Monthly Archives: September 2016

Wyoming man moves to No. 1 by winning Bullfighters Only stop at Lewiston Roundup   LEWISTON, Idaho – Nate Jestes likes to take on a little work before he has some fun. It’s an approach that has worked well for him during this inaugural Bullfighters Only season, and he proved it again over the weekend during the BFO tour event in conjunction with the Lewiston Roundup. Jestes was one of the protection bullfighters during the rodeo, then was part of the freestyle bullfight directly afterward. “By working the protection side, it gets me to where I’m moving around the bulls and reading the bulls before I ever move over to the freestyle bullfight,” said Jestes, who posted an 88.5-point fight with 12x and Costa’s Anger Management to win the title. By earning the Lewiston crown, he added $3,500 to his season earnings and returned to the No. 1 spot in the Bullfighters Only standings with $22,575. He owns a $1,838 lead over the No. 2 man, former leader Cody Webster of Wayne, Okla. Throw in Weston Rutkowski of Haskell, Okla., and Ross Hill of Muscle Shoals, Ala., and it’s been a solid race for the top of the leaderboard much of the season. “That has been fun,” said Jestes, who held the top spot for much of the season after winning The American in Arlington, Texas, in the spring. “With the bullfighting tour being absent for 16 years and this being the first actual tour of scheduled events, it’s been a great thing to see. “To be able to have a standings and watch the race is outstanding. For so many years, there was never a true standings. It makes it fun when you go to events. To be able to have that incentive behind each bullfight is cool, too. It adds a twist to things.” Jestes went through several twists and turns of his own during his bout with Anger Management, a little red bull that proved to be solid. “He wasn’t crazy rank, and there were better bulls that poked their head out of a gate,” he said of the bull. “I had a middle-of-the-road bull, and I know I’d have to push on that bull to keep him fighting. I think I was able to draw a few more points out of him in the way I fought him. I had to go on the offense just to get a couple more points there.” It worked well. Jestes threw several fakes at Anger Management, then lined out a jump before closing out the fight with a solid fake. “The crowd absolutely loved the bullfight,” he said. “That crowd was really loud. That crowd not only saw some really good bullfights, but they saw some really good hookings, too. They loved the whole thing.” So did Jestes, who returned to the top of the game. RESULTS 1. Nate Jestes, 88.5 points 2. Cade Burns, 85 3. Weston Rutkowski, 82 4. Ross Hill, 78 5. Erick Schwindt, 77 6. Ross Johnson, 0

Over the past few days, I have posted on social media about some of the amazing relationships I have had since developing Rodeo Media Relations in 2005 and extending that on to TwisTed Rodeo when it was created in 2010. In addition to creating the news and information site six years ago, I also began working that year with Pete Carr and Pete Carr Pro Rodeo. Pete was the only stock contractor with the foresight to see the need for promotion, and he offered an opportunity. Over the last six-plus years, I have witnessed the changes and the changing times that comes in rodeo, especially on the side of a livestock producer. When I began working with Pete, Carr Pro Rodeo was the primary stock contractor for nine events. He was known as a man with a strong herd of bareback horses, led by 2005 Bareback Horse of the Year Real Deal and River Boat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion. Now Pete owns two PRCA cards for Pete Carr Pro Rodeo and Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo, which, combined, makes up the largest firm in the game. Over the last three years, no other stock contractor has had more animals selected to perform at the National Finals Rodeo than the Carr firm, from bareback horses to broncs to bulls. I have been blessed to tell the stories about some incredible animal athletes, including three other barebacks of the year, Big Tex (2010), MGM Deuces Night (2012) and Dirty Jacket (2014-15). I’ve also seen them all perform exceptionally well. For the past four years, Pete Carr has received five nominations for PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year – both firms were up for the award last year. The votes are made by the members, which include secretaries, timers, pickup men, clowns, bullfighters, laborers, committees, cowboys, etc. I don’t get a vote, but if I did, Pete Carr Pro Rodeo would get mine. Pete Carr is no longer just a bareback man; he’s got amazing broncs and bulls, too. Beyond that, I think he has one of the most incredible group of professionals in the game, and the firm’s rodeo production is second to none. Pete Carr cares about rodeo. He broke into the game as a bareback rider and traveled the country on the backs of bucking horses. Even though he found success in another business venture, he never left rodeo. When he returned to the game in a more concentrated fashion, he never looked back. In fact, he’s continued to grow his firm and his love for rodeo over that time. It’s about passion, and it’s something every cowboy understands.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Will Carpenter landed in the Plains states because of rodeo. Originally from Calhoun, Ga., the 21-year-old steer wrestler knew his opportunities were limited on the East Coast. He opted for an education at Clarendon Community College in the Texas Panhandle, where he studied for two years while competing on the school’s rodeo team. Now he’s a senior at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in nearby Goodwell, furthering his education in the classroom and inside the rodeo arena. It’s paying off nicely for Carpenter, who makes his way this western Kansas community for the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association Finals, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23-Saturday, Sept. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Roundup Arena. “Glory to God, it’s just awesome,” said Carpenter, the ninth-ranked steer wrestler in the KPRA standings with $2,888 in regular-season earnings. “This is my first summer to go off and rodeo. Back home I worked for a stock contractor, so I’d only enter the rodeos he had. Until Lakin, Kan., this year, I had never won an actual rodeo other than a high school rodeo. “After that, a weight was lifted off my shoulders and was able to bulldog halfway decent this season. This is the beginning of a dream.” The dream has just been delayed a little for a variety of reasons. “I didn’t jump my first steer from a horse until I was a junior in high school,” he said, noting that he had chute-dogged, which is the precursor to steer wrestling. “My dad was a bulldogger, so I was born into it. When I really started competing, I was a senior in high school. “I didn’t have a horse, and I’d look for a horse I could ride, but pretty much everybody back home is a team roper. I finally got a horse in July before my senior year of high school.” Now he’s one of the top 12 contestants in his discipline that will compete over that three spectacular days in Dodge City. Now he relies on an older horse that works for him. “My horse is 21 years old, but she acts like she’s 2,” Carpenter said of BT, a sorrel mare. “She goes by BT, but they call her Big Ticket. A lot of my friends won’t get on her just to ride her around.” Steer wrestling horses are noted for a certain demeanor: They run hard and through the jump, but they might not be the easiest to ride as a trail mount. He’s had her for a year and a half. “When I got her, she was about to fall over dead because she so skinny,” he said. “It took quite a bit of time to get her healthy, but she’s dang sure been a blessing to me.” That’s the way Carpenter sees most things in life – “All the glory from this goes to God; there’s not a thing that would happen without it.” – and it’s worked for him so far. When he’s not in class or not in practice, he works on a ranch owned by Dan Etbauer, a famed saddle bronc rider who was one of three brothers inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. “My overall goal for the KPRA finals is to win the average and win enough money to win the rookie of the year,” Carpenter said. “The big thing, though, is if I can make three solid runs and let everything else take care of itself, I’ll be happy.” That’s the faith of a competitor.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – There’s something magical about this community in northeastern Oklahoma that happens every spring, and the word is spreading. The Will Rogers Stampede, a Memorial Day weekend staple in Claremore, is the two-time reigning Small Rodeo of the Year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Now it’s in line for another, having been nominated for the third straight year. “This is a great honor for Claremore and all of Rogers County,” said David Petty, chairman of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo. “Everyone has come out and welcomed the cowboys to town, helped make them feel at home when they’re here, and it shows in this nomination. “This past year, the community got even more involved, and everyone took notice. Everyone promoted the Downtown Hoedown on that Thursday before the rodeo, and we had a lot of people who came out and enjoyed the evening. That was a great way to bring in a fun weekend.” The Stampede is one of five rodeos in its division to be up for the award this year, joined by rodeos in Bridgeport, Texas; Huntsville, Texas; Elizabeth, Colo.; and Monte Vista, Colo. “It’s truly an honor for Claremore’s rodeo to be recognized with those other great events,” Petty said. “The PRCA has four categories for Rodeo of the Year – Small, Medium, Large Outdoor and Large Indoor – so it says something about our community that this event is recognized as one of the top 20 rodeos in North America. “There are more than 600 rodeos in the PRCA, so I think this is something the community should be very proud of.” The Will Rogers Stampede isn’t the only of several nominees who are part of the annual celebration. The event is joined by Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, the event’s livestock producer that is up for Stock Contractor of the Year; Sandy Gwatney, Secretary of the Year; Clay Heger, Bullfighter of the Year; Jeremy Willis, Pickup Man of the Year; and Gizmo McCracken, who is up for both Clown and Comedy Act of the Year. “We are blessed to have the best contract personnel in rodeo who come to Claremore every year,” Petty said. “From great livestock to all the work that’s done behind the scenes, they help us put Claremore on the map every year. We couldn’t do this without them or without this great community.”

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association annually recognizes the best in the game on the night before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo beings. The list of nominees was released by the PRCA on Thursday. As always, it’s a strong list of characters. Thankfully I’ve been blessed to work with many of these men, women and rodeos in some fashion this year, and I applaud them all for their recognition. Whether they win on Nov. 30 or not, they are the best in the business this year. Over this past year, I’ve witnessed some incredible things, from amazing animal athletes to talented men who make thousands of people laugh at will. I’ve viewed the behind-the-scenes labor that is involved in producing world-class rodeos. Many of these nominees are friends, and it is my honor to work with them over and over again. I wish them all the very best, not only this year but in the years to come. Announcer Wayne Brooks Randy Corley Mike Mathis Boyd Polhamus Andy Stewart Bullfighter Clay Heger Nathan Jestes Brandon Loden Dusty Tuckness Cody Webster Clown John Harrison Keith Isley Gizmo McCracken Justin Rumford Cody Sosebee Comedy Act John Harrison Keith Isley Gizmo McCracken Troy Lerwill Cody Sosebee Dress Act Bobby Kerr One Arm Bandit and Co. – John, Lynn and Amanda Payne Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls – Jennifer Nicholson and Spencer Litwork Rider Kiesner Tomas Garcilazo Pick-up Man Jason Bottoms Shawn Calhoun Chase Cervi Gary Rempel Matt Twitchell Jeremy Willis Secretary Sunni Deb Backstrom Haley Bridwell Amanda Corley-Sanders Brenda Crowder Sandy Gwatney Stock Contractor Beutler & Son Rodeo Cervi Championship Rodeo Frontier Rodeo Pete Carr Pro Rodeo Stace Smith Pro Rodeos Small Rodeo of Year Bridgeport, Texas Claremore, Okla. Elizabeth, Colo. Huntsville, Texas Monte Vista, Colo. Medium Rodeo of Year Abilene, Kan. Coleman, Texas Deadwood, S.D. Lufkin, Texas Stephenville, Texas Large Indoor Rodeo of Year Denver, Colo. Fort Worth, Texas Rapid City, S.D. San Angelo, Texas San Antonio, Texas Large Outdoor Rodeo of Year Caldwell, Idaho Cheyenne, Wyo. Dodge City, Kan. Pecos, Texas Pendleton, Ore.

Greer excited to be part of Bullfighters Only event at storied Pendleton   PENDLETON, Ore. – It was only by chance that Cody Greer ever became a bullfighter. “I didn’t even want to fight bulls; I didn’t think I liked fighting bulls,” said Greer, 25, of Chelsea, Okla. “I rode bulls all my life and was really good at it. I got hurt, and when I came back, I realized I wasn’t going to make a living doing it. “I stepped in as a bullfighter at a bull riding one time in my street clothes. After that, I never looked back.” It’s a good thing for bullfighting. Greer will be one of six men battling for the first Bullfighters Only event in Pendleton during a two-day championship set for Sept. 12-13 at Happy Canyon. It’s a freestyle bullfight that features man vs. agile beasts in a 40- to 60-second bout. The men will use swift feet and sometimes magical maneuvers to try to outwit the athletic bulls, which are bred specifically for this type of fight. The sport has been around for decades, but it’s been on the backburner for the majority of fans. Bullfighters Only has been putting it on the front pages. Pendleton is the 28th event on the BFO’s inaugural season. “Pendleton has a great history, and it’s exciting for us to be part of one of the most prestigious rodeos in the sport,” said Aaron Ferguson, Bullfighters Only’s founder and CEO. “We’ve been very fortunate to have been involved with some great events during our inaugural tour, and being part of the Pendleton Roundup is definitely a major highlight. “This is a great opportunity for our guys to show the fans in Pendleton what BFO is all about.” That’s not too shabby for a small group of men who banded together to form the premier bullfighting cast in the game. “I really don’t know how to describe it, but I’m blessed to be part of it,” said Greer, who is 11th in the BFO standings. “It’s cool to be able to call yourself one of the best in the world. Bullfighters Only has done big things for us bullfighters.” Scores are based on a 100-point scale. Men can earn up to 50 points per fight by exhibiting control and style while working their way around the animal; bulls can earn up to 50 points based on their aggression, quickness and willingness to stay with the bullfighter. It all adds up to some tremendous excitement mixed with a taste of danger. “I started doing it because I thought it looked fun,” Greer said. “It was another adrenaline rush and a chance for me to really do something extreme. Now I’m in love with it. I don’t do it for the money or that it’s just an adrenaline rush; I do it because I love it.” That passion is one of the big reasons why he is involved with Bullfighters Only. The 15 men who serve as the BFO’s founders have a tight relationship. They have worked in unison to push the envelope and place freestyle bullfighting into the mainstream. “I think the main reason we’re getting to do it is because we’re always showing out,” he said. “For one, it’s one of the top bullfighters in the world, and we’re always doing something other bullfighters can’t do. “I’m just tickled to death to see how this ends up and see where we are in the next couple of years.” There are plenty of reasons to be excited about Bullfighters Only’s future. In a little more than a year, the BFO blossomed from a one-stop shop for bullfighters to order materials of the trade into a 30-event tour that features the top men in the game all competing in a sport they love. “I would say the most exciting part for me is getting to be around my best friends and always know you’re going to get to fight good bulls,” Greer said. “There’s something special about that.” CONTESTANTS Dusty Tuckness Weston Rutkowski Jesse Tennet Ross Hill Cody Greer Evan Allard

Bullfighters Only to add to event that benefits Homes for Wounded Warriors charity   ARLINGTON, Minn. – Snapshots fill Justin Josey’s mind every time he competes. The images are clear, whether they’re of a bull’s horn missing his leg by millimeters or the animal’s neck brushing against his side as it whisks past. They’re what drive the young man, who will be one of five that will be part of the Bullfighters Only tour stop in conjunction with the Pro Auto NYA Bull Riding event. “It’s the pictures in my head that I have when I’m fighting a bull,” said Josey, 21, of Apache, Okla. “It’s slow motion to me. I have those pictures, and the rest is kind of a blur. “I guess there’s an adrenaline rush behind it. They’re just small parts of it that you enjoy.” The Arlington stop is part of a fundraiser for the charity of retired NFL player Jared Allen, Homes for Wounded Warriors. The organization helps to build handicapped assessable homes for wounded soldiers that have served in Afghanistan and Iraq. “This happens in my hometown, and my brother is on the (Sibley County) Fair Board,” said Matt Scharping, a bucking bull stock contractor who produces the event. “When they asked me to put on a bull riding, I told them I’d do it as long as we could raise money for charity.” It’s worked. Now preparing for its fourth year, the event has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Homes for Wounded Warriors through portions of ticket sales and through nightly live auctions. This year he wanted to add to the bull riding, so he sought out the men from Bullfighters Only to add to the flavor of the event. “I’ve seen it, and I just loved watching it,” Scharping said. “It’s something new and fresh. I got to watching how the fans reacted to these events, how the bull riders and the contractors were enjoying it. I think this is something that will help us bring new fans to our event because it’s so much fun to watch.” Just as the events in Arlington are to raise money for a good cause, Bullfighters Only has created public demand for the sport. The bullfighters utilize their tremendous athleticism to try to outwit and outmaneuver equally athletic bulls, which are bred specifically for this type of fight. “It’s a really good movement that we have, especially considering it’s been more than 15 years since the Wrangler Bullfights were popular,” Josey said. “Being part of something that’s affecting change so positively is really cool. Thinking about the things you are doing for freestyle bullfighting is a great thing. It’s humbling and exhausting at the same time, but it’s always great. “This is all of us in the top 15 that have just bonded together, and now we’re trying to make things happen. We’re trying to bring freestyle bullfighting back to what we think the sport is like.” With scores based on a 100-point scale, men can earn up to 50 points per fight based on their ability to exhibit control and style while maneuvering around or over an animal; a bull can earn up to 50 points based on its quickness, aggression and willingness to stay with the bullfighter. It’s a beautiful dance in the arena dirt filled with danger and dramatic movements. “We all love freestyling bulls, and that’s why we do it,” Josey said. That love affair has carried over into Bullfighters Only, which is now closing out its inaugural season of breathtaking competition. “You can see how far it’s come in a short time,” he said. “I think the most exciting aspect of this is the transformation of freestyle bullfighting. “Now we have bullfighting year-round, and we’ve had events all summer. As freestyle bullfighters, we’ve never had that opportunity before. We have momentum, and we’ve done the things that let people know we’re here to stay.” That’s something that Josey hopes for his own career, which began just three years ago. He learned about bullfighting in the summer of 2013 when he served as a driver and helper for rodeo clown Justin Rumford. Shortly thereafter, Josey began the work needed to be one of the best in the game. “It’s knowing you’re going to be in a dogfight with these bulls,” he said. “Sometimes they get the better of you and get you down. That’s part of it. When you’re on top of your game, he’s just trying everything he can to get to you, but you keep him from it. He can get within an eyelash of you, but you make the move you need.” Those are the snapshots Justin Josey sees. That’s what drives him and pushes him, and he hopes to pass that down to the next generation. After all, that’s a big part of what Bullfighters Only is all about. “I want to see little kids walking around in bullfighters jerseys,” he said. “I want to see the sport grow past any expectations.” CONTESTANTS Beau Schueth Justin Josey Cody Greer Zach Call Evan Allard Toby Inman

DUNCAN, Okla. – For decades, the Prairie Circuit has been a hotbed for the world’s best steer wrestlers. From Gene Ross in 1931 and 1937 to Dean Gorsuch in 2006 and 2010, men from the region encompassing Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska account for more than 30 bulldogging gold buckles. Of course, Roy Duvall and Ote Berry account for seven of those world titles alone. When it comes to circuit titles, the list of contenders is long and strong. They will all battle for that coveted championship at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20-Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. “It’s a great title to win,” said Gorsuch, a two-time circuit champion from Gering, Neb. “We’ve got a great bunch of guys in our circuit. Even the guys that haven’t made it in a few years could win the circuit. “Our circuit is tough, so winning it is a great accomplishment.” How tough is the steer wrestling race? Gorsuch sits seventh in the circuit standings with $8,720 earned at rodeos primarily in the region. He would have to nearly double his season earnings just to catch the standings leader, J.D. Struxness of Appleton, Minn., who attends Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. But Gorsuch is 18th in the world standings and needs just a little more to secure his ninth qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He is one of three circuit cowboys among the top 20 in the world standings, joined by Struxness and Riley Duvall, a third-generation bulldogger from Checotah, Okla. – Struxness is seventh, and Duvall is 10th. But there are a whole host of others who are vying for either the circuit title or the average championship at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo – those two spots will advance to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for next spring in Kissimmee, Fla. For the first time in the history of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, money earned at the circuit finales will count toward the 2017 world standings. “Duncan has been a great place for our circuit finals,” said Ryan Swayze, the sixth-ranked circuit bulldogger from Freedom, Okla. “It’s been really good for our circuit finals. The real end prize is going to Florida. “To win the year-end would be all that I could ask for.” With just a couple weeks left in the circuit’s regular season, he will have some ground to make up to win that year-end championship; he needs to make up more than $6,500 to catch Struxness at this point. For now, though, he and others are excited about the possibilities of returning to Duncan. “I’d love to get back there again,” Gorsuch said. “That committee is great, and I enjoy their rodeo.”

Bullfighters Only brings the best men in the game to Lewiston for the Roundup   LEWISTON, Idaho – Like the men and women who settled the Old West, Erick Schwindt sees the men of Bullfighters Only as explorers and trend-setters. “It’s fun being part of the pioneer group of Bullfighters Only,” said Schwindt, 24, of Lyons, Ore. “I do it, and I think we all do it, because we love to fight bulls.” He and five other men will have their opportunity to showcase their talents and the pioneering efforts of Bullfighters Only during a two-night championship set for Friday and Saturday in conjunction with the Lewiston Roundup. “It’s going to be fun,” Schwindt said of competing at Lewiston, which has long been considered one of the biggest and best events in ProRodeo. “It’s a big rodeo, and you get to go out in front of a big crowd and show them what you can do. Just being invited it a big deal to me.” It’s a big deal for the BFO, which has created public demand for the sport. The bullfighters utilize their tremendous athleticism to try to outwit and outmaneuver equally athletic bulls, which are bred specifically for this type of fight. That’s exactly what drives Schwindt, who began fighting bulls more than a decade ago. “I rode steers for a couple of years, but it just wasn’t for me,” he said. “I didn’t like being on the back of them. One of my brother’s good buddies fought bulls; by watching him, I thought it would be fun to do. “I went to my first bullfighting school when I was 13 years old, and I have loved it ever since.” He sits 15th in the BFO standings and would love the opportunity to step up a few rungs on the ladder. He will get it this weekend, but it will be a big test. Not only will he be up against some amazing animal athletes, he will be in a competition that features three of the top four men in the standings – No. 2 Nate Jestes of Douglas, Wyo.; third-ranked Weston Rutkowski of Haskell, Texas; and Ross Hill, the fourth-ranked bullfighter from Muscle Shoals, Ala. “We’re all brothers, and we stick together,” Schwindt said. “If somebody goes down, a bunch of us are going to jump in and help. We’re all there for each other. It comes down to the fact that you’ve got to beat your bull. That’s all you can control.” With scores based on a 100-point scale, men can earn up to 50 points per fight based on their ability to exhibit control and style while maneuvering around or over an animal; a bull can earn up to 50 points based on its quickness, aggression and willingness to stay with the bullfighter. Lewiston is the 26th stop on the Bullfighters Only inaugural tour. The BFO conducted its first event last December in Las Vegas, and the 30-event tour began in January. Its growth has been phenomenal. “It’s been pretty amazing that it’s grown so fast,” he said. “From going to our first sessions to going straight to Vegas last December; there aren’t very many things that can go to Vegas when they’re just starting. “We have these events all over the country. It’s just been incredible.” That movement includes a series of stops in the Northwest – from Washington to Oregon to Idaho, Bullfighters Only has made its home in the region. “I think being part of prestigious rodeos is a big deal for us,” Schwindt said. “A lot of these rodeos may have had bullfights back in the day. In the Northwest, bullfighting hasn’t been here in many years. People love it. Yes, it’s an adrenaline rush. It’s not only for us but also for the fans, too. “I think it’s going to be a great deal for a lot of these rodeos.” CONTESTANTS Nate Jestes Weston Rutkowski Ross Hill Ross Johnson Erick Schwindt Cade Burns

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Everybody needs to have something special happen to them. Julie Abke understands that, and it’s one of the reasons she’s part of the Waller County Fair Association. But she’s taken it a step further with the creation of Barnyard Buddies. “It’s for kids from all over Waller County that are in special ed classes,” she said. “We have a special day just for them. We have a lot of different activities for them to do, and we have it in a four-hour day.” It’s set for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, and it’s Abke’s brainchild. “We wanted to give those students an opportunity to do something special,” she said. “It’s a spot that’s dear to my heart, because my mom was a special ed teacher. It’s something I wanted to see happen. It was good last year, and I’m hoping to have it even better for them this year.” In Barnyard Buddies’ inaugural run in 2015, 139 students participated. Teens from area Future Farmers of America programs served as the special education students’ buddies. “We also had tons of adult volunteers who helped,” Abke said. “We are very fortunate to have great community support. “I wanted to do it about three to four years ago, and last year the fair board told me to go through with it. Thankfully Barbie Schmidt, the ag teacher at Waller High School, has stepped in. She really helps me a lot.” That also is helpful for the children. As an addition to this year’s festivities, the students will take part in a small showmanship clinic, where they will have hands-on lessons about what it’s like to show animals at the fair. “We’re giving these kids an opportunity to be around the fair atmosphere,” she said. “This is a great way for them to actually participate.” That’s the key for organizers. Abke hopes to have professional cowboys and cowgirls involved to help give the students real-life rodeo experiences. “We’ve actually had tons more people that want to be involved this year,” she said. “it makes me feel good that people wanted to take part in it.”

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Cody Webster has earned many accolades during a stellar bullfighting career. He added another Friday night by becoming the first Bullfighters Only-Ellensburg champion with a strong bout with 12x and Costa’s Murder Ink – the duo moved around the Ellensburg Rodeo arena dirt in a brisk dance of athleticism that resulted in an 86-point bout. “This is awesome,” said Webster of Wayne, Okla. “This is my third or fourth year of getting to come to this great rodeo and protect the bull riders. Now they’ve added the bullfights and made it even better. “This is the first bullfight they’ve had in about 16 years. It’s a pretty neat deal to be the first BFO champion here. The committee’s really great to us; they go above and beyond and make us feel at home. It’s definitely a notch on the belt to win this.” Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyo., started the night of fights, producing a 78-point mark. Nate Jestes of Douglas, Wyo., was the second bullfighter and scored 80. “Tuck had a decent bull but couldn’t get (the bull) to stay tied up,” Webster said. “Nate came out and had the strongest bull of the round, definitely the hottest bull. He didn’t get a strong start, and the bull got him treed.” When the bull put Jestes in a tough position, the bullfighter scrambled up the fence to safety. That typically affects the overall score negatively. “I knew I just needed to be solid and not pull anything crazy,” Webster said. “When I called for the bull, his first reaction was to kick out of there; he’s a young bull that’s not used to that flank. I just did what I had to; I just attacked him.” By being aggressive, the Oklahoma man forced the bull to stay with him tightly. Webster made a series of rounds as Murder Ink stayed on Webster’s heels. Once the bullfighter earned a little separation, he was able to show off more moves, including a solid step-through. As he closed out his 60-second fight, Webster earned the separation he needed to finish the bout by jumping Murder Ink. It made for the perfect ending to a top-notch evening of rodeo and bullfighting. As the No. 1 bullfighter in the BFO, he added $1,500 to push his season earnings to $22,237. Jestes, who sits in second place in the standings, moved past the $20,000 mark with his second-place finish in Ellensburg. “The crowd stayed hooked and was really responsive,” Webster said. “They were loud and intense. (The committee) was really stoked about the bullfights. It was a great event all the way around.” RESULTS 1. Cody Webster, 86 points 2. Nate Jestes, 80 3. Dusty Tuckness, 78

DODGE CITY, Kan. – At just 16 years old, Morgan Kessler has already developed a keen understanding of what it takes to excel in rodeo. She’s using that ability to make a run for the breakaway roping championship at the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association Finals, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23-Saturday, Sept. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Roundup Arena. “Winning first is always good, but for all these rodeos we go to, being consistent is the most important thing,” said Kessler of Callaway, Neb. “Scoring sharp and roping right when you get there is very important. You’re trying to set everything up for the next run, especially when you’re on the road and don’t have time to practice. “When you have a good calf, you need to take advantage of it.” That approach has worked quite well this season. She sits No. 2 in the KPRA’s breakaway roping standings with $7,485 in earnings and trails the leader, Teddi Winslow, by less than $800. She can make up ground with a solid performance at the finals. It will mark her first time compete in Dodge City, which is now hosting the championship for the second straight year. An injured horse forced Kessler to upgrade a younger horse to her primary mount, and it took a little time for the tandem to find success. “Last year I just started the horse I’m riding,” she said of Shorty, an 11-year-old sorrel gelding that stands just 13.2 hands tall. “It’s teamwork. It took a lot of time for me to figure out how to ride him and for him to conform to me. “He’s short, but he’s pretty stocky.” He’s also pretty talented, as Kessler has proven in 2016. “Just getting him seasoned was the primary thing,” she said. She is getting “seasoned” herself, but she’s been part of the rodeo game for most of her life. She won her first championship buckle at a dummy roping when she was 5 years old. She competed at her first junior rodeo when she was about 8 years old and won the title. As an eighth-grader, she was the Nebraska Junior High champion, and at 14, she was named the KPRA’s Rookie of the Year and earned a trip to the finals. That school year as a freshman, Kessler was the 2015 Nebraska High School Rodeo Association’s top rookie and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in cutting; she was also the alternate in breakaway roping. She is homeschooled and has just begun her third year of high school, but she has big rodeo dreams; her first goal is to leave Dodge City with the breakaway roping title. “It would be great; that’s the goal I’ve been working for all year,” Kessler said. “I have a piece of paper in my rope can that has five or six goals on it, and that’s the No. 1 goal. “I’ve had a pretty good summer, and it’s been pretty fun to be in the lead. I’m just going to try to catch three calves and finish in the average, and it’ll work out the way it needs to in the end.” She has a strong faith, and she leans on it often. She reads a daily devotional and points to her favorite verse as a way of building herself: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. That focus and that drive can come from a higher power, but there must be an inner focus to guide each competitor through each run. Morgan Kessler has it, and she plans to use it as she chases her rodeo dreams.