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Branquinho is still in position to make a run at sixth gold buckle The first time Luke Branquinho won the steer wrestling world championship, he was 24 years old. Ten years later, he earned his fifth Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. Father time has been good to the California bulldogger, but like any athlete, things get a bit more challenging. He’s had his share of injuries over a career that began two decades ago: damaged knees, torn shoulders, ripped pectoral muscles. They’re all hazards that come with big men wrestling big animals, and Branquinho is a big man who oftentimes wears black shirts mixed with his Cinch carpenter pants to make himself look even bigger. It’s not that the steers notice; but he is an intimidating presence in spite of his friendly personality and relaxed demeanor. Life is considerably different than it was in 2001, his second year in ProRodeo and the first year he made the National Finals Rodeo; he followed that up with 13 more trips to the biggest stage in the sport, which takes place annually in Las Vegas. He last won gold in 2014 and hasn’t competed at the Thomas & Mack Center since 2015. “You get hurt, you rehab and you come back,” said Branquinho of Los Alamos, California. “That’s the nuts and bolts of it. You can’t put that in your mind; you’ve got to block it out and just go do your job.” There is a resilience that comes with being a cowboy, and the California kid is proof of that. No matter how many times he’s been knocked down, he bounces up and flashes that recognizable grin. He’s more than a cowboy these days; he’s a true rodeo personality. People like up for blocks to meet him and get his autograph, and he’s as accommodating on the 150th person as he is the first. This year, he’s found his way toward the top of the world standings. In mid-July, he was in the top 10 on the bulldogging money list. That’s saying something for someone of his stature. So, what does it feel like to wrestle 600-pound steers at age 40? “It hurts,” he said with a laugh as he made his way to the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede. “In my mind, it’s not different than it was when I was younger. You have to modify and tweak against these little turds.” He’s not talking about diminutive cowboys. He’s talking about youngsters, like the reigning world champion, Jacob Edler, who is 27, or the runner-up from last year, Stetson Jorgensen, who just turned 28. It’s younger men that he has to butt heads with, whether he’s in Redding, California, or Evanston, Wyoming. That’s the nature of grown men who travel the country to compete in a sport they love. “It’s been good this year,” he said. “I think sometimes I get a little too critical of myself. I’ve been drawing good, and that’s huge, especially in this event. You have to have the right steers. You also have to have good horsepower. The key is drawing good steers and trying to use them the best I can.” If the random draw doesn’t work in his favor, then the veteran knows to handle the steers as best as possible. It might not be a round-winner, but he’s made bad cattle look good for most of his career. His experiences have led him here, still contending for world titles. “I just focus on making good runs and getting good starts,” Branquinho said. “I’m going old school: just run your steers and go onto the next one. “I try to pick and choose rodeos I’ve done good at in the past. It helps your confidence when you’ve done good at a rodeo before. I’m going to pick the right rodeos and make sure I’m riding a good horse.” It’s simple, really. The fundamentals are vital when athletes are first learning their game, but they remain important through each phase of a career. The better one is at the basics, the better that person will be overall. From riding his horse to transitioning to the steer to securing the animal’s nose, the runs get better with each basic maneuver the cowboys make. Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. For many, steer wrestling is the most competitive event in ProRodeo. The top 25 in the world can change on a weekly basis, and it seems to be more difficult to repeat as a champion in bulldogging than any of the other rodeo disciplines. “The competitiveness of rodeo is what drive me,” he said. “When a guy has a competitive edge and can take advantage of it, then that’s what you’re looking for. You’re always trying to go out there and win. Being the youngest of three brothers, I was always trying to be better than them. That’s the way with rodeo: Just stay on top and stay winning.” Like all rodeo cowboys, the toughest part of the job is being away from home. For Branquinho, that means leaving behind his wife, Lindsay, and their three sons, Cade, Jameson and Luke Hayes. Someday soon, he’ll spend more time with them and maybe spend more time commentating on television broadcasts of rodeo. He leans on his family for their support, and he likes giving it back when possible. “My wife likes to make fun of me a lot on social media, but she also builds me up, too,” he said. “A long time ago, we didn’t have the luxuries of FaceTime and social media, so it’s nice to have those. It makes you feel closer to home when you’re in Canada. “I’m going to stay involved in rodeo. Hopefully the commentating will be an avenue where I can stay involved. My kids are big in junior rodeo, and they’ll continue to do that.” In rodeo, success is gauged by the hardware a person wears. Only the best each year earn the most prized trophies, those that are worn around the  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Over the years, the Lea County Fair and Rodeo has been recognized for its firepower when it comes to outstanding concerts. There are six nights of musical entertainment on the main stage, and the concerts offer the kind of variety needed in a diverse region like southeastern New Mexico. Fans of all types make their way to Lovington each year to experience concerts that may only be seen in larger communities most of the time. “We’ve set up some of our nights specifically to meet with the needs of the people from around here,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board, which organizes the annual exposition, set for July 30-Aug. 8 at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. “We kick off the fair honoring the Hispanic population, and I think the acts we have for that will really draw the crowds.” Bronco and Erick Massore will open the concert series on Friday, July 30, during the Hispanic Heritage Celebration. The fair board noticed a few years ago how big of a draw they get when they bring popular Hispanic acts to town. Once the PRCA rodeo kicks off with its Lea County Xtreme Bulls on Tuesday, Aug. 3, the concerts kick up again. Mike Ryan will follow the bull riding, sharing his Texas Country hits with the crowds that have come to love that genre of music. Ryan’s “Dancing All Around It” hit No. 1 in 2014 and was name the Single of the Year by Texas Music Pickers. Zach Williams will be the featured act during Faith and Family Night on Wednesday, Aug. 4. He has been one of the contemporary Christian music scene’s leading artists for several years, and he has been nominated for two GRAMMYs. Clay Walker will bring his decades of experience and a showman’s mentality to stage. His vocals provide a unique sound that identifies him even before the chorus. He will take the stage Thursday, Aug. 5, and will likely share some of his 11 No. 1 songs. “I’m pretty excited about that one,” Wheeler said. “Thursday has historically been a slow night for the fair, and we talked about doing away with the Thursday concerts because of that. In 2019, we brought in Cody Johnson for that Thursday night, and that was really big. I think we can have a similar type crowd this year with Clay.” Confederate Railroad, whose top 10 songs “Queen of Memphis,” “Jesus and Momma” and “Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind,” will share the stage with Exile on Friday, Aug. 6. The fair and rodeo will close with a two-part concert with Gary Allan on Saturday, Aug. 7. Exile, now in its 58th year of producing music, is still on tour. The band’s singer, songwriter and guitarist, J.P. Pennington, has been with Exile since 1963, and he’s still writing music. He actually wrote 42 songs during COVID-19. Allan has had four No. 1s: “Man to Man” and “Tough Little Boys” in 2003; “Nothing On but the Radio” in 2004; and “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)” in 2013. “I think we have some great acts,” Wheeler said. “To me, there’s a little bit of something for everybody. They’re all different styles, and I think they’ll all reach people from around here.”  

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Most who have ever been to Dodge City Roundup Rodeo have seen Doug Munsell Sr. over the years. He’s a professional clown and has been for better than 60 years, but he’s much more than that to the biggest rodeo in Kansas every year. Munsell, who has spent much of his life in Liberal, has volunteered for Roundup for the past two decades. He’s already busy getting things ready for this year’s rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “I was at the parade in Garden City (Kansas) for that rodeo, and Doc Trotter was there,” Munsell said of Dr. R.C. Trotter, the longtime president of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual rodeo. “We got to talking, and I’m still here.” Here means his volunteerism, which happens throughout the year. During the week of the rodeo, “PoppaD” will venture around the Roundup Arena grounds and entertain children of all ages. He’s a clown in every sense of the word, and it’s a marvelous payoff for fans who want to be entertained for a few hours every summer. He also comes by it naturally. He was raised in Mooreland, Oklahoma, and around rodeo. He and his family went to the Woodward (Oklahoma) Elks Rodeo every year. “They had steer riding, and I rode steers every year; we got a silver dollar,” he said with a chuckle. “Then I started rodeoing when I moved to Liberal.” He was a bareback rider who tried to ride bulls, and he picked up bullfighting. “It was something else to do, be a rodeo clown and a bullfighter, but it wasn’t very often,” said Munsell, 81. “I did it often enough to make Mama (his wife) mad. Now, the kids are all involved in it.” That’s true. Doug Munsell Jr. is a cowboy who has been a rodeo clown for years. His son, Wacey, is a professional bullfighter who has worked at the National Finals Rodeo and has been involved with Roundup Rodeo for most of the last decade. “That’s changed a lot since I started fighting bulls,” Doug Munsell Sr. said. “Used to, we did nothing but wear our baggy clothes. Now, they look like football players.” But Munsell is more than a clown. He adores rodeo, and he handles a lot of general labor duties behind the scenes. “Every year, I do the pre-rodeo entertainment, going out and doing tricks to entertain the kids … and the adults,” he said. “I’m also the campground cleaner-upper. That takes me most of the afternoon. I go clean out the sheds that need to be cleaned out and whatever else they ask me to do.” It’s all associated with his two-part calling: Rodeo and volunteerism. He’s been doing it for so many years that it’s just second-nature. He’s one of dozens of people who volunteer for Roundup Rodeo every year, and he knows there’s always a need for more. “You just need to reach out to people and offer someone a job you think they could do,” Munsell said. “It might be a small job to start with, but hopefully they get hooked and it takes off from there.”    That’s just what Roundup and the Dodge City community needs.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The sport of breakaway roping has been around for decades, but it’s going to be part of Lovington’s rodeo for the first time this year. Breakaway roping is very similar to tie-down calf roping, which features contestants roping a young cow, then scrambling down the rope to flank and tie the calf’s legs together to stop the clock. Good runs are around 8 seconds. Breakaway roping has the same start, but the rope is not tied tight to the saddle horn as it is in tie-down roping. Once the rope is tight, the string that holds the rope to the saddle horn will break, stopping the clock. Good runs are around 2 seconds. It’s fast and it’s a showcase of great horsepower and incredible roping skills, and it will be part of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena. “We had talked about having it before, but this will be the first year we have the ladies breakaway roping,” said Trey Kerby, the rodeo committee chairman and vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “I’m starting smaller, and I’ve limited it to 60 contestants; we will have 15 in the slack, and we’ll bring back five to the performances each night. It’s set up like every other timed event we have; they’ll run two rounds. “After this year, we’ll see how it all runs and decide how we want to handle it in the future. We’re always up against the clock, because everybody wants to get the rodeo done in time to go see the concerts. I fully intend to raise it to the same status as our other timed events.” Women have roped professionally for 73 years through the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, but the event has just ballooned in recent years. In 2019, RFD-TV’s The American made it part of its nationally televised performance, and it’s seen unprecedented growth. Teenager Madison Outhier won the title and $110,000 that weekend, which also helped propel the event into the big time. This past December, veteran Jackie Crawford became the first world champion in ProRodeo after competing at the inaugural National Finals Breakaway Roping, which took place in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo in its one-time home of Arlington, Texas. Sponsors have opened their pocketbooks, and more and more rodeos have opened their doors. “I think breakaway roping is going to be a big plus for our rodeo,” said Larry Wheeler, the fair board’s president. “I’m really excited about adding that event. Watching other rodeos on The Cowboy Channel, it really seems like everybody’s enjoying that. “We’ve got three local girls that will be part of the 60 cowgirls that will compete, so that’s a big deal to the people around here.” Breakaway roping has changed rodeo over the last couple of years. It’s added another women’s event to the sport and adds a fast-paced and exciting spectacle to an already popular rodeo. “I think it’s going to go off well here,” Wheeler said.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Blane Cox knows what it means to be among the top 20 tie-down ropers in ProRodeo. He’s done it four times in the last five years. If he’s going to do it again this year, he will need to get on a roll like only few others have ever seen. He’s 47th in the world standings heading int the final two weeks of July, and he would absolutely love to be among the top 15 and earn the second National Finals Rodeo qualification of his career. He’s giving himself a fighting chance this week in the Rocky Mountains. On Saturday night, he roped and tied his calf in 7.4 seconds to win the title at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, which was worth $2,500 of the $86,000 purse in Gunnison. “That was a great calf,” said Cox, 28, of Cameron, Texas. “My horse caused me to be a hair late, but it worked out. (The calf) stepped off to the right and gave me a good throw at her, and she was great on the ground. The horse worked great other than out of the box a little bit.” It’s coming at the right time. “It’s been a pretty slow summer,” he said. “The Fourth (of July run) was terrible.  I’ve been roping really good, and the horse has been working pretty good, but I’ve been having heck drawing good calves. “It turned around (last week) in Laramie, Wyoming, and winning Westcliffe (Colorado on Saturday) morning, and now this.” Cox qualified for the NFR in 2016 and finished 12th in the final world standings. He has just missed ProRodeo’s grand finale three times: he was 19th last year and finished 16th in 2017 and ’18. He’s a veteran, and he understands what it takes to move back toward the top, even if the year has been a bit of a struggle. “Horsepower is everything in calf roping,” Cox said. “It’s 75 percent horsepower in my opinion.” He’s got that in Billy, a 10-year-old sorrel gelding he purchased this past February. “He’s been really good to me,” he said of the horse. “I loved him from the get-go.” Now in his 10th year competing in ProRodeo, this year was the second straight trip to Gunnison for its annual rodeo. Many of the top contestants in the sport found this gem in the mountains last year, when the community’s rodeo was one of the few that took place in spite of the global pandemic. He liked what he saw, so he made sure to return. “It was pretty exciting,” Cox said. “The crowd was really good tonight, and they had packed stands. The cooler weather makes it really nice, too.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 15-17Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Casino, $1,974; 2. Cooper Bennett, 84.5, $1,513; 3. Chad Rutherford, 83.5, $1,119; 4. (tie) Jayco Roper, Tucker Zingg and Tyler Johnson, 82, $504 each; 7. Trenton Montero, 81.5, $263; 8. Jake Brown, 81, $197.   Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Jace Melvin and Wyatt Jurney, 3.5 seconds, $2,243 each; 3. Sam Goings, 3.7, $1,774; 4. Tristan Martin, 3.8, $1,461; 5. Riley Duvall, 4.0, $1,148; 6. Payden McIntyre, 4.1, $835; 7. Colt Honey, 4.3, $522; 8. (tie) Mike McGinn, Mike Garcia and Jacob Sterkel, 4.4, $70 each. Team roping: 1. Rhett Anderson/Cullen Teller, 4.0 seconds, $2,661; 2. (tie) Pedro Egurrola/JC Flake and Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 4.1, $2,240; 4. Tyler Walker/Trey Yates, 4.3, $1,821; 5. (tie) Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts and Kyon Kruetzer/Clancey Kreutzer, 4.7, $1,401 each; 7. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and Dylin Ahlstrom/Caleb Hendrix, 4.8, $840 each; 9. Jack Graham/Calgary Smith, 5.2, $420; 10. Nick Pullara/Jason Gilchrist, 5.7, $140. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Charlie’s Angels, $2,042; 2. Cody DeMoss, 86, $1,565; 3. Mitch Pollock, 83.5, $1,157; 5. Ryan Sanford, 82, $749; 5. Jarrod Hammons, 81, $476; 6. Rowdy Dunklin, 80.5, $340; 7. Mason Laviolette, 78.5, $272; 8. Jack Bentz, 74, $204. Tie-down roping: 1. Blane Cox, 7.4 seconds, $2,500; 2. Ty Harris, 7.8, $2,237; 3. Macon Murphy, 8.0, $1,974; 4. (tie) Tyler Milligan and Luke Potter, 8.3, $1,579 each; 6. Thomas Conway, 8.4, $1,184; 7. Tyler Prcin, 8.5, $921; 8. (tie) King Pickett and Ross McAdow, 8.7, $526 each; 10. Colton Farquer, 9.1, $132. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.46 seconds, $2,581; 2. Lake Mehalic, 17.49, $2,194; 3. Amanda Welsh, 17.53, $1,807; 4. Sarah Kieckhefer and Virginya Foran, 17.55, $1,420 each; 6. Jimmie Smith, 17.57, $903; 7. Cassidy Champlin, 17.61, $645; 8. Jessi Fish, 17.67, $516; 9. Carly Taylor, 17.73, $452; 10. Kenna Kaminski, 17.79, $387; 11. Kelly Yates, 17.80, $323; 12. Chenae Vest, 17.86, $258. Bull riding: 1. Ky Hamilton, 83 points on Rafter G’s Johnny Cash, $3,757; 2. Braden Richardson, 81, $2,274; 3. Parker Cole McCown, 79, $1,861; no other qualified rides.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Jace Melvin has grand plans to return to the National Finals Rodeo for the second straight year. He’s going to do anything and everything possible to make it happen. Over the last few weeks, he’s ridden all sorts of horses, and it seems to be working. On Friday night during the second performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, he grappled his animal to the ground in 3.5 seconds to take the steer wrestling lead with one night remaining in this year’s rodeo. “I’ve been riding her all this week, and I rode her a little bit last week,” Melvin said of Monroe, owned by fellow bulldogger Ringo Robinson of Huston, Idaho. “She’s a phenomenal horse, and Mike McGinn’s been doing the hazing. They’ve just got good bulldogging horses, and they’re bulldogging great.” Just a couple months ago, he was still looking to cash in, struggling to make anything work. So, he changed his game plan and started doing whatever it was going to take. He finished the 2020 campaign 10th in the final world standings. Heading into the final two and a half months of the ProRodeo season, he sits 38th – only the top 15 on the money list earn a spot at the NFR, the sport’s grand finale where world champions care crowned. “I don’t know where I am in the standings, but I know I’ve got a lot of money to win to get to where I want to go,” said Melvin, 29, of Fort Pierre, South Dakota. “My goal is to make the NFR, so I’ve got a lot of winning to do.” He’s having the kind of week that will make a big difference. He’s doing well at nearly every rodeo in which he’s competing, and he will ride for the championship Saturday night in Casper, Wyoming. He will ride Monroe again, but that could change next week. He is leaning on the help of friends and fellow bulldoggers to make it all happen. In addition to Robinson, he’s “mounted” horses owned by Tyler Pearson, Curtis Cassidy, Trell Etbauer, Eli Lord, Sterling Lambert and Dirk Tavenner. “I’ve been super blessed to ride good horses and have good hazes everywhere I’ve went,” he said. This marks the second straight year he’s competed at Cattlemen’s Days. He first arrived in 2020, when the crowd was limited to just a handful of people because of COVID restrictions. He liked what he saw, and he opted to make it part of his calendar this year. “This is a great rodeo; I’m glad to be here,” Melvin said. “It’s a good-paying rodeo, adds great money and has a lot of guys here. It just helps toward the end goal. I’m grateful for any check I win at any rodeo. “This is a neat rodeo up here. You get to drive through good country to come here. It was a great crowd. Standing room only. It was a perfect rodeo.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 15-17Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Casino; 2. Chad Rutherford, 83.5; 3. (tie) Jayco Roper, Tucker Zingg and Tyler Johnson, 82; 6. Trenton Montero, 81.5; 7. Jake Brown, 81; 8. Tristan Hansen, 79.   Steer wrestling: 1. Jace Melvin, 3.5 seconds; 2. Sam Goings, 3.7; 3. Tristan Martin, 3.8; 4. Riley Duvall, 4.0; 5. Payden McIntyre, 4.1; 6. Colt Honey, 4.3; 7. (tie) Mike McGinn, Mike Garcia and Jacob Sterkel, 4.4. Team roping: 1. Rhett Anderson/Cullen Teller, 4.0 seconds; 2. Tyler Walker/Trey Yates, 4.3; 3. Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts, 4.7; 4. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and Dylin Ahlstrom/Caleb Hendrix, 4.8; 6. Nick Pullara/Jason Gilchrist, 5.7; 8. Lee Kiehne/Cole Cooper and Clay Norell/Travis Bounds, 6.2; 10. Monty James/Clay Elkington, 8.1. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Charlie’s Angels; 2. Mitch Pollock, 83.5; 3. Ryan Sanford, 82; 4. Rowdy Dunklin, 80.5; 5. Mason Laviolette, 78.5; 6. Jack Bentz, 74; 7. Jake Burwash, 73; 8. Brody Wells, 72. Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Tyler Milligan and Luke Potter, 8.3 seconds; 3. Thomas Conway, 8.4; 4. Tyler Prcin, 8.5; 5. (tie) King Pickett and Ross McAdow, 8.7; 7. Colton Farquer, 9.1; 8. Tyler Boxleitner, 9.2; 9. (tie) Neil Dove and Kalai Nobriga, 9.3. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.46 seconds; 2. Lake Mehalic, 17.49; 3. Amanda Welsh, 17.53; 4. Virginya Foran, 17.55; 5. Jimmie Smith, 17.57; 6. Cassidy Champlin, 17.61; 7. Jessi Fish, 17.67; 8. Carly Taylor, 17.73; 9. Kelly Yates, 17.80; 10. Chenae Vest, 17.86; 11. Josey Schomp, 17.93; 12. Kailee Murdock, 17.94. Bull riding: 1. Ky Hamilton, 83 points on Rafter G’s Johnny Cash; 2. Braden Richardson, 81; no other qualified rides.

GUNNISON, Colo. – After making his run on the opening night of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, Garrett Tonozzi made a point to find Heidi Sherratt Bogart, the executive director of the Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink. He wanted to express his gratitude for the largest TETWP campaign in ProRodeo. He also wanted to share that his mother, Michelle, is a breast cancer survivor and that programs like the one in Gunnison are close to his heart. “It’s amazing what they’ve done for women who went through it,” said Tonozzi, who also handed Sherratt Bogart two $100 bills as his donation to the Gunnison campaign. He also wanted to thank her and others associated with the campaign for the $1,000 bonus he received for having the fastest time in team roping while also wearing pink. TETWP raised $8,000 and had hoped to give $1,000 per event (and per man in team roping) to the best times and scores during Thursday’s performance; they were able to pay out half on the incentive bonus. Tonozzi, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, won the money in heading, while his partner, T.J. Watts, won the heeling check. Checks were also paid to bareback rider Will Lowe and steer wrestler Austin Eller; they were the only other winners in their respective events who wore pink on pink night. “This is a great circuit rodeo,” said Tonozzi of Fruita, Colorado, now living in Lampasas, Texas. “They add a lot of money. On pink night, it’s a great bonus. It’s just amazing to get that from the committee and all the people that run the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign in Gunnison.” Watts, of Eads, Colorado, has competed at Cattlemen’s Days nearly a dozen times over the years. He always looks forward to returning. This year was equally special to him. “I’ve always had a lot of luck here,” he said. “I’ve only been in the pink night performance one time. We tried to enter for this night for the bonus. Their Tough Enough to Wear Pink is a great deal. This money helps us get down the road and helps us pay for fuel.” Just as important is the fact that the tandem leads team roping after the opening night. They stopped the clock in 4.7 seconds and hope that time holds on for a solid paycheck. That same time was the second fastest a year ago and would have won both the 2018 and 2019 rodeos. “Doing well here means a lot,” Tonozzi said. “I always wanted to go to up Gunnison when I was a kid. I always watched my uncle Bret, and I came up here with him a couple times. This is my home. Western Colorado is where I’m from. I love coming back. “This is an awesome rodeo.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 15-17Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Casino; 2. (tie) Tucker Zingg and Jayco Roper, 82; 4. Tristan Hansen, 79; 5. Jade Taton, 74; 6. Ethan Mazurenko, 73; 7. Luke Wozney, 69; 8. Jake Kesl and Donny Proffit, 68.   Steer wrestling: 1. Austin Eller, 4.8 seconds; 2. Chisum Docheff, 7.2; 3. Kyle Broce, 14.3; no other qualified times. Team roping: 1. Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts, 4.7 seconds; 2. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 4.8; 3. Lee Kiehne/Cole Cooper and Clay Norell/Travis Bounds, 6.2 seconds; 5. Monty James/Clay Elkington, 8.1; no other qualified times. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 88 points on Hurst & TNT’s Charlie’s Angels; 2. Mitch Pollock, 83.5; 3. Ryan Sanford, 82; 4. Jack Bentz, 74; 5. Jake Burwash, 73; 6. Brody Wells, 72; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Tyler Prcin, 8.5 seconds; 2. Owen Wahlert, 9.5; 3. Ty Pablo, 10.9; 4. Jim Mike Hutto, 12.9; 5. Morgan Muray, 13.4; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Molly Otto, 17.46 seconds; 2. Destri Devenport, 18.16; 3. Timber Allenbrand, 18.21; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 18.25; 5. Mickayla Brown, 18.86; no other qualified rides. Bull riding: No qualified rides.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Trey Kerby is convinced the cancelation of the 2020 Lea County Fair and Rodeo led to physical problems he’s experienced in the last year. “That’s what caused my heart issue,” said Kerby, the vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “Last June, we had to make all these decisions so we could cancel contracts if needed. We had the county’s money in our hands, and I hated to take a chance to throw away that money and not have anything to show for it. “(County commissioner) Dean Jackson called me toward the end of June and said there was no way we could do this. Our governor was not helping us be able to have that, but I hated to be one of the ones who had to cancel something that hadn’t been canceled in 50-some years.” That’s when the pain of heartache became more than the pain of heartache. “I was sitting on the porch in my shop, and I had my first weird heartbeat,” he said, noting that he has since had a heart ablation to hopefully correct the ailment. “That’s what started it. The stress had finally bubbled up. Nobody wanted to cancel. Everybody was looking for something to do and something to smile about, and we were going to have to cancel it.” It may have taken a year, but it’s go-time for the 2021 edition of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for July 30-Aug. 7, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington.   While there were troubling times that were centered around the global pandemic, there were some positives that happened. With some New Mexico government relief, the county was able to have its junior livestock show and the Junior Livestock Sale. “When we had to cancel, it was just pretty sad, and everybody was down about it,” said Larry Wheeler, the fair board’s chairman. “Under the circumstances that we all faced last year, it was really good that we were able to have that show and that Junior Livestock Sale. It all came down to the last minute. Less than a week before, the governor released us to have the shows at the fairgrounds. “The people of Lea County, as a whole, missed having a fair a lot. It’s pretty neat to see what’s going on around here now. Everybody’s excited to have the fair and rodeo. It’s just fun to see the excitement level.” Oh, what a difference a year makes. Last summer, the Lea County Fairgrounds resembled a ghost town. There were no carnival rides, and the few people creeping around were there to either work on the complex or set up for a livestock show in virtual isolation. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control have learned more about COVID-19 and the preventative care that’s necessary. In just days, Lovington will blossom, and traffic will pack the town as the fair and rodeo returns to its rightful spot. The concert lineup has returned, and families are busy preparing their entries for the various exhibits. Hundreds of ProRodeo’s brightest stars are making their plans to be in southeastern New Mexico that first week of August. “I know I, for one, am very excited to have this year’s fair and rodeo,” Kerby said. “Of course, there are so many people that this affects, and I know they’re as excited as ever to have it this year.”

Traveling group gathers together as a world champ gets married Slack had just ended on July 2 at the Black Hills Roundup Rodeo in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, and the boys were hungry. The bulldogging traveling posse of Jacob Edler, Stockton Graves, Riley Westhaver and Bridger Anderson were ready to eat. Edler ventured off with some company that was in town to see him: daughter Taylee, fiancé Moriah and her mother, Sholi Glaus. “We needed a stirrup for a saddle, so we headed off to get that and were going to meet them at The Stadium,” said Anderson of Carrington, North Dakota. “We called him to get us a table for lunch, and he said, ‘We’re not headed there now.’ “ ‘Where are you headed?’ ” they asked. “ ‘We’re headed to the (Butte County) courthouse,’ ” they were told by Edler, the reigning world champion steer wrestler from State Center, Iowa. “ ‘I might need Bridger to get ordained so he can marry us.’ “Here I am driving down a gravel road, so I get on my phone, and in about 10 seconds, I become ordained. We went back to the courthouse and had a little ceremony in the room across from the clerk. We celebrated with steak tips afterward.” There in the western South Dakota community of 5,600, the proud parents of 2-month-old Taylee got hitched with Anderson as the officiant and Graves and Westhaver as witnesses. Taylee and Grandma stayed out in the car. It may be a little out of the realm of possibilities for some, but it was just right for Jacob and Moriah Edler. “We talked about it, and we were ready to get married,” he said. “She was over there at slack at Belle Fourche, and we had to be up in Mobridge (South Dakota) that evening. I figured if there’s time, we’ll run over to the courthouse and get married. “We needed an ordained minister, because they didn’t have anybody at the courthouse to do it. Bridger found the information on his phone and became ordained.” It’s the perfect story to tell for Edler, who shocked the rodeo world by winning the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle this past December at the National Finals Rodeo in its one-time home in Arlington, Texas. An Iowa farm boy, he found his way to Northwestern Oklahoma State University to compete in college rodeo for Graves, a Northwestern alumnus who is the team’s coach. Now, they travel together. In fact, all four men are alumni of the Rangers rodeo team, and in 2016, Edler was the reserve college champion to teammate J.D. Struxness. Three years later, Anderson left the College National Finals Rodeo as Northwestern’s second national champion. Like Edler, he qualified for the NFR for the first time last December, and both men are Cinch endorsees. It all makes for one of those obscure Cowboy Christmas stories that go under the radar most of the time. With Edler in the mix, it just adds to the flavor and fun of everything that happened. “Moriah’s mom came over to Mobridge with is, and my mom came over to watch, and we went to the beer stand after the rodeo there in Mobridge,” Edler said, noting that the beer garden served as the couple’s wedding reception. “Bridger’s mom, Robin, got us a cake. Moriah’s mom watched the baby, and we had a good time.” It was just that kind of day. It was a nice break from a two-rodeo day for the boys during their Fourth of July run. Mobridge is more than 200 miles northeast of Belle Fourche, but everyone made it there on time and ready to rumble. It was a day they’ll all remember for their own roles into all that transpired. “The ceremony was a little different, and it sure didn’t take very long,” Anderson said. “They didn’t prepare any vows for me, so I had to wing it.  I’d think we’d have to do a better job if we got time to practice before the next one. It was just ‘Eddy’ and ‘Mo;’ ‘Canada’ (the group’s nickname for Westhaver) and Stockton were there to witness it. We didn’t notice it, but later people pointed out that the three of us were wearing striped light blue shirts, and Eddy was wearing a dark blue shirt. “It turns out we were real dressed up and styled in everything, still covered in dirt from throwing out steers that morning. It was a real bulldogger wedding.” They’re all real bulldoggers, too. Three of the four have NFR experience with the coach owning the most. Graves has been to the NFR seven times and, as it happens, has a chance to make it back an eighth time. Of the foursome, he leads the pack at ninth in the world standings as of July 11. Edler is 21st, Anderson is 26th and Westhaver is just outside the top 50. But it’s time to turn things around. After all, Edler has diapers to buy. Much has changed in the last 12 months. He learned of Taylee’s due date shortly before the NFR began in Texas last December. On the final night of the championship, he announced to the ProRodeo world that he was going to be a dad. Since her birth on May 10, 2021, even more has changed in the man’s mind and soul. “It’s made me grow up even more and realize that I have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” he said. “That little girl means everything to me, and so does my wife. Both of them keep me inspired and keep me wanting to do good. “This is my job now and my living, and I’m very fortunate that Moriah understands that and supports that and wants me to do that. I’ve put my whole life into bulldogging, and last year finally came to the surface and solidified that I know this is what I’m meant to do. I’m  Continue Reading »

LOVINGTON, N.M. – When Cody Sosebee talks, people listen. It’s not that he’s that big of a deal. No, Sosebee is a clown and entertainer, and when it talks during each of the five nights of rodeo action during the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, something comedic usually happens. He returns to this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4-Saturday, Aug. 7, at Jake McClure Arena; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 3. “After the last year we’ve all experienced around here, Cody is going to be the perfect remedy for this community,” said Trey Kerby, chairman of the rodeo committee and the vice chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “The crowd really likes him and engages with him. He’s been here several times, and he’s always a crowd favorite.” Sosebee has been a hit just about everywhere he goes. It’s the reason he’s a regular nominee for the Coors Man in the Can and the PRCA’s Clown of the Year. He’s also been selected to work the barrel at the National Finals Rodeo. In 2018, he was named the PRCA’s Comedy Act of the Year. “He definitely has the kind of pedigree our rodeo crowd likes, but that’s not why we like him coming back,” Kerby said. “He’s about as normal a person as you can get and has a heck of a sense of humor.” It comes naturally to Sosebee, 49, of Charleston, Arkansas. He has a true comic’s sense of timing, but he also understands the intricacies that come with rodeo. He was a champion bareback rider before turning his fancy to the comedy and the barrel. He also likes returning to an event like the rodeo in this southeastern New Mexico community.   “There are a lot of cowboys that come to that rodeo from the ranches and the farms,” Sosebee said. He knows cowboy. He’s been one all his life. He may not wear the hat as often, but he understands the Western lifestyle and what rodeo means to a region. Sosebee has been around rodeo as long as he can remember. He also is good friends with longtime Lovington rodeo announcer Andy Stewart, and their rapport is evident. “I like how well Cody works with Andy,” Kerby said. “They’re pretty flawless together.” Much of his humor comes from his size: Sosebee is bigger than most rodeo clowns, and his raw athleticism shows through the extra cushions his body allows. His acts just accentuate it all into one funny package. “Having the ability to laugh at myself is probably my biggest strength,” he said. “I don’t take anything too serious. When I’m watching a comedian, the funniest thing I see is when they’re honestly open and having a good time.” “I am very humbled by it, because I automatically thought of the guys who had come before me who had never been selected to work the finals,” he said. “There’s no way to describe it, because the guys voted for it. I can take that with me forever.”

Estes Park rodeo returns and puts on a heck of a show for big crowds ESTES PARK, Colo. – In January, the members of the Estes Park Western Heritage Inc., began planning an event they didn’t even know if they’d be able to have. The organization is a group of volunteers that annually works with the town of Estes Park to produce Rooftop Rodeo, which just completed its six-day run Saturday night. After having to cancel the 2020 edition of the community’s most prestigious events, there were some challenges that had to be overcome in order for the rodeo to occur this year. “The first numbers regarding capacity for our rodeo were just ugly,” said Mark Purdy, the group’s chairman. “We were going to be allowed just 25 percent of capacity, and we could not have run it at that level. Once we got to 50 percent, it was still ugly, but we started thinking we could possibly pull this thing off. “We also were at 50 percent of our normal sponsorships at April, and we started tightening our budget so we could have it this year. In May, Colorado went full capacity, so we got to add some things back. We just tried to make it as normal as possible.” Over the years, Rooftop Rodeo has been recognized as one of the best events in ProRodeo. Six times it’s been honored as Rodeo of the Year: five times in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as Small Rodeo of the Year and once as the Medium Committee of the Year in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Regularly it has hosted hundreds of the greatest stars in the game and has been seen as a destination event, but something spectacular happened this year with 830 entries. “We set a record,” Purdy said. “That was just incredible. We were just gratified to see the contestants were coming back. With that, we started seeing other things happen. We had all our box seats sold out three weeks out. We had our stands filled to about 90 percent to 95 percent capacity early in the week, and we were sold out on Friday and Saturday nights. Our traditional sponsors started coming back in a big way.” What they saw was spectacular competition. There were big scores and fast times all week, with one of the biggest winners was Utahan Stetson Wright, who won the bull riding and all-around titles in Estes Park; he is the reigning world champion in both. Actually, the leaderboards of all events were filled with world champions and National Finals Rodeo qualifiers, including saddle bronc rider Sterling Crawley, who claimed the crown with his 83-point ride on the final night. The times in barrel racing were exceptionally fast throughout the week of competition, with NFR qualifier Shelley Morgan winning the title in a time of 16.66 seconds, just two-tenths off the arena record. It all happened because a group of dedicated volunteers made a concerted effort to overcome whatever challenges they faced and produce an incredible event for members of the Estes Park community and the tourists that make it such a vibrant mountain town each summer. “We have a really passionate group of committee people, and they never wavered,” Purdy said. “I know a lot of rodeos and other events had a real big problem with volunteer retainment after the pandemic, but we didn’t have a problem with that. “Everybody stepped up. We were ready for a 50 percent capacity in April, and then it opened up. We also got a handful of new sponsors are now long-term committed to our rodeo. Our future is looking very bright at Rooftop Rodeo.” Rooftop RodeoEstes Park, Colo.All-around cowboy: Stetson Wright, $4,276, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. Bareback riding: 1. Tyler Johnson, 87.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Zipper Trick, $5,534; 2. Tray Chambliss III, 86.5, $4,243; 3. Bodee Lammers, 84.5, $3,136; 4. Garrett Shadbolt, 83.5, $2,029; 5. (tie) Lane McGehee, Will Lowe, Luke Creasy and Jake Brown, 83, $876 each. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Dirk Tavenner, 3.3 seconds, $1,861; 2. Brandon Harrison, 3.4, $1,541; 3. Dalton Massey, 3.7, $1,220; 4. (tie) Tristan Martin and Payden McIntyre, 3.8, $738 each; 6. (tie) Cade Staton, Kyle Broce and Bill Claunch, 3.9, $107 each. Second round: 1. Jule Hazen, 3.4 seconds, $1,861; 2. Grady Payne, 3.5, $1,541; 3. Rowdy Parrott, 3.6, $1,220; 4. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Riley Krassin, Jacob Talley, Will Lummus and Laramie Warren, 3.8, $359 each. Average: 1. Brandon Harrison, 7.9 seconds on two head, $2,792; 2. (tie) Jacob Talley and Will Lummus, 8.0, $2,070 each; 4. Laramie Warren, 8.4, $1,348; 5. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Riley Krassin, 8.5, $674 each. Team roping: First round: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.5 seconds, $1,811 each; 2. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 4.8, $1,499; 3. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 5.0, $1,186; 4. (tie) Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith and Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 5.1, $718 each; 6. Lightning Aguilera/Shay Dixon Carroll, 5.2, $312. Second round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.2 seconds, $1,811 each; 2. John Gaona/Trevor Nowlin, 4.4, $1,499; 3. Colby Lovell/Paul Eaves, 4.5, $1,186; 4. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 4.7, $874; 5. (tie) Tyler Waters/Richard Durham and Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 4.9, $437 each. Average: 1. (tie) Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 9.7 seconds on two head, $2,482 each; 3. Tyler Waters/Richard Durham, 10.3, $1,780; 4. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 10.8, $1,311; 5. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 10.9, $843; 6. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 11.0, $468. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Sterling Crawley, 83 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s 2 week Notice, $5,584; 2. Colt Gordon, 81.5, $4,281; 3. (tie) Jacob Kammerer and Ryder Wright, 79, $2,606 each; 5. (tie) Layton Green, Mitch Pollock, Wyatt Casper and Jacobs Crawley, 78, $884 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Riley Pruitt, 7.3 seconds, $4,054; 2. Trenton Smith, 8.0, $3,627; 3. Bo Pickett, 8.4, $3,201; 4. Andrew Burks, 8.6, $2,774; 5. Tom Crouse, 8.7, $2,347; 6. Ryan Belew, 8.8, $1,920; 7. (tie) Hunter Reaume and Colton Farquer, 8.9, $1,280 each; 9. (tie) Marty Yates and Bryce Barney, 9.1, $427 each. Barrel racing: 1. Shelley Morgan, 16.66 seconds, $4,221; 2. Dona Kay Rule,  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – John Harrison has worked many of the largest events in ProRodeo over his years as an entertainer – first as a trick rider, now as a rodeo clown and funnyman. He’s never worked the biggest rodeo in Kansas, the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug-Sunday, Aug. 8, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “Dodge City is one of those legendary rodeos you hear about,” said Harrison, 42, of Soper, Oklahoma. “It’s a special rodeo to get to work. It’s one of the great ones. Anytime you get an opportunity to work one of the great ones, you’re just blessed.” Harrison is more than blessed; he’s also talented. He comes by it quite naturally, but he’s also worked at it. It takes a special determination to become proficient at trick riding, and he toured the country for years doing so. In fact, he was part of the opening act at the National Finals Rodeo as a trick rider before he transitioned to the comedic side of rodeo. He’s so good at it that he’s been recognized for his talents. He’s been named the Coors Man in the Can and the Comedy Act of the Year, and he’s served as the NFR’s barrelman six times in the last eight years. “We’ve seen and heard about John for a few years, and we’re very excited to be able to bring him to Dodge City this year,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, president of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “John has a great list of accomplishments, and we believe he will add a different flavor of comedy for our rodeo.” The grandson of 1962 world champion bull rider Freckles Brown, he has incorporated part of his trick riding into comedy, and it’s one reason why he’s been recognized as a top comedy act in ProRodeo. Add to that a natural southern drawl with his distinct humor, and it’s easy to see why rodeo fans have clamored to see him at work. “My clowning has evolved quite a bit,” Harrison said. “I never worked any amateur rodeos, because I already had my PRCA card with trick riding, so I didn’t have any chance to work on my clowning before I started doing it. “That transition the first few years was tough.” He’s no longer transitioning. When the schedule allows, he travels the rodeo trail with his family, including his wife, Carla, and their children. In fact, Roundup will be the last rodeo he will work with his family in tow; they will return to southeastern Oklahoma so the kids can return to school. Like everyone, Harrison is happy to be back at his job of making people laugh. The cancelations from COVID-19 had negative impact on his business, but he’s seeing the blessings now. “It hit us hard,” he said. “We found out how non-essential rodeo clowns are. I’m blessed with the ones that were still going on and needed a clown. This year, every rodeo I’ve been to is up as far as its crowd. It’s crazy. People are wanting out of the house and doing something as a community. It’s great for me as an entertainer, because they make my job easier. They are ready to let their hair down and get wild. That makes it fun.” That’s good news for the people who make their way to the biggest rodeo in Kansas.

Clements’ honeymoon put on hold; he had bucking horses to ride Everything was picture perfect: An early-June wedding on a Rocky Mountain setting in beautiful Utah. “The ceremony was going to start at 6:30 p.m., and it was a warm day,” Mason Clements said of his June 5 nuptials to his bride, Brianna. “I prayed for some mid-morning, early-afternoon showers to cool it off, and at about 3 or 4 p.m., it started to thunder, lightning and rain. I was starting to second-guess my prayer. “It all turned out beautiful. The sun came back out, and there were a few clouds, the sunset … it was cool. The venue is a rustic-barn setting with an open pasture of grass behind it. I had seven of my best men there to stand with me and support me, and Brianna had seven of her best women.” The setting and the ceremony were the perfect celebration to the beginning of a marriage that is meant to last a lifetime or more. For a rodeo cowboy from Utah, it was a way to celebrate his roots and put his love on display for all to see, for most to cherish. Before them stood Kelly Wardell, a cowboy himself who had served as Mason Clements’ bareback-riding mentor for many years. On that day, he was the officiant, the man that declared them husband and wife, the man that told him to kiss his bride. “Brianna thinks he’s an awesome guy, and she kept telling me to ask Kelly to officiate our wedding,” he said. “I truly believe he set the tone with his words and his speech. It made this journey I’ve taken through rodeo that much better, because Kelly is someone I’ve looked up to and respected for a long time, since 2012. He’s just that guy that will do anything for you, so it’s special that he did that for us.” That’s a common trait among rodeo cowboys. They understand the ups and downs that comes from the game they play, the life they live. But there will always be a calling that many won’t understand; cowboys are competitors, and rodeo means competition. Instead of packing up his new bride for a beach or a resort somewhere special, Mason Clements found himself in a familiar place the day after his wedding, Sunday, June 6 – he was en route to try his hand on another bucking horse. “I entered the Riggin Rally with a 50-50 intention of going,” he said. “About the week of our wedding, I decided I’d better just stay and hang out with her and our families and enjoy the time. The Riggin Rally and the dates are things you can’t change with ProRodeo and the organizers and sponsors that are involved in it. Here I am, about to say ‘I do,’ but I also have a job that pays the bills and is something that I love just as deep. “When I saw the draw, I knew I had to get on that horse.” The animal was Great Nation, owned by Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics. The powerful bay had bucked at the 2020 National Finals Rodeo, so Clements knew there was something special to the horse, and he was right. He scored 89 points to win his section and advance to the championship round, where he was 89.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Yippee Kibitz, good enough to finish in a tie for third place. He earned $4,815 for his venture to Darby, Montana, and his wife wasn’t at all upset. “She always wanted me to go, but she didn’t want to go the day after the wedding,” Clements said. “ ‘I want you to go,’ she said, ‘and I want you to win and come back as soon as you can. We’ll take care of family stuff.’ “She gave her full support and love there. I also had my awesome traveling partner, Leighton Berry, who came up for the wedding. The next morning, he drove me all the way to Darby, and I slept three-fourths of the way. He made sure I got there on time and got rested. I was really blessed and fortunate to have all the people put in the time and effort to make our day be special for both of us and make sure I was where I needed to be the day after.” The honeymoon is still up in the air. For now, Brianna will join him on the rodeo trail. This is a much different life than she knew before, raised on an oceanfront in Cocoa Beach, Florida, the home of Cape Canaveral. She grew up playing soccer, then moved out West, where she recently graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism. “The summer run would be our unofficial honeymoon,” he said. “We’re planning on going somewhere warm and tropical and relaxing come the end of the season when we can take the whole week off and spend time with each other when everything’s slower.” Brianna Clements understood fully what life with her new husband would be like. He made sure of it when he proposed two years ago, and she agreed to life with a rodeo cowboy. “I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Mason Clements said. “As past years have gone, that first week of June is pretty empty. As luck would have it, there are three rodeos that week before and two to three rodeos the weekend of, and one happened to be the Riggin Rally. It’s the only stand-alone bareback riding event and one of the biggest events of the year.” As of late June, he was 19th in the world standings. That finish in Darby helped with that a bit, but he still needs some help if he hopes to make it back to the NFR for the fourth time in five years. “After Reno, it goes from being a part-time job like it has  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – Rodeo’s roots dates back to more than a century ago when ranchers and cowboys found their way to competition to see which outfit had the best hands. It was for bragging rights to begin with, but rodeo has evolved. At the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA rodeo, for example, contestants can walk away with thousands of dollars in their pocket based on how well they performed. Cattlemen’s Days is a celebration of Gunnison County’s ranching and agriculture roots, and there are a host of events that honor that, including the Ranch Rodeo, set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 11, with a ranch bronc riding expected to start around 5 p.m.; the Ranch Arena Team Sort is set for 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 12. “Those are important events for this community,” said Brad Tutor, first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “It gives people that are not PRCA cowboys a chance to show off what they can do. It’s special to them. A lot of our local kids, guys and girls come out to be part of that rodeo. “All these events are important for the committee. We have an elite group of people who are volunteering their time, and people come from all over to help put on this event. From the rodeo to the parade to the things going on with our Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign, they care deeply, and that’s what makes it special for us. Most of them grew up here, and they understand what it means to have Cattlemen’s Days.” The Ranch Rodeo will feature teams of five riders competing in sorting, penning, trailer-loading and stray gather. Just as the ranches did so many decades ago, this will be a place to see which outfit has he most talented cowboys and cowgirls in the area. There are prizes and an incentive pot for local teams, which would include a minimum of three residents within the Gunnison watershed. The Ranch Arena Team Sort will include teams of four riders trying to sort five head of cattle in a 90-second time limit. The sorts are timed events and will also have a 16-under class competition on that Monday evening. “The main thing about being raised on a ranch in Gunnison is the cowboy part,” said Ramon Ray, president of the Gunnison Roping Club and a past participant in the ranching events during Cattlemen’s Days. “I get peace of mind out of working my horses. With our business now, it doesn’t allow me a lot of time to do what I was raised to do. “I get real pleasure to be able to work my horse and see how my horse gets along and advances in all aspects of the ranch rodeo arena.” That’s the basic idea for most who compete. Of course, there’s always those bragging rights, which just as valuable as anything for each year’s winners.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – A local grant mixed with volunteer labor will result in a bit of a facelift to Roundup Arena in time for this year’s Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. The planks of wood that served as flooring and seating for the north grandstands of the arena have been removed and will be replaced in time for this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug-Sunday, Aug. 8; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. “The money comes from a grant we received from the Community Facilities Advisory Board, a joint city-county committee,” said Elaine Gall, the office manager for Roundup Rodeo. “We left the frame and rebuilt the flooring, risers and seats with metal. It had been an old, wooden grandstands. “It was more of a safety issue, but we believe it’s going to look good, too.” Roundup Rodeo is one of the biggest annual events to hit southwest Kansas each year, with hundreds of contestants itching to compete inside the storied arena at one of the largest events in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In addition, thousands of fans come from the region and beyond to see the spectacle of Kansas’ largest rodeo. “The funding comes from the ‘Why Not Dodge?’ campaign that was established years ago,” Gall said. “That’s been the best thing for Dodge City as far as making it an entertainment destination.” Oh, and there’s plenty of entertainment when it comes to Roundup Rodeo. In addition to the world-class competition that takes place on the arena floor, the event also will be a showcase of comedy and true horsemanship with the addition of John Harrison, one of the most recognized rodeo clowns and entertainers. Beyond that, each event in rodeo has its own level of entertainment. Whether it’s a high-marked ride on bucking horses and bulls or fast times in bulldogging or barrel racing, there are so many aspects of the rodeo that account for their own entertainment value to fans. That’s why having the most comfortable grandstands possible is important to the local organizers. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of work to put something like this together,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, the volunteer committee’s president. “We had just a few guys who put in all of that work, and between them, they will have put in hundreds of man-hours to make sure the work is done right and looks good. We have some incredible volunteers to get that kind of work done. “This is going to be functional, which is the most important, but I think it’s also going to allow our arena to look even more modern. Plus, after coming off a year like we witnessed in 2020, I hope we have all three grandstands full for all the performances during the week of the rodeo.”

Top names in ProRodeo are expected to ride for Gunnison’s big money GUNNISON, Colo. – The word is out about the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. While many people knew about the gem of Colorado rodeos before, the 120th celebration helped set the record straight. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic kept fans away, the contestants showed up in record numbers. They were showcased in front of a national television audience on The Cowboy Channel, and that’s been enough to keep the numbers boosted again this year. There are 422 cowboys and cowgirls who are planning to compete in Gunnison again this year; that’s an even bigger number than the community hosted last year, and it’s calling for some wild times and big scores at this year’s rodeo, set for Thursday, July 15-Saturday, July 17, at Fred Field Western Center. Of those, there are 57 men and women who have played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage, the National Finals Rodeo. There are 13 world champions who are expected to compete in Gunnison, and they make up 26 Montana Silversmiths gold buckles. The field is led by six-time world champion bull rider Sage Kimzey, who is again at the top of the world standings with more than $120,000 in earnings so far this season. He is one of several multi-time champions who are hoping to collect some of the big money available in this picturesque mountain community, including three-time bareback riding titlist Will Lowe, who has two decades’ worth of experience and 15 NFR qualifications to his credit. “When you look at this list of contestants, it really is a who’s who of rodeo’s biggest stars,” said Kevin Coblentz, a longtime member of the Cattlemen’s Days volunteer committee. “We’ve got world champions in nearly every event that will be part of our rodeo. That’s very exciting to us as a committee, and I hope it’s exciting for our community. “COVID caused all sorts of issues for us and many other rodeos last year, but where there are struggles, there are also good things. Because there were so many rodeos canceled, COVID opened the door for more contestants to come to Gunnison. It seems they liked what they saw, and we have even more cowboys coming back this year.” When the contestants arrive, they will be greeted by a community that enjoys the annual celebration and is excited for its return to its traditional dates in mid-July. Each night will honor something special, and that’s proof of what Gunnison and the valley is all about. Opening night features the highly successful Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign, followed by Patriot Night on Friday and the Ranchland Conservation Legacy Night to close out the three performances of ProRodeo. “We do these nights so we can honor three separate things and give focus to each of those,” said Brad Tutor, first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “We are the No. 1 Tough Enough to Wear Pink rodeo in the United States based on what we’ve done in this community. We continue to work with the hospital and other providers in town, and we want to have the No. 1 rural breast cancer facility in the nation very soon. “Our Patriot Night honors those that have served us in so many capacities. We have a lot of veterans in this community, and we also have a lot of very strong patriotic feelings among the people in this town, so we realized a few years ago that we had a strong desire to honor those. We finish the rodeo by honoring those with ranching backgrounds. This is traditionally a ranching community, and our heritage is very strong regarding ranching and ranchland.” With a community that has such a rich legacy, nobody would expect less than something brilliant like the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Darran Robertson and Cody Emerson look at life inside the rodeo arena vastly different than most. When danger appears, they attack it. When a 1,600-pound bull charges, they return the favor, utilizing their athleticism and experiences to help themselves and others inside the arena escape harm’s way. It’s their nature; it’s their job. They are the bullfighters and will have a very important role at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for Thursday, July 15-Saturday, July 17, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “I do this for the love of the game,” said Emerson, 32, of Marble Falls, Texas. “I think the thrill of protecting your buddies is something that most people don’t get to feel. The bull riders are always grateful that you saved their butts. You get to travel all over the country doing what you love to do. There aren’t many jobs like it that you can provide what it provides, along with the adrenaline rush that comes with the job and the brotherhood we have as bull riders and bullfighters.” It takes a passion to jump into the middle of a wreck in order to keep everyone else in the arena out of trouble, and both men have that. Robertson, who rode bulls for several years before he tried his hand at bullfighting, understands the necessity of his job better than most. Both are veterans in the game, but Robertson is a bit more … distinguished. He’s 44 years old doing a job that most men do until their mid-30s. “My wife, kids and I talked about when to hang it up,” said Robertson of Weatherford, Texas. “I said I was going to be done at 40, but I still have fun doing it. I do it because I just enjoy it. “My son gets to go with me a little bit. When I stop having fun or if my body tells me I’m done, then I’ll quit, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen soon. I go to the gym five to six days a week, and I still feel pretty good.” It shows in his effectiveness, and he and Emerson work well together. They’ve partnered together numerous times over the last decade, and that trend doesn’t look to stop soon. Both are excited about returning to Gunnison and experiencing how a community comes together for a celebration like Cattlemen’s Days, which has been around for 121 years. “That’s just a great little rodeo,” Emerson said. “It’s got the old-school look and the big, wood chutes, which is something you don’t see very often at rodeos today. We have two sections of bull riding, so we get to open and close the performances with bull riding. You have your work cut out for you, because they’ll bring the heat twice a day, and you need to be on your toes.” There will be plenty of action inside the historic arena, but the rest of his venture to work the rodeo will mean enjoying the cool mountain air; that’s a far cry from their Texas homes, which features high humidity and intense heat through the summer months. “Gunnison is a cool little town in the mountains, and I like going to the mountains and rodeoing in June and July,” he said. “It’s also a cool town to be in, with a neat atmosphere. The rodeo is a huge deal to the people there, so that helps make it really exciting for us when we get there.” He got his start nearly a decade ago after watching the action for much of his life. He grew up roping in northeastern Arkansas, then decided to try his hand at bullfighting. He attended a school put on by veteran bullfighter Frank Newsom, and he quickly fell in love with it. Robertson rode bulls well enough to qualify for the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo three times. After he decided to hang up his spurs, he found a job, but he had the world of rodeo calling back. of Fame rodeo clown Lecile Harris, a longtime family friend, offered some assistance, and Robertson followed by putting his natural athleticism to work in a different capacity. When he arrives in Gunnison, he will offer decades of experience around bulls and a love for the game that most men in their 40s would never comprehend. “The people in that town are amazing,” he said. “There is definitely an Old West feel when you get there. They have the old-style bucking chutes, and that Tough Enough To Wear Pink program is a huge deal there. “The town has some nostalgia to it, and it’s got an incredible feel. I just love that small-town atmosphere and the way the people treat you when you’re there.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – There are more than 2 million acres across Gunnison County, and about a tenth of those acres are used for agriculture. This is a home for farmers and ranchers and many others that care about agriculture. It’s the legacy left to many in Gunnison County, and it’s one of the many reasons why the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration is such a big deal to the locals and others with ties to the Gunnison Valley. This year’s event is July 1-18 at the Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “I would say Cattlemen’s Days and 4-H are key to the development of the area and the history of the area,” said Perri Pelletier, the 4-H agent for the Colorado State University Extension in Gunnison County. “I’m delighted to know all the things I’m learning about that.” Though Pelletier has lived in Gunnison much of the past two decades, she’s still relatively new to her post at the extension office. She’s been at it about a year and oversaw the 2020 4-H experience, albeit through several COVID-19 precautions. She may be new to the office, but she’s been around 4-H for several years. Her children began their involvement with the program in 2008, and her youngest recently graduated high school and 4-H. “I believe the 4-H and FFA programs are very important to this community and the people in it,” she said. “We serve over 100 kids and have a marvelous growing experience for them each year. We had a full experience last year, but there were some COVID limitations. People got to show their projects. I’d say it was down a little bit from what we normally get. “I think this year’s exhibits will be stronger. You can definitely tell the people are ready to experience a normal Cattlemen’s Days again.” There are a number of categories, from various animal exhibits to general projects, 4-H offers opportunities for anyone who wishes to be involved. Yes, there are traditional livestock shows and the Junior Livestock Auction, but there are a variety of divisions for many interests. The auction, which rewards the youngsters for their hard work in preparing and presenting their exhibits, is set for Saturday, July 10. In years past, the Junior Livestock Auction fell on the final Saturday of Cattlemen’s Days. “The decision to have the auction on that date was made early in the spring,” Pelletier said. “This is the second year we’ve done that because of COVID. There are pluses and minuses for doing it that way. “We have a little more room to spread out, because the rodeo events aren’t going on in the evening. That allows the rodeo people more access to the grounds. The downside of it is we lose some of the hype that we have when it’s all together, but we think this is the best Way to do it for now.” Nonetheless, everyone is excited and ready for the fun and the ability to show off their wares during Gunnison’s biggest annual event, Cattlemen’s Days.

GUNNISON, Colo. – COVID-19 reared its ugly head around the world in 2020, and the isolation and devastation was only part of the problem. For the Gunnison Roping Club, it meant an alteration to its traditional plans surrounding the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration, the biggest community event in all of the Gunnison Valley each year. “The Watershed Team Roping is an event we’ve traditional held for years with the Cattlemen’s Days celebration,” said Ramon Ray, the club’s president and a longtime member. “It’s an event that’s set up for all of our local ropers, horse people or people that are interested in horses. To be eligible, you need to live in the Gunnison watershed.” After a one-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, it will return Wednesday, July 14, and will again be part of this year’s Cattlemen’s Days, set for Thursday, July 1-Sunday, July 18, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “Last year, we were rebuilding the club, so when COVID stepped into play, I was very apprehensive about continuing with the ropings,” he said, noting that the club also organizes the Cattlemen’s Days Roping, which takes place on the final Sunday of the celebration, July 18. “We didn’t schedule the watershed roping because of COVID. As far as I can remember, it was the first time it’s ever been missed. “We didn’t want to interfere with the rodeo and all they were doing to put the rodeo on last year. We’d rather see the rodeo continue, because that’s important for this community.” While that was discouraging, it opens the doors for many positive things to happen in 2021. For one, last year’s Cattlemen’s Days was restricted, and the rodeo was postponed until Labor Day weekend.  This year’s 19-day celebration is on its regularly scheduled time, and all events are expected to continue as normal. “I think our team ropings are very important to the legacy of our community and the tradition of Cattlemen’s Days,” Ray said. “It’s time for our local ropers that have basically come up in our roping club to get back out in front of the audience and shine. It’s important for our spectators to come down and watch the roping, with the auction and everything else that goes on. They have a great time. “It’s a community gathering, when people don’t see each other all the time during the winter months. After a while, when things like this happen, it’s pretty significant for that big moment during that one-time-a-year event.” That includes the final Sunday event, which stands as a perfect way to bring closure to such a generational celebration. “It’s an open roping to end our Cattlemen’s Days,” Ray said. “We have it for folks that are still here, including rodeo contestants that would like to participate. As the years have gone on, they have done a lot of things the same as the watershed roping, so it’s been a big part of Cattlemen’s Days.”

Champion may be retired from bull riding, but he’s got plenty on his plate Life as a professional bull rider can be hectic. From training to travel to competing – sometimes at two locations in the same day during the busiest times of the year – there’s a lot that goes into being elite. J.W. Harris has felt that rush for much of his 34 years. He started riding animals of some sort around 1990 and just recently announced his retirement as one of the best to have ever competed. A four-time PRCA world champion, nine-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and three-time contestant at the PBR World Finals, it was time for him to slow down and relax a bit. Or so he thought. “Everybody said life would slow down when you quit rodeoing, but it sped up,” said Harris, who lives in tiny Goldthwaite, Texas, in the middle of the Lone Star State. “My kids are involved in a lot of stuff, so I’m probably running around more than I have in a long time.” It’s certainly different from the last decade and a half of his life on the rodeo trail. He first qualified for the NFR in 2006, a fresh-faced, 20-year-old bull rider full of swagger. Within two years, he’d walk away from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas with the most cherished prize in his game, the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle awarded to the bull riding world champion. He followed that season with two more titles, becoming the first man since Donnie Gay to have won three consecutive bull riding championships. He was the talk of the town in every community in which he rode. He added is fourth crown in 2013, virtually solidifying his spot for the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “I was probably getting on a big ol’ steer when I was 3 or 4 years old at the Coleman (Texas) junior rodeo, and I was talking crap to all the bull riders, telling them that I was going to spur all the hair off that steer except where I was sitting,” he said. “The next thing I know, I was laying flat on my head.” He may have taken a tumble, but his bravado never changed. He carried that swagger with him for decades, and it served him very well. A second-generation bull rider, it takes a certain mindset to sit atop a bucking beast with nearly a ton and a half of muscle and energy flinging itself around while the cowboy tries to move in step with the animal. Though he “farted around” with team roping, his passion was matching his athleticism with those of the bucking bovines. Over his established career, Harris rode better than 51 percent of the bulls he attempted. Three times in his career, his riding percentage was at least 60. That’s elite status. It came from riding steers for years and jumping up to the big-boy bulls in high school.  It came from being raised by a true cowboy. Mark Harris was the 1989 Texas Circuit Rookie of the Year who also worked on a racehorse ranch, where he rode racehorses. He passed that along to his son, who carried it to the top of the world. “I think I knew I was going to be a cowboy from the start,” Harris said. “Just being around cattle, that’s all I ever wanted to do.” Talent comes in many forms, and he had plenty of it. Still, he didn’t realize that he had the talent to be successful until his junior year in high school. “I rode steers pretty good, and I won a bunch in junior bull riding,” he said. “I struggled a little bit making the transition from junior bulls to big bulls. One day it clicked, and I realized that maybe I had a shot at making a living at it.” Harris has certainly done that, and he shares that with his family. He married the former Jackie Woolsey in October 2009. They have two children: Aubrey, 10, and Dillon, 8. The kids are involved in rodeo now, so he’s gone from hauling himself and a traveling posse across the country to hitting regional stops for the youngsters. “The greatest memories for me were the births of both my kids,” Harris said. “Aubrey was born in Vegas the night of the back number presentation (two days before the 2010 NFR). Dillon was born in August (2012) , which made a flying trip from Dodge City (Kansas) to make sure we were there for it.” Their lives have always revolved around rodeo. Jackie Harris was the 2004 Miss Rodeo Arkansas, and the two met two years after that. “The one memory that sticks out the most is making the NFR for the first time,” J.W. Harris said. “That’s where I met my wife. Everything leads back to rodeo for me. Obviously winning the four gold buckles is special, and so is winning the (NFR) average. Getting to bring my kids up in that atmosphere is great. They were raised at rodeos. I had a lot of help along the way raising them, but I just enjoyed getting to rodeo with my family. I loved that more than anything.” A Cinch endorsee for a dozen years, he remembers the day he became involved in the Western clothier. He was competing at a bull riding in Del Rio, Texas. Since then, he added a world championship face to the defining brand in Western wear. Whether he was riding for 90 points or playing pranks on one of his friends, he carried a positive attitude and a relaxed fit everywhere he went. “I don’t think the transition to retirement will be that great,” he said. “I’ve got plenty to do to keep me busy, and I don’t think I’ll have a hard time adjusting. I’ve been home quite a bit the last couple of years. That makes it easier now. “I knew it was time to  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – It really doesn’t matter how many times Shali Lord has made barrel racing runs in this beautiful Rocky Mountain town, she loves returning. “It’s an old-fashioned setting, but everything they have there is modernized,” said Lord, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Lamar, Colorado. “They have a great announcer, great stock, and they work really hard on their ground to make it good. “It’s a fun rodeo.” It’s also a rodeo she’s won before, most recently a year ago when she and her stud mount, Can Man, beat a full and talented field. They sprinted around the cloverleaf pattern in 17.48 seconds to claim the top prize, and it was quite a feat. She’d like to repeat at this year’s Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for Thursday, July 15-Saturday, July 17, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “I bet I’ve been to that rodeo 10 times or more,” she said, pointing out that she earned the title about 15 years earlier on Slider, the first horse that carried her to the NFR in 2005. “It seems like every year they seem to make it better, add more money and give us a better opportunity. “It’s always a good one for us to go to, and I try not to miss it.” She didn’t a year ago, bettering a field that featured nearly a dozen NFR qualifiers and a couple of world champions. With the global pandemic raising its ugly head, most ProRodeos were canceled, but the Gunnison community came out in full force to make sure the 120th consecutive edition of the Cattlemen’s Days rodeo went on as expected. “I think last year was so tough for everyone,” Lord said. “That weekend was particularly awesome. Can Man did really good, and things turned around for us that weekend. He started firing, feeling good and working really good. It was awesome to get the win there.” There was a constant theme amongst the 2020 rodeo winners: They were just thankful for the opportunity to compete. While life is much more back to normal, there are some lasting effects. The fact that Gunnison’s rodeo took place despite extreme limitations on crowd size still rings in the ears of the competitors that make their livings in the sport. “We’re going to support as many rodeos as we can that supported us last year,” said Cole Reiner, the co-champion in bareback riding from Kaycee, Wyoming. “Even if they’re a little out of the way, we’re still going to try to work them into our schedule. The committee in Gunnison went out of their way last year to have a rodeo, so we want to tell them just how much it meant to us by making sure we try to go back.” Reiner, who advanced to his first NFR and earned the 2020 Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year title, scored 88 points to share the Gunnison title with Orin Larsen. Still, it was a little different dismounting his horse after a big score and hearing a spattering of applause from few dozen people allowed in the grandstands because of pandemic limitations. “It was definitely a little weird getting off that horse after an 88-point ride and hearing the silence,” he said with a laugh. “That’s definitely one I’ll remember for that, but I’m still very thankful they went ahead and had the rodeo even though nobody could really be there.” The contestants also are excited about the rodeo’s return to its normal mid-July dates; the event was delayed until Labor Day weekend a year ago because of COVID-19, but it left a mark on many. “Like a lot of rodeos that have worked to go on, it means a lot to us that they went ahead and had the rodeo,” said Larsen, a six-time NFR qualifier from Inglis, Manitoba. “It’s a great rodeo. I know the committee did a really good job of trying to get it going. They worked hard to make it happen.” The 2020 Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo featured many of the biggest names in rodeo, with dozens of NFR qualifiers and 25 world champions representing 46 gold buckles. With thankfulness in their hearts and their minds on the money available, many of those are already making plans to return. That’s what happens when a community comes together.

To my Uncle Dude, nicknames were something of an artform. He and his siblings were pretty darn good at it, but he and Uncle Donnie have always been spectacular. Maybe it comes from a man who always went by a nickname. Born Howard Henry Summers, I rarely ever heard anyone but family call him that. He has always been “Dude,” and rightfully so. He died Saturday, June 26, at the age of 80, and he was certainly a special dude. My first recollections were our contests off the front porch of my family’s home in Leoti, Kansas. He, a diminutive man near 30, would take me out the kitchen door, and we would see which one of us could pee further. Apparently, I covered quite the spread back in those days. And if you think it was just a thing for us rural folks, this was in the middle of the daylight on Seventh Street, directly across from the State Department of Transportation lot and a block from the fairgrounds; we were very much in town. He got a special kick out of it, and it was our thing until my mom, dad, brother, sister and I moved away nearly five decades ago. But it was his nicknames that always stuck out with me; maybe it’s because I have had a few in my 50-plus years. From my recollection, it started with Tedford, then became Newtedford, and, no, I have no idea where that came from. From there, he and Uncle Donnie called me Newt, then back to Newtedford Sweeps; I assume that has something to do with a piece of farm equipment called an undercutter, which is often referred to as sweeps. All that, and guess what stuck: Yep, Sweeps. Just Sweeps. He’d say it in a variety of baritone barks: “Sweeps, Sweeeeeeeeps, Swwweeeepps.” I smiled wide every time I heard it. I’m sure he had nicknames for all 24 of his nieces and nephews, but I polled some of my family, and this is what I have found: Debby Desporte: DebrettaRoxanne Weiss: Roxsetta LouiseGina Foster: Gina LollobrigidaTaylor Summers: TamianMike Harbin:  Benny (from Uncle Donnie)Shelly Graff: Shelly BourbonBob Summers: Roberto SummeriosMerle David Summers (who goes by the nickname “Whitey”): Mini DavidJim Summers: NumaneeDixie Summers Bingham: The DuckDustin Bingham (Dixie’s husband): Hoffman (after actor Dustin Hoffman)Tim Ridder: Rainy (it rained 7 inches the day he was born)Bret Ridder: Bret Maverick (“Maverick,” the TV show)Raquel Ridder Plath: Ray-KellBrandon Stites: Da Wilde (after actor Brandon DaWilde)Eric Stites: Eureka SpringsCheyenne Shafto Brown: CheyneyweywivabifTeneille Brown: Teeny EelMarriah Brown: Mean RiahJasmine Shipps: SonnyAlicia Monroe: Leesha Dawn Jessica Ricker: Icka, unless she was with her cousin, Kylie, then they were Kyicka. Uncle Roy: RoscoeUncle Merle: Mini AlbertAunt Barbie: Catlass and BarbaDon or DonaBarb with her husband, Don In a few days, my family and I will gather to celebrate his life and to say goodbye. I have no regrets on my relationship with Uncle Dude. From our days peeing off the porch to the last time I saw his face, I genuinely loved that man, and I suspect I always will.

CASPER, Wyo. – The dreams of national championships came crashing down for two Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboys during last week’s College National Finals Rodeo in Casper. Bridger Anderson, the 2019 college champion in steer wrestling and a three-time CNFR qualifier, and Riley Westhaver watched their intercollegiate rodeo careers end on the third day of the seven-day competition. During the second round, the two seniors watched their steers – and hopes of a coveted title – escape their grasps. “That one hurt a lot,” said Anderson of Carrington, North Dakota. “The ground by the bucking chutes is really hard (and at the opposite end of the Ford Wyoming Center). I missed and hit pretty hard, but catching a steer clear down there didn’t look very fun down there either.” “Missing that steer hurt quite a bit,” said Westhaver of High River, Alberta, who also goes by the nickname, ‘Canada.’ “Knowing you’re out of it is what sucks the most, but that’s part of rodeo; it doesn’t always go as planned.” No, it doesn’t, but they made the most out of it. There were some great things that happened while in Casper. Anderson earned a share of the first-round victory after tilting his steer over in 4.5 seconds. He also gathered a bit of redemption in the third round, finished second with a 3.9-second run, just moments after Westhaver stopped the clock in 4.0 seconds; the Canadian finished in a tie for third place in that round. “I thought the college finals went good,” Anderson said. “I thought Canada and I had a good showing. We slipped up in the second round, but we did well in the other two rounds.” The biggest win came after the final performance ended, when Anderson’s horse, Whiskers, was named the College National Finals Rodeo’s AQHA Men’s Horse of the Year. Whiskers, which carried Anderson to the college title and to his first National Finals Rodeo qualification in 2020, was ridden by five cowboys during each of the first two rounds. “After we got done with our runs, Whiskers had to hit the pro trail,” Anderson said of competing at PRCA rodeos. “He was more vital outside of the college finals for what we have going on right now.” That’s because Anderson, Westhaver and Northwestern alumnus Jacob Edler, the reigning bulldogging world champion, are all riding the talented 12-year-old gelding; all have the same goal of advancing to the NFR, and they realize the horsepower that’s needed to get there. “Whiskers is crucial for my success,” Westhaver said. “He is a special kind of horse. He walks in the box, and you feel the confidence he has in himself. He makes the rider have confidence, too, knowing he’s going to give you the best go he possibly can. There are not a whole lot of horses that are like him.” While he didn’t have as much fortune as Anderson, he found out just how special it was to make it to college rodeo’s marquee event. “It was a pretty quick trip over there,” he said with a laugh. “I was hoping to hang out there a little bit more, but that didn’t happen. When we got to the third round, we were just looking for the round win. I had the lead for a bit, but then Bridger got the better of me. It’s always good to be winning with your teammates.” That’s how the regular season went for the two Rangers. Westhaver won the Central Plains Region, and the North Dakotan finished second. They both have fantastic memories of their time at Northwestern. “Alva’s been something special for me,” Westhaver said. “It’s a place where I’ve learned so much and met so many great people. The atmosphere at Alva is like no other, because you’re surrounded by guys that prove to you that you know you can win. It’s amazing how much it could change for me. I’m living a dream come true, and Alva’s the place that did it for me.” During his tenure at Northwestern, Anderson added the school’s second national title, following in the footsteps of J.D. Struxness in 2016. He’s joined people like Struxness, Edler, Kyle Irwin and coach Stockton Graves as Northwestern bulldoggers who have made ProRodeo’s biggest stage, the NFR. “I feel like I had a really good college career, and I learned a lot,” he said. “I accomplished what I could, and I learned as much about steer wrestling and rodeoing as I could while attaining a degree. I’ve learned from Stockton about a lot of things, but I think we got a lot accomplished. I’m really looking forward to applying the school knowledge and my rodeo knowledge for my next step in life. “I’m really thankful for everything Alva has given me.”

Louisiana bulldogger goes from one-stop town to the top of the world Tucked away in DeSoto Parish in northeastern Louisiana sits a little hamlet called Keachi, which boasts of 238 residents. Steer wrestler Jacob Talley is one of them. This is where he was raised and taught right from wrong. His father, Jeff, used to wrestle steers but now owns a water well drilling company; mom Amy owns a gym. Together, they instilled a work ethic and a love for competition into Jacob and his younger brother, Eric, who also bulldogs. That was life at home, deep in the woods that dot the landscape. Education came some 30 miles north at Calvary Baptist Academy on the southern side of Shreveport. You see, Keachi isn’t big enough for a small school, so the Talleys went to the city for time in the classroom. “We have a stop sign and a corner store, and that’s it,” said Jacob Talley, 30, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and Cinch endorsee. That’s perfectly fine; small-town life is a nice fit for many in this world, and home will always be home to him. There’s a comfort in knowing everyone at the Keachi Kountry Store & Café or recognizing the shortcuts through the woods. It’s the people there that served as the foundation for who he has become … in rodeo and in life. For now, they’re intertwined. Rodeo is who he is and how he makes a living, and he’s doing pretty dang well at it right now. He’s coming off the best season of his 11-year career, having earned $138,329 in a COVID-restricted campaign and finishing seventh in the final PRCA world standings. More than half his total ($76,705) was earned over 10 days at the NFR, where Talley placed four times, including wins in Rounds 4 and 9. That was just a taste of what was to come for Talley, who sits No. 1 in the world standings with more than $77,000 in the bank through mid-June. He was aided with a major league windfall by winning RFD-TV’s The American, which paid its winners $100,000 each, half of which counts toward the world standings. Even without that, Talley would still be in the mix; instead, he owns a lead of nearly $30,000 over the field. “I want to, obviously, win the world (title),” he said. “That’s been my goal from the get-go. It’s great making the NFR, but that’s not why I do it. I want to be the best there is. When I get on the back end of my career, I want to look back and say that I left no doubt that I was that.” Ah, but that Montana Silversmiths gold buckle is elusive, and steer wrestling features the tightest competition of any of the events each season in ProRodeo. Talley’s lead can diminish quickly over the course of the summer run if he doesn’t maintain control of things within his grasp. But that’s where the foundation and outreach of a community comes in He watched his father compete, then actually traveled with Dad for a couple of years when the youngster first cracked out at age 19. “Dad took me to a bulldogging school in 2010, then he rodeoed for another two years and went with me a little bit and showed me how he did everything. He never really went too far, but he helped me get my start.” Talley was a high school graduate before he tried his hand at rodeo. Instead, he focused on football like many boys in that part of the world. Louisiana and Texas are hotbeds for high school football, and the physicality and competition fit him like a glove. At 6-foot, 230 pounds, though, he didn’t have quite the stature most recruiters want in an intercollegiate lineman. Though he knew rodeo, he never approached it while still in school. He was serious about football, and coaches were serious that he didn’t jump off horses onto steers to jeopardize his prowess on the gridiron. Still, when he hung up the cleats, he quickly turned to bulldogging. “I’ve always been a competitor, and I like being able to compete at things,” Talley said. “The plus side to bulldogging over football is, yes, I have a hazer and horses to rely on, too, but it’s pretty much left up to you whether you win or lose most of the time. I like being in a little more control of my own outcome. “I love being able to compete, but being able to have a job where you can travel the country and see different places and do something you love … that doesn’t get to happen very often anymore.” He doesn’t do it alone. Rodeo is a family business, whether blood relatives are involved or not. No, the gypsy lifestyle of traveling hundreds of miles in a day just to compete offers a “rodeo family” for everyone There is comradery among the combatants, but there’s a unique togetherness in the world of steer wrestling. Bulldoggers are a different breed, and it shows in the way they cheer for each other or offer assistance at any time. “It’s neat, because we are technically competing against each other,” he said. “Everybody’s betting on themselves to win, because you’re competing against the steer, but you want to see your buddy do good, too. You’re going to do as good as you can do on the animal you have and let them do as good as they can do, but you ever want to see anybody do bad.” That comradery goes a bit further when it comes to the groups that travel together. In Talley’s case, he travels the spiraling highways and Interstates along the Plains with Justin Shaffer, Tucker Allen and Luke Branquinho, the latter of whom is a five-time world champ. “It’s extremely important to have good guys to travel with,” Talley said. “You’re talking about four guys living in confined spaces for weeks at  Continue Reading »