Rodeo Life

Category: Archive

  • Morgan Louviere

    Morgan Louviere

    Morgan Louviere loves math.The 17 year old cowgirl, a member of the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association, is good at math, and is currently taking a Statistics AP course. It’s all word problems, she says, but she doesn’t mind. Her high level math classes are required for biology, her major this fall in college. But for right now, she’s enjoying her senior year of high school and rodeo.

    The Youngsville, La. resident is a barrel racer and pole bender. Her barrel horse is a six year old Palomino named Tuf, who is now beginning to “put everything together,” and is coming around nicely. Tuf isn’t scared of anything, loves to get into trouble, and is always trying to nibble on people. Her pole horse is a 21 year old named Rocket, who Morgan has ridden since sixth grade. Rocket is the opposite of Tuf: he’s shy, scared, and if he doesn’t know you, he will “look at you weird,” Morgan says.

    As a senior at Comeaux High in Lafayette, Morgan loves her math classes but isn’t crazy about English and reading. She’s also taking an anatomy class, which she enjoys. There are 400 students in her class alone, including other rodeo kids who don’t high school rodeo but compete in other associations. Morgan is also involved in FFA and used to do the speed events in 4-H.

    Her favorite teacher ever was her middle school home-ec teacher, Miss Gary. “She was always laughing, she made you understand everything, and she was nice,” Morgan says.

    For fun, she likes to hang out with friends at each other’s houses or at the mall. They often watch movies, and if they go out to eat, Morgan’s favorite place is Copeland’s. Her favorite dish there is chicken Alfredo. She loves to shop, especially for earrings.

    She has qualified for state finals all her years of junior high and high school rodeo, and in high school, has finished each of the last three years in fifth place in the poles, one hole out of going to Nationals. Rock Springs, Wyo., (the home of the 2014 Nationals) is written on the family calendar, so she’s hoping this is her year to make it there.

    She is the current student president for the LHSRA and was vice-president last year. Morgan loves that role. She likes being able to communicate the students’ thoughts to the adult directors. She has two half-sisters, Hailey and Madison. She is the daughter of Tate and Sherry Louviere.

  • Colton Willson

    Colton Willson

    Nearly every day, three generations of the Willson family get together and rope. Papa Morris, dad Robin, and son and grandson Colton Willson gather at the family arena near Monterey, La., to practice their tie-down and team roping skills.

    It’s all in the family for Colton, who, as a member of the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association, is a tie-down roper, heeler (for Quincy Mudd, who lives in Lake Charles), and ribbon roper (his runner is Lena Johnson). For the tie-down roping, Colton rides an eight year old palomino mare named Jackie, who was trained by his Papa. To heel, he rides an eleven year old gelding named J.F. Colton’s sister Ashlee also rides J.F. for the breakaway roping.

    Colton’s favorite event is the tie-down roping, because “it’s so fast, it’s constantly moving, and that’s what I mainly train on. My Papa did it, and my daddy did it.” The Willsons practice under a covered arena for the tie-down roping, and an outdoor arena for the team roping.

    Colton is an eighth grade student at Monterey High School. School isn’t his favorite thing. “My grades are pretty good, but I don’t like going.” He’d much rather be outside. If he was forced to choose a favorite class, it would be history, but mostly only because his history teacher, Mr. Wells, likes to duck hunt, and that’s what the two talk about.

    Hunting is one of his favorite things to do. Ducks are his favorite, but he also likes to hunt deer, hogs, squirrels, rabbits, and even coons. He’s shot a few big deer in the past, along with two good-sized hogs that he figures weighed close to 250 lbs. The last deer he caught was a nine point with a 17 inch spread. Three of the deer he’s killed, he’s had mounted.

    He prefers duck hunting mostly because a person can talk as he hunts. “You can talk and be social with your buddies. With deer or hog (hunting), you have to be quiet and serious and all that. I’d rather go duck hunting and not see a duck, than go deer hunting and see lots of deer.”

    Colton plays baseball and basketball, and would play football, but his school is too small to field a football team. He has qualified for both years of state junior high finals. When he is out of high school, he plans on continuing his roping, and going to college. He’s not sure what kind of job he’d like, but something that doesn’t involve a desk is what he’ll consider. He’d like to have a job that keeps him

    Colton has two older siblings. His brother, Hayden, is twenty and works in the oilfield, and his sister, Ashlee, is a senior in high school and is involved in high school rodeo. Both of them were junior high state champions and that is Colton’s goal this year. He is the son of Robin and Bridget Willson.

  • Larry Burgess

    Larry Burgess

    Because of his daddy’s dreams, Larry Burgess became a cowboy. The former National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association contestant and alumni member was born in Poplarville, Mississippi, the son of Ray and Nell Burgess. But his father, who had grown up in Colorado and wanted to be a cowboy, sold the home place in Mississippi and took his young family west to Wyoming, where they lived on a ranch. And Larry became a cowboy.

    He grew up in the Powder River Valley, competing in high school rodeo, and winning the National High School Bull Riding title in 1961, the same year he graduated from Midwest (Wyo.) High School. Larry got a rodeo scholarship to ride bulls and saddle broncs at Casper College, so he went to school forty miles from home, where he competed for three years, from 1961 to 1964, finishing with two associate’s degrees. He then attended the University of Wyoming, where he served as president of the rodeo team in 1964-1965.

    He graduated from Wyoming with a double major in chemistry and mathematics, and put his degree to work teaching high school. He taught in Shoshone, Wyo., then Glenrock, then went back to Laramie to work on a combination master’s degree in mathematics and physics.

    It was there that a friend planted the seed for Larry’s next career move. It was the perfect job for a “cowboy math teacher,” the friend said, and it fit Larry to a T. The Orme School, a college preparatory boarding school was located on a remote ranch near Mayer, Ariz. and emphasized education alongside western living. The school had a rodeo team, an arena, and roping stock, with students from all over the nation. The situation was perfect: it was located in the Southwest, with good rodeos within driving distance, a teaching job, just right for “someone who still wanted to do some serious rodeoing, needed a job, and could practice and ride every day,” Larry said.

    So Larry moved his family to Orme, where he taught for six years. It was while he was at the Orme School that the time came to quit rodeo. His good friend, Claude “Whip” Wilson (the ’65 NIRA bareback riding champion) also taught at Orme, and the two buddies rodeoed together. In 1976, at a rodeo over the Fourth of July, Claude was killed when a bareback horse flipped over on him. That was the end for Larry. “It wasn’t fun anymore,” he said. “I said, ‘I think that’s enough,’ and I didn’t ride actively after that.”

    The family moved to Phoenix in 1977, where Larry taught high school for ten years. Then he took a teaching position at Paradise Valley Community College, where he taught for 23 years, serving as chairman of the math department and president of the local faculty association. He retired in 2010.

    In his rodeo days he was the Western States Rodeo Association Saddle Bronc Riding champion in 1965, and the Western Slopes Rodeo Association champ the next year. He even got involved in rodeo photography, working with his friend Bob Core, and their photography company, Spur Photo.

    Larry and his wife of 52 years, DeEtta, have three children: Dee Ann, Larry, and Brian, and nine grandchildren. He remembers most fondly from his rodeo days his friends, who are still friends today. “You make friends, that even if you haven’t seen them in twenty years, it’s like yesterday. I have friends from fifty years ago.”

  • Kyanne and Ranson Stephens

    Kyanne and Ranson Stephens

    Kyanne and Ranson Stephens are in their second year of membership in the Northeast Junior Rodeo Association. The sister and brother, who are the children of Jason and Randa Stephens, live in Beggs, Oklahoma. Kyanne, who is nine, is a barrel racer who rides a fourteen year old white horse named Gee. She learned to ride on her daddy’s roping horse, Old Yeller, who is 32, and now Ranson’s horse.

    Kyanne is in the third grade, and she loves reading, and seeing her friends at school. Her favorite book is the Magic Treehouse – A Perfect Time for Pandas, and her favorite teacher is her current teacher, Miss Harp, because “she’s nice and she helps me read.” Her favorite school lunch is pepperoni pizza, and she loves her mom’s spaghetti. At recess time, Kyanne likes to play tag, and someday, she’d like to be a veterinarian.

    Ranson is five years old, and he is a goat un-decorator and sheep rider, with sheep riding being his favorite event. He looks up to Lane Frost, and enjoys kindergarten classes. His favorite subject is math, his favorite school lunch is pepperoni pizza, and the best dish his mom makes is goulash. At recess time, he likes to play hide and seek. When Ranson grows up, he’d like to be a firefighter.

    Kyanne has won two buckles, and Ranson has won one. Both kids won their buckles at the Oklahoma Junior Rodeo Association finals, of which they were members in 2012.

    The Stephens family has four pet dogs and one cat. The dogs are Penny (a long-haired Chihuahua), Bentley and Boston (mini-Australian shepherds), and Hank (a mutt.) Penny and Boston are inside dogs, and sometimes Penny sleeps with Kyanne. Izzie the cat likes to sleep with Ranson. Randa and Jason competed as kids, and still compete, as a barrel racer and team roper. The family also enjoys their time at the lake each summer.

  • Taylor Donaldson

    Taylor Donaldson

    Taylor Donaldson is a tie-down roper and team roper in the Kansas High School Rodeo Association. The 18 year old cowboy, who lives in Kiowa, prefers the tie-down roping over the team roping, mostly because “I like to get out there, and I like the action. I don’t like to just sit on my horse, like in the team roping.”

    This spring, he’s going to break out a green horse, a fifteen year old sorrel named Freck who he’s been working with all winter. His heading horse is an eighteen year old bay named C.D., who was raised by the family. Taylor heads for Cole Quaney, from Cheney, Kan.

    He is a senior at South Barber High School in Kiowa. His family moved to Kiowa from Louisburg, Kan., which is just south of Kansas City and Taylor went from being in a class of 200 to twenty, which was a big adjustment, but he loves the rural area. The best part is there are more opportunities to rope, but the down side is that if you want to go out to eat, there aren’t many choices. The closest fast food is in Alva, Okla., twenty miles south. But he loves it that “everybody knows you, you know everybody. You can go down the road and talk to everybody.”

    The best part of school is that his two hours of work study at the end of the day are for riding colts and team roping. He makes sure he rides colts pretty quick so he can rope. He plays on the South Barber High School Chieftain football team and basketball team. He is a member of FFA, a member of KAY (Kansas Association for Youth), on the honor roll, and is the Senior Class Student Council Representative.

    Taylor also competes in the National Little Britches Rodeo Association, and qualified for their finals last year in the tie-down and team roping. This fall, he will attend Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva, major in Ag Business, and compete in both roping events.

    His older sister  Tiffany competed in college rodeo, and his older brother, Trevor, competed in the tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping in high school rodeo. He is the son of Scott and Denise Donaldson.

  • Jaden Trimble

    Jaden Trimble

    For Jaden Trimble, church is a pretty important place to be. The Kansas Junior High Rodeo Association member is also a member of the Cowboy Capital Fellowship Church at Lenapah, Okla., where he has a lot of friends, and where he loves to hang out with the youth group kids, who are supportive of his rodeo. He likes his youth group pastor, Steve Brinker, as well as the church’s pastor, rodeo announcer Justin McKee.

    Jaden, who lives in Coffeyville, Kan., is a chute dogger, breakaway roper, ribbon roper (he ropes for McKenzie Storey), and heads for Skyler Kunz. He and Skyler are members of the 2013-2014 Junior High Cinch Rodeo Team. He rides a nine year old blood bay gelding named Barjo, who the family has had since he was two. This will be Barjo’s first year in the breakaway roping; Barjo has mainly been his heel horse.

    Jaden is a seventh grade student at Caney Valley High School in Caney. The best part of school is P.E., where his favorite game is dodge ball. The worst part of school is science, which is “too complicated,” he says. He loves to read westerns, but the best book series he’s read lately is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He also loves to do pencil sketches, and will enter a horse drawing in the Montgomery County Fair this fall. Jaden enjoys hunting deer and hogs and fishing for bass, too. Of his events, team roping is his strong suit, because he’s been team roping since he was seven. “I’ve always been a better team roper than I have anything else.”

    The family has a three year old English bulldog who weighs 45 lbs. Harley Jo is spoiled rotten, mostly by Jaden’s mom, he says. Jaden’s mom feeds her Blow Pops, which she loves. She holds them for the dog to lick, but makes sure when Harley Jo gets down to the bubble gum, she throws it away so the dog doesn’t eat the gum. Harley Jo sleeps with Jaden, just like a human. She gets under the covers and even rests her head on a pillow. “She’s hard to push over,” Jaden says. “When you’re half-asleep, it’s hard to push a dog over.”

    For fun, Jaden likes to rope with friends and hang out. He is a member of the Peppy Progressive 4-H Club, where he shows horses. When he grows up, he wants to be a professional team roper and steer wrestler and qualify for the National Finals Rodeo.

    He competed at the Junior High state finals last year in the team roping and breakaway roping, finishing in the top five in the team roping. He is also a member of the USTRC, and has enjoyed roping with his dad at the Finals in Oklahoma City the last two years. He has been heeling since he was seven and began heading last year.
    He is the only child of Shawn and Tonya Trimble.

  • Rickki Moyer

    Rickki Moyer

    When it comes to rodeo moms, Rickki Moyer ranks top notch. Splitting her time between her own competition and that of her two kids (Mattox, 7, and Merrick, 5), she still manages to complete her job and volunteer her time as a youth rodeo secretary. “I’m to the point to where I go when my kids aren’t. They come first and I would rather watch them compete and follow their dreams,” she encouraged. Nevertheless, Rickki is a tough barrel racer to go up against as she qualified for the finals in her first year with the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association (KPRA). “Not only, do they have a great finals with lots of added money, they keep good added money flowing throughout the season,” she said of the positive first impression and included, “The rodeos are in good proximity to where we live, and when my kids are junior rodeoing during the day, we can still hit my rodeos at night.”

    Rickki says that she has been running for as long as she can remember, getting her base from her dad (Boyd Hughes), who was a team roper. Although her mom (Brenda) is not a horse person, Rickki says, “My parents are very active supporters. They followed me all through college and still make my kids’ rodeos every weekend.” Rickki’s love for the sport found her competing in the National Little Britches Rodeo Association, Tri-State High School Rodeo Association and was later a member of the Oklahoma State University (OSU) rodeo team for four years. Because OSU did not offer rodeo scholarships, Rickki’s dedication was what kept her going, as she was the only one to compete her freshman year. “I was born and bred to go to OSU, so I was there because I want to be,” she said.

    She walked away from OSU with a degree in education and was a Title-1 reading specialist for middle school students before stepping down and is now the bookkeeper for Moyer Electric – a business owned by her husband (Shawn). “It’s a lot of work, but it’s nice to make my own schedule,” she said. Shawn can also be found in the arena working the team roping on occasion. “He kind of takes the short end of the stick when it comes to rodeoing, because there is not a whole lot of time between me and the kids, but he is a good sport about it,” said Rickki. A majority of their time is dedicated to hauling their kids to the Northwest Oklahoma Junior Rodeos (NWOJR) in the summer and the Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association in the winter. Mattox, has advanced to a higher age group this year, and competes in the barrels, goat tying, calf and steer breakaway. “He was able to make the Chute-Out Round of the dummy roping at the USTRC Finals and finished third,” said a proud mom. Merrick competes in the barrels, poles, goats and dummy roping. “They both really like it,” said Rickki.

    When it seems that her plate is full, Rickki has pulled together with other moms to volunteer as a rodeo secretary at the NWOJR. “It’s just to make it better for the kids,” she said. It seems fitting though, as Boyd co-founded the association in the early 90s.

    While she says that it is hard to set goals, she would like to qualify for the KPRA and TCRA finals again, while also getting a younger horse going. “I’m thinking that it won’t be too long before my kids take my two over, so I’ve got to get some others on the line,” she said. The Woodward, Okla., resident also expands her associations to the TCRA, NBHA, BBR and WPRA, where she competes in the Prairie Circuit when there is time. “You’re there to be competitive, but you’re also competing against friends; you’re there to win and encourage,” she said of why she likes to rodeo.

  • JJ Hunt

    JJ Hunt

    JJ Hunt watches rodeos from the best seat in the house. That’s because the Ridgeview, S.D. cowboy is in the arena as a pickup man. He’s been picking up since 2001, but his rodeo career began well before that. Growing up on the ranch south of Dupree, on Cherry Creek, it was natural to rodeo. He competed in the South Dakota High School Association, and after graduating from Dupree High in 1999, he Indian rodeoed for a few years before joining the Northwest Ranch Cowboys Association.

    In addition to picking up, he is a steer wrestler and team roper, and used to ride saddle broncs. It was at one of Lance Lesmeister’s rodeos that he got called into service for picking up. “He needed me for some rodeos, and I worked one or two,” JJ recalls. “Now I do close to twenty rodeos a year.” His work involves Longbrake Rodeos for the NRCA and the South Dakota Rodeo Association, and PRCA rodeos for Tom Reeves and Sutton Rodeo.

    JJ often competes at the same rodeos where he works, which can make a busy weekend. “If I can win (in the steer wrestling or team roping), that’s my bonus for the weekend.” At the NRCA rodeos, he sometimes team ropes with his wife, in addition to his other events. “It don’t leave much time for messing around.”

    JJ ranches on his maternal grandparents’ ranch, running commercial black Angus cattle and raising saddle horses. His dad and grandpa own Hunt Quarter Horses, so JJ often rides their horses and “throws their breeding into mine.”

    He loves to pick up, and has had some great mentors along the way. “It takes a good horse, and when you work with people like Jim Wilson, Shayne Porch, Kirk Schuelke, they teach you and tell you” what you need to do. He was chosen to pick up the NRCA Finals in 2012-2013, and the SDRA Finals the past six years. It’s an honor, he says, to be selected by the roughstock cowboys. His goal is to take care of them in the arena. “I try to set them down safely to get to the next rodeo.”

    JJ is married to Laura, and they have three sons: Daycen, who is 13, Kanton, four, and Koy, two. Daycen competes in the goat tying and breakaway in 4-H rodeo, and made the State 4-H Finals the last two years. Kanton rides and helps gather, and it won’t be long before Koy is in the saddle, too.

  • Sadie and Tanner Stec

    Sadie and Tanner Stec

    Sadie and Tanner Stec love each other, but they can drive each other crazy, too. The twins, sister and brother from Bassett, Neb., are seniors in the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association.

    They get along very well, but there are times they argue. They’re both really stubborn, Sadie says, and they take after their Grandpa, John Stec. “We think our way is best.” But it’s nice to have a twin when it comes to practice time, because there is always someone with whom to practice.

    Sadie is the older of the siblings, and competes in the breakaway roping, barrel racing, and pole bending. She loves starting out young horses and watching them develop. Her brother is the opposite. “He wants a finished horse he can go on. For me, I like to build them up.”  The two spend a lot of time together in the summer, but during the school year, don’t see each other much. Sadie plays basketball, Tanner wrestles, and this year, they only have two classes together every day.

    As a student at Rock County High School, Sadie is FFA treasurer, a member of the speech team, National Honor Society, and plays basketball. She competed at National High School Finals in the breakaway roping her freshman year.

    Tanner, also a student at Rock Co. High, says the best part about school is “getting out of it.” Unfortunately, his schedule got messed up this year and he’s had to take band class, which is not his favorite. He’s playing the drums, which makes it a bit easier. Tanner wrapped up his wrestling career last month with a sixth place finish at state in Class D in the 138 lb. division.

    Tanner, a tie-down roper, team roper and bulldogger, got his PRCA permit this January and has competed at three pro rodeos so far. This summer, he’ll be living with pro cowboy Garrett Nokes, traveling with him and “trying to better my roping.” Last year, he qualified for the Nebraska State Pro Rodeo Association and Mid-States Rodeo Finals. Tanner won the state tie-down roping championship his freshman and sophomore years, the steer wrestling title his junior year, and he finished fourth in the tie-down that year. He’s been to Nationals every year since he became a sixth grader.

    This fall, Sadie will attend Hastings College and rodeo for them. She hopes to major in nursing and get her registered nurse degree. She works at the long term care facility in Bassett and enjoys it. Tanner isn’t sure where he’ll go to college, but he plans on rodeoing collegiately. They are the children of Roger and Sheri Stec.

  • RodeoHouston® BP SUPER SERIES V CHAMPION CLAIMED LAST SEMIFINALIST SPOTS

    RodeoHouston® BP SUPER SERIES V CHAMPION CLAIMED LAST SEMIFINALIST SPOTS

    RodeoHouston® BP SUPER SERIES V CHAMPION CLAIMED LAST SEMIFINALIST SPOTS — MARCH 18, 2014 — HOUSTON — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Fans watched RodeoHouston BP Super Series V competitors earn their spots in the Semifinal rounds March 19 and 20. Winners are one step closer to capturing the $50,000 and being named 2014 RodeoHouston Champions.

    TIE-DOWN ROPING
    Tie-Down Roping Champion Jake Pratt, who credited his win to a good calf, said it takes hard work and discipline to get to the top.

    “Practice makes perfect,” Pratt said. “Practice pays off.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Jake Pratt — Semifinal #1— $10,000
    Jerome Schneeberger — Semifinal #2 — $3,050
    Ryan Watkins — Semifinal #1 — $2,500
    Mike Johnson— Semifinal #2 — $1,950

    BAREBACK RIDING
    Cody Demers was named Bareback Riding Champion of BP Super Series V. He said winning this series put the championship title in sight.

    “It’s a chance at $50,000. It’s one step closer,” Demers said. “We are just going to keep cracking away and having fun, and we will see what happens.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Cody Demers — Semifinal #2— $6,850
    Jake Vold — Semifinal #2 — $3,500
    Tilden Hooper — Semifinal #1 — $3,450
    Kyle Bowers— Semifinal #1 — $3,300

    TEAM ROPING
    Duo Matt Sherwood and Dugan Kelly moved on to the semifinals after achieving the quickest time tonight, despite a difficult steer.

    “Teamwork is very important,” Sherwood said. “With my partner helping me…the steer went from very difficult to pretty easy.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Matt Sherwood and Dugan Kelly — Semifinal #1— $14,400
    Aaron Tsinigine and Kory Koontz — Semifinal #1 — $10,600
    Spencer Mitchell and Radon Adams — Semifinal #2 — $8,600
    Jesse Sheffield and Matt Zancanella— Semifinal #2 — $3,000

    SADDLE BRONC RIDING
    Houston Rookie Will Smith claimed the title of RodeoHouston BP Super Series V Saddle Bronc Champion. Smith said his success was an added bonus to qualifying at Houston.

    “Great horses, great crowd, just everything that Houston has to offer,” Smith said. “It’s exciting.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Will Smith — Semifinal #2— $6,200
    Dustin Flundra — Semifinal #2— $4,500
    Cody Martin — Semifinal #1 — $3,700
    Bryan Martinat— Semifinal #1 — $3,050

    STEER WRESTLING
    Tom Lewis returned to RodeoHouston for the second year to be named the Super Series V Steer Wrestling Champion. As he moves forward to the semifinals, Lewis said he will remain focused on winning theRodeoHouston championship title.

    “You can dream about it, but you have to commit,” Lewis said. “It has to get to a point where it is all you think about, all you dream about — that’s all you want to achieve. You can’t have any maybes in there, or they will beat ya.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Tom Lewis — Semifinal #2— $4,500
    Stockton Graves — Semifinal #1 — $3,500
    Wyatt Smith — Semifinal #2 — $3,000
    Cody Cassidy— Semifinal #1 — $2,850

    BARREL RACING
    RodeoHouston BP Super Series V Barrel Racing Champion, Sarah Kieckhefer is keeping her eyes on the prize. Kieckhefer and her horse will try for another push toward the $50,000 award by doing her best in the semifinals.

    “There are highs and lows,” Kieckhefer said. “You just have to keep working through the lows to get to the highs.”

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Sarah Kieckhefer — Semifinal #1— $5,000
    Michele McLeod — Semifinal #2 — $3,500
    Kelli Thouvenell — Semifinal #2 — $3,300
    Sheena Robbins— Semifinal #1 — $2,400

    BULL RIDING
    Sage Kimzey came out on top with the BP Super Series V Bull Riding Championship. Kimzey said he could not be happier to be going into the semifinals and is grateful for his support system.

    “Get a good support system going, whether it’s your family or friends, and just keep trying; keep running your hand in that rope and don’t ever quit,” Kimzey said.

    Advancing to Semifinal Round:
    Sage Kimzey — Semifinal #2— $6,200
    Joe Frost — Semifinal #2 — $3,600
    Cheyne Olney — Semifinal #1 — $3,300
    Beau Hill— Semifinal #1 — $3,000

    The top four from each event of the Semifinal rounds advance to the RodeoHouston BP Super Series Championship, Saturday, March 22. The remaining six from each event in the two semifinals will compete in the Wild Card Round, Friday, March 21, where the top two from each event will advance to the Championship. Each event champion will walk away with a $50,000 payout in addition to other winnings.

  • Richmond Champion

    Richmond Champion

    Richmond Champion is the first cowboy to win $1 million in rodeo in one day. The day was Sunday, March 2 2014, in Arlington, Texas, at the American Rodeo. “I was so happy with my bareback ride – that horse (Assault) bucked me off earlier this year,” said 21-year-old Richmond. “Most of the year, he isn’t that nice.” Richmond came to the American to do the best he could and when he scored 90 in the final shoot out, everything else was a bonus. Richmond had to wait for the next five events to claim the million. When the last two barrel racers didn’t make the cut, he was left holding the bag. “The guys that were moving all the event winners from arena to arena were telling me how many qualifiers were left. Obviously you hope for it, but I wasn’t wishing anything bad for anyone. It was a really cool experience.” Richmond was fortunate to be the first qualifier to go and the second rider out in the short round. “I didn’t have to think about it for too long. I never had the chance to let my nerves get to me… I’ve been in that position and you do choke a little bit.”

    Richmond is relatively new to the sport of rodeo, but not to the world of competitive sports. “I was a ski racer when we lived in Alaska,” he said. Starting at five, Richmond spent five days a week racing on the slopes near Anchorage. “I remember stick horses and cowboy hats – but you don’t do that in Alaska.” Richmond’s dad, Greg, is in the hotel management business and his job required the family to move a lot – six states and eight cities during the time Richmond and his brother, Douglas, were growing up. “When my parents moved the family to Dallas, Texas, we went to the Mesquite Rodeo, and I knew then that I wanted to rodeo.” The family landed in Washington State and that is where Richmond started in high school rodeo, riding bulls, which he rode for three years. The family had moved to Texas when Richmond realized bull riding was not the event for him. “I was terrible. I got to the point where somebody mentioned that I needed to explore my options and my brother rode bare backs and he woke me up one day and asked me to take him to church, we rode bareback horses after church at Bubba Miller’s place; he is the rodeo coach at Sam Houston.” That was the summer before his senior year, and Richmond won the Texas high school finals in 2011. All the moving has made Richmond into the person he is today. “Now I can’t sit still, if I’m in one place too long, I get antsy. That set me up for the rodeo world; you can’t get too comfortable.”

    Lori, who is in the restaurant management business, looks at both of her sons and believes they have turned into fine young men, able to deal with people on many levels. “They’ve had to move and adjust to different schools – Richmond went to three high schools in three years, in three states- you have to be you to be successful. Both of my kids are high level competitors. They were always athletes. They both played Lacrosse. Richmond played soccer and competed in the mounted shooting sports. Douglas is a senior at Sam Houston. He got hurt riding bareback horses two years ago in Estes Park, and the surgeon encouraged him to stop. He’s finishing school in hospitality and focusing on his career.” Both boys went to private school until the family moved back to Texas, when Richmond requested to be enrolled in public school. “He went from 150 kids in his class to 950. He excelled because he learned how to form relationships with teachers that nobody else had to do.”

    Richmond went on to college rodeo for Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, where he learned how to get past nerves. “I went through a stage of being really nervous – I couldn’t make a ride in the short round. College rodeo helped me get past that – and now I just think of every rodeo as a college rodeo. I look forward to the high pressure situations. Having to deal with the rankest horses at that level, riding against guys that I look up to – knowing that two NFR qualifiers were right behind me – it comes down to doing your job. When you come out victorious – that’s one of the greatest feelings in the world.”

    The notion of being a millionaire has not entirely set in. “I held the check for maybe 30 seconds and handed it to my dad.” Richmond and his dad started making a game plan. “Dad told me to buy a toy – I was excited about the Ranger that I won – that’s about all the toy I’d ever want.” He is going to replace the van that he and his traveling partners use to go down the road. He is also looking into investments in land. “But where,” he said, adding, “I’m 21 – I have a trailer house in Stephenville and I’m happy with that.” One thing that hasn’t changed is his goal to make the WNFR. He was home for one day, then off to Houston, Omaha, Florida, and back to Texas. “I need to get back to what I’m used to – that will keep me humble – keep rodeoing.”

  • Mike Grant

    Mike Grant

    Mike Grant enjoyed a day of roping in December that most ropers only dream about. During the World Series of Team Roping Finale in Las Vegas, Mike and partner, Harold Bumguardner, won the #12, splitting $255,000 in cash and prizes. Mike was riding a nice gray horse that he had owned for just nine days.
    The World Series of Team Roping Finale became the first roping event to reach the seven million dollar purse mark, and the third richest horse event in the world.
    “The World Series ropings are very enjoyable, mostly due to the limited entries and age requirements,” says Grant. “I know a few old ropers coming out of retirement because of the opportunity this roping offers.”
    Mike is a fourth generation rancher and owner of the historic Grant Ranch Est. 1884 in Wheatland, Wyoming. He has competed in rodeo most of his life and has qualified for the PRCA Mountain States Circuit Finals in Steer Wrestling twice.
    Mike and his wife, Becky, have two daughters, Allie, 20 and Rayne, 9. Allie attends college and competes in the NIRA. Rayne competes in the Colorado Junior Rodeo Association.
    This will be the fourth year the Grants produce team roping jackpots at their ranch. The facilities include a large outdoor arena with concessions and stalls. Their roping series have been called friendly and old-fashioned and will start back this June.
    Fast Back Ropes and Formula 707 currently sponsor Mike.
    “My favorite rope is the Mach III. It’s very forgiving and easy to catch with,” says Grant.
    The next big event for Mike will be the 2nd Annual Rodeo All-Star held in Denver, April 17th – 19th.
    “I’m pretty excited to compete at the Rodeo All-Star,” say Mike. “They invite 16 contestants in each event. There are three rounds with a sudden death format. It will be a lot of fun.”

    COWBOY Q&A

    How much do you practice?
    I practice or jackpot six days a week, but take Mondays off.

    Do you make your own horses?
    Typically I buy them. I’ve found that I win more on professionally trained horses.

    Who were your roping (rodeo) heroes?
    Mark Kersting, he’s a local pro that ruled our area when I was younger. He helped me when I got serious about roping. Rube Woolsey has been helping me lately.

    Who do you respect most in the world?
    My dad.

    If you had a day off what would you like to do?
    I’d like to go a Bit & Spur museum.

    Favorite movie?
    Any movies with John Candy.

    What’s the last thing you read?
    Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect. It’s written by a sport psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella.

    How would you describe yourself in three words?
    Loyal, friendly, happy

    What makes you happy?
    Drinking coffee with Becky every morning.

    What makes you angry?
    Barking dogs.

    What is your worst quality – your best?
    My worst quality is impatience. My best quality is being able to remember names.

    If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
    Keep living life. Hopefully it would last longer than $127,000 (that I won in WSTR Finale).