Monthly Archives: August 2011

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Since he first joined the ranks of ProRodeo, Brian Bain has been considered one of the best bareback riders in the business. In 2011, he’s showing the world. Bain, of Culver, Ore., is No. 11 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. On Wednesday night at Jake McClure Arena, Bain rode the Carr Pro Rodeo horse Black Coffee for 87 points to take the lead in bareback riding during the opening performance of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. “I’d seen that horse a few times, but I’d never been on her,” Bain said. “I didn’t know if she’d fit me all that well, because she’s smaller and she’s really fast. “It turned out all right.” Yes, it did. In a rodeo that features some of the best bareback horses in the business, Bain drew a strong horse from the Dallas-based livestock firm owned by Pete Carr. Black Coffee has been featured at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, ProRodeo’s grand champion that features the best athletes, both human and animal. “There’s nothing like nodding your head before a crowd,” said Bain, 29, now in his fifth year in the PRCA. “I love going to Pete’s rodeos, because you can get on great bucking horses. I don’t go to a lot of rodeos Pete does, but when I do, I really like it. He’s one of the best stock contractors out there. “The tough part when you go to one of Pete’s rodeos is that it takes an 84 to even get a check.” Bain would love for his score to hold up for the Lovington championship, but he knows there are plenty of great match-ups over the next three performances. “I like to make money, but to win a rodeo is something special,” he said. Lea County Fair and Rodeo Lovington, N.M. After First Performance BAREBACK RIDING 1. Brian Bain, 87 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Coffee; 2. Lee Lantz, 85; 3. Caleb Bennett, 84; 4. Royce Ford, 75. STEER WRESTLING First round leaders: 1. Dean Gorsuch, 3.9 seconds; 2. Shane Henderson, 4.1; 3. Seth Braockman and Ken Lewis, 4.2; 5. Stockton Graves and Stan Branco, 4.9; 7. Olin Hannum, 5.1; 8. Josh Peek and John Franzen, 5.6. Second round leaders: 1. Dean Gorsuch, 4.3 seconds; 2. Stan Branco, 4.4; 3. Clayton Morrison, 4.7; 4. Brad McGilchrist, 4.9; 5. Les Shepperson, 5.0; 6. Chance Campbell, 7.2; 7. Gabe Ledoux, 13.8; 8. Kyle Hughes, 14.7. TIE-DOWN ROPING First round leaders: 1. Seth Hooper and Houston Hutto, 9.3 seconds; 3. Ryan Jarrett and Joseph Gernentz, 9.6; 5. Jerome Schneeberger, 9.7; 6. Kyle Dutton, 9.9; 7. Jayce Johnson, 10.5; 8. Jake Hannum, 11.0. Second round leaders: 1. Josh Peek, 8.9 seconds; 2. Marty Jones, 11.7; 3. Johnny Salvo, 13.6; 4. Jeremiah Peek, 13.8; 5. Tommy Smith, 15.6; SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Cody Angland, 85 points on Miss Congeniality; 2. Sterling Crawford, 80; 3. Taos Muncy and Casey Sisk, 77; 5. Zachariah Phillips, 73. STEER ROPING Third round leaders: 1. Rocky Patterson, 8.7; 2. Jake DeGeer, 10.0; 3. Chris Glover, 10.2; 4. Cody Garnett, 10.3; 5. Shay Good, 10.4; 6. Trevor Brazile, 10.5; 7. J.D. Yates, 11.1; 8. Bobby Joe Hill, 1           2.3. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 32.4 on three runs; 2. Shay Good, 32.8; 3. Ralph Williams, 35.4; 4. Ty Herd, 36.5; 5. Rocky Patterson, 37.0; 6. Leo Campbell, 39.9; 7. Chris Glover, 41.0; 8. Cody Garnett, 42.5. TEAM ROPING First round leaders: 1. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 5.2 seconds; 2. Ryan Jarrett/K.C. Curtis, 5.3; 3. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 5.4; 4. Tommy Edens/Justin Hendrick, 5.7; 5. Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 6.9; 6. Brandon Beers/Jim Ross Cooper, 11.5. Second round leaders: 1. Ty Blasingame/Cody Hintz, 4.3; 2. Erich Rochers/Kory Koontz and Brandon Beers/Jim Ross Cooper, 5.2; 4. David Motes/Ryon Tittel, 5.4; 5. Tommy Edens/Justin Hendrick, 5.5; 6. Caleb Mitchell/B.J. Dugger, 5.6. BARREL RACING 1. Sydni Blanchard, 16.99 seconds; 2. Cindy Smith, 17.77; 3. Kim Schulze, 17.86; 4. Calie Rios, 18.22; 5. Crystal Logan, 18.25; 6. Layna Kight, 23.04; 7. Kandace Blanchard, 23.94. BULL RIDING 1. Bryan Richardson, 80 points on Do Or Die Rodeos’ Anvil Tough; 2. Logan Knibbe, 79; 3. Jacob O’Mara and Colin McTaggart, 76; 5. Allen Helmuth, 75; 6. Tag Elliott, 72.

STEER WRESTLING First round leaders: 1. Dean Gorsuch, 3.9 seconds; 2. Shane Henderson, 4.1; 3. Seth Braockman and Ken Lewis, 4.2; 5. Stockton Graves and Stan Branco, 4.9; 7. Olin Hannum, 5.1; 8. Josh Peek and John Franzen, 5.6. TIE-DOWN ROPING First round leaders: 1. Seth Hooper and Houston Hutto, 9.3 seconds; 3. Ryan Jarrett and Joseph Gernentz, 9.6; 5. Jerome Schneeberger, 9.7; 6. Kyle Dutton, 9.9; 7. Jayce Johnson, 10.5; 8. Jake Hannum, 11.0. TEAM ROPING First round leaders: 1. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 5.2 seconds; 2. Ryan Jarrett/K.C. Curtis, 5.3; 3. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 5.4; 4. Tommy Edens/Justin Hendrick, 5.7; 5. Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 6.9; 6. Brandon Beers/Jim Ross Cooper, 11.5.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – This segment of New Mexico is well known for its rough terrain. It’s also well known for being home to some of the best steer ropers in the history of the sport. That’s why it’s a big stop for steer ropers hoping to qualify for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping this fall. The first competition of this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo began Tuesday with two full go-rounds of steer roping and a number of cowboys competing in the third round already. If Opening Day was a precursor to the remaining four days, Lovington is about to host some outstanding competition. First round: 1. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Ty Herd and J.B. Whatley, 10.2 seconds, $1,469 each; 4. (tie) J.P. Wickett and Vin Fisher Jr., 10.7, $918 each; 6. Shay Good, 10.9, $588; 7. Cody Scheck, 11.2, $367; 8. (tie) Ralph Williams and Brent Lewis, 11.3, $73 each. Second round: 1. Troy Tillard, 9.0 seconds, $1,690; 2. Marty Jones, 10.6, $1,469; 3. Guy Allen, 10.7, $1,249; 4. (tie) Rob Denny, Landon McClaugherty and Rocky Patterson, 10.8, $808 each; 7. (tie) Cody Lee and Ralph Williams, 11.2, $257 each. Third round leaders: 1. Rocky Patterson, 8.7 seconds; 2. Jake DeGeer, 10.0; 3. Cody Garnett, 10.3; 4. Shay Good, 10.4; 5. J.D. Yates, 11.1; 6. Ralph Williams, 12.9; 7. Chet Herren, 13.5; 8. Larry Stewart, 14.0. Average leaders: 1. Shay Good, 32.8 seconds on three head; 2. Ralph Williams, 35.4; 3. Rocky Patterson, 37.0; 4. Cody Garnett, 42.5; 5. (tie) J.D. Yates and Will Gasperson, 46.9 each; 7. Mike Chase, 55.6; 8. Trevor Brazile, 21.9 on two head.

The rodeo trail can be long and winding. It can lead many places, good and bad. For me, it’s a wonder and realization of dreams. But my dreams aren’t the same as those who compete for gold buckles; yes, they’re in the same aisle of the store, but what I do is fairly different that those who ride rank bucking horses or tie down calves. The rodeo trail is filled with passion, but passion, too, as many faces. Today I hit the trail to follow my passion for rodeo and for promoting it. I’m excited. I’m blessed. I’m able to do something I love; there aren’t many that can say that. But I leave behind, even for a few days, another high passion, one that’s higher on the priority scale, and I realize the sacrifice many make in order to follow their dreams. I’ll be gone for a couple of weeks, and I’ll be doing something I’ll absolutely love; but I will leave my girls home. As I finished packing the car this morning, I came across a tiny note scribbled on a sticky pad by my 9-year-old. It reads, “I love you with all my heart.” I’m not sure she understands why Daddy has to leave for several days, but I’m thankful she understands that passion.

SILVERTON, Texas – Fans in the Texas Panhandle know their stuff when it comes to rodeo. Pete Carr knows that. He realizes true fans will be looking for an outstanding show when Silverton’s Buck Wild Days Rodeo plays before thousands during the three performances set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18-Saturday, Aug. 20. It’s why some of the greatest bareback horses in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association will be some of the featured athletes in the community that boasts of a population around 700 people. “We’ll have all the heat with us,” he said, referring to the best animal athletes wearing Carr Pro Rodeo’s Rafter C brand. “It should be really good.” That might just be an understatement. This is the little rodeo that could, and now it’s a showcase of top rodeo talent. From Real Deal, the 2005 PRCA Bareback Riding Horse of the Year, to Riverboat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion bareback horse, to Deuces Night, one of the great young bucking mares, the Carr pen is full of tremendous athletes. “If you look at the NFR stock roster, you can see Pete Carr’s loaded,” D.V. Fennell said of the Carr Pro Rodeo owner. “That’s not just me saying that. That’s 16 of the top bareback riders in the world. He’s got superstars.” On the surface, it looks like Silverton’s rodeo will definitely be Buck Wild. But horses of that caliber tend to draw the top cowboys to town. They crave the energized beasts. It’s how they make their livings; more importantly, it’s how they win world championships. “To be successful, you’ve got to want to win,” said Justin McDaniel, the 2008 world champion bareback rider. “Pete goes all out. He tries really hard. You can go to any of Pete’s rodeos and win on any of his horses on any given day.” Wes Stevenson is the reigning Silverton bareback riding champion, having scored an 88-point ride on Carr’s Alberta Child last August in the rodeo’s inaugural year with the PRCA, the top sanctioning body in the sport. The victory was a piece of the puzzle that led the Lubbock, Texas, cowboy to his sixth qualification to the NFR. “The most important thing to me was that I got to get on some good bucking horses,” said Stevenson, who had just an hour and a half drive to compete. “The money I won there was the confidence-booster I needed. I knew we had a chance to get on some of Pete’s good bucking horses, and that helps me a lot down the road.” Stevenson wasn’t the only area cowboy to fare well in Silverton. In fact, three-time world champion Will Lowe of Canyon finished second with an 85-point score on Dirty Jacket, a horse that has been a fixture at the NFR. It was the second time Lowe earned a good paycheck on that horse in 2010 – he also won the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo with an 87 on Dirty Jacket. “He just likes to buck,” Lowe said. “He’s such a good horse. He’s in the TV pen at the NFR, so you know he’s the one guys want to get on. You usually draw good when you go to a Pete Carr rodeo, but that horse is one you’d want to get on every time.” No matter which cowboy draws which horse, Carr likes the idea of having the best vs. the best. “It’s the match-up that makes the difference,” Carr said. “It’s supposed to be good.”

SILVERTON, Texas – Sometimes the harshest critic is the person doing the biggest favor. Pete Carr is that for his Dallas-based livestock firm, Carr Pro Rodeo. He analyzes every detail of his operation, from the bookwork to the ranch work to the evaluating his herd. “You’ve got to be aware of how things are going and always be willing to make changes if that’s what it takes to improve,” said Carr, the primary livestock producer for Silverton’s Buck Wild Days Rodeo, which will have three performances set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18-Saturday, Aug. 20. “I want to make sure we’re always improving.” That mindset comes down to putting on the best rodeo for fans; it’s also what leads Carr to the best animals in the business. The theory is simple: Great bucking animals will bring the great cowboys. The reality is coming to fruition, too, and that’s one aspect of the equation that helps make events like the Buck Wild Days Rodeo that much better. “I was hanging out in Pecos (Texas) with bull riders J.W. Harris and Cooper Kanngiesser,” Carr said, noting that Kanngiesser has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and Harris is the three-time reigning world champion. “I told them I needed some great bulls, and they fixed me up. I just bought a bunch of new bulls from Cooper, so I’m really excited.” As they talked, Kanngiesser realized he had something that could help Carr. In fact, a neighbor to Kanngiesser’s near Zenda, Kan., also threw in a few animals to help bolster Carr’s herd. “We just sat there and talked, which is how these deals get started,” said Kanngieser, who worked the deal in which four of his bulls and four of his neighbors’ bulls were sold to Carr. “Pete’s bulls at Pecos were good, but there were a handful of them that were on their downhill stroke. He knew that, but he didn’t know of anybody that could help him. I study bulls, whether they’re mine or somebody else’s, and I told him exactly what the bulls were. “A lot of guys will talk, but they won’t follow through. Pete followed through. You know he wants to make everything better. More bull riders are noticing that. “I think Pete does a really good job,” said Howdy Cloud, a three-time NFR qualifier from Kountze, Texas. “He’s got a really even set of bulls, and most of them are the kinds of bulls that you really want to get on.” Cloud should know. He’s the defending Silverton champion, having ridden Carr’s Wolf Pup for 88 points to win the title. “It was a really good rodeo,” he said. It was the first time I’d ever been there. Of course, I had a really good bull.” That trend is growing, of course. Carr is reaching out to bull riders to get an understanding of the kinds of bulls they like to get on; once he gets that information, Carr sets out to build to his herd. “Pete Carr’s a really good guy who works hard,” said Silcox, the 2007 world champion from Payson, Utah. “I don’t know him real well, but he’s trying real hard and trying to get us good stock we can get on. That’s what makes us want to go to his rodeos. He’s doing his best trying to get a bunch of good guys to come to his rodeos.” Part of it is because Carr knows how important great bucking beasts are to cowboys. A former bareback rider, Carr knows the difference between first and second place might depend on the animal. “I take a lot of pride in having the kind of animals the cowboys want to get on,” Carr said. “The fans come to see a good rodeo, and I think having good animals to get on gives us a better opportunity to draw the best cowboys in the world when they have a choice on which rodeos to enter. Together that makes it a great experience for the paying customers. “We will keep striving to improve our herds every year because we want to attract the best cowboys to come to these rodeos.”

SILVERTON, Texas – Have you ever seen a population explosion up close? It’s something you’ll want to see, and it’s about to happen in Silverton. The annual Buck Wild Days Rodeo will help jump start the celebration on the plains, featuring the top athletes in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association during three performances set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18-Saturday, Aug. 20. “This is one of those times where we get people coming to Silverton from all over the Panhandle,” said Ken Wood, chairman of the volunteer rodeo committee. “We’ve got about 1,500 people who live in Briscoe County, and they’ll all be here. Of course, so will a lot of people from a lot of other counties.” That’s how a town with a population of around 600 people expands by thousands over three August nights. It’s also how thousands of people turn up the heat through top-flight competition and entertainment. In addition, this year’s Buck Wild Days Rodeo will feature a dance “On the Diamond” after each of the rodeo performances. Thursday’s dance is free, but there will be six top Texas Country acts playing over the final two nights of the rodeo for just $15 each night. That’s a whale of a bargain, considering Friday night will feature William Clark Green, Hogg Maulies and No Dry County; Saturday’s show is James Lann, the Zack Walther Band and Jason Nutt & Highway 70. “We’ve got some outstanding Texas Country artists, and they’re excited to be coming to Silverton,” said Corey Johnson of 106.1 KFLP-FM in Floydada, the station helping produce the concerts during the Buck Wild Days Rodeo. “It’s definitely going to be a good time.” Word about the annual community celebration has been getting out all over the Texas Panhandle and surrounding regions. A year ago, the volunteer committee upped the ante a little in making the rodeo part of the PRCA, the top sanctioning body in the sport. It provided a place to play for some of the very best contestants in ProRodeo as well as the outstanding animal athletes from Carr Pro Rodeo. “That place was standing room only on Saturday night,” said Pete Carr, owner of the Dallas-based livestock firm. “People came from everywhere. It’s pretty incredible.” That’s what makes Buck Wild Days Rodeo even more of a celebration. Taking place in conjunction with the 119th Briscoe County Celebration, those former residents who now live elsewhere return to town for the reunion and entertainment. “I’ve been working Silverton a few years, and each year I’m impressed with that rodeo and the people that come to town for that weekend,” said Ken Stonecipher, a professional rodeo announcer from Guymon, Okla., who will call the action this year with Louisianan Andy Stewart. “It’s pretty spectacular, and everybody comes to get a little buck wild. “It’s definitely a good time.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The last time Kelly Timberman and Riverboat Annie danced across a rodeo arena, it was a winning combination. That was less than two weeks ago when the world champion bareback rider and the Carr Pro Rodeo reserve world champion bucking horse matched moves together for 88 points to win the Eagle County (Colo.) Fair and Rodeo. They’ll have a chance to repeat this week during the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, with four performances scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10-Saturday, Aug. 13, at Jake McClure Arena in Lovington. The random draw conducted by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has matched Timberman, the 2004 world champ, and Riverboat Annie, the 2007 runner-up bareback horse of the year. “This is one of those match-ups that people don’t want to miss,” said Pete Carr, owner of Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo, the primary livestock producer in Lovington. “It’s a tribute to the caliber of athletes that come to Lovington, because you know you have a chance to have those kinds of match-ups every performance.” There will be plenty incredible combinations inside Jake McClure Arena over the four days of competition, but that’s part of the fascination of having a stock contractor like Carr bringing some of the greatest bucking horses in the business to southeastern New Mexico. Whether it’s bull riding with Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers Clayton Foltyn vs. Air Up There or Bobby Welsh teamed with Black Gold, fans will get to see the best cowboys on the best animal athletes each night. Saddle bronc rider Alex Wright, coming off his first qualification to the NFR, will be teamed with Carr’s Miss Congeniality, a 9-year-old mare that also played in Vegas for the first time last December. Four-time bronc riding qualifier J.J. Elshere will test his mettle with Coffee Bean, also an NFR veteran. But the biggest highlight real will come in bareback riding, where NFR-caliber athletes will be matched over and over again: Ryan Gray and Big Lights; reigning Lovington champion Caleb Bennett and Grass Dancer, who helped Gray tie a world record with a 94-point ride in Eagle, Colo., two seasons ago; Caine Riddle, a second-generation bareback rider who is in the top 20 in the world standings, and Riverboat Annie; and three-time world champion Will Lowe and Dirty Jacket, a horse that carried Lowe to the title in Guymon, Okla., and to a second-place finish in Silverton, Texas, in 2010. “It’s going to be phenomenal,” Carr said. “I’m really excited about these match-ups.”

I’m blessed with good friends and a great wife. This weekend, we’re all under the same roof. I’ve got a couple of bareback riders hanging at the house. Some wives wouldn’t understand opening your home to folks that way, but my wife isn’t like that. She understands it’s just part of the rodeo way of life. But it’s quite interesting sometimes. D.V. Fennell is a longtime and dear friend, and I’m tickled he’s getting to hang with me and my family for a few days.  One of his traveling partners is young gun Tanner Aus, and they’ve got the run of the basement this weekend. That’s why we have beds and a couch in the basement. So this afternoon I learned a few things I didn’t know. One interesting tidbit for us non-bareback riders is that when breaking in a new riggin’, the mechanism needs stretched. So D.V. enlisted the help of our swingset in the back hard. I’m still waiting to hear how the new riggin’ worked out tonight. Possibly more importantly, I learned that when traveling in a sedan, it’s sometimes difficult for cowboys to pack anything other than boots, which explains Tanner’s attire much of the day — and even during a trip to Walmart — when he dressed in a T-shirt, swimming shorts and point-toed black cowboy boots. If anybody can pull it off, I suspect a 21-year-old bareback rider can.

The trip to Dodge City, Kan., is more than a working rodeo; it’s also a family trip, something we’ve done for several years. It’s nice to have the family with me. We’re surely enjoying ourselves. But it hasn’t been without a little trouble. I’ve pulled a muscle in my groin. In fact, it was so bad during the first performance on Wednesday night, I couldn’t walk without a huge limp, and it really was trouble in the arena trying fight bulls. Thankfully the Justin Sportsmedicine Team is here at Round-Up Arena. “Zig” (athletic trainer Bill Ziegler) and the local docs have really done a ton to help me out. I’m feeling pretty good, even though I’ve gotten a shot in an area … let me just say there are about 100 places on my body that would be better places to get a shot. Still it’s giving me a chance to do something I love at a rodeo I love.

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Rodeo isn’t just a piece of the puzzle at the annual Lea County Fair and Rodeo. In this part of the country, rodeo is a way of life, a celebration of a lifestyle that is woven into the fabric of the landscape. Lea County is home to rodeo greatness, where gold buckles are forged with sweat dispensed through hard work passion. It’s where Jake McClure developed his tremendous talents and where Troy Fort set the ground work for world titles and Sonny Davis battled through a ProRodeo Hall of Fame career. It’s where the Coopers established a family legacy and a man named Allen carried home a record number of PRCA championships. It’s also home to one of the biggest and best Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events, a the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour and home to the greatest cowboys and cowgirls in the sport during its four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10-Saturday, Aug. 13. “Lovington is a good rodeo and has been for a long time,” said bull rider Wesley Silcox, the 2007 world champion from Payson, Utah, who won the Lea County Fair and Rodeo title last year with an 89-point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Charlie’s Bandito. “It meant a lot to me, because it bumped me up in the tour standings. Because of the money I won in Lovington last year, I was able to go to Puyallup (Wash.) and Omaha (Neb.).” Puyallup is home to the Justin Boots Playoffs, and it takes the top 24 tour contestants in each event. The top 12 after that rodeo qualify for the Justin Boots Championships in Omaha, and both stops offer a large purse for competitors. That’s what rodeo is about and why the tour is so important to cowboys and cowgirls. It’s why they want to be in southeastern New Mexico in August, where the only thing hotter than triple digit temperatures is the action inside Jake McClure Arena. “I used to enter Lovington when they had just $3,000 added,” said saddle bronc rider Cody Taton, the 2008 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average winner from Corona, N.M. “I drove from Duluth, Ga., to Lovington to Yankton, S.D., one time just because I love that rodeo so much. I’ve always loved that rodeo. It’s a good rodeo, and the horses are usually good, plus it’s a great committee. They work really hard, and you can see that. Taton was referring to a much smaller purse than the one that’s available today. The “added” money is referred to as sponsorship dollars in each event, and it’s added to the entry fees to come up with the total available purse. The 2011 version of Lea County’s festival provides more than three times the added money. That’s important, because money doesn’t just allow cowboys and cowgirls to make ends meet; it’s also how they win titles. The contestant with the most money won in each event at the end of the season is crowned world champion. “Winning Lovington really helped a lot,” said Louie Brunson of Interior, S.D., who won saddle bronc riding last year with an 88-point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies. “I was in a bit of a slump, and it just felt good. Plus the money helped me get to Puyallup. I don’t think I had any tour money won until that rodeo.” The annual rodeo takes place in Jake McClure Arena. It’s only fitting to celebrate just the second world champion calf roper in the history of the PRCA. McClure was one of the most renowned cowboys of his era who died way too young but who was so well recognized that he was in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2002, 62 years after his death. But it’s a telling tale of the great rodeo legacy in Lea County, which is almost as old as the sport itself. The next generation of rodeo will be showcased inside the fantastic arena, whether it’s Trevor Brazile, the most celebrated cowboy in the PRCA today, or J.W. Harris, the Texas bull rider who has won the last three gold buckles. They know the path to the next world championship goes through Lovington. “It’s a good rodeo that has a lot of money, so if you do well, it can really help,” said bull rider Howdy Cloud, a three-time NFR qualifier from Kountz, Texas. “Now it’s a tour rodeo, so you definitely want to hit it. We make sure we’re there every year.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Pete Carr loves to watch great athletes at work. He’ll get the best view in Jake McClure Arena during the 76th annual Lea County Fair and Rodeo; Carr, the owner of Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo, will be standing just behind the bucking chute as each animal lurches into the arena, and he’ll see the tremendous force and bucking action that makes for mini-tornadoes in the dirt. “Lovington is a great rodeo, and we’re really proud to be involved,” said Carr, a former bareback rider who now raises bucking horses and hauls them to some of the biggest events in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, including Lovington. “They are a Silver Tour rodeo, which is pretty special. They keep growing and want to improve their rodeo. That is very important for a committee to have that mindset.” It’s that frame of mind that has kept Carr Pro Rodeo near the top of the business in terms of great production and great animal athletes. Carr burst onto the scene in 2005 with the help of Real Deal, which was voted as the Bareback Riding Horse of the Year that season. Two years later, Riverboat Annie was named the runner-up to the world champion bareback horse. Since then, Carr has hauled outstanding animal athletes across the country, giving the top cowboys in the game the best shot at making a significant living on the backs of tremendous bucking beasts. “If you look at the NFR stock roster, you can see Pete Carr’s loaded,” D.V. Fennell said of the Carr Pro Rodeo owner. “That’s not just me saying that. That’s 16 of the top bareback riders in the world. He’s got superstars.” Riverboat Annie has been a superstar for many years. Last year, in fact, she helped Caleb Bennett to the win in Lovington. “I told Pete Carr that I’d been looking forward to this match-up,” said Bennett of Morgan, Utah, who matched moves on the 11-year-old roan mare for 89 points to win $4,446. “I had her at the Heartland Finals a couple years ago, and I was 88 points on her down there. I was really excited to have her in Lovington. It’s one of those deals that when you find out your draw, you just can’t wait to ride. “She’s just a pretty solid horse and is pretty consistent in how she bucks. She’s a great bucking horse and has been for a long time.” There were a lot of cowboys that felt that way a season ago. Fennell, a two-time NFR qualifier from Porum, Okla., rode the young mare Deuces Night for 87 points to finish second, while 2008 world champion Justin McDaniel of Porum rode Real Deal for 86 and third place. “To be successful, you’ve got to want to win,” McDaniel said. “Pete goes all out. He tries really hard. You can go to any of Pete’s rodeos and win on any of his horses on any given day. “Real Deal was the rankest horse I’ve seen in a long time.” Having great bucking animals will help draw any roughstock cowboy to a rodeo, but cowboys know all the little things that make an event successful. It always comes back to the people, especially in Lovington. “It’s a good rodeo,” said Cody Taton, the saddle bronc riding director for the PRCA. “The horses are good, and it’s a great committee there. They work really hard. My hats off to those guys, too.” Carr credits much of the recent success in Lea County to the fair and rodeo boards that work all year to produce an outstanding event. “We are very blessed to be part of such a great event in New Mexico,” Carr said. “It’s fun being involved with such dedicated people and being part of what they are building in Lovington. I would really love to see their rodeo get nominated for rodeo of the year, because they truly deserve it.”

The interstates and two-lane roads that link Kansas communities are hoppin’ this week as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association contestants make their way to rodeo hot spots like Hill City, Phillipsburg, Abilene and Dodge City. Big money is available, and the proximity of those towns to one another makes it nice for cowboys and cowgirls who travel hundreds of miles in a stretch just to get from one playground to another. Throw in the burg of Sidney, Iowa, and this is an especially spicy week for those hoping to qualify for the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, where the top contestants from the Kansas-Nebraska-Oklahoma region will compete in October. Here’s a toast to much success and safe travels across the Sunflower State this week. You all deserve it.

Looks like I’ll be working Dodge City Round-Up Rodeo again next year. That’ll make it 20 straight years working the rodeo. What an honor and privilege!! The people here are like family! What an awesome family to be a part of!!

LOVINGTON, N.M. – About 10,000 live in Lovington. Thousands more call it home, and they find their way back every August for the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. This year’s festivities will take place Aug. 5-13, and the community will blossom despite the southeastern New Mexico heat. In fact, the folks who flood to Lovington will turn up the heat during the eight-day affair simply because of all the activities awaiting them. “A lot of people take their vacations and come back to Lovington during the fair,” said Dean Jackson, the fair board’s chairman. “It’s definitely a special time.” When an extra 50,000 to 60,000 people come to town, it means all of Lea County benefits. That’s why there are plenty of people who share their time, talent and passion by volunteering for the annual celebration. “There are a lot of stories about people who just give back to the community by volunteering,” Jackson said. “To them, it’s just something they do, but we greatly appreciate it.” Crowds flock to Lovington, primarily because the $5 entry fee provides them with a bucket load of entertainment opportunities. Performers like hypnotist Susan Rosen, magician Aaron Stone and the Hambone Express Pig Races intertwine with the 4H and FFA activities, the PRCA rodeo and the great concerts – Jars of Clay on Wednesday, Aug. 10; Chris Cagle on Thursday, Aug. 11; Smash Mouth on Friday, Aug. 12; and the Eli Young Band on Saturday, Aug. 13. Yes, the Lea County Commission underwrites the fair because of the event’s impact on the community, but also as a means of giving back to the folks who call this area home. That’s why the admission price is so inexpensive. Still, an event of this magnitude is assisted by people who donate of themselves. “Without volunteers, this thing couldn’t happen,” Jackson said. “We do have about 20 county employees who do things throughout the year, but there are over 100 volunteers. It’s important to them. “This is our 76th year. It’s tradition. For many years, everybody went to the fair. We’re looking forward to having them come back.”

SILVERTON, Texas – Most rodeos are produced by a small core group of people who spend each year working out all the fine details. There are just fewer folks in Silverton, Texas. Still, the community that boasts about 600 residents still puts on one of the biggest celebrations in this portion of Texas, the annual Buck Wild Days Rodeo, which will have three performances set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18-Saturday, Aug. 20. “You know, we’ve had a pretty good rodeo here for a lot of years,” said Ken Wood, chairman of the rodeo committee that produces the annual event. “We’ve done the TCRA deal for a while now. We had the rodeo of the year the first two times we did it, and we were the richest TCRA event.” Wood is talking about the Texas Cowboys Rodeo Association, a 28-year-old organization based in Stinnett, Texas, that features some of the top cowboys and cowgirls from this region. Earning that kind of recognition from the TCRA means intense commitment from those involved. So does transitioning to a bigger platform. That’s what the Silverton rodeo did in 2010 by joining the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the top sanctioning body in the sport. “We’re a small community,” Wood said. “We have about 1,500 people in Briscoe County, and they’ll all be there. We’ll have a dance right there on the baseball field adjacent to the arena, where we’ve got six great Texas Country acts. The people will just bring their coolers in and enjoy themselves. “You can’t put that on without people who bust their butts to make sure it happens.” Wood is one of the main cogs that turns the wheel for the annual celebration, but he doesn’t do it alone. He leans on accountants and insurance agents, all of whom do what they can to produce an over-the-top event every year. “I was just very impressed how large of an event you can have in such a small town with only a few committee members,” said Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, the livestock producer for the Buck Wild Days Rodeo. “The committee was great last year. They really welcomed us. They cooked steaks for everyone the first night, and the next day we had a softball game next to the arena. “But that’s when we found out just how hard they work. It’s just amazing what that committee pulled off. I was so proud of them.” The cliché goes that it takes a village to raise a child. It takes more than that to conduct an annual event like this. Obligations must be met, and sponsors must be found. That means plenty of man hours spent scrambling around the Texas Panhandle searching for sponsors to invest in the rodeo. On top of all that, there are the tiniest of details that must be covered, from promotion to hospitality to making sure contract personnel have the appropriate accommodations. “Everybody involved with the Buck Wild Days Rodeo works really hard to make the event great for the fans, but also great for the competitors,” said Ken Stonecipher, the longtime arena announcer in Guymon who will share the microphone again this year with Andy Stewart. “They know the kind of work it takes to put on a quality event, and they’re not scared to work.” The benefits can be seen in the final product, the three nights of the rodeo. “I’ve had an awful lot of help,” Wood said. “The sponsors have come through over and over again to put on a great event. If you don’t have sponsors, you can’t make it work.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Ice cream might just be the ideal treat on a hot August day in southeastern New Mexico. The right ice cream recipe might receive special treatment, as in a grand championship at this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo. The Lea County Extension is conducting four cookoffs in an effort to expand opportunities and entertainment for residents who can make great dishes in ice cream, chocolate, pecans and salsa. “We’re trying to add some things to draw people to our Yucca Building, which is for creative arts,” said Robin Mack-Haynes, the Lea County Extension home economist. “We tried to pick things that people would like to see and also pick some things that are unique to our area. That’s where the pecan and salsa came in.” The Yucca Building is in the fair’s southeastern corner and features many of the crafts and projects. It’s where adults show off things like their quilts, canned goods and gardening skills, while the youth will display the finished pieces to their yearly projects. The air conditioned building is also a nice retreat from the August heat. “The departments I work in are more of the creative side,” Mack-Haynes said. Without the livestock end and the creative arts end, a fair wouldn’t exist. Years ago, men would come show their livestock, and women would show their house wares.” Anyone from Lea County can enter at the time of the cookoff. Once the call for entries begins, the judging will take place 30 minutes later. The competition begins with the ice cream cookoff, with registration at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, in the Yucca Building. The judging will then begin at 6 p.m. The pecan cookoff will begin at noon Friday, Aug. 12, followed by the chocolate cookoff at 12:30 p.m. The salsa cookoff closes the first year of competition at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. “We use the kitchen throughout the year,” Mack-Haynes said. “The cookoff will be in the kitchen area, but they aren’t preparing any of the food on site. The food has to be totally prepared to present to the judge. The judge will select the winners based solely on presentation and taste. Everyone will be required to turn in a recipe with their product along with a procedure.” Anyone interested in participating in multiple cookoffs might be eligible for a cash prize. The Lea County Fair Trifecta is open to entrants who participate in at least three of the four cookoffs. At each cookoff, participants will receive points. The person with the most points in the trifecta will earn a $150 check. “The cookoffs are something new, and we’re looking forward to it,” said Dean Jackson, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “Our home economist came to the board and said she’d like to try it because she’d had some requests. In years past, we had a cookie jar contest, and that’s been a big hit. We’re just expanding on that and trying to get more people involved. I think it will be a hit.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Many great things are part of the Lea County Fair & Rodeo. With a long rodeo history, this section of New Mexico knows the sport better than most. They know great cowboys, from guys like Jake McClure in the early 1900s to the young guns like Jim and Jake Cooper. They know great animal athletes, like Guy Allen’s great horse Jeremiah, four times voted the PRCA/AQHA Steer Roping Horse of the Year. That’s why the expert fans in this part of the world are happy to see the Rafter C brand of Carr Pro Rodeo come to town for the 76th annual Lea County Fair and Rodeo, which will have four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10-Saturday, Aug. 13, at Jake McClure Arena. “When you go to Lovington, you know you’re going to get on good animals because Pete Carr is coming to town,” said bareback D.V. Fennell, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Porum, Okla. “Pete Carr’s just got a great herd of bucking horses, the kind you know you can win on. That’s one of the great things about Lovington.” That’s definitely part of the recent history of the rodeo, which is part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. Money won in Lea County not only counts toward the world standings but also the tour standings, where the top 24 contestants in each event qualify for the Justin Boots Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash. From there, the top 12 earn a trip to the Justin Boots Championships in Omaha, Neb. Both events feature two of the largest purses in the PRCA, and that is important in the sport; not only do cowboys and cowgirls make their livings on the rodeo trail, but dollars equal points. The contestant who has earned the most money in each event at the conclusion of the season is crowned world champion. “It’s a tour rodeo, so you want to make sure you get to those,” said bull rider Howdy Cloud, a three-time NFR qualifier from Kountze, Texas. In fact, money won at Lovington was a boon for some of the top names in the sport. “It meant a lot because it bumped me up in the tour standings, and I was able to go to Puyallup and Omaha,” said bull rider Wesley Silcox, the 2007 world champion from Payson, Utah. “Last year at Omaha, Steve Woolsey and I each won over $30,000.” Silcox earned his fifth trip to the NFR, ProRodeo’s grand finale that takes place each December in Las Vegas. Louie Brunson hasn’t quite earned a qualification to the NFR, but he’s been close. Only the top 15 in the world standings get to play for the biggest money in the sport; Brunson hopes to parlay his win in Lovington a year ago into a shot at the NFR this year. “The tour is pretty important,” said Brunson, a saddle bronc rider from Interior, S.D. “If you make Puyallup, you can make piles of money. If you make it to Omaha, you can almost double your season’s earnings. It’s pretty important. A lot of guys made the finals just off those two rodeos.” But that’s not the only reason why the Lea County Fair and Rodeo is successful. It helps that purse is one of the largest in the PRCA, but there’s a lot more that goes into it. “They have a wonderful group of people on the fair and rodeo boards that I have gotten to know very well and have become friends with,” said Carr, owner of the livestock firm. “They work very hard throughout the year.”

EAGLE, Colo. – The ultimate goal for Louie Brunson is the world champion’s gold buckle; that’s the goal of every contestant going down the ProRodeo trail. For the time being, the will settle for rodeo victories and a shot at qualifying for ProRodeo’s championship event, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. His latest triumph came July 27-30 when he rode the Carr Pro Rodeo horse Trail Dust for 85 points to win the 2011 edition of the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo. It’s a giant leap for the 25-year-old bronc buster from Interior, S.D. “It’s a really good rodeo you want to win,” said Brunson, who finished the 2010 season 33rd on the money list and out of the ranks of qualifying for the NFR. A big reason for the victory is the high quality of bucking beasts provided by Pete Carr, owner of the Dallas-based livestock company. It marked the second time this season and third in a year that Brunson has won the title at a rodeo in which Carr Pro Rodeo was the primary livestock producer – Brunson won the Lea County Fair & Rodeo in Lovington, N.M., last August and won Pioneer Days Rodeo in Guymon, Okla., this past May. “Pete’s got an even pen of bucking horses, which means that no matter what horse you draw, you have a chance to win,” said Brunson, who earned $2,804. “That’s real important. It keeps it fair. At some rodeos you go to, there’ll be that one top horse, and if you get him drawn, then you’ve got first place. With Pete’s, you can win on anything, because everything’s good.” Brunson was one of nine contestants who were crowned winners in eagle. He was joined by all-around champion Jesse Jolly, who earned $855 in steer wrestling and team roping; steer wrestler Tony Larsen, who won both go-rounds and the average and pocketed $2,052; team ropers Tyler Schnaufer and T.J. Watts, whose 14.2-second time on two runs and high finishes in both go-rounds earned each team member $1,223; tie-down roper Gary Haynes, whose two runs totaled 23.1 seconds and were worth $1,297; barrel racer Sherrylynn Johnson, who rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 17.48 seconds to win $1,395; bull rider Guytin Tsosie, who posted a 91-point score on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Synergy, worth $3,278; and bareback rider Kelly Timberman, who danced across the arena with Carr’s Riverboat Annie for 88 points to pocket $2,822. Timberman, the 2004 world champion, matched moves with the big red roan mare, which finished No. 2 in the 2007 voting for top bareback horse of the year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Riverboat Annie’s sister, Pink Cadillac, helped Will Lowe to the title in Eagle a season ago. No matter their legacy, cowboys know cowboys with Carr’s Rafter C brand give them a shot at winning any rodeo in which they might be matched together. “He’s got some of the best horses out there,” Brunson said of Carr. “He tries hard to get the best stock, tries to make it as good a deal for the cowboys as possible.” Eagle County Fair and Rodeo July 27-30 All-around cowboy: Jesse Jolly, $855, steer wrestling and team roping. Bareback riding: 1. Kelly Timberman, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeos’ River Boat Annie, $2,822; 2. Will Lowe, 87 on Carr’s Deuces Night, $2,163; 3. (tie) Casey Colletti and Tanner Aus, 86, both riding Carr’s Grass Dancer $1,317 each; 5. (tie) J.R. Vezain on Carr’s Alberta Child, Wes Stevenson on Carr’s Dirty Jacket and Caine Riddle on Carr’s Big Lights, 85, $502 each; 8. (tie) Luke Creasy on Carr’s Hylo Hills and Jared Keylon on Carr’s Hometown Girl, 84, $141 each. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tony Larsen, 5.0 seconds, $684; 2. Talon Sterkel, 6.8, $513; 3. Jesse Jolly, 7.9, $342; 4. Sterling Wallace, 9.1, $171. Second round: 1. Tony Larsen, 5.5 seconds, $684; 2. Jacob Sterkel, 7.7, $513; 3. Talon Sterkel, 8.9, $342; 4. Jesse Jolly, 10.1, $171. Average: 1. Tony Larsen, 10.5 seconds on two head, $684; 2. Talon Sterkel, 15.7, $513; 3. Jesse Jolly, 18.0, $342; 4. Russell Smith, 23.6, $171. Team roping: First round: 1. Jay Tittel/Wade Masters, 6.0 seconds, $575 each; 2. Travis Bounds/Hank Bounds, 6.3, $432; 3. Jake Wager/Darnell Johnson, 6.7, $288; 4. (tie) Garrett Jay Busby/Latigo Peterson and Tyler Schnaufer/T.J. Watts, 6.9, $72 each. Second round: 1. Chad Braun/Jason Furnival, 6.3 seconds, $575 each; 2. Pat Grieve/Jesse Echtler, 7.1, $432; 3. Tyler Schnaufer/T.J. Watts, 7.3, $288; 4. Clay Norell/Pake Younger, 12.6, $144. Average: 1. Tyler Schnaufer/T.J. Watts, 14.2 seconds on two head, $863 each; 2. Jay Tittel/Wade Masters, 19.1, $647; 3. Jake Wager/Darnell Johnson, 19.9, $432; 4. Clay Norell/Pake Younger, 20.8, $216. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Louie Brunson, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeos’ Trail Dust, $2,804; 2. (tie) Jesse James Kirby on Carr’s Take The Plunge, Cody Martin on Carr’s Sweet Emotion and Taos Muncy on Carr’s Miss Congeniality, 84, $1,589 each; 5. (tie) Samuel Kelts on Carr’s Empty Pockets and Jacobs Crawley on Carr’s Coffee Bean, 83, $561 each; 7. (tie) Jesse Wright on Carr’s Miss Congeniality, Cody DeMoss on Carr’s Miss Molly, Bradley Harter on Carr’s Air Miles and Sterling Crawley on Carr’s Deuces Wild, 82, $164 each. Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Jarrod Branch, 9.9 seconds, $741; 2. Gary Haynes, 10.1, $556; 3. Cody Gerrard, 10.7, $371; 4. Mike Johnson, 10.9, $185. Second round: 1. Brice Ingo, 8.5 seconds, $741; 2. Wes Borders, 8.7, $556; 3. K.C. Jones, 10.6, $371; 4. Cory Zion, 12.5, $185. Average: 1. Gary Haynes, 23.1 seconds on two head, $741; 2. Cory Zion, 24.3, $556; 3. Cole Dorenkamp, 25.4, $371; 4. Warren Adams, 26.7, $185. Barrel racing: 1. Sherrylynn Johnson, 17.48 seconds, $1,395; 2. Lexi Bath, 17.65, $1,195; 3. Christy Loflin, 17.71, $996; 4. Wendy McKee, 17.72, $863; 5. Falena Dale, 17.80, $664; 6. Megan Zion, 17.82, $531; 7. Ann Peterson, 17.83, $398; 8. Mandy Teichert, 17.87, $266; 9. Dawn Lazor, 17.90, $199; 10. Taylor Miniat, 17.91, $133. Bull riding: 1. Guytin  Continue Reading »