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  • Wisehart snares bareback riding crown at RMSCFR

    Wisehart snares bareback riding crown at RMSCFR

    ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. – Upon his own admission, Craig Wisehart rodeos for fun.

    Well, the cowboy who grew up in Kersey, Colo., had plenty of fun this past weekend.

    Wisehart won the bareback riding average crown at the RAM Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo (Oct. 22-24) with a score of 233 points on three head.

    “I was just trying to ride better every day,” said Wisehart, 28.

    This was the second time Wisehart won the bareback riding average crown at the RMSCFR, the other time coming in 2009.

    Wisehart’s consistency is what paid dividends for him at the Sweetwater Events Complex. He was second in the first round with 79 points, and then won the second round with a 78-point ride on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Sun Pop. In the third round, Wisehart clinched the average with a 76-point ride on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Coast.

    He left Rock Springs with $6,273 in winnings, including a $2,689 check for capturing the average.

    “I didn’t even know what score I needed to win the average,” Wisehart said. “I just wanted to ride my best. I had never been on (Sun Pop) before. I saw her on the list and I knew she would be a good one, so I was happy when I had her. I was hoping to score better, but when I caught my breath they announced that I won the average, and it was amazing.”

    The victory was even more special because of the family he had in the crowd watching the action.

    “My mom (Nancy) and two nieces (Jacey, 11, and Karsyn, 9) got to witness the whole thing, and it was pretty exciting,” Wisehart said. “It was cool they were there. I think the rest of the family will probably come on down to Florida.”

    Kissimmee, Fla., is where Wisehart will be April 7-10 to compete in the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. The 2016 RNCFR is the second year the event will be held in Kissimmee.

    “I’m tickled to be going there – I couldn’t ask for more,” Wisehart said.

    When Wisehart isn’t rodeoing, he spends most of his time as an assistant rodeo coach at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

    “I got tired of waking up sore (from competing) and I have been the assistant rodeo coach at Tarleton for the last four years,” Wisehart said. “The men’s team won the (2015) national championship. We just got our rings in the other day, and it was pretty awesome.”

    Other winners at the $159,154 rodeo were all-around cowboy Josh Peek ($12,415 in tie-down roping and steer wrestling), steer wrestler Cody Pratt (21.5 seconds on three head), team ropers Clayton Van Aken and Cullen Teller (21.0 seconds on three head), saddle bronc rider Lyle Welling (214 points on three head), tie-down roper Josh Peek (25.2 seconds on three head), barrel racer Andrea Busby (46.84 seconds on three runs) and bull rider Cody Johansen (160 points on two head).

    Ram Mountain States Circuit FinalsRock Springs, Wyo., Oct. 22-24All-around cowboy: Josh Peek, $12,394, tie-down roping and steer wrestling.Bareback riding: First round:1. Seth Hardwick, 80 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Daisy Duke, $1,789; 2. Craig Wisehart, 79, $1,342; 3. Colton Onyett, 76, $895; 4. (tie) Dylan Wahlert, and Joel Schlegel, 75, $224 each. Second round:1. Craig Wisehart, 78 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Sun Pop, $1,789; 2. (tie) Joel Schlegel, Jerad Schlegel, Seth Hardwick, and Dylan Wahlert, 77, $671 each. Third round:1. (tie) Joel Schlegel, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Little Linda, and Dylan Wahlert, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Hypnotic, 78 points, $1,566 each; 3. Jerad Schlegel, 77, $895; 4. Craig Wisehart, 76, $447. Average: 1. Craig Wisehart, 233 points on three head, $2,684; 2. (tie) Dylan Wahlert, and Joel Schlegel, 230, $1,678 each; 4. Jerad Schlegel, 228, $671.Steer wrestling: First round:1. Kyle Maez, 4.1 seconds, $1,771; 2. (tie) Riley Krassin, and Cole McNamee, 5.7, $1,107 each; 4. Joe Buffington, 6.7, $443. Second round:1. Josh Peek, 3.3 seconds, $1,771; 2. Aaron Vosler, 4.9, $1,328; 3. Seth Brockman, 5.3, $885; 4. Dan Cathcart, 5.5, $443. Third round:1. Seth Brockman, 4.4 seconds, $1,771; 2. Josh Peek, 4.6, $1,328; 3. Cody Pratt, 5.2, $885; 4. Tait Kvistad, 5.4, $443. Average: 1. Cody Pratt, 21.5 seconds on three head, $2,656; 2. Josh Peek, 22.0, $1,992; 3. Tait Kvistad, 25.5, $1,328; 4. Dan Cathcart, 42.3, $664.Team roping: First round:1. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 6.3 seconds, $1,770 each; 2. Tyler Schnaufer/Trevor Schnaufer, 7.9, $1,328; 3. Pate Norell/Todd Wilson, 8.3, $885; 4. Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, 12.2, $443. Second round:1. Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts, 4.6 seconds, $1,770 each; 2. Ty Blasingame/Josh Fillmore, 4.8, $1,328; 3. (tie) Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, and Wade Kreutzer/Jared Bilby, 5.6, $664 each. Third round:1. Ty Blasingame/Josh Fillmore, 4.6 seconds, $1,770 each; 2. Pate Norell/Todd Wilson, 4.9, $1,328; 3. Paul Beckett/Cole Cooper, 5.9, $885; 4. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 6.7, $443. Average: 1. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 21.0 seconds on three head, $2,655 each; 2. Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, 24.9, $1,991; 3. Wade Kreutzer/Jared Bilby, 25.9, $1,328; 4. Ty Blasingame/Josh Fillmore, 9.4 on two head, $664.Saddle bronc riding: First round:1. (tie) Colin Stalley, on The Cervi Brothers’ Field Mouse, and Chanse Darling, on The Cervi Brothers’ Story Line, 78 points, $1,549 each; 3. Andy Clarys, 77, $885; 4. Colton Miller, 76, $443. Second round:1. Lyle Welling, 72 points on D & H Cattle’s Big Rig, $1,771; 2. Ryan Montroy, 70, $1,328; 3. Andy Clarys, 64, $885; 4. Eric Gewecke, 55, $443. Third round:1. Colton Miller, 81 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic Fringe, $1,771; 2. Colin Stalley, 77, $1,328; 3. Blaze Cress, 76, $885; 4. Lyle Welling, 75, $443. Average: 1. Lyle Welling, 214 points on three head, $2,656; 2. Colton Miller, 157 on two head, $1,992; 3. Colin Stalley, 155, $1,328; 4. Blaze Cress, 147, $664.Tie-down roping: First round:1. Josh Peek, 8.5 seconds, $1,771; 2. Brice Ingo, 8.6, $1,328; 3. (tie) Darnell Johnson, and Dalton DeWinne, 8.9, $664 each. Second round:1. Josh Peek, 8.0 seconds, $1,771; 2. Jayce Johnson, 8.3, $1,328; 3. (tie) Darnell Johnson, and Don Coffell, 9.0, $664 each. Third round:1. Stetson Stowe-Corman, 8.5 seconds, $1,771; 2. (tie) Josh Peek, and Scotty Shelton, 8.7, $1,107 each; 4. Brice Ingo, 9.2, $443. Average: 1. Josh Peek, 25.2 seconds on three head, $2,656; 2. Darnell Johnson, 27.3, $1,992; 3. Brice Ingo, 29.0, $1,328; 4. Dalton DeWinne, 30.1, $664.Barrel racing: First round:1. Ivy Conrado, 15.07 seconds, $1,771; 2. Kelley Schnaufer, 15.51, $1,328; 3. Laura Lambert, 15.54, $885; 4. CJ Vondette, 15.57, $443. Second round:1. Shali Lord, 15.32 seconds, $1,771; 2. Laura Lambert, 15.55, $1,328; 3. Andrea Busby, 15.59, $885; 4. Mary Cecelia-Tharp, 15.87, $443. Third round:1. Brittany Pozzi, 15.35 seconds, $1,771; 2. Shali Lord, 15.48, $1,328; 3. Ivy Conrado, 15.56, $885; 4. Andrea Busby, 15.57, $443. Average: 1. Andrea Busby, 46.84 seconds on three head, $2,656; 2. Shali Lord, 47.10, $1,992; 3. Mary Cecelia-Tharp, 47.61, $1,328; 4. Ronnie Will, 48.67, $664.Bull riding: First round:1. Cody Johansen, 76 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s No. C97, $1,771; 2. Brady Menge, 73, $1,328; no other qualified rides. Second round:1. Cody Johansen, 84 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Socks, $1,771; 2. Brian Larson, 73, $1,328; no other qualified rides. Third round: No qualified rides. Average: 1. Cody Johansen, 160 points on two head, $2,656; 2. (tie) Brady Menge, and Brian Larson, 73 on one head, $1,660 each.Total payoff: $158,893. Stock contractors: Burch Rodeo, The Cervi Brothers, Rocky Mountain Rodeo, D & H Cattle and Harry Vold Rodeo. Rodeo secretary: Carole Martinez. Officials: George Gibbs, Gordie Kesler and Bruce Keller. Timers: DeeDee Dickinson and Donna Murphy. Announcer: Bob Edmonds. Bullfighters: Nathan Jestes and Cade Burns. Clown/barrelman: Hig Higley. Pickup men:Duane Gilbert and Scott McClain. Photographer: Dan Hubbell. Music director: Brandy Edmonds.

    Click here for a directory of PRCA Photographers
    2016 Rodeo Season
  • J.B. Mauney becomes two-time PBR World Champion

    J.B. Mauney becomes two-time PBR World Champion

     

    LAS VEGAS – In front of a capacity crowd of more than 16,000 fans, J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, North Carolina) clinched the 2015 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Championship on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center during Round 4 of the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals.

    Even before Mauney climbed aboard Bruiser (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.) for the last ride of the night, the title was his. Neither Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga Brazil) nor Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) had scored enough points on their bulls to be able to overtake Mauney. Mauney’s 92.5-point ride on Bruiser punctuated the round and moved him atop the event aggregate leaderboard.

    “Tonight I had to keep my head clear when I got in the bucking chute, I just had to react and go with him jump for jump,” Mauney said. “For me this season, I felt like I kept getting banged up over and over again and that takes a toll, not only physically, but emotionally as well. After my knee injury earlier in the season, I had to really work at riding bulls and I think being injured made me crave it a lot more when I came back. Sometimes injuries are the best thing to happen to you because you need to go home, re-evaluate and work hard to get back to where you want to be. Sometimes you need to be knocked down to make you crave it again.”

    As the aggregate leader, Mauney has a chance to also win the PBR World Finals event title, and repeat his accomplishment in 2013 when he won both the World Championship and the World Finals in the same year. If Mauney is successful, it would mark only the fifth time that a rider has accomplished this feat: Silvano Alves (2014), Mauney (2013), Renato Nunes (2010), and Mike Lee (2004).

     

    Click here to view all of Mauney’s rides to date at the World Finals as well as his post-event celebrations and press conferences.
    Behind Mauney in Round 4, Ben Jones (Goulburn, Australia) covered Handsome Jeff (Ramblin Verl Ranch), for 89.5 points to finish second in the round, earning 120 points toward the PBR world standings.
    Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) was the third-place finisher, earning 100 points toward his world standings total with an 88.5-point ride on Red Moon (Holmes/Jackson/Flying S). Fourth place went to Pacheco, the 2015 PBR Rookie of the Year, who rode Cowboy Phil (Bar 3D) for 87.5 points to earn 80 world standings points. With Pacheco’s finish, the 21-year-old moved into the No. 2 position in the world standings.

    Rounding out the Top 5, Fabiano Vieira (Perola, Brazil) earned 60 world standings points with an 87.5-point ride on Fire Bender (Cornwell Bucking Bulls).

    Round 4 also served as the final round of the 2015 American Bucking Bull Inc. (ABBI) Classic Finals, a competition for 3- and 4-year old bulls. Mauney’s opponent, Bruiser, bucked away with the highest score of the competition, 181.25 points, to win the ultimate ABBI title and $200,000. Splitting second place, worth $70,000 apiece, were Wicked Stick (Diamond S) and Cracker Jack (Carpenter/ Hudgins) with scores of 175.5 points.

     

    Saturday concluded all of the ABBI World Finals activities, which included the ABBI Premier Sale, where $770,000 worth of bucking bulls traded hands.

    Round 5 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round of the 22nd PBR World Finals concludes Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. PT, at the Thomas & Mack Center. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the event live starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

    For more information on the PBR World Finals, please visit www.pbrworldfinals.com.

     
    About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
    The world’s premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 23 years ago and is now a global sports phenomenon. PBR broadcasts reach more than half a billion households in 40 nations and territories around the world, and more than 3 million fans attend live events each year. On its elite Built Ford Tough Series, the PBR features the Top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised Built Ford Tough Series, the BlueDEF Velocity Tour, the Touring Pro Division and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid more than $140 million in earnings to its athletes. Twenty-seven men have earned more than $1 million, including three-time World Champion Silvano Alves who, in just 54 months, won more than $5.2 million to become the richest bull rider in history. In May 2015, PBR was acquired by WME | IMG, the global leader in sports, entertainment, media and fashion. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.

     

     

    2015 Built Ford Tough World Finals

    Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Round 4-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

    1. J.B. Mauney, 91-0-86.5-92.75-270.25-400 Points.
    2. Cooper Davis, 89-88-87.5-0-264.50-300 Points.
    3. Silvano Alves, 0-87.25-89-0-176.25-260 Points.
    4. Bonner Bolton, 73.25-90.5-86.25-0-250.00-200 Points.
    5. Tanner Byrne, 0-88.25-86.75-0-175.00-170 Points.
    6. Fabiano Vieira, 86.75-0-84.25-87.5-258.50-160 Points.
    7. Matt Triplett, 0-0-88-87.25-175.25-120 Points.

    (tie). Ben Jones, 0-0-0-89.5-89.5-120 Points.

    1. Gage Gay, 0-88.25-0-0-88.25-110 Points.
    2. Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0-88.5-88.50-100 Points.
    3. Kaique Pacheco, 0-81.75-0-88-169.75-80 Points.

    (tie). Stetson Lawrence, 0-0-87.25-0-87.25-80 Points.

    (tie). Mason Lowe, 85.5-0-0-0-85.50-80 Points.

    1. Cody Nance, 84.75-0-85.5-0-170.25-30 Points.

    (tie). Lachlan Richardson, 84.75-0-0-0-84.75-30 Points.

    1. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-86-86.25-172.25
    2. Chase Outlaw, 84-0-86.25-0-170.25
    3. Michael Lane, 0-86.5-0-83-169.50
    4. Mike Lee, 0-0-0-87.25-87.25
    5. Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-85.75-0-85.75
    6. Stormy Wing, 0-85.5-0-0-85.50
    7. Ryan Dirteater, 0-0-0-85-85.00
    8. Aaron Roy, 0-0-84.5-0-84.50
    9. Nathan Schaper, 0-74-0-0-74.00

    J.W. Harris, 0-0-0-0-0.00

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

    Guilherme Marchi, 0-0-0-0-0.00

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

    Shane Proctor, 0-0-0-0-0.00

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

    Rubens Barbosa, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Renato Nunes, 0-0-0-0-0.00

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

    Brady Sims, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Robson Palermo, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Alexandre Cardozo, 0-0-0-0-0.00

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

    Dave Mason, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Neil Holmes, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Luis Blanco, 0-0-0-0-0.00

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

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

    Jay Miller, 0-0-0-0-0.00

    Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0-0.00

  • J.B. Mauney extends world lead

    J.B. Mauney extends world lead

    Mauney wins Round 1 with 91-point ride

     

    LAS VEGAS – In front of more than 10,000 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night during Round 1 of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Built Ford Tough World Finals, J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, North Carolina) notched 91 points in on Wicked Stick (Diamond S Bucking Bulls) to win the round and extend his lead in the race for the 2015 PBR World Championship.

    Mauney picked up 200 world standings points to increase his lead over No. 2 Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Sao Paulo) to 1,515 points. With one round in the books, there are still a total of 2,000 world standings points available in the championship race.

    “I feel relieved getting that first one out of the way,” Mauney said. “I feel like that ride is just going to set the pace for me for the rest of the week.”
    Watch Mauney’s ride here.

    On his reride bull, rookie Cooper Davis (Wharton, Texas) held the lead through two sections but finished in second place with an 89-point effort on Dakota Style’s Hy Test (Jared Allen’s Pro Bull Team). Davis earned 120 world points and jumped three spots in the world standings, to No. 13. Watch Davis’ ride here.
    Fabiano Vieira (Perola, Brazil) finished in third place off an 86.75-point ride on Crazy Days (3CM Cattle Co.) taking the lead from first-time World Finals qualifier Mason Lowe (Exeter, Missouri), who came out of the chutes early in the round to tally 85.5 points on Gangster Bucks (3CM Cattle Co.).  Lowe finished in fourth place. Vieira earned 100 points towards his world standings total, while Lowe added 80 points.

     

    Lachlan Richardson (Gresford, Australia) and Cody Nance (Paris, Texas) tied for fifth place with 84.75-point rides, each earning 30 world points. Richardson rode For Play (Bob Whisnant/The Jaynes Gang) and Nance covered Little Tim’s All Nighter (Warren’s Bucking Bulls).

    Round 1 also featured the top bulls of the American Bucking Bull, Inc., (ABBI) as an ABBI Classic Finals round, a competition for 3- and 4-year-old bucking bulls. The ABBI bucking bull with the highest score of the night was Bruiser (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.) with 89.75 points.

     

    Behind Bruiser with scores of 88.25 points were Slinger Jr. (Carpenter/VonGontard/Rocking I Rodeo/Treichel) and Rebelution (Ravenscroft/Leslie Walter/Boyd-Floyd). In fourth place was Wicked Stick, Gangsters Wildside (Austin Riley/Josh Beckett) and Red Cloud (Martinez Bucking Bulls), each with a score of 88 points.

    Tonight was the first round of the ABBI Classic Finals. The bull with the top average score after the second round on Saturday will be crowned ABBI Classic World Champion and awarded $200,000. For more information visit: www.americanbuckingbull.com.

     

    Round 2 of the 2015 PBR World Finals takes place Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. PT. Thursday also represents the PBR’s Pink Night, featuring the Pink Buckathon. In addition to the riders and PBR staff donning pink and offering a $5,000 Boot Daddy Breast Cancer Bounty Bull, the PBR will also donate $250 for every qualified ride and $1,000 for every 90-point or more ride to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in support to fulfill the PBR’s Pink Promise. Wrangler and MGM Resorts Worldwide.
    The PBR’s 22nd race for the $1 million PBR World Championship airs every night at 9 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Oct. 21-Saturday, Oct. 24, and at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 25.

    CBS Sports Network will broadcast every round of the 2015 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals live at 8:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday-Saturday and then at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The World Finals pre-show will air live from the Thomas & Mack Plaza at 8:30 p.m. ET.

  • CHAMPS CROWNED AT RAM BADLANDS CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO

    CHAMPS CROWNED AT RAM BADLANDS CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO

    Badlands titlists determined for national circuit competition

    MINOT, N.D. (October 11, 2015) –A lucky few in Minot, N.D. this weekend have won themselves a trip to Kissimmee, Florida. next year.

    The winning cowboys and cowgirls in each of seven events at the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, hosted by the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo, will go on to represent North Dakota and South Dakota next spring at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) in Kissimmee April 7-10, 2016.

    For a few cowboys, their ticket was punched well before they came to Minot. For others, it came down to the final performance on Sunday, October 11. Year-end winners who won the most money throughout the season, and average winners, those who earned the most points or had the fastest times throughout the four performances in Minot, will compete at the RNCFR.

    Bareback riding

    The battle in the bareback riding was between the Breuer brothers for the entire rodeo, and at the end, it was the younger one, Casey, who was crowned the champion. Ty, age 25, and Casey, age 23, flip flopped back and forth, with Ty winning first place in three rounds and Casey winning second place twice and first place once. In the end, Casey scored 321 points on four head, just five points ahead of his brother, to win the average and a total check for $22,010.

    Casey also won the year-end title. The brothers are from Mandan, N.D.

    Steer Wrestling

    Cameron Morman came into the Badlands Circuit Finals in first place, and held on to his lead to win the year-end title.

    The Glen Ullin, N.D. cowboy was humble about his winnings, though. “I don’t know if I deserve it,” he said. “I broke a barrier in the fourth round, but I guess I’m as glad as I can be.”

    It was his second year to qualify for the Circuit Finals, and he approached it like he would a regular season rodeo. “You have to look at it as it’s just another rodeo. Otherwise you get too hard on yourself and it’ll kill you. That’s what makes guys quit going” (in rodeo).

    He broke the barrier in the first round as well, which added a ten second penalty to his time. “It wasn’t really jitters, just wanting to win a little too bad. I think (the broken barrier) slapped me back into shape and made me realize it’s a four head average, not just one rodeo.” Morman is the 2015 National Inter-Collegiate Rodeo Association Steer Wrestling Champion. He is a student at Dickinson (N.D.) State University.

    Colt Floyd, of Buffalo, S.D., won the average with a time of 18.7 seconds on four head, and Morman was complimentary of Floyd’s runs. “Colt did an amazing job. He made good runs every single night.”

    This was Floyd’s second trip to the Circuit Finals, and the first year he’s rodeod more than usual. A construction company and three young sons, ages eleven, six and two, “keep me busy.”

    Team roping

    A father/son team topped the list in the team roping again.

    J.B. Lord, and his younger son Levi didn’t have the Finals they would have liked, but they hung on to their leads to win the year-end title.  “We had a really good year,” Levi, age nineteen, said. “We caught a lot of steers and didn’t win a lot of big checks, but we stayed consistent all year and tried to make the same run over and over.”

    Their Finals performance wasn’t what they wanted; the team never won a check till the fourth round on Sunday. “We had a little bad luck to start with,” J.B. said. J.B. lost hold of his rope in the first round, and in the third round, the steer set up, not allowing the cowboys to rope him. “But we were still confident in each other, and it worked out really good today.”

    The lack of winning the first three nights didn’t set them into a panic. “You just stay with what brought you here,” J.B. said, “and it’ll win in the end. If you have a style of consistency, and know your game plan and stick to it, it makes up for a lot of pressure.”

    The pair handled the pressure and were the fastest time in the fourth round to win it in 4.9 seconds. “We capitalized when we needed to and made a good run in the fourth round again,” Levi said. Levi and J.B. won the fourth round of last year’s Circuit Finals as well.

    J.B. lives in Sturgis; Levi and his elder brother, Eli, are students at Eastern New Mexico State in Portales, where they are on the college rodeo team. Levi was the Badlands Circuit Rookie of the Year; J.B. was the Year-End All-Around champion.

    Brothers Logan Olson and Jordan Olson won the average title with a total of 30.1 seconds on four head. “We had a really good Finals until today,” Jordan said, referring to their five second penalty for only roping one heel in the fourth round. “We roped good, and won the first round, (5.8 seconds) made a good aggressive run in the second round, won second place in the third round (5.5) , and I knew we had a little bit of a lead (in the average race) today. Obviously, the goal is to in the Circuit Finals or the Circuit, and when J.B. and Levi made their good run, we knew we probably weren’t going to be able to catch them. So the deal was to win the average.”

    This was Jordan’s first trip to the Badlands Circuit Finals; he has qualified for the Turquoise Circuit Finals several times. It will also be Jordan’s first time to qualify for the Ram National Circuit Finals; Logan has competed there three times. The brothers, who are from Flandreau, S.D., spend their winters in Texas and Arizona.

    Saddle bronc riding

    IMG_2308

    J.J. Elshere finished the rodeo season as the Badlands Circuit year-end and average champion. The Hereford, S.D. cowboy is a veteran of the sport. Photo by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images.

    A cowboy from the Elshere family of South Dakota has returned to the winner’s circle at the Badlands Circuit Finals.

    J.J. Elshere, Faith, S.D., won the year-end title for the circuit, after an absence of two yaers of having no Elsheres win titles. J.J., his brother Ryan and their cousin Cole have been among the winners for the last half-dozen years.

     

    J.J. never let go of his lead at the top, coming into the Finals after having won much of his money at Fourth of July rodeos in Killdeer and Mandan, N.D. and Belle Fourche, S.D.

    He’s one of the veterans among the saddle bronc riders, at age 35, but it doesn’t bother him. “I still like getting on bucking horses, I guess,” he said.

    He is starting the next generation of Elsheres, with his five sons, ages thirteen, ten, six, five and three. “They’re ready to roll,” he said, as they will begin 4-H rodeo, and for the oldest, and junior high competition this fall.

    Cole Elshere also competed at this year’s Finals and finished third in the average.

    The average winner in the saddle bronc riding was Jesse Bail, Camp Crook S.D. Bail was 304 points on four head.

    Barrel Racing

    Calyssa Thomas quietly slipped up the charts at the Circuit Finals, winning checks in each round and finishing the season as both the year-end and average winner.

     

    It was the first time to the Badlands Circuit Finals for the Harrold, S.D. cowgirl, who didn’t decide to rodeo hard till July. “I didn’t rodeo at all last year,” she said. “I just started out this year and didn’t have much of a plan. About July, I decided I should try to make Circuit Finals.”

    She was the first to compete in the fourth round, and had a time of 13.84 seconds to win it. “It was pretty nerve-wracking today,” she said. “I was first out and there were a lot of girls who were tough in the average and the year end, so I figured I had to go for it because I didn’t know what they were going to do. It was a good thing I did, because they were a lot of tough horses here.”

    The 24 year old, a graduate of Kansas State University, rode a nine year old horse named D.J. who was raised and trained by her family. D.J.’s full sister has been to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with fellow South Dakota barrel racer Jill Moody.

    Tie-down roping

    Boe Brown, Valentine, Neb., won the year-end title in the tie-down roping. He finished just $40 ahead of Dupree, S.D.’s Trey Young for the championship.

    The average went to Clint Kindred, Oral, S.D., who had a time of 36.5 seconds on four head.

    Bull riding

    Wyatt Gregg, Belle Fourche, S.D., won both the year-end and the average title for the 2015 season. He was one of only four cowboys to ride two bulls; no man rode more than that. Gregg was first place in both the first and second rounds with scores of 84 and 80, respectively.

    The 2016 Miss Rodeo North Dakota was crowned prior to today’s rodeo. Megan Haag, the 21 year old daughter of Keith and Kathy Haag, won the title. She is from Linton, N.D.,and was a former Miss Rodeo Prairie Rose queen.

    The stock awards for the Badlands Circuit were also announced. Sutton Rodeo Co. swept the year-end awards, with their bareback horse Crystalyx, their saddle bronc horse South Point, and bull Tea Time winning honors.  For the Finals, the winning bareback horse went to Flashcard Champ of Korkow Rodeo, the saddle bronc was Spider, of Bailey Rodeo, and the bull was Justified, also owned by Bailey Rodeo.

    The Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo is a not-for-profit venture by the YMCA Men of Minot, N.D. Proceeds from each year’s rodeo benefit the Triangle Y Camp at Lake Sakakawea, near Garrison, N.D. Next year’s Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo will be October 6-9, 2016. Visit Minot, Hess, 4- Bears Casino & Lodge are proud sponsors of the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo. National sponsors include Wrangler, Justin Boots, Only Vegas, Experience Kissimmee, Ram, and Montana Silversmiths.

    – ### –

    IMG_2613

     

    Bull rider Wyatt Gregg was the Badlands year-end and average champion. The Belle Fourche, S.D. cowboy had the most dollars won throughout the rodeo season, and the most points scored at the rodeo, which was held in Minot, N.D. Photo by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images.

     

    Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, Minot, ND

    4th performance October 11, 2015

    Year end and average winners for the Badlands Circuit

     

    All-around Champion:  J.B. Lord, Sturgis, S.D.

    All-around champion for the Finals: Rex Treeby, Hecla, S.D.

     

    Bareback riding

    Bareback Riding Year End Champion –  Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D.

    Bareback Riding Average Champion – Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D.

     

    4th go round results:

    1. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D.  86 points on Bailey Rodeo’s Rip Cord; 2. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. 82; 3. (tie) Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D. and Jet Price, Buffalo,S.D.79 each.

     

    Average results:

    1. Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 321 points on 4 head; 2. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 316; 3. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. 312; 4. Jet Price, Buffalo, S.D. 306.

     

    Steer Wrestling

    Steer Wrestling Year End Champion: Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D.

    Steer Wrestling Average Champion: Colt Floyd, Buffalo, S.D.

     

    4th go round results:

    1. Tom Hansen, Killdeer, N.D. 3.5 seconds; 2. Gabe Taylor, Valentine, Neb. 4.0; 3. Colt Floyd, Buffalo, S.D. 4.3; 4. Tyler Schau, Almont, N.D. 4.4.

     

    Average results:

    1. Colt Floyd, Buffalo, S.D. 18.7 seconds on 4 head; 2. Tom Hansen, Killdeer,N.D. 34.8; 3. Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D. 37.2; 4. Tyler Schau, Almont, N.D. 37.9.

     

    Team Roping

    Team Roping Year End Champion Header:  J.B. Lord, Sturgis, S.D.

    Heeler:  Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D.

    Team Roping Average Champion Header: Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D.

    Heeler:  Jordan Olson, Surprise, Ariz.

    4th go round results:

    1. J.B. Lord, Sturgis, S.D./Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 4.9 seconds; 2. Elliott Gourneau, Kennebec, S.D./Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D. 5.4; 3. Turner Harris, Killdeer, N.D./Ross Carson, Killdeer, N.D. 6.5; 4. (tie) Tyrell Moody, Edgemont, S.D./Rory Brown, Edgemont, S.D. and Drew Gartner, Killdeer, N.D./Paul Griesman, Piedmont, S.D. 9.7 each.

    Average results:

    1. Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D./Jordan Olson, Surprise, Ariz. 30.1 seconds on 4 head; 2. Tyrell Moody, Edgemont, S.D./Rory Brown, Edgemont, S.D. 35.5; 3. Turner Harris, Killdeer, N.D./Ross Carson, Killdeer, N.D. 21.0 on three head; 4. Drew Gartner, Killdeer, N.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D. 23.0.

     

    Saddle Bronc Riding

    Saddle Bronc Year End Champion: J.J. Elshere, Faith, S.D.

    Saddle Bronc Average Champion:  Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D.

     

    4th go round results:

    1.Taygen Scheulke of Newell, SD 84 points on Bailey Rodeo’s Spider; 2. JJ Elshere, Hereford, S.D. 82; 3. Shorty Garrett Dupree, S.D. 80; 4. Jade Blackwell Rapid City, S.D. 76.

     

    Average results:

    1. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. 304 points on 4 head; 2. Taygen Schuelke, Newell, S.D. 298; 3. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. 290; 4. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, S.D. 289.

     

    Barrel Racing

    Barrel Racing Year End Champion: Calyssa Thomas, Harrold, S.D.

    Barrel Racing Average Champion:  Calyssa Thomas, Harrold, S.D.

     

    4th go round results:

    1. Calyssa Thomas Harrold, S.D. 13.84 seconds; 2. Tisa Kraft-Peek, Berthold, N.D. 13.86; 3. Kaylee Gallino Wasta, S.D. 13.92; 4. Lisa Lockhard Oelrichs, S.D. 14.04.

     

    Average results:

    1. Calyssa Thomas, Harrold, S.D. 56.07 seconds on 4 runs; 2. Hallie Fulton, Miller, S.D. 56.61; 3. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. 56.65; 4. Rachel Tiedeman, Rapid City, S.D. 56.72.

     

    Tie-down Roping

    Tie Down Roping Year End Champion: Boe Brown, Valentine, Neb.

    Tie Down Roping Average Champion: Clint Kindred, Oral, S.D.

     

    4th go round results:

    1. Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D. 7.6 seconds; 2. Cole Robinson, Moorcroft, Wyo. 8.7; 3. Jon Peek, Berthold, N.D. 8.8; 4. Trey Young, Dupree, S.D. 9.1.

     

    Average results:

    1. Clint Kindred, Oral, S.D. 36.5 seconds on 4 runs; 2. Jon Peek, Berthold, N.D. 37.0; 3. Trey Young, Dupree, S.D. 37.9; 4. Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D.40.5.

     

    Bull Riding

    Bull Riding Year End Champion: Wyatt Gregg, Belle Fourche, S.D.

    Bull Riding Average Champion:  Wyatt Gregg, Belle Fourche, S.D.

     

    4th go round results:

    1. Kritter Lamb, Timber Lake, S.D. 85 Points on  Bailey Rodeo’s Donorado; 2. Riley Blankenship, Killdeer, N.D. 80; 3. Allen Auer, Whitewood, S.D. 77; 4. Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D. 74.

     

    Average results:

    1. Wyatt Gregg, Belle Fourche, S.D. 164 points on 2 head; 2. Riley Blankenship, Killdeer, N.D. 158; 3. Kritter Lamb, Timber Lake, S.D. 157; 3. Tyson Donovan, Sturgis, S.D. 152.

     

    ** All results are unofficial.  For more information, visit www.MinotYsMensRodeo.com and www.ProRodeo.com.

     

  • Back When They Bucked with Dr. Ed LeTourneau

    Back When They Bucked with Dr. Ed LeTourneau

    story by Lily Weinacht

     

     

    Dr. Ed LeTourneau has always been young at heart. Described by Larry Mahan as the “most unusual of cowboys”, Ed put himself through eight years of college on his rodeo earnings alone, all while competing in college rodeo and the newly formed RCA. Known for turning the area behind the chutes into study hall, Ed pursued his passions of school and rodeo with a vigor, graduating top of his class. The three-time NFR qualifier and great-nephew of earthmoving machinery inventor R. G. LeTourneau, Ed later went on to win multiple bull riding titles with the NSPRA. He has since been inducted into the UC Davis Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame, Oakdale Athletic Hall of Fame, Oakdale Museum Hall of Fame, and the NSPRA Hall of Fame.
    Born on September 18, 1935, to Dorothy and Harlan LeTourneau in San Francisco, Ed preferred dusty arenas to the fog of The City by the Bay, and spent his childhood years first in Stockton, Cal., and then Oakdale. Ed and his older brother, Ray, grew up helping their uncle raise cutting steers before getting to know the foreman of U-3 Ranch, owned by W.H. Moffat. The brothers began fixing fences and irrigating pastures and were later promoted to working cattle on horseback.
    Drawn to anything bovine, Ray started riding bulls at the ranch, and then at local rodeos. “Ray was real good at it, so I wanted to be that good, too!” Ed recalls. Four years his brother’s junior, Ed started riding calves and steers and competed in his first rodeo when he was 13. As his legs grew, so did Ed’s sense of adventure, and he tried his spurs at bareback and saddle bronc horses as well. “With the bareback riding, I didn’t have good spurring action, but with bulls I just had to stay on and I could win something,” says Ed. With few high school rodeos in their area, and most of the rodeo associations located in southern California, Ray and Ed dedicated their entry fees to local amateur and junior rodeos.
    During high school, Ed was involved in FFA, serving as his chapter’s treasurer his junior year, and president during his senior year. An all-around athlete, Ed also ran the half mile and three-quarter mile in track, played defensive linebacker on his school’s football team, and wrestled, qualifying for North State meets. During college, he wrestled at the national level after winning third in the far western division, but retired from the sport after an injury sidelined him.
    When Ed finished high school in 1953, he informed his mother that he was going to be a cowboy – and she informed him that he needed to be a benefactor to society. Not one to turn his back on the chutes, nor disobey his mother, Ed decided to pursue a degree in animal husbandry at Cal Poly. A year later, Ed changed his degree to pre-vet science, and went to a local junior college before being accepted to UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1958. Though the school didn’t have a rodeo team, Ed purchased his card with the NIRA and qualified for the CNFR in 1961, where he won the finals in bull riding, missing the year-end title by one point. “Most people’s goal in rodeo is to win the world championship, but my goal was to make enough money to go to vet school,” says Ed. “When I went to school, it cost $1,000 a year. I could win money at a rodeo, put it in the bank, and I was ready for school. What I got out of rodeo, besides the people I met and the friends I made along the way, was my education.”
    A student by day and a bull rider by the weekend, Ed began entering RCA rodeos in 1957 using his NIRA card. Even with school six days a week – anatomy landing on Saturdays – Ed managed to get on 52 bulls in one season – and he only bucked off two. In 1959, Ed was a year into vet school and taking on the world with all the gusto of a 23 year old. He was hovering just outside of the top 15 bull riders going to the first NFR, but reasoned that he could rodeo on weekends to make 15th place. Ed entered the RCA rodeo in Portland, Ore., first. It was the week of mid-terms, and he and a friend missed a day of school to drive to the rodeo, where Ed won the event. He competed in several more rodeos, including the Grand National Rodeo held in the Cow Palace, which sent him to Dallas sitting 13th in the world.
    “The top 15 bulls were out for the first round, and 11 of them got rode,” says Ed, recalling the first NFR. “Some people said there was too much sand in the arena, and although those bulls had bucked 100 – 200 times, they’d never been consistently exposed to the top 15 guys in the world! By the last go-round, they had sorted out the stock and really knew who the top 15 bulls were.” Ed finished second in the average, and fifth for the year, but the following year, he was $150 short of qualifying for the NFR. However, 1961 brought him back to the finals, where he finished fifth in the average and second for the year, and in 1962, his senior year in vet school, he placed second in the average.
    By 1962, Ed had graduated with his doctorate of veterinary medicine. Newlywed to his wife, Frankie, Ed accepted an internship at UC Davis. Frankie lived in Dixon, a town near Davis, and when her dad went looking for someone to ride one of his horses, known for bucking off any rider that put their foot in the stirrup, Ed arrived. Not only did he ride the horse, he wooed the rancher’s daughter, and they were married a year later. Frankie travelled with Ed to many of his local rodeos, but she left flying the skies to Ed and his friend and fellow bull rider, Larry Mahan. The bull riders met in 1956 at the rodeo in Salinas, Ca., and Larry offered Ed a seat in his Comanche 250 he called Brownie. “That was the way to go!” says Ed. “It was a really good experience, and the beginning of a good friendship.”
    In the mid ’60s, Ed worked for several vet clinics while he rodeoed. Since he was finished with school, he had the opportunity to rodeo in the winter for the first time. In September of 1967, he was sitting fourth in the world, but a dislocated shoulder prevented him from competing in the NFR, though he finished 11th for the year. “After that, I went into my own vet practice in Oakdale and figured rodeo was over,” says Ed. He became the resident vet for a large thoroughbred farm in Madera before moving on to a quarter horse ranch in Oakdale, and eventually, he set up his own practice from his home in Madera.
    While he was practicing in Oakdale, his childhood home, Ed decided to grow a beard and wear a straw hat to ride one of the bulls during the town’s centennial celebration in 1971. “I hadn’t ridden in four years, but I won the rodeo, and I was also doing some team roping,” says Ed. “In 1980 I had Bob Cook calling me – they needed bull riders for the old-timers rodeo.” Though not enthusiastic at first, Ed agreed to help his friend and ended up winning third in the old-timers rodeo, which would later become the NSPRA. Though his bull riding muscles were sore, they ached to ride again, and Ed trained for bull riding once more, joining the NSPRA again in 1989. He won the World Bull Riding Championship four times from ’91 – ’94 and was crowned the Bull Riding Finals Champion twice, all after he was 50. Ed rodeoed well into the late ’90s, serving several terms on the NSPRA board and volunteering as chairman of the NSPRA Cowboy Crisis Fund. He gave his final nod in the chutes when he was 64 before retiring from the sport.
    Now 80, Ed and Frankie, make their home in Madera. Their two sons – David, a pilot for American Airlines, and Brett, who owns an almond orchard – live nearby, along with Ed and Frankie’s granddaughters, Amy and Cady. Ed recently retired after 53 years as a veterinarian, but he says, “Retirement doesn’t work well – I still have people coming to my clinic. But I still enjoy it! The drought got me, but I’m planning on raising cattle again, and I’m back to team roping, mostly at local events – but maybe I’ll rope in the World Series someday. I figure if I can ride a bull at 60, I’m not too old for anything!”

  • On the Trail with Ben Clements

    On the Trail with Ben Clements

     

     

    story by Siri Stevens

    Ben Clements grew up with a rope in his hand. “I drug a rope with me everywhere I could go, even to school,” said the 39-year-old from Odessa, Texas. Born in Amarillo, his family moved to Odessa to run the cattle portion of the K-Bar Ranch, which encompasses 70 sections in the desert. “My sister (Brandi) and I drove seven miles of dirt road to catch the bus for school – I was driving in the fourth grade.”

    Ben ropes both ends, starting out as a heeler. “I entered my first team roping in 1986, when I was ten.” He competed in the AJRA and high school rodeo, making the Texas High School Finals three years and making one trip to the National High School Finals. He started college at Howard College, in Big Spring, Texas, and continued his education at the University of Texas. He made it to the CNFR all four years, three times as a heeler and once as a header.

    Ben decided in the sixth grade that he wanted to be a dentist and oral surgeon. He graduated high school as valedictorian, and went to college majoring in biology with a chemistry minor. After obtaining that degree, he chose a different path and got a second degree in mass communications. “I came home from college one weekend and my mom and dad were putting on a high school rodeo in Crane and they needed an announcer. It took off from there,” he said. He partnered with his sister, Brandi, who runs the sound board,  and formed X-Treme Entertainment. “We are now announcing 40 to 45 events a year. Brandi runs sound for the rodeos, but not necessarily the team ropings.”

    After he graduated with his second degree, Ben was in limbo for a while, working for his dad and announcing. The door opened for him to work at the USTRC handling event insurance, the affiliate program, and the scheduling. “I still do that today, but since then, I’ve added the job as editor of the Super Looper (2004).” He also started the Final Spin, a TV show that began in 2011 as a UTube show, and has graduated to a show on RFDTV. “We just finished our second season and the third season starts in January.” The show, which focuses on team roping, with an emphasis on the USTRC, can been seen on RFDTV, Wednesdays at 7:30 Central Time.

    He met his wife, Jodi Cornia,  through the USTRC. Her dad (Bill Cornia) is a producer in Utah and she was announcing, timing, and secretarying and they visited by phone, dating on and off for several years.  Jodi took a marketing job for Outlaw Conversions in Stephenville and the rest is history. They got married in May of 2008 and had their daughter in 2011. “TyAnn fits perfectly into everything we’re doing, she loves horse and likes to ride and run barrels. She is starting to rope too.” Jodi is mainly a barrel racer, but she also heads. They have leased ground next to their house that they run commercial Angus cattle, as well as Corrientes. “We also raise a little hay. We ride quite a bit but we don’t practice as much as we used to. Most of the time we are getting home and putting up hay or doing something with cows.” Jodi still secretaries, announces, and times ropings throughout the region.

    As if the plate wasn’t full enough, Jodi and Ben are now producing three ropings a year. “I grew up juggling a lot of balls and multi tasking. There’s a lot going on, but I’m pretty good at prioritizing and keeping in the right direction. I’ve got a great family and support system so we knuckle down and get everything done.” They started with Jingle Bell Classic in November 2011. “I always wanted to do a fund raiser and give money back to kids over Christmas and we incorporated a food drive and toys with the event. Last year we gave a very sizable donation to Tarleton State University as well as two pick up beds full of toys to the foster home and a full pick up bed of food to the Soup Kitchen. It was hugely successful and has grown into something we are very proud of.” In 2015 they added the Big Break in March as well as the Summer Blast over July 4. “I don’t know if time will allow for anymore, but we are open to that.” Producing fits right into their lifestyle with both of them being heavily involved in the production of it.
    Ben enjoys what he is doing with the sport of team roping. “I enjoy the people and the uniqueness of the team roping community, and our goal is to continue to produce events.” The most important role he’s playing now is dad. “We want to raise our daughter in a good home with a solid foundation and allow her to follow her dreams. Right now she loves music and loves to dance. We dance a lot together.”

    “He can do anything in the roping world from A to Z,” said Philip Murrah. “He’s behind the mic more than he ropes.”

    “You many not know what God has in store for you, but if you follow his plan and guidance, you will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. From the time I was in the sixth grade, I knew I wanted to be an oral surgeon. My path changed and here we are today and I’m extremely happy with everything we’re doing …”

  • ProFile: Kay Stevens

    ProFile: Kay Stevens

    story by Lily Weinacht

    Kay Stevens of Maquoketa, Iowa, is returning to the Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping for the seventh time. The 51 year old #4 header is travelling to Oklahoma City with her Australian Cattle Dog as her co-pilot and her famous horse, Walmart, in tow. Though her husband’s saddle now sits empty since he passed away in March of 2014, Kay continues to rope in the memory of Mike Stevens and the absolute passion that the husband and wife had for the sport of team roping.
    Mike was responsible for turning Kay into the avid roper she is today. The husband and wife met at a horse show in DeWitt, Iowa, and while Kay had been rodeoing since she was ten, she was chasing cans instead of steers. Born and raised in Illinois, Kay was exposed to both the racetrack and the rodeo pen at an early age. “My mom was a jockey and she’d take the racing rejects and start them on barrels,” Kay explains. “I learned good horsemanship from the racing world and rodeo. I could wrap a horse’s front legs by the time I was four. I always wanted to be a jockey, but by the time I was 13, I was already 5’6″, so I knew I was out.”
    Kay focused on barrel racing instead, competing in open rodeos and barrel races, including several events put on by Wheeler Hobbs, Jackie Hobbs’ uncle. She went to a junior college in Illinois and was a member of the horse judging team before transferring to Kansas State University where Kay joined the rodeo team. She earned her degree in Animal Science and met Mike, a PRCA tie-down roper, soon after. Once they were married, the couple moved to Iowa, Mike’s home state. “I got interested in roping in the late ’90s,” Kay recalls. “I was working with our horses, and the next thing I knew, Mike was taking them and competing. Eventually I decided I should start competing and not just training!” Kay started breakaway roping but found her niche in the team roping, and began heading for Mike.
    In 1993, Kay and Mike started holding roping practices for local kids at their house every Tuesday and Thursday night. “It was our way of giving back, and the kids were passionate about it,” Kay explains. “We live off of a black top road and we’d have parents droppings kids off at the road, then they’d come trotting in with a rope bag over their horn.” Many junior high, high school, and college national champions got their start in the Stevens’ weekly roping practices.
    Kay and Mike retired their roping practices in 2008 after their daughter, Jyme, a barrel racer and pole bender, graduated from high school. They began pursuing the USTRC more seriously, but when Mike passed away in 2014, Kay’s motivation to rope was shaken. “I wasn’t really sure I wanted to keep roping, but I was already committed to going to the Windy Ryon roping with some girlfriends,” says Kay. “I knew I should stick with it, so I hit the road pretty hard. My daughter ran my business so I could spend the winter roping in Arizona.” Putting 36,000 miles on her odometer last year proved healing for Kay, restoring her desire to rope almost as soon as she had questioned it.
    When she’s not roping, Kay is working from home in her animal cremation business, which she started in 2006. “I have a contract with vets in eastern Iowa, and I pick up animals, cremate them, return ashes, and start all over again. I wanted to do something helpful, but after I did the first one, I didn’t think I could keep going,” Kay admits. “Yet I couldn’t believe how appreciative people were, and I decided I could do it after all. I’ve taken everything from dogs and cats to horses, llamas, alpacas, ferrets, albino crows, flying squirrels, and snakes.”
    After achieving a longtime goal of hunting elk in New Mexico this fall, all of Kay’s weekends have been spent at ropings, including the second annual Mike Stevens Memorial Roping held in Bethany, Mo. “Friends come and rope at my house every night,” she says. “The Priefert Automatic Chute is the only way to go, and my heeler, K.O., runs the steers down the arena and loads them. Mike taught her how to do it.” K.O. was named when Kay figured she’d get kicked out for bringing another puppy home to Mike, but he and K.O. were quick to make friends. “Now she goes with me everywhere – she’s my right hand man!” Kay says with a laugh. Likewise, she is never at a roping without Walmart, a black gelding with a strikingly long mane and tail. “He was Mike’s heel horse and last year I decided to head on him,” says Kay. “Mike named him, saying he was so lazy, you had to put a quarter in him to make him go, like the horse rides at Walmart. But I love him – he’s my main man!”
    With only one USTRC roping held in Iowa, Kay travels to Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana, to qualify for the USTRC finals. “Rodeo is very popular here in Iowa,” says Kay. “There are lots of ropings, and we have the IRCA and MSRA rodeos.” Kay competes in all-girl rodeos and was also a member of the WPRA for several years, winning the Great Lakes Reserve Team Roping Champion title in 2011. At the close of her 15th season in the USTRC, Kay says, “A personal goal of mine is to win more money and go to some of the bigger USTRC ropings, and I’d like to get into the Cruel Girl standings. Roping is my passion. It turned into my life, and I love it!”

  • Pregnancy Workouts

    Pregnancy Workouts

    Lately it seems like there are more and more rodeo women expecting babies. I’m not sure if I am noticing it more now because I am pregnant or if there really is just something in the water! Being a fit and active person before pregnancy I had expectations that nothing would change. I thought that exercise during pregnancy would be a breeze and the high intensity workouts would be just as easy as before. (Boy did I have an eye opener!) It is unbelievable how much energy is used to grow another human being. Pre-pregnancy I felt great every day and generally had high energy. The first trimester changed that for me! I was so tired throughout the day and could hardly muster up enough energy to get through my workouts. I was winded so much faster and noticed my heart rate would increase much sooner than usual. My doctor explained to me in laymen terms that babies get their nutrients between each heart beat. So, in essence, I was feeling out of breathe because my body was purposely trying to get you to slow down and level my heart beat. Now that I am in the third trimester my doctor explained that the baby can press on your diaphragm which can also cause the similar feeling of being out of breathe.
    According to most doctors you can do anything you did prior to pregnancy but should not start something new or vigorous if you weren’t doing it before. I continued my normal routine, mostly high intensity interval training routine and abdominal workouts. I quickly realized that I had to alter my exercise routine from a high intensity interval training to a more low intensity routine. I was also told I have diastasis recti, a condition where my abdominal muscles separated down the midline rather in order to make room for the growing baby. That meant all abdominal exercises were out of the question. No more sit-ups or crunches, as that could possibly make the separation worse.
    I also noticed aches and pains starting in my lower back and hips due to physical changes that come with pregnancy.
    I knew I had to listen to my body and find a routine to address these changes. This was quite an adjustment at first because I had to change my exercise habits and felt like I was reinventing the wheel! I am one of those “weird” people who love to exercise, not only because of physical benefits, but mental benefits.  (I actually enjoy waking up at 4:30 AM to go do a yoga class.) I feel so much better, sleep better, and less stressed when I exercise. It took a few weeks to find the perfect routine but I found a great low intensity workout and stretches that fit perfectly with traveling and the busy life of a rodeo wife.
    This is an excellent, low intensity, workout routine for anyone who is just wanting to start exercising. It allows you to keep a steady heart rate but still feel those post workout positive endorphins!
    If you are pregnant,  make sure you always consult with your physician prior to starting any new workouts or stretches.
    I do something active every day. Instead of running, I now walk 1-2 miles or ride my spin bike for 15-20 minutes. These are low impact exercises that allow you to control the intensity. Along with these cardio exercises,  I incorporate a training routine similar to this three times a week and stretch daily.

    I prefer use light weight Dumbbells and a stability ball.  Find a weight that allows you easily complete 12 repetitions without struggling. (Five to eight pound Dumbbells work great for me.)
    2×12 Bicep Curls
    2×12 Side Lunges
    2×12 Front Lateral Raises
    2×12 No weight, narrow stance, ball squat against a wall
    2×12 Tricep Dips (Use your body weight and feel free to modify this exercise by bending your knees.)
    2×12 Side Lateral Raises
    2×12 Ball hip raises. Lay supine on the floor, put your arms out to the side and raise your hips slowly up and down.

     

    Side Lunge / Ball Squat – Photos by Tiffany McGhan
    clockwise: Tricep dip / semi-straddle stretch with ball for support /semi-straddle stretch without ball

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    End with these great hip mobility stretches or similar ones. Stretching your hips is so important! Having good range of motion in your hips allows your body to have full range of motion and reduce pressure on your lower back. I like to breathe deeply and hold each stretch for 5 breaths, releasing into a deeper stretch with each exhale.
    Happy Baby stretch
    Butterfly stretch
    Seated semi-straddle stretch

    If you are headed out to my all time favorite rodeo this week…  The one and only Pendleton Round-Up, make sure use your “cheat day” to try Pendleton’s famous Big John’s Pizza and most importantly, Let ‘er Buck!
    That’s one Wild West show you won’t forget!

    With love and gratitude,
    Whitney
    Readers, I’d love to hear from you! Send me your number one challenge in staying on top of physical and environmental changes on the rodeo road and I’ll give you my advice. Contact me at: stayfitwithwhit@gmail.com
    To watch videos of these exercises and more, follow @fitwhit5 on Instagram.

  • Fashion is only External, Character is Eternal

    Fashion is only External, Character is Eternal

    article and photos by Kacee Willbanks

     

    Your image is what you put out there, your character is who you really are inside, and clarity is achieved when the two are in sync. Style plays an important role in my busy life. It’s one thing to be fashionable, but at the same time real and functional with your look. I want to be able to spend more time living in the now, enjoying the love of my life, friends, family and giving back to my community. If you are like me I’m rooted deep in my western heritage, but definitely have a love for mainstream fashion. Be you…..being fashionable does not mean high price tags.  Take it from these lovely, driven women!  I asked, “What is your current go to item?”  I’m more intrigued by these intelligent women’s career descriptions, but they are rocking it in style!

    Until next time…..Let’s Be “Friends” on Facebook

  • Beat the Heat

    Beat the Heat

    Summer heat can really put a damper on the drive to exercise. Having a work out buddy while on the road can keep you accountable and help you stay committed. My husband, Blake travels with his cousin, Trevor Knowles the majority of the year. That means when I am on the road I am usually with Blake, Trevor, and his girlfriend, Jena Venturacci.  Jena and I are both very health conscious. We try to have a well-balanced diet and engage in regular exercise. It’s so nice to have a workout buddy and encourage each other to do fun workouts and activities while traveling. The 4th of July run was ridiculously hot and it was tough to want to do anything but stay in the shade. But we were able to stay on the band wagon by packing nutritious snacks and soaking in some of the scenery of the places we traveled.  Most the time, you’ll find Jena and I in our yoga pants and Nike’s trying to find a way to explore the rodeo towns we are visiting while getting some exercise. For example, over the Fourth of July we decided to beat the heat and opted out of a traditional HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Workout or run and chose to stop and hike Multnomah Falls on our way home from St. Paul Rodeo. It was refreshing, beautiful, and a great workout.
    It’s important not to get in the mindset that exercise is solely dependent on being sore,  HIIT, running long distance, weight lifting, etc. I find that I stay in the best shape by changing things up and not allowing myself to get bored with exercise. I would lose my mind if I did not enjoy nature, take a hike, do some yoga, and enjoy the scenery.
    This month, try incorporating one outside activity a week to change up your workout regimen, get some fresh air, and have a little fun.  You’ll probably find yourself refreshed and motivated for the next day’s exercise routine.

    The Facts on Protein Bars:
    Hospitality and food choices on the road are sometimes limited. It’s important to be prepared so you are able to make healthy choices easier. Protein bars are a common “go to” item. Finding the right protein bar can be tricky and it’s important that you are making the decision of what protein bar to eat wisely.
    These days many bars are labeled as “protein bars” because they are high in protein and can easily deceive you.  Not all protein bars are made the same way and if you are eating the wrong ones you could be making it more difficult to maintain or reach your fitness goals.
    Always look at the protein to carb ration. A general rule of thumb many fitness guru’s stick to is a protein to carb ratio of 2:1 for fat loss, 1:1 for maintenance or fat loss, and a 1:2 ratio if you are using your protein bar as a recovery after a workout.
    If you are wanting to lose weight you will also want to find a protein bar that is lower in calories, carbohydrates, and sugars. I have seen protein bars with 20g of protein but 22g of sugar, and 29g of carbs. That may not be an ideal protein bar for someone on a weight loss since there are more carbs than protein.
    Always take a look at the list of ingredients.  In my opinion, ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup are never a good choice and I generally put those bars back on the shelf.
    My personal favorite protein bars are the Quest Protein Bars.  They come in an array of flavors that taste delicious! Being pregnant, I am definitely not trying to lose weight but rather on a maintenance plan. I have increased my overall daily caloric intake and try to do that with healthy foods, whole grains, and nutrient dense foods.  I incorporate Quest bars as a part of my daily diet.  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is my flavor of choice. This bar has 190 calories, 21g protein, only 1g sugar, 21g carbohydrates but only 2g active carbohydrates and they all come from nuts- not sugar sources.  It’s the perfect protein bar for my taste buds and dietary needs.

     

    With love and gratitude,  Whitney
    Readers, I’d love to hear from you! Send me your number one challenge in staying on top of physical and environmental changes on the rodeo road and I’ll give you my advice.  Contact me at: stayfitwithwhit@gmail.com
    To watch videos of these exercises and more, follow @fitwhit5 on Instagram.

  • Young Fashionistas Advice for Moms from Moms

    Young Fashionistas Advice for Moms from Moms

    article and photos by Kacee Willbanks

    What tips or tips or tricks can you can offer other Moms?
    “Zulily is one of my main go to places to find cute, affordable clothes for Preslee. I also enjoy browsing Pinterest for DIY outfits my mom sews by hand for her! I try to buy everything in the next size up so that Preslee can wear them longer, especially footwear. For kids like Preslee who are tall and skinny, you may be able to turn pants that are too short into capris.” ~Whitney Seufer

    “Chayni’s favorite places to shop are Justice and Target. She loves wearing something she can play basketball in at recess! To run barrels in, Chayni counts on Rusty Spur Ranch Diggs’ Laura Borchert to make her unique competition shirts. She sticks with Cowgirl Tuff jeans. Benizzi Ranch Hats are the reason for her beautiful brown Charlie 1 Horse hat. She grows out of everything every six months, so she loves passing clothes to other cowgirls.” ~ Callie Chamberlain

    “Bella’s Fashion Forward, (Salina, UT) is Addie’s favorite clothing store. They carry everything from zebra leggings to headbands in every color. Addie’s favorite addition to the back to school shopping is her back pack and blinged pocket jeans from Shopko. I try to buy things that we can use to make different outfits with, mix and match shoes, shirts and accessories, and shop the end of season closeouts and bargain tables,  even if I have to put it in the closet until Christmas.”  ~Jennifer Quarnberg

  • On the Trail with Hadley Barrett

    On the Trail with Hadley Barrett

    story by Ruth Nicolaus

    Rodeo fans across the nation are familiar with Hadley’s voice, and those who were on dance floors across Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado from the 1950s through the mid-80s, listened to Hadley Barrett and the Westerners as he played guitar and sang.

    The Kersey, Colo. resident was born and raised in the North Platte, Neb. area, the sixth of seven children of C.J. and Estella (better known to friends and neighbors as “Mom” Barrett.) The family lived on the ranch ten miles north of town, and Hadley grew up knowing how to work. He was “working out” –working for neighboring farmers and ranchers –by the time he was fifteen. Hadley remembers the generosity of his parents. There was always a few extra plates around the dinner table. “Periodically we would have a less privileged kid who would hang out at our place.”

    He attended country school, and when he went to high school in North Platte, he boarded with his sister, who had a job and an apartment in town. It was not to his liking. “I was a country kid, and had not been exposed to that kind of life,” he said. “I wasn’t accustomed to the city kids, I didn’t like being away from home, and I didn’t like the school.” At the end of his freshman year, he announced to his parents that he wasn’t going back. “I’m going to work,” he said, and he did.

    When Hadley was eight, his parents signed him and his brothers Mike and Bob up for music lessons. Lessons were fifty cents per student, per week, “which was quite a lot then,” Hadley said. “We were living basically on a cream can check for groceries.” Even though Hadley doesn’t remember his parents being musically talented, he and his brothers showed promise. “We learned real quick.” The teacher had recitals at rural schools, taking his best students to perform at them. He began to feature the Barrett boys, because of their skill and ability to play together.

    Hadley’s first public music performances after the recitals were intermissions between the Saturday matinees at the local theater in North Platte, where he and his brothers played instruments. At age ten, he was playing the ukulele and the banjo ukulele. The boys were paid a quarter each, plus free movies, and they were delighted. “We could watch the movie and buy popcorn and a pop.”

    Then he began to learn to play the guitar. His older sister had one that he used, and between his older brother and a neighbor who knew how, and experience, he learned. “I learned mostly sitting in my room at night with a coal oil lamp and picking,” he recalled.

    By this time, Hadley was riding bareback horses and bulls and doing more ranch work.  He never planned on being in a band. But a man he knew through the rodeo business, a good singer, decided to put a band together, and called Hadley to play. Hadley played the guitar and sang while his brother Mike played the electric guitar.

    When the man married, his new wife objected to the band lifestyle. He quit, and Hadley and his brothers took over.

    It was the mid 1940s, and the band, called Hadley Barrett and the Westerners, played at dances, county fairs and grandstand shows across Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado. In those days, “those little towns had dance halls, and that was typically the only entertainment those small towns had.” He can’t list all the towns he’s played in. “It would be easier to tell you the little towns we didn’t play,” he laughed.

    In the ‘60s and ‘70s, as Grand Ol’ Opry stars played across the region, it became customary that their bands did not travel with them; they found a local band, and Hadley’s band was often called. They played for Jim Reeves, George Morgan, Little Jimmy Dickens, Don Gibson, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, and more.

    The band was huge, Hadley recalled, “a lot bigger than we realized at the time.” It was also cutting edge in some of its practices. Band members wore matching outfits, they had a public announcement system, and they would talk between songs, announcing that their next song would be a waltz, for example, or announcing a birthday or anniversary. Hadley also bought a bus with which the band traveled.

    During all this, he was still ranching at home. Having been the last of the Barrett kids to marry, at age 22, he was running the home place with his dad’s help, working for other farmers and ranchers, playing with the band, and rodeoing. He’d begun to make contacts in the rodeo world, which would lead to his next career.

    He was friends with Joe Cavanaugh, a rodeo announcer and bull rider, who always found a fill-in  while he rode his bull at rodeos he announced. Joe knew Hadley had experience in front of a microphone, so at the Arnold, Neb. rodeo, he called on Hadley to help. The second performance, Joe had the flu and couldn’t talk. The committee asked Hadley to fill in, and “that was the first full-fledged rodeo performance I announced,” he said.
    As a result, rodeos contacted him, asking him to work. He was in the same predicament as Cavanaugh: find someone to announce while he got on his bareback horse or bull. But that didn’t stop committees from hiring him. He announced almost every amateur rodeo he could get to: from Nebraska to Kansas to the edge of Colorado.

    At this time, Harry Waltemuth, committee member with the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, told Hadley he wanted to hire him. Hadley didn’t have a Rodeo Cowboys Association card; Harry didn’t care. When the RCA informed Harry that Hadley would not be announcing their rodeo, as he was not a card holder, Harry told them that if Hadley didn’t announce North Platte, North Platte would not be an RCA rodeo. “That got everybody off dead center,” Hadley quipped. He still has the letter from the RCA, giving him permission to announce the rodeo without a membership.

    Hadley did become an RCA member the next year, in 1965, but it was a worry. At that time, RCA members could only work RCA events, and all of Hadley’s rodeos were amateur. “I had to give up pretty good contracts,” he recalled. “You had to wonder if you’d make a living.”

    By this time, the band activities were beginning to decrease. Hadley booked rodeos so far in advance it was difficult to know when a dance would be scheduled on top of a rodeo. And it didn’t work well if the front man, lead singer and guitar player couldn’t show up. The band dissolved in the mid 1980’s.
    It didn’t take long for his rodeo career to grow. “The first year was really skinny,” he recalls, but that changed quickly. In his fifty years of pro rodeo (now the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), he’s announced nearly every big rodeo in the country: from Sidney, Iowa, to  Greeley, Colo., Cheyenne Frontier Days, and the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte since 1965. He’s been the PRCA’s Announcer of the Year four times, and has announced the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo four times and the National Steer Roping Finals as well. He was the television announcer for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from 1980 through 1990, and from 1994 through 2004, and he’s called the action at the Canadian Finals Rodeo seven times.

    In 1993, he left North Platte and moved to Kersey, Colo. His rodeo career had grown to where he needed to be near a big airport. For a while, Hadley’s son Trent took care of his cow herd, but eventually he sold it. “I always considered my rodeo career as a part time job. I was basically a rancher who had this sideline of announcing rodeos. It took a long time to come to my senses that the ranching was my sideline, and the rodeo was my banker for the ranch.”
    “Now I’ve gone to the dogs,” he jokes. He and his wife, Lee, raise white Golden retrievers, and he laughs that he is her “most affordable maintenance man.”
    Hadley and his first wife Clarice have three children: Trent, who lives on the Barrett place north of North Platte, Michelle Corley, married to rodeo announcer Randy Corley, and Kimberly Jurgens. Lee’s children are Travas Brenner and Katie Brenner; Hadley and Lee have an adopted daughter, Taleah Barrett.

    And he’s still going strong. He continues to announce rodeos and enjoy friends in both rodeo and the music world. “Rarely does a week go by that someone doesn’t say, ‘we used to dance to your music,’ or ‘you played at my mom and dad’s prom.’”

    And the legend hasn’t quit. He keeps up a busy rodeo schedule and loves the friendships he’s made. “The friends, that’s where the real value is.”