Author: Courtesy

This image was taken at the Evergreen Assisted Living Facility last week. I’m confident there were residents who enjoyed Riley, Chester and Strawberry, however, I am certain no got more joy out of the experience than we did.

The opportunity to give a moment of happiness and distraction will always be a treasured memory.

Brady Wakefield’s first head horse Chester may have found his highest and best gift.

New Opportunity Created for Female Athletes Seeking New World Title

AUSTIN, Texas and PUEBLO, Colo.- WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) and PBR (Professional Bull Riders) have announced a new, breakthrough event in women’s rodeo: the Women’s Rodeo World Championship, taking place at South Point Equestrian Center on November 3-7.

This first-of-its-kind world championship is open to any female athlete in the world competing in breakaway roping, barrel racing and team roping.

The new Women’s Rodeo World Championship will award a minimum of $750,000 and name a champion in the individual disciplines of barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping as well as a Women’s Rodeo All-Around Champion.  The event will be held in Las Vegas during the PBR World Finals.

Qualifying positions will be open to all eligible women across the world. Ten riders will have direct paths to the Championship based on their final ranking on the WCRA leaderboard.

The event will begin with onsite open-qualifier rounds November 3 – 5. Those ranked in the top 10 from the open qualifier will advance to the Championship on November 6 – 7, where they’ll compete alongside the Top 10 from the WCRA leaderboard and an additional four competitors awarded exemptions from to-be-named events.

“Working with our partners at PBR to provide female rodeo athletes an opportunity like this is a game-changer,” said WCRA CEO, Gary McKinney. “This historic addition of the Women’s Rodeo World Championship to the WCRA 2020 tour will give female ropers and barrel racers more opportunities, including the ability to compete for big-money payouts.”

“Women in rodeo haven’t had the same opportunities as men, and they deserve this exciting national platform and world title competition,” said PBR CEO Sean Gleason. “We’re very proud of our partnership with WCRA which helps us celebrate and reward talented female athletes while inspiring the next generation of young women to pursue rodeo.”

The Women’s Rodeo World Championship will be carried on RIDE-TV and RidePass, the PBR’s western sport digital network.

Additional details on how to qualify and leaderboard information will be released at a later date.

About WCRA

WCRA is a professional sport and entertainment entity, created to develop and advance the sport of rodeo by aligning all levels of competition. In association with the PBR, WCRA produces major rodeo events, developing additional opportunities for rodeo-industry competitors, stakeholders, and fans. To learn more, visit wcrarodeo.com. For athletes interested in learning more about the WCRA Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ) system, visit app.wcrarodeo.com.

About PBR

PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 700 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top 35 bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. PBR’s digital assets include RidePass, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.

Media Contacts

For PBR – Andrew Giangola

andrew.giangola@img.com or 646-871-2402

For WCRA – Kyle Jones

Kjones@wcrarodeo.com or 432-683-4816

Champions:

Steer Wrestling: Matt Reeves – Matt was one of five people in a room in Omaha, Nebraska, when Randy Bernard talked about producing the AMERICAN. It seemed too good to be true. “40 has been good to me”

Bareback: Kaycee Field – second win at the AMERICAN. “I had an accident last year got hit on the head – I think it made me smarter.” With his first win, he invested in two companies PWR PRO CBD – unique brand that controls crops, and produces the products in a 300,000 square foot plant in Utah-  it’s the first time I’ve made money without using my body. The other company – gel blasters, a gun that shoots Rodeo has been good to me – I’ve got great friends all over the country.”

Breakaway roping: Kaycee Hollingback. Kaycee grew up in a rodeo family. She made it to the AMERICAN on the last qualifier. She’s riding a horse that she has only had for less than a year. “I remember dreaming of this as a little girl.”

Team roping: Luke Brown – header. “We bought this horse seven years ago. I’ve won Cheyenne and the BFI on him, then he got hurt and we were told we could never ride him again. We prayed a lot about it – and he got better and here we are.” Joseph Harrison – heeler – “Since I was a young boy trying to learn how to rope and win – you need a good partner and a good horse – and I have both.” The duo hasn’t roped together for very long. “We roped around each other a lot, and we roped together one day before the AMERICAN.”

Barrel Racing: Stevi Hillman on board Truck. “He’s a very special horse – he turned 13 this year. I”ve had him for six years, made the NFR four years now. I like that we had an alley and the ground was great.” There was a lot of consultation about the new set up on the arena. Stevi travels with her husband, Ty. “He does everything for me.”

Tie Down Roping: Shad Mayfield “It’s unbelievable – that much money helps. Now I can lay low – maybe take a vacation.” He’s riding a new horse that he got in October. “He’s made it so easy – he’s changed my roping.” Shad has won more than $700,000 this year. “I don’t want to ever go through that again,” he said about last year, when he was on the bubble for the last month. “To be on top already this year is great.” He handles pressure well. “I’m under pressure every day in the practice pen being around my dad. This is a lot easier.”

Saddle Bronc Riding: Wyatt Casper won the College finals in 2016. He is also leading the PRCA world standings. “The money I’ve got won is more than the last three years in PRCA. Last year got me down, from June to August I only won $3,500 – super glad I had my parents and my beautiful wife and kids – behind me. I owe it all to the good Lord – I’ve never drawn so good in my whole life.”

Bull Riding: Sage Kimzey/Joao Ricardo Vieira. Joao has been at the AMERICAN for three years and won it every year. “This is the best for me. ” Sage – “This is a great place to come – you dream about this as a kid.” He competed in pain – three weeks from surgery on and accident – he had a bull fall on him and it tore the ligament that attaches two bones together in his ankle. “I’m going to take some time off and get everything ready for the busy part of summer season.”

It’s all come down to this.

Months spent qualifying. A lifetime of watching, learning and honing his skills.

This weekend, Wynn Schaack, of Wall, S.D., will put his experience to the test – competing against the top steer wrestlers in the world at RFD-TV’s The American, the biggest two-day payout in rodeo.

“It’s exciting,” Schaack said of the qualification. “Kind of surreal.”

Schaack’s journey to The American officially began last summer when he won the reserve champion steer wrestling title at the National High School Rodeo Association Finals. That earned him one qualification for The American Semi-Finals. He needed two.

He qualified again in Montana and a third time in Texas.

When the dust settled, Schaack was one of 170 steer wrestlers who made it to The American Semi-Finals. He advanced to the top 30 upon winning the second round of slack Feb. 24, then subsequently won the first performance of the semi-finals Thursday.

By Saturday, Schaack had entered the Top 10 lineup and advanced to the final qualifying round on Sunday. He threw his steer in a time of 4.01 seconds Sunday – securing a fourth-place finish on the leaderboard and becoming one of six underdogs to earn a spot at The American.

It’s a huge accomplishment for any rodeo cowboy, but especially one who is 19.

“I was definitely nervous being up against that level of competition,” Schaack said. “But, my dad always told me to think of every performance as just another run – don’t get too worried about it, just focus on what I do best. That’s what I did, and I guess it worked.”

Schaack hasn’t had much time to celebrate. After the competition Sunday, he drove all night from Texas to attend classes at MPCC’s campus in McCook on Monday. He’s currently studying agribusiness there and is an active member of the college’s rodeo team.

His teammates will be among the many cheering him on when he enters the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas this weekend for The American as will his family.

“My family is in the middle of calving right now, so my mom and brother had to stay home during the semi-finals and take care of stuff at the ranch,” Schaack said. “I’m hoping my mom at least can come down for The American. My dad and grandma will be there as well.”

There are a variety of ways the general public can watch live coverage of the event. Options can be found at rfdtvamericanrodeo.com.

“This whole experience has been amazing,” said Schaack. “I’ve been meeting a lot of people and have really stepped up my competitiveness because of it. I’ve always had a strong drive for rodeo, but now I want it more than ever.”

She’s already a role model for barrel racers young and old around the world, but Utah cowgirl Amberley Snyder continues to set new goals for herself. A Chickasha, Okla. company, Signature Quarters, has big plans to help her achieve them.

A professional barrel racer, Snyder was parayzed in 2010 at the age of 18 when her truck slid off the highway, ejecting her from the vehicle and slamming her into a fence post that broke her back. Four months later, thanks to unwavering determination and a competitive spirit, she was back on her horse. Since then, she has faced countless challenges and adversity, but has continued to achieve her goals, including earning her Women’s Professional Rodeo Association card in 2017.

Outside the arena, Snyder shares her inspiring story through powerful public speaking engagements at events and in schools. in 2019, Netflix released a movie about Snyder titled “Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” Snyder appears in the film as a stunt double with her horse, Power.

Through a new contract agreement with Signature Quarters, Snyder will be traveling to rodeos across the country in a horse trailer created just for her. Signature Quarters specializes in custom horse trailer conversions, and their team will design a one-of-a-kind living quarters tailored especially for Snyder, complete with special accessibility features like a wheelchair lift and a custom shower. Beyond that, Snyder will have the opportunity to handpick all unique finishes and fixtures from floor and furniture to ceiling and sinks.

We are so excited for the opportunity to work with Amberley on her new living quarters,” said Abby Clark, owner of Signature Quarters. “In partnering with her, we hope to create a custom space that will help her keep achieving her goals. We are proud to build her a home away from home!”

The horse trailer itself will be built by Hart Trailer, another of Snyder’s sponsors also based in Chickasha. The trailer will be a Tradition model four horse with a 16.5’ shortwall living quarters, and it will feature Hart’s unique Smart Tack design for the tack storage area.

“Working with Amberley has been a blessing and a wonderful experience,” said Tracy Hart, owner of Hart Trailer. “Her ‘can do’ attitude and tenacity has been amazing to witness. I’m very thankful that she chose Hart Trailer. Allowing us to be a part of her story, so that we can build her the very best horse trailer.”

Snyder will be visiting Oklahoma to work with both Signature Quarters and Hart in March to make final design plans for her trailer. She will also be competing at The American Rodeo Semi-Finals this month.

###

About Signature Quarters – Since opening their doors in 2006, Signature Quarters has gained a national reputation as one of the finest trailer conversion companies in the United States. Maintaining a tradition of quality work and integrity, their talented personnel produce custom trailer conversions using the finest materials, equipment and techniques available. Located at the heart of the trailer industry in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Signature Quarters builds superior living quarters conversions to the specifications of each customer. With quality, comfort and safety in mind, the SQ team strives to find innovative ways to enhance life on the road in your “home away from home.”

About Hart Trailers – Established in 1968, Hart Trailer remains privately owned and operated by the Hart family. Over the years Hart has maintained a reputation for manufacturing quality trailers while becoming friends with their customers. Safety, reliability, convenience, eye appeal and excellence are engineered into every feature of a Hart Trailer. The design features Hart incorporates in its trailer today have been continuously developed for more than 50 years in close cooperation with their customers and dealers. Because Hart aspires for excellence in trailer manufacturing and service, they have been able to inspire confidence in customers that they have made the right choice in purchasing a Hart Trailer.

Letters of interest and resumes due on March 4.

LAS VEGAS – February 4, 2020 – Las Vegas Events announced today that it is seeking a general manager for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The annual event, held each year at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, is scheduled for December 3 –12.

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 2019, the event had a total attendance of 168,289 over the 10 days of competition and has sold out 330 consecutive performances.

The general manager will work closely with the LVE, NFR Committee and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association on all aspects of rodeo production.

All letters of interest and resumes may be sent to the following:
Wrangler NFR Production Manager
c/o Las Vegas Events
770 E. Warm Springs Road, Suite 140
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Resumes can also be sent directly to NFRGeneralManager@LasVegasEvents.com. All resumes must be received by Wednesday, March 4, 2020 by 11:59 p.m. PT.

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

About Las Vegas Events:
Founded in 1983, Las Vegas Events is a private, not-for-profit organization funded by hotel room tax. Through its Signature Event initiative, LVE has created a model to integrate all elements of special events and formally improve communication between event producers and Las Vegas’ hotel properties and sponsors. Since 1991, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 800 events. www.lasvegasevents.com

About the Wrangler NFR
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), considered the world’s premier rodeo, features 10 straight days of the best in PRCA PRORODEO competition, with a total of 120 contestants competing every night in seven events. Each December, the top 15 contestants, based on the PRCA | RAM World Standings, in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding qualify to compete at the Wrangler NFR. www.prorodeo.com

SALADO, TEXAS – Randy Bloomer, CEO of Bloomer Trailer Mfg., Inc. , announced SOM Trailers, owned by David Walther of Pevely, Missouri has been selected to represent the Bloomer Brand.
With the same integrity and customer service that has earned them high praise from the equine industry for over two decades Randy Bloomer, CEO, and owner of the Bloomer Brand, welcomes David Walther as a representative of Bloomer Trailers, built and headquartered in central Texas since 1998.
“I am pleased to introduce SOM Trailers will now be carrying our brand. David Walther’s commitment to excellence in the industry is exactly what we strive for every day,” continued Bloomer.
Walther believes the brand relationship is a good fit for him and his customers and, most importantly, a quality trailer that he is pleased to carry at his dealership. The Bloomer Brand is known to continually raise the bar in equine transportation, which is why the Brand was attractive to SOM Trailers.
“Honestly, I have never had one I couldn’t sell,” said Walther.
SOM began in 2012 selling used and refurbished and quickly learned that the Bloomer brand resale value was second to none, and they hold up as a trailer and hold value longer than most horse trailers.
“We sell a tremendous amount of living quarters trailers and mostly to serious rodeo people, and Bloomer has a huge brand loyalty following, and frankly, the Bloomer is the best money can buy. It’s just a perfect fit for us – Bloomer is the quality of trailer we want in our dealership, and the resale value is second to none, which means they hold up,” said SOM Trailers owner David Walther.
“We have never stopped challenging ourselves to find a better or safer way to protect our customers and their livestock. “I’ve just tried always to do what’s right and never stop trying to make my trailers better,” said Bloomer.
“When trailer shopping, the experience you have at a dealership is just as important as getting a fair price, and we feel very confident at SOM the Bloomer customer will get that high service standard we pride ourselves on, added Bloomer.
Being a competitive horseman, Randy is always striving for comfort and safety in Bloomer Trailers by developing new features for the owners and their precious cargo.
According to Randy Bloomer, the Texas-born businessman who began the company in 1998 and remained at the helm, the Made in America Bloomer line of trailers is now available in Missouri at SOM. Walther also cited the direct relationship he has with Bloomer as a key factor in representing the trailer company from Salado, Texas. “It’s a tight-knit family and company, and you don’t feel like you are getting any corporate run-around,” added Walther.
“We are a hands-on company, I have been building trailers for 22 years and my day to day role has not changed, my family and I take a direct approach relationship to every order, and it bothers me if there is an issue, I never want to make an apology for one of my trailers or dealers,” said Bloomer from the headquarters in Salado, Texas.
Bloomer’s commitment to excellence has helped the twenty-two-year-old family-owned and managed company carves out its reputation as the breakout leader in equine and livestock transportation that has fundamentally reshaped the industry.
“I only want the best for these animals and families that live their lives in these trailers, making sure the flexing and stress points just right keep me up at night, I wake up and go to bed thinking about it,” said Bloomer.

SOM Trailers
David Walther
1882 Hwy Z
Pevely, Missouri
314.498.9891

Returning rodeo to Madison Square Garden June 19 – 21, 2020, Rodeo New York will be the ultimate challenge of champions, an invitational featuring some of the biggest names and title holders in the sport. That’s why, after the Wrangler NFR in December, all of the new world champions were invited to join the star-studded roster — and among them is Stetson Wright.

His is a name rodeo fans quickly came to know in 2019, if they didn’t already. Stetson won both the Bull Riding and All-Around titles at the 2019 Cheyenne Frontier Days. He’s the 2019 PRCA Bull Riding Rookie of the Year, the All-Around Rookie of the Year, and the reigning All-Around World Champion. He’s also the son of rodeo legend Cody Wright and one of the many ProRodeo saddle bronc champions that make up the Wright family dynasty.

Joining uncles Jesse and Spencer, Stetson became the third Wright to sign on to compete at Rodeo New York, and since the inaugural event will be held over Father’s Day Weekend, we thought, why not invite the rest of the family?

We are now thrilled to announce Cody is officially on board — as are sons Rusty Wright (a Calgary Stampede Champion and the current National Western Saddle Bronc Champion) and Ryder Wright (the 2017 World Champion).

Considered to be maybe the best saddle bronc rider of all time, 2X world champion Cody Wright will return to rodeo once again (following his performance last year at RFD-TV’s The American) to spend Father’s Day Weekend riding alongside his sons at Madison Square Garden. This will be one for the history books, marking the first time a father and three sons will compete together in the same event — not to mention six members of the same family.

In a recent interview on Western Sports Round-Up, Steve Kenyon asked Ryder, “Madison Square Garden, Father’s Day Weekend — how’s that going to be?

Ryder responded with just one word: “BIG.”

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas (Jan. 20, 2020)— Cowboy Entrepreneur Scott Knudsen may have his own heritage as a 5th generation Texas cowboy, but this week he cleared his calendar for appearances with Heritage to support the Mustang Heritage Foundation, January 23-26, 2020, when the debut Mustang Magic Celebrity Freestyle happens at Will Rogers Coliseum during the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Knudsen (pronounced kah-newd-son) will ride and do meet-and-greets with the Foundation’s once-wild-turned-ambassador, Heritage, when the Extreme Mustang Makeover and Mustang Magic, bring true Western icons to the public, at the landmark Fort Worth events.

“The first time I saw Heritage was exciting and humbling,” said Knudsen who met the resident ‘mascot,’ while visiting the Mustang Heritage Foundation with his new online show Cowboy Entrepreneur and went behind the scenes with Director of Marketing Matt Manroe last summer. “I could tell Matt was a very ‘outside the box’ thinker. Someone who is very accomplished, yet always looking for a better way to do things,” said Knudsen.  “When he and I came up with this idea [Knudsen appearing with Heritage in Fort Worth], we felt this would not only get more people engaged with the Mustang Heritage Association, but would cross-market all over our industry.”

“Here was this amazing Mustang standing impressively,” recalled Knudsen, an AQHA Professional Horseman and AQHA Ambassador, who’s ridden rough stock to race horses, team roped, penned, and sorted, ridden cutting horses, worked rescues, and trained Thoroughbreds to Morgans and Mustangs. “I could see why Heritage was the Foundation’s ambassador. Once I got near him, I realized how truly great he is. Gentle, yet so strong.” (Interestingly, Knudsen grew up in Georgetown, Texas, the Foundation’s headquarters.) From the action in Fort Worth, Knudsen also will do live call-in radio segments for Texas Hill Country’s 103.7 FM, The Buck.

“Being invited to appear with Heritage at a major event like Extreme Mustang Makeover and the first-ever Mustang Magic Celebrity competition, is something I will never forget,” said Knudsen, a gifted entrepreneur and speaker, who intersects the horse world and business. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to show the public how truly magnificent the Mustang breed is and to do it with Heritage,” he added.

The Extreme Trail Horse Association which Knudsen founded and directs, already supports the Mustang Heritage Foundation and its mission to promote adoption adoption of BLM-housed American mustangs through innovative gentling competitions and awareness programs. www.mustangheritagefoundation.org

Visit: www.cowboyentrepreneur.com

To schedule speaking engagements and interviews with Scott Knudsen, contact

Elizabeth McCall at 310-720-4096 or elizmccall@earthlink.

About Scott Knudsen: A 5th generation Texas cowboy, with a Fortune 50 background as an award-winning national sales rep, Knudsen, 51, brings the best of the West together with business acumen to make the horse world fun and profitable. Headquartered at Lightning K Ranch in Fredericksburg, Texas, his family owns Knudsen Equine Center, Knudsen Horses, and Knudsen Cattle Company. An AQHA Professional Horseman and AQHA Ambassador, Knudsen’s ridden rough stock to race horses, team roped, penned, and sorted, ridden cutting horses, worked rescues, and trained Thoroughbreds to Morgans and Mustangs. In 2005, he was struck in the head by lightning and had to relearn how to read and write.

As President of the Board for the San Antonio area’s top-rated theater company, Knudsen’s helped turned the non-profit’s balance sheet into a $1 million-plus operation. He founded and directs the Extreme Trail Horse Association, with destinations in the US and Canada.

In his new online show Knudsen takes viewers behind-the-scenes at the Mustang Heritage Foundation, joins music entertainment pal Derek Spence “From the Saddle to the Stage,” and appears at HEEL-O-MATIC’s bustling booth at Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas, interviewing rodeo celebrities to NFR fans. Upcoming shows include Richard Winters, World Champion Team Roper Ty “Blaster” Blasingame, Olympian Steffen Peters, and more.  A captivating speaker, Knudsen’s presentations have inspired audiences far and near, including: Western States Horse Expo, Sam Houston State University, and Texas A&M.

For information on becoming a show sponsor, visit cowboyentrepreneur.com  or email knudsenhorses@yahoo.com.