Monthly Archives: July 2012

The champions in six events will be crowned this afternoon at the Calgary Stampede, and each will be awarded $100,000. It’s a big day in Alberta, and today’s field includes world champions, Canadian champions, NFR qualifiers and previous winners of the prestigious title. Unfortunately the field doesn’t include all those that earned the right to be there. During Saturday’s wild card round, the judges awarded the bareback riding victory to Jason Havens, who put on a whale of a spur ride for 83.5 points. It was the best spur ride of all 11 competitors, but it was also the easiest-to-ride horse. It shouldn’t have been the highest marked ride, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. The best ride belonged to Casey Colletti, who had a second place-tying 82, the same score posted by Canadian Jake Vold. The Alberta cowboy advanced to today’s finale and a chance at the $100,000 prize by virtue of a tie-breaker. But Vold’s ride shouldn’t have been scored the same as Colletti’s. The video footage showed that Vold’s spur ride wasn’t as strong. It’s unfortunate, especially when so much money is on the line, but it happens. Colletti, who flew back to the United States to compete between his fourth round in Pool A and the wild card round, shared the event title at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colo., with an 86-point ride on Friday night on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Yellow Bear – Steven Dent and Tanner Aus also earned a share of the title, and each cowboy pocketed $4,461. Unlike the big money in Alberta, those dollars count toward the world standings. Every bit of money is needed if Colletti plans to qualify for his second straight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. That’s much more important in the grand scheme of things.

DODGE CITY,Kan.– John Payne is a cowboy, and he’s quite proud of it. So when he has faced adversity, Payne has tackled it head on, just like most other cowboys. When he was electrocuted and brought back to life 39 years ago, he dealt with it. It was a life-changing event that led to his right arm being amputated, but it didn’t take away from the man, the cowboy Payne has always been. Now he makes a living showcasing his talents and the unique brand of ranching he uses on his piece of land near Shidler, Okla., near the state’s northern border. John Payne of the One Armed Bandit & Co. will be the featured act at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 5, at Roundup Arena. “I’ve always been a showoff, and I’m pretty good at showing off with my animals,” said Payne, who works the business with his son, Lynn, 36, and daughter, Amanda, 33. “It’s kind of like a paid vacation. You get to travel all over the country and get paid for it. “But I like to show off the talents of my animals and my horsemanship.” And while his children have their own version of the act, Payne is the original One Armed Bandit, a shout-out to his ability to overcome all sorts of adversity. When he was electrocuted in June 1973, he fell 25 feet to almost certain death. His work partner revived him with CPR. But the voltage did plenty of damage – the electricity exited his body through his abdomen, leaving a nasty hole there and on his left leg. His rodeo career began in the mid-1980s, when he went to an event close to his home. He told the folks at the 101 Wild West Rodeo in Ponca City, Okla., that they could get a better act if they hired him. He put something together, then went back to ranching. That’s when legendary announcer Clem McSpadden called Payne. “He was the one who prompted me into pursuing a career in the entertainment business in ProRodeo,” Payne said. “Clem told me that I could do that and make a heck of a living at it. Heck, I’ve been in business 23 years now.” It’s a pretty good business. The One Armed Bandit & Co. has been named the PRCA Specialty Act of the Year 10 times, including the past two seasons. “His act is electrifying and adds so much to the rodeo,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “John my look rough in is his outfit, but he has a heart of gold. We have had him in our home for Sunday dinner, and the grandkids loved him.”      Payne has made an impression on many throughout his award-winning career. “He’s not scared to be a cowboy,” said Jesse James Kirby, one of the elite saddle bronc riders in Pro Rodeo fromDodge City. “He can make whatever happen, whether he’s riding a mule or a horse, and he can make those buffalo do anything you can think of.” Payne has been amazing people for more than two decades. He has a custom-made trailer that he utilizes in the act, allowing himself and the animals a rather high perch to show off to the fans. It takes guts and true horsemanship skills to handle the act. “First of all, he’s got one arm,” said Boyd Polhamus, the three-time PRCA Announcer of the Year who has called the action inside Roundup Arena every year since 1999. “It’s one thing for someone to do it. It’s amazing in its own right, but John’s got just one arm. No one else can copy that. “You’re riding, messing with buffaloes. You’re a stud. There’s just something about that buckaroo. He’s just got a buckaroo look to him. He just looks the part. It’s a Wild West show. He is, by himself, an eight-minute Wild West show. It’s going to be Western, and it’s going to be fun.” People will see that every performance of the Dodge City rodeo. “The first time I ever saw his act, I had never seen anything like that before,” said Kirby, whose grandfather, Floyd Kirby, was one of Roundup’s founders. “He could round up those horses or those buffalo and get them herded up that trailer. “He’s fearless.” Polhamus has seen the act at rodeos all across this land. He knows what to expect, and he’s still amazed when the rig wheels into the arena. “If his act goes according to plan, it’s going to be awesome,” Polhamus said. “If it doesn’t go as planned, it’s going to be awesome.”

EAGLE,Colo.– Clint Cannon hated to admit it, but 2012 wasn’t panning out to be what he had hoped. “I just felt like I couldn’t find that niche where I could get over the barrier,” said Cannon, a three-time bareback riding qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. That changed the last week of June inPecos,Texas, and an 8-year-old bay gelding was the turning point. “When I saw that I had Dirty Jacket, I thought, ‘This could be the one that could help me break out of that slump,’ ” Cannon said of the Carr Pro Rodeo bucking horse, which helped Cannon to a 90-point ride at the West of the Pecos Rodeo. “I made an awesome ride, and the horse bucked. To start my Fourth of July run with a 90-point ride was great.” He’d love a repeat performance at the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25-Saturday, July 28. The score inPecos was good enough for a second-place finish worth $2,677. That moved Cannon ever closer to the top 15 in the world standings; should the Waller, Texas, cowboy finish the regular season in the top 15, he’ll return for a fourth time to Las Vegas this December. And he’ll have Dirty Jacket to thank for turning his season around. “He bucks every time I’ve been on him,” Cannon said. “He’s one of those horses you can win on every time if you ride him right. What’s great about that horse is just how electric he is. When the gate swings open, I think he kicked the back of the bucking chute three times before he got to the end of the gate. “He’s just so showy and electric. He bails out of there and just keeps cracking them.” Cannon is one of several bareback riders who feel the same way about the great bucking horse, which has been to the NFR each of the past three seasons. The gelding should return to ProRodeo’s grand finale in just four months. “When he leaves the chute, he’s trying to kick the flankman off the back of the chute,” said Kaycee Feild, the reigning bareback riding world champion who won the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo after riding Dirty Jacket for 89 points in the championship round. “He’s so fast, and he bucks so hard. “There’s no way you can muscle up on him. You’ve got to be fast and aggressive, or he will get you out of shape and might get you bucked off.” Cannon knows that as well as anyone, but he realizes that if a cowboy handles his job, Dirty Jacket can help you reach the pay window. That’s what bareback riders want. “He’s one of those horses that when you’re over in the dumps, you ride that one over and over again in your mind to get you back to where you need to be,” Cannon said. “I won second on him at the NFR this past year in the 10th round.” Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, has a dozen animals selected to the finals each year, a couple of which are bucked in the fifth and 10th rounds. Carr owns some of the greatest bucking animals in ProRodeo, including Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year, and Riverboat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion bareback horse. “This is the best I’ve seen Dirty Jacket,” Carr said. “He’s been phenomenal.”          He’s been pretty good since he first started bucking in May 2008. In addition to Feild’s win inFort Worth, three other cowboys earned titles on the horse so far this year: Wes Stevenson ofLubbock,Texas, won inSan Angelo,Texas, after matching moves with Dirty Jacket for 87 points in the short round; Jeremy Mouton ofScott,La., posted an 84 on him to win in Bridgeport, Texas; and Austin Foss of Terrebonne, Ore., scored 89 to win in Window Rock, Ariz. “That horse has just gotten better,” said Stevenson, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “I think he may have stepped it up from what we’ve seen.” Dirty Jacket is always electric, which is why the top bareback riders in the game have selected him to buck in the elite rounds at the NFR each of the last three years – the TV pen features the “showiest” bucking horses, and the moniker comes from the days when only the final round of the NFR was televised. The “TV pen” animals buck in the fifth and 10th rounds, which provides a great touch to the halfway point of the championship and the season’s final go-round. “That horse is in his prime,” Stevenson said. “He could be having one of the better years he’s had, and that’s saying a lot. The first time he was bucked was four years ago in Guymon (Okla.), and they won the rodeo on him.”

LOVINGTON,N.M.– Maybe it was the concerts. Maybe it was the rodeo. Maybe it was the overall entertainment experience. Whatever IT was, it worked at the 2011 edition of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, which had a record attendance of 97,928. “I always go back to the cost of admission,” said Dean Jackson, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “Last year it was $5 to get into our fair, and this year it’s just $6. We make it affordable for the people ofLeaCountyand the surrounding area. We give them concerts that cost $50 or $100, and we give that to them for $5.” The key, he said, is that the 10-day festival – set for Aug. 3-11 – is underwritten by the Lea County Commission. The fair is a way to give back to the county’s residents, provide them with entertainment and allow them a way to celebrate together. It’s turned into something much more. Actually, the fair has turned into a regional exposition, and that’s a good thing. “We are very lucky the Lea County Commission funds the whole thing,”Jacksonsaid. “We’re fortunate to get this outstanding budget and for them to work with us.” The results are great, too. The 2011 event saw an increase of 30,000 fairgoers. That’s whyLeaCountywas a major topic of discussion acrossNew Mexico. In fact, word about the fair has reached a national audience. Country Living magazine listed this in its feature dubbed “50 Stops in 50 States,” showing that the Lovington expo is the one stop tourists should make in the Land of Enchantment: “Head to the Lea County Fair and Rodeo in Lovington for a day – or night – of carnival rides, pungent livestock, bull riding, and country music that’s just a darn good time. And the food? “To die for,” says blogging quilter Mandy Davenport of The Dixie Chicken. There’s the typical fried fare, of course, but the real culinary winners at this fair are the food booths featuring Southwestern favorites, like fajitas and roasted corn.” That sits pretty well with fair organizers. “We were the talk of the state,”Jacksonsaid. “That’s great. That’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to be the best.” A year ago, the Eli Young Band was a fantastic attraction for fans hoping to see one of the hot, new acts in country music. But there were plenty of other factors: Pop group Smash Mouth and other great concerts; the professional rodeo, which is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour; the great exhibits; and a number of other great entertainment options for fairgoers of all ages. If possible, this year’s fair and rodeo offers even more. Added to the excitement is the Aug. 7 Xtreme Bulls Tour, a stand-alone bull riding that will feature the top bull riders in ProRodeo and some outstanding bucking beasts. The concerts will feature contemporary Christian group Mercy Me, Red Dirt Music legend Stoney LaRue, crossover act Uncle Kracker and rising country artist Chris Young. “I look at Portales,ClovisandAmarillo, and their fairs aren’t near what ours is,”Jacksonsaid. “We have fantastic facilities and a great show. That’s due to the commission and the money they allocate us. I don’t consider us a county fair. We’re more of a regional fair.”

The opening performance of Pool B at the Calgary Stampede wasn’t too kind on steer wrestler Stockton Graves. Graves, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Newkirk, Okla., posted a 17.1-second run on his first animal. He made up for it on Day 2, though, with a 3.8-second run. That was good enough to tie Casey Martin of Sulphur, La., for the second-round victory. They each earned $5,000. That’s big, because only the top money-earners from each of the two pools advance to Sunday’s final day. The others are summoned to the dungeon, as it were – they have to come through the wild card in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the $100,000 round. It’s great getting to see the Calgary Stampede happen live, or nearly live. I’m fortunate in that I have an iPad that is picking up the international feed. I can’t, however, get it on my computer, and I know several others who can’t either. I sure hope the Calgary Stampede and the CBC get it figured out soon. They’re losing fans quickly.

EAGLE, Colo. – A great bull ride is equal parts bucking beast, equal parts athletic cowboy. When it comes together, fans walk away from the arena mesmerized, and they’ll talk about it for weeks to come. That’s what fans expect when they get to the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25-Saturday, July 28. Why? Carr Pro Rodeo brings the bucking beasts. “I’ve always tried to get the best animals I can get, whether they’re bulls, horses, calves or steers,” said Pete Carr, owner of the livestock company. “Everybody thinks I’m a horse guy, and I am; but I want to be known as a bull guy, too.” For years, bull riders have seen Carr as a stock contractor that works hard to improve his herd. This year, Carr even admits he stepped up his game a little more. “The bulls are awesome,” said Chandler Bownds, the 2011 rookie of the year from Lubbock, Texas. “Pete brought in some great subcontractors to juice up his great pen of bulls, and there were a bunch of bulls that bucked really hard.” It’s a combination that is paying off for the top cowboys in the game. Trey Benton III won the Mercedes, Texas, rodeo in mid-March after scoring 91 points on Missing Parts, a dark brindle Carr recently acquired. “He was pretty wolfy around to the right just at the gate,” Benton said of the energetic bull’s bucking motion. “He was really good. He just stumbled at the five-second mark, but I think he was even more after he stumbled. He got after it. “You have to have a good bull to score 91, and Pete’s got one there.” Benton wants that to happen a lot more. That gives the Rock Island, Texas, cowboy plenty of incentive to know where Carr Pro Rodeo bulls will be bucking. That’s one reason why many of the greatest bull riders in the game will make their way to Eagle this July. “I’ve got some good ones in addition to Missing Parts,” Carr said. “I’ve got some great bulls in The Mexican, Black Ice, Black Powder, Morning After and Hot & Ready that went to a lot of the winter rodeos. I have some more outstanding bulls that I haven’t bucked just yet, but I think all of them have a lot of potential.” The rodeo world has taken notice. “Pete Carr has stepped up a lot with his bulls,” said Paul Peterson, the flankman for Carr Pro Rodeo who has been with the company since its inception. “There are a lot of new bulls at the ranch, and I’d say most of them are the kind you can take anywhere and they’ll be pretty strong. “There are also some young bulls we still don’t know much about, but they look like they’re going to be really good.” Not only is Benton working toward his first NFR qualification, he’s also on track to win the coveted Rookie of the Year title. Bownds did both a year ago and is hoping to do so again in 2012. “I always try to make it to Pete’s rodeos,” Bownds said. “They’re always good rodeos, and you always get a chance to get on a good set of bulls, so that helps make them good rodeos to go to.”

Just an hour and a half south of where I live, the top players in Major League Baseball are playing in the All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. I have some very dear friends in attendance, and it brings me, a lifelong Royals fan, great pride in knowing the team is hosting such a prestigious event. But my mind also is focused on the goings-on 1,500 miles northwest, the Calgary Stampede. I watched Alberta cowboy Jake Vold win the first round of Pool B with an 86-point ride. I witnessed Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average champion Jesse Wright post an 85.5 to lead saddle bronc riding, and a caught a flash of another Albertan, Rowdy Hays, winning bulldogging with a 4.4-second run. Technology allows me the opportunity to get a glimpse of 100 years of history in Calgary. That’s pretty awesome. So is that mid-summer classic.

EAGLE, Colo. – When MGM Deuces Night bucks, bareback riders salivate. “If we could vote on the most desirable horse in the world to draw, I would say everybody would probably pick Deuces Night,” said Steven Dent, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bareback rider from Mullin, Neb. “If you had one horse, one ride to win any rodeo, I’m pretty sure everyone would say Deuces Night.” Dent would know as well as anyone. He scored 91 points on MGM Deuces Night on June 30 to win the West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo. It was the highest-marked ride on the 7-year-old bay/paint mare at a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event in her three years bucking in ProRodeo and the second highest marked ride on her ever – reigning world champion Kaycee Feild of Payson, Utah, posted a 93-point, arena-record ride to win the $50,000 round at RodeoHouston, a non-sanctioned event. MGM Deuces Night will be one of the Carr Pro Rodeo animals featured at the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25-Saturday, July 28. “I’d never been on that horse, but I’d been on Pete’s Dirty Jacket before,” Dent said. “Actually a couple years ago I finished second on him; Chris Harris won on Deuces Night before anybody knew about that horse. I’ve been wanting to get on Deuces Night ever since. “It felt really good. She left the chute really hard. She feels like she stalls out and leaps six feet in the air. If every horse felt like that, there would be 500 more bareback riders in the world.” The mare has a pretty strong resume. Of the four times she’s bucked at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, she’s helped cowboys to three go-round victories and one runner-up finish. Some experts might say she just likes that arena. Well, that can be said for just about any rodeo pen. “She’s been pretty electric just about anywhere we’ve taken her,” said Pete Carr, the man who owns MGM Deuces Night and Carr Pro Rodeo. And the cowboys love it. “That’s just a unique horse, and she gets real high in the air,” said Feild, who rode her for the 10th-round win during the 2011 NFR. “That horse tries really hard to buck really good. She gets high in the air and gives you a lot of time to set your feet and crank your toes out. You’ve got to have quick feet and set them high in the neck. With that horse, it seems easy to set them high in the neck. “She’s that way every time I’ve been on her. She’s a pretty cool horse.” Feild has seen her quite a bit. He won the NFR’s 10th round on MGM Deuces Night in 2010, too, then scored 90 points to share the final-round win in April 2011 at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Of course, Feild isn’t the only cowboy to have success on the young mare. “When I heard callbacks, I was screaming out loud and running around like a little girl,” said J.R. Vezain of Cowley, Wyo., who rodeo MGM Deuces Night for 89 points to win the rodeo in Guymon, Okla., earlier this year. “I had my highest marked ride on that horse last year with an 87 at San Antonio, and I was going for the record this year. “I was going for 90; I knew it was going to be good.” That’s what Ryan Gray of Chaney, Wash., got when he matched moves with the horse during the fifth go-round of the 2011 NFR. It was worthy of the round victory, just like Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., did in 2010, when he scored 88.5 points. Not bad for a horse that was raised by bareback rider Wes Stevenson. “I knew she’d have a really good shot to come to the finals,” said Stevenson, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Lubbock, Texas. “I knew she was that good, so part of the reason I sold her to Pete is that I knew she’d have a good shot to go to the finals. I bought her from Jim Zinser as a brood mare, but she bucked so good, I didn’t want to waste her sitting at my house. I wanted her to have a chance. “She has a lot of heart. I was the first one to get on her with a rigging, and from the first time we ever bucked her, I knew that little filly has a lot of heart. She’s a very electric horse.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – With nearly 98,000 people walking through the gates at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo last year, organizers realized one thing. “We learned a lot last year, but we also realize we’ve got a pretty good group of volunteers helping us every year,” said Dean Jackson, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “There simply is no way we could put on an event like this without volunteers.” Jackson is the first to admit that the annual exposition is benefited greatly by county staff members, who take care of the grounds all year long and who handle a lot of the finer details. It all comes together for 10 days of excitement in southeast New Mexico from Aug. 3-11. “It’s really a blessing to have the county staff,” he said. “We are very lucky that we have that, but without our volunteers, it just doesn’t happen. Our rodeo committee is very small, only about six members, and I’d like to see more people involved in that aspect of our event. “But as far as the fair side, it’s almost all volunteers. We have the superintendents helping with the exhibits, and Farm Bureau comes in and cooks on Tuesday. Hi-Pro comes in and feeds the kids for the awards banquet on Friday night.” It takes a small army just to produce the annual livestock sale, much less all the other aspects of handling so many exhibits. From goats to horses to quilts and foods, the people who donate their time make the schedule flow. “We have a great staff, and they work very hard,” Jackson said. “But they can’t do it all. Our fair board is all volunteer, and really, it’s my way of being active in the community. My kids showed, and when they finished, I still wanted to be involved.” Greg Massey, the chairman of the rodeo committee, said the volunteer force is a key ingredient into the success of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 11 at Jake McClure Arena. “You just can’t get it all put together without the volunteers,” Massey said. “They’re vital to the production of our fair and rodeo. For me, it’s exciting to be part of something you’ve grown up with. I grew up with this fair and rodeo, and I’m proud to be associated with it.” The dedication in Lea County is being felt all across the region. The core group of volunteers with the rodeo side of the event was recognized as the Committee of the Year in the PRCA’s Turquoise Circuit, the regional area that is made up of rodeos across New Mexico and Arizona. That’s a ringing endorsement for one of the biggest events in the Land of Enchantment, which is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour and is a major stop among ProRodeo’s top contenders. “To me, it says we’ve got an outstanding group of volunteers that puts on one heck of a rodeo,” Massey said. “To be voted No. 1 by the other committees and contestants in this circuit tells us we’re doing something right.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Troy Lerwill is a combination of thing: athlete, daredevil, comedian. It wraps together quite nicely in a package called “Showman.” It will all be on display during the five performances of the 2012 Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 5, at Roundup Arena. “Troy is funny and entertaining, and he brings something to our rodeo that our fans just love,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “Troy has a great sense of humor, and he uses it very well throughout each performance. He pays attention to what’s going on around him and using it to entertain. “That’s what any rodeo needs.” Rodeos also need one great acts, and that’s where Lerwill and his motorcycle come into play. 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. “For one, he’s a great funnyman,” said Jesse James Kirby of Dodge City, one of the top 30 saddle bronc riders in the country. “He’s also a great motorcyclist. He can do things on that motorbike that you can’t even imagine people doing. It’s just really great, and he’s a great entertainer. “On top of that, Troy is just a good person to be around. You can tell he’s doing something he enjoys doing. He puts on a show and makes it look good.” People enjoy what they see, and 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 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. “You don’t get tired of seeing Troy’s act,” Kirby said. “The last time I saw him was in Jacksonville, Texas, and it’s always great. If the crowd’s not really into the rodeo or whatever, Troy will find something that will get them into it.” 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.”

Chet Johnson, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Sheridan, Wyo., has been showing off at the Calgary Stampede. The 2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo champion won Pool A’s second and third go-rounds and has pocketed $11,000 over the last two days. Now he’s secured a bye into the final round next Sunday and a chance at the $100,000. “Everybody rode great today, and I just happened to have a great horse from Calgary,” Johnson said of Peigan Warrior, a horse with which he matched for 87.5 points to win Sunday’s third round. “I’ve watched this rodeo since I was a little kid, and it’s a history for me, too. It’s amazing to be here.” Three-time world champion steer wrestler Luke Branquinho has the biggest earnings so far with $14,000, followed closely by reigning world champion bareback rider Kaycee Feild, who has pocketed $13,500. I love watching the broadcast via the Internet, and everyone who is keeping up with the action can tell why it’s called “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – After spending several months on ProRodeo’s injury list, bull rider Jacob O’Mara needed some good things to happen. They did at the Navajo Nation Fourth of July PRCA Rodeo, where O’Mara tested his ability on the Carr Pro Bull Morning After. The result was a rodeo-winning 89-point ride worth $4,119 and a jump start for O’Mara’s 2012 quest to earn a qualification to his second straight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification. “It worked out that the final bull rider of the weekend was Jacob O’Mara,” said Pete Carr, owner of the Dallas-based livestock firm. “I’ve had that bull about a year. He’s a young bull, and he’s been bucking really good. Until Jacob, nobody had ridden him.” In fact, it was the second time in the three-day rodeo in Window Rock that Morning After bucked at Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena. He dumped Corey Atwell on July 4. “He was outrageous that first time out,” Carr said. “I don’t think anybody could’ve ridden him.” It worked out just fine for O’Mara, 20, of Prairieville, La., who served notice to the bull riding world a season ago in earning nearly $152,000 en route to a sixth-place finish in the final world standings – he placed fifth at the 2011 NFR, pocketing $56,827 in Las Vegas last December. Now he needs to stay hot if he hopes to return in five months. “Jacob sat down and stayed over his rope and made a great ride,” Carr said. There were a lot of great rides in Window Rock, from Austin Foss’ 89 on Carr’s Dirty Jacket to win bareback riding to Jake Wright’s 88 points to win saddle bronc riding. Wright, of Milford, Utah, posted his victory on Carr’s Cool Runnings, a horse that’s been pretty electric all season. “That horse has been really good this year,” Carr said, saying the horse had gotten the better of some of the best cowboys in the game. “That horse threw off Rusty Allen in Pecos.” Allen is a five-time NFR qualifier from Eagle Mountain, Utah. But Wright has a pretty good pedigree, too. His brother Cody is a two-time world champion, and his twin brother, Jesse, has been to ProRodeo’s biggest stage twice, winning the NFR average this past December. “When I saw that Jake had Cool Runnings, I was pretty excited,” Carr said. “Jake’s been one of the been one of the hottest guys going down the road right now, and he handled that horse pretty well. It all came together pretty nicely.” Jake Wright is ninth in the world standings, and the $3,437 will make a big difference when the money list is updated next week. While Wright’s win was a crowd-pleaser, there wasn’t any bigger than Arizona team ropers Cesar de la Cruz and Derrick Begay, who scored the title with a 3.9-second run worth $4,057 each. Other winners in Window Rock were all-around cowboy Shank Edwards ($2,191); steer wrestler Clayton Tuchscherer (4.1 seconds, $2,504); tie-down roper Jesse Clark (7.7 seconds, $2,775); and barrel racer Mary Walker (16.94 seconds, $2,943). Navajo Nation Fourth of July Rodeo Window Rock, Ariz. July 4-6 All-around cowboy: Shank Edwards, $2,191, team roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: 1. Austin Foss, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $3,848; 2. Morgan Wilde, 86 points on MGM Deuces Night, $2,950; 3. (tie) Heath Ford, on Carr’s Show Girl, Steven Anding, on Carr’s Miss Hollywood, and Ethan McNeill, on Carr’s Grass Dancer, 83, $1,496 each; 6. (tie) Caine Riddle, on Carr’s Broken Dreams, and Kevin Langevin, on Carr’s Black Smoke, 81, $577 each; 8. (tie) Shon Gibson, on Carr’s Miss Hollywood, and Will Lowe, on Carr’s Good times, 80, $192 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Clayton Tuchscherer, 4.1 seconds, $2,504; 2. (tie) Tanner Houston and Kurt Stallings, 4.5, $2,109 each; 4. (tie) Cimarron Thompson and Tanner Robinson, 4.6, $1,582 each; 6. Adam Strahan, 4.7, $1,186; 7. Wyatt Smith, 5.0, $923; 8. Pepe Arballo, 5.4, $659; 9. Sean Santucci, 5.7, $395; 10. Coledon Harmon, 5.8, $132. Team roping: 1. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 3.9 seconds, $4,057 each; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.1, $3,630; 3. (tie) Charly Crawford/Jim Ross Cooper and Brandon Webb/Kent Nixon, 4.3, $2,989 each; 5. Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 4.4, $2,349; 6. Bobby Baize/Byron Wilkerson, 4.7, $1,922; 7. Garrett Tonozzi/Kinney Harrell, 4.8, $1,495; 8. Bill Snure/Lane Siggins, 5.4, $1,068; 9. Sherrick Grantham/Wolfy Wilken, 5.6; 10. Bobby Boyd/Shain Sproul, 5.7, $214. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jake Wright, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cool Runnings, $3,437; 2. Bradley Harter, 86 points on Carr’s Empty Pockets, $2,635; 3. (tie) Allen Boore, on Carr’s Sweet Emotion, Taos Muncy, on Carr’s Deuces Wild, and Cody Angland, on Carr’s Ginger, 83, $1,337 each; 6. (tie) Brandon Biebelle, on Carr’s Coffee Bean, Sam Spreadborough, on Carr’s Corner Guard, and Cory Martin, on Carr’s Sweet Emotion 82, $458 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Jesse Clark, 7.7 seconds, $2,775; 2. Kyle Dutton, 8.5, $2,483; 3. Shank Edwards, 8.7, $2,191; 4. Joseph Parsons, 8.8, $1,899; 5. Jason Bell, 9.3, $1,607; 6. (tie) Brad Hartt and Monty Lewis, 9.5, $1,169 each; 8. (tie) Seth Childers and JoDan Mirabel, 9.7, $584 each; 10. Cliff Kirkpatrick, 10.0, $146. Barrel racing: 1. Mary Walker, 16.94 seconds, $2,943; 2. Carly Todd, 17.22, $2,502; 3. Robin Montague, 17.39, $2,060; 4. Jana Bean, 17.53, $1,766; 5. Carrie Jankee, 17.54, $1,472; 6. (tie) Kelly Waide and Lori Lewis, 17.55, $883 each; 8. (tie) Megan Stock and Mary Cameron, 17.56, $552 each; 10. Denise Chambliss, 17.57, $441; 11. Casi Conrad, 17.60. $368; 12. Savannah Todd, 17.62, $294. Bull riding: 1. Jacob O’Mara, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Morning After, $4,119; 2. Cody Teel, 87 points on Carr’s Solid Gold, $3,158; 3. Terrance Granger, 80 points on Carr’s Ryan’s Express; $2,334; 4. Chris Roundy, 77 points on Carr’s Mingus Nights., $1,510; no other qualified rides.

It’s no surprise to those in rodeo that Troy Lerwill is one of the greatest entertainers in the sport. He’s got a lot of great things going for him, from his fantastic sense of humor to his exceptional motorcycle act. Not only does he entertain fans at every rodeo he works, Lerwill draws people to the events just so they can see his act. That’s why he’s one of the most sought-after acts in rodeo. It seems as though 2012 is my year for The Lerwill Experience. So far this year, we have worked together at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City and the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo, but that’s just the beginning. We’ll work together at the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo from Aug. 1-5, then a week later in at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo in Lovington, N.M.; we’ll also be in Hempstead, Texas, in October for the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. The Lerwill Experience is always enjoyable. You should experience it, too.  

Steven Dent didn’t let a little lost luggage hamper his focus on the task at hand this Cowboys Christmas. Dent, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Mullin, Neb., and traveling partner Ryan Gray made their way to west Texas for the West of the Pecos Rodeo last week. Their rigging bags failed to make the same flight from Denver to Midland. Once gear was secured – Gray’s older bareback riding rigging and five gloves were transported from Lubbock, Texas, in time for the two cowboys to ride – Dent matched moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night for 91 points to win the rodeo. He then won the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede and placed at several other events over the lucrative Fourth of July run. So far, Dent has earned $17,473. Oh, and he’s not done, yet. Heading into the final two performances of the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo, Dent leads that big-money rodeo with an 88-point ride he posted on the horse Gold Dust, from Big Stone, Moreno & Growney. He’s in a great position to win that rodeo, but even if he doesn’t, Dent should collect a big check – last year’s winner, Cody DeMers, earned more than $9,500. Prior to Cowboy Christmas, Dent had earned just shy of $33,000. Now he’s shot past the $50,000 mark. It’s been one hell of a ride already.

Navajo Nation Fourth of July Rodeo Window Rock, Ariz. July 4-6 Bareback riding: 1. Shon Gibson, 80 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Hollywood; 2. Kip Lish, 74 points on Carr’s Yo Yo; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Clayton Tuchscherer, 4.1 seconds; 2. Chase Massengill, 6.4; 3. Brandon Bates, Mexican Springs, N.M., 15.8; no other qwualified times. Team roping: No qualified times yet. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jake Wright, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cool Runnings; 2. Allen Boore, 83 points on Carr’s Sweet Emotion; 3. Shane Odenbach, 77 points on Carr’s Miss Congeniality; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. Jesse Clark, 7.7 seconds; 2. Jason Bell, 9.3; 3. Jodan Mirabel, 9.7; 4, Tommy Smith, 11.0; 5. Taylor Smith, 14.9; 6. Travis Lewis, 22.1. Barrel racing: 1. Casi Conrad, 17.60 seconds; 2. Mariah Robinson, 18.01; 3. Sharaya Edgewater, 18.23; 4. Jayme Alyssa Tallsalt, 18.28; 5. Brookelyn Tallsalt, 18.80; 6. Deven Sells, 23.29; 7. Callie Edgewater, 28.20. Bull riding: No qualified rides yet.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – If it hasn’t already happened, Boyd Polhamus is quickly becoming the voice of ProRodeo. He’s definitely the voice of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Polhamus has been selected to call the action at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 16 times, including the last 13. More importantly, he’s been named the announcer of the year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association three times. But for folks in western Kansas, he’s meant so much more than any award can represent. “Boyd has been an integral part of Roundup Rodeo for the last decade,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, chairman of Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 5, at Roundup Arena. “He filled in for Phil Gardenhire a few months after Phil died in a car accident, and he worked for 10 years with the great Clem McSpadden. “He worked great with Clem, but he does a great job for us all on his own. He adds something very good to our show.” Polhamus grew up in Wisconsin, rather distant from the rodeo-crazy Southwest. But a fire began to burn. “I won a pony in a raffle when I was 4 years old,” he said. “From that point forward, it was game on.” The game involved cowboys and cowgirls, bucking horses and nasty bulls. Polhamus lived it. He qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in six events his junior year and went to college in Texas to chase his rodeo dreams. It was there that his connection to rodeo changed from contestant to announcer, urged a little bit by classmates and his coach. “I remember back in college where we were out in the practice pen, and he started saying these things about everybody,” said Benje Bendele, the premier sound technician in ProRodeo who has worked Roundup Rodeo every year since 2000. “From that point on, we all knew he had a gift, not only announcing and providing information to rodeo fans but entertaining them along the way. “I think he started taking it serious from that point on. He’s been a ProRodeo announcer for 25 years, earning his stripes at events all across the country. Besides the NFR, Polhamus has been the arena announcer for big rodeos in Houston, Denver and Pecos, Texas, to name a few. Besides his PRCA honors, the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association has selected him as the announcer of the year three times. “Yes, this is a sport, but this is also a show, and it’s entertainment,” said Bendele, who attended Southwest Texas Junior College with Polhamus. “This is a show like someone producing a TV show. We’ve got to do it right every time; there is no margin for error. He helps us being the contract personnel. He helps me in the music; he helps the clown; he helps the scoreboard operator; he helps the people behind the chutes. “Boyd demands the quality of excellence from everyone without speaking a word, and he gets it because of the respect everyone has for him. He realizes that every show is a new show to the fans and that we must put on the best production every time.” Besides expertise, he carries a passion for rodeo. More, he adores the people involved in the sport, from the contestants to the personnel to the fans. “Boyd is a true rodeo fan, and he wants the people who buy a ticket to understand his excitement about a match-up,” Bendele said. “He puts his own excitement out there, and he pulls the fans into that excitement.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The be a true regional exposition, the Lea County Fair Board realizes that variety is a spice of life not always experienced in rural America. Those who are taking in the 2012 edition of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo will have an array of musical choices through the 10-day affair. Fairgoers have come to expect great things on the main stage in Lovington, and this summer might offer the extravaganza they’ll talk about for years to come. “I think we have a great lineup,” said Dean Jackson, the fair board’s chairman. Contemporary Christian group Mercy Me will kick start the after-the-rodeo concerts at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, bringing a lineup of music that has been a hit in mainstream music. It’s all part of the Faith and Family Night at the fair. “When I started getting the information out about the concerts, people would just look at me and ask me how in the world we got Mercy Me,” Jackson said. “I’ve had lots of people tell me that the Mercy Me concert on Wednesday night is going to rival Eli Young (Band) on Saturday night last year. “I’ve heard they don’t play outdoor shows. I’m not sure how we got them, but the stars aligned.” Yes, they did. But it’s that way throughout the 10-day expo, set for Aug. 3-11 at the Lea County Fairgrounds. Red Dirt Music artist Stoney LaRue will perform Thursday, Aug. 9; Uncle Kracker will play Friday, Aug. 10; and country artist Chris Young will close down the festivities Saturday, Aug. 11. “The first Saturday (Aug. 3), we’ll have a sponsorship event with Easton Corbin,” Jackson said. “We’re really looking forward to that and to giving our sponsors something special.” Most fairgoers, though, will have the opportunity to see some of the top acts in their respective genres. That’s great news. The better news is that fairgoers can enjoy each concert, other entertainment opportunities, the exhibits and the rodeo for just $6. That’s a tremendous entertainment value. Take Mercy Me, for example. The group – Bart Millard (vocals), Jim Bryson (keys), Mike Scheuchzer (guitar), Nathan Cochran (bass), Barry Graul (guitar) and Robby Shaffer (drums) – considers its music as ministry. They reached into the mainstream hit “I Can Only Imagine,” which collected several Dove Awards, including the Song of the Year. LaRue released his first album a decade ago, and since then, he has been one of the elite acts on the Red Dirt scene. His current album, “Velvet,” was released last August and marked the first time in six years he had released a studio album – “The Red Dirt Album” was released in 2005, then LaRue followed with “Live at Billy Bobs” in 2007. “ ‘Live at Billy Bobs’ was like jumping straight into the fire,” LaRue said. “Two weeks after putting the band together, we recorded the album, hit the road and did 250 dates a year. We never looked back.” Uncle Kracker gained his fame as the disc jockey in Kid Rock’s Twisted Brown Trucker band, but he started on his own with the 2001 debut of “Double Wide,” which featured the No. 1 hit “Follow Me.” In the years since, he has been a cross-over success. “Smile” was a hit on pop radio, then became his first solo top five hit on country radio. It proved to be one of 2010’s biggest country songs with sales exceeding 2 million. “When the Sun Goes Down,” Uncle Kracker’s collaboration with Kenny Chesney, became a No. 1 hit. “I’ve always had a genuine passion for country,” Uncle Kracker said. “I think that audiences appreciate that, and that’s why they’re giving me a chance.” Audiences are giving Young more than a chance. He’s the American Country Award winner for Breakthrough Artist of the Year – his “Voices” also won the ACA’s Single of the Year. Of course, it helps that Young has had five songs hit No. 1. “Music is why I’m here, and it’s something I can’t live without,” Young said. “It’s what I’m built to do.” It’s that kind of musical lineup that is reaching fans all across the region to Lovington and why the Lea County Fair and Rodeo is easily becoming a great place to be in August.

It’s time to make money in ProRodeo. It’s Cowboy Christmas, that time of year that features lucrative rodeos around the Fourth of July. It’s a traditional setting and an exhausting time for cowboys and cowgirls, most of whom are on the road non-stop between events making sure they squeeze in as many rides and runs as possible over the stretch. The Greeley (Colo.) Stampede is one of the many events going on right now. In fact, today is a day off for rodeo’s elite, but the short round is scheduled tomorrow with 12 contestants in each event qualified for the finale, set to begin at 1 p.m. Mountain time. Payouts have been made for the top contestants in the first round – the first two rounds in tie-down roping. Though I haven’t been able to see those results, I do know how it has played out heading into tomorrow’s short-go, thanks to Kasie Pigg, the Stampede’s marketing director. She has posted the qualifiers on the Stampede’s Facebook page. So, thanks, Kasie, and good luck to all the qualifiers. Bareback 1. Scotty NeSmith – 82 points 2. Clint Cannon and Steven Dent – 81 4. Kaycee Field and Justin McDaniel – 80 6. Casey Colletti, Joe Gunderson and Caleb Bennett – 79 9. Tilden Hooper – 78 10. Jared Keylon, Tom McFarland and Jessy Davis – 77 Steer Wresting 1. Jason Miller – 4.0 seconds 2. Teddy Johnson – 4.1 3. Nick Guy – 4.3 4. Shawn Mills – 4.4 5. Kyle Irwin and Jacob Shofner – 4.5 7. Todd Suhn, Tait Kvistad, Miles Mark Switzer, Barry Kreikemeier – 4.6 11. Chancey Larson and Travis Carnine – 4.7 Team Roping 1. Manny Egusquiza Jr. and Brad Culpepper – 4.5 seconds 2. Justin Davis and Casey Chamberlain – 4.7 3. Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith – 4.8 4. Jake Cooper and Rhen Richard – 4.9 5. Ty Blasingame and Rich Skelton – 5.1 6. Nick Pullara and Justin Price – 5.2 7. Matt Sherwood and Dakota Kirchenschlager and Clay Tryan and Travis Graves – 5.3 9. Erich Rogers and Kory Koontz – 5.5 10. Quincy Kueckelhan and Jake Pianalto – 5.7 11. Cody Tew and Rhett Wilson – 5.8 12. Paul David Tierney and Cody Doescher – 5.9 Saddle Bronc Riding 1. Jesse Kruse – 86 points 2. Jesse Wright – 84 3. Sterling Crawley and Jesse Bail – 83 5. Cody Wright – 82 6. Bradley Harter and Chad Ferley – 80 7. Jacobs Crawley, Cody Taton and Isaac Diaz – 79 10. Bryce Miller and Heath DeMoss- 78 Tie-Down Roping 1. Tuf Cooper – 18.6 seconds on two 2. Bradley Bynum – 18.7/2 3. Justin Maass – 19.9/2 4. Adam Gray – 20.5/2 5. Roger Nonella, Joseph Parsons and Mitch McAdow – 20.6/2 8. Michael Otero – 20.7/2 10. Nathan Steinberg – 21.0/2 11. Trent Creager – 21.1/2 12. Cory Solomon – 21.6/2 Barrel Racing 1. Britany Fleck – 16.94 seconds 2. Christy Loflin and Lindsay Sears – 17.24 4. Lisa Lockhart – 17.35 5. Brenda Mays and Tana Renick – 17.37 7. Sabra O’Quinn – 17.42 8. Kenna Squires – 17.43 9. Paige Conrado and Christina Richman – 17.45 11. Molly Powell – 17.46 12. Mary Walker – 17.47 Bull Riding 1. Buck Moon – 83 points 2. Paul Coppini, Dillon Kujala and Brady Menge- 82 5. Tag Elliott – 80 6. Cody Samora, Ty Clearwater and Will Farrell – 78 9. Jimmy Anderson – 77 10. Jarrod Ford and Nevada Newman – 75 12. Clayton Savage – 72

LAS VEGAS – The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino has long been associated with the greatest events in Las Vegas. The trend continues with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December. The MGM Grand will be one of the host hotels for professional rodeo’s championship event when it takes place Dec. 6-15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. It’s fitting stature for “The Home of Champions.” “I think it was just the logical step,” said Trevor Brazile, a 16-time world champion from Decatur, Texas. “It seemed like the traffic was migrating that way anyway. It’s just become the spot to be during the NFR. “I think it’s the ‘The Home of Champions’ and everybody else at the NFR. The MGM has become the social event of the national finals.” The “home” aspect of it is something ProRodeo’s top contestants take to heart. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have been invited to stay at the MGM the last few years,” said Will Lowe, a three-time world champion bareback rider from Canyon, Texas. “They’ve always been fantastic. You can’t pick a better place to stay in Vegas.” The ever-expanding NFR experience was developed by Tim Kelly, the MGM Grand’s vice president. “Partnering with the PRCA is another example of MGM Grand’scommitment to the Western lifestyle and the sport of ProRodeo,” Kelly said. “We look forward to providing the loyal PRCA members and fans a year-round home in Las Vegas.” Kelly’s foresight led to the development of the nightly after party, the Gold Buckle Zone, and he enlisted the assistance of Sharil Palaggi, luxury sales specialist for the MGM Grand and Aria Sky Suites. “Tim Kelly has been a trend setter among Las Vegas hotels during the NFR,” said Pete Carr, owner of Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo. “The MGM has become the place to be during the NFR, and it’s because of Tim’s innovative ideas that are attracting cowboys, cowgirls and fans. The MGM is accommodating and inviting, and that is a direct reflection of what Tim and his team has put together.” The MGM Grand’s ties to rodeo have extended well beyond the two weeks the NFR is in Las Vegas. “The best part of it is that I know I can call Sharil any time I’m going to be in Las Vegas, and she takes care of anything I need,” said Casey Colletti, a 2011 NFR bareback rider from Pueblo, Colo. “That’s the great part of being part of the MGM, plus the after party is the place to be in Vegas after the NFR anyway.” The MGM Grand is home of the most gold buckles under one roof: 79 as of last count. From Brazile, the top cowboy in the game, to a pair of two-time world champion barrel racers – Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, and Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta – the resort can stand quite confident in its ascertain of being “The Home of Champions.” “That’s one of the things that’s great about it,” said Sears, the reigning world champion who also won the gold buckle in 2008. “Not only does the MGM promote rodeo, but they promote so many other venues, from boxing to the music awards. “There’s so much going on at the hotel, and there’s always a variety of things to do. That’s what’s so cool about the MGM.” The list of rodeo’s greatest that make the MGM Grand their home is long and includes ProRodeo Hall of Famers like Roy Cooper and Billy Etbauer. Many of the other 14 cowboys and cowgirls surely will find their place in the Colorado Springs museum: Brazile is a sure enshrinement, but one can expect the same of team ropers Rich Skelton and Speed Williams, who won eight world championships together, and Bobby Mote, a four-time bareback riding world champion from Culver, Ore. “I think it’s great that the MGM is a host hotel,” Mote said. “They’ve been the place to be during the NFR every year anyway, so they should be a host hotel. It’s the best place to stay in Las Vegas, and the service is second to none.” From top-of-the-line rooms to the best eateries in town, Mote and his cohorts find the creature comforts they need for caring for their families while also preparing each night to perform at the top of their game. “Once you’re there, there’s no reason to leave the property other than go to the Thomas & Mack,” Mote said. “The combinations are terrific. No matter what your taste is when you want to go out and eat, they’ve got a restaurant.” The amenities are wonderful, but there’s also much more that goes into rodeo’s greatest being part of the MGM experience. “They’ve had such a great collective effort in making it a great place during the NFR,” Brazile said. “It’s cowboy friendly. It is home to probably the best live remote NFR show there is in town at the Hollywood Theatre. That’s probably the second hardest ticket to get in town that week, other than getting into the Thomas & Mack.” From hosting portions of the Miss Rodeo America Pageant to the NRS Shopping Experience to the nightly NFR after party at the Gold Buckle Zone, the MGM Grand is the one stop rodeo contestants, personnel and fans want to make in early December. “In rodeo, we’ve had a lot of great events there in the Grand Garden Arena,” said Lowe, who first qualified for the NFR in 2002. “I’ve been fortunate to ride over there when we had a finale there. I always liked it there. It’s special to be part of an organization that promotes so many things about the world of sports.” If anyone wants to see the best that are playing for the biggest pay in ProRodeo, the chances of finding them at the MGM Grand is great. “It’s a great place to stay for the NFR,” Sears said. “They really promote the rodeo. There’s a lot going on at  Continue Reading »

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Even an old cowboy like Ron Long knows how sentimental he’ll be when he stands at the base of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colo., on July 14. “I’ll probably sit up there and cry,” Long said, considering just what it means when his beloved Dodge City Roundup Rodeo is inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “It’ll be emotional for me. It just thrills me to death that Roundup is part of that hall of fame. I put a lot into Roundup – a lot of hours, a lot of money, a lot of heart and soul. It means a lot to me to get it to that level.” Long was Roundup’s first president when it bucked its first bareback horse in the summer of 1977 – when 175 contestants battled for a total purse of $8,200. Now Dodge City’s rodeo is one of the largest Silver Level events on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. In 2011, the total payout was $291,961, the 19th best of the PRCA’s 572 rodeos last year. It’s come a long ways, baby. “We started with humble beginnings, and now we run with the big dogs,” said Long, 86, now living in Hutchinson, Kan. “That’s what I’m so proud of. All the big rodeos – the Renos and Cheyennes – and we’re right there with them. I am very proud of Roundup.” The induction takes place in July, just a few weeks before the 36th anniversary of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 5, at Roundup Arena. It will be a showcase of ProRodeo’s greatest athletes for five straight nights, but it also will be a celebration of the community’s support of the event. “It means a lot to me that Dodge City Roundup is getting recognized,” said Jesse James Kirby, a saddle bronc rider from Dodge City. “They’ve been working so hard trying to make it a better rodeo year after year.” Kirby has seen it all his life. His grandfather, Floyd Kirby, was one of Roundup’s founding members. “The committee has bent over backwards helping whoever they could and helping the contestants along the way,” Jesse Kirby said. “They take care of everybody. It’s such a fun rodeo and a prestigious rodeo, so that’s an honor itself. “They still want to get bigger. I’m proud of all of them. I’m proud to be from Dodge City and to be represented by them.” Like his father and grandfather before him, the younger Kirby has taken great pride in the growth and development of his hometown rodeo. Jesse Kirby began working behind the scenes as a youngster and continued volunteering his time until he became one of the nearly 800 contestants in the field. “I think it’s great that one of Roundup’s sponsors is Southwest Distributing, which is my major sponsor,” he said. “That’s something that’s really cool for me.” That type of support wasn’t always there for rodeo in the southwest Kansas community. Over the years leading up to the mid-1970s, Long and others failed numerous times to kick-start an annual event. “We were persistent,” he said. “We had a few real dedicated people. Everything in life is timing. We happened to hit it at the right time.” From Jim Williams to Floyd Kirby to Rich Guthrie to Ted Webster to Tom Shirley, the support began to grow. “We made it work,” Long said. “That was the kind of dedication we got from people.” More got involved as the years rolled on. Now it takes teams of volunteers – “I’d say between 200 to 300 people,” Long said – to make sure everything runs smoothly over the course of the week-long competition. Civic organizations step in, helping park cars to running concessions to selling seat-backs, etc. “That’s the kind of manpower you can’t buy,” Long said. “If you don’t get volunteers, there’s no way you can hire that many people to put it on. Since we got started and it’s been successful, people want to help you. When we started, we had to beg and plead to get some help, and now they want to volunteer. “Of course, you have to make it a way for those civic organizations to make money, too, because they’re giving back to the community as well. Without them, it doesn’t work. It takes dedication and community involvement.” And everybody sees it, from the contestants and personnel to the sponsors and fans. “I think Dodge City is as deserving as any rodeo out there to be inducted into the hall of fame,” said Jerry Norton, now in his 20th season fighting bulls at Roundup Rodeo. “They have left a legacy and a mark on the rodeo world, setting standings and always progressing forward. “They’ve been the leaders in setting trends. They were one of the very few rodeos that had a hospitality area for the cowboys, for providing amenities and services to the contestants.” Maybe it’s because former cowboys like Long were part of Roundup from the beginning that those details weren’t overlooked. He competed in every rodeo event imaginable, but he focused on bull riding much of his time in the arena. When he was done competing in the 1950s, he still kept that passion for the sport close to his heart. “I’ve been the luckiest guy in the world,” he said. “I’ve been so lucky with the things I’ve done and the people I met. If I don’t wake up in the morning, don’t sing any sad songs for me, because I’ve had a great life.” That’s why Dodge City Roundup’s induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is so special to Long. That’s why he’ll be in Colorado Springs for its enshrinement and why he’ll likely shed a tear or two during the ceremony.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Heith DeMoss is one of the more energetic saddle bronc riders in ProRodeo. He will be plenty excited this week when he takes his turn on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Miss Congenality during the Navajo Nation Fourth of July PRCA Rodeo, set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 4, and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 5, and Friday, July 6, at Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena (because Window Rock is on the Navajo Nation, the kickoff each night will be during Mountain Standard Time, which is not the same as Arizona, which does not recognize Daylight Savings time). You see, Miss Congeniality has been selected to buck at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo each of the last two years. Based on her performance last week in Pecos, Texas, she’ll be back in Las Vegas this December – she guided Cody Martin to 86 points, good enough to share the victory with Wade Sundell, who rode Carr’s Choir Girl. DeMoss has played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage four times in his career. He knows as well as anybody that matching moves with the greatest broncs in the game is how he’ll get back to the Nevada desert for a fifth time. That’s just one of the great match-ups scheduled for Window Rock. In bronc riding alone, there will be NFR cowboys tangling with Carr’s NFR bucking horses: True Lies-Jacobs Crawley, Empty Pockets-Bradley Harter and Trail Dust will be a test for Cody Taton and Cody Wright – Taton won the 2008 NFR average title, while Wright won gold buckles in 2008 and 2010. There are a few other intriguing match-ups, like Jake Wright vs. Cool Runnings, two-time world champion Taos Muncy vs. Deuces Wild and reigning NFR average champion teamed with Choir Girl, the horse that helped Sundell to the shared victory this last weekend. Bareback riding will feature a couple of interesting match-ups. The last time Clint Cannon tested his skills on Real Deal, the two shared the eighth-round victory at the 2011 NFR. The last time Wes Stevenson tried his talent on Alberta Child, the young bay horse got the better of the veteran cowboy in Lovington, N.M., last August. “The first time I got on that horse, I was 88 points,” said Stevenson, a seven-time NFR qualifier. “I felt like I could’ve been a few more points. The last time, I stubbed my toe, and he got the better of me.” Cannon knows that’s possible with Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year. “I always do well on big, strong horses that many people can’t ride and do well,” Cannon said. Other NFR match-ups include Heath Ford and Showgirl, Caine Riddle on Broken Dreams and Tom McFarland on Hylo Hills. In bull riding, fans should expect lightening out of Friday Wright on P Diddy, Clint Craig on Illegal Smile and Bryan Richardson on Black Gold.

You know you’re going to ProRodeo’s 2012 championship event, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Even if you’re a little unsure but you’ve dreamed of taking in all the festivities and fireworks of one of the greatest sporting extravaganzas, then this is your time to step up to the plate and make your plans to be in Las Vegas in December. Just click on the image on the right and make your reservations right now. Do you know that more than 100,000 people a day are in Las Vegas just for the NFR? Do you realize that the Thomas & Mack Center seats less than 18,000? There’s so much to experience that people just want to be near the action. Besides, you don’t have to be inside the Thomas & Mack to be close to ProRodeo’s greatest stars. Heck, hang around the MGM Grand, and you’ll get that opportunity for two weeks. Not only that, but the MGM Grand’s Gold Buckle Zone is the place to be after the last bull has bucked. Join us in Vegas in December. You’ll be glad you did.

PECOS, Texas – Some of the greatest cowboys in ProRodeo’s history were part of the 129th West of the Pecos Rodeo, with more than 50 world championships being represented in the opening ceremonies through the four nights of the event, from June 27-30. It was just one way to kick off a whale of a competition. From 16-time world champion Trevor Brazile to eight-time titlists like Speed Williams and Rich Skelton to reigning champions like Kaycee Feild, the Pecos rodeo was a cavalcade of the sport’s stars. “We like to show the fans the caliber of athletes they’re going to see at the rodeo that night, and I think everybody in Pecos really liked getting to see all those gold buckles,” said Pete Carr, owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, the livestock producer in Pecos. That was just a taste of the excellence. What fans witnessed inside Buck Jackson Arena was a championship-caliber rodeo, highlighted by Steven Dent’s 91-point ride on Carr Deuces Night to win bareback riding – it was the highest marked ride on the horse at a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event and the second highest marked ride on the horse ever; Feild was 93 points in winning the non-sanctioned RodeoHouston title earlier this year. “I’d never been on that horse, but I’d been on Pete’s Dirty Jacket before,” said Dent, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Mullin, Neb. “Actually a couple years ago I finished second on him; Chris Harris won on Deuces Night before anybody knew about that horse. I’ve been wanting to get on Deuces Night ever since. “It felt really good. She left the chute really hard. She feels like she stalls out and leaps six feet in the air. If every horse felt like that, there would be 500 more bareback riders in the world.” The ride was magnificent, and it proved the power of excellent livestock. In fact, Dent won the rodeo by just one point over Clint Cannon, a three-time NFR qualifier from Waller, Texas; Cannon rode Dirty Jacket for 90 points on the rodeo’s opening night. “He bucks every time I’ve been on him,” Cannon said of Dirty Jacket. “He’s one of those horses you can win on every time if you ride him right. What’s great about that horse is just how electric he is. When the gate swings open, I think he kicked the back of the bucking chute three times before he got to the end of the gate. “He’s just so showy and electric. He bails out of there and just keeps cracking them.” Dent took home the lion’s share of the prize money with $3,491. It was a great way to kick start his Cowboy Christmas – a series of lucrative rodeos around the Fourth of July holiday. It was even better that Dent did so on borrowed equipment. When Dent and traveling partner Ryan Gray landed at Midland (Texas) International Airport, they found out that their rigging bags didn’t make it onto the plane in Denver. After scrambling to find equipment to use, they called on Gray’s wife, Lacey, who was en route to Pecos from the couple’s home in Lubbock, Texas. She headed back home, retrieved an old rigging and a few old gloves, then met Dent and her husband in Seminole so they had time to make it back to Pecos in time for the rodeo. Gray rode first, posting an 83 on Carr’s Miss Hollywood to finish in a tie for eighth place, then the scrambling resumed. Saddle bronc rider Cody Martin grabbed the rigging from the back pens, then helped Dent strap the equipment onto MGM Deuces Night. “We had five guys between us, so we had plenty of time,” Dent said. “I pretty much just climbed on and nodded.” And it worked quite well. Martin, a two-time NFR qualifier from Eagle, Colo., then matched moves with Carr’s Miss Congeniality for 86 points to share the rodeo victory with Wade Sundell, a three-time NFR qualifier from Boxholm, Iowa; Sundell had ridden Carr’s Choir Girl for that score on Thursday night. Bull riders Jarrod Craig of Hillsboro, Texas, and Chris Roundy of Spanish Fork, Utah, shared the event title with matching 87s; Craig rode Carr’s Itch N Scratch, while Roundy matched moves with Carr’s The Mexican. Each cowboy earned $3,097. West of the Pecos Rodeo Pecos, Texas June 27-30 All-around cowboy: Landon McClaugherty, $2,138, team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping. Bareback riding: 1. Steven Dent, 91 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s MGM Deuces Night, $3,491; 2. Clint Cannon, 90 points on Carr’s Dirty Jacket, $2,677; 3. Will Lowe, 87 points on Carr’s Showgirl, $1,978; 4. Caine Riddle, on Carr’s Real Deal, and Kyle Brennecke, on Carr’s Dirty Jacket, $1,047 each; 6. Wes Stevenson, on Carr’s Big Lights, and Austin Foss, on Carr’s Grass Dancer, 85, $524; 9. Jessy Davis, on Carr’s Miss Hollywood, and Ryan Gray, on Carr’s Miss Hollywood, $175. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Ben Shofner, 4.9 seconds, $1,929; 2. Ryan Mims, 5.2, $1,596; 3. (tie) Donelle Goodman and Shayde Etherton, 6.1, $1,097 each; 5. Kody Dollery, 6.4, $599; 6. Grady Gray, 6.5, $333. Second round: 1. Kyle Whitaker, 4.3 seconds, $1,929; 2. Jarret New, 4.4, $1,596; 3. Beau Clark, 4.8, $1,264; 4. Zack Cobb, 4.9, $931; 5. Riley Duvall, 5.1, $599; 6. Monty Eakin, 5.2, $333. Average: 1. Ben Shofner, 10.9 seconds on two head, $1,929; 2. Kody Dollery, 12.2, $1,596; 3. Donelle Goodman, 13.4, $1,264; 4. Shayde Etherton, 15.9, $931; 5. Jarret New, 17.5, $599; 6. (tie) Cole Cameron and Jason Thomas, 22.9, $166 each. Team roping: First round: 1. Matt Sherwood/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 5.6 second, $2,003 each; 2. Josh Morris/Jody Pinkert, 6.0, $1,658; 3. David Key/Travis Woodard, 6.1, $1,313; 4. Arky Rogers/Clint Summers, 6.6, $967; 5. (tie) Casey Gattis/Seth Smithson and Shane Philipp/Josh Philipp, 6.7, $484 each. Second round: 1. Ty Blasingame/Rich Skelton and Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 5.9 seconds, $1,831 each; 3. Tate Kirchenschlager/Tommy Zuniga, 6.0, $1,313; 4. Chance Kiehne/Cullen Teller, 6.5,  Continue Reading »