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Quincy Sullivan is the second girl to ever win the National High School Finals in team roping..Brend Youtsey Reay was the first in 1986. The odds were totally against Quincy Sullivan and Luis Mendiaz, team ropers from New Mexico, that won the National High School Team Roping title for 2020. The last New Mexico high school rodeo was in October, 2019. 17 year old heeler, Luis Mendiaz, from Santa Fe, ended the fall season in 5th place. Header Quincy Sullivan, age 16, was in 6th place. The New Mexico first place team was unable to go to Nationals, and Luis was next in line. When his header couldn’t go Quincy was next in line. Quincy and Luis had only roped together once before making the trip to the National High School Finals in Guthrie, Oklahoma. “We each drove 80 miles to rope together before heading to the Finals,” explained Quincy.

“In the first round, we did pretty good,” she continued. “I didn’t rope the first one as good as I should and we ended up 8th in the round. The second round we drew a stronger steer – Luis pulled off an incredible heel shot!” In the short go, which eliminated all earlier scores, there were four teams ahead of Quincy and Luis, including another New Mexico team. Quincy continued: “I really didn’t think we were as fast as we were. But we did it in 9 seconds and took the lead.” After the first place team missed. —– We won it!”

 

Quincy grew up in rodeo, both parents competed. She began by competing in all events – barrels, poles, goat tying, team roping and breakaway. Finally settling on team roping and breakaway roping. She works every day on her events. “I have 15 horses now and I ride them all. My head horse, Hondo, is amazing. He tries his hardest every time and even if a steer is slow or fast, he’s solid. My dad’s team roping partner sold him to us, and he’s worth every penny we paid for him,” she proudly reported, adding: “I hang out with the boys more, because most of the girls don’t rope as much as I do. I’m not your average high school girl.” She will be team roping with Hadley Oder this year and Luis is team roping with her cousin, Weslynn Reno.
With two more years of high school, Quincy is setting her sights on Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. “I want to be a lawyer,” she explained. “I took mock trial last year in school and really enjoyed it. I’m pretty passionate about it!” She is also running for president of the student council at her school which has 100 students. She added, “I want to make some changes to our school and have a voice.”

When Quincy was in the 7th and 8th grades she qualified in both the team roping and breakaway roping for Junior High National Finals. She has made the National High School Finals both her freshman year and this past year in both events again. She also qualified for the Junior World finals last year in both the ’15 and under’ as well as the ‘19 and under’ breakaway roping. She won the ’15 and under breakaway roping’.

 

Quincy’s mother, Shacey, grew up in rodeo, competing in speed and roping events in high school. She said of daughter, Quincy, “She works hard at her rodeo events and I’m glad she’s getting recognition for it.” Quincy’s dad, Russell, competed in calf roping and team roping in high school and won 2nd in team roping as a heeler. He went to the college finals in both events from 1996 through 1999.

Heeler, Luis Mendiaz, rode a quarter horse, Sus Beetle, his dad’s friend sold him. He’s a head and heel horse. “I won a truck on him heeling. He’s a good horse,” said Luis. He let’s his dad drive the Dodge Ram truck he won because it is standard shift. Luis admits he’s not good driving a standard shift vehicle. “My dad works construction, and didn’t rodeo until he came to New Mexico in 1999 and started watching roping. He began roping in 2005. He taught me to rope.” In 2010 his dad roped in the USTRC Finals at Guthrie and Luis watched him win 10th place in the #8 Division. “I like to rope the dummy during the day, before I practice on my horse,” Luis explained. His parents don’t speak English but we asked him to ask his mother how she felt about her son winning the world. He said, “She feels really happy for me and for her – that she had a son that won the world and how far I’ve gone in roping.” Luis will be a senior and when he finished he plans to go to college and learn to shoe horses. He said, “I want to thank my parents for supporting me and Quincy and her family.”

Quincy, with the support and rodeo experience from her parents, and the fact that Luis has his dad’s roping history to aid him, and with their hard work and determination we are sure tol continue to hear about their successes in the arena for years to come.

Gauge McBride has found success in the rodeo arena as well as the wrestling floor. He finished his senior year at Kearney High School as the Class A 152 pound state wrestling champion for Nebraska. He also finished his four years of high school rodeo as state champion in the bareback and bull riding, third in saddle bronc riding as well as the All Around title. He headed to the National High School Finals in Guthrie in all three events. Gauge was born without his 7th cranial facial nerve. The congenital defect affects the muscles that control facial expression and eye movement. “Just one side works – my left eye’s not great either. I can’t see out of it very well. I’ll wear my contacts for wrestling and sometimes for riding too.” He admits getting made fun of growing up. “I got in a couple fights about it, other than that, I try to find a good come back … it’s never been something that’s impacted me that much with friends or rodeo; it hasn’t stopped me from doing what I want.”

“From the second that Gauge was involved in high school wrestling it was apparent that he was a tough kid,” said his wrestling coach, Ty Swarm. “He brought a level of toughness and grit to him that helped our wrestling room and program for the four years he was at Kearney High School. He’s super coachable and driven, so if you tell him why and what he exceeds expectations. I’m not surprised he made a state champion. He is just a good competitor and has the mind-set of how to win and find success. If he knows something is going to benefit him, he’s into it full on. He’s a kid that has flourished under everything he’s done. He’s lighthearted and fun to be around.”

 

Gauge has had plenty of coaching on the rodeo side from his dad, Cooper, a 7x NSRA saddle bronc champion, as well as his Uncle Justin McBride, 2x PBR champion. “I was pretty little when he was winning, so I never went to Vegas. But I learned a bunch from him. I used to go down there every summer for a week.”

Justin made the finals ten times, winning the world twice (2005, 2007). “From the time I was 19 until I was 29,” said Justin, who went from riding to the analyzing side of bull riding for CBS sports and regular CBS. The 40-year-old got his permit when he was 18 and made the finals the next year. “Gauge is a really tough kid; in fact I think that’s his best attribute. A lot of that toughness comes from his dad. Wrestling really translates in rough stock and that gives him an advantage.” Justin is ready to help again and sees ways to help him improve in the bull riding. “They’ve got to believe what they are saying. Even taking away that he’s my nephew, Gauge never looks for a shortcut, and he’s willing to do the work to get there.”

There are others that have given Gauge guidance and advice. “A bunch of us have,” said his dad. “Steven Dent has helped us a lot too – it’s a group effort.” Cooper thinks his son is “doing real good; he’s got a lot of good things ahead of him if he just takes care of business,” and gives him this advice: “Don’t be scared, scared gets you hurt.” Cooper started riding broncs after high school and went on to win the NSRA in the saddle bronc riding from 1998-2004. He quit riding in 2007 after breaking his leg. “I was going to the circuit finals and amateur finals one more year, but I broke my leg and hung it up.”

Cooper and Gauge ride to work together every day. Gauge works on gas lines for the Natural Gas Company. “I’m out there with dad; it’s not a bad gig. I’m a welding helper – when they make a well, I use the grinder and clean it off, or I’ll hand them a welding rod when they are finished with their last one. I run the shovel a lot, when they dig up the holes, I have to go in there and clean it up and find the pipe. Eventually I want to be welding for the pipeline. It’s fun and I’m learning a lot right now. It helps me stay in shape running the shovel.” Gauge is going to pursue a welding degree at Panola College in Carthage, Texas. “I really like the coach, Jeff Collins; his attitude and how he goes about business – he was really adamant that you stay in shape, on the right path, doing your schoolwork and things that a guy needs to do to be good at what he wants to be good at. They’ve got a good team; it’s the perfect spot for me … and it’s warmer than Nebraska.”

“I’m going to agree with Gauge – he’s going to be a blessing for our team,” said Jeff Collins, rodeo coach for six years at Panola. Panola College, known for its vocational degrees, is home to 2,500 students, with 35 on the rodeo team. “I’ve had really good luck with wrestling athletes; they are disciplined, in shape, and willing to give and do a lot of things other guys aren’t. Gauge told me he wants to ride all three like Ty Murray, and there hasn’t been a guy as talented in all three in a long time. When I say Ty Murray – at 51 he’s still one of my heroes to this day. I’ve got great expectations of Gauge.”Gauge will take 14 years of training, and success with him to college. He started muttin’ busting and wrestling when he was four. “When I was little I tried every sport and I really liked wrestling. I played soccer, football, and baseball but they were during rodeo season.” He moved from sheep to calves, to steers, and then mini bulls. “In junior high, I did goat tying, and breakaway roped, team roped, and rode all the rough stock.” Gauge admits he wasn’t that great at the timed event end. “I could have been, but getting on three every day and then to the timed event it was getting to where I wasn’t prepared for each event, and it cost me in the long run.”

 

Preparing for each rough stock event is different, but they all include stretching and praying. He can’t choose one event he likes better. “Somedays the bareback goes good, sometimes the bull riding; I’ve been riding bulls the longest, but I think I’m better at the bareback; the bronc riding is a rough story.” He’s having a hard time getting the hang of it. “For some people it clicks, but there’s a lot of moving parts. In the bareback and bulls, you grit your teeth and hold on … in the bronc riding you’ve got to move your feet and when you’re in all three, it’s a different way of lifting with your body and it’s hard to get it. I end up lifting like I’m in the bareback and it ends up getting me out of there or getting me drilled.” The combination of wrestling and rough stock has worked well for Gauge. “Wrestling helps with roughstock a lot; being in shape and helping me in the way I land and flexibility.” It has also helped his mental game. “It’s helped me be mentally tough – never show you’re tired, never give up – it gets tiring getting on three every day, but having a tough mind keeps you from weakening.”

He prepared for the National High School finals by working out every day and riding the spur board. “Along with bench squat and curls, I run around the track at the YMCA and I’ve got intervals, sprint for 30, jog for a minute, then sprint for a minute and jog for a minute.” His experience last year at the NHSFR wasn’t the best. “I got bucked off in the first round of the bareback and both runs in the bull riding. Second round I was 72. This year I’m better mentality, last year I got worked up on wanting to win win win … it’s hasn’t changed, I still want to win, but I was so focused on winning I wasn’t thinking about how I was riding.”

His family, along with grandparents, and younger sister, Carsyn, 12 were in Guthrie to cheer him on. “He is extremely humble,” said his mom, Jacque, who competed in all the events in high school except cutting and team roping. “He can light up any room.” Gauge put on dances for all the high school rodeos. “He’s got Party Rockers; and he puts a party on at all the rodeos. He loves to dance.”

Along with Party Rockers, both Gauge and Cooper are guitar players. He’s been playing for about three years and plays any songs he can figure out. “I play a little country and a lot of rock and roll as long as I can crank the volume and not annoy mom and dad. Dad plays too, playing a lot longer than I have.”

Gauge finished seventh at the high school finals and he’ll be home one night and he’s off to his first PRCA rodeo in Deadwood, SD. After that it’s Phillipsburg on the 30th.

“Finals was a lot of fun,” he said. “I got bucked off my saddle bronc. I rode my second one for a 64 and I opted for a reride. I ended up getting three rerides and bucking off.” In the bull riding, he bucked off both of them.
“I have a short memory – I keep going and get ready for the next one.”

“I’ll make a shot for Resistol Rookie maybe next year. I’m just going to a couple this year and dip my feet in the water and hopefully not end up with my head in the ground. Next year when I have a little more time, I’ll get to a few more. I think college will be a big step up and I’m excited to see where that goes.”

“I don’t know many people do what we do – all for one.” Bobby Steiner

 

Bobby Steiner won his gold buckle when becoming the World Champion Bull Rider in 1973. “It was really something being born into a rodeo family that owned a rodeo company,” said Bobby. “The bull riders were my heroes from the time I was a kid. I dreamed of being in the Gold Buckle Club. I wasn’t just thrilled for me when I won it. I was happy for my wife, Joleen, my mom and dad, and all the people that had so much to do with my accomplishment. Everybody put so much into it.” Bobby was 22 when he won the world. He quit competing to help his dad, Tommy, with the Steiner Rodeo Company. “I had accomplished what I dreamed about,” he said.

The legacy of Steiner Rodeo Company began with Buck Steiner, an early day entrepreneur in many areas, including saddle making and rodeo. Buck helped Tommy run the Rodeo Company. “My dad, Tommy, was a great showman in the rodeo business,” said Bobby. “I can remember he had big entertainers at our rodeos, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans . . the crew from Gunsmoke and Bonanza television programs, and so many more big stars. As a kid I didn’t know how special that was.”

 

Tommy and Bobby ran the Rodeo Company together for the next nine years. Joleen also helped time and secretary when rodeos overlapped. She had seen success in barrel racing, qualifying for the NFR in 1970 and 1971. When they sold the Rodeo Company in 1982, Bobby and Joleen spent their time raising their sons, Sid and Shane, and ranching.

“When we sold the Rodeo Company, the boys were 6 and 7 years old. I never wore my gold buckle, and never talked about rodeo. About a year later the boys asked me if they could ride the calves that were in the pens,” he recalled. “I agreed to let them ride. I’d put on rodeo schools before – but I had no equipment for them to use. It was going to be like the farm boys getting on. They rode to the back of the arena, got off, and never talked about it again. I did coach baseball and football,” Bobby recalled.

 

Sid doesn’t remember much about the Rodeo Company. He remembers growing up playing football and baseball. He and his brother are 14 months apart. “When we grew up on the ranch we were all we had, we played together and fought together. But we took different paths – we’ve both had success, and it was really a neat time. Rodeo wasn’t talked about — and there were no rodeo photos in the house.” Then Sid went to Ranger College, in Ranger, Texas, to play football. “That was the first time I’d been away from home, in Austin, and I wasn’t happy so I came home and worked on the ranch. A long-time friend and I started team roping in 1994. We would go to the arena and I’d borrow a horse. I didn’t really know how to saddle a horse, but we decided to team rope. I don’t think I even told my dad that I was roping, at first,” said Sid.

“A guy that was hauling cattle for us was a bulldogger and asked me to his house in 1995 to throw some steers down. I went and just kept working at it and getting better, but rodeo was the furthest from my mind. Joe Morris had some practice steers — I practiced with him for a month. Then I bought my permit and started going to pro rodeos. My mom entered me in Greeley in 1995 and I was off! Two months later I filled my PRCA permit.” Sid finished 18th in the PRCA Steer Wrestling in 1997 and that was a heart-breaker for him. “It took me three more years to get to the NFR,” recalled Sid. “My daughter, Steely, was born in 2001, and I decided not to rodeo any more.” Sid came home and watched the NFR from home. “That lit the fire under me again. I came out fresh in 2002 and knew exactly what I wanted out of it. I think everyone’s goal when they rodeo is to win the big title – that’s what we work for. I like to think I ‘outworked’ everybody. I was focused on what I wanted – I practiced hard, lifted a lot of weight and really tried. Sid won the gold buckle in steer wrestling in 2002. Like his father, that was it when he won, and he quit competing.

 

Sid met his wife, Jamie, at a rodeo in Caldwell, Idaho. Jamie grew up on the race track where her father was a jockey. “They didn’t want me to be a jockey so I ran barrels instead,” Jamie said. Sid and Jamie got engaged in December, 1999. She made the NFR the same year as Sid, in 2000. They got married in April of 2001. Steely, their daughter, was 11 months old at the 2002 National Finals when Sid won the world. “I’ve always been a stay-at-home mom,” Jamie explained. “Sid does real estate, buying places, fixing them up and selling them — I think we’ve moved seven times so far.”

“Every time we’ve moved it’s been exciting,” said Sid. “I like to buy places and improve them, then I find something else I want to go do. Our place here near Weatherford works really well for us – everybody is happy here. I’m fortunate to spend most of my days with my wife and kids. Steely rides horses, everybody’s got the things they like to do here, and we’re always trying to get better every day.”

 

While the kids were young, they lived near Lake Austin and the family spent many hours on the lake, waterskiing. “Rocker started wakeboarding when he was three,” said Sid. “Steely wasn’t in to the water — horses were her way. She still wakeboards, but prefers her horses.”

“I’ve been riding since I was way little,” said 18 year-old Steely. “I got my first pony when I was three and rode it around like a banshee.” Steely just graduated from Brock High School. Her goal for this year was to fill her WPRA barrel racing permit. “The plan was to go out and rodeo a little bit, but there’s nothing to go to,” she said, “So I’ll wait until next season to go.” She’s spending her time riding and practicing. “I have a few young horses and it’s fun to bring them along.” She is hoping to start down the rodeo road next year and then consider an online college to study business and accounting to help the family. She was Reserve Champion at the Junior American in 2018 in barrel racing, as well as the short round at the International Finals Youth rodeo. “I’m grateful for my family – we want to win and we work real hard and always put in the effort. We are there for each other,” stated Steely.

 

Her younger brother, Rocker, has lived up to his name. “He’s been a rock star from the time he was able to walk,” said granddad Bobby. “He thinks different – he was 8 when he tried a flip on the wakeboard and landed it. Rocker had competed all over the nation in wakeboarding. Rocker wasn’t raised in a family that was actively rodeoing but he decided he wanted to try rodeo. We put him on some bareback horses and he loved it. We’ve gotten him some broncs to practice on. He has a lot of body balance – Ty Murray has worked with him from the start and has even lent him the spurs Larry Mahan gave Ty, both great champions had ridden in them. You can never blame your ride on spurs,”
Bobby admitted, “I disliked being away from home when I was rodeoing. But I appreciate the rodeo world for what it is. I had forgotten the traveling road-show family and I’d forgotten how special that time was with my family.”

 

“Wakeboarding is something fun to do with friends,” said Rocker. “But being four feet off the ground on a wild animal is an ginormous adrenalin kick. Bareback riding has an adrenalin rush. You can’t even know if you’re going to make it out of the arena alive.” Rocker got on his first bareback horse August 29, 2016 – almost four years ago. “I was pretty certain I was the worst bareback rider ever. I didn’t do very good and I was scared to death,” he admitted. He got on ten horses a week, five at each practice, rode spur board and bucking machine daily. “My grandfather helped me every day. I had to make a deal with myself that I wasn’t going to be scared and the more I got on, the less I was scared,” he discovered.

 

Like his grandfather and dad, Rocker has set his goals high. “My main goal is make the Finals my rookie year, and I want that to be when I’m 18, and see if we can’t come home with a gold buckle – or something. I’m going to work every day to get there.”

With very few PRCA rodeos to go to these days, he’s had a couple of PRCA bareback riders staying at his home near Weatherford, Texas. “We (Leighton Berry and Cole Reiner) work out and try to get better every day – been doing that for the last couple of months since they’ve been here,” Rocker reported. They go to a little gym at Tesky’s in Weatherford. Cole is winning rookie this year, and both Leighton and Cole are on the road to the National Finals. “Seeing my buddies go and hit the road is going to push me and make me want to be on their level,” Rocker admitted. Rocker has two more years to go. “I’m not planning on doing any rodeos until I’m 18 – and I am going to keep doing this until I get my PRCA card. I want to be a world champion like my grandfather and dad – I wouldn’t be where I’m at without them – I appreciate that more than they’ll ever know.”

 

“I try to make my kids the best they can be,” said Sid. “We have a ranch outside Weatherford and we raise bucking horses. My wife, Jamie, and daughter, Steely, raise barrel horses. I do whatever I can do to help my family. I’m just real proud of my family – and that’s what I tried to do with rodeo – being proud of your last name and wanting to add something to it. That’s what keeps pushing us. We only got one shot at this deal, we might as well get after it.”

“I think if you look at the history of the Steiners, we’ve never talked about anything but great – we expect it,” concluded Bobby. “It’s way better watching your kids and grandkids have achievements – it’s a euphoric feeling.”

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the entire world, and the rodeo industry isn’t exempt. From contestants to contractors to committees, they’ve all been forced to adapt, since the nation was shutdown, starting in mid-March. For bareback rider Kaycee Feild, it took a bit to adjust to the new routine before he could switch roles. “I got lost for a few days,” he said. “My (rodeo) goals were unattainable, and I didn’t do a whole lot for about a week.” Then his focus shifted to being home.

At home in Spanish Fork, Utah, the four-time world champion has done projects around he and Stephanie’s house: welding, building, and grilling.

“I started to build a tack shed,” he said. “Growing up as a kid, we had a tack shed, and I spent a lot of time with my dad in it. So, not having one for the last decade, I’m building one and it’s bringing back a lot of memories.”

He’s spent more time with his kids, too. Elder daughter Chaimberlyn, who is seven years old, is always busy with something. “I have to saddle her horse every day,” Feild said. “She likes going on picnics, or doing puzzles or playing with my wife.” The couple’s son, Huxyn, is four, and is all about dirt bikes. “He’s a dirt bike kid. He’s on it all day, every day. He’s worn out two rear tires this spring.” Third child Remi, a daughter, is eighteen months old.

Time at home has also given Feild an opportunity to work with a few of his sponsors, including Power Pro (www.pwrprocbd.com) and Gel Blasters, a toy gun that shoots orbeez.

Feild thinks that when rodeos start back, competition will be tougher than ever. He and a few bareback riding friends are organizing a practice session with money up for grabs, to get in tune for rodeos.

“A lot of guys are on the same playing field right now, so when it opens back up, rodeo will be the best you’ve seen. There’s a limited amount of time to get to the (Wrangler National) Finals so you’ll see who wants it.

The COVID-19 break has been good for him, physically. “This has put two years on the end of my career,” he said, “to be able to give my body a break this time of year, being able to stay home.”

 

Leslie Casper, wife of Wyatt Casper (OTT in Rodeo News March 2020) had their second child this past December. “We were able to go a little in the winter and spring with him but it just wasn’t a fun time with a month old and a 13 month old,” she said. “It’s pretty nice to have help with the kids every day all day long. Cooper our 18 month old really LOVES having his daddy home, it’s going to be very hard when rodeos finally kick back up.”

 

For Binion Cervi, the worldwide pandemic is a double whammy. Not only has it forced the cancelation of pro rodeos for the stock contractor and his brother, Chase, but it has devastated the cattle markets.

The Cervis own and operate a feedlot near Greeley, Colo., and with cattle ready to be harvested, JBS Packing was closed due to the virus. (It has since reopened).
Like Feild, Binion is using the unexpected time at home to do projects that don’t get done when rodeos are in full swing.

“We’re doing everything you usually push to the side: upgrading fences, the ranch, headquarters, we’re doing all that.” They’ve been able to keep their rodeo employees working at the ranch. “The people who would normally be on the road, they’re at the ranch helping us, so we can make sure they have a job.”

When rodeos begin again, Cervi thinks things won’t be the same. “This changes people, and there will be caution in the world, even when everything is cleared to go. Some people will be blazing trails, some will go cautiously. I think you’ll see people with masks on at rodeos, and you’ll see people who don’t care. Everybody’s going to react to it differently.
The pandemic has shifted the way Cervi thinks, as it has for a lot of people. “This is such a reality check for every human in the world. It’s a dose of reality, that nobody controls anything in life.

 

“This is the real world, and we all get caught up in going so fast, on a personal level, that it’s like, this tells you what is important in life. It’s like God waking you up. There’s more to life than rodeo, there’s more to life than always building a business. That’s the biggest blessing I’m getting, that our whole family is getting.”

 

The Franklin (Tenn.) Rodeo, didn’t have a choice when it canceled.

Set to be held May 14-16, executive director Bill Fitzgerald didn’t think the long-running rodeo would be shut down.
“For the longest time, I tried to play it off, to say this was going to go away. Then, as it got closer, the government was changing the way we did things. We couldn’t have our meetings, and I was starting to get nervous, like, how am I going to communicate with my committees, with my volunteers, with my people?”

The rodeo is held at the county-owned Williamson County Ag Expo Center, fifteen miles south of Nashville.
“The county actually shut the facility down, and that made the decision (to cancel),” he said. The building is closed through the end of May.

The cancellation was made on March 23, seven weeks before the start of the rodeo, which meant the committee hadn’t spent much money yet. “We weren’t out a lot, because we hadn’t gotten to that point yet,” Fitzgerald said.

He believes that next year’s crowds will be even better because they missed this year’s rodeo. “I honestly believe that folks love the sport of rodeo, and they’re going to come. The fans in middle Tennessee want to be a part of it. We still have people joining the fan club, knowing the rodeo won’t happen.”

 

Cheyenne Frontier Days is on the front lines of the time line.
The “Daddy of ‘em All” is set to kick off July 17-26, and, according to CEO Tom Hirsig, at this point, the staff and general committee are working to make it happen, with state and local government officials as part of the decision making process.

He’s spent sleepless nights worrying about all the factors, and believes that time will tell, especially as May rolls on. “The month of May will determine a lot, at least for the July rodeos.”

“We’re on the cusp of being one of the first ones that might get to have their event,” he said.

CFD is on people’s “bucket list, the Kentucky Derby of rodeo,” he said, with fans from all fifty states and 31 countries, which is another aspect to consider. He assumes that international travel won’t be opened yet, which could affect attendance.

The economic influence of canceling CFD is enormous. The last economic study done for CFD showed a financial impact of $28 million to Cheyenne and $40 million for the state of Wyoming. “All rodeos have an economic impact on their community, whether it be Meeteetse (Wyo.) or Cheyenne.”

Rodeos also have bills to pay, whether they hold their event or not.
“We are $2 million into our show now,” spent on it. If we can’t have (the event) we lose that money.” And there is the cost of maintenance as well. “We own our own park and we have ongoing costs. Those utility bills don’t go away and payroll doesn’t go away.”

Annual rodeos and events aren’t like other businesses that are open year-round, Hirsig pointed out. “It’s not just that we are missing out on making that money, but we have ongoing costs like any business. It’s just that we have ten days to make that money. It’s going to be hard on a lot of rodeos to recover from this. I don’t know, when we come out on the other side, how these rodeos will be.”

Hirsig said CFD contracts with about 300 people or entities. “There are 300 individuals or companies out there, hanging on what we’re doing.”

CFD sponsors have been loyal, he said. “I keep hearing that sponsors are pulling out, but we haven’t seen that. Our sponsors have been sticking with us, and are glad we’re making an educated decision. Many of them are local sponsors and they understand the long term effect that if CFD doesn’t take place, that increases the deterioration of their bottom line.”

He’s also very aware that he is not an expert in infectious diseases or healthcare. “We are event planners, and that’s where our expertise is. Our expertise is not in diseases, viruses or healthcare. We have to rely on the experts in those areas at the state and county level, as to what is safe and not safe.”

Hirsig also stressed that the decision to cancel or postpone a rodeo is not necessarily in the hands of the rodeo committee. They are “being advised by their health departments” if they can have an event.

Like Cervi, he believes the COVID-19 pandemic will change events and event planning and marketing. “The world has changed. There will be people with masks on, and some without masks, and when you put a bunch of people in a stadium, everyone’s going to have a different feeling about what social distancing means. You’ll have people with masks, and if you get too close to them, they’re going to feel uncomfortable. Or the people drinking and having fun, there could be another level of discomfort.

“You want people to leave your event saying, that’s so fun. I want to come back. You don’t want them to say, man, there’s a lot of people here, I don’t think we should go.”

The goal of entertainment is to provide a distraction from the “regular world,” Hirsig noted.
“What do you do to your brand if you put your event on, and people don’t have a great time? We’ve worked hard to create this brand where it’s fun, it’s away from the real world. With masks, there will always be that reminder, that there is something else going on in our world that you have to be concerned with. You have to measure that to some degree, too.”

 

Chancey Williams and his band are staying busy as they wait to hear how to better plan for upcoming shows.

“Our last show was March 13 in Houston and they’ve canceled everything through May, some in June, and some in July,” said Chancey Williams, whose band is usually booked every week. They have had to cancel 9 shows so far. “We are getting a few emails and phone calls for things in June and July but we still don’t know if it’s going to hurt us or not. We have two at the end of May that are still holding on – Craig, Good Old West Days is still planning on it.” The band has been making good use of their time off. We spent the time working on equipment, practicing, and Chancey learning how to do the social media live. “It’s been a learning curve, but we’re getting it.” Chancey has been able to help his family with shearing. “Stay positive and work through it – we want to be ready to play – we’ve got a new set and an album coming out – we’ll be ready to go when they open up.”

 

Wyatt Casper can breathe a little easier after winning $600,000 at the AMERICAN. “When I’m home, I like to be home – and that’s what this money will help with,” said the Pampa, Texas, cowboy. “It’s tough, when I’m gone in the summer and my family can’t go with me. I go with buddies – we bust our butts for three months putting 45,000 miles on our rigs. Thank God for cell phones.” Last year, Wyatt supplemented his income by working for his dad, trucking.

 

The Casper family (John, Amy and Ty, Clay, and Wyatt) moved from Minnesota to the Panhandle of Oklahoma when Wyatt was 5. “I transferred my trucking company (Casper Express) down there and never looked back or regretted it,” said John, who tried a little bit of everything in rodeo, but when he started raising a family, he settled on team roping when he can. “It was a great move for us – we wanted our boys to grow up rodeoing and cowboying and have more opportunities.” All three boys found success in rodeo from the junior high level to the national level. Clay has gone on to success at the USTRC Finals and Ty has won many Top Hand awards at ranch rodeos. Wyatt qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in team roping in 2010 and for saddle bronc riding in 2014.

 

Wyatt didn’t get on a saddle bronc until his senior year in high school. “When Oklahoma high school only had two guys entered the first semester and neither one stayed on a horse, the money piled up,” he said. “There were six of us trying for that money by spring. If it weren’t for that, I don’t think I would have set foot on a bronc horse. I went out to OPSU in Goodwell that spring and Robert Etbauer and some of the other college kids helped me out.”

 

“He’s a great bronc rider and it’s been fun watching him,” said Robert Etbauer, coach at OPSU. Robert qualified for the NFR 12 times; 1988-1992 and 1994-2000 and won the gold buckle in 1990 and 1991. “We’ve got a great facility and we can get those kids started by helping them take care of themselves before they get on – Wyatt had a lot determination.”

 

After graduating from a class of 15 from Balko (Okla.) High School in 2014, he went on to Clarendon (Texas) College under the coaching of former PRCA bronc rider Bret Frank. He earned an associates in welding. He got his PRCA card in 2015 and last year was the toughest year he’s had. “I only won $3,500 between June 1 and August 31,” he said. “I went through that time just trying to forget about the week and look forward to the next week. It was really tough – I was digging a hole and all I could think about was digging harder to get out of it. I thought I’d been riding good but hadn’t been getting paid.” By the end of August, he started winning money and finished last year in 33rd place.

 

The other thing that helped Wyatt is changing his riding style. “I shortened the seat of my saddle – 16 ¼, pulled my stirrups up and my binds up and that’s allowed me to expose myself in the back and show off those horses a lot better. I just tried it and ended up loving it.”

 

“He’s waited a long time for this,” said his mom, Amy, a Special Ed teacher at Balko. “His dad and I have supported him from the beginning and told him to never give up. Financially we were there for him if he ever needed it to keep going down the road and doing what he loves. He’s a great kid and has a beautiful family. He has a huge following up here in Balko, in Minnesota and Pampa – always cheering him on.” Amy has already taken the ten days off for the 2020 NFR.

 

Wyatt has never been to the NFR. “I said I wasn’t going until I make it.” Since a few rodeos cancelled, Wyatt headed home after the AMERICAN, which he says is now his favorite rodeo. “Hands down that’s my favorite – it’s such a cool place to ride.” Wyatt rode there in 2016, and was 78 points. He’s happy to be heading home to spend time with his family.

 

He met Lesley at college. “I saw her and asked some friends about her. We were entered at the same rodeo, it rained pretty hard and she messaged me on Facebook about the ground. I stayed consistent after that and met her at another rodeo.” They were engaged on March 24, 2016 and married the following May 13. They have two children; Cooper, born November 4, 2018 and Cheyenne, born December 6, 2019.

 

He is going to seek counsel on the best way to invest his current earnings. “My brother in law bought 12,000 acres in Miama Texas, and wants us to help them so we might go that route. I’m going to talk to some people who have gone through this – I’ve got some people in mind to pick their brains to figure out what is going to be best for me and my family.”

 

Wyatt’s goal is to earn enough and invest enough that rodeo will carry him into his next venture. “I want stuff in place for me to already be making money when I’m done rodeoing.” His goal for riding is to ride at least 80% of his horses and use them. “I want to go at each horse the same and use them to my ability.” Last year, he rode 78% of his horses and so far this year he until Houston he was 35 for 35, with 30 of those rides being over 80 points. Houston didn’t go so well. “I landed straight on top of my head. I’m good – they say I have a compressed fracture on T1, but stable. I need to take a month off.”

 

Wyatt started out in the roping pen, team roping and calf roping. He still ropes when he has time. “My wife barrel races and I’m training some of her young horses; hopefully by the time I’m done riding broncs we’ll have some horses going and some colts coming along.”

 

“I am so proud of Wyatt,” said Lesley. “I have been with Wyatt basically from the start of his bronc riding career and to see him grow so much and come this far is truly amazing. Whatever Wyatt wants, he sets his mind to it and he always reaches that goal. He is a fantastic father and husband.”

 

For now his priorities remain the same – God first, family second, rodeo third. “We all wouldn’t be here without our Lord and Savior.”

Bobby-Jean Jones Colyer had a love for horses long before she competed. Growing up in Bruneau, Idaho, in a town of 300, she borrowed a horse to help her get going. “It’s a cool story – my parents (Penny and Gary) couldn’t even put a halter on a horse, but I grew up in a ranching and farming community that helped me get started.” Bobby-Jean remembers struggling in school. “I wanted to be a cowgirl so bad.” She got her first job washing dishes to pay for her entry fees for high school rodeo. “With three kids there wasn’t’ a lot of money there.” Her dad was a wood shop teacher and coach for basketball and football. Her mom was a stay at home mom. “My dad traded for the first horse I owned. I always wanted to barrel race. That first horse I owned got me started at 12 years old.” Gary built a screened in porch in trade for a three year old horse. Bobby-Jean has two older brothers, James and Danny, neither one who competes in rodeo.

“I could never get her to bake cookies with me – she always wanted to be on a horse,” said her mom, Penny. “But because of this valley and her hard work and determination she did it.” Bobby-Jean is the only female that has ever won the Bruneau Round-Up All Around Championship – it’s a big deal. She has also qualified for the World Series Finale six times, as well as qualifying for the AMERICAN, and the Columbia Circuit Finals. “The biggest accomplishment to me is the fact that Gary and I aren’t rodeo people. We worked in the school district. She was two months old when we moved here – we didn’t have the means or the ways to get her there –she babysat and did whatever she could to get horseback.”

Once she got started, her love of rodeo grew. She started roping and set goals for herself. “When I reach one I want another one.” Her rodeo career landed her a scholarship to Bozeman, Montana, where she made the CNFR in the team roping, goat tying, and barrel racing – one of only two women that qualified in 2002 in the team roping. “I would have never gotten through school if not for rodeo,” she said, graduating with a degree in consumer science. Once she graduated, she went down the rodeo road, but ended up back home and married to Kyle Colyer in 2005. They have two children – Piper (14), Cruz (9). Kyle is a third generation rancher and shows Hereford cattle. She continued rodeoing and added a central entry line to her job description.

 

Bobby-Jean worked for Central Entry, now known as Rodeo Central, the entry system for the Idaho Cowboys Association, two others, as well as several open rodeos. She worked for Central Entry before purchasing it seven years ago. Orla Knight, former ICA secretary for 25 plus years,, developed an online entry system, with that Bobby Jean has made some new improvements. “We worked with a developer, Advanced Software, to offer central entry online to website,” explained the 39 year old. “Contestants can still call, but this gives them an option.” She starts in March and the rodeo season winds down the end of October. During that time, she employs several others to help take entries. “I have a lot of passion for the ICA – I’ve been a member for 17 years, winning Rookie of the Year in 2003. I also served on the board as a barrel racing director for six years.” Bobby Jean explains the rodeo draw as a 2,000 piece puzzle. “The computer isn’t always perfect. We have trades and everyone has to get everywhere … anyone in this business has to care about cowboys because they are not going to get rich doing it.”

During the peak season of taking entries, Bobby-Jean still makes time for practicing. Through her example, Bobby-Jean is hoping to bring back old fashioned work. “In this day and age I’ve read all the books, but there is no substitute for working hard no matter how hard it is. I worked my arena with snow in there and if I don’t get out there and practice, they are going to beat me.” She tells herself there is always someone else out there working at it and there is no substitute for working at it. “When I go to the practice pen I have a goal every time.”
She recently competed in the Art of the Cowgirl Worlds Greatest Horsewoman in Phoenix. “Go big or go home – I split first in the last two events – steer stopping and fence work; after not doing very well in the first herd work and reining. I knew I had to lay it all out there in order to make the top ten finals where it would be a clean slate. 59 would have to check for sure – there’s a lot of very accomplished horsewomen in that and I had to go for it.” She ended up third place overall. She is hoping to find another show horse and is preparing for the Perfect 10 World Series event in Las Vegas in March.

Bobby-Jean continues to train her mind. “I think that having a good mental mind is the only thing that makes it at the end of the day. I’m not always there, but I’m working at it all the time. When you’re passionate, emotions go with it. I’ve always been passionate about horses – they’ve been my go to – when things are rough, I go get on the best in the pen – and the best one always turns things around for me.” Bobby-Jean loves to compete. “It’s not about beating someone it’s about reaching individual goals.”

Her dreams include becoming successful in the reined cowhorse. “I want to change people’s lives by hearing my story and drive them to follow those dreams and goals with horses even if they didn’t grow up with horses or have a lot of money.”