Monthly Archives: March 2012

I have to be honest: I liked the chances of PRCA cowboys Rope Myers and Nathan Klassen in the reality series “Full Metal Jousting.” So far, they haven’t disappointed. Myers dominated his match, which aired last week. Klassen, who has been a friend for a number of years, did the same thing in the episode that originally aired Sunday night on the History Channel. Myers is a world champion steer wrestler who was born in Kansas and raised in Texas. Klassen is a two-time Prairie Circuit champion bull rider who was born in Kansas and is now sharing his family life with his wife and daughter in Broken Arrow, Okla. In the most recent episode, he got the better of Mike Edwards, a Las Vegas man who was in the Marine Corps during Desert Storm. Klassen got the early lead by unhorsing Edwards quickly and never really looked back. Klassen isn’t a big guy, but he proved that there’s a lot of power in his punch and that a good horseman can go a long ways in jousting. And – as if this needs to be said – I’m awfully proud of my friend. He began riding bulls when he was 13 years old. He also played college football, something guys his size weren’t supposed to do. Of course, he’s tougher than most, and he’s proving it on “Full Metal Jousting.”

Cody Graham might’ve had one of the best stories of all the $50,000 winners from this past weekend’s finale at RodeoHouston. You see, Graham’s partner was unable to compete at the event, so he was paired with veteran Monty Petska. The two had never roped together before their first round inside Reliant Stadium. Graham told announcer Boyd Polhamus during the post-championship interview that the two had never really met, either. Obviously talent carried them a long ways. Graham, of Everton, Mo., is scheduled to rope with Jason Thompson as they represent the Great Lakes Circuit at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for Thursday, March 29-Sunday, April 1, at Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. He’s one of three Houston champs who will be part of the elite field of contestants. Other $50,000 winners from this past weekend are bareback rider Kaycee Feild, who matched moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night for a whopping 93-point ride to win the title, and fellow Utahan Cody Wright, a two-time world champion saddle bronc rider. Feild is also the reigning world champion bareback rider and the son of Lewis Feild, a five-time world champion.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another blog piece for the upcoming Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. You can gather plenty of information by looking at the event’s website, RNCFR.com. Keep checking back to TwisTED Rodeo for more stories and great information on ProRodeo’s National Championship. Taos Muncy and Cody Taton are traveling partners, good friends and great all-around cowboys who have qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding. They’re brothers-in-law, too. Taton is married to the former Jordan Muncy, and all make their homes near Corona, N.M. Jordan Taton is the rodeo coach at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, and, like her brother, has been around rodeo all her life. In fact, she’s just two years removed from winning the all-around and breakaway roping championships at the College National Finals Rodeo. All three were on the rodeo team at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, and Jordan Taton was just a junior when she scored her double dip. Her brother, the reigning world champion, was just a 20-year-old sophomore when he won the CNFR saddle bronc riding title in 2007 – he won the first of two PRCA world championships that year, too. Cody Taton is association’s saddle bronc riding representative. Probably a bigger accomplishment, though, is that he won the NFR average in his only trip to the finale in 2008. Earlier this year, he moved into the No. 1 spot in the world standings with his big victory at in Fort Worth. It’s nice to know the family that plays together wins together, too. RNCFR saddle bronc riding qualifiers This list is subject to change Cody Taton Taos Muncy Ben Londo Bryan Martinat Clovis Crane Zack Vickers Doug Aldridge Cody Rud Josh Reynolds Jake Costello Cody Martin Lyle Welling Travis Sheets Hardy Braden Justin Browning Curtis Garton Sam Spreadborough Jacobs Crawley Cody Wright Jesse Wright Ryan Elshere Ty Manke Jess Williams Mert Bradshaw

The 20 rodeo performances of RodeoHouston concluded Sunday afternoon, and although I didn’t get to watch the happenings inside Reliant Stadium, I’m still impressed. Today’s winners in barrel racing, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding all pocketed an additional $25,000. Only one of the 2012 RodeoHouston Super Series champs won Sunday, too:  Barrel racer Lindsay Sears. In all, she won $84,900 inside Reliant Stadium. Yeah, I’d take that … as an annual salary. Three-time world champion Will Lowe, who won $12,200 during the Super Series, added to his total with the bareback riding victory. The other winners were reigning world champion saddle bronc rider Taos Muncy and the 2011 RodeoHouston bull riding champion, Bobby Welsh.

When Lindsay Sears goes to the bank, she tends to make a big deposit. Sears and her great horse, Martha, won RodeoHouston with a 14.14-second run to edge Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Carlee Pierce by one-hundredth of a second to win the $50,000 barrel racing prize in the Super Series Championship on Sunday afternoon. In all, Sears won $59,900 in southeast Texas. Pierce, who won $20,000 in the final round, earned $27,200 overall. It was the first time in the 2012 season that Sears, the two-time and reigning world champion, had collected a check. It’s been three and a half months since she put any WPRA money in her bank account; the last time was just after the NFR. In the last three and a half months, the Canadian cowgirl has earned $193,458. Here’s the funny part: She won’t even take over the top spot in the WPRA’s ProRodeo Standings — Brittany Pozzi had $62,941 when the standings were released this past Monday, and Benette Little was second with $52,065. They each won about $10,000 in Houston, but it’s unknown how much of those earnings had been tabulated into the standings, since payouts happened every round for 19 straight days. Pierce, who had $44,254, so she’ll be in the mix for the No. 1 spot in the standings, too. The fantastic horserace that is the 2012 season continues.

RodeoHouston ended with a tremendous bang on Saturday evening, from Kaycee Feild’s 93 point-ride on MGM Deuces Night to win bareback riding to Adam Gray’s 8.8-second ride to Lindsay Sears and Martha edging Carlee Pierce and Dillion by ONE-HUNDREDTH of a second. It was incredible. Congratulations to all the winners. Tie-down roping: 1. Adam Gray, 8.8 seconds, $50,000; 2. Matt Shiozawa, 10.9, $20,000; 3. Hunter Herrin and Cory Solomon, NT, $4,000 each. Bareback riding:1. Kaycee Feild, 93 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night, $50,000; 2. Bobby Mote, 89.5 on Lancaster & Pickett’s Top Flight, $20,000; 3. Will Lowe, 88 on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Fancy Free, $5,000; 4. Dusty LaValley, 87 on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, 87 points, $3,000. Team roping: 1. Cody Graham/Monty Petska, 5.1 seconds, $50,000 each; 2. Matt Sherwood/Cory Petska, 5.2 seconds, $20,000; 3. Quincy Kueckelhan/Richard Durham, 14.6, $5,000; 4. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, NT, $3,000. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Wright, 91 points Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex, $50,000; 2. Cody DeMoss, 88.5 on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s War Glory, $20,000; 3. Rusty Allen, 86.5 on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Valley, $5,000; 4. Brad Rudolf, 85 on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic Fringe, $3,000. Steer wrestling: 1. Wade Sumpter, 5.5 seconds, $50,000; 2. Jake Rinehart, 6.4, $20,000; 3. Olin Hannum, 9.0, $5,000; 4. Shawn Greenfield, 16.6, $3,000. Barrel racing: 1. Lindsay Sears, 14.13 seconds, $50,000; 2. Carlee Pierce, 14.14, $20,000; 3. Trula Churchill, 14.35, $5,000; 4. Sherry Cervi, 14.42, $3,000. Bull riding: 1. Beau Schroeder, 84.5 points on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Secret Agent, $50,000; 2. Cody Rostockyj, Classic Pro Rodeo’s Rocket Man, Trey Benton, Classic Pro Rodeo’s Hustler, and Cody Teel, Classic Pro Rodeo’s Pimp My Ride, no score, $9,333 each.

I’ve got the TV set on March Madness, and I’ve got the computer set on RodeoHouston. Technology is awesome, and I’m glad I get to watch them both. Right now, we just wrapped up bronc riding in Reliant Stadium, where Cody DeMoss rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Congeniality to win the round and advance to the four-man sprint to the finish, where the winner earns a check worth $50,000. This is fun.

Bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette, Wyo., is the only defending RodeoHouston champion who has a secured shot at repeating. He’s one of three 2011 winners still in the mix. Steer wrestler Stockton Graves of Newkirk, Okla., and saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer of Elsmere, Neb., will battle for the remaining two finale spots in their respective events during tonight’s Wild Card Round. Those are pretty slim odds. But I like their chances. Of course, to still be in the mix with just two performances remaining in the Super Series is big. There are five other defending champions who didn’t make it this far: team ropers Tommy Edens and Cody Doescher, tie-down roper Shane Hanchey, bareback rider Clint Cannon and barrel racer Jody Sheffield. Of all the 2011 champs, only Scheer, Edens and Doescher missed the NFR. Edens finished 58th in the heading world standings, while Doescher was 40th among heelers. Scheer, who didn’t compete past last June, finished 25th. They’re all worthy champions, but so are the winners who will be crowned this weekend.

The most stressful three days of RodeoHouston begin tonight with the wild card round, which features the 12 contestants in each discipline who did not place in the top four in the two semifinals. They will battle for the final two spots in tomorrow’s Super Series Championship. Taking just a sixth of the field means there is a lot of pressure on everybody who will compete in tonight’s round. It will come down to several factors to decide who advances, but first and foremost is which contestants in each event can best handle the heat. The suspense doesn’t get any stronger than Saturday’s championship, where a $50,000 first-place prize is on the line in each event ($100,000 in team roping). If you think a five-foot put for  the $5 bet with your buddies will make your knees buckle, think about these guys nodding their heads for that kind of money. Sunday’s Cinch Super Shootout will feature 42 contestants all vying for even more money in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing. Each competitor qualified by winning a major rodeo in 2011, events like Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, Fort Worth (Texas) Stock Show Rodeo, San Angelo Stock Show Rodeo, Rodeo Austin, Cloverdale (B.C.) Rodeo and Country Fair, Reno (Nev.) Rodeo and, of course, last year’s Houston winners. That makes it very exciting for the cowboys and cowgirls who are part of this weekend’s action, but it’s just as exciting to the fans. If you want to watch the livestreaming broadcast, be sure to click HERE.  

I’m watching/listening to RodeoHouston’s livestreaming webcast of tonight’s semifinal round at RodeoHouston. I enjoy the show and listening to Reliant Stadium announcers Boyd Polhamus and Bob Tallman. It’s like being in the media room at the NFR, except without the yelling. It’s a great show, especially when only the top four contestants in each event advance to Saturday’s final round. It adds a little pressure to the punch. The other four in each semifinal move on to tomorrow’s Wild Card Round, but only the top two in each event out of that round advance. That means 10 contestants in each discipline will be part of Saturday’s finale. So far, I’ve seen Hunter Herrin, Caleb Bennett, Matt Sherwood-Cory Petska and Ryan Mackenzie post the best scores/times of their events. If you’d like to watch it yourself, click HERE.

Brittany Pozzi and Lindsay Sears were just two-thirds of an incredible race for the 2011 barrel racing world championship. If RodeoHouston is any indication, 2012 could be just as exciting. Through the first of two semifinals on Wednesday night, Sears won the round with a 13.93-second run, followed by Pozzi’s 14.14. Through four go-rounds inside Reliant Stadium, both the two-time world champions have the same earnings, $9,900. They’ve also secured their spot in the finals. The other third of the 2011 equation was three-time titlist Sherry Cervi, who competes in Thursday’s second semifinal round. Cervi has earned $6,600 in Houston so far. The winners of the Super Shootout in each event will earn $50,000. For the barrel racers, that money counts toward the world standings. Last year, Jody Sheffield ran her Houston earnings all the way to her first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Of course, $9,900 is nothing to sneeze at.

“Full Metal Jousting” is a reality show that gets inside on the newest version of the Medieval sport, and it features two ProRodeo cowboys, bull rider Nathan Klassen of Broken Arrow, Okla., and world champion steer wrestler Rope Myers of Van, Texas. Nathan is a longtime friend of mine. He’s a Prairie Circuit champion bull rider and a horse trainer who works hard for himself and for his family, which includes young daughter. Rope and his brother, Cash, are NFR qualifiers, and their father, Butch, also is a world champion bulldogger. Rope is one of the favorites in the reality series, and his size and horsemanship skills are a big reason why. In the most recent episode, Rope dominated his joust. My wife and I are watching the show to keep up with the cowboys, just as we did when the McCoys were on “The Amazing Race.” We haven’t seen much of Nathan just yet, but I’m rooting for him.

GUYMON, Okla. – Troy Lerwill is a showman. He’s also an athlete and a daredevil. It all comes together in the Oklahoma Panhandle the first weekend in May for the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, which celebrates its 80th year with four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “Troy is one of the funniest guys out there, not just in rodeo,” said Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, a Dallas-based livestock firm that serves as the primary stock contractor in Guymon. “I try to get him as often as I can, because he brings a whole new dimension to each show. He’s the best entertainer in rodeo because of how he handles the crowd. “Then you add his motorcycle act into the mix, and it’s just over-the-top. Everybody wants to come back the next day just to see it again.” The motorcycle act involves Lerwill’s alter-ego, “The Wild Child,” who jumps a Bloomer trailer and a Ram pickup in a showcase of comedy mixed with athleticism. It’s something “It’s funny every time I see it,” said Ken Stonceipher, the production manager for Pioneer Days Rodeo. “There’s just something magical in that entire act.” It’s the magic that has been on display at Hitch Arena before. Fans in the Oklahoma Panhandle have been asking about Lerwill’s return, so the rodeo committee and Carr made sure he is part of this year’s showcase. “We’re reaching out to a different group of people that will watch the rodeo if you bring something they like,” said Earl Helm, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual event. “You’ve got to listen to the crowd and see what they’re interested in. “Troy is phenomenal at what he does. What he does brings in a new group, but it also reaches out to the traditional rodeo fan. Everybody just loves to see him here.” That happens nationwide. Lerwill is one of the most celebrated acts in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He’s been the barrelman at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo three times, has twice been named the Coors Man in the Can, and he’s been named the PRCA Act of the Year six times. All those awards are nice, but what makes Lerwill one of the most sought-after entertainers in rodeo is what he does in the arena – in addition to his fantastic daredevil act, the Payson, Utah, man has the timing of a comedic genius. It’s the full package that attracted producers of the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, where Lerwill will perform March 29-April 1 in Oklahoma City. It comes quite naturally to Lerwill, the son of a roper who grew up going to rodeos in Utah and Colorado with his father. Though he never competed, Troy Lerwill was hooked … even if it took a few years for him to realize it. “I had a Shetland pony growing up, and I always like horses,” Lerwill said. “I roped with my dad when I was little, but I always wanted a motorcycle.” His parents realized he was pretty good at maneuvering the machine and began taking him to desert races. By the time he was 12, Lerwill was excelling at motocross. “It just evolved from there,” he said. Racing was a big part of Lerwill’s life for a long time. But at age 24, Lerwill had begun riding mountain bikes through the Utah trails instead of the motorized ones over the quick jumps and turns of motocross. Through all that, he found a new rush: Bullfighting. The rodeo arena was drawing him back. He went to a bullfighting school, and a new career was born. “I got my PRCA card in 1993,” he said. “I started doing the comedy stuff in ’95.” It didn’t take long for Lerwill to step up his game. A local stock contractor hired him to fight bulls and entertain. “I was in Evanston, Wyo., the first time I put the microphone on,” he said. “I was so damn scared that I was dry-heaving. But I got it done.” He’s gotten it done a lot in the years since. He has become one of the most sought-after acts in ProRodeo, and there’s good reason. “People just love to watch Troy, because he’s that good,” Carr said. “He can bring people to your rodeo to see what he can do; that’s a true entertainer.” For Lerwill, life is about reaching out to people and sharing his passion for the rodeo way of life. He may go about it in different terms than most cowboys, but there is a distinct passion involved in everything he does. “I really don’t want the Western heritage and lifestyle, and the tradition of cowboy to go away, and I want young people to enjoy it like I did,” Lerwill said. “Rodeo is a huge chunk of our history. “Even though I take a motorcycle to a rodeo and do a stunt, I hope it makes fans of people and they come back.”

Ryan Gray won two of three bareback riding go-rounds in the final Super Series of RodeoHouston. He placed second on the only night in which he did not win, so he won the three-ride average by five points over three-time world champion Will Lowe. In all, Gray won $8,700. That’s $4,000 more than Lowe, who finished second in earnings. They led the way for the Super Series V semifinalists, which included NFR qualifiers Tom McFarland and Jason Havens. Lowe and Havens will ride Wednesday in the first of two nights of semifinals, while Gray and McFarland will ride Thursday. RodeoHouston rolls to a close this weekend, and the action is going to continue to be just as hot. That’s what fans want. That’s what they deserve.

ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo teams learned a valuable lesson this past weekend: One person can make a big difference in a team’s goal. Take freshman Lauren Barnes, who won the all-around and goat-tying championships at the Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College Rodeo this past weekend and also scored big in breakaway roping, guiding the Northwestern women to the team title. Barnes scored 275 points in claiming the all-around title, and those figures transitioned over to the team score, giving the Rangers women a 50-point margin over runner up Southeastern Oklahoma State University, which scored 225. “As a freshman, it’s kind of hard to do, but I work hard at it every day,” said Barnes, an agriculture business major from Buckeye, Ariz. “Last weekend in Garden City (Kan.), I wanted to win the goat-tying, and I ended up second. So I really had something to prove this weekend.” The proof came with Barnes posting a two-run cumulative of 14.1 seconds, two seconds better than runner-up Jacoby Hotsenpiller of Fort Scott. Barnes also put together two solid runs in breakaway roping, scoring a 5.6-second cumulative to finish third overall. “I was real proud of Lauren,” Northwestern rodeo coach Stockton Graves said. “She did a good job in both events. I was really proud of the women’s team overall. I was glad to see them do good. They really came through for us at Fort Scott. “We’re getting everybody on the same page, and it’s amazing what we can do with everybody on the same page. It’s just something we’ve got to learn.” They’re learning quite well. The Rangers had three other cowgirls place last weekend: goat-tier Megan White (tied for third) of Alva and barrel racers Kari Cable (fourth) of Alva and Rachel Samuels (tied for eighth) of Port Jervis, N.Y. “I think goat-tying is my strongest event,” Barnes said. “I’ve been doing it a little bit longer, and I work really hard at it. I work hard at breakaway, but right now it’s not as strong as my goat-tying.” Barnes also competes in barrel racing, though she didn’t in Fort Scott – the Arizona cowgirl’s barrel horse was a little injured, so she gave the animal the weekend off. She expects everything to be working just fine by the time the teams return to action April 12-14 at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Weatherford. “I really wanted to come to Oklahoma to rodeo, because I knew it would be tougher,” she said. “I really like the school and everything about it.” It helps, too, that the coach is Graves, a former Northwestern standout who has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo seven times. “He’s out there with us, helping us in goat-tying almost every night we’re out there,” Barnes said. “He’s out there helping in breakaway and is really helping us through it all. It’s a big help, that’s for sure.” The help also comes from Arizona, where Barnes’ parents provide whatever assistance she might need to compete at a high level. “They help money-wise and support,” she said. “This weekend before all of my runs, I talked to both my mom and my dad. They keep my confidence up, even if they can’t make it to all the rodeos now that we’re so far away. They still help me on the phone all the time.” Of course, winning an all-around championship early in her college rodeo career can help the confidence, too. “Winning the all-around is my main goal at every rodeo I go to,” Barnes said. “I don’t really like doing one event. I like doing as many as I can.” While the Northwestern women won the Fort Scott title off Barnes terrific run, the men’s team finished eighth overall. John Howell of Stillwater became the third straight Northwestern cowboy to win an event tie-down roping title. He roped and tied two calves in a cumulative 18.1 seconds. Perry Dietz of Cleo Springs won in Garden City, Kan., the weekend before, and Trey Young of Dupree, S.D., won the title in Manhattan, Kan., in February. “To go three rodeos in a row and have a champion calf roper, that means a lot to us,” Graves said. “I think our calf ropers are doing real well, and that’s something in this region.” Other tie-down ropers at the top of the list were Hayden Pearce (tied for sixth) of Kim, Colo., and Jess Woodward (eighth) of Dupree, S.D., who finished second in the men’s all-around by also placing in steer wrestling. Steer wrestler Kyle Irwin didn’t claim the title, but his second-place finish in the eastern Kansas community pushed the Robertsdale, Ala., cowboy to the top of the Central Plains Region standings. Woodward finished in a tie for third place, while Coldar Cluck of Alva placed sixth. “I’m real proud of our bulldoggers,” Graves said. “We had three guys up there at the top.” Saddle bronc rider Cody Burkholder of Clarksville, Iowa, placed third, riding two horses for a cumulative 141 points. Other Ranger men who placed were header Collin Domer (fourth) of Topeka, Kan., and heeler Dustin Searcy (seventh) of Mooreland. Searcy held on to his lead in the region standings; his 425 points is 75 better than Western Oklahoma State College’s Derrick Jantzen and Northwestern’s Tanner Braden of Dewey, Okla. “I was just proud of everybody this weekend,” Graves said. “They’re all doing really well, and they’re working hard at it. That’s really all you can ask.”

On Sunday afternoon during the first go-round of Super Series V at RodeoHouston, Todd Suhn had a rodeo-saving 11.9-second steer wrestling run. It wasn’t one of those lightning-quick times we’re used to seeing at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but it was as dramatic as any you’ll ever see. Suhn’s steer shot out of the chute quickly and got a quick lead on Suhn and his hazer. In fact, the steer veered right, directly in front of the hazing horse. Suhn swept around the near-wreck and bolted after the stray steer. As his beautiful white horse, Maximus, closed in, Suhn finished off the run in fantastic fashion. His run, though long, was worth $500 for being fourth in the go-round. The run might become a thing of legends if Suhn continues to cash in. On Monday night, the South Dakotan posted a 4.6-second run to win the second go-round. He now stands a very good chance of qualifying for the semifinals. Suhn has qualified for the NFR 15 times the last 16 years. It’s that kind of “try” that makes it possible.

It’s soggy here in Houston. It’s starting to rain again; I can hear it on the top of the trailer. I really feel bad for the girls in this set. It was pouring yesterday when they were loading to go to the Reliant Center. The Houston Cowboy Hospitality Committee is tops. There isn’t enough room for us to camp and keep our horses at the Reliant Center, so they set up a cowboy camp for us off-site. It’s awesome. They have a wonderful horse barn, with big stalls with clean shavings, stalls with bars so the ventilation is good and the horses can see each other. They have RV hook-ups for everyone. They even poured an asphalt floor for the Cowboy Bistro tent this year and put up a fenced in playground for the little ones. Cowboy Camp is fenced in with controlled access, so if your kid, horse or dog does get loose, they can’t totally escape. We are away from all the hustle and bustle of the fair and rodeo, so it’s peaceful here. The committee is so helpful and genuinely willing to help you. They don’t mind if you stay a few days extra. They really do make the time you are here enjoyable. They also provide meals for us and our families up at Reliant. Hats off to the Houston committee for making us feel like rock stars. We went to Reliant to watch Reba in concert on March 9. What can I say? She is in a class by herself. She came from cowboy stock, is proud of it, and she rocked the house. Don’t forget: They broadcast the rodeos over Fox Sports-Houston.

EDITOR’S NOTE: You can also find this story on the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo’s website, which soon can be found HERE. For much of his roping life, Charles Pogue was a fixture at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He qualified for the Big Show 15 times in his 25-year career, helped considerably by his great horse, Scooter, which was named the PRCA/AQHA Heading Horse of the Year six times. Of course, Pogue’s talent has always shown through. In 1998 and 2000, Pogue and his heeling partner, Britt Bockius, roped in the NFR average titles. The last time Pogue competed in ProRodeo’s grand finale was 2003. That’s when the Ringling, Okla., cowboy decided to spend more time at home with his family. Although he doesn’t compete nearly as much nationwide, he is still quite competitive. Pogue and his partner, Jett Hillman of Jones, Okla., have again qualified for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 29-April 1 at Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. RNCFR team roping qualifiers This list is subject to change HEADERS Preston Billadeau Brady Williams Wade Wheatley Blaine Linaweaver Riley Minor Jake Stanley Carmine Nastri Daren Morgan Cody Graham Adam Newcomb Miles Kobold Jason Handy Jake Day Tyler Schnaufer Charles Pogue Tyler Johnson Travis Dorman Manny Egusquiza Jr. Nathan McWhorter Luke Brown Erich Rogers Brock Hanson Matt Sherwood Colby Siddoway HEELERS Rory Brown Ryan Zurcher John Chaves Jake Twisselman Brady Minor Justin Davis Derek Carey Shawn Quinn Jason Thompson Gabe Gwaltney Matt Robertson John Robertson Wade Masters Cole Cooper Jett Hillman Mitch Murray Adam Plyler Clint Summers York Gill Martin Lucero Cory Petska Lane Siggins Rhen Richard Derick Fleming

California cowboys bring NFR-caliber steer wrestling to National Championship OKLAHOMA CITY – Sometimes the chase is more memorable than the catch. That’s the case with Luke Branquinho and the 2011 ProRodeo season, one in which the California cowboy clinched his third steer wrestling world championship in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “It’s great that it came down to the 10th round,” said Branquinho, who was in a dogfight for the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle with Jason Miller and Shawn Greenfield heading into the final night of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “It’s unfortunate that Jason and Shawn had some bad luck, but it was a great race.” It was just one of a couple races Branquinho was involved in last season; the other involved the California Circuit, where fellow NFR qualifier Ethen Thouvenell won the year-end championship. But Branquinho won the average title at the Ram California Circuit Finals Rodeo. That qualifies both cowboys for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for Thursday, March 29-Sunday, April 1, at Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. “Making the (national) circuit finals means a lot,” said Branquinho, who also won world titles in 2004 and ’08 and won RNCFR championships in 2009 and ’10. “It’s a great rodeo with a lot of money added. It’s a rodeo that has the top circuit cowboys from all across the country, so that makes it great, too. “You have to qualify for this, so that makes it pretty special.” 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 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. “Making it there is something I’ve wanted to do,” said Thouvenell, who has qualified three times for the RNCFR. “In my circuit, it’s kind of a tough bulldogging. It’s a nice thing when you’ve got guys like that in your circuit, because you know you’re going up against the best all the time. “The California Circuit has always been one of those circuits where we’ve had some real competitive steer wrestling. I think it shows.” Now the Californians will test their mettle against the top players from the other 11 circuits. Branquinho has an advantage that comes with being crowned the world’s best three times; Thouvenell qualified for the 2010 NFR and finished that season ninth in the world standings. And both know what it means to be on top of the bulldogging standings – Branquinho has those gold buckles, and Thouvenell parlayed big wins in San Antonio and Tucson on the same weekend in late February to move to the No. 1 spot early in the 2012 season. “When you get there, you get to go up against 23 other guys instead of 50 or so like you do at a lot of big rodeos that add that kind of money,” said Branquinho, who is making his seventh trip to the RNCFR. “It’s a prestigious rodeo, and it’s one you want to do well at. “This is my first chance to go to it in Oklahoma City, and I’m really looking forward to it.” Thouvenell was part of the 24-man field at State Fair Arena last spring, so he knows the feeling of backing his horse into the timed-event box in that storied building, which hosted the NFR from 1965-1978. “What’s great about it is they take the 12 circuits, and they bring the two best from each circuit,” Thouvenell said. “That makes for an elite field of guys. It makes for a great rodeo.” Of course, having ProRodeo’s National Championship on the line is also a big incentive. It’s a dream both California cowboys will chase, and they’ll remember every step along the way.

Everyday is a good day to be a world champion. Sunday was a little better than most for those who are part of Super Series V at RodeoHouston. Of the seven events, the first round was won by four world champions – tie-down roper Tuf Cooper (2011), team roping-header Clay Tryan (2005), bull rider Wesley Silcox (2007) and barrel racer Lindsay Sears (2008, ’11). The chances are pretty good that a number of world titlists will come away with big money in the final Super Series of Houston’s bracketed format: 11 are in the field. But for now, Cooper, Tryan, Silcox and Sears are $2,500 richer. That gives them a leg up in advancing to the semifinals. They still have three other opportunities to earn the money needed: the top four in each of the two remaining go-rounds and the top four in the three-head average. The top four money-earners in each event advance and still have a shot at the $50,000 prize to the Super Shootout winners.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appears in the March edition of Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the official publication for the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Shortly after her final run at the Ram Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo, Pamela Capper had a moment. Just outside the arena at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center’s Hooker Creek Event Center, Capper reflected on the terrific 2011 season she’d had with her horse, Sheza Smooth Flight, a 10-year-old brown mare she calls Jesse. “I’ve been to the circuit finals several years, not thinking I could ever win it,” said Capper, of Cheney, Wash. “Then to win the average … I just started crying over that. It was huge. It was great to accomplish that and to win the year-end title.” Capper’s sweep of the barrel racing titles in her home region secures her first qualification to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 29-April 1 at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City. Capper will do battle with 23 other cowgirls who represent their circuits at ProRodeo’s national championship. The field will be filled with top-rated barrel racing tandems, like fellow Columbia River Circuit qualifier Brenda Mays, who finished second in the year-end standings. Whether it’s RNCFR champions like Tammy Bruso of the Southeastern Circuit or world champions like Brittany Pozzi (Texas) and Sherry Cervi (Turquoise), there will elite cowgirls and awesome horses. “I think it’s going to be a little bit of an NFR with the names that I’ve seen that are going to be competing,” said Pozzi, a two-time world champion from Victoria, Texas. Besides Mays, Cervi and Pozzi, other RNCFR qualifiers who have been part of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo field include Lisa Lockhart, Christina Richman, Jeanne Anderson, Carlee Pierce and Shelley Morgan; in fact, all but Morgan competed in Las Vegas this past December. “I really wanted to win the circuit on Stingray,” Cervi said of the great horse that helped her to her third world championship in 2010. “This is our first circuit title. I think it’s cool. We have a really good circuit. “One of my goals was to try to get back to Oklahoma City, because it’s a good rodeo and there’s quite a bit of money added.” The format will feature two go-rounds, with the top eight cowgirls in the average advancing to a clean-slate semifinals, where the previous rounds are thrown out and will only be used in the event of a tie-breaker. The top four semifinal times then advance to the clean-slate finals, where the fastest of the four runs will be crowned national champion. “It’s just a great honor to win my circuit,” said Theresa Walter of Billings, Mont., who won the year-end and finals average titles in the Montana Circuit. “I had a really good friend that was a calf roper who was killed a few years ago, and he told me then that to win the circuit was a big deal to him. “It felt that way both the times I won it.” This will be Walter’s fourth qualification to the national circuit finals; she ran last year in the championship’s inaugural run in Oklahoma City, and she competed twice when it took place in Pocatello, Idaho, where Walter earned the national title a few seasons ago. Of course, it helps to have a great horse like Fames Licorice Kiss, a 10-year-old black mare she calls Licorice. “From the time she was a futurity colt, I’ve been really fortunate that she’s been that consistent,” Walter said of Licorice, out of Bouncing Bonnie by Dash Ta Fame. “It makes my job really easy. I don’t have to worry about her at all.” When it comes to horsepower, Capper is pretty confident in Jesse, a horse she has raised. “She has a really good mind,” Capper said. “When she was born, I could tell she was going to be athletic. That combination really does help make a barrel horse. She didn’t put up a fight with anything I showed her. “She took to barrels really easily. It was finally putting the speed to the pattern, and that’s when she really started taking off this last year. I think she really does enjoy it. I don’t have much of a bridle on her. I think it’s just the mind and the athletic ability, and she enjoys it.” So does Capper, who got a late start to the 2011 season. Still she but made up ground quickly. “I started the year out just hoping to make the circuit finals,” said Capper, who had qualified for the Ram Columbia River Circuit Finals before. “I didn’t get started until after the Fourth of July weekend.” But Capper went on a tear in August, including big paydays in Hermiston, Ore.; Omak, Wash.; and Kennewick, Wash. In fact, she and Jesse sprinted to the finish of the ProRodeo season, passing Mays and her great horse, Jethro, along the way. That’s why the emotions flowed easily when she finished the circuit finale in Redmond. Now she will try her hand on the national stage. “You know all the girls that you’re up against are all the top girls from each circuit,” said Capper, who receives quite a bit of help on the rodeo trail from her boyfriend, Clyde Coker. “It is beyond my aspirations. It’s such a great opportunity and such a prestigious rodeo that I’m very excited.”

It’s been six seasons since Cody Martin last qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. But he hasn’t fallen off the face of the earth. In fact, he’s still been one of the best saddle bronc riders in ProRodeo. He took some time away from the rodeo trail to follow other career opportunities, but he came back to the game just as strong in 2010. Since then, he’s been in the top 40 in the world standings. That helped the Arkansas cowboy into the field of this year’s RodeoHouston. He’s making the most of his opportunity so far. Now living in Eagle, Colo., Martin won the first two go-rounds in Super Series IV, then placed third in today’s final round to win the three-head average. He pocketed $8,300, almost twice as much as the No. 2 bronc riding money-winner, Sterling Crawley, who made $4,400. Martin would love to make it back to the NFR this December, but for now, he’ll be quite content battling for the $50,000 prize that goes to the Super Shootout winners next weekend.

The American Royal Pro Rodeo is returning home. After conducting its 2011 championship at the Sprint Center downtown, the organizers are moving the storied rodeo back to the American Royal complex. That’s just one of the changes in store for the event. “Our 2011 rodeo was among the most successful in recent years, showcasing a quality performance, a premiere concert event and a state-of-the-art venue,” said Bob Petersen, president and CEO of the American Royal. The Sprint Center was a showcase for the rodeo, which was one of just nine Gold level events part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. It featured some of the greatest contestants in ProRodeo, both from the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. It also featured three after-the-rodeo concerts, Pat Green, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Saturday night headliner, Reba McEntire. But it wasn’t home. To allow for the overflow number of competitors while dealing with the logistics of the downtown arena, organizers utilized Lone Wolf Arena in Cleveland, Mo., about 35 miles south of the Sprint Center. The move back to the American Royal complex will allow for ample parking and adequate space for slack. The 2012 rodeo will take place in the 5,000-seat Hale Arena while folks at the American Royal push forward on plans for a new Agricultural Events Center. Under the plans, Kemper Arena will be razed, and the state-of-the-art facility for livestock, equine and rodeo will be erected in its place. Organizers are calling for the 2012 rodeo to take place in September, but the date is not official just yet as the American Royal staff hammers out an exact schedule with the PRCA – the Royal rodeo is also not expected to be part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. The 2012 rodeo season runs Oct. 1, 2011-Sept. 30, 2012. If the Royal rodeo takes place prior to that end date, the money won in Kansas City will count toward qualifications for this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. If that happens, both the 2011 and 2012 Royal rodeos will count for the 2012 standings. The important factor for the American Royal is celebrating a storied history and projecting the organization’s mission during each of its events. In 2011, the Royal contributed more than $1.7 million in scholarship and educational awards to youths who participate in agricultural programs. “With the rodeo’s return to the West Bottoms this September, we anticipate no scheduling conflicts for the American Royal or the Sprint Center,” Petersen said. “In coming home to the West Bottoms, we look forward to celebrating a cost-effective, tradition filled celebration of the American Royal’s 113th anniversary season.”

Over the last four days, Seth Glause of Rock Springs, Wyo., has done some heavy lifting at RodeoHouston. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the three-time NFR qualifier competed in bull riding. He and the other seven bull riders failed to mark a qualified ride in the opening night of Super Series III. Glause, though, took advantage of the final two rounds of the competition; he won the second round with an 80.5, then finished runner-up in the third round with an 82. He won the average and collected $6,200. More importantly, he advanced to the semifinals in RodeoHouston’s bracketed format. On Thursday night, Glause competed in saddle bronc riding. His 78.5-point ride in the first round of Super Series IV was good enough for a fourth-place tie with Oregonian Mert Bradshaw and worth $250 for each cowboy. It wasn’t a big chunk of change, but in a format where the top four contestants in money won in each event advance, every little bit helps.