants assured to have a good draw GOODING, Idaho – When organizers of the Gooding Pro Rodeo started looking at something to set them apart from other events of its stature, they realized one important thing. “We knew we needed to have the kind of stock, both in the timed events […]
Rookie takes Xtreme Bulls title
LOVINGTON, N.M. – As soon as Wacey Schalla turned 18, he opted to test the waters in ProRodeo. It’s a good thing he did. During his freshman season at Clarendon (Texas) College, he won both the all-around a bull riding national championships during the College National Finals Rodeo a month and a half ago in […]
Family has tricks of the trade
Garcilazos continue long-time La Cherreria tradition at Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – The Garcilazo family is made up of showmen – and a show-woman – who not only love to entertain but also have passion for tradition. It drives them across North America and beyond as they perform incredible horsemanship and other talents that […]
Cowboy having exceptional year
Landingham hoping to continue streak of good fortune at Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – Bareback rider R.C. Landingham has never lived in Gooding County, but it’s a good place to call home when the opportunities arise. “I’ve spent time there, and when I go through Idaho rodeoing, that’s one of the places I hang […]
Pope rights himself at Roundup
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Life on the rodeo trail can be special at times. Cowboys make a living eight seconds at a time and get to travel the country doing it. Life on the rodeo trail can be rugged at times. When the results one is seeking aren’t there, cowboys are away from home, and […]
Rodeo royalty heading to fair
LOVINGTON, N.M. – During her reign as Miss Rodeo America, Emma Cameron will have traveled approximately 50,000 miles as the official ambassador of ProRodeo. None, though, will be as sweet as those she maneuvers in her home state of New Mexico. She will return to the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. […]
Munsell closing in on her prey
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Growing up in the western Oklahoma hamlet of Arnett, breakaway roper Taylor Munsell made many trips to compete at Roundup Arena. She’s done well at youth rodeos and the amateur rodeos in the storied complex, but she’s never done well at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Her luck may be changing this […]
Ropers get fast on Friday
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Team ropers Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira have had a lot of success competing together over the years. They won world championships in 2021 and 2022 and are the No. 1 tandem in the world standings this week with about $130,000 in earnings each. They’ve also had a lot of success […]
Cress is in position to repeat
DODGE CITY, Kan. – For the past several years, Brody Cress has been one of the “rankest” saddle bronc riders in rodeo. He’s made the National Finals Rodeo seven straight times and is on pace to make it eight. He has finished among the top five bronc busters in the world standings five times and […]
Medlin still seeking Lovington title
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Jake McClure Arena is much like home to Logan Medlin. Just 20 minutes or so from his family’s home near Tatum, New Mexico, Medlin cut his teeth roping at the massive arena inside the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. Following in the footsteps of his father, Jeff, being a cowboy is just […]
Lummus Wills his way to lead
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Over his career, Will Lummus has some amazing accomplishments. He’s won the Calgary Stampede, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and the average championship at the National Finals Rodeo, an event he has qualified for each of the past six seasons. He’s a two-time reserve world champion, having finished second […]
Yucca hosts a variety of projects
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Just past the main entrance to the Lea County Fairgrounds sits one of the most versatile facilities on the property. Inside the Yucca Building will rest a variety of projects created by a wide age group, from youngsters showing off their photography skills to older folks displaying their gardening prowess to quilters […]
Top stock coming to Gooding
Bucking horses, bulls proving themselves before returning to Idaho GOODING, Idaho – The excellence that’s found at the Gooding Pro Rodeo is also found across North America. “We believe we bring in the best stock contractors in rodeo, and they have some incredible bucking animals that are featured at a lot of rodeos,” said Don […]
Harris rides for Xtreme Bulls title
DODGE CITY, Kan. – It’s been about 10 months since his first one, but Hayden Harris finally secured his second event victory this year. This one might mean as much, if not more. Harris rode Frontier Rodeo’s County Jail for 88.5 points to win the Dodge City Roundup Xtreme Bulls title Tuesday night. “That bull’s […]
Cowboys anticipating Xtreme Bulls
LOVINGTON, N.M. – When the top bull riders in ProRodeo arrive in southeastern New Mexico, they’ll have something big waiting for them. “We’re going to have an even bigger purse for the bull riding,” said Kyle Johnston, a member of the Lea County Fair Board and the rodeo committee chairman. Lea County Xtreme Bulls will […]
Loden offers sounds of rodeo
Acclaimed music director provides the right beats to make event stand out GOODING, Idaho – Jill Franzen Loden was just a teenager when she found her true passion, but she didn’t even know it yet. “I’ve been doing this for 24 years,” said Loden, now in her 18th year as the sound director for the […]
There’s value in livestock showing
LOVINGTON, N.M. – The primary beneficiary of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo has always been youth. From the time the fair’s gates open Friday, Aug. 2, until they close Saturday, Aug. 10, there are plenty of activities to give back to the next generation of county residents that hope to follow in the footsteps […]
Reina claims Roundup buckle
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Tony Reina has been around ProRodeo for more than three decades. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in tie-down roping in 2013 and has made five trips to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Reina added another prestigious title to his resume Tuesday, winning the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo’s […]