Monthly Archives: April 2014

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 28-May 4 First round results Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Clay Long, 7.6 seconds, $1,744; 2. Trevor Brazile, 7.8, $1,617; 3. (tie) Tyson Durfey and Marty Yates, 8.1, $1,175 each; 5. (tie) Seaver Tate and Morgan Grant, 8.3, $720 each; 7. Chase Williams, 8.4, $379; 8. Quay Howard, 8.6, $152.

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 28-May 4 First round results Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Dru Melvin, 3.7 seconds, $1,960; 2. Tyler Pearson, 3.8, $1,705; 3. Quinn Campbell, 4.0, $1,449; 4. Jacob Talley, 4.3, $1,193; 5. (tie) Josh Peek and Chance Howard, 4.5, $810 each; 7. (tie) Dean Gorsuch and Ben Shofner, 4.6, $298 each. Team roping: First round: 1. (tie) Cole Dorenkamp/Jesse Jolly and Trevor Brazile/Travis Graves, 6.5 seconds, $1,956 each; 3. Travis Warren/Justin Price, 6.9, $1,547; 4. Tyler Wade/Kinney Harrell, 7.0, $1,274; 5. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 7.1, $1,001; 6. Matt Sherwood/Dugan Kelly, 7.2, $728; 7. Tuf Cooper/Marty Yates, 7.5, $455; 8. Kory Bramwell/Cole Jackson, 7.7, $182.

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 28-May 4 Results Steer roping: Third round: 1. Trey Wallace, 10.8 seconds, $1,891; 2. Will McBride, 11.4, $1,565; 3. Chris Glover, 11.7, $1,239; 4. Tom Smith, 12.1, $913; 5. (tie) Jess Tierney and Joe Wells, 12.3, $456. Fourth round: 1. Chet Herren, 10.8 seconds; $1,891; 2. Chance Kelton, 11.1, $1,565; 3. Brodie Poppino, 11.7, $1,239; 4. (tie) Walter Priestly and Rob Denny, 11.9, $750 each; 5. Marty Poppino, 12.0, $326. Aggregate leaders: 1. Chance Kelton, 54.9 seconds on four head; 2. Brady Garten, 65.5; 3. Colt Carter, 67.2; 4. Mark Milner, 69.2; 5. Tony Reina, 71.5; 6. Chris Glover, 74.4.

ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State University men’s and women’s rodeo teams have been oh-so close to greatness all season long. They took another step closer this past weekend at the Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo, the final event of the 2013-14 Central Plains Region season. The men scored 600 points to finish second in the rodeo and move up one spot to third in the region standings, while the women placed third inside Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena in Guymon, Okla., and remain second in the regional standings. By virtue of their top-two finish in the season, the Rangers women qualify to the College National Finals Rodeo. “It was a great way for our team to finish off the year,” said Stephen Culling, the reserve region champion steer wrestler from Fort St. John, British Columbia. “I think there were 19 black-and-red Northwestern vests in the short round. “I think, overall, we stepped up and finished off strong.” Culling was one of four Rangers to win titles in Guymon, joining tie-down roper Berk Long of Mutual, Okla.; breakaway roper Liza Ingram of Defuniak Springs, Fla.; and all-around cowgirl Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan., in the winner’s circle. Culling was the reigning Central Plains champion heading into the season, having won the title a year ago while competing at Western Oklahoma State College. He transferred to Northwestern this season and had hopes of repeating. He leaned on coach Stockton Graves and assistant Cody Woodward, who are standout steer wrestlers – Graves is a seven-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I came to Alva to be able to bulldog with Stockton and Cody and be around all those great bulldoggers,” Culling said. “When you surround yourself with guys like that, you really give yourself an advantage.” Though the circuit title went elsewhere this season, Culling is one of five Rangers who qualify for the college finals based on finishing among the top three in their respective events. Heeler Chase Boekhaus of Rolla, Kan., and tie-down roper Trey Young of DuPree, S.D., won regional titles, while Samples finished second in breakaway roping, and Karley Kile of Topeka, Kan., finished third in goat tying. The Northwestern women will have two more cowgirls in the mix at the college finals – men’s teams are made up of six cowboys, while women’s teams utilize four ladies. The college finals, which take place June 15-21 in Casper, Wyo., is where the national champions are crowned. Statistics from the season are thrown out, and the cowboys and cowgirls who have the best run during the week in Casper will win the coveted titles. “This year I’m going to take my own team of horses down there and hopefully be a little sharper than I was last year,” said Culling, who finished seventh in the nation last year. “I just flew down and jumped on a horse I’d never ridden before. I ended up seventh, but I didn’t really have a good week there.” That wasn’t the case in Guymon, where the Canadian cowboy scored a 5.1-second run to finish second in the long round. He then posted a 4.6 to win the championship round and the average title to close out his junior season. “I wanted to finish off strong,” he said. “I didn’t ever look at the standings to see how close I was to winning it until I got there. “I wasted a few chances the first few events this spring. Still, I feel like I’ve been bulldogging pretty good.” He’ll need to keep that up when he returns to competition in a month and a half. That’s where it matters most.

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo April 28-May 4 Results Steer roping: First round: 1. J. Tom Fisher, 11.7 seconds, $1,891; 2. Brent Lewis, 12.3, $1,565; 3. (tie) Neal Wood and J.B. Whatley, 12.5, $1,076 each; 5. Tyrel Taton, 12.6, $587; 6. Jay Sellers, 13.1, $326. Second round: 1. Shay Good, 10.2 seconds, $1,891; 2. Trevor Brazile, 10.3, $1,565; 3. Tom Smith, 11.0, $1,239; 4. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and Corey Ross, 11.1, $749 each; 6. Chet Herren, 11.3, $326. Aggregate leaders: 1. Corey Ross, 24.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Jay Sellers, 24.8; 3. (tie) Randy Wells and Chance Kelton, 27.0; 5. Mike Chase, 27.5; 6. Vin Fisher Jr., 28.4.

GROESBECK, Texas – Over the course of her career, Jackie Hobbs Crawford is one of the most decorated female ropers in rodeo. The thing is, she’s just as capable as about any man in the world of team roping. That’s why she is expecting to be one of the many talented ropers who will be part of the Wild West Championships, set for May 23-26 at the Limestone County Fairgrounds in Groesbeck. Now in its second year, the Wild West Championships will be a three-day roping and rodeo extravaganza. It will feature six numbered ropings, which serves as a handicapping system for the sport. The organizers also have included in the schedule an all-girls roping. It all adds up to an attractive competition for Crawford. “It’s super important,” she said. “There are only so many ropings a year, so we try to make all that we can. If they’re co-sanctioned with the WPRA, it’s even more important.” The all-girls roping will be co-sanctioned with the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, and money earned will count toward the 2014 world standings. Hobbs owns several WPRA world championships, and she’d like to add to the stack. But that won’t be the only roping in which she will compete. If the schedule allows, look for Crawford in the Nos. 13, 12, 11 and 10. “A lot of times, I enter the higher numbered ropings in the heading, then I heel in the 10-11,” she said. Versatility is her trademark. In addition to both sides in team roping, Crawford also competes in tie-down roping and breakaway roping. “Roping is something that was put in me a long time ago and has become a real passion of mine,” Crawford said. “You’re constantly learning. It’s a constant challenge.” It takes quality horsemanship to succeed at a high level, she said, but there also is something that sets the elite apart. Crawford has it. “I really feel like a long time ago, my mom put a work ethic in me to never settle, to never make excuses,” she said. “I feel like that has really pushed me past the point to be successful. “If I’m not working at this, someone else is. When I meet that person, they’re going to beat me.” Crawford will put her work ethic, horsemanship and talent on the line during the four days of competition over Memorial Day weekend in Groesbeck. The fans will be the beneficiaries. “The women’s level of roping has stepped up dramatically, and I think the fans will see that,” Crawford said. “There will be some talented ladies and some good roping. It should be some good watching.”

“The Amazing Race” fans got to see a little more of Cord and Jet McCoys’ personalities during Sunday night’s ninth leg of the Season 24 marathon around the world for $1 million. The brothers and four other teams began the CBS-TV reality series in Orvieto, Italy, and quickly made their way into Switzerland in the hour-long episode. That’s where The Cowboys fell behind. In fact, they got lost and were the only team to miss the first train to Chiasso, Switzerland. “I found the train station,” Cord McCoy told his brother. “I just don’t know where we’re at.” The McCoys asked for directions. The other teams reached their next destination of the ninth episode of the All-Star Edition of the race well ahead of the brothers. Once in Chiasso, the teams then took vehicles to the Swiss community of Altdorf, where they were to find Wilhem Tell, the legendary archer. “Jet and I are kind of used to being the lone rangers,” Cord McCoy said. “It’s not really out of our comfort zone to be on our own and doing our own thing.” The first four teams – The Afghanamals, Leo Temory and Jamal Zadred; The Country Singers, Jennifer Wayne and Caroline Cutbirth; the father-son tandem of Dave and Connor O’Leary; and The Brenchels, Brandon Villeges and Rachel Reilly – all arrived at a statue of Tell in Altdorf, where a sign told them to wait until sunrise. In the middle of the night, the McCoys had arrived, so the teams began the next step in the race even. The teams traveled to the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland, where a clue took them to Hotel Schweizerhof; they were to clean rooms that had been trashed by rock stars. “We’re getting all suited up to go clean a rock-star room,” Jet McCoy said as he and his brother dressed in white shirts and a black bow tie. “We’ve never trashed a room that anybody knows about.” Not only did the teams have to clean the rooms, they also had to be precise in regards to how the rooms looked. The inspector, a woman identified as Helga, made sure every step was complete. “I’m really hoping my wife doesn’t see this,” Jet McCoy said as he ran a vacuum. “This is not something that I would generally do. Now she’s going to think I know how.” It took three times before Helga approved The Cowboys’ cleanliness. “Helga was cracking the whip today,” Cord McCoy said. “I mean, I would hate to have to work for her.” Once Helga passed along the next clue, Jet McCoy responded with a hug. Of course, he seemed to be under considerable stress, as proven in one particular comment he made during one of Helga’s inspections. “I feel like I’m in the principal’s office,” he said. The Cowboys were the first team to the next stop at the Swiss Museum of Transport, where they had to identify a display. Jet McCoy recognized that the item was a giant trill bit, which was used to create the world’s longest tunnel. Their next stop was at the museum’s Ford Mustang exhibit, where they picked out one of the five vintage vehicles and followed the directions of the clue to distinguish the model year of their particular Mustang – the brothers chose a silver 1967 Mustang because Jet’s young daughter is named Ti Silver. Once they figured out the car’s model year, they moved on to Oberrickenbach, Switzerland, where their next task had them fetching milk. Cord McCoy handled the job for the brothers. He had to pick out a dog and a cart, then transport two empty milk containers to one of two dairy farms, which could only be reached by one of two gondolas. Once he found the farm, he had to exchange the empty containers for full ones, weighing about 30 pounds each. Then he had to return to Oberrickenbach via gondola and transport the milk to the truck via the same dog and cart. “It was my turn for the Road Block,” Cord McCoy said. “If I’d known I was going to have to run up a hill with two cans of milk in the snow, it probably would’ve been Jet’s turn. “Uphill in the snow, it gets heavy. You’ve got to grit it out.” Heading to the milk transport with his canisters, Cord McCoy was in a race with Connor O’Leary to finish the task first. “That was when I was glad I had a big, stout dog,” he said. “My dog was just trotting away, and I seen Connor over there trying to pull his to make his go faster.” The teams were directed to drive to the town of Engelberg, where they took a large gondola to Mount Titlis, which was the site of the Leg 9 Pit Stop. Once on the mountain, the teams had to take another trolley to the top – on the final stretch, The Cowboys were joined by the O’Learys and The Afghanamals, and it was a sprint to the finish. The O’Learys took the path of least resistance and won the leg. The McCoys finished second, followed closely by Temory and Zadren. Villeges and Reilly finished fourth, followed by Wayne and Cutbirth; even though they finished last, were saved by it being a non-elimination leg of the race. Through nine episodes, The McCoys have finished second or better six times. They’ve won two legs and have finished as the runner-up four times. There’s an ol’ rodeo saying that finishing second means a cowboy is the first loser. But in a race around the world for $1 million, it’s important to stay in the game. The Cowboys remain horseback for at least another week.

Over the last eight months, Cort Scheer has been exceptional riding bucking horses. It has paid tremendous dividends … to the tune of nearly $250,000 in that time span. Last July, the Nebraska-born saddle bronc rider won the one of the most coveted regular-season titles in the sport, the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, posting a 93.5-point ride on Flying Five Rodeo’s Spring Planting to in the $100,000 final go-round. In all, he earned $111,500 in Alberta and parlayed that momentum into his third qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, where he finished second in the all-important average race and pocketed more than $75,000 in Las Vegas last December. Since then, Scheer has finished second at The American and RodeoHouston. He’s comfortable in his place among the greatest saddle bronc riders in the game. Now he has a couple of big-time trophies he wants to add to his resume: the world champion’s gold buckle and the cherished Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days belt that is awarded to annual titlists. “I’m really excited for Guymon,” said Scheer, who competed on the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team and still lives in Guymon most of the year. “It’s close to a hometown rodeo for me. We have a bunch of buddies that’ll be here for it, and, of course, all the great bronc riders that live here or went to school here. “They’ll be right by the chutes, so you better spur them out and ride them right because the Etbauers and all those others will dang sure tell you about it if you don’t.” This is more than just saving oneself from embarrassment; this is about winning another prestigious title. Pioneer Days Rodeo was named the 2002 Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year and regularly draws one of the largest fields in the game. This year, 942 cowboys and cowgirls are entered into the competition, which begins Monday and runs through Sunday, May 4. “I’ve always wanted one of those belts,” Scheer said as he walked around a Guymon store looking for accessories to dress up his new traveling rig, a van that he and his traveling partners will use to get from one rodeo to another; the vehicle is specially set up for life on the rodeo trail, including a bed. “My traveling partner, Chet Johnson, has one of those belts, and he’s always showing it off. I’d dang sure like to get one to match him.” He gets his chance during one of the four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. Scheer is scheduled to ride Friday night, and he’ll find out later this week the animal that the random draw will match for him. “Guymon always has great horses,” Scheer said. “You’re going to have a shot at winning on about anything you get on. It’s going to come down to a spurring contest, and that rodeo gets a lot of really good cowboys. It’s going to be a great year for broncs.” Maybe it’ll be a great year for Scheer, too.

GUYMON, Okla. – Each spring, hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls make plans to be in the Oklahoma Panhandle for the annual Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. “It’s a great weekend, and for me, it starts my summer run,” said Taos Muncy, a two-time world champion saddle bronc rider from Corona, N.M. “We’ve been indoors a big part of the winter, and about the only big outdoor rodeos we’ve been to are Tucson (Ariz.) and out in California.” Muncy is one of 942 contestants who have entered this year’s rodeo, with four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 2; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. In 2013, there were 611 events in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Of those, few see contestant numbers like Guymon. To accommodate the large number of players, the competition takes place over seven days, with “slack” beginning at 8 a.m. Monday-Friday. Steer ropers will compete in four go-rounds on Monday, April 28, and Tuesday, April 29. Tie-down ropers, steer wrestlers and team ropers will take part in two rounds Wednesday, April 30, and Thursday, May 1. Barrel racers will compete Friday, May 2. “It’s a big rodeo for us, and that’s a good time of year for us to all get there,” said Muncy, who was a member of the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team when he won the collegiate bronc riding title in 2007. “Guymon is really special to me. I went to school there, and I have a lot of great friends there. “It’s my secondary home.” Muncy had a magical 2007 season. That May, he shared the bronc riding title in Guymon with legendary Canadian cowboy Rod Hay. A month later, he claimed the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association title, then backed it all up with the PRCA world championship in December. He added a second gold buckle in 2011. His younger sister, Jordan, also competed on the Panhandle State rodeo team and earned the college championships in breakaway roping and the all-around in 2010. Texas County is special to the Muncy clan. “I’d love to win every rodeo I go to every year, but I really want to win Guymon,” Taos Muncy said. “I finished second there one other time.” There are a number of reasons why Pioneer Days is an attractive stop for ProRodeo’s brightest stars. It’s the largest rodeo in the country next week, and it offers a true home-away-from-home feel. Contestants are guaranteed great hospitality, and there are many of the top cowboys in the game who will make Guymon their home for all seven days. “We try to do everything we can to get the contestants here every year,” said Earl Helm, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “To have that many contestants coming to town, spending money in our restaurants, hotels, convenience stores … it’s very important to our community. That’s why we pride ourselves in making this a cowboy’s rodeo. “We not only want them to be here to compete this year, but we want them to come back next year and the years after that.” Of course, a big part of that is the opportunity to compete on quality livestock. Members of the committee work hard to have the right timed-event cattle in place to give every cowboy and even shot at his share of the large purse. In addition, Pete Carr Pro Rodeo not only will bring its top animal athletes to town, but Carr will bring in other premier stock contractors to ensure that the top bucking horses and bulls in rodeo will be part of the action. That’s a major drawing card for the top roughstock cowboys, like Muncy. “When you get to Guymon, you know you’re going to have great bucking horses there,” he said. “They have the best horses, and they take a lot of entries, so that makes a difference in the number of entries you’re going to get.”

ALVA, Okla. – For a few members of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team, qualifications to the College National Finals Rodeo are set. For others, there is some work to be done this coming weekend at the final event of the 2013-14 Central Plains Region season in Guymon, Okla. Take junior Ryan Domer of Topeka, Kan., who sits third in the all-around standings, 285 points behind the No. 2 spot and a secured trip to Casper, Wyo., in June. “I’m going to really have to crack down and come out all guns blazing to have a good weekend to get the points to make it to the college finals in the all-around,” said Domer, who competes in tie-down roping, team roping and steer wrestling. “I have three chances to get the points I need. I just need to draw the right steers and get my mind right.” Domer sits seventh in steer wrestling and eighth in tie-down roping. He needs to have his best finish to date at Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo in order to return to the college finals. The Northwestern men have two cowboys – tie-down roper Trey Young of Dupree, S.D., and heeler Chase Boekhaus of Rolla, Kan. – who lead their respective events and are locks to compete in Casper during the week-long championship that begins June 15. Steer wrestler Stephen Culling of Fort St. John, British Columbia, sits third with a 90-point lead over the fourth-place bulldogger. Header Dalton Richards of Hawkinsville, Ga., is fourth, just 40 points shy of the qualifying mark. The team of header Parker Warner (Jay, Okla.) and heeler Dustin Searcy (Mooreland, Okla.) sit eighth with 240 apiece but still stand an outside chance to qualify. In college rodeo, only the top two teams in each region can qualify all six men; there are four who represent the women’s teams. Only the regional all-around champion and runner-up advance in both men’s and women’s races, then only the top three in each event earn the right to compete for the coveted National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association titles. For the Rangers women, breakaway roper Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan., and goat-tier Karley Kile of Topeka, are in place to advance. Both are in second place in their respective events; Kile is locked in to the college finals, while Samples has a few cowgirls on her tail for a top-three finish, including teammate Kelsey Pontius of Watsontown, Pa. Pontius sits fourth with 278.3 points, fewer than 13 points behind the No. 3 roper. The Northwestern men are coming off a second-place finish this past weekend at the Fort Hays (Kan.) State University Rodeo, posting 390 points. They were paced with nine cowboys qualifying for the championship round, with four of the top five bulldoggers in the mix: Jess Woodward of Dupree, S.D., finished second, followed by Tee Hale (third) of White Owl, S.D.; Chase Lako (fourth) of Hunter, N.D.; and Domer (fifth). “Steer wrestling is the only thing that’s been going right for me,” Domer said. “Steer wrestling has kept me where I need to be regarding the all-around.” Young continued his strong season with a second-place finish in Hays, roping and tying two calves in a cumulative time of 24.0 seconds, just two-tenths of a second behind the winner. Boekhaus, roping with Ethan Fox of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, placed second in team roping, while Richards and Tad Sheets of Brewster, Kan., finished among the leaders. Lauren Barnes of Buckeye, Ariz., was the lone member of the women’s team in the short round, finishing sixth in goat tying. “Our girls team has been right there where they need to be all year,” Domer said. “They’ve been getting their side done. The guys’ team has been a little off. We’ve been hit and miss at every rodeo.” Of course, the Rangers men hit pretty well in western Kansas last weekend. “We needed a little more of that this year, and we would’ve been just right,” Domer said.

In an episode that featured “The Amazing Race” teams riding equines, The Cowboys skipped past that challenge and ventured on to a second-place finish Sunday, April 20. Holding an Express Pass they had earned on the opening leg of the race around the world for $1 million, Jet and Cord McCoy knew they had to use the pass on the eighth episode per the rules of the CBS-TV reality series. Sunday’s episode featured a double U-Turn, in which two teams could make two others complete both tasks of a Detour. “We want to U-Turn The Cowboys, because it will force them to use their Express Pass,” said Brendon Villeges, who is teamed with his wife, Rachel Reilly. The Brenchals won the seventh leg and began the latest episode first, 52 minutes ahead of the McCoys, ranch-raised cowboys from the southeastern Oklahoma hamlet of Tupelo. “It’s the eighth leg, so we have to use the Express Pass,” Jet McCoy said. “Having that Express Pass is huge.” “It’s a lifeline,” his brother said. Six teams began at Piazza Del Popolo in Rome and traveled 80 miles to the remote city of Ciovita Di Bagnoregio, where they faced the Detour. At Donkey Run, each team member had to ride a donkey around a circle track three times before the band completed a song; the other puzzle on the Detour was Donkey Build, in which teams had to assemble a fabricated donkey by using all the parts provided. “With the U-Turn ahead, I’d say we go ahead and use the Express Pass, jump ahead of the other teams so we don’t have to do the other side,” Cord McCoy said. Villeges and Reilly held the lead through their portion of the Detour, but the father-son tandem of Dave and Connor O’Leary were close behind. The McCoys used their Express Pass on the Donkey Build. “If we get U-Turned, we’ll do the other side,” Jet McCoy said, noting the other option was riding donkeys; that would have played well into their hands. The Brenchals then reached the U-Turn placard first, and instead of The Cowboys, they assigned the double-task to the O’Learys. When the father-son team arrived, they were just ahead of the McCoys. It seemed as though the brothers’ fate was sealed, but fate is a mysterious creature. The O’Learys elected to U-Turn The Afghanamals, Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran. “How did we slide by that?” Jet McCoy asked. “I don’t know,” Cord McCoy answered. “Good job.” Maybe the O’Learys looked at the task remaining ahead of The Cowboys and realized the McCoys were going to be hard to beat when it came to riding Donkeys. Villeges and Reilly saw the O’Learys as the only threat to a win on the eighth leg. “I can’t believe Brendon and Rachel U-Turned Dave and Connor,” Jet McCoy said. “That makes zero sense to me. Leg eight, and it looks like people are starting to play dirty.” The Road Block found the teams at La Badia Monastery in Orvieto, Italy, where one team member had to make a perfect copy of a page from an ancient manuscript just like the monks did for centuries. Jet McCoy took the task for the brothers. “How do I keep getting arts and crafts here?” he asked. “I have terrible penmanship. This makes me nervous.” While his older brother was tending to his duties, Cord McCoy took time to enjoy his surroundings. Two monks seemed particularly interested in the goings-on. “I have some monk friends here in town,” Cord McCoy said, noting that two monks were wearing the McCoys’ cowboy hats. “We hang out, and they wear hats. I think they want to be cowboys.” Though he sounded as though he struggled, Jet McCoy finished the task in his second attempt. The brothers were the second team to complete the task and venture toward the Pit Stop at Piazza Del Duomo in Orvieto. Villeges and Reilly were the first to arrive at the finnish, followed by the McCoys, Temory and Zadran, the O’Learys and the country singers, Jennifer Wayne and Caroline Cutbirth. The Globetrotters, Herb Lang and Nate Lofton, finished sixth and were eliminated. This season marks the third time The Cowboys have been part of “The Amazing Race.” Their appearance in the Sunday, April 27, episode of the reality TV series will mark the 30th leg in which the brothers have competed. The McCoys finished second the first time they were on the show in 2010, then placed sixth a year later. They’re in the top five heading into the final four episodes of the marathon for $1 million.

EVENT SET ON PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH MONEY RAISED AT WILD WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS GROESBECK, Texas – Bobby Joe Hill is not a man who believes in the status quo. Hill, owner of Hill Rodeo Cattle, has teamed with Cody Gantt to produce the Wild West Championships, set for Friday, May 23-Monday, May 26, at the Limestone County Fairgrounds in Groesbeck. “We had a good start last year, so we wanted to build on that,” said Hill, who will utilize the event to help raise scholarship money for area youth. “We had a lot more time to do the planning this year, so we’ve added some things to it to make it a better experience.” Enter Gantt, who is working closely with Hill to make sure this year’s event goes off well. “We’re branching off on something Bobby Joe did last year,” Gantt said. “We wanted to do something more than that, which is why we came up with the scholarships. The main reason we’re doing this is to give the scholarships.” The Wild West Championships will feature three full days of Western events, from USTRC-sanctioned team ropings – including an invitational open roping and an all-girls event – to invitational-only events in both steer roping and the ranch rodeo. “All of the winners will get paid shootouts to the USTRC World Finals in Oklahoma City, and we’ve also set the barrier to the same length as the World Series,” Hill said, noting that most of the USTRC-sanctioned events will feature an 80 percent payback. “I think all those things combined will help us with the number of contestants we have. “I think the people who like this are really going to enjoy it, because all the teams will have a lot to rope for.” The weekend begins with competitors in the Nos. 13 and 12 divisions on Friday, May 23, with Nos. 11, 10 and 9 roping Saturday, May 24. The Sunday, May 25, showcase will feature the All Girls Team roping, followed by the Texas 10-Header Open Team Roping (limited to 50 teams) and the Invitational Ranch Rodeo (limited to 20 teams). The festivities conclude Monday, May 26, with the Invitational Steer Roping followed by the No. 8 team roping (with a 70 percent payback). “We’re hoping to continue to grow this, because I think it’s going to be a great thing,” Hill said. “We wanted to add the all-girls roping, and I think that’s going to be a successful event this year.” In addition to the cash prizes, there are buckles, saddles, trailers and other awards that will be passed out over the course of the four-day showcase. “We’ve got some great sponsors who are part of this already, but we have room for more,” he said. “We want this to be a great event for the contestants, but we also want the fans to really enjoy the show. Groesbeck has an amateur rodeo, but we don’t get to see the big-name professional cowboys. I’ve talked to the guys, and they say they’re going to support this event. “That means our local fans can stay here and watch these guys instead of having to travel 100 miles or more to see them. I think the fans will really enjoy that part of it, too.” Gantt echoed those sentiments. “This is not just a team roping event, but that will be a big attraction, too,” he said. “We’re having a ranch rodeo, and there are a lot of local ranchers who will be part of it and others that will just enjoy it. Our open team roping will draw a lot of the big names, the ones that most people don’t get to see around here very often. On Monday we’ll have the steer roping, and the best guys should be here for that. “There will be a lot of great things for fans to see.” The main purpose is giving back to area youth. “My goal is to raise enough money so we can give a lot of money away in scholarships,” Hill said. “We want to continue to grow this so it’s something we can do every year.”

ALVA, Okla. – When Lauren Barnes arrived in Weatherford, Okla., last weekend for the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo, she was intent on winning the women’s all-around title. “I think I really had a chance, but the draw didn’t help me very much,” said Barnes, a junior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University from Buckeye, Ariz.; she finished No. 2 in the all-around race. “In breakaway roping, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a calf that ran that fast (in the championship round). That made it difficult to do anything in breakaway. “My first calf ran, too, but I’m glad I have a horse that can really run.” Barnes finished seventh in breakaway roping and fourth in goat tying. That helped her to 135 points, which moved her to the runner-up position in the all-around, just behind Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s Randi Buchanan. More importantly, she helped the Northwestern women’s team to a third-place finish in Weatherford. She joined Micah Samples of Abilene, Kan., to secure 195 team points – Samples finished fifth in breakaway roping. Northwestern sits second in the season standings with just two rodeos remaining on the 2013-14 schedule: this coming weekend in Hays, Kan., then the final weekend in Guymon, Okla. “This region is really tough,” Barnes said. “You have to have your game face on every weekend. My plan was to win the all-around this weekend. I was just happy, because our team needed some points.” Barnes needs points, too. She is off the pace to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo in June. “It was very important for me to do well,” she said. “I had some tough luck in Durant (the weekend before); I drew a calf that ran left, and my goat didn’t cooperate very well either. I knew I needed some points, so I was kind of angry at myself. At Weatherford, I went out there and did what I wanted to do. “These next two rodeos, I plan on getting some points. I’ve got some ground to make up, but I’m going work on it.” While the Rangers women sit comfortably in second place in the Central Plains Region – only the top two teams advance to the college finals – there is a sense of urgency in the final two weeks of the regular season. “I think we need all of our girls on the team to get points this week, for sure, and I’d like to see it the week after that,” Barnes said. “I think the girls can do it. They have a lot of heart and determination to get it done. They want it bad. “I have faith in every single girl that’s on that team. They have the try, and they definitely have the talent.” The Northwestern men had three cowboys qualify for the final round in Weatherford: steer wrestlers Stephen Culling (third) of Fort St. John, British Columbia, and Brock White (fourth) of Earlville, Iowa; and tie-down roper Trey Young (seventh) of Dupree, S.D. The men’s team is fourth in the region and needs to make up ground over the final two weekends. That’s something coach Stockton Graves has been working on all season with both teams. “What I really like about having Stockton as a coach is that he’s been there and done that,” she said, noting that Graves is a seven-time steer wrestling qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “He knows how we need to practice to get it done. He knows how to put us in those situations where you have pressure on you so you can perform when you get to the rodeos.”

CHAMPIONS SELECT TO OFFER USER-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE HORSES FROM RODEO’S ELITE Paul Tierney knows what it means to have a high quality performance horse. In his lifetime, Tierney has utilized great horses on the ranch and at rodeos all across this land. You see, he’s a two-time world champion from Oral, S.D., having earned the tie-down roping title in 1979 and the coveted all-around gold buckle a season later. In 2008, he was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. But his admiration for performance horses runs even deeper, and he sees the need for many others who can benefit from the powerful equines. That’s why he is working with Nate Morrison of The Breeders Connection to produce the Champions Select Performance Horse Sale, set for Monday, May 12, on www.TheBreedersConnection.com. The preview will begin Monday, May 5, on the website. “I believe there are a lot of people out there who have never been exposed to a better horse,” said Tierney, whose sons, Jess and Paul David, are among the elite cowboys on the rodeo trail today. “You’re going to be able to subject yourself to possibly buying this horse. Somebody from California who wants to rope calves but has never been exposed to my horses will now have that exposure.” Tierney is just one of several legendary horsemen who are part of this sale, joining several elite cowboys from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, including world champions like Clay O’Brien Cooper, Jake Barnes, Rope Meyers and Jhett Johnson. They will be joined by National Finals Rodeo qualifiers Beau Franzen, Bill Parker, Kyle Lockett and Cody Cowden, as well as Jess Tierney, a three-time qualifier to the National Finals Steer Roping. Cooper and Barnes were the marquee tandem in team roping for many years, earning seven world championships in the 1980s-90s. Cooper, a heeler, has qualified for the NFR 27 times, while his longtime partner, Barnes, has 25 appearances on ProRodeo’s biggest stage. Meyers qualified for the NFR seven times and earned the gold buckle in 2001; he followed in the footsteps of his world champion father, Butch, who won steer wrestling gold in 1980. Johnson, a heeler, won the world title in 2011 during his fifth NFR qualification. Parker qualified for the finals in both tie-down roping and team roping, while Cowden and Lockett were finalists in team roping. Franzen is a two-time NFR qualifier in steer wrestling. “I think it’s a great opportunity with the marketing tools that Nate has for us to be able to expose ourselves to the whole gamut of people who are looking for horses,” Tierney said. “They’re looking for a good calf horse or any type of rodeo horses. “Nate has established his website as a great marketplace. I think it’s very advantageous to anybody in the horse business that needs to expose their horses to the market. We’re not just exposing our horses to the people who are reading the magazines, but from all over with the internet. We’re able to have more exposure, which helps you open up to a bigger audience.” What will potential buyers see when they log on? They will see horses that have been trained and developed by the professionals who know what it takes to compete on these amazing animals. “When you’ve done this for as long as Jake, Clay and myself, we know the aspects of the horses we have,” Tierney said. “We know what that horse has to do. What we want these horses to do most is have a connection with anybody.” Training an animal to be able to perform like that is easier said than done, but that’s what makes the Champions Select horses special. “We really believe we’re going to have the kind of horse on the video that anybody will be able to ride and use,” he said. “This isn’t just the high performers who are looking at these horses, but we’re going to say that a person of less ability will be able to ride these horses because there’s a great amount of control that the horse has in him.”

GUYMON, Okla. – Lanny Wilson is a generous man of many talents. The Guymon man uses all of them as one of the many volunteers on the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo committee who help to produce the annual event, which will have four performances set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 2; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “Lanny does so many things for us every year,” said Earl Helm, the committee chairman. “He helps us all year long with a lot of projects, and he’s really stepped up and made our hospitality the best in rodeo.” Wilson is co-owner of Wilson Welding Works with Jerry Allen, and the shop donates equipment and many man-hours each year. In fact, Wilson Welding Works has done that for several decades. But that’s just part of the man’s giving nature. “We make a lot of the repairs on welding and help build the new stuff,” Wilson said. “We’re working on bull pens and steer pen right now. This is something we do for the community. It’s a give-back. There are a lot of people that shuffle their cards so they can make money through Pioneer Days, but that’s not our purpose at Wilson Welding.” It’s been noticed. “It’s more than just doing things after work,” said Ken Stonecipher, the production director for the rodeo. “They’re paying their guys to be down there working on things. The two of them have been repairing and remodeling and working on that arena since the early 1990s. But that’s who they are. “Lanny and Jerry also built softball fields for Kids Inc., so it’s more than the rodeo. They’re about giving to the community as a whole.” In addition, Wilson spends a good portion of rodeo week in the hospitality building, preparing food and serving contestants, workers and others from the opening day of competition on Monday, April 28, until the rodeo concludes late in the afternoon Sunday, May 4. “My wife, Vicki, and I are involved with that along with many, many others,” Wilson said. “I like to have people talking about the hospitality we put on in Guymon. I think we have one of the very finest in all of ProRodeo.” It is, but it’s because of appropriate sponsorships and a dedicated crew that puts an emphasis on hospitality. It’s just another showcase of the type of work ethic volunteers put in each year to make Pioneer Days Rodeo one of the very best in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. You see, Wilson has lent his hand to many aspects of rodeo over the years. He has worked as a sound technician at other rodeos, and, in Guymon, tackled just about any job assigned to him. “When Lanny gets involved in something, he’s all in, whether it’s sound for rodeos or working on the hospitality or whatever,” Stonecipher said. “When Lanny got involved in the production side of rodeos and doing sound all over the region, he couldn’t help but compare other rodeo committees’ hospitality to Guymon, and that made him more willing to help out. “Then he developed a passion for cooking, and those two things met with some great results in Guymon.” Wilson has been recognized for his contributions. A few years ago, he was rewarded with the John Justin Standard of the West Award for his contributions to the rodeo committee. Last year, he was Guymon’s Citizen of the Year. Still, it takes a certain personality to continue to volunteer time, talents and money to Guymon’s biggest celebration. “This was built by the community,” Wilson said. “You’re going to be known for something, so why not be something good. Pioneer Days is all about our heritage. It’s what the old-timers did years and years ago, and we’re just trying to keep carrying it on.” It’s that mentality by many members of the community that makes Pioneer Days Rodeo such a success.

GUTHRIE, Okla. – Big Tex, one of the top bucking broncs in ProRodeo, had surgery Saturday night after suffering with a bout of colic. He is recovering at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo horse, which was scheduled to perform during the final round at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, had been treated for several days at the Lazy E by Dr. Grace Richter of Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Okla. “He had displacement of the colon between the spleen and the kidney,” Richter said Monday afternoon. She and the staff performed a rolling maneuver in which Big Tex as lifted off the ground by his hind legs with a tractor; the purpose was to help get the colon off his spleen and kidney. When that failed to ease Big Tex’s discomfort, she decided it was time for surgeons at OSU to be called in. Travis Adams, the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo operations manager, was with the animal through much of the treatment and took Big Tex the 45 miles to Stillwater, Okla. “I know he’s tough, but I didn’t know how much he wasn’t showing us,” Richter said of the 14-year-old bay bucking horse, which was named the 2010 Bareback Horse of the Year. “I thought this was pretty mild when I first saw him. I wasn’t too worried until the third day when we hadn’t had a lot of production. I was worried that there could be a whole lot more going on in there that I couldn’t see in the ultrasound.” Dr. Chase Whitfield at OSU performed the surgery and found blockage in the colon not allowing things to continue to pass. It can be quite dangerous for horses. Fortunately when Whitfield opened Big Tex’s abdomen, he found no need to go into the colon. Instead, the surgeon injected fluid directly into the colon and allowed it to move the blockage. “When I talked to Dr. Whitfield, he said the horse was doing great,” Richter said. Adams, who has been around Big Tex for the last several years, praised Richter. “She did all the work that kept him in such great shape, and when it was time for the final decision for surgery, she made it,” Adams said. “She was up all night with him keeping fluids in him and doctoring him. She sent him to OSU because her clinic didn’t have the facility to handle a bucking horse. She spent her time at the arena working on him. “In my opinion, she is the single reason he is alive. She was the one who kept him strong enough to make it through surgery.” Doctors expect Big Tex to recover completely but say he will be sidelined from action for about four to six months.

As cowboys who rode bucking beasts for a living, Jet and Cord McCoy learned a long time ago to hang on tightly. They’ve been doing that through seven legs of Season 24 of “The Amazing Race.” On Sunday night, the brothers began the seventh episode of the reality TV series as one of seven teams still in the race around the world for the $1 million first-place prize. When the show concluded, they held on to fourth place and advance to the eighth leg, which will air Easter Sunday, April 20, on CBS-TV. More importantly, the brothers held on to their Express Pass, which was their reward for winning the opening episode of the race. By having it, they will be allowed to skip a challenge during one leg of the race; the one wild card with the Express Pass is that it must be used by the eighth leg of the race, which is next week. “Holding on to the Express Pass this long, I think, has been huge for us,” Jet said. It has. The McCoys, who grew up in tiny Tupelo, Okla., have handled all the challenges that have come their way so far. In fact, they’ve won two heats. Of greater importance is that they are one of six teams remaining in the around-the-world marathon. “On the very next leg, we have to play the Express Pass,” Cord said. “Then, on the other hand, I think we’ve got the bulls-eye on us, so we’re going to have to beat everybody the next leg of the race.” The seventh leg of the race began in Sri Lanka, but the scenery quickly changed. The brothers were the second team to leave the mat in the country’s largest city of Colombia and quickly figured out that the Eternal City was Rome; teams were directed to the Hadrian Bridge to find their next clue in the race. “Hadrian was one of the emperors of Rome,” Jet told his brothers as they made their way to a travel agent. Each of the teams was on the same overnight flight. Once they arrived at Hadrian Bridge, the clue directed the teams to the Detour, where they were to either be gladiators or charioteers; The Cowboys chose the horses. The thing was, the horses plastic-like creatures that were part of remote control vehicles, and teams had to race around the obstacle-laced track with one team member steering and the other controlling the speed. “The chariot race was crazy,” Jet said. “There were rocks, and you really had to watch out for all the other racers who were driving around like Sri Lankans.” The McCoys were the fifth team to arrive at the chariot race and the second to leave. The next clue took them to the Piazza Di Spagna, and the clue referred to poet John Keats’ former home. Unfortunately, most of the Roman cabbies interpreted the clue as to a street, not the plaza; therefore, most teams had to backtrack to the Piazza Di Spagna. There the teams had to face the Road Block, where one member had to count the number of steps at the plaza and add that figure to the roman numerals on the monument, which indicated what year the monument was erected. The total then had to be rewritten in roman numerals for the teams to advance to the pit stop at Piazza Del Popolo. Jet did the counting for the McCoys, then the brothers raced to the finish. The married tandem of Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly were first to the mat. Dave and Connor O’Leary allowed The Country Singers, Jennifer Wayne and Caroline Cutbirth, to finish second, while the father-son team finished third. The Afghanamals, Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran, placed fifth, then they and host Phil Keoghan watched a mad race to the finish. The Globetrotters, Herb Lang and Nate Lofton, edged the engaged couple, John Erck and Jessica Hoel, to the mat; Erck and Hoel were eliminated. “This race has been so super competitive,” Keoghan said. “I don’t know if we’ve ever had a season where teams are so close running in to the mat.”

GUTHRIE, Okla. – If saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley lacked any confidence prior to his appearance at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, he’s leaving with a truckload. Crawley, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Stephenville, Texas, rode two broncs Saturday night during the final performance of RNCFR and walked away from the Lazy E Arena with the coveted title of national champion. “I’m just excited, happy and riding confident,” said Crawley, who won the NFR average championship four months ago in Las Vegas. “I think that’s what every bronc rider and cowboy wants is to get confident and feeling good. Summer’s just around the corner, so this is the kind of momentum heading into three straight months of rodeoing. “Hopefully I can win some money (over the summer run) and get close to that gold buckle.” The rodeo’s format featured 24 contestants competing in two go-rounds. The top eight cumulative times or scores advanced to Saturday night’s semifinals, where the scores were then wiped away. The top four from the semifinals advanced to finals; the top score in was crowned national champion. In the final round, Crawley rode J Bar J Rodeo’s Sweatin Bullets for 83 points and tied two-time world champion Cody Wright, who matched moves with Lancaster and Pickett’s Total Equine Angel. Crawley won the title because he posted a better score in the semis; he was 79, while Wright was 77. “That’s a really nice horse,” Crawley said of Sweatin Bullets. “I had that horse at the NFR and had some luck on her. I was comfortable and confident with that animal.” It showed. In all, he won $13,689. He was joined on the national championship stage by steer wrestler Kyle Irwin of Robertsdale, Ala.; tie-down roper Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo.; team ropers Ty Blassingame of Sugar City, Colo., and J.W. Borrego of Weston, Colo.; bull rider Parker Breding of Edgar, Mont.; barrel racer Gretchen Benbenek of Aubrey, Texas; and bareback rider Caleb Bennett of Morgan, Utah. Like Crawley, Bennett made his way to the title through the tie-breaker. Of the four cowboys who rode in the championship round, three scored 84s: Bennett; Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore.; and Joe Gunderson of Agar, S.D. Bennett, who won the semifinals, with an 84-point ride on Korkow Rodeo’s Inky, claimed the RNCFR crown. “I don’t think it’s really hit yet,” said Bennett, who rode Pickett Rodeo’s Delta Glamorous in the final round. “It’s still kind of floating through the air, and I’m still floating on clouds. “This is one of the biggest wins of my career.” Bennett, a two-time NFR qualifier who earned nearly $64,000 in Las Vegas last December, said the momentum will come in quite handy as he prepares to embark on the busiest stretch of the ProRodeo season. “Wins like this just help a guy out throughout the rest of the year, with their confidence, their pocketbook,” he said. “I want to be the best I can and as great as I can for my whole entire career. I hope this is a stepping stone in my wins, and I hope it continues to grow.” Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo April 10-12, Guthrie, Okla. Final results Bareback riding: Semifinals: 1. Caleb  Bennett, 84 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Inky, $ 5,484; 2. Bobby Mote, 81, $4,113; 3. Seth Hardwick, 78, $2,742; 4. Joe Gunderson, 77, $1,371. Finals: 1. (tie) Caleb Bennett on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Delta Glamorous, Bobby Mote on J Bar J’s Smack Daddy and Joe Gunderson on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Flight, 84 points, $4,113 each. 4. Seth Hardwick, 78, $2,742. National champion: Caleb Bennett. Steer wrestling: Semifinals: 1. Beau Franzen, 3.8 seconds, $5,484; 2. Bray Armes, 4.1, $4,113; 3. Pep Arballo, 4.3, $2,742; 4. Kyle Irwin, 4.4, $1,371. Finals: 1. Kyle Irwin, 3.3 seconds (ties Stockton Graves’ 2011 record), $5,484; 2. Bray Armes, 3.9, $4,113; 3. Beau Franzen, 4.1, $2,742; 4. Pep Arballo, 6.5, $1,371. National champion: Kyle Irwin. Tie-down roping: Semifinals: 1. Adam Gray, 7.6 seconds, $5,484; 2. J.C. Malone, 8.3, $4,113; 3. Josh Peek, 8.4, $2,742; 4. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.6, $1,371. Finals: 1. (tie) Josh Peek and Jerome Schneeberger, 7.7 seconds, $4,799 each, 3. J.C. Malone, 9.5, $2,742; no other qualified runs. National champion: Josh Peek. Saddle bronc riding: Semifinals: 1. Jeremy Meeks, 81 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Spade, $5,485; 2. Jacobs Crawley, 79, $4,113; 3. Cody Wright, 77, $2,742; 4. Brandon Biebelle, 71, $1,371. Finals: 1. (tie) Cody Wright on Lancaster and Pickett’s Total Equine Angel and Jacobs Crawley on J Bar J’s Sweatin Bullets, 83 points, $4,799 each; 3. Jeremy Meeks, 79, $2,742; no other qualified rides. National champion: Jacobs Crawley. Team roping: Semifinals: 1. Jake Barnes/Cory Petska, 4.1 seconds, $5,484 each; 2. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 4.2, $4,113; 3. (tie) Nick Sartain/Reagan Ward and Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego, 4.6, $2,057 each. Finals: 1. Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego, 3.9 seconds, $5,484 each; 2. Nick Sartain/Reagan Ward, 4.4 seconds, $4,113; no other qualified times. National champions: Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego. Barrel racing: Semifinals: 1. Kassiday Dennison, 17.41, $5,484; 2. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.42, $4,113; 3. (tie) Shelly Anzick and June Holeman, 17.43, $2,057 each. Finals: 1. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.13 seconds, $5,484; 2. June Holeman, 17.21, $4,113; 3. Kassidy Dennison, 17.23, $2,742; 4. Shelly Anzick, 17.45, $1,371. National champion: Gretchen Benbenek. Bull riding: Semifinals: 1. Parker Breding, 84 points on D&H Cattle’s Fire Show, $5,485; no other qualified rides. Finals: 1. Parker Breding, 88 points on Silver Creek Rodeo’s Rising Sun; no other qualified rides. National champion: Parker Breding. Circuit team champion: Prairie Circuit.

GUTHRIE, Okla. – Bobby Mote is starting to like the way the format works at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. Mote, a four-time world champion bareback rider from Culver, Ore., has won two of the last three national championships, including the 2012 RNCFR title. On Saturday afternoon, he an 86-point ride on Pickett ProRodeo’s Scarlett Fever to win the second go-round and the two-ride average. “There was a long stretch there where I couldn’t place here,” said Mote, an 11-time qualifier to the national circuit finals rodeo. “Then it seemed like a few years ago, I did good. “The last couple of years, it’s been really good for me.” Yes, it has. His ride in the matinee was the highest marked bareback ride of the rodeo through four performances. Mote has pocketed $9,392 and awaits the final performance to decide the overall outcome. Of course, it helps to have a good dance partner when playing on one of the biggest stages in the game. “We’ve had that horse in the TV pen at the NFR,” Mote said, referring to the group of electric horses that are featured annually at the sport’s year-end championship, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Scarlett Fever is out of a champion dam, Scarlett, and sired by the great Night Jacket. With those great animals combined as parents, the younger horse seemed destined to excel. “That bloodline makes up 10 of the 15 best horses going,” he said. “When you have one that’s bred that way, you’re pretty sure it’s going to be pretty good. “Dynamic genetics.” His two national titles are just added flavor to an already distinguished career in which the Oregon cowboy has qualified 13 straight times to the NFR. Still, it’s an important piece of the pie for a man who makes his living on bucking horses. “It’s the end of a season,” Mote said, referring to the RNCFR’s status in ProRodeo. “You went to all the circuit rodeos. When our (Columbia River) circuit starts up, that’s the place to be for everybody, so those are tough rodeos to win. It does mean a lot to not only have the Columbia River Circuit year-end title, but to come here and capitalize on this opportunity. “It’s a big deal. They only give one out. There are lots of cowboys shooting for it.” Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo April 10-12, Guthrie, Okla. Second round results Bareback riding: 1. Bobby Mote, 86 points on Pickett ProRodeo’s Scarlet Fever, $4,525; 2. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Tyrel Nelson, 83, $2,948 each; 4. (tie) Jared Smith and Evan Jayne, 82, $1,303 each; 6. (tie) Shon Gibson and Seth Hardwick, 81, $343 each. Average: 1. Bobby Mote, 165 points on two head, $4,525; 2. Caine Riddle, 162, $3,428; 3. (tie) Tyrel Nelson and Seth Hardwick, 161, $2,057 each; 5. Caleb Bennett, 158, $960; 6. (tie) Shon Gibson, Jared Smith, Joe Gunderson and George Gillespie IV, 157, $171 each. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Bray Armes and Stockton Graves, 4.0 seconds, $3,976 each; 3. Kyle Irwin, 4.1, $2,468; 4. Pep Arballo, 4.2, $1,645; 5. Beau Franzen, 4.3, $960; 6. (tie) Dirk Tavenner and Justin Morehouse, 4.4, $343 each. Average: 1. (tie) Bray Armes and Trevor Knowles, 8.7 seconds on two runs, $3,976 each; 3. (tie) Pep Arballo and Will Lummus, 9.0, $2,057 each; 5. Beau Franzen, 9.3, $960; 6. Nick Guy, 9.5, $686; 7. Wade Sumpter, 9.7; 8. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Ryle Smith, 10.10 (Irwin advances via tie-breaker). Tie-down roping: 1. Caddo Lewallen, 8.1 seconds, $4,525; 2. Kevin Peterson, 8.8, $3,428; 3. (tie) Adam Gray and Cameron Elston, 8.9 seconds, $2,057 each; 5. Trevor Thiel, 9.0, $960; 6. J.C. Malone, 9.1, $686. Average: 1. Adam Gray, 18.1 seconds on two runs, $4,525; 2. Josh Peek, 18.5, $3,428; 3. Caddo Lewallen, 18.6, $2,468; 4. Jesse Clark, 18.7, $1,645; 5. J.C. Malone, 18.9, $960; 6. Shane Erickson, 19.1, $686; 7. Tim Pharr, 19.6; 8. Jerome Schneeberger, 20.6. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Wright, 83 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Painted Chip, $4,525; 2. (tie) Brandon Biebelle, Jacobs Crawley and Heith DeMoss, 82, $2,514 each; 5. (tie) Casey Maddox and Sterling Crawley, 80, $823 each. Average: 1. Cody Wright, 166 points on two head, $4,525; 2. Brandon Biebelle, 163, $3.428; 3. Sterling Crawley, 160, $2,468; 4. Jeremy Meeks, 159, $1,645; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 156, $960; 6. Heith DeMoss, 155, $686; 7. Josh Reynolds, Casey Maddox and Jake Wright, 153 (Reynolds and Maddox advance on tie-breaker). Team roping: 1. Jake Stanley/Justin Davis, 4.4 seconds, $4,525 each; 2. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 4.6, $3,428; 3. Jake Barnes/Cory Petska, 4.8, $2,468; 4. Ryan Von Ahn/J.W. Beck, 5.0, $1,645; 5. Troy Boone/Derrick Peterson, 5.1, $960; 6. Ty Blasingame/J.W Borrego, 5.2, $686. Average: 1. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 9.7 seconds on two runs, $4,525 each; 2. Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego, 10.2, $3,428; 3. Jake Stanley/Justin Davis, 10.5, $2,468; 4. Jake Barnes/Cory Petska, 10.8, $1,645; 5. Jade Stoddard/Ike Folsom, 11.1, $960; 6. Ryan Von Ahn/J.W. Beck, 11.3, $686; 7. Troy Boone/Derrick Peterson, 11.5; 8. Nick Sartain/Reagan Ward, 12.8. Barrel racing: 1.Shelly Anzick, 17.16 seconds, $4.525; 2. Sherry Cervi, 17.26, $3,428; 3. (tie) Kenna Squires and Sammi Bessert, 17.38, $2,057 each; 5. (tie) Laura Kennedy and Shelby Janssen, 17.39, $823 each. Average: 1. Shelly Anzick, 34,82 seconds on two runs, $4,525; 2. Ann Scott, 34.83, $3,428; 3. Gretchen Benbenek, 34.84, $2,468; 4. (tie) June Holeman and Kassidy Dennison, 34.89, $1,303 each; 6. Nicole Yost, 34.91, $686; 7. Laura Kennedy, 34.92; 8. Ann Peterson, 34.94. Bull riding: 1. Parker Breding, 87 points on D&H Cattle’s Hotwired, $4,525; 2. Cody Campbell, 85, $3,428; 3. Jeff Bertus, 84, $2,468; 4. Aaron Pass, 78, $1,645; 5. Sage Kimzey, 77, $960; 6. Brady Portenier, 75, $686. Average: 1. Cody Campbell, 168 points on two head, $4,525; 2. (tie) Aaron Pass and Jeff Bertus, 166, $2,948 each; 4. Parker Breding, 87 points on one head, $1,645; 5. Reid Barker, 85, $960; 6. (tie) Bobby Welsh, Mike Adams and Taygen Schuelke, 83, $229 each.

GUTHRIE, Okla. – In all his years of competing in professional rodeo, saddle bronc rider Cody Wright had never been to the storied Lazy E Arena before this week’s Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. He may have found a second home. On Friday night, Wright rodeo Korkow Rodeo’s Painted Chip for 83 points to take the second-round lead at ProRodeo’s national championship. It’s great timing, coming just 24 hours after his first-round winning, 83-point ride Thursday. “It’s a great start,” said Wright, a two-time world champion from Milford, Utah. “To win the first round and to be winning the second round … is a good thing.” Of course, Painted Chip had quite a bit to do with. The South Dakota-raised horse is known for being solid. “He just turned out of there really good and jumped and kicked,” Wright said. “He felt like he was hanging in the air and giving me time to set my feet and make a ride the judges are looking for.” The Utah cowboy knows what it takes to ride broncs. He has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 11 straight years. He earned rodeo gold in 2008 and 2010. This weekend’s festivities mark the eighth time he has qualified for the RNCFR. Now he’s leader in the average with a two-ride cumulative total of 166 points. He owns a three-point advantage of the No. 2 cowboy, Brandon Biebelle of San Lorenzo, N.M. It’s important to be at the top of the pack, especially in this format, which features 24 contestants in each discipline. When the second round wraps after the performance that begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, only the top eight in each event advance to the semifinals, which begins at 7:30 p.m. The scores are then erased, and only the top four from that round move on to the finals. The contestants in each event with the best score or fastest time in the final round will be crowned national champions. “I’ve done the best I could with what I had,” said Wright, whose brother, Jesse, is a two-time RNCFR bronc riding champion. “I’m not trying to compare myself with him. He’s way better than I am. I just try to be the best I can and win where I can.” He’ll get another chance on the final night to see how it all plays out. Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo April 10-12, Guthrie, Okla. Second round leaders Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Caleb Bennett, on Korkow Rodeo’s Bambino Vold, and Tyrel Nelson, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Sadies Gal, 83 points; 3. Jared Smith, 82; 4. (toe) Shon Gibson, and Seth Hardwick, 81; 6. Caine Riddle, 79. Average leaders: 1. Caine Riddle, 162 points on two rides; 2. (tie) Tyrel Nelson and Seth Hardwick, 161; 4. Caleb Bennett, 158; 5. (tie) Shon Gibson and Jared Smith, 157; 7. Jessy Davis, 152; 8. Austin Foss, 151. Steer wrestling: 1. Stockton Graves, 4.0 seconds; 2. Beau Franzen, 4.3; 3. (tie) Dirk Tavenner, Justin Morehouse and Olin Hannum, 4.4; 6. Wade Sumpter, 4.8. Average leaders: 1. Beau Franzen, 9.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Wade Sumpter, 9.7; 3. Ryle Smith, 10.10; 4. Joe Brown, 20.4; 5. Stockton Graves, 4.0 on one run; 6. Will Lummus, 4.1; 7. (tie) Nick Guy and Trevor Knowles, 4.2 Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Adam Gray, and Cameron Elston, 8.9 seconds; 3. J.C. Malone, 9.1; 4. Josh Peek, 10.4; 5. Seth Opper, 11.2; 6. Jason Schaffer, 11.4. Average leaders: 1. Adam Gray, 18.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Josh Peek, 18.5; 3. J.C. Malone, 18.9; 4. Jerome Schneeberger, 20.6; 5. Jason Schaffer, 24.3; 6. Justin Thigpen, 31.6; 7. Cameron Elston, 33.7; 8. Chad Johnson, 47.0. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Wright, 83 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Painted Chip; 2. (tie) Brandon Biebelle, Jacobs Crawley and Heith DeMoss, 82; 5. (tie) Josh Reynolds, Lyle Welling and Ty Thompson, 73. Average leaders: 1. Cody Wright, 166 points on two rides; 2. Brandon Biebelle, 163; 3. Jacobs Crawley, 156; 4. Heith DeMoss, 155; 5. Josh Reynolds, 153; 6. Lyle Welling, 149; 7. Joaquin Real, 145; 8. Ty Thompson, 143. Team roping: 1. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 4.6 seconds; 2. Jake Barnes/Cory Petska, 4.8; 3. Troy Boone/Derrick Peterson, 5.1; 4. Tadd Thomas/Dusty Morse, 10.7; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby, 9.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Jake Barnes/Cory Petska, 10.8; 3. Troy Boone/Derrick Peterson, 11.5; 4. Tadd Thomas/Dusty Morse, 16.3; 5. Dustin Bird/John Robertson, 4.5 seconds on one run; 6. Nick Sartain/Reagan Ward, 4.9; 7. Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego, 5.0; 8. (tie) Travis Bounds/Ryan Zurcher and Justin Davis/Ryan Motes, 5.4. Barrel racing: 1. Sherry Cervi, 17.26 seconds; 2. Kenna Squires, 17.38; 3. Laura Kennedy, 17.39; 4. Ann Scott, 17.47; 5. Cindy Woods, 17.50; 6. Lisa Lockhart, 17.61. Average leaders: 1. Ann Scott, 34.83 seconds on two runs; 2. June Holeman, 34.89; 3. Laura Kennedy, 34.92; 4. Lisa Lockhart, 35.06; 5. Cindy Woods, 35.33; 6. McKale Hadley, 35.51; 7. Lindsay Kruse, 35.65; 8. Taylor Young, 35.68. Bull riding: 1. Aaron Pass, 78 points on D&H Cattle’s Fire Show; 2. Brady Portenier, 75; no other qualified rides. Average leaders: 1. Aaron Pass, 166 points on two rides; 2. Reid Barker, 85 points on one ride; 3. (tie) Cody Campbell, Bobby Welsh, Mike Adams and Taygen Schuelke, 83; 7. Jeff Bertus, 82; 8. Tustin Daye, 79.

GUTHRIE, Okla. – A strong work ethic pays off for the world’s greatest athletes. Tie-down roper Josh Peek fits nicely in that category. The pains of labor gave birth to grand success Thursday during the second performance of the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo at the Lazy E Arena. Peek, a six-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Pueblo, Colo., roped and tied his calf in 8.1 seconds to win the first round and $4,525. “The run was phenomenal,” said Peek, who has been working recently with Scotty Shelton getting a firm grasp on all the techniques that go into top-level roping. “We’ve been working faithfully for 10 straight days. Scotty’s been awesome to be working with me. It’s a blessing.” Another blessing is Buck, the calf horse owned by Peek’s brother Jon. “When you have a horse like that and it gives you a chance every single time, it makes it easy,” he said. “I just went through the motions. “Good horses make it very, very easy to win.” Peek understands that as well as anyone. Of his trips to the NFR, three were in steer wrestling. He won the NFR all-around title in 2009 and finished second in the all-around world standings. Having the chance to win the national championship is important to the Colorado cowboy, who won the tie-down roping average championship at the Ram Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo last fall to qualify for the RNCFR. “I’m just glad to make it here; it’s been a while since I’ve been to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo,” he said. “Anytime you can back in the box with a setup like this with the pressure and a national title on the line, it helps you for your future and your maturity. There’s definitely a stiff competition with a lot of great ropers. To go out and clock first place in the first go-round, it’s a lot of confidence for me “This would be a great opportunity. I’ve never had a chance to win a national title.” Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo April 10-12, Guthrie, Okla. First round results Bareback riding: 1. Joe Gunderson, Agar, S.D., 84 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Storm Cloud, $4,525; 2. Caine Riddle, Vernon, Texas, 83, $3.428; 3. Morgan Wilde, McCammon, Idaho, 81, $2,468; 4. (tie) Seth Hardwick, Laramie, Wyo., and Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 80, $1,303 each; 5. (tie) Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., and Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 79, $343 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Will Lummus, Union City, Tenn., 4.1 seconds, $4,525; 2. (tie) Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.2, $2,948 each; 4. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.7, $1,645; 5. (tie) Pep Arballo, Wittmann, Ariz., and Sterling Lambert, Fallon, Nev., 4.8, $823 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 8.1, $4,525; 2. Jesse Clark, Portales, N.M., 8.3, $3,428; 3. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.4, $2,468; 4. Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 8.7, $1,645; 6. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., 9.0, $960; 6. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 9.2, $686. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 83 points on Sutton Rodeo’s Real McCoy, $4,525; 2. Jeremy Meeks, Belle Fourche, S.D., 82, $3,428; 3. Brandon Biebelle, San Lorenzo, N.M., 81, $2,468; 4. (tie) Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, and Josh Reynolds, Ekalaka, Mont., 80, $1,303 each; 6. (tie) Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, and Joe Lufkin, Sallisaw, Okla., 79, $343 each. Team roping: 1. Dustin Bird, Cutbank, Mont./John Robertson, Polson, Mont., 4.5 seconds, $4,525; 2. Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Reagan Ward, Edmond, Okla., 4.9, $3,428; 3. Ty Blasingame, Sugar City, Colo./J.W. Borrego, Weston, Colo., 5.0, $2,468; Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D./Jared Bilby, Bridgeport, Neb., 5.1, $1,645; 5. (tie) Travis Bounds, Grand Junction, Colo./Ryan Zurcher, Torrington, Wyo., and  Justin Davis, Madisonville, Texas/Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas, 5.4, $823 each. Barrel racing: 1. June Holeman, Arcadia, Neb., 16.97 seconds, $4,525; 2. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 17.31, $3,428; 3. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 17.35, $2,468; 4. Ann Scott, Canyon Country, Calif., 17.36, $1,645; 5. Gretchen Benbenek, Aubrey, Texas, 17.44, $960; 6. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 686. Bull riding: 1. Aaron Pass, Dallas, 88 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Spec, $4,525; 2. Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas,85, $3,428; 3. (tie) Cody Campbell, Summerville, Ore., Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., Taygen Schuelke, Newell, S.D., and Mike Adams, West Grove, Pa., 83, $1,440 each.

GUTHRIE, Okla. – Joe Gunderson can taste one of ProRodeo’s most prestigious titles. Now in his seventh trip to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, Gunderson is ready put a defining statement to a pretty stellar rodeo career by adding the coveted national championship. “It would be awesome to win this thing,” said Gunderson, a bareback rider from Agar, S.D. “I’ve been here seven times, but I haven’t been able to put it together. I left home wanting it, and I just hope to have a good rest of the week.” He started pretty strong Thursday afternoon during the first performance of this year’s championship, matching moves with Rafter H Rodeo’s Storm Cloud for 84 points to take the first-round lead. He was one of 12 contestants in each discipline to compete in the afternoon showcase and will watch from the sidelines as the remaining dozen bareback riders tries to better that score. “I was pretty happy to have him,” Gunderson said of Storm Cloud. “That little sucker bucks. He kind of got me a little out of shape (at the start). It was a fight, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be. “I had to stay aggressive; you either buck yourself off trying or get bucked off not trying.” Gunderson has been one of the elite bronc busters in the game for a number of years. He qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2010 and has been on the verge of making it every year since. “I blew my knee out in 2011 and was close to making it to the finals,” he said, referring to finishing the regular season among the top 15 in the standings in order to qualify for the NFR. In 2012, he finished 18th; last year he won eight rodeo titles – including the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo average championship to earn his qualification to the RNCFR – and finished among the top 30. “I’d like to ride as long as I can,” said Gunderson, 29. “It’s getting harder and harder to leave home. Increasing the money is great, and it’s great for the sport of rodeo. It lets you live your dream. That’s what everybody wants to do when they’re little, and they’re making it possible.” Many things are possible for Gunderson. With the lead firmly in place for the first round, he hopes to parlay that into a strong second round and a chance to compete Saturday night for his first national title. Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo April 10-12, Guthrie, Okla. First round leaders Bareback riding: 1. Joe Gunderson, Agar, S.D., 84 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Storm Cloud; 2. Morgan Wilde, McCammon, Idaho, 81; 3. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 79; 4. George Gillespie, Placerville, Calif., 77; 6. Kyle Brennecke, Grain Valley, Mo., 75; 6. Evan Jayne, Marseille, France, 72. Steer wrestling: 1. Will Lummus, Union City, Tenn., 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.2; 4. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.7; 5. (tie) Pep Arballo, Wittmann, Ariz., and Sterling Lambert, Fallon, Nev., 4.8. Tie-down roping: 1. Jesse Clark, Portales, N.M., 8.3 seconds; 2. Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., 9.0; 3. (tie) Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, and Tim Pharr, Resaca, Ga., 9.3; 5. Chris Neal, Muldrow, Okla., 9.8; 6. (tie) Caddo Lewallen, Morrison, Okla., and Ryle Smith, Oakdale, Calif., 10.5. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jeremy Meeks, Belle Fourche, S.D., 82 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Wiggle Worm; 2. Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 80; 3. (tie) Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, and Joe Lufkin, Sallisaw, Okla., 79; 5. Ryan Mackenzie, Jordan Valley, Ore., 78; 6. (tie) Casey Maddox, Wichita Falls, Texas, and Curtis Garton, Lake Charles, La., 73. Team roping: 1. Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Reagan Ward, Edmond, Okla., 4.9 seconds; 2. Ty Blasingame, Sugar City, Colo./J.W. Borrego, Weston, Colo., 5.0; 3. Justin Davis, Madisonville, Texas/Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas, 5.4; 4. Jade Stoddard, Rexberg, Idaho/Ike Folsom, Dillon, Mont., 5.6; 5. Jeff Johnston, Thedford, Neb./Levi Tyan, Wallace, Neb., 5.7; 6. Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore./Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 6.1. Barrel racing: 1. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 17.31 seconds; 2. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 17.35; 3. Gretchen Benbenek, Aubrey, Texas, 17.44; 4. Ann Peterson, Avondale, Colo., 17.48; 5. Nicole Yost, Mt. Morris, Pa., 17.50; 6. Nikki Steffes, Vale, S.D., 17.59. Bull riding: 1. Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas, 85 points on Silver Creek Rodeo’s Rising Sun; 2. (tie) Cody Campbell, Summerville, Ore., Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., and Mike Adams, West Grove, Pa., 83; 5. Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D., 82; 6. Tustin Dave, Lumpton, Ariz., 79.

HAYS, Kan. – When Bronc Rumford took the job as rodeo coach at Fort Hays State University, he understood the priorities that come with it. “College is all about education, and our rodeo club and our rodeo team is about motivating kids to get an education,” said Rumford, a Fort Hays State alumnus who has overseen the rodeo program for several years. “We give them the opportunity through rodeo to get their education. That’s what college rodeo needs to be about.” It also is about competition, which will be a big piece of the Fort Hays State University Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 18, and 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at Doug Phillip Arena. “We have one of the toughest regions, if not the toughest region, in college rodeo,” Rumford said. “The depth of the kids’ talent is phenomenal. In the bull riding, we’ve got Sage Kimzey, who not only leads our region but is also the top bull rider in ProRodeo.” Kimzey is a student at Central Plains Region rival Southwestern Oklahoma State University, and he’s one of many top hands in the game who are expected to display their talents in Hays over the weekend. So how big is the FHSU Rodeo? “I think there are a lot of people in town who do not have a grasp of what a big economic impact we have with the college rodeo coming to town,” Rumford said. “If we look at this very conservatively, we will have 2,000 people from outside Ellis County that will be in Hays for four days. It’s huge. There are not that many events that have a bigger economic impact on Hays than the college rodeo.” It’s also a great opportunity for rodeo club members to learn a little more about the sport than just roping and riding. Each member of the club is required to sell at least $1,200 in sponsorships or advertisements in order to financially support the annual event. In addition, some members of the rodeo alumni organization are sponsors or assist in other ways “Our alumni has really stepped up and has been a big part of our deal,” Rumford said. “It means a lot to us that our alumni are so supportive.” But they’re not the only support system for the rodeo club or its annual event. “We’ve got a tremendous amount of backing from the university,” he said. “I can’t say enough about the backing we get through the Student Government Association, from the president’s office and the maintenance crew. But that’s what we’re used to at Fort Hays. “While most other institutions’ enrollment has plateaued or even declined, Fort Hays’ enrollment has gone up. When you look at what we have for our rodeo team, it’s amazing. We’ve got the best practice facilities in the region, and we’ve got practice livestock for every event. We’ve got indoor and outdoor arenas for the kids to practice every day.” Tickets for each of the three performances are $8 for adults, $5 for children in advance, then $12 and $8 at the gate. Besides the performances, the rodeo alumni group will meet prior to the final performance on Saturday night, when the Doc Brower Scholarship will be awarded. It will be a fitting way to celebrate the 48th year of the Fort Hays State Rodeo.

Every news agency I’ve ever been associated with has done some sort of self-promotion. Call it marketing. Call it space or time filler. Call it an editorial right to pats one’s self on the back, but it’s been part of presenting news in a competitive market for decades. Metro TV stations are quite possibly the best at it, always plugging that they brought it to you first. Having a strong marketing campaign is vital to any company’s growth. But not all news agencies are so reputable. Take this tweet from a Canadian news source: “(Name removed) sets new one day record on tragic rodeo weekend.” An Alberta teenager was killed Saturday in a wreck that happened inside the rodeo arena. Many who knew the young man mourn their loss. I could tell by the social media posts from my Canadian friends that this was a painful situation. My heart goes out to the boy’s family. But one news agency was more focused on its record-breaking numbers than it was in actually presenting the news and opinions of the day. “The interest in this rodeo news story has generated over 100,00 (sic) hits and 4,000 visitors …” This is not a reputable news agency. I hope my Canadian friends realize that and turn to better sources for their rodeo news.