Author: Courtesy

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.  -The AQHA and the WPRA annually honors the top equine partners that carry WPRA members to the winners circle. In 2016, the top 25 voted CFour Tibbie Stinson (Tibbie) as the Barrel Horse of the Year. Tibbie is owned by Kelly and Ivy Conrado and the 7-year old mare has carried Ivy to her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Ivy and Tibbie enter their first Wrangler NFR ranked fourth with $111,160 in the world standings after a phenomenal year that included major wins at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo and set a new arena record at the Wrangler Champions Challenge event in Spanish Fork, Utah, to name a few.

“Monday was a very emotional day here as we received a call from the AQHA to let us know Tibbie was named AQHA/WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year,” wrote Kelly Conrado, Ivy’s father, on Facebook. “This honor is so special. It is voted on by the top 25 members in the world standings and we are absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation for this incredible honor. For me, it is truly the most special of awards and recognitions. Thank you all. My heart is so full.”

Tibbie is a product of the Dash Ta Fame son Eddie Stinson out of Little Fancy Granny. A little back story on the Ivy and Tibbie partnership. When Ivy was still a young girl, she was at the futurity in Fort Smith, Ark., with her family and got into a wreck while riding one of the young horses. The accident kept her from the saddle for awhile. Enter Little Fancy Granny, also known as Racie. Just about four when the Conrados got her, Racie became Conrado’s therapy with the then nine year old girl spending hours in the saddle on the mare. Racie loved running barrels and soon took nearly every member of the family to the winner’s circle. Ivy won the Wrangler Junior High School State Finals twice on Racie. In her last win at the Junior High Finals, Racie was actually bred to the Dash Ta Fame son Eddie Stinson. The embryo that was flushed out following the win was Tibbie. Because Ivy was also busy competing in volleyball including Junior Olympics, she never went to the High School Finals with Racie and took a break from riding through her high school years. Meanwhile, Kelly put Tibbie into training, winning big during her four year old futurity season and now the mare will carry Ivy down the alleyway at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Finishing second in the AQHA/WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year Honors was Sadiesfamouslastwords better known as Mary Burger’s Mo that has carried Burger back to the Wrangler NFR in the No. 1 spot with a record regular season earnings record of $190,977. Mo, owned by Mary and her husband, Kerry, is a 7-year old buckskin gelding by Sadies Frosty Drift out of Porky and Bess. Burger’s last mount, Rare Fred, that carried her to the Wrangler NFR and the 2006 WPRA Barrel Racing World Title won the AQHA Barrel Horse of the Year award in both 2006 and 2009.

TKW Bullysfamous Fox “Foxy” owned by Travis and Kimmie Wall finished third in the AQHA Barrel Horse of the Year voting. Foxy has carried Kimmie to her first Wrangler NFR in 2016 ranked fifth after finishing just outside the top 15 the last two years – 19th in 2015 and 20th in 2014. Foxy, an 8-year old mare, is a product of the stallion Bully Bullion and the mare Gateway Ta Love. She was raised and trained by the Walls and carried Kimmie to a 2D win in her first competition at the futurity in Buckeye, Ariz. In 2015, Foxy mastered the “Green Mile” in Pendleton, Ore., and now will have a chance on a much shorter pattern inside the Thomas & Mack Center.

Conrado will be officially recognized during the PRCA Awards Presentation in Las Vegas, prior to the start of the Wrangler NFR.

Courtesy WPRA, Ann Bleiker

 

BARREL RACING

1. CFour Tibbie Stinson (Tibbie), owners Kelly and Ivy Conrado
2. Sadiesfamouslastwords (Mo), owners Kerry and Mary Burger
3. TKW Bullysfamous Fox (Foxy) owners Travis and Kimmie Wall

 

Women’s Professional Rodeo Association News Release

August 9, 2016

Contact: Ann Bleiker (719) 330-4293

http://www.wpra.com/

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – While Team USA is setting records and winning medals in Rio at the Olympic Games, 2006 WPRA Barrel Racer Mary Burger is rewriting the WPRA record books here in the States with more to come in December at the Wrangler NFR. The latest record to fall was the Most Money Won Prior to the NFR. Lindsay Sears set that record in 2008 with $184,567. When the new world standings were released on Monday, August 8, Burger had collected $185,439 thus far in 2016 with roughly two months left in the regular season.

Burger surpassed Sears’ record the first week of August with a host of rodeos she is very familiar with in the Prairie Circuit. As of August 1, Burger had amassed a total of $179,576 with huge wins from both Houston and Calgary. She needed just $4,992 to break the record.

Burger finished third in the second round of the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup with a 17.04-second run worth $1,718. She finished second at Iowa’s Championship Rodeo in Sidney with a 17.65 adding $1,654. Her biggest check of the weekend would come at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg finishing second in a time of 16.97 worth $2,400, pushing her past Sears’ record. She would add another $91 at the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo in Hill City, Kan., with a 10th place finish in a time of 17.11.

“I never dreamed this would happen and it is just unbelievable,” stated Burger when she learned she had officially set the new record. “I am at a loss for words, really. I just wanted to win a little money this year and have fun with my horse.”

Not one to pay attention to the records or worry about it, Burger said the first time she heard someone talk that she was close to Sears’ record was in Cheyenne via social media.

“I don’t pay attention to records like that,” said Burger. “I just take one run at a time and try to win as much money as I can each time out.”

It can sometimes be tough for rodeo contestants to juggle the chase for the NFR as well as the circuit title. For Burger her home circuit is the Prairie Circuit and as a resident in that circuit from Pauls Valley, Okla., she must compete at 15 rodeos to qualify for the Circuit Finals and the circuit title.

“I wasn’t sure this year if I would be able to make my circuit count as I really wanted to go to Cheyenne, Spanish Fork (Utah) and Ogden (Utah), as I hadn’t been there in a few years but that also meant missing a few rodeos,” said Burger. “The first week of August, I was able to get back and hit several circuit rodeos helping both my circuit standings and world standings. I decided to turn-out of Abilene (Kan.) due to the schedule, so that I could get to Phillipsburg in a better position.”

That decision was a successful one picking up $2,400, the biggest check of the week for Burger, who will turn 68 on August 18. However, don’t expect Burger to sit at home now and wait for the NFR.

“I am entered this week at Lawton (Okla.) and Coffeyville (Kan.),” stated Burger. “Then I plan to go to Pueblo (Colo.) and Fort Madison (Iowa). My horse is just seven and he is sound and feeling good so there is no reason for me to sit at home and do nothing.”

Sears still holds the highest single-year earnings record in the WPRA with $323,570 from 2008. Burger is positioning herself for a run at that record with the huge payout awaiting her in Las Vegas at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 1-10.

 

 

By Jim Thompson

Todd Suhn remembers that he attended a meeting with rodeo contestants interested in the proposed Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA) in early January 2014. After 16 NFR qualifications in the bull dogging, including one reserve championship year, he’d been hurt in 2013 and thought about retirement.

“They talked about with ERA as a vision for the future,” he recalls. He had to decide to forego his hopes for future NFR qualifications or retirement, for helping build a stepping stone to bigger and better things beyond the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association and the bright lights of Las Vegas.  It was that vision for the betterment of the sport that drove his immediate relationship with the ERA.

Todd Suhn grew up in central South Dakota and went to college for 2 years in Cheyenne; Laramie County Community College.  He graduated from University of Wyoming with a degree in Ag Business and by 1994 had his PRCA membership. His first NFR was in 1996.  That started a streak that reached ten in a row before missing the NFR in 2006. Then 6 more until he was injured in 2013.  2012 was his final NFR appearance.  He was 2nd in 1998 to Mickey Gee.  Todd Suhn finished in the top 5 three times, the top ten 10 times. In 2001 he finished 11th but less than $700 behind his brother Randy.

He’s nearing 2 million dollars in money won in competition…quite an accomplishment.

Now in his first year of competing in the ERA 2016 Premier Tour he feels that on range of 1 to 10, the Tour is at 4 and growing.  Because of the PRCAs unwillingness to work with the ERA, many of their plans had to be rethought and new goals needed to be developed.  There are 19 events planned this year plus the 5 rounds of the ERA championships.  Those will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas November 9-13, 2016.

One misconception of the ERA, Todd feels, from both fans and rodeo contestants, is that Trevor and the other members started it to get more for themselves.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  Many who helped found the ERA were men, and women, who could see the end of the career coming.  Many wanted to create a pathway for younger people who sought a life in rodeo beyond just one big payday in Las Vegas each year.

Many of the goals and bylaws of the Elite Rodeo Athletes are patterned after the Pro Bull Riders.  That association created wealth for its founders and opportunities for new members.  The ERA wishes the same thing.  And they had hoped that the PRCA would share the vision and participate, but since they haven’t the ERA is still moving ahead without them.

Todd Suhn says he hasn’t really lost any friends over his decision though some are cool on the subject.  He feels that one fundamental problem with the pro rodeo is that there is little upward growth.  Many big rodeos are down or have even left the PRCA such as Houston, Calgary and Colorado Springs.  They left the PRCA and have prospered leaving the door open for others to follow.  Todd feels that the business model created by the ERA will help address that issue and keep rodeo growing.

As for the question about how young people get into the ERA after its initial season; a qualifying tour has been developed similar to what the American has done.

Todd Suhn rated the initial season a 4 out of ten largely because early goals were affected by PRCA rulings.  But when asked “do you see light at the end of the tunnel?”  His answer was confident; “I do. Certainly today it’s foggy but if you look through the fog you can see the success.”

Without question Todd Suhn would have liked to win a world championship through his 20 plus years in rodeo, be he’s satisfied with his 2nd place finish in 1999.  And today he realizes that he and the dozens of others with the foresight to form the Elite Rodeo Athletes will help assure the rodeo lifestyle will not plateau for young contestants who are coming behind them.

 

 

There’s a poem that demonstrates that dream:

The Bridge Builder

By Will Allen Dromgoole

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

Through which was flowing a sullen tide

The old man crossed in the twilight dim, The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned when safe on the other side And built a bridge to span the tide.

 

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day, You never again will pass this way; You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide, Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

 

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followed after me to-day A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

 

If you’re interested in following the association just google “Elite Rodeo Athletes” or go to www.eraprorodeo.com

 

 

 

BOERNE, TX (July 24, 2016) The grand finale of Elite Rodeo Athletes Premier Tour (Stop #10) – Days of ‘47 Komatsu Equipment Rodeo in Salt Lake City took place last night with a unique format that gave top seeded series qualifiers an opportunity to compete against the best rodeo athletes in the world. Each of the eight qualifiers advanced out of the qualifying series rounds that took place earlier this week in Vivint Smart Home Arena.

Out of eight, one qualifier, Guthrie Murray, a bull rider from Miami, OK upset the competition by going 86 points on War Party (Diamond G Rodeos) to claim the win in front of an elated crowd.  Cody Campbell managed to hold onto his ERA World Championship Standings lead, but Neil Holmes zoomed up the standings last night following just 25 points behind Campbell.

Tyler Pearson (Independence, LA) won the steer wrestling with a 3.66 on his steer and was able to inch closer to standings leader Stockton Graves in the points race, now just 63.5 points behind Graves.

Three-Time World Champion Team Ropers, Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill claimed a second win in  Salt Lake City last night with another three second run. Stopping the clock at 3.72, they were just ahead of Chad Masters and Travis Graves’ 3.88 that earned them a second place finish. Derrick Begay and Seven-Time World Champion, Clay O’Brien Cooper still have a commanding lead in the Championship Race to Dallas, bolstered by their third place finish with a time of 4.08 seconds.

Fresh off his Calgary Stampede win, Saddle Bronc Rider, Zeke Thurston, (Big Valley, Alberta) claimed another big victory by executing a winning ride on Kool Toddy (Big Bend Rodeo) that scored 87.5 points. The Canadian cowboy moved up in the standings last night, but Isaac Diaz (tour stop 9 winner) still has the lead placing third last night with an 82-point ride.

Ten-year-old barrel racing phenom, Chayni Chamberlain, (Stephenville, TX) had the crowd roaring on Saturday night with her win. Riding her horse “Flo Jo” (Dat Flowing Bunny), they stopped the clock with a 13.50 second run. Chamberlain, the youngest athlete on the tour, has proven she is a force to be reckoned with and is currently sitting second in the standings behind Lisa Lockhart.

Three-time World Champion, Tuf Cooper, (Decatur, TX) turned in a quick 6.84 second run to claim first in the tie-down roping. Close behind him were family members Trevor Brazile (7.10) and Clif Cooper (7.74) taking second and third respectively. Cooper has now earned four tour stop wins and sits behind Shane Hanchey (tour stop #9 winner), who leads the Championship Race to Dallas in the Tie-Down Roping.

ERA Bareback Rider Steven Peebles is King of the Comeback. Just two months after winning a world title in December (an amazing feat after his near death experience last July), Peebles found himself in a hospital bed once again with a potential career-ending injury. Peebles broke his back during a vehicle accident on February 13^th and has been working diligently to return to the sport he loves. Last week he claimed the bareback championship at Calgary Stampede and last night he won tour stop #10 with an 87-point ride on Something Cool (Big Bend Rodeo).

Peebles described what the recent big wins mean to him by saying, “It’s been a very long six months waiting eagerly to be able to get back on. That is the longest I’ve ever had to sit out at one time in my whole career, and I was so excited to be able to get back on for the first time, especially for the $100,000 (won at Calgary). I wanted to win it very bad. I was extremely happy and what a relief it was after no rodeo income in 6 months.

Then to come to my first ERA rodeo, I knew I had a lot of climbing to do in the standings and to be able to win that as well – I was so excited and I am feeling really blessed. It was exactly what I needed and a great start for my climb to the top!”

ERA back numbers this weekend featured a blue stripe in a show of appreciation for America’s police officers who risk their lives to protect and preserve our freedoms every day. ERA athletes wanted to show that they “Back the Blue.”

Earlier this year, The Days of ’47 Rodeo, which is Utah’s oldest rodeo and one of the premier rodeos in the nation, made a bold move to provide their fans a new high-stakes, high-entertainment competition through a new partnership with Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA).

The Days of ‘47 event will air on FS2, Wednesday, August 3^rd at 9:00 EST. The athletes have six weeks off before they head to tour stop #11 in Sheridan, WY for the Cowboy State Elite Rodeo, September 3^rd. Tickets to the Wyoming event can be purchased now at www.sheridanwyorodeo.com/era and start at $24.

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ABOUT THE DAYS OF ‘47 RODEO It’s a must-see event, and is the state’s oldest rodeo. Spectators will be impressed by the competitors who join us in 2016 as they will see the biggest names in rodeo ride, rope and rough it for our Rodeo’s $400,000 in prize money. Featuring bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, steer wrestling and tie-down roping.
In 2016, the rodeo will kick off July 19th and run through the 23rd.

ABOUT ELITE RODEO ATHLETES (ERA) The Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA) is a “League of Champions” where only the world’s best rodeo athletes and livestock compete at every tour stop for a share of the $4.6 million total season purse. The ERA was created by the sport’s premier rodeo stars with rodeo fans in mind.  The ERA consists of two tours – the Premier Tour, featuring 87 of the sport’s top athletes, representing 135 world championships; and the Qualifying Tour, offering up and coming rodeo talent an opportunity to qualify for the ERA Premier Tour and ultimately the ERA World Championships. ERA events are televised nationally on FOX Sports 2 (FS2).