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It was a dry December, not particularly cold, when my wife-to-be and I went to the Lathams’ place near Goodwell, Oklahoma. It was a common visit for longtime friends. My wife had known all the families around Goodwell for a long time, and I’d become acquainted through the newspaper stories I’d written. With Lynette at my side, those conversations went from interviews to talks with good friends. As we visited, the topic of the NFR came about, and I asked Craig if watching the rodeo on TV made him miss riding broncs; he was still fairly new to this rodeo retirement thing, so it wasn’t out of line just yet. “When you see those good ones, you really get to craving the chance to get on something like that,” he said. “I still miss it.” The subject of the “Eliminator Pen” of broncs came up, and with his dry wit, Craig said, “Just as soon as I start missing bronc riding really bad, they put the E Pen out, and I realize I don’t miss getting on those at all. There’s a reason I’m retired.” When he was diagnosed with cancer so many years ago, I pointedly asked why he chose John’s Hopkins and traveling so far away from home for treatment. His answer was simple: “When I rodeoed, I rode with the best guys going, and I got on the best horses. If I’m going to fight this thing, I’m going with the best there is: The best doctors, the best place to treat this type of cancer, and that’s in Baltimore.” Craig fought. Lori fought. Chaney and now her family has fought. Sadie has fought. Those of us that love and care for Craig have fought, and guess what: We won. It may not seem like it right now, but winners are the ones who continue to slug it out when it’s hard to get off the mat. Craig Latham has spurred the beast. It may not be in the way we had all dreamed, but it’s in a way befitting a true cowboy.

Alberta cowgirl heading to National Finals as the No. 1 roper Shelby Boisjoli had already clinched her second straight qualification to the National Finals Breakaway Roping before the regular season came to an end, but that didn’t stop her from closing out the campaign on a high note. Boisjoli won the ProRodeo Tour Finale in Salinas, California, pocketing $7,807 in the process and pushing herself to the No. 1 position in the world standings heading into the finale, which will take place in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo this December in Las Vegas. “It’s an honor to compete alongside the women I have all year,” said Boisjoli, who finished the 2021 regular season with $52,486 and holds a lead of just less than $1,400 over the second-ranked cowgirl, Sawyer Gilbert of Buffalo, South Dakota. “To compete at this level, it’s super exciting to be going to Las Vegas. “I’m really excited with the direction breakaway roping is going and the way things have changed in a short time. It’s an honor to be a pioneer for the sport.” She has earned the right to be a pioneer and one of the elite breakaway ropers in ProRodeo. She’s done so over a lifetime of competition, something that was just a typical part of her raising near Langdon, Alberta, a community of about 5,000 people southeast of Calgary. As the middle of three daughters to Garth and Sherry Boisjoli, there was a natural progression to battle … whether it was on the basketball court or in the rodeo arena. “I think my parents’ influence is helping me every day, and it will help me every day of my life,” said Shelby Boisjoli, a Cinch endorsee. “They’re always really positive. I talk to them every other day, if not every day.” Garth Boisjoli didn’t let his girls rope off a horse until they could rope the dummy 50 times in a row, but there’s a method to that madness. Each had ropes in their hands at a young age and would swing them; Shelby started roping at age 12. By that time, the family had already established a passion for competition. Makayla, Shelby’s older sister by 16 months, has indicated the sibling rivalry began when Shelby was born, then continued with Marissa came along. There was basketball and soccer. There was swimming and drama classes. If they weren’t at some sort of practice or handling their share of chores, they were riding horses. “We had so much fun growing up,” Shelby Boisjoli said last year. “(Langdon) used to be a really small population, and everybody knew everybody. I don’t remember being in the house when we were little. We were outside from the time we got up in the morning until after dark.” One thing it all did was establish a work ethic the Boisjoli girls carry to this day. “Having a work ethic is extremely important,” she said. “I need to show up at a rodeo and feel that I’ve worked harder than every other girl that’s there. Work ethic and mental game go hand in hand, because I need to know that I can win and I can beat the next girl. “It’s hard not being able to practice, to be out here rodeoing and not have time to practice. I have to talk myself into not having to work every day.” Life has definitely changed for breakaway ropers over the last four years. With its introduction in The American in 2019, the sport has skyrocketed in terms of contestants and the opportunities they have to make a living. In ProRodeo, the National Finals Breakaway Roping inaugurated during the 2020 NFR in Arlington, Texas, and more events are including breakaway roping into their schedules. “It’s been different; I definitely got a taste of what the cowboys go through every year,” Boisjoli said. “There are a lot of highs and lows, and helps helped me learn to control my emotions. “It’s been so fun, going to all the places and seeing the people we get to meet. I’ve gotten to see the ocean. The experience has totally been worth it all.” She moved away from home a few years ago to compete at Ranger (Texas) College, then moved to Stephenville, Texas, to focus on her roping career. In fact, her sisters also live in Stephenville, and they’ve taken their Alberta training to the Lone Star State.  Shelby Boisjoli has taken it to the biggest stages in rodeo. She’s the top dog in a field of top dogs preparing to battle during the NFBR in December for the second straight year. “It’s actually super cool how breakaway roping has taken off,” she said in 2020. “As a little girl with your dad out there for all those late nights, we worked for hours and hours for this. We never thought it would take off anywhere, but it’s as much for our parents as it is for us. They hauled us to so many events over the years, and they were there for the practices. “It’s paying off now.” It is … for her and many other ladies that want to make a living with a rope. No matter what happens from this day forward, she will always remember those magical days at the first NFBR in 2020. She and 14 other women roped inside a makeshift arena in the shape of a baseball diamond, and, in doing so, made a statement that helped change the face of the rodeo world. “It was so special; it’s something I will never forget the rest of my life,” Boisjoli said. “I’ll definitely cherish that moment, that time. I’ll be able to tell my kids one day that I got to rope at the first National Finals.” Most likely, it was just the first of what most insiders perceive is many for the Alberta-born cowgirl. She’s made it two in a row, and she has the background and work ethic to make it happen many  Continue Reading »

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The rains came to town in waves through the final few days of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, but so did fair-goers. “You can’t do anything about the rain; that’s Mother Nature’s job, but we were certainly pleased with how many people showed up for all the activities in spite of it,” said Matt Hyatt, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “It just proves to me and the others on the fair board that we’re doing the right things.” That’s been the case for a while. Over the past decade, the Waller County Fair and Rodeo has continued to blossom as an exposition. It has grown in every way possible, from a high-quality PRCA rodeo to multiple crowd-pleasing events at the rodeo arena to some incredible acts that make up a consistently solid concert lineup every year. “This year we had so many people excited for the Bellamy Brothers that we had an incredible attendance on Thursday night,” said Mike Higgins, the fair board’s vice president. “That started off a fun final three nights of the fair with great attendance overall and for all three nights of concerts. “I honestly couldn’t believe the crowds we saw Friday night after Hempstead received six inches of rain that day, but the people showed up. We got more rain on Saturday, and even more people showed up that night.” It was a matter of redemption for one of the few fairs in the region to take place in 2020. While much of last year’s fair was pared down, it was a full show for eight eventful days this October. “We had a record year in our Junior Livestock Auction,” Hyatt said. “We had something special for all of our exhibitors, our sponsors and our volunteers. Our vendors seemed very happy. “Most importantly, we raised $70,000 for scholarships. We also had 400 kids in the welding competition and handed out $200,000 in welding scholarships. That’s a big deal to me, because we’re doing all this for the kids.” The rodeo arena is where so many activities took place over the week of the exposition, from the specialty events like The Eliminator and the WPRA invitational breakaway roping to the three nights of the PRCA rodeo, which featured a payout of more than $100,000. “We had great crowds for our rodeo,” said Clint Sciba, chairman of the fair board’s rodeo committee. “We had great crowds for our concerts, too, but we were really affected by the weather with that dirt arena. It was basically a mud arena, but we made it work. We actually moved our steer roping on Saturday morning to New Ulm (35 miles southwest of Hempstead), and that worked out great. “We had top contestants in every event. We had the top personnel, like the crew from Pete Carr Pro Rodeo or Justin Rumford, who has been the clown of the year for a long time. Even in the mud, we proved that we could put on a great rodeo, and Justin helped us entertain the crowd.”   Come hell or high water, the Waller County Fair Board knew they had something special for fair-goers in 2021, and they were able to prove it.

ALVA, Okla. – Camden Hoelting and Austin Lampe had been waiting for the moment for quite some time. Both are juniors at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and they’ve gone to more than a dozen rodeos over their first two years of competing in college rodeo; still, they’d never earned an event title until this past weekend at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Durant. “It was about going to all the rodeos I’ve gone to in the past two years, so winning this was pretty special,” said Lampe, a heeler from Dodge City, Kansas. “This was only my third time to make a short round and was the first time I’ve placed in a rodeo, and we ended up winning it.” Yes, they did. The tandem stopped the clock in 6.5 seconds in the first round, which saw them finish just out of placing for points, but they stepped things up in the championship round. They finished with a 5.8-second run, and their 12.3-second cumulative time on two runs was the top time by almost a second. In all, they earned 120 points and moved into the top five in the Central Plains Region’s team roping standings. “It helps us a lot being the second rodeo of the year and us not having the best of luck at the first one in Colby (Kansas),” said Hoelting, a header from Olpe, Kansas. “It also helps a lot in confidence when you get the win, especially in Durant, where the roping is always so tough. It puts confidence in your head going into the next one.” They weren’t the only Rangers to have success in southeastern Oklahoma. Header Stran Morris of Woodward, Oklahoma – roping with heeler Jordan Lavins of Western Oklahoma State College – finished third in both rounds and placed third overall. Header Jaden Trimble of Coffeyville, Kansas, placed in a tie for sixth place in the first round with his partner, Shane Jenkins of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. Steer wrestler Kaden Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon, earned his way into the short round with a 6.2-second run in the opening round, then won the championship round with a 3.9-second run. He finished third overall. Breakaway roper Hannah Zimmers of Eureka, Kansas, finished second in Durant. She finished sixth in the first round with a 2.6-second run, then followed that with a 2.7 to tie for the short-round win. But the weekend belonged to the Kansas team ropers. “The key to winning was drawing good; if you draw the right steers, you’ve got to use them,” Hoelting said. “We drew the steer in the short round that we needed to draw. They won the first round on that steer, and we won the short round. That makes a big difference.” His partner agreed. “The steers were really good, and we drew the best steer in the pen for the short round,” Lampe said. “We weren’t really trying to be 5.8, but we had the best steer, and Camden got it on both steers really good. “I try to catch two feet on every one no matter where they’re at in the arena.” Lampe spent two years at his hometown Dodge City Community College. When it was time to move on to the next level, he checked out a couple of options but settled on Northwestern. “I wanted to try to be better, and it was a lot better to come to where I knew everybody roped good and worked hard at it,” he said. “That’s the way I want to do it, and I think there are more opportunities to get better in Alva.” Hoelting took a different path, moving directly to Northwestern out of high school. It was the right move at the right time. “I like the community, the small community like where I’m from,” he said. “I like Stockton (Graves, the coach). He’s been there. He’s been to the National Finals Rodeo. He’s going back this year. I thought he’d be a good coach, and he has been. I have a good friend from back home that pointed me in this direction, and Stockton finalized it.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Dean Wadsworth’s life is changing fairly rapidly. Just a few years ago, he attempted to ride 130 saddle bronc horses. That’s a lot, but that’s the mindset Wadsworth has had most of his ProRodeo career. He wanted to give himself as many chances to make money as possible. He made some nice money Saturday night during the final performance of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo in Hempstead. He matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex for 83 points to finish in a tie for second place, worth $1,256. The important thing for Wadsworth is a nice advantage in the Texas Circuit at the beginning of the 2022 season. “If you win this rodeo, you’re over a quarter of the way in winnings to qualify for the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo,” said Wadsworth, 33, of Buffalo Gap, Texas. “With these kinds of horses and this kind of money, you’d be crazy not to come to this rodeo. I’m always excited to get that jump and get started on the new season. “Last year, I didn’t make the (National) Finals, so I may as well get started now.” The Texan has yet to qualify for the NFR, which features only the top 15 contestants in the world standings at the end of the regular season. This year’s rodeo campaign ended Thursday night, and he hopes the jumpstart he got in Hempstead will enable him to at least have a shot at it by the time next September rolls around. Having the opportunity to ride a horse like Big Tex was definitely worth the five-hour drive from west Texas to southeast Texas. It was the second time he’d been on the big, bay gelding, now 21 and a 15-time selection to the NFR. Big Tex was also the Bareback Riding Horse of the Year in 2010. “I don’t think he’s lost a step,” Wadsworth said of the 21-year-old bucking horse. “He’s been in the PRCA longer than I have. “You can win anything on him. Every now and then at about five seconds into the ride, he’ll have a little jucier jump on his juicy days, but even in off days, he’s pretty great.” Just two weeks shy of his 34th birthday, he has other things to tend to than his younger days, but he still loves riding bucking horses. It showed Saturday night. Waller County Fair and RodeoSept. 30-Oct. 2Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. Zach Hibler, 86 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lady’s Man, $1,884; 2. Bill Tutor, 83.5, $1,444; 3. (tie) Kade Sonnier and Paden Hurst, 82, $879 each; 5. Keenan Reed Hayes, 81, $440; 6. Zachariah Phillips, 80.5, $314; 7. (tie) Tim Murphy and Anthony Thomas, 80, $220 each. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Trey Green and Denell Henderson, 3.7 seconds, $1,920 each; 3. Clayton Hass, 4.6, $1,518; 4. Dustin Merritt, 4.7, $1,250; 5. Cody Harmon, 4.9, $982; 6. Sterling Watson, 5.2, $714; 7. Tucker Allen, 5.7, $447; 8. Ryan Lewis, 6.2, $179. Team roping: 1. Tyler Wade/Blaine Turner, 4.5 seconds, $2,832; 2. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 4.9, $2,463; 3. (tie) Todd Arthur/Garrett Busby and Casey Tew/Seth Smithson, 5.1, $1m909 each; 5. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.2, $1,354; 6. (tie) Shay Carrol/Evan Arnold and Manny Equsquiza/Lane Mitchell, 5.3, $800 each; 8. Clay Robertson/Justin Copp, 5.5, $246. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Logan Cook, 85 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Flirt, $1,884; 2. (tie) Blaise Freeman and Dean Wadsworth, 83, $1,226 each; 4. Cash Wilson, 82, $691; 5. (tie) Damo Brennan, Parker Fleet and Cree Minkoff, 77, $335 each; 8. Jacobs Crawley, 76, $188. Breakaway roping: 1. J.J. Hampton, 2.2 seconds, $2,050; 2. Cassidy Boggs, 2.5, $1,782; 3. (tie) Jill Tanner and Jordan Jo Fabrizio, 2.6, $1,381 each; 5. (tie) Jordi Edens and Cadee Williams, 2.7 $847 each; 7. Ashley Goforth, 2.8, $446; 8. Jayme Marcrum, 3.0, $178. Tie-down roping: 1. Sherman Lasker, 8.4 seconds, $2,715; 2. Blane Cox, 8.6, $2,429; 3. John Douch, 9.4, $2,143; 4. Ryan Thibodeaux, 10.0, $1,857; 5. (tie) Sterling Smith and Marcos Costa, 10.1, $1,429 each; 7. Clay Elliott, 10.4, $1,000; 8. (tie) Garrett Busby and Tyler Prcin, 10.6, $572 each; 10. Michael Otero, 10.8, $143. Barrel racing: Thursday night: 1. Ericka Nelson, 15.44 seconds, $339; 2. Taycee Matthews, 15.78, $322; 3. Kyndal Schley, 15.99, $255; 4. Deb Guelly, 20,89, $188; 5. Nicole Driggers, 21.33, $121; 6. Nicole Love, 22.96, $67. Friday and Saturday nights: 1. Jamie Olsen, 15.95, $2,279; 2. Tammy Fischer, 16.02, $1,937; 3. Shelley Morgan, 16.04, $1,595; 4. Tiany Schuster, 16.08, $1,368; 5. Lisa Thornton, 16.10, $1,140; 6. Suzanne Brooks, 16.38, $798; 7. (tie) Mandy Cupp and Cassidy Champlin, 16.41, $513 each; 9. Teneille Angland, 16.47, $399; 10. Davie King, 16.49, $342; 11. Keyla Polizello Costa, 16.61, $285; 12. Jennifere Sharp, 16.65, $228. (Because ground conditions were changed due to rain that began Friday morning, the payout for barrel racing was adjusted) Steer roping: First round: 1. Jess Tierney, 10.5 seconds, $945; 2. Cody Lee, 11.2, $782; 3. JW Brown, 11.4, $619; 4. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and Ryan Willberg, 11.5, $375 each; 6. Billy Good, 11.6, $163. Second round: 1. Cole Patterson, 10.0 seconds, $945; 2. Cash Myers, 10.1, $782; 3. Thomas Smith, 10.5, $619; 4. Slade Wood, 11.5, $456; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 11.6, $293; 6. John E. Bland, 11.7, $163. Third round: 1. (tie) Landon McClaugherty and Shay Good, 9.4 seconds, $864 each; 3. Cash Myers, 10.2, $619; 4. (tie) Scott Snedecor and Jess Tierney, 10.7, $375 each; 6. Ty Herd, 10.9, $163. Average: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., 34.7 seconds on three head, $1,418; 2. Jess Tierney, 36.6, $1,173; 3. Slade Wood, 36.9, $929; 4. Cody Lee, 39.3, $684; 5. Billy Good, 43.3, $440; 6. Chet Herren, 44.4, $244. Bull riding: 1. Toby Collins, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Beauty, $8,256; no other qualified rides. (All money includes ground money)

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The last month of Zach Hibler’s life has been a bit of a blur. He’s been in a race to qualify for his first National Finals Rodeo, and it’s been one heck of a challenge. The NFR features only the top 15 contestants in each event, and Hibler’s been right around that No. 15 mark in the bareback riding standings much of the final month of the 2021 campaign. When the regular season came to a close Thursday night, the 24-year-old Texan had clinched his spot, but not by much. Hibler finished with $65,381, just $683 ahead of the No. 16 man, Wyatt Denny. It was a flurry to the finish. “It’s nerve-wracking, but it’s a feeling that is indescribable when it works out in your favor and makes you feel like you can conquer the world,” said Hibler, who finished 17th two seasons ago. On Friday night, he showed what it means to be on a roll, riding Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lady’s Man for 86 points to take the lead at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. He has competed inside the Waller County Fairgrounds arena several times over much of the last decade, and his comfort showed. “I think I’ve been coming to this rodeo ever since I started riding bareback horses,” he said. “I came to the Cannon’s school here in 2013, so this has always been a great rodeo for me to come and see them. This is pretty much where I got my start, so I love this rodeo.” Of course, it didn’t hurt that Lady’s Man has performed at the NFR twice over his career, the first time in 2011. “I didn’t know that horse had been to the finals,” said Hibler of Wheeler, Texas, in the state’s Panhandle region. “I just thought it was a really good horse. There is a reason it’s been to the finals.” Even though the Hempstead rodeo started Sept. 30, it is actually the first rodeo of the 2022 season, and the money earned here will count toward next season’s standings. Rodeo is cyclical, meaning the season wraps around itself; the 2022 season begins more than two months before the 2021 world champions are crowned at the NFR in December. “I’ve just been rodeoing so hard just trying to make the finals, I didn’t see any reason to pump the brakes any, so I entered these first few rodeos I could enter and just keep trucking on,” said Hibler, the 2018 Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year. “The NFR is the biggest thing I’ve ever accomplished in my rodeo career. We’re just going to try to keep it simple and have fun. I deserve to be there right now, and I feel like I’m riding better than I ever have. We’re going to roll in full steam ahead and see if we can knock around with the big boys.” If Friday night in Hempstead were any indication, the train is well on its way. Waller County Fair and RodeoSept. 30-Oct. 2Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. Zach Hibler, 86 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lady’s Man; 2. Bill Tutor, 83.5; 3. Kade Sonnier, 82; 4. Tim Murphy, 81; 5, Zachariah Phillips, 80.5; 6. Rickey Williams, 76.5. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Trey Green and Denell Henderson, 3.7 seconds; 3. Clayton Hass, 4.6; 4. Dustin Merritt, 4.7; 5. Cody Harmon, 4.9; 6. Sterling Watson,5.2; 7. Tucker Allen, 5.7; 8. Ryan Lewis, 6.2. Team roping: 1. Tyler Wade/Blaine turner, 4.5 seconds; 2. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 4.9; 3. (tie) Todd Arthur/Garrett Busby and Casey Tew/Seth Smithson, 5.1; 5. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.2; 6. (tie) Shay Carrol/Evan Arnold and Manny Equsquiza/Lane Mitchell, 5.3; 8. Jason Burson/Corey Hendrick, 5.8; 9. Tanner Tomlinson/Austin Atkinson, 6.4; 10. Cory Clark/Trevor Kirchenschlager, 7.2. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Logan Cook, 85 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Flirt; 2. Blaise Freeman, 83; 3. Cash Wilson, 82; 4. Damo Brennan, 77; no other qualified rides. Breakaway roping: 1. J.J. Hampton, 2.2 seconds; 2. Cassidy Boggs, 2.5; 3. (tie) Jill Tanner and Jordan Jo Fabrizio, 2.6; 5. (tie) Jordi Edens and Cadee Williams, 2.7; 7. Ashley Goforth, 2.8; 8. Jayme Marcrum, 3.0. Tie-down roping: 1. Sherman Lasker, 8.4 seconds; 2. Blane Cox, 8.6; 3. John Douch, 9.4; 4. Ryan Thibodeaux, 10.0; 5. (tie) Sterling Smith and Marcos Costa, 10.1; 7. Clay Elliott, 10.4; 8. (tie) Garrett Busby/Tyler Prcin, 10.6; 10. Michael Otero, 10.8. Barrel racing: 1. Ericka Nelson, 15.44 seconds; 2. Taycee Matthews, 15.78; 3. Jamie Olsen, 15.95; 4. Kyndal Schley, 15.99; 5. Tammy Fischer, 16.02; 6. Tiany Schuster, 16.08; 7. Lisa Thornton, 16.10; 8. Suzanne Brooks, 16.38; 9. Cassidy Champion, 16.41; 10. Teneille Angland, 16.47; 11. Davie King, 16.49; 12. Keyla Polizello Costa, 16.61. Bull riding: 1. Toby Collins, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Beauty; no other qualified rides.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Trey Green wasn’t content with the way the 2021 ProRodeo season ended. He battled to the very end with hopes of qualifying for the Texas Circuit Rodeo, which features only the top 12 in each event and features rodeos and contestants primarily from within the Lone Star State. Instead, he finished just outside that magical number, and he’ll have to try again next year. The good news is that the new year began Thursday night with the first performance of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. Green, a 12th-year PRCA member from Edgewood, Texas, wrestled his steer to the ground in 3.7 seconds to take the early bulldogging lead in Hempstead. “It’s a little muddy, but it’s not bad,” Green said, noting that the area received a considerable amount of rain Thursday afternoon before the rodeo began. “I expected it to be a lot worse with the amount of rain that came through.” The weather didn’t dampen his spirits any, and he proved it as the first steer wrestler to compete. Riding a horse owned by Matt Reeves, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Green took advantage of the situation. “A good start and a fast horse,” he said about the key to his run. “This means a lot. I started late in the season. I barely missed the circuit finals, so getting a start like this is awesome.” Green doesn’t typically travel Reeves nor ride Reeves’ horses, but it worked out for him to kick off his 2022 season. “I knew I had an outstanding chance,” Green said. “My traveling partners and I got up the same night here and Rosenburg (Texas). They had to go to that one. I called up Matt and said I was still coming but my horses ain’t. I he had a good horse, and he said, ‘Yeah, no problem.’ “Matt’s a good guy, a lot of help. I’m glad it worked out.” Bull rider Toby Collins of Stephenville, Texas – originally from southeastern Australia – was the only bull rider to match moves with his animal for the qualifying eight seconds. He also posted the highest-marked ride of the rodeo, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Beauty. The Waller County Fair and Rodeo continues with performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Hempstead. Waller County Fair and RodeoSept. 30-Oct. 2Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. Kade Sonnier, 82 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Coal Thunder; 2. Rickey Williams, 76.5; 3. Kolt Dement, 75; 4. A.J. Ruth, 68; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Trey Green, 3.7 seconds; 2. Matt Reeves, 7.9; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 4.9 seconds; 2. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.2; 3. (tie) Shay Carrol/Evan Arnold and Manny Equsquiza/Lane Mitchell, 5.3; 5. Tyler Waters/Tyler McKnight, 9.6, 6. Garett Chick/Calgary Smith, 10.3; 7. Zach Kilgus/Jake Edwards, 13.7; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Logan Cook, 85 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Flirt; 2. Blaise Freeman, 83; 3. Cash Wilson, 82; 4. Damo Brennan, 77; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Sherman Lasker, 8.4 seconds; 2. Sterling Smith, 10.1; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Ericka Nelson, 15.44 seconds; 2. Taycee Matthews, 15.78; 3. Kyndal Schley, 15.99; 4. Deb Guelly, 20.89; 5. Nicole Driggers, 21.33; 6. Nicole Love, 22.86; 7. Bryana Lehrmann, 26.45; 8. Timber Allenbrand, 27.13; 9. Jordan Driver, 27.33; no other qualified runs. Bull riding: 1. Toby Collins, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Beauty; no other qualified rides.

DUNCAN, Okla. – Even though he’s nearing the age of a senior citizen, Keith Isley can still showcase the gift of athleticism from time to time. It’s the nature of his job. He’s a rodeo clown, and physical comedy is part of Isley’s routine. But his training to be a man who wears makeup and do silly things in the rodeo arena came long before he ever thought of doing anything comedically. Isley was raised in rodeo in a time when bullfighters were a combination of clowns, comedians and bullfighters, the latter in place to serve as protector for all during bull riding. He just picked up the rest later in life. “Back in that time of rodeo, you were expected to do some comedy and fight bulls, too,” he said. “Now I’m in my 60s, so I don’t get as close to the bulls as I used to. The brain says I’m willing, but the body definitely says I’m not able.” He’s still quite able to entertain a crowd, something he does nationwide all year long. He returns to the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14-Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. He’s a natural fit for the regional finale, which features only the top 12 contestants from the circuit, made up of rodeos and contestants from primarily Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. He has learned how to be funny and how to do acts that not only entertain but also show off the skills God provided him. Over the last 40 years, no other clown in the PRCA has received as many accolades as Isley, who has been named Specialty Act of the Year five times, Comedy Act of the Year six times, Clown of the Year six times and Coors Man in the Can five times, including last year when he earned the honor at the PRCA Awards Banquet in Fort Worth, Texas. “The acts were tough to come by for me, because I was not interested in the acts in the beginning,” said Isley of Goldston, North Carolina. “I was not interested in being funny. I was interested in protecting cowboys and getting people out of a bind.” He’s developed his schtick over time, and it works quite well. He figured it out; I’s a mixture of influences that have packaged themselves into the smart-aleck with a Carolina accent and a quick-hitting attention to detail. He also understands the necessity of utilizing physical comedy. “You can get someone to tell a joke, but a comedian will know how to make it funny,” Isley said. “Before each rodeo and during the national anthem, I say a little prayer. I thank God for giving me the talent and giving me the opportunity to make people laugh and have a good time. Everybody has problems at some point in their life. If you can make people laugh, at that point, they will have forgotten their problem.”

ALVA, Okla. – Emmett Edler may have arrived at Northwestern Oklahoma State University as the little brother of an alumnus who is also the reigning ProRodeo world champion steer wrestler, but he’s already making a name for himself. Edler, a freshman on the Northwestern rodeo team, placed in both rounds to finish third in the bulldogging aggregate at the opening rodeo of the 2021-22 Central Plains Region season in Colby, Kansas. He stopped the clock in 4.7 seconds to finish fifth in the first go-round, then was 4.4 to share the short-round victory. “It was a pretty cool experience,” said Edler, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound 19-year-old from State Center, Iowa. “It was definitely what I was wanting for my first college rodeo. It’s anybody’s game if I can keep my head level and go out there and do what I’ve been practicing for. “I drew good steers and did the best I could on them.” That was certainly part of his advantage, but he had others, including the horses he rode in northwest Kansas. In the opening round, he rode a horse trained by his brother that just happens to share the same name, Jacob. In the championship round, when Jacob became a bit of trouble in the timed-event box, Edler jumped on Pearl, a horse owned by competitor Cooper Slavin of Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “Jacob decided not to work so well, so I had to make a horse change,” Edler said. “Pearl is super automatic, and I knew that horse would get me in position to make the best run I could make.” That happened, with teammate Tyler Scheevel hazing. Of course, it helps that Edler followed in the footsteps of his brother, Jacob Edler, who was the reserve national champion steer wrestler for the Rangers in 2016, the same year the older Edler’s teammate, J.D. Struxness, won the college title. “I really wanted to get better in bulldogging, and if I wanted to do that, then Northwestern is the place to be,” Emmett Edler said. “(Coach) Stockton (Graves) is here to sharpen you up and perfect anything you’re unsure about. We’ve got plenty of good, strong steers here and guys willing to come to practice and help everybody out.” Edler wasn’t the only Ranger to find success in Colby. Fellow bulldogger Isaiah Naauao from Haiku, Hawaii, advanced to the championship round, where his 5.6-second run was worth a fifth-place finish. Tie-down roper Brandon Hittle of Topeka, Kansas, finished third in the short round and the aggregate, while fellow calf roper Kade Chace of Cherokee, Oklahoma, placed fourth in the first go-round. Edler, though, knew the thing he brought to the table upon his arrival in Alva this fall was being as consistent as possible through each run. It all comes from a solid foundation and an old-school work ethic he gained from living on the family farm in Iowa. “Farming made a huge impact on me,” he said. “Working on the farm, we worked long days, and you’re expected to work right along side everyone else; you better be working harder than the guy next to you. That’s the same way I approach bulldogging.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – When members of the Waller County Fair Board came up with the idea for The Eliminator tie-down roping competition seven years ago, directors were just seeking to do something unique for fans in southeast Texas. They continue to pursue something extraordinary and, in recent years, have added an invitational ladies breakaway roping that is sanctioned by the WPRA, the same organization that sanctions barrel racing in ProRodeo. The Eliminator has turned into a big deal, not only for those in attendance but also for the big-name cowboys that make it part of their annual schedules. Take this year, for example: Defending world champion Shad Mayfield has confirmed his place in the lineup, and he will be joined by seven other top-tier ropers. That includes local cowboy Cory Solomon of Prairie View, Texas, and world champions Shane Hanchey and Caleb Smidt, both of whom have ties to the region; Smidt lives Bellville, Texas, and Hanchey, originally from Sulphur, Louisiana, but now lives in Carmine, Texas. Also in the mix are 2019 world champion Haven Meged, 2017 world titlist Marcos Costa and National Finals Rodeo qualifiers Ty Harris and Marty Yates. All eight cowboys are among the top 10 in the world standings and are virtual locks to compete at this year’s NFR. Hanchey has been part of The Eliminator competition since its inception in 2014, and there’s a good reason. “I’ve made the trip over before I moved to Carmine, but I did that every year mainly for the fact that it’s something different and something us calf ropers look forward to,” said Hanchey, who sits atop the world standings this year who is gearing up for his 12th NFR. “It’s a different type of roping, and you’re going against the best guys in the world.” The Eliminator – which offers $15,000 in added money – will be featured Tuesday, Sept. 28, and will be a big night of competition; the evening will include an open tie-down roping, which also draws a lot of the big names. “I’ve never won The Eliminator, but I finished second twice,” Hanchey said. “I’ve won the open roping a couple of times, though.” The 2021 regular season will conclude the end of September, and it’s been a long season for the cowboys that have been on the road making a living at rodeo. Still, it’s a refreshing stop to return to Hempstead for those that have been involved with it. “The last thing a lot of us want to do is rope, especially coming from the (ProRodeo) Tour Finale in Salinas (California),” Hanchey said. “At the end of the day, we rope for a living, and what the committee there has done to grow that thing is great financially for us. When a committee has put that much into it, we want to show our support.” Breakaway roping will take place Wednesday, Sept. 29, and will feature many of the top cowgirls. This year marks the second straight season for the National Finals Breakaway Roping, which will take place in conjunction with the NFR at Las Vegas in December. Money earned in Hempstead will count toward the 2022 season. That’s the case for all the contestants heading to town to compete at the ProRodeo, set for Thursday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 2. Hundreds of contestants will try to kick off their 2022 campaign with a strong start at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. Two years ago, for example, steer wrestler Jacob Edler placed high in Hempstead, then parlayed that into his first NFR qualification 2020 and eventually his first world championship. “I really like our timing with the rodeo season,” said John Schluens, co-captain of the fair board’s rodeo committee. “Coming right off the end of the regular season, these cowboys are in good shape, and a lot of them are hungry to get a good start to the next year. We offer them that. “October is a great time to be in southeast Texas, and they all recognize that. We don’t just draw cowboys from Texas; we get cowboys from all over the country.”

DICKINSON, N.D. – Sage Newman is having the kind of year every saddle bronc rider wants, especially now in just his third year in ProRodeo. He’s No. 11 in the world standings and is in position to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo for the first time. He helped his cause a bit Saturday afternoon by sharing the bronc riding victory at the Wild Rides Rodeo Dickinson at the Stark County Fairgrounds. “It’s nice to be drawing good horses and stay on a roll,” said Newman, 23, of Melstone, Montana. “I try not to think about it too much. We’re just riding broncs and having fun. I don’t look at the standings. I’m just having fun doing what I’m doing.” He rode Macza Pro Rodeo’s Surprise Party for 83 points to split the victory with Jacob Kammerer of Phillip, South Dakota, who rode Macza’s AKA; each man pocketed $1,529 for their work in western North Dakota. That will push Newman’s season earnings past the $77,000 mark and further help in his bid to advance to ProRodeo’s grand finale this December under the bright lights of Las Vegas. Only the top 15 contestants in each event at the conclusion of the regular season earn their opportunities to ride for the biggest prize money in the game. “I’ve had a blessed year; I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Newman said. “My end-of-the-year goal is to be in the top 15. That’s still what I’m striving for to get to the yellow bucking chutes.” Rodeo has been part of his life most of his life, and he’s continuing to live his dream on the road one bucking horse at a time. Of course, he always has plenty of people to lean on, especially in a family like his. “The support system I have is amazing,” he said. “The family and friends that help me get up and down the real. I couldn’t do this without my family.” Wild Rides Rodeo KilldeerSept. 18, 2021Dickinson, North DakotaBareback riding: 1. Tristan Hansen, 81 points on Macza’s Dirty Looks, $1,393; 1. Zachariah Phillips, 77, $1,055; 3. Nate McFadden, 76, $760; 4. Tucker Zingg, 73, $506; no other qualified rides. Breakaway roping: 1. Sloan Anderson, 2.1 seconds, $1,717; 2. Randa Calbaugh, 2.2, $1,421; 3. Brandi Guttormson-White, 2.3, $1,125; 4. Hailey Kleemann, 2.4, $829; 5. (tie) Bethanie Shofner and Kristy Lawrence, 2.6, $415 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Joe Nelson, 4.0, $1,329; 2. Travin Bauman, 4.1, $1,100; 3. Wynn Schaack, 4.6, $871; 4. (tie) Tyler Thorson and Jake Kraupie, 4.7, $527 each; 6. Cameron Morman, 4.8, $299. Team roping: 1. Radley Day/Taylor Williams, 5.1, $1,567; 2. Shawn Bessette/Jacob Goddard, 5.2, $1,297; 3. Cint Gorrel/Cody Smith, 5.9, $1,027; 4. (tie) Bodie Mattson/Cash Hetzel and Clay Ullery/Matt Zancanella, 6.1, $622 each; 6. Nate Horner/Wyatt Maglike, 6.2, $270. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Sage Newman, on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Big Surprise, and Jacob Kammerer, on Macza Pro Rodeo’s AKA, 83 points, $1,529 each; 3. K’s Thomson, 78, $949; 4. Dusty Hausauer, 76, $633; 5. Kash deal, 74.5, $369; 6. (tie) Brand Morgan and Houston Brown, 74, $132 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Joe Schmidt, 8.6 seconds, $1,411; 2. Ty Hedrick, 8.7, $1,167; 3. Jesse Medearis, 9.4, $924; 4. Jason Lawrence, 10.5, $681; 5. Jason Schaffer, 11.3, $438; 6. Trey Young, 12.2, $243. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.39 seconds, $869; 2. Erin Williams, 17.43, $744; 3. Nicole Bice, 17.48, $620; 4. Jessica Routier, 17.47, $537; 5. Nikki Hansen, 17.61, $414; 6. MacKenzie Benson, 17.67, $331; 7. (tie) Jenna Humble and Carey Rivinius, 17.90, $207 each; 9. Heather Crowley 17.93, $124; 10. Lindsay Homer, 18.56, $83. Bull riding: 1. Coleman Entze, 79 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Happy Hour, $2,396; 2. Clayton Savage, 77, $2,041; no other qualified rides.

DUNCAN, Okla. – A year ago, header Andrew Ward of Edmond, Oklahoma, and heeler Buddy Hawkins of Columbus, Kansas, knew of the possibilities that could come their way if they were to win the Prairie Circuit’s team roping year-end championship. They realized everything and more. After winning the heading and heeling titles, the tandem went on to compete together at the National Finals Rodeo, where they won just shy of $100,000 in 10 days. They both finished fifth in the world standings in their respective disciplines. Then this past spring, they took their regional title to the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, where they won again. They placed in the first two rounds and finished third in the two-run aggregate, then dominated the semifinals and finals to pocket $19,706. That financial boon has been a key reason they are in line to return to the NFR, set for December in Las Vegas. They also lead the regional competition again heading into the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14-Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. The race for the team roping titles will come down to the final three days of the circuit season in southern Oklahoma. Both Ward and Hawkins own leads of just $1.26 over the No. 2 cowboys in the standings: header Curry Kirchner of Ames, Oklahoma, and Austin Rogers of Crescent, Oklahoma. But that’s just the top two in each discipline. Take this into consideration: Ward and Hawkins have each pocketed $12,723 in the region made up of rodeos and contestants primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. The top five headers includes C.J. Yeahquo ($12,279), Jake Clay ($12,140) and Coleman Proctor ($10,484); the top heelers include Jim Ross Cooper ($12,309) and L.J. Yeahquo ($12,279). All will be in the mix during the three rounds in Duncan. Cooper and the Yeahquos all earned a good portion of their money at the largest rodeo in the circuit in Dodge City, Kansas. Ward and Hawkins, together, and Proctor also collected paychecks in western Kansas. The Yeahquos also won in Abilene, Kansas, that week, and Cooper placed there. Just a week before that, Kirchner and Rogers finished second in Burwell, Nebraska, while Cooper, Ward and Hawkins all captured nice paydays in Lawton the second week of August. They’ve all battled through a rugged summer run. With just a few weeks left before the circuit finale in southern Oklahoma, all know they’ll have to put on quite a show inside the building at the Stephens County Fairgrounds if they hope to walk away with the year-end title.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Getting off to a good start is the best way to win the race. In the case of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, a good start ensures the potential success of the annual exposition. Take Saturday, Sept. 25, for example. If the lineup of activities and acts is any indication of the 2021 fair and rodeo, then it should be an excellent time at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. At the rodeo arena, the night will be highlighted by the Extreme Bull Riding and Freestyle Bullfighting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. It will feature 20 bull riders in an invitational competition and eight professional bullfighters that will be matched with athletic and agile Mexican fighting bulls. “We actually did this last year as a trial run, and it turned out really good,” said Paul Shollar, co-chairman of the Waller County Fair Board’s rodeo committee. “Sadie Lynn King will also come in and carry the flag during the national anthem on the back of a bull, and we will have her junior trick riders perform as an intermission act. “We’ve got it set up to be a lot of fun. We’re going to have King String Bulls as our contractor, and I’m bringing in these Mexican fighting bulls from over from Louisiana. I think one of the coolest things is that we’re going to have Miles Hare as our judge for both the bull riding and the bullfights.” Hare is a ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee that fought bulls at the National Finals Rodeo six times during his storied career. He also is a two-time freestyle bullfighting world champion in the Wrangler Bullfight Tour. But that’s not the only big-time action taking place at the fairgrounds. The opening Saturday will feature Kody West on stage at around 9 p.m., and Jon Wolfe will go on stage around 11 p.m. “We are truly excited to bring Jon Wolfe and Kody West to the Waller County Fair,” said Sharon Burger, the entertainment committee chairwoman for the fair board. “Kody West is an up-and-coming artist, and Jon has been selling out concerts all over the state.” All that makes for an enjoyable day at the regional exposition, but there’s an added local flavor that will be featured at the Wagon Wheel on the fairgrounds. Presley Phillips of Hempstead will be the featured artist. “We watched this girl grow up and sing in talent shows around the county for years,” Burger said. “She was an exhibitor at our fair growing up and a member of the 4H. We are honored to have her back at the Wagon Wheel this year. “Coming back from the fair we had last year and the pandemic, we are excited and thrilled to bring outdoor music venue back to Waller County. After having a scaled-back version of the fair and rodeo in 2021, the fair board is planning a full-fledged campaign to bring as much joy to the region as possible this fall. “We were one of the only fairs in southeast Texas that had a fair last year,” Shollar said. “We were pretty glad to continue to add the bull riding and bullfights to this year’s show and present it on our first Saturday. I think it will continue to be a hit.”

DICKINSON, N.D. – This part of the country knows a thing or two about rodeo. It’s part of the fabric that makes up western North Dakota, where ranchlands and agriculture are everyday life. It stems from 4H and FFA programs and builds into a passion, a dream and a sport, the most popular of all Western sports. This is where Fettig Pro Rodeo was founded decades ago and why Alicia Fettig still carries the flag and a large herd of incredible bucking animals. She’s ready to show it all off during the Wild Rides Rodeo Dickinson, set for 2:30 pm. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Stark County Fairgrounds in Dickinson. “This is special to me because this is where I’m from,” said Fettig, who owns a ranch just outside of Killdeer and also runs horses on her family’s property just south of Golden Valley, North Dakota. “This is what my grandfather founded so many years ago, and I’m glad that I can carry on that tradition.” Wild Rides Rodeo Dickinson is a one-day rodeo, with competition beginning Saturday morning. There are hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls who have tossed their names in the hat to compete for the prize money available. That money is vital. In rodeo, dollars equal points, and only the top 15 on the money list in each event when the regular season concludes Sept. 30 will advance to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale that takes place at Las Vegas and December; it’s where the world champions for 2021 will be crowned. The Dakotas is well known for its prowess in rodeo, especially saddle bronc riding, which will feature 24 cowboys all battling for that Dickinson title. They’ll be matched with an impressive squadron of Fettig horses, but the contractor is doing one better: Fettig is also bringing in Alberta-based Macza Pro Rodeo, which has been recognized for having some of the best horses in ProRodeo. In fact, Macza’s Get Smart was named the 2019 Saddle Bronc of the Year, just a few months removed from being named the top bronc at the 2018 NFR. “I’m really thankful that Ward (Macza) was able to come here and stay here to bring horses to these rodeos,” Fettig said, noting that Macza and Pete Carr Pro Rodeo had animals featured at the two days of rodeo in Killdeer earlier in the month. “He’s got some really great bucking horses, and that just helps make our rodeo better.” The combined forces and bronc power is a big reason so many top contenders in saddle bronc riding will make their way to Dickinson on Saturday. That includes Dusty Hausauer, an NFR qualifier, who has a great chance to win his hometown rodeo.

From ranching to rodeo, Wyoming country artist tells his life through song Chancey Williams sees himself as much more than a musician or a country artist. He’s a rancher and a cowboy who happens to love playing music, and his songs reflect his lifestyle and his raising. He’s also an athlete, a two-time state champion wrestler at Moorcroft High School in his hometown in northeastern Wyoming. He combined it all and rode broncs professionally for a while. He qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo, then went to Casper (Wyoming) College and the University of Wyoming to compete in rodeo. He’s ridden at the College National Finals Rodeo twice and has been a winner at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, the biggest event in his home state. He knows what it means to be horseback and what it’s like to get bucked off a scary bronc, and fans can hear it in the tunes he plays with his group, Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band. “I’ve always felt like if I put out songs about cowboy, about rodeo, I’ve got to be an ambassador for the sport,” Williams said. “My lingo and lyrics have got to be accurate to represent the rodeo world. There’s been a lot of people in country music who sing about cowboys; the one thing I love about it the most is that I can back it up. “It wasn’t like I just kind of rode broncs. Having the background and experience in rodeo backs up the stuff I’m singing about.” Oh, he knows. He was the first artist since the late Chris LeDoux to perform at the Cheyenne Frontier Days after also being a contestant. Williams has a lifetime of ranching and rodeo to help vocalize his lyrics. “My dad was a rancher, and my mother was a school teacher,” he said, noting that his father, Dennis, also was a bronc rider. “I really didn’t play music growing up. “Our main focus growing up was rodeo and wrestling. I went to college to rodeo, and I just assumed I would rodeo forever. To go to college rodeos, I had to pick a degree, but I wasn’t really focused on music or anything other than bucking horses.” That’s pretty much the way of life for those who raise families in rural Wyoming. Moorcroft is a community of less than 900 people, and it’s in the second least populated county in the least populated state. Everybody there knows everybody, and it was the perfect way for Williams to grow up. Being raised on a ranch teaches humility, the benefit of hard work, a respect and compassion for animals and a love for community. During the cold of a Wyoming winter, Williams and his brothers were most often in the wrestling room. If it was wrestling season, that’s what they did. Dennis Williams was a 1969 state champion while wrestling for Moorcroft; his brothers both competed at the state tournament, just as he had done. In fact, Chancey Williams’ brother, Charlie, wrestled in college and coaches the program at Moorcroft High; he’s led the Wolves to nine state titles. So, how did music come his way? He started a band for fun in high school and entered a talent show with a friend, Travis DeWitt. The two continued to perform while in college, making a little extra cash, some of which was likely used for rodeo entry fees. “All growing up through elementary school, the music teacher would always give me the main part,” he said. “She kind of favored me, which made me want to be a performing. Me and a couple of buddies got together, and it went from there. People just started hiring us. We weren’t good, but we had a band. We figured out we could make some money; maybe we could do this through college and not have to have a job.” While some entertainers have gained popularity a bit quicker than Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band, he likes the steady roll of his career. As a Cinch endorsee, he wears cowboy every day, and his rise to more fame has come at a pace that is befitting of such. He’s played fairs and honkytonks. He’s opened for big-name artists and seen his music rise up the charts. “It’s that feeling of performing in front of people,” he said. “Just the crowd’s reaction is what drives you.  I guess it’s the same thing if you were getting on bucking horses; it’s in front of a crowd that you hope likes what you’re doing. Singing or riding broncs, it’s the physical part of it is appealing to me. “Now that I write most of my stuff, it’s neat to see people singing the songs that I write.” Some of it is going one better. A few years ago, the University of Wyoming came up with a slogan, “The World Needs More Cowboys,” and Williams realized the slogan needed an anthem. He wrote it, and now that song has continued spread the same message. Whether it’s played before a rodeo or during a Williams concert or at halftime of a Wyoming football game, people are excited to hear about the world needing more cowboys, even if they’re cowgirls, too. “The Wyoming marching band will play that song,” he said. “They sent me the score they had worked up for a marching band. It’s pretty neat. That’s pretty special; there are a lot of artists that have written a hit song that has been played by a marching band, but this is pretty cool for me. “It’s not the act of being a cowboy; it’s about the life of being a cowboy. It’s about standing up for what you believe in, not getting pushed around. It’s about a respectful, good person, and we call those people cowboys in our industry.” He’s certainly a cowboy, and the fact that he has a guitar on stage instead of a horse doesn’t change that.  Continue Reading »

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The people of Waller County needed something. They’d been stuck in isolation for months, and a reprieve was in order Enter the community’s biggest event, the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. It was the perfect escape from the monotony that had come through the early months of the pandemic. “First off, we were blessed that our governor allowed things to open up sooner than many other states,” said Matt Hyatt, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “The next thing that happened was that we as a board decided to push forward with our fair and rodeo. We believed then, just as we believe now, that it was important for the people in our communities to have our fair and rodeo last October.” That dedication to serving the community paid off. With the help of a faithful group of sponsors, there were concerts, livestock shows, exhibits and all the activities at the rodeo arena, from the PRCA rodeo to the popular Eliminator competitions. “We felt an obligation to help as many as possible through the pandemic in our control, like food vendors, beverage companies, entertainment, rodeo companies and all the people that are in that industry,” said Mike Higgins, vice president of the fair board. “Those that help put on our rodeo – our announcer, our sound director, our pickup men, our rodeo secretary, timers, clown, bullfighters – and the contestants live on what they do at the rodeo. “We were looking out for them, too.” The 2020 fair and rodeo wasn’t a full exposition. Because of the pandemic, some items were pared down a bit, but the fair board continued to push forward and have as many events and exhibits as possible to provide an outlet to the community and to allow its people to celebrate. “It will be nice to have our carnival back and going, along with the natural flow of people enjoying their fair experience,” Higgins said. “I’m very proud of what we accomplished a year ago. The families, the kids … they needed that. We needed that. “This community needed to feel the excitement that comes with having the county fair and our local rodeo. Every community was impacted by COVID, and our community was blessed with sponsors that still supported our event. We were able to let the kids finish the projects they started, and they were excited to show them, too. Yes, this is a community event, but really, it’s always been about the kids.”

DICKINSON, N.D. – There are so many fascinating aspects of a rodeo. Todd Pettigrew loves them all. Pettigrew is a rodeo clown and entertainer from Sedalia, Missouri, and he will be one of the featured pieces to the Wild Rides Rodeo Dickinson, set for 2:30 pm. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Stark County Fairgrounds in Dickinson. “I just love the atmosphere of a rodeo … the people, the contestants, the audience, the committee,” he said. “It just suits my way of life. I believe this is what the good Lord put me on this Earth to do.” He may be right. Pettigrew grew up around rodeo in central Missouri. His father was a team roper, and as a child, Pettigrew rode steers and junior bareback horses. Once he got into high school, he qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo as a bareback rider, finishing among the top 20 in the country. “After that, I became a bullfighter, and I fought professionally in the PRCA for five or six years,” Pettigrew said. “In 2008, I was selected to work the Great Lakes Circuit Finals Rodeo.” That’s the regional competition that features contestants and rodeos from most of the Midwest states; only the top 12 in each event in the region advance to the circuit finals, so his job was to keep everyone safe during the bull riding. It’s a task that relies on the bullfighters’ athleticism to keep anyone I n the arena out of harm’s way, including himself and the bull riders. The transition, then, seemed natural to move on to clowning. He uses his athleticism a lot less, but he brings a new technique to the game: he utilizes his comedic prowess. It’s a vital part of any rodeo, which is an equal mix of fantastic competition and family-friendly entertainment. “I like to make people laugh,” he said. “It gives me enjoyment to see people with a smile on their face. I try to play off the situation that happens in the arena. I try to make it come naturally. “I’m definitely not a scripted guy.” By not following a certain path, he allows the events of the performance come to him. That could be something from the competition or a play on words with the announcer. It might even include some of the goings-on in the crowd, which makes for a delightful night of comedy for everyone to enjoy. The key, of course, is to make sure those that are watching the show are enjoying it. They’ll see some incredible athletic feats, from a fast steer wrestling run to a big ride in saddle bronc riding. Pettigrew’s job, then, is to be an accent point to it all and bring out everyone’s funny bone when the opportunities allow. He looks at being a rodeo clown as his calling, and he’s probably right.

KILLDEER, N.D. – When Ty Breuer left his home Friday afternoon, he said goodbye to his wife, Kelli, and three children, knowing full well that he won’t see them much, if at all, for the rest of the month. He had put his name in the hat to compete at 24 rodeos in 29 days, so his month of September means many miles and a lot of time on the road. He has a goal to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo for the seventh time in his career – he earned his sixth bid last year but was unable to compete at ProRodeo’s grand finale because of an injury. Now, though, the Mandan, North Dakota, cowboy has a bit of work to do. He entered this week of rodeo 22nd in the world standings, but only the top 15 on the money list at the conclusion of the regular season on Sept. 30 will advance to the NFR, set for Dec. 1-11 in Las Vegas. He took a step forward Friday night by winning the bareback riding title at the Wild Rides Rodeo Killdeer with an 87-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Roxanne. That was worth $1,415 and helped close the gap to earn his spot. “I’m doubled up here and there, so I’m going to have to pick and choose (which horse to ride) at some of them, but I’m going to try to make the rest that I can,” said Breuer, who pushed his season earnings past $44,000. With just four weeks left in the regular season, he sits on the bubble, knowing it’s make-it-or-break-it time if he’s going to advance to the richest rodeo in the world, which features a $10 million purse and pays go-round winners more than $27,000 per night for 10 rounds. “I’ve been in this situation a couple of times, and every time it’s come out to work in my favor,” he said. “Hopefully it does again this year. The main thing is that there are so many highs and lows this month that a guy can’t get on the lows, because if you get on that low spell, you’ll keep going down. You’ve got to stay on that high spell even if you don’t do good. You’ve just to go on to the next one and give it everything you’ve got. “I think if a guy can keep placing and drawing good horses at the rest of these rodeos, he’s going to have a shot to get in there, but it’s going to take some luck, too.” This rodeo is also unique in that it’s the last event for the Badlands Circuit’s regular season, so earnings here can help Breuer collect all-important cash to try to win the year-end championship again; he’s done it several times over the years. The circuit is made up of cowboys and events primarily in the region, which consists of North Dakota and South Dakota. “It seems like if a guy can get within $1,000 of the leader going into the circuit finals, you can catch them once you get there,” Breuer said, noting the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo will take place Oct. 8-10 in Minot, North Dakota. “I think I’m pretty close to that now. “It’s always nice to come to a rodeo close to home.” Killdeer, a community of less than 1,000 people in western North Dakota, is just two hours from the cowboy’s home. He may have said goodbye to his wife and kids that afternoon, but he was allowed a little more time with his parents and grandfather while in Dunn County. “It was actually pretty fun,” he said. “My dad, my grandpa and me drove up here in the van together and visited the whole way up and never even turned the radio on. That’s what I enjoyed the most about it.” Over the next four weeks, those visits will be done with phone calls or FaceTime chats, so he may as well enjoy whatever he can get, and it may have been the perfect thing to spark a solid run of competition. Wild Rides Rodeo KilldeerSept. 3, 2021Killdeer, North DakotaBareback riding: 1. Ty Breuer, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Roxanne, $1,415; 2. Tanner Aus, 86, $1,072; 3. Nate McFadden, 81, $772; 4. Clay Jorgenson, 85, $515; 5. Tyler Berghuis, 74, $300; 6. Tucker Zingg, 73, $214. Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Morgan Foss and Talli Pokomy, 2.1 seconds, $1,475 each; 3. (tie) Amber Carson, Lacey Hewitt and Jackie Crawford, 2.2, $961 each; 6. (tie) Sarah Verhelist, Brooklyn Berg, Rickie Engesser and Taylor Munsell, 2.3, $257 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Sterling Lee, 3.9 seconds, $1,247; 2. (tie) Logan Lemmel and Tyler Thorson, 4.0, $925 each; 4. Tyler Byrne, 4.2, $602; 5. (tie) Carson Good, Colby Anders and Danger Wheeler, 4.3, $201 each. Team roping: 1. Braden Pirrung/Coley Nicholis, 5.7 seconds, $1,663; 2. Caden Camp/Delon Parker, 5.8, $1,376; 3. Reece Weber/Matt Kasner, 6.1, $1,089; 4. Chasyn Ystaas/Chad Ystaas, 7.7, $803; 4. Brady Tryan/Justin Viles, 9.8, $516; 6. (tie) Cooper Brott/Riley Wakefield and Guy Howell/Levi O’Keeffe, 10.7, $145 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cole Elshere, 83 points on Fettig pro Rodeo’s U B Rockin, $1,740; 2. (tie) Ty Manke, Tate Thybo and Jacob Kammerer, 79.5, $967 each; 5. Cash Wilson, 77, $369; 6. Chuck Schmidt, 76.5, $264.   Tie-down roping: 1. Cody Darnell, 7.0 seconds, $1,329; 2. Myles Kenzy, 7.6, $1,100; 3. Kane Gjermundson, 8.0, $871; 4. Thane Lockhart, 8.2, $642; 5. Lane Day, 8.5, $412; 6. Trey Young, 9.0, $229. Barrel racing: 1. Kailee Webb, 17.05 seconds, $889; 2. Jessica Routier, 17.26, $762; 3. Summer Kosel, 17.34, $635; 4. Terri Kaye Kirkland, 17.37, $551; 5. Lindsay Kruse, 17.41, $423; 6. Lakken Bie, 17.48, $339; 7. Ashley Day, 17.69, $254; 8. Ellie Bard, 17.70, $169; 9. Lindsey Horner, 17.74, $127; 10. (tie) Kristi Steffis and TK Leibrand, 17.75, $42 each. Bull riding: 1. Jeff Bertus, 82 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Who Done It, $2,634; 2. Corey Maier, 81, $2,244;  Continue Reading »

KILLDEER, N.D. – Last December, Cole Elshere was searching for answers. He was at the National Finals Rodeo for the fourth time in his career, and he was excited to be there. Once there – at the NFR’s one-time home at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas – things did not go his way. He rode just one of the 10 horses he got on, but he failed to collect a paycheck through the week and a half of ProRodeo’s super bowl. He watched replays of his ride. He looked at every angle, deciphered every move he had made. He was embarrassed and frustrated, and doing so poorly on the sport’s biggest stage just made him miserable. Still, every day he showed up with his trademark smile, prayed and hoped things would change. They didn’t, and it was the richest rodeo in the game. Ryder Wright, for example, earned just shy of $250,000 over those 10 nights in north Texas, so there was plenty of opportunity for Elshere, a 31-year-old bronc buster from the tiny hamlet of Faith, South Dakota. He finally found the answer just two months ago, when doctors revealed a bulging disc in Elshere’s neck, which pinched a nerve and didn’t allow for the cowboy to grip his bronc rein, much less lift on it to give himself the bet chance to cash in. “I had to get an injection in the bulged disc so it would take the pressure off my nerve so I would quit having pinched nerves,” he said. “It was making my hand so I couldn’t squeeze.” Since the injection in July, he’s also been doing physical therapy to help loosen the muscles in his neck, which also had become a deterrent to his riding style. It’s paying off, and he proved it Thursday night by riding Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Mid Knight Train for 85 points to win the bronc riding title at the Badlands Iron Cowboy Rodeo at the Killdeer Rodeo Grounds. “They were saying that horse was going to be really nice, but when he came out there, you could tell he was going to be a little bit more than just nice,” Elshere said. “He had a lot of fire to him, and he was bucking so hard and making me hustle just to make a bronc ride and stay on. Whenever you’re having to fight to make it work, you know the judge are going to mark a bunch of points.” That ride was worth $2,019 and pushed the South Dakota cowboy up a spot in the Badlands Circuit standings. As one of 29 bronc riders in the competition, it made for a nice trip to North Dakota to get on a Texas bucking horse. In fact, the event’s producer, Alicia Fettig of Fettig Pro Rodeo, enlisted the assistance of Carr and Alberta-based Macza Pro Rodeo to help make for tremendous bucking power in Killdeer. “She wants the best for the cowboys,” Elshere said of Fettig. “To make it an even pen with that many bronc riders per night, she brought in more contractors to make us all have a chance at winning. “That’s what good contractors do.” Badlands Iron Cowboy RodeoSept. 2, 2021Killdeer, North DakotaBareback riding: 1. Zachariah Phillips, 86 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Ninety Proof, $1,823; 2. Tanner Aus, 83, $1,382; 3. Anthony Thomas, 80, $995; 4. Clay Jorgenson, 79, $663; 5. (tie) Andy Gingerich and Nate McFadden 74, $332 each. Breakaway roping: 1. Joey Williams, 1.9 seconds, $2,024; 2. (tie) Taylor Engesser and Rickie Engeser, 2.0, $1,628 each; 4. (tie) Kasie Kautzman and Syerra C.Y. Christensen, 2.2, $1,100 each; 6. Kirby Eppert, Sarah Morissey, Tanegai Ziverberg, Jessica Maglike and Jennifer Belkham, 2.3, $264 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Jason Reiss, 3.5 seconds, $1,472; 2. Caden Camp, 3.9, $1,218; 3. (tie) Landon Richard Silversten and Colten Herbert, 4.3, $838 each; 5. Kyle Callaway, 4.4, $457; 6. Bryn Roy, 4.6, $254. Team roping: 1. Brady Tryan/Justin Viles, 5.0 seconds, $1,751; 2. Reece Weber/Matt Kasner, 6.1, $1,523; 3. Clint Gorrell/Cody Smith, 6.7, $1,294; 4. Jade Schmidt/Jade Nelson, 6.9, $1,066; 5. Tucker Dale/Jesse Fredrickson, 7.7, $838; 6. Nate Norner/Wyatt Maglike, 7.9, $609; 7. Peter John Bennett/Brandt Ross, $381; 8. (tie) Jared Odens/J.D. Gerard and Brent McInerney/Tanner McInerney, 8.9, $76 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cole Elshere, 85 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Mid Knight Train, $2,019; 2. Taygen Schuelke, 82.5, $1,548; 3. (tie) Brody Wells and Jade Blackwell, 79.5, $942 each; 5. Lane Schuelke, 79, $471; 6. Dusty Hausauer, 76, $337; 7. (tie) Brand Jackson Morgan and Houston Garrett Brown, 75, $236. Tie-down roping: 1. Chase Lako, 8.0 seconds, $1,533; 2. (tie) trey Young and Rance Marshall Johnson, 8.2, $1,137; 4. Thanne Lockhart, 8.7, $740; 5. Joe Schmidt, 9.8, $4,76; 6. Clint Kindred, 10.0, $264. Barrel racing: 1. Kailee Webb, 17.43 seconds, $1,076; 2. Heather Crowley, 17.46, $922; 3. Kristen Zancanella, 17.52, $768; 4. Ashley Day, 17.57, $666; 5. (tie) Terri Kaye Kirkland and Lakken Bice, 17.58, $461 each; 7. (tie) Lexi Bagnell and Allison Pauley, 17.68, $265 each; 9. Erin Williams, 17.77, $154; 10. (tie) Lindsay Kruse and Jenna Humble, 17.81, $51 each. Bull riding: 1. Dylan Rice, 86 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Air Tight Alibi, $1,974; 2. Levi Walter Schoenbaum, 85, $1,513; 3. Casey Fredricks, 82.5, $1,119; 4. Dalton Wright, $724; 5. Boudreaux Campbell, 81.5, $461; 6. Corey Maier, 81, $329; 7. Jeff Bertus, 79, $263; 8. Riggin Shippy, 75, $197.

Humble beginnings define him, but bull rider is on a summer hot streak After his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, Dustin Boquet realized bull riding was the life for him. He was going to make the NFR every year. As one of the best in the game, he’d made it, and he was going to be on easy street from then on out. He’d won the sixth go-round in Las Vegas, and bull riding seemed to be an effortless enterprise. That was in 2018, and he couldn’t have been more wrong. “Come ’19, I rode some bulls, but I wasn’t riding like I wanted to,” said Boquet, 27, from tiny Bourg, Louisiana, just a few mils upstream from the Gulf of Mexico. “I tore my PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) in Del Rio (Texas), then everyone’s out there in Vegas for the NFR. I was duck hunting in South Dakota, and I watched one round of the NFR and said, ‘This is stupid. I’ll never miss the NFR if I’m still riding bulls.’ “I wasn’t putting in the work. You can’t half-ass it in this, because that’s when you’re going to get hurt, and I had more pride in myself than that. It humbled me, that’s for sure.” He’s been hard at it ever since. If his return to the NFR in 2020 wasn’t proof enough, gander at his run through a few weeks in July and early August. He won the bull riding titles at Dodge City and Abilene, Kansas; Sikeston, Missouri; the Rifle (Colorado) Xtreme Bulls; Spanish Fork, Utah; and placed at other events along the way. That was worth a payday of $43,303 and accounted for almost half of his earnings as of late August. That worked out to be about $14,000 per week and proved as a perfect catapult to his 2021 campaign. More importantly, the run of fortune also provided Boquet with a big dose of confidence heading into the final month-plus of ProRodeo’s regular season. “I want to make consecutive NFRs,” he said. “It got slow for me after the winter. I don’t know why it always does that for me, but I struggle some through the year. I usually struggle a little bit in the summer, but the last half of the summer has been really good. “I mean … really good.” He laughed at the thought of such a big payday in such a short amount of time. In fact, it’s just a hair more than he earned at the 2020 NFR, the rodeo that offered the largest payout of any ProRodeo event last year. “I’m riding good, and I’m drawing good,” Boquet said. “That’s always a plus when those two come together. “You can’t take those suckers for granted. You’ve just got to stay focused and humbled and do the job you know how to do.” His job is riding bulls, and what he did over those few summer weeks was virtually assure himself a shot at returning to ProRodeo’s grand finale, set for Dec. 2-11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Truthfully, though, his season may have received its biggest boost in February, when he earned the San Antonio Xtreme Bulls title. “I’ve always done good at the San Antonio rodeo, and I’ve always wanted to win that bull riding,” he said. “Going in there this year, it was heck to get there with that ice storm. We didn’t get to go to anything else that week because of the storm. Getting that win was a big accomplishment.” Riding bulls may seem second nature to the Cajun cowboy from the bayous of Louisiana. When one is raised southwest of New Orleans, that’s deep in the Louisiana swamps. Still, with a grandfather that raised livestock, Boquet found himself horseback from an early age. His first levels of competition involved the equine side of things in team penning and ranch sortings. He was 12 years old when he attempted to ride his first steer. It seemed to come rather naturally, and he rode three out of the first four bulls he got on. “My family has been in the whole cattle deer and the whole horse deal, and I never dreamed of being where I’m at today when I was little,” Boquet said, his Cajun accent giving way to a bit of east Texas twang these days. “I was a hardcore baseball player, and that’s one thing I did love. I played baseball until I was 16 or 17, and my mom told me I had to pick one I wanted today. “I’m not playing baseball today, so I think I picked the right one.” Apparently, he’s right. When the world standings were released Aug. 23, he was just shy of $100,000 for the season. He has credited a strong mental approach to an always-humbling sport for carrying him through another strong campaign. His greatest lessons came from his biggest mistakes, so he has recognized why every ride – good and bad – can be an important step to the next bull. Being a professional bull rider isn’t a job for the weary. He’s been slammed in the dirt plenty, but there’s something that drives him through every mile and beyond every buckoff and onto the next opportunity. “I guess it’s just the love for it that drives me,” he said. “Anybody can go out there and play baseball. Bull riding ain’t easy; if it was, anybody’d go do it. It’s cowboy, and I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy since I was little. “The adrenaline it gave me and knowing you’re still on the bull after hearing the buzzer … that’s what you feel when you conquer the animal.” No matter if he’s traveling to the Northwest to complete a run of lucrative rodeos or living on his place in Athens, Texas, home will always be in that swamp land in southern Louisiana. A fishing venture can begin with loading up the boat, which was actually  Continue Reading »

DUNCAN, Okla. – Stockton Graves is no spring chicken, but he still acts like one from time to time. If he competes this December at the National Finals Rodeo for the eighth time in his career, he’ll be 10 years removed from his last qualification. During that 10-day stretch, from Dec. 2-11, he will turn 43. He’ll have plenty of reasons to celebrate, too. There are only a handful of steer wrestlers older than 40 that are able to compete at an elite level, but Graves has proven over time that he’s quite capable. This year is just a bit different than recent years, and he sits firmly among the top 10 in the world standings. He hasn’t seen that in a long time, but that’s been of his own choosing. Since he took over as the rodeo coach of his alma mater, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, in 2011, Graves has opted to stay closer to home. He’d venture out a bit, but his focus was on helping others make their NFR bids. Two years ago, it was J.D. Struxness, a three-time qualifier who in 2016 became the first Northwestern cowboy to win the college national title. Last year it was Bridger Anderson, who became the second Ranger to win the national crown in 2019. This year, it seems, nobody is stopping the old man, who is the No. 1 man in the Prairie Circuit’s bulldogging standings with just a few weeks left in the circuit’s regular season. He has a lead of more than $5,000 over the second-place man, Riley Duvall, and should lead the charge of steer wrestlers for the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15-Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. The Prairie Circuit is again loaded with top bulldoggers, just as it has been since the circuit system was put into place 46 years ago. The region, made up of contestants and rodeos primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, has featured many of the top steer wrestlers in rodeo, from the Duvalls (Riley is the third generation of the family to compete at the NFR) to Ote Berry to Ricky Huddleston to Jason Lahr to Jule Hazen. That list can go on and on, and Graves deserves his place in there. He’s having a phenomenal year, one that was unexpected when the season began. Once he won the bulldogging title in San Antonio this past February, he and his wife, Crissi, opted to make a run at returning to Las Vegas. He’s a virtual lock for the NFR, and that’s a good thing. Of course, when he arrives in Duncan, he’ll be in his comfort zone. He’s won the circuit finals average title multiple times in the last 10 years it’s been in this southern Oklahoma community, and he’s added even more year-end titles to his accomplished belt. It’s almost like he’s returning home.

Fans in Killdeer, Dickinson will get a glimpse of it in September KILLDEER, N.D. – When Alicia Fettig looks across the pasture at her herd of bucking horses, she smiles a bit and knows she’s in the right place. Only the best stock contractors in the sport of rodeo test the talents of their animal athletes at the PRCA level, and Fettig is there. She takes tremendous pride in what she has, whether they’re palomino or bay, whether they’re mares, geldings or stallions. They’ve bucked all across the country, from Houston and San Angelo in Texas to Denver and the National Finals Rodeo. If all goes well, there will be more Fettig broncs bucking at rodeos all across this land and on the biggest stages of the game. Many of those animals will be put into action at the Badlands Iron Cowboy Rodeo, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, or the Wild Rides Rodeo Killdeer, which takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3. Both events will take place at the Killdeer Rodeo Grounds. There’s also a great chance a number of those bucking beasts will return to action for the Wild Rides Rodeo Dickinson, set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Stark County Fairgrounds in Dickinson. “I think, overall, we’ve got a really nice herd of horses, and I think we’re just going to keep getting stronger,” said Fettig, owner of Killdeer-based Fettig Pro Rodeo. “For the two events in Killdeer, I’m going to bring in Macza Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr Pro Rodeo as sub-contractors just because I want to have the very best animals for those two nights. “I think even for people from around here, those that know rodeo so well, they’re really going to enjoy the horsepower we’ll have in Killdeer.” Like all great teams, there are a few that stand out. For Fettig, that includes bareback horses Colorado Bulldog and Pop A Top, two animals that have been selected to perform at the NFR. It’s a particularly high honor, since the top 15 bareback riders select the 100 horses they believe are the best in the PRCA that year. Colorado Bulldog has been to the NFR for a few years already. “When I looked at the list of horses for our first-round pen, that horse stood out,” Mason Clements said in 2018 after he matched moves with the buckskin gelding for 86.5 points to finish second in the first of 10 rounds. “I was pleased to get on him, and it turned out well.” Pop A Top has been exceptional over the last dozen months. In April, Garrett Shadboldt rode the bay stallion for 85 points to place at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. “That was definitely the horse you wanted to have, and I was excited to see my name next to his (on the random draw),” Shadbolt said. “That horse is really well built. Just looking at him, you know he’s going to be fun to ride.” “When he went straight across the arena, I was just having fun. When he made the corner, his speed picked up but was still just as strong. That does increase the degree of difficulty.” In Pop A Top’s first trip to the NFR last December, three-time world champion Tim O’Connell handled all the difficulty the horse could muster. The two danced across the Globe Life Field dirt for 90.5 points to win the fourth round in Arlington, Texas, the one-time home of ProRodeo’s grand finale. “I had a great horse underneath me,” he said. “It gave me an opportunity to show off and show out, and that’s exactly what I wanted. I knew he was going to be a shot, especially when I saw him. He’s a really built, thicker stud with a shorter back and a little bit smaller. I’d seen him buck, and he’s so electric. He really gave it to me that first jump out of the chute. He fed it right back to me, and I fed it right back to him. “After about that second spur stroke, I knew he was going to take the spur stroke I was going to put to him, so I just let it go after that.” There’s one thing the cowboys have learned; when it comes quality bucking horses, the Fettig brand is in a good place.

No job has ever been too big for Cheyenne Frontier Days announcer Five days before the opening performance of the 2021 Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days Rodeo, Garrett Yerigan took an inspiring walk around Frontier Park. He paid particular attention to the details, the angles, the lines … the history of America’s most recognized rodeo. He eventually found himself on the announcer’s platform, overlooking the storied arena from the place that would be his home for all nine performances of the 125th year of Cheyenne’s rodeo.   “I wholeheartedly believe this is what God put me on Earth to do,” Yerigan said of his announcing career. “When He gives you opportunities, like Cheyenne Frontier Days, for example, it removes any doubt in your mind. I’m 26 years old, and I just did ‘The Daddy of ’Em All.’ ” His maturity supersedes his youth, but that’s always been the case for Yerigan, the son of two rodeo contestants who grew up in the game. His father, Dale, is an 11-time steer wrestling world champion in the International Professional Rodeo Association and is now the association’s general manager. His mother, Kathy, qualified numerous times for the International Finals Rodeo, the IPRA’s annual championship; she also is the office manager for the physical therapy department for Hillcrest Hospital in Pryor, Oklahoma, the family’s hometown. Garrett Yerigan cut his teeth in the business at the same time that he was cutting his own teeth. He was just 2 weeks old when made his first rodeo; both his parents were in the competition. He was about 6 or 7 years old when he started announcing slack. He was doing jackpots – both bulldogging and barrel racing – that his family was already going to. “It just snowballed from there,” he said. By age 12, he was announcing a once-a-month barrel racing, and within short time, he was announcing the Oklahoma High School Finals Rodeo and handling the sound for the 101 Wild West Rodeo in Ponca City, Oklahoma; that was before sound directors had PRCA cards, and since he wasn’t 18 yet, it worked out fine By the time he turned 18 and purchased his announcer’s card, he was bidding rodeos and developing his future. His parents may have hoped they’d bred a contestant, but they raised a true hand when it comes to calling the action. “I tried a little bit of everything,” he said. “I tried sliding the steer saver at home. I tried roping steers at home. I tried riding steers at home. Nothing grabbed me. In going to all these rodeos and playing around with announcing slack, it became more of the announcer’s stand as the cool place to be. It was a safter occupation and an automatic paycheck, and you’re still involved with rodeo. “I almost feel bad for the contestants, because they’re in town and out of town so fast that they don’t get to enjoy it. I get to enjoy the town and work the rodeo. Every place I go, it feels like a family reunion every year.” That’s the nice part of his job, whether it’s in Sonora, Texas, or Cheyenne. Oh, and then there was this little thing called the National Finals Rodeo. Yerigan was part of the crew that worked the inaugural National Finals Breakaway Roping, which took place over three mornings in conjunction with the NFR last December in its one-time home of Arlington, Texas. “I’m very thankful I got up on the path as early as I did,” he said. “Even at my age, I’ve spent time in four Canadian provinces, two Australian states and 20-plus states in the U.S. When I look back at it like that, there are so many things to be thankful for. “The buckle I put on every day is from the National Finals Breakaway Roping. It was those contestants’ NFR. If it never happens again, Randy Corley, Brad Narducci and I can say we were at the first one. This says more that this is what my calling was in rodeo, and I’m proud to bring it to audiences all over the world.” He’s busy at it, too. For 2021, he was projected to work 161 performances and will be gone from his home for better than 250 days. Of course, those two weeks in Cheyenne stand on their own as a particularly interesting opportunity. Most of the biggest names in the game were expected to be there. It was televised daily on The Cowboy Channel, and he – along with announcing partner Kyle Shobe – was one of the faces and voices of the 125th Frontier Days celebration. The downfall: his friend and fellow Cinch endorsee, Andy Stewart, was losing the job that Yerigan had just gained. The two talked on the phone, and Stewart provided Yerigan the motivation to push ahead and make it happen. Stewart also called before the rodeo’s start to offer insights and advice for the young protégé. “At the time, I was more worried about my friend losing a rodeo than I was about getting the Cheyenne Frontier Days,” Yerigan said. That’s a testament to who he is and what he’s about. It’s also a good sign for the future of professional rodeo, and it’s the lessons he gained from Dale and Kathy Yerigan that continue to percolate today. “I would say I learned a great deal from my parents, both in and out of the arena,” he said. “Dad won 11 world championships in the steer wrestling in the IPRA, so he was obviously doing something right. He taught me the fundamentals even though I didn’t pursue it. I can take you through a run, but it doesn’t mean I want to do it and jump off a horse.” He laughed a little at the thought. His father had done so thousands of times, but it just wasn’t in the cards. He knows what is. “As an announcer or as a fan, you have to be a student of the  Continue Reading »

KILLDEER, N.D. – There was a time not so long ago that Randy Taylor would have arrived in western North Dakota carrying a gear bag loaded with a bareback riding rigging, chaps and tremendous talent. You see, Taylor was a ProRodeo cowboy who made his living riding bucking horses. In 1985, he was the first cowboy out of the chutes at the National Finals Rodeo during its inaugural year in Las Vegas. It was his only NFR qualification, and it’s a memory he’ll never forget. Now, though, he makes memories for others in rodeo as the announcer. He took his years of experience as a cowboy in ProRodeo and has since built himself a resume by calling the action at rodeos across the country and at motorsports competitions worldwide. “On a whim, I had a broadcasting class, and I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Taylor, now living in Menno, South Dakota. “I liked the old-time radio and listening to baseball games. Of course, I listened to the announcers when my dad was racing. When I was rodeoing, I would get my bareback rigging and ice my elbow, and whenever possible, I’d listen to the announcers.” He will utilize his experiences during the Badlands Iron Cowboy Rodeo, set for 6 pm. Thursday, Sept. 2, and the Wild Rides Rodeo Killdeer, which takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3. Both events are at the Killdeer Rodeo Grounds. But that’s just the start for Taylor, who will also announce the Wild Ride Rodeo Dickinson at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Stark County Fairgrounds. “It’s going to be great being at event up there,” he said. “That area has a tradition in its own. That North Dakota country invests much heart and money into their Western sports.” The events in Killdeer and Dickinson are produced by Killdeer-based Fettig Pro Rodeo, and Alicia Fettig plans to sub-contract other major livestock firms to have their bucking athletes involved in North Dakota rodeo. She has enlisted the assistance of Macza Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, firms that are well known for having top animals. But Fettig has a pasture full of talented buckers, too. “She really has a deep herd of horses,” Taylor said of Fettig, the company’s owner and first woman in North Dakota to own a PRCA membership. “She has good people who are going to be there. She handles things very well with her prowess of hiring people.” He knows so much about the game that he understands the intricate details of each performance, each level of competition. That comes in handy. Of course, he’s been around the Western way of life since his youth in the tiny hamlet of Inola in northeastern Oklahoma. He went to a bull riding school over Christmas break of his freshman year of high school, and his life has been lined out since. “That school was about all she wrote,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to do. I went to the college finals riding bareback horses and bulls for the University of Wyoming. They had a wrestling team, and I had college and Olympic aspirations. “I went to college on a wrestling and rodeo scholarship, and my desire to rodeo took over.” Taylor earned his PRCA card in 1978 and competed at a big rodeo in Denver as a sophomore in college. His greatest experience was qualifying for the NFR, the sport’s grand finale that features only the top 15 contestants in each event from the regular season. It just added to the love affair he has with what he does. The son of a dirt-track racing legend, there are sights, sounds and smells that draw his attention to both motorsports and rodeos, which is why he loves announcing both. “I have always loved the fairgrounds,” said Taylor, who is endorsed by Wrangler, Justin and 4 Bears Casino. “I like slack. I like the smell of popcorn before a performance, the excitement and, of course, the bareback riding. I have called the Indian National Finals Rodeo seven times. I’ve been all over the world with monster trucks. That was fun to go international with a motorsport. “The PRCA rodeos are the best. You really appreciate what you see.” Of course, the sport has changed greatly since his days as a competitor, and he likes what he sees. “The bloodlines are so much different in the horses and the bulls, more pronounced,” he said, noting that there have always been great bucking animals in rodeo; there are just more of them because of the breeding practices of the livestock producers. “There’s better exposure, and The Cowboy Channel airing so many rodeos has helped with that.” “The biggest thing is the money. These guys are setting themselves up with a future from what they make in rodeo, and that’s great for the sport.” There will be big money up at both Killdeer and Dickinson in September, and that’s a good thing for the cowboys and cowgirls hoping to clinch a spot at the 2021 NFR.