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SAN ANGELO, Texas – A couple of paint horses led the way for two ProRodeo superstars to excel during the second day of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. Lefty Holman rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s California Kiss for 87 points during Saturday evening’s third performance to take the saddle bronc riding lead, while Riley Webb rode his horse, Cletus, to a top-five spot in the tie-down roping race. Whether it was the paints stepping up or their cowboys, it added up to a winning showdown inside Foster Communications Coliseum. Webb, the reigning tie-down roping world champion from Denton, Texas, rode Cletus to the first-round lead after posting a 6.9-second run during the matinee performance. He was a bit slower in the evening, but he’s still fifth in the aggregate race and stands a great chance to return for the April 19 championship round, which features only the top 12 contestants from the 10 preliminary performances. “I got that horse last week from Bunge Herbert and Cody McCartney,” said Webb, 20, of Denton, Texas. “I rode him last week at a couple of jackpots, and it went good, so I (thought) I’m just going to ride him here, and it’s been good so far. “I’ve got a couple of good horses. I’m excited to get to use them in situations and not wear them down, and hopefully make their career last as long as mine.” Webb has a two-run cumulative time of 17.5 seconds and was one of four ropers who moved into the top 12 Saturday. In a town well known for tie-down roping, it’s always a big deal to find success. Webb earned the gold buckle in just his second trip to the NFR. The young, Texas roper earned more than $170,000 during those 10 days in Las Vegas to secure his first world title. He finished the year with nearly $453,000 in earnings. “I couldn’t hear anything,” he said about his run. “It was the first performance I rode the paint in, so I was trying to get back on and get the six-second (count). The crowd’s always loud here, and they’re fans of calf roping, so that’s exciting.” It was just as loud during the rest of the rodeo, too. In saddle bronc riding, National Finals Rodeo qualifiers Brody Cress and Cort Scheer set the bar early with 86- and 86.5-point rides, respectively. As the last man to go, Holman matched moves with the California Kiss, and the outcome was an 87-point ride. “Anytime you’ve got a Pete Carr bucking horse in Texas, just don’t stub your toe, and you’ll be alright,” said Holman, a three-time NFR qualifier from Visalia, California. Holman was almost as successful in the Nevada desert, earning nearly $166,000. He finished sixth in the world standings. The year before, he was the runner-up to the bronc riding titlist. He’s had success in San Angelo before. He finished fourth in both 2019 and 2021. “I visualize everything,” Holman said. “I dream about bronc riding all the time; I’m obsessed with it.” It shows. San Angelo Stock Show and RodeoApril 5-19Bareback riding leaders: 1. Cooper Cooke, 88.5 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Buffalo Soldier; 2. Ethan Mazurenko, 86; 3. 4. Caleb Bennett, 84; 4. Cole Franks, 83.5; 5. Jess Pope, 83; 6. Ty Pope, 82; 7. Danton Bertsch, 80.5; 8. (tie) Gauge McBride and Clint Laye, 80; 10. Richmond Champion, 78.5; 11. Cole Reiner, 77; 12. Drake Amundson, 75.5. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Edler, 3.6 seconds; 2. Cole Walker, 3.7; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, 3.8; 4. Trisyn Kalawaia, 3.9; 5. Gavin Soileau, 4.0; 6. (tie) Matt Reeves and Jay Williamson, 4.1; 8; (tie) Tucker Allen and Brandon Harrison, 4.2. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Rooster Yazzie and Trever Nelson, 3.6 seconds; 3. (tie) Heath Thomas and Adam Musil, 3.9; 5. Chance Howard, 4.1; 6. (tie) Tyke Kipp and Wade Steffen, 4.2; 8. Logan Mullin, 4.3. Average leaders: 1. Cole Walker, 8.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Trever Nelson, 8.9; 3. Gavin Soileau, 9.0; 4. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2; 5. Heath Thomas, 9.4; 6. Jake Nelson, 9.6; 7. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Justin Schaffer, Chance Howard and Gus Franzen, 9.8; 11. Rowdy Parrott, 9.9; 12. Trace Harris, 10.3. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Travis Graves, Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray and Max Kuttler/Cashton Weidenbener, 4.2; 5. Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.3; 6. (tie) Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, Garett Chick/Lane Siggins, Devon McDaniel/Walt Woodard and Peyton Walters/Brandon Gonzales, 4.5. Second round leaders: 1. Chace Thompson/Chad Williams, 3.7 seconds; 2. Mason Appleton/Cooper Freeman, 3.9; 3. (tie) Wade Smith/Zach Varian and Slade Wood/Nathan Walker, 4.0; 5. (tie) James Arviso/J.R. Gonzalez and Shay Carrol/Jace Helton, 4.1; 7. Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain, 4.1; 8. Jhett Trenary/Jake South, 4.3. Average leaders: 1. James Arviso/J.R. Gonzalez, 8.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 9.4; 3. Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray, 10.1; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 11.0; 5. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 14.0; 6. Koby Sanchez/Trace Porter, 14.2; 7. Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain, 14.3; 8. Chace Thompson/Chad Williams, 14.7; 9. John Wesley Sharp/Dodge Hare, 15.2; 10. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 15.7; 11. Garett Chick/Lane Siggins, 19.0; 12. Cody Russell/Cole Carpenter, 19.8. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Lefty Holman, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s California Kiss; 2. Cort Scheer, 86.5; 3. Brody Cress, 86; 4. Jake Watson, 82.5; 5. Tegan Smith, 81; 6. (tie) Cash Wilson, Jarrod Hammons and Q Taylor, 80; 9. Spencer Wright, 78; 10. (tie) Dylan Young and Jake Finlay, 77.5; 12. Allen Boore, 77. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Riley Webb, 6.9 seconds; 2. Tuf Cooper, 7.6; (tie) Bryce Derrer and Connor Atkinson, 7.8; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 7.9; 6. Cash Hooper, 8.1; 7. Marty Yates, 8.2; 8. Colton Farquer, 8.4. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Cash Enderli, Zaine Mikita and Marty Yates, 7.3 seconds; 4. Jake Pratt, 7.4; 5. Charlie Gibson, 7.5; 6. Jeremiah Peek, 7.6; 7. Paden Bray, 7.7; 8. Blake Ash, 7.8. Average leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 15.5 seconds on two runs; 2.  Continue Reading »

SAN ANGELO, Texas – On the first night of breakaway roping at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, the event’s top dog took the top spot.   Jackie Crawford, owner of 23 WPRA world championships and the first titlist in the ProRodeo breakaway roping era that began in 2020, stopped the clock in 2.9 seconds during Friday’s first performance at Foster Communications Coliseum. She’s just not sure how far that will get her in this 11-performance rodeo. “There are 172 girls left, which is going to make it tough, and I had a big chance right there and messed it up a little bit,” said Crawford, the No. 1 cowgirl in the world standings from Stephenville, Texas. “I hit the panel with my rope when I was leaving, so my rope was messed up. I had to take another swing, and that made me a little longer than I wanted to be.” It was an important step for Crawford and all the other ladies competing inside the coliseum for the first time of this legendary rodeo. Known by many as the tie-down roping capital of ProRodeo, this is unchartered territory for the folks in Tom Green County. “To me, this was a true test to how people are realizing breakaway roping is good for the industry and good for your community,” she said. “This is definitely a testament to how things are changing.” Breakaway roping is fast-paced … the fastest of all the timed events. New Mexican cowgirl Danielle Lowman had runs of 1.6 and 1.8 seconds to win in Fort Worth. A few weeks later, she posted three 1.6s to win the championship in San Antonio. During RodeoHouston in a much bigger NRG Stadium, winning times were much closer to 3.0 seconds. But San Angelo’s arena is tiny and tight. Crawford estimated it will take faster times to make any money inside this coliseum. She will rope her second calf Sunday afternoon and would love to post a sub-2.0-second run to have a chance to advance to the April 19 championship round, which features only the top 12 times or scores through the 10 preliminary performances. “The setup was a little trickier than what any of us anticipated, so the cards would definitely have to fall in my favor,” she said. “I’d have to draw one of the really good calves and have everything fall my way, but that’s rodeo. Sometimes they do fall your way. It would be cool if it would happen.” Crawford has qualified for three of the first four National Finals Breakaway Ropings. She won the inaugural event in Arlington, Texas, five seasons ago to claim another gold buckle. Her most recent success story came with the Houston title. That propelled her to the top spot in the world standings with $76,408 – all but $20,000 of that came at NRG Stadium. “Anybody who wins Houston sets their sights on the gold buckle,” Crawford said. “It’s such a catapult. I didn’t have a stellar winter until then, so I didn’t just move leaps and bounds ahead of people. But winning Houston sets you up to being able to rodeo a little smarter and still have a really good shot at a gold buckle. “That’s where my sights are. I would love to be able to win another one.” San Angelo Stock Show and RodeoApril 5-19Bareback riding leaders: 1. Ethan Mazurenko, 86 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Stevie Knicks; 2. Jess Pope, 83; 3. Gauge McBride, 80; 4. Cole Reiner, 77; 5. Rocker Steiner and Drake Amundson, 75; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Edler, 3.6 seconds; 2. Cole Walker, 3.7; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, 3.8; 4. Trisyn Kalawaia, 3.9; 5. Gavin Soileau, 4.0; 6. (tie) Matt Reeves and Jay Williamson, 4.1; 8; Brandon Harrison, 4.2. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Trever Nelson and Rooster Yazzie, 3.6 seconds; 3. (tie) Adam Musil and Heath Thomas, 3.9; 5. Chance Howard, 4.1; 6. (tie) Tyke Kipp and Wade Steffen, 4.2. Average leaders: 1. Cole Walker, 8.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Trever Nelson, 8.9; 3. Gavin Soileau, 9.0; 4. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2; 5. Heath Thomas, 9.4; 6. Jake Nelson, 9.6; 7. (tie) Chance Howard and Gus Franzen, 9.6; 9. Rowdy Parrott, 9.9; 10. Trace Harris, 10.3; 11. Cody Cabral, 10.6, 12. Ty Allred, 11.2. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Travis Graves, Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray and Max Kuttler/Cashton Weidenbener, 4.2; 5. Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.3; 6. (tie) Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, Garett Chick/Lane Siggins, Devon McDaniel/Walt Woodard and Peyton Walters/Brandon Gonzales, 4.5. Second round leaders: 1. Chace Thompson/Chad Williams, 3.7 seconds; 2. Mason Appleton/Cooper Freeman, 3.9; 3. (tie) Wade Smith/Zach Varian and Slade Wood/Nathan Walker, 4.0; 5. (tie) James Arviso/J.R. Gonzalez and Shay Carrol/Jace Helton, 4.1. Average leaders: 1. James Arviso/J.R. Gonzalez, 8.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 9.4; 3. Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray, 10.1; 4. Curry Kirchner, 11.0; 5. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 14.0; 6. Coby Sanchez/Trace Porter, 14.2; 7. Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain, 14.3; 8. Chace Thompson/Chad Williams, 14.7; 9. John Wesley Sharp/Dodge Hare, 15.2; 10. Garett Chick/Lane Siggins, 19.0; 11. Cody Russell/Cole Carpenter, 19.8; 12. Bodie Mattson/Trae Smith, 24.5. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Jake Watson, 82.5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Yellow Jacket; 2. Tegan Smith, 81; 3. Jarrod Hammons, 80; 4. (tie) Dylan Young and Jake Finlay, 77.5; 6. Allen Boore, 77; 7. Noel Johnson, 73; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Bryce Derrer and Connor Atkinson, 7.8 seconds; 3. Ryan Jarrett, 7.9; 4. Cash Hooper, 8.1; 6. Marty Yates, 8.2; 6. Colton Farquer, 8.4; 7. (tie) Cole Clemons and Walker Shane Akins, 8.6. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Cash Enderli, Zaine Mikita and Marty Yates, 7.3 seconds; 4. Charlie Gibson, 7.5; 5. Jeremiah Peek, 7.6; 6. Paden Bray, 7.7; 7. Blake Ash, 7.8; 8. Spur Valdez, 7.9. Average leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 15.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Ryan Jarrett, 16.4; 3. Connor Blaise  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Volunteers who produce the community’s biggest annual event are spreading their wings. “We’re selling Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo merchandise for the first time in a long time,” said Ken Stonecipher, the rodeo committee’s chairman. “This is a chance for us to share the joy of our rodeo all year long, and we have some things people are really going to like.” The sales are in anticipation of this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5. “We wanted a better way to promote our brand and to show pride in our brand,” said Brooke Kitting, the volunteer committee’s marketing director. “We thought this was a good way to engage with the community members that make Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo what it is.”’ The merchandise will be available at the rodeo’s annual fundraiser, the Dinner, Dance and Draw Down, which takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena’s hospitality center. In addition, a merchandise trailer will be operating near the saloon toward the north end of the grandstands during each of the four performances. “We have hoodies, T-shirts and quarter zips; three versions of trucker caps; and two youth-size options, a hoodie and a T-shirt,” Kitting said. The merchandise is not only a way to help share the rodeo’s brand, it’s also a way to give back. The rodeo committee will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from the merchandise sales to a local charity. “When we decided to do this, we wanted to make sure that this aspect of our rodeo would also have a charitable component,” Stonecipher said. “This year, because of all that’s been happening recently in our area, we wanted to make it to the Panhandle Wildfire Relief Fund.” The endowment was established to assist farmers and ranchers that were affected when catastrophic wildfires spread across the Texas Panhandle, charring many acres and destroying homes, barns, livestock and fences. The blazes, fueled by a dry landscape and accelerated by high winds that swept across the plains, scorched 1.1 million acres, according to news reports. Hundreds of miles of fences were also destroyed, and nearly 10,000 cattle died in an area that is recognized as one of the largest cattle-raising regions in the world. “I don’t think there’s any better way to represent what our rodeo is all about than being able to give back to our neighbors that are in need,” Stonecipher said. “This is just a small way we can do that.” For 92 years, the event has been a defining event for the community. World champions built their legacies through the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, and that likely won’t change anytime soon. “I know a lot of people from around here take pride in our rodeo,” Stonecipher said. “This is a way they can show it off.”

Big Tex was born to be a bucking horse on the Zinser Ranch in Michigan, but he was much more than that. Most of his life, he was recognized as one of the elite broncs in ProRodeo. He was selected 17 times to perform and the National Finals Rodeo, a credit to his breeding and to the care he received. The 2010 Bareback Horse of the Year, Big Tex died overnight Tuesday on the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo ranch near Moscow, Texas. He was 24. He was the epitome of everything right in the world of rodeo. Sired by the legendary stallion Night Jacket, Big Tex lived up to his heritage. He was the kind of horse the cowboys dreamed of riding, whether it was early in life under a bareback rigging or the last half in saddle bronc riding. “He was pretty cool, and you were always excited to see Big Tex by your name when the draw came out,” said saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper, a four-time NFR qualifier from Miami, Texas, who had success on him the three times he rode the powerful bronc. “You had a good chance to win on him any time you drew him. He pretty much had the same trip, and he gave you all he could every single time.” Casper found his way to high markings each time he drew the powerful gelding: He was 87 points during the 2022 RodeoHouston, where he finished second overall. He was 86.5 points to win the Weatherford, Texas, rodeo in 2017 and was 85 points to finish second at Stephenville, Texas, a year later. Casper was just one of many cowboys that loved drawing Big Tex, and several of them had the horse multiple times. World champion Wade Sundell won both Houston and San Antonio on athletic beast in consecutive years, scoring 90 points both times. Dean Wadsworth finished second both times the two matched up; the first was at the 2016 Lovington, New Mexico, rodeo, and the second was at Hempstead, Texas, in 2021. “That first time I drew him, I’d seen guys be so many points on him that I was really excited about it,” said Wadsworth, a 13-time Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo qualifier. “I found out pretty quick that he’s no day off, and he dang sure about got me on the third jump. From the first time I got on him to the second time five years later, he hadn’t lost a step. He was still pretty tough those first three jumps. “You know if you do your job, you’re going to be in the high 80s every time. Once you survive those first three or four jumps, you can have all the fun you want on him.” During his last out in Hempstead this past October, Big Tex bucked off a young cowboy, and Wadsworth was there to see it happen. The veteran bronc buster from Buffalo Gap, Texas, took note of just how much the animal loved his job. “One of the coolest things I saw was this year at Hempstead during the bareback riding,” he said. “Big Tex got himself in the load alley and was ready to go. He was just standing there waiting for his shot, and we still had a few events to go before we were going to load the broncs.” Billy Jones, the operations manager for Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, found the horse in the pasture Wednesday morning. He said Big Tex had a pretty typical routine along with the hundreds of other animals on the southeast Texas ranch. “It looked like he just laid down and died,” Jones said. Sometimes the tough guys just give out, and Big Tex was definitely tough, and he proved it a decade ago. While in Guthrie, Oklahoma, for the National Circuit Finals Rodeo, he began to show signs of colic. In his case, his colon was displaced and was between the spleen and the kidney. On-site veterinarians from the Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Oklahoma, cared for the animal for 48 hours. Travis Adams was Carr’s operations manager at time, and he was there with the vets as they cared for him. “He was just acting off, and like a lot of horses that are stoic and strong-willed, it was hard to tell how much discomfort he was in,” Adams said. “There were two or three of those vets that worked on him. I slept with him at night, and they took care of him through all that. I credit them with saving his life.” The doctors performed a rolling maneuver in which Big Tex was lifted off the ground by his hind legs with a tractor to help release the colon off his spleen and kidney. While it worked, it failed to relieve the horse’s discomfort, so he was sent 45 miles north, where doctors with Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine surgically alleviated the blockage. “They found the impaction in his colon and were thankful that it wasn’t a twisted gut, so they injected the impaction with fluid to help it pass,” Adams said. “They sewed him back up and kept him there for two weeks.” Big Tex was expected to be out of action for four to six months, but veterinarians didn’t realize the animal’s make-up. Three months later, he was bucking in the championship round at the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days Rodeo, and he was back in Las Vegas that December. “He was an extremely tough horse,” said Adams, who cared for Big Tex and other Carr horses for several years. “That horse also foundered when he was young, and he was still at the NFR that same year. A lot of it goes to how big and tough he was, but a lot of his resilience was in the way that Pete took care of him. Pete’s had some incredible animals, and that’s a testament to the care he puts into the animals he’s owned. “Vet trips and  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – Much has happened in this community over the last 22 years. There’s been growth; Guymon’s population has increased by 1,500 people. There’s been development; a casino dots the landscape, and there are more hotel rooms than ever before. One thing that’s remained consistent is the biggest event in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo continues to thrive, and the organizers are gearing up for this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5. More than two decades ago, it was honored as the 2002 PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. “There have been a few changes with our rodeo since then, but the main aspect of it is still the same: We want to produce one of the greatest events in the PRCA year after year to celebrate this community,” said Ken Stonecipher, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the rodeo. “We have outstanding volunteers who are really working hard to get everything ready for this year’s rodeo.” It’s not without a tip of the cap to what’s happened in the past. This is the 92nd year of Pioneer Days Rodeo, an event that was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2015. A year ago, it was again nominated for rodeo of the year, this time in the medium category. “I don’t think a lot of people understand how difficult it is to be nominated, especially for Medium Rodeo of the Year,” Stonecipher said. “That category has the most rodeos in the PRCA by far, so to be among the top five says a lot for our volunteers and for the people that support our rodeo.” Why the change in size? Most of it has to do with the overall payout. In the early 2000s, Pioneer Days Rodeo was a PRCA tour event, which meant the local dollars had to be above a high threshold. The rodeo also had to have a championship round. In an effort to maintain community support and help cowboys and cowgirls with their travel plans, the committee opted to make the changes necessary. As with anything in life, Guymon’s rodeo has continued to evolve. The contestants have recognized that, which is a big reason why the committee was recognized in 2023. “In order to be nominated, a rodeo has to receive the votes from the PRCA members, and that includes the cowboys,” Stonecipher said. “We’ve always been an event that caters to the contestants. We’ve adjusted our slack schedule to make it easier, and we’re always finding ways to improve.” While it’s recognized as a cowboys’ rodeo, those in the community are likely the greatest beneficiaries. Whether they sponsor the rodeo or just make sure they’re in attendance, an exceptional event offers them the opportunity to celebrate the greatness that happens inside the arena during a week of world-class competition. It’s not just the local committee that has been honored. The event’s producer, Frontier Rodeo, is a nine-time winner of the PRCA’s Stock Contractor of the Year. Frontier has also had several horses that have won annual honors, while Cody Webster is the reigning three-time Bullfighter of the Year and Amanda Sanders has won Secretary of the Year. “We’ve got the best in the business, and I think that says a lot for our rodeo, too,” Stonecipher said. “We have the kind of rodeo a lot of communities would love to have.” There are a lot of great things happening in Guymon the first weekend in May.

Cinch bullfighter owns 4 freestyle world titles, a love for the game The climb sometimes is most of the fun when trying to reach the mountaintop. The labor of love can become grinding work once the goal is reached. Cinch endorsee Weston Rutkowski found himself there after three straight years of dominating freestyle bullfighting in upstart Bullfighters Only. He was the organization’s first world champion in 2016 and followed that with title belts in 2017 and ’18. Through each phase, he battled the challenges and the challengers, all while facing aggressive fighting bulls destined to play this dangerous game. He had his skull sliced open one year and suffered three facial fractures the next, and he still laid claim to being one of the best ever. “I told (wife) Avery that I hit a pretty hard wall a couple years ago,” said Rutkowski, originally from the tiny hamlet of Haskell, Texas, but now living in Granbury with is bride of a year and a half. “In 2019 and 2020, I wasn’t fighting bulls good at all. I’d lost all the fun. I didn’t know why I was doing it, what I was doing and what my goals were. I was just going through the motions. “I told her, ‘If I can’t find what makes this fun, I’m done.’ ” Despite some early struggles in 2021, he found the joy again. He found the love affair with the intensity of the competition, the battle with himself as much as the battle with the bulls. “I went back to the basics and fundamentals, just making sure I was doing everything right that I could control,” he said. “I realized I was putting so much pressure on myself to keep winning, I’d lost the fun. I realized how fun it is and how blessed I am to do something I love. That’s when things switched. I don’t know how long I’m going to do this, but I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.” That mindset made all the difference in the world to Rutkowski, who won his fourth BFO world title that year. His pedigree is the culmination of a lifelong passion and an unrelenting work ethic. When he’s not fighting bulls, he’s training to fight bulls. When he’s not doing that, he joins other BFO shareholders in helping with aspects of the business it takes to produce the thrilling, action-packed shows for which the organization is known. It’s not just freestyle, the competition that pits man vs. beast in an all-out gladiator-type event. Points are awarded on a 100-point scale with half the score based on how aggressive and agile the bulls are and their willingness to stay in the fight and the other half based on how close bullfighters get while maneuvering around or over the animals while staying millimeters from harm’s way. No, Rutkowski also stays busy helping his wife and her business ventures, the primary being the release of Axa Cosmetics, a line she developed. Avery Greene Rutkowski is also marketing director for Run for a Million, an equine-sports showcase, as well as a makeup artist and model. When she needs him, her husband is always there. “I met her at the Hooey Party during the 2015 (National Finals Rodeo),” Weston Rutkowski said. “She college rodeoed, and we very much have the same interests and love the same way of live. She’s everything I’d ever wanted. I chased her for years, and she finally just gave in. Her dream and her passion was to own a cosmetic line. She’s been doing wedding makeup for 10 years. She does contract work for the BFO as their production manager, where calls the show and writes the show.” They work well together, even when he’s working a rodeo as a protection bullfighter. Weston Rutkowski has expanded that portion of his business. He’s spending this time of year working the 15-day Rodeo Austin in the state’s capital city. Two months ago, he was at Dickies Arena during the 23 performances of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. “This was my first year getting to work that rodeo after Evan (Allard) retired,” he said. “I got the call to fill in his spot. When you go from 15 performances compared to 23, it feels like you work a whole other rodeo. It was cool to get to work that many performances in a row. It was a battle and a lot of learning. You learn what your body can take and what you can push through.” While it’s still bullfighting, working in tandem with other men to protect cowboys during bull riding is very different from high-adrenaline phenomenon that is freestyle bullfighting. “The cool thing about protection is it takes all the pressure off me to compete for money,” Rutkowski said. “I’ve got a paycheck coming. Now, I’m working with my buddies, working with a team. The movements I make reflect on what moves my partners make. We’re doing a job together. How can we control this wreck and all step away cleanly? If someone’s supposed to be hit, it’s going to be me. How can I excel and keep a wreck from happening, and how can I get in and also get out?” He doesn’t work two of the biggest rodeos in his home state by being a freestyle world champion; he gets those jobs because the bull riders and other bullfighters respect the work he does in protection. For Rutkowski, though, the work goes hand in hand. “Bullfighting is a crossover between a Western sport and an action sport, and you combine the two,” he said. “I know walking into the office every day, there’s a collision that’s going to happen. My job is to be as close as possible as long as possible and not get caught in freestyle. In protection, my job is to make sure the bull rider steps away safe and my partners step away safe.” His resume reflects the accomplishments that many bullfighters would  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – The wildfires that devastated the landscape a couple weeks ago are still smoldering in some places in the Texas Panhandle. The Smokehouse Creek Fire, which scorched more than a million acres of land, was mostly contained earlier this week, but fire officials aren’t ready to call it completely covered. That territory encompasses land just a few miles south of the Oklahoma Panhandle. It’s been mortifying to watch and even scarier for those in its path, but the people who live in this region prove their resilience. They battle the blazes, and they work hard to recover from disasters like this. It’s in their DNA. They must continue to fight. “We’ve actually been pretty fortunate here,” said Jeremy Carman, a Texas County businessman who has been closely involved in the planning of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5. “We’ve had some spots, but nothing in Texas County. I’m not sure how people replace their cow herds. It’s going to be tough.” Carman has watched the situation unfold, all while hundreds of cattle are grazing north of the Texas border. In addition to raising cattle as part of his business practices, he is providing calves for the muley team roping and breakaway roping at the Guymon rodeo. A former chairman of the community’s biggest event, this will be his sixth year of making sure the timed-event cattle are in the right place at the right time. “I’ve got all those cows bought and should have enough,” he said. “Each run will feature a fresh calf, so you have to have a lot of calves ready for that. I think about 500 head should be enough.” It’s a labor of love for Carman, who said the initial investment into his herd was a considerable jump from what it has been. “The cattle market this year has been extremely challenging,” Carman said. “I’d say these lightweight cattle have gone up $500 a head since last year.” With the baseline of 500 head, that’s an increase of $250,000 if not more. Carman purchases the animals, and Goodwell cowboy brothers Chuck and Ed Hoss care for them. Why is this type of investment important to the producers of the Oklahoma Panhandle’s ProRodeo? “We had the muley team roping for a long time, and when the prices got too high, we went back to horned cattle for a few years,” Carman said. “Everybody wanted to bring the muleys back. The muley team roping is unique to Guymon, and it brings the cowboy out in those guys. It evens the playing field for all the teams, and that makes it a lot of fun.” It’s also fun to watch. Because each run is made on a calf that has never been put through the chute system or run at a rodeo, nobody knows how the animal will react. That hint of mystery is appealing for the cowboys and fans alike. This also will be the second year the WPRA will sanction breakaway roping, so having the right calves makes everything better for the competition. “I think everybody’s excited about adding another women’s event,” Carman said. “We wanted to make sure we had the finances right before we added it, because those girls deserve to be running at even money to what the men do. I think that help sets us apart from a lot of rodeos, too.”

ALVA, Okla. – There were 41 steer wrestlers competing at the Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College rodeo over the weekend. Twelve advanced for Sunday’s championship round. Nine of those attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University. In that elite field, only one non-Ranger mustered points; the rest of those valuable treasures went to the men sporting the black vests with red and black lettering. “We struggled a little bit and didn’t have a good outing at Manhattan,” Cam Fox said of the first Central Plains Region rodeo of the spring semester at Kansas State University. “We figured Fort Scott would be a good setup for us, and there was a good set of steers. Everything just worked out for us.” Fox, a senior from Tulsa, benefitted the most. He had runs of 4.8 seconds and 4.9 seconds to finish second in both go-rounds; his cumulative time of 9.7 seconds earned him the overall victory and 160 points. Already second in the regional standings, Fox moved to within 145 points of teammate Trisyn Kalawaia, the season leader. “This weekend was just something that came together for us,” Fox said. “It lit a fire in us, and we hope to continue the momentum heading into the next ones.” Eight of the nine Rangers scored points, and each of the top six steer wrestlers in the final standings are from Northwestern. Tevin Cowan of Harrold, South Dakota, won the short round and finished second overall; Quade Potter of Stockville, Nebraska, won the first round and placed third; Logan Mullin of Clay Center, Kansas, was fourth; Emmett Edler of State Center, Iowa, was fifth; and Scout Cutsinger of Claremore, Oklahoman, was sixth. “I think this was a good sign for us as a team,” Fox said. “We practice hard ever day. We have a lot of good guys, and we just keep pushing each other to do better and be better. We also get to learn from Stockton Graves.” Northwestern is known as the Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo because of Graves, the coach his alma mater and an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier. This wasn’t the first time that most of the steer wrestlers in the short round were Rangers; it was just one of the most dominating performances for the team. Three other Rangers bulldoggers – Jacob Haren of Callaway, Nebraska (seventh); Sterling Lee of Goetebo, Oklahoma (eighth); and Grady Aasby of Highmore, South Dakota (11th) – also qualified for the final round. Lee finished fourth in the opening round, and Haren was sixth in the short round. Heeler Sage Bader of Boone, Colorado, also qualified for the final performance; he and header Cadon Remington of Southwestern Oklahoma State University capitalized there, finishing sixth in the round. For the women, barrel racer Sierra Schott of McLaughlin, South Dakota, took advantage of her short-round position. She rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 12.84 seconds to win the final round and finish second in the aggregate. Breakaway roper Jayden Jensen of Fallon, Nevada, shared the first-round win with a 2.2-second run; she was 3.8 to finish third in the final round and average. Fellow roper Lauren Hopkins of Lincoln, California, was 2.6 seconds to finish in a five-way tie for fourth place in the opening round, and goat-tier Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon, earned a sport in the championship. On a weekend when the Northwestern steer wrestlers dominated the field, Fox led the way but also saw a teammate make a significant move in the regional standings. Potter also placed in both rounds and secured 120 points. That pushed him to third place in the region. With four events remaining on the schedule, the Rangers own the top three spots and hold down tight positions among the top 10. “It’s great that there are a bunch of us up there and that Trisyn and I are right there at the top,” said Fox, who rode a horse owned by Mullin and utilized the hazing skills of Edler. “We’ll just try to stick to the same script: Go out there, run the steers and get them down. We need to stay aggressive and not relax by where we are in the standings. We want to try to keep the foot on the gas. We just can’t be content.” That mindset and Graves’ push for a winning attitude have proven fruitful for many Rangers. “I think we could be really good, really dominant,” Fox said. “This is my last year, and I’d love to see what we can do the next few weeks.”

Knob Noster farm family continues to diversify its operations KNOB NOSTER, Mo. – Grant and Rachel Jones are setting a clear example for their three children with one important word for family farmers: Diversification. They not only believe in dabbling in a variety of opportunities, they live it. Family farms like Jones Bros. Farm run generations deep because of a passion for agriculture and an understanding of what it takes to continue to build toward a successful future while also recognizing the legacy that was left for them. “When you’re on a family farm, you have to roll up your sleeves and get through each thing together,” said Rachel Jones, who operates Simple Blessings Farm, and event rental space and Airbnb on the family’s property. “It makes you stronger at the end of the day by working through the wrenches that are thrown at you. “If things aren’t going well, you adapt and diversify. I have a saying: ‘If you’re not growing, you’re dying.’ If we want our kids to have an opportunity to come back and keep the farm alive, we have to find ways to diversify.” So many in agriculture understand that, and the Joneses have continued to battle. Grant Jones’ great-grandfather established the farm in 1871; the family moved to its existing location in 1897. The Joneses operate 4,000 acres of wheat, corn and soybeans and run about 300 head of beef cattle. He’s also working with biological fertilizer enhancements with Milne-Dinsdale Seed LLC, a northwest Missouri-based company that is expanding its roots across the state. “I’m working with our Pivot Bio and TuneUp+ programs,” said Grant Jones, who also serves as the president of the Knob Noster school board and is a coach for youth sports. “Travis (Milne) and I met 10 years ago, and we’ve been really good friends. We started doing business together three years ago. “Travis and (Milne-Dinsdale Seed agronomist) Erin Marlow are very forward-thinking for anything to do with agriculture, so we’re able to bounce a lot of ideas off each other. Travis is a very good farmer, and he’s trying to help me do some things they’re doing up there. This is an expansion for me. Travis believes in these products, and I have a lot of trust in Travis and have seen his success in farming.” The programs available through Milne-Dinsdale Seed LLC allow farmers to enhance their operations. By joining forces with the company, the Joneses are expanding their footprint on the family farm and continuing a philosophy that has served them well. It’s another layer that has enabled the family to continue pushing the envelope. “Somehow we got lucky back in the ’30s,” said Grant Jones, who can be reached at (660) 553-8114; other information can be found at http://www.MilneDinsdaleSeed.com. “Somebody came in and took a lot of pictures and a lot of videos of our farm, and we still have all that. My grandfather was a teenager, and it was the first time they put rubber tracks on one of our tractors.” Grandpa John had plenty of tales to tell, and he shared his experiences with his son, Mark, now 71 and still very much part of the operation. Grant Jones’ cousin, Shea Jones, works with the family business, as does Grant’s brother, Tye, who also operates Jones Bros. Agri Service in La Monte, Missouri. Diversification continues to define their calling to the family farm. By dipping their fingers in a variety of pools, the Joneses can identify a plethora of income streams, which helps them stave off all the challenges that come with making a living in agriculture. There are highs and lows in the industry, but they have managed them all with fortitude and a drive to excel. “Inflation right now is just killing everything,” Grant Jones said of his most recent economic hurdle. “It seems like all the input costs – chemicals, fertilizer, fuel – are going to take their cut. Any time the general public thinks you’ve got a good price, somebody’s going to take that from the farmer. “The prices this year have been hard, but I’d say 2023 was the hardest year I’ve ever experienced weather-wise. This is the worst drought I’ve seen in my lifetime. Our farm was just stricken something awful.” He’s handling the roller coaster that is the family farm, all while he and Rachel are raising three children: Laney, 17, is a senior in high school who plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University in the fall; Tinlee is 13, and Phillip is 10. All are active and have been involved with numerous sports. Of course, with a mom and dad who can coach them, the kids have some advantages. Grant and Rachel Jones created Simple Blessings Farm a decade ago, building off the experience they had when they married on their property on Aug. 1, 2009. It has become guiding light for Rachel to handle that aspect of the business, which includes a wedding barn and three cabins: the Silo Lodge, which was made from grain bins that had been used on the farm; a Rail Car, which has been converted to lodging; and the Airstream, which is a remodeled travel trailer. “When Grant an I got married, it was just an extension of our story,” Rachel Jones said. “My grandpa farmed when I was growing up. I actually took a year off teaching when I had Phillip, and I got signed up with helping Grandpa John a lot.” She was the perfect go-between on a busy operation. She’d help move machinery, feed and work with cattle, give rides from one field to the next and assist Grandpa John when he needed it. The two of them would pick pecans or cherries, and she’d help him in the garden. “God was really giving me a vision for the future after I took that first step of faith and quit teaching,” Rachel Jones said. “He has continued to bless us and allow us to grow more  Continue Reading »

Cinch rodeo announcers heating up the action during ‘Texas Swing’ When Anthony Lucia was young, he followed his entertainer father, Tommy, from one rodeo to another. He experienced his own sort of history at what’s been dubbed the “Texas Swing” of winter rodeos, indoor events at some of the most iconic communities in the Lone Star State: Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, Austin and San Angelo. Over the last two years, he’s just added to it by being one of the voices of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. “Last year, they brought me in to help with The Cowboy Channel, and I would have to believe that was kind of my audition to see how I fit in with the culture there and everything that goes into it,” said Lucia, the reigning PRCA Announcer of the Year. “I felt like I had to strive to take what I was doing to another level. That’s just my mindset. I want to make everything that I’m involved in as great as possible.” This year, he served a hybrid role, being one of the arena announcers with fellow Cinch-endorsee Garrett Yerigan for several of the performances and also a sideline reporter for The Cowboy Channel’s broadcast on weekends when rodeo legend Bob Tallman was at the arena microphone. “I split doing the interviews with Katy Lucas and then got to announce 10 performances total,” Lucia said. “It was unbelievably a full-circle amazing moment to do something that I’ve heard Bob Tallman do for as long as I can remember. I’ve trick roped there, I’ve team roped there, and I grew up there going with my dad when he worked that rodeo like 19 or 20 times, whether clowning or doing specialty acts.” The first four months of the calendar year are filled with dozens of performances spread out across the Texas landscape: Fort Worth in January, San Antonio in February, Houston and Austin in March and San Angelo in April. Each has its own flavor and style, but all but one have something in common: They have Cinch men on the microphone in some capacity. Lucia also was the arena voice of San Antonio’s Xtreme Bulls competition. In Houston, the booming, baritone voice of Boyd Polhamus is mixed with the smooth stylings Andy Seiler. Both Cinch endorsees share their talents with Tallman, who has been around ProRodeo for half a century. To wrap up the Texas Swing, Polhamus will call the action at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. “Last year was my 30th year in Houston,” said Polhamus, a four-time PRCA Announcer of the Year. “This will be my 25th year in San Angelo. It’s really tough to put into words, but it’s like riding two different horses. In Houston, a large part of your audience is not completely rodeo knowledgeable, so you’re going to do a little more teaching to try to help the fan understand the difference between a 68-point ride and a 78-point ride. “San Angelo is a very rodeo-knowledgeable place. You could end that rodeo with tie-down roping and start with bull riding, and you wouldn’t lose a soul.” It’s an adjustment he can make because of experience. He’s in his 39th year as a rodeo announcer, so he can switch from talking to tens of thousands of fans a night inside NRG Stadium, home of RodeoHouston, to sitting horseback among the nearly 5,300 in Foster Communications Coliseum in San Angelo. “In Houston, I’m doing as much a television broadcast as I am talking live,” Polhamus said. “Everything we do in Houston is to play off the monitor, unless there’s an issue in the arena, then we can look down and see what’s going on in the arena and adjust accordingly. Houston is more of a telecast, whereas San Angelo is more of a traditional type of rodeo.” Both styles appeal to Seiler, a two-time National Finals Rodeo announcer who obtained a broadcast journalism degree at Troy University in Alabama. Whether he’s on a horse in an arena surrounded by the Rocky Mountains in Colorado or standing next to Polhamus and Tallman in front of a camera in Houston, he knows the game and shares his passion for it. “I have to pinch myself from time to time because they took a big chance on me when they hired me in 2014,” he said of his decade at RodeoHouston. “They wanted to add somebody that would be around for the future, but I truly think if you try to look at it, it’s a little bit overwhelming. “I’m just very thankful to be part of something that is a heck of a lot bigger than any one person or any one group, because it touches so many lives.”   It’s certainly unique, because of Houston’s legacy, its payout and the fact that a rodeo happens inside a stadium that also serves as home to the Houston Texans. NRG Stadium seats nearly four and a half times more than the Thomas & Mack Center, the NFR’s home since 1985. “For me, Houston is in my wheelhouse, because I love that I’m passionate about our sport, but I also love getting the opportunity to explain why it’s good for somebody to mark out a saddle bronc or why getting a good start for a steer wrestler makes everything come together so much quicker,” Seiler said. There also is something about being involved with the agriculture side of each of those Texas Swing events. All are livestock shows and rodeos, with exhibition halls filled with youngsters showcasing the projects they raised, whether it’s a steer, a lamb or any other ag-based activity. “The best part about working the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is giving back to the youth,” Seiler said. “I get to do some interviews at the livestock auctions. When you talk to these kids, you talk to these parents, you realize you’re part of an organization that is truly making a difference.” Yerigan was  Continue Reading »

Northwest Missouri producers learn how to better manage their soils, crops As profit from commodity markets continue to dwindle, some farmers are fighting back to maintain a financial advantage and create more bushels A handful of farmers from northwest Missouri took a big step in that direction by attending the Maximum Farming System seminar conducted by Ag Spectrum. Local producers met with other farmers and professionals from across the Midwest during the Feb. 20-21 meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. “We spent these days with clients refining our skills and knowledge with MFS, which takes a systems approach to nutrient management for any crop,” said Erin Marlow, agronomist at Milne Dinsdale Seed LLC.  “Of course, we are clearly focused on corn and soybeans, and it allows us a chance to better understand what we’re working with and how we can best serve producers.” The system focuses on air and water management, pH, soil-crop balance and the “Five R’s” of nutrient management: right source, right rate, right time, right place and right form, said Travis Milne, Marlow’s partner. “It was good for us to be in the middle of this and to have other farmers with us there, too,” Milne said. One of those was Andy Hull of A&S Hull Farms near Burlington Junction. “It can be information overload, but I learned a lot about crop removal rates,” Hull said. “I understand better what a 200-bushel corn crop actually removes compared to what my fertilizer (recommendations) are. I’m interested in what the crop actually uses and removes.” Even with the abundance of information available and the value of supportive business partners in the Des Moines meetings, he recognized the importance of the messages available. “I’ve been moving in this direction since 2019,” Hull said. “Adding nitrogen on the planter is the final step to jumping completely overboard. “What excites me most is the bigger yields and better soil health.” Hull had another producer with him in Des Moines to help provide the information necessary about what Hull has been doing and why he has joined the operation on some of the ground farmed. Hull wants to make sure those on his team are on the same page. “I attended this year because I wanted to bring my landlord to the meeting,” Hull said. “It is always a great learning opportunity, and I can always use the refresher. I always pick up something new.” Continuing education is vital in many facets of life. For men and women who devoted their lives to agriculture and running a family farm, it’s another big step in the growth and profitability of their operations. “The system also gives the power of nutrient management and crop growth back to the farmer by digging into the details of soil tests, using on-planter nutrition and foliar applications,” Milne said. “These are things farmers can use year in and year out and see a difference in what they produce.”

GUYMON, Okla. – World championships are the most coveted honors in all sports, and rodeo is no different. Men and women battle all year to claim those cherished Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. There is no greater reward, especially in a sport that features so many challenges: all-night drives, competing on little to no sleep, not drawing the right animal to win on and just bad luck. It can be ruthless, which makes any success that much sweeter. Josh Frost is an Oklahoma Panhandle State University alumnus who, over the last three years, has been closer than anyone who has not yet claimed rodeo’s gold. He’s a three-time reserve world champ in bull riding, just whiskers away from the top prize. Over that stretch, he has pocketed just shy of $1.2 million riding bulls. He’s more than a bull rider, though; he’s a true hand. While Stetson Wright is laying claim to the greatest all-around cowboy of this generation because he has excelled in both bull riding and saddle bronc riding, Frost takes to the all-around a little differently. He also competes in team roping, tie-down roping and steer wrestling when his schedule allows, which is why he’s a four-time winner of the Linderman Award, the honor given to the top cowboy that competes in roughstock and timed events. It goes back to his college days in Goodwell, when he entered most of the men’s events at every rodeo he could in the Central Plains Region. He’ll get a chance to relive his time in the Oklahoma Panhandle during this year’s Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5. Frost is one of several cowboys from the area who played on rodeo’s biggest stage this past December. He finished the year with $400,766 in bull riding and is one of five Panhandle State cowboys to compete at either the National Finals Rodeo or the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The most decorated is steer roper Rocky Patterson, a four-time world champion who won his third NFSR average championship last November. He finished the year fifth in the world standings with $101,329. Fellow steer roper Mike Chase competed at his ninth finale and placed in two rounds. Saddle bronc rider Dawson Hay, a four-time NFR qualifier, placed in four rounds, won more than $45,000 and finished 11th in the world standings. Bareback rider Orin Larsen, who was at the championship for the ninth straight year, placed in one round and finished 14th on the money list. Cody Devers, a steer wrestler from Perryton, Texas, competing in Las Vegas for the second time in three years, won the ninth round and left Sin City with nearly $41,000. Wyatt Casper, a bronc buster who grew up in Balko, Oklahoma, placed in five rounds at his fourth straight NFR to collect $63,241; he finished 10th in the world standings with $205,662. “Between OPSU and this region, we’ve got a lot of great talent,” said Ken Stonecipher, chairman of Pioneer Days Rodeo. “It’s awesome that we get to see them on TV when they are in Vegas, but it’s better that they’re going to be in Guymon this spring.”

Cinch cowboy Doescher becomes first Oklahoman to win title In December 1984, the Lazy E Arena opened near Guthrie, Oklahoma, in time to host the National Finals Steer Roping in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo, which was just a few miles away in downtown Oklahoma City. Still, organizers wanted a showcase to define the now-historic complex. Three months later, the inaugural Cinch Timed Event Championship featured the greatest all-around timed-event cowboys of that era in a battle for big bucks and the bragging rights of being the best ever. This happened five years before Cody Doescher was born, yet he still holds one of the most distinct honors in the event, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary during the three days of competition set for Thursday, Feb. 29-Saturday, March 2. A year ago, the Oklahoma City-born cowboy became the first Sooner State competitor to win the Timed Event. In days, he will try to defend that title against 24 other extremely talented cowboys, including world champions like Clay Smith, Haven Meged, Erich Rogers, Tyler Pearson and Cole Patterson. He’ll also test his talents against other Timed Event titlist, including Rogers, two-time titlist Paul David Tierney, Jess Tierney, Justin Thigpen, Taylor Santos, Marcus Theriot and K.C. Jones, a five-time winner. “Winning the Timed Event means a lot to me, because that’s about as close to my hometown as I’ll get rodeo-wise,” said Doescher, 33, a Cinch-endorsed cowboy now living in the eastern Oklahoma hamlet of Webbers Falls. “The Lazy E is a special place to me; I won my first saddle ever there when I was a kid. There are so many great cowboys from Oklahoma, and I’m able to represent Oklahoma on that kind of stage.” The unique championship features 25 contestants competing in all five timed-event disciplines: heading, heeling, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and steer roping. One time through the order constitutes a round, and there are five spread out over three days. It’s a rugged test of ability, adaptability and resilience. It’s especially grueling in a day and age when more cowboys are focused less on their all-around talents and more on individual-event success. Leo Camarillo was already an all-around champion who was part of the first class inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame when he won the first Timed Event in 1985. Trevor Brazile is the winningest cowboy, not only in ProRodeo but also in the Lazy E’s history. He owns seven Timed Event titles to go along with his 26 PRCA gold buckles, a dozen of which came in the all-around; the others spread over heading, tie-down roping and steer roping. Most of this year’s field includes cowboys who focus on one event and dabble in others. Doescher is a true all-around cowboy and made a living over several years competing in multiple events. Much of the time, those were team roping as a heeler and steer wrestling, but he’s never been afraid to rope calves or trip steers. He proved it last March when he left the Lazy E Arena with $107,000 in earnings. “It’s being able to compete at that level in more than one event,” said Doescher, a 2008 Moore (Oklahoma) High School graduate. “There are so many great team ropers and great steer wrestlers and great calf ropers and so many great rodeo guys, but there are not that many that can really compete at a high level at multiple events. Most guys growing up do several events, but when it gets time to start doing it for a living, they focus on one event and try to succeed at that one event the best they can. “I’ve done several events for so long, I like having more than one opportunity at making money. I’ve always worked at multiple events just like I was in one event. Seeing guys outside their comfort zones makes it fun, because you’re going to see guys bulldog that haven’t bulldogged since high school or college trying to do it again.” That’s the intrigue of the Timed Event, that something special that draws out the true cowboy deep within all competitors in the mix. Trying to overcome challenges is just half the battle. “They have to sharpen back up and back in the (timed-event) box for $100,000 and do something they don’t do every day,” he said. “That’s what makes that event stand out. To do the challenge and be able to compete on that kind of stage is something you don’t see or hear about every day.” Doescher received his first offer to be in this invitation-only field in 2014. For nine years, he was bruised and bloodied, all while scraping together some solid performances. He earned just $12,500 in that time. His 10th Timed Event became his finest rodeo moment and provided him and his family with life-changing money. Now, he enters the coveted championship with a chance to defend its title, something hasn’t been done since 2007, when Brazile accomplished it for the second time. “Everybody there is capable of winning,” he said. Five years ago, Doescher was a full-time rodeo cowboy, primarily living on the earnings he made through success in the arena. Circumstances changed at the 2020 Timed Event. He suffered a serious knee injury that required surgery and kept him on the sidelines. Some of the big, winter rodeos in Texas didn’t allow for medical exemptions, so the opportunities to cash in became fewer. With a growing family – he has a wife, Courtney; two step-children, Paizley Rock, 13, and Rance Rock, 8; and a 3-year-old son, Holten – Doescher found more consistent income as a ringman for auctions. He travels across the country with his auction career and is building a business with it. “Without those exemptions at San Antonio and Houston and stuff like that, I wasn’t going to chase it,” he said. “Before I ever got married, I made a promise to myself that I would never go off rodeoing and chase money if I  Continue Reading »

ALVA, Okla. – Savannah Greenfield is a freshman at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, competing in her first year in the Central Plains Region. There’s a lot of new in her life right now: New friends, new campus, new level of competition. What isn’t new is Greenfield finding success. So far this year, she’s earned points in the three women’s events, barrel racing, goat-tying and breakaway roping. Her greatest success so far came this past weekend at the Kansas State University rodeo in Manhattan. “It was just a cool atmosphere,” said Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon. “Weber Arena is really cool, and the atmosphere really gets the adrenaline pumping; I’m glad I got to compete there before it gets torn down. The cold weather was not for me, but I made it work. I was just a few out of making the short round in goats, so making it in breakaway, I knew I just had to catch.” This was the final year of Weber Arena before the K-State rodeo moves into a newer complex on the north side of the Central Plains’ largest campus. That’s where Greenfield stopped the clock in 3.2 seconds to secure her spot in the championship round. She was 3.4 seconds in the final performance to finish fourth in the short round and also in the two-run aggregate. “I just wanted to be a faster 3(-second run), and that’s what I did in the short round,” she said. Fellow Ranger Lauren Hopkins of Lincoln, California, also made the championship round in breakaway roping. While they led the way for the Northwestern women, Trisyn Kalawaia of Waiakea, Hawaii, continued his dominance in steer wrestling, proving again why Alva is considered the Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo. Kalawaia led the way for three Rangers steer wrestlers in the short round, joined by Grady Aasby of Highmore, South Dakota, and Cam Fox of Tulsa. The Hawaiian knocked his steer down in 4.4 seconds to share the first-round win, then was 6.5 seconds to finish fourth in the final round. His two-run cumulative time of 10.9 seconds held up for third place overall. Kalawaia added 125 points to his season total to extend his lead in the Central Plains Region standings. He has 610 points, twice as many as his teammate, Fox, who is second. There are five events remaining in the spring semester. Greenfield is following in the footsteps of her older brother, Kaden, who finished his intercollegiate career at Northwestern. Both are showing off the genes they acquired from their parents, mom Mesa and dad Shawn, the latter of whom was a seven-time steer wrestling qualifier to the National Finals Rodeo. Both Kaden and Savannah are all-around talents, and she’s putting hers on display in college rodeo. “I definitely want to try to make the college finals this year, and I know that I need to make every short round,” she said. “I need to place in the long rounds, and I need to place in the short rounds, and that’s what I plan on doing the rest of these rodeos. I would love to make it in all three events and get the all-around (title) as well.” It’s almost 1,600 miles from Alva to the southern Oregan community of Lakeview, which is not far from the California and Nevada state lines. That’s a long way from the comforts of home, but it’s just what she wanted when she set out to further her education. “I wanted to get out of Oregon and experience something new,” Greenfield said. “I started looking at schools in Oklahoma, and once I toured Northwestern, I knew this was the place for me. It was a big decision, but I’m glad I did it.” There’s a home-like feel to the Alva campus, and there are many opportunities for rodeo athletes to grow. Stockton Graves, an eight-time NFR bulldogger, is in his 13th year coaching his alma mater, and that’s also a drawing card for young cowboys and cowgirls. Greenfield had the perfect teacher in her dad while growing up, and now she’s transitioning a bit to another top cowboy in Graves to provide those lessons. “My dad’s been there, so he knows what it takes, and he’s definitely helped me and my brother a lot,” she said. “I’m just very thankful to have him because he knows what to do. Stockton knows what he’s doing, and he’s been there and done that just like my dad. You want to listen to what he says. He knows what he’s talking about, and he knows what to do to set us up for success and what we need to do to win.” That’s a key factor in why student athletes make their way to Northwestern. They want to be pushed toward success and strive toward championships. “The biggest thing is I definitely just need to practice every day and push myself to become better,” Greenfield said. “You just want to get better.”

GUYMON, Okla. – Dusty Myers was born to do this. A second-generation rodeo clown from Jumpertown, Mississippi, Myers has had a lifelong passion for the sport. His years of experience will be on display as he works the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5. “For as long as I can remember, this is what I’ve done,” he said. “From a small child, I have loved being in the trailer and on the road. I love going to new places. It’s exciting for me to go to new rodeos, so when I book some new places each year, it is very exciting.” That’s certainly the case for him this year. He will embark on an adventure to be part of one of the greatest rodeos in the PRCA. Guymon’s marquee event has been named the PRCA’s rodeo of the year and is coming off another nomination for the award in 2023. Nine years ago, Pioneer Days Rodeo was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Why? Because the biggest names in the sport make their way to the Oklahoma Panhandle each spring. The slogan “Where the Champions Come to Play the First Weekend in May” is true in all aspects of the business. Inside Hitch Arena, Myers will work with announcers Andy Stewart and Ken Stonecipher. Stewart has been nominated multiple times for announcer of the year and has worked the National Finals Rodeo. Myers will also be part of the production team headed by Frontier Rodeo Co., the reigning nine-time PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year. “I’ve always heard great things about Guymon, because all the top contestants come there,” said Myers, who has been nominated for Clown of the Year and Comedy Act of the Year and also has been a finalist to be the NFR’s barrelman. “It’s also a big treat for me because I get to work alongside Andy Stewart. Andy and I have worked together a lot, and we’re really good friends.” That comradery will come in handy during the four performances of rodeo in the region once known as “No Man’s Land.” The folks in that part of the country understand the sport and live among the rugged terrain that defines the Panhandle. Myers brings a rustic approach to his style of entertaining. “I call myself a traditionalist,” he said. “I’m really an old-school rodeo clown. I still wear the makeup and the baggy clothes. I still do big-prop acts, and I want to mix it with the dancing, getting up in the crowd and bringing out the laughter. I’m kind of a mixture between what we call an old-school clown and what they call an entertainer.” He’s been doing it a long time and has quite the pedigree. Though he’s in just his sixth year in ProRodeo, Myers is accomplished. He was the NFR alternate in 2020 and is a nine-time IPRA Clown of the Year. He’s been selected to work the International Finals Rodeo 10 times and hosts a great body of honors in regional associations. He also has had some incredible role models, like Mississippi men Lecile Harris and Rudy Burns. “I grew up watching those two gentlemen, and that’s all I ever wanted to do,” Myers said. “Lecile Harris is the reason I’m a rodeo clown.” For many years, Harris was the epitome of a rodeo entertainer. He was so good, he was cast in TV shows and, in 2007, he was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. With that as a guiding light, Myers had a path to follow. He also was influenced by his own father, Cary, who served as a bull rider, a bullfighter and a rodeo clown. “Back in the ’60s and ’70s when he was doing it, all clowns were bullfighters,” Myers said of his dad. “He was more of a regional cowboy and stayed in the Southeast. He didn’t get out as much as I do, but, yeah, I grew up around rodeo. He said he retired when I was born, but we always stayed in touch with the rodeos.” He’s in tune with it more now than ever. He will make sure to have several acts with him when he arrives in Guymon for the first weekend in May. Most importantly, though, he’s excited to engage with the big crowds that pack into the storied stadium. “I tell a lot of jokes, and I like to do a lot of stuff with the crowd,” Myers said. “I try to do a lot of my own material so that it’s new and not something they see all the time. I’ve studied the guys that did that really well, so I enjoy bringing that into my own work.” Clowning greats like Harris, Barnes, Keith Isley, Quail Dobbs and Leon Coffee have all made an impact on what Myers does and says in the arena, but much of what happens comes with the keen understanding that he’s just part of a family-friendly show that includes big-time athletes and fierce competition. “I’m excited to be there and help bring smiles to everybody’s faces,” Myers said. That’s what’s enticing for the event’s organizers. The volunteer committee that produces the annual showcase works hard to provide the best rodeo action and entertainment possible. “When you bring in someone like Dusty to be your clown and your barrelman, you’re bringing in someone who is professional and understands what works in rodeo,” said Stonecipher, who also is the organization’s chairman. “Dusty is funny, and he has a lifetime of experiences in rodeo that I think people in Guymon are really going to enjoy. Add that to his relationship with Andy, and we have a winning combination.”

Five Cinch team members earn gold buckles while in Las Vegas In the revolving world of Cinch endorsees in professional rodeo, the two weeks in Las Vegas to kickstart December proved to be electric and influential. The culmination of the National Finals Breakaway Roping and the National Finals Rodeo was an exclamation point of excellence, with five individuals claiming world championships and many others cumulatively reeling in hundreds of thousands of dollars. From a couple of young guns claiming their first Montana Silversmiths gold buckles to veterans just adding to their collections of the most cherished prize in Pro Rodeo, this year’s championship events were a spectacle many will remember for a long time. “It’s an amazing experience to be able to come back and be able to get on top of the world,” said Keenan Hayes, 21, of Hayden, Colorado, the first rookie to win bareback riding’s gold in the sport’s history. “It’s the coolest thing. I can’t thank everybody enough, like the guys in that (bareback riders) locker room. They kept me (driven) this whole week. “It’s just been a fight, and that’s what I’m here for.” He’s been in the fight for a couple of years. He first set a standard a year ago, when he established the single-season earnings record for a cowboy still competing on his permit. He upped the ante in 2023, first setting the regular-season earnings mark, then breaking the single-season earnings record with $434,050. He closed out his year by pocketing nearly $110,000 on the final day of the season; he won the 10th round with a 90-point ride on J Bar J’s Straight Ringer to collect $30,706, then clinched the aggregate title, worth $78,747. He placed in just five rounds but earned $168,155 during his stay in the Nevada desert. He was dominant most of the season, evidenced by his final points total; Hayes finished with $119,000 more than the runner-up, 2022 titlist Jess Pope. “I’m not surprised at all,” he said about his success through the season. “I’m sure blessed that God gave me this ability and that I get to show it to everyone. It’s just an amazing experience that I wanted to get done my whole life.” The same can be said for 20-year-old tie-down roper Riley Webb, who had a season to remember. While he placed in just five NFR go-rounds, including the Night 3 victory, he was second in the aggregate race to the 2019 world champion, fellow Cinch teammate Haven Meged. That was worth $63,889 and pushed Webb’s NFR payday to more than $172,000. He finished the year with $452,852, nearly $42,000 ahead of Meged. “I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for everything He’s given me,” said Webb of Denton, Texas. “I’m so blessed to be in this situation that I’m in at 20 years old. I’m fortunate to have the support system I have … the horses, the family and all the other. “It’s a dream come true.” The NFR is a boiling pot of pressure packed into the storied Thomas & Mack Center, the finale’s home since 1985. Competing inside those yellow panels and chutes for the second time helped alleviate some of the build-up that can happen when the competition rises. “I was fortunate that I had a great year and a great finals so I didn’t have to go out and win the 10th round to make it happen,” he said. “I was able to just go knock (the calf) down. That came from all the runs and all the miles we’ve gone.” Breakaway roper Shelby Boisjoli-Meged – the wife of the tie-down roping aggregate titlist – also clinched her first gold buckle in record-breaking fashion. She set the regular-season earnings record with $164,549, the breakaway finals earning mark at $33,157 and the single-season earnings standard at $197,706. “This is the first year that I’ve dedicated my whole season to just trusting God’s plan, and I feel like that’s all I did all season,” said Boisjoli-Meged of Stephenville, Texas. “I think that’s the reason I’m standing right here. “It’s been one of those things where my whole family was (in Las Vegas), which was special to me. We lost my uncle two years ago, so my grandparents haven’t been able to really come watch the finals, but they were there this year. I also went through a lot of stuff at the National Finals in 2021 dealing with other things, so to have my whole family there and all the people that have really helped me get there meant a lot to me.” She accomplished her lifelong goal with a special partner, Onna, an 8-year-old sorrel mare that was named the 2023 Nutrena Horse of the Year presented by the AQHA. She is really special, and I owe all this to her,” she said. “I rode her at every single rodeo, so this is hers as much as it is mine.” It wasn’t just newbies holding gold for the first time. The trio of titlists were joined by steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack, who earned his fifth world championship, and saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston, who clinched his fourth gold buckle. “I come from a great family,” said Waguespack, 33, who scored his third straight title to match the ones he collected in 2016 and 2018. “My dad’s always been there, helping me drive, pushing me to do better and better. We go to the practice pen, and we work hard. We’ve got a lot of trust in the Lord, just pushing us on our way and getting us where we need to be.” The Gonzales, Louisiana, cowboy entered the finale third in the world standings, and he had a little 10th-round magic to pull off another world title. He shared the round title with friend Will Lummus after both made 3.8-second runs. That was worth $27,487; he also moved up one spot to third in the aggregate race, worth $50, 517, to surpass Dalton Massey  Continue Reading »

LAS VEGAS – Just a few days after making his final team-roping run of the 2023 ProRodeo season, Coleman Proctor was doing the things Coleman Proctor does. He was practicing and taking care of his daughters, Stella and Caymbree, while his wife, Stephanie, was working. When the horses and steers were put away, the three ventured to a movie; they had earned a break, and it was the perfect time for daddy-daughters bonding. In just a few months, the girls will welcome a little sister, so any time they get with Dad is special and important. It’s just as big for Proctor, one of team roping’s elite headers who has eight qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo. He had just wrapped the richest 10 rounds of the year in Las Vegas, and his mind and body were ready for some down time. “My poor wife,” he said, reflecting on the moments the family shared in the Nevada desert. “We just get home, and she has to go back to work, so I’ve been Mr. Mom and just hanging out with the girls. They’ve been wanting to watch the new Wish movie by Disney. I figured they give up so much and go out to Vegas with us. “They listen and do a pretty dang good job of minding, so I try to reward them when we get home. They got to go to the practice pen with me while I worked on my steer tripping for a little bit, and now we’re just having a lot of fun, daddy-daughter time.” It’s the perfect setting for the cowboy who stays busy most of the time he’s in Sin City. When he’s not competing, he’s often making appearances around town and also hosts the pregame show on the Purina Stage at the steps of the Thomas & Mack Center, the NFR’s home since 1985. Proctor and his heeling partner, Logan Medlin, had moderate success at ProRodeo’s grand championship. They placed in just two performances, but one of those was the Round 3 victory, worth $30,706 a man. All told, they left town with $53,583; $10,000 of that came via a bonus that all qualifiers earned. “When you look at that money, it gets stilted because the money has gotten so good,” said Proctor, originally from Miami, Oklahoma, but now living in Pryor, Oklahoma, with his family. “Las Vegas Events and all the sponsors that make the finals happen has helped make the money so incredible. When you’re out there, it’s just like poker chips; you don’t really put value to them, then you get home and realize it’s sure going to help buy some more Christmas presents. “We didn’t quite have the finals we wanted or the one you imagine when you’re roping the dummy in the barn alleyway, but I thought it was a great finals. My horses felt great, and I had a lot of opportunities. I was disappointed that I missed the 10th steer, because I went out there to spin all 10 for my partner.” Those things happen. They recorded times on five of their 10 runs and were part of a controversy when Medlin was called for a crossfire by the official flagger during the fifth round. Many fans and fellow ropers disagreed with the call, but Proctor took his medicine and moved on, handling the situation with humor and his distinct personality. He realized nothing he was going to say could change the outcome. “I love our team, and I think our team is on the rise,” he said. “We got a lot of confidence, and there were a lot of ifs and maybes during the week. You’ve got 10 days back to back, pressure for all that money each night. You start wondering if you could have done better at this or a little better at that. “Then, at the end of the day, we were as prepared as we’ve ever been. We felt better about it than we’ve ever felt. It just didn’t come our way the way we wanted. So you dust yourself off, enjoy the holidays with family, and then we get ready for how we’re going to start the new year.” Sulking won’t do anybody and good, and Proctor isn’t the kind of person to do that anyway. World champions Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp earned their gold buckles by having a phenomenal run of things in Las Vegas. They each earned $100,000 more than Proctor and Medlin. “By the time we bought our (NFR) tickets, I probably left there with $45,000,” Proctor said. “That’s not too bad. “It’ll get us started back to the winter rodeos and get going again. Honestly, it wasn’t that long ago that I was just hoping to make the finals once.” He earned his first NFR qualification a decade ago and has only missed the championship twice since then. Both times, Proctor was among the top 20 headers when only the top 15 play on the sport’s biggest stage. It’s the only rodeo in which he can compete that he can walk away with that much money and not consider it a success. “It was such a fun year, and we got to go to some pretty cool places and see a lot of great people,” he said. “We got to win some really cool rodeos, like Calgary (Alberta) and Sioux Falls (South Dakota). “My confidence has gotten higher, and I think our team is getting better. I think we’re ascending I think it’s our time to win, and that’s exciting and motivates you.” Christmas has come at a good time. Proctor and his family need a break from the pressures that come with rodeo, especially the NFR. While in Las Vegas, he had plenty of support and a crew of folks around to him compete and help keep his daughters entertained. He makes sure each person knows how much they are appreciated. “There are a lot of people that give up their time,”  Continue Reading »

LAS VEGAS – The dreams J.D. Struxness had of winning a world championship didn’t fade just because another man walked away with the gold buckle. They’re still vivid, still in his mind and still on the table for the upcoming seasons. Louisiana cowboy Tyler Waguespack may have walked away from the National Finals Rodeo with the title, but Struxness placed in six rounds and collected $117,307 during his week and a half in Las Vegas. His last payday came in Saturday’s 10th round, the final night of the 2023 campaign. He knocked his steer down in 4.2 seconds to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place, worth $4,292. He ended the year ranked fifth in the world standings with $239,704 in earnings. “It’s bittersweet because we wanted to do something more, but to be able to catch a check in the 10th round is always great,” said Struxness, a five-time NFR qualifier from Milan, Minnesota. “It wasn’t quite the check we wanted to get on that steer, but it’s what we got.” Earlier in the week, fellow Northwestern Oklahoma State University alumnus had the same steer and was 3.5 seconds to win the fourth round, so Struxness was hoping for a similar run. It didn’t work out that way. “That still ran a little bit harder than we anticipated, but we were still able to get him thrown down,” he said. “Any time you can add the money, it’s a good thing.” That’s true. The NFR features only the top 15 bulldoggers in the world standings at the end of the regular season. The men in the field can do some big things. Beating most of them is an accomplishment. Unlike his previous run with Anderson, the steer left the chute on Night 10 like it was shot out of a cannon. Struxness utilized his horse, Crush, to catch up in a hurry and still posted a fast run. He was just four-tenths of a second from winning the round, which is just a blink of the eye. “They’re just animals and can do anything at any time, but we did everything we planned to do on him; he just took off a little harder,” he said. “You can’t control that.” Crush is owned by fellow NFR steer wrestler Ty Erickson, and Struxness had help from veteran bulldogger Matt Reeves, who was riding his hazing horse, Kirk. Both animals were instrumental in any successes the Minnesota man had. “They worked awesome, and I was very pleased with our decision to use those horses,” said Struxness, the 2019 college champions while at Northwestern. “Matt did a great job, and that horse worked great on that side all week, too. It was a fairly good week. The better result was what we wanted, but we didn’t accomplish all our goals along the way. We can’t complain too much about it. “You always go out there to make money, and the goal is always to win over $100,000. One of the goals was to be in the top five, and another is to win a gold buckle and win the average title. We were able to accomplish two of the goals we had.” He also has a little momentum on which to build for next season, and he’ll take that with him.  

LAS VEGAS – The National Finals Rodeo is unlike any other, and Dean Thompson now understands that more than ever before. “Round No. 10 at the NFR is crazy,” said Thompson, 21, a first-time bareback rider on ProRodeo’s biggest stage from Altamont, Utah. “My body feels great. I feel like I’m riding bucking horses as good as I ever have before, but, man, I’ve never been through an emotional tester like that in my life. “That’s 10 days of just getting your ass kicked.” The pressure that’s packed inside the Thomas & Mack Center is immense and intense. This is where world champions are crowned with go-rounds paying out $100,000 per round for 10 December nights. Bareback riders test their mettle on the 100 best broncs in the business, and only the elite from the regular season play on this level. When it’s combined, there’s steam rising in the Nevada desert. He found closure, though with an 89-point ride on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail to finish second in Saturday’s 10th go-round, worth $24,268. It was the biggest one-day payday of his young career. He had placed just one other night, finishing sixth in Monday’s fourth go-round. “I feel so blessed that the horse went out there and had an amazing day,” Thompson said. “I knew that at the end of the day, it’s still rodeo, and you need to go out and do the best possible spur ride you can on the horse. “Game Trail had an awesome day, and that made it really fun.” Thompson entered the finale eighth in the world standings. Failing to add dollars to his spot on the money list for eight of those can take a toll on a cowboy’s mental game. He earned just $39,221 and finished his rookie season with $170,672 for 13th. When frustration was setting in, he began dissecting his rides. He found a few things. “Fundamentally, everything looks good, but just because everything fundamentally is almost great, it doesn’t mean it’s appealing to the judges,” Thompson said. “What I saw riding through Round 9 was just the tiniest bit of hesitancy; hesitating to pull my feet and, maybe, hesitating in believing in what my bareback riding ability is.” Through every ride, every jump, every spur lick, he learned something about himself and his life in rodeo. “I have two lessons from all this,” he said. “I heard this quote, and it’s been coming back to me this week; ‘Success is moving from failure without loss of enthusiasm.’ I feel like if you don’t go out with that attitude and give 200 percent effort and do everything you’re capable of, then you have no chance. No. 2 is to never stop improving. I obviously understand that we’re all going to have baubles, but what I’m most proud about was that every single day, I showed up here with confidence.” He’s ready to return “I’ll take this, and I’ll run from here right into next year’s NFR, because this is my No. 1 priority,” Thompson said. “I’m young, I’m agile, I’m free and I’m hungry to be back.”

LAS VEGAS – Concluding his eighth National Finals Rodeo, bareback rider Tanner Aus took many things back to his Minnesota home: Confidence, talent and satisfaction that he got on nearly a dozen of the greatest bucking horses over consecutive nights. There’s also that $90,480 in earnings. It was a job well done, and he wrapped his NFR experience with a 10th-round bow by placing on the final night of the 2023 season. He rode Frontier Rodeo’s Breaking News for 87.5 points to finish in a tie for fourth place, worth $10,401. He also placed sixth in the aggregate race, riding 10 broncs for a cumulative score of 837 points, which paid a bonus of $19,315. “I’m very thankful to place in this 10th round,” said Aus, 33, of Granite Falls, Minnesota. “This is undoubtedly the 15 best guys in the world this year, and we got on 15 of the best horses we could put together for the 10th round. “That horse had a fantastic trip. Mason (Clements) won the third round on that horse, and we moved him from the eliminator pen to the TV pen. I was happy to have him, because if there was one in there that was just a tick ranker than the rest, that’s the one I want. It might be money or mud, and I got a piece of the money. It was good, and I’m thankful.” He finished the season with $210,377, good enough for 10th in the world standings. He placed in five rounds at ProRodeo’s grand finale and is already looking forward to what he can do the next season, which actually began Oct. 1. “It was a great NFR,” he said. “It certainly wasn’t perfect, but I tried my hardest every chance I got. There are things I can improve on still and hope to; 2024 started two months ago.” Even after 10 days in the Nevada desert, there isn’t much of a break for the Minnesota cowboy. The Chase Hawks Rough Stock Weekend takes place this next week in Billings, Montana, and he’s exited to compete. “I’ve entered that every year,” Aus said. “There have been years when I leave here and I’m just banged up that I have to turn out. That’s a bummer, because that’s an awesome rodeo, an awesome benefit.” His plan, of course, is to return to Las Vegas next December. It’s the world’s richest rodeo with a $14 million purse. This year, nightly winners earned nearly $31,000 for 10 rounds. Aus collected a go-round buckle, sharing the sixth-performance title with Idaho cowboy Jacob Lees. Money has changed since his first qualification in 2015. When he won the 10th round that year, he made $21,000 and finished the championship with $74,000. He earned less then and finished four spots higher in the world standings. “It’s unreal what we’re experiencing with the money in rodeo,” he said. It’s cool to see the direction the sport is headed and the great sponsorships we have, both association-wide and individually. The partners I have make it possible. Without them, I couldn’t rodeo the way I need to in order to be here.”

LAS VEGAS – When the curtain closed on the 2023 National Finals Rodeo, Bridger Anderson realized he’d earned $120,939 during his stay in the City of Lights. “It was a great week, and we had a lot of fun,” said Anderson, a two-time qualifier from Carrington, North Dakota. “It’s awesome to have family here the whole time, and I’m very thankful for the time we got to spend together and live the dream. “We had great starts. Whiskers felt great and showed he can do a great job out there. I feel like both horses are feeling good.” Whiskers is Anderson’s bulldogging mount, and NFR veteran Clayton Hass was riding Metallica, a haze horse owned by 2017 world titlist Tyler Pearson. That team found great success, including a 3.9-second run to finish third in Saturday’s 10th round, worth another $18,325. The bulldogger finished the season with $206,540 and moved up seven spots to seventh in the final world standings. “We’re feeling confident, and hopefully we can let that roll into the upcoming season and make it back,” he said. “In that last round, we had a good steer. We were a little tight and we missed the barrier a little bit, but Whiskers did a great job of firing and running hard. He gave me a good go, and Hass did a great job hazing on Metallica for both of us. “We got a little further down the pen and made it happen quickly on the ground to get a check and finish out the week.” Raised by Tyler and Jackie Schau, Whiskers has been a staple for Anderson for several years. He was one of the guiding forces behind the cowboy’s 2019 national championship while at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “He was definitely feeling good and running hard this week,” Anderson said of the bay gelding. “He did a great job of running those steers down, and he really felt like he was really running this week. “He’ll definitely get all the hay he can ask for, and he’s going to get a little break now. He did a great job, and he’s ready to home and get a little R and R.” It’s difficult to qualify for the National Finals. Only the top 15 in the world standings at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the 10-round playoffs. At this year’s finale, he placed five times, including two go-round wins. He has a lot to take out of his week and a half in Las Vegas. “You’ve got to go out there and take it just one run at a time if you want to make it back,” Anderson said. “There are a lot of good rodeos, and we’ll go to the best rodeos in the world. We’re hoping we start off by just having a good winter and let that stack up before we head out for the summer.” Being in the Nevada desert in December is the place to be for professional rodeo cowboys, and Anderson has $120,000 reasons to return.

LAS VEGAS – Cody Devers dreamed of this moment from the time he was a young child. After two National Finals Rodeo qualifications and 14 go-rounds in Las Vegas, the Perryton, Texas, took the victory lap inside the Thomas & Mack Center. He wrestled his steer to the ground in 3.5 seconds to win Friday’s ninth round, earning $30,706. It was his first NFR paycheck, and it’s a moment he’ll likely never forget. “Everybody has adversity, and it’s just how life is,” said Devers, who first qualified for the finale in 2021 but was hampered by a torn pectoral, then suffered through a bad run of things over the first eight performances this year. “You can either get knocked down and stay there, or you can get back up each night and keep swinging. “I’d say they knocked us down for seven or eight rounds, but we started getting it figured out. We just keep pushing positive thoughts and prayers and kept working at it, and it’s finally come together.” He began his second NFR rough, settling for two no-times in the first three rounds. He also failed to score in Round 7 and finished out of the money in the other five performances – he missed the pay window by one spot Thursday night. His biggest adjustment came when he switched horses prior to Monday’s fourth round. “My mare started getting a little sore and wasn’t really working as well as I’d like, so I switched to Sam Dixon’s horse, Baby,” said Devers, who was the runner-up to the 2018 college champion while competing at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “Each night she’s been feeling really good. We got the start the last two nights, and that’s made a world of difference. “Marc Joiner has been on the other side riding my hazing horse, and he’s been doing a great job just like today. He got that steer to pick his head up, and Baby put my feet on the ground really fast so all I had to do was slow down and do my job.” Making a run like that was valuable, and not just in the financial rewards. Winning an NFR round is tough; the top 15 guys in the world standings are ready to knock anyone off that perch. With the victory, he has upped his yearly earnings to $144,839 and gained a ton of confidence “I could have done a little bit better on my job on a couple of those rounds, then I missed a start on another,” he said. “It’s not my first time here, but this is a fast start, and if you get amped up and if you miss it, it’s unforgiving.” Having good horses helps, but making a run on a steer that fits is also beneficial. Devers liked what he saw in the animal that was selected to him by random draw. “I knew that if we blew the barrier out,” he said of getting a good start, “and my hazer and Baby do their jobs, he was going to pick his head up. I knew I was going to have my feet on the ground where all I have to do is slow down and make a good run. When I was missing the barrier, I was trying to go too fast on the ground and make up that time. “It’s really tough out here, and everybody’s been making good runs, so this time I could slow down and actually do my job.” Devers is one of four former Northwestern steer wrestlers in the field, and all four placed during Friday’s round. J.D. Struxness was 3.7 to finish second, Bridger Anderson was 3.9 for third and Stephen Culling was 4.0 to place sixth. “It’s been awesome,” Devers said. “We’ve been cheering for each other, helping each other out. It’s kind of having a big family up here.”

LAS VEGAS – The dollars and cents of rodeo are starting to add up for saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper. Through nine rounds at the National Finals Rodeo, he has placed five times, the latest coming after an 86.5-point ride on United Pro Rodeo’s Awesome Sauce to finish in a tie for third place in Friday’s ninth round. “Getting down to these last days, making as much money as you can is what it’s all about,” said Casper, a four-time NFR qualifier from Miami, Texas. “I’ve seen Awesome Sauce a bunch. I’ve never been on it, but all my traveling partners have. I knew he was going to be a pretty tough horse but probably one of the better ones in the draw; I was pretty excited to have him.” Friday’s round featured the eliminator pen, the hardest-to-ride broncs at the NFR, but Casper was up to the task. It was his biggest payday so far. He is seventh in the aggregate race with 751 points on nine rides; if he maintains that through Saturday’s final performance of the 2023 season, he’ll add a bonus of $13,372. Heading into the 10th round, he’s pocketed $63,241 in Las Vegas and is 10th in the world standings with $205,662. “We’re nine for nine now, and I think that’s the most I’ve ridden out at the NFR since we were in Arlington (Texas in 2020),” he said. “I’m pretty pumped about that.” Cowboys arrive in the Nevada desert with rodeo’s gold on their minds. To win that coveted buckle, it takes talent, consistency and a little bit of luck. Casper has the talent and proved his consistency, but he needed a little more luck in order to walk away with the world championship. “Anytime you surround yourself with the top 15 of anything, it’s going to be pretty great,” he said of the field of bronc riders in Sin City this week. “I’m pretty lucky to be able to be around these guys in the locker room. There are guys in there like Zeke (Thurston) that were making the NFR before I thought I could even make the NFR. “It’s pretty cool to look up to them, but they’re good competition and make it a lot of fun.” That talented group of men is just one reason why Casper hasn’t made more NFR money. When he’s scored well and had a chance to take the top prize in a round, someone else has taken the luster from him. Take Friday, for example. Dawson Hay had already scored 86.5 to match Casper, but Lefty Holman was the last to go and was a point better. Thurston, the reigning and three-time world champion, won the round with an 88.5. Having the right horse matters just to get a check. “You can go through the list and pick out who you feel sorry for and who got the better end of the draw,” said Casper, the 2016 intercollegiate champion while at Clarendon (Texas) College. “I feel like I was one of the guys who got the better end of it tonight, so we just tried to capitalize on it.” Every experience can be a lesson, and he’s received that this week. “You just have to enjoy it while you’re here,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest lesson. We work all year to get here for these 10 days, so it’s best to just be patient. If it doesn’t work out, that’s OK. Just enjoy it.”

LAS VEGAS – Forgive Stephen Culling if he was hoping for more from his first National Finals Rodeo. He’s placed six times, which is an incredible feat considering only the best in ProRodeo play on this stage, but he’s finished at or near the bottom five of those nights. His only five-figure payout came Sunday night, when he finished in a tie for second place in the third round. In all, he’s earned $56,555 since he arrived in Las Vegas. All those payouts are critical. “I’d say $5,000 a night adds up if you do it every night, but I still want to win a little better check than that,” said Culling of Fort St. John, British Columbia. “We’ve got one more chance to still move up a little bit in that average money, and I moved up a spot with Dakota (Eldridge) having some bad luck. “I’m just staying consistent. With the steer I had, they broke a barrier on him and missed him once, so I knew if I drilled the barrier, he would be a chance to win something.” Steers are allowed a head start, and the barrier system allows for that. A rope is placed in front of the timed-event box, and once the steer reaches the starting line, it releases. The best runs are to have the horse at the barrier at that moment. “There were lots of good steers out tonight, and all these guys are doing their jobs, too, so I had to be sharp,” he said. He was, and he added another $4,952 to his annual salary. He is 12th in the world standings with a little more than $160,000, but he’s also fifth in the aggregate race with a cumulative time of 48.0 seconds on nine runs. Should he remain in that spot by the time the rodeo ends Saturday, he’ll add $26,744. If he moves up a spot, fourth in the average pays $37,445. “Fifth place in the average pays a lot of money, so it’s in the back of a guy’s head,” said Culling, who was one of four former Northwestern Oklahoma State University bulldoggers to place Friday. “You can’t start thinking of the average and miss the barrier on purpose, because that’s when you end up missing a steer or getting outrun. “The game plan never really changes, but the average is starting to come into factor a little bit more coming down to the final round.” Most ProRodeo cowboys ended their season two and a half months ago, so being able to still battle for big bucks in Las Vegas is a blessing. The final night of the campaign ends Saturday, and he’ll finish among the top 15 in the world standings, if not in the top 10. Culling has proven his rightful place at the NFR, and he’s looking to utilize it to build on what he’ll do in the future.