Iowa bronc buster still shining
Tegan Smith carrying a family tradition into an elite rodeo status The state of Iowa isn’t quite as well known in the rodeo world as others. Cinch cowboy Tegan Smith is trying to change that. The 24-year-old saddle bronc rider has one qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale that takes place […]
Showing animals is key for Perkins
GUNNISON, Colo. – Hadyn Perkins is a very busy young lady, and she’s about to be busier. As a member of the Future Fitters 4H Club, she will be actively involved in Cattlemen’s Days, which runs through Saturday, July 16, at the Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. It’s a hectic time for many families […]
Isley ready to entertain at Roundup
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Over the last four decades, no ProRodeo clown has received more honors than Keith Isley. His brand of humor is a hit no matter where he is, and it’s been that way since he started working at his craft so long ago. Whether he’s near his hometown in North Carolina or […]
Top shot captures rodeo’s images
GUNNISON, Colo. – It’s 1,100 miles from Crossett, Arkansas, to this mountain community, but Robby Freeman doesn’t mind one bit of that 17-hour drive. He looks forward to his annual trip to Gunnison, where he is the official photographer for the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for Thursday-Saturday at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. […]
Tarr will star at Lea County rodeo
LOVINGTON, N.M. – All Matt Tarr had to do to find inspiration for his craft was look up to some of the greatest men who have ever done it. Tarr is a rodeo clown, and he will be one of the featured entertainers for this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. […]
Johnson finds Rooftop payday
ESTES PARK, Colo. – There aren’t many bronc busters in ProRodeo that still compete at a high level after 35, but the ones that do prove that age isn’t everything. Take Chet Johnson, who has long since passed his 35th birthday. On Monday night during the final performance of Rooftop Rodeo, Johnson proved his talent […]
McGehee rides into Rooftop cash
ESTES PARK, Colo. – To watch Lane McGehee, it’s easy to see an infectious smile and a passion for rodeo. He comes by it naturally, and he fits into his identity as a bareback rider. On Sunday night, he rode the Cervi Brothers’ Matchbox for 84 points to move into a tie for second place […]
CoJo highlights fair’s concerts
LOVINGTON, N.M. – For years, the PRCA rodeo was the big drawing card for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, but that changed a few years ago. The Lea County Fair Board and the Lea County Commission have worked in unison to create an annual concert series that makes Lovington, New Mexico, the place to […]
Cowboy ropes one for his friend
Wyoming tie-down roper takes 2nd-round lead while competing for John Jaros ESTES PARK, Colo. – To be an elite athlete, it takes an attention to detail and an intense focus. Forgive tie-down roper Hunter Reaume for having his mind wonder a bit during Saturday night’s fourth performance of Rooftop Rodeo. He tried to focus on […]
Roundup titlists ready for more
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The trophies are unique in sports, even in rodeo. They are the Dodge City Roundup buckles awarded champions in each event each year. They are some of the most respected and prestigious awards in professional rodeo. Cowboys have placed winning in this western Kansas community atop their priority lists. Hundreds of […]
Ropers reel in lead at Rooftop
ESTES PARK, Colo. – There were 13 National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and four world champions who own a combined eight gold buckles that competed in Friday’s third performance of Rooftop Rodeo. That was just in team roping, and the leaderboard changed in a hurry. The fastest run of the first round came with the tandem […]
Logan wrestles the Rooftop lead
ESTES PARK, Colo. – For many ProRodeo cowboys, a trip to this scenic community is a break from the monotony of the road and the heat of the summer. That’s really not the case for Jace Logan. He lives in the Rocky Mountain town of Yampa, Colorado, only 130 miles west of Estes Park. Through […]
Rodeo makes change in slack time
GUNNISON, Colo. – Over the last few years, the popularity of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo among contestants has blossomed so much that there is now an influx of cowboys and cowgirls converging on Gunnison. About 400 contestants have put their hats into the ring to compete at this year’s rodeo, set for Thursday, July […]
Griffins spur to the Rooftop lead
ESTES PARK, Colo. – Ross Griffin and Tyler Griffin share a last name and a passion for competing in rodeo. That’s about all they have in common, other than taking the lead Wednesday during the opening night of the 2022 Rooftop Rodeo. Tyler Griffin is 19 and rode Cervi Rodeo’s Silence of the Lambs for […]
Charro brings passion to Lea County
LOVINGTON, N.M. – In this part of the world, the Mexican culture is alive and well, and the people of Lea County, New Mexico, celebrate it. It’s a salute to many ancestors who once roamed this part of land when it was the Mexican territory. From hard-working individuals who toil in the heat throughout most […]
Irby girls carry family tradition
GUNNISON, Colo. – When Jackson Irby reflects on his youth, he points to the lessons he gained while showing exhibits at the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration. He learned through leathering projects and cake decorating before he started showing pigs, steers and other livestock. He got involved with the Catch A Calf program at the National […]
Smith firm a big part of local rodeo
GUNNISON, Colo. – When Stace Smith decided he was going to produce rodeos, he knew he wanted the cowboys in the field to determine the outcome. That’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw. One steer might stand out in a herd of 20. One bronc may be much better than […]
Wilhoit happy to serve Lea County
LOVINGTON, N.M. – His own children are in their 30s, yet Clyde Wilhoit continues to serve the youth of Lea County. Andy Wilhoit started showing animals at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo a quarter century ago. His younger brother, Trace, followed suit, and it seemed like a good time for them to learn the […]
Local family trio to trick ride at fair
LOVINGTON, N.M. – The highlight of the Summer & Co. Fearless Equine Stunts team isn’t what Summer Boyd can do on horseback. It’s what the rest of her team does. “The best part of my team would be my two little girls,” Boyd said of daughters, Emmie, 7, and Jinsen, 4. “We’ve just been performing […]
Gunnison is key to rodeo’s elite
GUNNISON, Colo. – Over the last two years, an influx of dozens of ProRodeo’s elite athletes have made their way to this mountain community. They’ve not only competed at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, but many have left with money earned in the Gunnison Valley. That includes 12 former world champions that account for 24 […]
Gooding ready to welcome clown
Sosebee will get to experience the rodeo’s unique personality this year GOODING, Idaho – In his years as a professional rodeo clown, Cody Sosebee has received many accolades. He’s been named the PRCA’s Comedy Act of the Year and has been selected to work the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s premier championship that takes place […]
Rooftop arose like a phoenix
Estes Park rodeo was lifted from ashes of the pandemic into a fruitful event ESTES PARK, Colo. – The volunteers that formulate this community’s annual ProRodeo were a bit skeptical last year. Still in the throes of the pandemic, the organizers were unsure of what to expect with Rooftop Rodeo. With more than 90 years […]
Roundup will feature lady ropers
DODGE CITY, Kan. – With eyes firmly on the future, members of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo committee have always been progressive when it comes to putting on a world-class rodeo. It’s one of the many reasons the event was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame a decade ago, and it’s why thousands of […]
An outlaw approach to rodeo
Rooftop Rodeo committee has been a longtime partner with Cinch ESTES PARK, Colo. – Rooftop Rodeo was a Cinch rodeo before being one was cool. There was a time not long ago when another Western clothier had a stranglehold on ProRodeo marketing, and the Colorado-based manufacturer was left to its own devices. David Dean, the […]