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Local, regional, national supporters help bring top talent to Gooding Pro Rodeo GOODING, Idaho – Maybe the most difficult question to answer in southern Idaho is this: What makes the Gooding Pro Rodeo special? Sure, there’s incredible action with ProRodeo’s elite in the mix. There are incredible bucking athletes and timed-event horses. Those things stand out, but there are a lot of rodeos across North America that feature superstars, those National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and world champions. “The only way to answer that is to just experience it for yourself,” said Don Gill, manager of the Gooding County Fair and Rodeo. “It’s hard to explain, but I think once people have seen it for themselves, they realize what we have here in Gooding.” The Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers is set for Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 16, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 13. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. In fact, it’s sponsors like the Idaho Ford Dealers that have seen the magic happen, which is why they support the rodeo so intently. “We’re very blessed to have some incredible partners, whether they’re in the community, in the region or national,” Gill said. “Our sponsors have helped us improve our rodeo across the board. They support us, built us and helped us increase our added money so that we’re one of the premier rodeos in the country.” That’s true. Hundreds of contestants will make their way to Gooding in mid-August with hopes of securing their fair share of Idaho cash. It’s in their nature to be competitive, but there’s something else that attracts them to town. “I think everyone who comes to our rodeo comes to interact with and see that crowd,” Gill said. “There’s just something about it that I don’t think any other rodeo has. Our entire crowd is electric for four nights.” The combination of an enthusiastic audience and superb competition is why so many sponsors have elected to be part of the spectacle. This is the first year that Idaho Ford Dealers has served as presenting sponsor, but there are others that prove to be community supporters: Burk’s Tractor, Glanbia, Magic Valley Milk Producers, Pendleton Whisky, Quanta, Watkins Distributing, Valley Wide, Sliman & Butler Irrigation and Northwest Livestock Buyers. “We have a fantastic community that supports this rodeo, but the sponsors are the ones who really make this thing happen,” Gill said. “Without them, we don’t draw the top cowboys, we don’t have three great stock contractors and we don’t have our ‘Beer Worthy’ section. This rodeo is amazing because of the sponsors.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – It started with a query from a friend about 15 years ago. That was just the little engine that could for Shona Able and her husband, John. They jumped aboard, and the train has been rolling down the tracks for them ever since. “My friend, Lisa McNeill, was in charge of the special rodeo, and she caught me and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come and help with the special rodeo?’ ” Able said. “That was it; I’ve been doing it ever since.” The event – which takes place at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, at Jake McClure Arena on the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington – is a longstanding tradition with the annual fair and rodeo to highlight children with special needs. The night that kicks off rodeo week is a perfect opportunity for those youngsters to have an evening all to themselves and learn a little more about the sport. “I just have a heart for special needs kids,” Able said. “I just wanted to do something that was just for them. I want to see the look on their faces, the smile they have when they’re happy and they’re so excited. It makes me feel good to know I’ve just helped them do something that they probably would never get to do any other place.” The special rodeo features an average of 20 youngsters between the ages of 3-21. That coincides with special education in the school districts, where students can begin pre-kindergarten at age 3 and can remain enrolled until 21. “On the first Saturday, which is just two days before our special rodeo, they open the carnival for my special needs kids,” Able said. “They get to ride all the rides at the carnival for two hours completely for free. It’s early in the morning, so it’s still kind of cool, and I’ll have a lot of the kids who want to be part of that.” That’s “special.” Every youngster wants to be involved, and that’s even more the case for the kids who face developmental challenges. Here’s the caveat: The folks who help the youngsters are beneficiaries of their own time and energy. “I tell everybody that they can come out and volunteer,” she said. “Please volunteer, but I’m going to tell you something: You’re going to get more out of this than they do. You truly volunteer because you just can’t imagine how wonderful it is to see them smile and get to experience things that they don’t ever get to experience again throughout the year. “We have all kinds of volunteers, from cowboys to ranchers and people in our community that volunteer. I have a lot of people from my church, my co-workers … I’ve got a little bit of everything. We get the rodeo clown usually and at least one of the bullfighters. The rodeo announcer, Andy (Stewart), always comes and does my announcing.” That’s a reflection of the community, whether it’s folks in Lea County or members of the family that live the gypsy lifestyle that is rodeo. Everyone involved wants to give, wants to be part of something spectacular. “We can’t do this without all the amazing volunteers,” Able said. “We can always use volunteers, because I don’t want to have to turn a child away because there is nobody to help them. I have never turned a child away, and I don’t have any intention of doing that. I’ll do whatever it takes to have somebody in the arena with every one of them. I’ve pulled people from registration, from taking pictures; I was pulling everybody, because we’re not turning kids away.” No, that’s not going to happen with Shona and John Able in the mix. They’ve seen the impact the special rodeo has on the children, the families and the volunteers, and they’ll continue to strive for greatness on a night that celebrates diversity and love. It’s the smiles, though, that bring them the greatest joy. “When you see that kid on a horse and he is smiling big and he’s running and he’s going down there on that horse and he’s picking up that flag and he’s coming back and you tell him to wave … that smile on their face is just it,” Shona Able said. “I don’t need anything else.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – For several years, a transition has been in place at Roundup Arena. Major enhancements have happened, from bettering the electrical to adding aluminum bleachers to an upgraded entryway with a spiffier ticket booth. Every step of the process is done with the audience in mind. That includes a new food court, which will be up and running in time for this year’s Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 3, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 29. “In essence, we’re restructuring our food-vendor area and making it into a dedicated food court,” said Steve Deges, president of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual event. “We’ll have picnic tables in the middle for dining purposes.” The food court will be set up on the north end of the Roundup complex – just north of the Women’s Chamber concession stand – and will feature food options in a “U” shape. This will group all food vendors in one place, and it will include a picnic area. The construction will not only help improve the looks of the facility but will also help with the flow and functionality of the ticket-buyers’ experience.  “We’ve always had food vendors scattered throughout the grandstands side of the arena, and that was causing some issues,” Deges said. “We had two vendors situated near the beer garden, which just made for more congestion. That didn’t help with the family-friendly experience we want to provide, and it often created some struggles for some of the vendors. “Our new food court will give our vendors more opportunities because they will be centralized in one location. We’ll have a big-screen TV installed and sponsors signage, so anyone in the food court won’t have to miss any of the action.”   Much of the enhancements began years ago. Organizers began replacing wooden planks with aluminum bleachers in 2021, and those upgrades continued. In 2023, the new gateway/ticket booth were added, and the Women’s Chamber booth was updated. “We really want to make it where our guests really feel like they belong,” Deges said. “With the new food court, we want to ease some of the congestion in those high-traffic area while also utilizing spaces that were probably underutilized. Some of our non-food vendors will move to the south end.” Through each step of this process, Roundup is also opening the door to a 20 percent increase in vendor capacity. The revamp is being partially funded by $50,000 from the Kansas Attraction Development Grant; Roundup contributed to 60 percent of the costs of the project, and each phase was done with the fans in mind. “We’re creating a better experience for our guests overall,” Deges said. “We’re trying to do things that help with the flow of traffic and provide more for the fans to enjoy. We’ve had a great rodeo for years, and a big reason for that is the fans that come to the performances, so this is our way to make it better for everyone that comes to Roundup Rodeo.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – This was the perfect night for the Hildreth family to celebrate. First, Jace and Coy posted the fastest team roping run of Saturday’s third performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, stopping the clock in 5.3 seconds to finish in a tie for eighth place, with $1,129 per man. A few minutes later, the boys stood behind a contingent of the Cattlemen’s Days board as they honored their dad, Kelly, as the Committeeman of the Year. While it’s an award for the calendar year, most people who understood realize it was recognition of a lifetime of work done for the community’s biggest annual event. “That’s so special and a huge thing for Dad,” said Jace Hildreth, the oldest of the sons by two years. “He’s done it forever. He’s been a huge part of this, and he’s done a great job, too. “He was one of the guys that got the (timed-event) boxes moved down here (to the south end of the arena). We grew up with him putting a lot of time and effort into this since the days we were little kids. We spent a lot of time down here working, helping him. He’s been active in this rodeo for as long as I can remember.” The family is proud to call Gunnison home, and they kept a little of the rodeo’s cash here, too. Cattlemen’s Days features hundreds of contestants from across the country, so catching a check for the local boys is a big deal. “We grew up doing it and practicing together,” said Coy, the team’s heeler. “He’s headed for me, and then vice versa. We’ve got our run down pretty good.” It showed on a special night in front of a third straight packed crowd. Organizers were calling it a record attendance for the first two nights of rodeo, and the final performance was just as full. “No, we haven’t had this big of a crowd at the Watershed (Team Roping), but we’ve entered this rodeo before,” said Jace, the header. “It’s been several years, and it’s definitely an advantage to having a hometown advantage. It’s also nerve-wracking to have that many people you know around.” Team roping is the most popular participation event in rodeo, so there are other opportunities for the Hildreths than the PRCA. Still, competing during Cattlemen’s Days offers opportunities. The two realize they have something special in the home-raised horsepower. “We’ve always done it, and in the early spring or winter, my brother comes and said, ‘Let’s go to some rodeos this summer,’ ” Coy said. “I thought, ‘Yeah, we’ll go,’ but I didn’t think much about it. The next thing I know, here we are going to them.” “It’s one of those years we both had good horses,” Jace said. “We’ve been roping a lot and roping good. When you have a good horse, it makes you want to go. You feel like you have a chance. Both of our horses are brutal, so why don’t we?” Cattlemen’s Days is a lifetime pursuit for Jace and Coy Hildreth, and the rewards came Saturday night. Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 11-13Bareback riding: 1. Ben Kramer, 82.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat, $2,659; 2. Taylon Carmody, 81.5, $2,039; 3. Kelton Maxfield, 79.5, $1,506; 4. Jacoby Campbell, 79, $975; 5. (tie) Matthew Tuni and Bodee Lammers, 78.5, $532 each; 7. (tie) Briar Dittmer and Boyce Kraut, 78, $310 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Pratt, 4.2 seconds, $2,443; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 4.6, $2,124; 3. (tie) Colt Honey and Marc Joiner, 4.7, $1,646 each; 5. (tie) Jacob Edler and Trey Nahrgang, 4.8, $1,009 each; 7. Tait Kvistad, 4.9, $531; 8. Cayden Schulz, 5.3, $212. Team roping: 1. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 4.4 seconds, $2,952; 2. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 4.5, $2,605; 3. (tie) J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford and Jaxson Hill/Jessen James, 4.6, $2,084 each; 5. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 4.9, $1,737; 6. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson and Cole Eiguren/Breck Ward, 5.1, $1,476 each; 8. (tie) Tyson Charley/Pace Blanchard and Jace Hildreth/Coy Hildreth, 5.3, $1,129 each; 10. (tie) Blake Walker/Gabe Williams and Gabe Williams/Faron Candelaria, $347 each. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.0 seconds, $3,290; 2. Sierra Spratt, 2.1, $2,797; 3. Samantha Haardt, 2.4, $2,303; 4. (tie) Amanda Terrell, Grace Perez, Rheagan Cotton and Erin Johnson, 2.5, $1,398 each; 8. (tie) Kassie Kautzman and Shai Schaefer, 2.6, $617 each; 10. Bailey Bates, 2.8, $494; 11. Libby Winchell, 3.0, $411; 12. (tie) Dana Mildenbeger and Jessie Miller, $165 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 86 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush, $2,786; 2. Cauy Pennington, 85, $2,136; 3. Michael Story and Jackson Ford, 83, $1,300 each; 5. (tie) Blake Starrett and Roper Kiesner, $557, 82.5; 7. Gus Gaillard, 81, $371; 8. (tie) Ross Griffin and Ira Dickinson, $139 each.  Tie-down roping: 1. Andrew Burks, 8.8 seconds, $2,488; 2. Lane Webb, 8.9, $2,510; 3. Booker McCutchen, 9.3, $2,175; 4. Hagen Houck, 9.7, $1,841; 5. Ace Reese, 10.1, $1,6736. Riley Pruitt, 10.2, $1,506; 48 (tie) Matt Peters and Cooper Andersen, 10.6, $1,088 each; 10. Darnell Johnson, 10.9, $669. Barrel racing: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.63 seconds, $2,557; 2. Alex Odle, 17.89, $2,173; 3. Shali Lord, 17.93, $1,790; 4. Mackenzie McCuistion, 17.98, $1,534; 5. Kiersten Pettus, 17.99, $1,278; Makenzie Mayes, 18.02, $895; 7. Kailee Murdock, 18,08, $639; 8. (tie) Taryn Boxleitner and Delaney Siebert, 18.28, $479; 10. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.31, $384; 11. Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi, 18.34, $320; 12. Jamie Olsen, 18.35, $256. Bull riding: 1. Canyon Bass, 86.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Hatari, $4,706; 2. Colton Byran, 75, $4,090; no other qualified rides (all totals include ground money).

GUNNISON, Colo. – Two years and 16 days ago, Jacobs Crawley’s long career as an elite bronc rider was put into jeopardy. He’d suffered a broken back while competing at the 2023 Greeley (Colorado) Stampede. It was bad, a burst fracture of his T12 vertebra and damage to the T11 and L1. He had surgery to fuse five vertebrae together. It’s the type of injury that extended beyond rodeo; his life could have been affected. Thank goodness he was in amazing shape. “The doctor said that was the only reason I wasn’t paralyzed, because I tore every muscle in my back when I had those burst fractures in the vertebrae,” said Crawley, a 10-time National Finals Rodeo and the 2015 world champion saddle bronc rider. “They said the only thing that saved me was the muscle around the tears and breaks holding the back up.” It has taken many months, but the breaks are now working in his favor. He’s back to riding bucking horses, chasing that elusive rodeo gold and enjoying a life he will never take for granted again. He proved it during Friday’s second performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo by riding Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush for 86 points to take the bronc riding lead. “We didn’t know how much strength I’d have,” said Crawley, 37, of Stephenville, Texas. “We didn’t know if I’d e able to walk right, run, all that. For that first couple weeks, it’d been touch and go. By the grace of God and human will through His power, what was supposed to take eight months took four; what was supposed to take maybe a year, I was doing in six or seven months.” Each step was progress, and he’s returning to form, just like the spur stroke that helped him earn gold 10 seasons ago. He is already 39th in the world standings with a good chance to move up after this week. “When everything’s clicking, there’s nothing like it,” he said. “In a physical aspect and obviously your spiritual walk, you have moments that are powerful, like when you have children, when you’re married. But in physical competition, feeling like you’re at your best is just an adrenaline high.” His return to Gunnison – just like his return to competition – has been triumphant. He loves the rush he gets in the arena, but there’s more to it for a man who absolutely adores the life he lives. “This experience, the roots of rodeo, is what I missed over the last two years of not competing,” Crawley said. “I missed that Americana, that feeling of community. You’ve got all these people here; they’re celebrating. Then you have a great rodeo committee that really cares about the product they’re putting out there. You’ve got contactors to care and cowboys that want to win. “That is, in my opinion, what rodeo is.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 11-13Bareback riding: 1. Ben Kramer, 82.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat; 2. Taylon Carmody, 81.5; 3. Kelton Maxfield, 79.5; 4. Jacoby Campbell, 79; 5. Matthew Tuni, 78.5; 6. Briar Dittmer, 79; 7. Tyler Ferguson, 67; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Pratt, 4.2 seconds; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 4.6; 3. (tie) Colt Honey and Marc Joiner, 4.7; 5. (tie) Jacob Edler and Trey Nahrgang, 4.8; 7. Tait Kvistad, 4.9; 8. Cayden Schulz, 5.3. Team roping: 1. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 4.4 seconds; 2. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 4.5; 3. (tie) J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford and Jaxson Hill/Jessen James, 4.6; 5. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 4.9; 6. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson and Cole Eiguren/Breck Ward, 5.1; 8. Tyson Charley/Pace Blanchard, 5.3. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.0 seconds; 2. Sierra Spratt, 2.1; 3. Samantha Haardt, 2.4; 4. (tie) Amanda Terrell, Grace Perez, Rheagan Cotton and Erin Johnson, 2.5; 8. Kassie Kautzman, 2.6; 9. Bailey Bates, 2.8; 10. Libby Winchell, 3.0. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 86 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush; 2. Cauy Pennington, 85; 3. Michael Story and Jackson Ford, 83; 5. Blake Starrett, 82.5; 6. Brady Hill, 78; 7. (tie) Parker Kempfer and beau Ryan Scarborough, 77.  Tie-down roping: 1. Lane Webb, 8.9 seconds; 2. Hagen Houck, 9.7; 3. Riley Pruitt, 10.2; 4. (tie) Matt Peters and Cooper Andersen, 10.6; 6. Darnell Johnson, 10.9; 7. Matt Gutierrez, 11.5; 8. Creede Guardamondo, 11.7. Barrel racing: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.63 seconds; 2. Alex Odle, 17.89; 3. Shali Lord, 17.93; 4. Mackenzie McCuistion, 17.98; 5. Kiersten Pettus, 17.99; 6. Taryn Boxleitner, 18.28; 7. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.31; 8. Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi, 18.34; 9. Jamie Olsen, 18.35; 10. Rayne Grant, 18.42. Bull riding: 1. Canyon Bass, 86.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Hatari; 2. Colton Byran, 75; no other qualified rides.

Cattlemen’s Days committee buys swine, donates it to family GUNNISON, Colo. – The foundation of every county fair is giving back to the community, especially youth. It’s no different for Cattlemen’s Days, which has been celebrating 125 years for a week and a half. It’s an opportunity for children to showcase their hard work and fortitude as they carry on an agriculture-based legacy. In the process, it teaches the importance of helping out and caring for others. The volunteers with the Cattlemen’s Days committee are taking it up another level this year, the first in which the beneficiary of the group’s giving nature is pediatric cancer through the Golden Circle of Champions. The proof came during Saturday afternoon’s Junior Livestock Auction, when the committee purchased a swine from Grady Buckhanan for $4,230, then donated the animal to the family of 15-year-old Wesley Sudderth, who is undergoing treatments for leukemia at Children’s Hospital of Colorado in Aurora. “He is one of five children in his family,” said Karla Rundell, the second vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days Committee. “Essentially, he was playing basketball one week and diagnosed with cancer the very next week. The fact that his family’s supporting three kids in college, another one in high school, plus Wesley, it really stuck to us.” The Sudderths can use the animal however they wish. “It can feed their family and take care of what they need to take care of,” Rundell said. “Our kids are literally our future, and when a child goes through cancer, it’s the whole family that goes through cancer; life takes place outside of cancer. Groceries still have to be bought. Rent and utilities still have to be paid. It’s a whole-family battle.” Wesley started feeling ill earlier this year. He felt like he had a bad cold, but it lingered for weeks. When he finally got it checked out, doctors found that the teen was severely anemic. He was flown to Aurora and diagnosed with leukemia in February. “He threw the fastball right away … 100 miles an hour,” said David Sudderth, Wesley’s father. “We were afraid. We were uncertain of what would happen. We were parents who, up to that point, had felt capable of handling most of the things, but we felt helpless.” That’s what happens when a family is affected by cancer. First, it’s the unpredictable diagnosis, then the mad scramble to get everything figured out. There were logistics that had never been foreseen. There were three-and-a-half-hour, one-way trips to Aurora. It was chaos. “They give you what they call a road map, and it changes constantly,” David Sudderth said. “You think you have the ability to do this or that for your other children or for work or for your spouse or for yourself, and those, inevitably don’t work out. It’s incredibly stressful and difficult for Wesley, because he is someone who loves order and routine and predictability, and he’ll have none of that for basically two years. “It’s really tough.” But so is Wesley. He’s felt the illness, the pain, the side effects, the uncertainty of it all, and he’s just 15 years old. To look at him, though, he stands tall in his own skin. He understands the challenges, maybe better than many in his situation. But there’s no doubt about it, fear is part of his life, too. One can look at fear and cower, or one can look at it and attack. Wesley Sudderth is doing the latter. “I instantly thought of my grandpa, who passed away from skin cancer in December,” he said. “I was like, ‘OK, well, leukemia isn’t that bad,’ but I just always thought of myself as someone who was always going to see people that had cancer and not actually have it myself. I just froze. I didn’t really know what to think in that moment.” He’s gone through series of steroids and “Probably a dozen different types of chemos.” The plan right now is to continue weekly treatments through February, then transition to monthly appointments. The regimen will continue until 2027. It’s still early in the process. Because every step of this is filled with conflicts and emotions and life-changing moments for all seven members of the family, folks in the Gunnison community have stepped up to offer a hand. That’s where the Cattlemen’s Days committee and Golden Circle of Champions has entered the show ring. “It goes back a lot more than just being a member of the Cattlemen’s Days committee,” said Tyler Hanson, the group’s first vice president. “I had a sister that had a swimming accident, and this community stepped up and helped us when my sister was in need. This is a way for me to help give back to this community. I’m just so fortunate to be part of an organization that can put the funds together to help a family in need again. “I understand the financial burden that another family goes through. It’s important to me that they get some relief in any way they can.” It’s a long-lasting impact. The swine the committee purchased Saturday afternoon will go a lot further to the Sudderths than the potential meat alone. “We felt like while this was really hard, we’ve got this,” David Sudderth said. “We came to realize that there’s a reason groups like this exist, and we’re really grateful, because we’re always going in different directions with this. You have to split your family apart. It’s very expensive. It’s very difficult for everyone emotionally, psychologically. It’s not just the support from groups like Golden Circle; it’s that sense of the community coming together through those groups and in other ways that you realize you’re not alone. “You’re part of something bigger, and there’s a lot of strength you can get from that.”

GUNNISON, Colo. – Cody Pratt loves Cattlemen’s Days almost as much as locals. Of course, having continued success in one arena is always important, but there’s more to it. There’s a feeling that encompasses the Fred Field Western Center when the rodeo is in town, and it’s even more sensational now celebrating its 125th year. “They just keep giving back to the rodeo,” said Pratt, 37, of Pueblo, Colorado. “Every year they up the added money. The crowd’s great. They just work hard at it. It’s nice to go to a rodeo where we can see the rodeo progress like it has over the years.” Pratt is progressing, too. He is seventh in the Mountain States Circuit, a series of rodeos and contestants primarily from Colorado and Wyoming. He’s plenty busy this time of year, with several events taking place this week, from Gunnison to Estes Park to Casper to Sheridan. Money won at each of those will count toward his regional standings. There’s a lot that goes into competing at this level. Cowboys will travel hundreds – sometimes thousands – of miles in a day just to make a ride or a run. Pratt did that during Thursday’s opening night of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, wrestling his steer to the ground in 4.2 seconds to take the bulldogging lead. It didn’t come without a little help from his friends, Prime Time and I.B. They’re his horses, and he relies on them. Prime Time is his steer wrestling horse, and I.B. is what he uses as a hazer and for the hazer to use when he makes his run. “The hazing horse was raised by my wife’s grandpa, and we’ve had him awhile,” Pratt said. “I bulldogged on him first, then we switched him over this year, and he’s been great. He’s racehorse bread and has lots of run, probably the most talented horse I have. “The last few years, I hazed on the bulldogging horse. He was really good on the hazing side, but he wanted to get pretty strong. I just finally decided to switch him over, and things worked out. He’s been doing good, he’s been fun and he’s been progressing and getting better all the time.” That’s helpful, especially for a man who has goals of winning the circuit title. He is about $9,000 behind the leader, Nick Guy, but a win in Gunnison would help him make a big move on the field. Pratt will have to wait out the final two performances of Cattlemen’s Days to see where the dollars fall. “This is a good step,” he said. Last year didn’t go like I wanted to. This year’s been a lot better, and it’s good to do good at a big rodeo.” Cattlemen’s DaysGunnison, Colo.July 11-13Bareback riding: 1. Ben Kramer, 82.5 points on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat; w. Kelton Maxfield, 79.5; 3. Jacoby Campbell, 79; 4. Briar Dittmer, 79; 5. Tyler Ferguson, 67; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Cody Pratt, 4.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Colt Honey and Marc Joiner, 4.7; 4. Jacob Edler, 4.8; 5. Tait Kvistad, 4.9; 6. Chisum Docheff, 5.4; 7. Tyke Kipp, 5.5; 8. Michael Bates, 5.6. Team roping: 1. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 4.4 seconds; 2. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 4.5; 3. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 4.6; 4. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson and Cole Eiguren/Breck Ward, 5.1; 6. Tyson Charley/Pace Blanchard, 5.3; 7. (tie) Teagan Bentley/Blake Walker and Gabe Williams/Faron Candelaria, 5.5. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.0 seconds; 2. Sierra Spratt, 2.1 3. (tie) Amanda Terrell, Grace Perez and Rheagan Cotton, 2.5; 6. Kassie Kautzman, 2.6; 7. Bailey Bates, 2.8; 8. Libby Winchell, 3.0; 9. Dana Mildenberger, 3.3; 10. Reagan Davis. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Michael Story, on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Deep Water, and Jackson Ford, on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Grab Your Gun, 83; 3. Blake Starrett, 82.5; 4. Rady Hill, 78; 5. Parker Kempfer, 77; 6. Jase Stout, 76.5; 7. Caleb Brangham, 73; no other qualified rides.  Tie-down roping: 1. Lane Webb, 8.9 seconds; 2. Hagen Houck, 9.7; 3. Darnell Johnson, 10.9; 4. Matt Gutierrez, 11.5; 5. Creede Guardamondo, 11.7; 6. Zaine Mikita, 13.3; 7. Ryan Belew, 13.4; 8. Kyle Belew, 15.6. Barrel racing: 1. Mackenzie McCuistion, 17.98 seconds; 2. Kiersten Pettus, 17.99; 3. Taryn Boxleitner, 18.28; 4. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.31; 5. Jamie Olsen, 18.35; 6. Rayne Grant, 18.42; 7. Sami Buum, 18.57; Sommer Creasy, 18.58; 9. Kari Boxleitner, 18.69; 10. C.J. Vondette, 18.74. Bull riding: No qualified rides.

NFR champ Lockhart takes the title on final night of Estes Park’s rodeo ESTES PARK, Colo. – Fourth of July may have been six days ago, but there were plenty of fireworks during Thursday’s final performance of the 2025 Rooftop Rodeo. Eighteen-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Lisa Lockhart provided the dramatic climax with a lightning-fast display and a firecracker run of 16.30 seconds to win the barrel racing title, pocketing $6,296 along the way. “This is pretty exciting,” said Lockhart, a three-time NFR average champion from Oelrichs, South Dakota. “I hit a barrel here last year and on the same horse, so I was determined to go around the barrels. That was something I messaged to somebody today: ‘#GoAroundThem.’ ” The Montana-born cowgirl can use those Estes Park earnings. She sits 19th in the world standings and has two and a half months left in the regular season to work her way into the top 15 in order to return to Las Vegas in December. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so only the top earners qualify for ProRodeo’s grand championship. That’s something Lockhart knows well. Since 2007, she hasn’t missed an NFR. She took advantage of her rodeo schedule to give herself a better opportunity by competing in Estes Park. “I think this is my third time, so it works out great going to Colorado Springs and coming from Calgary,” she said. “It’s a great rodeo; I absolutely love it and love being up here on the hill. “It’s been on my itinerary for the last couple of years.” Bareback rider Kade Sonnier made the most of his trip up the mountain, riding Cervi Brothers’ Mood Swingss for 84 points to split the victory with fellow riggin’ rider Clay Stone. Both men pocketed $4,297. Of course, the added perk of Rooftop Rodeo increasing the local investment to $10,000 per event was part of the attraction, along with the beauty of Estes Park. “Anymore during the summer, you try not to enter rodeos that add less than $10,000 (an event),” said Sonnier, a 2023 NFR qualifier who is 12th in the world standings. “The way I see it, I try to win $150,000 in a year, and if you do that, you’re pretty much going to guarantee your spot at the NFR.” The finale, which takes place over 10 December nights in Las Vegas, features the biggest paydays in the game. There are no world championships without the NFR. “The ultimate goal is that gold buckle at the end of the year,” said Sonnier, 25, of Carencro, Louisiana. “I fell short my rookie year and ended up third in the world. Last year, I got hurt and battled a hand injury all year. “I’m finally healthy. I’m finally feeling great. I feel like I’m back on top of my game, smashing the buckers and dressing up the hoppers. That’s all you can really as for and just be ready for them to run more underneath me.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10All-around cowboy: Stetson Wright, $4,726, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Kade Sonnier, on The Cervi Brothers’ Mood Swingss, and Clay Stone, on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe, 84 points, $4,297 each; 3. (tie) Roedy Farrell, Andy Gingerich and Darien Johnson, 80.5, $1,892 each; 6. (tie) Colt Eck and Gavin French, 80, $730 each; 8. Monte The3rd Downare, 78, $486. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Payden McIntyre, 4.2 seconds, $1,807; 2. Colt Honey, 4.6, $1,571; 3. Dirk Tavenner, 4.8, $1,335; 4. (tie) Hadley Jackson, Trisyn Kalawaia and Justin Shaffer, 4.9, $864 each; 7. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2, $275 each. Second round: 1. Grant Peterson, 4.0 seconds, $1,807; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.3, $1,571; 3. Tucker Allen, 4.4, $1,335; 4. Colt Honey, 4.5, $1,100; 5. Nick Guy, 4.8, $864; 6. Jacob Wang, 4.9, $628; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 5.0, $393; 8. Marc Joiner, 5.1, $157. Average: 1. Colt Honey, 9.1 seconds on two head, $2,710; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2, $2,357; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Logan Kenline, 10.4, $1,826 each; 5. Nick Guy, 10.8, $1,296; 6. Logan Wiseman, 10.9, $943; 7. Laramie Warren, 11.8, $589; 8. Tucker Allen, 12.0, $236. Team roping: 1. (tie) Mason Appleton/Rance Doyal, Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison and Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 4.1 seconds, $4,637 each; 4. (tie) Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn and Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 4.2, $3,304 each; 6. (tie) Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.3, $2,609 each; 8. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4, $2,087; 9. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 4.5, $1,739; 10. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6, $1,391; 11. Cody Lane/Dusty Taylor, 4.7, $1,217; 12. Cash Duty/Trae Smith, 4.8, $1,043; 13. (tie) Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, Riley Minor/Brady Minor and Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.9, $522 each. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl, $4,991; 2. Shea Fournier, 85, $3,827; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5, $2,828; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84, $1,830; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5, $1,165; 6. Ryder Sanford, 82.5, $832; 7. Easton West, 82, $666; 8. Riggin Smith, 81, $499. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds, $4,249; 2. Brooke Ladner, 2.5, $3,399; 3. (tie) Emilee Charlesworth, Taylor Raupe, Madalyn Richards and Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7, $1,965 each; 7. (tie) Coralee Andersen, Sutton Mang and Suzanne Williams, 2.9, $956 each; 10. Taylor Munsell, 3.0, $744; 11. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Samantha Fulton, 3.1, $584 each; 13. (tie) Martha Angelone, Jenna Dallyn, Kaydin Finan, Cara Liggett and Lacey Nail, 3.3, $191 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds, $4,759; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons and Shad Mayfield, 8.3, $3,966 each; 4. (tie) Paden Bray and Riley Pruitt, 8.5, $3,014 each; 6. John Douch, 8.6, $2,538; 7. (tie) Carter Anderson and Sam Lewis, 8.7, $2,062 each; 9. Marcos Costa, 8.9, $1,586; 10. Tyson Durfey, 9.0, $1,269; 11. Roan Hudson, 9.1, $1,110; 12. Kyan Wilhite, 9.2, $952; 13. (tie) Hunter Reaume and Cole Tierney, 9.3, $555 each; 15. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4, $317. Barrel racing: 1. Lisa Lockhart, 16.30 seconds, $6,296; 2. Paige Jones, 16.37, $5,037; 3. (tie) Keyla Costa and Austyn Tobey, 16.42, $3,620 each; 5. McKenna Coronado, 16.43, $2,518; 6. Kylie Wells, 16.48, $1,889; 7. Tana  Continue Reading »

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Every cowboy knows he needs a good horse under him in order to find success. Shad Mayfield has one in Lollipop, the 2024 tie-down roping horse of the year. She was the guiding force behind his first all-around world championship last season, one that watched him earn nearly $400,000, $111,062 of which came at the National Finals Rodeo. Mayfield used the 15-year-old bay mare again during Wednesday’s fifth performance of Rooftop Rodeo, stopping the clock in 8.3 seconds to move into a tie for second place in the tie-down roping standings. “My horse was a lot of it,” he said, explaining how the animal helped him secure such a fast time. “That calf was really tricky. He ducked back there to the left, and I knew what I needed to do on the calf. I had to have a game plan and be ready for what that calf was going to do. “But what made it happen was my horse adjusting to the situation.” Sports is about making adjustments, and rodeo is no different. Mayfield knows to trust his teammate, and it’s been paying off in spades. He is second in the world standings with $144,977 and will add more to his earnings when Rooftop Rodeo ends Thursday night. “You’ve got to have good horses, and I’m blessed to have two amazing horses,” said Mayfield, 24, a six-time NFR qualifier and the 2020 tie-down roping world titlist from Clovis, New Mexico. “What’s been a big thing for my success is having those two horses. Without them, I think I’d just be a regular roper. Just having these two horses really steps up my game a lot.” He’s taking advantage of the situation he’s in. He’s suffered with hip injuries for a couple of years but has worked through them, and he took advantage of his schedule to make a stop in Estes Park. He roped Friday-Sunday in Calgary, then worked his way back to the States. He competes Thursday and Friday – and hopefully Saturday if he makes it to the championship – at the national circuit finals rodeo in Colorado Springs. He will return to Calgary for Sunday’s finale. “It worked out for me to come here,” Mayfield said. “I think it’s a really cool rodeo down here in the mountains. This is the first year I’ve really got to make it work, being able to come down for Colorado. With the added money increase here, it helps a lot to be able to put it down on our list.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Clay Stone, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe; 2. (tie) Andy Gingerich, Roedy Farrell and Darien Johnson, 80.5; 5. Colt Eck, 80; 6. Monte Downare, 78; 7. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 8. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Ben Kramer, 74. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Payden McIntyre, 4.2 seconds, $1,807; 2. Colt Honey, 4.6, $1,571; 3. Dirk Tavenner, $1,335; 4. (tie) Hadley Jackson, Justin Shaffer and Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.9, $864 each; 7. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2, $275 each. Second round: 1. Grant Peterson, 4.0 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.3; 3. Tucker Allen, 4.4; 4. Colt Honey, 4.5; 5. Jacob Wang, 4.9; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 5.0; 7. Marc Joiner, 5.1; 8. (tie) Tyke Kipp, Talon Sterkel and Logan Kenline, 5.2. Average: 1. Colt Honey, 9.1 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Logan Kenline, 10.4; 5. Logan Wiseman, 10.9; 6. Laramie Warren, 11.8; 7. Tucker Allen, 12.0; 8. (tie) Marc Joiner and Dirk Tavenner, 12.2. Team roping: 1. Korbin Rice/Kooper Freeman, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Clint Summers/Jade Corkill and Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn, 4.2; 4. (tie) Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 4.3; 6. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4; 7. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 4.5; 8. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 9. Cash Duty/Trae Smith, 4.8; 10. (tie) Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.9. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 6. Eastan West, 82; 7. Riggin Smith, 81; 8. (tie) Clint Reed and Jake Watson, 80. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Brooke Ladner, 2.5; 3. (tie) Kassandra Shoemaker, Madalyn Richards, Taylor Raupe and Emilee Charlesworth, 2.7; 7. (tie) Sutton Mang, Suzanne Williams and Coralee Andersen, 2.9; (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Samantha Fulton, 3.1. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Brodey Clemons, 8.3; 4. (tie) Riley Pruitt and Paden Bray, 8.5; 6. John Douch, 8.6; 7. (tie) Sam Lewis and Carter Andreson, 8.7; 9. Marcos Costa, 8.9; 12. Tyson Durfey, 9.0. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 3. Millie Marquet, 16.53; 4. Dina Allred, 16.63; 5. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 6. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 7. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 8. Gracen Harman, 16.71; 9. (tie) Laura Lambert, Christy Hefley and Abigail Knight, 16.75; 12. Gwyneth Cheyne, 16.80; 113. Julie Plourde, 16.81; 14. Blake Molle, 16.82; 15. (tie) Kaycee Thomas and Morgan Addison, 16.85. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Cade Griego, 87; 3. Kane Taylor, 84; 4. Sage Vance, 82; 5. Cooper Jacobs, 74; no other qualified rides.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – It’s one thing for Rooftop Rodeo to include ladies breakaway roping into its schedule; it’s another to place the event on the same plateau as all the others in its inaugural year. That’s why 70 cowgirls entered into the fray to test their talents in Estes Park, and the competition is tough. Of those set to compete, eight have qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping, and five of those are world champions. That just adds to the madness that is rodeoing in the Rocky Mountains. “The weather up here is so beautiful, just like the place,” said Haiden Thompson, who roped her calf in 2.4 seconds during Tuesday’s fourth performance to take the Rooftop Rodeo lead. “More and more rodeos are adding breakaway roping, but not very many rodeos have added equal money. To be able to rope for this much money is pretty exciting.”  Everything’s moving at a rapid pace for Thompson. Not only is she leading the race in Estes Park, but she’s in the top spot in the Resistol Rookie Year standings. Oh, and she happens to be traveling with 2022 world champion Martha Angelone. “Martha has been a huge lifesaver,” said Thompson, 21, the 45th-ranked cowgirl in the world standings from Yoder, Wyoming. “She knows the ins and outs of every rodeo. She knows all the contractors. I actually credit a lot of my success the last couple of weeks to her, just because she’s such a huge help. “It’s nice to have someone with that much knowledge and support behind you.” Angelone’s experience has come in rather handy, whether it’s knowing the right roads to take from one rodeo to another or stopping at the best restaurant along the way. “We totaled it up the other day, and over the last week, we’ve gone almost 7,000 miles,” Thompson said. “It’s been a lot, but it’s super fun, especially going with Martha.” Over the past five years, the discipline has blossomed. The first breakaway finals took place in 2020, and many big-time rodeos have begun to include it into the mix. Like every cowboy and cowgirl that grows up in this sport, battling for rodeo’s gold is the ultimate dream. Thompson has her eyes set on that prize, but she understands the development stages she’ll have to take to make it happen. “This year, I definitely want to win the rookie title,” she said. “I feel like that goal is pretty well within reach, but I’m definitely going to try to make the (breakaway) finals. It would be cool to get out there with Martha. We pretty much rope together all the time, but to compete there together would be pretty cool this year. “We’ll be there eventually. It may not be this year, but it’s always a goal to rope there at the NFR.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Clay Stone, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe; 2. Andy Gingerich, 80.5; 3. Colt Eck, 80; 4. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 5. Taylor Broussard, 74; 6. Jacob Raine, 73.5; 8. Colton Clemens, 73; 8. Jade Taton, 71. Steer wrestling: 1. Hadley Jackson, 4.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2; 4. Nick Guy, 6.0; 5. Tai Kvistad, 7.0; 6. Marc Joiner, 7.1; 7. Seth Peterson, 7.2; 8. Talon Sterkel, 7.5. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 3. Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, 4.9; 4. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.1; 5. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 5.7; 6. Bodie Mattson/Tucker White, 10.1; 7. Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 6. Clint Reed, 80; 7. (tie) Leon Fountain, Stetson Wright, Spencer Wright and Tanner Hayes, 78. Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7; 3. (tie) Sutton Mang and Suzanne Williams, 2.9; 5. (tie) Kaydin Finan, Martha Angelone, Lacey Nail and Cara Liggett, 3.3; 9. (tie) Abby Farris and Rickie Fanning, 3.7. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds; 2. John Douch, 8.6; 3. Carter Andreson, 8.7; 4. Roan Hudson, 9.1; 5. Cole Teirney, 9.3; 6. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4; 7. (tie) Bernard Girard, Austin Lawrence and Cash Fuesz, 9.5. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Millie Marquet, 16.53; 3. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 4. Dina Allred, 16.63; 5. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 6. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 7. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 8. Christy Hefley, 16.75; 9. Gwyneth Cheyne, 16.80; 10. Blake Molle, 16.82; 11. Morgan Addison, 16.85; 12. Chloe Gray, 16.91. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Kane Taylor, 84; 3. Sage Vance, 82; 4. Cooper Jacobs, 74; no other qualified rides.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Cynthia Hawley is one of four new faces on the Lea County Fair Board, but she’s hardly a stranger to the exposition. “I’m a Lea County native, born and raised,” said Hawley, whose appointment came from Gary Eidson, the Lea County District 3 commissioner, and was made official in February. “I’ve been here my whole life, and the county fair has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, whether it was just going to experience it as a kid or getting into the stock show myself. “Being part of the fair board is something that falls right into the things I’m passionate about. I’ve seen the fair as an exhibitor, a parent, a supporter and, now, I want to contribute as a board member to help ensure it stays strong for the next generation.” The bulk of activities for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo will take place the first full week of August, but there are plenty of activities that begin before that. The local team roping kicks off the competitions July 27, but the nine-day exposition will start in full swing Friday, Aug. 1. It’s the perfect time of year to bring a community together and celebrate its history. “I’m excited to step into this new role and gain a behind-the-scenes perspective,´ said Hawley, who lives in rural Lea County with her husband, Jim, and their sons, Cooper, 17, and Cayson, 14.  “There’s so much that goes into making the Lea County Fair a success, and I look forward to working alongside a dynamic and diverse group of board members to help enhance the experience for our community. There’s a lot that goes into making an event like this take place, so I’m learning a lot.” She and the other newbies have hit the ground running, but that’s what it takes to produce a fair of this magnitude. It’s not just for folks in the southeast corner of New Mexico; the Lea County Fair attracts thousands of visitors from around the region. Hawley has seen it grow and prosper, and now she is one of the decision-makers who helps that process continue. “When I was growing up, the fair was just a highlight for so many people in the community, including myself,” she said. “It was one of the biggest events of the year, something I always look forward to.” A professed “city girl” who was raised in Hobbs, she had always longed to live in the country. She had friends who were more rural, and one thing led to another. When she was 9 and old enough to join 4H, she did. She began showing and by the time she reached high-school age, she was involved in FFA. “I think everything triggered from there,” Hawley said. “I’ve always wanted to be part of the agriculture industry. It didn’t happen overnight, but now we have a small farm where we raise our own beef, pork, and chickens – providing a true farm-to-table lifestyle for our family.” After graduating from Hobbs High School, Hawley attended Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and was part of the livestock judging team. She earned a degree in animal science and returned to Lea County. It wasn’t long before she was working in the oil fields, where she held a post in a midstream gas business for 15 years. She met Jim, another Hobbs High alumnus, and marriage followed. In addition to their small farm between Hobbs and Lovington, they also operate H&R Enterprises. If that weren’t enough, they’re active with their church and the Hobbs FFA alumni group and just about everything else they’re asked to do. When Cooper was old enough to join 4H, the Hawleys were fully engrossed in it with him. Cayson has joined in the mix since then. “Cooper started out doing horses, because that’s something my husband did and that my mother-in-law’s really involved in, so that’s where we started out,” Cynthia Hawley said. “He decided he wanted to show an animal the next year, and he chose pigs. Now, we’re eight years into it, and his younger brother has since started showing pigs. We’ve raised chickens for show as well, but now primarily focus on pigs.” It’s natural, then, that the stock show side of the fair is her favorite aspect of the expo. Of course, she loves the rodeo, concerts, vendors and all other extras that come with a fair ticket, but the stock show will always be her passion. “I love to see the kids out there with their projects,” she said. “I know how hard they work all year. Those kids are amazing, and to see the friendships they have built is also incredible. They may not see each other all year long, but when they get back to the fair, it’s like they never left off. They’re running around, supporting each other. “We may have one group of kids helping everybody with sheep one minute, then the next thing you know they’re all over there working with everybody’s pigs. The comradery that it brings and the hard work that comes out of it is going to take these kids far in life.”  Work ethic is a powerful tool, and Hawley has seen how it builds minds and frames while also contributing to excellence in and out of the show ring. She’s lived it and felt it, but most of all, she has the passion to see it continue.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Of the 4 million visitors who arrive in this resort town from Memorial Day to Labor Day, this is an opportunity to take in the scenery and enjoy some recuperation. There was no relaxing for John Douch. He was on a business trip and at work for another day in consecutive days. While America celebrated the Fourth of July over the weekend, he was north of the border celebrating his own holiday: The Calgary Stampede. It was a valuable business trip. He roped $17,500 in Alberta cash, winning one round and placing in two others to win his set. Oh, but he wasn’t done. He went back to work right away, embarking on a 16-hour venture to Estes Park for Rooftop Rodeo. He made it pay off during Monday’s third performance, roping and tying his calf in 8.6 seconds to take the tie-down roping lead with three days remaining in this year’s festivities. “It was a good run,” said Douch, 28, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Huntsville, Texas. “I’ve been traveling all day and night to be here, and now I’m winning it before slack; hopefully it lasts.” The bulk of the contestants have yet to run, so there are a lot of opportunities to unseat the Texan. Still, it’s a good chance for Douch to add to his season salary. Twenty-five cowboys have roped so far, but 62 are scheduled. Most of those will compete Wednesday morning in an overflow session called “slack.” Still, his time stand a great chance to catch some big money at Rooftop Rodeo, which has increased its purse this year. Douch is third in the world standings with more than $100,000 in earnings. “Down in my part of the country, we rope a lot of calves,” he said. “We have a lot of fast setups like this one and a lot of good calves, so when you get a good calf, you should know what to do. “It’s kind of mind over matter. We’re roping a good set of calves here. I just want to go out there and do my job.” He does his job well, but there’s no down time. That’s OK. He understands that’s what it means to be a rodeo cowboy. “There ain’t necessarily cooling off,” Douch said. “(Tuesday) I’m up in Colorado Springs, then again the next day. The day after that I’m up to Sheridan (Wyoming) and back to the Springs for the short round, then back to Calgary. “There’s no cooling off; it’s time to go.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Andy Gingerich, 80.5 points on Cervi Brothers’ Monkey Mistress; 2. Colt Eck, 80; 3. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 4. Jade Taton, 71; 5. Colton Farrow, 67; 6. Drake Amundson, 58; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Hadley Jackson, 4.9 seconds; 2. Logan Kenline, 5.2; 3. Nick Guy, 6.0; 4. Marc Joiner, 7.1; 5. Seth Peterson, 7.2; 6. Jacob Sterkel, 7.8; 7. Emmett Edler, 8.4; 8. Mark McGill, 9.5. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 3. Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, 4.9; 4. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.1; 5. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 5.7; 6. Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 3. Clint Reed, 80; 4. (tie) Leon Fountain, Stetson Wright and Tanner Hayes, 78; 6. Tate Kelly, 76; 7. Reed Neely, 76; 8. Sawyer Eirikson, 75.5. Breakaway roping: 1. Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Sutton Mang and Suzanne Williams, 2.9; 4. Kaydin Finan, 3.3; 5. (tie) Abby Farris and Rickie Fanning, 3.7; 7. (tie) Haleigh Grant and Timber Allenbrand, 3.8; 9. (tie) Ari Norcutt, 3.9; 10. Kassidy Dennison, 12.1. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.6 seconds; 2. Carter Andreson, 8.7; 3. Roan Hudson, 9.1; 4. Cole Teirney, 9.3; 5. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4; 6. (tie) Bernard Girard, Austin Lawrence and Cash Fuesz, 9.5. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 3. Dina Allred, 16.63; 4. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 5. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 6. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 7. Christy Hefley, 16.75; 8. Blake Molle, 16.82; 9. Morgan Addison, 16.85; 10. Chloe Gray, 16.91. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Sage Vance, 82; no other qualified rides.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Stetson Wright continues to set a standard for rodeo excellence. He’s an eight-time world champion, five of which came in the all-around race. He’s also a two-time bull riding titlist and earned the saddle bronc riding gold four seasons ago. Oh, and he’s just 25 years old, and he’s been on a tear in recent weeks. He’s the No. 1 man in both bull riding and the all-around, and Wright just keeps adding to it. During Sunday’s second performance of Rooftop Rodeo, he posted a 91-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In to take a dominating lead in bull riding. It’s his ninth 90-plus-point bull ride in the last few weeks. After suffering an injury that sidelined him for the 2024 season, he has returned to the game with a vengeance. He has earned $289,386 so far, and there are still nearly three months remaining in the regular season. He’s just going to add to it. In addition to taking the bull riding lead in Estes Park, Wright is also tied for fourth place in saddle bronc riding after a 78-point ride on Cervi’s Wifey’s Money. His big brother, Ryder, is the rodeo leader, though. The 27-year-old three-time and reigning world champion spurred Cervi’s Promiscuous Girl for 87 points. Ryder Wright, who also won rodeo’s gold in 2017 and 2020, leads the world standings race with $193,222. The brothers will have to wait out the final four performances to figure out how much of the increased Rooftop Rodeo purse they will receive. Rodeo is unique in that it features a national race but also has opportunities for regional contestants to battle with the sport’s biggest stars. On the Plains of eastern Colorado, Hadley Jackson is the kind of guy that just loves to compete. He focuses on competing close to his La Junta home, so his 240-mile venture to this community at the base of Rocky Mountain National Park is just part of his routine. He’s been doing it for much of the past two decades, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. He stopped the clock in 4.9 seconds to take the steer wrestling lead “I’m still trying to make it work,” said Jackson, 36. “I’d like to make the (Mountain States) Circuit Finals and maybe go in pretty high (in the standings) if I can.” That takes money. In rodeo, cash not only helps cover expenses, but it’s also how championship points are tabulated. The top 12 on the money list in each event will compete at the regional championship. The higher in the standings, the better the opportunity to claim the year-end championship. He’s done that but in the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association, a smaller organization. He’s been the CPRA’s titlist three times in his career, but he still loves the opportunity to play the game. “I haven’t done as good in the ProRodeos as I’d like, but I’ll just keep rolling along,” he said. “There are a lot of guys that are in the circuit, so we’ll just see what happens.”  Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Colt Eck, 80 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Chocolate Thunder; 2. Colton Farrow, 67; 3. Drake Amundson, 58; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Hadley Jackson, 4.9 seconds; 2. Logan Kenline, 5.2; 3. Nick Guy, 6.0; 4. Marc Joiner, 7.1; 5. Seth Peterson, 7.2; 6. Jacob Sterkel, 7.8; 7. Emmett Edler, 8.4; 8. Mark McGill, 9.5. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 3. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.1; 4. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 5.7; 5. Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 3. Clint Reed, 80; 4. (tie) Leon Fountain, Stetson Wright and Tanner Hayes, 78; 6. Tate Kelly, 76; 7. (tie) Clint Franks and Jase Stout, 73. Breakaway roping: 1. Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7 seconds; 2. Kaydin Finan, 3.3; 3. Abby Farris, 3.7; 4. Kassidy Dennison, 12.1; 5. Tatum Runner, 12.4; 6. Jordyn McNamee, 12.5; 7. Libby Winchell, 12.8; 8. Samantha Haardt, 13.0; 9. Tanna Hansen, 13.2; no other qualified runs. Tie-down roping: 1. Cole Teirney, 9.3 seconds; 2. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4; 3. Bernard Girard, 9.5; 4. Kip Jesser, 15.7; 5. Mason Stueve, 19.8; 6. Kyle Belew, 20.1; 7. Chance Wall, 22.1; 8. Keyton Hayden, 23.5. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 3. Blake Molle, 16.82; 4. Chloe Eichinger, 17.00; 5. Wendy Hoefer, 17.05; 6. Sami Jo Buum, 17.06; 7. Kari Boxleitner, 17.08; 8. Taleen Vick, 17.16; 9. Alyssa Loflin, 17.21; 10. Kelby Eastman, 17.25. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Sage Vance, 82; no other qualified rides.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – When “Smokey and the Bandit” came out 48 years ago, the lyrics to the title track were, “We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.” The plot centered around a couple of truckers who were bootlegging Coors beer on a quick deadline, but the same lyrics can easily be applied to Oklahoma team ropers Jake Clay of Sapulpa and Tanner Braden of Dewey. Both have played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage, the National Finals Rodeo, though they did it with different partners. A header, Clay made it to Las Vegas in 2023 and roped with Tyler Worley; Braden made it last year and heeled for Cyle Dennison. They’re a long way from making the NFR together this year, and with less than three months remaining, they need all the help they can get. They put the hammer down during Saturday’s opening performance of the Rooftop Rodeo before a sold-out crowd at Granny May Arena. They stopped the clock in 4.4 seconds to take the lead with five nights of competition remaining in Estes Park. “We’ve had a little heck, but we’ve caught a few hear lately,” said Clay, 26. “It feels a lot better than it did a couple months ago.” Their time was faster than any run made a year ago, so they stand a good chance to catch some big cash at the base of the Rocky Mountain National Park.  “The last week or so, we’ve got our run back, and that one right there felt pretty danged good,” said Braden, 36. “(Jake) ropes so sharp, and he’s good at the barrier (the start). He sets (the steer) up for me to ride around him and give me the same look every time.” As the only true team event in rodeo, there are many factors that come into play to make a solid run. There are five brains at work during a single run: two men, two horses and one steer. It doesn’t take much to throw a wrench into things. “I actually missed a lot to start with, but it’s starting to feel pretty good right now,” Clay said. Part of that has to do with the horsepower both men use. “He’s got a couple (good horses,” he said of Clay. “I’ve got a sorrel that I used last year, then I just got this (palomino) right before the finals. The last few weeks, and he’s sure stepped up to the plate.” The steps need to continue to be onward and upward. Only the top 15 on the money list in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the NFR. “We’re just right now starting to put it together, the best time,” Braden said. “Over the fourth, we made a few good runs and won a couple rodeos. We’re leaving here winning first, and that’s all you can do. Now, it’s up to the rest of them to beat us.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The sport of rodeo has taken Justin Rumford around the world. Raised in a family that has been involved in the game since before he was born, he has a keen understanding of every aspect, from the competition involved to the entertainment value for fans. It’s as much about showmanship as it is athleticism. He’s driven thousands of miles in semi tractor-trailers filled with bucking horses and bulls. He’s ridden broncs and wrestled steers, roped calves and rescued men off the backs of kicking horses as a pickup man. There aren’t many aspects of rodeo in which he hasn’t been involved, but his greatest success has come with his latest task. He’s a 10-time PRCA Clown of the Year, and he’s entertained crowds in most of the 50 United States. Rumford has performed at some of the biggest rodeos, but he’s never been to Lovington, a town of more than 11,000 people tucked in southeastern New Mexico. That changes with this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6-Saturday, Aug. 9; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 5. “I don’t really know about the history of rodeo in Lovington, so I’d better do some studying,” Rumford said with a laugh. “(Stock contractor) Pete Carr called me last year and told me he wanted me to come to Lovington. I had to look up where it was.” He did more than that. He learned everything he could about the exposition and even watched videos of past rodeos in that historic complex. “When I saw that, I was like, ‘This looks like a place where I could fit in,’ ” said Rumford, originally from the small town of Abbyville, Kansas, but now living in Ponca City, Oklahoma, with his wife, Ashley, and their three children, 11-year-old triplets Bandy, Livi and Lola. “I’m excited about getting that deal done, and we’re going to have some fun there. “I can pretty much evaluate the crowd before the rodeo starts by where people are going to sit. At rodeos, where they sit is like people at church. Once you sit in that spot, that’s where you’re going to sit for the rest of time. I can tell the places where things will work.” That little trick of the trade is one of the reasons why Rumford is one of the most sought-after entertainers in rodeo. Another attribute is his ability to laugh at himself, a larger-than-life figure who remains active and agile in addition to being outlandishly comedic.  “People want to laugh at each other more than they want to laugh at something,” Rumford said. “When I’m in the arena, I’m saying the same stuff I’d say if I wasn’t clowning. It’s just me being me.” That’s true. Whether he was cracking wise in the locker room at Fairfield High School in Kansas or sharing his wit behind the bucking chutes with other cowboys, Rumford has always had a way of entertaining. It was an easy transition from every other aspect in rodeo to this one. “This clowning deal is the best thing I’ve ever had,” Rumford said. “I’ve been involved in rodeo my whole life. I’ve never done anything else, and I’ve never wanted to do anything else.” Now, he will have the opportunity to display his talent to a new audience, one that shares his passion for rodeo.

Halstead eager to entertain enthusiastic crowds that energize rodeo GOODING, Idaho – The first time Dennis Halstead arrived in Gooding County, he quickly realized there was something magical with the community’s marquee event. His second venture five years ago solidified it. There’s just something special about the community tucked in southern Idaho just a few miles from the Snake River, about the people and about the Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers, set for Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 16, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 13. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “Every rodeo has its uniqueness, but there’s something about Gooding that is so unique,” said Halstead, a rodeo clown and entertainer from De Witton, Alberta. “It is definitely one of the top PRCA rodeos, and the crowd is so unique; that crowd can enthuse just about anybody.” Anyone who has ever been to the spectacle at the Gooding County Fairgrounds surely understands that. From the “Beer Worthy” section to the wild antics across the stadium, contestants arrive in this hamlet of nearly 4,000 souls as much for the audience’s rowdiness as they do for the opportunity to battle for big money. “If you work in the entertainment business like I do, it’s special to be able to work with crowds that are so energetic and fun,” said Halstead, a 65-year-old comedian who has been named the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s Entertainer of the Year 10 times. “I like doing stuff with the crowds like that, and, in Gooding, you have the ‘Beer Worthy’ section, which adds a whole different element to their show.” A man with credentials like that is the perfect fit for the environment at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. He’s been at this game for more than 30 years and brings a diversified background to the game. Like a lot of Canadians, he played hockey through his youth – and did so at a high level, just short of competing professionally – then became a first responder with the Calgary Fire Department. He also dabbled in rodeo. Originally from Okotoks, Alberta – a town of 33,000 people south of Calgary – it came naturally. While still fighting fires and saving lives, he traded shifts so he could compete on weekends. “I was a calf roper, but I wasn’t very good at it, so all I was just doing was paying my entry fees,” he said. “The fire department had a charity rodeo for kids, and I just happened to be at the meeting a week before the rodeo. They needed a clown and a bullfighter because their guy backed out, and I said I’d do it. “After that, this guy came up to me and wanted to hire me, and then it just kept going. I decided to advertise, and I never looked back. I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been honored as the Canadian Entertainer of the Year, and I’ve been to the Canadian Finals (Rodeo) six times.” He doesn’t need to advertise anymore, because rodeo organizers across North America – and around the world – just keep hiring him. “I thought I was going to be a professional hockey player, and I turned out to be a professional rodeo clown,” Halstead said with a laugh. His wit comes naturally, and he’s taken it to a new level. Nobody earns that much praise without that gift, but Halstead has also worked for everything he’s received. He followed his passion into the firehouses of Calgary, then lit a blaze in rodeo as one of the most successful entertainers in Canada; he’s also built a reputation south of the 49th parallel. “I’ve never looked at either of those things as a job,” he said. “There hasn’t been a day I didn’t enjoy going to work. I didn’t work a day in my life. I have enjoyed every day of it.” So have rodeo fans who love his brand of entertainment.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – The sounds of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo are changing. For the first time in nearly two decades, the biggest rodeo in Kansas will add a second announcer to compliment veteran emcee Boyd Polhamus. Roundup will add the soothing sounds of Andy Seiler to this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 3, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 29. “I’ve been talking to people all spring about that rodeo, and everybody has said, ‘You are going to love that rodeo,’ ” said Seiler, who has worked closely with Polhamus at several events over the years, including RodeoHouston, one of the largest regular-season events in the sport. “They told me that it doesn’t matter if Dodge City is hot, if it’s raining, if it’s muddy or if it’s gorgeous, everybody just loves the feel of the event. “The audience there is atypical of a lot of other rodeos because you can’t buffalo them. They know good action when they see it. They know good contestants when they see them. There’s a lot of great history in that arena, and it’s great that they have a stock contractor like Frontier (Rodeo), because you need a 92-point ride on Gun Fire in the short round to make those people pay attention; they’ve seen it all.” They’ll hear it all this year. With Polhamus horseback in the arena and Seiler in the announcer’s stand, every piece of the action will be covered, and fans can expect that for six nights of competition. It will sound a bit nostalgic, back to the days when Polhamus first began in Dodge City and co-announced with Clem McSpadden. “Boyd has endeared himself to me in a lot of different ways,” said Seiler, who lives in Ocala, Florida, with his wife, Lauren, and their two children. “The great thing about getting to work with him is we are complete and total opposites. I’m not going to say I haven’t picked up on a few of his mannerisms because we’ve worked so much together, but when he’s talking or I’m talking, you know who it is. “We’re different people, and our voices are different, and I think that’s why we work so well together. More often than not, I’m the straight guy, and Boyd is Boyd. He’s not afraid to poke the bear, and I enjoy that he’s not afraid to agitate folks a little bit. I’m the guy with the corny dad jokes, so those differences are what makes us a great team.” That’s why the volunteer committee that produces the annual event made the change. Roundup, which was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2012, has a strong legacy. It also has a history with some of rodeo’s greatest announcers, including McSpadden and Phil Gardenhire, both of whom are also in the Colorado Springs hall. What makes the best announcers stand out is the ability to call the incredible action while also entertaining and educating the audience. Not everyone attending Roundup Rodeo understands the intricacies of the game, so teaching them about the animals’ head start and the judging system is helpful. Polhamus and Seiler do it in a way that is still enlightening to longtime rodeo fans. “In my opinion, the people in the stands need to have fun, because they’re the ones paying to see the rodeo,” Seiler said. “Now, there are times when the competition supersedes entertainment. As an announcer, you have to be paying attention to know what the au8dience needs. “We may need to do a sing-along or do something to keep the crowd engaged, keep them from looking down at their phones. We just need to do what it takes to keep the fan engaged, entertained and informed.” It’s a big change for the crowds that have pack Roundup Arena over the years. Polhamus has been the lone voice of the rodeo since 2008, but this is a great opportunity to expand on the value the event brings to the community and to the region. It’s a chance to build on the next generation of fans who want to experience the marquee event of southwest Kansas. Roundup is one of just a few rodeos in the country that features a championship round. The format features different sets of contestants each day. All timed-event cowboys and cowgirls will make their first-round runs in the morning. The top times will advance to that evening’s performance. From there, the contestants with the top 12 cumulative times on two runs will advance to Sunday’s short round. For roughstock cowboys, the top 12 scores from their first-round rides will qualify for the finale. The champions will be crowned on the final night. “I wish every rodeo could have the back-to-back runs every day like that,” Seiler said. “The best people need to be in the performance. The fact that you have to qualify to be in the performance, I think it makes people pay more attention to slack (during the day). “You always hear people say that the cream rises to the top. Well, you totally get the cream in Dodge City, because you’ve got to qualify even for the performance. It’s one of my favorite formats in professional rodeo.”

PECOS, Texas – A month ago, Cole Franks was in the Utah mountains exchanging vows with his wife, Dustie. On Saturday night, he was riding one of the top bucking horses in ProRodeo, matching moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Secret’s Out for 90.5 points to win the bareback riding title at the West of the Pecos Rodeo. Yeah, life’s not that much different than it was before the day of his wedding, but that’s OK. He’s a rodeo cowboy, and Dustie Franks knew that when she accepted his proposal. “It’s pretty much the same as it has been,” said Franks, 24, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Clarendon, Texas. “I am sending her to meet me right at the end of the Fourth to drive to Calgary, but other than that, it’s the same lifestyle as always.” Such is the life on the rodeo road. Cowboys will traverse tens of thousands of miles in order to chase their dreams. After competing in Springdale, Arkansas, on Friday night, he and traveling partners Rocker Steiner and Waylon Bourgeois made their way to Pecos. They’ll compete Sunday in Greeley, Colorado. ProRodeo is rolling toward its busiest time of the year, with lucrative payouts across the country over the next several weeks. That’s why cowboys and cowgirls are traveling up and down the highways and getting to the next destination by air when possible; this is how they make a living. For his part, Franks just increased his 2025 earnings by $6,521 by winning the title in Reeves County. He remains fifth in the world standings, but he credited the Carr bucking horse for a lot of his success. “I knew it was going to be really electric and a lot of fun,” he said of the 7-year-old bay mare. “You just had to do your job. I almost tried to overhaul it.” Franks is talking about his spur ride, stroking the horse in rhythm with the animal’s bucking style. The better the spur ride, the better the cowboy’s half of the score. The combination of Franks’ solid footwork and Secret’s Out’s athletic performance provided another 90-plus-point ride – in all, there were five rides that were 90 or better. “That was a lot more fun than I was expecting, and I was expecting it to be a lot of fun,” Franks said with a laugh. “You have to do a lot on her. She’ll send your feet for you, but she won’t help you get them down all that much, so you have to really drive them back up. Still, that might be one of the funnest horses I’ve ever been on.” He’s been on a few. Of course, cowboys battle throughout the year, hoping to close the regular season as one of the top 15 in the world standings to earn a trip to the NFR, which takes place in December at Las Vegas. The 2021 Rookie of the Year, Franks earned trips that year, the next and again last year. He finished 17th in 2023 to just miss the mark. Once in Las Vegas, he has excelled. In 30 rounds, he’s pocketed more than $450,000. This year he’s earned just shy of $82,000 heading into Sunday’s showdown in Greeley. “My season has been a little mix; it’s been really good, then not so good, but it’s picking up now,” he said. “I’ve got some pretty fun horses up in these next couple of weeks. I’m just excited to keep the ball rolling.” West of the Pecos RodeoJune 25-28All-around cowboy: Slade Wood, $5,162 in team roping and steer roping. Bareback riding: 1. Cole Franks, 90.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Secret’s Out, $6,521; 2. Bradlee Miller, 87.5, $5,000; 3. Kade Sonnier, 86.5, $3,695; 4. (tie) Darien Johnson, Waylon Bourgeois and Garrett Shadbolt, 83, $1,667 each; 7. Rocker Steiner, 81.5, $870; 8. (tie) Tilden Hooper and Owen Brouilette, $326 each, 81; 6. Sam Petersen, 80; 7. Gavin French, 78; no other qualified rides. Team roping: First round: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 6.6 seconds, $2,990; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.8, $2,600; 3. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Walt Woodard, 6.9, $2,910; 4. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.4, $1,820; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5, $1,430; 6. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 7.6, $1,040; 7. (tie) Jaxson Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 7.7, $455 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Kolby Krieger/Michael Fortenberry and Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 6.0 seconds, $2,795 each; 3. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 6.1, $2,210; 4. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 6.4, $1,820; 5. (tie) Jaxon Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 6.9, $1,235 each; 7. Clay Tryan/Cutter Thomison, 7.0, $650; 8. Forrest Fisher/Daniel Braman, 7.4, $260. Average: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 13.7 seconds on two runs, $4,485; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 14.4, $3,900; 3. (tie) Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili and Jaxon Hill/Jessen James, 14.6, $3,022 each; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 15.0, $2,145; 6. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 15.2, $1,560; 7. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 15.3, $975; 8. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 15.5, $390. Steer roping: First round: 1. Bryce Davis, 11.3, $2,286; 2. David Witcher, 13.0, $1,989; 3. Riley O’Rourke, 13.2, $1,690; 4. Brodie Poppino, 13.8, $1,392; 5. Tony Reina, 14.0, $1,094; 6. Chad Mathis, 14.2, $795; 7. Jess Tierney, 14.6, $497; 8. Kelton McMillen, 15.4, $199. Second round: 1. Quay Howard, 11.2 seconds, $2,287; 2. Dalton Walker, 11.4, $1,989; 3. Billy Good, 1.6, $1,690; 4. Slade Wood, 11.8, $1,392; 5. Blake Deckard, 11.9, $1,094; 6. (tie) Jarett Holliday and Cody Lee, 12.1, $646 each; 5. Laramie Allen, 12.5, $199. Third round: 1. Vin Fisher, 11.0, $2,287; 2. Neal Wood, 11.2, $1,989; 3. Shad Mayfield, 11.2, $1,690; 4. (tie) Jarrett Holliday and Taylor Santos, 11.6, $1,243 each; 6. Chet Herren, 12.2, $795; 7. Cody Lee, 12.3, $497; 8. Seth Schafer, 12.4, $199. Average: 1. Bryce Davis, 39.7 seconds on three runs, $3,430; 2. Quay Howard, 43.7, $2,983; 3. Laramie Allen, 44.9, $2,535; 4. Mike Chase, 45.5, $2,088; 5. Tyler Hargrove, 45.8, $1,641; 6. Seth Schafer, 46.0, $1,193; 7. David Witcher, 47.4, $746; 8. Brodie Poppino, 47.8, $298. Saddle bronc riding: 1. 2. Tanner  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – Unseasonably mild temperatures didn’t cool the action inside Buck Jackson Arena during Friday’s third performance of the West of the Pecos Rodeo. The “World’s First Rodeo” featured three 91-point rides, two of which came in bull riding by two of the top cowboys in the discipline, eight-time world champion Stetson Wright – who has nine National Finals Rodeo qualifications in saddle bronc riding and bull riding – and four-time NFR qualifier Creek Young. Wright bounded into the arena aboard Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Whiskey River, matching every move the big, white bull threw at him. Young scored his high-marked ride on Hampton Pro Rodeo’s Heartbreaker, and the two share a commanding lead heading into Saturday’s final performance. “Josh Frost rode that bull at the finals, so I was excited to get on him,” Wright said of the 2024 world champion bull rider. “They’ve been big numbers on him, so I knew what I had at stake here.” Wright is the winningest cowboy of this era. He won five straight all-around gold buckles from 2019-23. The only reason he didn’t make it six was because an injury sidelined all of the 2024 campaign. The Beaver, Utah, cowboy also won bull riding crowns in 2020 and ’22 and added a saddle bronc championship in 2021. “(Carr general manager) Billy (Jones) and Pete (Carr) brought really great stock,” said Wright, who also sits sixth in bronc riding after an 83.5-point ride on Carr’s Apache Junction. “That’s the caliber that they bring. You can see that at any one of their rodeos, and I was just lucky I was part of them tonight.” Like Wright, Young missed the 2024 NFR after suffering a broken femur late in the regular season. He’s more in scramble mode right now, sitting 43rd in the world standings. The third big score came when Tanner Butner spurred Carr’s Dirty Roots to take the bronc riding lead. Butner, who won the Pecos title three seasons ago, just added to his lore in west Texas. “Pecos has always treated me good,” said Butner of Daniel, Wyoming. “I like showing up here. Pete’s always got some pretty dang fun horses. “I’d seen (Dirty Roads) a few times, and everybody that’s been on him said he’s pretty dang good. He’ll be a little wild sometimes but usually goods, so I figured I might as well try him out.” It wasn’t all big scores in Reeves County. There were some fast times, too. Breakaway roper Chenoa VandeStouwe of Weatherford, Oklahoma, stopped the clock in 3.3 seconds to sit in a three-way tie for third place in the second round. Combined with her 4.0-second first-round run, though, she sits atop the average with a two-run cumulative time of 7.3 seconds. Nobody in west Texas has been hotter than Bray Armes of Stephenville, Texas. He won rodeos in El Paso and Big Spring last week and owns the steer wrestling lead in Pecos. He is tied for the top spot in the opening round with 2020 world champion Jacob Edler; both cowboys posted 4.4-second runs. Armes then knocked down his second steer Friday night in 4.5 seconds, and he owns a three-tenths-of-a-second lead over the field. “When you get on these waves, you just try to stay on top of them,” said Armes, a three-time qualifier and the 2013 NFR average titlist. “They were 5.0 on that steer the last time, and I knew if I (got a good start), I could be a little faster, and that’s what I tried to do. My horses are just working great. We’re just going to try to ride this wave as long as we can.” West of the Pecos RodeoJune 25-28Bareback riding: 1. Bradlee Miller, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Chrome Molly; 2. Kade Sonnier, 86.5; 3. (tie) Darien Johnson and Garrett Shadbolt, 83; 5. Tilden Hooper, 81; 6. Sam Petersen, 80; 7. Gavin French, 78; no other qualified rides. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 6.6 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.8; 3. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Walt Woodard, 6.9; 4. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.4; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 6. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 7.6; 7. (tie) Jaxson Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 7.7. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Kolby Krieger/Michael Fortenberry and Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 6.0 seconds; 3. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 6.1; 4. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 6.4; 5. (tie) Jaxon Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 6.9; 7. Clay Tryan/Cutter Thomison, 7.0; 8. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5. Average leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 13.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 14.4; 3. (tie) Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili and Jaxon Hill/Jessen James, 14.6; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 15.0; 6. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 15.2; 7. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 15.3; 8. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 15.5. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. David Witcher, 13.0 seconds; 2. Chad Mathis, 14.2; 3. Jess Tierney, 14.6; 4. Kelton McMillen, 15.4; 5. Seth Ross, 15.6; 6. Slick Ellis, 16.5; 7. Coleman Proctor, 16.9; Jake Clay, 17.0. Second round leaders: 1. Quay Howard, 11.2 seconds; 2. Dalton Walker, 11.4; 3. Slade Wood, 11.8; 4. Jarett Holliday, 12.1; 5. Laramie Allen, 12.5; 6. Coleman Proctor, 12.7; 7. John Clark, 12.8; 8. Jake Clay, 13.4. Third round leaders: 1. Neal Wood, 11.2 seconds; 2. Shad Mayfield, 11.2; 3. (tie) Jarrett Holliday and Taylor Santos, 11.6; 5. Seth Schafer, 12.4; 6. Mike Chase, 12.7; 7. Jess Tierney, 12.8; 8. Scott Snedecor, 13.6. Average leaders: 1. Quay Howard, 43.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Laramie Allen, 44.9; 3. Mike Chase, 45.5; 4. Seth Schafer, 46.0; 5. David Witcher, 47.4; 6. Scott Snedecor, 55.0; 7. Logan Currie, 56.9; 8. Brian Garr, 58.7. Saddle bronc riding: 1. 2. Tanner Butner, 91 on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Roads; 2. Ryder Sanford, 88; 3. (tie) Ryder Wright and Brody Cress, 86.5; 5. Lefty Holman, 84; 6. Stetson Wright, 83.5; 7. (tie) Chase Brooks and Cash Wilson, 83. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 8.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 9.2; 3. Jett Barrett,  Continue Reading »

PECOS, Texas – Ryder Sanford called them a speed bump. When the 2024 regular season came to a close Sept. 30, they were agony. After finishing the 2023 campaign as the Resistol Rookie of the Year and qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo, Sanford was on his way back to being one of the top 15 saddle bronc riders in the world standings. A broken saddle was one speed bump. An injured left shoulder was the other; it kept him out of action 10 days. When the final audit to the earnings was complete, he sat 16th, a couple thousand bucks outside the field for ProRodeo’s grand finale. “I’m really confident right now,” said Sanford, 26, of Sulphur, Louisiana. I had a few things happen that kept me from going there, but I’ve got those things taken care of, and, shoot, I’ve got all the confidence in the world.” It showed during Thursday’s second performance of the West of the Pecos Rodeo. Sanford matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck for 88 points, dancing across the Buck Jackson Arena dirt as if an orchestra were playing. That gave him the lead with two nights remaining at the “World’s First Rodeo.” “I was looking up some videos of that horse earlier today, and I’ve seen him around a good bit,” Sanford said. “I’ve been wanting to get on him for a long time, and he definitely lived up to my expectations. That kind of horse is why we do this.” Uptuck has twice been selected to perform at the NFR, an honor for bucking horses. Only 100 broncs are chosen, and that comes down to a decision by the 15 men who get to ride them in Las Vegas. The powerful bay with a blaze face and white stocking legs has proven to be home in this west Texas community. He led Tanner Butner to the Pecos title three years ago. “When you draw a horse like that, you’re trying to get here as fast as you can,” Sanford said. “We drove 20 hours from Reno (Nevada) to get here.” He is in the mix this season. He sits 20th in the world standings with just shy of $50,000. He needs to move up at least five spots by the time the 2025 campaign ends, but there are a lot of lucrative rodeos coming up quickly for the Louisiana cowboy. “My year has been pretty steady,” said Sanford, who has five rodeo wins already this year. “I don’t have any big wins since the (Southeastern) Circuit Finals, but I’m just chipping away. This will definitely give me the momentum I need for the rest of the summer.” West of the Pecos RodeoJune 25-28Bareback riding: 1. Bradlee Miller, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Chrome Molly; 2. (tie) Darien Johnson and Garrett Shadbolt, 83; 4. Tilden Hooper, 81; 5. Sam Petersen, 80; 6Gavin French, 78; no other qualified rides. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 6.6 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.8; 3. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Walt Woodard, 6.9; 4. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.4; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 6. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 7.6; 7. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.8; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 8.3. Second round leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 6.1 seconds; 2. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 6.4; 3. (tie) Jaxon Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 6.9; 5. Clay Tryan/Cutter Thomison, 7.0; 6. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 7. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 7.6; 8. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.8. Average leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 13.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 14.4; 3. (tie) Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili and Jaxon Hill/Jessen James, 14.6; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 15.0; 6. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 15.2; 7. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 15.5; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 17.1. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. David Witcher, 13.0 seconds; 2. Chad Mathis, 14.2; 3. Jess Tierney, 14.6; 4. Slick Ellis, 16.5; 5. (tie) Laramie Allen and Rocky Patterson, 17.4; 7. Brian Garr, 17.9; 8. Ryan Rochlitz, 18.4. Second round leaders: 1. Quay Howard, 11.2 seconds; 2. Dalton Walker, 11.4; 3. Jarett Holliday, 12.1; 4. Laramie Allen, 12.5; 5. John Clark, 12.8; 6. Rocky Patterson, 13.8; 7. Seth Schafer, 14.3; 8. Neal Wood, 14.6. Third round leaders: 1. Neal Wood, 11.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Jarrett Holliday and Taylor Santos, 11.6; 4. Seth Schafer, 12.4; 5. Jess Tierney, 12.8; 6. Scott Snedecor, 13.6; 7. Quay Howard, 13.7; 8. John Clark, 14.4. Average leaders: 1. Quay Howard, 43.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Laramie Allen, 44.9; 3. Seth Schafer, 46.0; 4. David Witcher, 47.4; 5. Scott Snedecor, 55.0; 6. Logan Currie, 56.9; 7. Brian Gar, 58.7; 8. Jarrett Holliday, 23.7 seconds on two runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Sanford, 88 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck; 2. Brody Cress, 86.5; 3. Lefty Holman, 84; 4. Cash Wilson, 83; 5. (tie) Shorty Garrett and Jacobs Crawley, 82.5; 7. (tie) Darcy Radel and Statler Wright, 81. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 8.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 9.2; 3. Jett Barrett, 9.3; 4. Ike Fontenot, 9.4; 5. John Douch, 10.4; 6. Riley Istre, 10.6; 7. Jared Turner, 10.6; 8. Travis Staley, 11.0. Second round leaders: 1. Lane Livingston, 8.9 seconds, $3,929; 2. Bradley Bynum, 9.0, $3,416; 3. Sterling Smith, 9.7, $2,904; 4. Luke Coleman, 10.1; 5. Tyson Durfey, 10.2; 6. (tie) Riley Istre and Marty Yates, 10.6; 8. Ike Fontenot, 11.7. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Tyson Durfey and Marty Yates, 19.4 seconds on two head each; 3. Bradley Bynum, 20.7; 4. Ike Fontenot, 21.1; 5. Riley Istre, 21.2; 6. Jett Barrett, 21.5; 7. (tie) Lane Livingston and Cory Solomon, 23.3. Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Grace Felton, 3.4 seconds; 2. Samantha Fulton, 3.5; 3. (tie) Josey Murphy and Madalyn Richards, 3.7 each; 5. Cadee Williams, 3.8; 6. Lindsey Baker, 3.9; 7. Haiden Thompson, 4.0; 8. (tie) Lari Dee Guy and Ali Norcutt, 4.1; 10. (tie) Lauren Hopkins and Lucy Richards, 4.2. Second round leaders: 1. Taylor Raupe, 2.8 seconds; 2. Erin Johnson, 3.2; 3.  Continue Reading »

GUNNISON, Colo. – The excitement is building, and the anticipation has spread across the Gunnison Valley. It’s time for the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration, and 125 years of history will envelop not only the town but also the region. This is an opportunity for locals to gather together and enjoy the fellowship of one another in the perfect setting. That was the idea when the event was founded in 1900, and it’s the expectation of everyone who has ever called Gunnison County home. Children will arrive with their prized projects, whether they’re lambs, steers, arts and crafts or a handful of other exhibits that will be put on display. Parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles will cherish those shining moments. Ribbons will be handed out, and champions will be crowned. It’s just part of the Cattlemen’s Days experience, which takes place in early July at the Fred Field Western Center. The highlight, of course, is the annual rodeo, which will feature hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls all battling for big money in the valley. The rodeo will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10-Saturday, July 12, at the grandstands and will be produced by Texas-based Stace Smith Pro Rodeos, an 11-time PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year. “I believe everyone in our community is excited about this year’s Cattlemen’s Days,” said Brad Tutor, president of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual shindig. “We’ve got a lot of activities going on, just like we do every year. The big deal for us is that this is our 125th year, so we want to have the best Cattlemen’s Days ever. “There’s been a lot of talk about our rodeo over the years being one of the best in Colorado. We’re proud of that, and that’s one of the reasons why we trust Stace and his crew. They put on a fabulous production, and it always fits well with our rodeo and our community.” Part of that production will include longtime emcee Andy Stewart, who has been nominated for PRCA Announcer of the Year, music director Randy Mayer and entertainer Brian Patton, who not only provides comedy but also has a specialty act in which he rides a saddle- and trick-trained brahma bull. The key component in all that is to bring quality entertainment to the people of Gunnison. The rodeo has been a highlight of the annual gathering for more than a century, and it will continue to be. It’s the perfect mix of family-friendly fun and world-class competition. Just take a gander at last year’s Cattlemen’s Days titlists to see the results. The list of top finishers is littered with National Finals Rodeo qualifiers, contestants like 2005 all-around world champion Ryan Jarrett, who shared the tie-down roping victory, and 2014 barrel racing titlist Fallon Taylor, who finished second. “We’re definitely proud of our rodeo and all that it brings to town,” Tutor said. “There are a lot of people from around here who keep up with rodeo, and many of the cowboys they see competing here are the ones they watch all year on TV and see competing at the NFR.” There are many things to be honored about when it comes to the community’s annual exposition. The volunteer committee is continuing to be a benefactor to others in the Gunnison Valley, but it has adjusted a little bit in how it goes about that business. Cattlemen’s Days is teaming with Golden Circle of Champions, which helps raise awareness and funds in the fight against pediatric cancer. To that end, the Thursday, July 10, performance of the rodeo will now be Gold Night in honor of that cause. The Friday performance will be Patriot Night, and Saturday will be Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy Night. Each show will be the perfect setting to honor so many in a way befitting their challenges and their service. “Our goal as a committee is to have the best entertainment possible,” Tutor said. “I think doing things this way gives us that chance this year.”

PECOS, Texas – When the winter and spring were a little colder than usual, team ropers Andrew Ward and Jake Long were eager for the calendar to change into the summer. Despite an unusually mile night temperature-wise during Wednesday’s opening performance, Ward and Long got hot and own the second-round and aggregate leads at the West of the Pecos Rodeo. “We are pumped to make a good run and maybe win something at this rodeo,” said Ward, 34, a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Edmond, Oklahoma. “We don’t know what (the rest of the field) is going to do (over the next three days), but we went out in the lead. That’s fun.” Yes, it is. They roped their first steer in 7.6 seconds during the opening round Wednesday morning. They stopped the clock in 6.1 seconds to take the second-round and average leads, while also putting a bullseye square on their backs for the rest of the competition to target. Both men are outside the top 40 in their respective disciplines, and they know getting on a roll this time of year can be beneficial. In an sport where dollars equal championship points, the goal is to finish the regular season among the top 15 on the money list to advance back to the NFR. Both have excelled there. Ward, a header, won the NFR aggregate title in 2021 while roping with Buddy Hawkins; Long, a heeler, won the same crown this past December while competing with Clint Summers. “I think our styles go well together,” said Long, a 14-time NFR qualifier from Coffeyville, Kansas. “We’ve had a slower start than we were anticipating, but it feels like we’re catching our rhythm. We’ve been making good runs and putting some runs together.” The timing is right. While this is the “World’s First Rodeo,” there are move contestants in the mix at this year’s festival than most recent years. Why? The volunteer committee that organizes the annual event increased its share of the purse, nearly double to $20,000 per event. Those dollars are mixed with contestants’ entry fees to make up the total payout. “This is a big arena, and if you’re not on the right end of the (randomly drawn) cattle, it can be tough,” Long said. “But the committee really put the money up this year and became a tour rodeo, so now it’s a rodeo you don’t want to miss.” There was more to Long’s day in Reeves County. When he arrived in this west Texas desert town, he was met with muddy conditions – a rarity for this neck of he woods. He got stuck, and committee chairman Clay Ryon McKinney not only pulled him and his rig out of the mud at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, but he also gave them a home and RV hookups for the day “Getting stuck in the mud is something I didn’t ever think would happen in Pecos, Texas,” Long said. “Clay really opened up his hospitality to us, so we got to get some good rest, and I guess the good lucked rubbed off.” Good roping or good luck, the tandem will take it. “The steers play a humongous part in this,” Ward said. “If you draw strong, it’s hard to recover. The barrier (the steer’s head start) is real long – I think it’s 24 feet with a 20-foot box, and it’s a hand-pulled barrier – so the cows are running. When you get one that lets you catch up and beat them like we did, it’s nice.” Just like the summer, Ward and Long are heating up at just the right time. West of the Pecos RodeoJune 25-28Bareback riding: 1. Bradlee Miller, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Chrome Molly; 2. (tie) Darien Johnson and Garrett Shadbolt, 83; 4. Gavin French, 78; no other qualified rides. Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 6.6 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.8; 3. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Walt Woodard, 6.9; 4. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.4; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 6. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 7.6; 7. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.8; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 8.3. Second round leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 6.1 seconds; 2. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 6.4; 3. (tie) Jaxon Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 6.9; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 7.6; 7. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.8; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 8.3. Average leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 13.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 14.4; 3. (tie) Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili and Jaxon Hill/Jessen James, 14.6; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 15.0; 6. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 15.2; 7. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 15.5; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 17.1. Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. Jess Tierney, 14.6 seconds; 2. Laramie Allen, 17.4; 3. Ryan Rochlitz, 18.4; 4. Seth Schafer, 19.3; 5. Jody Rowland, 22.5; no other qualified times. Second round leaders: 1. Laramie Allen, 12.5 seconds; 2. Seth Schafer, 14.3; 3. Neal Wood, 14.6; 4. Ryan Rochlitz, 17.3; 5. Rowdy Bond, 18.0; no other qualified times. Third round leaders: 1. Neal Wood, 11.2 seconds; 2. Seth Schafer, 12.4; 3. Jess Tierney, 12.8; 4. Laramie Allen, 15.0; 5. Evan Allard, 16.6; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Laramie Allen, 44.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Seth Schafer, 46.0; 3. Neal Wood, 25.8 seconds on two runs; 4. Jess Tierney, 27.4; 5. Ryan Rochlitz, 35.7; 6. Evan Allard, 16.6 seconds on one run; 7. Rowdy Bond, 18.0; 8. Jody Rowland, 22.5. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cash Wilson, 83 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Texas; 2. Shorty Garrett, 82.5; 3. Darcy Radel, 81; 4. Joe Macqueen, 78; 5. Dawson Hay, 76; 6. Warwick Southern, 74; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 8.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 9.2; 3. Jett Barrett, 9.3; 4. Ike Fontenot, 9.4; 5. John Douch, 10.4; 6. Riley Istre, 10.6; 7. Travis Staley, 11.0; 8. Paden Bray, 11.1. Second round leaders: 1. Lane Livingston, 8.9 seconds, $3,929; 2. Bradley Bynum, 9.0, $3,416;  Continue Reading »

ALVA, Okla. – A student’s education doesn’t end with graduation. No, a good student is always learning, always craving a chance to be better. Even as his sophomore year has wrapped, Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboy Colter Snook added a few more lessons to his notebook over the past week at the College National Finals Rodeo. “I’ve just got to score better and need to stop being so danged afraid of the barrier,” said Snook, a team roping header from Dodge City, Kansas. “I was never once on the barrier and about half a foot off it on average.” The barrier line is a rope that crosses the heading box and offers the steer the adequate head start. Being “on the barrier” means the cowboy and his horse are timing the start at the most opportune moment. In an event where times are separated by tenths of a second, every millimeter counts. Being late could be the difference between a good time and one, well, not so good. Alas, breaking the barrier is also deficit, adding 10 seconds to a qualified time. All those factors play a mental game in a competitor’s mind. Add adrenaline and the pressure of the college finals, and there was a lot going on in the young roper’s mind, but he found success in spite of it. Roping with Cale Morris of Western Oklahoma State College, the tandem stopped the clock in 6.2 seconds to finish in a tie for second place in the opening round. They were solid in Round 2 with a 7.0-second run. Things got a little dicey after that. Despite having a no-time in the third round, their two-run cumulative time of 13.2 seconds earned them a fourth steer in Saturday’s championship round. “In that third round, I safety’d up a little bit. I had a good shot on my second swing, and I rated my horse off and took another swing,” Snook said. “I split the horns. If I would have just cut loose with it, I probably would’ve got them both covered.” Both? Yeah, he’s referring to his final-round run, another no-time. Though Snook got a better start, he failed to secure the dally – team ropers use ropes not tied to the saddle horn like tie-down and breakaway ropers, so in order to tighten the line, they must wrap the ends of their ropes around the horn. By the time he gathered his dally, he, Morris and the steer were near the end of the tiny arena in Casper, Wyoming. “I turned (the steer) right back around, but Cale’s horse had to turn completely around,” Snook said. “Cale hit the front leg. “I just need to be sharper. If I break the barrier, it’s not the end of the world. I need to stop being afraid of it. Even if we’d broke the barrier on that third cow, it would have kept us in it.” Senior Emmett Edler of State Center, Iowa, was in the mix in two events, tie-down roping and steer wrestling, the latter of which is his specialty. Edler won the Central Plains Region’s bulldogging title and finished second in the all-around race, therefore allowing him the opportunity to compete in a second event. Though he failed to secure a time in tie-down roping, he placed in the opening round of bulldogging with a 4.7-second run. Fate stepped in quickly to halt Edler’s title hopes with a second-round no-time, but he rebounded with a 5.3 in the third round – he didn’t place among the top eight, but it was a solid way to complete his intercollegiate career. Freshman goat-tier Payton Dingman took the educational aspect of the experience to heart. She stopped the clock on all three runs, with her best being a 6.7-second affair that earned her a top-15 finish in the third round. She finished 15th overall but gathered no points. Every run and every chance in the arena, though, built her confidence heading into her sophomore campaign. “I really didn’t know what to expect going into it,” said Dingman of Pryor, Oklahoma. “I thought I had myself pretty calm about the whole situation, and it was a really great experience. Everybody there took me under their wing and just showed me all the places I need to go and where I needed to be. I learned a lot. “I think in the first round, I went through every single emotion before I tied. Whether I was calm or nervous, I tried literally everything to get myself to calm down. I didn’t make a bad run; I made a little bobble worked through it.” Her biggest hiccup came in the second round, when she posted a 7.9-second run to finish tied for 42nd out of 54 competitors. It was a bit of a speed bump, trying to do too much to be faster. “Finally, by the third round, I felt like I was just myself again,” she said. “I just slowed down, tied the goat and just wanted it to be smooth, which is what I needed to do in the first two rounds. I just had myself so worked up to be so fast. Next year I know I just need to go in there and make a smooth run.” The adage “slow is smooth; smooth is fast” comes into play because it calls for less thinking through the process and allowing athleticism and muscle memory to take over. “I feel like every point that I’ve gone through, either at college rodeos or school, I’ve definitely learned something, especially from this experience,” Dingman said. “Now, I know how to control my nerves a little bit better and not just stress out so much.”

PECOS, Texas – Organizers of the “World’s First Rodeo” are doubling the fun for fans this year. For the first time in recent memory, and possibly in the sport’s history, the West of the Pecos Rodeo will feature two announcers emceeing the event horseback during the exposition, set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25-Saturday, June 28, at Buck Jackson Arena in Pecos. Garrett Yerigan will join the stage set by Pecos veteran Anthony Lucia, and the tandem will both be saddled – on separate horses, of course – as they put their expertise on display for the fans who take in the world-class rodeo. “For as long as I can remember, we’ve had a horseback announcer in Pecos,” said Clay Ryon McKinney, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the rodeo. “I don’t know that we’ve ever had two horseback announcers.” It’s not just the uniqueness of having two emcees riding around the massive arena; there’s also the fact that both are part of an elite corps of PRCA announcers. In fact, they own the last four awards for PRCA Announcer of the Year. Yerigan won the honor in 2021-22, and Lucia has claimed the last two buckles. “The mere fact that the people of ProRodeo thought and voted for me is overwhelming,” Lucia told ProRodeo Sports News in December. “It’s an overwhelming sense of pride and gratefulness. It’s not anything but that because I’m nothing without this industry. “I’m so grateful to be a part of this industry because I genuinely love rodeo. I’m a rodeo geek. I eat it, live it, breathe it and I dream about it at night.” It seems the same can be said about Yerigan. He and Lucia not only share a friendship but also a passion for the sport. Both were raised around it. Lucia was introduced to the business early in life with a father, Tommy Lucia, being recognized as one of rodeo’s greatest entertainers. Anthony Lucia was part of his dad’s act, then got into the specialty act business himself; he even performed at the National Finals Rodeo. He has competed and worked television commentary before becoming an announcer. Yerigan’s parents were heavily involved, and he went to his first rodeo at 2 weeks old. Mom, Kathy, was a barrel racer; dad, Dale, was a bulldogger, and both excelled in the International Professional Rodeo Association. Dale Yerigan is now the IPRA’s general manager. That background comes into play when each man takes the microphone, but they’re not the only topnotch part of the West of the Pecos Rodeo. While their voices will ring across Buck Jackson Arena, veteran Benje Bendele will be complimenting that with music and effects. He has been the sound director in Pecos for years and will be inducted into the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame this Friday. “We’re very blessed to have the talent we have as part of our rodeo,” McKinney said. “It’s about giving the fans a better experience, and I think they’re going to enjoy it when it comes together.”