Category: Rodeo Report

Every Fourth of July, the Makawao Stampede brings cowboys and cowgirls from around the world to Maui’s Oskie Rice Arena, owned by Kaonoulu Ranch. Ken and Morag Miranda represent the fourth generation that manages and fosters the annual Hawaiian rodeo, which has been a part of the Maui community for over 70 years. Unique Hawaiian rodeo events give competitors and spectators the opportunity to learn about and participate in the state’s rich Western culture, and the regular rodeo events bring in some of the nation’s top competitors. The Miranda family is committed to supporting youth in rodeo and ensuring that the sport continues to thrive and grow in their home state with the support of the Rice and King family’s Kaonoulu Ranch.

Cowboys on the Islands  

Cowboys, ranching and rodeo have a long history in Hawaii. Like on the mainland, the introduction of cattle eventually required people skilled and brave enough to deal with them. Descendants of the cattle that had been gifted to King Kamehameha I by British Captain George Vancouver were running wild and multiplying across Hawaii by the early 1800s. With no predators, the population grew out of control. By the early 1900s, it became necessary to cull the wild cattle. The growing cattle industry also presented the opportunity to sell beef and hides. Spanish-Mexican vaqueros were brought in to help with the issue, and to teach the locals how to handle these wild cattle. Called “Paniolo,” their influence became the foundation for Hawaiian cowboy culture. This tradition evolved and rodeo soon took hold on the islands. Since then, Hawaii has been home to many top rodeo competitors and champions, from high school to the PRCA and beyond.

Morag and Ken also have deep roots in Hawaiian rodeo and agriculture. Morag’s great-grandfather, Harold “Pop” Rice, purchased their family ranch (Kaonoulu Ranch) in 1916, which he eventually passed on to her grandfather. Around 70 years ago, her father, Freddy Rice, had the idea to build an arena in the Maui area so that local cowboys could hold rodeo competitions to showcase their cowboy skills. He, along with George Manoa, approached Morag’s grandfather, Oskie Rice, who agreed to the plan, designating a flat piece of land near Makawao. Soon, a rodeo arena was built. Morag’s father helped form the Maui Roping Club with his cousin Peter Baldwin in the 1950s. It was dedicated in the 1980s, with the arena at Makawao serving as their home base. Since then, the Oskie Rice Arena has been available for rodeos, youth competitions, community events and more.

The Miranda family took over the management of the family ranch in 2013. In 2020, they were presented with the opportunity to also manage the Oskie Rice Event Center. The Covid-19 pandemic stopped any plans that year, which was used as an opportunity to improve the space. “It actually blessed us with a year of being able to renovate and not having to rush,” Morag reflected.

The existing arena was in rough shape and needed to be torn down. Thanks to a friendship with Eddie Priefert, Ken, who is also a dealer for the company, was able to purchase the panel arena that had been used for the 2019 American Rodeo.

“When the American was finished, they boxed the arena up in six 40-foot sea containers and shipped it to Maui,” Morag shared.

A new arena was built on the same property using the American arena panels, and by 2021, they were able to host the annual Fourth of July rodeo again. The event was rebranded as the Makawao Stampede, and both Ken and Morag, along with their team, dedicated a significant amount of time to securing sponsors, inviting contestants and growing the event.

After successfully relaunching the event post-Covid, new 2,500-seat bleachers were built to accommodate spectators. Additionally, Ken repurposed the shipping containers the arena panels had been shipped in to build ten-by-eight VIP suites. A two-story rodeo office and a concessions stand were also built with the containers.

Ken and Morag led many efforts to revitalize and grow the community event but are quick to give credit to the community of Maui. “We have an amazing team in our community,” Morag said.

Preserving Traditions 

The Makawao Stampede features regular timed and roughstock events, as well as events unique to Hawaii. The Po’o Wai U event showcases skills that were used to rope wild cattle in the mountains. Once a wild bovine was caught, the cowboy would tie them to a tree for the day or night and then come back with an oxen or another horse to trail them back down the mountain. In the arena, a horned roping steer is let out of the chute. The roper, with no barrier, has to make a clean horn catch. Instead of the tree that would be used in the mountains, a forked pipe is placed in the middle of the arena. Once the animal is roped, the rider, who is tied off hard and fast, pulls the steer toward the pipe, which is in a v-shape. The competitor then flips the rope between the pipe, faces the steer, gets off, runs up to the steer, runs a rope around the steer’s neck, and ties it to the pipe tree. Each steer’s horns and forehead are protected with plastic. The event is timed, and whoever gets their steer tied to the tree the fastest wins. “It can be done in under 20 seconds. A 16 to 18 second run is really fast, and 20 seconds is a good run,” Morag explained. “Ken, our son, Daniel, and our daughter Elizabeth are all champions in this event, which is pretty fun.”

The regular rodeo events are also a highlight. Contestants travel from Australia, New Zealand, Texas, California, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico and beyond to compete at the Makawao Stampede. With $20,000 added prize money and quality stock, competitors know that their trip to Maui will be worth it. A contractor on the island, RS Bucking Bulls, provides stock, and Kaonoulu Ranch has a group of bucking horses and corriente cattle for the roping events. Area ranches help provide the double mugging roping stock.

Giving Back

The Miranda family lives and breathes ranching and rodeo, and is committed to preserving the tradition for generations to come. Ken and Morag’s son, Daniel, and daughter Elizabeth came up through the Hawaii High School Rodeo Association and have had many successes in the arena. Daniel is attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he has qualified for the College National Finals three times. Elizabeth, who is also going to attend Cal Poly, has qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo all four years and was the reserve world all-around cowgirl her sophomore year.

Supporting youth in rodeo is a priority for Ken and Morag. The couple started the Maui Youth Rodeo Organization (MYRO) to help alleviate the expense of competing in rodeo in Hawaii. The MYRO offers a $1,000 senior scholarship, reimburses families for state and national memberships, gives youth a $500 scholarship each to attend state finals when it’s necessary to ship their horses, and also offers financial assistance to anyone who qualifies for the National High School Rodeo Association finals.

“Our kids are amazing, and they can compete, but not everyone can afford it. It’s hard and so this nonprofit is there, which is possible through the generosity of the Maui community,” Morag shared.

“This support can change the trajectory of their life, and shows them they can do things, even if they need a little help. This isn’t something they are entitled to, and it isn’t welfare. We call it kākou, which means ‘we are all in this together.’ We collaborate with our families, and then we can raise this money together. They do their part to support it, and then we have this money so these kids can go out and be amazing.”

Proceeds from the Makawao Stampede also help support the MYRO’s nonprofit mission. “It’s evolved and developed into a huge positive light. The community has definitely embraced it,” Ken shared. “You need to support the youth activities if you want them to develop into adult competitors down the road.”

Ken and Morag’s support has had a noticeable impact on youth rodeo in Hawaii. When the Miranda family started managing the family ranch and their kids started competing, there were only a few other youths involved. Ken recalled, “When we moved to Maui, the junior high and high school rodeo groups only had a few kids. Now we’re up to almost 90.” 

Rodeo teaches valuable life lessons beyond the arena, which is evident in many of the success stories Ken and Morag have seen. “Some kids who never thought they’d go to college or a trade school realize they can. They realize they are smart enough, that they are capable, and that they are valuable,” Morag shared.

Supporting youth in rodeo is a part of Kaonoulu Ranch and the Miranda family’s larger commitment to preserving agriculture in Hawaii. Both Ken and Morag come from multi-generation ranching families, and are the managers of the Kaonoulu Ranch, which belongs to Morag’s family, the Rice and King families. The ranch has one of the last remaining ahupua’a systems in Hawaii. When ranches were first formed on the islands, many prioritized having complete tracts of land that ran from the mountains to the ocean. This ensured that throughout the seasons and in the face of any environmental challenges, the ranch would have access to a range of resources. This also allowed families to diversify their agricultural endeavors, running cattle and growing a variety of crops. “It provides all your needs, with food, water and all your resources on one strip of land. We are very fortunate that our ranch still has that. It’s really special,” Morag shared.

Rodeo in Hawaii is in good hands thanks to people like Ken and Morag, who are ensuring the sport will be there for generations to come. This year’s Makawao Stampede is scheduled for July 4-6. To learn more about the rodeo, visit oskiericeeventcenter.com.

In the heart of America’s rodeo culture, where grit, determination and horsemanship collide, two organizations quietly cultivate the next generation of professional rodeo talent: the National Junior High Rodeo Association and the National High School Rodeo Association. These organizations are more than youth rodeo associations — they are the training grounds for many of today’s and tomorrow’s rodeo champions.

The NHSRA, founded in 1949, and its junior counterpart, the NJHRA (established in 2004), were created to provide structured competition for young rodeo athletes. With divisions starting as early as sixth grade, these organizations offer a pathway for youth to develop skills in traditional rodeo events like barrel racing, bull riding, steer wrestling and team roping.

What began with a handful of competitors has grown into a global movement, with over 12,000 members across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia. These athletes compete throughout the school year in district, state or provincial rodeos, hoping to earn a coveted spot at the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo or the National High School Finals Rodeo.

The reigning 2024 NJHRA Ribbon Roping Champions, Henry Buchanan and Louise DeLong, hail from the Silver State of Nevada. As a multi-event cowgirl, DeLong said she used every year of eligibility in the NJHSRA. After just completing the eighth grade, she has one more shot at another world title, while Buchannan is running for his first shot at an NHSRA champion buckle.

Buchanan says, “High school rodeo has taught me to focus on my job, not winning. I’ve learned that I need to focus on techniques and getting the job done instead of the results on paper.”

The competitive structure and support systems built into NJHRA and NHSRA closely mirror the professional circuits run by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. This familiar framework gives aspiring athletes early exposure to the expectations, travel demands and mental preparation needed at the pro level.

Kash Loyd, a sophomore from Texas who won the bareback riding at the 2024 NHSFR, said he feels the NHSRA is setting him up for a future in pro rodeo.

“High school rodeo puts you in front of the guys that go down the road now — whether that’s judges, stock contractors, other bareback riders — people are going to see your name,” Loyd said.

“It publicizes my name. That makes people, other bareback riders, want to go down the road with me. If they see that I can do that, they know I can ride bareback horses well. They see that I have a good attitude. They see my relationship with God, and that’s what I want. That’s what’s been the best part of the NHSRA.”

2024 All-Around and Goat Tying Champion Drew Ellen Stewart said the NHSRA prepares students for the high-pressure situations faced by professional rodeo contestants.

“National High School Rodeo sets a kid’s goal — like, ‘Oh, I want to go to nationals. I want to be a national champion.’ That’s the ultimate goal over any other high school event,” Stewart said. “That national title is one of the highest titles as a high school rodeo athlete. And with it being so high, it puts you in high-pressure situations that prep you for what it will be like when you go into pro rodeo.”

Participation in junior high and high school rodeo builds more than just rodeo champions — it builds character. Competitors must manage their livestock, maintain equipment, balance travel with academics, and often help finance their careers through sponsorships or part-time work. Responsibility, discipline and resilience are ingrained in every aspect of a young rodeo athlete’s life.

Stewart said she knows the challenge of balancing elite-level rodeo with life as a full-time student.

“It’s difficult because I still go to public school, and I’m one of the few rodeo athletes who still don’t homeschool,” Stewart said. “My family helps a lot, though, because it takes a whole village to allow me to be a four-event all-around cowgirl and a cross country and state track athlete.”

Many NJHRA and NHSRA alums have gone on to dominate professional rodeo stages. Trevor Brazile, an NHSRA alumnus, is widely regarded as the “King of the Cowboys” and holds the title of the winningest cowboy in PRCA history, with an astounding 26 world championships, including 14 all-around titles.

Sage Kimzey, who also competed in the NHSRA, has become one of the most successful bull riders in recent history, with an incredible seven PRCA World Champion titles. His journey from youth rodeo to professional rodeo stardom exemplifies how the skills and mindset developed in high school rodeo can propel an athlete to greatness.

Jackie Crawford, an NHSRA alumna and one of the most decorated cowgirls in the WPRA, has amassed more than 20 world titles in the all-around, breakaway, tie-down and team roping. Crawford has spoken often about how the high school rodeo experience helped her develop the competitive edge and mental toughness needed to thrive in a male-dominated sport.

These athletes prove that the path to the Thomas & Mack Center often starts in the arenas of state fairgrounds and high school rodeo events. Their stories testify to how the NHSRA and NJHRA are launchpads to greatness.

These youth associations are now key recruiting grounds for sponsors, scouts and coaches. Rodeo camps and development programs are often held alongside NJHRA and NHSRA events to identify and nurture top-tier talent.

The National Junior High and High School Rodeo Associations are doing more than hosting rodeos — they are building the future of the sport. Through structured competition, life-skill development and real-world experience, these organizations play a vital role in curating the next generation of pro rodeo stars.

As long as there are young rodeo athletes with big dreams, NJHRA and NHSRA will be there, helping them prepare for success.

The 2025 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals is set to be an electrifying experience that will bring together the best bull riders from across the globe for an action-packed showdown. Bull riding fans can expect to witness the ultimate test of skill, bravery and athleticism as the cowboys battle some of the toughest bulls in the sport.

This year’s event will be a three-part affair, with the first stage taking place at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 8-11. Here, 45 elite riders will compete in a series of qualifying rounds, aiming to secure their spot in the final championship round. Contestants will face off against a roster of fierce bulls in a race to earn points, with the top 15 from the Unleash The Beast standings and the top 5 riders from the Fort Worth event advancing to the grand finale.

The Ride for Redemption round, also held at the Cowtown Coliseum May 14-15, adds an extra layer of drama and excitement to the competition. Twenty-five contestants who have not already qualified, along with 15 invited riders, will face off in two additional rounds for a chance to make the big show. The top five in the aggregate will advance to the Championship Rounds.

The conclusion of this intense competition will be held at the state-of-the-art AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on May 17-18. Fans will experience the excitement of watching the sport at its highest level in a massive arena capable of holding tens of thousands of spectators. Twenty-five contestants will give it their all for the chance to claim the prestigious PBR World Champion title. Over the course of the finals, the PBR will award more than $2.38 million plus a $1 million bonus to the 2025 world champion.

In addition to the bull riding, the 2025 World Finals will feature Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo. Rodeo meets rock concert while six teams, each coached by a legend of ProRodeo, compete in a head-to-head bracket-style competition. The rodeo will feature seven rodeo events, and Kid Rock will perform live in concert.

The 2025 PBR World Finals will not only showcase the world’s best riders but also celebrate the spirit of the sport itself. Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer to the world of bull riding, this year’s PBR World Finals promises to be an event like no other.

The word “cowgirl” represents more than just boots and a cowboy hat; from the boardroom to the arena, there are women across the country who embody the principles and values of Western culture in their everyday lives. The Cowgirl Gathering was created to offer these women the opportunity to connect, as well as showcase the rich, unique lives of women in the Western world. This year’s event, which will be held from April 25 through May 11, will feature all-women rodeo competitions, fashion showcases, Western art, networking opportunities, and much more in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.

The event is hosted by the American Paint Horse Association and Marked for Greatness Properties. Kathryn Allen came to the event with a background in events and nonprofit work, and a love for all things Western. After securing her first position with the American Paint Horse Association, Allen moved into her current role, which includes leading the organization of the Cowgirl Gathering. “After getting involved with the industry, I quickly fell in love with all things Western and equine,” Allen shared.

 

 

The inaugural event was held in 2020. While that year and several following it proved to be difficult due to COVID-19, the Cowgirl Gathering filled a void in the industry. Women in Western sports, from rodeo to reined cow horse, were topping leaderboards with increasing frequency, and also representing Western values in their lives on the ranch, as mothers, entrepreneurs, artists, and businesswomen. The organizers also saw an opportunity to further showcase this on a national stage. “Women athletes, and women in the Western industry, weren’t getting the recognition and celebration they deserved,” Allen shared.

 

The inaugural event was a huge success. “The very first gathering was held in November of 2020, and it was incredible. Our barrel race that year actually ran for 24 hours straight,” Allen recalled.

 

Knowing they were onto something valuable, the organizers decided to move the event to May, partnering with the Women’s Rodeo World Championships. Barrel racing, breakaway roping, and team roping competitions are held throughout the event, which is now the last chance qualifier for the Women’s Rodeo World Championships. This year, the team roping and breakaway competitions will be held at the Kerry Kelley Arena in Weatherford; the barrel racing will be held at Arena 377 in Stephenville.

 

The all-women team roping event has a $10,000 payout, drawing in top competitors from the U.S. and Canada. The highly-competitive barrel racing and breakaway roping also give women the opportunity to win top prize money. “It’s giving them the chance to earn more money and recognition, which is the whole goal,” Allen shared.

Art is another focal point at the Cowgirl Gathering. A juried show and showcase are hosted in partnership with the Cowgirl Artists of America. This year, the art showcase will be moving to an entirely online platform, opening the door for more women to participate. “We wanted to open the door and provide more artists with the opportunity to share and promote their artwork on a larger platform,” Allen said.

 

During the first weekend of May, the Cowgirl Artists of America will host live demos in the Stockyards, and artists will also speak about their work, building a life as an independent artist, answer questions, and more.

Western fashion will also be on display throughout the event. The Fort Worth Stockyards is the heart of Western fashion, making it a perfect location for showcasing cowgirl style. From traditional boots and hats to more elevated takes on corporate cowgirl and street style, the Cowgirl Gathering will showcase the variety of forms Western fashion can take on. Many popular Western wear brands will be represented. Western fashion will be featured throughout the event, and fashion lovers will also have the opportunity to attend the Cowgirl Gathering Fashion Show on May 3 in the Stockyards Station. Allen shared, “We will celebrate the many hats that the cowgirl wears, whether that’s corporate cowgirl or a ranching cowgirl.”

The Cowgirl Conversation, which will be held on May 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature speakers from throughout the industry. Women like Erin Taormino, who was just crowned the first female winner of the World’s Greatest Horseman, clothing entrepreneur Amanda Kimes, and journalist Janie Johnson Finlay are just a few women from the long list of top-notch speakers featured in past years.

 

Marketing, performance horses, rodeo, storytelling, veterinary medicine, music, design, and much more will be covered by the featured speakers at this year’s event. Allen is especially excited about this year’s Cowgirl Conversation and has seen a lot of inspiration come from putting women in the room with leaders whom they look up to. Empowerment, individualism and tenacity — three pillars of the cowgirl spirit the Gathering focuses on — are apparent in every panelist’s story, and attendees often walk away feeling motivated to chase down their own dreams.

 “I think that so often, we see an interview or social media, and we immediately put that person on a pedestal, and put separation between ourselves and them. Getting to sit in a room and hear someone’s story, and learn that they are just another human, another girl who had a dream, is valuable. They had fears and hesitations, and they overcame that,” Allen shared. “There’s a different relation and connection. It sparks conversation and hopefully builds more self-confidence in the attendees.”

 The Cowgirl Gathering draws women from within the industry, but also offers the opportunity for those who are interested in becoming involved — or who just want to learn more about the Western world — to connect with the community. The event brings in women from across the country and also catches a few who happen to be visiting the Stockyards.

Bringing different communities of women together, with varying involvement and skill levels, is beneficial on many levels. Throughout the event, women learn about one another through conversation and also offer inspiration to one another. “This is one of my favorite parts,” Allen shared. “We bring in so many people from different backgrounds. We have aspiring athletes, those who want to be more involved in rodeo, corporate cowgirls and women interested in the equine world.”

Businesswomen and entrepreneurs, many of who live in the city, are also well-represented. “Women come who are young professionals, but they still have that spirit of a cowgirl. We bring in a lot of young women who are looking for a network and a community to inspire and motivate them,” Allen added.

Women who make their living as cowgirls will also be in attendance. “We also bring in a good crowd of women who are already in the Western industry, and they’re looking to deepen their connections and network,” Allen explained.

For those who cannot attend in person, the Cowgirl Gathering and Cowgirl Artists of America art showcase will be viewable online for the whole month of May. Tickets for the in-person event are available online at cowgirlgathering.com, and Rodeo Life readers can also pick theirs up at a discount using the code Rodeo15 at checkout.

A rodeo to remember through imagery. My experience capturing all angles of this deep Western tradition was like no other. While the photos best tell the story, the writing paints the pictures.

I didn’t know what exactly to expect walking into Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, on Friday, January 10 at 5 p.m. A chameleon of a stadium, the field had been filled with dirt. It transformed into a makeshift rodeo arena for three days, looking entirely different from a concert I had shot on the same grounds just a week prior. Being the first rodeo I’ve ever been to, let alone photographed, this assignment was such a fun challenge.

 

The opening ceremony commenced with skydiving, the Pledge of Allegiance, and an amazing fireworks display. I spent that first day relatively stationary, focused on dialing in camera settings while looking for when to anticipate the best moments. The loud pounding of hooves rushed by me continuously, only feet away from the gate, as dust and dirt were thrown at my camera lens.

Saturday went a lot smoother. I utilized a monopod for stability to keep the fast-moving subjects in focus. Bareback riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, and bull riding – the many events of the rodeo that I learned about through each photo taken.

Upon entering the arena on Sunday, I overheard another photographer mention that animal rights activists were outside the entrance. Having never taken photos of a protest either, and very much wanting to, I immediately headed that way. A 5-minute walk around the stadium later, I found a bustling intersection of people holding signs and yelling emotionally charged chants at the long line of rodeo fans entering the venue.

Repetitive chats were exclaimed over a megaphone. The protesters approached me with some hostility after seeing my camera pointed at them. They wanted opinions; I simply wanted to take photos. As a documentary photographer and photojournalist, I am merely a revealer, a fly on the wall of reality. Once they realized I was friendly and indifferent toward their attack of questions, I was able to easily blend into the scene. Peering between the buildings, natural light perfectly illuminated faces, signs, and those in line. At 2 o’clock, the rodeo had just begun, and it was time for me to get back inside, leaving the quarrel behind.

At this point, I had a much better understanding of the sporting events and where to ideally position myself for them. The rodeo started earlier in the day, allowing me to play with the sunlight casting down on the subjects in the middle of the stadium. This also made for great opportunities to capture the excitement of crowd reactions at golden hour. Trick-roping acts, trick riding, and rodeo clown antics made for great entertainment between the harrowing competition.

Later that evening, the champions of each event posed for portraits with their awards. This year’s winners are:

Bareback Riding – Bradlee Miller

Tie-Down Roping – Riley Webb

Breakaway Roping – Jackie Crawford

Saddle Bronc Riding – Ryder Wright

Steer Wrestling – Will Lummus

Team Roping – Rhen Richard & Jeremy Buhler

Barrel Racing – Jordan Driver

Bull Riding – Jordan Spears

This has been one of my most thrilling photo projects to date. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to cover my first rodeo. I have hopes to do more soon. Many thanks to Outriders, C5 Rodeo, and Petco Park for an outstanding San Diego Rodeo!

You can see more of Logan’s work at:

https://logangrahamphoto.com/

Instagram: @logangrahamphoto