Rodeo Life

Category: Rodeo Life Today

  • Open Call for Editorial Submissions

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    • Cowboy Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

      Cowboy Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

      While most folks take time off work to barbecue, spend time with family, and hit the lake around Independence Day, professional cowboys and cowgirls load up their rigs and hit the road for the busiest and richest run of the year. For many, this involves driving through the night and making multiple runs per day in order to hit as many rodeos as possible.

      “Cowboy Christmas” consists of dozens of large paying rodeos scheduled for the last week of June and first week of July. Each rodeo has a whopping amount of added prize money, and competitors hope to take home their share of the purse. This time of year can be critical for competitors, and tends to shake up the world standings in all events across the board.

      On any other weekend throughout the year, around 15-17 rodeos are held across the country. These numbers skyrocket during the Fourth of July run, with over 30 rodeos July first through third alone. Professional cowboys and cowgirls hope to pull into the driveway thousands richer after competing in as many rodeos as possible during the most wonderful time of the year.

      Here’s a rundown of the biggest rodeos you won’t want to miss during Cowboy Christmas.

      Reno Rodeo

      Although not technically over Independence Day, some consider the Reno Rodeo the official start of the Cowboy Christmas run. The 105th annual Reno Rodeo runs from June 21-29, and has added money of $560,000. Created in 1919 when community members sought a way to celebrate the end of World War I, it dubs itself the wildest, richest rodeo in the West.

      Ponoka Stampede

      This year’s Ponoka Stampede is scheduled for June 25 through July 1 in Ponoka, Alberta. The 88 year old tradition has prize money of $955,000, and attracts around 80,000 visitors and rodeo fans annually. With a large purse comes tough competition, bringing some of rodeo’s top athletes to the event for their shot at a check.

      Greeley Stampede

      The Greeley Stampede takes place June 27th through July 3rd in Greeley, Colorado, at the Island Grove Arena. The rodeo has $267,173 in added money for competitors. Last year’s highest money earner was steer wrestler Gus Franzen, who left the rodeo $13,499 richer.

      World’s Oldest Rodeo

      The World’s Oldest Rodeo takes place July 1-6 in Prescott, Arizona, and features $160,000 in added money. It was born in 1888 and continues to draw the nation’s top rodeo athletes and performers to the area each summer. This year, the rodeo will host specialty acts Broken Spoke Clydesdales, Tomas Garcilazo, and barrelman Matt Tarr.

      Cody Stampede

      Launched in 1919, the Cody Stampede Rodeo brings Western sports fans and competitors alike to the Rodeo Capital of the World for Independence Day celebrations. The event takes place July first through fourth, with nightly performances at Cody’s Stampede Park and added money of $240,000.

      St. Paul Rodeo

      The small town of St. Paul, Oregon, hosts 50,000 visitors each summer for what they claim is the nation’s greatest Fourth of July rodeo. This year’s event will run July second through sixth, with a parade and an extra matinee performance on Independence Day. The rodeo has $298,900 added money for competitors.

      Livingston Roundup Rodeo

      Montana’s oldest rodeo, the Livingston Roundup, will take place July first through fourth this year. Created in 1924, it annually hosts sold out crowds and world class competitors. This year, the rodeo will celebrate 100 years of tradition with nightly fireworks and a special anniversary concert on June 28th.

      Calgary Stampede

      Created by Guy Weadick, the Calgary Stampede’s first exhibition took place in 1886, with the first rodeo occurring in 1912. This year’s event will run July 5-14 at Stampede Park in Alberta, Canada. The rodeo will feature a competitor payout of $1.79 million in front of over one million visitors. Last year’s rodeo left multiple cowboys and cowgirls with checks for over $12,000 each, setting them up well for the remainder of the season in the world standings.

      -Article by Nicole Jasperson

    • Damian Brennan: The Mental Game

      Damian Brennan: The Mental Game

      Although Damian Brennan may be somewhat fresh to the Pro Rodeo trail, he’s no stranger to winning. Sitting at number one in the world standings in saddle bronc riding as of June 7th, Brennan accredits his success to having a good mind and staying positive.

      He cracked out with a bang in his 2023 season, and at 25 won’t be slowing down any time soon. With one NFR qualification under his belt, Brennan has collected multiple professional career highlights, including a round four win in Las Vegas with a 89-point ride on TNT Pro Rodeo’s Cancun Moon. Brennan also won the 2022 PRCA Resistol Rookie of the year award in saddle bronc riding.

      I caught up with Brennan over the phone as he was driving to his next rodeo in Idaho, just a quick thirteen hour jaunt from his previous rodeo in South Dakota. Although an Australian native, he is excited for the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations and to continue his hot streak in 2024.

      In the 2024 season Brennan has already won rodeos such as Houston, Fort Worth, Arcadia, Dixie National Rodeo (Jackson, MS), and the Rocky Mountain Rodeo Challenge (West Valley, UT). With earnings around $126,755, his success is a combination of his physical ability and mental toughness.

      Saddle Bronc Rider Damian Brennan

      “Part of rodeo is 70% mental and 30% ability. A big part of it is to stay positive. That’s when you’re riding the best, when you’re positive and happy.”

      Brennan will travel to multiple rodeo’s during the Cowboy Christmas run including Greeley, Cody, Red Lodge, Mandan, Kill Deer, Livingston, St.Paul, Alberta, and more. “I really like Cody. It’s a pretty part of the world and there’s a lot of money added.”

      The Aussie plans on traveling with bronc riders Brody Wells, Cash WIlson and Cort Scheer will jump in over the fourth. Although the plan is to drive to the numerous rodeos, they may end up flying too. “Mainly over the fourth [we’ll be] driving, we may have to fly to a few.”

      “It’s a pretty fun time of year, a lot of traveling in a short amount of time. It can be tiring on the body. But it’s a lot of fun.”

      What’s the one match-up we all would like to see this year including Brennan? How about Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics Black Tie. He has yet to draw The Black Tie, the 2022 saddle bronc horse of the year.

    • Shaley Ham: The West Desperado Way

      Shaley Ham: The West Desperado Way

      Shaley Ham didn’t initially set out to be a fashion influencer. Though she always loved fashion — as a kid, she carried notebooks that featured her hand-drawn fashion designs — a career as a fashion icon wasn’t at the forefront of her mind during her childhood in Cheney, Washington, just outside of Spokane.

      The daughter of barrel racer Pam Capper, Ham grew up riding horses and attending rodeos on weekends, though she never really caught the competitive bug herself. But she loved traveling to the arenas alongside her mother, developing her love of the Western way of life along the way.

      “That Western lifestyle and those roots have always just been something I’ve connected with,” she says.

      Although her college years would whisk her away from Cheney, she moved back to her hometown after graduating with an accounting degree from the University of Oregon. Her return home sparked a renewed sense of passion for those Western roots.

      “I fell back in love with the romance of the Western way of life,” she says.

      The decision to return to her hometown ultimately changed her trajectory. She met bareback rider Nick Gutzwiler, who she would eventually marry. Around that time, she also began following others who sought to share their best Western-inspired outfits on social media.

      She put her accounting degree to use, cultivating a career in the field. But that job would also lay the foundation for her transition to fashion, which began after her coworkers constantly told her how much they liked her sense of style. Given the praise, she created a social presence exclusively dedicated to showing off her outfits.

      It didn’t take her long to build a community. After a couple of months, she already had a thousand followers.

      “When I hit over a thousand followers, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, like, I’m a rock star!’ It’s funny to tell that story now because I feel like people can get a thousand followers overnight. But it was very different eight years ago,” she says.

      She now has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, not to mention another 100,000 on TikTok. On her pages, you’ll find stylized images and videos of her in cowboy hats and boots, displaying classic Western style with a modern flair.

      While it may seem odd to some to build a Western fashion empire out of an accounting background, it has served her well. Her background in a business-adjacent field has given her an upper hand in terms of her ability to navigate the challenges that come along with being an influential personality, such as networking and maintaining a professional demeanor.

      Western fashion brands quickly identified Ham as someone they wanted to work with. They caught her attention with offers for free clothing—an irresistible perk for someone who was already fashion-obsessed. Something she’d started strictly for fun had suddenly started captivating Western fashion enthusiasts.

      That was 2016, a year her mother qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. She joined her mother in Vegas, where she also first encountered representatives of many of her favorite brands in person at Cowboy Christmas, the Western-themed holiday event that takes place in tandem with NFR festivities. This experience led to more opportunities to work with the brands she already loved.

      She also began receiving invitations to wholesale markets, such as the ones at the Dallas Market Center. These provide an early access opportunity to identify the styles and trends that Western wear brands are banking on for the coming seasons. They’re also a great opportunity to bond with the people behind the brands, which is an essential component of succeeding in the field of content creation.

      Still, even with all her success, it would take several years before she reached a point where she felt comfortable leaving behind the accounting world and transitioning into life as a full-time content creator.

      While her images often tout a carefree Western lifestyle, the truth is that success in this field requires the kind of work ethic only the most dedicated cowgirls can understand. She suggests that her background in the corporate world has proven a major asset, as her professionalism earns her kudos among her brand partners.

      “That’s always my biggest encouragement for other girls when getting started,” she says. “Set those standards because as soon as you release the reins and give some slack in the professionalism department, things can start to go sideways.”

      Presently, Ham has several collaborations with major brands — her four-year partnership with Rock n’ Roll denim stands out as a favorite among many. But Ham doesn’t foresee herself opening her own boutique anytime soon.

      However, after realizing the concho belts that are a staple of her signature style can be challenging for people to find, she wanted to be able to tell her followers how they can get their own. So, she now offers them for sale on the West Desperado website.

      “I wear them all the time. And it’s just super easy to know that I can send people somewhere to find them,” she says.

      And as with any influencer, Ham varies her style based on the season or her vibe.

      “I’m starting to love rosettes and like little accented rosettes. When they first came out, I was not vibing with them, but I’ve been seeing them incorporated in a more Western way. And I think it’s a delicate aspect to add when wearing lots of leather or fringe,” she says.

      She’s also a fan of Lariat neckties, which are becoming increasingly popular.

      “They hit the scene during this last NFR in December. And now girls are wearing them with strapless tops. A little Lariat necktie tied around your neck adds a fun kind of Western accent to any outfit.

      And then, of course, there’s the most classic of all.

      “You can’t go wrong with denim on denim,” she says.

      Follow Shaley Ham on Instagram and TikTok at @westdesperado and visit her website at www.westdesperado.com.

    • Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good

      Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good

      For Shelby Lovelace, the true essence of Western fashion transcends clothing. The message at the core of her boutique brand, The Good Babes, is that true sophistication emerges from an inner beauty that women can then choose to reflect through what they choose to wear. The Good Babes blend stylish Western fashion with a touch of corporate flair, with a vision rooted in the idea that women of all backgrounds can feel stronger and more confident when they look their best.

      It’s a message that resonates with Western fashion enthusiasts across America. These are women who might work corporate 9-to-5 jobs but quickly shift gears to tend to their horses or help out around the ranch in the evening. The Good Babes celebrate the modern cowgirl, offering a range of affordable options in an aesthetic she calls “cowgirl chic,” with looks that work “from the office to the arena.”

      “The backbone of my reason for starting a boutique was having great quality stuff that makes you feel good at an affordable price,” Lovelace says.

      Her foray into fashion deviates from the life she thought she wanted while studying animal science at Texas A&M. Growing up on a cattle ranch, she always had a deep-seated love of fashion, but she sought an animal science degree to pursue horse husbandry. But life doesn’t always turn out the way we expect, and sometimes, that can be a great thing.

      After college, Lovelace interned at a horse ranch before quickly deciding it wasn’t for her. So, she moved into the corporate world while she built a side business painting furniture for extra cash. However, Lovelace’s roots in the Western lifestyle never faded, and her furniture-painting venture would form the basis for the company that became The Good Babes.

      The brand’s aesthetic aims to mix stylish Western fashion with a bit of a corporate feel, cultivating outfits a gal can wear with heels or boots. It represents an homage to Lovelace’s unconventional journey, offering high-quality, affordable clothing that empowers women to embrace their unique style. Her curated selection of attire caters to the woman who might have to be professional for her job throughout the day but who chips her nails and wears out her jeans training horses the moment she’s off the clock. You’ll find traces of the West in every piece of attire, with patterned linen blouses and a collection of belts that offer a twist on the classic belt buckle.

      “Our main goal is to keep the class in the Western industry,” she says, an ethos that culminates in sophisticated looks that won’t break the bank. Few items cost over $100, and The Good Babes website features a tab for items under $40 with dozens of tops, skirts and accessories to carefully craft a look for any occasion. The company sources inventory from vendors throughout the US, and Lovelace suggests it can be a push-and-pull. But ultimately, she’ll barter and do whatever else it takes to ensure she can sell quality goods at reasonable prices.

      Her idea to bring reasonably priced Western wear to women across America continues to take off. But more so, the brand’s overall essence resonates with the modern cowgirl.

      The Good Babes is named so because it reflects Western values such as kindness, family and faith. A company puts these ideas into action, creating a brand that doesn’t just sell clothing but represents an entire way of life.

      For example, Lovelace donates a portion of company proceeds to animal shelters, an initiative that harkens back to her lifelong love of animals. The company is also committed to supporting and empowering women by donating any clothes it can’t sell to local charities. For example, clothes that get a small amount of makeup on them during photo shoots can’t be sold to customers, so The Good Babes will donate them to battered women’s shelters and organizations that provide support for foster children.

      “The thing that I always say is ‘Look good, feel good, do good,’” she says.

      Lovelace believes that choosing flattering and sophisticated outfits can make a person feel more confident and collected. This can inspire positive interactions, be it a friendly chat with a stranger at the grocery store or feeling more energized to help a friend in need.

      “You can always help people out. And you may not even know you’re helping them out, but you are because you’re trying to spread positivity and being kind,” she says.

      The company’s social media channels often share quotes that inspire women, offering support and encouragement for people who might just be scrolling through Instagram looking for a pick-me-up after a hard day. A recent post reminds you to “be picky with your clothes, friends and time,” which is excellent advice for the busy modern woman.

      But ultimately, it all comes back to the idea that when a person feels good in whatever they’ve chosen to wear, it also allows them to spread that positive energy to others.

      “No matter what size you are, no matter what color your eyes are, no matter what color your hair is, no matter what color your skin is — anything of that nature — if you feel good in what you’re in, you can walk into the room like God sent you there to take on whatever it is, and you can just keep moving forward,” Lovelace says.

      Learn more about The Good Babes by visiting the company website at www.thegoodbabes.com and following on Instagram at @thegoodbabesco.

    • On the Trail with Chancey Williams

      On the Trail with Chancey Williams

      “I was spreading myself a little thin, doing all three, and I don’t think I was riding as good as I should have been because I was trying to go play dates, and I was like, well, I think I’m just going to play music.”

      He might have hung up his spurs for now, but saddle bronc rider turned successful country music artist Chancey Williams understands what it takes to be a cowboy behind the mic and in the arena.

      Despite leaving his rodeo career behind, Williams continues to draw upon his experiences as a cowboy to create authentic and heartfelt music that resonates with fans across the country.

      His journey from growing up on a ranch in Moorcroft, Wyoming, to performing at stages such as the Grand Ole Opry has been inspiring, and his success serves as a testament to his determination and understanding of the Western lifestyle.

      While in Rapid City, South Dakota, we were fortunate enough to have an exclusive sit-down interview with the Wyoming native. We caught up with him on his tour bus right after his sound check to talk about rodeo, ranching, and music.

      RN: When did you decide to be a musician? Rumor has it you were pretty big at the high school talent show?

      Williams: Yeah, we started in high school just kind of for fun. And we actually started just for a talent show. I tell people [it was] kind of an excuse to have everybody in town come out to the shop. We’d say we were practicing, and we knew like eight songs and just kept playing them, and people would get together. So we did it just for fun, really. I didn’t really know where it would take us.

      Then, some guy in Moorcroft hired us for a New Year’s Eve thing and gave us 200 bucks. We’re like, man, you get paid for this? So then we just kind of started playing all around the area in high school, dances, rodeos, fairs, and stuff. I went to college and we were busy in college playing. Then I had a lot of work, you know, go to the college rodeo and ride and then play at the dance that night. It was a good college job.

      It kind of took off from there. The rest of the band was still in college, so I went to grad school, got my master’s, and stayed in Laramie then, for an internship, I moved to Nashville to work for Toby Keith. Down there, [I] just decided, well, maybe I want to do this as a career. I was riding broncs and playing music, and I was picking up for Cervi’s and Franzen’s a little bit. I kind of liked it all, but I figured I better make a choice to do one and try to do it right. I was spreading myself a little thin, doing all three, and I don’t think I was riding as good as I should have been because I was trying to go play dates, and I was like, well, I think I’m just going to play music.

      RN: You talked about the high school talent show, are any of your band members you played with in high school still with you?

      Williams: No, I’m the only one left. The original guys, you know, a couple of them went and got real jobs, married, and grew up, and I didn’t grow up. But you know Wyatt and Brooke have been with me for 15 years, so they’ve been the longest. Then the other guys, most of them are five or six years in. I have a really good band right now, and it’s a lot of fun, but yeah, none of the originals. They all went off and did something else, but I didn’t want to grow up.

      RN: What’s something special that each band member brings to the stage?

      Williams: I always say Wyatt’s like the heart of the band; he’s so mellow- mannered. He’s kind of, you know, everybody looks up to Wyatt as being chill, so he kind of keeps the whole camp chillin’. Obviously Brooke, you know, with her fashion and [playing] fiddle. There are a lot of fiddle players, but not that look like her. But Brooke always brings a lot to the table with her Instagram fashion stuff, and she has her own way of doing things. [She] pretty much makes all of her own clothes; she and her mom thrift shop and make clothes. So Brooke’s awesome. Dale’s a drummer we got out of Fargo. He played in a band that we knew, and when our last drummer left, he was our first call, and he’s just so talented. We have to fly him every weekend. And then Casey, our other guitar player, he’s awesome, he’s kind of a rock and roll guy. He brought a lot to the table, too, but he lives in South Padre, so we have to fly him every weekend, too. Jay, our bass player, lives in Loveland, and so he was also a great fit. I always tell people it’s almost 90% personality and 10% playing. Because you can teach people how to play pretty good if they know what they’re doing, but you can’t teach people how to get along on the road and not be a jerk. We live on these buses pretty much year- round, so there are some great musicians in Nashville, but there are a lot of musicians who are kind of weird, too.

      RN: What are some skills you gained growing up on the ranch that have helped you today? 

      Williams: I always tell people we [apply] ranch work style to music. People think music, they just see you play live, and they’re like, oh, it must be really fun. It’s a lot of work. And to get to the level we’re trying to, it’s unbelievable. I look back to be like, man, I don’t know if I’d have started this because the music business is crazy, but growing up ranching is hard work.

      So that taught us to work hard, and we like it. It’s not that bad on the road.

      Music’s tough, but every time I think it’s hard work out here, I can just call my brother at home and ask him what he’s doing. He’s [usually] calving or something. They’re like, well, this music thing ain’t too bad. The hardest part of the day in music is still easier than ranching.

      RN: March is our equine edition: how have horses influenced your life and music?

      Williams: Well, you know, I tend to write a lot of songs about cowboys and ranching and the Western Way life, so I guess just, you know, growing up a horseman, growing up breaking colts, then riding broncs, you know, it gives me the credentials to write songs about it. You know, you hear a lot of songs on the radio that you can tell somebody from Nashville wrote about a cowboy. Well, they haven’t really lived that, so you know, growing up with my history, I can write songs that are lyrically correct.

      RN: I know you used to ride saddle bronc, can you tell me a little about that?

      Williams: Our dad was a saddle bronc rider, so I grew up wanting to be like Dad. We started when we were fairly young. Then a kid got hurt real bad at a school in Gillette, so mom put the halt to the bronc riding for a few years. Then finally, we were riding colts, breaking colts, and you know, they were just like rodeoing, so finally, mom’s like, well, it’s kind of the same thing, so I’ll let you. So, high school, rodeo went to high school finals in the bronc riding, then went to Casper College on a rodeo scholarship, rodeo’d there three years, made the college 2 finals there, then went to Laramie one year and made the college finals my senior year, and then rodeo’d for a couple years out after college.

      I love bronc riding and I miss it a lot. I think about it all the time. I think everybody that’s stopped doing it, I dream about it. I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s one of those things you can’t do forever. You can team rope for a long time, you know. So it’s just one of those sporting events that you can’t just go get on one for fun. If you’re not in shape for it you, can get hurt.

      I’m always worried about getting hurt, you know, And then we’d be out of work for a while. We played at Red Bluff a couple of years ago, and they’re like,

      “Hey, want to get on the wild ride.” I was like, sure, what’s one more? Then COVID hit, so I didn’t get on in Red Bluff. That’s probably a sign. Yeah, but I do miss it a lot.

      RN: What’s your favorite rodeo to play?

      Williams: Oh, Cheyenne.

      I mean, we love NFR. We got to do the opening ceremony there five times. It’s obviously cool because I never made it there in the bronc riding. But I feel like I made it my own way, getting to play in front of the yellow chutes.

      We’ve always loved Cheyenne. I rode there, in a couple of rounds in the rookie bronc riding. It’s just a special place.

      RN: What do you like most about playing for rodeo fans?

      Williams: Well, they’re just my people. They get my songs, you know? Sometimes, my songs are a little precise as far as some of the lyrics are too insider.

      So, like, there are probably certain songs that people don’t get if you’re not a cowboy. They’re like, what, I don’t know what that means. So, being too accurate can be bad, too, for a giant fan base.

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      RN: Where do you get your inspiration from?

      Williams: You hear lines from people at the bar or at a rodeo; you hear somebody say something a certain way. I go through my notes on my phone, and I have all these ideas. Whether they ever make a song or not. Some days, you wake up the next day and [wonder], what does that mean? I wasn’t making any sense. Yeah. That’s kind of where, I just like to write things that are authentic.

      So, I think in this day and age, people in general are searching for authenticity. The real world, you know, maybe some of that came from shows like Yellowstone and stuff. It just brought like the cowboy way of life, opened it up to a broader spectrum where people from the East Coast and West Coast, like, wow, they want to live vicariously through our lives through shows like Yellowstone.

      I write songs that they can think they’re being a cowboy and listen to.

      RN: What artists inspired you?

      Williams: I grew up listening [to] ‘80s and ‘90s country. The ‘90s stuff was super influential, like Dan Seals and Toby Keith. Toby was really good to me when I worked for him. And obviously, George Strait and Chris LeDoux were two real cowboys. Obviously, Chris was a world-champion bareback rider. Just watching Chris’s career [thinking] if he can do it, maybe I can do it.

      Chris helped us out early on and kind of got us started. It made me want to do it. He let us open for him in Billings, and we were horrible. We were young. We just started, and Chris didn’t care. Because Dad and Chris rode together [they were friends]. We knew them and the family all growing up. I just called their house one day, and Peggy [LeDoux], and I was like, how do we get into doing opening stuff? She’s like, well, let’s talk to Chris. And Chris was like, yeah, we’ll let you open up there [Billings] in August. [It was our] first time playing in front of a big crowd of about 8,000 people in the Metra. I was really nervous. And we were pretty darn bad. But I was like, man, this feels awesome; I wanna do this. We’re bad, but we can do this. And I remember Chris being like, looks like you were meant to be up there.

      RN: What type of music do you listen to now?

      Williams: Do you know what Yacht Rock is? It’s like easy listening ‘70s stuff. Wyatt is the music genius; he finds all this stuff, and he got me listening to some, you know, easy listening ‘70s, California- type stuff. So I listen to that a lot. We listen to about everything on here.

      But I typically end up playing sad old country songs at the end of the night. And it puts everybody to bed. Stuff you can drink to. I was like, man, these old ‘90s and ‘80s sad country songs have more emotion than everything.

      They’re like, who played this on the jukebox? That’s me. I’m the guy that spent 40 bucks on old Dan Seals songs. Who played “Everything That Glitters Is Not Gold” again?

      RN: Who would you most like to collaborate with?

      Williams: Probably Dierks Bentley. Just cause out of all the guys we’ve played with in the past, Dierks has become a really nice guy. I mean, I consider him friends, but, like, he texts me all the time. I text him back. Dierks is a genuinely nice guy; he’s what you see on TV, and sometimes, the artists aren’t.

      It’d be fun to do a song with Dierks. You know, and just cause he’s fun, like all the songs are fun, they’re kind of like our songs.

      RN: What are you looking forward to most in 2024?

      Williams: Well, we’re excited about this new batch of songs. We just put out our new single, A Cowboy Who Would. And it’s the first batch of eight that I did with this new producer, Bryce. And it’s some really good stuff.

      We have some of the stuff that fits what we always do: cowboy stuff. But just sonically, we changed engineers and some session players, and it just sounds really good. And this new single is doing really well. It got picked up by 150 stations nationwide this week. Last week, it was on the CMT Top 40 country countdown. They have a launch pad section in the countdown, and they got played nationwide.

      So we’re really excited about the music, you know, at the end of the day, It’s kind of all about the song, you know, that’s what moves the needle for an artist. We’ve done really well, but to make you huge, you have to have a hit song that kind of changes the world. You know, Toby Keith built his career off ‘Should’ve

      Been a Cowboy”. It was the number-one song played in the ‘90s.

      Then we got some great dates coming up. Sounds like we’re going to get to play the Grand Ole Opry a couple more times. They said maybe three times this year.

      Yeah, bucket list things, and we get to play Red Rocks in Denver in June, which is a bucket list one because everybody wants to play Red Rocks, so it’s fun to finally play there since we live so close by. A lot of great tour dates, and [I’m really] excited about all this new music.

      RN: Anything else you would like to add?

      Williams: We always encourage people to stream our stuff on Spotify. Our fan base is kind of old-school out west. They still listen on the radio and buy CDs. But, the music business gauges how successful you are sometimes off your streaming numbers. Our fans don’t stream; they drive six hours, buy a concert ticket and a t-shirt, and come to the show. They stream some, but some don’t even have Spotify. I always encourage people to stream the heck out of it. It makes us look good.

    • Rodeo Life Media Corporation Expanding with Two Acquisitions

      Rodeo Life Media Corporation Expanding with Two Acquisitions

      Rodeo Life Media announces its acquisitions of American Buckle and Rodeo News magazines. Coming off of one of the most memorable and exciting Wrangler National Finals Rodeos, the expectations are high to see the momentum continue with some of the best rodeoing out of the chutes in 2024. Rodeo Life Media will be there to bring fans and readers expanded coverage of all things rodeo. “American Buckle Magazine has always been about elevating the sport of rodeo and connecting fans to their favorite athlete. Rodeo Life shares that same vision and will carry it on through Rick & Lori’s leadership,” says Chris Dize, founder of American Buckle Magazine.”

      Rodeo Life Media was founded on living a life of integrity with purpose and passion. Owners Rick and Lori Bizzell of Laramie, Wyoming, began Rodeo Life Media because of their passion for God, family, and country. These values will forge on as Rodeo Life works with its team of experienced rodeo professionals, including editor-in-chief Kristen Schurr. Schurr has strong ties to the rodeo industry, multiple years of experience in the publishing industry, and is a card-holding PRCA photographer. 

      Her work can be found in The New York Times, Cowboys & Indians Magazine, Western Horseman, Working Ranch Magazine, The Wrangler Horse & Rodeo News, Cowgirl Magazine, ProRodeo Sports News, PRCA Business Journal, Tri-State Livestock News, and more. Schurr said that she is excited about the future of rodeo and wants to deliver compelling, timely, and exciting updates to rodeo fans via Rodeo Life Magazine.

      Salted with humor and good-natured commentary, Rodeo Life Magazine coverage will feature rodeos nationwide, including articles on the lives of current and up-and-coming superstars and in-depth and timely information for the growing rodeo fan base. Rodeo Life will not back down from some of the difficult topics that affect our Western way of life, our families, our faith, and our country!

    • National Finals Rodeo Round One Canceled

      National Finals Rodeo Round One Canceled

      Due to the tragic events that unfolded at the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus on Wednesday, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Las Vegas Events Board of Trustees announced that round one of the National Finals Rodeo was canceled.

       

      The shooting took place 0.4 miles from the Thomas & Mack, where contestants, staff, and contractors were in lockdown inside the arena while they were supposed to be practicing for the grand entry.

       

      “The PRCA is saddened by the tragedy that happened yesterday and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their friends and families,” said PRCA CEO Tom Glause. “We have worked closely with our partners in Las Vegas and the Thomas & Mack Center to work through the NFR schedule, while maintaining sensitivity to the events that took place. We will bring our fans together on Friday evening to share our support for this community.”

       

      The first round of the finals will now be held on December 8th at 5:45 p.m. at the Thomas & Mac Center and will feature a moment of silence to honor the victims at the start of the performance.

       

      “Today’s shooting on the UNLV campus was alarming and deeply troubling,” Tom Glause said. “The PRCA is grateful for the rapid, professional response from law enforcement and first responders. Our thoughts right now are focused on the victims of this senseless act of violence.”

       

      In order to maintain the tradition of the ten rounds of the NFR, an additional performance will now be held on Wednesday, December 13th at 10 a.m. This event will not be open to the public.

       

      The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center, South and Central Halls, will continue as planned. It is open to the public and free to attend.

    • Feild’s Day: PRCA’s top bareback rider ever – Kaycee Feild – calls it a career

      Feild’s Day: PRCA’s top bareback rider ever – Kaycee Feild – calls it a career

      The cowboy who set the gold standard for PRCA bareback riders has called it a career. 

       

      Kaycee Feild, who has won a record six PRCA Bareback Riding World Championships (2011-14, 2020-21), confirmed to the ProRodeo Sports News that he’s retiring. 

       

      “Man, it’s actually kind of a weight lifted off my shoulders,” said Feild, 36, about announcing his retirement. “What I’m feeling, it is a pretty dang good feeling. I’m happy where I’m at, it feels good to be home with my family and look forward to being here, not missing games, junior rodeos.” 

       

      Feild obtained his PRCA card in 2007 and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 13 times – (2008-15, 2018-22) tied for fifth most ever for bareback riders. The Genola, Utah, cowboy won the average – a bareback riding record – five times in 2011-14 and 2020. 

       

      “I’m so grateful for the sport of rodeo,” Feild said. “What I have from the sport, the opportunities it presented me with are humbling experiences. I got to go overseas with the National Patriot Tour and that was a lifechanging event to go over and see war firsthand and give thanks. That was presented to me because I had a cowboy hat, a pair of cowboy boots and a bareback riggin.  

       

      “It is just a humbling place I’m in and I’m extremely grateful for the career I had and the success I had and the friendships I developed with the committeemen, cameramen, traveling partners, competitors, pickup men, gatemen, you name it. I have friendships that are special to me. 

       

      “The bucking horses and accolades I have in the sport mean a lot to me. It was an extremely fun career that I was blessed to have. I was blessed with a durable body and a lot of people who kept me motivated. My family was a big part of every bit of it. My wife (Stephanie) was the best teammate a guy could have. The things I learned along the way, the ups and downs that the humbling sport of rodeo is, it makes me so excited for the next chapter and confident in the direction I’m going.” 

      Kaycee and his wife, have three children, daughters Chaimberlyn, 10, and Remi, 5; and son, Huxyn, 8. 

       

      Feild, who also has a PRCA bareback riding record 29 NFR round wins, was coming to grips with retirement for a little while. 

       

      “I had my goals set at the beginning of the year to take my family as much as could and that was the No. 1 goal,” Feild said. “Obviously, a goal of mine was to be the world champion and not crossing that off hurts and to not retire at the NFR hurts. It is not the dream I had but it (retiring) is what I wanted more than anything. 

       

      “It’s been five years that I have been talking to my wife (about retirement) and listening to some older athletes and friends who have retired over the years. It was evident to me last year come July if it wasn’t going to retire at the end of 2022, then for sure in 2023.” 

       

      Feild said his decision has nothing to do with injuries. 

       

      “I still feel great physically and mentally,” he said. “It’s crazy that I have the least inflammation in my body since 2012. I was worried about what was going to be my motivator when I was done rodeoing to stay physically fit. I thought it was going to be hard to get in the gym, but I have found motivation of ‘How good can you feel.’ You’re not going to go to the rodeo and get beat up and start getting hurt. Your ribs aren’t going to hurt. Your shoulder is OK, your wrist is just fine, this is amazing. ‘How far are you going to push and how good are you going to feel.’ This makes it a little more fun.” 

       

      Kaycee followed in the footsteps of his father, the late Lewis Feild, a ProRodeo Hall of Famer, and five-time PRCA World Champion in all-around 1987-89; and bareback riding 1985-86. 

       

      Kaycee had eight 90-point rides at the NFR, including five in the last three years. His last ride at the 2022 NFR he won Round 10 with a 92-point ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler. 

       

      Since 2011, Feild has registered 25 90-point rides or better. 

       

      “I find it hard to talk about it still,” Feild said of his career accomplishments. “It’s unreal and extremely humbling now that I’m able to look back on it. I’m not lying in bed and dreaming of riding bucking horses and the competing, it is lay my head down and rest and dream of what I have accomplished and how to utilize those tools into the next chapter into the next discipline.” 

       

      During his decorated career, Feild found enjoyment in the arena in different ways. 

       

      “It varied throughout my career,” Feild said. “I obviously loved riding bucking horses. I knew from a young age that’s what I wanted to do. Throughout my career, my favorite thing was drawing the toughest horses. I loved the challenge. I loved the hype behind big bad bucking horses and to be in the mental state to go at that horse with full confidence that was extremely fun. The most fun thing for me is when my family could be at the rodeos and have a win. It always fun to have them there and when I got to have my family come out on the stage and accept the awards with me and have my wife and kids feel that, because it was a full team, was special. I also can’t deny the friendships.” 

       

      Outside of rodeo, Field has several businesses he’s involved with.

       

      “That’s something I’m excited and motivated about,” Feild said. “I still have PWR PRO that we have had for five years, and it is doing well. Our products are well liked in the Western community and to feel that support is humbling. My brother Shad and I have Warbonnet Cowboy hats, and he operates it and having a business with my brother is a blast. I’ve learned a lot from him. My newest venture is called KTK Fulfillment. We are Fulfillment center, and we will store your products and fulfill your orders. It is a very fast-paced business, and it is fun.

       

      “My business partners in KTK, Kaden (Mower) and Thomas (Mower) are very sharp guys and they have taught me a lot. We are great friends, so it makes it even more fun. It is a lot like a traveling partner, they are going to call me on my BS, just like Tilden (Hooper) did my whole career. They let know if you made a mistake and they support you and educate you in the coolest way. They are very successful guys.”

       

      As for rodeo plans, Feild has no long-term plans.

       

      “I’m going to go down and fulfill my obligations with my endorsements and brands I represent at the (2023 NFR),” Feild said. “Then, after that I find myself thinking I will probably step away from rodeo and pursue some different things for a year or two. But I love the sport and I have a lot of passion for it and there are so many great people in it. There are so many great things I love about the sport. I see myself a few years down the road somehow being involved. I will do a couple of schools next, and I plan on helping bareback riding and hopefully I can create more bareback riding athletes.

       

      “Right now, my passion and my focus are my family and KTK, PWR PRO and Warbonnet. It is a crazy fast pace and I find the more I live my life like an eight-second ride and stay busy hustling all day, it helps me stay grounded.”

    • Josh Frost named 2023 Linderman Award recipient

      Josh Frost named 2023 Linderman Award recipient

      COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The PRCA Linderman Award is one of the most prestigious awards in ProRodeo. It recognizes a cowboy who won at least $1,000 in three events, and those events must include at least one roughstock and one timed-event.

       

      The 2023 Linderman Award winner is Randlett, Utah, cowboy Josh Frost.

       

      This past season Frost earned $232,034 in bull riding, $2,395 in tie-down roping, $1,976 in the steer wrestling, and another $482 in team roping. Frost said he takes great pride in the award and its a goal he sets out for himself at the beginning of every year.

       

      “It means a lot to win this award, I put a lot of work into it every year to make it happen,” said Frost, 28. “It can be hard to balance two timed events when you’re trying to win a gold buckle in the bull riding. It’s always more challenging than you think, winning $1,000 sounds easy, but there aren’t easy events to win money in the PRCA that’s for sure.”

       

      Frost’s focus remains on winning a world title in the bull riding, where he sits third in the PRCA | RAM World Standings headed into the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but he said if there was another event that’s his favorite and best it would probably have to be tie-down roping.

       

      “The tie-down roping is definitely the best of the two events for me, I practice that one a lot more,” he said. “I’m more competitive there and can win a little bit more money, whereas with the steer wrestling my size can hold me back a little bit at times.”

       

      Frost has now won four straight Linderman awards. His first came back in 2019, followed up by 2021, 2022, and now 2023. He hopes to be remembered as not just a bull rider, but a cowboy. He’s gained even more respect for the other events along the way. The Linderman Award was not awarded in 2020.

       

      “I think competing for this award just goes down to my cowboy roots and wanting to be remembered as a cowboy,” Frost said. “I have a lot of respect for the other cowboys and the other events in our sport of rodeo.”

    • Colorado cowgirl selected as Wrangler NFR saddle horse boss

      Colorado cowgirl selected as Wrangler NFR saddle horse boss

      Raina Hudson-Chavez has been selected as the saddle horse boss at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

      As boss, she is responsible for the 74 horses ridden for various uses at the Wrangler NFR, and the eleven people under her, who help care for, tack, and exercise the horses.

      Those animals include 24 black flag horses, ridden by the flag girls for the grand entry pivot and sponsor flags (called the front end horses), 30 horses ridden by the saddle bronc and bull riders during the states grand entry, two horses for judges, four ushers’ horses, and pickup horses, owned by the pickup men but housed at the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas.

      Her and her cohorts’ workday starts at about 6:30 am, when they come in to clean, feed, water and exercise horses. They usually leave at about 11 am, then come back by 2 pm for that evening’s performance. They’re there till the rodeo is over, at about 9:30 pm, after the last of the horses, the pickup horses, are unsaddled, cooled out and settled in for the night.

      Of the eleven people under her management, two cowgirls are assigned to the pickup horses. The other nine people each get six to seven horses to care for, water, feed and ride, the same  horses every day.

      It’s a tight-run ship; everything has to run on schedule for rodeo production, Raina said.

      The saddle bronc and bull riders come for their horses for the states’ flags grand entry in a staggered fashion, not all at once. But when the grand entry is over, when all of those horses return, “they all come back at the same time, so you’re trying to make sure the horses get put in the right stalls.”

      The two cowgirls assigned to the pickup horses help with the switch of horses during the bareback and saddle bronc riding. It’s a fifteen second switch, Raina said. “The pickup men are running at you with their hot horses, and you’re holding the fresh horses. (The cowgirls) needs to swap that off fluidly to where you’re not in their way, but you’re also keeping everybody safe and the horses are not out of control.

      “Those swaps are exciting and it’s fast-paced and you have to be on your game.” The crew helps exercise the pickup horses in the morning, and warm them up during the performances.

      Horses are usually exercised in the morning. The exercise pen is the same area where the arena dirt for the Thomas and Mack arena is stored throughout the year. The dirt is gone, leaving an area of about 200 feet long by 100 feet wide. Contestants warm up their horses in the same pen, but when it gets crowded, everyone is respectful of others, Raina said.

      Their work begins a week before the Wrangler NFR starts. The state grand entry horses are borrowed from stock contractors, and Raina and her people ride every one of them, “getting any kinks worked out of them,” she said. “We can see where each horse is at.” (The timed event contestants and barrel racers ride their own horses and the bareback riders don’t ride in the states grand entry; they’re getting ready to compete.)

      Before the Finals starts, the crew gets stalls ready and bedding put out for not only the horses in their care, but for the contestants and rodeo acts as well.

      After the ten days of the Wrangler Finals are over, she and her people tear down, storing the water hoses, tack, and other equipment in a storage unit. They help in organizing the stock contractors’ tack and their horses as they are loaded and ready to leave.

      Raina grew up in Michigan, the daughter of Howard and Joyce Overholt, competing in the IPRA but mostly helping her dad at horse sales and with training horses. The family often had 300 head that her dad, a horse and cattle dealer, bought and sold.

      “I was the guinea pig,” she said, of her youth. “Any horse my dad bought, I was the one who got to jump on and see what was broke and what wasn’t.”

      Raina was given the “problem” horses and often had a string of 15 to 20 to ride. “I would work with them, and my dad would usually sell them.” The experience she gained working with those horses is part of how she makes a living now.

      Living in Brighton, Colo., with her husband, Adrian Chavez, she puts on clinics, gives riding lessons and works with a variety of horses. “My clients bring me all types of horses, and it’s been fun getting to work with them,” she said. She’s compiled a list of what she’s termed the “micro-expressions” a horse gives: a slow eye blink or the flick of an ear, for example, and teaches her clients how to read those expressions. “My clinics teach people how to connect with their horses and read their body language. It’s stuff we take for granted when we grow up with it.”

      She and Adrian operate the Twisted Arrow Ranch in Brighton, where they breed their own horses and raise them for roping and barrel racing.

      Raina got her start at the Wrangler NFR in 2013, through Floyd Campbell, who worked with the Finals saddle horses. She was galloping race horses at the Arapahoe Park Race Track in Aurora, Colo., where Campbell also worked, when he asked her to help. For the first few years, she was assigned to the grand entry horses, then to the pickup horses. She helped wherever she was needed. “Whatever job needed to be done, I would jump in and help. It got to where people came and asked me for help.”

      TVs are placed around the tunnel and warm up tents where Raina and her crew work, but they don’t get to watch much of the rodeo, and she’s fine with that.

      “I like the behind the scenes stuff. But you can stop and watch and catch up with things.”

      Working behind the scenes at the Wrangler NFR calls for a disciplined person, she said. “For the job to be done correctly, you need people who are self-starters and self-motivators. You show them the job, then they understand it and want to keep doing it. You don’t want to have to micromanage people at the Finals. They need to be able to do the job they’re hired for, and be able to think through things on their own.”

      The job isn’t easy, but it’s very enjoyable. “You have to love rodeo and the whole atmosphere of it, because it’s a lot of work, and hard work, but if you love it, it’s not.

      “I enjoy the rodeo crew and all the people, the way they come together. I don’t think you get that in any other sport. We’re all there for one cause.

      “It’s an honor just to be there.”

       

       

       

       

       

    • BEST IN THE BADLANDS

      BEST IN THE BADLANDS

      Badlands Circuit Finals determines champs, qualifiers for the NFR Open

       

      MINOT, N.D. (October 15, 2023) – The gold buckles are on their winners’ belts, the championship saddles are packed in trucks headed home, and the final rodeo of the 2023 season is over for Badlands Circuit cowboys and cowgirls.

       

      The annual Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo was held Oct. 13-15, with two champions crowned in each event: the year end champ (the cowboy or cowgirl who has won the most money throughout the regular season, and the finals champ (the cowboy or cowgirl who won the rodeo in Minot.)

       

      Year end and finals champs qualify to compete at the NFR Open, held in Colorado Springs, Colo., next July. With a payout of over $600,000, the NFR Open is an exclusive opportunity for circuit winners from across the nation to win money and improve in the standings.

       

      Some of the ’23 champs are repeats, continuing their winning ways, and some are just getting a good start to their pro rodeo careers.

       

      Bareback rider Ben Kramer, Max, N.D. won his first circuit titles, claiming both the year end and finals spots. For the finals, he scored 240.5 points on three head, only two and a half points more than the number two man, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City.

       

      The twenty-two year old has had the best year of his rodeo career. He won first place at Badlands Circuit rodeos like Clear Lake, Brookings and Watertown, S.D., and at the big shows as well, having won money at Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days.

       

      Kramer is a third generation bareback rider; his granddad, Jack Kramer, and his dad, Shawn Kramer, also rode. Shawn qualified for the Badlands Circuit Finals three times in the 1990s.

       

      This was Kramer’s fourth circuit finals qualification. He is currently ranked 34th in the world standings.

       

      Another new name topped the list for Badlands winners.

       

      Saddle bronc rider Cash Wilson, Wall, S.D., went home with both the year-end and finals titles, having won the most money during the regular season and earning 242.5 points on three head to win the finals.

       

      The twenty-one year old won checks in each round, tying for second in round one, winning second in round two, and taking first place in the third round.

       

      On Friday night, in round one, he rode the Sutton horse Big E Macksteel. “I could have rode that horse a lot better,” he said. “but I came back Saturday night and made a really good ride. Today I knew I had to do my job. I had a good horse of Korkow’s named Bambino Vold, so I knew I had a good chance.”

       

      Wilson acknowledged the history of North and South Dakota being home to excellent saddle bronc riders.

       

      “I’ve always looked up to these guys,” he said. “There are so many good bronc riders in the Dakotas, it’s hard to name them all. There’s been a lot of great guys who have won the Badlands Circuit, and I’m just happy to add my name to the list.”

       

      Wilson, who finished the 2023 pro rodeo season in 26th place in the world standings, is excited to be heading to the NFR Open. “It’s a great opportunity. There’s a lot of big money up for grabs there. I’m excited to compete at that.”

       

      Steer wrestler Cameron Morman is no stranger to Badlands titles. The Glen Ullin, N.D. cowboy won his eighth and ninth gold buckles this year, having won the year-end and finals titles.

       

      He was aboard Kenny, a seventeen-year-old sorrel who carried Morman to his 2022 wins.

       

      The sorrel “is real quick across the line, and I feel like this arena fits his style,” he said.

       

      Bily Bolden hazed for Morman and for several other steer wrestlers at circuit finals.

       

      The indoor arena at the N.D. State Fair Center in Minot is also a good fit for another horse.

       

      Breakaway roping champ Sawyer Gilbert, who won the finals with 7.7 seconds on three head, was aboard her nineteen-year-old paint horse named Roger.

       

      “He really likes this building,” she said. “It’s indoor and a short setup, and that’s his game. The cattle were a little slower, and he does really, really good with softer cattle, the ones that stop at the end of the rope. He quarters and gets the rope broke away really fast.”

       

      Roger also likes music, which is louder at indoor rodeos. “He likes loud music,” she said. “When we practice on him, we’ll play music, and he’ll play with the lead rope or the fence.”

       

      Gilbert won first place in the second round and fourth place in the third round.

       

      “I drew really good all weekend,” she said, and she was careful not to break barriers, which adds a ten second penalty and ruins any chance a breakaway roper has of winning the rodeo.

       

      During the third performance, as she rode into the breakaway box, she heard the announcer say she had to make a three second run, or faster. “I could have tried to win the round tonight and win the year end (title), but the smart thing to do when you’re winning the average by that much is to get out of the barrier and rope your cow and that’s what I did.”

       

      Gilbert is the 2021 WPRA World Champion breakaway roper. Brooke Howell, Belle Fourche, S.D., was the year-end winner.

       

      In the barrel racing, two veterans claimed wins. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., won the year-end title aboard her popular palomino horse Fiery Miss West, “Missy,” and Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., won the finals rodeo, on her well-known gray horse, Promise Me Fame Guys, “Levee.”

       

      Mason Moody dominated the bull riding from the start.

       

      The Letcher, S.D. man came into circuit finals with a commanding lead, and was the only bull rider to make three qualified rides; no one else rode two bulls, and only two men covered one bull (Riggin Shippy, Colome, S.D. and TJ Schmidt, Belle Fourche, S.D.) For his efforts, Moody won both the year end and finals titles.

       

      Other 2023 champions include tie down ropers Grant Turek, St. Paul, Neb. (year end) and Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. (finals), and team ropers Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, S.D. and Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, S.D. (year end) and Jon Peterson, Belle Fourche, S.D. and Trae Smith, Georgetown, Idaho (finals).

      The Badlands All-Around of the Year title went to Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, S.D. The Badlands All-Around title was won by Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb.

      Both year-end and average champions will represent the RAM Badlands Circuit at the NFR Open, formerly known as the National Circuit Finals Rodeo, to be held in Colorado Springs in July of 2024. In the event that the same person has won both titles, the second person in the year-end race qualifies for the NFR Open.

      – ### –

       

      3Year end and average winners for the Badlands Circuit

      3rd performance results from Oct. 15, 2023

       

      All-around Champion: Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, SD

      All-around champion for the Finals: Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, NE

       

      Bareback riding

      Bareback Riding Year End Champion: Ben Kramer, Max, ND

      Bareback Riding Average Champion: Ben Kramer, Max, ND

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Ty Breuer, Mandan, ND 85 points on Sutton Rodeo’s Deets; 2. Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, ND 83; 3. Chase Yellow Hawk, Blunt, SD 80; 4. Steven DeWolfe-Shedeed, Buffalo Gap, SD 78.5.

       

      Average results:

      1. Ben Kramer, Max, ND 240.5 points on 3 head; 2. Shane O’Connell, Rapid City SD 238; 3. Chase Yellow Hawk, Blunt, SD 228; 4. Steven DeWolfe-Shedeed, Buffalo Gap, SD 222.5.

       

      Steer Wrestling

      Steer Wrestling Year End Champion:  Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, ND

      Steer Wrestling Average Champion: Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, ND

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Justice Johnson, Bismarck, ND 3.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, ND and Reed Kraeger, Waco, NE 4.0 each; 4. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, NE 4.2.

       

      Average results:

      1. Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, ND 12.1 seconds on 3 head; 2. Scott Kleeman, Killdeer, ND 13.7; 3. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, NE 14.6; 4. Tyler Thorson, Manning, ND 14.7.

       

      Team Roping

      Team Roping Year End Champion Header: Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, SD

                                                                  Heeler: Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, SD

      Team Roping Average Champion Header: Jon Peterson, Belle Fourche, SD

                                                                  Heeler: Trae Smith, Georgetown, Idaho

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Jon Peterson, Belle Fourche, SD/Trae Smith, Georgetown, Idaho 4.5 seconds; 2. Jr Dees, Aurora, SD/Ross Ashford, Lott, Texas 4.8; 3. Clay Holz, Niobrara, NE/Matt Zancanella, Aurora, SD 4.9; 4. Trevor Olson, Mud Butte, SD/Jace Engesser, Spearfish, SD 5.0.

       

      Average results:

      1. Jon Peterson, Belle Fourche, SD/Trae Smith, Georgetown, Idaho 20.7 seconds on 3 head; 2. Jr Dees, Aurora, SD/Ross Ashford, Lott, TX 21.0; 3. Guy Howell, Belle Fourche, SD/Riley Curuchet, Kaycee, WY 22.4; 4. Cooper White, Hershey, NE/Tucker White, Hershey, NE 25.4.

       

      Saddle Bronc Riding

      Saddle Bronc Year End Champion: Cash Wilson, Wall, SD

      Saddle Bronc Average Champion: Cash Wilson, Wall, SD

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Cash Wilson, Wall, SD 80.5 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Bambino Vold; 2. Cole Elshere, Faith, SD 77; 3. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, SD 75; 4. Shorty Garrett, Eagle Butte, SD 70.

      Average results:

      1. Cash Wilson, Wall, SD 242.5 points on 3 head; 2. Cole Elshere, Faith, SD 235; 3. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, SD 231.5; 4. Shorty Garrett, Eagle Butte, SD 227.

       

      Breakaway Roping

      Breakaway Roping Year End Champion: Brooke Howell, Belle Fourche, SD

      Breakaway Roping Average Champion: Sawyer Gilbert, Buffalo, SD

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Taylor Engesser, Spearfish, SD 2.0 seconds; 2. Danielle Wray, Ord, NE 2.2; 3. Kayla Olson, Chadron, NE 2.6; 4. Sawyer Gilbert, Buffalo, SD 2.8.

       

      Average results:

      1. Sawyer Gilbert, Buffalo, SD 7.7 seconds on 3 head; 2. Danielle Wray, Ord, NE 7.9; 3. Brooke Howell, Belle Fourche, SD 9.4; 4. Jessica Holmes, Buffalo, SD 18.2.

       

      Tie-down Roping

      Tie Down Roping Year End Champion: Grant Turek, St. Paul, NE

      Tie Down Roping Average Champion: Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, NE

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, NE 8.1 seconds; 2. Grant Turek, St. Paul, NE 8.2; 3. Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, SD 10.9; 4. Thane Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD 11.3.

       

      Average results:

      1. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, NE 26.6 seconds on 3 head; 2. Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, SD 29.9; 3. Thane Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD 37.1; 4. Ty Moser, Volga, SD 42.6.

       

      Barrel Racing

      Barrel Racing Year End Champion: Jessica Routier, Buffalo, SD

      Barrel Racing Average Champion:  Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD

       

      3rd round results:

      1. (tie) Taylor Hanson, St. Onge, SD and Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD 13.35 seconds each; 3. Bobbi Olson, Sheyenne, ND 13.42; 4. Lakken Bice, Killdeer, ND 13.51.

       

      Average results:

      1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD 40.61 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Lakken Bice, Killdeer, ND 40.69; 3. Molly Otto, Grand Forks, ND 40.91; 4. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, SD 40.94.

       

       

      Bull Riding

      Bull Riding Year End Champion: Mason Moody, Letcher, SD

      Bull Riding Average Champion: Mason Moody, Letcher, SD

       

      3rd round results:

      1. Riggin Shippy, Colome, SD 78.5 points on Muddy Creek Rodeo’s War Zone; 2. Mason Moody, Letcher, SD 59; no other qualified rides.

       

      Average results:

      1. Mason Moody, Letcher, SD, 228 points on 3 head; 2. Riggin Shippy, Colome, SD 78.5 on 1 head; 3. TJ Schmidt, Belle Fourche, SD 77 on 1 head.

       

      ** All results are unofficial.  For more information, visit www.ProRodeo.com.