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  • Lummus’ 3.2 ties Rooftop record

    Lummus’ 3.2 ties Rooftop record

    ESTES PARK, Colo. – Sometimes it pays to know the competition. That’s why championship teams scout their opponents, and it’s why rodeo cowboys pay attention to the animals they’ve drawn.

    Will Lummus knew the steer on which he competed Friday night at Rooftop Rodeo was good. Sam Williams won the first round with a 3.6-second run, and another cowboy was fast that same steer on Thursday night.

    But nobody’s been faster this week in Estes Park than Lummus, who grappled the animal to the ground in 3.2 seconds to take the second-round and aggregate leads at Rooftop Rodeo. He even tied an arena record, matching the same time set by John Lowry in 1976 and Chad Hagan in 2002.

    “That was the fastest steer I’ve ever thrown,” said Lummus of West Point, Miss. “I was 3.3 in Jackson, Miss., last year, so this was cool. Last year here, 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’s great cattle, a great committee; this is a great place to have a rodeo with great fans. It’s a wonderful place to be.”

    He also got some big-time assistance from his traveling partner, K.C. Jones, a nine-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Decatur, Texas. Jones served as the hazer, while Lummus rode Jones’ horse, Tebow.

    “That horse is 21 years old and doesn’t look like it,” Lummus said. “That’s actually the first steer I’ve run on him this y ear. We felt like this setup fit Tebow better, and it worked out great.

    “Great horse, great hazer and a great hazing horse, Ava. It all came together well.

    It also came together for bareback rider Jake Brown, a three-time NFR qualifier from Cleveland, Texas. The reigning Rooftop Rodeo champion, has earned more than $67,500 so far this season and sits fourth in the world standings. He’s ever so close to clinching his fourth straight trip to Las Vegas in December, home of ProRodeo’s grand finale.

    “This rodeo’s huge,” Brown said after his 85-point ride on Cervi Rodeo’s Fire’s Easy, which moved him into the lead. “I got the win last year, and I was blessed. I won over $6,000. That’s a big chuck over what it takes to get to the NFR. If I get the win here this year, I think I’d be pretty comfortable and think I’d almost made the NFR before the end of July.”

    Only the top 15 advance to the season grand championship, the sport’s richest rodeo. It’s a big deal to be playing for the biggest money when December arrives. Having success in Estes Park has been a big part of why he’s played on rodeo’s biggest stages.

    “It’s just awesome here,” he said of Estes Park, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains in every direction. “It’s great added money, great horses and beautiful weather. The hospitality is awesome.

    “This has been a good rodeo to me, and that’s why I keep coming back here from year to year.”

     

    Rooftop Rodeo
    Estes Park, Colo.
    July 5-10, 2018
    Leaders through second performance
    Bareback riding:     1. Jake Brown, 85 points on Cervi Rodeo’s Fire’s Easy; 2. Lane McGehee, 83; 3. Kelly Timberman, 78.5; 4. (tie) Tilmon Moore and Levi Nicholson, 75; 6. Zach Hibler, 74; 7. Bryton John Byert, 71; no other qualified rides.

    Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Sam Williams, 3.6 seconds, $1,363; 2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $1,128; 3. Laine Herl, 4.2, $893; 4. (tie) Tom Littell and Cody Devers, 4.3, $541 each; 6. (tie) Trever Nelson and Gary Gilbert, 4.4, $118 each. Second round: 1. Will Lummus, 3.2 seconds; 2. Cole McNamee, 4.0 seconds; 3. Laine Herl, 4.6; 4. Heath Thompson, 4.9; 5. Joe Buffington, 6.1; 6. Tom Littell, 6.3. Average: 1. Will Lummus, 7.0 seconds on two runs; 2. Laine Herl, 8.8; 3. Sam Williams, 10.0; 4. Tom Littell, 10.6; 5. Logan McDonald, 15.3; 6. Darrel Petry, 26.0.

    Team roping: 1. Jake Barnes/Rich Skelton, 4.6 seconds; 2. Paul Beckett/Chad Wahlert, 4.7; 3. Rhett Anderson/Coleby Payne, 5.7; 4. Stratton Lopez/Krece Harris, 5.8; 5. Cole Cooper/J.C. Flake, 5.9; 6. Cyle Denison/Lane Siggins.

    Saddle bronc riding 1. Hardy Braden, 83 points on Cervi Brothers’ Silence of the Lambs; 2. Colt Gordon, 81.5; 3. Tanner Lockhart, 77.5; 4. Spencer Wright, 77; 5. Dawson Hay, 71; 6. Toby Collins, 70; 7. Ryder Wright, 69; 8. (tie) Parker Kempfer and Shanse Darling, 67.

    Tie-down roping: 1. Reno Gonzales, 8.4 seconds; 2. Jesse Clark, 9.4; 3. Scott Kormos, 10.2; 4. Anthony Jordan, 10.6; 5. Joey Dickens, 10.78; 6. Caleb Smidt, 10.9; 7. Cimarron Boardman, 11.4; 8. Bryson Sechrist, 11.6.

    Barrel racing: 1. Heidi Tillard, 17.47 seconds; 2. Jaime Merrill, 17.53; 3. Andrea Busby, 17.77; 4. Rachel Pozzi, 17.82; 5. Amanda Devencenty, 18.05; 6. (tie) Callie Colten and Paige Wiseman, 18.15; 8. Amy Smith, 18.19; 9. Lauren Guntle, 18.56; 10. Lindy James, 18.63.

    Bull riding: 1. Kyle Gardner, 85 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Birthday Suit; 2. Reid Barker, 84.5; 3. Jimy Marten, 82.5; 4. Moody McCoy, 77; 5. Colten Fritzian, 75.5; 6. Toby Collins, 72; no other qualified rides.

     

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  • On The Trail with Rowdy Norwood

    On The Trail with Rowdy Norwood

    Rowdy Norwood of Amarillo, Texas, makes his debut at the 2018 NLBFR in July leading the senior boy rookie standings with 3,207 points separating him from second place. Rowdy, 16, originally joined the association with the goal of qualifying for the 2019 Jr. Ironman. He put his nose to the grindstone, and when he looked up, not only had he qualified for the NLBFR in all of his events—team roping, steer wrestling, ribbon roping, and tie-down roping—but he also made the Top Hand Team in each event.

    Rodeo has been Rowdy’s sport of choice since childhood, though he also played basketball for several years and showed pigs in FFA in sixth and seventh grade. When it came time to choose between sports, he and his older brother, Justin (18), chose rodeo without hesitation, competing in junior rodeos and ranch rodeos before moving up to high school and Little Britches. “In Little Britches, you get to meet a lot of new people from areas you’ve never been before, and it’s really one of the only other national associations besides high school. We tried to start a franchise a few times when we moved here, but we couldn’t find anyone to host the rodeos. Kyle Northrup started the Texas Panhandle Little Britches and we got involved with it here,” says Rowdy, whose name was inspired by a roping his dad went to. “My dad always wanted to have a little girl, and he was convinced when my mom was pregnant that I was going to be his little girl. All he could think of was names for girls. MB Anderson, our neighbor, was announcing a roping my dad entered, and he couldn’t read my dad’s handwriting and announced his name as Rowdy, so now I’m Rowdy.”

     

    The Norwood’s moved to Texas from Olney Springs, Colorado, where they ran a small cattle ranch until the drought took hold. In 2007, Rowdy’s dad took a job in Texas, and the environment they moved to has played a central role in Rowdy and Justin’s rodeo careers. With a rodeo or roping held within a ten-mile radius of their house year round, Rowdy and Justin never lack for opportunities to compete, while they can get to a rodeo in New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, or Kansas within four hours. The brothers team rope together, Rowdy heading and Justin heeling, while Justin hazes for Rowdy in the steer wrestling. Rowdy won the NRS Little Britches Rodeo Association all-around, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and ribbon roping year-end titles in June. He racked up the majority of his rookie of the year points at the NRS LBRA franchise, competing in 24 of the 32 rodeos held in Decatur, Texas, at the NRS Events Center. His ribbon roping partner, Sophia Joyner, is also in contention for the NLBRA Senior Girl Rookie of the Year title.

    Equally crucial to Rowdy and Justin’s rodeo success are their parents, Randy and Bobbi Norwood. Randy is often working out of town as a welding pipeline inspector but comes to as many of their rodeos as possible, including state finals and the NLBFR, and watched videos of their runs to give them pointers. Bobbi teaches high school chemistry and physics, and hauls Rowdy and Justin to all of their Little Britches and high school rodeos. “We get a list written and everybody takes some responsibility getting ready to go, and I do the final walk through to make sure everything on the list is done,” says Bobbi, who also helps with timing or secretary work at the rodeos when needed. “Every horse I’ve ever tried to rope on has wound up being one of the boys’ horses, and I’m protesting now saying they have to make a horse for me. They help out with the driving, and they haul by themselves occasionally.” Bobbi competed in the NLBRA in the 1970s, including team roping with her sister. “The competition in Colorado was always pretty stiff with Little Britches headquartered there, and since the finals has moved to Guthrie, I feel the sheer number of contestants has increased immensely, which makes the competition increase. It’s an awesome association, and you’re not hauling all over the country with your kids to get them qualified.”

     

    The brothers also compete in Region 1 THSRA, and Rowdy qualified for state finals in the team roping with Justin, and steer wrestling, which he finished 13th in at state finals. He advanced to state finals last season in the steer wrestling as well, his first year competing in his favorite event since he advanced from chute dogging. “I just like how high speed it is,” says Rowdy, who was the High Plains Junior Rodeo Association Year-End Reserve Chute Dogging Champion in 2015. “Chase Pope, a local guy, did high school rodeos when he was younger, and he started teaching me chute dogging. I did Jace Honey’s bulldogging clinic and a few of Rope Myers’ clinics. I’m pretty much the first in my family to bulldog, and my cousin Dakota Camfield started it this year as well in Little Britches.“The roan horse I bulldog on, he’s our old team roping horse, and everyone in my family has won money on him. Ace has taken me pretty far in bulldogging,” says Rowdy. “My calf horse, Joker, I just got this year, and we’re just starting to get together now. Smoke is my team roping and ribbon roping horse. He was a calf roping horse first, and I stepped him up and he’s a really good team roping horse.” Rowdy and Justin practice and ride daily, either at their home arena, which Rowdy and Randy built together several years ago, or another local arena. Bobbi runs chutes and videos for them, and helps with tacking up and exercising horses. “When we travel, we talk about how the week’s been and watch our videos—video is one of the most amazing practice tools we have nowadays,” says Rowdy, who scarcely ever gets into the truck without his blue heeler, Dale, at his side.

    Time on the road also gives Rowdy a chance to work on school. Last year when he was a junior, he switched to homeschooling, and plans to continue it through his senior year. “Rowdy gets the chance to work horses in the daytime in the winter, and he got a colt and has been able to ride it some,” says Bobbi. “He had to urge us toward homeschooling, and it’s the same deal,—we make a list of things to get done while homeschooling, and he brands and does some welding for a construction guy here. It’s a taste of the adult life and what it takes. Most kids that rodeo have to be disciplined to practice. We had a 15-minute rule—if you had a bad run, you had 15 minutes to be aggravated, and then go on to your next event. With the events in Little Britches back to back, we had to change that to a 15-second rule, and that really helped Rowdy. We’re just disappointed we didn’t join Little Britches sooner so Justin could have hauled more. He’s going to Dodge City Community College this fall and team roping for the Conquistadors.”

    Rowdy also enjoys welding with his dad and kicking back at the family’s swimming pool, but it’s more likely he’s in the arena riding. His hard work won him a large check from the Double G Memorial Timed Event Rodeo in Canadian, Texas, last year, where he won the all-around, team roping, chute dogging, and tie-down roping. If Rowdy could enter any rodeo in the country, he’d choose Cheyenne Frontier Days, and hopes to back into the box of The Daddy of ‘Em All once he starts rodeoing professionally. “I’d like to make a career out of rodeo, and I’d love to rodeo through college and the rest of my life if I can.”

  • BREAKING A RECORD

    BREAKING A RECORD

    Young steer wrestler sets new record at St. Paul Rodeo; world champ moves into the average lead

    St. Paul, Ore. (July 5, 2018) – A reigning world champion has taken the lead in the steer wrestling after three performances of the St. Paul Rodeo.

    Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., had a time of 4.0 seconds in the steer wrestling to be the fastest time in the second round on July 4.

    The 33-year old man capitalized on his opportunity during the July 4 matinee. “I knew I had a good steer, I just had to score sharp.” His new horse was also cause for the win. “I had Bobby, my horse, up here, and he gave me a good chance. It felt good.”

    Bobby, Pearson’s twelve-year-old bay gelding, is a second horse to his famous mount, Scooter. Scooter, whose registered name is Canted Plan, is the 2017 American Quarter Horse Association Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year and is owned by Pearson and fellow steer wrestler Kyle Irwin. Pearson bought Bobby earlier this year, to give Scooter a break, and Bobby has stepped into his new job well. “He’s sure fit the role real good,” he said. “We’ve won a lot of money on him, and I think he’s going to be real good.”

    Bobby also carried Rowdy Parrott to a new record in the steer wrestling on Wednesday night in St. Paul.

    Aboard Bobby, the 24-year-old cowboy turfed his steer in 3.4 seconds, breaking the old record of 3.5 seconds set by three different cowboys: Mike Fuller in 1986, Luke Branquinho in 2002, and Shawn Greenfield in 2016.

    In the steer wrestling, cowboys often share horses. Bobby is ridden by not only Pearson and Parrott, but by Pearson’s traveling partners Irwin, Ty Erickson, 2016 World Champion Tyler Waguespack, and Cole Edge. The five men are traveling together over the July Fourth holiday, and St. Paul is their last rodeo after a busy Cowboy Christmas season. Pearson is grateful their schedule will slow down for a bit. “We’re glad. It’s been a lot of driving all night.” They have two days off before they start back up. “We go to (the) Calgary (Stampede) now, and we’ll go up there and relax, get to bulldog, and chill out.”

    The Calgary Stampede starts on July 6, and the men plan on being in Calgary by noon on July 5. “We’ll be there by lunch, let our horses rest, and we can rest a little bit.”

    Pearson won second place at the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede on July 3, which was about the only place he’s won money over Cowboy Christmas. “It’s been a little slow,” he said, of his winnings. “I won second at Greeley last night, and that was good to save the Fourth.”

    After winning his first world title last year, Pearson has been able to relax. Winning a gold buckle “takes the pressure off me, because (being a world champion) is your ultimate goal, and when you have that done, you can just go relax and steer wrestle.”

    Other high scores and fast times from last night’s competition at the St. Paul Rodeo are bareback rider Tim O’Connell, the 2017 St. Paul Rodeo champion and the reigning world champion (85.5 points); bull rider Tyler Bingham, (86.5 points); tie-down roper Stetson Vest (9.7 seconds); saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright (85.5); team ropers Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira, (4.5 seconds); and barrel racer Tanya Jones (17.68 seconds).

    The rodeo continues July 5-7, with performances beginning nightly at 7:30 pm.  Tickets are available online at StPaulRodeo.com and at the ticket office at the rodeo grounds. For more information, visit the rodeo’s website or call the rodeo office at 800-237-5920.

    Results from the matinee and evening performance, St. Paul Rodeo, July 4, 2018

    Bareback Riding

    Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa 85.5 on Bridwell Pro Rodeos Ted; 2. Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev. 85; 3. Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D. 83.5; 4. Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas 83.

    Steer wrestling

    1st round leaders:

    1. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 4.0 seconds; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 5.0; 3. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. 5.5; 4. Tristan Martin, Sulphur, La. 5.6.

    2nd round leaders;

    1. Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La. 3.4 seconds; 2. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 4.1; 3. (tie) Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. and Jake Trujillo, Los Alamos, N.M. 4.2 each.

    Average leaders (on two head)

    1. Tyler Pearson, 8.1 seconds on 2 head; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 9.2; 3. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore. 9.6; 4. Mike McGinn, Haines, Ore. 10.5.

    Bull riding

    1. Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah 86.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Smokin Hummer; 2. Lex Oakley, Dekalb, Texas 83;  3. Levi Gray, Dairy, Ore. 78.5;  4.Aaron Williams, Pisno Beach, Calif. 77.

    Tie-down roping

    1st round

    1. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 9.7 seconds; 2. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 10.0; 3. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas 11.6; 4. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas 12.6.

    2nd round

    1. Seth Hall, Albuquerque, N.M. 10.7 seconds; 2. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas 11.1;  3. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 14.4; 4. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 16.2.

    Average leaders on two head

    1. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas 20.9 on 2 head; 2. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas 22.7; 3. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 24.1; 4. Ricky Canton, Navasota, Fla. 24.4.

    Saddle bronc riding

    1. Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah 85.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Goliath; 2. (tie) Call Marr, Twin Butte, Alb. and Dawson Hay, Wildwood, Alb. 81 each; 4. Quincy Crum, McArthur, Calif. 80.

    Team roping

    1st round

    1. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla. 4.4 seconds; 2. Dustin Egusquiza, Mariana, Fla./Kory Koontz, Stephenville, Texas 4.8; 3. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas 5.3; 4. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas/Forrest Fisher, Navasota, Fla. 6.6.

     

    2nd round

    1. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prude, Brazil 4.5 seconds; 2. Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn./Joseph Harrison, Overbrook, Okla. 4.7; 3. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas/Forrestt Fisher, Navasota, Texas 6.0; 4. Shay Carroll, Hico, Texas/Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore. 9.6.

     

    Average leaders on two head

    1. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas/Forrest Fisher, Navasota, Fla. 12.6 seconds on 2 head; 2. Jordan Weaver, Powell Butte, Ore./Joe Beers,Ontario, Ore. 13.3; 3. Corey Fitze, Fortuna, Calif./Adam Fitze, Fortuna, Calif. 14.1; 4. Dillon Holyfield, Lewiston, Idaho/B.J. Roberts, Hermiston, Ore. 14.9.

    Barrel racing

    1.Tanya Jones, Culver, Ore. 17.68 seconds; 2. Amanda Lewis Waller, Elgin, Ore. 17.75; 3. Bailey Cline, Roseberg, Ore. 17.85 seconds; 4. Colleen Kingsbury, Powell Butte, Ore. 18.01.

     

    ** All results are unofficial.  For more information, visit www.StPaulRodeo.com.

  • Bull Rider Weathers Storm for 91.5 points in Mandan, N.D.

    Bull Rider Weathers Storm for 91.5 points in Mandan, N.D.

    MANDAN, N.D. (July 2, 2018) –The opening performance of the 139th Mandan Rodeo Days Celebration saved the best for last, but not before lightning from cleared the crowd and then dumped a deluge of water as the final barrel racer left the arena.

    After a half-hour delay, the bull riders in the second section gave the die-hard 30 or so fans who returned to watch a major league show.

    Koby Radley of Montpelier, La., scored 91.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Soup In A Group, a bull that was only ridden once last season. Radley is having his best season in pro rodeo. He’s currently ranked 11th in the world championship standings and making a strong bid to qualify for his first National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

    Radley, a Cajun cowboy has qualified for the Texas Circuit Finals several times, was the best of three outstanding rides after the storm cleared.

    Trey Kimzey of Strong City, Okla., younger brother of four-time world champion Sage Kimzey, scored 89.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Living Large and NFR veteran Parker Breding, who is ranked second in the world standings, tallied 89 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Stretch.

    The first sprinkles of rain started during the barrel racing, but the downpour held off until south Texas cowgirl Sissy Winn finished her run. Winn, the final cowgirl to race, clocked a time of 15.57 seconds, just before the flood began.

    Contestants in the other events faced dry, even dusty conditions and turned in some scores and times that could remain at the top of the leaderboard when the rodeo ends Wednesday night.

    Mandan Rodeo Days continues tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. at Dacotah Centennial Park with Patriot Night, saluting veterans and active duty military. More information is available at www.MandanRodeo.com.

    -30-

    The following are unofficial leaders following at the 139th annual Mandan Rodeo Days in Mandan, North Dakota, on Monday, July 2.

    Monday, July 2 performance

    Bareback Riding: 1, Logan Corbett, Las Cruces, N.M., 85 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Thunderstruck. 2, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 80. 3, Cody Kiser, Carson City, Nev., 75. 4, Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., 70.

    Steer Wrestling: 1, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 4.7 seconds.  2, Evan Thyberg, Hartford, S.D., 5.3. 3, Tyler Schau, Almont, N.D., 5.8. 4, Carson Good, Long Valley, S.D., 6.5.

    Team Roping: 1, Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D., and Cody Cowden, Atwater, Ca., 5.3 seconds. 2, Joshua Torres and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 5.4. 3, Mac Kuttler, Billings, Mont., and Brandon Bates, Sun City, Calif., 9.9. 4, Cody Tew, Belgrade, Mont., and Nano Garza, Las Cruces, N.M., 11.4.

    Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Wyatt Casper, Pampa, Texas, 86.5 points on New West Rodeo’s Pikuni Cougar., 2, Joey Sonnier III, New Iberia, La., 86. 3, Tyrel Larsen, 84.5. 4, Troy Crowser, Whitewood, S.D., 81.5.

    Tie-Down Roping: 1, Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., 8.8 seconds. 2. Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb., 9.0. 3, Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas, 10.1. 4, Reno Gonzales, Scott, La., 11.2.

    Barrel Racing: 1, Sissy Winn, Chapman Ranch, Texas, 15.57 seconds. 2, Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Co., 15.60. 3, Amy Wilson, Colby, Kan., 16.04. 4, Cody Holmes, Mission, S.D., 16.24.

    Bull Riding: 1, Koby Radley, Montpelier, La., 91.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Soup In A Group. 2, Trey Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 89.5. 3, Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., 89. 4, Eli Vastbinder, Athens, Texas, 83. 2, Elijah Mora, Wiggins, Co., 75. 3, Ardie Maier, Timber Lake, S.D., 69.

    Overall leaders including Monday morning slack

    Tie-Down Roping: 1, Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., 8.8 seconds. 2. Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb., 9.0. 3, Jesse Clark, Portales, N.M., 9.2 seconds. 4, Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas, 10.1. 5, Tim Pharr, Resaca, Ga., 10.2.  6, Blake Eggl, Moorcroft, Wyo., 10.9.

    Steer Wrestling: 1, Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D., 4.0 seconds. 2, Sheldon Portwine, Dickinson, N.D., 4.2. 3, Del Day, Minot, S.D., 10.9. 4, Wyatt Jurney, Las Cruces, N.M., 4.5. 5, Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., 4.6. 6, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 4.7.

    Team Roping: 1, Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D., and Cody Cowden, Atwater, Ca., 5.3 seconds. 2, Joshua Torres and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 5.4. 3, Layne Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D., and Chase Peterson, DesLacs, N.D., 5.8 seconds. 4, Kelsey Parchman, Cumberland City, Tenn., and Dustin Davis, Terrell, Texas., 6.1. 5, Nicholas Thompson, Stillwater, Okla., and Lucas Falconer, Stillwater, Okla., 6.5. 6, Butch Levell, Glenwood, Iowa., and Brady Kyle, Archer City, Texas, 6.5.

     

     

     

  • Working Multiple Events The Difference in Breakaway & Heading

    Working Multiple Events The Difference in Breakaway & Heading

    We just got home from the Texas Junior High School Finals in Gonzales, Texas, and I’m proud to say Hali qualified for the National Junior High School Finals in the Breakaway. I almost find it ironic because before junior rodeo she had no interest in breakaway roping. She was a team roper, period. She has come a long way in the last two years in her breakaway roping. Unfortunately, some of the fundamentals that help her be highly consistent in team roping are exactly opposite when breakaway roping.
    There are two very different ways to rope horns: by roping both at the same time, or by roping right to left. I taught Hali to run close, feed the slack out between her hands and come across the horns. Consequently, she has been able to catch a high percentage of cattle at a young age. Breakaway, on the other hand, is about going fast.
    At the finals in the Breakaway short round, there was one girl who was 4.3 on two, and another who ws 4.8 on two. Hali was 2.4 on her first calf, 2.7 on her second calf and was third call back.
    Some of the things we’ve been working on is she has a tendency to tie her hands up and pull on her horse before she throws, causing her loop to be short because her horse is stopping before she gets there. We’ve also been working on her reaching. We’ve been practicing on her pole horse, her head horse, and Gabe’s new horse. Her pole horse is extremely sensitive so it really exposes any mistakes she makes with her left hand.
    This is one of the reasons a lot of good breakaway ropers don’t like jackpot team roping. When you keep a lot slack between your hands and rope both horns at the same time, you have to be very precise with your loop. There’s very little margin for error.
    Hali drew a runner in the short round she did a great job of letting go of her rope and reaching to catch her calf. On her first two calves she did what she normally does with her high percentage catch. The third calf was more difficult and she looked like a seasoned breakaway roper.
    It’s been a struggle for her to learn to rope one way and have to change and rope another. It’s like playing golf where you need different clubs for different situations. She rides and swings her rope well. The more control she gets with her rope and range will help with her ability to reach.
    If your kid works at more than one event and struggles, keep in mind that there are fundamental reasons why and they may need help understanding how to be successful. We’ve loaded a detailed video on speedroping.com of Hali working on her breakaway in preparation for the finals.
    This is the time of year when kids are competing at their year-end finals. Not everyone will win. But there is so much to be learned about working hard, being a good sportsman, and a gracious winner, or loser. So many experiences that will help prepare your kids for life and what’s ahead for them.

  • Roper Review : Chance Schuknecht

    Roper Review : Chance Schuknecht

    Chance Schuknecht was raised and graduated high school in Iowa Falls, Iowa. His love for horses and a rodeo scholarship took him to Rapid City, South Dakota where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Equine Management from National American University.
    Chance, 33, now oversees Sales and Marketing at Silver Lining Herbs, a world leader in natural herbal support for horses and dogs.
    “My brother got me started roping in the 8th grade and I rodeoed through high school and college. I’ve always loved horses and in college thought I wanted to be a trainer,” explains Schuknecht. “I worked for a reining cowhorse trainer and worked for Lisa and Grady Lockhart one summer. I got burned out and realized I would rather ride for pleasure than as a job.”
    A college friend, Dustin Luper, introduced Chance to the owners of Silver Lining Herbs, Mickey and Lori Young. Chance was offered a chance to do his college internship at Silver Lining and has been there since.
    “Going into that experience, I wasn’t a supplement or herbal person, but this was a chance to stay in the industry and not have to ride every day. My internship was a life changing experience. It inspired me to take care of my horses.
    It made me think back to a mare I owned and all the problems she had like pulling back, and how she would dunk her hay in the water. We thought she was half crazy at the time, but after what I learned from Silver Lining, I realized she probably had some physical things going that needed addressing.”
    If we pay close attention, our horses will let us know when something is hurting or bothering them. Recently my head horse was swishing his tail through the corner. Obviously something is bothering him. We can ignore it, or try and figure out what’s wrong. I found my horse had sore kidneys,” explains Chance. “The kidneys are not protected by the structural system and the bars of our saddles sit over the kidneys. Then we’re asking our head horses to put that bend in his back going across the arena while pulling a 400 lb. steer. It’s no wonder they may not finish well, or might leave harder or not pull. A typical reaction for most people is to get after their horse. But we really need to take a minute and ask ourselves why it’s happening. The fact is horses by nature are willing and try to please us.”
    Some horses are more vocal than others. Those horses that hump up or flag their tail are horses that are trying to communicate with us, to let us know something is up. We should always be listening to our horse’s needs, but, now that we are able to rope for the large amount money available, and considering what our horses are worth, I think it’s very important to listen to what your horse is trying to tell you.”
    If we throw a saddle up on a horse and he pins his ears, he’s trying to communicate and we need to listen. I can sit at a team roping and see a 400 lb. guy on a little 14.2-hand horse or see a guy lose his temper and whip his horse these are some of the things that amaze me about horses. These horses show up every day and perform regardless of what they’re having to overcome. I’ve become very sympathetic to horses and realize that they are the coolest animals God has created.”
    Schuknecht’s once college internship has turned into a ten-year career at Silver Lining Herbs. Chance finds the company mantra of ‘do what’s right to help dogs and horses’ rewarding. He also enjoys some of the perks such as going to Speed Williams’ place and roping for the day.
    “Without working for Silver Lining, that probably wouldn’t happen. It’s been a great experience.”
    Chance, a #5+ roper enjoys competing at World Series of Team Roping events. He’s grateful to work in the industry he loves and be surrounded with quality and talented people.
    He and his wife Kyla, have been married nine years and have two children, a daughter, Austyn, 6, and a son, Wade, 3.

    Chance Schuknecht with wife Kyla, daughter Austyn, & son Wade – Jessica Montgomery

     

    COWBOY Q&A
    How much do you practice?
    Three or four days a week.
    Do you make your own horses?
    Yes.
    Who were your roping heroes?
    Speed Williams. I also high school rodeoed with Kollin Von Ahn and admire his ability.
    Who do you respect most in the world?
    My wife.
    Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
    My parents.
    If you had a day off what would you like to do?
    Hang out with my family.
    Favorite movie?
    Braveheart
    What’s the last thing you read?
    The Continual Conversation.
    How would you describe yourself in three words?
    Patient, persistent, hard working.

    What makes you happy?
    My family.
    What makes you angry?
    Laziness.

    If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
    I would want to be very generous and help people that need it. And pay off my student loans.
    What is your best quality – your worst?
    My best quality is I am very soft-hearted and have compassion for others. That can also be a hard quality to have.

    Where do you see yourself in ten years?
    I see myself being the best dad and husband I can be, and someone who is still giving horses a voice to help them out. It seems like sometimes you get to help a lot of horses at once, sometimes it’s just one. No matter where I am, I want to help horses.

  • Back When They Bucked with Scott Tucker

    Back When They Bucked with Scott Tucker

    Deep in Scott Tucker’s soul there were seeds of rodeo that drove the Jacksonville, Florida boy towards his destiny, and roots were developed that have entwined family, rodeo, and future generations of cowboys and cowgirls forever. Scott was born in 1946, an only child to his parents, Lucille and Holmes Tucker, but being a cowboy was more in his DNA than it was in his family upbringing. His dad graduated in 1939, from Yale University where he attended on a full-ride boxing and football scholarship; and he went on to work for General Foods, before settling in the automobile business. Although his parents were far more interested in life in the city, Scott was drawn to the Pecan Park horse racing track, where he started jockeying horses when he was just 12-years old. Only destiny knew then, that he was starting down a path that would lead him to become an integral part of one of the most notable rodeo families in North Carolina.
    Scott rode racehorses with Sonny Burris on the brush tracks, helping to start colts and train them to use the starting gates until his weight exceeded the 135-pound maximum allowed. Scott jockeyed the legendary Quarter Horse, Go Dick Go, in brush track races before the horse went on to make history as the winner of the first All American Futurity in 1966. Sonny was a boxer and jockey, that also rode bareback and saddlebronc horses; and he helped 12-year old Scott, step onto his first bareback horse at a Callahan, Florida rodeo. Scott did try following his dad’s path in life, and played football his freshman year of high school, but frustrated that the football schedule conflicted too much with his rodeos, he gave it up.
    Once Scott had his driver’s license, it was only the rodeo road on Scott’s mind. Scott started out entering bareback riding at open rodeos, before getting on bulls, which quickly became his favorite event. In 1962, Scott attended a Jim Shoulders bull riding school and the memory of staying atop the legendary bull “Tornado,” is forever etched in his memory. In 1963, he got his first membership card for the IRA, known as the Interstate Rodeo Association at that time. Scott started working as a rodeo clown, “Scooter,” when he was 15-years old, and quickly became enthralled with the new job he often performed between riding in his events. The challenge of outmaneuvering the bulls, was as exciting as staying on top of them.

    Although Scott’s parents were very proud of Scott’s success, they were far too nervous to come watch their fearless cowboy at the rodeos, so Scott often traveled solo or with rodeo friends that became his rodeo family. At 16-years old, Scott was cruising the interstates between rodeos, in a 1958 four-door Oldsmobile, decked with its giant tailfins, pulling a 13-foot travel trailer to sleep in. Scott thinks that rig is what got 14-year old Vicki Kidd’s attention when they met at the Silver Springs rodeo in Maryland. Meeting Vicki would prove to further cement the path of Scott’s life. Vicki Kidd was a barrel racer, and daughter of C.W. and Helen Kidd of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Kidd family was instrumental in bringing rodeo to North Carolina in the mid-50’s, after C.W. had fallen in love with the sport while he was stationed in Florida, in the Air Force. The Kidd’s started the Rockin’ K Ranch, which was a family commune of sorts, raising future cowboys and cowgirls around a central rodeo arena, and has hosted rodeos for over 60 years now. Not only did Vicki fall for the handsome, blue-eyed cowboy, but her parents did as well, taking the 16-year old in and treating him as their own.
    Scott would travel to rodeos, staying on the road most of the summer, returning to Florida to complete the school year. In 1963, the summer before his senior year, he and Lyle Wiggins made it up to Frontier Town in upstate New York, in the heart of the Adirondacks. “Frontier Town was an old western town theme park that put on three rodeos per day. I got a job there as a stagecoach driver, and later became the arena director for the rodeos.” The rodeos would highlight one or two competitors in each event, plus feature a trick rider, and there are many PRCA cowboys that got their start there. “It was the best place a young person could rodeo, besides the rodeo shows each day, there were a lot of jackpots within about 30-miles of Frontier Town. I was loving it up there, and making about $500 to $600 per week, which was a lot of money back then.”
    Scott graduated from high school in 1964, the year that he earned his first SRA All-Around Champion Cowboy title. He went on to win the title again in 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1973. When he left home for the summer in 1964, the plan was for him to PRCA, and SRA rodeo through the summer, before heading west to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he had a full-ride scholarship to New Mexico State University; but seeing Vicki Kidd again that summer, changed his college plans completely. “I didn’t want to go to New Mexico as planned, I called my dad and told him I wasn’t going. He wasn’t very happy about me giving up the scholarship, but I told him if he’d pay my tuition at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, that I’d cover everything else.” Scott graduated from NCSU in 1966, with a degree in agriculture and livestock management, rooming with Vicki’s brother, Buddy, while they attended school there. “Buddy was such a fine person, always willing to help anyone. He always had good horses, and he would always let anyone that needed a better horse at a rodeo, ride them.”
    In 1966, after Scott left NCSU, and just three days after Vicki graduated from high school, the two soulmates were married, starting a union that would last for over 50 years, before Vicki’s passing on October 12, 2016. Scott also joined the Air National Guard, in 1966, serving for 6 years in the engine shop, as an airplane mechanic.

    The eastern cowboy couple traveled the roads of the rodeo circuit, chasing dreams while being blessed with new friends across the country. Vicki had a passion for horses, barrel racing, and supporting her roughstock riding husband. Vicki was the 1968 SRA Champion Barrel Racer and was crowned as the very 1st SRA All-Around Champion cowgirl in 1971, winning it again in 1974. Scott was doing quite well as a bull rider in the PRCA, ranking #7 in the world standings in June of 1970, but responsibility was beginning to tug on the roaming cowboy, so the couple continued to rodeo but made more of a permanent camp in Charlotte as they laid a foundation for their family. Scott had traded a good horse for some asphalt equipment, the beginnings of his paving business, Scott Tucker Paving and Grading, which he still operates. Scott and Vicki had their first child, daughter Keri, in 1967, and their son Jason was born in 1971. Also, in 1971, Scott dominated in the Coastal Rodeo Association, winning the All-Around Champion Cowboy title. Although Scott continued to find many successes in rodeo arenas across the east, looking back he wishes he would have continued his PRCA run to finish the 1970 season, thinking about the chance he may have had at that world champion gold buckle.
    Scott and Vicki continued to rodeo as they raised a new generation on the Rockin’ K, alongside Vicki’s brothers, Buddy and Jerry, and their budding families. The arena was often filled with champions and celebrities passing through while on their own rodeo circuit travels, and the art of rodeo was being practiced there on a daily basis. Cowboys like Red Duffin, who traveled with groups of cowboys and good horses, often practiced when he came through, and helped anyone interested in improving their steer wrestling skills. Scott served as the president of the SRA in 1979 and 1980 and was the vice-president for six years. Scott was also on the board of directors of the North American Rodeo Commission. Scott was responsible for producing hundreds of rodeos at arenas all over the east, and was the captain of the Southern Rebels, a rodeo team that competed at rodeos such as the Calgary Stampede. In 1983, Scott decided to focus more on the next generation of rodeo stars and he and Vicki stepped into the supportive role for their kids’ and grandkids’ rodeo dreams. Scott was the president of the NCHSRA in 1987 and 1988. Scott has been a pillar in the rodeo community, often stepping up to judge rodeos when needed, turned to when questions arise, and encouraging young rodeo athletes wherever he goes.
    The legacy that has continued from Scott and Vicki Tucker has went on to include their children, grandchildren, as well as many uncles, aunts and cousins that all participate in rodeo competition or production. Inevitably, the passion that Scott felt in his heart for rodeo so many years ago, will burn inside the many that will follow in his footsteps for years to come.

  • A Streak of Fling Sired Horses Take 1st & 2nd in Barrels at the Nebraska High School Finals!

    A Streak of Fling Sired Horses Take 1st & 2nd in Barrels at the Nebraska High School Finals!

    article by Maesa Kummer

    Bailey Witt, Valentine, NE took home the Barrel Racing and All-Around year-end championship titles at the Nebraska State High School Finals aboard StreakinIrishWhiskey (A Streak of Fling x Easy April Whiskey).
    Bailey says, “I love him because he has so much heart and try and he gives me his all every run. He has a goofy personality and is fun to be around. He is all mine! I’ve ridden him since he was six-years old and we have really strong bond. He’s a very solid break-away horse also and he carried me to the All-Around title this year.”
    This A Streak of Fling-sired gelding sold on the 2009 Fulton Sale and was raised at Fulton Ranch. StreakinIrishWhiskey is a full brother to Jake Fulton’s calf roping horse, Streakin Paddy. A full sister to both of these outstanding performance horses will sell at this year’s sale. A Whiskey Fling is a two-year old red roan mare with the genetics to make your next champion!
    Sydney Adamson, Cody, NE took home Reserve Barrel Racing year-end championship honors at the Nebraska State High School Finals aboard Lenas Last Streaker (A Streak of Fling x Easy April Lena). This outstanding mare has already won over $25,000 previously at the barrel futurities with jockey Sam Flannery.
    Lenas Last Streaker is a full sibling to Streakin Easy April (LTE $250,000+), ridden by Kellie Collier and owned by Kathleen Collier, and was the last of Fulton Ranch’s foundation broodmare line, Easy April Lena. Both Lenas Last Streaker and Streakin Easy April sold through the Fulton Sale. There are four 7/8 siblings on the sale this year!
    Fulton Ranch would like to wish both of these talented cowgirls the best of luck at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, WY on July 15-21, 2018! Come find your next winner on Friday, August 17, 2018 in Valentine, NE!

  • On The Trail with Cole Futrell

    On The Trail with Cole Futrell

    Rodeo roots run deep for young North Carolina cowboy, Cole Futrell. The Kidd, Tucker, and Futrell families have had an influence on the sport in the southeast. Cole, a first-year, youth IPRA member, is 16-years-old, and was born in Charlotte, North Carolina where his start in life was on his family’s legendary Rockin’ K Ranch. There aren’t many cowboys or cowgirls of any caliber in North Carolina, that don’t have a story to tell about their rodeo days there at the Rockin’ K, where Cole lived until he moved to their farm in Union Grove when he was in first grade. Cole’s great-grandparents, Helen and C.W. Kidd started the Rockin’ K Arena and were instrumental to the beginnings of the Southern Rodeo Association, and rodeo in North Carolina.

    Cole’s Papaw, Scott Tucker (BWTB on page 22)is an SRA All-Around Champion Cowboy, that won the title multiple times in the 1960’s and 1970’s and had a big influence on Cole’s interest in rodeo. “I love listening to all of his old rodeo stories, especially his bull riding stories, and I want to be able to tell those kinds of stories one day too.” Cole’s late-Nana, Vicki Kidd Tucker, was quite the cowgirl, winning many titles during her rodeo days. Scott and Vicki raised their two children on the Rockin’ K; Cole’s mom, Keri Tucker Futrell, and his uncle, Jason Tucker. Jason competed as a team roper on the pro-level for several years and is an IPRA World Champion team roper. “My Uncle Jason has always helped me at rodeos to know what the start is and gives me advice on what I can improve on as a header.”

     

    Cole is the youngest of Keri and Bart Futrell’s four children; his older siblings are Matt, 29, Paige, 27, and Clay, 19. Keri is a timer at many IPRA and SRA rodeos and has been a supportive rodeo mom to all her children. Cole appreciates that she hauls him anywhere he needs to go, watching most of his runs through the video lens, so that he can watch them later. Bart competed as a bull rider for several years and is a past IFR qualifier. He now owns Bow F Bucking Bulls and is a well-respected IPRA stock contractor and rodeo producer with his partner, Chet Kidd, (Keri’s cousin) as Rafter 3 Rodeo Company. Cole often helps his dad feed and care for bulls, as well as sorting stock and running them through the chutes before events to prepare them for the rodeo. “My dad has always told me to never give up no matter what anyone tells me. He is a hard worker, and I’ve learned from him that if I want something to never give up on it. If my dad puts his mind to something, he’s going to get it done.” Matt has also been an IFR qualifier, and still competes in many IPRA and SRA rodeos, as well as training horses and helping with the family stock contracting business. “When Matt is home, he’s always willing to pull the sled for me and is there to help me anyway he can.” Cole’s sister Paige is a NCHSRA alumni and went on to college rodeo in Texas; she is now a beautician and co-owner of the online boutique, Madeleine Paige. Paige is engaged to PRCA bull rider, Eli Vastbinder, who is currently in the top 15 in the world standings. “I really appreciate all of the help Eli gives me on my mental game; he has always been very motivational and positive.”

    Clay, an IPRA heeler and IFR qualifier; and has been instrumental in Cole’s team roping. Cole watched Clay rope for a few years, while he stayed busy competing in steer riding, ribbon roping, and breakaway roping through junior high. Once Cole started heading, he and Clay spent nearly every day in the practice pen, roping the sled and steers together. Cole has been to several IFYR rodeos to watch Clay compete and last year was Cole’s first year to compete in Shawnee. Clay graduated in 2017, and is currently living in Stephenville, Texas. Cole’s favorite roping win was when he and Clay won the 12 Preliminary roping at the 2017 NTRL Finals in Jacksonville, Florida.

    Besides the many family members, including cousins Cory and Tyler Kidd, that have been down the IPRA and IFR roads before him, Cole credits team roper, Bronc Fanning for much of his success as a header. Bronc competed at his first IFR in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1971, and spent many years competing as a team roper. Bronc started working with Cole about five years ago, after Cole had told his dad he wasn’t ever going to rope, because he just wanted to ride bulls. “His dad called me that day, to see if I’d start working with him. I just started spending time teaching him how to do tricks on the dummy that his brother and cousins couldn’t do, and once he started beating them on the dummy, he got interested in roping steers. I don’t think I’ve ever been around such a kind and big-hearted kid, that has been so dedicated or works as hard at his roping.”

     

    Cole, a homeschooled sophomore, team ropes at rodeos as well as USTRC jackpots. He just finished his second year competing in the NCHSRA, with roping partner, Blake Walker; finishing the season as the Reserve Champion Header. The two are anxious to compete at the 2018 IFYR and high school national finals. Since 7th grade, Cole has headed on a 15-year-old grey gelding he calls Bam Bam, “I like riding him because he is so honest, he never gets too strong and lets me handle the steers however I want.”

    Cole was chosen to be on the Smarty Young Pro Team and has been blessed by the experience. The help he has received from Smarty Pro members, like Kaleb Driggers and family friend, Luke Brown have been invaluable to him. Last March, the Smarty Young Pro Team gathering at Allen Bach’s Smarty training facility in Texas, was a life-changing experience that not only gave him the opportunity to learn from many of the pro team members involved, but also strengthened his walk with the Lord. Trey Johnson leads the ministry and motivational team meetings, and Cole has learned lessons from him about being a winner inside as well as outside the arena. “Trey has really helped to bring me closer to God.”

    With such strong family connections to rodeo, it is not much of a surprise that Cole is also traveling down the rodeo road. Like a rite of passage, it’s now his turn to compete at these events he has spent his life watching. His plans, goals and dreams for his future include moving to Stephenville, Texas and competing in college rodeo before starting a career as a roper; with the ultimate dream of one day, heading steers for his brother Clay at the WNFR. “It’s all I want to do – it’s all I think about and what drives me.”

  • Boyd Polhamus

    Boyd Polhamus

    Behind Boyd Polhamus’s rodeo announcing career of 30 years and counting are numerous sets of hoofprints, left by the horses that have carried the Texan and his voice throughout rodeos all over the continent, from the college practice pen where he got his start to the height of professional rodeo at the WNFR. Gopher, Jack, Rolex, Limo, and a newcomer named Lambeau have all put Boyd close to the action on the arena floor.
    Of the more than 1,000 rodeos Boyd has announced in his career, approximately 70 percent of those have been on horseback. “Number one, I love my job, and number two, my biggest fear is someone saying that Boyd took the day off, so I’m religious about my research. I want to make the fans know the contestant as best as I can,” explains the four-time PRCA Announcer of the Year. “It’s a lot easier to announce from a booth because you don’t have a horse to feed or bathe, but it’s therapeutic for me to step away from that research and interact with the contestants at the wash rack or feed time, and find some things out you wouldn’t in the media.”
    When Boyd started announcing at 19, he rode stock contractors’ horses. Having ridden since he was 4—and known for being his home state of Wisconsin’s first three-time all-around cowboy in high school—he wasn’t scared to get on anything that was broke. By his early 30s, Boyd decided to start announcing on his own horses, and he looks for certain qualities in all the horses he works off of. Conformation is important to Boyd, along with a horse that isn’t too flashy—he prefers solid-colored horses without many markings. “If you study my horses, I want you to like them, but I want you to watch the competition,” he explains. “I want a horse that pays attention. It doesn’t matter if he’s a little flighty at first as long as he gets over it. I want one with spunk but who realizes something won’t hurt him.” Boyd’s horses have to grow accustomed not only to laser lights and pyrotechnics but being quick to respond, especially during the roughstock portion of rodeos. “You don’t want to be where the bucking horse can see you or you could draw the horse to you and out of the bucking pattern. I hide behind the gate the horse is coming out of, and if he goes bucking across the arena, I stay on his tail about three horse lengths back.”
    Boyd is on the road often 260-280 days a year, frequently with a horse in tow. He and his horse experience a variety of temperatures, elevations, and climates, along with changes in water, within just a few weeks or even days of each other. His horse’s feed remains constant, however. “Zero times have I had a horse colic since I started feeding Nutrena, and I can’t remember feeding anything but Nutrena in over a decade,” says Boyd. “My horses look good and the reason is they’re getting proper nutrition. I do my part and worm them, but at the end of the day, you are what you eat, and my horses don’t colic.” Many of the animals on Boyd and his wife Sandee’s Band-Aid Ranch in Brenham, Texas, eat Nutrena, from their Brangus cattle to the fish in their pond. “They’re the cream of the crop when it comes to any kind of animal nutrition, and their reps are so knowledgeable,” Boyd adds. “My horses look fat and happy, they have shiny coats, and I have to attribute all that to Nutrena.”
    Lambeau, a 5-year-old gelding Boyd purchased on Colorado, is his newest addition to the herd, though Limo remains his old faithful. Following the summer run, Boyd plans to take Lambeau to announce some smaller county rodeos in Texas to season him. The rest of Boyd’s time is spent at home, where down time is getting the trailer ready for his next trip, weaning calves, or spraying and fertilizing pastures. “Home is my vacation, but it’s not like I go home and go fishing—I’d much rather do something productive.”
    His latest venture is picking up the baton from Shawn Davis as General Manager of Production of the WNFR in 2019. “I won’t be announcing the NFR this year because I’ll be shadowing Shawn Davis and learning from him. In 2019 I take over, and I’m going to continue announcing. In the words of Willie Nelson when they asked him what his goals for 2017 were, and he said to make it to 2018, my goals are to do everything better than I did before. I’ll be 53 in September, and I’m excited about the National Finals Rodeo and making it more fun and engaging for fans and contestants. Basically, I want to do things better than I have before.”

  • Former Super Bowl champ, partner win $95,000 roping

    Former Super Bowl champ, partner win $95,000 roping

    Bear Pascoe and Steve Simons win the Reno Million during Wrangler BFI Week.

    RENO, Nev. (June 19, 2018) – A retired NFL tight end and a cattle contractor – both recreational team ropers – raked in $95,220 with their ropes on Tuesday at the 22nd edition of the #11 Reno (Nevada) Million.

    Californians Bear Pascoe of Morro Bay and Steve Simons of Sanger roped four steers in 34.21 seconds to win the event and $47,610 total per man. They needed only a 10-second run to clinch the win, but finished in 8.8 seconds.

    “I was just trying to not break out and go get him caught,” said Pascoe. “I knew Steve would rope him on the first or second jump.”

    His partner did just that, motivating himself by thinking of a couple of things his wife could use with the money. Simons, formerly in the construction business, provides steers for ropings across California. He and Bear’s dad Sean Pascoe had roped for years together and he and Bear, originally from Porterville, are close friends.

    “I haven’t been to this roping since I was 16 years old,” Pascoe said. “Corky (Ullman) and Daren (Peterson) have done a great job. The cattle were outstanding.”

    The Reno Million was founded in 1996 by local real estate developer Perry Di Loreto and is now owned by Ullman-Peterson Events. It was designed to give equally matched amateur ropers across the country a chance at six-figure payouts, using a handicapping system similar to golf.

    Traditionally, the roping was top-loaded and promoted first-place payouts of $100,000. This year, organizers used a format closer to official payoff formats at World Series of Team Roping events. , distributing the same money without a large gap between first and the other places.

    This year’s Reno Million drew 120 teams, each of whom paid a $5,500 entry fee and were screened to ensure their roper classification numbers didn’t exceed 11.5.

    It’s been a good week for 32-year-old Pascoe – the #6 header was also placing Tuesday in a tie for fifth in steer wrestling at the adjoining $600,000 Reno Rodeo after wrestling two steers in 9.6 seconds. He expects to make Saturday night’s short round, along with his wife, Katie, who was winning the barrel racing.

    “Throwing the hell out of a steer in steer wrestling is like scoring a touchdown,” Pascoe said. “But getting a good start and spinning one and your man sets him down? That’s pretty good, too.”

    Pascoe, who spent five seasons playing for the New York Giants, caught four passes in their 21-17 victory over the Patriots in the 2011 Super Bowl. But he continued to rope during every off-season. Today, he and Katie ranch on land owned by her father, Hall-of-Fame steer wrestler John W. Jones Jr. Meanwhile, the 6’5” Bear is also becoming a certified CrossFit trainer.

    Pascoe said continuing to work out helps him mentally as much as physically. He gives credit to his dad for imparting lots of good advice on the mental game over the years.

    “Besides being a good horseman and a good cowboy, he’s hard to rattle,” Bear said of his father, Sean, who was also competing in the Reno Million.

    In fact, Simons, a 5-Elite heeler, likens the entire Pascoe clan (Bear has twin siblings) to Louis Lamour’s fictional Sacketts. The baby of the family, Bear has no plans to stop roping or wrestling steers.

    “I entered the team roping at a handful of PRCA rodeos and didn’t have much luck,” Pascoe said. “They were a bit much for this green horse. But I’d like to revisit that. I’d love to be a multiple-event guy. One of my goals is to be invited to the Timed Event Championships of the World.”

    Custom-made bronze trophies crafted by Montana Silversmiths were awarded for the best head horse and heel horse at the Reno Million, chosen by a committee watching throughout the day. Texan John Coltharp’s mount won the Heel Horse award, while Lucy Bishop’s earned the bronze awarded to the Head Horse of the Reno Million.

    BFI Week continues through Friday, with all events live-streamed on www.WranglerNetwork.com. For more, visit www.bfiweek.com.

     

    Complete Results from The Reno Million on June 19:

     

    First Round:  1. Bear Pascoe and Steve Simons, 7.04 seconds, $6,920; 2. Kera Washburn and Dave Washburn, 7.73, $5,190; 3. Robert Perez and Joshua Reed, 7.90, $3,460; 4. Cody Every and Trevor Aldrich, 7.97, $1,730; Second Round:  1. Josh Johnson and Josh Love, 5.98 seconds, $6,920; 2. Lydia Townson and Chad Townson, 6.35, $5,190; 3. Chad Havens and T-Boy Waite, 6.52, $3,460; 4. Alan Chappell and Mark Brockmueller, 6.92, $1,730; Third Round:  1. Brent Mays and Shane Paschal, 6.56 seconds, $6,920; 2. Josh Johnson and Josh Love, 6.61, $5,190; 3. Ricky Bolin and Dustin Noblitt, 6.71, $3,460; 4. Cory Wiese and Michael White, 6.87, $1,730; Short Round: 1. Jessica Amicarella and Tony Graham, 8.02 seconds, $5,500; 2. Bear Pascoe and Steve Simons, 8.81, $3,300; 3. Kelly Cheatham and Dell Millward, 8.84, $2,200.

     

    Average:  1. Bear Pascoe and Steve Simons, 34.21 seconds on four, $85,000; 2. Jessica Americella and Tony Graham, 35.73, $65,000; 3. Kelly Cheatham and Dell Millward, 42.03, $47,000; 4. Chad Havens and T-Boy Waite, 42.77, $34,000; 5. Greg Roshay and Colter Bradshaw, 45.74, $31,000; 6. Vern Serp and Skip Stansbury, 47.88, $27,000; 7. Frank Baptiste and Buster Green, 51.36, $23,000; 8. Gary Kiehne and Shawn Palmer, 52.81, $20,000; 9. Mark Harris and Jason Nearn, 60.22, $19,000; 10. Lydia Townson and Chad Townson, 27.16 on three, $18,000; 11. Darwin McGowan and Luke McClanahan, 32.99, $16,500; 12. Lucy Bishop and Al Baloo, 34.29, $14,000; 13. Bruce Chernoff and Peter Bews, 35.10, $13,000.

     

    Consolation Average:  1. Josh Johnson and Josh Love, 20.17 seconds on three, $13,000; 2. Cole Lamb and Jim Bynum, 23.63, $10,000; 3. Alan Chappell and Mark Brockmueller, 23.98, $8,000; 4. Cody Every and Trevor Aldrich, 24.72, $4,000.

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  • SMC Trailers – What Sets Us Apart

    SMC Trailers – What Sets Us Apart

    • Our team has over 200 combined years of experience building LQ horse trailers
    • SMC’s have an extremely tough structure
      • We do bleed through welding of the rail to the frame, this is a lot of extra work for our team, but a LOT of extra strength for the trailer.
      • SMC uses heavy duty Adarail L-shaped railing along the bottom providing more rigidity and stability for the trailer and horses when going down the road.

    • SMC builds the LQ at the same time we build the trailer structure (or “shell”). There are many advantages to this:
      • The location for LQ components are design before the shell is even built, this avoids awkward modifications to the trailer’s structure by an LQ outfitter after the frame is already built.
      • While the engineering process is more complex, the manufacturing process is MUCH simpler and makes the trailer significantly less expensive. This allows us to build a much stronger/better trailer that we can sell for similar cost to our competition.
    • This will be the High-tech horse trailer on the market