Category: Newsletter Articles

God will always provide. He will provide what we need when we need it. The importance of remaining patient and continuing to trust in his will and his plan is important. Lately, the story of Abraham, Sarah, and their promised son has really intrigued me and inspired me to keep trusting and know that God is faithful.

In Genesis 18 the story begins with Sarah and Abraham being told by the Lord through three visitors that when one of them returned at that time next year that Sarah would have a son. Sarah laughed to herself thinking she was too old and worn out to bear a child. She didn’t think there was any way that she and Abraham could have a child. In verse fourteen the Lord replied “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

In chapter twenty one, the first verse says “The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.” So, Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to Isaac. This happened at the exact time God said it would. Abraham was a hundred years old at the time of Isaac’s birth. Not only was the birth of Isaac a miracle but a true witness of God’s faithfulness on his timing.

Abraham and Sarah were promised over twenty five years before this, that they would have a son. Twenty five years, I don’t know about you, but most of the time I don’t even want to wait twenty five minutes let alone years. Human nature is to question the timing of God just as Sarah did. She thought there was no way after so many years that she could have a child, but as we see, since the beginning of time NOTHING is impossible for God. The same is true today. When we think there’s no way we can get our miracle, or when we think its past time, God is always working something out. God is always faithful even when we don’t see it. He’s always working out his plan, on his time, for his glory.

Well it is hard to remain strong in faith during our waiting seasons you might say. God never promised that waiting would be easy. He never said waiting wouldn’t test us. He never said waiting would be a walk in the park. I will agree, our human nature wants what we think is best for us right now, but in Isaiah 40:31 we see the benefit of waiting through our struggles. “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

God will keep us going. God will strengthen us through our struggle. When we take our eyes off the mountain, and keep them on the mountain mover, God sustains us! I encourage whoever is reading this to keep going. Don’t give up. Don’t give up on that dream God gave you. Pick it back up and and keep working on it. Keep believing. Keep trusting. Keep waiting patiently. God is faithful and will bring it to pass! Is anything to hard for the Lord?

Rodeo as we know it today had it’s beginnings on ranches and in small towns throughout the west. Tough horses and top riders would gather to test their abilities and a crowd would gather. The early bronc riders were plying the trade they had developed by long hours in the saddle on rank horses on ranches. When rodeos began in the early part of the 1900’s, the equipment used was generally what was used day to day on the ranch, whether riding broncs or roping cattle.

Earl Bascom, born in Vernal, Utah in 1906, moved to Alberta, Canada as a young boy with his family. After growing up cowboying on the Bar B3 ranch, he moved on to cowboy on ranches in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, Colorado, California, Mississippi and Texas. He rodeoed in most of those places and made a name for himself in the rodeo world.

When Bascom started rodeoing in 1916, he built a saddle on an A-fork tree with a deep dished seat and bucking rolls. It was the style of saddle popular with the bronc riding cowboys of the time, besides being useful in ranch work.

In the early 1920’s, rodeo rules changes and the riding style of bronc riders changed with it. Spurring a horse from the points of the shoulders to the cantle board became the style of the day, and the old slick fork saddles didn’t accommodate that well. A swell forked saddle was much more desirable for the event.

While back home on the Bar B3 Ranch of his folks near Lethbridge, Alberta, Bascom created a saddle from scratch with materials he found on the ranch. The fork and swells of the saddle tree were shaped from two pieces of fence post, then bolted together. The bars of the saddle were from a wooden plank. The high backed, deep-dished cantle was the lid off of a steel oil drum, cut and shaped and bolted to the bars. The final step was to cover it all with rawhide.

The tree was then made into a saddle with rough out leather, which had been tanned on the ranch, cut to pattern and fitted to the tree. Bascom made the iron oxbow stirrups in the ranch blacksmith shop. The saddle had no fenders as Bascom felt they had no practical use in bronc riding and might bind and interfere with the spurring lick.

The most unique aspect of this newly made saddle was that it had no horn. Bascom’s vast experience as a bronc rider had taught him that a saddle horn could actually cause problems during a ride, such as hitting one in the belly and knocking the wind out of the rider, hanging the chaps belt on it, or worst of all, having the horse fall over and having it punch a hole in the chest or belly of the rider.

When Bascom competed on his newly made hornless saddle at the 1922 Cardston (Alberta) Stampede, it caused quite a sensation with everyone. It soon became popular with the bronc riders who called it a “mulee” saddle, comparing it to a cow without horns.

The hornless saddle caught on with the cowboys and before long, they were either cutting the horn off of their saddles or beating it down to bend the neck forward until the cap touched the fork of the saddle.

In 1955, Duff and Bill Severe started the Severe Brothers Saddlery in Pendleton, OR. In 1958, the famous saddle makers started producing the hornless bronc saddles for the general rodeo market, styled after the original Bascom hornless saddle.

Earl Bascom didn’t just make one big contribution to modern rodeo, however, as he went on and designed other things to make rodeo better. He designed the first side delivery bucking chute in 1916, then improved on it in 1919. In 1924 he developed the one hand bareback rigging. The high cut, rodeo style chaps were his contribution in 1926. His pioneering inventions and adaptations contributed much to the sport that we know today.

Bascom retired from the rodeo arena in 1940 as a competitor, and began the next phase of his life when he and his wife moved to California and raised their family of five children. Always interested in art, he became an internationally known cowboy artist and sculptor while ranching there.

In his rodeo career spanning the years between 1916 and 1940, Bascom competed in the rough stock events of saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and bull riding, plus the timed events of steer decorating and steer wrestling, He also performed trick riding and was a bull fighter.

He was a member of the Cowboys Turtle Association, (now the PRCA), the Canadian Rodeo Cowboys Association (now the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association), and the National Police Rodeo Association. A many times All-Around Champion, he has been inducted into several rodeo Halls of Fame in Canada and the United States.

Next time you are at a rodeo and see the chutes, bronc saddles, bareback riggings, and chaps used in the rough stock events, you will know who developed them and made them a part of the modern rodeo world almost a century later. You will know it was Earl Bascom, cowboy, inventor, craftsman, artist, and truly, the “Father of Modern Rodeo”.

Earl Bascom passed away at the age of 89 on his ranch in Victorville, California in 1995. He lives on through rodeo today.

Hazlee McKenzie had a unique babysitter when she was a little girl.

When her parents would go to a roping, they’d put her in a pen, on her pony Trigger. She’d ride Trigger for hours, and they didn’t have to worry about her. That’s how she fell in love with horses, and her love hasn’t abated since then.

The twelve-year-old cowgirl, a resident of Muldrow, Okla., is proud to be a part of the 5 Star Equine Products team.

Hazlee competes in the barrel racing, pole bending, ribbon roping (running for Creek Williams) and breakaway roping.

She uses three different horses for her events.

Scooter, an eleven-year-old sorrel, is her barrel horse. A poor fit in the cutting horse industry, the family got him as a four-year-old, originally for Hazlee’s mom Tera to rope on. Scooter is hard-headed, Hazlee said, but he’s smart, really athletic, and loves to run barrels.

BB is her pole horse. The eight-year-old sorrel was trained by her dad, Jason, and can also be used for the barrels and roping. He’s very personable, Hazlee said. “He loves attention and he does anything you ask him to do.”

Her breakaway horse is a four-year-old named Junior. Junior is also good at the poles, but is used mostly for roping. He’s really calm and sweet, she said.

Hazlee is home schooled, with her favorite subject being math and history a close second. Reading is not her favorite; she’d rather be on horseback. That’s why homeschooling is good for her; she can get her work done and head outside.

She uses several 5 Star Equine Products.

The saddle pads are her favorite, because they’re made out of wool and fit the horse well. They can be designed by the customer, and Hazlee has designed some of her own. “You can make them look the way you want them to look,” she said. She also appreciates the fact that saddle pads and horse boot colors can be matched. It’s important to her that her things match, with blue being the predominant color among her things. Her favorite saddle pad is white with a turquoise border, and the matching boots are navy with turquoise straps to match the pad. (Hazlee’s favorite color is teal.)

The saddle pads also come with her initials on the backside. There are plenty of color options with the saddle pads, which is important to a girl who likes fashion. “It’s definitely a benefit for girls who want to bling up their pads, for sure,” Hazlee said.

Jason and Tera, both ropers, have been using 5 Star Equine Products long before Hazlee became a member of their team. “We just really like the saddle pads,” Tera said, “because you can order them in different thicknesses, depending on the horse.” They come in different lengths, too, a little longer for roping saddles, a little shorter for barrel saddles.

The McKenzies believe in the value of 5 Star Equine products. “We’ve owned several (saddle pads),”said Hazlee, “and as long as you take care of them, they last a long time.” They also come with a liner that can be used in the spring to protect the saddle pad so shed hair doesn’t get embedded. The liners can be used for dog or cat beds when they’re no longer needed, but the family has found that they can be used several years.

When it comes to meals, Hazlee’s favorite is steak, corn on the cob, strawberries, and ice cream for dessert. She loves to drink Pepsis and eat Sweet Tarts.

The best trip she’s taken was to Cheyenne Frontier Days a few years ago, when the family went to a rodeo performance and walked through the exhibits afterwards. She also enjoyed her time in Las Vegas when her dad qualified for the World Series Team Roping in 2017. They took in a night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and some of the trade shows.

The McKenzie family has several pets.  In addition to their horses, they have Cowgirl, a full-blood blue heeler, who is three-legged, and Reins, a Jack Russell-blue heeler mix. They have a barn cat, Lizzy, who is supposed to be a mouser, but prefers her free meals from Hazlee. They also raise cattle.

When she grows up, she’d like to be an interior designer and train and run barrel horses.

She competes in the Oklahoma Junior High School Rodeo Association and the Cowboys Regional Rodeo Association (CRRA). Hazlee qualified for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in the pole bending, finishing twenty-third in the nation this past summer. She competed at the CRRA Finals in Ft. Smith, Ark. last month in the barrel racing and won Rookie of the Year.

Her mom and dad enjoy how determined and hard working their daughter is. “She knows the effort she has to put in to achieve the goals she has set for herself,” Tera said. Hazlee loves to just be on a horse. “She likes to be on them,” her mom said. “She doesn’t have to be working barrels or poles or roping. She enjoys just getting out and riding across the pasture.”

LAS VEGAS, NV – Few know entertainment better than Flint Rasmussen.

The PBR’s Official Entertainer since 2006 remembers watching events put on by Bad Company Rodeo and being floored by what founder Mack Altizer had created.

“He had rock’n’roll music, the crowd dancing, clapping along,” Rasmussen said at the PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration at the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa. “And I remember thinking, ‘Man, that would be fun if we could only do that everywhere.’”

Rasmussen turned that same crowd involvement into a storied career, and credits Altizer with that inspiration.

“It was about a show,” Rasmussen said. “It was about entertainment, ahead of his time in giving people in a transition from what rodeo was, to give them what it was, but to transition into something, frankly, that turned into a party that he wanted to invite everybody to. And I envied that, and it was ground-breaking, and he was a trendsetter.”

Altizer was on hand as one of two recipients of the Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award, honored along with fellow innovator Neal Gay.

“It’s been a long, hard road, but this is a very great honor,” Altizer said.

World Finals

Altizer competed in rodeos himself and began to realize that the cost of living was higher than the amount he was able to earn. Thus, Bad Company Rodeo was born in 1981, with the intention of bucking that trend.

The method? Turn the rodeo into an experience.

Noting that the crowd would clap along to music, Bad Company Rodeo decided to incorporate more of it. They named bulls after rock songs, fielding a bull pen that included such classics as Bad to the Bone, Crazy Train, La Bamba, Smooth Criminal, Thunderstruck and many, many more.

Nowadays, no Western sporting event is without the entertainment factor, and Altizer is pleased with the direction Western sports are headed.

“We’ve got a lot of new features and new things happening in rodeo and PBR, and things are looking great,” he said.

He also has a great appreciation for his fellow honoree.

“Neal’s been somebody we looked up to for a long time, and I wish he could’ve been here,” Altizer said. “One of the questions I was asked in the (video) interview was, ‘What do you think Neal thought about the music?’

“And I said, ‘Turn it up!’”

Though Gay wasn’t on hand to accept the award, Sharon Shoulders received it on his behalf. The wife of the award’s namesake, she also had the distinction of competing with Gay for her husband’s affection.

She affectionately dubs Gay “the other woman.”

“Every time Jim got home from a rodeo, Neal would call him and he’d say Jim had to haul down to Mesquite for their rodeo,” Shoulders said. “I wasn’t too happy about that, because I’m home all the time anyway, trying to manage everything, Jim’s gone. And when he gets home, he’s got to go to Mesquite. I wanted him to stay home more. But guess what: didn’t happen.”

Gay and Shoulders had co-founded the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, which would become a Western institution and forever change the way rodeo was consumed by fans around the world.

Gay began his rodeo career as a contestant in 1945, riding bulls, saddle broncs and bareback horses, and wrestling steers. He and Shoulders traveled together as friends and competitors, founding the Mesquite Championship Rodeo in 1958.

“To say that they were close friends was really an understatement,” Sharon Shoulders said. “When they weren’t together, they were on the telephone more than teenagers do texting today. And as they got older, that time just increased. They were on the phone almost daily in Jim’s last years.”

RELATED: Neal Gay’s perseverance catapulted rodeo into the limelight

The pair turned Mesquite into the cream of the crop in the rodeo world, growing from humble beginnings to hosting the likes of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Part of Mesquite’s power was that it aired on television on the east coast. It got so popular that Gay added a performance to the rodeo, running on Friday and Saturday nights for nearly six months a year.

It can now be seen worldwide on cable, a model that PBR has since emulated.

Prior to the Heroes & Legends Celebration, Gay spoke about what an honor it was to be receiving an award named for his old friend.

“Jim Shoulders was my hero,” he said, pausing to wipe his eyes. “He was the best friend I ever had, but he was the best cowboy that ever went to a rodeo. And he was a different kind of a guy. Didn’t everybody like him. I did. I loved him.

“It’s quite an honor to get the Jim Shoulders Award, I’ll tell you that. I probably don’t deserve it but I’m tickled to death I got it.”

For Sharon Shoulders, who has known Gay for 72 years, the feeling is mutual.

“Jim would probably have smart-aleck remarks to make about Neal,” Shoulders said. “But Neal, you know how much I love you, how much I love (your wife) Kay and your family. So you just have to know how happy it makes me to have you receive this award in Jim’s name.”

Win Three Consecutive WCRA Majors – Win $1,000,000

The World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) recently announced the most athlete-friendly incentive in the history of rodeo: the WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeoä (TCR). The TCR is an annual bonus that will pay $1,000,000 to any one athlete or collection of athletes whom win first place in any three consecutive WCRA $1,000,000 Major Rodeos. Two of the $1,000,000 WCRA Major Rodeos next year will be coupled with a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) elite series event in a major U.S. market while three TCR events in 2020 will be broadcast on CBS Sports.

“We endeavor to lift the entire sport of Rodeo,” said WCRA CEO Gary McKinney. “The WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeo is another tremendous advancement for all stakeholders; the athletes, the rodeos and the fans. Historically, outside of the road to the finals there has been no platform or continuity to align major rodeos – the TCR provides that vehicle.”

The current 2020 schedule includes three major rodeos where athletes can qualify for the TCR $1,000,000 bonus, beginning in Kansas City, Missouri for the Royal City Roundup on February 28. The Kansas City event will be followed by the May 17 Stampede at The E in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The 2020 series is scheduled to wrap-up in Tacoma, Washington on August 28 with the Puget Sound Showdown. The Kansas City and Tacoma events will be paired with the 2020 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast tour with all WCRA majors airing on CBS Sports. (The full CBS broadcast will be set and released at a later date and is subject to change.)

“The three rodeos CBS Sports brought to fans this past summer from Green Bay, Salt Lake City and Calgary, reached more than 3.1 million unique viewers, proving a strong market for major rodeos in mainstream media,” said Sean Gleason, CEO, PBR. “The WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeo is an exciting addition that will bring more drama, news value and fan buzz to major high-payout rodeos.”

The TCR bonus will be available to all athletes who nominate their current rodeo efforts through the WCRA Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ) and are crowned champions at three consecutive WCRA Major Rodeos.

This revolutionary annual incentive is not limited to just the WCRA 2020 season, rather, it allows athletes to rack up wins on a rolling calendar basis. This means athletes’ three consecutive wins can cross calendar years, however, the $1,000,000 bonus will only be paid one time annually.  If two or more athletes achieve this milestone at the same time, the bonus will be split.

“Our 2020 WCRA Major Rodeo Event Series is already scheduled to pay over $5.1 million,” said WCRA President Bobby Mote. “The TCR is the platform that links this on-going series of events together from a media and public relations standpoint – with athletes in pursuit of the $1,000,000 bonus at every event. This is a big damn deal.”

Athletes from around the globe have the opportunity to compete in the WCRA Major Events Series and compete for the TCR after qualifying through the VRQ. Qualifying for the Royal City Roundup is currently underway and athletes can continue nominating until December 1. All rodeo athletes interested in learning more about the VRQ should be directed to wcrarodeo.com while those inquiring more about the TCR may visit triplecrownofrodeo.com.

Fans will be able to witness the first Triple Crown of Rodeo stop at the Royal City Roundup at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri February 28. Tickets for the one-day $1,000,000 major rodeo go on sale Monday, Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. CT and start at $10. All tickets for the event can be purchased at the Sprint Center Box Office or by visiting sprintcenter.com.

Since launching in May of 2018, the WCRA and its partners have awarded more than $5,600,000 in new money to rodeo athletes. All rodeo athletes interested in learning more about the WCRA or the VRQ should be directed to wcrarodeo.com.

Newest Cooler Features HydroShield™ Magnetized Closure for Optimal Ice Retention

Austin, Texas (August 22, 2019) — YETI® Holdings, Inc. (“YETI”) (NYSE: YETI), a leading premium outdoor brand, today launched the latest evolution of its soft cooler collection, the Hopper® M30. The Hopper M30 features a new leak-resistant HydroShield™ magnetized closure that provides superior ice retention and usability.

“We’re committed to providing our customers with the most innovative and highest quality gear on the market to use as they pursue their active adventures,” says YETI President and CEO, Matt Reintjes. “We know the Hopper M30 design will deliver incredible portability, durability, and ice retention, and we’re excited to officially introduce it to consumers.”

The Hopper M30 is completely waterproof and uses high-density fabric that resists punctures, abrasions, mildew, and UV rays for unmatched durability. It offers superior thermal performance due to its closed-cell foam insulation and is engineered with a 50 percent wider opening for increased ease of use.

The Hopper M30 is the latest product within the YETI soft-sided Hopper family and joins the Hopper Flip™ 8, the Hopper Flip 12, and the Hopper Flip 18. While it’s the first Hopper product to use a novel magnet technology, YETI began incorporating magnetic closures in 2017, first with the Rambler® MagSlider™ Lid and most recently within the SideKick Dry™ and Daytrip™ Lunch Bag.

The Hopper M30 retails for $299.99 and is available in Charcoal, Navy, and, for a limited time, River Green. For more information regarding the Hopper M30, and YETI’s other premium products, please visit yeti.com.

About YETI Holdings, Inc.

YETI is a growing designer, marketer, retailer, and distributor of a variety of innovative, branded, premium products to a wide-ranging customer base. Our mission is to ensure that each YETI product delivers exceptional performance and durability in any environment, whether in the remote wilderness, at the beach, or anywhere else life takes our customers. By consistently delivering high-performing products, we have built a following of engaged brand loyalists throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and elsewhere, ranging from serious outdoor enthusiasts to individuals who simply value products of uncompromising quality and design. Our relationship with customers continues to thrive and deepen as a result of our innovative new product introductions, expansion and enhancement of existing product families, and multifaceted branding activities.

Decatur, TX, August 14, 2019 — Inc. magazine officially unveiled their annual Inc. 5000, a prestigious ranking of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies, including Decatur’s Twisted X footwear company earning the no. 3424, as compared to no. 3482 in 2018.

As a part of 2019’s Inc. 5000, Twisted X® joins a class of companies that together have shown astounding three-year average growth of 454 percent and a median rate of 157 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $237.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 1,216,308 jobs over the past three years.

Since its inception in 2005, Twisted X has dedicated business to creating comfortable handcrafted footwear. From men and women, to kids and infants, every pair of Twisted X® shoes and boots is created with comfort in mind. While they originally started making western boot styles, the creation of the iconic Driving Moc opened the door for Twisted X®, creating an extensive range of styles including casual, lifestyle, work and outdoor footwear.

“We are thrilled to have earned our spot, for the second year running, on the Inc. 5000 list and to be sharing a pedigree with Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Jamba Juice, Timberland, Clif Bar, Pandora, Patagonia, Oracle, and other notable alumni,” Twisted X CEO Prasad Reddy said of the award. “With an unparalleled desire toward design and product development, our speed to market allows us to rapidly create innovative footwear styles that our customers love. As a result, for the past 9 years, we have grown by 30% year-over-year.”

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held October 10 to 12, 2019, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. As always, speakers include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

 

About Twisted X®: Twisted X creates comfortable, handcrafted footwear for men, women, and children across the lifestyle, western, work and outdoor categories. In addition to producing innovative products for their customers, Twisted X is known for their cutting-edge comfort technologies, sustainability mindset and philanthropic roots. To learn more about their products, innovations in footwear, and contributions to the community visit www.twistedx.com.

There have been years of preparation leading up to the success that Smarty Young Pro, Mason Pitts, has experienced. When the Haughton, Louisiana 18-year-old showed interest in roping at a young age, his dad, Chet Pitts got involved as well, and he and Mason’s mom, Kelli Pitts, did all they could to provide opportunities for Mason to grow in a sport he was enthralled by. Mason’s parents both work in the oil industry, Kelli for an oilfield company, and Chet as a self-employed contractor. Kelli put aside her barrel racing competition to support Mason’s goals when he started getting serious about the rope in his hands at about 9 years old. Mason’s older brother, Colton, 27, roped some, but was more involved in other sports. State, national, and world titles have come since those beginner roper days; and most recently Mason and fellow Smarty teammate, Chet Weitz, finished as the 7^th place team ropers in the world at the 2019 National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Although Mason was born and raised in Louisiana and spent 6 years competing in the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association, he chose a zip code change to Hamilton, Texas in February to finish out his final high school rodeo season in Region 10 of the Texas High School Rodeo Association. “Chet and I were the 2019 Texas High School Rodeo Association Champion Team Ropers this year, and it felt really good to come to such a competitive state and finish on top my first year there. It is a great environment to be in.” After graduating from Haughton High School in Louisiana in December, Mason moved to live and work for a family in Stephenville, Texas helping around their ranch, and putting himself in a prime location for a dedicated heeler with big goals ahead.

During his rodeo years in Louisiana, success became standard for the cowboy. Mason was the 2015 LJHSRA Champion Heeler, roping with Morgan Sparks; and he was the 2014, 2016, and 2018 LHSRA Champion Heeler with partner, Tyler McGuffee, whose dad, Brian McGuffee was a friend of Mason’s dad and helped Mason with his roping skills. Mason and Tyler were the 2014 NJHFR world champion team ropers, winning the coveted title in Des Moines, Iowa. The team almost repeated their world champion success at last year’s NHSFR and came back to the short round as the second-high call team. “When I threw my rope in the short round the steer took a big jump and hopped right over my rope and there wasn’t much I could do. We finished as the 11^th place team in the world in Rock Springs last year.”

Mason is currently competing on the 14-year-old bay mare, Belle, that he has owned since he was in 5^th grade. But, most of his success came from the back of a red roan gelding he called Junior. “I competed on Junior for 7 years and went from a number 4 roper to a number 9 on him. I just retired him a few months ago at 16 years old. After taking him around the world every year, he had lots of miles under him, and I felt it was time to give him a break.”

As a second-year Smarty Young Pro member, Mason is grateful for all of the people he meets on the team and enjoys seeing them at the ropings and rodeos he attends. He also likes getting recognized by younger kids that come up to talk to him at events. “It’s been a great thing going to Decatur to camps and seeing Allen Bach and Jade Corkill and some of the pros that attend.” Although initially Mason thought being on the team would be a great thing, he appreciates all the company does for him even more today. “It’s become more than what I expected, and I’m grateful for the recognition it gives us in the industry. I love the conference calls and I feel like a better person every time I get off the phone after listening to Trey Johnson.”

With youth rodeo competition behind him, Mason looks forward to the big ranks of rodeo for his future. He appreciates all that his sponsors do for him to keep him traveling down the rodeo trail; Classic Ropes, Resistol, and Smarty Young Pros.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and Rodeo Historical Society to celebrate rodeo legends at annual Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend – Rodeo legends to be honored during prestigious weekend

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Rodeo icons will be recognized at the Rodeo Historical Society and National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s annual Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend, November 8 – 9, 2019, with induction into the renowned Rodeo Hall of Fame. The Ben Johnson Memorial Award and Tad Lucas Memorial Award recipients will also be honored. The celebration will take place at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

The Rodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2019 inductees include Wacey Cathey, Buck LeGrand (1931 – 1997), Gene O. “Buddy” Cockrell, Thomas Joseph “T.J.” Walter (1949 – 2017), Lydia Moore, Frank Shepperson, Rob Smets and Jack Ward, and the Directors’ Choice Award recipient  is Dr. Charles “Bud” Townsend. The Tad Lucas Memorial Award recipient is Cindy Rosser, and the Ben Johnson Memorial Award recipient is Doug Clark.

“The National Cowboy Museum and the Rodeo Historical Society are delighted to celebrate rodeo by honoring the incredible men and women who helped make it an American tradition,” said Museum & President and CEO Natalie Shirley. “Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend offers both rodeo enthusiasts and members of the public the opportunity to come together and celebrate a sport that is important to so many individuals — and families — across the country.”

Rodeo Hall of Fame inductions and awards are sponsored and selected by the Rodeo Historical Society, an organization under the auspices of the National Cowboy Museum whose worldwide members share an interest in preserving both rodeo history and the sport itself. Membership supports the Museum’s rodeo programs, including research, an oral history project, acquisition of materials for the American Rodeo Gallery and the distinguished Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend includes the Rope ‘N’ Ride Cocktail Reception Friday, November 8, as well as the Inductee panel discussion and the Champions’ Dinner, Induction Ceremony and Benefit Auction on November 9. For more information, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/event/rodeo-hall-of-fame-weekend/. Reservations for most events are required in advance and can be purchased online or by calling (405) 478-2250 ext. 218. Package pricing and à la carte options are available.

About the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City is America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture. Founded in 1955, the Museum collects, preserves and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art and artifacts while sponsoring dynamic educational programs to stimulate interest in the enduring legacy of the American West. For more information, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org.

 

Buck LeGrand (1931 – 1997)

Bull Fighter and Rodeo Clown

Buck LeGrand was born September 8, 1931, in Ponca City, Oklahoma. At age 18 he began to rodeo as a bull rider, bareback rider and saddle bronc rider. At one rodeo LeGrand heard a rodeo producer complain about a barrelman and LeGrand offered to take the barrelman’s place. He then became a bullfighter and was known as the cowboy’s bullfighter — one of the toughest men in the rodeo arena. He was selected by the bull riders as the very first NFR bullfighter in 1959, and continued in 1960, 1965, 1967 and 1968. He took the punishment of many bulls to save a bull rider, but never complained. Most major rodeos and many stock contractors sought out LeGrand to work their rodeos. He also entertained audiences with his jokes and animal acts. LeGrand worked the Houston Rodeo 20 times; Madison Square Garden and Boston Garden 10 times each; the Burwell, Nebraska, and Sidney, Iowa, rodeos 17 times each; and the 101 Ranch Rodeo in Ponca City, Oklahoma, 15 times. He was inducted into the AkSarBen Hall of Fame in 1971, and received the Top Hat Award at the NFR in 1985. LeGrand retired from the arena in 1976 and died March 1, 1997.

Thomas Joseph “T.J.” Walter (1949 – 2017)

Bareback and Bull Riding

Thomas Joseph “T.J.” Walter was born February 27, 1949, in Watkins, Iowa. Raised on an Iowa farm with 12 siblings, Walter began riding calves at age 10, bulls at age 13 and bareback horses at age 14. As a high school student, Walter competed in the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA), winning the Iowa High School Rodeo bull riding and bareback championships in 1966 and the NHSRA bareback and All-Around championships in 1967. While attending college in Casper, Wyoming, Walter qualified for the NIRA finals in 1967 and 1968. Following college, he competed in the RCA/PRCA for 15 years, making 12 NFR appearances in bareback riding. In addition to competing in all the major rodeos in the United States and Canada, Walter won the bareback riding at the Presidential Rodeo in Washington, D.C., held in honor of President Ronald Reagan, and he earned a Gold Medal as coach of America’s 1988 Olympic Rodeo Team. A gold card member of the PRCA, Canadian Pro Rodeo Association and the Australian Pro Rodeo Association, Walter served on the PRCA Board of Directors for 11 years and as director of PRCA Rodeo Administration for 14 years. He was inducted into the Iowa High School Rodeo Hall of Fame and the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Walter died January 1, 2017.

 

Wacey Cathey

Bareback and Bull Riding

Wacey Cathey was born June 29, 1953, in Big Spring, Texas. A bull rider and bareback rider, he participated in the American Junior Rodeo Association (AJRA) from 1970 — 1972, winning the bull riding championship in 1972.  Cathey joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 1974 and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1976, winning round 9. He qualified for the NFR a total of 14 times from 1976 — 1991 and was among the top 10 finishers a total of 9 years. He won the Calgary Stampede’s $50,000 payout in 1983 and 1990; was the Texas Circuit Champion in 1982; won the PRCA ProTour in 1985; and was invited to compete at the Summit Presidential Rodeo. In all, he won the bull riding at Cheyenne; the Texas State Fair in Dallas; North Platte, Nebraska; the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and was co-champion at the Greeley, Colorado, Stampede. In 1993 he began competing with the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and was inducted into their Ring of Honor. Cathey was inducted into the Pecos Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Bull Riders Hall of Fame and the Howard County, Texas, Hall of Fame. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion & Rodeo for 20 years.

 

Gene O. “Buddy” Cockrell

Calf Roping, Steer Roping, Steer Wrestling and Team Roping

Gene O. “Buddy” Cockrell was born June 10, 1934, in Pampa, Texas. He learned cowboy skills early in life and entered calf roping, steer roping, team roping and steer wrestling events at various rodeos. Cockrell was the 1953 Texas High School Rodeo All-Around Champion. He also played football, basketball and boxed in the heavyweight Golden Gloves division in high school. This athletic ability helped Cockrell receive a college education – he received a full football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma and played on the 1955 National Championship team. Yet, Cockrell’s true love remained in the rodeo arena; he transferred to Hardin-Simmons University to rodeo in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA), where he joined the school’s championship rodeo team and played football. Later, Cockrell joined the New York Jets professional football team. He was the PRCA World Champion Steer Roper based on total earnings for 1977, and he later helped start the Senior Steer Ropers Association in 1984. He was a director for the Top of Texas Rodeo Association for eight years, and ran a 540,000-acre ranch in Australia for seven years. Cockrell remains a “cowboy’s cowboy” who gives back to kids and the underprivileged.

 

Lydia Moore

Barrel Racing

Lydia Moore was born March 31, 1937, in St. Charles, Illinois, to a rodeo/circus family. She received trick-roping lessons from Billy Buschbaum at age 10 and performed at area rodeos. She and her sister, Percyna, were instrumental in establishing the Missouri Girls Rodeo Association. They also won events such as goat tying, barrel racing and pole bending. In 1967 the Moore family moved to Oklahoma and, shortly thereafter, Lydia Moore was hired by legendary rodeo announcer Clem McSpadden as the liaison between the NFR and barrel racers. Later, Moore helped run the NFR’s press room. She served as awards chairman for the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA), securing vehicles, trailers and other donations for barrel racing champions, and became a GRA director at large, bull riding director and Southern Region director. In 1973 she accepted the executive secretary position for the GRA/WPRA (Women’s Professional Rodeo Association), a position she held for 22 years. Today Moore lives in Wayne, Oklahoma, with her daughter and son-in-law.

 

Frank E. Shepperson

Bareback, Bronc and Bull Riding, Steer Wrestling and Calf Roping

Frank Shepperson was born April 7, 1942, in Casper, Wyoming. He began rodeoing in 1957 in the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association and won the All-Around and Champion Team Roper titles. He also wrestled steers and rode saddle broncs. He was the National High School Champion Saddle Bronc Rider in 1960, and was part of the University of Wyoming 1962 NIRA champion men’s rodeo team. He competed in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf roping and bull riding. He was the 1964 NIRA Steer Wrestling Champion. Shepperson joined the RCA in 1964 and competed in all the major rodeos. He qualified for his first NFR in 1970 and was second in the average that year, and again in 1973 and 1975. He won the World Champion Steer Wrestling title in 1975, winning $9,000 more than the reserve champion. Shepperson’s family continues his winning spirit with daughter, Amy, winning the NIRA 2000 Breakaway Roping Championship and son, Les, coming in third at the 2012 PRCA NFR Steer Wrestling. Shepperson and wife, Susan, ranch near Midwest, Wyoming.

 

Rob Smets

Bullfighting

 

Rob Smets was born September 11, 1959, in Palo Alto, California. While attending Salinas, California, High School, he entered every rodeo event except boys cutting. Critical of the bullfighters, he was told to see if he could do it better. Bill Landis, a bullfighter, mentored Smets and in no time he was, in fact, doing it better.
He joined the PRCA in 1978 and became one of the best bullfighters in the business. In time he worked for Harry Vold, Neal Gay, Jim Shoulders, Cotton Rosser and Christensen Brothers, bullfighting at most major rodeos and many others. Smets was chosen to bullfight at the NFR six times (1983, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 2000). He is a nine-time PBR Bullfighting World Champion, and received the nickname the “Kamikazi Kid” because of his daring. Smets received the Wrangler NFR World Bullfighting Championship five times. He is in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Bull Riders Hall of Fame, and received the PBR Heroes & Legends – Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award. An ordained minister, Smets and his wife, Carla, live in Ross Hill, Texas.

 

Jack Ward

Bareback and Bull Riding

Jack Ward Jr. was born May 21, 1948, in Caldwell, Kansas. A bull and bareback rider, he began his career in 1963, competing in junior rodeos through 1966. In 1967 he attended Sul Ross State University, where he competed in the NIRA. That same year he also joined the RCA. He won the NFR bareback title in 1977 and 1978. Winning or placing at all major rodeos during his career, Ward won the All-Around and the bareback riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1978; he won Salinas Rodeo bareback riding twice; the San Francisco Rodeo bareback championship; and the Albuquerque bareback title. Ward also won the All-Around at San Angelo, Texas; the 1970 Calgary Stampede bull riding; and the bull riding title at the Tulsa Rodeo. He served on the PRCA Board of Directors as Bareback Director from 1977 — 1979, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Ward was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1995, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2011. Ward is retired and lives in Weatherford, Texas.

Honorees

DOUG CLARK

A member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for nearly four decades, Doug Clark epitomizes the legacy of Ben Johnson. He’s a fourth-generation PRCA member.  A quiet gentleman who is one of the most respected rope horse trainers in the business, Clark has shown many horses to AQHA championships. He has qualified for the National Steer Roping Finals, and won the All-Around Championship at Cheyenne Frontier Days.  Like Ben Johnson, Clark spends hours helping children, primarily teaching them roping and life skills. His greatest passion is matching young cowboys and cowgirls with horses that will help them excel in the arena.

 

Clark has served on the Rodeo Historical Society board of directors. His wife, Linda, is a former barrel racer and daughter Darcy competes in barrel racing, breakaway calf roping and team roping.

 

Cindy Rosser

Barrel Racing, Rodeo Production, Rodeo Secretary

Cindy Rosser was born in December 1954 to Cotton and Linda Rosser in Yuba City, California. Born into a rodeo family, she grew up horseback, and rodeo has remained her life’s work. As a youth, Rosser received 4-H and junior rodeo awards, then graduated to NHSRA awards. She joined the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA)/WPRA in 1969 and spent 20-plus years on their Board of Directors. She was the California Circuit Barrel Racing Champion in 1982 and served on its Board of Directors for 20-plus years. She became the World All-Around Stock Horse Ladies Roping Champion in 1976. The 1995 Coca-Cola WPRA Woman of the Year honors also went to Rosser.

 

In 1986 Rosser was named PRCA Secretary of the Year, and she was a 1998 NFR Rodeo Secretary and a 2012 Ram National Finals Rodeo Secretary. In addition to the many secretarial duties she has carried out at various rodeos, Rosser was also involved in rodeo production, including carrying the American flag. She trained numerous horses to jump through paper, stand in a Liberty Bell, a birthday cake, a ring of fire, and more. She also produced and designed openings and sponsor flags at the NFR for 10 years.

 

Rosser is a member of American Bucking Bull, Inc. and has sat on their Board of Directors for more than 6 years. She lives in Arboga, California.

 

Dr. Charles “Bud” Townsend

Rodeo Announcer

Dr. Charles “Bud” Townsend was born in November 1929 in Nocona, Texas. He began his rodeo announcing career at age 16. For the next 50 years he announced rodeos for Bobby Estes, Homer Todd, Cotton Rosser, Beutler Brothers, Everett Colborn, the Steiners, and Walt Alsbaugh. At Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) conventions he booked rodeos from Fort Worth, Texas, to Omak, Washington; Greeley, Colorado, to Belle Fourche, South Dakota; Ponca City, Oklahoma, to North Carolina; and into the Deep South.

 

Townsend received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin and became a history professor, spending his summers announcing rodeos. He spent 27 years at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas. “I owe a debt to rodeo I can never repay,” he said. “Rodeo taught me how to teach students so they enjoyed learning.” He was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, and received an American Cowboy Culture “Lifetime Achievement Award” and an “All-Around Cowboy” Award. He participated for years in the Cowboy Symposium at Lubbock, Texas.

 

Townsend received the 1975 Wrangler Book Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for his book San Antonio Rose: The Life and Music of Bob Wills. He also won a Grammy award for his album notes to Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: For the Last Time.

 

 

Why is it so important to never give up? Somedays giving up seems like the easy thing to do. We have all had those days where throwing in the towel seems like the right answer. It can be very frustrating working day in and day out towards something and not seeing the results you think you deserve. When you don’t see your hard work bringing you success, it has the tendency to drain you physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. Giving up is the easy way out. But, quitting is not the answer. Giving up will not solve anything!

get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Galatians 6:9

This verse says it all. Even when we think there is no way it will work out. When we are tired of getting beat down. When all the hard work, late nights, failed attempts, and everything else has you drug down, just remember at just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if you dig in, dig deep,  and don’t give up.

I heard a saying a while back I find myself referring to constantly on hard days. When I try to wiggle a toe and it still doesn’t  wiggle. When I stand up with a walker and think today is the day and my knees still don’t lock. When I try to kick my leg out and it just dangles there. After all this time, approaching 11 months, all the hours of strenuous physical therapy. All the days spent staring at my toes, feet, and legs trying to get them to move. After all these months praying, seeking, reading, and believing. After the constant day in and day out of putting in the effort and working hard to conquer the odds. After all the early mornings and late nights catching a workout in the gym between managing our cattle and getting leather work done, so I can still provide for my family. After all this time, why am I not seeing the success and results I feel like I deserve? This saying helps me a lot, “God loves us to much to deliver us at anytime other than the perfect time.”

As Isaiah 55:8-9 claims, God’s ways are not like our ways. His thoughts are not like our thoughts. We cannot think like God thinks. We can’t fathom how God works. So who are we to say what we do and don’t deserve? All we are supposed to do is keep believing and not grow tired of doing what is good, because we will reap a harvest of blessing from the seeds we sow. Just like the story of Joseph, he could’ve gave up when his brothers sold him into slavery. Or, when he ended up in prison for years. He could’ve quit trying. He could’ve gave up on his dream, but he didn’t. He kept doing the tasks that God had laid in front of him day in and day out, and believing in the dream and vision God had given him until at the perfect time God delivered him to be Pharaohs right hand man, and save his family from the 7 year famine.

So, when you grow tired we can find strength and peace in these promises from God:

• “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” Psalms 55:22
• “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
• “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
• “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

When you don’t see any progress, whether it’s in your dream business you’ve started and don’t see growing, your new weight loss program you’ve been doing for months and can’t shake the extra pounds, your physical breakthrough you are working towards, or any other trial that has you wore down and on the brink of giving up. Whatever it is, just remember Romans 8:18 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” So, dig in, dig deep, keep your vision in front of you, and DON’T GIVE UP!

August 28th, 2019 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oklahoma City, OK – The International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) along with the Lazy E Arena (LEA) is proud to announce a collaboration to relocate the International Finals Rodeo (IFR) for its 50th anniversary and beyond. Within this new partnership benefits will be seen by all members involved from contestants to stock contractors to contract personnel. Furthermore, the life blood of the event, the fans, will as well have a refreshed experience from the Lazy E’s rich history in western sports and improved production techniques.

As discussed in the live press conference on Wednesday, August 28th increases to the contestant prize money will grow from $26,000 per event to over $33,000 per event in the 7 standard events, continuing with equal money in the Team Roping for headers and heelers. We are pleased to announce that the Breakaway Roping will increase from a total of $15,000 to match the 7 standard events with over $33,000. This will bring the total cash payout of the event up to $300,000. Stock Contractors will see a 20% increase per animal in stock lease for the 2020 event. Contract personnel who are selected to work IFR50 will also see a 20% increase in pay.

When the Lazy E Arena was constructed in 1984, western sports, more specifically rodeo, were the primary tenant in mind. Fans that attend the upcoming International Finals Rodeo will be welcomed with a strong sense of cowboy heritage that lives inside the historic Lazy E Arena. They will also enjoy the unique amenities offered by the LEA including new seating options, an unobstructed, intimate view of the arena floor, and state of the art video, lights, and sound brought in for the new age entertainment. The LEA offers numerous RV hook ups as well as free parking for patrons attending IFR50 slated for January 17-19, 2020.

“This is a historic day for the International Professional Rodeo Association and the International Finals Rodeo. We are proud to announce a partnership with the Lazy E Arena that will help bring the IPRA and the IFR closer to its goals. Those goals include increased benefits for our members, sponsors, and fans. This move sets in motion a plan of continued growth for years to come.” Says Dale Yerigan, General Manager of the IPRA. Yerigan, who has won 11 World Championships in the Steer Wrestling, has always had sense of what it takes to benefit the rodeo athletes and sees this move as one in a forward direction for all involved.

For more information on this monumental step, visit www.ifrodeo.om for details.

About the IPRA: The International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) has been providing rodeo excitement for more than 50 years. From big cities to small towns, from major league stadiums to portable arenas, the IPRA is the sport’s second largest professional rodeo association sanctioning over 300 rodeos. The IPRA is keeping the spirit of the west alive from coast to coast throughout the United States and Canada.

About the LEA: The Fabulous Lazy E Arena – just southeast of Guthrie and northeast of Edmond/Oklahoma City – was established in December 1984. From giving PBR its start to the Timed Event Championship of the World, the Lazy E has hosted world champions, world championships and personalities galore. In 2005, Gaylord sold the property to a partnership from Nevada, and in October 2013 the property was sold to the McKinney Family from Midland, Texas. The ownership group has long recognized not only the tremendous facility, but also the importance of the Lazy E’s place in Rodeo and Oklahoma history. The Family has committed to maintaining the Lazy E as the World’s premier western entertainment facility. Many updates and renovations are taking place at the Arena which will only enhance the lure of the Lazy E to the general population.