Rodeo Life

Author: Siri Stevens

  • On The Trail with Creek Young

    On The Trail with Creek Young

    A framed $25 check for winning the first mutton bustin’ he entered at only two-and-a-half years old hung on Creek Young’s wall for years.

    As a kid, Creek’s grandma, Lois Porter, would read to him from Gary Paulsen’s series, “Tucket’s Travels,” about a boy in the mid-19th century and his adventures in the American West.

    Now, the cowboy from Rogersville, Mo., is living a 21st century version of those tales with a bull riding twist that’s taking him to the 2021 National Finals Rodeo.

    “He’s kind of an old soul so that’s where the nickname Old Man River comes into it,” said Creek’s friend and mentor, Denton Fugate, referring to Creek being a fan of Lil Wayne. “It’s not as modern as it was a few years ago I guess.”
    His aunt, Michelle Porter, didn’t know about the nickname yet her description of Creek was identical, but for very different reasons.

    “When he was little, he’d ask very deep questions and he was like an old man in a young man’s body,” Michelle said. “He loves his quiet time and is contemplated and focused. He has a strong moral compass and has this wisdom about him that’s like an old man. It’s impressive.”

    Creek blew the competition out of the water in the race for PRCA Rookie of the Year with $143,511 and finished No. 4 in the PRCA’s world standings.

    “Last year, I left the house with $10,000 and hoped I’d win enough to keep going,” Creek said. “By the middle of the summer run, the dollars were stacking up. Breaking $100,000 was pretty cool.”
    Denton watched Creek progress through the Missouri Family Rodeo Association and the Junior Pro Bull Riders-Missouri.

    “He has a really strong mental game but it took him a little longer to get the basics down because he’s always been taller than the average kid; but that’s hard for me to judge because I’m 5-6,” Denton said.

    At 6 feet tall and 150 pounds, Creek is taller than most of the 2021 NFR bull riding roster.
    “I don’t feel like I’ve ever had a problem or rode different because I’m taller,” Creek said. “I have more arm to give on the bulls and that makes it easier.”

    His journey on the other hand, has been anything but easy.

    Creek was born to Randy Young and Raneé Porter-Young on Nov. 15, 2000. Randy was a bull rider and bullfighter, but he died when Creek was a toddler.

    “I love bull riding for my own reasons,” Creek said. “I never connected it with him because I was so young. I love it for my own reasons because I had to find my own way.”
    His mom passed when he was 11 years old. But, every cloud has a silver lining and Creek’s was arguably better than gold.

    His aunt Michelle finished raising him while his rodeo family continued to grow. Michelle didn’t know anything about rodeo, but was determined to support her nephew’s dream.

    He also has two half-sisters and a half-brother who are several years older than him, Najee Donson, Derrion Donson, and Bailey Young.

    “I have an extended family, a rodeo family,” Creek said. “When my mom passed, people stepped up and made me feel better.”

    He listed Mollie Howard and her grandson, Josh Steele, both of his grandmas, Lois Porter and Barbara Young, his aunt and uncle, and a long list of friends and family including Charlie and Shanna McDonald family.

     

    Charlie and Shanna McDonald family – Creek 13 years old is back row on the right with his friends Kelly McDonald and Quincey McDonald – Shelby Chante’ Photography

    “I don’t know if everyone understands how it (rodeo family) works, but I feel like it’s more common here than people think,” Creek said. “Maybe that’s because I’ve always done it.”

    While growing up, Michelle encouraged Creek to participate in football, basketball and track. Although he did well, it was clear that he wasn’t passionate about it.

    “I could tell he did not light up the way he does at his rodeos,” Michelle said. “It was so clear to me that I decided by sophomore year this isn’t that important. He knows where he is going and has strong friendships and is a well-rounded 15-year-old. So, I let it go and we shifted gears to ‘let’s make it happen,’ and he did.”

    Getting better and seeing his hard work pay off helped him grow into the bull riding powerhouse fans know today.

    “I wasn’t very good as a freshman and struggled with staying on,” Creek laughed. “I was always a little hesitant and scared when I was younger, and I did it anyway.”

    His fear faded over time and changed into a craving.

    “It got to where I always wanted to do it so I practiced all the time,” Creek said. “That was a turning point in my young career and that’s when I took it seriously.”

    He would get on practice bulls every Sunday and Wednesday with Quentin Vaught in Crane, Mo.
    Creek believes sophomore year is when he started to get serious and that’s about when Denton noticed something was different about Creek.

    Denton realized Creek has what it takes to go pro.

    Creek qualified for National High School Finals Rodeo his freshman and sophomore years of high school.

    “It was a cool experience and I made a lot of friends,” Creek said.
    Making friends and expanding his “rodeo family” has been a key component to his growth and success.
    He competed with the IPRA, and won the year-end and the rookie of the year titles with the ACRA in 2018.

    “I went to as much as I could for amateur rodeo,” Creek said.

    As his 18th birthday approached, Creek and Michelle sat down and discussed his plans.

    “I told him, ‘you know you want to be a bull rider and you live and breathe bull riding, so why wait until the spring to be riding if you can graduate in December and get started,’” Michelle said.
    His brilliant mind helped propel him onto the ProRodeo scene by graduating half a year early from Logan-Rogersville (Mo.) High School.

    “I doubled up pretty good on classes,” Creek said. “I just wanted to get out and be able to rodeo on my permit. There were some spring rodeos I wanted to go to and I didn’t want high school to interfere.”
    Creek made his ProRodeo debut by tying for fourth at the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas, in early January 2019.

    “I remember vividly that it was a different feeling,” Creek said. “I was super excited, and just being a young kid at a ProRodeo was pretty exciting. I did well at it, so that was even better.”
    Creek moved to Fort Scott, Kan., to live with his friends while on his permit.
    “I was never broke, but I wasn’t living on a lot during my permit seasons,” Creek said.
    This year was a different story.

    Michelle speculates that COVID-19 putting a pause on his ProRodeo endeavors only fueled the fire.
    “Being able to get back out there and really do as much as he could possibly do without restrictions was exhilarating for him,” Michelle said.

    The 2021 season started slow by Creek’s standards, placing second at the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo for $1,475 in mid-October 2020 followed by a few hundred dollars at the Brawley (Calif.) Cattle Call Rodeo a month later.

    In November 2020, he scored his first big win at The Egg Xtreme Bull Riding Event in Oxford, Miss., for $4,004.

    “That was the first X Bulls I ever won and was my biggest win at the time,” Creek said. “I went to the Finals (NFR) and watched one perf and that was really cool, and that’s when I noticed I was serious about making it and not wasting my rookie year.”

    Creek hooked up with Trey Kimzey over an online game of “Fortnite,” and the two decided to travel together for the 2021 season, starting in San Angelo, Texas.
    Bigger wins followed, such as $15,000 at the Tri-State Rodeo in Fort Madison, Iowa, in September.
    “I watch him on the Cowboy Channel and read the articles and it’s just mind-blowing,” Michelle said. “It feels a little surreal that this is happening and I’m just so excited for him. He’s worked hard to get here.”
    Creek nailed a 90.5-point ride on Bar T Rodeo’s Exit Strategy to win the Strawberry Days Rodeo in Pleasant Grove, Utah, in mid-June.

    “I wanted to be sitting good enough at the end of the year to not stress about having a perfect Finals,” Creek said.

    He was no longer the same bull rider who finished third in the permit standings with $24,584 in 2020 and 13th with $17,025 in 2019.

    “I felt like I went pretty hard both years on my permit, but not really since I just stayed close to the house,” Creek said. “I started taking it seriously since I knew I couldn’t get my rookie year back if I messed around.”

    Messing around simply isn’t in Creek’s character.

    As a young child, Creek would repeatedly watch and study his old VHS tapes of Lane Frost and Tuff Hedeman.

    “I know little about the rodeo world, but Creek is so calculated and has thought it out and you can see it in his riding,” Michelle said. “That gives me peace and confidence in his abilities.”

    Creek was one of only a handful of bull riders to qualify for the 2021 ProRodeo Tour Finale in Salinas, Calif., where he raked in $12,316 to finish his rookie season with an exclamation point.
    Most of his earnings were invested back into rodeo, but he saved quite a bit of it. Now his goal is to keep improving.

    “I’m fourth this year, so then I want to be in the top three next year,” Creek said. “I feel inspired by what I could achieve. That’s what inspires me to keep going and try hard. I have a good start to what could be a good story eventually.”

  • MADISON OUTHIER CLAIMS SECOND CONSECUTIVE TITLE AS FIVE WOMEN ARE CROWNED WOMEN’S RODEO WORLD CHAMPIONS

    — Main Event to air on CBS Television Network on Oct. 31 at 3 p.m. ET. —

     LAS VEGAS – Backed by a dominant showing, including the fastest time of the week, 2020 Women’s Rodeo World Championship (WRWC) Breakaway Roping World Champion Madison Outhier (Utopia, Texas) surged to the top of the leaderboard to win her second breakaway roping world championship on Friday evening at South Point Arena in Las Vegas. The 18-year-old became the first two-time champion in the event’s history.

    The ferociously contested Breakaway Roping World Championship race capped off a slug-fest between Outhier, WCRA Champion Shelby Boisjoli (Calgary, AB), and legendary cowgirl Lari Dee Guy (Abilene, Texas).

    Outhier delivered a groundbreaking performance at the event, as the string broke away from her saddle horn at an impressive 1.91-second time, topping Shelby Boisjoli’s 2.03-second run. The Texas Cowgirl is the only athlete to win the Prestigious World Championship and a WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeo event (Rodeo Corpus Christi) in the same year. Outhier also defeated 8X WPRA World Champion Lari Dee Guy’s 2.07-second time.

    In an equally thrilling race, Rainey Skelton (Llano, Texas) was crowned the 2020 Women’s Rodeo Barrel Racing World Champion. After making her WRWC debut as the No. 9-ranked barrel racer on the challenger leaderboard, her jaw-dropping 15.229 push through the South Point Arena course propelled her to the top of tonight’s battle, beating Stephanie Fryer’s (Waco, Texas) 15.265-second effort and 2x WCRA Champion Michelle Darling’s (Medford, Oklahoma) 15.346 run. Taking the top time aboard her horse Fame and Jewels, Skelton netted $60,000.

    As the World Championship event continued on Friday evening, a hotly contested battle in the Team Roping began to unfurl. Mother-daughter duo Rylea (Stephenville, Texas) and Debbie Fabrizio(pueblo, Colorado) had fans inside Vegas’ Cowboy Central on the edge of their seat as they were first to run, earning a remarkable 6.65-second time. The Fabrizio’s time held onto the number one spot before 2020 WRWC World Champion Heeler Hope Thompson (Abilene, Texas) and Whitney Desalvo (Stephenville, TX) notched a valiant 6.28-second run. Lari Dee Guy and Jimmi Jo Montera (Greely, Colorado) backed into the box calm and collected and logged what would be a historic run for all female team ropers, with a 5.95-second effort. The pair took home $60,000 individually, a Jesse Jaymes Silversmith’s buckle and a Women’s Rodeo World Champion Title.

    Shelby Boisjoli (Calgary, AB) earned the 2021 Women’s Rodeo World Champion All-Around Cowgirl title. She won a $20,000 bonus and a custom saddle donated by Coats Saddlery, after earning 1,494 points during the three-day event along with nearly $64,000 in additional prize money. The Canadian cowgirl, who has over $73,000 in career-earnings with the WCRA, made history in Green Bay, WI during the WCRA Title Town Stampede when she faced off against sister Makayla in the shootout round, where she captured the title and $50,000 in prize money.

    WCRA and PBR have announced the 2022 Women’s Rodeo World championship event will be split between The Historic Cowtown Coliseum and Dickies Arena. The first three rounds of competition will be at Cowtown Coliseum May 16-17, with the final two rounds held at Dickies Arena in conjunction with PBR World Finals. 2022 Women’s Rodeo World Champions will again be crowned in the same arena as the PBR World Champion.

    WRWC is the largest annual purse for a women’s rodeo event. With the Conclusion of the 2021 Women’s Rodeo World Championship ($737,550 total 2021 payout), the WCRA and its partners have awarded more than $9,737,550 in money to rodeo athletes since May of 2018.

    Fans can relive the action of the Women’s Rodeo World Championship Main Event the on a CBS Television Network on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 3 p.m. ET.

    -WRWC-

    About WRWC:

    In February 2020, WCRA and PBR announced a revolutionary event in women’s rodeo- the Women’s Rodeo World Championship. A first-of-its-kind, the event is open to any female athlete in the world competing in breakaway roping, barrel racing, and team roping. The 2021 Women’s Rodeo World Championship, scheduled for South Point Arena in Las Vegas, in conjunction with the PBR World Finals Nov 1-6 is the largest annual payout for a Women’s Rodeo event and will payout over $750,000 while crowning World Champions in the Women’s Rodeo disciplines; Team Roping, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing.

     

     

  • Clint Johnson named 2021 Legend of ProRodeo

    Clint Johnson named 2021 Legend of ProRodeo

    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — ProRodeo Hall of Fame saddle bronc rider Clint Johnson has been named the 2021 Legend of ProRodeo.

    Johnson will be honored at the 14th annual Wrangler Gold Buckle Gala on Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. (PT) at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

    “I just found this news out, and it is pretty exciting,” said Johnson, 65. “I absolutely did not think this was an option for me. This is quite an honor. There’s been a list of prominent people who have received this honor, and I’m quite excited to be among them. I would like to thank the selection committee for choosing me, and I’m looking forward to a fun event.”

    Johnson began his rodeo career at age 10, and his smooth, consistent style of riding saddle bronc horses led to 11 consecutive qualifications for the National Finals Rodeo from 1979-89. In those 11 career NFR trips he won four world championships (1980, 1987-89) and finished no worse than sixth in the world standings. He also won the NFR average in 1989.

    “When you think of legends, you think of greatness. When you think of legends in rodeo, you think of those that accomplished greatness both inside and outside the rodeo arena,” said Kent Sturman, Director of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “Clint Johnson is a four-time world champion and achieved an overwhelming amount of greatness in the rodeo arena throughout his career, starting in 4-H rodeo, continuing through high school and college rodeo and during his tenure in professional rodeo. And Clint is one of those cowboys who has demonstrated greatness outside of the arena, continually giving back to a sport that he loves by serving on boards, conducting schools and clinics, and providing his expertise to many programs and events throughout rodeo. He was an obvious choice as this year’s Legend of ProRodeo.”

    Johnson was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1992 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

    “None of these honors, like the Legend of ProRodeo and being in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, are expected,” Johnson said. “Going through my career I tried to stay under the radar, but the Legend of ProRodeo is a great honor to be recognized by members of the organization and my peers.”

    Johnson, who spent four years on the PRCA Board of Directors serving as vice chairman, was born in Spearfish, S.D. Johnson lived there until moving to the Amarillo, Texas, area where he has lived since 1988.

    “Rodeo is the No. 1 sport in South Dakota,” Johnson said. “It was the thing to do when I was growing up. We all wanted to be cowboys, and we all wanted to be bronc riders. I was lucky enough to live that dream. I kept my goals pretty simple and tried to make the best ride I could every time. I wasn’t worried about winning rodeos. I was lucky enough to have a real fortunate career and I have received honors no one could dream of.”

    Johnson also won his share of prestigious rodeos, including taking home the Calgary Stampede Rodeo’s $50,000 bonus three times.

    Johnson also won in Cheyenne, Wyo., Salinas, Calif., Reno, Nev., San Antonio, Fort Worth, Texas, Ellensburg, Wash., Red Bluff, Calif., Greeley, Colo., San Francisco, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Prescott, Ariz.

    Since Johnson stopped rodeoing, he’s been in the ranching business.

    “I have a small ranch operation and run a few cows,” he said.

    Johnson is the 16th man to be honored as a Legend of ProRodeo, following Jake Barnes, Jim Shoulders, Clem McSpadden, Harry Vold, Larry Mahan, Shawn Davis, Dean Oliver, Donnie Gay, Benny Binion, Mel Potter, Neal Gay, Michael Gaughan, Keith Martin, Cotton Rosser and Bob Tallman

  • On The Trail with 2021 ProRodeo Hall of Fame Inductees

    story by PRCA & Siri Stevens PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRCA, Jackie Jensen & Rodeo News

    CODY OHL
    Tie-Down Roper
    Inducted 2020

    Cody Ohl blazed into the ProRodeo ranks in 1994 by winning Rookie of the Year and his first trip to the National Finals Rodeo. The young Texas roper had been planning his career since he was 15 and winning National High School Rodeo awards.

    It would take Ohl a few years to win his first gold buckle. He edged out Fred Whitfield to capture the 1997 Tie-Down World Title by $5,031. To prove that first win was no fluke, Ohl roared through 1998 and captured a second title.

    Ohl had another record-setting year in 2001 as he added steer roping and team roping to his agenda in order to compete for the All-Around title. In the ninth round of the Finals, Ohl missed his calf on the first loop. A second loop caught the calf by the hind legs. As Ohl dismounted, he twisted his knee, tearing two major ligaments. He managed to crawl to the calf, cut the rope, stand and flank the calf, and finish the tie with a time of 40.3 seconds. Ohl had to be carried from the arena by the Justin Sports Medicine Team. However, he had amassed enough money earlier in the week to secure both the tie-down title and the All-Around title. He accepted both buckles from crutches on the 10th night.

    Not one to stay inactive, Ohl battled through rehab and was back on the rodeo trail late in 2002. He continued to win and qualify for National Finals Rodeos, capturing his fifth and sixth tie-down roping titles in 2003 and 2006. He only missed one Finals appearance between 1994 and 2014. He entered an elite group when he passed the $3 million earnings mark in 2012.

    World Championships: 6 (tie-down 1997-98, 2001, 2003, 2006; all-around 2001)
    Born September 21, 1973 in Rosenburg, Texas.
    From the Induction:
    Due to a staph infection in his leg, he was represented by Kendra Santos. Cody roped at 20 National Finals Rodeos, earning 2 of his six buckles after obliterating his knee in the ninth round of the 2001 NFR. It took the better part of the year to recover from that and he came back and won two more titles. In his 20 plus years, his earnings of $3.5 million, second only to Trevor Brazile, makes him the highest money maker in calf roping history. He has taken home 55 National Finals go round buckles.

    SUNNI
    DEB BACKSTROM
    Contract Personnel
    Inducted 2020

    Sunni Deb Backstrom grew up with a stopwatch in her hand. No doubt encouraged by her mother Ellen, a three-time National Finals Rodeo Secretary and first woman to sit on the PRCA Board of Directors. At age 13, Backstrom made her debut as a rodeo secretary in Augusta, Montana. Since she did not have an RCA card, she had to receive special permission from RCA President Bob Ragsdale to work the event.

    Backstrom joined the RCA in 1968 as a timer while she was still in high school. After graduation in 1971, she was issued a secretary, timer, and contract act card. Backstrom quickly rose to become one of the best in the business. She has worked for many rodeo companies over the years including Flying U; Kesler, Ltd.; Rafter G; Jim Shoulders Rodeo Company; Bad Company; Linger Company; and B Bar J Rodeo. She joined the Cervi Championship Rodeo Company fulltime in 1979. In the course of a year, Backstrom works about 120 performances across the country at some of the most prestigious rodeos including Denver, San Antonio, Houston, Nampa, and Waco.

    Backstrom is the most decorated rodeo secretary in ProRodeo history. She has won PRCA Secretary of the Year 10 times and WPRA Secretary of the Year twice. She has also worked the National Finals Rodeo 17 years as secretary, three years as timer, and one year as the office manager. She has also worked four PRCA Tour Finales.

    Backstrom has dedicated her life to the betterment of the sport of rodeo.
    Born May 11, 1953 in Butte, Montana.

    From the Induction:
    “I’m not good at this, I’m used to being in the background. 26 years ago I stood up here and accepted this award for my mom, never thought I’d be here again. Things that are important to me are important to me. My dad bought his RCA card in 1948. Mom bought her timers card in 1960. Dad picked mom up from the hospital when I was 3 days old and off we went to Miles City Bucking horse sale. On my birth certificate, it has a spot for occupation of the father, he was a professional cowboy.

    Mom would give me a stop watch and a day sheet, I would time the rodeos when I was 6. By ten, I was in the saddle on a big black horse carrying the American flag in the grand entry. At 13, I secretaried my first rodeo – most rodeo offices were temporary, many in Montana were in bars. I took entries and drew stock in a bar at 13 years old.
    I did everything from carrying flags, taking care of the saddle horses, secretarying rodeos and even driving a load of bulls through Montana. I ran the roping chutes, picked up, flanked in flip flops, ran barrels, and team roped. I was one of two in the production department at the first NFR.
    That’s what rodeo gave me – my friends and my family.”

     

    RANDY WITTE
    Notable
    Inducted 2020

    Randy Witte always had an affinity for rodeo but didn’t get a chance to participate in the sport till he went to Colorado State University, where he majored in technical journalism and found the CSU rodeo club. He was befriended by Jerome Robinson, a sophomore who was “majoring” in bull riding, and before long Robinson was tying Witte onto bulls, offering instruction and encouragement.

    Witte enjoyed his days of competition in college rodeo, and in the Rodeo Cowboys Association, but he knew early on his future was as a rodeo writer, rather than rider. He sold his first magazine article to Western Horseman in 1968. “Judging Rodeo’s Bucking Events” was based on interviews he did with saddle bronc rider Jim Wise, World Champion Bull Rider Freckles Brown, and World Champion Bareback Rider Jim Houston.

    While still in college he worked a couple summers as a cub reporter for the Denver Post, and got the plum assignment to cover Cheyenne Frontier Days for the paper in 1968. Witte was offered the job as director of the R.C.A.’s Rodeo News Bureau when he graduated college in 1970, and for the next seven years he enjoyed publicizing ProRodeo with news releases, press kits and recorded radio programs. There was a need for an editor of Rodeo Sports News in early 1976, and Witte was able to also get out the association’s paper for the next two years.

    In late 1977, Western Horseman magazine offered him a job — they needed someone who could write knowledgeably about rodeo. He accepted the offer with one condition — that the PRCA not be left in a bind when he left. This was easily granted, and Witte transitioned gradually from one office to the other. By then, the R.C.A. had become the PRCA and Rodeo Sports News had become ProRodeo Sports News. Witte continued to write about rodeo for the next 29 years. During that time he served as editor, and later, as publisher of the magazine.

    Born January 28, 1948 in Denver, Colorado.
    From the Induction:
    “I have many good memories working in a little red brick building in Denver 50 years ago. I had a job as soon as I graduated from college. Our biggest day of the week was Monday; rodeo secretaries would phone me at home Sunday nightand I would record the results and I’d go to the office and I’d bat out a little news release. When the news release was done, we’d stuff them in envelopes and send them all over the country. I had to get the sacks of mail down to the train station before five. I never missed a deadline. I covered the groundbreaking celebration of the PRCA hall of fame. At the time this was the first building that went up in this area of Colorado Springs.”

    BUTCH KIRBY
    Bull Rider
    Inducted 2020

    Gary William Kirby, better known as Butch, started his rodeo career at age four when he joined his brothers in a trick riding troupe led by his mother, Mildred. By 16, he had changed his specialty to bull riding. Kirby credits the agility and balance of trick riding as helping with his transition to rodeo’s roughest event.

    In 1973, Kirby earned his first trip to the National Finals Rodeo at age 18. (At the time, the youngest qualifier in any roughstock event.) It would take a few more trips to the Finals before Kirby earned his world title. In 1975, Kirby and his brothers, Sandy and Kaye, became the first three brothers to qualify for a National Finals Rodeo in the same year. Kirby finally won his title in 1978 in a battle against reigning champion Don Gay. He won $15,000 at that Finals, placing him in the top spot. (In 1978, World Championships were determined by money won at the National Finals Rodeo.)

    Kirby would make three more trips to the National Finals Rodeo before transitioning to his third career in rodeo. Kirby began judging rodeos to earn money while recovering from an injury in 1987. He became a Pro Official in 1993 and has served in that capacity at many of the major rodeos in the country. He has been a National Finals Rodeo Official for 30 years.

    Through this long and decorated career, Kirby has participated in every major rodeo as either a contract act, bull rider, or judge.

    World Championships: 1 (1978)
    Born April 24, 1955 in Woodstown, New Jersey.

    From the Induction:
    My heroes have always been cowboys, and all my heroes are here in the Hall of Fame. Mom didn’t realize she was training me to be a bull rider. I don’t even know if I was shaving at my first NFR. Neal and Miss Kay helped me get on some practice bulls in Mesquite. Neal nodded for me because he knew I wasn’t going to nod. I got on a lot of practice bulls that day.

    Mom gave me $50 to go to San Antonio – ended up third in the world when I left Houston. By May, I dropped to 14th, and realized it was hard. Bobby Steiner got me to the NFR – you’re only as good as the company you keep. Bobby was great to me.

     

    G-65 GRATED COCONUT
    Livestock
    Inducted 2020


    G-65 Grated Coconut is a testament to the Born to Buck Breeding program of the Calgary Stampede Ranch. His mother, Coconut Roll, was a ten-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier. His sire, Wyatt Earp of Northcott Rodeo, was voted Saddle Bronc Horse of the National Finals Rodeo in 1997 and 1998.
    Grated Coconut became a dominant force during his career. Of his 114 outings, 37 cowboys hit the dirt, 25 scored in first place, and 29 finished in the money. If a cowboy was lucky enough to stay aboard for eight seconds, he usually won money. His prowess in the arena earned him six Bareback Horse of the Year titles (2003-04 and 2006-09), tying with the great Descent. He also earned six Canadian Champion Bareback Horse titles (2003-05 and 2007-09).

    Retired at the top of his game in 2010, Grated Coconut is continuing the Calgary Stampede Ranch Born to Buck program. Of his children, at least 45 are competing at the top level of rodeo athletes with several qualifying for both the National Finals Rodeo and the Canadian Finals Rodeo.

    For a horse feared by many cowboys, Grated Coconut was very social and gentle outside the arena. He enjoyed scratches from the cowboys before competition and has even let toddlers sit on his back. Grated Coconut became a top rodeo animal ambassador. Visitors to the Calgary Stampede Ranch were able to socialize with him before watching him explode into a rodeo arena. The pairing of his power and intelligence truly made him one of the great rodeo athletes.
    Born 1997 in Hanna, Alberta.

     

    JIM SUTTON, JR.
    Stock Contractor
    Inducted 2020

     

    James Sutton, Jr. could have chosen a very different path at the end of his college career. The young South Dakotan was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers and he attended their preseason training camp. However, he believed following his father and grandfather in the ranching and stock contracting business made more financial sense than a basketball career. In 1968, Sutton joined his father in creating the Sutton Rodeo Company. They supplied stock from their Onida, S.D., ranch to rodeos across South Dakota and the Northwest. By the late 1970s, Sutton was raising more than 90% of his own bucking stock and developed a breeding program that is one of the best in the business. The program has produced three PRCA Horse of the Year winners: saddle bronc horse Deep Water (1979), bareback horse Big Bud (1985), and saddle bronc horse Chuckulator (2012). Chuckulator also won Top Saddle Bronc Horse of the National Finals Rodeo in 2012. Their horses and bulls won all three categories at the Badlands Circuit Finals Livestock of the Year Awards in 2011. The program has also earned Sutton four nominations for PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year.

    In 1978, Sutton started the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo. It has been nominated as Indoor Rodeo of the Year 15 times and won the award twice, 2002 and 2003. To draw attendance to the rodeo, Sutton created the Wrangler Bull Fights, the Bailey Bail-Off, World Championship Wild Horse Race, Bull Poker, and Teeter-Totter. Sutton’s pageantry and showmanship earned him National Finals Rodeo Opening Ceremony credits in 1995 and 1996.
    Sutton and his wife Julie won the PRCA Donita Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
    Born April 20, 1935 in Onida, South Dakota.

    From the Induction:
    “It all started with my granddad with a rodeo on the ranch in 1927. We had 60 palomino horses and ¾ of them bucked the cowboys off. The whole operation is a family operation – there are three grandsons and a granddaughter putting on a rodeo while we are here. Julie couldn’t make the trip and I’d ask for you to say a prayer for her.”

     

    ELLENSBURG RODEO
    Rodeo Committee
    Inducted 2020

    Nestled in the center of Washington State in the Kittitas Valley (land of plenty and no fighting), Ellensburg – called ‘the rodeo city’ – has become one of the top destinations for cowboys and cowgirls near the end of the regular PRCA season. The rodeo started in 1923 when local businessmen, farmers, ranchers, and townsmen began to feel the tug of nostalgia as airplanes, moving pictures, and automobiles started replacing the Western lifestyle. The Valley was settled in the 1870s – the rodeo came out of the local competition. At the time there were 50,000 head of cattle in the county. The rodeo will celebrate 100 years next year – they missed three years, two due to WWII and last year.

    Held over Labor Day Weekend each year, the Ellensburg Rodeo is an important stop in the series of Northwest rodeos, hosting around 400 contestants.

    The Ellensburg Rodeo is held on the historic rodeo grounds at the base of Craig’s Hill, and the Yakima Indian Nation has always participated. With a fulltime population of 21,000, this “Rodeo City” hosts one of the highest paying regular season rodeos, paying out more than $486,000 two years ago. Since 2009, Ellensburg has served as the finale for the PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour.

    “We started the first PRCA stand alone single event in 2001(Xtreme Bulls),” said Rick Cole, the longest serving board member and arena director. There are 17 people on the committee and three to four hundred volunteers. “This in an honor for the community – without the selfless dedication of all, this event could not occur.”
    The committee has had three Justin Committeeman of the Year Awards: Ken MacRae (1998), Joel Smith (2007), Steve Alder (2013). These awards highlight the commitment of the 100% volunteer-run organization. In 1997, the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame Association was founded to preserve the history and traditions of this nationally renowned rodeo.

    “Being named into the pro rodeo Hall of Fame is really humbling and a huge honor. It’s a dream come true. We believe we put on the best rodeo,” said Jerry Doolin, the president of the committee, who has been a volunteer for more than 20 years.

     

    MARTHA JOSEY
    WPRA Barrel Racer
    Inducted 2020

    Martha Josey qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 11 times on six different horses across four consecutive decades. She won the WPRA barrel racing world title in 1980 on Sonny Bit O’ Both, the same year the duo also won the AQHA World Championship, a feat unmatched at the time of induction.

    A highlight of her career was competing in the rodeo exhibition during the Cultural Olympiad at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, that pitted the United States against Canada. Josey would ride away with an individual bronze medal and helped Team USA win the team title.

    Josey was a true all-around cowgirl riding bulls, broncs, cutting horses, tying goats and roping calves while competing in all-girl rodeos. In 1969, Josey won the reserve All-Around World Championship Title in the Girls Rodeo Association.

    Not only did she make a name for herself in the arena but also gave back to the sport through her countless clinics. She and husband, R.E. Josey, started conducting barrel racing clinics in 1967 at their ranch in Texas and in 1981 began producing an all youth barrel race aptly named the Josey Jr. World Championship. Many of WPRA’s world champions credit Martha Josey with helping them achieve their goals. Her clinics grew to average over 2,000 students annually with students ranging in age from five to 80 and many returned yearly to participate in the annual Josey Reunion Barrel Race.

    In addition, Martha and R.E. were involved in creating new and innovative barrel racing saddles, pads, protective boots, knot reins, and combination bits. The result has been increased safety and barrel racing skills for all barrel racers throughout the World. No doubt Josey made a big impact on the sport of barrel racing.

    World Championships: 1 (1980)
    Born March 11, 1938 in Longview, Texas.

    From the Induction: “Rodeo is making America great again – such a great honor.

    When I was a little bitty girl, my first word was I want a horse. My dad was one of the first four directors of AQHA, he brought 36 mare to Texas. He passed away when I was 10 and mother had to sell all the horses except one old stallion. I went to a rodeo in Shreveport – saw the American flag come out and I watched the barrel racing and knew then that I belonged in the arena. I wanted to be a barrel racer. I went home and got on my dad’s old roping saddle and that stallion and went to the field to run barrels.

    I was trying for my fifth decade of running at the NFR, when the gateman shut the gate in front of me. I had a collapsed lung and other serious injuries and was in the hospital for three weeks – said I would never walk or ride again. That was in March, and I made the short go in Greeley in July.

  • Riley Webb Wins Rodeo Corpus Christi to Put Him in Contention to be the Youngest Millionaire in The History Of Rodeo

    Riley Webb Wins Rodeo Corpus Christi to Put Him in Contention to be the Youngest Millionaire in The History Of Rodeo

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – As the event was down to one eligible athlete in the Triple Crown of Rodeo (TCR) at May 9 Rodeo Corpus Christi, tie-down roping had the fans inside American Bank Center on the edge of their seats throughout the jaw-dropping run where Riley Webb (Decatur, Texas) Riley Webb prevailed. The 17-year-old Riley Webb was the undeniable star of the rodeo, delivering what would be the most groundbreaking performance of the event. As only one of two athletes remaining TCR eligible in the TCR round (short round), his 7.03-second effort elevated him to a $12,500 payday. For Webb, fresh off his win at August’s Stampede at the E, the event marked his second consecutive WCRA Major, putting him in contention to be the youngest millionaire in the history of rodeo. If Webb triumphs at July’s Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo, he will be the first victor of WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeo $1 Million Bonus.

    Not only did Webb emerge victorious, but did so by defeating WCRA Windy City Roundup Champion, and the 2013 PRCA World Champion tie-down roper Shane Hanchey (Carmine, Texas) and JD Mccuistion (Collinsville, Texas). Webb received the quickest time in both May 9 rounds.

    As the only team ropers to deliver a qualified run in the TCR round, Kaleb Driggers (Hoboken, Georgia) and Junior Nogueira (Lipan, Texas) delivered a 6.04-second run. Besting the No. 1 team on the Rodeo Corpus Christi Leaderboard and WCRA Champions Erich Rogers (Round Rock, Arizona) and Paden Bray (Stephenville, Texas) along with Clay Smith (Broken Bow, Oklahoma) and Jade Corkill (Stephenville, Texas).

    In the bull riding, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) world No. 9 Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) rode supreme. Capping his perfect 2-for-2 effort on Sunday evening, the 2x WCRA Champion (2018 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo, WCRA Windy City Roundup) rode County Jail for a monstrous 91.5 points to net an equally impressive check for $16,500. Kolbaba logged the only qualified ride in bull riding, to land his third WCRA Champion Title. The win in Corpus Christi elevates Kolbaba to be one of the highest earners in WCRA with a total upwards of $160,000 in earnings since May of 2018.

    Will Lummus (Byhalia, Mississippi) was unstoppable in the steer wrestling where he notched the only qualified time in the TCR round. The 3x NFR qualifier recorded a 3.54-second run in the long round, prior to delivering a lightning-fast 3.94-second effort in the TCR Round. The victory is Lummus’ first WCRA Major win. Lummus walked away with $16,500.

    As the Sunday evening event continued, a hotly contested race in the breakaway roping began to unfurl. Women’s Rodeo World Champion (WRWC) Madison Outhier (Utopia, Texas), Titletown Stampede Champion Shelby Boisjoli (Stephenville, Texas), and WRWC All-Around Cowgirl Jackie Crawford (Stephenville, Texas) entered the TCR round edging each other’s showdown round times within the tenths of second. Calm and collected, Outhier remained poised as she backed into the roping box as she readied for what would be a career defining moment. Madison’s rope broke off from her saddle horn at an impressive 1.84-second time edging out Crawford’s 2.60-second time and Boisjoli’s penalized 6.67-second time.

    After Shorty Garrett (Dupree, South Dakota), Kolby Wanchuk (Sherwood Park, Alberta) and 2015 PRCA World Champion Jacobs Crawly advanced to the TRC Round with high 80+ scores, the trio quickly became immersed in a shootout for the $12,500 Major payday in the TCR round. Outscoring Garrett, the victor from the 2020 Stampede at The E who was seeking his second win in the Triple Crown, by 5.5 points, Wanchuk delivered a critical 87.5-point ride on Cash Deal to capture the victory.

    Richmond Champion (Stevensville, Montana) won the bareback riding courtesy of his 89-point ride in the long round, and 91.5-point score in the second round, both the top scores in the rounds. Champion topped Caleb Bennetts (Tremonton, Utah) 88-point ride in the short round. In the barrel racing 2019 Days of ’47 Cowboy Game and Rodeo runner-up Maggie Poloncic (Gillette, Wyoming) and mare Puff expertly navigated the course as her 13.817-second run in the TC round was the quickest, distancing runner-up Kelley Carrington (Boston, Georgia) who recorded a 14.176-second run.

    Since launching in May of 2018, the WCRA and its partners have awarded more than $9,000,000 in new money to rodeo athletes.

    On Sunday, June 6 fans will be able to tune into Rodeo Corpus Christi on a CBS network broadcast at 1:00 p.m. ET.

    Nominations are now open for WCRA’s next Major rodeo- The Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo taking place July 20-24 in Salt Lake City. Athletes are eligible to nominate their competitive efforts in the Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ) until June 27, 2021 to earn a spot in the $562,500 event.

     

    All results from the event can be found here.

    -WCRA-

    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.

  • On The Trail with Colten Fritzlan

    On The Trail with Colten Fritzlan

    The 20 year old just won RFD TV the American in the bull riding with a show-stopper ride aboard Chad Berger’s Safety Meeting. “He had me bucked off a couple times and you ask yourself how bad do you want to win and I’m glad it worked out.” Colten now lives in Lipan, Texas. “I’ve lived in Texas for the past three years; there’s more opportunities for me down here and I wanted to be around it as much as I could.”

    Winning the American was a dream come true for Colten. “When the American started I was in high school and it’s always stuck out to me as somewhere I’d be and to win it was always something I wanted. To put it all together and come out on top – I was blessed to get it done. The Lord put that in my path to win and I’m glad he did and looking forward to weekends to come.”

    The win put $50,000 towards the PRCA standings and $100,000 in his pocket. “I’m savoring how to spend it I’ll put some toward my place or just whatever I need.”

    Colten grew up in Rifle, Colorado, learning to ride at a young age. When Colten’s interest in roughstock turned serious as a seven-year-old, the Fritzlans delved into buying and selling mini bulls, steers, and bulls.

     

    He competed in the National Little Britches, placing the first year he went. He made the short round in the team roping the other two years. The most instrumental for his bull riding comes from his mom, Velvet, who has been known to pull his bull rope, and his Dad, “I was blessed; whatever I needed I had, along with the responsibilities. Really a person I look up to is Kody Lostroh. I got around him at a young age. We had a rodeo Bible camp every year – He’s a world champion and one of the best guys I’ve met – and always wanted to be like him.”

    Kody taught rodeo Bible camps throughout his career and spent times with Colten at those camps. “I know that Colten is one of those kids that never missed an opportunity to practice so whenever we were bucking bulls he was there,” said the 2009 PBR World Champion Kody Lostroh. “The great athletes that have gone before me have always been my heroes and that inspired me – Colten grew up watching me and I was always around to help him.” Kody resides with his family, Candace, and two daughters, Sheridan and Odessa, in Ault, Colorado, raising bucking bulls and he has a small metal fabrication business. He also guides hunters in the winter – Comanche Wilderness Outfitters, where he is the mountain lion guide. “I’m so proud of the work he’s put in to get to where he’s at. He didn’t get where he is by luck, he’s put the work into it. I’m happy for him and his future.”

    Colten attended college at Western Texas College in Snyder. “It’s a great fit for me,” he said. “That school took care of me really well.” He went there for two years and under the guidance of coach Greg Rhodess, he learned how to take the sport of rodeo as a business. “He taught us how to be strong on the mental side. You get around guys like that – get the job done until it’s done – it ups your confidence and determination.”

    “Individuals like Colten separate themselves from the rest of the pack,” said Greg, who has been coaching for 24 years at Western Texas College. “It didn’t matter what needed to be accomplished he was all in. I don’t think he did any pick up duties before he showed up here and by the end of the first semester, he became handy at it. No matter if it was school or practice, he was all there. He never had to be told something twice – once he decides to nod his head it’s to get the job done.”

    On the physical side of things, Colten hits the gym every once in awhile, but he stays busy. “I don’t slow down at all. I ride horses, pick up bucking horses, and rope. I’ll do drills around the house.” Colten was always better at bull riding because he’s worked at it the most. “Bull riding is my favorite since I’ve been doing it the longest, but I also like that you’re not just competing against the animal or another competitor, but you’re bringing those forces together and seeing how it comes out when you make eight.”

     

    He admits to doing the other events to stay busy. “I don’t like standing around; I wanted to be a cowboy, just not a bull rider. Riding broncs and roping kept me from sitting around all day waiting to get on.” He competed as a wrestler until he was a freshman in high school. “I had a bad elbow injury and I had to get serious about my bull riding. I could wrestle for four years, or get it healed now and rodeo for the rest of my life.” Colten has had four surgeries on his elbow.
    Last year was his first trip to the NFR, placing 10th, riding 7 out of ten; and winning the average as well as Resistol Rookie of the Year. “I just knew I belonged there and I didn’t want to blow up anything – keep it as simple as I could, knowing my job at hand and that’s it – do my job and win. I’m glad it all worked out.”

    When Covid hit last year, Colten was trying for Houston. “I was 16th in the world. We were out of rodeo for a month or two. It drove me nuts – I didn’t want to be there or liked being there. I stayed in the gym and kept going to the practice pen. I knew when there was a rodeo to be at, I would be.” Cave Creek was his first rodeo back and he won second and it continued from there. He broke his jaw in July and the injury took him out of some of the summer rodeos. “I got jerked down and broke my jaw on both sides – they put plates and screws in my mouth. It wasn’t fun, but what I did during that time is hang out at the house, rode my colts and horses, and worked on my ranch pickup.”

    His win at the American will help keep him in the lead heading into summer. “I want to win a world title,” he concluded. “I didn’t get my bulls rode last year – they give you ten head and I fell short of riding all ten.
    The long term plan for Colten includes “a big old ranch with a bunch of horses and cows. I’d like to have some good pick up horses as well as a set of bulls for kids around to learn off of.”

    In the meantime, his advice to the younger generation coming up is to work at it every day. “It gets you down, and that’s when you get up and try harder. Don’t quit and keep going.” Colten knows that first hand. He was plagued with injuries at a younger age. “I couldn’t ride anything or anywhere. It was rough. I knew it was for a bigger reason and I got a hold of some different people to change my mentality and here we are.”

  • Riggin Rally Xtreme Broncs 2021 did not disappoint

    Riggin Rally Xtreme Broncs 2021 did not disappoint

    Tim O’Connell took the win with a 94 point ride on Gunfire of Frontier Rodeo Company. “It was like old home week,” said Gail Woerner, rodeo historian, who attended the event at the Steiner Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, for the second time. “All the who’s who of rough stock riding were there.” It was great watching for the more than 300 in attendance.”

    RIGGIN RALLY     2ND PERFORMANCE SATURDAY MATINEE        April 3, 2021

    Section 1

    1. 63 Chad Rutherford             Hillsboro, TX              447 NATURAL HELL R PK
    2. 53 Shane O’Connell Rapid City, SD            2808 NIGHT LIVIN R PK
    3. 64 Garrett Shadbolt Merriman, NE               400 NEARLY WILD L PK
    4. 11 Jake Brown Cleveland, TX             2608 SHORT NIGHT L PK                           5.        24      Kaycee Feild Genola, UT 953 Bar Code R                     PK
    5. 41 Orin Larsen Inglis, MB                9824 FRECKLED FROG R PK
    6. 34 Clay Jorgenson Watford City, ND           P37 Happy Trails L CP
    7. 5 Clayton Biglow Clements, CA               277 WHITCHY WOMAN L CP
    8. 27 Seth Lee Hardwick           Ranchester, WY             224 Last Freckles R                          PK
    9. 69 Bill Tutor Huntsville, TX               N5 Candy Girl L CP

     

    Section 2

    1. 38 Kody Lamb Sherwood Park, AB          303 PAINTED FLING R HV
    2. 56 Logan Patterson             Kim, CO                   906+ TIP OFF R FR
    3. 14 Richmond Champion Stevensville, MT           605 TIMES UP L FR
    4. 72 Craig Wisehart Kersey, CO                 465 PRIME NEWS L FR
    5. 54 Tim O’Connell Zwingle, IA                 50 BOTTOM LINE R FR
    6. 61 Cole Reiner Kaycee, WY                 560 BIG DANCE R FR
    7. 47 Will Martin Goodwell, OK               830 Sun Glow L HV
    8. 30 Jamie Howlett Wasta, SD                   19 BIG LEAGUE L FR
    9. 39 Bodee Lammers               Stephenville, TX            957 Crossfire  R            FR
    10. 9 Ty Breuer                   Mandan, ND                  28 PAINTED SMOKE L FR

     

    Section 3

    1. 45 Buck Lunak Cut bank, MT               +13 Pow Wow Nation R UP
    2. 7 Wyatt Bloom Belgrade, MT                K7 BIG SHOW R   CP
    3. 31 Paden Hurst Bedias, TX                 813 SPICY CHICKEN L                           HV
    4. 16 Mason Clements Spanish Fork, UT           467 Hoppin Tom   SS
    5. 4 Tyler Berghuis Atwater, MN                288 Whiskey Trip R UP
    6. 10 Taylor Broussard Estherwood, LA             107 POW WOW ROCKS R CP
    7. 3 Caleb Bennett Corvallis, MT              767 PAINTED COAST L HV
    8. 29 Tilden Hooper Carthage, TX               007 Moon Valley L HV
    9. 59 Jess Pope                   Waverly, KS                202 KARATE HOTTIE R HV
    10. 2 Tanner Aus                  Granite Falls, MN          307 RISKY MISTRESS L                          HV

    Rerides: 1st sect: 445 CP,C24 SS,2nd Sect:829 HV, 746 HV,406 PK, 3rd sect: 981 SS, 274 CP, 444 UP

     

    Finals

    Chad Rutherford   107 Colorado Bulldog WA
    Taylor Broussard   41 Pop A Top WA
    Clayton Biglow   27 Adams Pet WA
    Ty Breuer   025 Feather Fluffer CP
    Orin Larson   308 Vegas Confused CP
    Kaycee Field   904 Top Notch PK
    Wyatt Bloom   2708 Night Crawler PK
    Jamie Howlet   106 Night Star PK
    Mason Clements   832 Yellowstone FR
    Richmond Champion   104 Topped Off PK
    Tanner Aus   102 Meat Cracker CP
    Tim O’Connell   16 Gun Fire FR

    Stock Contractors:

    Championship Pro Rodeo              CP        Four Star Rodeo   JD

    Frontier Rodeo                      FR        New Star Rodeo    NS

    Pickett Pro Rodeo Co                PK        Salt River Rodeo  SR

    Stace Smith Pro Rodeo               SS        United Pro Rodeo  UP

    Various                             VS        Vold Rodeo        HV

  • Permit Members Challenge: Reed Neely – Saddle Bronc Champion

    Permit Members Challenge: Reed Neely – Saddle Bronc Champion

    When it looked like the Permit Finals Challenge wasn’t going to happen as part of the 2020 WNFR, Debbie Neely started working her magic. “We’ve been at every one of the Benny Binion’s-Bucking Horse/Bull Sale since it started in 1996,” said Debbie, mother of the saddle bronc permit challenge champion. This is the 11th year for the permit challenge finals. “We’ve watched many of those contestants move into the pros.”

    She kept waiting for the announcement for either the Benny Binion Sale or the Permit Finals. “We were told it wasn’t feasible given the logistics of getting stock in and out, plus the number of other events happening at the coliseum,” she said. “I made it my personal campaign to get change that – I got all the eligible contestants and asked them to contact the PRCA about the Permit Challenge.” It was finally agreed that the Permit Finals Challenge would happen. The next obstacle to get over was getting the stock. “I found a stock contractor – Pete Carr, Carr Pro Rodeo – and they stepped up and brought their best.”  Between Debbie, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Carr a date was found to put the event on. “I got the finalization on October 27th both on the added money, stock, and date (December 9) – we had less than two hours to get the event done.”

    Her son, Reed, won the saddle bronc riding. “My dad (Jeff) rode bareback horses, and my mom did barrel racing and made me do all the events for pee wee. I started out with lead line; my mom would push me to ride by myself. I’m sure I did a lot of crying.”

    He competed in Western pleasure, trail, and all the western events. “I was just happy to get a snow cone at the end of the day – I didn’t care what was going on.” He quit riding altogether for a few years, but  got started again under Adam Gray (6x NFR tie down qualifier) and it went from there. Somewhere along the way, he found a pair of his dad’s chaps and wanted to ride broncs, but his parents wouldn’t let him get on until he was about 16.

    He made National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Gallup, New Mexico, in 2013 in the breakaway roping in 8th grade. “We’d do roping and chute dogging, and goat tying. Once I got into high school, I competed in team roping and calf roping; when I was a sophomore I started riding broncs. I started with Rocky Steagall – an NFR judge that made the finals a bunch (5x NFR qualifier). My dad helped me too – and we had a lot of family friends that helped as well.”

    “When Reed showed interest in riding broncs, his dad put in an arena. Once he fell in love with bronc riding, it gave him something to concentrate on,” said Rocky. “He’s got a great support team.”

    When he was a senior, he went to George Veater to get some help. “He’s got a really nice bucking machine that I drive up to use and a lot of really nice bucking horses.”  George has been a family friend for 30 years and is a former bronc rider.

    “Reed’s a great young man with a lot of talent, it’s a pleasure to have him around,” said George, who ranches north of Fresno, California. “I have about 20 bucking horses and have started a breeding program. “I’ve been involved in the sport of rodeo for several years.” He’s been a California Circuit Final Champion, CCRA Champion, and National Senior Pro in 2007, and 2010. He has shared his talents with others. In 2017, Reed won fourth at the National High School Finals.  He also won the California Circuit Finals in 2019.

    Reed is currently attending Fresno State. “I’ve got one year of school left; I’m majoring in Agriculture Communication.” He plans to see how well rodeo does for him, and maybe get into some public speaking. “I’ve announced some rodeos and given some speeches for classes.”

    In the meantime, he’s busy with rodeo, school, and teaching horseback riding lessons. “I’ve learned that I did about 6 weeks of rodeoing across the country, and I learned that if you are going to start, you’d better have a sum of money or it won’t work. There are so many scenarios that go into play – and expenses.”

    He enjoyed his time at the Fort Worth Stockyards. “It’s an amazing town; walking down the road and seeing steak houses everywhere and longhorns walking down the street – then you walk into the coliseum and riding in there.”

  • On The Trail with Jackie Crawford

    On The Trail with Jackie Crawford

    Multi-talented Jackie Crawford won the 2020 WPRA (Womens Professional Rodeo Association) Breakaway Roping world title by less than $2,000. Her performance at the first ever Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping held in Arlington, Texas, propelled the 38-year-old to win her 20th (WPRA) World title. This isn’t her first Breakaway World Championship, she has won the WPRA title in 2016 and 2014. She is the second most decorated member of WPRA, trailing the late Wanda Harper Bush, also an inductee of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, who won 32 titles during her rodeo career. Jackie’s other titles have been in All-Around, Team Roping, Tie-Down Roping plus she also barrel raced.

    The National Finals Rodeo, held in December happened to coincide with Jackie being six month pregnant with her daughter, due in March. “At first I wasn’t sure if I would compete. It was a bittersweet feeling because we have worked so hard and been on this journey to bring breakaway to this level; so to watch the inaugural year from the sidelines would have been tough. After much discussion with my family, doctor, and prayers, I told myself as long as I was comfortable, I was going to compete!”

    Jackie makes her home in Stephenville, Texas, with her husband, Charly; their daughter, Kaydence, age 16; and three year old Creed. The 38 year-old said, “I cut the horn off my saddle, to protect the baby. I trust my horse, T-Boy, so much and had so much confidence in him.” She had continued to compete three years ago until she was five and a half months pregnant with her son, Creed.

     

    The National Finals Breakaway Roping event was ten rounds, then they took the top eight into a shoot-out round, followed by the top four. Jackie managed it all. She even went back to the judges in Round 5 and admitted she had an illegal catch (the calf’s back leg in the loop) that the judges did not catch. The judges listened and changed her score to a ‘no-time’. But in spite of her honesty, winning $25,536 with two go-round wins, and placing in four rounds, she came out on top, with a total for the year of $47,185.
    Jackie thought the National Finals event was an awesome time. “I was suppose to be on that journey . . . what a way to end on a high and take a break!” She and Charly have named the ‘soon to be born little girl’ Journey.

    “My mom (Annette) and dad (Mark Hobbs) rodeoed in Illinois. My dad and his brother are the only two to win the National High School Finals Team Roping from Illinois.” Jackie explained that her mom cut the middle out of a foam pillow, for the saddle horn, and that is where she rode. Her mother was well known for training barrel and roping horses and she was inducted into the Murray State College Rodeo Hall of Fame. “You can’t have a cake without the ingredients – in other words, it took a good work ethic, dedication, horses, coaches, and sacrifice – you have to be willing to put it first,” said Annette, who got her work ethic from her dad.

    Jackie began competing in junior rodeos in barrel racing, poles and flags. When they moved to Oklahoma she added roping. “I was drawn to it – I was meant to be a roper. I turned my barrel horse into a roping horse. I started competing my sophomore year in high school.”

    Before they moved to Oklahoma her mom worked at Fairmont Park Race Track in Collinsville, Illinois. In Oklahoma she went to work for Blue Ribbon Downs, in Sallisaw, while she studied to be a radiologist. Jackie began working there cleaning stalls when she was 14. She got her pony license at 16. “To this day I have scars on by body from ponying horses. It taught me to appreciate a good minded horse and what those horses are, and what they do and how athletic they are.”

    Her first team roping horse came from the track. “I team roped and barrel raced off that big impressive bay gelding,” she said. “I sold him to buy my first truck – a 1996 extended-cab Dodge. It was the coolest thing in the world to me; I got to go to college from that horse.” She had several full scholarships from colleges in her area of Oklahoma. “Wanting to be the best and being so competitive I wanted to go to the toughest place there was. I knew the southern region was the toughest region. I took a scholarship for less money to go to Vernon Regional Junior College, Texas.” As she expected the competition was something she’d never seen before. She did win the NIRA Breakaway Roping Championship which helped the Women’s Team win that year, as well. “Iron sharpens iron and that was my mentality.”

    Jackie then went on to Tarleton State University, in Stephenville, TX, with her best friend in college, Tessie McMullan Doyle. They pushed each other every day to become better competitors. Their women’s team won the National title their senior year, 2005
    After college she went to work for Lari Dee Guy, in Abilene, TX, riding colts training roping horses, whatever was necessary. She admits she learned a lot. In 2009 Trevor Brazile won the calf roping and team roping on Sans Diamond Shine at the World Show and the owner of the horse sent us a bunch of that stud’s colts to train. “They were all good horses and I bought T-Boy out of that group,” she said. At first they didn’t get along. “He was so quirky, and we went through a battle,” she admits. “I had the feeling there was something about him – he isn’t fancy. He was a problem and hard to get to work, but he had an ability to win.” When he was five she took him to Joe’s Boot Shop that had a five-header and he won. He has been taking her to the pay window for a decade. Today she says, “He’s just a phenomenal horse. I don’t think anyone can dispute the fact he’s probably the highest money-earning horse ever in breakaway roping. He’s just a winner.”

    Jackie met Charly through the roping world. She was dating a mutual friend of his. “I thought she was a buckle bunny,” said Charly. “It turned out that wasn’t the case at all. We became friends and had a lot of things in common. One year she needed a head horse for the World Series Finale in Vegas so I let her use one of mine, and it went from there – I could tell right way it was a fit.”

    Charly started roping at a young age in Canby, Oregon. He roped with his dad and made it to the National High School Finals three times. He graduated in 1996 and went to Central Arizona College for two years. “I got my PRCA permit when I was 17 but didn’t have enough horses to really compete.” He bought his PRCA card in 1998 and won the Resistol Rookie (header) of the Year in Team Roping. He’s made 10 appearances at the National Finals which included 2020, when he and his partner, Logan Medlin, won the 7th go-round. He plans to slow down and concentrate on his family, his roping schools and clinics. “I’ve gotten five heelers to the NFR so I figure I better take that talent and use it to put on schools and lessons. My daughter wants to make the UPRA and CPRA finals this year so I want to help her as well as help Jackie however I can. I’m good with being a good dad and husband.”

    Jackie graduated with a degree in Business Administration, which she admits has helped her with communication, sponsorships, and everything else that goes with rodeo. She has hired Cheyenne Britain that acts as Jackie’s ‘right hand man’. “She helps me saddle, unsaddle, drive and everything in between. “I hired an agent and a social media person,” Jackie explained. Charly and Jackie are restructuring their program so they can do the things a replacement can’t do. “Nobody can replace a mother, a dad, wife, husband or a competitive roper,” she said.

    Creed has grown up in the arena. “We have huge play areas set up inside a 10×20 chain link fence; slides, jungle gyms, etc.,” said Jackie. “In between horses, we play and do what we need to do.” The plan is to keep going. “Our biggest goal as a family is not to be broke cowboys – rodeo doesn’t have a 401K.” Jackie’s initial goals were to be in the conversation of the greatest women ropers in the world and get inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Now that the doors are opening to breakaway roping opportunities, her goals are changing, but in the end she wants “to know that no matter what, I’ve accomplished the things, I’ve worked for. I did it and stamped my place in history … a sigh of relief that the first NFBR is in the books. Let’s rock on and keep this ball rolling. I’m so fortunate to do this – I get to be with my kids. Even though we are working, we are all together as a family all day. How many people get to say that.”

    “My vision for myself is continuing to help put this sport in a position that when I’m too old to do it, I’m sitting in the gold buckle seats watching my daughters roping at NFR.”

     

    CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
    2020 National Finals Breakaway Roping
    2016, 2014 Womens Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) Breakaway Roping
    WPRA All-Around 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009 & 2008
    WPRA Team Roping 2016, 2014
    WPRA Tie-Down Roping 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008

    2003 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Breakaway Roping for Vernon Regional Junior College
    2003 National Woman’s Team for Vernon Regional Junior College
    2005 National Woman’s Team for Tarleton State University
    2000 Oklahoma State Champion Breakaway Roper
    2020 Betty Gayle Cooper Ratliff Fast-Time Award see story on pg 43
    Sponsors:
    American Hat, Ariat, Smarty, Hay Chix, Classic Equine, Rattler rope, Classic rope, Martin Saddlery, LubiSyn, Chute Help, Plaza Hotel and Casino, Total Feeds

  • Fort Worth Rolled Out the Carpet for 2020 WNFR

    Fort Worth Rolled Out the Carpet for 2020 WNFR

    For more than two weeks, I made my home at the Hyatt, overlooking the Fort Worth Stockyards. I watched almost every square inch of space transformed into some sort of vendor, from the Hooey fan zone to Country Christmas. The historic Cowtown Coliseum hosted the Junior World Finals, the Permit Challenge, and the nightly watch party and concert. Texas Billy Bob’s hosted the Gala, Women’s Luncheon, and the World of Rodeo Reunion. The Stockyards is home to 16 restaurants, 13 bars, and 35 merchants. There are 419 hotel rooms and soon to be 619 when Hotel Drover opens in March. The John Wayne exhibit, which opened December 1, 2020, is there as well as the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, founded in 1997.

    An average of 20,000 fans per day made their way into the Stockyards. They were greeted with a cattle drive down Main Street, horse and buggies to take them around, cowboy shoot-outs, and genuine family-friendly hospitality. “Being a part of the Cowboy Channel‘s NFR tailgate party three hour broadcast each day was so rewarding on so many levels,” said Pam Minick. “First of all it gave fans a real look at things other than just what happens inside the rodeo arena. My segment each day was on “legends” and getting a chance to visit with people like Roy Cooper, Clint Johnson, Ted Nuce, Tuff Hedeman, Billy Etbauer, and Rich Skelton for an extended period of time gave people a look into how they’ve seen rodeo change.”

    Stockyards Heritage Development and the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District was honored to work with the City of Fort Worth, Visit Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Rural Media Group, Las Vegas Events, Hooey Brands, Group W Productions, Silverton Casino Hotel Las Vegas, and others, on the successful presentation of NFR Texas 2020,” said Ethan Cartwright, Vice President of Marketing for Stockyards Heritage Development. “We trust that the residents and businesses of Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas enjoyed the opportunity to showcase genuine Texas hospitality as much as we did.”

  • ProRodeo Hall of Famer Leo Camarillo Passes Away

    ProRodeo Hall of Famer Leo Camarillo Passes Away

    ProRodeo Hall of Famer Leo Camarillo passed away Dec. 30 at the age of 74 in Chandler, Arizona.

    Camarillo, a five-time world champion – team roping in 1972-73, 1975 and 1983, and all-around in 1975 – was inducted with the inaugural 1979 ProRodeo Hall of Fame class in Colorado Springs, Colo.

    Camarillo and his younger brother Jerold, also a ProRodeo Hall of Famer, learned to rope from their father, Ralph, a champion roper in California rodeos before he turned to raising stock. They grew up in California’s scenic Santa Ynez Valley.

    “I’ve never seen a man who loved that sport so much,” said Jerold, 73, in a phone interview with ProRodeo Sports News. “He dedicated himself to go to rodeos and learn new things. Then, we would come home and try it here, and he loved the whole sport, and he loved all the cowboys.”

    When the boys were youngsters, their father required that the pair spend an hour each day practicing with their ropes.

    One of the first targets was a pop bottle, brought into the living room when the weather was cold. From the bottle, they graduated to roping chickens and finally calves.

    “We were raised on a ranch and found a way to win money (roping) without having a job,” Jerold said. “We were raised roping. We roped all day long and we loved it, and it was a way out for us.”

    Leo and Jerold revolutionized team roping as heelers. Leo qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 20 times (1968-86 and 1988), while Jerold qualified for the NFR 17 times (1968-83, 1985-86) and won a world title in 1969.

    Leo won the NFR team roping average a PRCA-record six times – 1968-71, 1980 and 1982.

    He also was a star in the PRCA circuit system. He won the all-around title in the California Circuit in 1976-77, 1980-82, team roping in 1976-77, 1982 and tie-down roping in 1976. In 1983, he was the Texas Circuit team roping champ.

    An intense competitor, Leo created and perfected a polished style of heeling steers. An excellent horseman, Camarillo, born Jan. 25, 1946, in Santa Ana, Calif., roped off his horse named Super Stick, which many pros thought unsuitable for professional competition. Camarillo was also an excellent tie-down roper and steer wrestler.

    “We both dedicated ourselves to be the greatest ever,” Jerold said. “We were so fortunate to learn from our dad, and from then on we changed the style of roping and changed the style of heeling the steers in the air. We worked at it really hard, and when we went out on the road people were amazed with the way we were roping.”

    Leo is survived by his wife, Sue; sons Wade and Trey; and daughter, Cassie.

  • On The Trail with Rider Kiesner

    On The Trail with Rider Kiesner

    Rider Kiesner has performed in every state and 15 different countries. “When I turned nine I got a Will Rogers trick roping kit for Christmas,” said the 29-year-old from Ripley, Oklahoma. Rider grew up as a fifth generation cowboy on his dad’s side and third generation on his mom’s side. He was competing in Youth and Little Britches rodeos, winning his first buckle when he was just 5 years old. Today he is a two time World Champion All Around Western Performer, four time World Champion Trick Roper, as well as a two time World Champion Gun Spinner. He has performed at the NFR seven times as well as the Ram National Circuit Finals and several circuit finals.

    He mastered the art of trick roping by pushing the living room furniture back and watching instructional videos over and over until he mastered each trick. “My dad (Phillip) trained Arab English horses and had as many as 30 horses in training.” His great great grandfather leased out horses and had a turn of the century full city block, three stories tall. The bottom floor held all the horses; the second and third floors were for the wagons. He leased out horses to all sorts of companies that needed horses to deliver things.

     

    “My grandfather would stop at wherever the train would stop and unload ten teams, based on whatever the logging camp needed.” said Phillip. “They would check them in and go to the next one. He had around 2,500 head of horses in Northern Minnesota that were used for loggers.”

    Phillip’s dad trained saddle bred horses in the late 60s and 70s, and then switched to Arabs – that’s where the money was. Phillip grew up training horses. He also competed in high school rodeo in saddle bronc riding. He met his wife, Julie, who was the Minnesota High School rodeo queen and qualified for the National High School Finals all four years and was state champion in barrel racing. They met when they were 24 and 25 and married within a year. They took a job training Arabs in Oregon and got into cutting and reined cow horses. “We moved around a lot training quarter horses,” said Phillip. “Rider was born in California. Roper was born in Colorado.” Phillip trained out of Randy Dunn’s (Bath Brothers Ranch) ranch in Laramie and trained for notable breeders as the Merritt’s in Laramie, Wyoming.

    Rider had gone to kindergarten in Laramie, the school was 30 miles west of Laramie and there were 13 kids enrolled. “They taught us to say yes ma’am and no ma’am,” said Rider. The family moved to Penrose, Colorado, and bought a house with 80 acres, where they continued to train horses and give riding lessons. After Sept. 11, 2001, it all stopped. “We got one gift each,” said Rider, whose gift was a trick roping set. The family was forced to sell their place and start down another path. “We started doing a mini Wild West show at rodeos. Dad started with cowboy mounted shooting, adding clowning and I would do rope tricks, and Roper did the trick riding. That’s how we made a living until I was 18.” The family booked enough little rodeos to fill their card. By 2005 the family was working some of the most prestigious rodeo in the PRCA. Not only did the family spend four months in Bejing, China in 2004 producing rodeos, but “my dad produced the first rodeo in Lebanon. It was really fun.” The family did everything during the rodeo. “I was the bull fighter .. we were in charge of the back pens and competed in every event … that was in 2010 – I was 18 Roper was 16.”

    Julie’s role was throwing props, occasional mounted shooting and keeping it all together. She also kept all four paint horses white along with the four white shirts. She also home schooled both boys. “I’d bathe them in the mud and snow – we lived on the road full time for ten years – we started with a four horse trailer with a four foot dressing room. The only splurge we did was an air conditioner … we all slept in the gooseneck of that trailer. It was the time of our lives .. we were all together and we had everything with us. It was absolutely phenomenal.” Julie still competes in barrel racing.

    “I am certain that God has a bigger plan … none of this would have happened if we hadn’t gone broke after 9/11,” said Phillip. “It was such a huge blessing – unanswered prayers… there was nothing I could do. It opened up the world to all of us.”

     

    They got their pro cards as team ropers. “I always thought I was going to be a team roper, but God had other plans.” Roper rides saddle broncs – and has gone to the Prairie Circuit finals 8 times. He makes knives (see page 114) The brothers often end up at the same rodeo. “We played golf and tennis yesterday.”

    Rider has added barrel man and clowning to his skills. “I was so bad as a clown at the first…I’m not funny and I don’t want to die.” He’s gotten better at it over time. “I do all the walk and talk – I try to make my own twist on it – I do fire eating and juggle – I’ve been doing that since I was six. I was also the 2012 Kansas State YoYo champion, so I do that too.” Rider remembers hearing Flint Rasmussen saying he made his own twist on rodeo clowns, so Rider took that to heart. “I like to perform – I have a lot of tricks and props and jokes.”

    The pandemic has been challenging for Rider. “I lost all my rodeos, but I got on the phone and hustled to get some other rodeos. I did a handful of rodeos and that filled in the gap. I did a lot of driving – from Florida to Montana. I had a better year than most, so I’m grateful.” He performed at the Cervi ranch last month. “Cervi is one of the biggest stock contractors that hired me – that was a pretty short notice and he called me up and asked if I would do it. He didn’t have to have acts – so for him to have me and perform at his house – he’s one of many stock contractors that have done a lot for me. I felt like I was performing at Dances with Wolves … it was awesome.”

    Rider has been nominated for Coors Man of the Year as well as nominated for Dress Act of the Year for the seventh year. “I’ve built a truck with a stage on it; I’ve got pyro on it, and I do a lot of trick roping on my horse. Bethany and I are on the road, so I’ve got all the acts as a bigger wild west show act … just like I did as a kid. Without God, none of this would be possible.”

     

    Bethany Iles

    “He’s the guy I’m going to end up with,” said Bethany Iles, who started 13 years ago as a trick rider. “My family was not rodeo – we had the white picket fence house.” After taking horseback lessons at 9, for about three months, the lady who was her coach now was about to get married and they put on a little trick riding show for the people trail riding. “My twin sister (Brittany) and I decided that’s what we wanted to do. We took lessons from her and about a year later we were doing some rodeos around Missouri.” When they were 18, they started trying to get their pro card. “She had a couple wrecks; she broke her back and neck and that stopped her trick riding.”

    Bethany went out on her own and has now joined up with Rider. “We have a lot of the same goals – dress act of the year and always to be better. I’m always working to improve to be better at what I do. Both Karen Vold and Linda Schotlz inspired me. I love God and He has been a big part of what we do. I want to be a light for Him and being an example is what I want to do.”