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DUNCAN, Okla. – The nice thing about rodeo is the many chances at redemption that cowboys can get. Take steer wrestler Tanner Brunner as an example. He battled all year, but he didn’t have the kind of success he’s used to. A year ago at this time, he was preparing to compete at the National Finals Rodeo for the fourth time. This year, he’s looking to make a hot streak at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. During Thursday’s first go-round at the Stephens County Arena, he knocked his steer to the ground in 4.2 seconds to win the day and collect $2,149. “It’s a good way to end the year and start the new season at the same time,” said Brunner, 30, of Ramona, Kansas. “We’re competing in a good facility and are running good steers. It all came together.” He’s made it work before. He won the aggregate title in 2019 in the same arena, so he’s hoping that solid history will repeat itself. He will have two more nights to cash in. It’s all important. He doesn’t have a chance to win the year-end championship, but an average title is just as valuable. Both the year-end and average winners in each event will advance to the national circuit finals rodeo, now dubbed the NFR Open, which takes place next July in Colorado Springs. “Winning the average would be awesome,” he said. “That gives you a spot into Colorado Springs, and that would be really nice. It would be an honor to win it.” He’s also doing all this work by utilizing horses he owns. The two sorrel siblings with similar genetics came together, Brunner on one and his traveling partner, Tyler Ravenscroft, hazing on the other. “I have no complaints about that run,” Brunner said. “I may have let that steer clear a little bit more, but the horses were good, and Tyler has been doing well. It just came together the way it needs to.” The 2023 regular season came to a close Sept. 30, and the new campaign began the next day. That means money earned in Duncan will count toward the 2024 NFR. By kicking off the circuit finale with a win, he gives himself the needed money necessary to advance to ProRodeo’s grand championship. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event battle for rodeo’s gold each December. It’s always a tough spot to earn. Only that year’s elite make it to the NFR, and it’s even tougher when it comes to steer wrestling. Only $26,000 separates the 10th-place man in the world standings from the cowboy at No. 15. In the Prairie Circuit, it’s even tighter. “I firmly believe we have one of the toughest circuits as far as bulldogging goes,” said Brunner, who qualified for the NFR in 2018-20 and 2022. “There are a couple of guys that got hurt and weren’t able to be here. It’s still stiff competition even with those guys out.” Over the years, circuit titlists and average champions have advanced the NFR the next year. Brunner did it, and Jacob Edler parlayed his circuit-finals success into a world championship. Brunner is ready to do that, too.” Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals RodeoOct. 12-14Duncan, Okla.Bareback riding: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Family Traditions, $2,149; 2. Yance Day, 78, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 76, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 75.5, $537. Steer wrestling: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.2 seconds, $2,149; 2. Travis Munro, 4.4, $1,612; 3. Cody Devers, 4.5, $1,074; 4. Jerek VanPettan, 4.9, $537. Breakaway roping: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.7 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Chayenne McCartney and Ari-Anna Flynn, 2.9, $1,343; 4. Sierra Heinert, 3.0, $537. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ean Price, 85 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Cheap Sunglasses, $2,149; 2. Weston Patterson, 81, $1,612; 3. Jacob Benham, 77.5, $1,074; 4. Caleb Newell, 72, $537.Tie-down roping: 1. Riley O’Rourke, 8.6 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.9, $1,612; 3. Denton Oestmann, 9.0, $1,074; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 9.1, $537. Team roping: 1. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Gavin Foster and Brye Crites/Rance Doyal, 4.9 seconds, $1,880 each; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 5.7, $1,074; 4. Curry Kirchner/Billie Jack Saebens, 5.9, $537. Barrel racing: 1. Emily Beisel, 16.02 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Emma Charleston, 16.17, $1,43; 4. Ivy Hurst, 16.38, $537. Bull riding: 1. Cody Hazelton, 85 points on New Frontier Rodeo’s Fire Code, $2,955; 2. Fulton Rutland, 83.5, $2,417; no other qualified rides.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – From opening night until the final curtain closed on the 2023 Waller County Fair and Rodeo, there was a resounding feeling of euphoria. “We had some minor adjustments we made once we started, but the fair board has been extremely happy with what we’ve experienced at this year’s fair and rodeo,” said Clint Sciba, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “We had some amazing crowds, and they got to experience great events in the newly covered rodeo arena and some exciting concerts. “This will be one of the years to remember. We had a lot of people come into the fairgrounds this year, which is really saying something. We’ve had great crowds before, but this was special.” Fairgoers made the easy transition to the reworked parking and entry points, so that helped make for a better experience overall. Once inside the new entrance, the massive arena was open and on display immediately. It was for good reason. “We were really excited about the opening with the freestyle bullfights and everything we had going on,” said Paul Shollar, the fair board’s vice president. “By the time our PRCA rodeo came around, everybody was really excited about what was going on. To top it off, we closed out our fair and rodeo with Aaron Watson on the final Saturday night, so we were able to make some big things happen.” For years, the three days of ProRodeo action have been a highlight in Hempstead, and this year’s edition more than answered the bell. Several hundred cowboys and cowgirls made their way to southeast Texas to not only be part of the competition but to experience the electric atmosphere. It was one of the largest contingents of contestants to have ever made a run or ride in Waller County over the three-day period. “We were very pleased with our PRCA rodeo,” said Dustin Standley, a longtime fair board member and its former president. “Pete Carr Pro Rodeo has been a partner with us since we went from having an amateur rodeo to a ProRodeo, and we know that helps us draw many of the top-name contestants, but we also want to do the right things for them to keep them coming back. “I think with the covered arena, the new hospitality barn and the other changes we made starting this year, that will help be a tipping point for a lot of these cowboys. Barrel racers found out pretty quickly that the ground was going to be good, and we had some really fast runs. “It was a lot of fun for us and for the fans. We had a good crowd Thursday, and the stands were packed Friday and Saturday. It was everything you could ask for in a rodeo.” The purpose of the county fair, though, is always on the youth of Waller County. The exhibitors’ that put their work on display proved the importance of the fair to the communities inside the county’s borders. The junior livestock auction continues to be a major aspect of the exposition, and the event’s supporters made an impact on that. “The bottom line for us is always the youth of Waller County,” Sciba said. “We put on this fair for the community, and we’ve got excellent partners and sponsors that make it happen. Because of them, we are able to give back to the kids.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – When he broke his leg during a river outing in May, bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt had plans to return to action in just a few weeks. He had surgery and figured that would be enough time for him to rehabilitate and be ready to get back to his business of riding bucking. He was wrong. There were complications, and the healing process took longer. Fast forward to Saturday night, where he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Paint The Town for 85.5 points to win the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, his first event back after five months on injured reserve. “It felt good,” said Shadbolt, 27, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Merriman, Nebraska. “I’m always pretty nervous if I haven’t rode in a long time, and I’ve been on hundreds of bucking horses, but I’m still nervous. I had convinced myself that this horse was going to be a little bit of a hopper, but it wasn’t at all.” A “hopper” is considered a horse gets a lot of air but is still easier to ride. That wasn’t the case with Paint The Town. “I just threw on the other side of the fire and won the rodeo on the first one back, so I feel pretty confident for this year,” he said. It’s a big move for the new season. Hempstead’s rodeo serves as a qualifier into RodeoHouston. Shadbolt not only pocketed $1,906, the win also qualified him to compete at NRG Stadium next March. Every little bit helps, especially for a guy who was near the top of the world standings when he got hurt and watched his spot on the money list fall as the campaign progressed. When the regular season came to a close a week ago, he finished 38th. “I came to Hempstead because it’s the first one of 2024,” he said. “I’ve been healthy for a couple of weeks, so I entered so I could start the near year with trying to make some money and get myself in the standings, try to get my foot in the door before the big winter rodeos (which begin after Jan. 1) and get my qualifications up.” It was the idea of qualifying for Houston that brought steer wrestler Tyler Pearson to Waller County. The 2017 world champion from Atoka, Oklahoma, finished 35th this past campaign and still has a hunger to add to his gold-buckle collection. He knocked his steer to the ground in 3.6 seconds to finish second. “I needed to win first to get into Houston,” he said. “Second is alright, but the whole purpose was to come down here and win and try to get through.”   The $2,350 he collected for the runner-up finish will still be beneficial. Like Shadbolt, he should be near the top of the first 2024 world standings when they come out Monday. Now 38 years old and a five-time NFR qualifier, Pearson has big plans for the upcoming season. He has one of the best hazing horses in ProRodeo, and he has a rising star in his bulldogging mount. “This horse is new; he’s green,” Pearson said. “Last year was his first year, and he came into his own. He’s making a hell of a horse, so we’re going to go. I’d love to make the (National) Finals on him one time and ride him there.” Pearson has big plans and big dreams. That is a big part of what makes a cowboy. Pack that together with a boatload of talent, and the dreams quickly become a reality. Waller County Fair and RodeoOct. 5-7Hempstead, TexasAll-around champion: Chet Weitz, $2,947 in team roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: 1. Garrett Shadbolt, 85.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Paint the Town, $1,906; 2. (tie) Brayze Schill and Lane McGehee, 83.5, $1,271; 3. Payton Lackey, 80.5, $699; 4. Mark Kreder, 80, $445; 5. Bradlee Miller, 78, $318; 7. Winn Ratliff, 77.5, $254; 8. Will Lowe, 76.5, $191. Steer wrestling: 1. Cole Walker, 3.4 seconds, $2,703; 2. Tyler Pearson, 3.6, $2,350; 3. (tie) Talon Roseland, Boyd Sawyer and Kodie Jang, 3.8, $1,645 each; 6. (tie) Riley Duvall and Heath Thomas, 4.0, $764; 8. (tie) Logan Kenline and Jeremy Burkhalter, 4.1, $118 each. Team roping: 1. Kreece Thompson/Rance Doyal, 4.0 seconds, $4,215; 2. (tie) Cyle Denison/Dustin Davis, Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, Cody Snow/Rosh Ashford and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 4.1, $2,975 each; 6. Curry Kirchner/Tyler McKnight, 4.4, $1,983; 7. (tie) Cole Thomas/Lane Mitchell and Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 4.5, $1,612 each; 9. Chad Masters/Matt Schieck, 4.6, $1,240; 10. Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.7, $992; 11. Wade Smith/Zach Varian, 5.3, $744; 12. Jerod Andrews/Steve Ross, 5.7, $496. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cort Scheer, 82.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s No. 800x, $2,267; 2. Tegan Smith, 81.5, $1,738; 3. Roper Kiesner, 81, $1,285; 4. Brady Hill, 78, $831; 5. Brandon Lansford, 77.5, $529; 6. Weston Patterson, 76, $378; 7. Jake Clark, 75.5, $302; 8. Jake Finlay, 75, $227. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.0 seconds, $3,340; 2. Chet Weitz, 8.1, $2,947; 3. Dylan Hancock, 8.3, $2,554; 4. Paden Bray, 8.4, $2,161; 5. Colton Redmond, 8.8, $1,965; 6. Riley Jenkins, 8.9, $1,768; 7. (tie) J.B. Collins and Westyn Hughes, 9.0, $1,473 each; 9. (tie) Michael Otero, Charlie Gibson, HotRod Jackson and Riley Webb, 9.1, $491 each.   Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Tacy Webb and Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds, $3,384 each; 3. (tie) Whitney Thurmond and Britta Strain, 2.0, $2,162 each; 5. (tie) Beau Peterson and Martha Angelone, 2.1, $1,316 each; 7. (tie) Christ Braudrick and Cadee Williams, 2.2, $893 each; 9. Jordi Edens, 2.3, $752; 10. (tie) Shayla Smith and McKenna Hickson, 2.4, $611 each; 12. (tie) Montana Brown, Timber Allenbrand, Angie Green and Sawyer Gilbert, 2.6, $329 each. Barrel racing: 1. Grace Gardiner, 15.28 seconds, $3,207; 2. Shelley Morgan, 15.31, $2,566; 3. Lindsay Sears, 15.44, $2,085; 4. Tiany Schuster, 15.46, $1,603; 5. Rainey Skelton, 15.49, $1,283; 6. Kasidi Smart, 15.55, $802; 7. Katie Jo Halbert, 15.52, $962; 8. Ericka Nelson,  Continue Reading »

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – There weren’t many cowboys in ProRodeo happier to see the 2023 regular season come to an end than Tegan Smith. “That was a very rough year, one I want to forget,” said Smith, 25, a saddle bronc rider from Winterset, Iowa, now living in the southern Oklahoma community of Coleman. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so we’ll just keep pushing forward.” He put the past behind him and kicked off the 2024 season Friday night with an 81.5-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Knights Showdown to take the bronc riding lead at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo with one performance remaining. “I guess that horse was over at Clarendon (Texas) College during my cousin Riggin’s third year, and that was his favorite practice horse to get on over there,” Smith said of the powerful bay. “We were just talking, and I asked, ‘Hey, do you know this -48?’ He goes, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s my old practice horse; you’ll love it.’ ” Riggin Smith, the 2019 saddle bronc riding intercollegiate champion, said later that he’d been on Knights Showdown at least nine times while the horse was being bucked at Clarendon practices. Even as a colt, he knew there was something special and explained that to Tegan Smith. “I was excited,” Tegan Smith said. “That was a great horse. He was jumping and kicking and helped me out. He stayed close (to the bucking chutes), and I felt like I did my part.” It takes all of that to jump into the lead in the roughstock events: bronc riding, bareback riding and bull riding. Half the score is based on how well the animals buck; the other half is judged on how well the cowboy rides the animal. Knights Showdown was the perfect remedy for what has been ailing the Iowa-born cowboy. “With all the highs and lows of the year, you just have to go through it,” he said. “The good thing for me was I got to go back to some rodeos in the Great Lakes (Circuit), so I got to be around Mom and Dad more this summer. That actually helped out, and I made the Great Lakes Circuit Finals. “It’s eight and a half hours from where I live to home, so when you get a chance to see them, you try to enjoy the most of it.”   He won’t deny the frustrations of the 2023 campaign. Battling and not finding success is difficult on a competitor, especially one that makes a living riding bucking horses. Two years ago, he was living high on the hog, qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo at the end of the 2021 campaign. He won a go-round in Las Vegas that December and left the Nevada desert with $54,000 in earnings over 10 nights. He finished the year 10th in the world standings. “After this past year, you realize when it’s your time and when it’s not,” Smith said. “You’ve got to take it and leave and not get too upset and not get too excited at the same time.” Still, finding his rhythm in Hempstead gives him some confidence to kick off the 2024 regular season. He will ride in Rosenberg, Texas, later this weekend, then will prepare for the circuit finale next month in Louisville, Kentucky. “I’ll just get on some more horses between now and then and try to stay on this little roll,” he said. “Sometimes when you get in your head, you try to do too much, and that doesn’t help. You just have to let it happen. I heard Rusty Wright say that you have to trust yourself. That’s what I need to do; trust myself.” Waller County Fair and RodeoOct. 5-7Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. (tie) Brayze Schill, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s E10, and Lane McGehee, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Betty Boop, 83.5; 3. Payton Wade, 80.5; 4. Mark Kreder, 80; 5. Bradlee Miller, 78; 6. Will Lowe, 76.5; 7. Weston Timberman, 74.5; 8 Tim Murphy, 74. Steer wrestling: 1. Cole Walker, 3.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Talon Roseland, Boyd Sawyer and Kodie Jang, 3.8; 5. Heath Thomas, 4.0; 6. Jeremy Burkhalter, 4.1; 7. (tie) Marc Joiner and Justin Shaffer, 4.2. Team roping: 1. Kreece Thompson/Rance Doyal, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Cyle Denison/Dustin Davis, Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, Cody Snow/Rosh Ashford and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 4.1; 6. Curry Kirchner/Tyler McKnight, 4.4; 7. (tie) Cole Thomas/Lane Mitchell and Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 4.5; 9. Chad Masters/Matt Schieck, 4.6; 10. Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.7; 11. Wade Smith/Zach Varian, 5.3; 12. Jerod Andrews/Steve Ross, 5.7. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 81.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Knights Showoff; 2. Brandon Lansford, 77.5; 3. Weston Patterson, 76; 4. Jake Clark, 75.5; 5. Jake Finlay, 75; 6. Zac Dallas, 74.5; 7. Will Reynolds, 68; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.0 seconds; 2. Chad Weitz, 8.1; 3. Dylan Hancock, 8.3; 4. Paden Bray, 8.4; 5. Colton Redmond, 8.8; 6. Westyn Hughes, 9.0; 7. (tie) Michael Otero, Charlie Gibson, HotRod Jackson and Riley Webb, 9.1.   Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Tacy Webb and Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds; 3. (tie) Whitney Thurmond and Britta Strain, 2.0; 5. (tie) Beau Peterson and Martha Angelone, 2.1; 7. Christ Braudrick and Cadee Williams, 2.2; 9. Jordi Edens, 2.3; 10. (tie) Shayla Smith and McKenna Hickson, 2.4; 12. (tie) Montana Brown, Timber Allenbrand, Angie Green and Sawyer Gilbert, 2.6. Barrel racing: 1. Grace Gardiner, 15.28 seconds; 2. Shelley Morgan, 15.31; 3. Lindsay Sears, 15.44; 4. Rainey Skelton, 15.49; 5. Kasidi Smart, 15.55; 6. Ericka Nelson, 15.56; 7. Ivy Hurst, 15.62; 8. Liz Pinkston, 15.66; 9. Carlee Otero, 15.68; 10. Millie Marquart, 15.73; 11. (tie) Jamie Olsen and Oceane Veilleaux, 15.75; 13. Abby Phillips, 15.76; 14. (tie) Jackie Jatzlau, Ashley Castleberry and Alyssa Urbanek, 15.78. Bull riding: 1. Clayton Sellars, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty; 2. Shawn Bennett, 85; 3. Colton Kelly, 82.5; 4. Billy John Stephenson, 76; no other  Continue Reading »

DUNCAN, Okla. – While he was born and raised in South Dakota, Paul David Tierney has made a fortune and a home in Oklahoma, now living in the state’s capital city. The second of four children born to ProRodeo Hall of fame cowboy Paul Tierney, rodeo was in his blood from the beginning. His father won at all levels, claiming the PRCA all-around championship in 1980. Paul Tierney’s two sons followed in the fancy roping footsteps of their father. In fact, Paul David Tierney has already secured another championship; he leads the Prairie Circuit’s all-around standings with nearly $38,000 in earnings, and the men behind him don’t stand a chance of catching that. But Tierney is in line to add two more titles to his name this year. He has qualified in two events for the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. He is third in the heading standings with $17,474, less than $3,000 behind leader Andrew Ward of Edmond, Oklahoma. Where he’s got the best shot to add to his total regional titles is in tie-down roping, where he leads the money list with $20,216. He has a $5,500 advantage over the No. 2 cowboy, Ryan Jarrett of Cherokee, Oklahoma, who has Prairie Circuit and world titles to his resume. Paul David Tierney initially moved to the Sooner State to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University, following in the footsteps of his older brother. Jess Tierney now lives in Altus, Oklahoma, where he is the rodeo coach at Western Oklahoma State College; this year, he also qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping for the 11th time in his career. While Jess Tierney has maintained a strong focus on steer roping, he has an all-around talent, too. In fact, both sons have added their names to one of the most prestigious Western sports programs, the Oklahoma-based Timed Event Championship that takes place at the Lazy E Arena every March – Paul Tierney has won the coveted title four times, while Paul David earned championships in 2014 and 2016; Jess sketched his name in the record books by winning it in 2017. When it comes to the Prairie Circuit, Paul David Tierney stands supreme. He has earned the all-around title in the region before this year, and he has been strong across the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region for years. He proved it again this year with big earnings across the circuit. His biggest run came the opening week of August, when he shared the team roping victory while claiming the all-around title at the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo in Abilene, Kansas, while also winning the tie-down roping and all-around championships at the Dodge City (Kansas) Roundup Rodeo. That week alone was worth nearly $16,000 for the Oklahoma City cowboy, the bulk of which came at the Sunflower State’s biggest rodeo in Dodge City. By qualifying for the Duncan championship in two events, Paul David Tierney is proving his talent as a multi-event cowboy, so it’s befitting that he is the Prairie Circuit’s all-around champion.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – In less than three months of competing in ProRodeo during the 2023, Clayton Sellars excelled at a high rate. Even though he didn’t return to action until July, he put on a whirlwind of a performance and earned $77,000 riding bucking bulls. He finished 25th in the world standings, a bit shy of his goal of returning to the National Finals Rodeo for the fourth time in his career. “I came back late in the summer, and it was like trying to make my first NFR all over again,” said Sellars, 25, of Wildwood, Florida. “I ended up not making it, so that was just kind of a slap in the face, like, ‘Hey, man, you’re not as good as you think you are; you need to go to work.’ “That’s what my plan is right now to get out there and just work, get on bulls and win and see what I can do with a full season.” The 2023 regular season came to a close last Saturday night, so he’s put that in his rear-view mirror and is focused on what’s ahead. The initial stop came Thursday night with the first PRCA rodeo of the 2024 season. He rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty for 87.5 points to take the lead at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo in Hempstead. “I didn’t really know that bull at all, but I texted my friend, Laramie Mosley, who got on him in Stephenville (Texas) last week,” Sellars said. “He said the bull was really, really good, but I came here not really expecting anything but just trying hard. The bull definitely did his part.” Scores are based on a 100-point scale, with half coming from the bull and half coming from the cowboy. Bulls are marked on their ability to buck and the difficulty they are to ride, and the men are scored on their ability to stay in control of the animal during an eight-second qualifying ride. Sellars qualified for ProRodeo’s grand championship from 2019-2021. His last year there was his best, when he finished sixth in the final world standings. He spent 2022 in the PBR’s premier tour, which features lucrative payouts 24 bull ridings a year. Those events take place in big coliseums at major cities across the country, like the Toyota Center in Houston and Madison Square Garden in New York City. After an injury sidelined him early in the 2023 campaign, he found his way back to his roots. There’s something about the feel of a rodeo. Whereas the PBR is strictly bull riding, Sellars was close to the action for bareback riding, team roping, barrel racing and all the other rodeo events in Hempstead. “My priorities are in ProRodeo at least for 2024 and most likely 2025,” he said. “We’ll make a decision after the 2024 NFR and see where we are then. I just feel so connected to ProRodeo. I show up and feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be, no matter where I am. I could be in Canby, Oregon, or Hempstead, Texas, and I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. “I’m very happy to be back in ProRodeo.” Waller County Fair and RodeoOct. 5-7Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. Weston Timberman, 74.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Paint the Town; 2. Kash Martin, 73.5; 3. Mason Stuller, 73; Mason Yancy, 71.5; 5. Hayden James, 65; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Marc Joiner and Justin Shaffer, 4.2 seconds; 3. Darcy Kersch, 4.3; 4. Jay Williamson, 4.4; 5. Dakota Champion, 6.7; 6. Matt Uttermark, 23.0; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Todd Arthur/Boudreaux Campbell, 11.8 seconds; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Weston Patterson, 76 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Redzilla; 2. Jake Clark, 75.5; 3. Jake Finlay, 75; 4. Zac Dallas, 74.5; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.0 seconds; 2. Nick Achille, 11.3; 3. Spencer King, 14.7; no other qualified runs. Breakaway roping: 1. Montana Brown, 2.6 seconds; 2. Brooke Hester, 3.3; 3. Cassidy Boggs, 5.6; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Kasidi Smart, 15.55 seconds; Ericka Nelson, 15.56; 3. (tie) Kaycee Killingsworth and Kalli McCall, 15.90; 5. Lisa Zachoda, 15.97; 6. Victoria Procter, 16.00; 7. Mackenzie King, 16.11; 8. Jennifer Sharp, 20.38; 9. BryAnna Haluptzok, 20.66; no other qualified runs. Bull riding: 1. Clayton Sellars, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty; 2. Shawn Bennett, 85; 3. Colton Kelly, 82.5; 4. Billy John Stephenson, 76; no other qualified rides.

ALVA, Okla. – When Lauren Hopkins transferred to Northwestern Oklahoma State University a little more than a year ago, she was looking for the right opportunity. She found it with the Alva school, and she’s been proving that value early this Central Plains Region season. After finishing third two weeks ago in Colby, Kansas, she stepped it up this past weekend by winning the breakaway roping championship at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Durant. “I just hit a lick toward the end of the summer rodeos and rolled it into this fall season,” said Hopkins, originally from Lincoln, California, now living in Lipan, Texas. “I didn’t have that great of a season last year, so I wanted to step it up. I’m more in tune with my horse, and things have been pretty good.” Hopkins stopped the clock in 2.7 seconds to place in the first round, then followed that with a 3.2-second run to share the championship-round victory. Her two-run cumulative time of 5.9 seconds helped her rope the title at the second rodeo of the 2023-24 Central Plains season. “I drew well, but the biggest thing is my horse,” she said of Patròn, a 5-year-old sorrel gelding she’s had for a couple of years. “He’s absolutely changed my game and has been one of my biggest blessings. “He was broke when I got him, but I trained him in the breakaway. We know each other really well. He reads the calf really well, and he’s solid in the box and gives me a good start every time. He makes my job really easy.” With the win, Hopkins moved into the regional lead. That’s nice, but with eight events remaining on the schedule, the goal is to be in that same spot come the end of next April. That’s when winners will be crowned and earn their spots at the College National Finals Rodeo, which features only the top three individuals and top two teams in the standings. “Obviously everybody wants to win, and for me, the goal is to win the Central Plains in breakaway and get to the college finals,” Hopkins said. “I also compete in ProRodeo, so I hope to continue to do that and have success. I have a full-time horse-training business as well, so I want to keep making that work as long as I can.” She was among about a dozen Rangers who competed in Durant’s short round and was joined in the final performance by fellow breakaway ropers Aluxyn Hollenbeck of Valentine, Nebraska, and Jayden Jensen of Valentine, Nebraska, the latter of whom was 2.6 to finish in a tie for third place in the opening round. Goat-tier Dale Lee Foreman of Ree Heights, South Dakota, also earned a spot in the championship round. Jacob Haren of Callaway, Nebraska, paced the men’s team, winning the all-around title for the second straight rodeo. Haren earned points in tie-down roping, steer wrestling and team roping; he and teammate Kade Chace of Cherokee, Oklahoma, finished third in the first go-round. Another all-around cowboy, Tanner Meier of Garden City, Kansas, placed in both rounds and the aggregate in tie-down roping. Kyler Altmiller, a header from Canadian, Texas, finished fifth in both rounds and the average while team roping with Cody Newell of Dodge City (Kansas) Community College. In steer wrestling, Cam Fox of Tulsa placed in both rounds and finished second overall, while Logan Mullin of Clay Center, Kansas, collected points in both rounds and placed fourth. Sterling Lee of Goetebo, Oklahoma, was sixth overall, while Trisyn Kalawaia of Waiakea, Hawaii won the first round. Grandy Aasby of Highmore, South Dakota, joined his teammates in the short round. “We had a lot of those (Northwestern) black vests in the short round,” Hopkins said. “I would like to think we have a good team and will continue to be represented well at the short rounds all year.” Hopkins began her college career at Eastern New Mexico University. She spent three years in the Southwest Region before moving over to the Central Plains. She likes Alva’s proximity to her home in Lipan, where she continues to work at her craft. “Winning this past weekend was definitely awesome, and I feel super blessed,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for five years, and this was my first college win. I’m pretty lucky to have good horses and good friends behind me to support me. “When I made my short-round run, I just wanted to be smart and place again. I wanted to be behind the barrier and catch my calf, and fortunately that worked out well enough to get the win.” When it comes to success, being consistent is the biggest weapon a competitor can have. It just happens that Hopkins has that in herself and her horse.

CODY, Wyo. – For the hundreds of thousands of visitors who enjoy this picturesque and vibrant community each summer, the Cody Nite Rodeo is a spectacle and a family-friendly piece of their time in Wyoming. For rodeo’s rising stars, it is the standard-bearer as a proving ground. It features 90 nights to hone one’s craft in a competitive atmosphere. It provides valuable lessons that can be carried throughout the year and over a career. Some of the biggest stars in the sport today took advantage of their time at the Cody Nite Rodeo, men like Kaycee Feild, the winningest bareback rider in ProRodeo history with six world championships and 13 qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo. They are athletes like Dusty Tuckness, recognized 10 times as the PRCA’s Bullfighter of the Year. “Cody is a great place to learn your craft, grow and experience it every night,” said Tuckness, a 14-time National Finals Rodeo bullfighter from Meeteetse, Wyoming. “For some, you can enter every night. I got to work the entire summer of 2005. You get a lot of experience, and you see a little bit of everything. “There’s so much opportunity there to chase your dreams. Some world champions in all events have come through the Nite Rodeo over the years. Over the 18 years since I first started, there are ore opportunities, more places for people to stay while they’re there for the summer. It’s really blossomed.” To understand just how important the Cody Nite Rodeo is to the development of the sport’s stars, it takes just a peak under the hood to see what has developed the last few years. While it’s been a couple decades since Feild and Tuckness got their starts inside Stampede Park, there are a handful of others who just came through the system and took full advantage of the experience and the chance to get on some of the animals provided by Maury Tate, owner of Mo Betta Rodeo and the Nite Rodeo’s producer: “I went up there the first time in 2019 and spent two weeks,” said Franks, the 2021 Bareback Riding Resistol Rookie of the Year and a two-time NFR qualifier. “It’s the only place you can get on horses every single day. I think that’s a big deal, because you’re getting on continuously and learning what it takes. When you’re young, the more horses you can get on the better.” Each step taken in that regard is a valuable one. When Isaac Diaz was a rookie in 2005, he took advantage of the opportunity before him while also trying to figure out what it takes to make a living in ProRodeo. Since then, he’s been recognized as one of the greatest saddle bronc riders in the game. “Me and my best friend, Tyler Moody, rented an apartment on the east end of town,” said Diaz, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Desdemona, Texas. “We were rodeoing hard that year. I would go to rodeos, and it was just a good, central location to come back to. Whenever I didn’t have a PRCA rodeo to go to, I’d go to the Nite Rodeo every night. It was hard enough to win enough money to keep going down the road. “Riding at the Nite Rodeo would supplement my rodeoing and pay for our apartment, and I always got on good horses.” For competitors that have gold-buckle dreams, they know the work it takes to get to an elite level. World champions are likely blessed with talent, but the ability to harness that and put it together on a consistent basis comes through the layers of hard work and development. “The more horses you get on at that age is only going to help,” Diaz said. “That place is good for every level of up-and-comer. The guys that ride pretty good can do the things to stay sharp, and the ones that haven’t gotten over the hump yet can get on every night for a small fee and not spend the money to travel anywhere. They also get to get on good horses. “A lot of guys have gone through there, and it’s definitely benefited them.” While cowboys and cowgirls learn through rides and runs, the folks involved in other facets of rodeo also earn perks through the nightly opportunities. Rodeo clowns and entertainers can perfect their jokes and acts; announcers will gain texture in their voices and a continuity to their deliveries; bullfighters will see a variety of moves from their bovine counterparts; and judges will have a chance to perfect their understanding of the rules and scoring criteria. “There are so many ways you can learn and grow and do it the right way,” Tuckness said. “Cody is a great foundation for anybody. I know some of the people at the professional ranks that still stop by there. “You can enter every day or, like me, you can work the rodeo every day. You can work a job during the day and ride every night. It’s also a chance for some guys who may be struggling just a little bit; they can come back to the Nite Rodeo and tune themselves up or try out a new saddle or a new rigging. They can spend a few nights there and really give themselves a boost confidence-wise.” On top of all that, Tate, the producer, makes sure there are other avenues that can help out the youngsters trying to gain a little footing in a sport they love. “Maury does free schools over the summer, and he has some world champions and other great guys that come in and help out,” Tuckness said, noting that bronc rider Dan Mortensen, bull riders Justin McBride and Cody Custer and bareback riders Mark Gomes and Jeffrey Collins are a few of the world titlists that have helped youngsters in Cody. “It’s a great chance to get some important lessons from people that really know what it takes to win at a high level.” Franks  Continue Reading »

Coaches bring expertise while mentoring Cody Nite Rodeo contestants CODY, Wyo. – The foundation of any building is the first layer of the process that leads to the sturdiness and ability to withstand all sorts of pressure. The same can be said in sports, where fundamentals serve as the right footing. The greatest athletes focus on the little things first, then build on them. There is no Michael Jordan without Dean Smith coaching him; there is no Roger Staubach without Tom Landry. For rising rodeo stars, the best training ground can be found every summer at the Cody Nite Rodeo. It’s not only a chance to hone their skills, but it’s a place where they can receive expert coaching from some of the biggest stars to have ever competed in the game. “I’ve got a whole career’s worth of experience and things I’ve figured out along the way,” said Kody Lostroh, the 2009 PBR world champion who was inducted into the PBR’s Ring of Honor this year. “I want to help shorten the learning curve for some of these kids so they should be successful faster. It’s my way of giving back to the sport, making a positive difference in the world.” Lostroh is one of dozens of instructors who every summer make their way to Cody, where they share their expertise and passion for rodeo. How many young bull riders can say they received hands-on training from a champion? How many dreaming bronc riders have been guided by Dan Mortensen or Rod Hay? Under the direction of producer Maury Tate with Mo Betta Rodeo, the Cody Nite Rodeo has provided the perfect avenue for success for contestants hoping to be the next superstars. Working with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the students receive instruction while experiencing actual competition through the summer months. “The biggest benefit of the Cody Nite Rodeo is two-fold,” said Heath Ford, a three-time National Finals Rodeo bareback riding qualifier. “The biggest thing a young person has to do is get on good stock consistently, and they can do that in Cody. Through every night throughout the summer, you’ll get on more livestock than most kids get by the time they’re 18. “The key is not just getting on but having NFR-caliber coaches every day to help you fine-tune it and help you see the little things most people can’t see.” Ford grew up in a rodeo family. His father, Glen, qualified for the NFR in bareback riding, and his uncle, Bruce, is a five-time world champion in that event. Heath Ford’s brother, Jarrod, qualified for the NFR twice in bull riding. “I got to grow up with good people giving me good coaching, so I took that for granted,” Heath Ford said. “Learning how to ride and learning how to be a winner are two different things, and you can get both. “The thing about Cody is it’s not just for cowboys; there have been some great bullfighters, barrelmen, announcers and soundmen that have come through there. To me, it’s the ultimate training facility for rodeo.” There’s also something about getting on the right kinds of animals. Oftentimes, younger cowboys in bronc riding and bareback riding get on colts at youth, amateur, high school and intercollegiate levels. The better quality of animals, the better the chances are to learn something about each ride. “We need to train the kids on level-appropriate animals and not be afraid to challenge them as they grow,” Ford said. “If you leave them at the beginner-level animals, they never go beyond it. If we put them on the rank horses, they don’t stay on. “When you can get on the right animals in the roughstock end, then you start seeing the mentality of the guys that have been there and done that, the cowboy attitude and the mentality of a winner. That’s what it takes, that fire and that grit, and sometimes it comes with the people you hang out with and the animals you get on.” Mark Gomes won the 1998 bareback riding world championship and qualified for Las Vegas eight times in his career. There is a business to the game, from knowing how to enter to traveling North America to controlling one’s finances. In rodeo, money not only covers the business expenses, but dollars equal championship points. There’s a lot that goes into riding broncs or roping steers or maneuvering fast horses around the cloverleaf barrel pattern. “You’ve got to be tough to be in rodeo,” Gomes said. “Even in the timed events, the mental aspect, the wear and tear on the body, the travel, the being away from home … there’s a lot to it. It’s not for everybody. It’s a special group of men and women that can do that and excel at that.” It’s that type of training that Gomes provides to students when he arrives in Cody. Another is something that is already happening at the Nite Rodeo. “The one thing any roughstock cowboy can do for yourself is get on multiple animals, and it’s the greatest benefit to your career,” he said. “With the Cody Nite Rodeo, you can potentially get on 90 head in the summer. When I was a kid, it would take five or six years to get on that many animals. I tell the kids all the time to just keep getting on. “In the roughstock more than the timed events, it seems like there’s a wall you have to go through. I’m sure part of it is the fear element. When you first start, it’s a nod and a big blur of everything. By the time you’re able to actually compete, it slows down for you; I think that’s because of the number of animals you get on.” It helps, too, that the bucking horses in Cody allow for the right kind of education to continue. “Mo Betta has some great stock up there, and it’s perfect for those kids that are getting on every day,”  Continue Reading »

LOS LUNAS, N.M. – The danger and excitement that is professional bull riding is making its way to central New Mexico in a couple weeks, and it’s going to be the perfect way to show off the best in the business. Cord McCoy’s Xtreme Bulls Shootout will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9-Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the Southwest Event Center in Los Lunas. Tickets are $20 in advance at McCoyRodeo.com, $25 at the gate and $35 for VIP seating. “This is going to be a great week in Los Lunas, and we get to kick it off with a pretty cool bull riding,” said Cord McCoy, a bull riding superstar who qualified for the National Finals Rodeo and PBR World Finals before gaining international fame on the CBS-TV reality series “The Amazing Race.” “We wanted to have this in Los Lunas because there are some great cowboys that come from this part of New Mexico, and we know there are a lot of great bull riding fans that will travel to an event like this.” That’s true, and he’s expecting a big crowd to show up for three nights of intense action. This will be a good time for bull riders to get a jump start on the 2024 ProRodeo campaign. The regular season ends Sept. 30, so anything earned after that will count toward next year. Money is vital in rodeo. Not only does it pay bills and cover expenses of getting up and down the road, but it’s also how the standings are tabulated. Dollars equal points, and only the top 15 contestants on the money list at the end of the regular season will advance to the NFR, the sport’s grand finale that takes place in December at Las Vegas. That’s where the vibrant earnings available at the shootout comes in to play. McCoy, who co-owns the stock contracting company McCoy Rodeo with his wife, Sara, will inject $15,000 in local money into the event. That will be mixed with the contestants’ entry fees to make up the total purse. The winning cowboy can add more than $5,000 to his pocketbook and have a leg up on the competition early in the 2024 campaign. “We wanted to give these guys a chance to make some good money early in the season,” McCoy said. “We’re going to test them with the bulls we’re going to bring, and we want them to put on a show for everybody in New Mexico.” The bull power is extensive. McCoy has been raising quality bucking bulls since before he retired a decade ago, and he has several top-caliber animal athletes that will be a major part of the action. That will include Ridin Solo, which has earned the PBR Bull of the Year title each of the past two seasons. Ridin Solo may be the cream of the crop among the animals that will be featured in Los Lunas, but McCoy boasts of dozens of other elite bulls that will be mixed throughout the three days of competition. “Our goal is to have a world-class bull riding and amazing competition, but we are also here to entertain the fans,” he said. “We want this to be an event early in the week that gets people excited so they can go back to work the next day and tell everyone else about it. I’m thrilled with the possibilities.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – On the eastern shore of Hawaii’s Big Island rests its largest city, Hilo, a town of 41,000 folks. Inside its border is the community of Waiakea, the home of steer wrestler Trisyn Kalawaia, who will battle for the regional title during the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. “To make the circuit finals and go in there No. 1 is pretty good,” said Kalawaia, 21, a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “It’s definitely not what I thought I’d be able to accomplish at the start of this season. There were a lot of great opportunities, and we were successful this summer. The cards played out right for me. “I’m super happy and blessed to go to the circuit finals and have a chance to win good money.” This year marks his first qualification to the championship in Duncan. He had transferred from Central Arizona Community College to compete at the Alva, Oklahoma, school, which has been recognized as the Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo. While in the Southwest, he competed in the Turquoise Circuit, which is made up of contestants and rodeos primarily in Arizona and New Mexico. He qualified for its finale as a permit-holder last fall, then switched his allegiance to the Prairie Circuit, which features cowboys and cowgirls primarily from the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. He is a dual competitor, battling it out in ProRodeo while also trying to win at the college level; that’s something that can’t be done in most college sports but is allowed in rodeo. With just days remaining in the 2023 PRCA regular season, Kalawaia is No. 2 in the Resistol Steer Wrestling Rookie of the Year standings. “The highlight of this season was just all of it,” he said, noting that he traveled the rodeo trail with Kaden Greenfield, a 2023 Northwestern graduate, and Stockton Graves, a Rangers alumnus who also serves as the rodeo team’s coach. “This was my rookie season rodeoing, and I had a lot of success. A lot of it had to do with traveling with Stockton and him helping me out. “I got to hear a lot from him and see a lot from him throughout the year. That helped me make the circuit finals and helped me build confidence.” He also finished the circuit’s regular season with $17,733. Technically he is second in the standings to his coach, but Graves will not be able to compete in Duncan after season-ending knee surgery last week. Kalawaia holds a $1,400 lead over Gus Franzen of Kearney, Nebraska, as the remaining members of top 12 in the region make their way to Stephens County. Deep down, he would love to be the second Hawaiian-born steer wrestler to ever qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. He would join Cody Cabral, who also graduated from Waiakea High School and advanced to Las Vegas in 2016. For now, though, Kalawaia’s eyes are set on the prize right in front of him. “It would mean a lot to win the circuit, especially being my first year in the circuit and being my rookie year,” he said. “It would also be a great start for the 2024 season.” ProRodeo’s regular season ends Sept. 30, so money earned after Oct. 1 will count for next year. The 2022 circuit finals champion, past world titlist Jacob Edler, earned $5,300 in just three days of work in Duncan, and each dollar counted toward the 2023 campaign. There is potential to earn even more when the competition takes place the second full weekend of October. Just as importantly, though, is the opportunity to advance to the next level. The winners of the year-end and circuit-finals titles qualify for the NFR Open, the national circuit finals championship that takes place next July in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “Winning the circuit will also get me to the Springs,” Kalawaia said. “That would help me step up my goals for next year and help me try to make the finals.” Each step the young cowboy takes is all part of his development. There are no guarantees regarding wins or income, but that’s OK. That’s the allure of rodeo. All Kalawaia wants is an opportunity, and he will get that in Duncan.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The ultimate man-vs.-beast contest will be the inaugural event inside the newly covered rodeo arena at the Waller County Fairgrounds. Freestyle bullfighting will invade Hempstead during the opening night of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, bringing with it high action, intense competition and a risk-reward setting like no other event on the planet. The fiery action begins at 7:30 p.m. “It’s going to be pretty exciting, and we’re going to have 12 of the top guys from the Ultimate Bullfighters at this event,” said Justin Crawford of Spur 1 Management, which is producing the bullfight and is also involved in other aspects of the fair and rodeo. “This is going to be one of the last UBF events before their finals.” It’s going to be a high-flying display that will help open the eight-day exposition; it’s also one of several Western sports-related events that will be inside the remodeled arena, joining The Eliminator, a specialized tie-down roping that features eight of the top cowboys in the game that is unique to the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. “We developed this years ago as a way to give these guys a chance to rope for good money in a format where one person is eliminated in each round,” Clint Sciba, president of the Waller County Fair Board, said of the Tuesday, Oct. 3, competition. “We’ve actually continued to develop it and will have a Next Generation Eliminator that will be the same type event for younger competitors; we will open that night with the junior ropers at 6 p.m.” It will be followed by the big dogs: No. 1 cowboy Riley Webb, John Douch of Huntsville, Ty Harris of San Angelo, Cory Solomon of Prairie View and world champions Haven Meged, Shad Mayfield, Shane Hanchey and Caleb Smidt – combined they have 54 National Finals Rodeo qualifications and four gold buckles. The open tie-down roping will also take place Tuesday. Wednesday, Oct. 4, will feature the Next Generation Women’s Eliminator involving breakaway roping, which will be followed by the WPRA breakaway roping competition. Thursday, Oct. 5, is opening night of the three ProRodeo performances. “It’s going to be a great week to open that new facility,” said Paul Shollar, vice president of the Waller County Fair Board. “The Eliminator has been a fan favorite around here for a long time. Folks in this part of the world love calf roping, so it’s fun. “I’m really excited to see what the bullfights bring to the table. If you’ve never seen a freestyle bullfight, then you’re missing out on some big-time excitement.” It’s the type of performance that will keep fans on the edges of their seats. Professional bullfighters will utilize their athleticism and ability to read animals as they face Mexican fighting bulls, which were bred for this type of fight. The bulls will utilize their aggressive nature and natural agility to try to throw a knockout punch on the men testing them. The bullfighters will step around and sometimes jump over the bulls in order to score points, which are based on a 100-point scale; half comes from the man’s ability to get as close to the animal as possible while staying out of harm’s way. The remaining 50 points is based on the bull’s aggressiveness and his ability to stay involved in the fight. “These fights last 60 seconds, but there’s a lot that happens in that short amount of time,” Crawford said. “There’s going to be some incredible athleticism from both the bull and the bullfighter, and there are going to be some big wrecks. That’s what makes the UBF so much fun to watch.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – Creek Young is more than a bull rider, more than a rodeo athlete. Deep down, he’s a businessman, and his career is trying to tame the West one bull at a time. He understands the physical skills it takes to do his job, but there’s also a mental part to the game; sometimes that means making decisions out of the arena that can affect how things go when it’s time to do battle. “This was a different season that what I had done the previous couple of years,” said Young, the No. 1 man in the Prairie Circuit’s bull riding standings from Rogersville, Missouri. “I had gotten tired and burned out, so I didn’t go to as many rodeos in the winter and in the spring. I got the opportunity to do the PBR teams, so I tried it. “It wasn’t really my thing, and by the time I moved on, I wasn’t able to enter all the rodeos in the Northwest. Because of that, I was able to enter some circuit rodeos in August and get my count up for the first time in a few years.” Cowboys and cowgirls must compete in at a certain number of rodeos in the region in order to be eligible to compete at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. Young had focused the 2021 and ’22 seasons on qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo, and that left him a few rodeos short of advancing to the regional championship. Because of circumstances, he was able to not only compete at events closer to home, but he also will return to the NFR for the third straight year; in that regard, it’s been a win-win season for Young. As of the third week of September, he was sixth in the world standings. His biggest victory in the circuit – a series of rodeos and contestants primarily from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska – came at the Lawton (Oklahoma) Xtreme Bulls, where he pocketed $9,000; he added big checks in Woodward, Oklahoma; Elk City, Oklahoma; and Dodge City, Kansas. He finished the circuit’s regular season with $24,794 and will carry a $7,770 lead over the field into Duncan. “I also did well in Durant and Hugo (Oklahoma), and in August, I went to Altus (Oklahoma), Vinita (Oklahoma), Topeka, Kansas, and a few smaller rodeos and took advantage and got little checks everywhere I could,” said Young, who claims the Prairie Circuit in spite of living in Missouri because he likes the opportunities. “I lived in Fort Scott (Kansas) for a couple of years, because that’s where my buddies, (fellow bull riders) Coy Pollmeier and Trey Holston lived. I was there right after high school. I felt like there were more better rodeos in the Prairie Circuit that would make it easier to make my circuit count.” This year marks the third time he’s qualified for the regional finale, and he wants to earn the right to compete at the NFR Open, the moniker for the national circuit finals rodeo that features the year-end and circuit finals champions in each event from each of the circuits across North America. In 2021, Young was allowed to advance to the national circuit championship even though he finished third in the 2020 regional standings because one of the qualifiers was injured and unable to compete. “Third is the best I’ve ever done,” Young said. “It feels good to go in with a lead and have a chance to win this championship. It would be huge. I’ve done alright at the circuit finals in the past, but I’d really like to get that championship.” The bull rider will be one of several NFR qualifiers competing in Duncan. It’s not only a chance to gain good money that counts toward the 2024 ProRodeo season, the competition inside the Stephens County Arena also will serve as a training ground for those who will battle it out for world titles this December at Las Vegas. “My body feels the best that it ever has this time of year,” said Young, now 22. “I have a lot of confidence right now. I get a lot of that by feeling good and feeling like I was able to make this year work, that my different approach and going about it differently rodeo-wise has paid off. “This is a good tune-up for the NFR and keeps me going into October a little bit. It’s a good jump start to the new season.”

ALVA, Okla. – Truth be told, Jacob Haren wasn’t satisfied with his performance this past weekend at the Colby (Kansas) Community College rodeo. Sure, he won the all-around title and led the way for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team by earning points in two events, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. He advanced to the championship round in both, but he failed to take advantage when the best of the week were matched together. “It’s definitely a good start, but it could have gone a little better,” said Haren, a senior from Callaway, Nebraska. “It’s always the goal to get points in multiple events, but I wanted to capitalize in the short round more.” He’ll have nine more chances to do that through the rigors of the Central Plains Region season; three of those happen during the fall semester. It’s a long season, but the Colorado-raised cowboy looks at it as more opportunities. The goal of all competitors in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association is an eventual qualification to the College National Finals Rodeo and a shot at the national title. “I think it’s pretty important to start off strong,” said Haren, who placed third in the opening round of steer wrestling and finished in a tie for fifth in the first round of tie-down roping. “You  can then go into the next rodeo and keep that going through the rest of them this fall.” It’s not just bulldogging and calf roping that keep Haren busy. He’s also a team roper, so he gives himself – and the Northwestern men’s team – a chance at earning points in three events. That is valuable not only in the all-around race but also as the team takes step toward its future. While individual accolades are significant, the ultimate prize is pulling through as a team. “Practices have been going good,” he said. “We have a bunch of really good guys this year, and we’re all working together to get better.” It showed. There were several Rangers in the championship round, including team roping header Tanner Meier of Garden City, Kansas; steer wrestler Quade Potter of Stockville, Nebraska; and barrel racers Taralee Haddock of Elbert, Colorado, and Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon. All made the short round but failed to secure points. In following with the tradition that ignited the moniker the “Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo,” the steer wrestlers shined during the competition in northwest Kansas: Trisyn Kalawaia of Waiakea, Hawaii, won the title in Colby, placing in both go-rounds and securing the aggregate title by more than two seconds; Cameron Fox of Tulsa also placed among the top six in both rounds and finished fifth overall; and Sterling Lee of Goetebo, Oklahoma, won the first round with a 4.5-second run. Barrel racer Sierra Schott of McLaughlin, South Dakota, led the way for the Rangers women by winning the first go-round, placing in the short round and finishing third overall. Breakaway roper Lauren Hopkins of Lincoln, California, was solid in her two runs to place third overall. Laci Geiger of Emmett, Idaho, finished in a tie for second in the opening round, while Jaci Traul of Fort Scott, Kansas, placed in a tie for sixth place in the first go; neither cowgirl had success in the short round. After the opening weekend of college rodeo, Haren sees a lot of positives the team can build on as it prepares for the next event, which takes place the final three days of September in Durant, Oklahoma. “I think the bulldoggers are always going to be strong, and have other guys in other events who look strong, too,” said Haren, who transferred from Mid-Plains (Nebraska) Community College a year ago. “I know the girls that made the short round were good in Colby, so you hope that keeps up.” Of course, having an individual who can score points in multiple events helps, and Haren hopes to build on his start to the final campaign in college rodeo. “I always grew up doing every event I was able to do,” he said. “I especially love the roping events, but a friend has a good bulldogging horse and lets me ride him. Going to school with (coach) Stockton Graves, you pretty much feel like you need to bulldog, too.” Graves, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who just missed making the finale this season, has been coach of his alma mater since the spring 2012 season. While he’s best known as a steer wrestler, he has also been an all-around champion at a high level. Since he became coach, three Rangers have won national titles: breakaway roper Taylor Munsell and bulldoggers J.D. Struxness and Bridger Anderson. It’s that type of legacy that pushed Haren from southwest Nebraska to Alva. “I wanted to be in a different region, one that was a little more competitive,” he said. “I liked the fact that it isn’t super far from home. This gives me a good chance to get better.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – From the opening night of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, the folks in southeast Texas will have a big chance to enjoy some top-rated live music. The Hempstead exposition will have four nights of concerts, starting with the opening showcase on Saturday, Sept. 30. The evening will feature a freestyle bullfight, then Kylie Frey and Ian Munsick will take the stage to keep the ball rolling for top-quality entertainment. “I’m so pumped up about that first Saturday and that bullfight,” said Michelle Husky, co-chairwoman of the entertainment committee for the Waller County Fair Association. “Kylie has been on America’s Got Talent. She’s done an amazing job, and we’re excited to have her sing the national anthem to open our newly covered arena and the bullfight that night. “We’d heard about Ian, and we saw him in Vegas. We’re pretty excited to see what he brings to stage, see what kind of a crowd he brings. He’s a different kind of country, and people seem to like him and really seem to like the music he plays.” From opening night to closing ceremonies, there will be a great deal of action and a lot of entertainment for fairgoers. It’s a tradition in Waller County, and there’s no reason to stop now. The concert series might just be highlighted by the final showcase on Saturday, Oct. 7, with Texas-based country artist Aaron Watson. “Opening for him that night is a young girl that is no relation, Kate Watson,” Husky said. “We met Kate back in January, and one of our sponsors was with us and wanted us to book her for the fair. We’re excited to have her open for Aaron. “There’s nothing to say about Aaron Watson that people don’t already know. His name sells the tickets, and we know he’s going to put on a great show.” In between, the concert series will kick back up Thursday, Oct. 5, beginning three straight nights of the artists following the PRCA rodeo. The Brown Sugar Band will showcase it’s versatile talents, from powerful country to classic rock to some traditional soul. The group will set the stage for Coffey Anderson, who has built an acclaimed country career defined by his work ethic, sense of humility and country roots. “We had time to visit with Coffey in January when we booked him,” Husky said. “He had a really good show, and he brings a lot to the table. He’s also going to be singing the national anthem to kick off our PRCA rodeo.” Young artist Kendall Shaffer is carrying the torch for a new generation, but she’s a student of greats like Keith Whitley and George Jones. She will open the Friday, Oct. 6, concert series for a Waller County favorite, Glen Templeton, who has not only played at the fair and rodeo before, but he also has been a staple at events across southern Texas for years. “We don’t normally bring artists back to back, but he puts on such a great show,” Husky said of Templeton. “He’s been hitting up the stages all around the region. He’s ready to come back and rock the Waller County Fair on a Friday night.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – His face may be hidden by greasepaint, but Rob Gann’s smile is authentic. “The best part of my job is getting to entertain and make everybody’s day better and maybe help them to forget what’s troubling them,” said Gann, a rodeo clown who will be working this year’s Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan “I want to make them laugh and put a smile on their faces.” It will be his first time at the regional finale, which has taken place in Duncan every October since 2012. It will be a way for him to showcase the talents that have helped him be recognized across the country. Over his career as bullfighter and clown, he has been selected to work the International Finals Rodeo eight times. “I got to fight bulls there six times,” said Gann of Lonoke, Arkansas. “When I moved to clowning, I’ve done it the last two years. It’s a big deal for me, the next step in my career gave me the hope and confidence that I could do this for a living.” Now, he will have the opportunity to show his stuff on the biggest stages of the sport. By working a ProRodeo championship event, Gann has the chance to build on his resume and take another step in making a name for himself. “This is awesome,” he said. “As of right now, it’s a milestone and absolutely the pinnacle of my career. I finally get to do a finals that’s got a PRCA logo attached to it. It means a lot to me, and this is definitely a proud moment for me, one I won’t forget.” It’s a chance to work with the best in the business and be part of an event that showcases the stars from the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. Not only that, but Gann will also work with other ProRodeo honorees that have been recognized nationally for being on an elite status in their craft. From NFR qualifiers to award-winning personnel, the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo will be the three-day home to incredible talent. If iron sharpens iron, it’s a chance to make everything shine inside the Duncan coliseum. “Announcer Greg Simas has been a huge advocate and motivator, and he’s really helped me with my career,” Gann said. “To get to work my first circuit finals with Greg means a lot to me.” Simas will be working Duncan’s fall rodeo for the eighth straight year and will bring a world-class talent to the show. Whether it’s working together through the action-packed performance or doing a clown act together, Simas and Gann must show why teamwork matters during a rodeo production. “I carry at any time three to four acts in my trailer, but I like the walk and talk that happens during the performance,” Gann said. “I’ve rodeoed my whole life, and I’ve done pretty much every aspect. I like to fill in the spots when they need filled. The walk and talk is unpredictable, and I like to take whatever the moment allows me. There’s nothing better than when a fan gives you something you can go with, and everybody just enjoys that moment.” Having that talent comes through experience, one that has carried Gann from youth competitor to professional rodeo cowboy to bullfighter to clown. He is the third generation of his family in the rodeo business and competed in all events as a youngster, earning a rodeo scholarship to Arkansas State University-Jonesboro. “I think my knowledge of rodeo and my timing allows me to see when a breakdown happen, maybe seeing where the announcer needs a minute to catch his breath,” Gann said. “I want him to know that I will take care of him. “The biggest thing is to keep the energy up, because I truly believe the energy dictates the competition.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – In sports, there is always a battle to be victorious. In rodeo, the levels of success vary from one day to another. Winning doesn’t always define greatness; sometimes getting close is valuable in more than horseshoes and hand-grenades. A series of second-place finishes can be more instrumental to a player’s season than a single win over that same stretch. Why? Because money equals points in rodeo. The top 15 contestants on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo, where the world champions will be crowned. Those 10 December nights in Las Vegas are where every rodeo cowboy and cowgirl dreams to be. In the region made up of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, the very best will get a jump start on their bids to win this year’s Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. Before they ride in the Nevada desert, the region’s elite will battle for titles closer to home at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. While there, they will compete for Prairie Circuit titles, and the year-end and finals-aggregate champions will advance on to the national circuit finals, now dubbed the NFR Open and set to take place next July in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Make no mistake, though; this isn’t just a hometown event. The circuit finale is a chance to see many of the greatest players in professional rodeo while also getting a glimpse of the sport’s future. “We like to tell folks that they’re going to see world champions or eventual world champions when they come to our rodeo,” said Joe Henderson, chairman of the committee that produces the circuit finale in Duncan every fall. “When you look at the history of the Prairie Circuit, you can see a great line of world champions who are from this part of the country. “If we look at Oklahoma alone, this is where the Etbauer brothers lived during most of their careers. This is home to Sage Kimzey and Terry Don West. Oklahoma is home to the Duvalls and Ote Berry. We have hall-of-famers from here, and that doesn’t include the champions from Kansas and Nebraska like Jeffrey Collins and Dean Gorsuch. We have a great legacy of rodeo.” That history will repeat itself during this year’s spectacular, held over three nights in southern Oklahoma. There are men and women fighting for circuit titles while also in the mix to compete at the NFR in a couple months. That includes Jayco Roper, the 11th-ranked bareback rider in the world standings and a regular fixture at the Stephens County Arena each October; Cody Devers, who is 11th in the bulldogging race; team ropers Andrew Ward, Jake Clay, Coleman Proctor, Buddy Hawkins and Logan Medlin; barrel racers Emily Beisel, Wenda Johnson and Paige Jones; breakaway ropers Taylor Munsell and Cheyanne Guillory; and bull riders Creek Young and Trey Kimzey. Steer roping features a handful of top hands, including the No. 1 man in the standings, Cole Patterson, and his world-champion father, Rocky; Billy Good and Mike Chase. There are also a handful of others who still have a chance to qualify for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, set for Nov. 17-18 in Mulvane, Kansas. “Those are just the contestants who are in the top 15 as of early September; there are plenty of others who have either been to the NFR or may be able to jump into the top 15 by the time the regular season comes to an end the end of this month,” Henderson said. “Stockton Graves has won our circuit and our circuit finals, and he has a great chance to go back to the NFR. “That’s the kind of stuff that makes rodeo fun, and it’s why we’re excited to have that kind of competition right here in Stephens County.”

Waller County Fair Board has created a state-of-the-art facility HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The concrete forms were poured months ago, and giant metal rafters were put into place to offer the rigidity needed for the newly covered arena at the Waller County Fairgrounds. They’re not the only support system for the new construction; the Waller County Fair Board has received a great deal of reinforcement for this endeavor, from members of the community to financial backing from major contributors. “This building is a $2.3 million project, and almost $2 million is from private donors thus far,” said Dustin Standley, a longtime fair board member, former president and a key organizer for the annual exposition. “I think by the time we’re done, we’re going to fund this thing completely, and I’m sure we will have an arena with very little cost to the fair board in turn for something this community can use year-round. “We have amazing elite sponsors that bought 21 executive boxes to help with fundraising, and we have several partners in building that have donated anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. We’ve put money in certain spots where it’s going to provide us the best benefit for our needs.” The covered arena will be first put into use during this year’s Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for Saturday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 7, at the fairgrounds in Hempstead. The idea for creating such a cathedral was instigated more than a decade ago by forward-thinking members of the board who envisioned a complex that could house events, sustain growth and create board revenue 52 weeks a year. It will not only be the featured home of the PRCA rodeo, which begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5-Saturday, Oct. 7, but it will be available for a variety of equine competitions, roping’s, bull ridings and other rodeo-related activities. Just as it has done with virtually every other project on the fairgrounds in recent years, the fair board is creating a top-of-the-line complex. During the design phase of the project, special efforts were put in place for future expansion of livestock shows and all yearly fair events with our growing community. “We are going to have a state-of-the-art arena,” said Paul Shollar, vice president of the Waller County Fair Board. “The lighting can be used in a variety of ways, and we can utilize spotlights as we need, undergrounds sprinkles and more than 30 holding pens, etc. A lot of stuff we put into it is going to be cutting-edge. We don’t want to just be a covered arena. The list just keeps going. All the stuff we’re doing is to try to make it better and more efficient for our renters.” The objective when the project originated is the same as it is now that it’s about to be opened. There are an additional 750 bleacher seats, 10 additional box seats for any business or family, and the executive suites, which will grow to 25 or 26 once all the work is complete. In addition, the arena will feature Americans with Disability Act ramps (with appropriate rails) in place and ADA seating for a dozen people in such need. Because the arena is covered and not enclosed, air will be able to flow through the complex and will be aided in distribution by six Big Ass Fans anchored at roof level. “The ceiling is elevated and is super tall, so the wind restriction is very minimal,” said Standley, who emphasized the complex is being created to not only increase opportunities for its use at the fairgrounds but for users at all levels to find comfort. “We want it to be a comfortable experience for the fans, for the contestants, for the livestock and for everybody that is there working on the event, whether it’s during our fair and rodeo or during another event throughout the year. “For years, we’ve taken a lot of pride in our hospitality, and another feature we’ve added is a Cowboy & Cowgirl Facility, which was donated to us by one of our corporate sponsors, CRC – Barns, Arenas & Hangars. That facility has air conditioning, a built-in bar and lights. It’s going to allow a lot more flexibility to do a lot more events in there, make it homier for the contestants and their families during our fair.” Everything was taken into consideration during the rebuilding phase of the arena. Sightlines from every seat should be spectacular, and a two-story press box has been put in place; one level is for announcers and others involved in event production, while there is also a media room to allow for coverage of events, while also serving as dressing room and concession during other events throughout the year. On the competition floor, the fair board has worked with Texas manufacturer Priefert to outfit the arena with new bucking chutes and timed-event boxes and chutes. “Priefert has been a great partner with us, and we decided that we wanted to bring in the new chutes to make sure we had the best products necessary for an arena of this stature,” Shollar said. “We also wanted to make the arena continue to look brand new when we open the doors.” The covered arena will offer a new look – and a new production value – to events at the Waller County Fairgrounds for years to come, and the first glimpse of it all will happen very soon. “We want everyone who comes to enjoy this facility and enjoy what we’ll be able to do with it,” Standley said. “We wanted this to be the best covered arena in southeast Texas, and I think we’re going to have it.”

Cinch steer roper following in father’s world championship footsteps Cole Patterson is more than a student of the game. He’s the next generation, a world champion and son of a world champion. “Being around these guys my whole life, I feel like I’ve been learning my whole life,” said Patterson, a Cinch endorsee and the 2021 steer roping titlist from Pratt, Kansas. “Guy Allen had all girls, and I feel like he treats me a little bit like a son. Trevor Brazile was always real open and helped me out if I ever had a question with him.” Allen and Brazile are the two winningest cowboys in ProRodeo history. Allen owns 18 steer roping gold buckles, and Brazile has 26 in all, eight in steer roping. Oh, and Cole Patterson’s dad is Rocky, a four-time world titlist. He may have been a student, but he also had some pretty salty teachers. “Nobody can copy anybody’s roping perfectly, but if you take a little bit of everybody and try to apply it to your game, then you can come up with a final product that will get you some success,” he said. “It seems like steer roping is an older guy’s game. Maybe the fact that I’m a little bit younger, it gives me a little bit of an athletic advantage. “There’s really no telling what Trevor could have done if he didn’t have to focus on other events at the same time.” While Brazile competed in three events regularly, Patterson is focused on one thing, and he’s found great success at it. He’s the No. 1 man in the world standings and has a $21,000 lead over the field. He’s virtually assured himself a fifth straight qualification to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, which will take place Nov. 17-18 near Mulvane, Kansas, less than 100 miles from his home. He earned his first trip there in 2019, the same season he was the steer roping Resistol Rookie of the Year. In 2021, the season in which he strapped on that Montana Silversmiths gold buckle for the first time, he set a single-season earnings record with $190,242, launched by a finale-record of nearly $86,000. He joined his father on the mountaintop; they became just the third father-son duo to win steer roping world titles in PRCA history. “Growing up, we went everywhere with my dad,” said Patterson, who attended both Western Oklahoma State College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University on rodeo scholarships. “He rodeoed full time. No matter when it was, there were always a bunch of those guys that had kids at the same time, so you had a bunch of friends that were the same age. We always had a (roping) dummy. From the time they started until they decided to leave, we had dummy ropings all day.” To him, it was play. To his growing body and mind, it was training. Growing up in the Patterson home was typical to most rodeo kids. He grew accustomed to spending hours in a truck, sleeping in a small section of a living quarters horse trailer and spending long days at the rodeo grounds. “We weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor,” he said. “We had everything we needed. I think people have a misconception of me that everything was handed to me on a silver platter because I was the son of a world champion. “All the information was there, but my dad made it a point that he wasn’t going to buy me the best horse out there. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I understand now that he was trying to instill in me some horsemanship and the ability to maintain a horse and keep him going.” His mom, Shelly, opened doors for him by teaching him about the importance of being well-rounded and that family and faith were important. His dad instilled a work ethic in him and his brother, Caden. “My dad has helped me my whole life,” Patterson said. “I got to practice with a world champion every day. I also had to do the practice myself.” The lessons were sharp and pointed, but they dug a trench that continues to thrive. In his inaugural season four years ago, Patterson rode Dunny, a horse owned by his dad that was named the Steer Roping Horse of the Year. “I started on Dunny and a few months into my rookie year, I bought a horse off a good friend of mine, Jared Flores, who helps me at the finals each year,” he said. “He wasn’t a steer horse at the time. He’d headed on him and heeled on him. The dun horse was really good, never got in our way and was always a winner. The sorrel, Tigger, definitely stepped my game up. When he got seasoned and came into his own in 2021, we got the earnings record. He was totally different than Dunny. He was a phenomenal athlete. There’s nothing easy about him, but when you did everything right, you were going to win.” Horsepower is vital in all rodeo events. Women won’t win in barrel racing or breakaway roping without good equine partners; steer wrestlers need great horses to be superstars; and ropers have an advantage when their mounts are top of the line. Through college, Patterson was a tie-down roper and a team roper. He understands the importance of a good animal at various levels. “Having a good horse is more important in steer roping,” he said. “If you don’t have a good horse, you don’t stand a chance out there. The ones that are winning and doing good, they all have that one thing in common, and it’s the fact that they have the best horses.” They don’t just come along. Horses are trained for specific duties, and steer roping mounts need to have speed, stability and power to help through the process of a run. They have to know the physical and verbal cues that are  Continue Reading »

Cinch bareback rider finds a new passion for rodeo with baby on the way In the back of his mind, Richmond Champion knew there was something wrong. His arms were numb; his fingers tingled. It was likely the signs of a man who’d been involved in a few crashes over his lifetime. He is, after all, a bareback rider, and his body takes a beating. Wearing specially designed gloves with binds, bareback riders wedge their hands into a leather-and-wooden rigging, which is strapped tightly to a bronc’s back. They are virtually locked onto every horse they ride. Arms are jerked, hands are mangled, elbows and shoulders feel the pressure on every ride. Groins are sore, hips ache and their spine can be contorted on every jump. In the summer of 2021, Champion recognized some significant symptoms to a neck injury. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo and competed through the rugged 10 December nights of ProRodeo’s premier event. He took a few weeks away but resumed his schedule early the next calendar year. By March, he knew something had to be done. “Through the early winter of 2022, my shoulders would never relax, and my traps were really tight,” said Champion, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Stevensville, Montana. “I finally went to sports med and had them run some strength tests that showed nerve issues, and I failed almost every one of them. “I got home from The American and had an MRI. It usually takes 24 to 48 hours to hear anything about an MRI, but I got a call in under four hours.” On the other end was Shawn Scott, a chiropractor with the Justin Sportsmedicine team. Champion’s disc between his C3 and C4 vertebras was bulging and compressing his spinal cord. That was causing all the issues. “I would just wake up with both my arms asleep a lot,” the Cinch cowboy said. “My body was actually compensating really well, but it was just time that we did something about it.” Surgeons fused his vertebrae together April 1, and Champion took the remainder of the 2022 regular season off. He didn’t return to riding bucking horses until November and didn’t compete again until mid-December. Over that span, he kept himself busy by guiding fishing adventures, handling the business around his Montana home and spending time with the love of his life, his wife, Paige. “I was obviously bummed, but part of it was me realizing things were happening for a reason,” he said. “I needed a reason to take a break. Sometimes the world makes that decision for you. I didn’t question it. I enjoyed every minute of my year off. I hadn’t had a summer at home in 12 years. I got to hang out and do different stuff. I obviously missed being on the road, but that was just a phone call away. “It was a nice break. Come October and November, I was getting the itch again. It’s been that way ever since.” He gained a new perspective on his life in and out of rodeo. “Rodeo’s one of those things that when you’ve been doing it that long and are that close to it, it can get frustrating,” Champion said. “You can get bitter and not realize it. I wanted to see how I intended to finish the last half of my career.” It will be on his terms. He realized the passion he has for riding bucking horses, animals that outweigh him by hundreds of pounds. He has an on-again, off-again relationship with the road. The tens of thousands of miles he’ll travel will be in an effort to cash in on the biggest prize in rodeo, the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle awarded to each year’s titlists. The time on injured reserve built a fire that continues to smolder, but it also created a spark in the relationship he and Paige share. “We decided we actually like each other,” Champion said with a laugh. “We had never really spent that much time together in our relationship, but we had a blast; to the point, it was hard to get back in the swing of leaving and spending time apart.” Soon, there will be a different tug that will be pulling him back home, a different love affair and one he’s never known. Richmond and Paige Champion are expecting their first child, due in just a few weeks. “I have a great dad; Paige has a great dad,” he said. “I got to watch a lot of my buddies turn into great dads. Hopefully I’m a better dad than I am a bareback rider.” He laughed again, but that’s the reality. There are few things in life more important than parenthood, and he has plenty of examples of what it takes. “There’s no real concern about how I’m going to rodeo and be a dad,” Champion said. “Everyone I know seems to make it work. Rodeo is such a family anyway, and what I’ve seen, it seems to make everything better. This is the next step, a new chapter. I’m really excited for it.” What’s next for Champion? He will continue to compete as one of the best bareback riders in ProRodeo, and he will continue to chase his world championship dreams. That’s the ultimate goal for anyone who rides wild broncs. His time off the road, though, gave him some ideas of what to do when his rodeo career ends. He was part of the NFR pregame show on The Cowboy Channel, where he was able to provide some expert analysis and detailed information on the cowboys, the horses and the experience of battling for rodeo’s gold. “I really enjoyed it,” he said. “The thing about last year is I took some time to explore some life after rodeo. I really enjoyed doing the preshow. It was a lot more work than riding 10 bucking horses. I would love the opportunity. If that came up down the road, I’d definitely  Continue Reading »

GOODING, Idaho – With six weeks left in ProRodeo’s regular season, Don Payne hoped some magic would happen once he reached the Northwest portion of the campaign. He may have received it on the final night of the Gooding Pro Rodeo after wrestling his steer to the ground in 3.6 seconds to share the bulldogging title with Idahoan Dirk Tavenner, who made his run two nights before. “I need to keep on winning every time I get a chance,” said Payne, 29, of Stephenville, Texas. Yes, he does. Heading into this weekend, he was 13th in the world standings with $71,458 in earnings. By splitting the victory at the “Beer Worthy” rodeo, he added $3,760 to his pocketbook and gave himself a better chance to advance to the National Finals Rodeo for the first time in his eight-year career. Only the to 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR, so he needs things to continue to happen. “Being in that spot doesn’t bother me much,” he said. “I have a goal ever week of how much I want to make … I’d like to get to the next $10,000 mark. I keep aiming for the next number. I know if I get $90,000 won, that should be enough (to make the NFR).” He is having the best season of his career by far. His previous best came in 2021, when he earned $38,000 and finished 31st; a year ago, he was 42nd. He had moved his way up the standings this season, thanks in part to riding a horse owned by fellow bulldogger Denard Butler, who was injured two weeks ago. With that change, he opted to get his own horse and utilize his brother on the hazing side of each run. That paid off in Gooding. “I’ve ridden my horse the past two or three years, and I was just doing good on Denard’s horse, so I went with him this summer,” Payne said. “After he got injured, I knew I had to bring mine up and finish off the year. “My brother came up; he usually rodeos with me, but this year he was staying home. Now that we’ve got our horses up here, he knows my haze horse, so it’s back to doing what we used to do.” He took his bulldogging old school Saturday night, and he got to experience the best that Gooding has to offer. “It’s always a tough competition, and I’m just glad to do well here,” Payne said. “After you throw your steer down and the crowd’s cheering, it feels great.” And the most noteworthy section rewarded him with some cold suds to quench his thirst. “That was great, too,” he said. “I just heard about that a couple weeks ago, and I was hoping I’d get to try it.” That’s what happens when a cowboy is “Beer Worthy” in Gooding. Gooding Pro RodeoAug. 16-19All-around cowboy: Paden Bray, $1,891 in team roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Jess Pope, on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Red Beard, and Ty Pope, on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown, 87 points, $4,857 each; 3. Kade Berry, 86, $3,116; 4. Andy Gingerich, 85.5, $2,016; 5. Dean Thompson, 85, $1,283; 6. Mason Clements, 84.5, $916; 7. (tie) Leighton Berry, Kade Sonnier, Keenan Hayes and Taylor Broussard, 84, $321 each. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Don Payne and Dirk Tavenner, 3.6 seconds, $3,760 each; 3. (tie) Stephen Culling and Walt Arnold, 3.7, $2,820 each; 5. Tristan Martin, 3.8, $2,115; 6. (tie) Levi Rudd and Baxtor Roache, 3.9. $1,763 each; 8. (tie) David Chambers and Stan Branco, 4.0, $1,283 each; 10. Kyle Irwin, 4.1, $940; 11. (tie) Justin Kimsey and Billy Boldon, 4.2, $588 each. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Kollin VonAhn, 3.8 seconds, $4,097; 2. (tie) Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins and Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 4.2, $3,624 each; 4. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler and Pace Freed/Cole Wilson, 4.3, $2,836 each; 7. Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan, 4.4, $2,206; 8. Brenten Hall/Paden Bray, 4.5, $1,891; 9. Wyatt Bray/Josh Patton, 4.8, $1,733; 10. Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, 5.7, $1,576; 11. Cole Garland/Dillon Bahem, 6.4, $1,261; 12. Chaz Kananen/Britt Newman, 9.5, $1,103; 13. Billy Bob Brown/Kirby Blankenship, 9.7, $945; 14. Brayden Schmidt/Chris Young, 10.2, $630; 15. Kellan Johnson/Carson Jonson, 10.4, $315.   Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85 points on King Rodeo & Wentz Bucking Bulls’ Blood Tracks, $4,753; 2. (tie) Stetson Wright and Wade Sundell, 84.5, $3,835 each; 4. Cash Wilson, 83, $2,109; 5. (tie) K’s Thomson and Ira Dickinson, 82.5, $1,151; 7. Dawson Dahm, 82, $767; 8. Kole Ashbacher, 81.5, $575. Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Addy Hill and Braylee Shepherd, 1.9 seconds, $5,478 each; 3. Josey Murphy, 2.2, $3,956; 4. (tie) Bradi Good and Hali Williams, 2.3, $2,739 each; 6. (tie) Jill Tanner, Rickie Engesser and Shelli Scrivner, 2.4, $1,572; 9. (tie) Aspen Miller, Codi McPherson, Hanna Hundsdorfer, Alex Loiselle and Jordan Joe Hollabaugh, 2.5, $913 each; 14. J.J. Hampton, 2.6, $456; 15. Kassidy Dennison, 2.7, $304. Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Shane Hanchey and Cash Hooper, 7.9 seconds, $5,132 each; 3. Cody Craig, 8.2; 4. (tie) Luke Potter and Caleb Smidt, 8.3, $3,483 each; 6. Tuf Case, 8.4, $2,933; 7. (tie) Quade Hiatt and Dylan Hancock, 8.6, $2,383 each; 9. Zack Jongbloed, 8.8, $1,833; 10. Garrett Jacobs, 8.9, $1,466; 11. Jake Pratt, 9.0, $1,283; 12. Ryan Jarrett, 9.1, $1,100; 13. Lane Livingston, 8.3, $733; 14. (tie) Rylee Rogers, Matt Shiozawa and Drake Wycherley, 9.5, $306 each. Barrel racing: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 16.76, $5,195; 2. Ashley Castleberry, 16.79, $4,156; 3. Sue Smith, 16.84, $3,377; 4. Nicole Driggers, 16.87, $2,598; 5. LaTricia Duke, 16.88, $2,078; 6. Toria Madsen, 16.94, $1,559; 7. Katie Joe Halbert, 16.95, $1,299; 8. Meka Farr, 16.98, $1,169; 9. Jennifer Kalafatic, 16.99, $1,039; 10. (tie) Sara Winkelman and Molly Otto, 17.02, $844 each; 12. Shelly Hrubochak, 17.06, $649; 13. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.07, $520; 14. (tie) Tarryn Lee and Abby Phillips, 17.10, $324 each. Bull riding: 1, Jeff Askey, 88,5 points  Continue Reading »

GOODING, Idaho – Stetson Wright has achieved rock-star status, especially in this part of the country. His home is in Utah, but he may as well be from southern Idaho, and the crowd reflected that Friday night at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. Before he nodded his head to start his bronc ride on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Owl Feathers, the electric crowd at Andy James Arena let the seven-time world champion know what it thinks of him. “That’s one of my favorite things about rodeo,” said Wright, 24, of Milford, Utah. “When you hear your name announced and the whole arena lights up, that’s a special moment for me. It gets even better depending on the ride, it gets louder. They’re always cheering for me. I appreciate all of them.” The fans appreciate what Wright brings to the table. He’s been the dominating presence in ProRodeo since his rookie season. He’s won four straight all-around world titles, two bull riding championships and a saddle bronc riding crown. This year, he leads the all-around and bull riding world standings and is third in bronc riding. He has pocketed just shy of $400,000 riding bucking animals, and he’s going to add to it. While a nagging wrist injury kept him out of bull riding in Gooding, he and Owl Feathers matched moves for 84.5 points to move into a tie-for second place. “I’ve had a wrist injury pretty much my whole career,” he said, noting that surgery a year ago repaired the ailment but that his wrist has been bothering him a bit lately. “I’d say it’s still doing good; I was having a hard time holding on to my bull rope, so I went and had it injected. I’m just taking some time off. It’s no serious injury, but I’m trying to stop what used to happen, so I’m just taking my time.” Wright has earned nearly $225,000 riding bulls this year and holds down the lead by $26,000 over the field. He’d still like to continue to move up the money list in saddle bronc riding, and rides like he performed Friday will go a long way toward that. “A big thing I talk to my dad about is staying healthy, because it’s a really important thing,” Wright said. “I want to win as much as I can, but my goals are far past this year. When I made a decision, it was to where it will benefit me in the long run. I want to do this until I decide I want to stop.” He’s not only doing big things in rodeo, he’s also got big plans. He wants to be the first cowboy in more than a decade to win a ProRodeo Triple Crown, earning three Montana Silversmiths gold buckles in a single season. For Wright, that would be winning world titles in the all-around, bull riding and saddle bronc riding. “I really want the Triple Crown,” he said. “That’s something I’ve always wanted. Each year, I feel like I’m that much closer. The last couple of years, there’s no reason I shouldn’t have won it. It’s all personal errors, nobody else’s fault but mine. When I lose, it’s my fault, and when I win, it’s everybody else that’s helped me get there.” That’s the mindset that makes Stetson Wright a world champion in and out of the arena. Gooding Pro RodeoAug. 16-19Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Jess Pope, on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Red Beard, and Ty Pope, on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown, 87 points; 3. Kade Berry, 86; 4. Dean Thompson, 85; 5. Mason Clements, 84.5; 6. (tie) Leighton Berry, Kade Sonnier, Keenan Hayes and Taylor Broussard, 84. Steer wrestling: 1. Dirk Tavenner, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Stephen Culling and Walt Arnold, 3.7; 4. Tristan Martin, 3.8; 5. Levi Rudd, 3.9; 6. (tie) David Chambers and Stan Branco, 4.0; 8. Kyle Irwin, 4.1; 9. Bill Boldon, 4.2; 10. (tie) Rowdy Parrott, Tucker Allen and Gus Franzen, 4.3. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Kollin VonAhn, 3.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins and Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 4.2; 4. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler and Pace Freed/Cole Wilson, 4.3; 7. Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan, 4.4; 8. Brenten Hall/Paden Bray, 4.5; 9. Wyatt Bray/Josh Patton, 4.8; 10. Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, 5.7.   Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85 points on King & Wentz Blood Tracks; 2. (tie) Stetson Wright and Wade Sundell, 84.5; 4. Cash Wilson, 83; 5. K’s Thomson, 82.5; 6. Dawson Dahm, 82; Kole Ashbacher, 81.5; 8. (tie) Traylin Martin and Wyatt Casper, 80.5. Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Addy Hill and Braylee Shepherd, 1.9 seconds; 2. Josey Murphy, 2.2; 4. (tie) Bradi Good and Hali Williams, 2.3; 6. (tie) Jill Tanner and Shelli Scrivner, 2.4; 8. (tie) Aspen Miller, Hanna Hundsdorfer, Alex Loiselle and Jordan Joe Hollabaugh, 2.5; 12. J.J. Hampton, 2.6; 13. Kassidy Dennison, 2.7; 14. (tie) Eryn Maddock, Quincy Sullivan, TiAda Gray and Cheyenne Britain, 2.8. Tie-down roping: 1. Shane Hanchey, 7.9 seconds; 2. Cody Craig, 8.2; 3. (tie) Luke Potter and Caleb Smidt, 8.3; 5. Tuf Case, 8.4; 6. (tie) Quade Hiatt and Dylan Hancock, 8.6; 8. Zack Jongbloed, 8.8; 9. Garrett Jacobs, 8.9; 10. Jake Pratt, 9.0. Barrel racing: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 16.76; 2. Ashley Castleberry, 16.79; 3. Sue Smith, 16.84; 4. Nicole Driggers, 16.87; 5. LaTricia Duke, 16.88; 6. Toria Madsen, 16.94; 7. Katie Joe Halbert, 16.95; 8. Meka Farr, 16.98; 9. Jennifer Kalafatic, 16.99; 10. (tie) Sara Winkelman and Molly Otto, 17.02; 12. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.07; 13. (tie) Tarryn Lee and Abby Phillips, 17.10; 15. Haylee Woodward, 17.15. Bull riding: 1, Jeff Askey, 88,5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Burnt Oil; 2. Canyon Bass, 85.5; 3. Robbie Taylor, 85; 4. (tie) Ethan Skogquist and JaCauy Hale, 83.5; 6. Cullen Telfer, 83; 7. Roscoe Jarboe, 82.5; 8. Ky Hamilton, 78.5; 9. Dalton McCaslin, 77; 10. Jeff Bertus, 74.

GOODING, Idaho – It’s hard to follow in the footsteps of greatness, but Ty Pope is making an effort to do so as he travels the rodeo trail with his big brother, Jess. It can be an uneasy task, especially after watching the eldest of three boys light the bareback riding world on fire. Jess Pope has not only qualified for the National Finals Rodeo each of the past three years, but he’s also won the average champion each December. Last year, he left Las Vegas with the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle awarded to world champions. Ty Pope watched closely and admired fondly and took detailed notes. This year, the middle boy is off on his inaugural campaign in ProRodeo while hitting events across the country with Jess leading the charge. On Thursday night, the Popes made matching 87-point rides to move into the bareback riding lead at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. “I knew that horse was a little tricky to get on, because he really rares out of there and leaves pretty hard,” said Ty Pope, who rode Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown. “I knew I needed to get a good markout and go at him, and he rides really good.” It worked, and so did Jess Pope’s ride on Summit’s Red Beard. The brothers from Waverly, Kansas, not only share blood; they also share a passion for riding bucking horses. Ty Pope is 25th in the world standings and would love to keep moving up the money list. Jess Pope, who battled through early-season injuries, has worked his way to 12th in the world standings. “If I can’t beat him, I’d rather tie him,” Ty Pope said. “It’s fun. We want to see each other succeed. If I’m not winning, I want to see him win, and it’s the other way around.” While Jess Pope claimed rodeo’s gold in 2022, Ty Pope was kicking off his career with great success. He won the intercollegiate national championship, then followed that up with the ProRodeo national title by winning national circuit finals rodeo. He was hoping to roll that right into the 2023 campaign, but sometimes the best plans don’t always work out. “My year has been just a little slow,” Ty Pope said. “I had a hard time drawing the horses I needed at certain rodeos, but I’m going to try to win as much as I can to get in the top percent to get in those big winter rodeos.” That’s valuable. The winter can make or break a cowboy’s season, and there are some lucrative rodeos that can pay great dividends. He has a lot of things that help him through the process of rodeoing. “Jess has helped me a ton in my career,” Ty Pope said, noting that three-time world champion Tim O’Connell is also part of the rig. “Going up and down the road, I get to learn a lot at all these different places. We get to talk about the horses we’re getting on, and that helps me a lot to set a game plan. “I’m going to take all the help I can. I’ve got all these blessings in front of me. I’m super blessed to have guys like that around me. Tim is just really serious about what he does. He helps me understand that it’s a serious game, to look at it more as a job instead of just being out there having fun.” Ty Pope understands the business at hand, and his job is riding bucking horses. Gooding Pro RodeoAug. 16-19Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Jess Pope, on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Red Beard, and Ty Pope, on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown, 87 points; 3. Kade Berry, 86; 4. Mason Clements, 84.5; 5. (tie) Leighton Berry and Kade Sonnier, 84; 7. (tie) Orin Larsen and Cole Franks, 83.5. Steer wrestling: 1. Stephen Culling, 3.7 seconds; 2. Kyle Irwin, 4.1; 3. Reed Kraeger, 4.4; 4. Ryan Schuckburgh, 4.6; 5. Logan Lemmel, 5.2; 6. Dalton Massey, 5.5; 7. Cyler Dowling, 5.6; 8. (tie) Jesse Brown and Dakota Eldridge, 9.4. Team roping: 1. Houston Thomas/Braydin Evans, 10.7 seconds; 2. Colby Siddoway/Colter Buttars, 10.9; no other qualified times. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85 points on King & Wentz Blood Tracks; 2. Wade Sundell, 84.5; 3. Cash Wilson, 83; 4. K’s Thomson, 82.5; 5. Dawson Dahm, 82; 6. (tie) Traylin Martin and Wyatt Casper, 80.5; 8. Zeke Thurston, 80. Breakaway roping: 1. Josey Murphy, 2.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Bradi Good and Hali Williams, 2.3 4. (tie) Jill Tanner and Shelli Scrivner, 2.4; 6. (tie) Aspen Miller, Hanna Hundsdorfer, Alex Loiselle and Jordan Joe Hollabaugh, 2.5; 10. J.J. Hampton, 2.6; 11. Kassidy Dennison, 2.7; 12. (tie) Eryn Maddock and Quincy Sullivan, 2.8. Tie-down roping: 1. Shane Hanchey, 7.9 seconds; 2. Cody Craig, 8.2; 3. Luke Potter, 8.3; 4. Tuf Case, 8.4; 5. Dylan Hancock, 8.6; 6. Zack Jongbloed, 8.8; 7. Garrett Jacobs, 8.9; 8. Jake Pratt, 9.0. Barrel racing: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 16.76; 2. Ashley Castleberry, 16.79; 3. Sue Smith, 16.84; 4. LaTricia Duke, 16.88; 5. (tie) Sara Winkelman and Molly Otto, 17.02; 7. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.07; 8. (tie) Tarryn Lee and Abby Phillips, 17.10; 10. Haylee Woodward, 17.15; 11. Shelley Morgan, 17.17; 12. Carlee Otero, 17.18; 13. Steely Steiner, 17.19. Bull riding: 1, Jeff Askey, 88,5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Burnt Oil; 2. Canyon Bass, 85.5; 3. Ethan Skogquist, 83.5; 4. Cullen Telfer, 83; 5. Roscoe Jarboe, 82.5; 6. Dalton McCaslin, 77; 7. Jeff Bertus, 74; no other qualified rides.

GOODING, Idaho – Three New Mexico cowgirls put on a roping clinic in southern Idaho on Wednesday night during the Beauty & The Beast special section of the Gooding Pro Rodeo. Jill Tanner of Monument owns the lead after posting a 2.4-second run, while Kassidy Dennison of Tohatchi is second at 2.7 and Quincy Peralta of Peralta is third at 2.8 seconds. Now, they’re hoping they’re times hold up through the final three performances remaining in this southern Idaho gem. “I like the Northwest; it’s fun up here,” said Tanner, a veteran cowgirl raised in the southeasternmost county in New Mexico by rodeo royalty. “There are lots of good rodeos, with Gooding being an awesome rodeo.” Her father, Jimmie Cooper, is a ProRodeo Hall of Famer and a world champion; her brothers, Jim Ross and Jake, have each qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. She used every ounce of her training and expertise to find success in Gooding. “Some of that was just adrenaline,” Tanner said. “I kind of black out a little bit, which I shouldn’t. Breakaway roping’s gotten pretty fast, so you don’t have time to think anymore when you’re roping.” Sullivan, who also competes in intercollegiate rodeo at Clarendon (Texas) College, knew she needed to be fast if she wants to cash in at this large-payout rodeo. “This breakaway roping is getting so tough that if you miss the start, you have a hard time of winning anything now,” she said. “You can’t safety up or back off, and I didn’t. I saw the start that I wanted to, and I probably should have taken one more swing and made sure I roped him sharp, but luckily it fell on.” Sometimes luck is a big part of rodeo, but it’s important to take advantage of situations. That’s exactly what the cowgirls did. Dennison, who qualified for the NFR in barrel racing, is proving to be a true all-around hand. Sullivan is in her inaugural season in ProRodeo and would love to win the Resistol Rookie of the Year title; if she can earn a qualification to the National Finals Breakaway Roping, then that would be the gravy on her potatoes. “That would be awesome,” Sullivan said. “I’m sitting good at Caldwell (Idaho); I go back there tomorrow. I’m just chipping at them one at a time.” They may be a long way from home, but they’re living their rodeo dreams while roping one calf at a time. “Gooding is so fun,” Tanner said. “Last year I was up in slack, but I got to watch the performance. I think the ‘Beer Worthy’ is so funny; I love it. This crowd is awesome. I don’t drink, but my husband does, so I was pretty pumped to get one for him. He deserves it for pushing all the cattle he does for us.” Being “Beer Worthy” in Gooding is a good sign and likely means they’re making money. Gooding Pro RodeoAug. 16-19Bareback riding: 1. Kade Berry, 87 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail; 2. Leighton Berry, 84; 3. Orin Larsen, 83.5; 4. Richmond Champion, 80; 5. Mason Stuller, 76; 6. Tyson Hirschi, 66; no other qualified rides. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85 points on King & Wentz Blood Tracks; 2. K’s Thomson, 82.5; 3. Dawson Dahm, 82; 4. Wyatt Casper, 80.5; 5. Zeke Thurston, 80; 6. (tie) Joe Harper and Chance Barrass, 76.4; 8. Logan Hay, 74. Breakaway roping: 1. Jill Tanner, 2.4 seconds; 2. Kassidy Dennison, 2.7; 3. Quincy Sullivan, 2.8; 4. Laramie Jackson, 3.0; 5. Sidney Nielson, 3.1; 6. Shai Schaefer, 3.3; 7. Erika Frost, 12.2; 8. (tie) Ally Zehrer and Erin Johnson, 12.4; 10. Timber Allenbrand, 12.6.   Bull riding: 1, Jeff Askey, 88,5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Burnt Oil; 2. Canyon Bass, 85.5; 3. Roscoe Jarboe, 82.5; 4. Jeff Bertus, 74; no other qualified rides.