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  • Driggers/Nogueira off and running after Round 1 of Wrangler NFR

    Driggers/Nogueira off and running after Round 1 of Wrangler NFR

    LAS VEGAS – Entering the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the tightest competition throughout the events was in team roping.

    The margin of difference in team roping heading was $393, with Kaleb Driggers in second place. His heeling partner, Junior Nogueira, was in first place by $591.

    That margin isn’t so close any more.

    Driggers and Nogueira posted a 4.2-second run to win the first round of the 2018 Wrangler NFR, Thursday, Dec. 6, grabbing the top spots in the PRCA | RAM World Standings in front of $16,864 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

    “I was excited coming here and coming in second,” Driggers said. “Honestly, the only team I ended up watching was the team in front of me. I was just trying to focus and do my job. The start is pretty much always the same, you’ve just got to watch the steer, try to focus, do your job and not get caught up in what everyone else is doing.”

    Driggers, who trailed only Clay Smith, increased his 2018 earnings to $151,182. Nogueira upped his money to $152,166.

    Last year, the team ropers each finished in second place.

    “We work the whole year to get here and have a couple months to get prepared (for the NFR),” Nogueira said. “We set the bar high, being so close to winning the world. I missed winning the world two, three times, I was close. I’ve learned a lot and just want to do my job.”

    The partners wanted to prepare for the Finals as much as possible. So they tried to re-enact what it was like to rope inside the Thomas & Mack.

    “We set up our arena with the same dimensions to get prepared (for the NFR),” Driggers said. “With all the fans and money on the line, we’re just trying to get as much as we can and be as prepared as we can.”

    Three teams were tied at 4.6 seconds ahead of Driggers and Nogueira, who were last out. They mostly focused on their run, not the teams ahead of them.

    “I watched from behind a little bit but just wanted to do my job and focus on my run,” Nogueira said. “I let him head and I focused on heeling.”

    While Nogueira, of Presidente Prudente Brazil, has an All-Around World Champion title, the longtime pair are hoping for a couple of team roping gold buckles.

    “Your dream as a cowboy,” Nogueira said, “you want to make the NFR and be world champion.”

     

    Waguespack wins Round 1 for third consecutive year

    Thursday night was Round 1 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. So it must mean a victory for steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack.

    For the third consecutive season, Waguespack won the first round, kicking off the 2018 Finals with a 3.6-second run.

    “Man, that is awesome, and that is the round where you want to get things started with and get everything going,” said Waguespack, of Gonzales, La. “I’ve been lucky enough to do it the last three times.”

    Waguespack split Round 1 in 2016 with a 3.8-second run and won it outright in 2017 in 3.5 seconds.

    The victory boosted the 27-year-old (he turns 28 Dec. 19) from 10th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings to second place, just $194 behind leader Curtis Cassidy.

    “I just want to make the best run I can on the steer that I have,” said the 2016 world champion.

    Waguespack was aboard Scooter, the PRCA | AQHA Horse of the Year for steer wrestling.

    “Scooter is owned by Tyler Pearson and Kyle Irwin, and that is just incredible to get to ride him,” he said. “It gives you a lot of confidence knowing you’re riding the best animal there is in that event. He makes my job that much easier. I knew that steer was going to leave and run pretty sharp and be good on the ground, but luckily, we had a lot of horsepower underneath us. Scooter was able to run him down, and I was able to get my feet on the ground in a great spot.”

    Waguespack edged Black Knowles, who finished in 3.8 seconds.

    Waguespack entered the Finals with $79,584 won. He’s now up to $115,815.

     

    Benton off and running

    Trey Benton III kicked off the 2018 Wrangler NFR the same way he did in 2017 – with a Round 1 win.

    Benton rode Wayne Vold Rodeo’s VJV Whiskey Hand for 88.5 points and the win.

    And much like last season, Benton got to Las Vegas healthy and feeling good. He felt so confident, he told some media members two nights prior that he was ready to put on a show.

    “Last year was the first time I felt comfortable here, and I had been here three times before that,” the 27-year-old Texan said. “Last year, I thought I could show my highest potential and now I’m ready to be better than I was last year.”

    Last year, Benton won $211,737 at the Finals.

    “I was more nervous last year because I had never seen a healthy year (at the Wrangler NFR),” he said. “This year is a relief. To start the NFR with a round win is pretty good.”

    Benton knew little about the bull he drew.

    “I didn’t know anything about him, but I’d heard he was good.”

    Kicking off the Finals with a Round 1 victory is a big confidence booster, he said. He’s hoping it’s going to help propel him for the rest of the rodeo.

    “I feel loose and comfortable, and I don’t see why I can’t do it nine more times,” he said.

    Benton – and the rest of the bull riders – still have a ways to go to catch leader Sage Kimzey, who placed second in the round. Kimzey’s winnings, coupled with his $10,000 for qualifying for the Finals, pushed him over the $300,000 mark for 2018. The four-time defending world champion is up to $327,756 in earnings in 2018.

     

    Wyatt Denny takes advantage of unknown Night Crawler

    Wyatt Denny made an immediate impact in the 2018 Wrangler NFR.

    The bareback rider from Minden, Nev., entered the Finals in 15th place in the PRCA | RAM World Standings. After his 87.5-point ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler, Denny leaped to 10th.

    “I know most every one of those horses,” said Denny, 23. “I know their names, maybe not what they do, but I know their name at least. When we got the draw, I was like what the heck is this? I had never heard of this horse. I looked up his stats and they were ridiculous – 23s down the board. I was like, holy cow, that is cool.”

    Denny netted $26,231 for the win. Denny’s earnings for the 2018 season climbed to $113,728.

    Opening with the victory was key to trying to make a run at his first world title.

    “That’s the best way you could, really,” he said. “Going out No. 1 in the first round, that’s an awesome push for the rest of the week.”

    Denny’s trip to Vegas is his third consecutive run at the Wrangler NFR. He’s already won more money after one round than he did after the full 10 days last year. He finished in 13th at the NFR a season ago with $30,730. This year, including his $10,000 for making the Finals, he’s already up to $36,231.

    “It’s pretty dang special,” he said. “When you’re second out and you hold it that whole time, it’s pretty nerve-wracking. Every guy here can beat anybody. It’s pretty nerve-wracking, but when it’s all said and done there’s no better feeling.”

     

    First-round win has Smidt aiming for second title

    Tie-down roper Caleb Smidt has plenty of experience. Heck, he won the 2015 world title.

    That doesn’t mean he doesn’t get a little nervous before the opening round of the Finals.

    “You get a little nervous every time you back in there, and if you’re not nervous I don’t know what you’re doing here,” said Smidt, of Bellville, Texas. “I get nervous back there, but once you get back in the box you have to think about what you have to do and just rope to the best of your ability.”

    Smidt did that.

    The 29-year-old made a 7.6-second run to win the first round Thursday night.

    “This is awesome, and any round you win here is good,” he said. “That’s good to start off this week like this. Hopefully I can keep it going and see how it turns out after nine more rounds.”

    If Smidt keeps at it for nine more rounds, he could be looking at title No. 2. Thursday’s victory pushed him up to fourth in the world standings with $126,202, up from eighth.

    “I just need to rope my roping like I did tonight and see how it turns out,” Smidt said.

    Smidt also pointed to his horse as a reason for the win.

    “I’m riding Pockets, the horse I have ridden here the last three years,” Smidt said. “He’s my good horse and the only one I have. He’s one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden and dang sure the best one I’ve ever owned. He’s good in any situation.”

     

    Kinsel shows why she’s at top

    Hailey Kinsel entered the Wrangler NFR in the pole position in barrel racing. Then she went out and showed why she was atop the heap.

    Kinsel and her horse, Sister, posted a 13.51-second time to win Round 1 and pad her lead.

    While she may have entered with the most money won in barrel racing ($192,834), she tried not to think about it that way.

    “It was good to go first (in run order) and end up first (in the results),” Kinsel said. “I’m normally more of an underdog mindset, so I keep that in my head. I kind of picture myself a little way further down the list.”

    The Cotulla, Texas, racer was an NFR rookie a season ago. This year, she knew what to expect and how to approach the Finals.

    “Just about everything I’ve learned from last year has helped me, knowing where to go, what to do and not fretting about anything” Kinsel said. “I can just handle it as it comes. I know that my horse likes it here, so that gives me a little extra confidence too.”

    It also doesn’t hurt that Sister is the PRCA | AQHA Horse of the Year in barrel racing. Kinsel and Sister know what they’re in Vegas to do.

    “Running barrels is our job, but a lot of the stuff that happens during the day at the NFR not so much,” Kinsel said. “Coming last year, it taught me when to go to the barn and when to just take some time for myself to recharge and to be able to come back and really enjoy my time with the fans and be able to more enjoy these nights.”

    Kinsel upped her season earnings to $229,065.

     

    Scheer rolls in return to Vegas

    Saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer’s return to the Finals for the first time since 2015 went better than he could have imagined.

    The 32-year-old from Elsmere, Neb., rode Calgary Stampede’s Y U R Frisky for 86.5 points and the Round 1 win.

    He also won the first round in 2014.

    “It’s better (this time),” Scheer said. “I had a horse of Frontier’s that year and I rode that horse better. But this horse was better than that one. As for winning the first round, I work off momentum and a place like this will crucify you if you don’t start great.”

    The win moved Scheer up to fourth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $138,073. He had entered in ninth place in the world standings.

    The victory was even more impressive since Scheer didn’t think his ride was all the strong.

    “I didn’t have as good of a spur-out as I wanted, but that horse is amazing and it’s your job to make it happen,” he said. “I was blessed to be there and stoked to have that horse.”

    While Scheer is focused on continuing to climb the standings, he is on to the next round and not looking back at this one.

    “I don’t focus too much on the last one,” he said. “I praise God for winning this round, but the next round is always the most important one.”

     

    60th annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    First Performance Results, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

     

    Bareback riding: 1. Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev., 87 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler, $26,231; 2. Mason Clements, Springville, Utah, 86.5, $20,731; 3. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 86, $15,654; 4. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 85, $11,000; 5. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah and Clayton Biglow, Clements, Calif., 84, $5,500 each; 7. (tie) Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas and Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 83 each; 9. Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 82.5; 10. (tie) Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa and Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 79.5 each; 12. (tie) Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. and Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 78.5 each; 14. Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas, 73.0; 15. Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas, NS. World Standings: 1. Caleb Bennett, $207,601; 2. Tim O’Connell, $197,250; 3. Mason Clements, $184,844; 4. Wyatt Denny, $180,997; 5. Kaycee Feild, $179,830; 6. Clayton Biglow, $170,339; 7. Orin Larsen, $140,655; 8. Bill Tutor, $129,835; 9. Richmond Champion, $129,819; 10. Steven Dent, $119,420; 11. Will Lowe, $117,748; 12. Tilden Hooper, $114,077; 13. Jake Brown, $111,403; 14. Ty Breuer, $101,558; 15. Shane O’Connell, $99,047.

     

    Steer wrestling: 1. Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La. 3.6 seconds, $26,231; 2. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., 3.8, $20,731; 3. Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Mont., 4.0, $13,327; 3. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 4.0, $13,327; 5. Will Lummus, West Point, Miss., 4.3, $6,769; 6. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 4.7, $4,238; 7. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., 4.9; 8. Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas, 5.1; 9. Blake Mindemann, Blanchard, Okla., 6.4; 10. Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan., 15.4; 11. Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla., 20.9; 12. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 27.2; 13. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta; Scott Guenthner, Provost, Alberta, and Jacob Talley, Keatchie, La., NT. World Standings: 1. Curtis Cassidy, $116,009; 2. Tyler Waguespack, $115,815; 3. Tyler Pearson, $107,625; 4. Blake Knowles, $106,188; 5. Bridger Chambers. $104,505; 6. Ty Erickson, $103,893; 7. Will Lummus, $103,727; 8. Scott Guenthner, $102,323; 9. Kyle Irwin, $98,660; 10. Tanner Brunner, $94,527; 11. Hunter Cure, $93,711; 12. Jacob Talley, $90,717; 13. Blake Mindemann, $88,092; 14. Riley Duvall, $87,643; 15. Nick Guy, $84,706.

     

    Team roping: 1. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Brazil, 4.2 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Travis Graves, Jay, Okla.; Bubba Buckaloo, Kingston, Okla./Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont. and Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.6, $15,795 each; 5. Erich Rogers Round Rock, Ariz./ Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla., 5.0, $6,769; 6. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah/Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 5.7, $4,231; 7. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza, Mariana, Fla./Kory Koontz, Stephenville, Texas, Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn./Joseph Harrison, Overbrook, Okla. and Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas/Cole Davison, Stephenville, Texas, 9.4; 10. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 10.0; 11. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz. 14.9; 12. Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla./Paul Eaves, Londell, Mo., Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Wesley Thorp, Thormorton, Texas, Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash. and Lane Ivy, Dublin, Texas/Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan. NT. World Standing (headers): 1. Kaleb Driggers, $151,182; 2. Clay Smith, $125,345; 3. Clay Tryan, $122,785; 4.Dustin Egusquiza, $116,396; 5. Bubba Buckaloo, $114,663; 6. Luke Brown, $108,897; 7. Cody Snow, $101,863; 8. Chad Masters, $95,342; 9. Derrick Begay, $94,837; 10. Aaron Tsinigine, $94,044; 11. Riley Minor, $91,554; 12. Erich Rogers, $85,123; 13. Tyler Wade, $83,145; 14. Rhen Richard, $79,463; 15. Lane Ivy, $77,458. World Standings (heelers): 1. Junior Nogueira, $152,166; 2. Paul Eaves, $125,345; 3. Travis Graves, $118,928; 4. Kory Koontz, $116,396; 5. Joseph Harrison, $114,515; 6. Jake Long, $108,897; 7. Trey Yates, $108,439; 8. Cory Petska, $101,294; 9. Wesley Thorp, $98,173; 10. Clint Summers, $96,236; 11. Chase Tryan, $94,079; 12. Brady Minor, $90,361; 13. Cole Davison, $76,252; 14.           Quinn Kesler, $75,580; 15. Buddy Hawkins II, $74,451.

     

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 86.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Y U R Friskey, $26,231; 2. (tie) Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, and Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 84.5, $18,192 each; 4. CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, 83, $11,000; 5. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas, and Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 82, $5,500 each; 7. Joey Sonnier III, New Iberia, La., 80.5; 7. Clay Elliott, Nanton, Alberta, 80.5; 9. Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 78.5; 10. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 78; 11. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 77; 12. (tie) Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo., Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas and Chase Brooks, Deer Lodge, Mont., NS. World Standings: 1. Jacobs Crawley, $183,601; 2. Ryder Wright, $175,078; 3. Rusty Wright, $151,800; 4. Cort Scheer, $138,073; 5. Isaac Diaz, $134,740; 6. Wade Sundell, $131,502; 7. Zeke Thurston, $128,137; 8. Brody Cress, $121,588; 9. Clay Elliott, $114,176; 10. CoBurn Bradshaw, $110,325; 11. Sterling Crawley, $108,748; 12. Jake Wright, $91,903; 13. Joey Sonnier III, $89,114; 14. Taos Muncy, $88,790; 15. Chase Brooks, $86,141.

     

    Tie-down roping: 1. Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, 7.6 seconds, $26,231; 2. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 7.8, $20,731; 3. Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 8.0, $13,327; 3. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 8.0, $13,327; 5. Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash., 8.2, $6,769; 6. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah, 8.5, $2,115; 6. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 8.5, $2,115, 8. Ryle Smith, Oakdale, Calif., 8.7; 9. Cooper Martin, Alma, Kan., 8.9; 10. Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas, 9.2; 11. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 17.9; 12. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 20.2; 13. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 22.7; 14. (tie) Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla., NT. World Standings: 1. Shane Hanchey, $146,577; 2. Tuf Cooper, $144,768; 3. Tyson Durfey, $136,518; 4. Caleb Smidt, $126,202; 5. Reese Riemer, $116,159; 6. Jake Pratt, $111,063; 7. Cory Solomon, $110,002; 8. Marty Yates, $109,810; 9. Ryle Smith, $103,768; 10. Trevor Brazile, $102,772; 11. Cooper Martin, $101,938; 12. Matt Shiozawa, $96,269; 13. Rhen Richard, $95,488; 14; Sterling Smith, $89,083; 15. Ryan Jarrett, $87,552.

     

    Barrel racing: 1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas,13.51 seconds, $26,231; 2. Amberleigh Moore, Salem, Ore.,13.65, $20,731; 3. Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo.,13.78, $15,654; 4. Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif.,13.79, $11,000; 5. Tracy Nowlin, Nowata, Okla.,13.83, $6,769; 6. Kylie Weast, Comanche, Okla.,13.86, $4,231; 7. Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho, 13.95; 8. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Victoria, Texas,14.01; 9. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D.,14.17; 10. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 14.18; 11. Carman Pozzobon, Aldergrove, British Columbia, 14.24; 12.Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas, 14.34; 13. Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas, 18.76; 14. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 18.85; 15. Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas, NT. World Standings: 1. Hailey Kinsel, $229,065; 2. Nellie Miller, $167,826; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $147,267; 4. Lisa Lockhart, $133,515; 5. Ivy Conrado, $124,039; 6. Stevi Hillman, $120,232; 7. Amberleigh Moore, $119,857; 8. Kylie Weast, $115,946; 9. Taci Bettis, $113,692; 10. Jessica Routier, $108,704; 11. Tracy Nowlin, $107,265; 12. Tammy Fischer, $101,277; 13. Kelly Bruner, $100,515; 14. Jessie Telford, $98,342; 15. Carman Pozzobon, $96,947.

    Bull riding: 1. Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas, 88.5 points on Wayne Vold Rodeo’s VJV Whiskey Hand, $26,231; 2. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 88, $20,731; 3. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, $15,654; 4. Roscoe Jarboe, New Plymouth, Idaho, 86, $11,000; 5. Garrett Tribble, Bristow, Okla., 85.5, $6,769; 6. Chase Dougherty, Canby, Ore., 84, $4,231; 7. Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., 82.5; 8. Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, Dustin Bouquet, Bourg, La., Boudreaux Campbell, Crockett, Texas, Cole Melancon, Liberty, Texas, Eli Vastbinder, Union Grove, N.C., Koby Radley, Montpelier, La., Trevor Kastner, Roff, Okla., NS. World Standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $327,756; 2. Parker Breding, $195,476; 3. Trey Benton III, $137,162; 4. Roscoe Jarboe, $130,737; 5. Dustin Bouquet, $124,588; 6. Chase Dougherty, $123,580; 7. Joe Frost, $121,817; 8. Garrett Tribble, $118,995; 9. Jeff Askey, $117,387; 10. Boudreaux Campbell, $116,431; 11. Tyler Bingham, $111,583; 12. Cole Melancon, $109,973; 13. Koby Radley, $107,258; 14. Eli Vastbinder, $105,114; 15. Trevor Kastner, $104,396.

  • Roper Review: Lane Ivy

    Roper Review: Lane Ivy

    Picking up a rope at 4 years old, a seed was planted in Lane Ivy’s heart that grew into a dream. Lane tagged along as his parents, Billy and Joanie Ivy, roped steers; watching, learning, and waiting for his turn. At 5, living on their Canyon, Texas ranch with younger brother Brent, Lane’s parents let him ride an old rope horse to track and rope slow steers as his skills progressed. As he grew, the dream in his heart did also; and like many young cowboys, he imagined himself running those steers under the big lights at the Thomas & Mack. For 26-year-old Lane, that dream has become a reality. “Growing up, roping was a huge part of our lives. I started going to junior rodeos when I was 9 and had some success. The thing about success is it makes you crave it even more, so I continued roping and one thing just led to another.” When Brent was old enough, the Ivy dream team of Lane heading for Brent became a regular entry. “I’m 18-months-older than Brent, so he’s always been a pretty good partner in crime. Although we’ve competed in other events, we were team ropers at heart. We’re blessed because our parents hauled us all over the country, so we could compete.” Lane’s parents did all they could to offer the resources the boys needed to progress in their sport. Lane’s grateful for family friend, Larry Hendrix, who spent many hours opening chutes and supervising the brothers when they were too young to rope on their own while their parents had to work.
    Lane competed in the Texas High School Rodeo Association as a freshman, heading for Landon Williams, who’s still one of his best friends today; and for Michael Trujillo his sophomore year. The Ivy brothers partnered to finish Lane’s junior and senior years. “I was fortunate to have an incredible streak-faced sorrel gelding with a 96 on his left hip, named Bandit during high school. Bandit was a true blessing who taught me a lot and made me rope aggressive. My family raised him, and he died last August at 24-years-old. I’d let kids ride him all the time, and one year I got in trouble because I picked up broncs and drug bulls out of the arena on him before team roping; my dad said he was too good of a horse to do all that!” At 15, Lane headed on Bandit at the George Strait roping for Jayten McCright, “It was exciting to hear the announcer mention I was the youngest header to ever make the Top 50 at the George Strait.” Lane also competed in tie-down roping on a sorrel gelding, named Whiskey. “He was absolutely amazing. We sold Whiskey to Trevor Brazile after high school, and Trevor took him to the WNFR. I don’t know that Trevor would name him as one of his top horses, but he was definitely one of the nicest I’ve ever owned.”
    When Lane was 15, he started riding horses for Jason Thomas, “I learned tons of lessons from him; every day he was trying to get better and trying to better his horses. It gave me such a great work ethic.” Lane attended Happy High School as a freshman and sophomore but switched to homeschooling his junior year as his dream of being one of the world’s best ropers became a passion and everything Lane did focused on it. “My whole family is completely competitive, we don’t want to just be okay, we want to be the best at something or not do it at all. I loved roping, making good horses, and was having some success; I thought when I turned 18, I’d rodeo for a year and make the WNFR; I didn’t think it would be hard at all.”
    After graduating, Lane attended Weatherford College and competed on the rodeo team. “My mom thought it would be good for me to live on my own and asked me to try college for a year.” Just after leaving college, Lane received a call from Jett Hillman, asking him to head for him at some pro rodeos, “I thought ‘here it is, someone is finally calling me,’ this was my whole goal.” The team started having some success, but their season was cut short as Jett had to return home to have neck surgery.
    In 2014, Lane roped with Lane Siggins, “We won maybe one check all summer. I was broke, and went back home. It was a hard pill to swallow; I was realizing that I didn’t give enough credit to the guys that made it the national finals. I was seeing that it was one of the hardest things I would ever do.” Lane moved in with Tyler Magnus in 2015 and learned lessons that year that equipped him with more than just the roping skills needed to be successful. “Tyler was such a great influence and teacher, he helped me get better horses, rope better, and I realized how much it was going to take to make the finals.” Lane went to California, and with some success heading for Bucky Campbell, finished in the top 40. “I was pretty excited. I bought my PRCA card, but my season wasn’t really going anywhere, and I went back home again.” In the spring of 2016, Lane moved in with the Coopers, where Jim Ross Cooper, and his brother Jake took him in like family. Lane felt his roping improved and credits the Coopers with helping him in many ways. Lane finished the 2016 season in the top 30. Lane had quite a bit of success roping with Buddy Hawkins in 2017. The dream of qualifying for the WNFR seemed almost in reach, but disappointingly, Buddy finished up in 16th place, with Lane finishing just 5 holes out of qualifying for the national finals.
    At 25-years-old, Lane was at a crossroads; feeling that he needed to break into the top 15 or get a job. More determined than ever, he did everything possible to have a chance at the finals. “I roped every day, tried to strengthen my weaknesses, invested in the best horse I could get, and was completely focused on making 2018 the year that I made it.” Buddy and Lane started out earning over $22k in the winter, and although the spring didn’t pan out the same, Lane was counting on the summer rodeos to propel them further in the standings. Lane’s horse Cuervo, a 15-year-old bay gelding he bought from Chad Masters, was working great for him. “Buddy stayed home during the 4th of July run, so there was about a month that I had to rope with other partners. It was difficult, but in the same instance I couldn’t let myself get caught up in that. I just focused on my job and trusted that my partners were going to do theirs.” Lane’s mom often reminded him of the verse Matthew 17:20, encouraging him that with the faith of a mustard seed, all his dreams were possible. Lane had success roping with Blaine Vick and Joe Mattern, and by the time Buddy was roping again, Lane had earned over $45k. Finishing the season together, Lane and Buddy won over $20k more, which qualified them both for the 2018 Wrangler National Finals. “I’m really grateful to be roping with Buddy, I don’t always do a great job of handling the steers for him, but he does an outstanding job of catching what I give him.” A dream come true as the result of the devotion he’s given to the sport, Lane will be competing in the WNFR as the number 14 header in the world, with season earnings of $67,457.62, and Buddy competing as the number 13 heeler with season earnings of $64,451.02.
    “I’m living my dream, the last of the season everyone asked if I was nervous about making the finals, but I was just enjoying the fact that I was close enough to have a real chance. It was fun being in the position that if I kept roping good, I could make the finals.” Shortly after the reality of what Lane had just accomplished set in, Walt Woodard asked him how it felt, “He asked me if it felt like everything I imagined all these years. I told him it felt like the biggest weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and someone put an even bigger weight on. I’ve made it to the NFR, but after that last round, it starts over, and I have to work even harder to get back there.”
    Lane is preparing with fellow WNFR competitors, Wesley Thorp and Cody Snow, in their replica WNFR arena. They practice on steers like those they’ll be competing on; filming and timing their runs so they can analyze them. “We’re doing as much as possible to be the best we can when we roll into Vegas. We don’t want anyone to be able to say they prepared more than us.” Cuervo will be coming along to Las Vegas, but Lane plans to rope on Tate Kirchenslager’s 18-year-old gelding, Papa. “Papa has been there, done that, and is solid as a rock. He’s bigger than Cuervo so it’ll be easier for him to pull steers up the wall.”
    Lane will be savoring every moment of this experience he has worked his whole life for, “I don’t know exactly how I’m going to feel once the competition starts, but the fact that I have the chance to rope a steer for $27k a night, 10 nights in a row is really exciting to me!”
    Lane appreciates his sponsors, Wrangler, Classic Ropes, Timber Creek Veterinary Clinic, Resistol and the Mirage Casino. He’s also grateful for his family, and all people that have supported him behind the scenes.

  • Katie Pascoe & JR Streakin Espuela

    Katie Pascoe & JR Streakin Espuela

    When Katie Pascoe picks out a horse, she loves to go with A Streak of Fling.
    The Morro Bay, California cowgirl has raised and ridden five different babies all by Streak of Fling.
    Her latest protégé is a five-year-old bay roan gelding, JR Streakin Espuela, sired by A Streak of Fling by Espuela Pleasure (Blue Light Ike.) “Beretta,” as he’s known in the barn, is owned by Katie’s mother, Sherrie Jones and was intended as a rope horse for Katie’s dad, John W. Jones, Junior, a three-time world champion steer wrestler.
    But when Beretta showed a liking for the barrel racing, that’s the discipline that was chosen for him.
    He was started as a two year old and ridden on the family ranch, roped on, and Katie did a bit of barrel racing training in the practice pen with him, while sending him out to others to train and finish.
    In 2018, his first year of competition, Beretta carried Katie to the West Coast Barrel Racing Association’s Finals in King City, Calif. over Labor Day weekend, where the two of them earned $3,470 by winning fourth in the 1D first round, seventh in the 1D average, and twelfth in the finals.
    Beretta is young but has quite a personality. “He is just a clown,” Katie said. “He wants to be your buddy all the time, and he’s in your pocket.” Beretta has some antics that keep the family laughing. “He likes to find zippers if you’re wearing a jacket, and get a hold of them. He does some funny things out in the pasture. He’ll spin perfect circles, both ways, when he’s playing, and he’ll go from that into loping perfect circles in both directions. He does that when he’s playing and he’s happy.”
    He knows how to behave, as well. “He has good manners and is easy to be around,” Katie said.
    In the arena, Beretta is a focused competitor. “He seems to be really gritty and has a lot of try. External things don’t bother him.” Because of that, Katie thinks he’ll do well if she and her mom decide to transition him to rodeo. “We’ll play with him as he matures, and see if he can handle that kind of situation.”
    Katie is married to former NFL football player Bear Pascoe, who is in his rookie year of competition in the PRCA as a steer wrestler.
    She and her parents have a long history with Lisa Fulton and Fulton Family Performance Horses, owners of the stallion A Streak of Fling. John, Jr. qualified for the National Finals Rodeo ten times in the steer wrestling and twice in the tie-down roping, winning the world title three times (1984, 1988-89), so he and Lisa’s husband Brian, who passed away in 2015, crossed paths as Brian also competed in the tie-down roping and steer wrestling.
    Katie spent two summers with the Fultons on their ranch in South Dakota, just across the state line from Valentine, Neb., helping get colts ready for the annual sale. While there, she became close to Brian and Lisa and their three sons. “It was a pretty neat experience,” she said, “to get to see what all goes into a sale. It is an amazingly run production.”
    Katie loves the traits that A Streak of Fling babies have. “All of our A Streak of Flings have been very personable, fun to be around, with cute personalities. They have a ton of try and athleticism, and they’re quick. They’re really smart and willing, and they have a style that I really seem to get along with. It’s been fun having multiple A Streak of Flings.”
    She likes the understanding that grows between her and the A Streak of Fling offspring. “The ones we’ve raised have been fun to bond with. From my point of view, I feel like when you have a strong bond with a horse, they try harder for you. And it makes your success more satisfying when you have that personal bond.
    “They are really personable and do funny things that make them individuals. Those things really make me fall in love with a horse even more.”
    Sherrie plans on entering Beretta at more derbies and jackpots in 2019.

  • Back When They Bucked with Billy & Pam Minick

    Back When They Bucked with Billy & Pam Minick

    Born January 10, 1939 in Fort Worth, Texas, Billy Minick’s dad was a boss gambler in Fort Worth. “Gambling in the late 40s and 50s wasn’t legal, it was tolerated,” said the 80-year-old.
    Billy won the state high school All Around Champion in 1958, competing in steer wrestling and bareback riding. From there he went to the National High School Finals in Sulphur, Louisiana. “I was way in lead for all around; came off my second bull and broke my arm.” He was in the hospital in Lake Charles for ten days. While he was there, the coach from McNeese State College offered him a rodeo scholarship. “I went there a year and a half – got along good – but had ants in my pants and had to get back to rodeo. Fame and fortune were waiting.” A year into his rodeo road, in December of 1961, Billy was drafted into the Army, where he served as a medic. “How they made a medic out of the bull rider is a wonder.” He spent his time after medical school in Alaska. “I went to eight rodeos up there, winning the bareback at all of them, and won the All Around at the Anchorage rodeo.”
    His stay in Alaska was spent in a field hospital working with the natives, giving classes on childbirth and other things. “The Army taught me #1 to always be on time or early; #2 respect the system of bosses. You can fight it or take it for what it’s worth and get something out of it. I was bitter when I went in,” he admits. “I was peaking in my rodeo career – then I learned that I can’t fight it. You begin to realize how many people went through the same thing and died for this country to let us do what we do today.”
    Billy went right back to rodeo when he got out, starting off winning at the winter shows, but then hitting a cold spell and just getting by. He was able to make one NFR qualification in the bull riding, 1966. “I had a great year in ’66, leading one or two for the world championship most of the year, ending up fourth.” He had a job offer in 1967 and decided to take it, moving to Medora, North Dakota to start a show there. At the entrance to Teddy Roosevelt National Badlands Park, Medora is a tourist town that operated in summertime. The ranch/rodeo show was educational to the public and Billy remained there for two years. “I’d go to Spring rodeos and was approached by Harry Knight and Gene Autry to buy their rodeo company.”

    Billy had experience in production and he inquired where the rodeo company was located; they said San Antonio. “I asked what the temperature was and they said 72 and I took it.” He was able to purchase the Harry Knight Rodeo company and lease the Flying A ranch in Fowler, Colorado. “Harry Knight stayed with me a couple years and we went on to produce major rodeos they had from fall of 1968 to 1974 adding a few along the way. Billy sold the rodeo company to Mike Cervi in 1975.
    The year before, Mike had bought Beutler Brothers and combined them both and the combined rodeo companies dominated the major rodeos. Billy worked for Mike for four years, running Mike’s cattle ordering business, which was the largest order buying cattle company in Northwest. “The headquarters was in Caldwell Idaho, and we shipped thousands of head of cattle,” he said. “I loved that business – it was real people doing real things. I liked the action, and the numbers, I’ve always been good with numbers.” The job included working with a lot of people to ship the cattle all over.
    About 1979, Billy headed back to Texas. “I came back and had a ranch leased from Neal Gay.” Neal became his best friend, and Billy helped him with the Mesquite rodeo for a few years. Billy ended up quitting that and started messing around with the chrome plating business in Ft. Worth. “The company had a truck division and offered me and another boy 10% to get the sales up in the chrome business for over the road.” He built that up and added another side job, bringing him back to his love of rodeo.
    “When Billy Bob’s Texas opened April 1, 1981, I got hired to do the bull riding every Friday and Saturday night,” he said. The event is held in the former auction ring and is run like a regular rodeo – timers, announcers, secretary, bull fighters, etc. “It was a huge success. I had my own little operation in the bull riding. I was the only one that could stay on budget – I was in my element.” In December, Billy Bob Barnett, one of the owners of the 100,000 square foot club in Ft. Worth, made him an offer. “I took the club over as GM, not in charge of marketing, etc. just operational.” He stayed in that position through 1985.
    In 1982, Billy’s life changed again. His wife, Pam, walked through the door of Billy Bob’s, there to watch The Beach Boys. “If it hadn’t been for Pam, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Billy. It was Pam’s first time in the Fort Worth Stockyards, and she fell in love with the brick paved streets and Billy Minick. That was in December and they were married the following May.
    In 1986, Billy Bob started to do a development in the Stock Yards and raised a lot of money from notes to fund the development. Billy and Pam decided not to invest, so they parted ways. Billy sold insurance and picked up broncs, Pam worked for various TV shows, the face of the interviews at the NFR. “We got by.”
    In 1987, country music declined in popularity the economy in Texas went south, and the development project failed to produce the budget necessary. Billy Bob’s fell into bankruptcy in 1988 and closed its doors Friday, Jan. 8, 1988. Three investors formed a partnership and reopened the honkytonk November 25, 1988 with a very conservative budget. “Holt Hickman was financing it. He came and got me and said would you go back to work and see if you can pull it out. Said I’d give it a try, only if I had total control of it all.” Billy walked back in the door Feb 1, 1989, and promptly hired his wife, Pam, to do the marketing. “We went to work cutting corners and getting this cleaned up and straightened out. We started breaking even and making a little money. Garth Brooks came along and changed music. Country turned around in the early 1990s and that was a big help.”
    37 years later, Billy Bob’s Texas is a success, with more than a million and a half people coming through the door each year. Billy Minick still comes “to the office” one day a week and Pam runs the marketing. The rest of his time is spent at their home, a little slice of heaven that they enjoy. “We have the best horses in the country and my biggest decision every day is where I’m going to lunch and playing golf.”
    “I’ve been fair with people – I come off the asphalt and made myself a cowboy,” he says of his life. “Rodeo taught me how to survive – I’ve always enjoyed real people doing real things.”
    He is quick to give credit to Pam. Married for 35 years, he calls her excellent. “I don’t like to take credit for anything. I couldn’t do it without that bond – it’s the relationships.” She’s excellent – married 35 years.

    Pam’s Story…

    Pam was raised on five acres in Las Vegas, Nevada; considered a ranch. Her family of four had no involvement in horses until Pam and her sister, Lynn, decided to give it a try. Her parents bought Rebel and Rio, quarter horses that were used to pull a wagon up and down the Vegas strip for advertising. Pam and her sister rode the $300 horses bareback for the first nine months – with no clue how to care for or even ride. Those two horses shaped Pam’s respect and love for horses and forever changed the direction of her life. She joined 4-H, showing her horse and entering all the events associated with the county fair, which included speed events. “They had 8 events; four speed and four show. One year I won high point in all 8 on the same horse,” she recalls.
    That led to rodeo. She started competing in the Nevada High School Rodeo Association. “Every high school rodeo is 400 miles away when you live in Las Vegas – every weekend you’re driving 400 miles one way. My mom would occasionally go, but for the most part, I went alone. My parents weren’t involved in rodeo, and we didn’t know any different.” She competed in breakaway, barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying, finding the most success in barrel racing. Her horsepower changed over the years, and thanks to friends and mentors, she was able to compete at the National High School Finals.

    After high school, she planned to go to UNLV, but before she could go to her first class, she won Miss Rodeo Nevada at the state fair in Reno. “Two months later, I won Miss Rodeo America,” she said. As the youngest Miss Rodeo America, she hit the road in 1973 to represent the sport. Traveling by herself was nothing new to her, having traveled to several rodeos, including National Finals, on her own. “For me, it felt like rodeoing, and I’d worked in high school in the PR department of a hotel, so publicity is what I knew, so when I would get into town, I was an aggressive publicity monger. I did every interview possible,” she said. “I felt the job was a PR person. The committees paid $15 a day and required you to go to Rotary breakfast and a few others, but I would go over and above those; I created my own path.”
    After her reign, she lived in Arizona for ten years. During that time, she continued to pursue her career in front of huge crowds and television; commentated for the NFR on and off since 1976, commentating for PBR for 12 years, 26 shows a year; announcing the Houston Livestock Show and rodeo – the first woman to announce that event. “I don’t like being a woman announcer,” she admits. “I like being a sideline reporter where I can do some investigative stuff.” She ended up in Ft. Worth to announce a rodeo. “That’s where I met Billy.”
    The duo have continued to manage the famous Billy Bob’s of Texas, Pam as the marketing director. “I’m here 9-5 everyday Monday through Friday – I love it because it’s a challenge,” she said. Along with that job, she produces Gentle Giants, a show she shoots, hosts, and edits every week for RFD-TV. When she’s home, she rides all her horses and really feels she has come full circle in her life.
    “I’ve never made big plans, I believe in God’s plan. Sometimes I have to be patient – I never thought I’d be Miss Rodeo America, or the first lady sports commentator; but I never looked at it as setting a goal,” she said. “I was in the right place at the right time. I’ve always been prepared for the next thing that God has for me. Every day I sit on my porch and look out where I live and say I’m blessed.”

  • Lari Dee Guy

    Lari Dee Guy

    “I just feel that roping has come so far since I was a kid. I feel that people have gotten so many opportunities with videos and schools and tools like the Heel-O-Matic, and horsemanship has come so far. We as older competitors have even evolved. I learn as much from the younger guys as they learn from us, and it’s really cool to see the sport evolve,” says Lari Dee Guy.
    A rodeo household name with numerous world titles to her credit, including 2018 WPRA World Champion Header, her mark on the evolution of roping has particularly inspired women ropers of all ages. Born in 1971, Lari Dee grew up roping and working on her family’s ranch in Abilene, Texas, where she still lives today. Her family taught her that challenges were meant to be overcome, not turned away from, and one of Lari Dee’s first challenges was learning to rope right handed, even though she was left handed. By the time she started college rodeoing, where Lari Dee won the breakaway roping twice at the CNFR, she also had 11 consecutive world titles in the AJRA. Her passion for roping was infectious, and she started putting on roping clinics while she was still in college. Since then, she has taught worldwide, along with sharing the Rope Like a Girl motto and all it stands for, which took root in 2013. “Two young women, Chelsea Shaffer and Kari DeCastro, approached me with that hashtag and asked if I could make Rope Like a Girl cool. I thought of how many young girls that it could touch, and women in the industry. The idea was really theirs, and I helped them put the roping behind it.”
    5 Star Equine, which has endorsed Lari Dee for the last 5 or 6 years, also helps spread Rope Like a Girl, which can be stitched on their saddle pads, halters, and cinches. “Every time I see a 5 Star pad, I look to see if there’s a little girl roping on it, and if it says Rope Like a Girl. When I do see that, it makes me feel good that people believe in that,” says Lari Dee. She started using 5 Star pads around 2010, drawn to the quality and durability of their products. “I feel that is the very best felt and wool pad in the industry, and I love the way they breathe. I love the pads, but what turned me on to the company is the people who own it. I met Terry and Julia Moore at the WPRA finals one year, and we became like family right away. They’re a very great Christian family, and that’s what drew me to their company.”
    5 Star Equine also sponsors custom pads for Lari Dee’s Rafter L Roping Finals, which she put on in October in San Angelo, Texas. Additionally, she puts on several ropings in conjunction with Cody Ohl’s Ultimate Calf Ropings, and continues to teach 10 schools a year, along with training horses and competing. “I’m a pretty organized kind of person, so I put on the calendar the most important places I want to attend, and I try to leave time during the week to ride the young horses and train, and then I try to be gone on weekends. I try to get most of my young horses ridden in the summer, and coming into the fall and winter, I try to focus on teaching and my finals. I also have a girl, Megan White, who really helps me out and keeps me organized, and Logan Harkey takes in horses for himself and he’s in there to help us with anything we need. Hope Thompson helps me do the schools, and here at the ranch riding horses and giving lessons. I live on my family’s ranch, and all the things a person could take for granted, they provide, like the calves and steers and feed. Having all that is a blessing.”
    Another blessing came in the form of Lari Dee’s horse Gangster, who came back into competition this May after she thought he was permanently retired. “He’d been turned out for two years and had torn his deep flexor tendon twice, and I thought he was never going to come back,” says Lari Dee. “Doctor Brock out of Lamesa, Texas, and my local vet, Doctor Paul Patton, did surgery on him, and he came back really good and I’ve been competing on him in the breakaway. I bought another young horse to help back him up, Primo, from Jessica Gray out of Florida, and in team roping I’ve been riding a horse that belongs to Trevor Brazile, named Sabrina.
    “My first love is roping calves, but I have really grown to love team roping because it’s brought lots of horse sales and it gives women the opportunity to make money roping. I think that rodeo in general is really growing and getting good for women ropers. The American is giving us a big stage to step on, and the WRCA has given us a big stage. It’s all because of the people and women who have worked so hard to get it where it is now,” Lari Dee explains. “My goals are to stay at the top of my game and stay focused, and try to do and be a part of everything that’s happening out there.”

  • On The Trail with Nate Jestes

    On The Trail with Nate Jestes

    Nate Jestes grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado. “I lived in town and spent my childhood playing sports.” Since the age of 6, Nate played hockey, baseball, and soccer as well as wrestling, track/field, and golf. When he got into high school, he concentrated on football and lacrosse, receiving academic athletic honors all four years. He played on All Star teams along with his older brother, Bryant, and younger sister, Kelli. The closest the bullfighter came to cattle was his summer job at a local sale barn, Centennial, working cattle in the back pen and family visits to his mom’s (Sue) family ranch in Douglas, Wyoming. It was at the family ranch that Nate acquired a love for flying when he flew with his uncle on the ranch.

    After high school, Nate pursued his dreams of flying, heading to Bozeman, Montana, and completing a two year Aviation Science program at Montana State University. He got his Associate of Applied Science in Aviation and went on to get his commercial rating and his flight instructor certificate. At the age of 20, he was hired as a flight instructor at Summit Aviation and taught for two years. While Nate was in college, he worked at the Yellowstone Jet Center to learn more about the aviation industry and get his foot in the door. His boss, Al Sanvold, was a professional bullfighter, and Nate tagged along to a couple of his rodeos.

    “When I quit playing sports and working out, I missed that athletic side of my life,” said Nate. “When I watched him, I was intrigued and amazed how much athleticism it took to do what he did. I decided I could do that and hit him up about it. I was really interested in learning how to do it.”

     

    “Nate is a laid back guy,” said Al, who has now switched careers again; he leases a spot in a barbershop and Red’s Classical Barber is open for business in Belgrade, Montana. “He was one of my most favorite employees, he would do anything I asked; he was quiet and got the work done. When he came to me, I wasn’t sure if he was serious.” After Al realized he was, he agreed to take him down to the (Montana State Rodeo) college practice and teach him how to fight bulls at their practice every Monday and Wednesday. “The first time we went and we were working with a wheelbarrow I knew the kid was going to make it – I didn’t know he’d be a 3x NFR bullfighter. He took to it right away and everything I told him, he put in his memory bank. He has more natural talent than I’ve seen in any student I’ve taught so far.”

    “I continued working as a flight instructor for two years and during that time I also worked a few rodeos; high school and then I had an opportunity to do a summer run full of amateur rodeos in North Dakota.”

    That is when Nate was faced with another decision. “When I gave my boss my schedule, he said he couldn’t work around it. At 22 years old, my aviation career was on track, and I was getting to the point where I was building enough hours to apply for bigger and better.” The amateur rodeos didn’t pay enough to make up for the loss of his flight instructor career, so he turned again to Al.

    “He told me that rodeo was tough and very few people made a living at it, and he told me that I needed to be willing to give up my life to do it – sacrificing my entire aviation career, weddings, funerals, birthday parties,” remembers Nate. “I’ve always followed my heart and it was tugging me towards rodeo and ultimately that was the decision I made.”

    He officially switched careers in 2010; moved back to Douglas and worked for his dad (David) in his construction business to fill in the gaps when he wasn’t rodeoing. He worked Montana State High School Finals in Bozeman and Al came to watch. “It had snowed 6 inches the night before and the arena was a mud pit. They hung up about 8 bulls; we had to work that night. Al came up to me and said ‘Nate really, really good job. There’s no doubt in my mind you are ready to get your PRCA card and start fighting bulls at the professional level.’”

     

    He got his card in September of 2010 and worked his first PRCA rodeo in White Sulphur Springs. Nate went to the PRCA convention in Las Vegas and spent three days sitting in his booth; nobody showed any interest in this new bullfighter. “The last day, Bob and Marty Barnes hired me for their entire summer run – June – September. I did their run for two years, working for my dad during the off time.”
    In 2013, Nate got another big break. “When I was fighting for Barnes we would sell the rodeo with the Mexican fighting bulls. I was down in Sterling, Colorado, at a bull fight and won it.” That is when he met Cody Webster. He was at the event, working for Cervi, and friends with PBR bullfighter Frank Newsom. “He invited me to go to Rex Dunn World Championships in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I made the short round, and ended up winning fourth. That is where my career as a bullfighter started to get some traction.”

    Cody worked a lot of rodeos for Powder River and Nate ended up getting hired in 2013 with Cody and the rest is history. “The young man has such a wonderful way about him,” said Lori Franzen, who along with her husband, Hank, own Powder River. “His personality is such that he wants to please – and his ability makes that easy – he’s really good in the arena and such a pleasure to have outside the arena around the crew. And his wife is a doll and a huge supporter of him.”

    This marks the third year that the trio, Nate, Cody Webster, and Dusty Tuckness, will fight bulls at the Thomas & Mack. The three work as a team. “We all know what each others doing. When you’re fighting bulls, you’re reacting to the situation. When you have three guys on the same page, it just falls together.”

    Nate spent the month of November at the Pitt Training Facility in Bozeman, Montana. Dane Fletcher is a retired linebacker for the New England Patriots, and Nate knew him when he was playing for Montana State. “I heard about this gym that was opening and I reached out to him – I sent him some videos of me fighting bulls, and he put together a workout routine. I try to get up there whenever I can.” His training consists of many things – explosive, deceleration, strength, cardio, stretching – everything. “The sport of rodeo is fast, you have split seconds to make decisions and react; your body has to be able to perform and get there – the speed is crazy.”

    Nate is married to Bridget, a kindergarten teacher in Douglas. The couple met through his cousin and their friendship led to a wedding on May 14, 2016. Her teaching schedule works perfectly with his work schedule. Although he only has May and November completely off, his busiest time is from June to September and they travel the rodeo road together during the summer.

    “When I started to find success in the rodeo industry, I was only missing one piece of the puzzle in order to take it to the next level. That puzzle piece was found 6 years ago when I met my wife. I just want to thank Bridget for all that she has done for me. She is the backbone to this whole thing, and I wouldn’t be where I’m at without her.”

    At the end of his rodeo run, Nate has no plans yet. “I wasn’t raised or led down the path to become a bullfighter. I’ve had the cards stacked against me from day 1… Never be afraid to dream. Chase those dreams, and through hard work, determination, perseverance and resilience anything is possible.”

  • Teel Wins Round 4 of the 2018 PBR World Finals with Second Consecutive 90-Point Ride

    Teel Wins Round 4 of the 2018 PBR World Finals with Second Consecutive 90-Point Ride

    World No. 1 Pacheco and No. 2 Leme buck off, setting up intense World Finals Championship Sunday with Teel also Eligible for the World Title

    LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Bringing the electric crowd inside T-Mobile Arena to its feet, Cody Teel (Kountze, Texas) recorded his second consecutive 90-point ride at the 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast World Finals to win Round 4 and rise to No. 4 in the world.

    The 26-year-old’s gritty 90.25-point score came aboard Medicine Man (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.), earning him $35,000 and 300 world points. The magnetic ride, marking the fourth 90-point effort of Teel’s PBR (Professional Bull Riders) career, came on the heels of his third round 90-point ride on Brahma Boots Chrome (Outlaw Buckers Rodeo Corp.) where he finished in third place.

    Click here to watch Teel’s ride, and here for an image.

    “He’s a really good bull, hairy in the chute,” Teel said. “If you get out clean, you can get a chance to win.”

    Teel is now ninth in the overall event aggregate, 2-for-4 thus far in Las Vegas.  He joins Pacheco and Leme as the three riders with a shot at the PBR World Championship.

    Heading into Championship Sunday, Teel trails No.1 Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) by 2,072.5 points, as a rider capable of winning 2,100 points should he sweep both Round 5 and the championship round, and claim the 2018 PBR World Finals event title.

    Pacheco will face M.A.G.A. (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.) in Round 5, the second round of the event with a rider-drafted draw.

    Teel’s resurgence in the third and fourth rounds of the most prestigious event in bull riding have further intensified the World Championship race, after both No. 1 Pacheco and No. 2 Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) bucked off in Round 4.

    Finning Milky Chance (Flying Four Bucking Bulls) bested Pacheco in 3.81 seconds marking the second night in a row the 2015 PBR Rookie of the Year was unable to reach the 8-second mark.

    South Texas Gangster (Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen/Clay Struve/Chad Berger) became the first bovine athlete to buck off Leme inside T-Mobile Arena, ending his nine-out ride streak at the PBR World Finals.

    With one day of action remaining in the 2018 season, the Brazilian stars are only 1,262.5 points apart. They will attempt Solid Iron’s Hammer Down (PK Triplett Bucking Bulls) and Frequent Flyer (D&H Cattle/Erwin Cattle), respectively, in the fifth round.

    In the event aggregate, Leme is third, while Pacheco has fallen outside the Top 10.

    World No. 3 Claudio Montanha Jr. (Pacaembu, Brazil) made the 8 for the first time at the 2018 World Finals Saturday night, finishing third in Round 4 to earn $15,000 and 125 world points.

    With an 89-point trip on Lil 2 Train (Braindead Cattle Company/Hilton Bull Co.), Montanha Jr. narrowed the gap on the No. 1 ranking. He is now 2,005.83 points behind Pacheco. His Round 5 out will come aboard Stuntman Ray (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls).

    Two riders remain flawless at the 2018 PBR World Finals. Marco Eguchi (Poá, Brazil), the overall event leader in the aggregate, improved to 4-for-4 after riding Big Benny (Curtis Mendell) for 86.25 points, while Chase Outlaw’s (Hamburg, Arkansas) historic comeback continued when he covered Anthrax (EVP Bucking Bulls) for 86 points.

    Click here to see Eguchi’s ride, and here for Outlaw’s.

    They will look to record their fifth rides Sunday afternoon, with Eguchi facing Lightning Before Thunder (Jenkins Cattle Co./Emerson Cattle) and Outlaw, currently second in the event aggregate, attempting Hangman (Owens/Wyatt/Smith).

    Reigning World Champion Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) finished second in Round 4, riding Uptown Funk (4G Ranch / Long) for 89.25 points, improving his overall record to 3-for-4 in Sin City. He is now sixth in the World Finals event aggregate.

    Click here to watch Lockwood’s ride.

    Collecting $20,000 and 180 world points, Lockwood cracked into the Top 10 in the world standings after beginning the round No. 11.

    Cooper Davis (Buna, Texas) continued his momentum from Friday, where he tied for fourth in Round 3, covering Wired Child (01 Cattle Co.) for 88.25 points to record yet another fourth place round finish.

    Courtesy of the 8-seconds of work, the 2016 PBR World Champion netted $10,000 and 95 world points.

    Tied for fifth was, Round 1 winner Matt Triplett (Volborg, Montana) and Lachlan Richardson (Gresford, New South Wales, Australia), each earning $4,500 and 62.5 world points for their matching 88-point rides.

    Triplett’s qualified ride came aboard re-ride bull Big Black Cat (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls), while Richardson’s was atop Night Sweats (Plummer/Hart Cattle Co.).

    While Triplett remains No. 14 in the world, Australia’s Richardson rose from No. 27 to No. 24.

    Saturday night also concluded the ABBI World Finals Classic Event where more than $500,000 was paid out.

    Hocus Pocus (D&H Cattle Co./Almand/Barthold) was crowned both the 2018 ABBI Classic Champion and 2018 ABBI World Finals Classic Event Champion. Courtesy of his two titles, earned via his 90.4-point score in Round 1 and 94.2-point trip in Round 4, the bovine athlete earned $200,000.

    Prayer Warrior (Halpain/Roth) was crowned the 2018 ABBI World Finals Event Reserve Champion with 178 points in the average, collecting $50,000. The King (Halpain/Roth) was third with 176 points for a $35,000 payday.

    Fearless (Julian/Buck Cattle/D&H Cattle) became the 2018 ABBI Classic Reserve Champion, earning a $50,000 bonus, while Patterson and Halpain’s Little Tucker placed third in the year-end Classic Champion race.

    The 2018 PBR World Finals will conclude with Round 5 and the Championship Round on Sunday, November 11. Action inside T-Mobile will begin at 12:40 p.m. PT, when the PBR World Champion, YETI World Champion Bull and Rookie of the Year will be crowned.

    CBS Sports Network will televise the action LIVE beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT, accompanied by RidePass’ listen LIVE stream, also starting at 12:30 p.m. PT.

    25th PBR: Unleash The Beast World Finals

    T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada

    Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Round 4-Round 5-Round 6-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

    1. Marco Antonio Eguchi, 85.5-94-91-86.25-0-0-356.75-540 Points.
    2. Cody Teel, 0-0-90-90.25-0-0-180.25-425 Points.
    3. Jose Vitor Leme, 88.75-91-89.75-0-0-0-269.50-390 Points.
    4. Matt Triplett, 89.25-0-86-88-0-0-263.25-362.5 Points.
    5. Eduardo Aparecido, 89-87-87-0-0-0-263.00-247.5 Points.
    6. Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-91-0-0-0-91.00-240 Points.
    7. Jess Lockwood, 84.75-0-86.75-89.25-0-0-260.75-182.5 Points.
    8. Cooper Davis, 0-0-89.75-88.25-0-0-178.00-180 Points.
    9. Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-89-0-0-89.00-125 Points.

    (tie). J.B. Mauney, 0-90.5-0-0-0-0-90.50-125 Points.

    1. Kaique Pacheco, 87.25-88.75-0-0-0-0-176.00-117.5 Points.
    2. Lachlan Richardson, 87.25-0-0-88-0-0-175.25-105 Points.
    3. Cody Nance, 88.5-0-0-86.75-0-0-175.25-100 Points.

    (tie). Chase Outlaw, 88-85-86-86-0-0-345.00-100 Points.

    1. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 0-89.5-0-0-0-0-89.50-95 Points.
    2. Guilherme Marchi, 86.5-86.75-83.5-0-0-0-256.75-60 Points.
    3. Juan Carlos Contreras, 0-0-89-0-0-0-89.00-50 Points.
    4. Cody Jesus, 0-0-87.5-0-0-0-87.50-35 Points.
    5. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 86.25-0-81.75-87-0-0-255.00-30.83 Points.
    6. Dener Barbosa, 0-0-84.75-87-0-0-171.75-23.33 Points.

    (tie). Stetson Lawrence, 0-0-0-87-0-0-87.00-23.33 Points.

    1. Colten Jesse, 0-0-87-0-0-0-87.00-17.5 Points.
    2. Tanner Byrne, 86.25-0-86.75-0-0-0-173.00-10 Points.
    3. Silvano Alves, 84.5-0-0-71.5-0-0-156.00
    4. Ramon de Lima, 0-0-85.75-0-0-0-85.75

    (tie). Luis Blanco, 0-0-85.75-0-0-0-85.75

    1. Dakota Buttar, 0-0-82.75-0-0-0-82.75
    2. Ryan Dirteater, 0-0-81.75-0-0-0-81.75

    (tie). Alex Marcilio, 0-0-81.75-0-0-0-81.75

    Luciano De Castro, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Fabiano Vieira, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

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

    Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Nathan Burtenshaw, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Koal Livingston, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Sean Willingham, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Alisson De Souza, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

    Gage Gay, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00

     

    2018 PBR World Standings

    (Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5’s, Points, Total Winnings)

    1. Kaique Pacheco, 47, 10, 18, 5,444.16, $516,094.62
    2. Jose Vitor Leme, 40, 5, 15, 4,181.66, $284,175.66
    3. Claudio Montanha Jr., 48, 2, 13, 3,438.33, $260,405.51
    4. Cody Teel, 42, 2, 14, 3,371.66, $290,008.78
    5. Luciano De Castro, 38, 3, 11, 3,122.50, $248,730.17
    6. Ramon de Lima, 45, 3, 9, 2,887.50, $305,365.74
    7. Cooper Davis, 37, 1, 11, 2,782.50, $245,525.17
    8. Cody Nance, 42, 3, 7, 2,638.33, $218,317.66
    9. Eduardo Aparecido, 40, 2, 9, 2,519.99, $185,555.89
    10. Jess Lockwood, 33, 4, 9, 2,150.00, $224,301.75
    11. Fabiano Vieira, 43, 2, 9, 2,100.83, $158,561.00
    12. Dener Barbosa, 41, 1, 14, 1,954.99, $153,030.11
    13. Derek Kolbaba, 46, 2, 12, 1,920.00, $231,177.39
    14. Matt Triplett, 31, 1, 15, 1,842.50, $114,131.32
    15. Marco Antonio Eguchi, 42, 2, 5, 1,720.00, $73,504.50
    16. Dakota Buttar, 41, 1, 6, 1,592.50, $106,353.78
    17. Ryan Dirteater, 32, 3, 4, 1,552.50, $109,995.00
    18. Valdiron de Oliveira, 39, 0, 6, 1,285.82, $64,520.66
    19. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 42, 3, 10, 1,247.49, $97,660.06
    20. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 43, 2, 7, 1,198.33, $83,523.15
    21. Colten Jesse, 41, 4, 8, 1,180.00, $104,377.87
    22. Chase Outlaw, 22, 3, 9, 1,167.50, $83,874.19
    23. Guilherme Marchi, 23, 1, 2, 1,070.83, $77,833.98
    24. Lachlan Richardson, 68, 3, 23, 1,032.50, $90,024.88
    25. Alex Marcilio, 29, 1, 4, 1,030.00, $97,474.61
    26. Stetson Lawrence, 44, 1, 7, 1,000.83, $72,825.92
    27. Nathan Burtenshaw, 40, 2, 7, 972.50, $63,628.98
    28. J.B. Mauney, 27, 1, 5, 959.16, $48,920.69
    29. Brennon Eldred, 37, 0, 5, 957.50, $114,961.31
    30. Koal Livingston, 30, 1, 12, 947.50, $88,635.26
    31. Tanner Byrne, 37, 2, 4, 937.50, $71,956.60
    32. Silvano Alves, 38, 2, 5, 893.32, $82,595.24
    33. Sean Willingham, 41, 2, 9, 891.66, $70,036.17
    34. Alisson De Souza, 43, 2, 10, 790.00, $150,113.90
    35. Gage Gay, 20, 1, 2, 772.50, $116,868.13
    36. Lonnie West, 47, 4, 10, 752.50, $84,056.29
    37. Cody Jesus, 12, 1, 4, 745.00, $48,144.72
    38. Marcos Gloria, 26, 2, 5, 700.00, $116,698.43
    39. Brock Radford, 52, 3, 14, 695.00, $81,255.06
    40. Cannon Cravens, 21, 1, 6, 680.00, $42,624.51
    41. Rubens Barbosa, 53, 3, 12, 604.16, $68,362.33
    42. Emilio Resende, 15, 0, 2, 600.00, $37,827.86
    43. Cody Heffernan, 26, 3, 9, 585.00, $29,208.25
    44. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 31, 2, 8, 548.33, $46,925.87
    45. Juan Carlos Contreras, 49, 2, 7, 517.50, $45,855.43
  • Carr, PRCA creating donation option to benefit injured cowboy Vezain

    Carr, PRCA creating donation option to benefit injured cowboy Vezain

    DALLAS – In the last month, the rodeo community has come together strongly for J.R. Vezain and his wife, Shelby.

    Now Pete Carr Pro Rodeo and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association are calling on rodeo committees across the country to give to the Vezains. The PRCA has created a link to giving so committees and individuals can support the six-time National Finals Rodeo bareback riding qualifier.

    “If every PRCA committee, most in which J.R. has competed over the years, could look into their hearts and give a couple hundred bucks, that would be a wonderful start toward his hospital bills and a new path for the Vezains,” Carr said.

    Vezain was injured in late September when a horse reared and fell backwards on top of him at a rodeo in southeast Texas. He suffered spinal fractures and has suffered from a lack of mobility issues from the waist down. He was undergoing therapy at the TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston and has seen progress in the weeks since his surgery. He is now transferring to a rehab hospital in Salt Lake City and hopes to walk again.

    A number of benefits have popped up since Vezain was injured to help offset medical costs, and there is a call for more to happen. Pete Carr, owner of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, has been working with the PRCA to develop another fundraising opportunity for PRCA committees.

    “Because rodeo is a big family, we wanted to reach out to all of our family members, including the 700-plus committees that produce rodeos every year,” Carr said. “We wanted to provide an outlet for those committees to donate as much as they can or as much as they wish to benefit J.R. and his family.”

    Carr and his team will produce a benefit rodeo for the Vezains at the Stampede at the Ike rodeo, scheduled for Jan. 11-12 at West Monroe, La.

    “As a stock contractor, committeeman and contestant, I understand what can happen in the rodeo arena,” Carr said. “This hit me pretty hard, so I want to do as much as we possibly can to help J.R. He’s got a long road ahead of him, and he’s going to need all the help he can get.”

    PRCA CEO George Taylor echoed those sentiments.

    “The rodeo community is a tight-knit group that takes care of its own,” Taylor said. “The PRCA appreciates the initiative of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo to reach out to the committees and the community within rodeo in hopes of doing what we know they are capable of to help care for J.R.”

    This is an opportunity for anyone who is interested to donate to get on board and help Vezain and his

    family as he moves forward in his rehabilitation can do so by clicking on the link, https://www.gofundme.com/manage/support-for-the-vezain-family.

  • Northeast Community College Adds Rodeo to 2019 Athletic Program

    Northeast Community College Adds Rodeo to 2019 Athletic Program

    NORFOLK, Neb. – Life will literally be a rodeo for some students at Northeast Community College. Officials announced Thursday that rodeo will become the 10th intercollegiate athletic program at the Norfolk-based college beginning in fall 2019.

    “Rodeo is a popular sport across the region among high school students. Northeast Community College wants to give those students the opportunity to pursue their passion to take part in the competition the sport offers while earning their college degree with us,” said Kurt Kohler, dean of student life and athletics. “Also, with agriculture as the College’s largest academic program, rodeo is a natural fit and is relevant to the curriculum that is offered.”

    Kohler said the program will provide additional student-athletes opportunities to compete for Northeast.

    “We want to give all of our student-athletes the chance to compete in the sport they love, whether its basketball, soccer, volleyball, or whatever it may be. Rodeo is one more opportunity for our student-athletes to learn the many invaluable lessons that sports teach them, while also providing them a quality education.”

    Rodeo at the collegiate level is quite popular, especially across the Great Plains. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) sanctions more than 100 college rodeos every year in the United States. It represents over 3,500 student-athletes attending more than 135 member colleges and universities. Northeast will contend in the competitive Great Plains Region of the NIRA. Within the Great Plains Region, there are currently 12 teams competing in 10 sanctioned rodeos throughout the year, with six in the fall and four in the spring. The top-two teams in the region and the top-three individuals in each competition qualify for nationals held every June in Casper, Wyo.

    The Great Plains Region could not be more pleased to be able to add another rodeo program,” said Tate Eck, faculty director of the Great Plains Region. “It may be cliché, but our region is great and to have the opportunity to give rodeo student-athletes another choice to be able to stay in this region is very momentous. Each school in the Great Plains Region offers something unique to every student; to have that chance to rodeo already on to the decision to go to Northeast Community College is just an added bonus for that student.”

    Eck said there are many students who would like to participate in the sport, especially student-athletes in the region.

    “If we can keep them here local …if we have one other unique opportunity, a unique school to keep that student, ‘to keep them home, keep them right here’ in the Great Plains region, we love that.”

    Eck, who is an agriculture instructor at North Dakota State University, said he sees more than his students in the sport.

    “My greatest amount of students are ag-related, (but) you’re going to have nursing students, you’re going to have linemen, you’re going to have everybody on this program. It’s such a wide array of students. It’s amazing how many come (to college) to rodeo. They’re there to rodeo and earn a degree.”

    Kohler said the College will begin searching immediately for a coach to lead the program.

    “Anytime a college adds an athletic program, there are many things to consider such as facilities, equipment, staffing, and budgets,” Kohler said. “We have put together an advisory board to help guide the College through this initial process of building the rodeo program, and I am looking forward to hearing their input. Northeast has looked into practice facility options, and once we have a coach hired and get input from that individual, as well as from our advisory board, we will contract a practice facility, begin purchasing equipment that may be needed, and assemble a schedule for the 2019-2020 seasons. Until then, our focus will be on marketing our program in our region, and on hiring an excellent coach who holds our student-athletes to a high standard in the arena, in the classroom, and in the community.”

    Northeast will work to recruit “homegrown” students in the state of the Nebraska with the help of the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association (NHRA). The NHRA serves more than 200 students in the state who compete in a wide variety of events.

    “It is encouraging to see Northeast add the sport of rodeo to their athletic programs,” said Tricia Schaffer, national director of the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association. “The majority of our members go on to college and the ability to rodeo is why some are there. Many of our students come from a rural background and will return after college. The opportunity for our students to have another college in the state of Nebraska with a rodeo program is a plus, and I thank you.”

    Rodeo is not new to Northeast. It operated at the club level at Northeast’s predecessor institution, Norfolk Junior College, in the 1960’s, and again from the mid 1990’s to the mid 2000’s.

    Dr. Michael Chipps, college president, said Northeast Community College wants to be a competitor in the sport.

    “The addition of intercollegiate rodeo is truly another exciting opportunity for all of our students at Northeast Community College,” he said. “Athletics provide additional opportunities for our students to be engaged outside of the classroom. Evidence supports that students who make connections at college not only enhance their academic experiences, but they are more likely to be retained and graduate, which is why they are here.”

    Chipps said rodeo is an innovative way to grow the College’s enrollment, “and the addition of our athletic programs, in general, is another essential element in Northeast’s enrollment plan to reach new students.”

    The new program is already generating interest. One student at the news conference asked how he could sign up. In addition, Kohler said he has started a list that already included some names as of Thursday afternoon.

    Anyone who would like more information, may go online to www.northeasthawks.com or call (402) 844-7271.

    Rodeo will join men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s golf, women’s volleyball, baseball, and softball in Northeast’s athletic program line-up.

  • Success In The Stock Market

    Success In The Stock Market

    Bucking horses, bulls selected for awards in the Badlands Circuit

    Minot, N.D. (October 23, 2018) – In rodeo, it’s not just the cowboys who get the glory. It’s the animals, too.

    In the Badlands Circuit, four bucking horses and two bulls have been honored with accolades.

    For the Badlands Circuit Year Awards, Yankee Rose and South Point, both bucking horses owned by Sutton Rodeo Co. won the events of bareback horse and saddle bronc horse, respectively. The bull Cougar, owned by Bailey Pro Rodeo, won bull of the year.

    For the Badlands Circuit Finals Awards, bareback horse Onion Ring and saddle bronc horse Bad Onion, both owned by Korkow Rodeos, won their events, and the bull of the finals was won by Ace High, of Bailey Pro Rodeo.

    Yankee Rose is a horse that Steve Sutton, along with his dad Jim and the family, based out of Oneida, S.D., raised. The seven-year-old buckskin  was started in the saddle bronc riding but when she didn’t show an interest in it, the Suttons switched her to the bareback riding, and “she’s been one of the cowboys’ favorites ever since,” Steve Sutton said. “She’s cowboy friendly. She’s not an arm jerker, she’s not hard on their bodies, but she’s still marked nineteen or twenty points all the time.”

    The saddle bronc of the year, South Point, is owned by the Suttons and waits for no one. The twelve-year-old bay gelding doesn’t delay in the chutes; some cowboys don’t get a measurement on their rein because the gelding doesn’t wait around, Sutton said. At nearly every Sutton rodeo this year, the saddle bronc riding was won on him. This is the second year South Point has won the Badlands award.

    Ty Manke wins the third round of the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo aboard South Point, the Sutton Rodeo horse that won the 2018 Badlands Bareback Horse of the Year. – Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images

    The bull of the year, Cougar, is a five-year-old black flat-horned animal who is “pretty rider friendly,” said Shane Gunderson, co-owner of Bailey Pro Rodeo, Baldwin, N.D. “They ride him about sixty percent of the time, but they win on him every time. He’s just good to ride.”

    Cougar, a five-year-old bull owned by Bailey Pro Rodeo, is the 2018 Badlands Bull of the Year. – Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images

    For the finals awards, two Korkow horses were recognized.

    Onion Ring, an eight-year-old solid sorrel gelding, won the bareback horse of the finals. He’s docile, said TJ Korkow, who is the third generation of the family on the ranch near Pierre, S.D. “You can go up to him and pet him. He’s just dog gentle, but he loves what he does.”

    Bareback Horse of the Year Onion Ring – Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images

     

    The cowboys love him, too. “He gets stronger as the ride goes on,” Korkow said. “He leaves the chute good, and as the ride progresses, he’s jumping higher and dropping harder.” Onion Ring was selected as the number two bareback horse in the PRCA for 2018.

    His half-brother, Bad Onion, won saddle bronc of the finals. Also an eight-year-old, Bad Onion is not like his sibling. “You cannot walk up to him without maybe him pawing you in the head,” Korkow joked. “He is not friendly.” The sorrel with socks on his back feet and a strip face leaves the chute and often kicks over the top rail of the chutes. “He’s a bucker,” Korkow said.

    Saddle Bronc of the Finals Bad Onion – Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images

    In the bull riding, the bull Ace High is the one the cowboys love to ride. The six-year-old yellow bull, however, has other plans; in the last two years, only two cowboys have made a qualified ride on him. Outside the arena, he is “pretty easy to handle,” said Gunderson. “He’s just a nice bull.”

    Bull of the Finals Aces High – Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images

    Voting on the animals is done at the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo by the contestants in their respective events. The Badlands Circuit Finals, hosted by the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo was held in Minot October 5-7. Next year’s circuit finals will be October 11-13, 2019. For more information, visit www.MinotYsMensRodeo.com or www.ProRodeo.com.

    Bad Onion bucks off saddle bronc rider Jeremy Meeks at the Badlands Circuit Finals in October. The horse, owned by Korkow Rodeos, is the 2018 Saddle Bronc of the Finals. Photo by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images.

    The 2018 Bareback Horse of the Finals went to Onion Ring, who bucked off Nick Schwedhelm at the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot in October. The horse is owned by Korkow Rodeos. Photo by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images.

    Jeff Bertus attempts to ride Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Ace High at the Badlands Circuit Finals earlier this month. The bull, who is the Badlands Bull of the Finals, has bucked off every cowboy but two in the past two years.

  • Professional’s Choice acquires Schutz Brothers

    Professional’s Choice, the leader in equine sports medicine, announces today the official acquisition of Schutz Brothers. Our plans include keeping the same quality as customers have become accustomed to receiving from Schutz. The majority of the staff remains in place and the products will continue to be the highest quality available. The phase one launch consists of the bestselling premium Schutz Collection products, along with quality training tack by Al Dunning and our new heavy oiled Ranchhand collection.

    Locate your nearest Professional’s Choice Dealer to see the full line available.

  • Rodeo Fans to Enjoy a Variety of On-Site Entertainment Prior to and Following the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Rodeo Fans to Enjoy a Variety of On-Site Entertainment Prior to and Following the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Themed interactive areas are abundant at the Thomas & Mack Center

    LAS VEGAS (October 25, 2018) – When rodeo fans arrive at the Thomas & Mack Center for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, they will have multiple entertainment options to enjoy prior to and following each rodeo performance. Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo on the world, the Wrangler NFR runs from Thursday, Dec. 6 through Saturday, Dec. 15.

    For ease of travel, rodeo fans have the option of utilizing the complimentary NFR Express Shuttle Bus service from 26 sponsor hotel properties and Cowboy Christmas. Upon arrival, fans will be greeted with rodeo-themed areas extending both outside the arena and within the confines of the building.

    On the outer grounds of the Thomas & Mack Center, the ProRodeo Zone will greet fans with PRCA sponsor-activation tents and live music. As fans move toward the entrance, they will pass through the NFR Fan Zone, an area that includes additional sponsor tents, the official PRCA and Wrangler NFR merchandise trailer, food and beverage options, video screens and tables for attendees to congregate.

    Further enhancing the fan experience, two outdoor video boards on the face of the arena will broadcast Wrangler NFR moments, highlight videos, interactive content and contestant interviews.

    When rodeo fans enter the building, one of the arena’s highlights is the 36,000-square-foot hospitality area at the northwest end of the arena. During the Wrangler NFR, the space is known as The ‘Shoe and will feature interactive areas, a saloon, saddle displays and a 2,500-square-foot, glass-enclosed balcony with Strip views. The ‘Shoe will also be the site of CBS Sports Network’s rodeo pre-show and RFD-TV’s NFR Countdown. Access to The ‘Shoe is available to all fans with a Wrangler NFR ticket for that evening’s performance and also will feature the live broadcast of the rodeo each night, including a large-screen projection.

    Meanwhile, on the arena’s southeast side opposite The ‘Shoe, fans can enjoy all the activities and amenities of the returning Cowboy Corral, which takes over the adjacent Cox Pavilion with live music, a huge bar and plenty of space to sit and relax or kick up your heels. The live entertainment will include Andy Griggs & D’em Boyz playing each night prior to the Wrangler NFR starting at 5:30 p.m. Following the NFR, the Cowboy Corral will stay jumping with performances by Sean Curtis and the Divide (Dec. 6-9) and The Britt Stokes Band (Dec. 10-15).

    Sitting right outside of Cowboy Corral is the Bull & Barrel Saloon, featuring its own bar and food service and the Hall of Champions with tributes to former NFR champions.

    The entertainment will continue throughout the evening as fans begin to settle into their seats. Prior to each performance, there will be an opening act, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The attention will then turn to the dirt, as the best contestants in the world test their skills and seek the coveted Gold Buckle, awarded to the world champions.

    Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding to compete for a share of the $10 million purse and the coveted Gold Buckle. In 2017, the event had a total attendance of 168,952 over the 10 days of competition and has sold out more than 300 consecutive performances.

    For more information on the Wrangler NFR, please visit www.NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR.