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“It was amazing – there was no feeling that rivaled that feeling,” said Will Reed Jennings about walking down the tunnel at the Thomas & Mack to photograph his first Wrangler National Finals. “There were so many people just in the hallway that I knew.”
Will Reed Jennings is the only son of Dave and Beth Jennings. Like his dad, Will has a natural eye for a great image. “I never really got interested in rodeo until Covid happened,” said the 19-year-old freshman at Texas Tech. “I missed it and got back into it.” Will grew up listening to his dad instruct other photographers and his knowledge of cameras came from sitting next to him and Dave telling him what to do.
Will throws passion into everything he does – he excelled at one-act plays and percussion. His talent with a drum landed him a position in the drum center line while marching band. “It’s hard to have drum sets in college, so I brought a guitar. One of the first instruments I learned was violin, so it’s pretty easy.”
With his new-found love of rodeo photography, Will has joined the Texas Tech Rodeo Team as their photographer and will do that while pursuing a degree in media and communications. “If you have a feeling about it, just try it. That’s what I did and this is what it’s turned into.”
Dave’s photography career spans 40 years, beginning in 1982, including 8 trips to the NFR, and all the major rodeos, photographer for the National High School Finals for 15 years. He has been inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2012. Watching his son walk into the Thomas & Mac was something he’ll never forget. “That was bad-___. I couldn’t believe it was happening – it was sureall.

Connor Griffith’s goal going into the 2022 NLBFR was to win three saddles, including the bareback riding title that had eluded him two years in a row. The 18-year-old, who is originally from Skullbone, Tennessee, accomplished that goal and then some, winning the Finals all-around, ribbon roping, tie-down roping, bareback riding, and all-around world titles in the senior boy division.
Connor practiced persistently leading up to the Finals, but says his success after that came from his hectic schedule, competing in every event but bull riding. “I couldn’t think about anything because I was running back and forth nonstop. It helped me to my advantage because all I had to do was one event at a time, and if I messed up a bit at one, I couldn’t get upset about it because I had another event and they were waiting on me in the next arena. I was extremely exhausted but I just kept pushing through. My last event was steer wrestling, and I ran fast to get to it. My buddy was throwing on my back number while I ran. I was so winded when I got on my horse that all I could think about was getting off. I was a 4.5 on the steer. It was definitely the best year I’ve had at the Little Britches Finals, and I really got my mind right when I saw I could accomplish that. I’ve started setting bigger goals every year and now that’s all I’m thinking about.”
Now a freshman at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Connor is attending on a rodeo scholarship and studying Ag. business. He toured the school following the NLBFR and lives with horse trainer and tie-down roper Bob Abernathy. “I love the coach (Justin Browning) and I love my school,” says Connor, who is competing in bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and team roping. Along with practicing with the team, he ropes daily with Bob Abernathy, who competed in The American. “There’s so much opportunity down here to be the best you can possibly be. Every rodeo you go to now, there’s going to be at least five guys that made the NFR in our region, and that makes you want to step it up. There are kids in the school that are pro rodeoing and placing in the top 25—30 in the world, and being surrounded by them every day and rodeoing with them will eventually make you better.”
Connor attributes his work ethic to the example his mom, Christina Griffith, has set for him. “My mom is a very hard-working woman and has taught me throughout life how to get through things. Even if you don’t have as much as somebody else, you train that horse and work with what you have. She motivates me to be better and she has taught me that hard work can pay off. It might take a while or be a rough time, but it will pay off.” Connor also looks up to his friend Sam Smith, whom he lived with in Alabama for several summers while competing in amateur rodeos and Little Britches. “He’s the man who helped me be where I am today, and he’s pretty much the dad figure. One of the greatest things is that I met him through Little Britches, and ever since then, he took me in and helped me a lot with my roping and being a better guy.”
Competing in Little Britches since 2014 has also impacted Connor, both in life lessons and in rodeo. “The main thing is that no matter who you’re around, be the same person, and be humble about it. If it’s a little kid, you were once in their shoes, and everyone has to start somewhere,” says Connor, who served on the NLBRA National Youth Board for three years. He plans to rodeo in Little Britches another season and qualify for the NLBFR. “There’s so much opportunity now with scholarships, and that is an extremely big help when you get to college.”
With 40 saddles to his name, including his 2022 IFYR Bareback Riding Champion saddle, Connor continues to set higher goals. “In our region, my goal is to win the all-around and make the college finals. That’s a very different level of goal, but if you set them little and not too hard, it’s not a goal. I know it will take a lot of work and struggle, but I’m going to fight through it. And my goal after this year is to get on my (PRCA) permit. I want to stay around here and work on myself. There are so many opportunities to be great around here and get prepared. Then I can go to a pro rodeo and feel confident about it.”

Being side lined brings a whole new meaning in the sport of rodeo. It’s words no rodeo athlete wants to hear or go through for that matter. One thing is for sure though, if you rodeo long enough it’s going to happen especially when your job is taking hits for others. I believe one’s true character and heart is shown on the other side of adversity.
In December, during the 9th round of the NFR, I suffered an injury that I wasn’t going to be able to tough out; I would be sidelined through the winter rodeos coming up. It was an injury that was easy to see something wasn’t good. I broke both my tibia and fibula on my left leg and once I looked down and saw it, the first words out of my mouth were, ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…healed in Jesus’ name.’
It’s been quite a roller coaster of events through it all because after four weeks on the mend, I found out I was going to have another surgery because the first one wasn’t done right. Talk about taking the wind out of your sails.
Even with all the craziness I had to go through, I knew it doesn’t matter what’s thrown at me, God had a plan through it all. This is the part of the story God wants to tell through me.
Some words that were given to me in this season were: mindset, faith, evidence, and love. These are words that really stuck out to me when I was digging deeper into what God has for me.
Mindset
I’ll start with mindset; God tells us in 2Timothy 1:7 that he didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Once I got started int my comeback, I was willing to work harder and do everything I could to get me back as soon as possible. So my nutrition and supplements were on point. But with my physical being fed right, I must also feed my mind in the same way. So what I allowed in my mind was very important. I start every morning before my feet touch the ground reading God’s Word and reading motivational books. A good start to your day leads to a good finish.
Faith
What is Faith? For me, it’s believing in something regardless the situation; trusting in the Higher power and process. We can say we have faith, but our actions truly show how much faith or belief we have in something.
Faith is a big one for me because not only having the faith in my doctors and therapists to help get me back, but also, I must have that same faith in knowing God has good things through all of this. My focus is to be plugged into the source more than the system (world)!. My thought process through it all is I will be better and stronger through it all.
James 1:2-4 tells us to find joy in the trials and tests we encounter in life. That’s hard to do when it’s keeping you from doing what you want. With that said, though, just as physical training makes you stronger and can do so many more things, it’s the same with your faith. When it’s tested, it produces endurance so you can become better and stronger! You have to go through suffering in order to grow and be successful in anything. Your character – faith and heart – is revealed in discomfort and found on the other side of it. Over time you callous your mind and grow in all areas of life.
Evidence
Evidence is proof of something being true. This world was very bold to me not only wanting my hard work to show as I’m recovering and when I’m back, but more so with my faith and love fro God in trusting the process. It was like a daily check list for me everyday to make sure there was evidence showing in my physical, mental, and spiritual actions – it was a great routine that helped keep me focused.
Love
Love was the last word. To love as God does is a lot different than the love of the world. A verse I read years ago, which stuck to me for ever is John 15:13 Greater Love has no one than this. To lay down His own life for His friends. That is what Jesus did for us all and my mindset being my training and every time I step into the arena.
Through this whole process the one question that kept coming up – When will he come back? Will he come back? If he does, will he do his job? This to me was nothing but fuel for the fire. There were a lot of unknowns and the time line that was given was anywhere from 6-12 months. My goal was to work hard and be more focused than ever before and be back stronger and better before anyone thought. That wasn’t an easy task, and I had to keep doing things reminding my why. One thing I did was the cookie jar theory from David Goggins which is keeping a mental jar full of all the good things that have come from and will come from hard work. Reaching into the cookie jar every day kept me pushing forward. It kept me pushing – when you put your hand in the cookie jar, and find those good memories, brings you light and life. Those days when you are hurt or you can’t do it – you can reach in the cookie jar and know that this will work and you will lbe back .
As it comes closer to the time I’ve be back in the arena, I didn’t have a for sure date or event. Of course, the sooner the better, but I just focused on making each day count. After spending some time in Cody, Wyoming, working a few perfs, my first pro rodeo back was Reno, Nevada!
I can’t describe the feeling; part of me felt like I never left and the other was like a breath of fresh air. As we went about the summer, it seemed like all was in place. I still had soreness in my leg and knee, but my strength was getting better with each perf.
The summer run was great and as we approached the fall run, we were nearing the end of the season. With right around 80 perfs for the year, now I as blessed to receive phone call for the Texas Circuit Finals and the PBR Challenger Finals.
With the NFR right around the corner, my goal was to not net my injury determine the last time I’d be back at the Thomas and Mack. But it had a new fuel to the nerves this year. I felt like I came back stronger and given it all I had and which ever way things went I could have peace knowing that. Knowing God was with me very step of the way, I truly believe whatever we go through in life helps shape us into the person God has called us to be. I’ve said this from the start If this could just help uplift or motivate just one person to overcome something, it was all worth it. It was an amazing year.
On October 21 at 6:14 my phone rang to tell me I was voted for the NFR. This one hit different – I closed my eyes and fought back the tears. Every year I’m so thankful for the blessings God has blessed me with, but this year was probably one of the hardest but best years yet. I want to give thanks to everyone that was a part of this journey. I couldn’t have done it without you all.
One thing I’ll leave with you as we are about to step into a new year. Seek God in all you do and even though things may look rough at times and maybe not the plan we had – know God will be with you every step of the way. He can and will use everything for the good. Trust the plan, the process, keep the faith and always believe!
God Bless,

There are many royal bloodline mares living at Timber Creek Veterinary in Canyon, Texas. And thanks to the work of Dr. Gregg Veneklasen, great geldings like Harry Vold’s Bobby Joe, have been cloned. Match that gelding daddy to the eggs of the amazing royalty of mares and the resulting embryos are producing horses truly born to buck.

Gregg, or Dr. Rodeo, Veneklasen received his DVM from Colorado State University in 1983 and headed to Texas on a bet by one of his teachers. “They needed a vet at the 3 Bar D ranch in Canadian, Texas,” he explained. “I didn’t even know where that was. I wanted to be a wildlife vet.”
Glenn Blodgett was the veterinarian for 3 Bar D ranch and his lifelong dream was to go to the 6666s. “He hired me to be the vet on the ranch. He stayed with me for six weeks.” Dan and Jolene Urschel, owners of 3 Bar D, were looking for a veterinarian and that first year, Gregg (who had never foaled out a mare) foaled out over 200 mares. He bred over 250 mares the first year. “I bred all the living world champion race mares that first year.” He also did all the racetrack lameness on the ranch. They had just syndicated Special Effort for 15 million. “I was a little guy from Colorado State University and Dan and Jolene took very good care of me. It was a ‘deer in headlight’ feeling.
“Little did I know that the good Lord was showing me my journey. You can have lots of stuff and still have nothing.” He left 3 Bar D and spent two breeding seasons with Joe Kirk Fulton. “Between those two jobs, I met my wife, Peggy. She had worked with me at 3 Bar D and we decided to do this thing together. She had a daughter, Jennifer, and I adopted her.” They had three more children, Carolyn, Andrew, and LG – Little Gregg, all born and raised in Canyon, Texas. “A classmate, Jeff Young, and I came back to Canyon and leased this clinic (Timber Creek Veterinary).” They bought the clinic in 1993. “We were truly a rural mix practice, trying to make it work.”
That’s when he met Brenda (Binion) Michael. “She had a great cutting horse and was tired of going to Weatherford from Amarillo for all her vet work, and I told her we could do it, including embryos.”
Brenda and her daughter, Mindy, and son-in-law, 4x World Champion Saddle Bronc rider, Clint Johnson, introduced Gregg to rodeo. “I was never really ate up about rodeo until her. Brenda and I went to every rodeo there was and pretty soon I was hooked – she always put me in the front row with Clint and Mindy. I would not be where I am today without Brenda Michael. She introduced me to Clint and Mindy Johnson, who have been my dearest friends for 30 years. I have done this because of Brenda.”
Gregg became proficient at diagnosing lameness issues with the timed event horses as well and helped a lot of the NFR contestants along the way with their horses. His clinic continued to expand in the cutting and cow horse world with the arrival of Metallic Cat. “In 2008, Alvin and Becky Fults brought him to me.” He’s the all-time leading working cow horse sire at $5 million and approaching $60 million in progency earnings as a cutting sire.
What Gregg enjoys is genetics and he has devoted quite a bit of time to the bucking horse pedigrees. “We were all taught that bucking horses were wild animals that bucked. I thought geez – I’d been involved with all these great running horses, and all of a sudden, we were doing bucking horses also.” Clint would point out great bucking horses and say ‘his mother did that, or his brother did that.’ “Genetics is powerful. The stock contractors believe that and that’s why they are here. I didn’t pioneer this – people like Winston Bruce and Harry Vold get the credit. We are all taught about pedigree, but the end of the story is about conformation and all the things involved in bucking – pedigree doesn’t equal genotype.” Pedigree, DNA, and Genotype will be explained in a future issue of Rodeo News
“I had a really nice mare I wanted to do an embryo transfer,” explained Clint Johnson about meeting Gregg. “He was the only one doing that kind of work around here. Gregg likes people a lot, but he is passionate about horses. He’s a workaholic; veterinary work is his life. He’s either doing it or thinking about doing it.
“He’s a progressive thinker, super intelligent and well read,” continued Clint. “He’s got a large network of professionals he draws from and gives of his own experience freely. He’s not trying to hoard his knowledge. He’s outside of the book by now.”

Cloning
“Every time a veterinarian gets bored, something gets thrown in your lap,” Gregg said with a laugh. “I didn’t know you could clone a horse. This was 19 years ago.” Royal Blue Boon, the first commercially cloned horse, has lived at the clinic all of his 18 years. “I met a guy named Jason Abraham in Canadian, Texas, in 1984, and we became dear friends, we went down to Austin and met with ViaGen and we ended up foaling out clones for them. We foaled out Adolfo Cambiaso’s cloned polo horses. We foaled out a lot of clones of all the Gold Medal jumping horses – we even foaled out Pablo Excabar’s Paso Fino horse. Blake Russell, Shawn Walker, Jason and I were quite a team and still are.”
“The first bucking horse that we know of that was cloned was Air Wolf in 2009,” said Clint. “Go Wild came in 2010. Winston had given me the horse after he retired. He was around 33 years old. It was a project that ViaGen and Gregg did – my part was I had the original horse. Winston felt like it would be an excellent horse to clone. So ViaGen cloned the horse and I ran the recipient mares and colts, weaned them and handled them.”
Gregg’s company, Timber Creek, and ViaGen cloned Bobby Joe Skoal, PRCA World Champion Saddle Bronc 1991-1993 and 1991 NFR Champion Saddle Bronc. “That’s how I met Harry Vold,” said Gregg. Bobby Joe Skoal was bred on the Tooke Ranch and born on the Vold Ranch. “I got to be with Harry the last part of his life. I would never have met Harry if not for cloning. Harry came every month for two or three years and he told me story after story and he was very serious. When Bobby was born, Harry cried. He said, ‘That’s him – he’s back.’ Painted valley, Lunatic Fringe, Tiger Warrior – they all came through here and the people that came with them were teaching me.”
Gregg gives a lot of credit for his success to his family and the staff at the clinic. “It’s a bunch of 25-year-old women, two of my kids, and Petey,” he says, of the staff at Timber Creek. “We do stuff nobody does. My world is amazing, and you can hardly wait for the next day. These embryos are going to buck and it’s going to be fun.
“I don’t know where I’m going but every day is a journey. I’ve got a lot to prove with the bucking industry. Selecting of traits is far more important than looking at pedigree. There’s nobody having more fun than I am.” Bucking horse embryos make up only 10% of what the clinic does, but horses in general are Gregg’s passion. “I just love horses. I walk through the barns at night talking to them.”
Gregg will be recognized at the PRCA Awards Banquet at the South Point Hotel, Casino, and Spa in Las Vegas on Nov. 30.

After two years of winning reserve all-around, Hadley Thompson was relieved to say the least when she was announced as the 2022 World Champion. “It was infuriating,” recalls Hadley, “I thought I had it the last two years. This year, my hard work finally paid off.” The disappointment Hadley had experienced made her want it that much more. To leave Guthrie, Oklahoma with the all-around title, Hadley competed in barrels, poles, breakaway, ribbon roping, team roping, and trail. Winning the all-around was the icing on the cake. She also went home with the goat tying, trail, and all-around finals championships.
The home-schooled Yoder, WY cowgirl devoted her time to practicing so she could bridge the gap between reserve champion and world champion. “Homeschooling has helped my rodeo career so much,” she declares, “I’m very thankful my parents homeschool me considering how much time we spend outside.” Daily, joined by her siblings competing in rodeo, Hadley will ride up to fourteen head of horses and practice her tying and roping. “The more consistent you are in practice the better you do,” she declares.
The fifth oldest Thompson in a long line of rodeo athletes, Hadley has grown up on horseback. Hadley’s dad, Thorpe, team roped, and calf roped. Her older siblings, Jamie (26), Jacey (23), and Tiegan (16) all competed in Little Britches as well. Hayden (18) and Turek (12), are currently competing, and Taisley (6) and Tinlee (7) are up and coming. Her dad and older siblings have taught her all she knows. The Thompsons couldn’t do what they do without mom, Shelly, who is credited with keeping the family together. “I don’t remember a time when we’ve gone to a rodeo and my mom wasn’t there. She’s my biggest supporter,” she recognizes, “I love and appreciate her more than she knows.”
The eleven-hour drive to the NLBA Finals was no challenge as the Thompsons have hauling down to a science. Two rigs were taken to Guthrie, one with a semi load full of Thompsons driven my Hadley’s mom, Shelly, and the other held nine horses driven by sister, Jamie. Thorpe stayed home alongside brother, Tiegan, to take care of the family’s 30 head of horses. Hadley’s older sister, Haiden, also competed at finals and came home the goat tying, all-around finals, and all-around world champion. She is one of Hadley’s biggest inspirations. “I look up to her,” she said, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.” Haiden is going off to college next year but is taking her extra year with Little Britches to continue competing with her siblings.
Once at finals, Hadley knew she had a job to do. “I took one run at a time and did what I know how to do. “It’s ingrained in me. I trust myself and let the muscle memory take over.”] Hadley’s mental game under pressure is something she has struggled with in the past. At finals, with help from her family, Hadley executed keeping her nerves in check. “If you have a bad run, you need to realize what you did wrong and let it go. I look up to Haiden for her mental game. My mom and dad help me with it too, it’s getting better.”
Looking ahead to the next four years in Little Britches, Hadley is looking forward to bettering herself and her team of four horses. She even dreams of one day going Pro in the breakaway roping. Her world championship is something she recognizes she couldn’t do alone, “I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me and who has helped me, I give all the glory to God.”

Through the July 1-11 NLBA championships in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Mason Elder became the world champion cowboy he has dreamed of becoming since he was a kid. The fourteen-year-old competed in the flag races, roping events, and rough stock events. After the long week, he returned to his hometown of Benton, KY with the bull-riding championship, all-around championship, two saddles, and nine belt buckles. Having grown up on his family’s ranch, Mason remembers watching bull riding on his television. At seven years old, he was inspired to attend the little rodeo school down the road where he learned about all that goes into the eight second ride. Here he was introduced to the NLBRA and Mason has been hooked ever since. “It was a big deal for me back then,” he said, “we started traveling to all these different places to rodeo. Jason Hoffman, one of the coaches at bull riding school, is who Mason credits for teaching him all he knows, “He pushed me to be the bull rider I am today.”
Once he got the hang of what to do on the back of buckers, Mason began tying goats and roping calves. He has grown up with horses thanks to his mom, Blaine, who ran barrels and poles when she was his age, and his older sister, Brooke (16), who ties goats. Mason has had his roping horse, Doc, for two years, “He’s done amazing,” praises Mason, “Bull riding has taught me how to ride my horse better.” Along with his mom and sister, Mason also idolizes his dad. Matt has been helping Mason with his rodeo passion from the very beginning. Another idol of Mason’s is PBR cowboy, Cody Nance. Mason met him at one of the bull ridings that Cody hosts. Cody’s genuineness is what Mason admires, “Even though he’s a big deal, he’s a nice guy. He’ll help you with anything you need.”
Since he is homeschooled, Mason can devote his time to a consistent practice routine. Daily he will exercise his horses, practice on the drop barrel, tie goats, and rope the dummy. The consistent practice paid off in the eight-month season leading up to the finals. “It was stiff competition the whole year, but I knew I had a shot at the bull-riding and all-around going into it,” he said. The race to the championship was close. 10,000 kids were vying for championship titles in Oklahoma and many of Mason’s closest friends were also his closest competitors. Mason’s steady mindset got him through the pressure. “You can’t worry about what could go wrong,” he asserts, “think about what can go right. Nerves won’t help you ride well, but consistency will.”
Although he was calm in the chute, the announcement of his win still took him by surprise. “My parents knew, but they didn’t tell me, so I didn’t know until they called my name. It was shocking. I was so grateful all my hard work had paid off.” With four years left in National Little Britches, the glory Mason has experienced this summer is something he plans on continuing. “I want to win more world titles and just keep doing what I’m doing,” he declares. Although he has enjoyed the memories, friends, and moments in Little Britches, his ultimate dream is to become like the top fifteen Pro Rodeo cowboys he once saw on television.