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  • Phillipsburg Rodeo Gives Annual College Scholarship

    Phillipsburg Rodeo Gives Annual College Scholarship

    Ft. Hays rodeo students benefit from Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo

    PHILLIPSBURG, KAN. (March 14, 2016) – Two Ft. Hays (Kan.) State University (FHSU) students have been awarded scholarships courtesy of the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association.

     

    MariKate Crouch, Scott City, Kan., and Matt Rezac, Onaga, Kan., have both received $500 scholarships for their schooling at Ft. Hays State.

    Matt Rezac, a sophomore at Ft. Hays State University, heads in the U.S. Team Roping Championship in this photo. He is one of two recipients of a Phillipsburg Rodeo Association scholarship. He is a team roper on the rodeo team and is studying animal science.

    Crouch is a sophomore who graduated from Dodge City Community College last December and transferred to FHSU in January. She is studying accounting and will graduate in May of 2018. She is a member of the FHSU Rodeo Team and competes as a breakaway roper and team roper.

     

    Rezac is a sophomore at FHSU majoring in animal science. He is also a member of the Rodeo Team, competing in the team roping as a header but occasionally as a heeler.

     

    Both students participated in youth rodeo, Crouch in Little Britches, junior high and high school and Rezac in high school. Both qualified for the Kansas State High School Finals Rodeo.

     

    Crouch and Rezac work at home when they are on break, Rezac on the family ranch and Crouch for the Scott County Coop Association. The scholarships give them a bit of a financial break for school costs. “Every little bit helps,” Crouch said. “If it wasn’t for people like the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association, I don’t know how any of us would ever afford going to school out of our  own pocket. Scholarships are so helpful.”

     

    After graduation, Crouch hopes to work for a CPA practice in a rural community. Rezac will return to the family ranch.

     

    Crouch is the daughter of Lance and Carol Ann Crouch. Rezac is the son of Jay and Stacy Rezac.

     

    Bronc Rumford, the rodeo coach at FHSU, speaks highly of both students. Rezac “is a good horseman,” he said. “He can handle a rope and has a ton of talent.” Crouch, from a rodeo family, “ropes and rides well. She’s always at practice and is always upbeat. They are both very coachable. When you tell them something, they’ll go work on it.

     

    Since 1997, the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association has awarded scholarships to FHSU students who compete in rodeo. The Phillipsburg Rodeo Association is the organization behind Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo, which will be held August 4-6, 2016. For more information on the rodeo, visit www.KansasBiggestRodeo.com.

  • Kimes Ranch Announces 2016 Model Contest Winner

    Kimes Ranch Announces 2016 Model Contest Winner

    courtesy of Lindsay Perraton

    Kimes Ranch

    www.kimesranch.com

     

    SCOTTSDALE, AZ—Kimes Ranch, an emerging leader in premium denim, announced the winner of their 2016 Modeling Contest, Tayler Teichert, on February 28th. Teichert was humbled and shocked to learn she had won.

     

    “I was 100% shocked when I won, totally surprised. I liked Kimes Ranch on Social media, thought maybe I would enter, entered and the rest is history.”

     

    Teichert, a 24-year-old full time ranch hand from Idaho came out on top with over 250 of the 2800 online votes. A win, that Teichert credits to her ranching community ties.

     

    “There’s people all over the country that I love in the ranching industry and in other industries, especially ranching because I’ve worked with them, I’ve got to know them all. I just know people all over and I posted once. It just exploded from there, all my friends shared it, it got crazy. I have amazing friends, that’s all it is.”

     

    Amazing friends, who shared her photo 90 times from the Kimes Ranch Facebook page, also spoke highly of the 6-foot-tall blonde. Many like, Erika Carla Zundel boasted her work ethic along with her beauty.

     

    “She is beautiful and can work right next to the guys! If you are looking for a real cowboy-girl this is her!”

     

    Tayler Teichert’s work ethic, in fact, is what lead her to Kimes Ranch jeans and eventually their modeling contest.

     

    “I’m really good friends with the people that own J.M. Capriolas. I went and worked for them during a festival and I’ve taken pictures for their website. They showed me the jeans, and I actually bought a pair. I found you guys [Kimes Ranch] on Facebook and saw your posting for the model contest.”

     

    In only it’s second year, the Kimes Ranch Model Contest boasted over 600 applicants from all different disciplines and backgrounds. Lindsay Perraton Director of Marketing for Kimes Ranch praised the contestants.

     

    “We had such an amazing group of applicants it was a grueling process to pick a top 100, let alone a top five, so we deviated from our original plan and upped the finalists to a top ten for this year.  The applicants were all beautiful inside and out with great back-stories.  We are lucky as a company to have had such an overwhelming response and tried our best to show the verity of applicants in our top ten. Our Kimes Ranch community had the final vote and they chose Tayler as our representative.  She is a perfect fit and we are thrilled to have her.”

     

    Teichert describes her personal style as simple, which was another draw to the Kimes Ranch jeans.

     

    “I like clothes that are simple. That’s why I like Kimes Ranch jeans, they don’t have the bedazzling on the butt or the ugly white stitching. I like functional, simple, classy, well-built clothing.”

     

    Laughing, she added that she doesn’t like to look too modern.

     

    “I like simple but I like something that’s a little bit different. I usually pull that in. I like some ugly sweaters, which you may have have gathered by my pictures. I have some weird thrift store ugly stuff because it’s different and nobody else has it and that’s what I like.”

     

    Her love for “ugly sweaters” can be credited in part to Idaho’s ever changing weather and the need for functional clothing.

     

    “I live in Idaho and it’s cold 9 months of the year. It’s all about function for me. I typically like winter clothes a lot better because I can incorporate jackets and sweaters.”

     

    In her spare time, Teichert writes for the Cavvy Savvy and moonlights as a freelance photographer. For more information on Taylor Teichert or to view her work visit www.taylerteichert.com.

     

    About Kimes Ranch Jeans: Founded in 2009, Kimes Ranch (formerly Longhorn Jean Company) was created to fill a void in the marketplace. With a long standing western history, Matt and Amanda Kimes’ desire was to create a company that produced great fitting, quality, long lasting jeans that walked the line between fashion-forward and western folk friendly.

     

    The brands catchy logo and even more attractive company culture and customer service have brought them a cult-like following amongst their western consumers. The classically inspired line of jeans, have been featured in magazines including American Cowboy, Horse & Rider, Cowboys and Indians and Chrome Magazine.

     

    Kimes Ranch. Superior Fit. Classic Style. Western Uncomplicated.

     

    For more information on Kimes Ranch or to order, visit www.kimesranch.com.

  • Iowan wins Triple Crown, $1.1M at RFD-TV’s The American

    Iowan wins Triple Crown, $1.1M at RFD-TV’s The American

    story courtesy of RFD-TV

     

    Arlington, Texas; Feb. 28, 2016 – Wade Sundell, 31 of Boxholm, Iowa, earned $1.1 million after an eight-second rodeo ride on Feb. 28 at AT&T Stadium during RFD-TV’s The American, presented by Polaris Ranger.

     

    The nationally televised rodeo annually invites the 10 best professional athletes in the world to compete for a $1 million purse, but the format also allows a handful of athletes to pay a fee to attempt to qualify throughout the season. A million-dollar bonus was reserved for any qualifier who could beat the best in the world on Feb. 28.

     

    But Sundell, the 2015 reserve world champion saddle bronc rider, was also eligible for the bonus this year – if he could win his event for a remarkable third straight year as the “Triple Crown” champion. None of the qualifiers could unseat the elite athletes, and Sundell took home the entire bonus after an epic ride of 90.75 points on a Frontier Rodeo bronc named Maple Leaf.

     

    “I think I was born for this place,” said Sundell, who also won $100,000 at RFD-TV’s The American in AT&T Stadium in 2014 and again in 2015. “There’s no backing up here; you have to let it all hang out.”

     

    Sundell had to sweat the run of fellow Triple Crown contender Lisa Lockhart of South Dakota, who also won the preliminary round of her event and looked likely to split Sundell’s million-dollar windfall. But by less than two-tenths of a second, Lockhart was edged to second in barrel racing, making Sundell the lone bonus winner.

     

    His paycheck of $1.1 million on Sunday comes close to the $1.4 million it has taken him nine years of professional bronc riding to earn in his career. Sundell recently won the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days rodeo on Maple Leaf.

     

    “I’m always wound up, but I was really wound up when I found out I had that horse,” said Sundell, who was a high-school standout wrestler. He became the first saddle bronc rider to qualify for the NFR from Iowa in 2009, and has made repeat trips to Las Vegas every year since.

     

    Roping Hall-of-Famer Clay O’Brien Cooper, 55, was Derrick Begay’s idol 30 years ago. On Sunday, the pair turned in the fastest time in team roping to earn $100,000 apiece. Begay, 32, from the Navajo Nation in Arizona, had never set foot in AT&T Stadium before Feb. 28, and he seldom shows much emotion. But he offered fans one of the biggest smiles to ever crack his face – twice – on Sunday.

     

    “When you’re back home practicing, you imagine that last steer is for $20 or $100,000, and it’s nice that it worked out today,” he said. “But the best thing about this is the partner I’m roping with – that makes it a lot more special.”

     

    Cooper of Gardnerville, Nev., was characteristically humble, saying, “I was just glad to see that steer jump in my loop.” He referred to RFD-TV’s The American as the greatest one-day rodeo in the world.

     

    Minnesota bareback rider Tanner Aus of Granite Falls defeated the great world champion Kaycee Feild by just a quarter-point to earn $100,000 on the same bronc that Taylor Price rode to win the event last year – Frontier’s Showstomper. Incidentally, Feild had just laid his father, Lewis, to rest a week earlier. He brought his father’s saddle to center stage in the stadium and dozens of cowboys adorned it with roses while a special music video recorded by Jewel for the occasion played on the jumbo screen.

     

    In steer wrestling, Montana’s Ty Erickson took the six-figure prize home, while Sarah McDonald of Georgia dominated the barrel racing on her roan mare. The tie-down roping offered plenty of drama, as well.

     

    Hunter Herrin, on a borrowed horse, not only won the first round with a 6-second run, but then came back and bumped the man who looked to have a lock on the $100,000 check. Tyson Durfey, who won the American in 2014, had been first to go and clocked in at 6.8 seconds. But Herrin, last out, turned in a heart-thumping 6.7.

     

    In bull riding, Brazilian Joao Ricardo Vieira of Brazil was the lone man to ride his final bull, earning $100,000 for an 81.75-point effort. By virtue of staying on his bull for the longest duration of those who bucked off, North Dakotas Stetson Lawrence placed second.

     

    Every event champion also took home nearly $50,000 in prizes that included new Polaris RANGERs. In addition, The American paid out more than a half-million dollars through its Semi-Finals and its Contestant Patch Auction in Fort Worth, Feb. 17-21.

     

    Following are official results from RFD-TV’s The American, presented by Polaris RANGER, on Feb. 28, 2016:

     

    Bareback Riding: Preliminary Round: 1. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 86.25 points on Calgary Stampede’s Trail Dust; 2. RC Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 85.25; 3. Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 83.75; 4. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 83.5; 5. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 82.25; 6. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 82.25; 7. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 81.75; 8. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 81.25; 9. Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, 81.25; 10. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 80; 11. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 76; 12. Evan Jayne, Marseille, France, 56. Shootout Round: 1. Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 88.50 points on Frontier’s Showstomper, $100,000; 2. Kaycee Field, Spanish Fork, Utah, 88.25, $25,000.

     

     

    Team Roping: Preliminary Round: 1. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 3.85 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 4.01; 3. David Key, Stephenville, Texas/Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 4.09; 4. Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Stephenville, Texas, 4.2; 5. Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 4.33; 6. Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn./Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 4.42; 7. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Kory Koontz, Stephenville, Texas, 4.64; 8. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 5.32; 9. Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., 13.74. Shootout Round: 1. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 4.56 seconds, $100,000; 2. David Key, Stephenville, Texas/Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 4.94, $25,000.

     

    Steer Wrestling: Preliminary Round: 1. Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 4.10 seconds; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.12; 3. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.35; 4. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.39; 5. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas. 4.41; 6. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 4.50; 7. Todd Suhn, Hermosa, SD., 4.83; 8. Bray Armes, Pilot Point, Texas, 5.8; 9. Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas, 6.08; 10. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, 6.43; 11. Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho, 8.19; 12. Baylor Roche, Trementon, Utah, 9.12; 13. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 14.91; 14. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 15.2; Shootout Round: 1. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.80 seconds, $100,000; 2. Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 7.75, $25,000.

     

    Saddle Bronc Riding: Preliminary Round: 1. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 85.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Stampede Warrior; 2. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 85.5; 3. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 85.25; 4. Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas, 83.25; 5. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 80; 6. CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, 80.25; 7. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 80; 8. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 79.25; 9. Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 79; 10. Wyatt Casper, Balko, Okla., 78.75; 11. Clay Elliott, Nanton, Alberta, 78.25; 12. Joey Sonnier, New Liberia, La., 72.  Shootout Round: 1. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 90.75 points, Frontier’s Maple Leaf, $100,000 plus $1,000,000 bonus; 2.  Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 87.75, $25,000.

     

    Tie Down Roping: Preliminary Round: 1. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 6.8 seconds; 2. Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 7.14; 3. Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 7.42; 4. Tyson Durfey, Savannah, Mo., 7.48; 5. Cooper Matthews, Cleburne, Texas, 7.53; 6. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, 7.76; 7. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 7.88; 8. Braxton Laughlin, Westlake, La., 8.02; 9. 10. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, 8.83; 10. Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif., 9.07; 11. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 9.85; 12. Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, 11.11; 13. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.51; 14. Randall Carlisle, Athens, La., 12.49; 15. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 17.09; 16. Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, 17.70. Shootout Round: 1. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 6.77 seconds, $100,000; 2. Tyson Durfey, Savannah, Mo., 6.86 seconds, $25,000.

     

    Barrel Racing: Preliminary Round: 1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.552 seconds; 2. Jackie Ganter, Abilene, Texas, 14.571; 3. Sarah Rose McDonald, Brunswick, Ga., 14.594; 4. Callie DuPerier, Boerne, Texas, 14.664; 5. Dustin Angelle, St. Gabriel, La., 14.768; 6. Taylor Jacob, Carmine, Texas, 14.791; 7. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.799; 8. Mary Smothers, Sinton, Texas, 14.846; 9. Cassidy Kruse, Gillette, Wyo., 14.868; 10. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.876; 11. Ashley Schafer, Yoder, Wyo., 14.892; 12. Kelli Barichello, Kennewick, Wash., 14.897; 13. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.910; 14. Jessica Dunbar, Del Rio, Texas, 14.919; 15. Rylee Jo Dick, Oakley, Utah, 14.919; 16. McKenzie Morgan, Maryville, Tenn., 15.259; 17. Derek Diedrich, Goose Lake, Iowa, 15.768; 18. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 19.60; 19. Sabrina Ketcham, Yeso, N.M., 20.22; 20. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta, 20.172. Shootout Round: 1. Sarah Rose McDonald, Brunswick, Ga., 14.470 seconds, $100,000; 2. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.648, $25,000.

     

    Bull Riding: Preliminary Round: 1. Stetson Lawrence, Williston, N.D., 85 points; 2. Fabiano Vieira, Perola, Brazil, 83.75; 3. Joao Ricardo Vieira, Soa Paulo, Brazil, 81.25. Shootout Round: 1.

    Bull Riding: 1. Joao Ricardo Vieira, Soa Paulo, Brazil, 81.75 points, $100,000; 2. Stetson Lawrence, Williston, N.D., no score, $25,000.

  • SUPER SERIES IV CHAMPIONS SADDLE UP FOR RODEOHOUSTON® SEMIFINALS

    SUPER SERIES IV CHAMPIONS SADDLE UP FOR RODEOHOUSTON® SEMIFINALS

    SUPER SERIES IV CHAMPIONS SADDLE UP FOR RODEOHOUSTON® SEMIFINALS — MARCH 12, 2016 — HOUSTON — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —Best times and high scores advanced Super Series IV champions to a semifinal round Saturday, March 12.

    TIE-DOWN ROPING                 

    Adam Gray of Seymour, Texas, earned the Super Series IV Tie-Down Roping Champion title with an 8.4 second run in the third round.

    “It [winning] is a really neat feeling,” Gray said. “RodeoHouston is the largest rodeo I go to. The fans here are awesome, and it is unlike anywhere else.”

     

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:

    Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas — $5,000
    Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas — $4,750

    Jayce Johnson, Hempstead, Texas — $3,750

    Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas — $3,000

     

    BAREBACK RIDING

    Caleb Bennett of Tremonton, Utah, won the Super Series IV Bareback Riding Champion title with an 85-point ride in the third round.

     

    “RodeoHouston is the way I wish all rodeos could be,” Bennett said. “It’s one of the places you dream of being at.”

     

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:

    Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah — $8,000
    Ty Fast Taypotat, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada — $4,250

    Devan Reilly, Sheridan, Wyoming — $2,750

    Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas — $2,250

     

    TEAM ROPING
    Brothers John Philipp and Shane Philipp became Super Series IV Team Roping Champions with a  6.4-second run in the third round.

    “We have been doing this together since we were little boys,” Shane Philipp said. “Winning here is great, because it is a hometown rodeo for us.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Shane Philipp – Washington, Texas, and John Philipp – Washington, Texas — $12,000
    Roland McFadden – Vulcan, Alberta, Canada, and Tyrel Flewelling – Lacombe, Alberta, Canada — $11,500

    Billy Bob Brown – Stephenville, Texas, and Garrett Jess – Coulee City, Washington — $8,000

    Cody Graham – Everton, Missouri, and Monty Joe Petska – Turlock, California — $5,500

     

    SADDLE BRONC RIDINGfbbradshaw_coburn_K3SB5259

    Coburn Bradshaw of Milford, Utah, rode Stampede Warrior in the third round to win the Super Series IV Saddle Bronc Riding Champion title. Bradshaw said RodeoHouston is one of the best rodeos of the year.

     

    “I’ve always wanted to ride for [the $50,000],” Bradshaw said, “and I’m glad [this rodeo] is going as good as it is.”

     

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Coburn Bradshaw, Milford, Utah — $7,000
    Doug Aldridge, Carthage, Missouri — $3,000

    Curtis Garton, Lake Charles, Louisiana — $2,875

    Heith Demoss, Heflin, Louisiana — $2,500

     

    STEER WRESTLINGfbgraves_stockton_K3SW5361

    Stockton Graves of Alva, Oklahoma, wrestled in 3.8 seconds to win the Super Series IV Steer Wrestling Champion title.

    “Houston is a favorite rodeo of mine to come to if not my absolute favorite,” said Graves, a previous RodeoHouston champion.

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Stockton Graves, Alva, Oklahoma — $3,750
    Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, Louisiana — $3,000

    Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colorado — $3,000

    Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Alabama — $3,000

     

    BARREL RACING

    With a time of 13.94 seconds, the fastest time in the series, Nancy Hunter of Neola, Utah, won the Super Series IV Barrel Racing Championship.

    “I’ve won over $160,000 here at Houston in the last three years,” Hunter said. “There’s no other rodeo in the country that you can do that at.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah — $6,000
    Carley Richardson, Pampa, Texas — $5,750

    Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Oregon — $3,000

    Rachel Dice, Byron, California — $3,000

    BULL RIDING

    Trey Benton of Rock Island, Texas, was named the Super Series IV Bull Riding Champion with an   85-point ride in the third round.

     

    “I just treat it like any other rodeo I go to,” Benton said. “But, I really enjoy the big stadium and the fans.”

     

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Trey Benton, Rock Island, Texas — $7,500
    Trevor Kastner, Ardmore, Oklahoma — $5,500

    Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas — $4,750

    Aaron Pass, Kaufman, Texas — $1,750

     

    The top four in each event from each Super Series will advance to a Semifinal Round. Then, the top four from each event in the Semifinal rounds will advance to the RodeoHouston Super Series Championship, Saturday, March 19. The remaining six from each event in the two semifinals will compete Friday, March 18, in the Wild Card Round, where the top two from each event will advance to the Championship. Each event champion will walk away with a $50,000 payout, in addition to previous winnings. The RodeoHouston Super Series continues through March 19, with the RodeoHouston Super Shootout: North America’s Champions® presented by Crown Royal, on Sunday, March 20.

     

  • Silver riding for gold at San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo 

    Silver riding for gold at San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo 

     SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 25, 2016) — Amid the back slaps from fellow competitors and his phone buzzing, Tooter Silver, from Quitman, Ark., took a moment to reflect on what had just happened at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo.

    The steer wrestler had just stopped the clock in 4.3 seconds to win the second round of semifinals 2 and $4,277. That brought his total earnings from the rodeo up to $12,617 and puts him in first place in the money standings to qualify for Saturday night’s championships.

    This was the fifth steer that Silver had run in the AT&T Center and the fifth time he earned money. It was however the first time that he got to make the victory lap around the arena for winning the round. He had second-place finishes in the other four rounds.

    His success here has come aboard the 2015 AQHA steer wrestling horse of the year owned by Ty Erickson, from Helena, Mont., that they call Shake Em. Either Erickson or Clayton Hass from Terrell, Texas, were riding horseback on the other side keeping the steer running straight. All three of these men are advancing and will have the opportunity to compete for the championship here.

    “I remember coming here 15 years ago and seeing the buckle they give here,” Silver said. “I’ve really wanted to win that buckle. It would mean everything. This is one of the greatest rodeos that ever was.”

    This is only the fourth rodeo that Silver has entered for the 2016 season. When he is not on the road, he works in a family construction business with his father-in-law and brother-in-law. His wife, Laura Kennedy, competed in the barrel racing in bracket 4 but did not win enough money to advance to the semifinals.

    “My wife and I travel together 90% of the time,” he added. “She really wants to make the NFR (Wrangler National Finals Rodeo). We’ll see what happens. Our family is very supportive and we couldn’t do it without them.”

    Barrel racer Morgan Breaux knows all about family support. In 2009, she was in this arena showing a steer that was selected as the grand champion of the San Antonio Stock Show. On Friday night, they again brought steers into the AT&T center to select this year’s champions. One hour later, Breaux from Tomball, Texas, took her horse around three barrels in 14.06 seconds to win the round. She will advance to the finals and will have an opportunity to add a rodeo championship to go with her stock show championship.

    The top five in each of the events based on money earned will compete Saturday night for the lion’s share of $1.65 million in cash and prizes. Action in the AT&T Center on Saturday starts at 1 p.m. with a $100,000 Xtreme Bulls competition. The championship finals of the rodeo begin at 7:30.

    SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb.26, 2016) — The following are results from the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo which features over $1.65 million in cash and prizes.

     

    Semifinals 2, round 2 followed by finals qualifiers (19th performance)–

     

    Bareback Riding: 1, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 85 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Angel Face, $4,277. 2, Ty Fast Taypotat, Regina, Saskatchewan, 82.5, $3,208. 3, Mason Clements, Sandy, Utah, 81, $2,139. 4, Teddy Athan, Livermore, Calif., 80.5, $1,069. (finals qualifiers) 1, O’Connell, $10,194. 2, Taypotat, $10,158. 3, Clements, 81, $9,089. 4, Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, $8,269. 5, Teddy Athan, Livermore, Calif., $3,350.

     

    Steer Wrestling: 1, Tooter Silver, Quitman, Ark., 4.3 seconds, $4,277. 2, Tommy Cook, Waller, Texas, 4.4, $3,208. 3, Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 4.8, $2,139. 4, Clayton Moore, Pouce Coupe, British Columbia, $1,069. (finals qualifiers) 1, Silver, $12,617. 2, Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, $8,839. 3, Cook, $7,378. 4, Moore, $3,921. 5, Milan, $3,849.

     

    Team Roping: 1, Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Tyler McKnight, Wells, Texas, 4.6 seconds, $4,277. 2, Shane and John Phillipp, Washington, Texas, 4.8, $3,208. 3, Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont., and Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 10.1., $2,139. 4, Rhett Anderson, Anabella, Utah, and Jared Bilby, Bridgeport, Nev., 10.3, $1,069. (finals qualifiers) 1, Philipp and Philipp, $10,906. 2, Cooper and McKnight, $7,699. 3, Bird and Cardoza, $7,271. 4, Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta and Tommy Zuniga, Centerville, Texas, $6,095. 5, Anderson and Bilby, $5,631.

     

    Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 87 points on Cervi Championship’s Hello Dolly, $4,277. 2, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 82, $3,208. 3, Andy Clarys, Riverton, Wyo., and Sam Kelts, Millarville, Alberta, 81 points and $1,604 each. (finals qualifiers) 1, DeMoss, $10,336. 2, Wright, $9,823. 3, CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, $6,273. 4, Kelts, $5,881. 5, Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas, $5,596.

     

                    Tie-Down Roping: 1, (tie) Ace Slone, Cuero, Texas and Clint Nyegaard, Cuero, Texas, 7.4 seconds and $3,743 each. 3, Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 8.0, $2,139. 4, Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash., 9.8, $1,069. (finals qualifiers) 1, Neygaard, $10,301. 2, Slone, $8,305. 3, Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, $6,344. 4, Pratt, $5,489. 5, Solomon, $4,420.

     

    Women’s Barrel Race: 1,Morgan Breaux, Tomball, Texas, 14.06 seconds, $4,277. 2, Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.10, $3,208. 3, Katelyn McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.14, $2,139. 4, Carmel Wright, Roy, Mont., 14.20, $1,069. (finals qualifiers) 1,  Wright, $9,908. 2, Michele McLeod, $9,053. 3, Kelly Schnaufer, Pueblo, Colo., $7,770. 4, Breaux, $7,699. 5, Jackie Ganter, Abilene, Texas, 5,631.

     

    Bull Riding:  no qualified rides. (finals qualifiers) 1, Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, $5,988. 2, Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, $5,703. 3, Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., $5,560. 4, Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., $4,919. 5, Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, $3,992.

     

  • Thomas hoping for San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo

    Thomas hoping for San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo

     

    SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 24, 2016 — Steer wrestler Jason Thomas has already won more money at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo than he has in the 2016 rodeo season.

    Thomas, from Benton, Ark., is currently 7th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. The regular season started last October and he has season earnings of $11,587 so far. That was until he competed at the San Antonio Rodeo.

    Thomas competed in the fourth bracket here and it didn’t start off so well for the former National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association champion. He didn’t give the steer the required head start and added a 10-second penalty to his already long time of 17.3 seconds. He came back in round two and won it with a 4.8. Then he won round three with a 4.1. That put him second place in the money standings with a total of $4,562 in his bracket and advanced him to the semifinals.

    Semifinals 1 saw him placing second in the first round and winning the second with a 4.3-second run. Thomas earned checks of $3,208 and $4,277 respectively. Thomas has won $12,047 here so far and now has a chance to compete for an additional $14,447 in the finals.

    Thomas could be headed for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo thanks in part to the money he has won here. There is only one contestant that has won more money than the steer wrestler. Bull rider Sage Kimzey made his second consecutive victory lap around the AT&T Center on Wednesday night after scoring 86 points on D&H Cattle Company’s Hi Razor.

    Kimzey, the reigning world champion, has won $12,261 and has the opportunity to add to that substantially. Not only will he compete in Saturday night’s championship finals, he will also compete Saturday afternoon in the Xtreme Bulls, the richest event on the tour.

    Semifinals 2 starts on Thursday night at 7 p.m., with 10 more contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, women’s barrel racing and bull riding hoping to earn enough money to advance to the finals.

     

    SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb.23, 2016) — The following are results from the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo which features over $1.65 million in cash and prizes.

     

    Semifinals 1, round 1 followed by Finals qualifiers (17th performance)–

     

    Bareback Riding: 1, Jake Brown, Hillsboro, Texas, 85 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Hot Valley. 2, Kyle Brennecke, Stephenville, Texas, 81, $3,208. 3, Tye Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 79, $2,139. 4, R.C. Landingham, Paso Robles, Calif., 78, $1,069. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Brown, $8,697. 2, Landingham, $7,627. 3, Kody Lamb, Sherwood Park, Alberta, $6,665. 4, Brennecke, $6,344. 5, Clayton Biglow, Clements, Calif., $6,095.

     

    Steer Wrestling: 1, Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark., 4.3 seconds, $4,277. 2, J.D. Struxness, Appleton, Minn., 4.4, $3,208. 3, Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.6, $2,139. 4, Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.7, $1,069. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Thomas, $12,047. 2, Struxness, $6,629. 3, Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., $6,558. 4, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., $6,130. 5, Erickson, $4,348.

     

    Team Roping: 1, Justin Davis, Madisonville, Texas, and J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa, 5.0 seconds, $4,277. 2, Brady Tryan, Huntley, Mont., and Tanner Luttrell, Oroville, Calif., 6.1, $3,208. 3, JoJo Lemond, Andrews, Texas, and Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 9.4, $2,139. 4, Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz., and Chase Hansen, Homedale, Idaho, 9.5, $1,069. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Davis and Beck, $11,405. 2, Lemond and Cooper, $8,198. 3, Tsinigine and Hansen, $6,629. 4, Tryan and Luttrell, $6,629. 5, Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alberta and Jeremy Buhler, Abbotsford, British Columbia, $4,491.

     

    Saddle Bronc Riding: 1,  Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah, 83 points on Kelser Champiohsip Rodeo’s Journal Keeper, $4,277. 2, Layton Green, Meeting Creek, Alberta, 82, $3,208. 3, Jake Watson, Hudson Hope, British Columbia, 80, $2,138. 4, Ben Londo, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 76, $1,069. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Watson, $10,692. 2, Boore, $8,269. 3, Green, $7,200. 4, Tyrel Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, $6,380. 5, Jake Wright, $5,703.

     

                    Tie-Down Roping: 1, Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, 7.1 seconds, $4,277. 2, Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif., 7.2, $3,208. 3, Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 8.5, $2,139. 4, Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 8.8, $1,069. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Reimer, $9,409. 2, Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., $7,128. 3, Smidt, $6,558. , (tie) Ketscher and Braxton Laughlin, Westlake, La., $5,489 each.

    Women’s Barrel Race: 1, (tie) Kimmie Wall, Roosevelt, Utah and Cassidy Kruse, Gillette, Wyo., 13.97 seconds and $3,742 each. 3, (tie) Sammi Bessert, Grand Junction, Colo., and Shelby Herrmann, Stephenville, Texas, 14.04, $1,604. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Wall, $10,942. 2, Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo., $9,409. 3, Bessert, $6,629. 4, Kruse, $6,309. 4, Kelly Tovar, Rockdale, Texas, $3,992.

     

    Bull Riding:  (two rides) 1, Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 86 points on D & H Cattle Company’s Hi Razor, $4,277. 2, Pistol Robinson, Coolidge, Texas, 85, $3,208. (Finals qualifiers) 1, Kimzey, $12,261. 2, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, $5,489. 3, Robinson, $4,918. 4, Jacob O’Mara, Baton Rouge, La., $4,562. 5, Ty Pozzobon, Merritt, British Columbia, $3,992.

     

  • ProFile: Dave “Showtime” Meyer

    ProFile: Dave “Showtime” Meyer

    Dave in character as “Jacob the Amish Man” at the IFR46 Comedy Act Showcase – Rodeo News

    Dave “Showtime” Meyer danced his way to IFR46 Comedy Act Showcase Champion during the IPRA finals in Oklahoma City. Known for his YouTube videos featuring the Horse Screamer and an Amish man, Jacob, the rodeo clown from Jonestown, Pa., was competing in his first IPRA event with six minutes in the arena for his act. One of ten contestants entered, including Hollywood Harris, Dave knew his work would have to be distinctive. He pulled out one of his favorite characters, Jacob the Amish man, and shuffled into the arena, barefoot and bewhiskered. By the end of the act, Jacob was dancing in a pair of magical shoes, and Dave went home with the championship buckle. “It was cool to walk away with the buckle,” says Dave. “The announcer I worked with, Don McGee, also won first place, so that was pretty neat! We laid out a bit of a plan – I don’t like things to be scripted – and we rolled with it!”
    Though Dave wasn’t born into rodeo, it captivated him in his teens, particularly the bull riding. “I got on my first bull when I was 18 or 19,” he recalls. “I’d wanted to do it since I was about 15, but my parents said absolutely not.” By the time he was 19, Dave was married to his wife, Becky, and though he couldn’t pursue bull riding full time, he was in the chutes at every opportunity. “I ended up riding bulls on and off for about ten years, and I wasn’t very good, but it all worked out in the end. I had never planned on being a rodeo clown, but I think travelling up and down the East Coast and watching a lot of other rodeo clowns was all in God’s plan – I just didn’t realize it at the time! In 2013, I got on my last bull and clowned my first event all in the same month.”
    After seeing his fair share of clown acts from behind the chutes, Dave felt he could bring a fresh angle to the arena. “I work hard to make sure everything I do is unique, original, and different. I’m into physical comedy and using every day, real life events for material, because that’s what people can relate to. Everything I do is high energy.”
    Dave’s high energy and marketing smarts have earned him a huge fan base, with more than 63,000 followers on Facebook, and several sponsors, including T K Specialties, Nod Big Apparel, Rodeo Wrecks, and Kimes Ranch Jeans. “I have close to 50 shows booked so far this year, including the IPRA, SEBRA, PCB events, and the entire Bullride Mania tour, but I still have plenty of dates available,” says Dave. If he’s not driving to his next show, Dave is hauling feed to dairy farms, but any down time is spent with his wife, Becky, and their two kids, Tyler (11), and Peyton (three). Their farm outside of Jonestown also serves as inspiration for many of Dave’s videos. “My wife teaches riding lessons, and we’re involved in 4-H, plus we used to run a boarding facility, so I have an endless amount of material from being with horse people for so long. Exaggerated truth is the best form of comedy, in my opinion.”
    Entering his third year as a rodeo clown and entertainer, Dave’s goal is still the same. “My goal from the start has been to work the PBR and take over for Flint Rasmussen,” he says. “I have to give a lot of credit to my parents for giving me a good work ethic – when I decided to do this, I wanted to be the best. I’m of the mindset that whatever you do, you should give it 100% and not do a half-hearted job.”

  • Roper Review: Eddie Nieto

    Roper Review: Eddie Nieto

    Having a good attitude is essential to be truly successful at anything. Eddie Nieto is a prime example. It’s hard to believe that this #8E heeler did not start roping, or riding a horse, until he was fifteen years old. He watched some roping and decided that’s what he wanted to do.
    A neighbor showed him how to hold a rope and his grandfather gave him permission to ride the horse in their backyard. With no teacher, or arena, Eddie learned to rope by watching videos and roping the dummy relentlessly. He also roped a goat and a donkey. In a little over a year, Eddie progressed from a #1 to a #6 (in the old USTRC numbers).
    Almost immediately he enjoyed success. At 17, Eddie won $12,000 at the USTRC Finals by winning a Preliminary and placing in the Shoot Out. As a senior in high school he won the New Mexico High School championship for the year and qualified for nationals.
    After high school Eddie purchased his PRCA card and filled his permit at his second rodeo. He roped and traveled for a couple of years where at the George Strait Team Roping Classic he made it back to the top 50 both years. He also entered and roped at the BFI.
    About that time, when he was 21, Eddie met and married his wife, Melissa. Eddie realized his job would not support a family and allow him to rodeo as well. Knowing he had always wanted to give lessons and train horses, Melissa encouraged him to quit his job and give it a try. Now, twelve years later, they are still in business giving lessons, training horses, and working with a lot of kids.
    “My wife and I believe in God and try to live our lives accordingly. The only reason we have our place and are successful is because of God,” explains Eddie.
    When he was just four years old, Eddie and his parents were in a vehicle that was hit by a drunk driver. He lost his parents in the accident and was raised by his grandparents.
    “My grandparents raised me and did everything they could for me. They supported me 100 percent in anything I wanted to do,” says Nieto. “God spared me from the accident that took my parents.”
    Eddie feels blessed that he and Melissa are able to spend every day with their kids, Levi, 5, and Lexi, 2, in the arena roping and riding. Eddie credits Melissa for much of their success and being responsible for the unglamorous behind the scene chores.
    The couple often competes together and Levi just won second place in the 5 & Under Junior Looper in Albuquerque.
    “People tell me all time that they started roping too late,” says Eddie. “There’s really no excuse. If you put enough time into it and have enough heart you can succeed. I’m proof of that.”

    COWBOY Q&A

    Eddie with wife Melissa and kids Levi and Lexi – courtesy the family

    How much do you practice?
    Almost every day. I take two days off every week to give the animals a rest and to spend time with my family.
    Do you make your own horses?
    Yes. I’ve never bought a made horse.
    Who were your roping heroes?
    Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper, Speed and Rich.
    Who do you respect most in the world?
    My wife.
    Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
    My grandparents. We didn’t have much but my grandpa did whatever he had to do for me to practice.
    If you had a day off what would you like to do?
    Spend it with my family.
    Favorite movie?
    Facing the Giants
    How would you describe yourself in three words?
    Quiet, fun loving, humble.
    What makes you happy?
    My family. Knowing I’m blessed with a healthy family. I try to keep life in perspective. We’re not here forever.
    What makes you angry?
    Not much.
    If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
    I would like to pay off debt, but I would use most of it to help people who don’t have much.
    What is your worst quality – your best?
    My worst is sometimes I’m too laid back. My best quality is I don’t get mad.

  • Meet the Member: Lori Tierney

    above: M-SRA member, Lori Tierney - Sugar Creek Photos
    above: M-SRA member, Lori Tierney – Sugar Creek Photos

    story by Terry Rhodes
    “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” That quote has a lot of meaning to Lori Tierney and she strives to live by it every day. “I believe in this 100% and the preparation that I do in my roping and working my horses is part of that. It is a true passion for me. I believe that the amount of effort you put into something is what you will get out. I do that kind of preparation so when I get to the rodeo no matter how the cards fall I am satisfied with the results”
    Lori has been in the Mid-States association 12 years and has served as event director for the breakaway roping for the last few years. You’ll find her in just about any event that includes throwing a rope, and sometimes barrel racing. “I’m kind of a closet barrel racer.”, she admits with a laugh. She likes the association because of the great people that are in it. “In the summer we travel all over the state each week. I feel like everyone is family; everyone supports one another. We have rodeos in a lot of little towns and the committees that put them on are great.” She is also in the KPRA, NSRA, and WPRA.
    The Tierney name is well known in rodeo so it came quite naturally for Lori to get an early start in the arena. “My dad calf roped and team roped so it’s always been part of our family. Growing up on a ranch, I have always been around horses and roping. I did some junior rodeo and 4-H. I had a rodeo scholarship and went to Garden City Community College for two years and transferred to Southwestern Oklahoma State University and got my degree in social work.”
    In roping, horse power is everything and Lori has a couple of great horses; Bueno and Charger. “Bueno was raised by my cousins, “Tierney Quarter horses.” Which is neat since they live right down the road and I travel with my cousin, Ginalee to many of the rodeos and ropings. My ‘B’ string horse, Charger was a raffle horse that I won in college and he’s turned out to be a really neat horse.”
    Her home is in Broken Bow, Neb. with her family. Her parents are Larry and Kathy Tierney and she has an older brother, Cole. Lori says that she’s had several people helped in her rodeo career but none more than her father. “He’s turned out thousands of calves for me and he’s given me every opportunity to succeed in the arena. Jan Brown has always been a big influence and supporter. She took me under her wing when I was just starting out and has been big a supporter. I have a good friend, Lacey Baehler that is one of the most positive people I know. I think we push each other to bring out the best in each other. Those friendships are irreplaceable. There are so many people that have helped me.”
    Lori’s work week is a mix of jobs and duties that keep her on the run. She’s a secretary for Power Solutions part of the day, runs cattle with her dad, does day work, rides horses, and teaches a Zumba class. “I love to dance, so Zumba is an opportunity to share my passion and hopefully inspire people. I’m lucky I have a really awesome balance in my life with all different avenues. I get to live my dream everyday!  I’m pretty simple really. I love to rope, dance, am a huge Husker football fan and love to enjoy life!”

  • Back When They Bucked with Henry Hainzinger

    Back When They Bucked with Henry Hainzinger

    Clem McSpadden called him the best match roper of his time.
    Henry Hainzinger may have never won a world championship, but he was well respected for his roping across the prairies of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and beyond.
    He got his start at roping two blocks from his home in Bartlesville, Okla., with a neighbor, Art Saylor, who had a horse and goats. When he was twelve, he was spending time on Art’s horse, roping goats, and getting better at his craft.
    Many small towns had roping clubs, and Henry was part of the Bartlesville Round-Up Club. In those days, without social media, video games, and Ipods, kids made their fun at practice nights and Sunday afternoon ropings. Henry was one of them, and when they all got together, they often held match ropings: two calf ropers who went head to head, on two or four runs, with the fastest average time winning whatever had been bet, usually five or ten dollars, occasionally as much as one hundred dollars.
    Henry usually came out on top of the match ropings, and that’s what McSpadden referred to when he talked about the cowboy.
    He quit school at the age of sixteen and went to work for a local machine shop. In the summer of 1952, he worked for world champion steer roper Fred Lowry at Lenapah, Okla., breaking horses. Fred, who was the uncle of world champion steer roper Shoat Webster, would have Henry take horses to Shoat’s place for Shoat to look at and try. Fred was instrumental in Henry’s career, giving him tips and advice as they roped together nearly every day.


    In 1956, when he turned 21, he joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association, and his rodeo travels extended beyond jackpots and local shows to Little Rock, Denver, Ft. Worth, and farther.
    By that time, Henry spent his winters working in the machine shop in Bartlesville and saving money for entry fees so he could spend his summers roping.
    He often traveled with Ike Anderson, who he grew up with. Ike, who is 80 and still lives in Bartlesville, remembers some of the good times. He and Henry were at the Sidney, Iowa rodeo, on their way to two more that weekend, when they got the news that the county fair in Sedan, Kan., wanted to feature the two of them match roping and pay them $100 each. They left their horses in Sidney, and “drove like madman,” Ike said, to get back to Sedan. Ike’s mother hauled an extra horse to town, and Henry borrowed a horse. Henry beat Ike, “we got our $100, and drove like a son of a gun to get back to Sidney.”
    Henry was a jokester, Ike said. Once, at a rodeo in Kansas, the calves were “big, fresh black calves, off the cows, and it was like roping a mountain lion,” he said. Ike backed into the box, nodded, and his horse stalled on him. “The calf was going nine-oh across the arena, and finally the horse decided to go. I came a mile late, and ran this calf down the end of the arena, back up the other side, and through the hay where they’d fed the cattle the night before.” Ike roped the calf in 55 seconds. “I came back out of the arena, so angry I could have bit a piggin’ string in two. Henry comes up to me and says, ‘If you ever make another run like that, I’m not going to rodeo with you,’” Ike laughed. “That’s how we tormented each other, all the time. It was special.”
    In those days, calf roping was different. Ropers had a two minute time limit to rope and tie before they were disqualified, and they dismounted differently than today’s ropers. Henry was part of the era that roped, dismounted from the left, then ducked under the rope to flank and tie the calf. “We were still in the Dean Oliver mode of the right handed calf roper,” Ike said. “By the middle of the 60s, (that style of roping) was obsolete.”
    But in that north central part of Oklahoma, Henry and Ike were part of a special group of ropers. “With that era of the 50s, if you came into the Bartlesville community, there were a bunch of guys who were tough to beat,” Ike said. “I can’t remember a lot of that style of roper that was tougher than that bunch of guys was.”
    Henry remembered a unique roping he won in 1954, near Fairfax, Oklahoma, where the ropers roped deer. A rich oil baron had a section of ground with domesticated deer on it. The deer were run through the chute, and the ropers backed into a box. They were mature animals, and not hard to rope, Henry said. “It was like roping a goat. I believe it was easier than roping a goat. They held their heads up.”
    In 1957, when he was 23 years old, Henry took an adventure to California, hoping to extend his roping in the fall, when there were no rodeos at home. “I’d filled my pockets roping (at rodeos) and didn’t want to come back to work,” he said. He assumed they roped calves in California, but they did more team roping than calf roping, “and I didn’t know nothing about team roping,” he said. He stayed with Virgil Berry, Ace Berry’s dad, and when he came home, he was broke. “I had a nickel in my pocket when I come home.” Before he came home, he’d purchased cashews and nuts for his family. In Arizona, he stopped to fuel up, and his bill was $4.50. He handed the cashier his Phillips 66 credit card, but there were no Phillips 66 stations in Arizona. “I’m sorry, son, but we don’t take Phillips 66 cards,” he was told. An old Indian was sitting at the station. He was willing to buy one of his Australian shepherd puppies, but Henry said no. Instead, he sold the cashews to the Indian, paid his bill, and headed home.
    Ike remembered another story regarding Henry. The two of them roped at the annual rodeo held at the Cooper Ranch, between Bartlesville and Tulsa, and the lady who owned the ranch hosted a party at the house following the rodeo. Henry was the calf roping and all-around champion. Contestants were served drinks and food from a waiter in a bow tie and formal white jacket. After partying all night, the lady announced, “We’re going to stop the party and go to Collinsville, and the all-around champ is going to buy breakfast.” “I’ll never let him live that one down,” Ike said. “I bet it cost him over one hundred dollars to feed everybody, and money wasn’t easy to come by for all of us.”
    Rodeos back then were often two or more head, requiring cowboys to stay in town overnight. Henry knew how to beat the heat on the hot summer days, waiting for a performance to begin. He’d pay ten cents for a movie and stay in the air-conditioned theater all afternoon. “I’d take my nap inside the movie house, while a lot of them were laying out in the sun, and they’d be played out,” he said.
    In 1962, Henry married Ora Lee, a barrel racer, and a few years later, moved to Ponca City. After their marriage, he continued to rope but didn’t go as far from home. He bought a bulldozer, and had a successful business in the oilfield. He and Ora Lee raised two children: Hank and Nancy. Both competed in rodeo, and now the next generation is competing: Nancy’s daughter, Kathryn Todd, won the all-around in 2013 at the National Junior High Finals and was reserve champion in 2014.
    Henry loved his life of rodeo, roping, and work. “I enjoyed every bit of it,” he said. But whatever he did, he studied and practiced. “You gotta study it, whatever it is you choose to do. If you don’t study, it ain’t going to work. You’re just playing.”
    The rodeo life wasn’t always easy, Henry said. “It ain’t all peaches and cream in that rodeoing.” But the good days outnumbered the bad days. “I had a lot of fun.

  • On the Trail with Jackie Ganter

    On the Trail with Jackie Ganter

    Jackie Ganter grew up in Texas, born and raised in College Station. Unlike most people from Texas, Jackie chose the English discipline when she started riding at the age of six. “I’d been around horses through my mom (Angela), who ran barrels,” said Jackie. The family moved to Abilene, Texas, and at the age of 8, Jackie lost her father to a heart attack and complications from diabetes. “He owned nine bars and restaurants in College Station; one of them is the Dixie Chicken.” After he passed away, Jackie focused on her riding, entering shows and winning.

    “I rode English until I was 12.” Dixie was her English horse and when she got hurt, Jackie couldn’t find another fit. “I’d won every show I went to on Dixie and my mom still ran barrels, and so I decided to do what my mom did.” Riding English gave Jackie the foundation for running barrels.  “The judging (in English) involves watching body posture and it takes a lot more strength and body position to keep it correct. My English teacher used to make me jump the whole course without stirrups.”

    Switching to barrel racing involved years of trying to get it right. “I was slow at first,” she remembers. “I had an instructor, Jan Burns, who started me out slowly. I ran 18s and 20s. My mom had the best eye for horses and she kept me on the best horse every step of the way. I’ve gone through so many horses, getting a little faster each time. I learned from every horse she put me on.” Jackie worked her way up a few tenths at a time; a horse at a time; to get where she is now.

     

    When she got Frenchmans Jester, previously having been to the NFR with Jordon Briggs, she learned how to win. “That horse and Bobbie Gene drove my passion into what it is now and something I will do for the rest of my life. My goal had been to win the Resistol Rookie when I was 18 and I did it.” Jester passed away after a lengthy illness. Jester wrote Jackie’s ticket in the junior world.

    Jackie and her mother met the Alan and Teri Dufur family three years ago. “From the time my wife and I met them at their place in Abilene, we meshed,” said Alan, whose runs a registered Hereford cattle and Quarter Horse operation in Caddo, Okla. “We have onsite trainers on the Quarter horse side that teach all the rodeo principles.” They partnered with Jackie as a major sponsor and that sponsorship involves not only horses, but assisting with any challenges that may happen on the road, such as last week in Rapid City.  Jackie was stranded in Nebraska in a blizzard and Alan made sure she made it for the rodeo.  “We let them go through our young horses and pick out potential future mounts for her.” Guys French Jet, who she rode in Ft. Worth and the WNFR, is a partnership horse. “No matter what horse you have, you have to have the work ethic. It’s not unusual for her to ride and exercise her string at two in the morning. To me she is beyond her years in the way she handles herself.”

    The battle for the Resistol Rookie position was a tight race all the way to the end between Jackie, as the youngest competitor at the WNFR and Vickie Carter, the oldest competitor at 60. “I didn’t meet her until she started beating me,” said Jackie. “It was late winter and we’d never heard of her. She won several rodeos. It was crazy – towards the end, the last two months of the season, every single week we would trade off on the lead. It was literally week by week we would switch back and forth. I don’t think either one of us would have made the NFR without the other. We were fighting each other for the top spot. We are very good friends now.”

    The 19-year-old spent last year making the run for the WNFR. “I graduated high school in the middle of my senior year. I went to public school and graduated in December of my senior year, doubling up on classes so I could travel.” She could only make a few of the fall rodeos because of where her birthday fell, but after December, she hit the road. “I went back home between the California and Canada run to walk the stage with my graduating class.”

    She travels with her mom, who has been battling breast cancer since late 2010. “They diagnosed it after she had found a knot under her armpit. It came back Stage 3 breast cancer even after a clear mammogram a month prior. She had 28 lymph nodes removed, and went through chemo and radiation and nine surgeries. She is still on a chemo pill daily, so she is still not in remission.” Sometime in 2016, Angela has her last appointment. The cancer treatment has affected Angela’s balance, so she has not run barrels since then. Instead, she has focused on helping her daughter achieve her goals.

    “There are not a lot of people that can say they spent a year on the road with their 18-year-old daughter with only one argument,” said Angela. “Driving all the time was a major change for us all – but we experienced things that we would have never done if we weren’t chasing this dream. We spent a lot of time doing other things than just rodeo – we took a helicopter ride in the Canadian Rockies, we saw Mt. Rushmore. My dream of making the NFR was gone when I got sick, and Jackie started riding my horses and I never got them back.”

    They run down the road in a trailer from Stephenville Trailers. “It’s a 53’ Hart trailer, with a two bedroom living quarters. We put the bathroom in between the living room and the bed in the nose. You can shut both doors and have two bedrooms. I’m on the couch and we have two different satellites so we can both watch TV. The horse part has automatic waterers and a huge tack in the back.” They pull it with a Freightliner equipped with a 500 engine. “I could drive it up and down the mountains without a problem.” They haul four or five horses along with two dogs. “We get along great – in fact, the only time we had a fight was when I was in the middle of my slump.”

    The slump hit during the July Cowboy Christmas run. “When everyone is supposed to win big and make the NFR, I did not win one dollar. It was horrible and the worst slump I’ve ever been through in my career. I was having horrible runs and couldn’t pull it together. I watched myself go from the top 15 to the top 30. My main horse, Baby J, is only six, and Cartel is only 7. My older horse is 12, but I’d sent him home because he got tired on the road and wasn’t working his best. My young horses fell apart so it was a shock all the way around. I saw that it looked impossible to make the NFR, and I got discouraged because I had this goal to make the NFR and Rookie when I was 18. It looked like that was going up in flames and I kept telling myself how horrible it was and that’s what I told myself. I knew my attitude was affecting my runs.”

    Realizing the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, Jackie changed everything from how she worked her horses to how she thought. “I watched videos from past NFRs and told myself how I wanted to be there. I told myself that over and over and it finally worked. After July, I finally placed somewhere in the bottom hole and won a check and then things started turning around.” She got on a pretty good roll the last two months and that landed her a spot at the WNFR. Jackie placed in four go rounds and won second in the average after Callie Dupier, who won the world and the average. “We were the only two that had all ten runs clean.” Jackie won more money than any other Resistol Rookie had won as a barrel racer. The race lasted all the way through the WNFR.

    “We set out to have a goal that nobody’s done, and about July I told her it was the stupidest thing we’ve ever done,” admitted Angela. “We were used to winning at the barrel races and I wanted to go home. She bawled and cried and I told her to find another driver. She made me give her until the end of July. And she did it. This life is like being in a carnival circus – I remember at the end drawing up as bad as could be and driving two full days and nights to get into four rodeos.” In the end, walking down the alley with her daughter at the Thomas & Mack was this mother’s best dream. And it’s not over.

    Jackie’s goal for this year is making the WNFR again, and getting the gold buckle. “Making the NFR is the most incredible thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “My horses are great and I’m going to go as long as I can.” She is also attending college online.

  • Perfect Proctor wins PBR’s Bass Pro Chute Out in St. Louis

    Asteroid wins Salem NationaLease High-Marked Bull award in 2016 debut

    1. LOUIS – Shane Proctor, the only PBR (Professional Bull Riders) athlete to go 4-for-4 on the weekend, won the Bass Pro Chute Out, presented by Cooper Tires on Sunday at Scottrade Center. It was Proctor’s first Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) win in more than two years; the last one coming in 2013 at the Anaheim Invitational.

     

    Proctor posted an 88.75-point ride on Shoot Out The Lights (K-C/Josie McElroy Bucking Bulls) to win Round 3 and added an 89-point ride aboard Cooper Tires Brown Sugar (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Julie Rosen) to capture the Built Ford Tough Championship Round in his victory. With a third-place showing in Round 1, a seventh-place finish in Round 2, and a first-place finish in the event aggregate, Proctor earned a total of 755 points toward the PBR world standings. He moved from 23rd to No. 7 in the rankings.

     

    “I felt good on my championship round bull,” Proctor said. “I could hear (Dickies Bullfighter) Frank Newsom yelling at me to ‘just keep spurring, just keep spurring’ so I knew I had him. I get on a lot of bulls throughout the year so to get a win early in the season and avoid the cut, takes a load off.”

    Rookies Wallace de Oliveira and Nevada Newman each picked up 340 points to tie for second place. Newman finished second to Proctor in the championship round after an 87.75-point ride on Mississippi Hippy (K-C Bucking Bulls/Spark-Lin Acres/Blythe Cattle), adding to his first place finish in Round 1. Oliveira finished third in Round 3 on an 86.75 point ride aboard Doc Mosely (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls). He also finished 13th in Round 1 and third in Round 2.

     

    Newman’s ride on Mississippi Hippy marked the bull’s first out since the 2015 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in October. The PBR’s largest bull, weighing in at nearly 2,300 pounds, had been getting treatment for an infection in his horn, and tumors on his eyelids. To watch Newman and Mississippi Hippy square off, click here.

     

    “This weekend really jump started my career,” Newman said. “I had a gut feeling about picking Hippy in the championship round and I always try to go with my gut. I was a little intimidated by him because he is so huge, but Frank Newsom told me to just keep my hand in the rope and my feet down and I’d have him.”

     

    While 2015 PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney failed to cover his championship round bull, his first-place finish in Round 2, his second-place finish in Round 3, and fourth-place finish in the aggregate gave him 265 points toward the PBR world standings and a fourth place finish in the event. It also secured the No. 2 ranking in the world standings, just 7.5 points behind leader Paulo Lima.

     

    Stetson Lawrence was the leader heading into Round 3, but was unable to cover either of his bulls in the final rounds. He finished in fifth place with 126.7 points.

     

    In his first BFTS out since his retirement a year ago, Asteroid (Dakota Rodeo-Berger/Struve) won the Salem NationaLease High-Marked Bull award in St. Louis with his 45.75-point score. The 2012 PBR World Champion Bull Asteroid launched Joao Ricardo Vieira in quick fashion in 2.9 seconds during the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Saturday. To watch Asteroid’s performance click here.

    “I was real nervous for him this weekend,” owner Chad Berger said. “I was just ready to get it over with and see how he did. Now we know and the nerves have gone. He looked real good.”

     

    St. Louis was the sixth of 26 stops on the 2016 Built Ford Tough Series. The tour will continue in the Midwest next weekend, stopping in Kansas City, Missouri, on Feb. 20-21, for the Kansas City Clash presented by Foley Equipment at the Sprint Center.

     

    Following Round 1 on Saturday, Feb. 20, the sport’s top bovine athletes and best bull riders will compete in the fourth 15/15 Bucking Battle of the season. The series’ Top 15 PBR stars will be randomly matched against the 15 highest-ranked bulls in this round, competing for bonus points that count towards the world standings and a total purse of $21,000.

     

    CBS Television Network will broadcast the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 12 p.m. ET.

     

    Round 2 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round of the Kansas City Clash will air on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also watch all of the action in real time on PBR LIVE online at www.pbr.com/live, or via the PBR LIVE app, which is available for download now on Google Play and iTunes.

     

    The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network and networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.

     

     

    Professional Bull Riders
    Bass Pro Chute Out Presented by Cooper Tires

    St. Louis, Missouri
    Event Leaders (Round 1- Round 2 – Round 3 – Round 4 – Event Aggregate-Event Points)

    1. Shane Proctor, 87-81-88.75-89-345.75-755 Points.
    2. Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 82-85.75-86.75-0-254.50-340 Points.

    (tie). Nevada Newman, 88.25-0-0-87.75-176.00-340 Points.

    1. J.B. Mauney, 0-87-87-0-174.00-265 Points.
    2. Stetson Lawrence, 85-86.75-0-0-171.75-126.66 Points.
    3. Eduardo Aparecido, 85-0-85.5-0-170.50-86.66 Points.
    4. Cooper Davis, 85.75-0-84.5-0-170.25-77.5 Points.
    5. Gage Gay, 87.75-0-0-0-87.75-65 Points.
    6. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 0-84.25-84.5-0-168.75-62.5 Points.
    7. Derek Kolbaba, 0-85.5-0-0-85.50-45 Points.
    8. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 85.75-0-0-0-85.75-40 Points.
    9. Cody Nance, 85.25-0-83.75-0-169.00-35 Points.
    10. Kaique Pacheco, 0-83-83.5-0-166.50-25 Points.
    11. Silvano Alves, 85-0-0-0-85.00-6.66 Points.
    12. Fabiano Vieira, 84.25-80.25-0-0-164.50-5 Points.
    13. Stormy Wing, 84.5-0-0-0-84.50
    14. Ben Jones, 84-0-0-0-84.00
    15. Guilherme Marchi, 81.25-0-0-0-81.25
    16. Rubens Barbosa, 74.75-0-0-0-74.75
    17. Lindomar Lino, 73.5-0-0-0-73.50

    Lachlan Richardson, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Mason Lowe, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Mike Lee, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Valdiron de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Kasey Hayes, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Aaron Roy, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Cody Heffernan, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Ryan Dirteater, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Douglas Duncan, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Tyler Harr, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Justin Paton, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Nathan Schaper, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Robson Aragao, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Claudio Crisostomo, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Reese Cates, 0-0-0-0-0.00

     

    Professional Bull Riders World Standings Points

    1. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 18, 4, 8, 1,362.50, $167,619.40

    1. J.B. Mauney, 9, 1, 6, 1,355.00, $73,064.63
    2. Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 19, 2, 3, 1,195.00, $69,785.68
    3. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 9, 0, 4, 1,190.00, $44,875.00
    4. Fabiano Vieira, 10, 2, 3, 1,173.66, $83,190.39
    5. Robson Palermo, 12, 0, 3, 1,115.00, $46,127.95
    6. Shane Proctor, 7, 1, 2, 926.66, $62,898.80
    7. Tanner Byrne, 8, 1, 2, 785.00, $50,311.48
    8. Derek Kolbaba, 16, 5, 6, 660.00, $56,956.85
    9. Nevada Newman, 11, 1, 5, 510.00, $36,385.48
    10. Lachlan Richardson, 12, 1, 2, 475.00, $24,512.30
    11. Mason Lowe, 12, 1, 3, 455.00, $27,219.66
    12. Eduardo Aparecido, 8, 0, 2, 446.66, $20,873.33
    13. Mike Lee, 16, 1, 4, 435.00, $29,469.54
    14. Valdiron de Oliveira, 14, 0, 3, 432.50, $25,347.52
    15. Kaique Pacheco, 12, 1, 5, 427.83, $34,481.05
    16. Gage Gay, 12, 1, 2, 412.83, $27,141.67
    17. Cooper Davis, 4, 0, 1, 360.00, $20,435.00
    18. Kasey Hayes, 7, 0, 1, 310.33, $19,366.67
    19. Aaron Roy, 9, 0, 1, 290.00, $11,891.67
    20. Cody Heffernan, 15, 4, 7, 281.66, $22,891.61
    21. J.W. Harris, 4, 1, 1, 250.00, $16,700.00
    22. Cody Nance, 8, 0, 0, 230.00, $11,270.51
    23. Ryan Dirteater, 7, 0, 1, 200.00, $11,978.33
    24. Silvano Alves, 12, 0, 1, 176.66, $13,728.39
    25. Stetson Lawrence, 8, 0, 1, 173.66, $12,398.33
    26. Lindomar Lino, 13, 1, 5, 170.00, $16,197.38
    27. Chris Lowe, 4, 2, 4, 155.00, $13,426.55
    28. Douglas Duncan, 5, 0, 0, 150.00, $8,505.00
    29. Tyler Harr, 12, 0, 4, 147.50, $12,902.72
    30. Stormy Wing, 6, 0, 1, 145.00, $9,480.00
    31. Justin Paton, 12, 0, 4, 137.50, $14,172.69
    32. Fraser Babbington, 9, 1, 3, 120.00, $9,078.07
    33. Juliano Antonio Da Silva, 9, 1, 3, 120.00, $12,510.84
    34. Josh Faircloth, 11, 0, 4, 110.00, $10,882.57
    35. Guilherme Marchi, 3, 0, 1, 110.00, $3,350.00
    36. Emilio Resende, 12, 0, 4, 107.50, $11,205.97
    37. Nathan Schaper, 8, 0, 0, 105.00, $4,625.00
    38. Ben Jones, 6, 0, 0, 102.50, $6,475.00
    39. Bonner Bolton, 1, 0, 0, 102.50, $4,950.00
    40. Jorge Valdiviezo, 6, 1, 5, 100.00, $9,161.70
    41. Cristiano Cunha, 4, 1, 2, 95.00, $7,559.14
    42. Cody Ford, 11, 1, 2, 92.50, $8,782.71
    43. Chad VanAmburg, 3, 1, 2, 90.00, $8,784.88
    44. Jess Lockwood, 16, 0, 4, 85.83, $9,571.80