Smidt races for Lovington cash
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Caleb Smidt knew he needed to be fast Thursday night if he has any chance of pulling any money out of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. He roped and tied his calf in 7.8 seconds to take the second-round lead in tie-down roping at Jake McClure Arena and moved into fourth […]
Theriot, Doescher finding success
LOVINGTON, N.M. – With just a little more than a month and a half left in ProRodeo’s regular season, Marcus Theriot and Cody Doescher are finally heading in the right direction. “Our summer’s been kind of tough,” said Theriot, a 21-year-old all-around cowboy from Poplarville, Miss. “We haven’t done very well at all, but we’re […]
Spears earns Xtreme Bulls crown
LOVINGTON, N.M. – The first two times Jordan Spears rodeo the bull Smash Mouth, he learned a few lessons. They paid off Tuesday night when he captured the Lea County Xtreme Bulls title and a payday worth $9,231. While he’s had great success in Lovington over the years, this marked his first big victory. “A […]
Teenager wins Roundup title
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Less than two months ago, Bridger Anderson was competing at the College National Finals Rodeo for the first time in his young college career. He is a sophomore-to-be at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, and he’s traveling the ProRodeo trail with his coach, Stockton Graves, a seven-time steer wrestling qualifier […]
Graves seeks 2nd Roundup title
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Five years ago, Travis Graves left Roundup Arena with one of his greatest possessions: The Dodge City Roundup Rodeo championship buckle. On Saturday night during the fourth performance of this year’s event at Roundup Arena, Graves and his partner, three-time world champion header Clay Tryan, gave themselves a chance at the […]
O’Connell spurs to Dodge lead
DODGE CITY, Kan. – A great deal has happened in Tim O’Connell’s life the last nine months. He earned his second straight bareback riding world championship last December, clinching it at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Three months later, his wife, Sami, gave birth to their first child, a son named Hazen. He had the […]
Muncy refreshed and ready to ride
DODGE CITY, Kan. – There are times when a seasoned veteran needs to go back to school. That was the case for Taos Muncy, one of the greatest saddle bronc riders in the game today. He was just a college sophomore in 2007 when he won his first world championship, then followed that four years […]
Waguespack chasing Roundup title
DODGE CITY, Kan. – A month ago, Tyler Waguespack was the No. 5 steer wrestler in the world standings. Things changed dramatically in those few weeks. In that time, he’s earned less than $5,000 in ProRodeo and came into this week 13th. He’s not exactly comfortable being that low in the standings, even though the […]
Apple collects valuable win
Oklahoma man uses wit and athleticism to win BFO-Dodge City title DODGE CITY, Kan. – Schell Apple knew he had to be the aggressor during Tuesday night’s Bullfighters Only Wrangler Bullfights at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. He matched moves with a young bull from Rockin’ B & Magnifica for 81 points, winning the prestigious […]
Frontier to produce Guymon rodeo
GUYMON, Okla. – There is a changing of the guard at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo for the 2019 championship. The volunteer committee has signed a contract with Freedom, Okla.-based Frontier Rodeo Co. to be the primary stock contractor and producer of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame event beginning with next year’s rodeo, set for […]
Jacoby earns Xtreme Bulls crown
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Elliot Jacoby is a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier trying to make it to the City of Lights for the third time in his career. That’s a difficult task, given that only the top 15 in the world standings in each earn the right to compete in Las Vegas in […]
Success defines Eagle’s fair, rodeo
EAGLE, Colo. – To claim the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo was a success might be an understatement in 2018. When the fair concluded last weekend, there were tons of positives flowing out of the mountain community. The Junior Livestock Sale raised $360,000 for Eagle County youth, up $65,000 from 2017. That says something about […]
Branch wins Dodge City title
Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Steer Roping July 31, 2018 Steer roping: First round: 1. Trevor Brazile, 10.5 seconds, $1,863; 2. Scott Snedecor, 10.7, $1,542; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 11.0, $1,220; 4. Brady Garten, 11.5, $899; 5. Rod Hartness, 11.8, $578; 6. Roger Branch, 12.2, $321. Second round: 1. Rocky Patterson, 9.4 seconds, $1,863; 2. (tie) Ralph […]
Fair and rodeo is a great value
LOVINGTON, N.M. – The children point to the bright lights and exciting rides on the carnival’s midway. The agriculture folks look at the wonderful lessons and great experiences with all the exhibits and shows. The rodeo fans direct attention to the award-winning and historic rodeo at Jake McClure Arena and the elite contestants that make […]
Staff, volunteers are fair’s backbone
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Tens of thousands of people come through the gates of the Lea County Fairgrounds every August. That’s because the Lea County Fair and Rodeo is a big deal. It’s not just folks from the southeastern-most county in New Mexico, but people from all over the Southwest who make the exposition a major […]
Cowboys love Roundup Rodeo
DODGE CITY, Kan. – Every August, folks all across southwest Kansas have the opportunity to see the greatest stars ProRodeo has to offer. This is a preview of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, only four months early during the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 5, at Roundup Arena. […]
Hard work pays off in Salinas
Hill completes comeback during BFO Wrangler Bullfight Tour stop SALINAS, Calif. – Between them, Ross Hill and Nathan Harp have undergone two surgeries and two years of rehabilitation over the last 14 months. Their persistence paid off this past weekend at the Bullfighters Only Wrangler Bullfight Tour stop at California Rodeo Salinas. Hill won the […]
Carr firm key to rodeo’s success
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Trey Kerby makes no bones about what makes Lovington’s rodeo so great. “Pete Carr and his crew are one of the most important parts of our rodeo,” said Kerby, chairman of the rodeo committee for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 11, at Jake […]
Guymon rodeo building on success
GUYMON, Okla. – The Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has always been the centerpiece to the annual community celebration. It’s a big deal in Texas County, Okla., with thousands enjoying the festivities around town around the first weekend of May. It’s also a huge undertaking, with dozens of volunteers working diligently year-round to make sure event […]
Oder wins home-state title
California’s Colt Oder stands tall among the Redwoods FORTUNA, Calif. – Colt Oder only thought he’d been to the northern reaches of his home-state before. “I’ve been to San Francisco, but another four or five hours further and I wasn’t sure that I’d still be in California,” he said. Raised in the southern California town […]
Kings are key for horse show
LOVINGTON, N.M. – For Judy and Bill King, being volunteers for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo has been an important part of their lives. She was the horse superintendent from 2007-17, a position that had her overseeing about 35 youngsters involved in the horse program and their families. That means she and her husband […]
McBride highlights Lovington lineup
LOVINGTON, N.M. – This is the type of concert lineup fairgoers have come to expect at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. “I think this year’s artists are some of the best that we’ve had in quite a while,” said Kathy Welborn, vice chairwoman of the Lea County Fair Board. “We have TobyMac on Faith […]
Hill is healthy, happy again
Veteran bullfighter has regained his place in time for BFO bullfights in Salinas Ross Hill didn’t really want to take a break from freestyle bullfighting, but his body was demanding it. A knee injury originally suffered in 2009 reared its head twice in 2016, sidelining the Bullfighters Only pioneer and forcing Hill to re-evaluate his […]
McNeill brings college title home
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Kynzie McNeill reflects on her youth in southeastern New Mexico with great adoration. She should. She’s awfully proud to be from Lea County, where she’s done some brilliant things. But the biggest piece of her life came in June when she claimed the barrel racing national championship at the College National Finals […]