Monthly Archives: November 2013

1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 9.3 seconds, $5,077; 2. J. Tom Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 10.5, $4,077; 3. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 11.2, $3,077; 4. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 12.3, $2,077; 5. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 14.2, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 99.2 seconds on seven head; 2. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 99.5; 3. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 105.1; 4. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 136.2; 5. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 69.6 on six.

1. J. Tom Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 10.8 seconds, $5,077; 2. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 11.1, $4,077; 3. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.8, $3,077; 4. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 11.9, $2,077; 5. Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, 12.3, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 78.1 seconds on six head; 2. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 83.7; 3. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 85.0; 4. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 86.3; 5. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 120.7.

I hear the voice, the one that resonates inside the Lazy E Arena, and I smile. It’s of the namesake of this world championship, the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. It’s nostalgia for me, now more than 19 years after first hearing his baritone calls over a rodeo arena speaker in Dodge City, Kan. I’ve heard his “If This Flag Could Talk” and his “Cowboy Prayer” hundreds of times, and they give me chills still. I’m thankful Robert Simpson and the rest of the folks at the Lazy E Arena had the forethought to record Clem’s eloquent voice reciting the words he had written so we could continue to remember the Oklahoma legend. It’s been a little more than five years since Clem left us, and my time in Oklahoma at this championship brings back a flood of amazing memories. In July 2008, I wrote THIS piece shortly after learning my friend had died. I placed it on TwisTED Rodeo about three years ago, shortly after this site was created. As I prepare for the final day of The Clem and the crowning of our first world champion in 2013, it’s a good day to remember my friend. I hope you enjoy.

GUTHRIE, Okla. – J.P. Wickett has been in this position before. Wickett, a 14-time Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping qualifier from Sallisaw, Okla., leads the average with a five-round cumulative time of 66.3 seconds on Friday night. More importantly, Wickett won two go-rounds and has pocketed $14,231 heading into Saturday’s final five rounds with great momentum. “I’ve had good first days before, and I’ve always backed off on the second day,” Wickett said, explaining that he took a less aggressive stance through the final few rounds of the competition. “Tomorrow night I think I’m going to approach it like I did tonight. I think I’m going to go full tilt, run at the barrier every time and be real aggressive with my rope. “There’s the old saying that you dance with the girl that brung you to the dance.” Wickett hopes to do plenty of dancing on the final night of the steer roping championship, but he’ll be just a little bit of the fireworks set for the Lazy E. The race for the 2013 World Champion Steer Roper is as tight as ever, with Trevor Brazile making a big move Friday night to catch world standings leader Rocky Patterson. The two men who own the last six gold buckles are separated by $5,095, just a little more than the payout for winning a go-round, $5,077. Brazile, a 17-time world champion from Decatur, Texas, failed to complete a score in Friday’s opening round, but he won more than $13,000 on Friday. That no-time meant he is likely out of the race for money in average, which pays out the cowboys with the top five cumulative times through 10 runs at the conclusion of the NFSR. Patterson, the three-time and reigning world champion from Pratt, Kan., placed in two go-rounds, but suffered a no-time in the fifth round late Friday. Now both men will try to make as much money through the go-rounds. Brazile said his plan is to “try to win as much money as you can through the ninth round, then you go see what you’ve got to do. After you go out on the first one, the next game plan you make is after the ninth round.” It’s the same approach Patterson will take. But the two top-rated cowboys have played this game before. Patterson won the 2012 title on his last steer of the season. Wickett came into the Clem McSpadden 10th in the world standings, but his opening night propelled him to fifth. He now trails Patterson by $24,116 and holds an outside shot of catching the standings leaders. “You always want to win at the top,” Wickett said of winning the first round. “It kind of takes the heat off you that you’re going to get skunked. In the first round, everybody seems to be kind of tense and a little uptight. I try to just be relaxed and try to go after that first one and make it happen then so I can go make some money.” It worked on opening night of the 2013 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Can it happen on Night No. 2? Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping Lazy E Arena Nov. 8-9, 2013 First round: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.8 seconds, $5,077; 2. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 12.3, $4,077; 3. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 13.0, $3,077; 4. Joe Wells, Cisco, Texas, 13.9, $2,077; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 14.2, $1,077. Second round: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.9 seconds, $5,077; 2. Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, 12.3, $4,077; 3. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 12.4, $3,077; 4. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 12.9, $2,077; 5. Bryce Davis, Ovalo, Texas, 13.8, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 27.8 seconds on two head; 2. (tie) Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, and J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 27.9; 4. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 28.0; 5. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 28.2. Third round: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.3 seconds, $5,077; 2. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 11.4, $4,077; 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.6, $3,077; 4. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 12.1, $2,077; 5. Bryce Davis, Ovalo, Texas, 13.7, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 39.2 seconds on three head; 2. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 39.4; 3. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 42.1; 4. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 43.7; 5. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 43.9. Fourth round: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 10.5 seconds, $5,077; 2. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 11.1, $4,077; 3. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 11.5, $3,077; 4. Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, 11.7, $2,077; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 11.8, $1,077 Average leaders: 1. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 50.9 seconds on four head; 2. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 54.5; 3. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 54.8; 4. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 56.2; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 58.4. Fifth round: 1. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 11.2 seconds, $5,077; 2. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.8, $4,077; 3. (tie) Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, and Joe Wells, Cisco, Texas, 12.2, $2,577 each; 5. (tie) Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, and Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 12.3, $538 each. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 66.3 seconds on five head; 2. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 67.1; 3. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 68.8; 4. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 72.3; 5. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 104.1.

1. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 11.2 seconds, $5,077; 2. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.8, $4,077; 3. (tie) Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, and Joe Wells, Cisco, Texas, 12.2, $2,577 each; 5. (tie) Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, and Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 12.3, $538 each. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 66.3 seconds on five head; 2. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 67.1; 3. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 68.8; 4. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 72.3; 5. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 104.1.

1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 10.5 seconds, $5,077; 2. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 11.1, $4,077; 3. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 11.5, $3,077; 4. Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, 11.7, $2,077; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 11.8, $1,077 Average leaders: 1. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 50.9 seconds on four head; 2. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 54.5; 3. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 54.8; 4. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 56.2; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 58.4.

1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.3 seconds, $5,077; 2. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 11.4, $4,077; 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.6, $3,077; 4. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 12.1, $2,077; 5. Bryce Davis, Ovalo, Texas, 13.7, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 39.2 seconds on three head; 2. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 39.4; 3. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 42.1; 4. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 43.7; 5. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 43.9.

1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.9 seconds, $5,077; 2. Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, 12.3, $4,077; 3. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 12.4, $3,077; 4. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 12.9, $2,077; 5. Bryce Davis, Ovalo, Texas, 13.8, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, 27.8 seconds on two head; 2. (tie) Scott Snedecor, Fredericksburg, Texas, J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 27.9; 4. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 28.0; 5. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 28.2.

1. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 11.8 seconds, $5,077; 2. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 12.3, $4,077; 3. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 13.0, $3,077; 4. Joe Wells, Cisco, Texas, 13.9, $2,077; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 14.2, $1,077.

I’m at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping at the Lazy E Arena near Guthrie, Okla. In about 30 hours, we will be crowning the first world champion of the 2013 ProRodeo season. You can’t get inside this championship atmosphere without thinking about the upcoming Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which takes place Dec. 5-14 in Las Vegas. I’m excited. I’m hoping to work with the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, writing the nightly updates for the association’s website, WPRA.com. This year, I’m blessed to work with several of the top contestants in the sport, helping promote them during their runs for the world titles. While I’m still hoping to work with others, I’m quite excited to promote the NFR on behalf of Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo; bareback riders Casey Colletti and Jared Smith; steer wrestlers Bray Armes, Hunter Cure and Jule Hazen; team roper Jim Ross Cooper; saddle bronc riders Cole Elshere, Chet Johnson and Cort Scheer; tie-down roper Ryan Jarrett; barrel racer Jean Winters; and bull rider Tyler Willis. Look for stories about each of these athletes and more in the coming weeks. I can hardly wait.

Charmayne James is the third world champion to plan her comeback to rodeo in order to compete at The American, which will take place March 2 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. James, who owns 11 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing gold buckles, was the most dominant cowgirl in the sport for many years. She won her first world title at age 14 in 1984, the followed that up with nine more in a row. She added her final gold buckle in 2002, then retired from the game the next season. “I’ve stayed active but will definitely be starting to train even harder to be ready for the level of competition at The American,” James said in a release issued Wednesday. With the exemption to compete in The American, James joins seven-time world champion Dan Mortensen, who owns one all-around and six saddle bronc riding gold buckles in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and two-time Professional Bull Riders world champion Justin McBride. “Fans will witness history as she comes out of retirement,” said Randy Bernard, the CEO of Rural Media Group, which owns RFD-TV, the producer of The American. “It will be one of the greatest moments of the event, and we are very proud and honored that she has chosen to come back and compete at a sport she has given so much to.”

ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State University women’s rodeo team likes playing at home. For the third straight year, the Rangers won the Northwestern rodeo, catapulted to the top of the points race with eight cowgirls qualifying for the championship round and two ladies earning outright victories. When it all added up, the Rangers finished the rodeo with 370 points, 30 ahead of the runner-up team, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. “I think the girls really put on a good show,” said Karley Kile, the goat-tying champion from Topeka, Kan., who tied down two goats in a cumulative time of 12.8 seconds to win the title. “You also get a lot of community support, and I think that helps quite a bit. You’ll get to walk into class the day after the rodeo, and the teachers will know exactly how you did.” Kile tied teammate Kodi Hansen of Everly, Iowa, for third place in the first round, finishing with a 6.6-second run. The championship round is what made the difference for Kile. “In the long round, I fumbled my flank a little bit,” said Kile, who also won the goat tying title at the Colby (Kan.) Community College rodeo; she is second in the Central Plains Region standings. “Like my parents have said, you’ve got to make the short round before you can get anything. After I made the short round, I made a heck of a run and was 6.2. “Fortunately I was able to put together two good runs, and it paid off.” Kile was joined in the winner’s circle by fellow Kansan Micah Samples, who won the barrel racing crown with a two-run cumulative time of 29.42 seconds. Samples, of Abilene, Kan., was one of three Northwestern women racing in the final round, joined by Kelsey Fanning of Parkston, Okla., and Kylee Cahoy of Sheridan, Wyo. Kile, too, was one of three Rangers in the short round last weekend; Hansen placed third with a cumulative time of 13.4 seconds, while Lauren Barnes of Buckeye, Ariz., placed fifth in 13.7. Other Northwestern women in the final round were breakaway ropers Taige Trent of Burrton, Kan., and Kelsey Pontius of Watsontown, Pa. So which victory was bigger: Kile’s goat-tying win or the team victory? “They’re both big, because it was the first time this year that we beat Southwestern, and winning the individual title helped toward that,” she said, noting that the Northwestern women are No. 2 in the regional standings behind Southwestern. “Our girls’ team had a really good showing the whole rodeo. “The girls worked really hard at it. They go out and work at it every day. Plus it’s the home rodeo, so it’s going to have some home-arena advantage over the rest of the kids.” That makes a big difference despite the added work the rodeo team members put in to prepare for the Northwestern rodeo. In addition to selling sponsorships, the student-athletes also make sure all the behind-the-scenes details are covered in order to put on a top-notch event. “It’s nice that you don’t have to drive to the rodeo, but it’s definitely a challenge and you have to work through that,” Kile said. “It’s kind of inconvenient to set up for the rodeo instead of just practicing for it, but it’s also the advantage because you get to be in your arena practicing ahead of time, and the other teams don’t.” The Northwestern men finished fifth at their hometown rodeo, led by tie-down roping champion Trey Young of Dupree, S.D., who finished with a two-run cumulative time of 20.0 seconds. He leads the Central Plains Region standings heading into the four-month break; the rodeo teams won’t return to competition until February. Young was joined in the short round by fellow tie-down roper Berk Long of Mutual, Okla.; steer wrestler Jess Woodward of Dupree, S.D.; and the team roping tandem of Hayden Pearce of Kim, Colo., and Stephen Culling of Fort St. John, British Columbia.

ALLEN, Texas – Pete Carr is setting a new standard in stock contracting in professional rodeo. This December, 27 animals from Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo have been selected to perform at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. No other stock contractor in the modern era has taken more bucking horses and bulls to ProRodeo’s grand finale. That’s the kind of power that Carr will have on hand for the Tom Thumb Texas Stampede, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Allen Events Center. “It shows you Pete is somebody that puts a lot of work into getting the best horses around,” said Heath Ford, the bareback riding representative in the PRCA and a three-time NFR qualifier from Slocum, Texas. “They’ve not only got the best horses, but they put them out there for us to see. He still has a lot of great horses that weren’t selected this year, but if you care about it, you know you’re going to continue to build that program. “We all know Pete is going to continue to build that. We all have a lot of respect for him.” The respect is reciprocated. Carr knows it takes great animal athletes to help draw the top names in the sport to events like the Tom Thumb Texas Stampede; that attention to detail means world champions will make their way to Allen this week: Bobby Mote, a four-time titlist from Culver, Ore.; reigning world champion bull rider Cody Teel from Kountze, Texas; and two-time saddle bronc riding world champion Cody Wright of Milford, Utah. “He’s got the best bull pen going,” Teel said of Carr, who has been nominated for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Stock Contractor of the Year. “He’s got my vote for stock contractor of the year. He really tries to put together a good set of bulls, and it shows. There wasn’t one bull you didn’t want to get on. He gives a guy every opportunity to win. “I was more anxious for his rodeos this year because of his bulls. You know you’re going to draw pretty good. It showed this year. All his rodeos had a lot of big scores, which shows how good the bulls really are. He definitely has the deepest set of bulls in rodeo.” Whether it’s bulls or horses, Carr is loaded with elite-caliber animals, which is why there are so many that will be featured at the NFR. Carr will have 12 bareback horses, five saddle broncs and 10 bulls, which is proof of the all-around talent that spends most of its time on lush grassland on Carr’s ranch near Athens, Texas. But there’s more to a rodeo than bucking animals, and many of the top timed-event cowboys in the game have entered to compete in this weekend’s Tom Thumb Texas Stampede, from two-time reigning world champion tie-down roper Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, to reigning barrel racing titlist Mary Walker of Ennis, Texas, to numerous others who represent those who have earned the highest acclaim in the sport: the gold buckle. That’s the type of talent that makes this weekend’s festivities in Allen so spectacular. It’s what fans have come to expect.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Carson Kressley has made quite a name for himself in television. He owns a primetime Emmy for his role on “Queer Eye for a Straight Guy” and was recognized as a fan favorite on “Dancing with the Stars.” In addition, he’s starred in “Carson-Nation,” a one-hour reality show, and hosted “How to Look Good Naked.” Every fall, he makes his way to Kansas City to take part in the United Professional Horsemen’s Association’s National Championship, which takes place annually during the American Royal. The Kansas City event continues during the UPHA’s showcase event, which takes place Tuesday, Nov. 12-Saturday, Nov. 16. The best saddlebreds, Hackney ponies and road horses from chapters across the country converge on Kansas City to compete for nearly $200,000 and the national championship. “I was raised in a part of Pennsylvania that is a real horsey area,” Kressley said. “My grandparents were in the horse business and had a pony farm. I thought it was normal to have 100 ponies in your yard. “When you grow up that way, the one thing you want is a horse. When I was a teenager, I got a saddlebred horse for myself; I’ve been competing ever since then.” It surely explains Kressley’s passion for horses and why he competes on saddlebreds. In fact, he owns the 2009 Amateur Gentlemen’s 5-Gaited world championship with his mount, Enchanted Memories, during a show in Louisville, Ky. So in addition to being an award-winning celebrity, Kressley is an award-winning equestrian. “Winning an Emmy was something I never dreamed of, so when that happened, I thought it was cool,” he said. “I am very honored to have that and to be recognized for the work I do. “But winning the world championship with one of my horses was more of a dream come true. Growing up, that was something I focused on. It was a longtime dream, so when I won it, it really meant so much to me.” How far does Kressley’s passion for horses lie? In addition to showing horses, he is a trustee for the American Saddlebred Museum in Lexington, Ky. He estimates he’s competed at the American Royal for much of the past 25 years. “For the saddlebred breed, the American Royal is the event,” Kressley said. “It is the last leg of our Triple Crown, so doing well there is a real accomplishment.” The week at the American Royal begins with Missouri-Kansas Night on Tuesday, followed by the Junior Challenge Cup National Equitation Championship Wednesday. The UPHA Classic Grand Championships are Thursday, while the Amateur and Junior Rider National Championships and the Open, Amateur and Junior Rider National Championships take place Friday. The final day is chalk full of prestigious events, from the USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, followed by the National Championship Matinee at 11 a.m. The American Royal’s Fall Festival concludes with the National Championship Stake Night, featuring the crowning of national champions in 14 classes. This is the 11th year that the American Royal has hosted the UPHA’s national title event. “I think Kansas City is great,” Kressley said. “When I tell people back in New York that I’m going to Kansas City, they ask me what there is to do there, and I’m always thrilled to tell them the amazing things that are in Kansas City. The people are so gracious. “Winning in Kemper Arena is a thrill. It’s a trip my family and I look forward to every year.” Of course, none of it is possible without that passion that has been instilled in his heart since birth. From watching his grandparents’ Hackney ponies to beginning to show saddlebreds, horses are at the heart of who Kressley is. “I just think they’re really, really beautiful,” he said. “I have a high-paced job, and I’m always traveling around. When you’re with horses, you have to be focused. You have to be tuned into your equestrian side. You don’t have time to think about anything else, and I like that. “Besides the incredible horses, it’s an incredibly social sport. It’s very much like a second family. The people that compete with me are people I have known since I was a little kid. We have a great time socially, and we do a lot of things in the community, which is really gratifying.” So is being able to show such a majestic animal. “I’m biased, but I think they’re the most beautiful and athletic breed of horses,” Kressley said of saddlebreds. “They are the supermodels of the show ring. They’re really exotic and extravagant. I’m kind of a beauty junky, so they really appeal to me.”

GUTHRIE, Okla. – There’s something majestic about the Lazy E Arena, especially when the greatest cowboys compete. It becomes even more special this week when ProRodeo’s elite are in the historic building for the 2013 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8-Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Fabulous Lazy E Arena in Guthrie. “It’s special every year, because you rope all year to get there,” said Cody Lee, the fourth-ranked steer roper in the world standings. “Your goal to start out the season is to make the finals and have a chance to win the world title.” Lee has a chance. The Gatesville, Texas, cowboy earned $54,593 through the regular season, which ended Sept. 30. He trails the money leader, three-time world champion Rocky Patterson of Pratt, Kan., by $16,339. While that may seem insurmountable in most circumstances, it’s not the case at the Clem McSpadden, which features the largest purse in the sport this season. “With what the go-rounds and the average pay, I’ve got a shot,” said Lee, now in his eighth qualification to steer roping’s championship event. “Rocky’s not going to going to give it away, and Trevor will be there; those guys are hard to beat.” Trevor is Trevor Brazile, a 17-time world champion who owns three steer roping gold buckles of his own – he also has three world titles in tie-down roping, one in team roping-heading and a record 10 in the all-around. Brazile is the No. 2 cowboy in the race for the world title with $57,759, just $13,173 behind Patterson. “If you’re rodeoing for a living, the only chance you’ve got to make money is to make the finals and hope you have a good finals,” said Chet Herren, an eight-time NFSR qualifier from Pawhuska, Okla., who sits third on the money list with $55,560. “What you rope for is a chance for the world championship.” The field features the top 15 contestants in the world standings, all of whom have battled throughout the rugged regular season in order to earn a spot in this elite field. In addition to Patterson and Brazile, two-time world champion Scott Snedecor of Fredricksburg, Texas, is in the mix. Between the three, they own the last eight steer roping gold buckles. They will be joined by some of the greatest ropers ever to have competed in the sport, including record-setter Dan Fisher and his two sons, Vin Jr. and J. Tom. Fisher, now 62, is the oldest man to have qualified for National Finals event in ProRodeo history, and he keeps breaking the record every year. “We’ve already roped at the finals together once,” J. Tom Fisher said, referring to the 2010 Clem McSpadden. “Doing that again is just as nice. Vin and Dad have made it together five or six times. It’s nice to be able to compete against them and jump in the mix. It’s hard to believe Dad’s still doing it, but he’s never slowed down. Now he has a personal trainer he goes to three times a week. He’s had multiple knee surgeries, and he had prostate cancer. Nothing fazes him. He overcomes every obstacle. He just keeps roping and winning.” That’s why the elder Fisher returns to the championship for the 16th time. It’s something his sons hope to carry on for years to come, because they love competing inside the historic Lazy E. “It’s the best place to rope, period,” J. Tom Fisher said. 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. 8-9.  VIP ticket prices for each performance of the NFSR are $40 … Box seats $35 and general admission $23 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 2013 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.

Pratt, Kan. Rocky Patterson didn’t rest on his laurels after clinching his third World Champion’s gold buckle last November. In fact, he accentuated his championship with a magnificent 2013 campaign. He has led the world standings much of this season and carries a $13,000 lead into this weekend’s Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. This was no ordinary stretch either. Patterson claimed just two championships throughout the season – in Guymon, Okla., and Sheridan, Wyo. – so to earn nearly $70,000 in a single season of steer roping means he collected checks at just about every rodeo in which he competed. That’s remarkable. But that’s what we’ve come to expect from Patterson, who first qualified for the steer roping finals in 1994. This is his 19th trip to the finale, which is just as incredible. Most of his NFSR experience has come inside this hallowed hall, and it’s an honor to the Kansas cowboy that his three gold buckles were finalized at the Lazy E Arena. Can he win a fourth title in five years? You get to find out very soon.

ALLEN, Texas – Everything is very familiar for Tuf Cooper, the two-time reigning world champion tie-down roper from nearby Decatur, Texas. The son of ProRodeo legend Roy Cooper, Tuf Cooper finished the 2013 regular season atop the world standings with $135,164, nearly $40,000 over the No. 2 roper, Tyson Durfey. They’ll be in quite the battle during the sport’s super bowl, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which takes place in a month in Las Vegas. For now, though, the top cowboys and cowgirls in the sport will try to get a head-start on the 2014 season during the Tom Thumb Texas Stampede, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Allen Events Center. That’s just fine with Cooper, who will return to the arena to defend his shared title from a year ago – he, his brother, Clint, and Ryan Jarrett all turned in times of 7.7 seconds to win the tie-down roping title a year ago. “That’s the first rodeo of my 2013 season, and already it’s getting off to a great start,” said Tuf Cooper, who also will utilize his work in Allen as a great stepping stone to the NFR. “It’s awesome that Allen, Texas, had such a great rodeo for us cowboys. For it to be this close to home, it’s like it was our hometown rodeo.” The set-up of the events center and the electricity inside the building are perfect for preparatory work it takes to compete for gold buckles. “When I walked into their arena for the first time, it was a little arena, just like what we’ll see in Vegas,” Cooper said of the NFR. “I got a little preview of what Vegas is going to be like. It was really loud in there, too.” That happens when the best in the game compete at a rodeo like the Tom Thumb Texas Stampede. The event helps raise money for children in north Texas. “There are a few rodeos going on this time of year, but nothing to compare to Allen,” Cooper said. “It was fun, but I’m not going to lie: I was trying to be 7.6.” Cooper laughed a little, but that’s the mindset a world champion must have in the cut-throat world of ProRodeo. Pete Carr understands that as well as anyone. Carr, who owns Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo and Carr Pro Rodeo, will produce the stampede, making sure everyone involved has a great experience: stampede staff members and volunteers, contestants and fans. Combined, Carr owns the largest stock contracting firm in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. “I’m combining two of the best crews in rodeo to form one of the greatest rodeo companies,” Carr said. “I’m excited about the new opportunities that are ahead for the company. I want committees to know we have a lot to offer them. We’re going to have unprecedented resources for all the rodeos, which will benefit everyone involved: committees, sponsors, contestants and spectators.” Carr has been nominated as 2013 PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year and will have 27 of his animals performing at the NFR. That’s the most of any contractor in the modern era, and it’s the kind of power he will have in Allen. Combine that with the top names in the game, and it’s no wonder the Tom Thumb Texas Stampede will be a must-see event.

Decatur, Texas If Ty Murray is known as the “King of Cowboys,” then Trevor Brazile is rodeo’s version of the “King of Kings.” Brazile is owner of a record 10 All-Around World Championships, a big portion of his 17 overall – he also owns one heading, three steer roping and three tie-down roping gold buckles. He’s well on his way to adding more in 2013. Not only is he the No. 1 man in the all-around, Brazile is second in steer roping, fourth in tie-down roping and seventh in heading. This weekend marks the 40th National Finals qualification in his storied career, but he’s also heading to Las Vegas in less than a month in tie-down roping and team roping. That gives Brazile the inside track on earning his 11th All-Around title. In all, the Texan earned 33 rodeo titles, including 17 all-around championships. He also added steer roping crowns in Bridgeport, Texas; Walla Walla,Wash.; Lewiston, Idaho; and the famous Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo. That’s why he’s the No. 2 man in the field this weekend. More importantly, it’s why he’s one of the big favorites to leave the Lazy E Arena with another gold buckle.