Monthly Archives: September 2012

Schoolchildren learn how food goes from farm to plate at the American Royal KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Al Davis wasn’t sure what to think. An elementary school teacher had just pointed to a farm animal and told her class it was a camel. The problem was, it was actually a Brahman bull. Yes, Brahman bulls and camels have distinguishable humps in their backs that serve a similar purpose: To store food and water. But bulls and camels are not the same, and there are many characteristics of each that separates the two species. It was just further proof for Davis that the American Royal’s school tours were doing what was needed. “When you stand in an exhibit and there’s a Brahman bull in the pen, and a teacher calls it a camel, then you know there’s a disconnect from what is being taught in school and what happens in the store,” said Davis, the American Royal’s manager of education. “That’s not a part of an elementary school teacher’s curriculum. “That’s why it’s more and more important that people learn where the food comes from and what it takes to get it from the farm to the plate.” The school tours are set for Sept. 25-28 during the American Royal’s Fall season. The program is built to educate students in the second to fourth grades. It consists of an educational tour and the Invitational Youth Rodeo; it will include the ADM World of Agriculture, the Mobile Dairy Classroom and other fun exhibits to help educate the youngsters. . “Right now I’d argue that people are one generation or two generations removed from the farm, and somewhere we’ve lost the knowledge of where our food comes from,” Davis said. “That’s the goal with all of our education stuff. This is still the United States, and we still have the safest food products in the world. “We have young kids that the only reference they have to the farm is the old See ’N Say toy, where they learn that cows moo and dogs bark. We want to educate them far beyond the propaganda they might see regarding the food industry.” The 26-foot Mobile Dairy Classroom features milking parlors complete with a live cow. Children will learn about the importance of dairy products in a person’s diet as well as what it takes to get milk from the cow to their local store. The Pizza Roundup connects the process and importance of production and agriculture to one of the world’s most popular foods. They will learn how pizza is made, what ingredients are used, where the ingredients came from, how the ingredients are made and how the ingredients are grown. The petting zoo will allow youngsters a chance to interact with farm animals and see a wide range of exotic animals. “It’s becoming more important to know where our food comes from, how it’s been processed and how it goes from farm to plate,” Davis said. “The kids will learn how the animals are cared for and how the environment is important. They are all issues everybody should care about. “We just present the facts, and, of course, the kids are always excited about the petting zoo. For a lot of the kids, this is as close as they’re ever going to get to livestock.”

Volunteers come out to support the annual event, raise money for scholarships HEMPSTEAD, Texas – The Waller County Fair and Rodeo is an exposition, an exhibition and a great place for affordable family entertainment. It’s also an entity that gives back to the community primarily through scholarships. “The scholarship program means more to the board of directors than anything we have going,” said Dustin Standley, second vice president and chairman of the fair board’s sponsorship committee. “We’re giving kids the opportunity to go to college, a trade school, a technical school or the military. Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter to us. I think it’s important to grow this fair, because growing the fair potentially gives more money back to the scholarships.” A few years ago, about $8,000 in scholarships was handed out to youth. Last year, that figure reached about $45,000. That’s one of the greatest parts of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, which runs Sept. 28-Oct. 7 in Hempstead. Throw in the fact that day passes for adults are just $10 ($5 for children), and anyone can see what an entertainment value there is. Season passes for admission or the entire nine-day run of the fair are $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. What makes it such a great deal for the entertainment dollar? The action-packed fair kicks off with Texas-based artist Kevin Fowler, who provides high energy performances with in-your-face music that has been a drawing card for a number of fans. That show begins Saturday, Sept. 29. In addition, fans will get to enjoy the great country stylings of Jake Hooker on Thursday, Oct. 4; Austin legend Corey Morrow and Texas music’s Cody Johnson on Friday, Oct. 5; and Nashville artist Jerrod Niemann – whose popular song “Lover Lover” raced up the country charts – closes the fair on Saturday, Oct. 6. “We have a lot of great things going on,” said Clint Sciba, vice president of the fair. “Over the last three or four years, we’ve grown our overall sales and attendance. We have grown our programs inside the fair. With that, we’ve been able to grow our rodeo side.” The rodeo is in its second year as part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and will feature many of the top names of the game during its three-day run from Oct. 4-6. Three of those are from the area – bareback rider Clint Cannon from Waller and tie-down ropers Cory Solomon of Prairie View and Fred Whitfield of Hockley. All three have played on the grandest stage in the sport, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “We’re building something in Waller County,” said Cannon, a three-time NFR qualifier. “The crowd really got into it last year and loved it. “I think the people there are treating everybody right. We’ve got good people promoting it, and we’re going to see that in the contestants who come to our rodeo.” But the ProRodeo isn’t the only show in town. “We’re having eight straight days of rodeo action at the fair,” said Paul Schroeder, co-chairman of the rodeo committee. “Every single night you can come to the arena and see something good. Even if it’s the county roping or an open tie-down roping, you’re going to get that type of participation.” But there are so many other activities during the fair, the admission price is more than affordable. “We’ve got all kinds of ag programs, and we’ve added an ag mechanics show, a videography contest and a Go Tejano Day to recognize the Hispanic culture of our county,” Sciba said. “This also is the first year that we’ve had a carnival on both weekends of the fair, so that’s a pretty big deal for us.” Of course, no fair would be complete with the livestock shows and competition, a greased pig contest, a kids tractor pull and plenty of other exhibitions. “The fair is set up to give back to the community as far as entertainment and the other things it brings, and it’s one of the top events in the county,” Sciba said. “It’s our job to continue to grow this. You have to have some hard-working people and some hard-working volunteers.” In fact, an event of this magnitude can’t happen without a great combination. “We’ve got 25 board members that volunteer year-round,” Sciba said. “We’ve got 625 volunteers. That’s incredible. It truly is a community coming together to put this thing on. What’s even better is we’ve got volunteers who want to be more involved in our fair.”

American Royal brings a fun atmosphere with an after-the-rodeo dance KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The American Royal understands tradition, from its decades of producing championship events to holding tight to its mission for youth, education and agriculture. That’s why many associated with this year’s fall festival are excited about the overall celebration that will surround this year’s American Royal Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and Saturday, Sept. 29, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Hale Arena in the American Royal complex. In addition to festivities and bands playing before the rodeo performances, there will be a rodeo dance following the Friday and Saturday shows in Grand Hall near Hale Arena. Nashville recording artist Bucky Covington will perform Friday, Sept. 28, and J.T. Hodges, a Texas-based country artist, will entertain Saturday, Sept. 29. Combined, the rodeo and all the entertainment surrounding it will provide fans with a great deal of intimacy. “That’s what we want the rodeo to be,” said Alex Lowe, the other co-chairman who works closely with Bryan Beaver on the overall aspects of the rodeo’s association with the American Royal’s Fall Festival. “We’re trying to bring some of the excitement back. We’re tying it in with all the other events. If we can pack it all together, then we can offer a better fan experience. “When I go to a rodeo, that’s what I enjoy.” The move to Hale Arena provides a great experience for the fans looking to get the most bang for their entertainment dollar. It will allow for an up-close-and-personal feel for those who enjoy music, entertainment and the very best professional rodeo has to offer. “But what you get in Hale is the intimacy of the event,” Beaver said. “This is a great arena for the tried-and-true rodeo fans, and they’ll love the intimacy.” The timing allows this year’s rodeo to coincide with the American Royal Parade, which takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, on Grand Boulevard; it’s also the weekend before the American Royal’s World Series of Barbecue®. “Pairing it with our parade and the barbecue adds a lot of excitement to our fall festival,” Lowe said. But the overall experience of the rodeo will allow fans looking for affordable family entertainment to enjoy their time in the West Bottoms. “We want people to come down and make it a Royal experience,” Beaver said. “I think having it right there keeps our rodeo at home. A lot of the feedback we got from fans last year was that it was fun having it at the Sprint Center, but that it’s not where it belongs. “It was fun to try, but certainly it’s going to be good to have our heritage events at our heritage location.”

ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo teams have high expectations. To meet them, they must handle the rigors of the 10-event National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Central Plains Region. It all starts Friday, Sept. 21-Sunday, Sept. 23, at the Colby (Kan.) Community College Rodeo. “Between the kids returning and the ones who are new, I think we’ve got a lot of talent,” said Stockton Graves, the Northwestern rodeo coach who took over the program last November. “I think everybody’s excited to see what we can do and what we need to work on after Colby.” They are. Senior Collin Domer of Topeka, Kan., is the lone returner who qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo last season. He knows the talent level on the Rangers team but also realizes just how tough competition is in the region, which is made up of teams primarily from Kansas and Oklahoma. “Stockton brought in a bunch of new recruits that are really talented, and there are a bunch of freshman that are already a step ahead of the game,” said Domer, a team roper who again will pair with his brother, Ryan, a fall transfer to Northwestern from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. “We have all but one girl that was part of last year’s team.” The women’s team showed promise a season ago, winning three event titles. Even though the ladies failed to qualify one member to the college finale last June in Casper, Wyo., there was tremendous growth in a group that featured a number of young cowgirls. “We had a young girls team last year, and they’re going to know a little more,” Collin Domer said. “I think we have a lot of talent on both teams. These transfers and freshmen are new to the region, and they’re going to be a little gun-shy at the first one. “The ones that have been here are the seasoned veterans now. That is going to help us out much more than it did last year.” What advantage do the Northwestern contestants have over the field? “I think one of the really big things that’s helped is that even before he was the coach, Stockton has been here and has been involved in practice,” Domer said, noting that Graves is a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in steer wrestling. “Shannon Frascht still lives here, so he comes to practice with us.” Frascht is a team roper who qualified for the NFR in 2006 and is a four-time year-end champion in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Prairie Circuit. “A lot of those guys want to come back and help, and we get to have the benefit of that,” Domer said.

There were numerous great storylines coming out of this season’s Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup, which wrapped yesterday with the short go-round and crowning of champions. The PRCA focused its piece on Bobby Mote, and rightfully so. He’s a four-time world champion bareback rider who is in the top five of the world standings. He won the first round and finished in a tie for second in the short round to win the average title. Mote’s run in Pendleton was worth $11,261 It’s a big win this late in the year with just two weeks remaining in the regular season. But there were some significant moves for those contestants on the bubble. Take fellow bareback rider Justin McDaniel, a world champion and two-time NFR average champ. At three rodeos last weekend, McDaniel won nearly $7,500, $4,464 of which was won in Pendleton. He placed in both rounds and finished in a tie for fourth in the average. He also won the bareback riding title in Abilene, Texas. He is a four-time NFR qualifier who missed last season and a good portion of this season because of injury. He looks to be healthy now, and he’s making a run at Vegas. He’ll surely move up from 16th when the world standings are released Monday. Bradley Harter won $3,818 in Pendleton, placing in the long round and the average. He also added $428 in Abilene, so that $4,246 comes in handy. That should move Harter up one spot to 12th in the saddle bronc riding standings. Every dollar is key this time of year. Only the top 12 cowboys and cowgirls in the world standings as of Sunday, Oct. 23, qualify for the Justin Boots Championships, which will offer a purse of more than $635,000 on the final weekend of the season. The rest of those on the bubble will chase every dollar they can that weekend, from Stephenville, Texas, to Anadarko, Okla., to the prestigious American Royal Rodeo in Kansas City, Mo. It’s a little nerve racking and very tiring. It’s also a lot exciting.

Reigning champs have a chance to win American Royal twice in same season KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eight contestants have an opportunity to accomplish something that’s never been done in the history of the American Royal Rodeo – they can win two titles in the same season. It’s possible because one month makes a big difference. This year’s rodeo – set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and Saturday, Sept. 29, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Hale Arena in the American Royal complex – will be one of the last events of the 2012 regular season. The top contestants in the sport will make sure Kansas City is on their schedules. “I know it’s extremely exciting for them and for us,” said Bryan Beaver, who, with Alex Lowe, is co-chairman of the American Royal Rodeo committee. “It’s a unique situation where last year’s event was a first-of-the-season rodeo, and now our upcoming rodeo is the end of the season.” That’s why all but one of the reigning champions have a shot at competing for a second crown this season, which began Oct. 1, 2011, and ends Sept. 30, 2012. The 2011 American Royal Rodeo took place last October, making it one of the largest events early in the season. With this year’s championship event taking place the final weekend of the month, the points will count for the final world standings. And that has everybody in ProRodeo talking about Kansas City. “That would be a neat rodeo to win twice in the same year,” said Wes Stevenson, the reigning bareback riding champion who has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo eight times in his career. “It’s considered a tough rodeo to win, but I think it’d be fun to win it twice in the same season. How many rodeos do you get a chance to do that?” Stevenson will be joined by steer wrestler Les Shepperson, team ropers Colby Lovell and Ryan Motes, saddle bronc riders Cole Elshere and Tyrel Larsen, tie-down roper Jerome Schneeberger and barrel racer Benette Barrington; bull rider Jacob O’Mara will miss this year’s American Royal because of an injury. Of the 2011 winners, Stevenson, Shepperson, Lovell and Motes are almost assured spots at the NFR, which takes place Dec. 6-15 in Las Vegas. Elshere (12th) and Barrington (10th) are in the mix right now – only the top 15 contestants in each event at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for ProRodeo’s finale – but they are listed on the bubble because of the precarious nature of the sport. “That would be awesome, and it’s something I’ve really thought about,” Barrington said. “I’m excited to go.” Being 10th is a little more comfortable for Barrington than it is for Elshere, so that’s why Kansas City is so important for them and others who are hoping to make their way to the Nevada desert. “We’ve tried to make it a competitive rodeo, and we add a lot of money for them to try to win,” said Lowe, whose brother, Will, is a three-time world champion bareback rider. “We put those winners from last year in a unique position to where they have a chance to win a rodeo twice in the same season. I think it’s something they can really be proud of if it happens.” For Lowe, it’s nice to have one of his friends in the mix. Stevenson and Will Lowe are traveling partners and good friends, so Alex Lowe has strong ties to the reigning bareback champion. “Wes is a great guy, and for him to win a rodeo is special, but for him to have a chance to win the American Royal twice in one year is even better,” Alex Lowe said. “But there are a lot of guys that really want to do something here. I think you’ve got some guys who will be right there in the standings where they have a shot, so they’re going to sneak up here and compete to stay in that spot for the National Finals.” While rodeos like the American Royal offer large purses, none is bigger than the NFR. That’s why contestants battle so hard to earn the money it takes to play in Las Vegas. That’s why Kansas City is a place they must be the last weekend of September.

Roping legend will battle young gun again at Hempstead rodeo HEMPSTEAD, Texas – There has to be something in the east Texas water. Whatever it is, the world of rodeo is reaping the rewards. You see, east Texas seems to breed top quality tie-down ropers, many of whom will converge on the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 6, in Hempstead. It will be a showcase of great regional talent mixed with some of the greatest who ever played the game. What’s even more impressive is that two of the top 10 calf ropers in the sport – Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, and Cory Solomon of Prairie View, Texas – live within a few miles of the fairgrounds. “I think the main reason there are so many great calf ropers in that part of Texas is because there’s just so much competition,” said Whitfield, who is closing in on his 20th qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “With our climate, you can do it year-round. It’s so freaking competitive at a young age.” Being in that environment has paid off, too. Since starting his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association career in 1990, Whitfield has earned eight world championships – seven in tie-down roping and one all-around. Solomon hasn’t reached that gold buckle status just yet, but he’s just in his fourth full season in ProRodeo, but he’s secured his spot at the NFR for the second straight season. “Living in that area, you can be a good cowboy because the competition is so tough,” said Solomon, 22, who won the $100,000 title at this year’s Calgary (Alberta) Stampede by beating Whitfield in a head-to-head matchup on the rodeo’s final day. “You have to work hard enough. It’s tough to win because there are so many that are so tough.” From youth rodeo through the amateur ranks and into the elite level of NFR qualifiers, the river of talent that flows through the area will be on display in Hempstead the first weekend in October. “I like that it’s now a ProRodeo,” said Whitfield, who grew up in Cypress. “There are a lot of local people that don’t get to go to Vegas, so they can go to Waller (County), and they get to see all the NFR guys. They were all there last year. “That’s my hometown rodeo, and there are a lot of little towns that are down there together. You always want to do well at your hometown rodeo.” That is a major drawing card for Solomon, who won the third round at the NFR last December. He loves the idea of being able to compete in front of friends and family. “It would be a great feeling to win that rodeo, because it’s my hometown event and it’s a chance for a lot of people I know to see me compete,” he said. “I have a lot of my old childhood friends and people I went to high school with, some teachers that taught me … it’s great. It’s close for family and friends that can’t travel to see me at other events. “It’s just a good feeling to be able to compete that close to home.” He also will use the opportunity to help train some of his younger horses for the rodeo trail. “Hempstead fall at that time of year where it’s after the (regular) season ends, so that’s when my best horse in the world is on break and will be resting then,” Solomon said, noting that the ProRodeo’s season runs Oct. 1-Sept. 30 every year, so the Waller County Fair and Rodeo will count toward the 2013 standings even though the world champion won’t be crowned until the conclusion of the NFR in December. “I rode one of my younger horses there last year, and that’s probably what I’ll do this year.” Solomon has had a solid season, and sits No. 5 in the standings with $85,615 in earnings; Whitfield is ninth with $69,987. Both have significant wins this season, which is why they’re near the top of the PRCA standings. But there was something special that happened at Calgary in July. Both cowboys posted 8.1-second runs in the final round, which gave them the opportunity to participate in a rope off. It all came on the final day of the Stampede, when rain left the arena a mud pit. “When we had to go to the tie-breaker, my rope was muddy and I really didn’t have time to think about the fact that we had to do it again,” Solomon said. “Being as competitive as I am, it doesn’t matter what the situation is, you just have to have the feeling that you can beat anybody in the world, whether it’s somebody you’ve never heard of or a world champion. That’s the kind of mind you have to have.” It worked. After fellow roper Shane Hanchey used his shirt to remove the mud from Solomon’s rope, the youngster posted a 7.7-second run, beating Whitfield’s 8.4-second mark. “I felt like I had a chance to win that thing, and I wanted to,” said Whitfield, a three-time Calgary champ. “He won outright. It’s fun. You always want to win, but like I told him, we got to run two calves for $100,000. “A few years ago, I could see signs of him being good. That dude’s going to wear a gold buckle one of these days. He’s got it all.” Whitfield knows because of his experience. Now 44, the world champion has seen it all. He knows what it means to stand atop the world and feel the heartbreak of just missing ProRodeo’s grand finale. Solomon is well on his way to gaining the same kinds of experience, and they’ll be able to share it with their friends, family and fans in Hempstead the first weekend in October. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Solomon said.

Anderson, Lowe grew up at the American Royal and hope to win it this September KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jeanne Anderson can’t remember the first time she attended the American Royal. “I grew up as a little kid playing in the stockyard,” said Anderson, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from White City, Kan. “I went to the quarter horse show because my parents showed horses.” Anderson was raised on the famous Benjamin Ranch in Kansas City, where she comes from a long line of horsemen and horsewomen. She first began racing horses around the cloverleaf barrel pattern as a youngster; now she hopes to make a triumphant return to her hometown competing at the American Royal Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and Saturday, Sept. 29, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Hale Arena in the American Royal complex. “They used to have an invitational barrel race for years, and I think you had to be 16 years old to enter it,” she said. “I remember being so excited that I finally got old enough to run at it. “I’ve been going to the American Royal forever. I always like going to it.” She’s just one elite ProRodeo contestant who will be part of the renewed and revamped American Royal Rodeo. She’ll be joined by other NFR qualifiers like Tyson Durfey, who grew up in Savannah, Mo., and Will Lowe, who grew up near Olathe, Kan., and graduated from Spring Hill High School. For ProRodeo’s best, their formative years were spent at the West Bottoms watching their heroes. In fact, it’s those types of experiences that led Lowe into the profession. It’s a good thing, too. Since he first started riding full size bucking horses 15 years ago, he’s been one of the very best bareback riders in the game – he owns three world championships, earned in 2002, ’05 and ’06. “It’s a big rodeo for all of us,” said Lowe, who has been at or near the top of the world standings much of the 2012 season. “It’s different this year because now that it’s in September, it’s the end of the season again, and that’s a big deal. When the season ended in October, the American Royal was always that rodeo at the end of the year everybody was trying to get to.” The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association moved its regular season to Oct. 1-Sept. 30 beginning in 2006. The American Royal adjusted by hosting the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo for three seasons, providing a showcase event for the top qualifiers from the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region. The last two years, the rodeo has been one of the first large events of the new season – the rodeo that took place last October counted toward the 2012 season standings. Now it returns to a season-ending event with high stakes for contestants hoping to close out a solid 2012 campaign. “It’s the last big rodeo of the season, so there are a lot of guys that will be in there trying to get those last spots for the finals,” Lowe said, referring to the NFR, which will feature only the top 15 contestants in each event at the conclusion of the regular season. “There’s a lot of money you can win there, so that’s definitely one everybody will want to get to.” In rodeo, points equal dollars. Not only do paychecks help make ends meet for contestants, money is how titles are won. The cowboy and/or cowgirl in each event with the money won at the conclusion of the season will be crowned world champion. “The money is good, and that’s always a big deal for us,” Anderson said. “I’m just happy to have it this close to home.”

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Whether it’s Window Rock, Ariz., or Eagle, Colo., bareback rider Clint Cannon knows he’s going to do all he can to compete at rodeos produced by Carr Pro Rodeo. It’s a little easier when it happens in his back yard, which is the case at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 6. In fact, Cannon was one of the driving forces behind Pete Carr and his crew being in Hempstead now that the annual rodeo is part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “I’ve probably won more money on Carr horses as anybody in the PRCA,” said Cannon, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Waller, Texas. “Almost every go-round I’ve won at the NFR has been on Pete Carr’s horses. I’ve won rounds at Houston on Pete Carr horses, and I’ve won rounds at San Antonio on them. “When you look down the list and see your name next to one of Pete Carr’s horses, then you know you’ve got a good horse.” That’s important to have for roughstock cowboys, those who ride bucking horses and bulls for a living. On a 100-point scale, half the score is based on how well the animal bucks, while the other half is based on the rider. In bareback riding and saddle bronc riding, the rider’s score is centered around how well the cowboys spurs in rhythm with the animal. That is why having high-caliber horses is important to Cannon, who has won RodeoHouston twice in his career. Now he wants a shot at winning his hometown rodeo, and he knows his odds go up just having Carr horses in the mix. “Pete’s got so many great horses, plus he’s got some young, up-and-coming horses every year,” Cannon said. “Even if it’s an unknown horse, you know you’ve got a shot to win on it because it’s Pete’s.” Cannon has excelled on several Carr horses. In June, he posted a 90-point ride on Dirty Jacket to finish second at the West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo. Last December, he won a round at the NFR on Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year; it was the second time the two have matched moves together to win a round in Las Vegas. Real Deal is one of the rankest horses in ProRodeo. In fact, the 12-year-old brown gelding is part of the “eliminator pen” at the NFR, because most bareback riders have trouble handling the moves he makes. “My whole riding philosophy is that it’s a fistfight,” Cannon said. “Real Deal is always a fistfight. I’ve always gotten along with big, strong horses better than most people in ProRodeo. I don’t get that fear worked up from the name of the horse, because I’ve been on them and I know I can handle them. “I’m a stronger guy, and I work hard. Being stronger takes away from some of the power those big, strong horses throw at you.” Even with great success on Real Deal, there are a lot of horses sporting the Rafter C brand that Cannon would love to draw in Hempstead. “If Pete has a rodeo, we try to enter it,” he said. “That’s why we got him to come to Waller County. “I’ve done well on Black Coffee and had some success on Dirty Jacket, Real Deal and even won a little on Grass Dancer and Sin Wagon. I’ve been on so many of Pete’s horses, I can’t even remember all the ones I’ve been blessed with. It’s always fun going to rodeos like that, because you know you can win on just about anything they run under you.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Cody Sosebee knows his silhouette better resembles Alfred Hitchcock than most rodeo clowns. “Some people see me weigh about 150 pounds more than the guy next to me, but that’s OK,” said Sosebee, who will work his entertaining magic during the American Royal Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and Saturday, Sept. 29, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Hale Arena in the American Royal complex. “I think a rodeo clown is supposed to be a court jester and is supposed to do things you don’t expect. They’ll get to see me do a front flip or do something acrobatic and high energy, and it surprises the crowd, but it’s my job to keep moving for a solid two hours of a performance.” He gets that opportunity at some of the biggest rodeos in the country, which is why he’s so excited to be part of this year’s Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event in Kansas City. “To me, the American Royal is one of the most prestigious events we have and it’s one of the top rodeos in the country,” said Sosebee, 40, of Charleston, Ark. “It seems to get a little more attention because it’s one of the most important rodeos near the end of the season, so it’s one of the rodeos everybody’s talked about for a long time. “Plus, I get to work with the announcer of the year in Randy Corley and the stock contractor of the year in Stace Smith. When you get to work with the top guys in the field, it helps you raise your game. It’s like getting to play basketball with Michael Jordan.” While modest, Sosebee is already in that category. He’s been in the running for the PRCA’s Clown of the Year and has been recognized as one of the top five barrelmen/funnymen in rodeo. Why? “I think I bring a sense of energy to an event, and I try to bring a new level of energy,” he said. “I try to bring a high level of energy to your show. I think rodeo competes with other extreme sports, and I think we’re in a class of entertainment like those. “When people come to an event, they want to see the level of high energy for the entire two hours they’re there, and that’s what I want to give them.” What Sosebee provides actually goes beyond high energy. His job as a barrelman is to be a safety valve for others who are in the arena during the bull riding competition, but he’s also a big part of the overall production of the show. He provides a flair for comedy, and he’s pretty good at it. Rodeo is nothing new to Sosebee. In fact, he grew up in the sport. His father was a pickup man, and his mother was a barrel racer. He admits to living with an alter-ego, where one day he’s on his place in northwest Arkansas and another he is working his “stage” show in front of thousands of fans. “I just love this,” he said. “I’m just a small town country kid from Arkansas, and I get to come to Kansas City and perform for three days. That’s the cool factor. I get to see a lot of things and do a lot of things I wouldn’t get to do if I were just at home all the time doing what I do. “I enjoy making the crowd laugh. The times area hard and the economy’s rough, and we’ve got people who are paying a price for the ticket; I want them to come and be entertained, and I want them to forget whatever troubles they’re having for that two hours.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appears in the September edition of Women’s Pro Rodeo News, the official publication of the WPRA. When Brittany Pozzi rode Dial It Fast during the Ram Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo in Waco, Texas, this past January, Trevor Brazile saw something he liked in the horse. “I’d like to head some steers on that horse,” he told his wife, Shada. That comes with the territory by being married to a 16-time world champion who owns nine all-around gold buckles and has won other titles in tie-down roping (three), steer roping (three) and team roping-heading (one). “I’ve always taken Trevor’s third-string calf horse or head horse and played with him,” said Shada Brazile of Decatur, Texas. Oh, how things have changed, and the Texas cowgirl is reaping the rewards that are coming from the 6-year-old bay gelding she calls Dial It, out of Dial It In out of Dashin Is Easy. Brazile is focusing her attention on the WPRA Qualifying Tour, and it seems to be paying nice dividends. From the end of July through the middle of August, Brazile placed in three qualifying tour events: Lawton, Okla.; Gerry, N.Y.; and Longview, Wash. The hope is to be part of the field for the 2013 Calgary (Alberta) Stampede while also getting her horse seasoned and her qualification rankings up for next season. “I get an opportunity to go to rodeos I’ve never been to,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to go to ProRodeos in New York, and I did it.” Yes, she did, and she earned an $846 check for finishing third, riding Dial It around the cloverleaf pattern in 15.57 seconds, just 23/100s behind winner Nickie Stolzfus of McClure, Pa., and just a flash behind runner-up Taylor Young of Carlisle, Pa. She also won $901 for finishing eighth in Lawton and $1,040 for placing second in Longview, just 5/100ths of a second behind winner Kathy Grimes of Medical Lake, Wash. Now Brazile is second in the qualifying tour standings and is just itching to do more than watch the Calgary Stampede. “I’ve been going to that rodeo for I don’t know how many years,” Brazile said. “We love Calgary, because it’s family time. It’s a laid-back atmosphere. You go to the rodeo during the day, then you have the rest of the evening to spend with everyone. “It’s almost turned into a family reunion with my brothers, Clif and Tuf, and my uncle, Stran (Smith), all competing there. My grandparents come out. Just a big part of my family comes to Calgary.” So how did she keep Trevor from backing Dial It into the roping box? “That horse came out of the futurities, and Latrica Duke trained him,” Shada Brazile said. “The circuit finals was the first rodeo he’d been to. Then Brittany stayed at our house during Fort Worth. I had two horses die within two days of each other.” When Pozzi offered Dial It as a solution, Brazile initially wasn’t interested and tried not to think about it; the offer was almost too tempting. “Brittany told me, ‘I’ll let you ride him,’ ” Brazile said. “I rode him and fell in love with him.” The love affair has blossomed over the months since that first ride. “I went into the year just planning on seasoning him,” she said. “He hadn’t been to any outdoor rodeos, just the futurities. Now maybe we can be in a little better position to get in the top 50 (in the final 2012 world standings) for the winter rodeos next season. “With him just being 6, he’s come up and down. He’ll be good one week, then not so good the next. The last couple weeks, he’s peaked. I’ve been switching headgear, and I think I’ve found the right one. Hopefully it’ll stay good.” Sometimes it takes a little carrot dangling from a stick to serve as motivation. For Brazile, it comes in the form of the Calgary Stampede and the tour that will help cowgirls qualify for “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.” “I’m excited to just have the opportunity to qualify for Calgary,” Brazile said. “Dial It is definitely a gift from God, and I feel blessed to own him.” HORSEPOWER ON THE RODEO TRAIL There are a lot of great horses on the rodeo trail, and Kaley Bass of Kissimmee, Fla., has one in Wonder’s Cowboy Dan. The two have lit the barrel racing world in August, including qualifying tour wins in Lawton and Lovington, N.M. Bass won the Lawton Rangers Rodeo with a 17.29 and earned $4,003; the Lea County Fair and Rodeo title paid $3,927. Bass is No. 1 on the qualifying tour. Kelli Tolbert, a 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Hooper, Utah, won the biggest payday of the qualifying tour when she earned the title in Strathmore, Alberta. She and RF Firefly rounded the pattern in 17.383 seconds to win $6,768. As of Aug. 17, Tolbert was 13th in the WPRA ProRodeo Standings. “That was a pretty critical win for me,” Tolbert said. “That was a lot of money, and I was in a situation in the standings where it was do-or-die time. I took a big, deep breath after it had happened.” Moving to No. 4 in the qualifying tour standings was a nice bonus. “I’ve been going to the qualifying events, but inadvertently,” she said. “I wasn’t entering Strathmore because it was a qualifier, but because it added so much money.” It was even nicer that Cloe continued a strong season of quality runs in Alberta. Now Tolbert and the 9-year-old sorrel mare by PESI Stallion Smoke N Sparks out of Dots Scooterette are closing in on their second trip to the NFR in three years. “Making the NFR was a goal from the get-go,” Tolbert said. “It’s been a year that’s been full of struggles. She’s working good. She’s sound. I was just getting up at rodeos at the wrong times. I would end up getting an eight-place  Continue Reading »

Defending champ hopes to add to his gold buckles by repeating at the NFSR GUTHRIE, Okla. – Trevor Brazile is defined by many things, and most of them are gold. In all, the Decatur, Texas, cowboy owns 16 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association gold buckles, nine of which are the most coveted in the sport of rodeo, World Champion All-Around Cowboy. But it’s the other titles that have established Brazile as likely the greatest timed-event contestant in the sport’s history – a team roping-heading championship, three tie-down roping titles and three steer roping championships. In fact, he is the reigning World Champion Steer Roper, and he will look to defend his title during the 2012 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, presented by National Saddlery set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, and Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. He’ll test his talent against the other top 15 ropers in the game, just as he has done every year since 1997 when he first qualified for the season-ending championship. That statistic is just as telling as any other in helping define Brazile’s greatness because 2012 marks his 16th straight year to finish among the world’s best professional steer ropers. Overall, he’s qualified for ProRodeo’s World Championships’ 38 times – in addition to steer roping, he has qualified in tie-down roping (13 times) and in team roping (nine times). He joins Dale Smith as only the second man in the sport’s history to have qualified for the National Finals in all four roping disciplines – Brazile’s first team roping qualification came in 1998 as a heeler; his subsequent eight trips to Las Vegas have been in heading. Even more telling is that Brazile will enter the early November competition at the Lazy E with a giant target on his back. “When you’re talking about Trevor, I think he’s just that talented; I think he works hard at it,” said Rocky Patterson, a two-time World Champion from Pratt, Kan. Patterson knows of what he speaks. Not only does he own two gold buckles, Patterson has secured his 18th qualification to the Clem McSpadden NFSR in 19 years. He is second in the world standings and knows what it takes to walk away a champion. On top of that, Patterson is well within range to walk away from the Lazy E with his third title. Cody Lee of Gatesville, Texas, leads the world standings race and is heading to the finals for the seventh time in his career. Brazile is the No. 3 roper heading into the final four weeks of the regular season, which concludes the final day of September; there still is time for the “bubble boys” to finish in the top 15 in the world standings to play for the biggest pay in the sport. “It’s like any other event, where if you want to win the world title, you have to have a good finals event,” Brazile said. “It’s going to be close enough by that time that it will be about anyone’s to win.” A year ago, it was a close race. In fact, it came down to the final run on the final day of the 2011 Clem McSpadden to finally decide the world champion. “It just made it that much sweeter,” Brazile said. “There are things you remember, and I’ll remember that run because of that race, whereas you don’t remember it when it doesn’t come down to it. When your heart’s not that heavy on your last one, it doesn’t stick with you as long.” It looks like 2012 will repeat as far as a down-to-the-wire finish. Will it be Brazile winning a fourth gold buckle or Patterson winning a third, or will Lee secure his first world title in his career? Whoever claims the top spot will have earned it, just as a cowboy should. “There’s a lot of tradition in steer roping,” Brazile said. “It’s the first event, period. It’s one of the earliest cowboy sports. That tradition means a lot to me, plus it’s just a cowboy event.” As in years past and just like the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the event will consist of 10 go-rounds to determine the PRCA World Champion and the final 2012 PRCA Steer Roping World Standings. On Friday night, Nov. 2, Rounds 1 through 5 will take place – that means 75 runs in one night. Then on Saturday night, Nov. 3, Rounds 6 through 10 – and another 75 runs – will determine who walks out of the Lazy E Arena with the PRCA World Championship gold buckle and saddle. The Lazy E Arena was built to host the NFSR in 1984 by E.K. Gaylord II. In 2009, the Oklahoma state Legislature unanimously passed a resolution to change the name of the event to honor the late Clem McSpadden, who served for many years in the Oklahoma Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives while also building a reputation as one of the best announcers in rodeo history. He worked the steer roping finals a record 27 times. McSpadden was also known as the “Voice of the Lazy E.” Steer roping fans will enjoy all of the activities planned for the performances and in addition, the Senior National Finals Steer Roping will take place during the day at the Lazy E Arena on Nov. 2-3.  VIP ticket prices for each performance of the NFSR are $37 … Box seats $30 and general admission $20 pre-show.  Children 12 and under are free in general admission. Group discounts are also available … Call (800) 595-RIDE for complete details. A portion of the proceeds from the 2012 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping will again be donated to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and the Clem McSpadden Endowed Chair at Oklahoma State University. The Lazy E is proud to support these institutions for Western preservation. Tickets will be on sale Sept. 24 at www.lazye.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, by  Continue Reading »

Steven Peebles had a Joe Theismann moment, and it happened on the biggest stage of his chosen sport, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Theismann was sacked by Lawrence Taylor during a 1985 Monday Night Football game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants and suffered gruesomely broken leg. It was – and still is – one of those moments that makes me cringe. I can’t watch it when it plays on the great move “Blindside.” I avert my eyes. The injury ended Theismann’s career. Peebles’ was similar. He broke his right leg and tore ligaments in his right ankle after his fifth-round ride. I knew right away that the NFR was over for Peebles, 23, of Redmond, Ore. I just wasn’t sure he would ever be able to ride bucking horses again. Peebles proved me wrong quickly upon his return to ProRodeo, winning the title at the first event in which he competed in Pocatello, Idaho. On Labor Day, he put the finishing touches to another great win, riding Flying Diamond Rodeo’s Lucky for 89 points to win the bareback riding title in Ellensburg, Wash. The $6,143 he earned for the feat will move Peebles up the world standings. – But he’s just one of the amazing storylines coming out of Ellensburg. Sixteen-time world champion Trevor Brazile won the steer roping title, while his wife, Shada, won a share of the barrel racing crown. Brazile, who is the No. 1 header and the third-ranked steer roper, will qualify for the finals in both those categories, but it’s doubtful he’ll qualify for the NFR in tie-down roping. If he fails to qualify, it will mark the first time since 1999 that he hasn’t roped calves in Las Vegas – he is 35th in the tie-down roping standings. – World champion bulldogger Jason Miller won the steer wrestling title and pocketed $7,781 in the process. He should move up the standings, which is great; he was 17th heading into the weekend and needed to move into the top 15 if he expects to make the NFR for a fifth time.

I see where Clint Cannon has returned to competition. Cannon, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Waller, Texas, leads the bareback riding at the Kendall County Fair and PRCA Rodeo in Boerne, Texas, with a 77-point ride on Bad Company Rodeo’s Easy Lover. It’s a good sign. Cannon, who was working his way back up the world standings, suffered another setback a few months ago. The 33-year-old Texan suffered a seriously torn groin during the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede nearly two months ago. He’s been on the sidelines ever since, missing several big rodeos. Now he’s hoping a 77 holds up for his first rodeo victory since the first weekend in June. He also is hoping to win as much money as possible over the final four weeks of the 2012 season, potentially moving up the standings so he has his qualifications for the early part of the 2013 season. And he hopes to get on a hot streak early by winning his hometown rodeo, the Waller County Fair and Rodeo in Hempstead, Texas, the first weekend of October. It’s one of the first events for next season, and it falls just a few days before his 34th birthday. That would be an awesome present.

The frustrations are minor; they really are. But today was one of those days. I intended to focus on interviews today since I had the freedom to do so. I made some calls, but none of them were returned. That happens a lot in the storytelling business; it happens a lot less now that cell phones are so prevalent, but it’s part of the game. And since I needed to replace the printer, I worked on that. From getting all the settings right to purchasing a new router so that we could handle printing needs wireless, the task became time-consuming. All. Day. Long. Finally I called upon my wife, the technical genius of the family. Still, it took her an hour or so to finally get everything wrapped together in a nice little bow. But there were a lot of positives in the day. I was able to get a few things completed and even conducted a conference call, of sorts, with a rodeo committee in Texas. I think it went well, and I hope the people who gathered around the speakerphone to hear me today got a feeling for the passion I hold for this sport. Moreover, I hope each individual in that room could taste why I enjoy telling stories. They are about real people, real events and the circumstances that come with them, good and bad. I’ll let you know what I find out.