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SALT LAKE CITY (June 26, 2019) – Bull riding fans are in for a real treat at the Komatsu Equipment Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo presented by Zions Bank in Salt Lake City, July 19-24. Seven of the top eight bull riders in the current PBR World Standings have all earned a chance to compete for a share of over $1 million and a gold medal at the Days of ’47 Arena.

2017 PBR Rookie of the Year Jose Vitor Leme leads the pack as the current No. 1 ranked rider in the PBR World Standings. He punched his ticket to the Days of ’47 after winning PBR Unleash the Beast, Ty Murray Invitational, presented by Isleta Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, N.M.

Fan favorite and presently the hottest bull rider in the PBR, Jess Lockwood can also make plans for Salt Lake City.  Three straight PBR Touring Pro event wins in as many weeks moved the 2017 PBR World Champion to No. 2 in the world standings as of June 24. Lockwood now joins his fiancé, reigning world champion and two-time gold medal winning barrel racer Hailey Kinsel, on the list of qualifiers. No doubt this rodeo power couple would love to add more gold to their growing collection.

João Ricardo Vieira joined fellow Brazilian Vitor Leme on the list of qualifiers after winning the WCRA Titletown Stampede bull riding in Green Bay, Wis. earlier this month. Ricardo Vieira is currently ranked 3^rd in the PBR World Standings.

Chase Outlaw, sitting fourth in the standings at present time, is having his best season yet and will be looking to keep things sizzling this summer when he attempts to finish atop the medal stand at the Days of ’47 Gold Medal Rodeo. Cody Teel, ranked fifth, earned his spot to compete Salt Lake City winning the Trial Event at the PBR Unleash the Beast Billings Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires.

2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis added his name to the list of qualifiers for the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo with his current sixth place ranking on the PBR World Standings. With Vitor Leme, Ricardo Vieira and Teel having already advanced, Davis became the third and final bull rider pulled from the PBR World Standings.

Joining these top 6 bull riders will be eighth ranked Derek Kolbaba. The 26-year-old Walla Walla, Wash. cowboy will be looking to defend his Days of ’47 title after picking up his first gold medal in 2018.

A total of 288 competitors will get the chance to compete during the five day event in July. The rodeo will feature 32 competitors in each event (bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, women’s breakaway roping and bull riding) with eight competitors per performance starting on Friday, July 19.  The top two from each performance, along with two via the Wild Card category, will advance to the Gold Medal Round on July 24 where ten competitors in each event will compete in a sudden-death format with the winner collecting a Gold Medal and $50,000 cash.

Only a few qualification spots remain for contestants to earn their spot– either via the Days of ’47 Qualification events or the WCRA path.

 

The Days of ’47 qualification routes still available:

– 2019 Priefert Patriot Days of ’47 Challenge *timed event only 

The WCRA remaining qualifications will consist of the following:

– Top 20 (12 in bull riding, 28 in the breakaway roping and 21 in team roping) in WCRA Virtual Qualifier points as of July 8, 2019

Bull riders will need to have a PBR card and be registered on the WRCA App to compete while all others must be registered with the WCRA to compete.

The Komatsu Equipment Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo presented by Zions Bank, July 19-20 and 22-24, will take place at the $17.5 million state-of-the-art Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark, custom designed and built for rodeo. The venue—an outdoor arena located in the heart of Salt Lake City—features over 10,000 stadium-style seats.

For only the fifth time in the history of rodeo, riders will have an opportunity to compete for Gold, Silver or Bronze Medals. The first two times were in conjunction with the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary (1988) and Salt Lake City (2002), when rodeo was part of the Cultural Olympiad and the other two times being the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo in 2017 and 2018. The medals that will be awarded at the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo will be produced by OC Tanner, the same company that made the Olympic medals for the champions of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Tickets are currently on sale at smithstix.com. For more information on the event visit www.daysof47cowboygames.com.

The Komatsu Equipment Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo will broadcast live every night exclusively on PBR’s RidePass via RidePass.com or the RidePass mobile app. Additionally fans can catch preshow and post shows on CBS Sports Network with the final Gold Medal Round airing on CBS at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 28. For a complete list of broadcast times and dates visit www.daysof47cowboygames.com.

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Current list of athletes who have earned qualification for 2019 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo

Bareback Riding

Richmond Champion – 2018 Calgary Stampede

Wyatt Denny – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

*JR Vezain – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo (will be unable to compete due to injury)

Ty Breuer – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Tristan Hansen– 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo (replacing JR Vezain)

Kaycee Feild – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Shane O’Connell – 2019 DO47 Lewis Feild Bulls & Broncs Event

Tilden Hooper – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Will Lowe – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Tanner Aus – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Austin Foss – 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Seth Hardwick – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Chance Ames – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

 

Steer Wrestling

Matt Reeves – 2018 Calgary Stampede

Justin Shaffer – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

*Rowdy Parrott – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo (will be unable to compete due to injury)

Hunter Cure – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo (replacing Rowdy Parrott)

Bridger Anderson – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Tyler Pearson – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Josh Garner –2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Mason Carter – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Jon Laine Herl – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Blake Knowles – 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Stockton Graves – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Tyler West – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

 

Team Roping – Headers

Kellan Johnson – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Matt Sherwood – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Riley Minor – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Garrett Tonozzi – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Ty Blasingame – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Justin Thigpen – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Tanner Tomlinson – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Lane Santos Karney– 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Luke Brown – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Dalton Titsworth – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

Team Roping – Heelers

Carson Johnson – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Will Woodfin – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Brady Minor – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Joe Mattern – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Kyle Lockett – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Kyle Crick – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Ty Arnold – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Taylor Winters – 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Paul Eaves – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Kolton White – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

Saddle Bronc Riding

Zeke Thurston – 2018 Calgary Stampede

Cody DeMoss – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Wyatt Casper – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Isaac Diaz – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Colt Gordon – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Ross Griffin – 2019 DO47 Lewis Feild Bulls & Broncs Event

Jesse Wright – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Travis Gardner – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Spencer Wright – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Lefty Holman – 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Shorty Garrett – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Riggin Smith – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

 

Tie-Down Roping

Tuf Cooper – 2018 Calgary Stampede

Cory Solomon – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

JC Malone – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Caleb Smidt – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Shane Hanchey – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Michael Otero – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

John Douch – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Seth Cooke – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Taylor Santos – 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Tanner Green – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Haven Meged – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

Barrel Racing

Hailey Kinsel – 2018 Calgary Stampede

Lisa Lockhart – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Chani Graves – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Cheyenne Wimberley – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Nellie Williams-Miller – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Shali Lord – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-Star

Dona Kay Rule – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Kathy Petska – 2019 Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

Michelle Darling – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Ashtyn Carlson – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

Women’s Breakaway Roping

Jackie Crawford – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Shelby Boisjoli – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Taylor Munsell – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

Bull Riding

Marcos Gloria – 2018 Calgary Stampede

Derek Kolbaba – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Alisson De Souza – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Garrett Smith – 2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo

Chandler Bownds – 2019 WCRA Windy City Roundup, Chicago

Coleman Entze – 2019 DO47 Lewis Feild Bulls & Broncs Event

Trevor Kastner – 2019 RODEOHOUSTONÒ Super Series

Marco Antonio Eguchi – 2019 PBR Fresno, CA Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Event

Keyshawn Whitehorse – 2019 PBR Casper, WY Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Event

Koal Livingston – 2019 PBR Bakersfield, CA Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Event

Preston Louis – 2019 Denver Rodeo All-star

Cody Teel – 2019 PBR Billings, MT Unleash the Beast Tour Event

Garrett Tribble – 2019 Rodeo Corpus Christi

Jose Vitor Leme – 2019 Albuquerque, NM Unleash the Beast Tour Event

Boudreaux Campbell – Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo

João Ricardo Vieira – 2019 WCRA Titletown Stampede, Green Bay

Daylon Swearingen – 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

Jess Lockwood – PBR World Standings

Chase Outlaw – PBR World Standings

Cooper Davis – PBR World Standings

NOTE: The above is strictly a list of who has qualified. A final list of competitors will be released after entries close on July 10.

Remaining schedule

– 2019 WCRA VRQ Standings (20 athletes all events except bull riding, breakaway and team roping; 12 athletes for bull riding; 28 for breakaway roping; 21 for team roping) July 8

– 2019 Priefert Patriot Days of ’47 Last Chance Qualifier *timed event only – July 20-21

About Days of ‘47

The Komatsu Equipment Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo presented by Zions Bank, takes place at the $17.5 million, state-of-the-art Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark each July. The venue—an outdoor arena located in the heart of Salt Lake City—features over 10,000 stadium-style seats. The Days of ’47 Rodeo is one of Utah’s longest-standing traditions – celebrating Utah’s heritage since 1847. The rodeo, and other Days of ’47 events, commemorate the day – July 24, 1847 – when a determined company of Mormon pioneers realized their dreams upon entering the Great Salt Lake Valley. The Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo is a private, non-profit, volunteer, charitable organization. Our mission is to honor Utah’s pioneer heritage and educate Utah’s kids. Please visit daysof47cowboygames.com for more information.

“I don’t know if I could do what you do, handle the situation like you do, and have the attitude like you do.” These are all things that I have heard over and over from people the last nine months since the injury. At first I didn’t know how to respond to these statements because I felt like I was just being me. I have just been trying to handle the situation the best that I can, remain as positive as I can, and leave the rest up to God. The more I hear these statements the more I’ve thought about it, and have come up with a couple reasons as to why I choose to remain positive about the whole situation.

 

I don’t know how many of you have been around any clover but on wet years we get a ton of clover in our area. It over flows our pastures and gets thick. It looks like alfalfa, starts small and then as it grows it bushes out and gets thick. It gets really green and makes the area look outstanding. Animals love it and it’s a bonus feed for the spring. From a distance you can’t even tell that it’s clover it just looks tremendously green all over the rolling hills as far as you can see.

 

From Shelby and I’s house when you look across the river about a mile, on my in-laws place is where we calve our cows. For about a month as that clover popped up it turned the whole pasture a brilliant green. As green with as much clover as I’ve ever seen around here. Each afternoon I would load up my four wheeler and go with whoever was going to tag calves, usually either Sage my brother in-law, or Liane my mother in-law. I would get on my four wheeler with my rigged up handle to shift and take off. I would go around one side of the pasture looking for new babies. When I would find one I would take my sheep cane in one hand, get up beside the calf, get it hooked around the neck and pull it in towards my four wheeler. Once I got the calf pulled in and stopped, I then could could lean off the side and stick a tag in its ear. Sometimes this worked really slick, sometimes I’m sure it was quite the site to see as I chased the calf around trying to get it snagged. Regardless though I did my best to carry my weight and help out through calving season.

As the month went on the thicker the clover got in that pasture. As it started to heat up it would start to bloom and get a yellow head on it. The hotter it got the more it turned. From our house, a mile away, you couldn’t tell it was turning yellow at all. You could only see it turning as you were driving or riding through it. All of May from out our front door it still just looked green, but each day when we would go tag calves a little more would bloom. Then about the first week of June, we had a week of sunny and eighty degree weather and it turned the whole pasture a bright dandelion yellow. As far as you can see, its just rolling hills of yellow sweet clover all over.

 

This is kind of how I try to handle each hardship I come to. When I come to a storm and it seems like an overwhelming sense of green clover thickening all over my pastures I hold on to the sun and the heat, which represents the Lord and his word. Spending time in prayer, reading his word, and focusing on the hope that he promises us if we trust in him, will make that clover start to bloom. No matter how bad your situation is, remember it can always be worse. Therefore, if you make a habit out of finding the little things to be thankful for it will be like the clover starting to bloom. Little by little you keep finding the positives in every situation, hold on to the promises found in his word, then pretty soon it will be like when the whole pasture blooms and turns yellow. No matter how bad you think you have it when you focus on the little things to be thankful for you it will take your eyes off the mountain and put your gaze on the mountain mover!

So, to those who say “I don’t think I could handle the situation like you do” I say sure you can. We all have a choice when we wake up. We may not be able to control our circumstances, but we all can control our attitudes. Just because you’re dealt a duce instead of an ace this hand, doesn’t mean it has to affect your frame of mind on life. Just because life got a little hard for a minute doesn’t mean it has to affect your quality of life. Each morning we are all blessed with a breath of fresh air. Each morning we are blessed with a God who loves us enough that he sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. No matter what you are facing and how bad it seems God has a plan for you and there is always something to be thankful for. Remember when you are complaining that somebody out there would love to have what you are complaining about, so find the positives, trust in the Lord, and keep stepping forward.

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

When: July 8-13, 2019 – 7 p.m.

Where:  Granny May Arena – Estes Park, Colorado

 

Four of the eight 2018 winners, including a world champ, earned NFR bids

 

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Rooftop Rodeo has always been an important stop for the top cowboys and cowgirls in ProRodeo.

Whether it’s the mountain beauty of Estes Park or the big money up for grabs, it’s the perfect setting for those that make their living playing the game they love. Hundreds of them will return for this year’s event, set for 7 p.m. Monday, July 8-Saturday, July 13, at Granny May Arena in Estes Park inside the Estes Park Fairgrounds.

Of the eight champions from the 2018 Rooftop Rodeo, half utilized the money won in this Colorado resort town to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale that features only the top 15 money-earners in each event.

“We pride ourselves on being a place the contestants want to come to every summer,” said Mark Purdy, chairman of Estes Park Western Heritage Inc., a group of volunteers that works with the town of Estes Park to produce the annual rodeo. “To see that so many of our champions went on to the NFR shows the caliber of contestants we attract here.

“One of our winners was Caleb Smidt, who went on to win the world title. Another was Will Lummus, who was in the hunt for the championship until the ninth round of the NFR. I know we’re excited to see cowboys like that back here.”

Lummus, in fact, set a Rooftop Rodeo record with a 3.2-second run to win the second round and the overall title. It was one of the catalysts to his first qualification to ProRodeo’s finale.

“That was the fastest steer I’ve ever thrown,” said Lummus of West Point, Miss. “(In 2017), I was 4.5 on both steers and didn’t win anything. I like Estes Park. It’s an awesome place to be. They have always had good steers, and just the environment …

“I’m from Mississippi, and we don’t have mountains. Everywhere you go around here, the scenery is beautiful. There are great cattle, a great committee; this is a great place to have a rodeo with great fans. It’s a wonderful place to be.”

The $4,526 he pocketed was pretty wonderful, too. Rodeo is a unique sport; not only do dollars help pay bills and cover expenses with traveling across the country, but they also serve as championship points. The contestants with the most money won in each event are crowned world champions.

Others Rooftop Rodeo champions who made it to Las Vegas last December were team roping header Tyler Wade, who pocketed $4,440 in Estes Park, and saddle bronc rider Brody Cress, who earned a little more than $7,000.

“I love it over here,” Wade said. “The mountains are awesome. There are a lot of committees that don’t take care of their contestants quite as good as I think they should, but they do here. We appreciate every bit of it.”

Rooftop Rodeo will memorialize former queen Roxann Harris on July 9

 

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Roxann Harris always seemed to be giving back to others.

Her friends and comrades at Estes Park Western Heritage Inc. and the Town of Estes Park are going to honor that sentiment and her life during the Rooftop Rodeo, which is set for 7 p.m. Monday, July 8-Saturday, July 13, at Granny May Arena in Estes Park inside the Estes Park Fairgrounds.

“Her husband, Tom Harris, will be the grand marshal at the Rooftop Rodeo parade on Tuesday, July, 9, and we will be honoring her at the Queens Luncheon that day,” said Mark Purdy, chairman of Estes Park Western Heritage Inc., a group of volunteers that works with the town of Estes Park to produce the annual rodeo.

“Our Tuesday performance will be Roxann Harris Night, and we will be performing a rider-less ceremony with her Rooftop Rodeo saddle, boots and hat.”

Harris, the 1982 Rooftop Rodeo queen, died Jan. 7, 2019, after a short illness. She was 53.

After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, she worked her way up the corporate ladder in commercial real estate. After meeting her husband, she and Tom moved to Steamboat Springs and purchase a ranch. Five years later, they moved to Douglas County and lived there until her death.

Harris first became involved in the royalty program at the National Western Stock Show, which led to her involvement with Miss Rodeo America, where she was elected to the executive board of directors. She coached girls on horsemanship, poise, public speaking, fashion and other skills needed to become rodeo royalty.

For the past six years, she was a co-chair of the royalty coordinator program for the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo.

“Roxann was one of the best souls I have ever had the chance to meet,” Purdy said. “She has supported many rodeo royalty young ladies over the years over the years, including my own daughter, Kellsie, and our close friend, Alex Hyland Cox. Please join us July 9 for a day of celebrating the life of our wonderful friend, Roxann.”