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GUYMON, Okla. – Even though it was delayed by nearly three months, the cowboys that competed were quite pleased with the 2020 version of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. The volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo has been nominated by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Medium Rodeo of the Year. It’s a big tip of the hat from PRCA contestants and personnel for the hundreds of man-hours it took and the decision to move ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PRCA has four divisions to honor rodeos of various sizes in regards to their “added money,” which is the local dollars that are mixed with entry fees to make up the overall purse. The largest rodeos are $10,000-up, and Guymon is in the mix of events that feature $3,000-$9,999 in added money. “This is a huge honor for our volunteers and for this community,” said Mitch Egger, the committee’s chairman. “Being nominated means the cowboys considered Pioneer Days Rodeo as one of the top five medium-sized rodeos in the country this year. “This is also a big deal for the contract personnel we had at our rodeo. Frontier Rodeo was nominated again and has been the Stock Contractor of the Year. Our secretary, Amanda Sanders, is nominated again.” Frontier Rodeo is the reigning six-time winner and has had some of the top stock in ProRodeo for more than a decade. While Frontier was the primary livestock producer, the firm brought in other companies to help add to the firepower of the bucking horses and bulls in the mix. It’s a tradition that’s been part of Pioneer Days Rodeo for about two decades. It paid off with two 90-point rides in bull riding, an 89.5-point ride to win saddle bronc riding and an 89 to win bareback riding. In addition, there were many fast runs in the timed events, making the competition as tough as expected for the hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls that made their way to the Oklahoma Panhandle in August. “We’re pleased to be one of the few rodeos, if not the only one, to increase our added money in this tough year,” said Ken Stonecipher, the rodeo committee’s production manager. “We had great sponsor support, and we had good attendance, especially on a sold-out Saturday night.” This isn’t the first time Pioneer Days Rodeo has been recognized by the PRCA. There have been several nominations over the years, and in 2002, it was named the Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. It all falls on a simple philosophy. “We want to produce the right kind of rodeo that makes for great competition every year while also being an event that makes our community proud,” Egger said. It seems to be working.

Storied bronc had a distinguished career with 13 NFRs, six round wins DALLAS – For most of her life, Scarlet’s Web was one of the greatest bucking horses in rodeo. She will be remembered as such by the men who rode her for hundreds of thousands of dollars over her lifetime. The Pete Carr Pro Rodeo bay mare died Saturday, Sept. 29, after suffering an aneurysm at Timbercreek Veterinary Clinic in Canyon, Texas. Scarlet’s Web was 19 years old and in her first year of retirement after a long and storied career in rodeo, where she was selected 13 straight times to perform at the National Finals Rodeo. “She was definitely one of my favorite horses ever to ride,” said Tilden Hooper, a seven-time NFR qualifier who rode the magnificent mare to two NFR round wins in his career: the 10th round in both the 2008 and the 2018 championships. “You knew every time you drew her that she was going to take you to the money. “From a rider’s standpoint, she was going to get up in the air and give you a chance to go on. She was fun to ride. With some horses you win on, it’s more of a fight. With her, it felt more like a dance. She was nice to ride, but she had enough action that she was really electric.” Her last performance was at the NFR 10 months ago, and it was a fitting end to a magnificent career. Since her first appearance in 2007, she guided cowboys to round victories six times, an unprecedented number that sets the standard for winning bucking horses. “I had the opportunity to get on her twice, once in Guymon (Oklahoma) when she was at the prime of her career, and again last year at the NFR,” said Tim O’Connell, a three-time world champion who rode Scarlet’s Web for 88 points to finish with the second-best score of the sixth round this past December. “To be 88 points on her then and there, it shows so much about a horse that was 18 or 19 years old and still bucking that well. “She gave you every opportunity in the world to win. She was always going to give you and honest go and an electric go at it every time. Those were some of the funnest 15 seconds of my life.” Born in 2001, she is the daughter of the mare Scarlett and the stallion Night Jacket, two of the greatest bucking-horse producers in the history of ProRodeo. At least four of Scarlet’s Web’s full siblings have bucked at the NFR, and dozens more of her half siblings have been there, too. Billy Jones, the general manager for Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, said the firm has two young Scarlet’s Web fillies at the ranch, one sired by Korczak, a Carr foundation stallion, and Lunatic Fringe, another high-producing stud. “Both those fillies are big and strong,” said Jones, noting the breeding program just continues to grow each year. “We expect them to be pretty good.” The groundwork is certainly there. Dr. Gregg Veneklasen operates Timbercreek and was just a few feet from Scarlet’s Web when she collapsed. He has built a solid foundry for breeding at his Canyon facility, with dozens of horses that reside there throughout the year. “We have a lot of good mares here,” Veneklasen said. “I buried her next to Kattle Kate, the mother to Big Tex, and to Dirty, the mother of Dirty Jacket. She’s buried right there by other Zinser horses that have died here.” Jim and Maggie Zinser developed a breeding program like no other 50 years ago, and other firms have begun to run with it over time. They were the original owners of Scarlet’s Web and her parents, and that legacy continues forward. “I’ve seen the filly by Lunatic Fringe out of Scarlet’s Web, and she’s really cute, and she’s a really loud paint with a medicine cap,” Veneklasen said, noting the paint characteristics passed on by the young horse’s sire and also Scarlet Web’s sire. “I’d say she’s 3 or 4 years old now, so she’s bound to have something to her.” If that filly is anything like her mother, she’ll be a cowboy’s dream. “Scarlet’s Web was just a good, reliable horse you could count on every time,” said Orin Larsen, who won the rounds he was in both times he was matched with the mare, once at The American in Arlington, Texas, and the other in Lovington, New Mexico. “She went to the NFR 13 consecutive times and was in our TV pen most of the time; I can only name two or three other horses that have that kind of resume. “I think that horse loved what she did until the day she died.” At age 16, she guided Steven Dent to a share of the 10th-round win at the 2017 NFR with an 88-point ride. A year later, she and Hooper matched moves for 89.5 points – a decade after the tandem scored 90 in the final round of the 2008 championship. She was definitely special, and countless cowboys will recall those moments. Dent, now retired at age 34, won the PRCA’s 2008 tour championship in Dallas on Scarlet’s Web, then added the top dollars as both neared the end of their distinguished careers nine years later. “She was always a money horse,” said Dent, who estimates his earnings on her back to be near $60,000 in just two times of riding the big bay. “I’m not sure she ever threw anybody off, but guys were always 87 to 91 points on her every time she turned her head out.” “There are not many of them that stay like that for that long. She’s as good a horse as I’ve seen in my career. If you needed to win a check and you had her, you knew it was going to be a good check and probably help you win first.” Only  Continue Reading »

Rider, Roper to showcase individual talents at Prairie Circuit Finals DUNCAN, Okla. – Before he became one of the top saddle bronc riders in the Prairie Circuit, 26-year-old Roper Kiesner was a jack-of-all-trades showman and part of the Kiesner Family’s Wild West Review. He and his brother, Rider, were part of the traveling circus that hit rodeos and Western events all across the world, led by their dad, Phillip, and their mom, Julie. They were quite the spectacle for several years, beginning in 2005. Now, though, Rider has taken over the family’s reins as far as an entertainer, and Roper is chasing his bronc riding dreams. “We don’t cross paths as much as you’d think, but we still see each other a few times a year,” Roper Kiesner said. “It’s always fun to be at shows when I see my brother perform. If it works out with what I’m doing, I may help him out. “He’s one of my biggest fans, and I love watching him perform, too.” Their lives and lifestyles will come to fruition at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16-Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. Roper is the third-ranked saddle bronc rider in the circuit, made up primarily of events primarily in the Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska region; Rider will be the barrelman and featured performer, along with his girlfriend, Bethany Iles. “When we first started, I was doing trick roping and whip cracking,” said Rider Kiesner, 28. “Back then, Roper wasn’t part of the act, but he helped out. Then after a couple of years, he wanted to do some roman riding and trick riding, so we got him some ponies. “In the act, we always had a back-and-forth. I would do some trick roping, then Dad would go, then my brother would go. There was always something going on.” Their lives are as hectic as ever. In addition to handling their respective businesses in rodeo, the brothers remain active. From team roping to knife-making to countless other adventures, they find many ways to not only make ends meet but also entertain others. “The difference between being a competitor and a specialty act is quite a bit,” Roper Kiesner said, noting that contract acts receive a fee for their services but cowboys pay an entry fee in order to compete and must finish near the top just to earn money on the rodeo trail. “A guaranteed paycheck is nice sometimes, and you get to be around people more – you’re there for one rodeo the whole week or the weekend. “As a competitor, you’re always going and doing a lot more driving. You don’t have the guaranteed paycheck, but I love being on the road and doing this.” It’s a passion that’s been handed down from father to sons, and it’s a lifestyle the Kiesner brothers expect to live the rest of their lives. That’s one reason why Rider Kiesner has added clowning to his repertoire. “When I first started doing rodeos by myself, I just wanted to be a specialty act,” he said. “A lot of the smaller rodeos couldn’t afford a clown and a specialty act, so I wanted give them a chance to hire me for both. “It’s really cool working the Prairie Circuit Finals as the clown, because that circuit is known for having some of the best clowns at their finals. I’m following Keith Isley (last year’s clown and barrelman who is destined for the ProRodeo Hall of Fame). That’s pretty scary but pretty fun, too.” That’s what comes with trying to be one of the best. Both brothers know it. Rider Kiesner has performed at some of the biggest events in the game – including the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days Rodeo and the National Finals Rodeo – and he’s been credited for being one of the best in his business for a long time. Now, he and his baby brother get to showcase their specific skills in the same arena on the same weekend. It’s a chance to celebrate all the years they’ve been in the arena – whether together through their family’s act or in different locales across the country as they chase their dreams. “I think this is going to be really cool,” Rider Kiesner said. “I’m hoping he wins, then we can have matching buckles. Being able to share the arena is always a lot more fun.” It’s something they’ve done in some regard most of their lives. “Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to do this,” Roper Kiesner said. “My dad was riding saddle broncs when I was little. When I was a baby, my first word was bull or bully because I just wanted to ride roughstock. I’ve always been in rodeo; I was riding when I could walk. We grew up on a horse’s back. “I’m more of a get-on-and-go type of guy, whereas Rider’s more about training and practicing. That’s why I ride saddle broncs and why he’s an entertainer. It works well for both of us.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – For several years, the Waller County Fair and Rodeo has prided itself on amazing concerts that close down many nights of the exposition. Though about half of the traditional fair and rodeo events are taking a one-year hiatus, the concerts continue to be a vital part of the entertainment cog that is the county’s annual showcase. In fact, because of restrictions in place with the pandemic, organizers have decided to make their grandest shows a nice mix in the same complex. “Just as a way to keep a better control of everyone’s surroundings, we decided to move the concerts to our rodeo arena,” said Steven Pfeiffer, a Waller County Fair Association board member. “This way we can produce the concerts right after what is going on in the arena and keep it a seamless transition for everyone involved.” The festivities kick off with the Extreme Bull Riding and Freestyle Bullfighting competition, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Glen Templeton – who has been around for about a decade and who was selected by the children of Conway Twitty for a touring musical tribute to the late country star – will follow the bull power and pure athleticism of the night. Five nights later, the top cowboys and cowgirls in ProRodeo will be at center stage showcasing their own athleticism in what’s become known as a hidden gem of the sport in southeast Texas. With three nights of the best action in the state, that means the door opens for some top acts to showcase their musical talents in the arena following each performance of the rodeo. Randall King will perform on Thursday, Oct. 1, after the opening night of the rodeo. Jon Stork is the act following the second rodeo performance on Friday, Oct. 2. Josh Ward, who has been at the top of the Texas Regional Radio Chart multiple times, will close down the several days of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo after the final performance of the PRCA rodeo on Saturday, Oct. 3. “While we came up with this format out of necessity this year, I think we’re all excited to see what it’s going to look like to have the concerts in our rodeo arena,” said Paul Shollar, a board member and rodeo captain. “To just add to the fun of each evening, we’re going to have fireworks right after the rodeo to get everyone charged up for the concerts.” It’s the perfect mix to help showcase the family-friendly entertainment the fair and rodeo has been known for over the last several years. “The reality for the Waller County Fair Association was that we could just cancel this year and go on like it wasn’t a big deal, but the Waller County Fair and Rodeo is a big deal to everyone in this area,” board president Matt Hyatt said. “We knew a long time ago we were going to do everything we could to make this year’s fair and rodeo happen. We’re doing a few things different this year, but we’re doing them. “We have worked really hard to make everything happen, and we’re all excited to see how this goes. This will look a lot different than it has, but it’s still going to be a great show. We all need a bit of normalcy in our lives, and we need to return to the things that make us tick. I think the fair and rodeo is just a good starting point, especially with these concerts, and we’ll see what happens after this.”

Top names in the UBF will fight for Southern Classic title in tiny Bowersville BOWERSVILLE, Ga. – At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much to this tiny hamlet of less than 500 people in northeastern Georgia. Over the last couple of years, though, it has become the mecca for freestyle bullfighting in the United States. On Saturday night, the best men in the game will prove that during the Ultimate Bullfighters Southern Classic, set for 7 p.m. at 228 W. Main St, on the north edge of town. “We built this arena to have events like this,” said Luke Kaufman, the UBF’s event producer. “We hung nine miles of guardrail fence to make a facility that caters to the needs of these animals. Because they’re fighting bulls, they can easily tear through normal fences, so that’s why these pens are built the way they are. “Other than in Spain, this is the nicest bull compound in the world. The guardrail pens lead up to a working facility on top of the hill. We had the first event back in May, and we’ve just converted a practice pen into a full-blown venue.” The top 12 bullfighters in the game will be part of Saturday’s competition. There will be four three-man bullfights, with the highest scores in each bout advancing to the Franklin County Livestock championship round. “I’m excited to get back to it,” said Justin Josey, the No. 3-ranked bullfighter in the UBF who has missed the last few events while tending to other promotional opportunities. “I’m ready to see the boys, hang out, be at an event and just start experiencing it again. This opens the door for me, and I’m happy with the opportunities that are in front of me.” Josey has been one of the top freestyle bullfighters in the sport for several years. He’s proven that on various levels but has been a premier talent in the UBF. Had he been able to perform at several events that he was forced to miss, there’s a good chance he would be seeded higher in a game where dollars earned equal points. Louisianan Sage Seay leads the standings with $14,200, followed by Nebraskan Beau Schueth, who is locked in at $10,000. Josey is just $2,650 behind Scheuth, so Josey could make a big move during Saturday night’s challenge, which features a purse of $20,000. “More than anything right now, I just want to fight some bulls,” Josey said. “I fought a bull in Arkansas a few days ago, and it went OK. I just want to get back to the competition. “I’m pretty happy with my bullfighting about 80 percent to 85 percent of the time. You can’t get down on yourself, because it’s bullfighting. It’s you against the beast, so you do the best you can. I’m just getting it all figured out. It’s fun fighting bulls.” That’s for the men who do it for a living, but it’s not for the faint of heart. The men who play the game overcome any fears and trepidation, and they challenge themselves and their athleticism against equally athletic and incredibly agile bulls that are bred for this type of competition. With the Southern Classic being an invitational, the UBF sought out the top men in the game to chase a prestigious title. “I know it’s going to be a sellout crowd and high energy, and it’s going to be a blast,” Josey said. “We’re going to get all fresh (unfought) bulls from Chad Ellison. I think we’ll be able to do what we know how to do and have a lot of fun doing it.”

Waller County to celebrate 75th fair and rodeo while focusing on kids HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Although appearances will be considerably different, the heart of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo will still beat this fall. The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced cancelations of events around the world, but the Waller County Fair Association is pushing forward with a slimmed-down version of its annual exposition. While it may be skinnier, there’s still plenty of meat on the bones, along with the fair’s mission of agriculture and education. “In the best interest for public health, we decided as a fair board to focus on the things we could control while still being able to put on our fair and rodeo,” said Mike Higgins, first vice president of the WCFA. “We are happy that we will be able to have our livestock shows, our livestock judging and the annual exhibit auctions, which are all a very important part of our fair. “We introduced our high school welding competition last year, and we’re excited that we can bring that back this year.” While there won’t be a carnival and the shape of the concerts has changed, the fair association has taken the steps necessary to still produce a memorable 75th edition of Waller County’s annual exposition, set for Saturday, Sept. 26-Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “This is a big year for Waller County and for this fair and rodeo,” said Sharon Burger, a member of the executive board. “We knew we had to have it this year, so we’re putting together the best fair and rodeo we can possible produce. With that, the planning has already been under way for the youth to be able to show their steers, calves, swine, lambs, and other livestock. Those, along with the creative living exhibits, have historically been the foundation behind fairs across this land. “We know it’s an important part of our youth program to have these kids understand how to care for the animals and to get them ready for the fair,” Higgins said. “This is a process, and it’s important for our young people to go through that process. “Once we get to fair time, that’s when all the work comes to fruition, and they are celebrated for the work they do. We couldn’t take that away from these kids this year.” The same can be said about all the exhibitors and those involved in other aspects of the traditional fair experience. In creative living, the exhibitors have a chance to showcase their talents as well as their passions. For those involved in livestock judging, the expo offers them a chance to put their lessons to task. “Of course, we believe in every aspect of the fair and rodeo experience, but the biggest thing for us is to give these kids their avenue to shine,” Burger said. “It’s also important for this community. They want to see the exhibits and the exhibitors. We have a great community that supports these kids, and it’s always fun to see that dynamic come together.”

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – There was never any hesitation in the minds of the committee members that organize Stephenville’s annual ProRodeo. “It was something from Day 1 when this stuff with COVID started, we wanted to have the rodeo,” said James Andrea, president of the volunteers that work hard all year to have the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, at Lone Star Arena. “We just stayed after it. We were worried about sponsorships, but the city of Stephenville, the businesses and the people from Stephenville got behind us. We wanted it for the sport of rodeo, but we also wanted it for Stephenville. We’re glad to be doing it, and not just for the cowboys.” The contestants have responded, too. As has been the case in ProRodeo, events that have continued through the COVID-19 global pandemic have seen increased numbers. The folks in Stephenville had more than 650 cowboys and cowgirls put their names in the hat to compete. “The numbers have been good,” Andrea said. “We’re up about 100 contestants from last year’s rodeo. That’s a good sign, but it’s also pretty telling.” Like most events across the globe, COVID has taken its toll on rodeo. More than half the events originally scheduled for 2020 were canceled and many others postponed from their original dates. Because of limitations in Las Vegas, the 2020 National Finals Rodeo will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, to ensure the championship could continue with fans in attendance while also allowing for social distancing measures. That makes the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo the last major stop of the regular season. Money won in Stephenville over those three days will make a difference as to which contestants in each event will advance to the NFR. “We’ve always had the biggest names in rodeo at our event,” Andrea said. “Of course, many of them live here or around here, so this is more of a hometown rodeo for them.” It’s also a big-time stop for the cowboys and cowgirls that live thousands of miles away and are eager to make fast Texas money with hopes of chasing their gold buckle dreams. In a year that’s made it difficult for ProRodeo contestants to actually make a living in the game they love, they’ll take every chance they can get. “Probably the biggest challenge we faced with our rodeo was just not knowing,” said Andrea, who has been part of the volunteer committee for several years. “Even though we kept planning to have it, you always have that uncertainty. “In the long run, it wasn’t going to be up to us. All we could do was the leg work and hope the politicians allowed us to have it. Now it’s a go, and we get to do it. That’s exciting for us, for the cowboys and everybody in Stephenville.”

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The people in this neck of the woods know a thing or two about the sport of rodeo. Stephenville is, of course, the Cowboy Capital of the World, a testament to the dozens of elite rodeo stars that live in Erath County. Some claim it as a secondary home, like world champion heeler Jade Corkill, who still lists Fallon, Nevada, as his hometown though he lives in Stephenville year-round. The members of the volunteer committee that produce the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo know how special it is to have such a prestigious event for the locals to attend, to witness and to compete in every year. This year’s rodeo is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, at Lone Star Arena. When it comes to the actual production of those three performances, though, the locals rely on the professional crew from Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, one of the most recognized livestock production firms in the game. “What Pete brings us is good stock and good personnel,” said James Andrea, the committee’s president. “With John Gwatney on the timed-event side, we don’t have to worry about anything there. With Billy Jones on the other side, he runs the whole deal. “When Pete shows up, we don’t have to worry about anything. We know it’s going to be a first-class show.” That’s important, because rodeo is a fantastic mix of world-class competition and family friendly entertainment. Stephenville’s rodeo will feature the comedy of clown Matt Tarr, who has been recognized as one of the top young acts in the game; a year ago, he was the alternate barrelman for the National Finals Rodeo. Announcer Justin McKee, who is best know for his work on national television, will be back to call the action. “Matt’s from around here, so we really wanted to support the hometown guy, and there’s bee a lot of buzz about him,” Andrea said. “The thing we get with Justin is he understands the vital statistics that come with us being on that final weekend of the regular season. He’ll know how much money the people need to earn here just to make the NFR.” McKee and Tarr are just part of the mixture that makes the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo tick. “It’s not just a rodeo; it’s entertainment, and Pete understand that,” Andrea said. “Our committee goes above and beyond for the entertainment side of it, and we really try to grow the rodeo every year. This year, though, we’ve done our best just to keep everything the same. “We’re trying to do the best we can to make it happen.” That’s where Carr and his team of experts comes in. “Our committee is real rodeo-oriented and knows a lot about rodeo, but there’s a difference between putting on a rodeo and going to a rodeo,” Andrea said. “That’s the comfort of having Pete and the people he has working for him. They can take care of things before we even think of it.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – When the COVID-19 global pandemic hit hard six months ago, doubts were cast across all professional sports. Rodeo has taken as big a hit as any, with cancelations becoming the norm for the cowboys, cowgirls and personnel who make their living in the game. But there’s a resilience that’s been defined through the Plains states of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, and the perseverance is going to pay off. “We’re pretty excited just to be able to have our rodeo,” said Joe Henderson, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16-Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. “This has been a tough year for so many people, and we’ve been hit pretty hard here in southern Oklahoma. “Fortunately, with the help of some key people in rodeo, we’re able to put on a show. It’s going to be a good way to celebrate all that we have to offer as far as our form of Americana. It’s important to this community that we bring a bit of normalcy back to town.” The fall rodeo has been a normal part of the annual calendar for Stephens County for nearly a decade. This will mark the ninth straight year for the circuit finale, which will feature only the top 12 contestants in each event who are primarily from the three-state region. Money earned by those contestants at rodeos in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska count toward the regional titles. This will be a toned-down version of what qualifiers and fans have come to expect. The circuit finals typically features three go-rounds, but given many of the restrictions that have followed COVID-19, there are benefits to having two go-rounds. “Obviously, we’d love to have three rounds and be able to pay money in each round and the average,” Henderson said. “We’re just not able to do that this year, but we will still be able to pay out two rounds and the average. It’s not the greatest scenario, but in a year like the one we’re in, I think this will be just what everyone needs.” Having a regional championship is valuable in ProRodeo. There are several circuits around North America, and the champions from each region advance to the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo – the year-end and circuit-finals winners punch their ticket to Kissimmee, Florida, which is the traditional host for the national championship each spring. “The circuit finals is very important to me and every other cowboy this year,” said Cody Devers, the top-ranked steer wrestler in the Prairie Circuit. “We have had a very limited rodeo schedule this year, and I am proud of all the people who have taken the time and effort to give us the opportunity to compete at our prestigious circuit finals.”

After weeks of speculation and ill-advised social media teases, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has found a home for the 2020 National Finals Rodeo at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas. “When George (Taylor, the PRCA’s CEO) brought the idea to us, we thought it was a little farfetched,” said Jacobs Crawley, the PRCA board chairman and 2015 saddle bronc riding world champion from Stephenville, Texas. It’s not as farfetched as many might think, and it’s a great venue to conduct ProRodeo’s grand championship through a global pandemic. With a retractable roof, Globe Life Field offers the availability to host fans while allowing for social distancing. “When you think of Texas, you think of rodeo; you think of cowboys,” said Trevor Brazile, a 25-time world champion who lives in nearby Decatur, Texas. “I don’t think anybody that could pull through other than the state I’m so proud of. “I’m a little jealous; I retired a little too soon.” This will not be a traditional arena layout, given the dimensions of the diamond. In fact, an image released publicly revealed the dirt will encompass much of the infield area to the dugouts and spread a third of the way into the outfield. The bucking chutes will be in center field, with the out-gate being the entry and exit for barrel racing. Tie-down roping will take place down the right-field line, while team roping and steer wrestling will be down the left-field line. The action of all events will head toward home plate, much like baseball itself. “A lot of us have rodeoed a long time (and) been fortunate to ride in great venues,” Crawley said. “This is going to be the next great spot.” This is a temporary move for the NFR but a necessary one because of pandemic restrictions in Las Vegas. The PRCA sought a new home for this year’s championship that would allow for fans. Seats will be sold in groups of four, with separation between groups. “Contact-limiting measures, such as mobile tickets, have been implemented throughout the event,” the PRCA indicated in its news release. “There will also be metal detector screenings and a no bag policy at entries on performance nights. Globe Life Field is encouraging all guests to check the CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services websites for any guideline changes prior to the event.” The NFR returns to the Lone Star State for the first time since 1961; the original host of the championship (1959-61) was the Texas State Fairgrounds. It then moved to Los Angeles Sports Arena for three years, before finding a 20-year home in Oklahoma City – first at Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, then to The Myriad in downtown Oklahoma City. The NFR made Las Vegas its permanent home in 1985 and will return to Sin City once the pandemic restrictions allow. There was no discussion of how the payout will change without the financial backing from the Nevada desert, but there are bound to be changes. Still, look for the NFR to feature great payouts. In a year that’s seen so many events canceled, it’s refreshing to know world champions will be crowned in December.

GUNNISON, Colo. – When Tanner Butner designated 2020 to be his rookie campaign in ProRodeo, he had no idea what was in store. A global pandemic hit, and his once promising season turned into a year of delays, cancelations and setbacks. Still, the saddle bronc rider sits No. 4 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s rookie standings and has an outside chance to catch the leader, Iowan Riggin Smith. “Winning the rookie was one of my goals this year, and I’ve been trying to get that done,” said Butner, 23, of Daniel, Wyoming. “This weekend’s helped me out quite a bit as far as that goes.” Yes, it did. On Saturday night, Butner rode Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Dreamliner for 87.5 points to share the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo bronc riding victory with 2017 world champion Ryder Wright, who posted the same score Friday. With that, both Butner and Wright each earned $2,003. “I wanted to go ahead and make the finals this year, but I had a rough winter,” Butner said. “So, I just tried to get the rookie done.” Only the top 15 in the world standings at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo, and Butner entered the weekend 38th on the money list. Still, earning the elusive Rookie of the Year crown is quite prestigious in ProRodeo. With struggles through the big events in the winter months, the Wyoming cowboy was left on the outside looking in. Throw in a greatly reduced rodeo schedule, and it was a steep climb that he was unable to traverse. That’s why his ride Saturday night was so special. It inches him up the rookie standings, and he can still move up the list to catch Smith, who held a $12,000 lead heading into this week of rodeos. “This year, I’ve just tried to stay as busy as possible,” Butner said. “I just find anything I could do to make extra money on the side to keep me rolling.” With COVID-19 affecting so many aspects of daily life, the young cowboy understands how important it is to ride well when the opportunities allow. “It’s been a dang good year to have a job,” he said with a laugh. “I think it’s pretty awesome what this community did to have a rodeo. I got to visit with one of the committee guys, and I know how much effort they put into it just to have a rodeo. I’m glad they did it; it’s a good deal for everybody.” Cattlemen’s Days paid out a record $90,636 and featured many big names. In fact, the list of winners included contestants with multiple NFR qualifications, including world champions like Wright and heading titlist Levi Simpson. For Butner, it was nice to have his name in there and get on a great bucking horse in the process. “Some of my buddies knew that horse and knew he was a pretty dang good one,” Butner said. “That’s a fun bugger. If you can beat them to the ground and pick them up a little, it helps them buck better and makes everything look a lot better. If you’re beating them back to the ground, it also feels 10 times better.” So is earning a big win in the Colorado mountains. Cattlemen’s Days Gunnison, Colo. Sept. 3-5 Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Cole Reiner, on United Pro Rodeo’s Pow Wow Nights, and Orin Larsen, on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s JBC Bent Rail Sourdough, 88 points, $1,923 each; 3. Wyatt Bloom, 87.5, $1,335; 5. Shane O’Connell, 85.5, $798; 5. Tim O’Connell, 85, $508; 6. (tie) Pascal Isabelle and Paden Hurst, 84.5, $327 each; 8. (tie) Donny Proffitt and Seth Hardwick, 82.5, $109. Steer wrestling: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.7 seconds, $2,335; 2. Bridger Anderson, 3.8, $2,030; 3. Cody Devers, 3.9, $1,726; 4. Winston McGraw, 4.0, $1,421; 5. (tie) Cade Staton, Landon Beardsworth and Will Lummus, 4.1, $812 each; 8. (tie) Kodie Jang, Bill Glaunch and Dirk Tavenner, 4.2, $68. Team roping: 1. (tie) Levi Simpson/Shay Carroll, Jake Cooper/Lane Mitchell and Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 4.5 seconds, $2,525 each; 4. Tanner Tomlinson/Brady Norman, 4.7, $1,931; 5. Matt Sherwood/Trey Yates, 4.9, $1,634; 6. J.B.  James Jr./Brock Hanson, 5.2, $1,337; 7. Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, 5.3, $1,040; 8. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 5.4, $743; 9. Pedro Egurrola/Trevor Nowlin, 5.5, $446; 10. Clay Norell/Jesse Sheffield, 6.0, $149. Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Ryder Wright, on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Flashcard Champ, and Tanner Butner, on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Dreamliner, 87.5 points, $2,003 each; 3. Cody DeMoss, 86.5, $1,285; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 86, $831; 5. Shorty Garrett, 85, $529; 6. Tegan Smith, 84.5, $378; 7. (tie) Spencer Wright and Chase Brooks, 84, $265 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Trampus Quarnberg, 8.6 seconds, $2,800; 2. (tie) Tyler Prcin and Ike Fontenot, 8.7, $2,252 each; 4. Marcos Costa, 9.0, $1,704; 5. Luke Potter, 9.1, $1,339; 6. Charlie Gibson, 9.3, $974; 7. Shad Mayfield, 9.5, $609; 8. (tie) Ty Harris and Caleb Smidt, 9.8, $122 each. Barrel racing: 1. Shali Lord, 17.48 seconds, $1,769; 2. Nicole Drigggers, 17.50, $1,516; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.64, $1,263; 4. (tie) Sherry Cervi and Lake Mehalic, 17.65, $969 each; 6. (tie) Brittany Barnett and Nicole Waggoner, 17.67, $590; 8. Megan Champion, 17.74, $337; 9. Emily Miller, 17.76, $253; 10. Lexie Goss, 17.87, $168. Bull riding: 1. Ty Wallace, 87.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Buck Jam, $2,961; 2. Roscoe Jarboe, 87, $2,270; 3. Chase Dougherty, 85.5, $1,678; 4. (tie) Cole Meloncon and Dustin Boquet, 85, $888 each; 6. Garrett Smith, 84.5, $494; 7. Brady Portenier, 84, $395; 8. Chance Ekins, 83.5, $296.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Orin Larsen had every reason to be excited about his Friday night ride at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. He matched moves with Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s JBC Bent Rail Sourdough for 88 points to move into a tie for the bareback riding lead with rookie Cole Reiner, who earned his 88 in Thursday’s first performance. For Larsen, the big score means a chance at big bucks in Gunnison, but it also means a lot more. “I really want to win that rifle,” he said of a specialized gun that is awarded to the top-scoring bareback ride. “This is a great rodeo, but it’s a rodeo I’ve never been to. I know the committee has done a really good job of trying to get it going with the whole COVID deal going on. I know they moved on from their original dates and worked hard to make it happen. “Like a lot of rodeos that have worked to go on through this year, it means a lot to us that they went ahead and had the rodeo.” Like most professional sports, the global pandemic has turned rodeo on its side. More than half the rodeos on the 2020 schedule were canceled, while others, like Cattlemen’s Days, were postponed. That affects the bottom line of the cowboys and cowgirls who make this game their business. A year ago at this time, Larsen had secured more than $100,000 in earnings. This year, though, he’s quite content with the $55,181 he’s pocketed; he sits seventh in the world standings and just needs to close out the final 25 days of the regular season to secure his sixth straight berth to the National Finals Rodeo. “Everybody’s just scrambling right now,” said Larsen, 29, of Inglis, Manitoba, now living in Gering, Nebraska, with his wife, Alexa. “We’re all going to the same rodeos. It’s kind of a grudge match with everybody going to the same places. It makes rodeo a little more exciting.” It was pretty exciting Friday. JBC Bent Rail Sourdough has been around for years, and Larsen recalled getting on the big horse a few years ago at the NFR. “Everyone I talked to said that would be a really good horse to have here,” said Larsen, who earned $123,000 in 10 nights at the NFR last December and finished as the No. 2 bareback rider in the game. “She took a pretty long scoot and had a wild jump, but after that she was just up and down and felt really good. It was the perfect horse to have here. “This has been a hard year to make a living rodeoing. You’re going to every rodeo, so you’re spending money to get there. A lot of committees have had to drop their sponsorship money, so it’s hard to make money. I try to look at things half full; I get to go to rodeos I’ve never been to. I try to make the most of it and have fun with what you’re having to deal with.” That’s why he’s still finding success. Cattlemen’s Days Gunnison, Colo. Sept. 3-5 Bareback riding leaders: 1. (tie) Cole Reiner, on United Pro Rodeo’s Pow Wow Nights, and Orin Larsen, on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s JBC Bent Rail Sourdough, 88 points; 3. Wyatt Bloom, 87.5; 5. Shane O’Connell, 85.5; 5. Tim O’Connell, 85; 6. Pascal Isabelle, 84.5; 7. Donny Proffitt, 82.5; 8. (tie) Jamie Howlett and Zach Hibler, 82. Steer wrestling: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.7 seconds; 2. Bridger Anderson, 3.8; 3. Cody Devers, 3.9; 4. Winston McGraw, 4.0; 5. (tie) Cade Staton, Landon Beardsworth and Will Lummus, 4.1; 8. (tie) Kodie Jang, Bill Glaunch and Dirk Tavenner, 4.2. Team roping: 1. (tie) Levi Simpson/Shay Carroll, Jake Cooper/Lane Mitchell and Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 4.5 seconds; 4. Tanner Tomlinson/Brady Norman, 4.7; 5. Matt Sherwood/Trey Yates, 4.9; 6. J.B.  James Jr./Brock Hanson, 5.2; 7. Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, 5.3; 8. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 5.4; 9. Pedro Egurrola/Trevor Nowlin, 5.5; 10. Clay Norell/Jesse Sheffield, 6.0. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Flashcard Champ; 2. Cody DeMoss, 86.5; 3. Jacobs Crawley, 86; 4. Shorty Garrett, 85; 5. Spencer Wright, 84; 6. Wyatt Casper, 82; 7. Rusty Wright, 80.5; 8. Isaac Diaz, 69; 9. Taos Muncy, 78; 10. Stetson Wright, 77.5. Tie-down roping: 1. Trampus Quarnberg, 8.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Tyler Prcin and Ike Fontenot, 8.7; 4. Marcos Costa, 9.0; 5. Luke Potter, 9.1; 6. Charlie Gibson, 9.3; 7. Shad Mayfield, 9.5; 8. (tie) Ty Harris and Caleb Smidt, 9.8. Barrel racing: 1. Shali Lord, 17.48 seconds; 2. Nicole Drigggers, 17.50; 3. Sherry Cervi, 17.65; 4. (tie) Brittany Barnett and Nicole Waggoner, 17.67; 6. Megan Champion, 17.74; 7. Emily Miller, 17.76; 8. Lexie Goss, 17.87; 9. Lori Todd, 17.89; 10. Andrea Busby, 17.98. Bull riding: 1. Ty Wallace, 87.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Buck Jam; 2. Roscoe Jarboe, 87; 3. Chase Dougherty, 85.5; 4. Cole Meloncon, 85; 5. Garrett Smith, 84.5; 6. Brady Portenier, 84; 7. Chance Ekins, 83.5; 8. Daylon Swearingen, 82.

Simpson, Carroll snag the top spot on Night 1 of Cattlemen’s Days GUNNISON, Colo. – In the final month of ProRodeo’s regular season, Levi Simpson is trying to be as greedy as possible. Simpson, the 2016 world champion header from Ponoka, Alberta, sits 13th in the world standings and would like to move up by the end of September and secure his spot at just his second qualification to the National Finals Rodeo. On Thursday night, he and heeler Shay Carroll of La Junta, Colorado, stopped the clock in 4.5 seconds to take the team roping lead after the first performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. “We called and got some information on that steer we had,” Simpson said. “They said it had been good at the last place it had been at, so we liked that. Everybody’s going to all the same places, so you have to just go for it. “They’re not giving money away anywhere. You have to hit the barrier as good as you can and take your first throw. I know Shay’s going to take the first throw he can, because you have to be fast if you want to get any of the money.” Money is vital in rodeo. Not only do the contestants pay bills with it and cover their costs with money earned in the arena, but it’s also how champions are crowned. Only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR; the contestants in each event who finish the campaign with the most money won will be crowned world champions. Simpson knows all about that. He and his then-partner, Jeremy Buhler, became the first Canadian team ropers to earn an NFR bid four seasons ago, then became the first from north of the border to claim team roping gold buckles. “The last few years have been pretty fun,” Simpson said. “It definitely opened up a few more opportunities, and a lot more people know who you are. It’s really been business as usual, though. There’s no clear advantage the next year, because you all start over from zero.” He and Carroll began teaming together about a year ago, and it’s worked well. While Simpson is the 13th-ranked header, Carroll sits eighth in the heeling standings. A two-time NFR qualifier, he stands a good chance to return. Having Simpson leading the way has been a big help. “It’s been really good this year,” Simpson said about their teamwork. “We get a long really well. We’ve been traveling in the same rig most of the year, and if you didn’t get along, it would show up pretty fast. “I don’t have to worry about what he’s going to do. All I have to do is worry about what I’m doing. That makes it easier.” They made it look easy Thursday in Gunnison. Cattlemen’s Days Gunnison, Colo. Sept. 3-5 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Cole Reiner, 88 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Pow Wow Nights; 2. Wyatt Bloom, 87.5; 3. Shane O’Connell, 85.5; 4. Jamie Howlett, 82; 5. Trenten Montero, 78; 6. Craig Wisehart, 76; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Tyke Kipp, 4.3 seconds; 2. Aaron Vosler, 4.5; 3. Shade Tree Etherton, 4.8; 4. Kalane Anders, 4.9; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Levi Simpson/Shay Carroll, 4.5 seconds; 2. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 5.4; 3. Pedro Egurrola/Trevor Nowlin, 5.5; 4. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 10.8; 5. Rhett Anderson/Cullen Teller, 20.3; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody DeMoss, 86.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Pillow Talk; 2. Shorty Garrett, 85; 3. Spencer Wright, 84; 4. Rusty Wright, 80.5; 5. Isaac Diaz, 69; 6. Taos Muncy, 78; 7. Leon Fountain, 75; 8. Allen Boore, 73.5. Tie-down roping: 1. Logan Wiseman, 10.7 seconds; 2. Josh Eirickson, 11.1; 3. Trevor Thiel, 13.9; 4. Logan Vick, 14.1; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Brittany Barnett, 17.67 seconds; 2. Abby Phillips, 18.16; 3. Stephanie Lujan, 18.47; 4. Kari Boxleitner, 18.65; 5. Taryn Boxleitner, 23.06; 6. Ashley Tackitt, 24.07; 7. Ivy Saebens, 29.87; no other qualified runs. Bull riding: 1. Ty Wallace, 87.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Buck Jam; 2. Roscoe Jarboe, 87; 3. Garrett Smith, 84.5; 4. Brady Portenier, 84; no other qualified rides.

With home devastated by hurricane, Louisianan dominates UBF Challenge GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Sage Seay needed the Ultimate Bullfighters more than any other competitor this past weekend at the Nebraska State Fair. “Knowing that everything back home was devastated, it’s tough to think about,” said Seay, 24, of Hackberry, Louisiana, near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. “Being on the road has kept my mind off things.” His tiny village back home is a smaller version of what it once was, thanks to Hurricane Laura. Winds of more than 100 mph razed buildings and wrecked lives and livelihoods. In mid-Nebraska, Seay could only console his family, who asked that he remain on the road and take care of his bullfighting business. Things back home would be cared for until he returned. So, the athlete who grew up around the bayous and swamps of the South focused his eyes on the business at hand. He kicked it off with a 91-point bullfight during Friday’s performance, then followed it with a 90 in the championship round to win the inaugural Ultimate Bullfighters Challenge presented by Pump & Pantry. “Hurricane Laura gave me some motivation,” he said. “I really wanted to put ‘Hack’ on my back and give some positive things for the people there to focus on. Everybody’s house is gone. It’s devastating. They’ve grown up in those homes, and now they’re gone. “To be able to take that win back home is a big deal to me. That win went out to my hometown.” This isn’t the first hurricane Seay has experienced. Whether with his father in Hackberry or with his mom outside Beaumont, Texas, high winds, tornadoes and storm surge come at a regular occurrence for people that live along the Gulf Coast. This is, however, his first time to feel the pain that comes with the storms. “I’m at an age where I see and understand what a bind it puts my family in,” he said. “With all the prior storms, we were young, and we didn’t know the heartache of losing something. Seeing this now, I feel it. It hurts to see your parents go through this. “I watched my dad bust his ass day in and day out to build that place, then to see it get demolished in 30 minutes. My dad and my brother told me I needed to stay on the road, that they have this. So, I just want to be the positive light in their lives with all this other stuff going on.” He returns to UBF action this weekend, competing in Ocala, Florida, on Friday and in Arcadia, Florida, on Saturday. He has only his recent memory to give him plenty of insights as he pushes toward the next step as the No. 1 man in the UBF. “The people in Nebraska are great, and they came out to support us Friday night,” Seay said. “On Saturday night, they were hanging from the rafters. When you have a crowd behind you, that makes everything better. We feed off the energy of the crowd. Everyone went out there and laid it on the line because of it.” Ultimate Bullfighters Challenge Grand Island, Nebraska Aug. 28-29, 2020 First round: 1. Sage Seay, 91 points; 2. Beau Schueth, 90; 3. Knox Dunn, 89; 4. (tie) Alex McWilliams and Chance Moorman, 87 each, Championship round: 1. Sage Seay, 90 points; 2. Alex McWilliams, 89.5; 3. Beau Schueth, 87.5; 4. Tyler Washburn, 84.5; 5. Tucker Lane, 81.5.

Action-packed Arcadia Roughstock UBF to be broadcast on Wrangler Network ARCADIA, Fla. – There is so much hype centered around the Arcadia Roughstock UBF, the event is receiving national coverage. The Wrangler Network will present a live broadcast of the Premier Bulls Tour and Ultimate Bullfighters showcase, set for 7 p.m. (Eastern) Saturday, Sept. 5. Finding the show is as simple as logging onto WranglerNetwork.com. “The cool part of having it on the Wrangler Network is that it opens the door for more and more people to have a chance to watch it,” said Riley McKettrick, a UBF bullfighter from Arcadia. “It allows them to see that rodeo, bull riding and bullfighting are true sports.” The handy piece of the broadcast is in its accessibility. Mobile devices allow for anyone to watch such programming anywhere. Of course, none of this would be possible without the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo, which is the promoter of this event. “Thank goodness the Wrangler Network is coming,” said Robert “Blue” Jeanes, a recently retired bullfighter who will serve as one of the announcers. “Those people on that rodeo committee are wonderful, and they are putting this thing on and making it happen.” That’s important in a year that’s seen so many cancelations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeanes, who recently worked his last rodeo as a protection bullfighter after 25 years in the business, is making the transition to the microphone, but it should be rather seamless. “I’ve put on five or six freestyle bullfights, and I’ve done announcing at those,” he said. “As time went on, I started picking up some amateur rodeos, so I’ve been getting my feet wet.” His focus, though, wasn’t always on the protection side of the bullfighting action. He joined the original Wrangler Bullfight Tour as a rookie in 1999 and competed in 2000 before the tour was shut down. “Just about every bullfighter that’s going to be in Arcadia, I either saw them start or I helped them start,” Jeanes said. “I really enjoyed helping the young guys as I was getting toward the end of my career. I know those kids like the back of my hand. “With that knowledge, I’ll be able to let the people in the grandstands know more about those kids, too.” One person he knows the book on is McKettrick, who has proven himself quite well over the last few years. He’s excited to have the UBF in his own backyard. “It’s a really big deal to me,” he said. “They’ve only gotten to see freestyle bullfighting there once, and I didn’t do really good. This is a shot at redemption for me to do better in front of my hometown crowd. “My friends and family can come watch it, and they can be there to support me. I feel like I have a home field advantage.” He should. While many don’t know of Florida’s vast ranching history, McKettrick does, and so do the people who make their livings in the Western lifestyle. Still, this showcase is about competition and entertainment and letting go of months of isolation. “It’s the action, the danger that attracts people to freestyle bullfighting,” Jeanes said. “These kids have taken it to a new level. At my very best, I’m not sure I could even pull a check round They’re doing things now that are just incredible. They’re adding elements I didn’t think I’d ever see in freestyle bullfighting. “It’s a way better product than it used to be. It’s pure excitement.”

Bull team competition will be a featured piece of Ultimate Bullfighters Challenge GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – They aren’t the biggest animals in Western sports, but what they do in the arena more than makes up for their lack of size. They are Spanish fighting bulls, and they were bred to be part of the Ultimate Bullfighter Challenge presented by Pump & Pantry, set for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Thompson Food Open Air Arena at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. In the decades of freestyle bullfighting, all who participate understand the necessity to have a great animal be part of the mix. The UBF, however, is taking it a full step further with its bull team competition, which will be part of the state fair event this coming weekend. Six stock contractors from around the country will have three bulls each, and the cumulative bull scores will be tallied together; the bull team with the highest score will be crowned champion and earn the lion’s share of the $25,000 purse. “I think this is set up to be an exceptional event,” said J.B. Mauney, a two-time PBR world champion bull rider who is involved with Lights Out Fighting Bulls and is a UBF shareholder. “We set up the shows and try to do it as smooth as we can. “With the bull team competition, it’s set up to showcase the best bulls. We’re going to have high scores, because the bulls are just that hot.” It’s a nice mix of athletic talent, both human and bovine. With scores based on a 100-point scale, men can earn up to 50 points per fight based on their ability to showcase control and style while maneuvering around and, sometimes, over the animal; a bull can earn up to 50 points based on its quickness, aggression and willingness to stay in the fight. “All contractors are paying fees, and there’s added money involved,” stock contractor Chad Ellison said, referring to sponsorship dollars that help make up the total purse. “It pays four places. All the contractors have a different strategy, but you don’t want to take bulls that are so hard the bullfighters can’t get by them “You win the deal off the combined bull scores, so it’s unique. If you wreck your guy out and the judges don’t see but a few seconds of your bull, that will probably hurt your score.” Ellison will have a couple of the top bulls in the game in Grand Island, including Blue Duck and Smoke N Mirrors. “They’re two different types of bulls, but they’re both good,” he said, noting that Blue Duck is owned by his wife, Brandee. “When we got him, you could tell Blue Duck was really mean and would be hard to handle. People that have fought him have either been a lot of points or been wrecked out. “Smoke N Mirrors doesn’t get too excited, but every time they’ve drawn him, they’ve been in the high 80s or low 90s. He’s pretty honest and comes pretty hard.” The bull teams will add a different yet exciting element to the freestyle bullfight. Mauney, who has been around the animals all his life, enjoys the aspects of working with the fighting bulls. He just understands they take a special touch. “If I’m not riding bulls, I’m messing with bulls,” he said. “It takes a different kind of person to work with bulls. You’ve got people that work with normal beef cattle, and you’ve got to be pretty handy to do that. Step over to the bucking bull side of things, and you’ve got to be quite a bit handy to mess with those. “When it comes to fighting bulls, you’ve got to have your head on a swivel and know what you’re doing, because one mistake and it’ll end up a bad deal.” There will be nearly two dozen of those beasts in the mix at the Nebraska State Fair. The men who tangle with them are in search of big points, which can result in big money. “Not only are these bulls really mean, they’re extremely smart,” Mauney said. “I’d never get in front of them like those bullfighters do. They are very handy, and it’s amazing to see the guys do what they do. They’re matched up against a fighting bull like that, and they make it look smooth, make it look easy. “Then you see somebody get hooked, and it’s a different story.” Either way, there’s incredible action in store in Grand Island this weekend.

UBF Challenge at Nebraska State Fair to feature top bullfighters, elite fighting bull competition GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Not many would stare a beast in the eyes. Fewer yet would tangle with it. But 18 men will get that opportunity this coming weekend during the Ultimate Bullfighter Challenge presented by Pump & Pantry, set for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Thompson Food Open Air Arena at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. This is the ultimate man-vs.-beast contest, a gladiator sport that features men willing to overcome any fears while testing their athletic talents in the arena while equally athletic and agile animals attack at will. “I love the mentality of me vs. the beast, and that’s what I love about bullfighting,” said Sage Seay, the No. 1 man in the UBF from Hackberry, Louisiana, a community tucked amongst swamps, bayous and lakes in Cajun Country. “I’m not going against Justin Josey or Beau Schueth. I’ve got to fight my bull for a minute, and that bull’s there for a job. I love a good fist fight. I feed off it.” With scores based on a 100-point scale, men can earn up to 50 points per fight based on their ability to showcase control and style while maneuvering around and, sometimes, over the animal; a bull can earn up to 50 points based on its quickness, aggression and willingness to stay in the fight. In fact, the bull aspect of the sport is such a major part of the show that UBF has developed a fighting bull competition, which will also be an added element of the Nebraska State Fair show. Six stock contractors from around the country will have three bulls each, and the cumulative bull scores will be tallied together; the bull team with the highest score will be crowned champion and earn the lion’s share of the $25,000 purse. “There will be two bulls in the long round and one bull in the short round from each bull team,” said J.B. Mauney, a two-time PBR world champion bull rider who is involved with Lights Out Fighting Bulls and is a UBF shareholder. “Grand Island should be one of the best events we have all year. When you put up your own money to enter bulls, you don’t want to bring a mediocre one. The heat will be there.” Men put their lives on the line through bouts with fast, agile, hoof-pounding machines. It’s the measure of a man that will face any adversity and find a way through every step, and a contest to identify that man is heading to Grand Island this weekend. “These have been standout events, especially when you mix the bull power with these great bullfighters,” Mauney said, noting that a UBF event took place a month ago in nearby Palmer, Nebraska. “At that event, we had a 91.5 and a 90.5. For people that don’t know freestyle bullfighting, it’s equivalent to a 90-point bull ride. “Fans are going to see the best bulls from each of the contractors, so the bullfighters are going to see the heat. These guys better be on their toes.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – At rodeos all across this land, Andy Stewart’s voice has resonated across the grandstands and into the back pens to tell the tales of the sport. Stewart has been a mainstay at the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3-Saturday, Sept. 5, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. Over the years, Stewart has been recognized as one of the very best in the business. He’s gained accolades and prestige, and this past December, his voice cascaded across Las Vegas as one of three announcers of the National Finals Rodeo. “That meant everything to me,” said Stewart, an 11-time nominee for the PRCA’s Announcer of the Year. “To earn that goal of being able to get behind the microphone at the pinnacle of our sport is very humbling. “It was everything I had hoped for. It was magical that first night I got to be on the microphone.” The magic exists because he is a student of the game. He knows the cowboys, the animals, the events. He understands that some fans may have more knowledge of the game than others, but he explains the details in a way that it’s enjoyable for all involved. “Andy is the voice of our rodeo, and we are proud to share in his successes,” said Kevin Coblentz, president of the volunteer committee that produces the annual event. “The fact that we got to hear him at the National Finals is a big deal. “Only three announcers are asked to be part of the NFR each year, and out of the hundreds of announcers that make a living in rodeo, he was recognized as one of the very best. He added to the NFR experience, and everybody there got to see why we know we have a gem in Gunnison.” While 2019 was magical, this year has been considerably more tumultuous. The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world on its side and rolled it in the dirt. Event cancelations started in March and continue still. Cattlemen’s Days may be delayed, but it continues with limited seating because of regulations. Still, the show goes on. “I’ve always said that those big rodeos are great, but the lifeblood of our organization is those medium and small rodeos in these small communities around America,” Stewart said. “That’s a testament to the true love that these committees have for these rodeos that come to their towns. That speaks volumes for the fan base for rodeo and how bit it is in the communities we go to. “I’m so thankful for committees like Gunnison, who have worked hard to move their rodeo and make it happen, and the community showed up in a big way. That shows how much they appreciate ProRodeo.” Stewart knows what it takes to work at an elite level. He works many of the biggest rodeos in the country. One reason is because of his energetic, booming voice. Another is the extra work he puts ahead of each rodeo performance so that he can be the perfect voice of the fans. For every hour he’s on the microphone, Stewart spends many more going through biographies and background and looking over all the important statistics of each competitor in the show. He understands what it takes to compete at an elite level, and he wants fans to realize it, too. It is, after all, the perfect mix of world-class competition and true family-friendly entertainment. “I know it will be limited fans, but The Cowboy Channel will be there, so people will be able to watch the rodeo,” he said. “It will get some nationwide coverage, which will help the rodeo’s sponsors and help a community that is eager for something big to happen … this year especially.”

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Since the day he was born, Sage Seay has been an athlete. Proof existed through his childhood, where he was the MVP as a senior at Nederland (Texas) High School just outside Beaumont. His exploits landed him a football scholarship at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a stone’s throw from his home in Hackberry, Louisiana. He no longer hunts down quarterbacks or tackles receivers; he’s in a more devastating game than football ever allowed, but he’s using his background to his advantage as one of the premier athletes in the Ultimate Bullfighters organization. “I really believe football actually helps me out now with training, the mental game and how I break down film to get better,” said Seay, 24, the No. 1 man in the UBF standings. “I taught myself how to fight bulls by watching film and just experiencing it through trial and error. The first bull I ever fought was at a fair in Sulphur, Louisiana, and I had no idea what I was doing. “I just envisioned that I was the running back and he was the linebacker, and I just ran away from him. Over time, I’ve learned the art of the game of freestyle bullfighting and have just loved it.” He and 17 other men will show off their skills at the Pump & Pantry Ultimate Bullfighter competition, set for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Thompson Food Open Air Arena at Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. “It’s going to be damn good, and I’m ready for it,” Seay said. “To square up to a bull for a minute, and that bull has a shot to kill you, it doesn’t get any better than that. I’m not there for that bull to fight me. I’m there to fight that SOB. He’s going to get everything I’ve got. I want that bull to know when I leave that arena that he’ll never want to see me again.” It’s a fighter’s mentality that’s part of Seay’s outlook on life. He shined in football and was a versatile athlete at Nederland High. As a junior, he played strong safety and receiver, two positions that rely heavily on athleticism. As a senior, he took over as the team’s quarterback and was named the most valuable player for District 22-5A and area newspapers in Port Arthur, Texas, and Beaumont. “I actually had nothing to do with rodeo growing up,” he said. “I played football my whole life. My dad rodeoed, and my brother rodeoed a little bit, and we always grew up working cows. I lived right across the state line with my mom; we lived there during the school year and lived in Hackberry in the summer. “I blew my knee out my sophomore season at McNeese, and they just wrote me off. I went to six or seven doctors, and they said I was pretty much done. I got in with Dr. (James) Andrews in Pensacola (Florida) and had a four-and-a-half-hour surgery. He repaired everything.” That was just the start. It was followed by months of intensive rehabilitation, defined by his will to improve. That’s what it takes to return to excellence after having a joint rebuilt, and there was no stopping Seay after that. “As I was going through rehab, I wasn’t ready to hang up the cleats yet, and freestyle bullfighting came across my Facebook feed,” he said. “I got a shot, and I took it. In October, it will be two years since I got into bullfighting.” He’s matured quite rapidly in a sport that was rather foreign to him just a few seasons ago. It’s not a game for the timid either. Bullfighters match their skills against agile and aggressive bulls. Bouts are a minute long, but only the fit and fanatical are able to survive. It takes months of training one’s body to prepare for what bullfighters experience in that 60 seconds. “We don’t have to do this; we get to do this,” Seay said. “It’s fun, but it’s a job. When you stop having fun, especially in this sport, I believe your done. “When I take a good shot, I get ticked off. I want to get back in the middle of the ring, square that sucker up and give him everything I have left. You’re going to win or lose. You’re not going to win every one of them, and that’s the consequence I’m willing to pay.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – Of the nearly 400 ProRodeo contestants who are scheduled to compete in Gunnison this year, a fourth of them have played on the sport’s grandest stage, the National Finals Rodeo. “When I saw our list of entries, I was floored by the numbers we’re getting and the amount of the top cowboys in the game,” said Kevin Coblentz, president of the committee that produces the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, set for Thursday, Sept. 3-Saturday, Sept. 5, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison. “We’re going to have the cream of the crop here. It’s very exciting.” The sheer number of cowboys and cowgirls is the most the town has seen in decades. It’s a tip of the cap to the volunteer committee that has gone above and beyond to help produce this 120th consecutive rodeo in a community well known for its agriculture roots. Beyond that, though, there’s a golden flair that has been achieved in Gunnison. Of the cowboys and cowgirls on the list to compete in the mountain community, 25 of them are world champions; they represent 46 gold buckles. “It’s impressive to me to see who we have coming,” Coblentz said. “If you wear a gold buckle in professional rodeo, you had to earn it. Now, those people are trying to win another one this year, and they’re including Gunnison on their schedules.” The biggest name in the batch is reigning six-time world champion bull rider Sage Kimzey, who is well on his way to establish a new mark in bull riding world titles; he is chasing eight-time titlist Donnie Gay. But he’s not the only contestant in the game with multiple gold buckles. Gunnison will also host Sherry Cervi, a four-time barrel racing champ; Tuf Cooper, a four-time winner with titles in tie-down roping and the all-around race; three-time bareback riding world champion Tim O’Connell; two-time team roping winners Patrick Smith, Chad Masters and Matt Sherwood; and four other two-time titlists, steer wrestler Hunter Cure, saddle bronc rider Taos Muncy, tie-down roper Caleb Smidt and barrel racer Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. “We not only have more contestants this year than we’ve ever had, but we’re going to have more world titlists here than ever,” Coblentz said. “That says quite a bit about what the contestants are looking for. We feature a good purse, and we are on a weekend that works well for them to make Cattlemen’s Days. “When you can draw the who’s who of rodeo to town, it shows the work we’ve done as a community is paying off. We may have had to wait for this year’s rodeo, but I think it’s going to be well worth it.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – There’s a value to everything in life, and the growth of the human spirit is treasured. For members of the Waller County Fair Association, their annual fair and rodeo is a major part of life in the region northwest of downtown Houston. With the human spirit fully engaged, the association’s board has decided to push through for this year’s fair and rodeo, set for Saturday, Sept. 26-Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead. “We fully comprehend the impact of the global pandemic,” said Matt Hyatt, chairman of the WCFA’s board. “What we also understand is that many things in our lives have been impacted beyond the coronavirus and that it is important to have our fair and rodeo.” While there may be limitations associated with COVID-19, the Waller County Fair and Rodeo will look remarkably similar to previous years; much of that has to do with its spacious outdoor setting, but it’s also a sign of perseverance by a community. “We just have to have our fair and rodeo,” said John Schluens, one of the association’s rodeo committee captains. “With so many regulations placed on us because of COVID, the people around here need that escape. We’ve had so many cancelations because of the pandemic; we just couldn’t cancel the biggest event in this county.” The fair’s rodeo has been recognized as one of the best in the region, and organizers are expecting a tremendous turnout of competitors who are itching to take their shot at the money available. “Every community has been impacted by this, but we’ve been very fortunate with the sponsors that have still come out and supported our event,” Hyatt said. “We’ve made the necessary adjustments, but we are moving forward in order to restore a sense of pride and a sense of normalcy to this community. “The kids and parents have done everything they can. We need to provide the platform to finish the goal. Of course, if people can’t make it out this year, we look forward to having them back in 2021.” The expo will kick off its eight-day run on opening Saturday with a bull riding and a freestyle bullfighting competition that begins at 7 p.m. Glen Templeton will follow with the first of four outdoor concerts that take place in the arena. Two days later, the annual Waller County Team Roping will take place. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, eight of top 12 tie-down ropers will battle in the seventh annual Calf Roping Eliminator Match, which features a $10,000 purse. That action begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by the Invitational Calf Roping. On Wednesday, Sept. 30, the inaugural WPRA Invitational Ladies Breakaway Roping feature most of the top female ropers in the game. The PRCA rodeo will help wrap up a busy week of activities in Hempstead beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1-Saturday, Oct. 3. Each performance will be followed by a concert in the arena afterward, with Randall King opening the weekend on Thursday, followed by John Stork on Friday and Josh Ward on Saturday. “We take a great deal of pride in what this community offers, and we want to give back,” Hyatt said. “It’s especially important to do that this year. “Just like every profession, lots of people have been out of work, including contestants, pickup men, bullfighters, announcers and clowns. They are very appreciative to be in Hempstead this year.”

GUYMON, Okla. – Frontier Rodeo’s bull Big Don had a nasty reputation, but that didn’t matter to Ty Wallace, who mastered the beast for 90 points Saturday night to take the bull riding lead at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. “I’ve seen that bull a handful of times this year, and he’s been awesome,” said Wallace, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Collbran, Colorado. “He’s one of Frontier’s top five bulls, and I was just happy to come to Guymon and get on a bull like that. “It always feels better when it works out.” Josh Frost, a graduate of nearby Oklahoma Panhandle State University, had jumped into the lead with an 88.5-point ride on Frontier’s Magic Trick, but then Wallace and Big Don worked their own magic. He will have to wait for the outcome of Sunday’s final performance to see if the score holds up for the Pioneer Days Rodeo title and the cherished trophy buckle awarded to each year’s champions. “It always helps when the bull bucks hard,” he said. “When they buck that hard, you don’t really have time to think; you just react. I’d say 70 percent is mental. I can sure beat myself up mentally knowing that bull was hard to get away from. It runs through your head, and you try to block it out. I’m just thankful these bullfighters were there and are awesome.” With a little more than a month left in ProRodeo’s regular season, Wallace was 13th in the world standings heading into this week of rodeos. Every dollar counts, so he knows having a good check at Oklahoma’s only ProRodeo Hall of Fame event will be important. “Being right there on the bubble with a month left in the season, it definitely helps,” said Wallace, noting that only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR. “It makes you forget about the standings, and you can just go enjoy yourself and not be pressured.” Steer wrestler Bridger Anderson has felt a little pressure. He’s been among the top 15 all season, but he’s dipped to 11th heading into this week. That’s why he ran his first steer Thursday afternoon, then sprinted to an airplane for a short hop to Amarillo, Texas, to catch a second flight that day en route to Denver then on to Kalispell, Montana. “I got to the arena at Kalispell just as they were running the first bulldogging steer in slack after the performance,” said Anderson, the reigning college steer wrestling champion from Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “The next morning, we drove to Burley (Idaho), then I got up early this morning to get on a flight to get back here for tonight.” Five planes in two days, but he’s placing in Burley and is placing in both the second round and two-run aggregate in Guymon. He posted a 4.1-second run Saturday night for fifth in the round and a tie for fifth place in the average “It would mean a lot to pick up some money here,” he said. “It would be a great place to keep climbing up the world standings and the (Prairie) Circuit standings, hopefully at least hold the position.” All he hoped for was an opportunity, and he got it. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo Aug. 21-23 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Jake Brown, 89 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s New Scarlet; 2. Kaycee Field, 87.5; 3. (tie) Tray Chambliss and Richmond Champion, 87; 5. Clayton Biglow, 86; 6. Tim O’Connell, 85.5; 7. (tie) Pascal Isabelle and Garrett Shadbolt, 85. Team roping: First round: 1. Nick Sartain/Blaine Vick, 4.2 seconds, $2,506 each; 2. Luke Brown/Patrick Smith, 4.8, $2,179; 3. (tie) Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira and Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 5.2, $1,689 each; 5. (tie) Cooper White/Tucker White and J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 5.3, $1,035 each; 7. Jaxson Tucker/Cole Davison, 5.4, $545; 8. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith and Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 5.5, $109 each. Second round: 1. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 4.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Marty Yates and Clint Summers/Douglas Rich, 4.5; 4. Jeff Flenniken/Tyler Worley, 4.6; 5. Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, 4.9; 6. Laramie Allen/Truman Magnus, 5.0; 7. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith and Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 5.3. Average: 1. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 9.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith, 10.8; 3. Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 11.2; 4. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 11.3; 5. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and Jeff Flenniken/Tyler Worley, 11.5; 7. Chris Francis/Cade Pasig, 12.0; 8. Brit Ellerman/Trey Johnson, 17.1. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. (tie) Chase Crane and Clayton Hass, 4.0 seconds, $1,680 each; 3. (tie) Taz Olson, Walt Arnold, Blake Knowles, Eli Lord, Dalton Massey, Cade Goodman and Tanner Brunner, 4.1, $636 each. Second round: 1. Blake Knowles, 3.5 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.7; 3. Dylan Schroeder, 3.8; 4. Mike McGinn, 3.9; 5. Bridger Anderson, 4.1; 6. Jacob Edler, 4.2; 7. (tie) J.D. Struxness, Blake Mindemann and Payden McIntyre, 4.3. Average: 1. Blake Knowles, 7.6 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Walt Arnold and Chase Crane, 8.6 each; 4. Jacob Edler, 8.8; 5. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Clayton Hass, 8.9; 7. (tie) Newt Bush, Trever Nelson and Bridger Anderson, 9.0. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chase Brooks, 89.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Force; 2. Rusty Wright, 88.5; 3. Spencer Wright, 87; 4. (tie) Allen Boore and Kolby Wanchuk, 86; 6. Jake Finlay, 85; 7. Leon Fountain, 81; 8. Kole Ashbacher, 80. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Marty Yates, 8.1 seconds, $3,101; 2. (tie) Ryan Thibodeaux and Caleb Smidt, 8.2, $2,494 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 8.3, $1,888; 5. (tie) Hunter Herrin, Riley Pruitt and Quay Howard, 8.5, $1,079 each; 8. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Blake Ash, 8.7, $135 each. Second round: 1. Tyler Prcin, 7.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Reese Reimer and Cody McCartney, 7.9; 4. (tie) Cody Huber and Tuf Cooper, 8.0; 6. Bryson Sechrist. 8.2; 7. (tie) Hunter Herrin and Adam Gray, 8.3. Average: 1. Hunter Herrin16.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Tuf Cooper, 17.0; 3. (tie) Cody  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – At just 33 years old, Isaac Diaz is the living embodiment of Garth Brooks’ song “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” A professional saddle bronc rider since his college days 15 years ago, Diaz still chases those white lines and great bucking horses that drive his dreams and his passion for rodeo. They brought him to Sunday’s final performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, and it paid off rather well. “One thing I’ve learned with getting older is the competition is getting younger,” said Diaz, a six-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Desdemona, Texas. “That’s why I travel with young, motivated guys. These guys keep me working out and staying fit and really driving at it. “Especially with this pandemic, we couldn’t possibly live a better life.” Diaz rode Frontier Rodeo’s Yellowstone for 89 points Sunday afternoon to finish second in the saddle bronc riding, just a half-point behind the winning ride made by Chase Brooks on Friday night. For his work, Diaz pocketed $2,750. All that will go a long way toward his efforts to return to the NFR for the seventh time. A sports hernia suffered last spring kept him out of ProRodeo’s finale this past December. The money earned in the Oklahoma Panhandle will push Diaz past the $40,000 mark and will have him ever so close to the top 10 in the world standings. “I had that horse one other time and it really good,” Diaz said “It wasn’t quite this good. I told Shorty (Garrett) before this that I had to draw her one more time to decide if that was my favorite horse, and now that I’ve done that, I can confirm that it is my favorite horse. “Frontier is my favorite stock contracting firm. It’s one thing to have great animals, but it’s another thing that they’re willing to do whatever to help you. They’re supportive of us, and they want to see us win. That makes a big difference.” While Diaz moved into second place, a couple of other cowboys earned a share of victories in their respective events. Tie-down roper Justin Smith stopped the clock in 7.5 seconds Sunday afternoon to win the second round and share the average title with Hunter Herrin; bull rider Koby Radley was 90 points on Frontier’s Lookin’ Up to share the bull riding victory with Ty Wallace. Smith pocketed $7,559, while Radley left Guymon with $3,313. Diaz drove away from Texas County with the satisfaction of another solid run at a big rodeo on the 2020 season. “I almost went to school here,” he said, referring to Oklahoma Panhandle State University in nearby Goodwell. “I traveled for a long time with Taos (Muncy), Tyrel (Larsen) and Cody (Taton, all three of whom are Panhandle State graduates), so we always come to this rodeo. It’s the bronc riding capital of this region. “I’ve never won this rodeo. I’ve finished third, fourth and placed down the line, and now I’m second. I want one of those (trophy) belts with those conchos on it, so hopefully one day I’ll get them.” He’s still riding like he’s in the prime of his life, so he should have several opportunities to claim that prize. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo Aug. 21-23 All-around cowboy: Tuf Cooper, $6,388 in steer roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding leaders: 1. Jake Brown, 89 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s New Scarlet, $3,334; 2. Kaycee Field, 87.5, $2,555; 3. (tie) Tray Chambliss, Richmond Champion and Cole Reiner, 87, $1,296 each; 6. Clayton Biglow, 86, $556; 7. Tim O’Connell, 85.5, $444; 8. (tie) Pascal Isabelle and Garrett Shadbolt, 85, $167 each. Team roping: First round: 1. Nick Sartain/Blaine Vick, 4.2 seconds, $2,506 each; 2. Luke Brown/Patrick Smith, 4.8, $2,179; 3. (tie) Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira and Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 5.2, $1,689 each; 5. (tie) Cooper White/Tucker White and J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 5.3, $1,035 each; 7. Jaxson Tucker/Cole Davison, 5.4, $545; 8. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith and Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 5.5, $109 each. Second round: 1. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 4.4 seconds, $2,506; 2. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Marty Yates and Clint Summers/Douglas Rich, 4.5, $2,016; 4. Jeff Flenniken/Tyler Worley, 4.6, $1,526; 5. Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, 4.9, $1,199; 6. Laramie Allen/Truman Magnus, 5.0, $872; 7. Kolton Schmidt/Hunter Koch, 5.2, $545; 8. (tie) Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira, Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith and Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 5.3, $73 each. Average: 1. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 9.9 seconds on two runs, $3,760; 2. Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira, 10.5, $3,269; 3. Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith, 10.8, $2,779; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Hunter Koch, 11.0, $2,288; 5. Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 11.2, $1,798; 6. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 11.3, $1,308; 7. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and Jeff Flenniken/Tyler Worley, 11.5, $572 each. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. (tie) Chase Crane and Clayton Hass, 4.0 seconds, $1,680 each; 3. (tie) Taz Olson, Walt Arnold, Blake Knowles, Eli Lord, Dalton Massey, Cade Goodman and Tanner Brunner, 4.1, $636 each. Second round: 1. Blake Knowles, 3.5 seconds, $1,798; 2. (tie) Trell Etbauer and Dirk Tavenner, 3.7, $1,446 each; 4. Dylan Schroeder, 3.8, $1,094; 5. Mike McGinn, 3.9, $860; 6. Bridger Anderson, 4.1, $660; 6. Jacob Edler, 4.2, $391; 8. (tie) J.D. Struxness, Blake Mindemann and Payden McIntyre, 4.3, $52 each. Average: 1. Blake Knowles, 7.6 seconds on two runs, $2,696; 2. Trell Etbauer, $2,345; 3. (tie) Walt Arnold and Chase Crane, 8.6, $1,817 each; 5. Jacob Edler, 8.8, $1,290; 6. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Clayton Hass, 8.9, $762; 8. (tie) Newt Bush, Tanner Brunner, Trever Nelson and Bridger Anderson, 9.0, $59 each. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chase Brooks, 89.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Force, $3,587; 2. Isaac Diaz, 89, $2,750; 3. Rusty Wright, 88.5, $2,033; 4. Spencer Wright, 87, $1,315; 5. (tie) Allen Boore, Kolby Wanchuk, Jake Watson and CoBurn Bradshaw, 86, $568 each. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Marty Yates, 8.1 seconds, $3,101; 2. (tie) Ryan Thibodeaux and Caleb Smidt, 8.2, $2,494 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 8.3, $1,888; 5. (tie) Hunter Herrin, Riley Pruitt and Quay Howard, 8.5, $1,079  Continue Reading »

GUYMON, Okla. – About seven seconds into his eight-second ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist during Friday’s first performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, Tray Chambliss was in a bind. “I felt my glove slipping out of my rigging; it was do or die right then,” said Chambliss, 30, of Fort Davis, Texas. “It was, ‘Gas it even harder and stay ahead of the horse or safety up,’ but there ain’t no money in safetying up.” It worked to the tune of 87 points and the bareback riding lead in the Oklahoma Panhandle for the Alabama-born cowboy who moved to Texas about a decade ago to learn more about the craft and what it means to compete in ProRodeo. Though he’s never qualified for the National Finals Rodeo, Chambliss was a rising star in the game. Four years ago, an injury forced him to the sidelines, and he slowed down his schedule considerable since. He skipped the 2017 season altogether, then got on just 17 horses in 2018-19 combined. “In one of the oddest years ever, I decided to go pretty hard,” he said, noting that his Friday night ride on the powerful Frontier horse was his 10th of the season, which he started in early June. “You have to want to do this. If you don’t want it, you better not come, because you’re either going to get hurt or it’s going to be for nothing. “There are a lot of other guys that want it as bad or worse than you do, and they’re going to be working hard to make it happen.” While he’s not old by any stretch of the imagination, some cowboys in their 30s struggle in bareback riding because of the physical toll it takes on their bodies. With his time away from the arena, Chambliss knows he’s got plenty of years left. Besides, there’s also mind over matter. “I don’t think age has anything to do with it,” he said. “I think your circumstances, where you are in life and where the good Lord is speaking to you is where you’re at. One of my good friends and mentors, Clint Cannon, didn’t make the finals until he was 31.” Cannon then qualified for the NFR five times, and Chambliss still believes he has the ability to make it to ProRodeo’s biggest stage. “I don’t want to be the guy on his death bed who knew he had the talent and ability and just didn’t keep trying,” he said. “I don’t want to have any regrets.” He doesn’t regret returning to Guymon after four years away from the Oklahoma Panhandle, especially knowing he was matched with Night Fist. “She was really electric,” Chambliss said. “I didn’t ask anybody about her, because I didn’t want a bunch of people’s opinions about her. I had a game plan: Visualize my ride and do everything perfect.” It worked out just fine. Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo Aug. 21-23 Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tray Chambliss, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist; 2. Clayton Biglow, 86; 3. Will Martin, 82; 4. Kash Wilson, 80; no other qualified rides Team roping: First round: 1. Nick Sartain/Blaine Vick, 4.2 seconds, $2,506 each; 2. Luke Brown/Patrick Smith, 4.8, $2,179; 3. (tie) Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira and Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 5.2, $1,689 each; 5. (tie) Cooper White/Tucker White and J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 5.3, $1,035 each; 7. Jaxson Tucker/Cole Davison, 5.4, $545; 8. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith and Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 5.5, $109 each. Second round: 1. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 4.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Marty Yates and Clint Summers/Douglas Rich, 4.5; 4. Jeff Flenniken/Tyler Worley, 4.6; 5. Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, 4.9; 6. Laramie Allen/Truman Magnus, 5.0; 7. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Thomas Smith and Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 5.3. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. (tie) Chase Crane and Clayton Hass, 4.0 seconds, $1,680 each; 3. (tie) Taz Olson, Walt Arnold, Blake Knowles, Eli Lord, Dalton Massey, Cade Goodman and Tanner Brunner, 4.1, $636 each. Second round: 1. Blake Knowles, 3.5 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.7; 3. Dylan Schroeder, 3.8; 4. Mike McGinn, 3.9; 5. Jacob Edler, 4.2; 6. (tie) J.D. Struxness, Blake Mindemann and Payden McIntyre, 4.3. Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chase Brooks, 89.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Force; 2. (tie) Allen Boore and Kolby Wanchuk, 86; 4. Leon Fountain, 81; 5. Kash Deal, 79; 6. Ross Griffin, 77.5; 7. Cash Wilson, 75; 8. Mason Loviolette, 71. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Marty Yates, 8.1 seconds, $3,101; 2. (tie) Ryan Thibodeaux and Caleb Smidt, 8.2, $2,494 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 8.3, $1,888; 5. (tie) Hunter Herrin, Riley Pruitt and Quay Howard, 8.5, $1,079 each; 8. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Blake Ash, 8.7, $135 each. Second round: 1. Tyler Prcin, 7.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Reese Reimer and Cody McCartney, 7.9; 4. (tie) Cody Huber and Tuf Cooper, 8.0; 6. Bryson Sechrist. 8.2; 7. Adam Gray, 8.3; 8. J.W. Kirkham, 8.4. Barrel racing: First round: 1. Shelley Morgan, 17.11 seconds; 2. Wenda Johnson, 17.27; 3. Shannon Lillard, 17.42; 4. (tie) Kelly Yates and Stephanie Fryar, 17.47 each; 6. (tie) Ilyssa Riley, Tracy Nowlin and Paige Jones, 17.49 each. Steer roping: First round: 1. Landon McClaugherty, 11.5 seconds, $1,670; 2. (tie) Corey Ross, Scott Snedecor and Cole Patterson, 11.7, $1,094 each; 5. Mike Chase, 12.6, $518; 6. Cody Doescher, 13.0, $288. Second round: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.2 seconds, $1,670; 2. Landon McClaugherty, 10.4, $1,382; 3. Roger Branch, 10.7, $1,094; 4. Jace Bland, 11.1, $806; 5. Taylor Santos, 11.2, $518; 6. Tuff Hardman, 11.6, $288. Third round: 1. Tuf Cooper, 10.3 seconds, $1,670; 2. Martin Poindexter, 10.5, $1,382; 3. Trevor Brazile, 10.7, $1,094; 4. Trey Wallace, 11.5, $806; 5. Clay Smith, 11.8, $518; 6. Cody Lee, 12.2, $288. Fourth round: 1. Scott Snedecor, 9.6 seconds, $1,670; 2. Jace Bland, 10.1, $1,382; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 10.8, $1,094; 4. Roger Branch, 10.9, $806; 5. Trevor Brazile, 11.1, $518; 6. Mike Chase, 11.2, $288. Average: 1. Clay Smith, 53.0 seconds on four head, $3,339; 2. Cole Patterson, 57.6, $2,764; 3. J. Tom Fisher, 58.5, $2,188; 4. Jess Tierney, 67.0, $1,612;  Continue Reading »