Category: Rodeo Life Today

Hall of Fame’s Bob Tallman and Legendary Rodeo Announcer Roger Mooney to Emcee Event

LAS VEGAS —The CINCH Boyd Gaming Chute-Out, set for Dec. 8-10 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, is right around the corner and today, Boyd Gaming announced some of the world-champion rodeo talent that will be competing in the event, including Luke Branquinho and Wade Sundell.

Five-time world champion Luke Branquinho will compete in Steer Wrestling, bringing his fifteen years of rodeo experience with him to the arena. Branquinho holds the distinction of having competed in and won nearly every big rodeo in the country.

Wade Sundell made headlines in the rodeo world with his $1 million win at the RFD-TV The American rodeo earlier this year. The Iowa native has qualified to ride in the WNFR seven times and will compete in Saddle Bronc Riding.

Also confirmed to compete in this year’s Boyd Gaming Chute-Out for a competition purse totaling $200,000 are Joe Beaver and McCoy Profili, and Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill for Team Roping; Steven Peebles for Bareback Riding; Cort Scheer for Saddle Bronc; Chandler Bownds for Bull Riding; and Lindsey Sears for Barrel Racing. A total of 64 participants will compete during the action-packed, three-day, afternoon rodeo event in a series of contests: Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Barrel Racing and Bull Riding.

The 2015 Chute-Out introduced an unprecedented level of rodeo fan involvement with the Boyd Gaming Chute-Out app, featuring rodeo’s first-ever automated “Day Sheet.” The event also broke new ground in rodeo sports betting, with Chute-Out events being the only rodeo events listed in Boyd Gaming’s Las Vegas sportsbooks during Rodeo Week. The Chute-Out will be listed again in Boyd Gaming sportsbooks around Las Vegas, and the Chute-Out app will see several user-friendly upgrades.

The CINCH Boyd Gaming Chute-Out complements Boyd Gaming’s significant involvement during Rodeo Week in Las Vegas, including hosting fan-favorite events like the National Finals Tonight Show and the Legendary Buck’N Ball at The Orleans Hotel and Casino; Bob Tallman Celebrity Bowling Tournament at Gold Coast Hotel and Casino; and Buckin’ Bull Party mechanical bull contest, which will premiere for the first time this year at Fremont Hotel and Casino.

Tickets start at $30 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets or room and ticket packages, to download the app or for further information about all of Boyd Gaming’s WNFR events, visit BoydChuteOut.com.

Join the conversation online with the hashtag #BoydChuteOut.

The Ada Firefighters Southern Region Tour Finale held October 21-22 in Ada, Oklahoma showcased some of rodeo’s toughest talent for the International Professional Rodeo Association’s Southern Region.

On Friday night, familiar names in the IPRA, Mark Kreder (pictured) and Sean Prater took first for Go-Round One in bareback riding and saddle bronc riding, and newcomer Osman Alvarez won the bull riding. At the timed-event side of the arena, the 2014 World Champion Barrel Racer, Natalie Overholt took first. Austin Mason wrestled his steer the fastest, Blake Ash took first in Go Round One of the tie-down roping. Former Rookies of the Year and International Finals Average Champions, Josh Canant and Jake Weddle, won the team roping, and Jimme Beth Hefner won the breakaway.

Saturday night, the competition really heated up to determine Round Two winners as well as the Average Champions.

Go Round Two would see a repeat win from both Sean Prater and the team of Josh Canant and Jake Weddle. Rookies, Austin Graham (bareback riding), Luke Potter (tie-down roping) and Bert Kathy Thompson (barrel racing) won the round in their events. Cody Brecheisen took first in steer wrestling, and your 2015 World Champion Breakaway Roper, Lindsey Hughes won the breakaway in Round Two.

It’s no surprise that the Southern Region Tour Finale champions, based upon the average, were bronc rider Sean Prater and ropers Jake Weddle and Josh Canant for a clean sweep of the weekend.

“Jake and I grew up together and have roped together for as long as I can remember.  We know what each other is going do every time we run a steer. He is an outstanding header, and he makes my job easy,” Josh Canant said of his partner in the team roping. He added of the finals, “The tour finale is great because of the money. Jake and I were both 16th in the standings, and this win hopefully helps us make the IFR this year. Kevin and Gina [of Hampton Rodeo Company] put on an excellent rodeo as usual in Ada.”

Consistency paid off for JC King and Toya Vogt in the tie-down and the breakaway roping. Mark Kreder secured the championship in the bareback riding, and Cody Brecheisen turned his round win into an average championship in the steer wrestling, while Bert Kathy Thompson proved why she’s one of the rising stars in the IPRA with her first IPRA regional championship.

“It was [a] surreal feeling to win the Southern Region Championship and a huge accomplishment for me. Not only to win it; but the fact I had only been back to riding about 10 days from a shoulder separation and tear.  My mare Shez Truely Oldtimes took care of me,” enthused Thompson, who added, “the awards were wonderful, and Hampton Rodeo put on a great show!”

Thompson, who comes from the barrel racing futurity world, has spent her rookie year adjusting to rodeo life but cited her enjoyment of travel and the helpful members of the IPRA who have welcomed her into the association. Now, she is well on her way to her first IFR qualification after her win in Ada.

For more information visit IPRARodeo.com

Bucking Horses, Bulls awarded for excellence in Pro Rodeo’s Badlands Circuit

Minot, N.D. (October 20, 2016) – They are the silent dance partners in rodeo, and they’ve won themselves some accolades.

Four bucking horses and two bucking bulls have been awarded Animal of the Year and Animal of the Finals in the RAM Badlands Circuit.

Bareback Horse of the Year was given to Sutton Rodeo’s American Graffiti.

Bareback Horse of the Badlands Circuit Finals was awarded to Korkow’s En Vogue.

Korkow Rodeo’s bareback horse En Vogue, ridden by Mike Fred,  is a five-year-old mare, out of a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo horse Vogue. Photos by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images.

Saddle Bronc of the Year was won by Sutton Rodeo’s South Point, and Saddle Bronc of the Finals went to Korkow’s Duck Butter.

Bull of the Year was given to Sutton’s Tea Time, and Bull of the Finals went to Bailey Rodeo’s High Maintenance. Drew Antone rides Sutton Rodeo’s Tea Time at the 2016 RAM Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot. The white and yellow bull repeats as the Bull of the Year for the RAM Badlands Circuit. Photo by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images.net

American Graffiti, the Bareback Horse of the Year, is a nine year old paint mare the Suttons of Onida, S.D., purchased from Steve Waagen of Bottineau, N.D. The mare “isn’t an eliminator,” Steve Sutton said, “but she’ll test you. You have to have your A game going and she’ll give you hers, and you’ll usually go to the pay window.”

The Suttons won Saddle Bronc of the Year with their ranch-raised nine-year-old bay gelding named South Point. South Point started his rodeo career as a saddle bronc horse, was switched to the bareback riding, and is now back to the saddle bronc. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. and Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D., both had first place finishes on the gelding during the second and fourth rounds of the Badlands Circuit Finals October 6-9.

 

 

Korkow Rodeo’s bareback horse En Vogue, ridden by Mike Fred, won the Bareback Horse of the Year for the Badlands Circuit. The horse is a five-year-old mare, out of a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo horse Vogue. Photo by Peggy Gander/Cowboy Images. Korkow Rodeo’s five year old mare En Vogue won Bareback Horse of the Finals. The striped-face chestnut didn’t make the trip to the Northwest rodeos with TJ Korkow but stayed closer to home with TJ’s dad Jim Korkow, at rodeos in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls, S.D., Hastings, Neb., and others. The mare bucked off two riders at the Badlands Circuit Finals, TJ said. “She circles right in front of the chutes to the left, getting in the air, kicking, bobbing her head, and curling her feet. She’s an ideal bareback horse. She looks cool when she bucks. When she bucked off Andy (Hall) the other night (at the Circuit Finals), she stood in one spot, jumped in the air, and kicked and curled her feet, doing it time and time again. She’s pretty cool.”

 

Korkow Rodeo’s Duck Butter won Saddle Bronc of the Finals. The seven year old gelding is a small horse, TJ said, about 950 lbs., but “he bucks big. He leaps in the air and he takes a pile of rein. He bucks with his head down, but he’s leaping in the air at the same time, and he kicks. It’s a pretty cool style, and he’s pretty flashy.” Shorty Garrett won first place on Duck Butter during the fourth performance of the Circuit Finals.

 

For High Maintenance, the Bull of the Finals, it was his second year of rodeo competition. The four year old red and white bull was purchased by Bailey Pro Rodeo as a calf from Nebraska. He was unridden in 2016, including two rides on him at the Badlands Circuit Finals, said Kelly Klein part owner of Bailey Pro Rodeo, and only two bull riders made qualified rides on him in 2015 (Brett Stall and Zac Peterson, both at PBR events.) “He kicks straight up and down, out of the chute, then turns back about two jumps, and goes to spinning,” Klein said.

Sutton’s bull Tea Time, who won Bull of the Year, also won the same award last year. Bull riders that make the eight second buzzer on him are usually a lot of points, Sutton said.

 

Animals were voted on by the contestants in their respective events.

 

The RAM Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo was held October 6-9 in Minot, N.D., and was hosted by the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo. Year-end and average champions were determined in each event, and qualify to compete at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla., in April 2017. For more information on pro rodeo, visit the website at ProRodeo.com. For more information on the Badlands Circuit, visit MinotYsMensRodeo.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.  -The AQHA and the WPRA annually honors the top equine partners that carry WPRA members to the winners circle. In 2016, the top 25 voted CFour Tibbie Stinson (Tibbie) as the Barrel Horse of the Year. Tibbie is owned by Kelly and Ivy Conrado and the 7-year old mare has carried Ivy to her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Ivy and Tibbie enter their first Wrangler NFR ranked fourth with $111,160 in the world standings after a phenomenal year that included major wins at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo and set a new arena record at the Wrangler Champions Challenge event in Spanish Fork, Utah, to name a few.

“Monday was a very emotional day here as we received a call from the AQHA to let us know Tibbie was named AQHA/WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year,” wrote Kelly Conrado, Ivy’s father, on Facebook. “This honor is so special. It is voted on by the top 25 members in the world standings and we are absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation for this incredible honor. For me, it is truly the most special of awards and recognitions. Thank you all. My heart is so full.”

Tibbie is a product of the Dash Ta Fame son Eddie Stinson out of Little Fancy Granny. A little back story on the Ivy and Tibbie partnership. When Ivy was still a young girl, she was at the futurity in Fort Smith, Ark., with her family and got into a wreck while riding one of the young horses. The accident kept her from the saddle for awhile. Enter Little Fancy Granny, also known as Racie. Just about four when the Conrados got her, Racie became Conrado’s therapy with the then nine year old girl spending hours in the saddle on the mare. Racie loved running barrels and soon took nearly every member of the family to the winner’s circle. Ivy won the Wrangler Junior High School State Finals twice on Racie. In her last win at the Junior High Finals, Racie was actually bred to the Dash Ta Fame son Eddie Stinson. The embryo that was flushed out following the win was Tibbie. Because Ivy was also busy competing in volleyball including Junior Olympics, she never went to the High School Finals with Racie and took a break from riding through her high school years. Meanwhile, Kelly put Tibbie into training, winning big during her four year old futurity season and now the mare will carry Ivy down the alleyway at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Finishing second in the AQHA/WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year Honors was Sadiesfamouslastwords better known as Mary Burger’s Mo that has carried Burger back to the Wrangler NFR in the No. 1 spot with a record regular season earnings record of $190,977. Mo, owned by Mary and her husband, Kerry, is a 7-year old buckskin gelding by Sadies Frosty Drift out of Porky and Bess. Burger’s last mount, Rare Fred, that carried her to the Wrangler NFR and the 2006 WPRA Barrel Racing World Title won the AQHA Barrel Horse of the Year award in both 2006 and 2009.

TKW Bullysfamous Fox “Foxy” owned by Travis and Kimmie Wall finished third in the AQHA Barrel Horse of the Year voting. Foxy has carried Kimmie to her first Wrangler NFR in 2016 ranked fifth after finishing just outside the top 15 the last two years – 19th in 2015 and 20th in 2014. Foxy, an 8-year old mare, is a product of the stallion Bully Bullion and the mare Gateway Ta Love. She was raised and trained by the Walls and carried Kimmie to a 2D win in her first competition at the futurity in Buckeye, Ariz. In 2015, Foxy mastered the “Green Mile” in Pendleton, Ore., and now will have a chance on a much shorter pattern inside the Thomas & Mack Center.

Conrado will be officially recognized during the PRCA Awards Presentation in Las Vegas, prior to the start of the Wrangler NFR.

Courtesy WPRA, Ann Bleiker

 

BARREL RACING

1. CFour Tibbie Stinson (Tibbie), owners Kelly and Ivy Conrado
2. Sadiesfamouslastwords (Mo), owners Kerry and Mary Burger
3. TKW Bullysfamous Fox (Foxy) owners Travis and Kimmie Wall

The Festival Western de St. Tite in St. Tite, Quebec is a marathon of rodeo talent on display in a town surging with hundreds of thousands of festival-goers seeking a taste of the Western way of life in the French-speaking province of Canada.

Following a kick-off weekend of competition called the Canada Cup is six consecutive performances of rodeo that culminated on Sept. 18, with Championship Sunday. The first two rounds showcased many of the best of the International Professional Rodeo Association athletes vying for a spot in the circle of finalists honored in the arena prior to the short go.

Three rounds of competition, pyro-technics, specialty acts and the famous gymkhana events of exchange and pick-up racing, equaled non-stop entertainment for rodeo fans.

Round one winners were Canadians, Pascal Isabelle, bareback riding, Louis Hemart, saddle bronc, Matt Mousseau, steer wrestling, and Caroline Poulin, barrel racing with a 16.44. Will Purcell from Australia took the round in the bull riding, and American, Tyler Milligan, tie-down roping. After running in slack, Kelly Jo Stein of New York took the win in the breakaway roping, with Sylvain and Michel Martel of Canada won team roping.

The second round saw a new list of winners with Josh Cragar of Tennessee and Eddie Parlier of Alabama, winning in the bareback and saddle bronc riding. Trent Creager of Oklahoma took the round in the tie-down roping. Nicolas Brien of Quebec scored 83 to win the bull riding. Fellow Quebec competitor, Pamela Doucet won the barrel racing in Round 2 with a 16.45 and Rod Weese of Ontario wrestled his steer in 3.3 seconds for first place.

The average was won by Carl Bernier in the bareback riding, Eddie Parlier secured the average in the saddle bronc. IPRA rookie, Daylon Swearingen, the teenage son of IPRA stock contractor, Rawhide Rodeo, who rides both horses and bulls in the roughstock end of the arena, took the title in the bull riding.

The energy at St. Tite was a new experience for the American cowboy. “The crowd is so wild, you don’t know what they’re saying, but it’s so pumped up,” he said.

Tyler Milligan won the tie-down roping. Tyler Foster won the steer wrestling and Kindyl Scruggs, who has been leading the IPRA World Barrel Racing Standings all year, took the average in her event.

Beautiful weather all weekend was interrupted briefly by heavy rain during Saturday night’s performance, but it didn’t at all diminish the packed stadium of fans or dampen their enthusiasm.

And by Sunday, the capacity crowd returned to see the champions crowned in a clean-slate short round of heart-pounding action.

A heartfelt send-off was had for pickup and exchange race champion and crowd favorite, Dany Poirier of Quebec, who retired his colorful and successful career in his last run on Sunday. Bareback rider, Tilden Hooper took the win in the bareback riding, and Louis Hemart continued his winning streak in the saddle bronc. Mitch Rinehart of Tennessee won the rodeo in the tie-down roping and Jason Stewart, whose family is a regular name on the list of International Finals Rodeo qualifiers, won the steer wrestling. Jessica Gauthier of Mirabel, Quebec, rode her surprisingly young futurity horse, a 4-year-old colt, to the win with a crowd-roaring 16.2 second run.

In describing her run after the win, Gauthier said of her horse, “He was quicker than me that time. It rained a lot so he kind of slipped coming to the first barrel. That kind of scared me, because normally he bends a lot at the first barrel, but coming back from the third I just enjoyed it. I knew he was fast but accomplishing that [win] with all of the weather yesterday, he’s amazing, for his first time, a 4 year old. He amazed me.” Gauthier added of the horse’s name, humorously and aptly called Richie Champion, after the cowboy and million-dollar winner of the American event. “I wanted to find a name colorful for him. He really knew he was a champion [Sunday]. It feels amazing. It gets even better with those conditions of a horse so young, and so athletic. I just wanted him to take the victory lap, because I knew he deserved that.”

And finally, Justin Thigpen, the 2015 World Champion All-Around Cowboy with multiple world titles to his name, proved his consistency in multiple events by winning the All-Around title at St. Tite.

After the rodeo, the town, normally home to only 3,000 people, will revert back to its sleepy atmosphere for winter, but the committee at Festival Western de St. Tite is already gearing up for its 50^th year celebration next year in 2017.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With just 12 days left in the 2016 regular season, every cowboy is jockeying for position to end up in the top 15 and qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER.

Here are some of men who made their move this past weekend:

• And then there were six: Jesse Wright’s big win in Pendleton was worth $10,014 and bounced him from 18th to 11th in the saddle bronc riding world standings, while his nephew, Ryder Wright, advanced from 17th to 13th, forcing Tyrell Smith and two-time World Champion Taos Muncy out of the top 15. Muncy has been battling a strained left groin since initially injuring it at the Aug. 16-20 Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo. There are now six members of the Wright clan of Milford, Utah, in position to reach the Wrangler NFR Dec. 1-10, with Ryder joining older brother, Rusty, and Jesse joining his brothers Jake and Cody, and brother-in-law, CoBurn Bradshaw. If this holds up, Cody, Rusty and Ryder will become the third set of father and two sons to qualify for the National Finals in the same year.
• 
• After earning three checks in Pendleton, Guy Allen’s dream of returning to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping for the first time since 2008, is a little bit closer to reality. Allen, who turned 56 earlier this month, moved up from 15th to 12th place in the WEATHER GUARD® PRCA World Standings and is looking to extend his record for most NFSR qualifications to 34. Brent Lewis won a round outright, and shared another round win to earn $8,669 in Pendleton and move within $1,819 of JoJo LeMond for the 15th and final qualifying spot in the NFSR.

• Billy Bugenig can take a big deep breath today. Fourteenth in the world standings entering the week and just $1,664 ahead of two-time World Champion Dean Gorsuch in 16th, Bugenig earned checks totaling $6,370 in Pendleton, Ore.; Albuquerque, N.M., and Abilene, Texas, to move up to 11th. Trevor Knowles kept his hold on the 15th spot in the standings with checks in Pendleton and St. George, Utah, but remains just $1,962 ahead of 16th-place Gorsuch.

• Teddy Athan’s bid for a first Wrangler NFR berth in the bareback riding suffered a blow despite a win at the Sheriff’s PRCA Rodeo in San Bernardino, Calif., that paid him $1,774. Texan Richmond Champion pushed Athan down to 16th place in the world standings by earning three checks in Pendleton – including a sixth-place result in the average – and another in St. George, Utah, for finishing in a tie for fifth place. Bill Tutor, in the 17th spot, moved to within $400 of Athan with checks in Abilene, Texas; Tyler, Texas, and Texarkana, Ark.

• There were two changes in the tie-down roping top 15, with Blane Cox and J.C. Malone supplanting WNFR veterans Adam Gray and Tyson Durfey (a total of 12 qualifications between them). Malone made the biggest jump, from 21st to 15th by tying for fifth in the average in Pendleton, finishing fourth in Albuquerque, N.M., and winning the rodeo in San Bernardino, Calif., with a 7.8-second run. Cox went from 16th to 13th by finishing fourth in the Pendleton average and winning another check in Abilene, Texas.

• 2011 World Champion Bull Rider Shane Proctor had a win in Harrison, Ark., and Bayle Worden had one of his own in Tyler, Texas, effectively canceling each other out and remaining 15th and 16th in the world standings, respectively. Proctor widened his lead slightly, to $6,272.

The only change in the team roping standings came on the heading side, where Billy Bob Brown moved up from 16th to 14th on the strength of a tie for second place in St. George, Utah, and a seventh-place finish in Albuquerque, N.M. Dustin Egusquiza slid to 16th place, $829 behind Zac Small in 15th.

In an effort to continue to deliver the best rodeo product in the world to its fans, Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA), announces changes to its 2016 tour. In a special produced by Western Sports Roundup, interim president Bobby Motes, ERA consultant Randy Bernard, and ERA barrel racing contestant Fallon Taylor shared their views on the future of the ERA.

Randy, who was the driving force behind THE AMERICAN, has been a friend of ERA since its inception said, “There’s room for it,” he said. “I am for anything that is for the betterment of rodeo. I believe it is the one sport that still hasn’t seen its full potential and the ERA has the right idea of showcasing the best talent in the sport.” Randy has passed the torch on with respect to THE AMERICAN, and is now working for Garth Brooks. “I’ve got a great boss that will let me do this for the love of the sport,” he said. “ All boats rise on a high tide. And when 71 of your best walk out that’s what happens. We want to develop stars and make it a bigger sport.”

The plan for 2017 is to continue the momentum that the ERA has started – it’s about the cowboy, the fan, and the committee. The ERA has set up the schedule to allow cowboys and cowgirls to get into town a few days early and make the connection between the contestant and the fan. “It’s a meet and greet before every event,” said Bobby. “I love to compete and I love being a dad, and this has allowed me to do both.”

For Fallon Taylor the fan interaction fits her mission – changing one life a day. “Spending time with fan interaction helps the sport of rodeo grow,” she said, from Pendleton, Oregon, where she will compete.. “Next year I will be strictly ERA and the barrel races that I put on across the country. I love not hauling 90,000 miles a year and I love coming to town several days in advance and spending time with the community and the committee.” Fallon has been able to let Baby Flo rest between events.  “I don’t want to live any differently,” she said.

Bobby is excited about the future of the ERA. “Our objective was to create a rodeo product that will showcase an amazing group of rodeo athletes that are committed to this – show up early and stay late.”

The 2016 ERA World Championships will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas as planned, but there will now be three performances on November 11, 12 and 13 only. “We have adjusted our Championship to make it more fan friendly, and also to allow us to do something exciting that fans have been asking for,” said ERA Athlete Bobby Mote. ERA has slated to make a more detailed announcement next week on RFD-TV.

Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Wednesday, November 9 and Thursday, November 10 performances, whether individually, or in a set, will be contacted and issued a refund automatically. All ticketing fees (except UPS and retail pickup fees) will be refunded. If you purchased tickets at a retail location, please return the tickets to the same location. Ticket holders with questions can call Ticketmaster directly at 800-653-8000. The November 11-13 performances are not affected. ERA ticket holders that have been inconvenienced by this change will receive exclusive opportunities during the finals as a thank you for their support.

More details about the Championship will be released in the coming weeks. To purchase tickets, book hotel rooms and learn more about Dallas, fans can go to ticketmaster.com or visit ERArodeo.com.

No changes have been made to the ERA Qualifying Series in Mesquite. The finals will take place October 1-2 at the legendary Mesquite Championship Arena. The top two athletes in each event will progress to the American Airlines Center to compete against ERA tour athletes in the 2016 ERA World Championship.

Planning for the 2017 ERA Tour is under way. Rancy says that one change fans will notice is that some ERA athletes will relinquish their stock in the ERA so that they can compete anywhere they want. “It is ERA’s first priority to take care of its cowboys, sponsors and fans.  We want the best rodeo athletes to showcase their talent everywhere.  When there is an ERA event we want fans to know that the best in the world are guaranteed to be at each performance. Whether the athletes own stock or not, it does not change their commitment to the ERA,” said Bernard.

ERA plans on releasing the 2017 tour schedule later this year. For more information about ERA, visit ERArodeo.com or follow ERA on its social media channels (Twitter: @ERARodeo, Facebook: ERA Rodeo, Instagram: @erarodeo).

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The top five nominees for the 12 categories of PRCA Year-End Awards have been announced.

The final year-end ballot will be open online Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The winners will be announced during the PRCA Banquet in Las Vegas Nov. 30.

Due to ties in the preliminary voting, the category of Pick-up Man of the Year has six nominees.

Here is the complete list of categories and nominees:

 

Announcer

Wayne Brooks

Randy Corley

Mike Mathis

Boyd Polhamus

Andy Stewart

 

Bullfighter

Clay Heger

Nathan Jestes

Brandon Loden

Dusty Tuckness

Cody Webster

 

Clown

John Harrison

Keith Isley

Gizmo McCracken

Justin Rumford

Cody Sosebee

 

Comedy Act

John Harrison

Keith Isley

Gizmo McCracken

Troy Lerwill

Cody Sosebee

 

Dress Act

Bobby Kerr

One Arm Bandit and Co. – John, Lynn and Amanda Payne

Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls – Jennifer Nicholson and Spencer Litwork

Rider Kiesner

Tomas Garcilazo

 

Pick-up Man

Jason Bottoms

Shawn Calhoun

Chase Cervi

Gary Rempel

Matt Twitchell

Jeremy Willis

 

Secretary

Sunni Deb Backstrom

Haley Bridwell

Amanda Corley-Sanders

Brenda Crowder

Sandy Gwatney

 

Stock Contractor

Beutler & Son Rodeo

Cervi Championship Rodeo

Frontier Rodeo

Pete Carr Pro Rodeo

Stace Smith Pro Rodeos

 

Small Rodeo of Year

Bridgeport, Texas

Claremore, Okla.

Elizabeth, Colo.

Huntsville, Texas

Monte Vista, Colo.

 

Medium Rodeo of Year

Abilene, Kan.

Coleman, Texas

Deadwood, S.D.

Lufkin, Texas

Stephenville, Texas

 

Large Indoor Rodeo of Year

Denver, Colo.

Fort Worth, Texas

Rapid City, S.D.

San Angelo, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

 

Large Outdoor Rodeo of Year

Caldwell, Idaho

Cheyenne, Wyo.

Dodge City, Kan.

Pecos, Texas

Pendleton, Ore.

Rodeo bucking horses, bulls have personalities, accomplishments

 Elk City, Okla. (August 22, 2016) –  The cowboys may be the stars of the rodeo, but without the horses and bulls, they wouldn’t get very far.

The cowboys’ dance partners in the rodeo arena, the bucking horses and bulls waltz with them to the bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding, and even though they can’t speak, they have stories to tell.

Rhett Beutler, fourth generation of the famous rodeo family, will bring those animals to the Elk City Rodeo of Champions September 2-4. He talks about his horses and bulls like a proud dad talks about his kids: their accomplishments, quirks, idiosyncrasies, and their lineage. His admiration and respect for them shines through.

Hollywood Hills is one of those animals headed to Elk City. The bareback horse, a gelding, has been to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) for the past two years. “He’s a big gentle pet,” Rhett says. “You can walk up to the fence, and he’ll walk over to you, and he’ll lean over and want you to scratch on him and rub on him.” The son of the mare Fairy Tales, he was hauled as a colt with his mama to rodeos “and he got used to being around people, and people rubbing on him at the rodeos when he was a baby.”

Hollywood Hills is a ten year old bay who weighs about 1,300 lbs.

Hollywood Hills’ sister, Wonderland, is another special horse in the Beutler herd. The dark bay mare, a fourteen year old, is out of Fairy Tales as well and a wonderful competitor. “She bucked from day one,” Rhett said, “ever since we started bucking her. You could tell that the first time we bucked her, she would be special. She jumps and kicks every time and never weakens.” Wonderland has been selected for the past ten consecutive years to buck at the WNFR, “and that’s saying something, to have a horse go ten times in a row.” Both Hollywood Hills’ and Wonderlands’ sire was Commotion, one of the most famous sires to come from the Beutler’s ranch north of Elk City.

Killer Bee (pictured below, photo by Jennifer Vimmerstedt) an eleven year old mare, had an unusual beginning. She was in Burwell, Neb., at a rodeo with her mama, Molly Bee, a mare who had gone to the WNFR, when her mama colicked and died. The Beutlers bottle fed Killer Bee till she was eating grain and sweet feed on her own. Killer Bee, a light colored sorrel roan with a bald face, was runner up to the PRCA’s Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year in 2015. Cowboys get bucked off of Killer Bee frequently, but if they stay on, the results are good. “If you can ride her, you’ll win first,” Rhett said. Three cowboys who have made the eight second buzzer on her have made 90 point rides. She started out as a bareback horse, but Rhett switched her to the saddle bronc riding.

The mare Molly Bee had another colt, prior to Killer Bee, and that horse was Molly Brown. Molly Brown, a fourteen year old mare, is a little stripe-faced bay who weighs about 950 lbs. “She’s not as big as some of the other horses, but they’ve won a lot of money on her over the years.” She’s a smooth ride for bareback riders. “She comes out (of the chute), circles to the left, hangs in the front end, and kicks over the top. She gives bareback riders plenty of time to get their timing down and make a nice ride. They drive a long ways to get on her,” Rhett said. “She doesn’t buck many guys off. But if you stub your toe, she’ll buck you off. She doesn’t quit or weaken.”

Killer Bee and Molly Brown are out of Commotion, who was the PRCA’s Bareback Horse of the Year three times (1998-2000), and Bareback Horse of the WNFR in 1997. Commotion, who is 25 years old, was retired in 2006 (after ten consecutive trips to the WNFR) and now is used for breeding mares.

One of the famous Beutler bulls who will be in Elk City is Ninety-Proof. He has bucked at the WNFR the last two years, with Joe Frost winning the eighth round at the 2015 WNFR on the bull. Ninety Proof is exceptionally large: he weighs 1800 lbs, and has a motley face and short, flat, black horns.

The Beutlers start bucking bulls with a dummy strapped to their backs when they are about two years old. They begin hauling them to rodeos slowly, allowing them to get older and bigger. “We wait, and let them get big and mature before we start putting them on the truck,” Rhett said.

The horses start when they are older. The Beutlers begin bucking them when they are four or five years old, “you ease them into it,” he said. While bulls are often finished with rodeo competition by the age of seven or eight, horses are just getting a good start. Horses often buck till they are fifteen or even eighteen years old.

And it’s impossible to make a horse or bull buck if they don’t want to, Rhett said. “You can’t make them buck. I’ve tried everything in the world, and on some horses, I can’t make them kick over a beer can.”

The animals know when it’s time to head to a rodeo, Rhett said. “They know when it’s time. When you gather them and bring them into the pens, they see all the activity, and there are some running over you, trying to get on the truck. You put their buddy on the truck, and they’re down in the alley, amongst forty head of horses, nickering. They want to be there with their buddy.”

The Beutler ranch, located ten miles north of Elk City, has between 350 and 400 head of horses, including bucking stock, brood mares, saddle horses, and yearlings. Windmills and farm ponds dot the ranch, providing plenty of fresh water.

And when the Elk City rodeo rolls around, those Beutler trucks will be headed east, with horses and bulls on board, ready to go to work.

The Rodeo of Champions is at 8 pm September 2-3-4. Tickets range in price from $9-$14 and are available at the gate, at Circle A Western Wear and at Doug Gray Dodge, both in Elk City.

For more information on the Fair and Rodeo, visit the website at ElkCityRodeo.com or call 580.225.3005.

 

 

By Susan Kanode for the Caldwell Night Rodeo

 

CALDWELL, Idaho (Aug. 19, 2016) – Rodeo fans at the Caldwell Night Rodeo have been diligently waiting for successful bull rides.

Through the first three performances, only one rider lasted eight seconds to get a score. That was Lonnie West from Cadogan, Alberta, who scored 78.5 points at the second performance. Jeff Askey from Athens, Texas changed that here on Friday night when he rode D & H Cattle Company’s Savage Moves for 85.5 points.

The bull riding here is one full round of competition with another 13 competitors on the roster for Saturday night. With the success that the bulls have been having it is very likely that Askey and West will both get big checks here.

Askey is a former college champion having won the bull riding at the College National Finals Rodeo in June of 2010. He was competing for the University of Tennessee at Martin where he got his bachelor’s degree in animal science.

The next year he joined the PRCA and has been steadily climbing up the ladder since. His goal of qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is going to be obtained this year. He is currently fourth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings.

That’s a big accomplishment for anyone, but it is especially rewarding for Askey. In 2012 he was 55^th in the world standings. The next year he moved all the way up to 21^st. In 2014 he finished two spots better and last year was 16^th, just one spot out of qualifying for rodeo’s championships.

It was a measly $206 that kept him from making the trip to Las Vegas last year. Kody DeShon from Helena, Mont., finished in the 15^th spot ahead of Askey. This year has been a different story with more hits than misses and he is hoping to add a hit here.

There was a lead change in the bareback riding on Friday as well when Richmond Champion from the Woodlands, Texas, scored 84.5 points. He rode a horse from Burch Rodeo named Clownin’ Around and won $3,339. That money is super important to him as he is currently 16^th in the world standings. It also put him at the top of the leaderboard coming into Saturday night’s championship finals.

“I’m pumped,” Richmond said. “I’ve been coming here for five years and this is the first time I’ve ever gotten a check. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”

The fifth and final performance of the 82^nd annual Caldwell Night Rodeo will start at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. More information is available at www.caldwellnightrodeo.com.

 

 

 

 

CALDWELL, Idaho (Aug. 19, 2016) — The following are results from the Caldwell Night Rodeo.

 

FOURTH PERFORMANCE —

 

Bareback Riding: 1, Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 84.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Clownin’ Around. 2, Joel Schlegel, Burns, Colo., 80. 3, Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 79.5. 4, Mason Clements, Santquin, Utah, 62.

Steer wrestling: 1, Brad Johnson, Reva, S.D., 5.2 seconds. 2, Ringo Robinson, Caldwell, Idaho, 7.2. 3, Caleb Ray, Ironside, Ore., 8.7. 4, Hank Filippini, Battle Mountain Nev., 16.4.

Team roping: 1, Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas, and Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 5.1 seconds.  2, Rob Webb and Dan Webb, Wendell, Idaho, 6.1. 3, Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas, and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 6.5. 4, Tex Sutfin, Joseph, Ore., and Dex Maddock, Homedale, Idaho, 17.3.

Saddle bronc riding: 1, Louie Brunson, New Underwood, S.D., 83 points on Burch Rodeo’s Angel Slings. 2, Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo., 80.5. 3, Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla., 76. 4, Ben Londo, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 75.

Tie-down roping: 1, Richard Newton, Stephenville, Texas, 9.3. 2, Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif., 11.0. 3, Cooper Martin, Alma, Kan., 12.3. 4, Augie Robinson, Nampa, Idaho, 26.7.

Barrel racing: 1, Darby Fox, King Hill, Idaho, 17.22 seconds. 2, Amber Leigh Moore, Salem, Ore., 17.36. 3, Brittany Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 17.39. 4, Benette Little, Ardmore, Okla., 17.45.

Bull riding: (one ride) 1, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, 85.5 points on D & H Cattle Company’s Savage Moves.

CURRENT LEADERS:

Bareback Riding: (first round winners and final round qualifiers) 1, Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 84.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Clownin’ Around, $3,339. 2, (tie) Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D., and Joel Schlegel, Burns, Colo., 80 and $2,226 each. 4, (tie) Morgan Wilde, McCammon, Idaho, and Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 79.5, $1,002. 6, Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 78, $557. 7, Cody Kiser, Carson City, Nev., 77, $445. 8, Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 76, $334. 9, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 74.5. 10, (tie) Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas; Chad Rutherford, Lake Charles, La.; and J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo.; 74.

Steer wrestling: (second around winners) 1, Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La., 4.1 seconds, $2,814. 2, (tie) Straws Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, and Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.2, $2,263. 4, (tie) Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho, and Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 4.4, $1,529. 6, Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb., 4.5, $979. 7, (tie) Judd Austin, Preston, Idaho; Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc.; Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan.; Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont.; and Matt Reeves, Cros Plains, Texas; 4.9, $171.  (total on two) 1, Judd Austin, Preston, Idaho, 9.8. 2, Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 9.9. 3, Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc., 10.1. 4, Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho, 10.2.  5, (tie) Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., and Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb., 10.4. 7, Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, 10.6. 8, Josh Clark, Belgrade, Mont., 10.8. 9, (tie) Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., and Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 10.9. 11, (tie) Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., and Jace Melvin, Fort Pierre, S.D. 11.0.

Team roping: (second round) Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D., and Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 4.7, $2,606. 2, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 4.8, $2,267. 3, Spencer Mitchell, Colusa, Calif., and Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 5.0, $1,927. 4, John Alley, Adams, Tenn., and Clark, Adcock, Smithville, Tenn., 5.6, $1,587. 5, Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas, and Jake Long, Coffeyville, kan., 5.9, $1,247. 6, Rob and Dan Webb, Wendell, Idaho, 6.1, $907. 7, (tie) Colton Campbell, Klamath, Falls, Ore., and Daniel Holland, Bonanza, Ore.; and Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Tyler McKnight, Wells, Texas, 6.2, $397. (total on two) 1, Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas, and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 11.7. 2, (tie) Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga., and Junior Nogueiria, Burleson, Texas; and Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., and Jory Levy, Logandale, Nev.; 12.1. 4, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Billie Jack Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 13.0. 5, J.B. James Jr., Bennett, Colo., and Brock Hanson, Casa Grande, Ariz., 13.7. 6, Travis Whitlow, Queen Creek, Ariz., and Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., 14.6. 7, Lane Ivy, Adrian, Texas, and B.J. Dugger, Three Rivers, Texas, 15.3. 8, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 17.0. 9, Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., and Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 19.0. 10, Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore., and Bucky Campbell, Benton City, Wash., 19.4. 11, McKennan Buckner, Powell Butte, Ore., and Bill Justus, Haines, Ore., 30.7. 12, Tex Sufin, Joseph, Ore., and Dex Maddock, Homedale, Idaho, 33.6.

Saddle bronc riding: (first round winners and final round qualifiers) 1, Joe Lufkin, Sallisaw, Okla., 87.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic Fringe, $2,831. 2, Louie Brunson, New underwood, S.D., 83, $2,171. 3, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 82.5, $1,604. 4, (tie) CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, and Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo., 80.5, $849. 6, (tie) Tyrell Smith, Great Falls, Mont.; Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah; and Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas; 80, $378. 9, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 79.5. 10, (tie) Cody Wright, Milford, Utah; Sam Harper, Paradise Valley, Nev.; and Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas; 79.

Tie-down roping: (second round winners) 1, Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas, 7.9 seconds, $2,611. 2, (tie) Westyn Hughes, Caldwell, Texas, and Cody McCartney, Ottawa Lake, Mich., 8.2, $2,100. 4, Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, 8.4, $1,589. 5, Kyle Lucas, Carstairs, Alberta, 8.8, $1,249. 6, Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D., 9.0, $908. 7, Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif., 9.1, $568. 8, Richard Newton, Stephenville, Texas, 9.3, $227.  (final round qualifiers) 1, Westyn Hughes, Caldwell, Texas, 16.9. 2, Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas, 17.7. 3, Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 18.1. 4, Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D., 18.3. 5, J.C. Malone, Hooper, Utah, 18.4. 6, Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 18.5. 7, Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, 19.4. 10, Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., 19.7. 11, Michael Otero, Lowndesboro, Ala., 20.0. 12, Richard Newton, Stephenville, Texas, 20.4.

Barrel racing: (second round winners) 1, Darby Fox, King hill, Idaho, 17.22, $2,123. 2, Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 17.31, $1,820. 3, Amber Leigh Moore, Salem, Ore., 17.36, $1,516. 4, Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 17.37, $1,314. 5, Brittany Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 17.39, $1,011. 6, Andrea Busby, Brock, Texas, 17.40, $809. 7, Danna Jo Whitford, Browning, Mont., 17.41, $607. 8, Sammi Bessert, Grand Junction, Colo., 17.43, $404. 9, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.44, $303. 10, Benette Little, Ardmore, Okla., 17.45, $202.  (final round qualifiers) 1, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 34.72. 2, Amber Leigh Moore, Salem, Ore., 34.74. 3, Brittany Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 34.76. 4, Benette Little, 34.81. 5, (tie) Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, and Darby Fox, King Hill, Idaho, 34.88. 7, Jane Melby, Burneyville, Okla., 34.90. 8, Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo., 35.02. 9, Katelyn Mcleod, Whitesboro, Texas, 35.12. 10, Kim Schulze, Larkspur, Colo., 17.46. 11, Sammi Bessert, Grand Junction, Colo., 35.15. 12, Kelsey Lutjen, Casa Grande, Ariz., 35.25.

Bull riding: (two rides) 1, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, 85 points on D & H Cattle Company’s Savage Moves. 2, Lonnie West, Cadogan, Alberta, 78.5.

 

 

 

Women’s Professional Rodeo Association News Release

August 9, 2016

Contact: Ann Bleiker (719) 330-4293

http://www.wpra.com/

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – While Team USA is setting records and winning medals in Rio at the Olympic Games, 2006 WPRA Barrel Racer Mary Burger is rewriting the WPRA record books here in the States with more to come in December at the Wrangler NFR. The latest record to fall was the Most Money Won Prior to the NFR. Lindsay Sears set that record in 2008 with $184,567. When the new world standings were released on Monday, August 8, Burger had collected $185,439 thus far in 2016 with roughly two months left in the regular season.

Burger surpassed Sears’ record the first week of August with a host of rodeos she is very familiar with in the Prairie Circuit. As of August 1, Burger had amassed a total of $179,576 with huge wins from both Houston and Calgary. She needed just $4,992 to break the record.

Burger finished third in the second round of the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup with a 17.04-second run worth $1,718. She finished second at Iowa’s Championship Rodeo in Sidney with a 17.65 adding $1,654. Her biggest check of the weekend would come at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg finishing second in a time of 16.97 worth $2,400, pushing her past Sears’ record. She would add another $91 at the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo in Hill City, Kan., with a 10th place finish in a time of 17.11.

“I never dreamed this would happen and it is just unbelievable,” stated Burger when she learned she had officially set the new record. “I am at a loss for words, really. I just wanted to win a little money this year and have fun with my horse.”

Not one to pay attention to the records or worry about it, Burger said the first time she heard someone talk that she was close to Sears’ record was in Cheyenne via social media.

“I don’t pay attention to records like that,” said Burger. “I just take one run at a time and try to win as much money as I can each time out.”

It can sometimes be tough for rodeo contestants to juggle the chase for the NFR as well as the circuit title. For Burger her home circuit is the Prairie Circuit and as a resident in that circuit from Pauls Valley, Okla., she must compete at 15 rodeos to qualify for the Circuit Finals and the circuit title.

“I wasn’t sure this year if I would be able to make my circuit count as I really wanted to go to Cheyenne, Spanish Fork (Utah) and Ogden (Utah), as I hadn’t been there in a few years but that also meant missing a few rodeos,” said Burger. “The first week of August, I was able to get back and hit several circuit rodeos helping both my circuit standings and world standings. I decided to turn-out of Abilene (Kan.) due to the schedule, so that I could get to Phillipsburg in a better position.”

That decision was a successful one picking up $2,400, the biggest check of the week for Burger, who will turn 68 on August 18. However, don’t expect Burger to sit at home now and wait for the NFR.

“I am entered this week at Lawton (Okla.) and Coffeyville (Kan.),” stated Burger. “Then I plan to go to Pueblo (Colo.) and Fort Madison (Iowa). My horse is just seven and he is sound and feeling good so there is no reason for me to sit at home and do nothing.”

Sears still holds the highest single-year earnings record in the WPRA with $323,570 from 2008. Burger is positioning herself for a run at that record with the huge payout awaiting her in Las Vegas at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 1-10.