Monthly Archives: January 2012

I’d like to tip my hand to the rodeos and stock contractors who are doing everything they can to make our sport become even better. You will see it at some of the most storied rodeos across this land, primarily in longtime stock contractors reaching out to other livestock producers to help make for better match-ups in the riding events. A good example is the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver, where the Cervi family has been the primary stock provider for many years. In last night’s opening performance, for example, bareback rider Logan Hodson and saddle bronc rider Townsend Prince took the leads in their respective events while matching moves with horses owned by the Calgary Stampede. Hodson had an 83 on Stampede Warrior, while Prince posted an 80 on Maiden Chick. Bull rider Seth Glause and Southwick Rodeo’s Phe Phe’s Secret matched up for 92 points. What’s great about multiple stock contractors is that it allows cowboys the opportunity to draw a high quality animal. That makes for better rides, which makes for a better experience for everyone involved.

Since the day he signed his name on his permit to begin competing in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Will Lowe has been one of the very best bareback riders in the sport. You can look at his 10 straight qualifications to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo or his nearly $2 million in earnings since. Maybe you can gander at that shiny hardware hanging off his belt, one of three Montana Silversmiths gold buckles he’s earned for the 2003, 2005 and 2006 world championships. But possibly the biggest acknowledgement is that Lowe remains one of the most consistent cowboys traveling the rodeo trail, which winds its way toward the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo for its four days of competition March 29-April 1 at Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. Lowe, a Kansas cowboy who has lived in the Texas Panhandle much of his professional career, won the Texas Circuit year-end and finals average titles for 2011 to qualify for the RNCFR. He’s one of many great bronc busters who will try their talents against the great bucking horses that will be featured in Oklahoma City, a community with one of the richest rodeo legacies in the country.

It was a night for names at the Denver Chute-Out, PBR’s Touring Pro Division event in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo. The overall winner was an Illinois man named Chance Roberts, who earned $18,792 by being the only cowboy in the 90-man field to ride three bulls. Douglas Duncan placed in two rounds and finished second in the average, pocketing $16,452. Third place went to the man with, quite possibly, the greatest name of them all: Chase Outlaw, who rode two bulls for 171.5 points and earned $8,712. The Chute-Out was the championship event for the Touring Pro Division, and PRCA world champion Shane Proctor was crowned the year-end winner. Proctor, who couldn’t compete in Denver because of a badly broken arm during a final-round wreck in Las Vegas a month ago, was in Denver to receive his award.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The first time Sherry Cervi circled the cloverleaf pattern at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, she was 19 years old. That was in the spring of 1994, and the Arizona cowgirl followed that season with her first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. She’s been rolling ever since. “This rodeo has always been important to me,” said Cervi, of Marana, Ariz., the 2011 Turquoise Circuit barrel racing champion who owns three world titles. “It’s a great event that has a lot of prestige, so you always want to do well at it.” This is ProRodeo’s National Championship, where the very best competitors in the sport earn the right to play for one of the largest purses in the sport, more than $525,000. The event provides another prestigious championship event for rodeo-savvy Oklahoma City, the longtime host of the NFR and the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The 2012 event marks the second straight year the RNCFR is part of Oklahoma’s storied rodeo legacy, a place that knows what makes a true champion. Cervi returns to Oklahoma City for the RNCFR’s 26th anniversary March 29-April 1 at the Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. The event pits the top cowboys and cowgirls from the 12 regional ProRodeo circuits against one another for the prestigious national title. Contestants will compete in seven traditional rodeo events: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and bull riding. “I’m excited about going back there,” said Cervi, an 11-time qualifier to the national championship. “Last year being in Oklahoma City the first year there, I thought it was a good barrel race. The committee was good to work with, and the whole event was exciting.” Cervi is one of many prominent ProRodeo contestants who will take part in this year’s championship event, where qualifiers earn the right to compete by how well they did in 2011 in their home region. The Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo has become a major stop for the very best cowboys and cowgirls who make their living on the rodeo trail. “The (national) circuit finals pays really good, plus I like going to all those circuit rodeos close to home,” said Taos Muncy, a two-time World Champion saddle bronc rider from Corona, N.M. “My whole family can go to it, plus sometimes it’s nice to just drive two hours and just enjoy a day.” Competing close to home has become more important to Muncy, who celebrated the birth of his first child, a daughter named Marley, in August 2011. “I think I was home more this year than I ever was before,” said Muncy, the year-end champion in the Turquoise Circuit. “I imagine I’ll be home more this year.” Family is just one reason why Jerome Schneeberger likes competing at regional rodeos. The tie-down roper from Ponca City, Okla., is an 11-time qualifier to the Wrangler NFR; also he has won the Prairie Circuit’s tie-down roping title multiple times in his storied career. “That’s where I started, and I always enjoy those rodeos,” said Schneeberger, who raises his three sons in Ponca City with his wife, Haley, a ProRodeo secretary and timer. “Most of them are smaller, but they’ve always been pretty good to me. I’ve always had pretty good luck before.” As far as the RNCFR, Schneeberger is looking forward to the short trip down Interstate 35 to Oklahoma City. “It was always fun to go to Pocatello when it was there, but it’s really fun right here at home,” he said. “Plus you get a chance to win some good money and the prestige of the national title, and, yeah, it’s a chance at a new pickup. The winners in each event earn a significant paycheck during the four-day paycheck, but also they win a voucher for a Ram truck and other bonuses from ProRodeo’s premier sponsors. “I’ve had a chance to win it before, but I never have,” Schneeberger said. “That’s one of them you’d always like to win.” That’s something Jesse Wright knows as well as any competitor in this year’s field. Wright, the younger brother of Cody Wright, has won the last two RNCFR saddle bronc riding titles. This past December, Jesse Wright set the NFR standard by winning the average in a record 848.5 cumulative points through the 10-round finale. His $160,962 NFR check also was an earnings record for bronc riders. He’s carrying a lot of momentum to Oklahoma City. “To win the title, you have to have good luck,” he said. “You have to have the right horses. I guess I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing, staying positive, staying in shape and practicing. “It’s pretty cool that I’ve won it in Pocatello and Oklahoma City. It’s always good to win a national rodeo.” Every contestant who puts his or her name in the hat would like to walk away with the top prizes offered. To qualify, contestants must either win the year-end title in their respective events or win the average championship at their circuit’s finale. “This is my first time qualifying,” said Bobby Welsh, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Gillette, Wyo. “I’m really excited to go because it’s one of the more prestigious rodeos you can go to. “I’ve got four kids, so it would be real cool to win the voucher for a vehicle. That plays a big role in wanting to qualify for that rodeo.” ExpressLazy E Sports Productions, in conjunction with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, produces the annual event. The 2012 RNCFR will be one of the richest rodeos in the world. The RNCFR is the showcase event of each year’s circuit season. Each of the 12 ProRodeo circuits sends two competitors in each event to the RNCFR – the year-end earnings champion and the winner of each Ram-sponsored circuit final – to compete for cash, a national championship and a Dodge vehicle voucher. The event took place in Pocatello,  Continue Reading »

We haven’t heard much from Kasey Hayes in recent months. After Monday”s first round of the PBR Touring Pro Division event in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver, Hayes changed all that. He rode the Cody Ohl bull Dr. Feel Good for 89.5 points to win the first performance of the Denver Chute-Out. Another group of PBR cowboys are competing tonight for their shot in Wednesday’s second go-round. J.B. Mauney posted an 89 on the Ohl bull Super Bad to finish the night in second place.

The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo kick-started it’s 2012 run with a new event: the Colorado vs. The World showdown. I learned about the event from bareback rider Casey Colletti of Pueblo, Colo., who, I assumed, would be on Team Colorado. But that’s not the way the format worked for the bareback riders, bull riders, saddle bronc riders, steer wrestlers and barrel racers. You see, the event that took place in Denver featured the winners from several Colorado rodeos in 2011. Those winners were featured in a single performance on Saturday. Later in the day, the world team – which was made up of winners from rodeos like Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, Dodge City (Kan.) Round-Up, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, Neb., etc. – competed in its performance. Colletti’s win 2011 Cheyenne rodeo meant he was part of The World performance. The top four contestants in each event from each performance then qualified for the showdown on Saturday night. It was a showcase of great rodeo talent, including 2004 world champion Kelly Timberman (a wild card) outlasting 2011 world champion Kaycee Feild in bareback riding. Other winners were bronc rider Cody Wright, who won in Pueblo, Colo.; bull rider Steve Woolsey, Pueblo; steer wrestler Straws Milan, who won the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede; and barrel racer Randa Kellogg, who the National Western. Each winner earned $10,000; while none of it will count toward the world standings, it is a great way to kick off the 2012 calendar year.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a story that’s been put together for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which will take place in two and a half months in Oklahoma City. More information can be found at RNCFR.com. Tie-down roper Tuf Cooper added to his phenomenal 2011 season this past weekend by winning the average at the Ram Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo in Waco, clinching the year-end regional title, too. In fact, the Decatur, Texas, cowboy is one of four who secured the Texas two-step, joining all-around champ Trevor Brazile, bareback rider Will Lowe and bull rider Cody Teel. But unless Brazile finished second to Cooper in the year-end standings, he will not be part of the field for the 2012 Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 29-April 1 in Oklahoma City. Qualifiers are year-end champs and circuit finals winners in each event from all 12 ProRodeo regions – in cases where one wins both, the year-end runner-up earns the trip to the Sooner State. Others who won the average in Waco and earned the right to play for a new Ram truck are steer wrestler Logan Gledhill, team ropers Luke Brown and Martin Lucero, barrel racer Shelley Morgan and saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley. We’ll await word on who won the year-end titles in those five disciplines to see who else will travel north in just a couple of months. Only one regional finale remains to round out the RNCFR field; the Ram First Frontier Circuit Finals Rodeo is set for this next weekend in Harrisburg, Pa.

I’m watching the televised PBR, and I must admit I enjoyed the time-lapse images of the Madison Square Garden arena being prepared for the event and the story about where the bulls are being housed outside New York City. The bull riding has been a little ho-hum. For fans who are just tuning in for the first time, the stories help add nice flavor to the show, but they need to see good rides if they want to get hooked like the rest of us.

Just saw a familiar name on top of the bareback riding leaderboard at the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas: Cimmaron Gerke. The cowboy from Brighton, Colo., is a five-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but he hasn’t played in Las Vegas since 2008. His 85 is No. 1 through two performances in Odessa.

Being around rodeo as much as I am, I’ve learned of the relationships cowboys and cowgirls have with their horses. Partners, friends, sometimes best friends. On Thursday, two great horses that were featured a month ago at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo died in separate incidents. Mister, which Shawn Greenfield rode to earn nearly $100,000 in Las Vegas, died from the effects of salmonella poisoning while being housed in Decatur, Texas. I didn’t know much about Mister until I read Friday’s story on ProRodeo.com. Dean Gorsuch’s Pump Jack, who finished second in the votes for steer wrestling horse of the year had to be euthanized after a pastern bone was shattered during a practice run in Gorsuch’s hometown of Gering, Neb. Gorsuch had ridden the great white horse to the 2010 world title, his second career Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. While in Omaha this past fall, Gorsuch explained to me just how special Pump Jack was to his family. Not only did the 15-year-old horse help the champ win lots of money, Pump Jack was a big part of the Gorsuch family. “I would have done anything to have him back home with us, just so we could see him every day and give him a big hug, but he was in too much pain,” Gorsuch told the PRCA. “There was nothing anybody could do. It was tough. I had a hard time with it. “He was more than a bulldogging horse. He was part of the family. I loved that horse. My wife and two children loved him. I’ll never find another like him.”

The Ram Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo begins tonight in Waco, Texas, and it’ll be like a mini-Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The top 12 regional contestants in each event will feature some of the greatest players in the game, from 16-time world champion Trevor Brazile to three-time world champion Will Lowe. Those are just a few of the big names in the three-day competition, which will help crown the year-end champions in each event as well as the average winners, given to the contestants with the best cumulative time or score. Take a look at these other NFR qualifiers: Matt Bright, Heath Ford, Wes Stevenson, Tilden Hooper, Chris Harris, Shawn Hogg, Chandler Bownds, Bryan Richardson, Clint Cooper, Adam Gray, Cory Solomon, Houston Hutto, Justin Maass, Tuf Cooper, Brittany Pozzi, Cassie Moseley, Shelley Morgan, Tammy Fischer, Annesa Self, Kay Blandford, Sam Spreadborough, Jacobs Crawley, Bradley Harter, Mickey Gee, Dru Melvin, Patrick Smith, Luke Brown, Martin Lucero, Boogie Ray, David Key, Ryan Motes, Kinney Harrell, Colby Lovell, Allen Bach, Tommy Edens, Clay Tryan and York Gill. I may be missing a few names, but that’s still an indication of just how loaded the talent is in Waco this weekend. They’ll be fighting for the dollars that are available, but also for a trip to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 29-April 1 in Oklahoma City.

Matt Sherwood is a two-time world champion header who just finished the 2011 season as the third best in the final standings. Now Sherwood is also part of the Rocky team after reaching a sponsorship agreement with the company’s western division. “We are thrilled to welcome Matt Sherwood to the Rocky team,” said Bonnie Bleile, marketing manager for Rocky’s western division. Sherwood – who lives in Pima, Ariz., with his wife, Kim, and their seven children – will wear Rocky boots in and out of the arena while sporting the Rocky logo whenever possible to help promote the brand. He also will promote Rocky on his website, Facebook page and Twitter account. “I have specific standards which must be met by any company or product I endorse,” he said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one of the pieces that appears on the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo blog. I’ll keep posting, but continue to find the information you need about the RNCFR there. During the 10th round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, 2011 world champion bareback rider Kaycee Feild was matched against Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night, while four-time champ Bobby Mote was drawn to ride Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex, the 2010 world champion bareback horse. If those names sound familiar, it’s because they are. Those are the final round-winning match-ups from the 2011 Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo: Mote matched moves with Big Tex and Feild with MGM Deuces Night across the Jim Norick Arena dirt last April. The biggest names in the sport just completed the NFR on Dec. 10, but many of them are making their plans to compete for national titles at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 29-April 1 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. It is the home of the top regional athletes from ProRodeo’s 12 circuits. It’s also home to some of the greatest animal athletes in the game, and MGM Deuces Night and Big Tex are just a couple of the biggest names. Several of ProRodeo’s top stock contractors will bring their bucking athletes to Oklahoma City to help make match-ups like we’ve seen at the NFR. That’s just one of the things that makes the RNCFR a great event. Keep checking back to see all the other things you can look forward to when the greatest athletes in ProRodeo return to Oklahoma City the end of March.

It seems like we just crowned the 2011 world champions, yet work already has begun on the next major event in ProRodeo, the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. In my case, it’s telling the stories that will draw fans to the competition, whether being there in person to see these wonderful athletes or giving the fans the insights that come with this great championship through the event’s Website. That’s where you’ll find a BLOG carries all these little tidbits, and I think it’s the place you want to check out often. Stories will be updated at least once a week. Already several have been posted, like the story about four-time Timed Event Championship winner K.C. Jones returning to the RNCFR or about the great match-ups you might see when it’s man vs. beast in Oklahoma City. The Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo will run from March 29-April 1 at the State Fair Arena, otherwise known as the Jim Norick Arena, the one-time host of the National Finals Rodeo. Oklahoma City is a wonderful community that knows what good rodeo is all about; fans there will see something spectacular in just a few months.

I attended the Kansas-Kansas State basketball game Wednesday night, and it was a comfortable trouncing by the home-team Jayhawks. K-State actually pulled within 3 with about 12 minutes left in the game, but that was about as competitive as it got. If I were likening it to rodeo, it’s equivalent to bull riding, where the animals win most of the time. In this case, the Jayhawks continue to dominate the series. Of course, K-State has a collegiate rodeo team. That gives the Wildcats the edge every time.

Let’s face facts: Ryan Gray’s 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo sucked. Gray, a seven-time NFR qualifier in bareback riding from Cheney, Wash., was stepped on after falling to the ground in the second round, suffering a lacerated liver. The world standings leader heading into the championship, Gray went on injured reserve and missed the rest of the finals. In fact, he missed several of the first few rodeos of the 2011 campaign while recovering from the injury, including the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in its inaugural year in Oklahoma City. That injury was becoming a nuisance, but Gray persevered. In fact, he returned to the NFR this past December and faired fairly well, winning nearly $45,000 in 10 days. He even won a go-round for the first time in seven years, riding Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night for 90 points to take the top prize on the fifth night. That was just the whipped topping on a triumphant return to rodeo for the cowboy who spends a good portion of his time living near Lubbock, Texas, with his wife, Lacy; he also won the Columbia River Circuit’s bareback riding title and secured his first trip to Oklahoma City since National Circuit Finals moved to the Oklahoma capital a year ago. “There’s a lot of added money there,” Gray said about the RNCFR, which takes place March 29-April 1 at State Fair Arena. “You have a lot of opportunity to win that money. Not only that, but they give away a pickup.” With Ram as the title sponsor, each of the event winners earns a voucher for a vehicle. That comes in quite handy for cowboys and cowgirls who make their livings on the rodeo trail. Gray knows that well; he won the national title just two seasons ago.

CodyWright and Taos Muncy are two of the greatest saddle bronc riders going down the rodeo trail today. Muncy and Wright make up four of the last five bronc riding world championships in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association – Muncy won the 2007 and 2011 Montana Silversmiths gold buckles, while Wright won in 2008 and 2010; Jesse Kruse interrupted the string with his victory in 2009. What makes Muncy and Wright so good is their tremendous athleticism, but also their ability to handle the rigors of the rodeo road. In fact, both cowboys make it a priority to return to those rodeos close to home even while they’re in the midst of their world championship seasons. Muncy is the 2011 Turquoise Circuit saddle bronc riding champion, while Wright won the Wilderness Circuit’s year-end and average titles this past season. They’ll take their gold buckles and their fantastic work ethic with them to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo from March 29-April 1. That’s what it takes to be a cowboy.