Rodeo Life

Blog

  • Profile: Denard Butler

    Profile: Denard Butler

    When Denard Butler closes his eyes, he’s thinking about one of two things: either steer wrestling, or making money.
    The Checotah, Okla. cowboy, a roper-turned-steer wrestler, steer wrestles, owns two businesses, and models for Wrangler.
    He didn’t grow up in a rodeo family.
    The son of Floyd and Yvonne Butler, he was raised in Stockbridge, Georgia. In school, he and Brent Walden, the nephew of PRCA roper Walt Walden, were friends. Brent “was nerdy and had glasses, like me,” Denard said, “so we became friends.” When he spent time at Brent’s house, he was around Walt and Walt’s rodeo friends: Manny Egusquiza, Brad Culpepper, Casey Cox, Jimmy Tanner, Joe Beaver, and others.
    After they taught him how to rope, he competed in high school rodeo.
    It was something that Walt told him that turned the course of his rodeo career.
    Walt had said, “you can be great in Georgia, but the best cowboys are in Texas and Oklahoma. If you can win in Texas and Oklahoma, you can win anywhere.”
    So he headed to Muskogee, Okla., with the goal of rodeo, but while there, attended Bacone College, graduating with a psychology degree.
    It was another friend connection that turned Denard into a steer wrestler.
    In college, his roommate was team roper Frank Williams. Frank was neighbors with Victor Deck, a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo steer wrestling qualifier who taught several Wrangler NFR steer wrestlers the sport.
    Victor looked at Denard and said, “you’re a stout kid. Do you want to bulldog?” So he learned the discipline from Victor.
    Along the way, people helped him with his horsemanship and his rodeo. Eldon Day, a former steer wrestler, hazer and successful businessman, was one of his mentors, and still is. Denard lived with Eldon, rodeoing with him and learning how to drive semi trucks. “He’s a very successful man,” Denard said. From Eldon, “I learned about semis and how to drive them and the business side of them.”
    Before he became a PRCA member in 2009, he competed at open and amateur rodeos.
    Along the way, he knew he needed the money to buy what was needed: a good horse, a truck and trailer, and to pay the bills. “I knew what I needed to do, and what I needed to produce, to be successful in the rodeo world. I knew I needed more businesses off the ground and to make and purchase some horsepower, to work on my craft.”
    Denard has trained horses, selling them and making his own, too. He owns semis and a box truck, with a contract with Darren Braun, Tiger Logistics, for the semis to haul frack sand.
    And he counsels people, especially those with mental and physical disabilities.
    Denard believes in positive thinking. He encourages his clients to set specific goals and write them down. He believes that if a person dreams it, it is achievable, through hard work. “There’s work involved,” he said.
    He has his goals posted in several places: in the bathroom, where he can see them first thing in the morning, in his weight room, and in his truck.
    Making the Wrangler NFR hasn’t been his goal – yet. But the time is right to write it on the “vision board.” “Next year I’m going to make it my goal,” he said. “It’s taken me this long to get everything set up exactly the way I want it: the trailer, the arena, a couple of barns, a facility, and the right people to help you and be around.”
    He knew he needed to create the atmosphere to succeed in rodeo. “I had to figure out how to create that for myself, because no one else was going to create it for me. I don’t come from a rich family.”
    And if the NFR doesn’t happen, he knows he still has a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
    “It might not be in God’s plan for me to be a world champion. It might be in God’s plan for me to help someone be a world champion. If I can help people along the way, I’ll still be happy. I was created to serve and help people and to express love and kindness.”
    Between his businesses, the horse training is what he loves the most. “That’s where I want to be,” he said. “That’s what gets the majority of my time. I just love being in the arena.”
    He has a message for anyone who didn’t grow up in rodeo. “I want to represent possibility. You don’t need a special background, you don’t need to be a trust fund baby, you don’t need to be a certain race. As long as you put in the effort and work at it, believe in yourself and have faith, you can accomplish anything you want.”
    He knows rodeo is where he’s supposed to be. “I have a natural ability to steer wrestle, to rope, and to train horses.”
    His friend Dean Stermer narrowed it down for him.
    Dean told him, “If you can wake up every day, whether it’s hot or cold, and you can do your job and not complain, then that’s what you’re supposed to be doing.
    “I can wake up every day, it doesn’t matter the weather, and saddle and ride. It’s what I love to do.”

  • 5 Star Champion: Mike & Sherrylynn Johnson

    5 Star Champion: Mike & Sherrylynn Johnson

    “5 Star has been part of Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson’s team for 10 years. “The Moore family built their life around rodeo and passing their knowledge on to others,” said Sherrylynn. “What they do for kids everywhere is amazing. Without what they do for the kids we couldn’t do what we do. One of the visions for 5 Star and our event is to see their grandchildren compete in this event. They’ve been with us forever from our clinics to the beginning of the event on. They are a family run business that knows what’s going on … they are from the heart and really understand it.”

    Sherrylynn is talking about Vegas Tuffest, which started out fouryears ago with Mike’s vision. “He wanted to give back to the kids from what we’ve accomplished, and we wanted them to run at the most money possible. He created it and I’m part of the package,” she said. “We built it into a million dollar event for the kids .. not including the prizes – two trucks and two trailers, electric bikes, saddles, pads, boots, and a whole bunch of other product.” Mike and his traveling partner, best friend, and wife, Sherrylynn agree that Vegas Tuffest is exactly what they envisioned and more.
    “We have put the qualifiers in states like Indiana and North Dakota, and in the states where the kids can get that opportunity to run in this – it makes them grow and gives them a stage to be on that they’ve never been on.”
    “I don’t know any other way of life,” said Mike Johnson, who went straight from high school to the rodeo road in 1982. “I’ve never held a job, I just rodeo. I was an event representative in the PRCA for tie down for four years, but that’s as close to a job as I’ve had.” Born and raised in Henryetta, Okla., he started roping when he was 6 and went to his first rodeo at 10. He had his PRCA card at 18. “Rodeo is what I’ve wanted to do – I have no regrets. You meet a lot of people and go a lot of places.”
    “I think if there was a male me, it would be Mike,” said his wife. “When you’re in a box as much as we are – truck or horse trailer – you’ve got to be best friends – you’re together constantly.” They shared the same common goal that they had and accomplished – to make the Wrangler National Finals. Along the way, they are giving back through our Vegas Tuffest event.
    The couple has built their life around rodeo and passing their knowledge on to others. Mike started doing clinics 30 years ago. “We started helping kids in small groups,” said Sherrylynn. “We don’t have kids, I don’t have patience for young horses, but I do with the kids.” The couple has worked their entire life to do what they are doing now and a large portion of their time is devoted to managing the qualifiers for Vegas Tuffest, held Nov 30-Dec 5, starting with the back number ceremony, at the Expo at World Market Center, Las Vegas.
    Part of the Vegas Tuffest program is set up to help kids get to Vegas. “25% of the 850 kids coming this year are part of that program – they are sponsored through Vegas Tuffest Sponsorship Program. This program partners sponsors with contestants. The Sponsor pays for the contestant, allowing them to have five hotel nights, five nights of a stall, and entry fees paid. Some of those kids that are sponsored win, and then the sponsor gets a chance to win money as well.
    “For some kids, winning at Vegas Tuffest can be life changing – they could win as much as $30,000 per event – that’s life changing.”

  • Sioux Falls to host Cinch Playoffs event Sept. 28-30 next year 

    Sioux Falls to host Cinch Playoffs event Sept. 28-30 next year 

    SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Cinch Playoffs will play a bigger role than ever before in deciding who makes it to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with a payout of more than $1 million on the final weekend of the 2023 season.

     

    On Monday afternoon, the PRCA, the State of South Dakota, Experience Sioux Falls and Cinch announced the Cinch Playoffs will have athletes competing for the Governor’s Cup and vying for the more than $1 million purse Sept. 28-30, 2023, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls. It will be the richest rodeo in South Dakota history.

     

    “The event rodeo fans will see in 2023 in September is like the AFC, NFC championship games in football or the pennant race in baseball,” said Rorey Lemmel, the general manager of the Cinch Playoffs in Sioux Falls. “It will change the landscape for who is the world champion.”

     

    The Cinch Playoffs provides one last opportunity for ProRodeo athletes to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The contestants will include the top four finishers from each event at the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash. earlier in September, and the top eight out of the standings of the Playoff Series presented by Pendleton Whisky.

     

    “Rodeo tradition runs deep in South Dakota, some of our biggest legends in the sport are from South Dakota and some of our oldest rodeos are in South Dakota,” PRCA CEO Tom Glause said. “But we are super excited to bring the biggest rodeo in terms of payout to Sioux Falls in September of 2023.”

     

    South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is thrilled to have the event in Sioux Falls.

     

    “Freedom and rodeo go hand in hand, and that’s why South Dakota is becoming a destination for major rodeo competition,” Noem said. “I’m excited to celebrate our state sport with the final qualifying competition before the National Finals Rodeo.”

     

    In addition to bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding, breakaway roping will be held at the Cinch Playoffs.

     

    The 2023 ProRodeo season concludes Sept. 30. The Top 15 athletes in the PRCA | RAM World Standings in each event will qualify for the Wrangler NFR.

     

    The Cinch Playoffs will air on The Cowboy Channel and stream on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. For more information, visit cowboychannelplus.com.
  • Back When They Bucked with Willard ‘Bill’ Phillips

    Back When They Bucked with Willard ‘Bill’ Phillips

    A cloud of dark, billowing dust is one of Willard “Bill” Phillips’ earliest memories. Towering several thousand feet, the cloud enveloped Bill and his three siblings while they were playing in the yard on the family ranch 7 miles north of Brownell, Kansas. That day went down in the history books as Black Sunday.
    “When that dust cloud came over, it was dark as night,” Bill said. “The dirt came in everywhere. When it was all over, we had to scoop dirt out of the house with a shovel.”
    The raging dust storms of the mid 1930s are only a small part of Bill’s unique story. Most of his life is built on a foundation of horses and horsepower.
    The Phillips family raised cattle, crops and horses in western Kansas. Bill witnessed firsthand the transition of horsepower from flesh and blood to the internal combustion engine.
    “We had about 20 head of horses and a team of mules,” he said. “At harvest they brought horses up from the big pasture and it got exciting sometimes. We had runaways and stuff like that. We used to do everything with horses: cut wheat, haul grain to town, everything.”
    Graduating from Trego County High School in WaKeeney in 1945, Bill turned 18 just in time to get drafted by the U.S. Army. He was trained at Fort Bliss as an anti-aircraft gunner.
    “I was part of the occupation troops in Japan; of course, we didn’t have any planes to shoot at by then. We walked guard through Tokyo and Yokahoma,” he recounted. “I remember walking along a ridge and looking down after the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima. The people who evaporated were the lucky ones.”

    Roughie
    A year later – 1947 – Bill was back home to Kansas. He enrolled at Kansas State College just days before the fall semester started and pursued a bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry.
    Even though Bill left the ranch when his parents divorced, he continued working on other operations. At what is now Kansas State University, Bill stumbled upon a newly formed club – The Chaparajos.
    “That club was for anyone interested in horses, it didn’t have to be for rodeo,” Bill said of the organization that would eventually become the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. “We did have a rodeo that first year though.”
    The club built an arena on the ball field with posts cut down along the river connected by woven wire. A single roughstock chute stood in the arena with a small backdrop of wooden bleachers.
    “That first rodeo I think we were $6.40 in the clear,” Bill said.
    As a kid, Bill had some bucket calves trained to ride. And he never passed up an opportunity to try and ride a cow when she gave him the opportunity. But his first official rodeo was inside the arena he helped build in Manhattan, Kansas.
    “I didn’t have a rope horse, so I guess that’s how I ended up in roughstock,” Bill said. “It doesn’t make much sense when it comes down to it. It’s a great feeling though when you get one ridden; when you get the job done.”
    The first time Bill was on a horse was in the saddle with his dad on the ranch. He eventually rode their stud – Ned. Of course, that was always bareback. Perhaps that’s why Bill was more skilled out of the saddle in the rodeo arena.
    “I tried saddle broncs about five times, and I got some of them ridden, but I couldn’t make it look pretty,” Bill explained. “That’s the ultimate rodeo event – it takes a lot of skill. To me, that’s a tough event.”

    On Tan Bark
    Even though college rodeo was still in its infancy, qualifying for the College National Finals was coveted. Bill managed to do it twice, first in 1949 and again in 1951. Both times he rode in the Cow Palace in San Francisco.
    “At the time, the Cow Palace was the last stop for the professionals before the finals,” Bill said. “That was big time rodeo to ride there. It was a totally different world from the arena in Kansas.”
    It was on the tan bark floor of the Cow Palace that Bill became fast friends with Slim Pickens who was a bull fighter at the time. Stuck in the vortex of his bull’s spin move, Bill finally came off.
    “This bull was right in my face and Slim Pickens just reached across and slapped that bull in the face,” Bill said with a chuckle. “I’ve considered him a friend ever since that day. He was one of the best bull fighters I’ve ever seen.”
    The tan bark of the Cow Palace was a far cry from the lumpy hog pen Bill was used to back in Kansas. A stock contractor by the name of Slim Pickering had an old chute he let the rodeo team use to practice.
    “The arena was an old hog pen that was rooted up and dried out, there were big old clods out there, so it wasn’t a nice place to land,” Bill said. “It’s completely different from what they have now with Weber Arena.”
    After college, Bill found himself in Ensign, Kansas, giving veterans hands-on training so they could learn how to farm. Four years later Bill earned his master’s degree from Fort Hays Kansas State College, which is now Fort Hays State University.

    Way Out West
    It was time for Bill to experience another part of the country. His degree in range management set him up well for a long career with the Bureau of Land Management.
    “I rode a lot in my work. One time we had to ride out 7 miles to find the horses and then run them back those 7 miles to the trap we set,” Bill said about his job as an area manager in Burns, Oregon.
    A good horse was an essential element for Bill to do his job well. One of his horses would hop up into the rack on the back of his pickup. Growing up in post-depression era Kansas made Bill efficient and resourceful, which led him to this unique hauling scenario.
    One very specific day of running horses into a trap sticks out as Bill’s very best day of his life. With a herd of 100 wild horses ahead of him, Bill knew the trap wasn’t big enough for them all.
    “I was on a horse called Roanie, and I tried to get down into the middle of them to split the herd into two,” Bill explained with a smile spreading wide across his face at the memory. “I was in the middle of those running horses for about a mile. It was one of the highlights of my life as far as adrenaline goes. That was my best day running horses.”
    When Bill first started with the BLM, fences were few and far between. He could ride for 60 miles before ever seeing one. It was very different country from what Kansas was and still is.
    Bill spent 20 years in the Burns District before transferring to Susanville, California, in 1980. He finally retired from the BLM in 1995 and eventually made his way back home to Kansas, but not before leaving his mark on both the land and animals.

    Mustang Man
    Always a student of good horsepower, Bill began noticing some horses with primitive colors and stripes. A herd management area was set aside for horses with dun and grulla coats accompanied by dorsal and leg stripes, which were all considered primitive markings.
    “There were very few left on the range when we started gathering them, maybe about 1 in every 400 horses was a dun or grulla,” Bill said. “People were really interested in them, and they brought a ton of money. Some sold for $10,000.”
    Bill and his coworkers – Ron Harding and Chris Vosler – didn’t know that they were rounding up some of the foundations of what would later become the Kiger mustang. They’re recognized by the International Alliance of Kiger Breeders as helping establish the Kiger mustang as it’s own breed.
    As a range management specialist, Bill also worked with the experimental stewardship program which had a special focus on improving grazing conditions. Their committee represented all stakeholders who had vested interest in public lands.
    “Prior to 1934, the land was so overgrazed that they thought ranching using public lands was going out of business,” he said. “Raising forage on the open range, that’s what ranching is at its core.”
    The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 was supposed to help stabilize grass production for ranches, but it took a while for the act to be enforced. Bill was part of rejuvenating the grazing land.
    “All the energy for life on earth comes from the sun,” Bill said of the fundamentals of ranching. “The sun hits the growing plant which takes in carbon dioxide from the air and water from the ground. That’s the way the plant grows. Ranching is capturing that energy from the sun to serve people. To me, that’s one of the biggest miracles of the world, the miracle of grass plants capturing solar energy to feed people.”
    Now at 95 years young, Bill’s time in the saddle is a distant, but fond memory. And even though his time in rodeo was more than 60 years ago, he’s still an avid follower of the sport.
    “I have tv now and I like to watch rodeo,” Bill said. “I like to watch those roping and dogging horses – they sit there on tippy toes before they come out of the chute. I enjoy watching them because they know what the game is.”
    For Bill, life has been focused on horses in some way or another. Just because he needs a walker to get around, doesn’t mean that’s changed, it’s just moved to a screen.
    “I’ve led an interesting life. I probably would’ve become a good bull rider if I had worked hard enough at it,” Bill said. “I didn’t win any gold buckles, but I was a competitor. I’m glad I participated in [rodeo], I think it’s a great sport.”

  • On The Trail with Sherry Smith

    On The Trail with Sherry Smith

    It’s not about the money, it’s about the memory for the girls
    “Make every day count, you aren’t promised tomorrow. Be the best and the most you can be in that day,”
    From behind the sewing machine to behind the camera, Sherry Smith has forged her way to become the queen photographer for all professional rodeo. Starting with Miss Rodeo USA twelve years ago, she became the official pageant photographer for Miss Rodeo America in 2016. She is the photographer for five state competitions as well as the judge for several pageants.
    Before the boots, buckles, and curls, Sherry sparked her passion for photography during community college where she was studying to be an art major. She picked up a job with a professional photographer, working on touch-up with film, before digital was ever on the radar.
    Married in 1989, Sherry devoted her time to her husband, Keith, and her growing family. She kept her passion for photography going with her children, photographing her son, Ike, through football, and her daughters (Bethani and Faith), through horses and rodeo.

    Designs By Sherry

    When Bethani decided to compete in the rodeo queen world, Sherry started sewing. “We couldn’t afford the clothes on a one-income family,” she said. She used her creativity and artistic ability to hand-design and sew her daughters’ wardrobe. “It was an entirely new medium. I couldn’t sew, I was the art nut.” she explains. She could draw how it would look, but then had to get that drawing into a piece of clothing. “I don’t do anything simple, so my first creation was a dress combination of leather and lace before anyone did that,” said Sherry, “Making it all hold and stay in place was the hard part–and there was nobody to call and ask.”
    With a graduation-gift sewing machine, and sheer determination, Sherry created jaw dropping designs for not only her daughter, but everyone else too. Designs by Sherry lasted for 14 years. One year in the prime of her business, she created more than 23 leather dresses, not counting the arena shirts, painting and stoning boots, chaps, hats, and bags. She even became and continues to be the special event clothing designer for World Champion and Hall of Fame Inductee, Martha Josey, who continues to give Sherry new ideas. When grandbabies started to arrive, Sherry wanted to spend less time in the sewing room and more time behind the camera.

    Sherry Smith Photography
    The goal with Sherry Smith Photography was to capture fleeting moments for pageant contestants as she had done for her own kids. “These girls should be able to afford these memories and have them last a lifetime. They have invested so much into wardrobe and themselves.” When she met Tom House, a Miss Rodeo America hall-of-famer for his photography and videography, at the Miss Rodeo USA pageant, Sherry’s notoriety as a photographer took off. Tom brought Sherry on board for the Miss Rodeo Oklahoma pageant behind the camera and it became clear snapping pageant shots was where she needed to be. As if it was fated, the photographer for the 2017 Miss Rodeo America Pageant couldn’t make it, so with the recommendations of Tom House, Doug Wade, Lauren Heaton (Miss Rodeo America 2015), and Melissa Heaton, Sherry Smith Photography was contracted by the Miss Rodeo America Association to shoot the pageant for the first lady of Pro Rodeo.
    Learning how to photograph pageants that have about as many moving parts as a rodeo performance was a learning curve for Sherry. The first Miss Rodeo USA she shot, Trisha Smeenk at the 2012 IPRA Finals, was the subject of the most humbling event in Sherry’s photography career. “I was told the house lights in the arena would be on for her debut, so my equipment was prepared for that lighting. When we were already out in the arena, the house lights shut off. Due to my lack of experience, I missed Trish’s first run as Miss Rodeo USA. That moment taught me so much about what I was getting into,” she recalls. Now more experienced, Sherry can get images from pageants out to media in a mere day and whole packages out in two weeks. The near all-nighters she and her team pull at pageant week are worth the shots. She also quadruple backs up her images in the rare case something goes wrong and they are lost.
    The integrity Sherry puts behind her photos is what makes them so original. “Whether I was designing or shooting headshots for a pageant, there is nothing more rewarding than a seeing a girl see herself as a rodeo queen for the first time.”
    In each pageant, she will take more than 2,500 images of one portion of the pageant. She sorts and puts the images in the contestant folders; divided from days to events, to contestants. There are hundreds of images for each contestant to purchase as a package. “I do this a little different than most – I want those girls to have the most they can have to create the once in a lifetime memory.” Her equipment takes up the entire back end of her vehicle. She has a portable backdrop to do initial shots. She takes them outdoors to do product shots. She knows where to put what piece of equipment where. To do the job at Miss Rodeo America, she takes Keith (her husband) and another shooter but does all the sorting herself. She also builds a recap video. She takes interns with her to pay it forward. She is hoping to book more state pageants, “We need to build the industry up and I think what we offer to promote the rodeo queen will help put a visual out there for the younger girls to want to be a part of.”
    Her very own studio just opened over a year ago in Lincoln, Arkansas. Sherry made the living room work great as a studio, but was urged by Keith, to expand into her own, permanent space. Contestants fly in for official head shots or content shots. Sherry still consults on wardrobe decisions, but no longer sews commercially. She is committed to photographing pageants, weddings, special events, and portraits of all kinds. She also gives back by judging several pageants each year.
    As a judge, Sherry has a unique compassion for and perspective of the contestants, “They get judged in such a short time on their ability. “What I say or how I read a situation could alter how that young lady feels about herself. I want her to take her experiences and grow from them.”
    The success she has achieved is all for the young ladies, but Sherry really gives the credit where credit is due, “I give the glory to God. I want to be the person that the Lord wants me to be. I want to be where he can use me in the biggest ways.”

    Editor’s Note: Her work can be seen at sherrysmithphotgraphy.photoreflect.com and through Miss Rodeo USA and Miss Rodeo America.

  • National Little Britches World Champions: Hadley Thompson

    National Little Britches World Champions: Hadley Thompson

    After two years of winning reserve all-around, Hadley Thompson was relieved to say the least when she was announced as the 2022 World Champion. “It was infuriating,” recalls Hadley, “I thought I had it the last two years. This year, my hard work finally paid off.” The disappointment Hadley had experienced made her want it that much more. To leave Guthrie, Oklahoma with the all-around title, Hadley competed in barrels, poles, breakaway, ribbon roping, team roping, and trail. Winning the all-around was the icing on the cake. She also went home with the goat tying, trail, and all-around finals championships.
    The home-schooled Yoder, WY cowgirl devoted her time to practicing so she could bridge the gap between reserve champion and world champion. “Homeschooling has helped my rodeo career so much,” she declares, “I’m very thankful my parents homeschool me considering how much time we spend outside.” Daily, joined by her siblings competing in rodeo, Hadley will ride up to fourteen head of horses and practice her tying and roping. “The more consistent you are in practice the better you do,” she declares.
    The fifth oldest Thompson in a long line of rodeo athletes, Hadley has grown up on horseback. Hadley’s dad, Thorpe, team roped, and calf roped. Her older siblings, Jamie (26), Jacey (23), and Tiegan (16) all competed in Little Britches as well. Hayden (18) and Turek (12), are currently competing, and Taisley (6) and Tinlee (7) are up and coming. Her dad and older siblings have taught her all she knows. The Thompsons couldn’t do what they do without mom, Shelly, who is credited with keeping the family together. “I don’t remember a time when we’ve gone to a rodeo and my mom wasn’t there. She’s my biggest supporter,” she recognizes, “I love and appreciate her more than she knows.”
    The eleven-hour drive to the NLBA Finals was no challenge as the Thompsons have hauling down to a science. Two rigs were taken to Guthrie, one with a semi load full of Thompsons driven my Hadley’s mom, Shelly, and the other held nine horses driven by sister, Jamie. Thorpe stayed home alongside brother, Tiegan, to take care of the family’s 30 head of horses. Hadley’s older sister, Haiden, also competed at finals and came home the goat tying, all-around finals, and all-around world champion. She is one of Hadley’s biggest inspirations. “I look up to her,” she said, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.” Haiden is going off to college next year but is taking her extra year with Little Britches to continue competing with her siblings.
    Once at finals, Hadley knew she had a job to do. “I took one run at a time and did what I know how to do. “It’s ingrained in me. I trust myself and let the muscle memory take over.”] Hadley’s mental game under pressure is something she has struggled with in the past. At finals, with help from her family, Hadley executed keeping her nerves in check. “If you have a bad run, you need to realize what you did wrong and let it go. I look up to Haiden for her mental game. My mom and dad help me with it too, it’s getting better.”
    Looking ahead to the next four years in Little Britches, Hadley is looking forward to bettering herself and her team of four horses. She even dreams of one day going Pro in the breakaway roping. Her world championship is something she recognizes she couldn’t do alone, “I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me and who has helped me, I give all the glory to God.”

  • Kolby Wanchuk punches NFR ticket with Pendleton Round-Up title

    Kolby Wanchuk punches NFR ticket with Pendleton Round-Up title

    Kolby Wanchuk’s ProRodeo.com profile lists his favorite rodeo as the storied Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up.

    After spurring Sankey ProRodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Black Tie for 90 points during the short round of the 2022 Round-Up to clinch the championship, Wanchuk’s profile could add a couple of exclamation points to that statement.

    “It’s a dream to get to compete here,” Wanchuk, 26, said. “It’s unbelievable to get to win it.”

    Wanchuk’s march to the title began with a long round match-up with Brookman Rodeo’s Pretty Woman.

    “I didn’t know much at all about that horse,” Wanchuk noted. “He came out and acted like he was going to just be good.”

    “Then he hit that grass and really got to bucking. He did some cool stuff,” Wanchuk laughed. The Round-Up is famous for being held on a football field, complete with grass and cowboys littering the field to watch the action. “I was thankful to get back to the short round.”

    Wanchuk’s 84.5 point first go effort tied him for fourth in the round and set up the match-up with the legendary Black Tie.

    “That’s one I’ve been waiting to see next to my name for a long time,” Wanchuk said. “I watched my hauling partner Tanner Butner win Sheridan on that horse, so I was pretty excited.

    “It was a bit different from his usual trip. He took some different jumps and then just got to hanging in the air. He was about all a guy could ask for.”

    One tradition of Pendleton is that champion’s climb aboard their brand-new championship saddles and take a victory lap around the Pendleton track.

    “It was unreal,” Wanchuk said. “They said there were 16,000 people there (Saturday) and they just about got the wave going when we did our victory laps.”

    Wanchuk scored 174.5 points on his two rides, slipping past his other traveling partner, Sage Newman, the PRCA | RAM World Standings leader who won the long round. The earnings were crucial for Wanchuk, who came to Pendleton ranked 11th as he seeks a second consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification.

    “It sure makes you feel a little easier about it,” Wanchuk said of the standings bump.

     

    He’ll finish his 2022 season next week at the Edmonton Pro Rodeo close to his Sherwood Park, Alberta home.

    “I get to end the season at my hometown rodeo,” he said.

    With the Wrangler NFR made, Wanchuk will take a little break and do some hunting to refresh before starting the 2023 season with Newtown, N.D., next month.

    “I like to take a little break, head out to the bush,” Wanchuk said.

    Wanchuk will compete at the Canadian Finals Rodeo (Nov. 2-6) prior to the Wrangler NFR and is looking forward to an exciting trip to Vegas.

    “It’s nice, I was close for a couple of years and didn’t quite get in, so it was a bit of a sigh of relief last year,” he said. “It’s shaping up that our whole crew, Sage Newman, Chase Brooks, Tanner Butner and myself might be there and there’s also six Canadian bronc riders in there.”

    “The NFR should be a lot of fun,” he said. Asked what he’s taking from his first experience a year ago, he said, “I think I’ll be more relaxed. Just go do my job and not get too worked up about things.”

    Other winners at the $587,575 rodeo were all-around cowboy Marty Yates ($6,541, tie-down roping and team roping); bareback rider Kaycee Feild (175.5 on two head); steer wrestler Riley Wakefield (17.3 seconds on three head); team ropers Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres (19.1 seconds on three head); tie-down roper Trevor Hall (29.0 seconds on three head); breakaway roper Jacey Fortier (6.0 seconds on two head); barrel racer Kacey Gartner (57.11 seconds on two runs); steer roper Logan Currie (37.4 seconds on three head); and bull rider Bubba Greig (88.5 points).

     

  • IN MEMORY

    IN MEMORY

    Phillipsburg site of memorial bull riding for Stockton bull rider

    Phillipsburg, Kan. – September 19, 2022 – A bull riding will be held Sept. 24 to honor a Kansas cowboy.

     

    The Richard Schleicher Memorial Bull Riding will take place at the Phillipsburg Rodeo grounds on Sept. 24 at 6 pm.

     

    The bull riding will be in honor of Stockton native Richard Schleicher, who passed away in a car accident on September 16 after competing at the Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup.

     

    Tickets are $10 and will be sold at the gate; gates open at 4 pm on the 24th. Above-the-chute tickets are available for $25 each.

     

    Mutton busting for kids will be held at 5 pm with a calcutta, to auction off the bull riders, to begin at 5:30 pm. The event is produced by Trey and Jimi Kerner of Kerner Bucking Bulls, Brule, Neb.

     

    Schleicher always had a smile on his face, said fellow bull rider and good friend Garrett Wickett.

     

    “When you walked into a room and saw Richard, you instantly smiled, because you know there was some kind of joke that would be played on you, and you would laugh.”

     

    Schleicher, the son of Harold and Deb Schleicher, began rodeoing as a youngster, riding sheep and steers and competing at Little Britches Rodeos and junior high rodeos. He quit for a while but started back to rodeo after graduating from Stockton High School in 2015. In 2017, he got his PRCA permit.

     

    Wickett, who was a few months older than Schleicher, traveled with him occasionally and watched him as he came up the ranks of rodeo.

     

    “I met him a few years ago at an amateur rodeo. He asked me for pointers, and when I started pro rodeoing and going to bigger rodeos, I’d see him and he’d ask me about pro rodeo.

     

    “I never met anybody who had as much try and dedication to riding bulls and wanting to get better. He was always asking for help: hey, how can I improve? Can you look at this video and tell me what I’m doing wrong?”

     

    Schleicher was determined to improve his bull riding skills, Wickett said.

     

    “When he first started, he’d go to Clay Taylor’s place in Oklahoma. Clay has some pretty rank bulls, and Richard would get on as many as he could. He always wanted to get on, because he knew that getting on them would make him better. He wasn’t going to quit till his head hit the dirt.”

     

    Schleicher’s bull riding friends miss him, Wickett said.

     

    “So many of us bull riders loved him because he was so much fun to be around. He was always happy, always with a smile on his face. If he bucked off, he’d always see the positive. And we’d play jokes on him and he’d do it right back to us.”

     

    The Kerners have received a lot of support from the area, Jimi Kerner said, including the use of the Phillipsburg Rodeo’s “beautiful facility,” she said.

     

    “We’ve had some amazing sponsors. The towns of Phillipsburg, Plainville and Stockton have been behind it one hundred-ten percent. I’ve had people call and message us, donating money. You can definitely tell how well-loved and missed Richard is.”

     

    Kerner says thirty bull riders will be competing at the Memorial bull riding, including Wickett, Cole Fischer, ranked seventeenth in the PRCA world standings and Jestyn Woodward, ranked first in the Badlands Circuit, all friends of Schleicher’s.

     

    All proceeds from the event will go to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which provides need-based financial assistance to athletes injured through their participation in professional rodeo.

     

    For more information, contact Jimi Kerner at 308.325.5558 or visit the event’s Facebook page (Richard Schleicher Memorial Bull Riding).

     

     

  • Carolina Cowboys Conclude Inaugural Homestand Ranked No. 1 in PBR Team Series

    Carolina Cowboys Conclude Inaugural Homestand Ranked No. 1 in PBR Team Series

    Carolina Cowboys Conclude Inaugural Homestand Ranked No. 1 in PBR Team Series Standings as Oklahoma Freedom go 3-0 to Win PBR Cowboy Days in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

     Cowboys’ closer Daylon Swearingen goes 2-for-3 inside LJVM Coliseum to inch within a mere 12.5 points of No. 1 rank in PBR Team Series MVP Race

     

     WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Competing in front of a home crowd for the first time, the Carolina Cowboys delivered a 2-1 performance in game play, while also winning the Bonus Round, at PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Cowboy Days, to conclude the Team Series event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as the No. 1-ranked team in the league.

    Beginning the event No. 3 in the league standings, the Cowboys rose to No. 2 following their commanding Friday night win against the Missouri Thunder. Backed by key scores from Mason Taylor, Cooper Davis and Wingson Henrique da Silva, the Cowboys won 261.5-0.

     

    The Cowboys then overtook the No. 1 spot with a walk-off win against the Arizona Ridge Riders Saturday night. Courtesy of an evening-best, 87.75-point score from Daylon Swearingen atop Jailhouse Cat (Clark View Farms/Phillips), the Cowboys completed the come-from-behind victory to beat the Ridge Riders 265.5-169.5.

     

    On Championship Sunday, however, the Cowboys’ six-game win streak came to an end in a thriller, when they were narrowly beaten by the Nashville Stampede by 1.5 points, falling 257.75-259.25.

     

    In true cowboy fashion, Carolina rebounded in the Bonus Round. For the fifth time this season, the Cowboys dominated, collecting a maximum 8 Bonus points, courtesy of Taylor’s massive 89.75-point trip atop Duke (Sho-Me Rodeo).

     

    The Carolina Cowboys concluded their inaugural homestand second, having gone 2-1 in game play and earning 8 bonus points. They are No. 1 in the league with a 10-6 record and 46 combined bonus points and lead the No. 2 Austin Gamblers, who also hold a 10-6 record, by 9.5 bonus points.

     

    No team in Winston-Salem, however, rivaled the Oklahoma Freedom, who went a perfect 3-0 in game play and finished second in the Bonus Round to win their first PBR Team Series event at PBR Cowboy Days.

     

    The Oklahoma Freedom began the event with a bang, knocking off the Nashville Stampede 261-0 compliments of a lead-off 90-point ride from third-round draft pick Chase Outlaw.

    In just his second event, Outlaw faced a familiar opponent in Big Black (K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb). Having met five times prior, Outlaw entered the slugfest with a perfect record, marked 90 points or more in each out. Keeping the streak alive, Outlaw logged just the fifth 90-point ride in PBR Team Series history, dominating the powerful animal athlete for 90.25 points. The score is tied for third best in the league and ties the Freedom with the Carolina Cowboys for most 90-point scores by one team, each with two.

    The Oklahoma Freedom remained red-hot as competition continued Saturday, upsetting the Austin Gamblers 86.75-83.25.

    Keen to remain perfect in game play with their inaugural homestand just days away, the Freedom faced the Kansas City Outlaws on Championship Sunday. Both teams entered the showdown with a 2-0 record at PBR Cowboy Days.

    Backed by crucial scores from both Briggs Madsen and Captain Eli Vastbinder, the Freedom defeated the Outlaws by one ride score, 170.75-87.

    As the only team to go a perfect 3-0 in game play, the Freedom entered the Bonus Round with the event win already clinched. Seeking crucial bonus points, Freedom Head Coach Cord McCoy elected to have Derek Kolbaba go head-to-head with Jeremiah (Martinez Bucking Bulls, LLC).

     

    In a decision which proved dividends, Kolbaba conquered the animal athlete for 88.75 points, the second-best score of the Bonus Round, garnering the team 7 Bonus points.

     

    Courtesy of the 3-0 performance, and their 7 Bonus points, the Freedom rose to No. 5 in the league standings, now with an 8-8 record and a combined 22 Bonus points.

     

    The PBR Team Series will next travel to Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the fifth team-hosted homestand as the Oklahoma Freedom welcome the league for PBR Freedom Fest. The event will be on Friday, September 16 at 7:45 p.m. CT, Saturday, September 17 at 6:45 p.m. CT and Sunday, September 18 at 1:45 p.m. CT.

    The game matchups for the opening night of competition in Oklahoma City on September 16 are:

    Nashville Stampede @ Missouri Thunder

    Arizona Ridge Riders @ Carolina Cowboys

    Kansas City Outlaws @ Texas Rattlers

    Austin Gamblers @ Oklahoma Freedom

     

    PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.

    SCORE BULLETINS

     

    Texas Rattlers Come Back to Beat Missouri Thunder on Final Day of PBR Team Series Competition in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

     

    Texas Rattlers: 170

    Missouri Thunder: 166.5

     

    WINSTON-SALEM, N.C – After suffering two heart-breaking losses as PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series competition got underway in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, rebounded in resilient fashion Sunday afternoon, earning an upset, comeback victory against the Missouri Thunder. In the lead-off position for the Rattlers, Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) struck early for Texas, conquering Rock Solid (TCB Ranch/K-C Bucking Bulls) for 86 points to give the Cody Lambert-coached outfit an early lead. The Thunder, however, responded in the very next trip. Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) rode Prisoner (K-C Bucking Bulls/Daniels Cattle Co.) for 83.5 points, and Missouri inched within 2.5 points of the lead. In the second, the Rattlers were humbled as newly inked rider Junior Patrik Souza (Sonora, Brazil) was bucked off by Trinity (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) in a close 5.99 seconds. The Thunder’s momentum, however, rolled on. In his debut out for the team, Marcelo Procopio Pereira (Rinopolis, Brazil) outlasted Old Time Religion (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 83 points to give the Thunder their first lead, surpassing the Rattlers by 80.5 points. After neither team converted in the third, the Rattlers shifted the tide in the top of the fourth, regaining their lead when surging Aussie Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) rode Smooth Kat (Cornwell Bucking Bulls) for 84 points. Compliments of the score, the Rattlers rose to a 3.5-point lead as Missouri readied to attempt their fourth bull. With the chance to give his team back the lead entering the final frame, Cody Teel (College Station, Texas) failed to capitalize, sent to the dirt in a quick 2.75 seconds by Tiger (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson). With the game coming down to the fifth, Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) was in the closer position for the Rattlers, while first-round draft pick Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) was out last for the Thunder. With both riders bucking off prior to the 8, the Rattlers won their first game of PBR Cowboy Days, beating the Thunder 170-166.5. As a result, the Rattlers improved to 1-2 at PBR Cowboy Days and 5-11 during the season, while the Thunder fell to 1-2 at the PBR Team Series event and 8-8 throughout 2022.

     

     

    Austin Gamblers Rebound with Win Against Arizona Ridge Riders on Final Day of PBR Team Series Competition in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

     

    Austin Gamblers: 86

    Arizona Ridge Riders: 0.00

     

    WINSTON-SALEM, N.C – The Austin Gamblers recaptured their winning form Sunday afternoon during the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, beating the Arizona Ridge Riders by one ride score, 86-0. The game-deciding score was registered in the first frame. After the Ridge Riders’ Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) was awarded a re-ride, newly signed Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Acre) struck in the bottom of the first for the Gamblers. Matching Shakira (JR Phillips) jump-for-jump, Lima reached the whistle for a crucial 86 points. With neither team covering in the second, third or fourth, it all came down to the Ridge Riders’ closer Luciano de Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil) in the fifth. Needing to score in excess of 86 points to keep his team’s hopes of victory alive, Castro was paired with Homer (JR Phillips) for the crucial out. Despite a true cowboy effort to remain centered, Castro was bucked off in a close 5.57 seconds, handing the victory to the Gamblers. With the Gamblers unable to convert in their final out, and a re-ride awarded from the third, the final scoreboard read an 86-0 Gamblers win. Courtesy of the win, the Gamblers improved to 1-2 at PBR Cowboy Days, and 10-6 this season, while the Ridge Riders backslid to 1-2 at the event and 10-6 this season.

     

    Oklahoma Freedom Complete Perfect 3-0 Sweep at PBR Team Series Competition Event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with Win Against Kansas City Outlaws

     

    Oklahoma Freedom: 170.75

    Kansas City Outlaws: 87

     

    WINSTON-SALEM, N.C – The Oklahoma Freedom continued their white-hot momentum Sunday afternoon, completing their perfect 3-0 sweep of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, defeating the Kansas City Outlaws 170.75-87. Both teams began the game with a perfect 2-0 record. After a scoreless first, the game intensity ratcheted up in the second. Riding in the top of the frame, Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) put the Freedom on the board first, riding Happy Gambler (Sho-Me Rodeo) for 86.75 points. Oklahoma’s lead, however, was short lived as the Outlaws converted in the very next out. Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana) conquered High Country Hitman (High Country Solutions/JR Phillips) for 87 points, to put the Outlaws ahead by a mere 0.25 points. After the scoreboard remain unchanged through the third, Freedom Captain Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) delivered the go-ahead score in the top of the fourth. Paired with Left Eye Lopez (Dustin Denning), Vastbinder reached the requisite 8 for a crucial 84 points to put the Freedom back on top by 83.75 points. Keen to answer, the Outlaws were unable to keep pace as second-round draft pick Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) was brought down by The Undertaker (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Riley Bucking Bulls/PCP Bucking Bulls) in a close 5.23 seconds. As the fifth got underway, Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) had the chance to clinch the victory early for the Freedom. Kolbaba, however, erred in his showdown with Rocky Malcoma (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls), sent to the ground in a quick 2.58 seconds. Via the buckoff, the door was opened for Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) to win the game for the Outlaws in walk-off fashion. Kasel, however, was no match for Whip (Obernagel/Sho-Me Rodeo), bested in 4.36 seconds. As a result, the Freedom won the game 170.75-87, and improved to 3-0 at PBR Cowboy Days and 8-8 throughout the 2022 PBR Team Series season. The Outlaws, however, fell to 2-1 at PBR Cowboy Days and 7-9 this season.

     

     

    Nashville Stampede Knock Off League No. 1 Carolina Cowboys at Home During Final Day of PBR Team Series Competition in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

     

    Nashville Stampede: 259.25

    Carolina Cowboys: 257.75

     

    WINSTON-SALEM, N.C – The final game of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, pitted the winless league No. 8 Nashville Stampede against the No. 1, and host, Carolina Cowboys, who had yet to lose at their home event. In a David versus Goliath-style showdown, the Stampede knocked off the Cowboys at home, eking out the win by 1.5 points 259.25-257.75. The see-saw game featured both teams going a commanding 3-for-5, covering 60% of the showdown’s bovine athletes.

     

    In the opening frame, Nashville was quick to convert, as 2018 PBR World Champion and first-round draft pick Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) covered YETI’S Big Poison (Cowtown Rodeo) for 87.75 points. While the Cowboys logged a score in the very next out, 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis’ (Jasper, Texas) 87-point ride aboard Whiplash (Blake Sharp/Floyd Lowery/CB & Traci Lee) was not enough to give his team the lead. As the second got underway, Manoelito de Souza Junior (Itamira, Brazil) stumbled for the Stampede, and Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) was awarded a re-ride after Chief (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd) fell during his trip. As the game approached the midway point, the Stampede registered their second-consecutive buckoff when Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Oklahoma) was upended by Apper’s Mind Freak (Jo-Z Bucking Bulls/K-C Bucking Bulls/Spark-Lin-Acres) in a close 5.94 seconds. The Cowboys rebounded, as Mason Taylor (Maypearl, Texas) gave Carolina its first lead in the bottom of the third. In perfect time with Siroucho (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls), Taylor reached the requisite 8 for 86.25 points to put Carolina ahead by 85.5 points. Matt Triplett (Canton, South Dakota) then righted the tide for the Stampede in the top of the fourth, conquering Contusion (Sho-Me Rodeo) for 86.5 points to put Nashville back out front of Carolina by a slim 1-point. With both Wingson Henrique da Silva (Navirai, Brazil) failing to make the 8, and Campbell bucking off his re-ride, the game came down to the fifth.

     

    For the second time during PBR Cowboy Days, three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) was in a must-ride position as the closer for the Stampede. After his qualified ride was not enough to push the Stampede past the Thunder Saturday evening, he was determined to settle for nothing less than a win in his crucial out Sunday afternoon. Rising to the occasion, Alves rode Prime Tested (Blake Sharp/Travis Austin/Koe Wetzel) for a critical 85 points to give his team an increased 86-point lead ahead of Carolina’s final out. Like Alves, 2022 PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) was also in a must-ride position for the second-consecutive evening. Initially paired with Cooter Brown (Lucas Manning/Waller Brothers Cattle Co.), Swearingen was awarded a re-ride when the bull fell towards the end of the out. In a manner that seemed straight from a move script, Swearingen’s re-ride partner was none other than Jailhouse Cat (Clark View Farms/Phillips), the very bull he rode Saturday evening to earn the Cowboys a walk-off win against the Arizona Ridge Riders. While Swearingen again covered the bull, the out immediately went into review. The trip was confirmed to be a qualified ride, but Swearingen was awarded just 84.5 points, not enough to clinch the victory for Carolina. When the dust settled, Nashville won its first game of PBR Cowboy Days, defeating the host Cowboys by 1.5 points, 259.25-257.75. The win snapped a six-game losing streak and improved Nashville to 1-2 at PBR Cowboy Days and 4-12 this season. Carolina concluded their homestand having gone 1-2, now with a 10-6 season record.

     

    WINSTON-SALEM TEAM STANDINGS:

    Here are the final Team standings for the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, PBR Team Series event:

     

    1. Oklahoma Freedom, 3-0-0-7
    2. Carolina Cowboys, 2-1-0-8
    3. Kansas City Outlaws, 2-1-0-3
    4. Texas Rattlers, 1-2-0-6
    5. Missouri Thunder, 1-2-0-5
    6. Austin Gamblers, 1-2-0-4
    7. Nashville Stampede, 1-2-0-2
    8. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-2-0-1

     

    PBR TEAM SERIES SEASON STANDINGS:

    Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the conclusion of competition for PBR Cowboy Days in Winston-Salem, North Carolina:

     

    1. Carolina Cowboys, 10-6-0-46
    2. Austin Gamblers, 10-6-0-36.5
    3. Arizona Ridge Riders, 10-6-0-19
    4. Missouri Thunder, 8-8-0-27
    5. Oklahoma Freedom, 8-8-0-22
    6. Kansas City Outlaws, 7-9-0-20.5
    7. Texas Rattlers, 5-11-0-25
    8. Nashville Stampede, 4-12-0-20

     

    About the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series:

    The PBR Team Series is an elite new league that features the world’s top bull riders competing on teams in five-on-five bull riding games during an 11-event season beginning in July and culminating in a team championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas November 4-6.  During the 2022 season, each of the eight teams representing teams in Austin, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Glendale, AZ; Kansas City, MO; Nashville, TN; Oklahoma City, OK; Ridgedale, MO; and Winston-Salem, NC will host a three-day homestand.  There will also be neutral site games in Cheyenne, WY and Anaheim, CA. To determine team rosters, the league held a rider draft on May 23 prior to start of the 2022 season among any bull riders who have declared for the draft during a league eligibility window. The PBR Team Series builds on the existing structure of professional bull riding with the same basic rules for judging and scoring qualified 8-second bull rides. Events will be staged in a tournament-style format with all teams competing in head-to-head matchups against a different opponent each day. Each game will feature five riders per team squaring off against another team. Full team rosters will be comprised of seven riders on the core roster and three practice squad members. The team with the highest aggregate score of qualified rides among its riders will be declared the winner of each game. The event winner will be the team with the most game wins across an event, with a special bonus round designed as a tie-breaker to determine final event standings. All PBR Team Series events will be carried on either the CBS Television Network, streaming live on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, or RidePass on PlutoTV.

     

  • Drama unfolds at first performance of Puyallup Rodeo

    Drama unfolds at first performance of Puyallup Rodeo

    PUYALLUP, Washington – With the best rodeo athletes in the world competing for a historic $1 million purse at the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup Rodeo, the action at the first performance did not disappoint.

    Action in the grandstand at the Washington State Fair started with bareback riding where Leighton Berry from Weatherford, Texas, had the high-marked ride of the night. Berry rode Calgary Stampede’s great horse Cinchy Whitney for 88 points to win the first round of his group.

    It was a very important win for Berry who added some much needed money to his checking account. More importantly, those dollars count towards the world standings. Berry, who qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2020 is looking for another opportunity to compete at rodeo’s championships. Prior to the start of the Puyallup Rodeo, he was 13th in the world standings. The top 15 qualify for the NFR, so he needs to keep winning to secure his spot and is hoping any moves in the standings are up and not down.

    Berry’s first NFR qualification was hosted in his home state of Texas because of the pandemic. Last year, he spent a good part of the season out with a back injury that required surgery. He grew up the son of a rodeo cowboy who always dreamed of competing at the NFR in Las Vegas. His success in Puyallup could make those goals a reality.

    He will ride again here on Friday night. A solid score will see him among the top four that advance from this group to Sunday’s semifinals. Finding themselves in a similar situation were team ropers Cody Snow and Wesley Thorp.

    With Snow, from Los Olivos, California, heading and Thorp, of Throckmorton, Texas, they stopped the clock in 4.2 seconds to win the round. It was a critical move for them also. Snow is 13th in the world, while Thorp, the 2019 world champion is 14th.

    Friday’s rodeo will feature the same contestants as were here on Thursday. Their scores and times will be added together to see who advances to Sunday’s semifinals. The top four in each event will spend a little more time at the Washington State Fair as they compete for the championship and the lion’s share of the prize money.

     

     

    The following are unofficial results from the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup Rodeo, part of the Washington State Fair. Payoffs are subject to change.

     

    First Performance—

     

    Bareback riding: 1, Leighton Berry, Weatherford, Texas, 88 points on Calgary Stampede’s Cinchy Whitney, $3,600. 2, Will Lowe, Amarillo, Texas, 85.5, $2,700. 3, Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 83, $1,800. 4, Chad Rutherford, Hillsboro, Texas, 82, $900.

     

    Breakaway roping: 1, (tie) Jordi Edens, Gatesville, Texas; Beau Peterson, Council Grove, Kan.; Tacy Webb, Midway, Texas, 3.1 and $2,700 each. 4, Lari Dee Guy, Abilene, Texas, 4.0, $900.

     

    Steer wrestling: 1, Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.2, $3,600. 2, Tristan Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.4, $2,700. 3, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., 4.5, $1,800. 4, Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 5.1, $900.

     

    Saddle bronc riding: 1, Kole Ashbacher, Arrowood, Alberta, 86 points on Calgary Stampede’s Business Girl, $3,600. 2, (tie) Layton Green, Millarville, Alberta, and Damian Brennan, Injune, Australia, 83, $2,250 each. 4, (tie)  Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, and Mitch Pollock, Winnemucca, Nev., 81, $450.

     

    Team roping: 1, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas, 4.2, $3,600. 2, Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah and Caleb Hendrix, Fallon, Nev., 4.3, $2,700. 3, Erich Rogers, Seba Dalkai, Ariz., and Paden Bray, Stephenville, Texas, 4.4, $1,800. 4, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 6.0, $900.

     

    Tie-down roping: 1, Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash., 8.2, $3,600. 2, Luke Potter, Maple city, Kan., and Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 8.3 and $2,250 each . 4, Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 8.8, $900.

     

    Barrel Racing: 1, Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas, 13.64, $3,600. 2, Ivy Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 13.85, $2,700. 3, Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla., 13.90, $1,800. 4, Emma Charleston, Reeds, Mo., 14.02, $900.

     

    Bull riding: 1, Connor Murnion, Jordan, Mont., 84.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Catfish Clinger. 2, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 82.5, $2,700. 3, Ky John Hamilton, Mackay, Australia, 81.5, $1,800.

     

    For more information and tickets: https://www.thefair.com/rodeo/

     

     

    Where:                                    Washington State Fair

    110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA 98371

     

    When:                                     Thursday, Sept. 8 – Sunday, Sept. 11

     

     

    The Washington State Fair is one of the biggest fairs in the world, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest. It started in 1900 in Puyallup, and welcomes more than a million guests to the single largest attended event in the state. Star-studded entertainment, the Puyallup Rodeo, rides, exhibits, food, flowers and animals are mainstays of the 20-day event that kicks off the Friday of Labor Day weekend. For more information about the Sept. 2-25, 2022 Washington State Fair (closed Tuesdays and Sept. 7), visit www.thefair.com.

     

    # # #

     

  • Hastings rodeo pickup man works Oregon Trail Rodeo for the last time

    Hastings rodeo pickup man works Oregon Trail Rodeo for the last time

    Hastings, Neb. – August 29, 2022 – After nine years, Tucker Stocklin made his last annual trip to Hastings, Neb.

    The Isabel, S.D. man, a pickup man for the Oregon Trail Rodeo, is retiring at the end of the year.

    He’s been working the Hastings rodeo since 2014, along with other rodeos across the Great Plains.

    Stocklin grew up near Winner, S.D., in a rodeo family, competing in 4-H rodeo as a youth, then riding saddle broncs in the South Dakota Rodeo Association and the Northwest Ranch Cowboys Association.

    At the age of thirty, his focus switched from riding broncs to picking up.

    He had become friends with rodeo producers Johnny Holloway and his son Chuck Holloway, having ridden young colts at their place. Chuck, a National Finals Rodeo pickup man, and Johnny helped teach Stocklin the art of picking up wild and unruly bucking broncs.

    As one of two pickup men at a pro rodeo, Stocklin’s job is to ride his mount as close as possible to the bucking horse, after the cowboy’s ride is over, and help get the bucking horse through the gate and into the back pens.

    It’s a job filled with some danger and plenty of excitement.

    “There’s a certain amount of adrenaline,” he said. “It’s a different feeling when you ride up to something that’s jumping and kicking four feet over your head.”

    At the start of his career, he picked up at regional associations. In 2014, Jim and TJ Korkow, of Korkow Rodeos (and stock contractor for the Hastings rodeo), asked him to buy his PRCA card so he could work their events.

    It’s time to quit, he said. “My wife and I have a ranch. We run some cows and I need to be home haying when I’m at a rodeo. There are things that need to get done.”

    He and wife Ann have a three-year-old daughter, who he’d like to spend time with, as well as Stocklin’s two older daughters, Jaylynn and Carissa.

    He’ll miss the camaraderie of the rodeo trail, especially the Oregon Trail Rodeo.

    “I think you could set out in front of your trailer at 9 am with a cup of coffee and visit, and if you weren’t paying attention, you could visit till (the rodeo) was over.”

    The Hastings rodeo committee is extra-welcoming, he said.

    “The whole committee has been good. They always make you feel welcome and treat you well, and if you need something, you ask and they will do everything they can to get it for you.”

    It will be nice to be home, he acknowledged, but he’ll miss the thrill of being in the middle of the action at the rodeo.

    “You’re in the eye of it,” he said. “They claim that’s where the calm is, in the eye of the storm. From the outside, (the rides) might look wild. But if things are going well, it’s like slow-motion in the middle of it.

    “I’m content with what I’ve done with my career. I’m ready to call it good.”

    In addition to the Korkow Rodeo Co., Stocklin has worked for Bailey Pro Rodeo and Fettig Pro Rodeo.

  • Champions Crowned at Caldwell Night Rodeo

    Champions Crowned at Caldwell Night Rodeo

    CALDWELL, Idaho (Aug. 20, 2022)— When the dust settled in the D & B Arena at the Caldwell Night Rodeo on Saturday night, nearly $400,000 in prize money was paid out, 10 champions were crowned and the fans started planning for next year.

    The big winner at the 98th edition of the rodeo was tie-down roper Macon Murphy from Keatchie, Louisiana. Murphy finished third in the final round Saturday night but was fast enough to get the win. He started the night in first place, then stopped the clock in 8.9 seconds to give him a total of 24.8 on three runs. That was good for $10,629. And, it’s money that he is badly in need of to secure his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification.

    Murphy was just outside of the top 15 that earn a trip to Las Vegas to compete at rodeo’s championships at number 17. The money he won here should easily put him inside the top 15, but he will need to keep the momentum going through the end of September to stay there.

    The saddle bronc horses from Powder River Rodeo were the stars on Saturday night, taking Canadians Zeke Thurston and Dawson Hay to record setting rides. The previous arena record here was set by Shaun Stroh at 91 points in 2010.

    Hay, from Wildwood, Alberta, got on Miss Valley. Two-time world champion Thurston from Big Valley, Alberta rode Bet the Ranch. They each had scores of 92 points. Hay had a higher score starting the night so got the win based on his overall score of 177.5 points on two head. It added $6,768 to his earnings. Prior to Caldwell’s rodeo, he was 21 in the world standings, so this could help him move up and qualify for his third NFR.

    A year ago, Stetson Wright, of Milford, Utah won the saddle bronc riding, bull riding and all-around titles here. Even though he didn’t get the saddle bronc riding this year, he did win money in that event and got wins in the other two categories.

    Stetson was the lone bull rider to be successful on Saturday night and was one point shy of the arena record at 93 points. He got on Powder River Rodeo’s Domino for the win and $8,000. His total earning were over $10,000 for the all-around prize.

    The Caldwell Night Rodeo hosted breakaway roping for the second consecutive year and it was also record setting. Taylor Munsell from Alva, Okla., won the final round with a 2.2-second run, the fastest here so far. The event was won by Beau Peterson, from Council Grove, Kansas with a total time of 8.4 seconds on three head.

    Tim O’Connell, from Zwingle, Iowa, won $4,712 in bareback with 170.5 points on two head. The steer wrestling title went to Tanner Brunner, from Ramona, Kansas, with a total time of 13.0 seconds on three runs. Brunner collected $9,508.

    South Dakota team ropers Jr. Dees and Levi Lord got the win with 17.8 seconds on three runs. With Dees, from Aurora, doing the heading and Lord, from Sturgis doing the heeling, they each earned $6,140.            Margo Crowther could win an award for being the rodeo contestant farthest away from home, but she is probably happier with the championship here. The barrel racer from Fort Myers, Florida had a time of 51.81 seconds and won $8,074.

     

     

    2022 Caldwell Night Rodeo Champions

    Bareback–Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 170.5 points, $4,712

    Steer Wrestling–Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan., 13.0 seconds, $9,508

    Team Roping–Jr. Dees, Aurora, S.D., and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 17.8 seconds, $6,140 each

    Breakaway Roping–Beau Peterson, Council Grove, Kan., 8.4 seconds, $4,806

    Saddle Bronc Riding–Dawson Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, 177.5 points, $6,768.

    Tie-Down Roping–Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La., 24.8, $10,629

    Barrel Racing, Margo Crowther, Fort Myers, Fla., 51.81 seconds, $8,074

    Bull Riding–Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 93 points, $8,000

    All-Around–Stetson Wright, $10,236 won in saddle bronc and bull riding

     

     

    CALDWELL, Idaho (Aug. 20, 2022) — The following are unofficial results from the Caldwell Night Rodeo.

     

    Championship Night followed by overall winners–

     

    Bareback Riding: (final round) 1, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iwoa, 89.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Two Buck Chuck, $1,650. 2, Cole Reiner, Buffalo, Wyo., 87, $1,250. 3, Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 86, $900. 4, Keenan Reed Hayes, Hayden, Colo., 82.5, $600.  5, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 82.5, $350. 6, Jacob Raine, Mount Pleasant, Tenn., 82, $250. (total on two) 1, O’Connell, 170.5, $2,916. 2, Rocker Shane Steiner, Weatherford, Texas, 169.5, $2,236. 3, Aus, 167, $1,652. 4, Reiner, 170.5, $1,069. 5, Landingham, 165, $680. 6, Hayes, 164.5, $486. 7, Raine, 154.5, $389. (on one) 8, Dean Thompson, Altamont, Utah, 86, $292.

     

    Steer Wrestling: (final round) 1, Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D., 4.3 seconds, $1,436. 2, (tie) Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho; Ty Allred, Tooele, Utah; and Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla.,; 4.6 and $941 each. 5, (tie) Travis Munro, Townsville, Australia and Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan., 4.8, $347. (total on three) 1, Brunner, 13.0, $5,449. 2, Duvall, 13.4, $4,736. 3, Morman, 13.6, $4,628. 4, Allred, 13.8, $3,317. 5, Tavenner, 14.0, $2,606. 6, Munro, 14.1, $1,185. 7, Remey Parrott, Mamou, La., 14.1, $1,185. 8, Will Lummus, Byhallia, Miss., 14.1, $1,185.

     

    Team Roping: (final round) 1, Jr. Dees, Aurora, S.D., and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 6.1. 2, Cory Kidd V, Statesville, N.C., and Lane Mitchell, Bolivar, Tenn., 6.2, $960. 3, Jeff Flenniken, Caldwell, Idaho and Jake Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 6.5, $760. 4, Clayton Hansen, Weiser, Idaho and Chase Hansen, homedale, Idaho, 7.9, $560. 5, Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas, and Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 8.3, $360. (total on three) 1, Dees and Lord, 17.8, $4,980. 2, Wade and Yates, 18.1, $4,330. 3, Kidd and Mitchell, 19.8, $3,681. 4, (tie) Hansen and Hansen; and Bryan Reay, Adrian, Ore., and Brent Falon, Yakima, Wash., 22.0, $2,706. 6, Flenniken and Minor, 22.1, $1,732. 7, Brenten Hall, Jay, Okla., and Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont., 22.3, $1,083. 8, Coy Rahlmann, Elsinore, Mo., and douglas Rich, Herrick, Ill., 24.9, $433.

     

    Breakaway Roping: (final round) 1, Taylor Munsell, Alva, Okla., 2.2 seconds, $892. 2, Beau Peterson, Council Grove, Kan., 2.4. 3, Alex Loiselle, Paris, Texas, 2.6, $684. 4, Hope Thompaons, Abilene, Texas, 3.2, $431. (total on three) 1, Peterson, 8.4, $2,729. 2, Munsell, 8.6, $2,373. 3, Loiselle, 9.0, $2,017. 4, Thompson, 9.5, $1,661. (on two) 5, Hali Williams, Comanche, Texas, 6.1, $1,305. 6, Josie Conner, Iowa, La., 5.3, $949.

     

    Saddle Bronc Riding: (final round) 1, (tie) Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, on Powder River Rodeo’s Bet the Ranch, and Dawson Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, on Powder River Rodeo’s Miss Valley, 91, $1,450 each. 3, (tie) Allen Boore, Axtel, Utah, and Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 86, $750. 5, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 85, $350. 6, Kade Bruno, Challis, Idaho and Sage Newman, Melstone, Mont., 83, $125. (total on two) 1, Hay, 177.5, $3,184. 2, Thurston, 174, $2,441. 3, Newman, 173.5, $1,804. 4, Crawley, 171, $1,167. 5, Wright, 169.5, $743. 6, Boore, 168, $531. 7, Bruno, 167, $425. 8, Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 164.

     

    Tie-Down Roping: (final round) 1, (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, and John Douch, Huntsville, Texas, 8.8, $1,338, 3, Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La., 8.9, $960. 4, (tie) J.C. Malone, Plain City, Utah and King Pickett, Stephenville, Texas, 9.2, $681. 6, Haven Meged, Miles, City, Mont., 9.5, $253. (total on three) 1, Murphy, 24.8, $5,752. 2, Douch, 25.2, $5,002. 3, Pickett, 26.2, $4,251. 4, Yates, 26.7, $3,501. 5, Meged, 27.0, $2,751. 6, J.C. Malone, Plain City, Utah, 27.2, $2,001. 7, (tie) Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif., and Riley Wakefield, ONeill, Neb., 28.0, $875.

     

    Barrel Racing:  (final round) 1, Dona Kay Rule, Minco, Okla., 17.03, $1,836. 2, Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, Idaho, 17.12, $1,377.42. 3, Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas, 17.20, $918. 4, Margo Crowther, Fort Myers, Fla., 17.35, $459. (total on three) 1, Crowther, 51.81 seconds, $3,719. 2, McLeod-Sprague, 52.02, $3,188. 3, Rule, 52.06, $2,656. 4, Morgan, 52.07, $2,302. 5, Bayleigh Choate, Fort Worth, Texas, 52.20, $1,771. 6, Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 52.21, $1,417. 7, Macee McAllister, St. George, Utah, 52.24, $1,062. 8, Lynette Clyde, Heber, Utah, 52.32, $708. 9, Ashley Castleberry, Montgomery, Texas, 52.44, $531. 10, Shannon McReynolds, La Luz, N.M., 52.65, $354.

     

    Bull Riding: (round 1 winners) 1, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 93 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Domino, $8,000. 2, Trey Holston, Fort Scott, Kan., 85.5, $6,134. 3, Levi Gray, Dairy, Ore., 85, $4,534. 4, Canyon Wiley Bass, Johnson City, Texas, 82, $2,934. 5, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, 74, $1,867.