Monthly Archives: October 2023

ALVA, Okla. – To say Jacob Haren has been on a roll might be an understatement. The Central Plains Region’s fall season began with the Callaway, Nebraska, cowboy winning the all-around title in Colby, Kansas, earning points in steer wrestling and tie-down roping. He followed that last weekend with the steer wrestling crown in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He closed out the semester’s string of four rodeos this past weekend by winning the tie-down roping championship at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo at the Alva Dome, a hometown title he’ll carry with him. He led the charge for the Rangers in their second-place finish in the team standings. Haren won the first round with an 8.4-second run, then was 9.1 on Championship Night to finish second in the short round and win the aggregate title. That was worth 170 points, all of which not only counted toward Haren’s place in the regional standings but also that of the Northwestern men. Fellow tie-down roper Kerry Duvall of Oakdale, California, also scored points, stopping the clock in 10.6 seconds to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place in the opening round. Haren, who is most comfortable with a rope in his hand, advanced to his third steer wrestling short round of four events this fall. Though he didn’t secure any points in bulldogging, he was on hand as the other five Rangers steer wrestlers did, proving their dominance in the event. Trisyn Kalawaia built on his lead in the Central Plains standings by winning the bulldogging title at the Alva Dome. He made a 3.2-second run to win the opening round, then was then solid at 4.9 seconds in the championship round to take the overall title. “That 3.2 was the fastest I’ve ever been in my life,” said Kalawaia, a senior from Waiakea, Hawaii. “I was 3.3 in Springhill, Louisiana, and I’ve been 3.4 before, too. I had a really good steer, and the Alva Dome is a small building, which makes the steers set up, so you’ve got to be ready for it. “I blew the barrier out (timing his start with the barrier’s release), and I saw he was going to stop right there. I jumped off, and everything worked out right there.” Riding his horse Rumor, a 14-year-old sorrel mare, helped the Hawaiian’s confidence. It’s the same horse he and his traveling partners rode through the summer season in ProRodeo; he competed across the country with Northwestern graduates Kaden Greenfield and Stockton Graves, the latter of whom serves as the Rangers rodeo coach. “She’s definitely a special horse,” he said, noting that fellow Ranger Emmett Edler was his hazer. “Emmett was 3.8 seconds in the short round to win it, so it’s good to have someone on the other side that’s that strong, too. “Winning at home is great. It competes with some of the ProRodeo wins. For me, it’s great because the people you know from around Alva get to see you in person. It’s people I shoe horses for or people from school … they come out to watch. Being the last time I college rodeo in the Alva Dome makes it special, too.” Kalawaia was followed in the standings by Quade Potter of Stockville, Nebraska, who placed in both go-rounds and finished third overall. Edler won the short round, which shot him up to fourth in the aggregate race. Cam Fox of Tulsa was 4.4 to finish in a tie for fourth place in the opening go-round, Sterling Lee of Goetebo, Oklahoma, placed sixth in the long round. Kansas team ropers Colter Snook of Dodge City and Rhett Murray of Alma roped solidly over the weekend, placing fourth in the championship round and finishing fifth overall. Northwestern header Sage Bader of Boone, Colorado, placed sixth in both the final round and average while roping with Cadon Remington of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Jayden Jensen led the way for the Northwestern women. The breakaway roper from Fallon, Nevada, was 2.7 seconds on both of her runs; she placed second in the short round and third overall. “The team finishing second is pretty big,” Kalawaia said. “I think we could have capitalized a little more in the short round; Stockton pushes us to make the short rounds and then do well in the short round. Last year we won the rodeo, but I think second is pretty good.” It’s also a lasting memory for the Rangers. They will have almost four months off Central Plains competition before returning to action in the spring semester. It’s not only a time to celebrate holidays, but it should allow them the time to improve their games and their mental approaches before the spring semester run of the final six rodeos. “Sometimes it’s just about making the best run you can at the time you make it,” Kalawaia said. “I didn’t have the greatest steer in the short round, but (Northwestern alumnus and world champion) Jacob Edler told me to be smart on the barrier and make a solid run. I made the best run I could on that steer, and it worked out for me.”

ALVA, Okla. – In a busy week for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo teams, there is one constant understanding: There will be a chance to improve. The Rangers will host their once-a-year hometown rodeo, set for Thursday-Saturday at the Alva Dome. There has been some nice success stories that happen for Northwestern contestants, who not only will compete to win titles but will also be producing the rodeo and hosting all the other schools from the Central Plains Region. The first day of competition begins with the Rope for the Roses jackpot, which is set for Wednesday night. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association will begin Thursday. “There’s a lot going on and a ton of work to do to get everything ready,” said Jacob Haren, who is fresh off his best finish this past weekend in Stillwater, where he won the steer wrestling title at the Oklahoma State University rodeo. “We’ve got to work every day to get things ready and try to be ready to compete, too. “I think we’ll be able to make it all work.” The Rangers have shown great improvement over the early course of the 10-event regional campaign. In Stillwater, the women finished fourth overall and the men third. Haren, a senior from Callaway, Nebraska, led the way by knocking his steer down in 4.1 seconds to share the long-round victory. He came back in 4.3 seconds to finish in a tie for second in the championship round and won the aggregate title by seven-tenths of a second over two of his teammates, Cam Fox of Tulsa and Trisyn Kalawaia of Waiakea, Hawaii. “This one felt a little bit different than before,” said Haren, who won the all-around title at the first rodeo of the season in Colby, Kansas. “I was able to finish quite a bit better in the short round, and I got to win with some of my friends.” For the “Bulldogging Capital of College Rodeo,” Northwestern shined at OSU. Seven Rangers’ steer wrestlers qualified for the short go-round, and six earned points. Kalawaia won the championship round with a 4.2-second run, while Fox and Haren were just one-tenth of a second behind. Emmett Edler of State Center, Iowa, finished sixth in both rounds and the aggregate, while Tanner Meier of Garden City, Kansas and Logan Mullin of Clay Center, Kansas, placed in the first go-round; Payden Nusser of Alva also advanced to the final round. “This was really cool, because it was the first time I won a bulldogging at a college rodeo,” said Haren, best known as a tie-down roper and team roper. “It’s all new to me, so it was a bit surprising. “It’s really cool to have seven guys in the short round in bulldogging alone and for us to finish in the top three spots. When they see that many black (Northwestern) vests in the short round, they are probably taking notice.” He rode a horse owned by teammate Quade Potter of Stockville, Nebraska; Potter and Haren were teammates at Mid-Plains Community College in McCook, Nebraska, before both transferred to Northwestern. Haren also enlisted the help of Edler as his hazer, the person riding alongside to keep the steer lined out. “Quade’s horse is just real solid and makes it real easy,” Haren said. “You don’t have to do much but just ride him. I’ve rode him for three years now, and he’s been good every time. “I definitely drew outstanding, and his horse just helped me out a lot. It takes all that to be consistent, and being consistent is how you do well at these things.” Every rodeo in the Central Plains Region features a first round and a short round, and the top cumulative time or score on two runs or rides will be crowned the overall champion in each event. Points can be earned in all three phases, which is how each individual and each team moves up the standings. When the season comes to a close next April, only the top two teams and top three individuals in each event will advance to the College National Finals Rodeo. In addition to the bulldoggers, saddle bronc rider Heston Harrison of Carnegie, Oklahoma, advanced to the championship round in Stillwater. He was joined by a host of Northwestern women, led by Makaylah Rhodes of East Point, Oregon, who was 2.4 seconds in the first round to finish just out of the top six, and consistent in her final-round run to place second on the day and tied for second in the breakaway-roping aggregate. Lauren Hopkins of Lipan, Texas, finished the opener in a three-way tie for first after posting a 2.1-second run; she was fourth in the short round and aggregate. Aluxyn Hollenbeck of Valentine, Nebraska, was 2.3 seconds in the first go-round and earned points for finishing in a five-way tie for fifth place. Goat-tier Morgan Poust of Hughesville, Pennsylvania, placed fourth in the short round, and her two-run cumulative time of 15.2 was good enough for sixth place overall. Savannah Greenfield of Lakeview, Oregon, also placed in the championship round. “This was definitely one of our better team performances,” Haren said. “I think we finally got all together and got some things done. “I’ve been having a little trouble finishing in the short rounds, so it was really nice to be able to finish one in the short round. I want to continue to do that.”

DALLAS – It’s always hot in Pecos, Texas, when the rodeo comes to town in late June. The action inside Buck Jackson Arena was even spicier this year, thanks in large part to Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bayou Bengal, a 6-year-old brindle bull that was on top of his game at the West of the Pecos Rodeo. “He’s the kind of bull that, to me, you really think, ‘I better not stub my toe on him, or I might get knocked out,’ ” said Trey Benton, who was Bayou Bengal’s jockey that day. “You know that if you can ride him, he’ll take you to the pay window.” Benton didn’t manage a qualifying eight-second ride, but he got to feel what it’s like to be on a spinning, twisting leaping muscle of greatness. After a regular season of high-marked performances, the athletic brindle has been named the PRCA Bull of the Year in a vote of the top bull riders. “That bull is super athletic,” said Benton, a seven-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Richards, Texas. “It’s hard to believe that a 2,100-pound bull can get that high in the air; I bet you’d be able to drive under him when he’s bucking.” Bayou Bengal will return to the NFR for the third straight year, and he’s had a season for many to remember. Over his lifetime, the big bovine has been ridden just twice: Creek Young scored 87.5 points to win the Lea County Xtreme Bulls title in Lovington, New Mexico, in 2021, and Jeff Askey was 90 points on him in San Antonio this past February. “He really bucks hard, and he does it every time,” said Askey, a six-time NFR qualifier from Athens, Texas. “When guys think of the bull of the year, they think of one they see quite a bit. The top competitors want to see him at a lot of rodeos, and they want a bull that if you ride him, you’re going to be a lot of points but there’s a good chance he’ll throw a lot of guys off.” Scores in bull riding are based on a 100-point scale: Half the score comes from how well the bull bucks, and the other half comes from how well the cowboy maintains control during the ride. In the case of Bayou Bengal, there were two times this past season that the judges marked him 48 out of a possible 50 points; one was with Benton in Pecos, and the other was with Dustin Boquet in Oakley City, Utah. “I personally voted for him because I felt like over the past three years, he was one of the most consistently rank bulls going,” said Young, a three-time NFR qualifier from Nixa, Missouri. “I’ve never seen that bull have an off trip. “As far as what I look for in a bull of the year, it’s something different each year just based on the competition of bulls. I just went with the bull that got rode the least and had the best scores.” Consistency is the name of the game in rodeo. The regulars at the NFR tend to be the most consistent when it comes to riding. The same goes for the bucking animals. The Carr firm has nine bulls going to Las Vegas, the most of any PRCA stock contractor. Over the past two years, Carr has had 46 animals selected to buck at the NFR. In joining bareback horses Real Deal, Big Tex, Deuces Night and Dirty Jacket (twice in 2014-15), Bayou Bengal is Carr’s sixth world champion.   “Bulls of the year set themselves apart and really define themselves,” Benton said. “They are that one bull that everyone wants to watch go. If you know anything about rodeo, you know Bayou Bengal.”

Community event being named Breakaway Trailblazer by women’s group GOODING, Idaho – When breakaway roping began to be part of mainstream rodeo five seasons ago, there were ladies and events that set a tone. The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association has continued to honor them. There are dozens of roping world champions like J.J. Hampton, Lari Dee Guy and Jackie Crawford that will be honored in halls of fame. There are events like The American, which placed breakaway roping onto one of rodeo’s biggest stages. In Gooding, local organizers knew right away they wanted to be part of the electrifying action. They not only brought it to town with open arms, they treated it like all the standard events that have been part of the Gooding County Fair for many years. That’s why the Gooding Pro Rodeo will be the recipient of the WPRA’s Breakaway Trailblazer Award during a special ceremony in December at Las Vegas. “The people in Gooding are doing something right,” said Taylor Munsell, a three-time National Finals Breakaway Roping qualifier from Alva, Oklahoma. “They’re one of the rodeos that at the every beginning were just full on board. They added the money. They had great calves, and they just made it work going to right off the bat. “At the beginning, it was something that you had to go to because it paid so well, and they just continue to keep doing it and keep being a great place for us to come to.” Look for that trend to continue. Breakaway roping has been around for decades, but it gained popularity in a hurry after it was featured in The American rodeo in 2019 in Arlington, Texas, when 16-year-old Madison Outhier won the title. The event’s popularity has continued to bloom, and the first NFBR took place in 2020. The Gooding Pro Rodeo has been at the forefront of all that. “That rodeo has been great ever since they added breakaway a few years ago, and they just keep adding money to it,” said Beau Peterson, a breakaway roping finalist from Council Grove, Kansas. “It can definitely make a big difference to your season. If you can win some money there, even get the win, it’s a great payout. “My traveling partner has won that rodeo two times, and it dang sure solidified her trip to the finals last year. It’s a great rodeo. Especially in the breakaway roping, it’s one of the best.” This year’s breakaway roping champions were Addy Hill and Braylee Shepherd, who stopped the clock in 1.9 seconds to share the title. Each cowgirl earned $5,500. That kind of cash goes a long ways, not only to cover bills and business expenses, but also in earning postseason qualifications. In rodeo, dollars equal championship points. Of the 15 ladies that have earned the right to compete at the breakaway finals in December at Las Vegas, virtually all were in Gooding in August. The women who make a living in breakaway roping know how important it is to be in southern Idaho in mid-August. “I’d say at most rodeos, most of them wanted to try out breakaway roping and see how it goes,” Munsell said. “They’d add just a little money, but in Gooding, they were like, ‘No, we support it. We’re going to do it.’ “They went all in with us, and we really appreciate it.” That also is why the purse was so high. Each rodeo provides local dollars – called “added money” money in rodeo – which are pared with the contestants’ entry fees to make the overall payout per event. With two women earning a combined $11,000, it was the largest single-event payout in Gooding this year. There were dozens of cowgirls at the fairgrounds just for the opportunity for big cash. “The people in Gooding treated us just like any other event and had a great deal of added money for us,” Peterson said. “I think them stepping up for us showed the other rodeos what the breakaway roping can bring to the table.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – If you ask Paul David Tierney, the business of rodeo is just one of his jobs. Like any cowboy, he’s a jack-of-all-trades and will take on any task before him. That’s actually how he handles life in rodeo, and his mentality has served him well. On Saturday night, he closed out two regional titles in a big fashion by placing in both tie-down roping and team roping to collect more than $6,600 in three days during the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. In team roping, he and his heeler, Tanner Braden of Dewey, Oklahoma, stopped the clock in 5.2 seconds to share the third-round victory with Andrew Ward of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Buddy Hawkins of Stephenville, Texas. Tierney and Braden finished fourth in the aggregate, which just added to the pocketbook. “Tanner heeled great this year,” said Tierney, who finished second in the final heading standings, won the tie-down roping year-end title and had already clinched the circuit’s year-end all-around title before he arrived at the Stephens County Arena. “We had a little tough luck in the season, and when we came back, we started winning again and got pretty close here at the end. “We had a chance, and that’s all you want when you come in.” He had a $5,500 lead over the tie-down roping field, and he added to it on the final night of the championship. He roped and tied his calf in 8.1 seconds to finish second not only in the third round but also in the three-run aggregate race. “I’ve come close a couple times and making it in the calf roping down here, and it was always the third calf that got me,” said Tierney, originally from South Dakota but now living in Oklahoma City. “We put it together on the third one and got it done and won the year-end, so it’s finally a relief.” He just added to his expansive collection of event titles. The son of ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboy Paul Tierney, he initially moved to the Sooner State 15 years ago to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. He returned often and is a two-time winner of the Timed Event Championship, a unique competition in which cowboys must compete in all timed events. He moved back for good six seasons ago when he married Ashley. That’s when he opted to make the Prairie his home circuit; it’s a region made up primarily of contestants and rodeos in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. In fact, during the three days of the circuit championship, he made the three-hour round trip in order to be back in Oklahoma City during the day. “It’s just who I am,” Tierney said. “If I stay here, I’m just going to sit around, so instead, I’ll go home and do some stuff there. I’ve been gone all summer, so there’s plenty to do.” He was joined in the year-end winner’s circle by bareback rider Gauge McBride of Kearney, Nebraska; steer wrestler Trisyn Kalawaia of Hilo, Weakaia; saddle bronc rider Ean Price of Leedey, Oklahoma; team ropers Ward and Hawkins; breakaway roper Christi Braudrick of Caddo, Oklahoma; barrel racer Emily Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma; and Creek Young of Nixa, Missouri. All earned the right to advance to the national circuit finals rodeo, now known as the NFR Open and set for next July in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They will be joined by the aggregate champions in each event. Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals RodeoOct. 12-14Duncan, Okla.All-around circuit finals champion: Coleman Proctor, $7,725 in team roping and steer roping. Year-end champion: Paul David Tierney. Bareback riding: First round: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Family Traditions, $2,149; 2. Yance Day, 78, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 76, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 75.5, $537. Second round: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Prime News, $2,149; 2. Quintonn Lunsford, 79, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 78.5, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 77.5, $537. Third round: 1. Gauge McBride, 84 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Mighty Tricking, $2,149; 2. (tie) Colt Eck/Jayco Roper, 83, $1,343 each; 4. Yance Day, 82, $537. Average: 1. Jayco Roper, 252 points on three rides, $3,223; 2. Colt Eck, 236, $2,417; 3. Gauge McBride, 235, $1,612; 4. Ty Blessing, $806. Year-end champion: Gauge McBride. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.2 seconds, $2,149; 2. Travis Munro, 4.4, $1,612; 3. Cody Devers, 4.5, $1,074; 4. Jerek VanPettan, 4.9, $537. Second round: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.3 seconds, $2.149; 2. Trisyn Kalavaia, 4.7, $1,612; 3. Travis Munro, 5.0, $1,074; 4. Gus Franzen, 5.2, $537. Third round: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.1 seconds, $2,149; 2. Adam Musil, 4.2, $1,612; 3. Tanner Brunner, 4.3, $1,074; 4. (tie) Trisyn Kalawaia and Cody Devers, 4.7, $269 each. Average: 1. Travis Munro, 14.7 seconds on three runs, $3,223; 2. Tanner Brunner, 14.8, $2,417; 3. Gus Franzen, 15.4, $1,612; 4. Tyler Scheevel, 15.9, $806. Year-end champion: Trisyn Kalawaia. Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.7 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Chayenne McCartney and Ari-Anna Flynn, 2.9, $1,343; 4. Sierra Heinert, 3.0, $537. Second round: 1. Christi Braudrick, 2.4 seconds, $2,149; 2. Paige Wiseman, 2.7, $1,612; 3. Beau Peterson, 2.8, $1,074; 4. Ari-Anna Flynn, 3.0, $537. Third round: 1. Sierra Heinert, 2.8 seconds, $2,149; 2. Emma Charleston, 2.9, $1,612; 3. Cheyanne McCartney, 3.0, $1,074; 4. Christi Braudrick, 3.7, $537. Average: 1. Christi Braudrick, 9.3 seconds on three runs, $3,223; 2. Cheyanne McCartney, 9.6, $2,417; 3. Sierra Heinert, 5.8 seconds on two runs, $1,612; 4. (tie) Ari-Anna Flynn and Beau Peterson, 5.9, $403 each. Year-end champion: Christi Braudrick. Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Ean Price, 85 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Cheap Sunglasses, $2,149; 2. Weston Patterson, 81, $1,612; 3. Jacob Benham, 77.5, $1,074; 4. Caleb Newell, 72, $537. Second round: 1. Sam Martin, 83 points on Frontier Rodeos Big News, $2,149; 2. Tyrel Larsen, 82, $1,612; 3. Trent Burd, 81, $1,074; 4. Ean Price, 78.5, $537. Third round: 1. Weston Patterson, 80.5 points on Beutler &  Continue Reading »

DUNCAN, Okla. – Christi Braudrick knew she had a bit of an advantage when she got ready to compete Friday night. “That was the calf that Taylor (Munsell) won the round on last night,” said Braudrick, who posted a 2.3-second run to win the second go-round at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo; it was the fastest run of the 24 that have been made in two nights at the Stephens County Arena. “I knew that calf a little bit, and I really think that helped. “I was also going for it, because I have nothing to lose. I wanted to draw an exceptional calf, and I did. It’s not too often to draw the calf you need. When you do, you need to capitalize on it.” She knows a thing or two about competition. Not only is she a veteran cowgirl, she also is the rodeo coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. When she’s not coaching her team or recruiting, she’s working on her own game. If that didn’t keep her busy enough, she’s also one of two breakaway-roping directors in the WPRA. Because of that, she does a lot of practicing with a roping dummy. Why doesn’t she make regular runs? She has a lot of faith in her horse, Mighty Mouse, a 7-year-old black mare she’s had for three years. “I’ve done well since I’ve gotten her, so I give a lot of credit to this horse,” Braudrick said. “My husband named her because she’s little and deceiving. She’s very quick across the line and has a short neck, so I can see, and it makes my job easier.” Because of all the other things going on in her life, she doesn’t have the time to travel extensively. That’s why competing in the Prairie Circuit is important to her, since the region is made up of contestants and events primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. This is her major championship, and Braudrick wants to capitalize on it. She came into the finale in second place in the circuit standings, about $3,000 behind Munsell. They’ve each won a go-round, so it may come down to Saturday night to decide who will win the region. Though she didn’t place in the opening round, Braudrick made a clean run; meanwhile, Munsell settled for a no-time Friday night. That could make all the difference when the dust settles. “Trying to do the coaching and competing at the same time is very time-consuming,” she said. “In March, I became the roping director, so I juggle all that, and it is a lot to do. Honestly, this comes last on my list. I rope the dummy a lot, because I know my horse is going to work. I don’t have to worry. She’s going to give me the start. She’s honest, and if I have a no-time, it’s because of me and something I did.” When Braudrick and Mighty Mouse go to work, they tend to find success, especially in the Prairie Circuit. Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals RodeoOct. 12-14Duncan, Okla.Bareback riding: First round: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Family Traditions, $2,149; 2. Yance Day, 78, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 76, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 75.5, $537. Second round: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Prime News, $2,149; 2. Quintonn Lunsford, 79, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 78.5, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 77.5, $537. Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.2 seconds, $2,149; 2. Travis Munro, 4.4, $1,612; 3. Cody Devers, 4.5, $1,074; 4. Jerek VanPettan, 4.9, $537. Second round: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.3 seconds, $2.149; 2. Trisyn Kalavaia, 4.7, $1,612; 3. Travis Munro, 5.0, $1,074; 4. Gus Franzen, 5.2, $537. Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.7 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Chayenne McCartney and Ari-Anna Flynn, 2.9, $1,343; 4. Sierra Heinert, 3.0, $537. Second round: 1. Christi Braudrick, 2.4 seconds, $2,149; 2. Paige Wiseman, 2.7, $1,612; 3. Beau Peterson, 2.8, $1,074; 4. Ari-Anna Flynn, 3.0, $537. Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Ean Price, 85 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Cheap Sunglasses, $2,149; 2. Weston Patterson, 81, $1,612; 3. Jacob Benham, 77.5, $1,074; 4. Caleb Newell, 72, $537. Second round: 1. Sam Martin, 83 points on Frontier Rodeos Big News, $2,149; 2. Tyrel Larsen, 82, $1,612; 3. Trent Burd, 81, $1,074; 4. Ean Price, 78.5, $537.Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Riley O’Rourke, 8.6 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.9, $1,612; 3. Denton Oestmann, 9.0, $1,074; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 9.1, $537. Second round: 1. Riley O’Rourke, 8.4 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.8, $1,612; 3. Cash Fuesz, 8.9, $1,074; 4. Glenn Jackson, 9.1, $537. Team roping: First round: 1. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Gavin Foster and Brye Crites/Rance Doyal, 4.9 seconds, $1,880 each; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 5.7, $1,074; 4. Curry Kirchner/Billie Jack Saebens, 5.9, $537. Second round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.1 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tyler Hobert/Shannon Frascht, 5.1, $1,612; 3. Rowdy Jones/Gage Williams, 6.0, $1,074; 4. Cam Hoelting/Dawson McMaster, 10.5, $537. Barrel racing: First round: 1. Emily Beisel, 16.02 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Emma Charleston, 16.17, $1,43; 4. Ivy Hurst, 16.38, $537. Second round: 1. Suzanne Brooks, 16.04 seconds, $2,149; 2. Sadie Wolaver, 16.09, $1,612; 3. Ivy Hurst, 16.13, $1,074; 4. Tracy Nowlin, 16.15, $537. Steer roping: First round: 1. Cole Patterson, 9.6 seconds, $1,882; 2. Mike Chase, 10.9, $1,412; 3. Luke Blanton, 11.4, $941; 4. (tie) Roger Branch and Coleman Proctor, 11.7, $236 each. Second round: 1. Cole Patterson, 11.6, $1,882; 2. Rocky Patterson, 12.6, $1,412; 3. Luke Blanton, 12.9, $941; 4. Zac Parrington, 13.4, $471. Third round: 1. Rocky Patterson, 9.7 seconds, $1,882; 2. Brodie Poppino, 10.1, $1,412; 3. Mike Chase, 10.6, $941; 4. Cole Patterson, 12.0, $471. Average: 1. Cole Patterson, 33.2 seconds on three runs, $2,824; 2. Coleman Proctor, 38.9, $2,118; 3. Roger Branch, 39.1, $1,412; 4. Chet Herren, 39.6, $706. Bull riding: First round: 1. Cody Hazelton, 85 points on New Frontier Rodeo’s Fire Code, $2,955; 2. Fulton Rutland, 83.5, $2,417; no other qualified  Continue Reading »

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – From opening night until the final curtain closed on the 2023 Waller County Fair and Rodeo, there was a resounding feeling of euphoria. “We had some minor adjustments we made once we started, but the fair board has been extremely happy with what we’ve experienced at this year’s fair and rodeo,” said Clint Sciba, president of the Waller County Fair Board. “We had some amazing crowds, and they got to experience great events in the newly covered rodeo arena and some exciting concerts. “This will be one of the years to remember. We had a lot of people come into the fairgrounds this year, which is really saying something. We’ve had great crowds before, but this was special.” Fairgoers made the easy transition to the reworked parking and entry points, so that helped make for a better experience overall. Once inside the new entrance, the massive arena was open and on display immediately. It was for good reason. “We were really excited about the opening with the freestyle bullfights and everything we had going on,” said Paul Shollar, the fair board’s vice president. “By the time our PRCA rodeo came around, everybody was really excited about what was going on. To top it off, we closed out our fair and rodeo with Aaron Watson on the final Saturday night, so we were able to make some big things happen.” For years, the three days of ProRodeo action have been a highlight in Hempstead, and this year’s edition more than answered the bell. Several hundred cowboys and cowgirls made their way to southeast Texas to not only be part of the competition but to experience the electric atmosphere. It was one of the largest contingents of contestants to have ever made a run or ride in Waller County over the three-day period. “We were very pleased with our PRCA rodeo,” said Dustin Standley, a longtime fair board member and its former president. “Pete Carr Pro Rodeo has been a partner with us since we went from having an amateur rodeo to a ProRodeo, and we know that helps us draw many of the top-name contestants, but we also want to do the right things for them to keep them coming back. “I think with the covered arena, the new hospitality barn and the other changes we made starting this year, that will help be a tipping point for a lot of these cowboys. Barrel racers found out pretty quickly that the ground was going to be good, and we had some really fast runs. “It was a lot of fun for us and for the fans. We had a good crowd Thursday, and the stands were packed Friday and Saturday. It was everything you could ask for in a rodeo.” The purpose of the county fair, though, is always on the youth of Waller County. The exhibitors’ that put their work on display proved the importance of the fair to the communities inside the county’s borders. The junior livestock auction continues to be a major aspect of the exposition, and the event’s supporters made an impact on that. “The bottom line for us is always the youth of Waller County,” Sciba said. “We put on this fair for the community, and we’ve got excellent partners and sponsors that make it happen. Because of them, we are able to give back to the kids.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – The nice thing about rodeo is the many chances at redemption that cowboys can get. Take steer wrestler Tanner Brunner as an example. He battled all year, but he didn’t have the kind of success he’s used to. A year ago at this time, he was preparing to compete at the National Finals Rodeo for the fourth time. This year, he’s looking to make a hot streak at the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. During Thursday’s first go-round at the Stephens County Arena, he knocked his steer to the ground in 4.2 seconds to win the day and collect $2,149. “It’s a good way to end the year and start the new season at the same time,” said Brunner, 30, of Ramona, Kansas. “We’re competing in a good facility and are running good steers. It all came together.” He’s made it work before. He won the aggregate title in 2019 in the same arena, so he’s hoping that solid history will repeat itself. He will have two more nights to cash in. It’s all important. He doesn’t have a chance to win the year-end championship, but an average title is just as valuable. Both the year-end and average winners in each event will advance to the national circuit finals rodeo, now dubbed the NFR Open, which takes place next July in Colorado Springs. “Winning the average would be awesome,” he said. “That gives you a spot into Colorado Springs, and that would be really nice. It would be an honor to win it.” He’s also doing all this work by utilizing horses he owns. The two sorrel siblings with similar genetics came together, Brunner on one and his traveling partner, Tyler Ravenscroft, hazing on the other. “I have no complaints about that run,” Brunner said. “I may have let that steer clear a little bit more, but the horses were good, and Tyler has been doing well. It just came together the way it needs to.” The 2023 regular season came to a close Sept. 30, and the new campaign began the next day. That means money earned in Duncan will count toward the 2024 NFR. By kicking off the circuit finale with a win, he gives himself the needed money necessary to advance to ProRodeo’s grand championship. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event battle for rodeo’s gold each December. It’s always a tough spot to earn. Only that year’s elite make it to the NFR, and it’s even tougher when it comes to steer wrestling. Only $26,000 separates the 10th-place man in the world standings from the cowboy at No. 15. In the Prairie Circuit, it’s even tighter. “I firmly believe we have one of the toughest circuits as far as bulldogging goes,” said Brunner, who qualified for the NFR in 2018-20 and 2022. “There are a couple of guys that got hurt and weren’t able to be here. It’s still stiff competition even with those guys out.” Over the years, circuit titlists and average champions have advanced the NFR the next year. Brunner did it, and Jacob Edler parlayed his circuit-finals success into a world championship. Brunner is ready to do that, too.” Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals RodeoOct. 12-14Duncan, Okla.Bareback riding: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Family Traditions, $2,149; 2. Yance Day, 78, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 76, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 75.5, $537. Steer wrestling: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.2 seconds, $2,149; 2. Travis Munro, 4.4, $1,612; 3. Cody Devers, 4.5, $1,074; 4. Jerek VanPettan, 4.9, $537. Breakaway roping: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.7 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Chayenne McCartney and Ari-Anna Flynn, 2.9, $1,343; 4. Sierra Heinert, 3.0, $537. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ean Price, 85 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Cheap Sunglasses, $2,149; 2. Weston Patterson, 81, $1,612; 3. Jacob Benham, 77.5, $1,074; 4. Caleb Newell, 72, $537.Tie-down roping: 1. Riley O’Rourke, 8.6 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.9, $1,612; 3. Denton Oestmann, 9.0, $1,074; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 9.1, $537. Team roping: 1. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Gavin Foster and Brye Crites/Rance Doyal, 4.9 seconds, $1,880 each; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 5.7, $1,074; 4. Curry Kirchner/Billie Jack Saebens, 5.9, $537. Barrel racing: 1. Emily Beisel, 16.02 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Emma Charleston, 16.17, $1,43; 4. Ivy Hurst, 16.38, $537. Bull riding: 1. Cody Hazelton, 85 points on New Frontier Rodeo’s Fire Code, $2,955; 2. Fulton Rutland, 83.5, $2,417; no other qualified rides.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – When he broke his leg during a river outing in May, bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt had plans to return to action in just a few weeks. He had surgery and figured that would be enough time for him to rehabilitate and be ready to get back to his business of riding bucking. He was wrong. There were complications, and the healing process took longer. Fast forward to Saturday night, where he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Paint The Town for 85.5 points to win the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, his first event back after five months on injured reserve. “It felt good,” said Shadbolt, 27, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Merriman, Nebraska. “I’m always pretty nervous if I haven’t rode in a long time, and I’ve been on hundreds of bucking horses, but I’m still nervous. I had convinced myself that this horse was going to be a little bit of a hopper, but it wasn’t at all.” A “hopper” is considered a horse gets a lot of air but is still easier to ride. That wasn’t the case with Paint The Town. “I just threw on the other side of the fire and won the rodeo on the first one back, so I feel pretty confident for this year,” he said. It’s a big move for the new season. Hempstead’s rodeo serves as a qualifier into RodeoHouston. Shadbolt not only pocketed $1,906, the win also qualified him to compete at NRG Stadium next March. Every little bit helps, especially for a guy who was near the top of the world standings when he got hurt and watched his spot on the money list fall as the campaign progressed. When the regular season came to a close a week ago, he finished 38th. “I came to Hempstead because it’s the first one of 2024,” he said. “I’ve been healthy for a couple of weeks, so I entered so I could start the near year with trying to make some money and get myself in the standings, try to get my foot in the door before the big winter rodeos (which begin after Jan. 1) and get my qualifications up.” It was the idea of qualifying for Houston that brought steer wrestler Tyler Pearson to Waller County. The 2017 world champion from Atoka, Oklahoma, finished 35th this past campaign and still has a hunger to add to his gold-buckle collection. He knocked his steer to the ground in 3.6 seconds to finish second. “I needed to win first to get into Houston,” he said. “Second is alright, but the whole purpose was to come down here and win and try to get through.”   The $2,350 he collected for the runner-up finish will still be beneficial. Like Shadbolt, he should be near the top of the first 2024 world standings when they come out Monday. Now 38 years old and a five-time NFR qualifier, Pearson has big plans for the upcoming season. He has one of the best hazing horses in ProRodeo, and he has a rising star in his bulldogging mount. “This horse is new; he’s green,” Pearson said. “Last year was his first year, and he came into his own. He’s making a hell of a horse, so we’re going to go. I’d love to make the (National) Finals on him one time and ride him there.” Pearson has big plans and big dreams. That is a big part of what makes a cowboy. Pack that together with a boatload of talent, and the dreams quickly become a reality. Waller County Fair and RodeoOct. 5-7Hempstead, TexasAll-around champion: Chet Weitz, $2,947 in team roping and tie-down roping. Bareback riding: 1. Garrett Shadbolt, 85.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Paint the Town, $1,906; 2. (tie) Brayze Schill and Lane McGehee, 83.5, $1,271; 3. Payton Lackey, 80.5, $699; 4. Mark Kreder, 80, $445; 5. Bradlee Miller, 78, $318; 7. Winn Ratliff, 77.5, $254; 8. Will Lowe, 76.5, $191. Steer wrestling: 1. Cole Walker, 3.4 seconds, $2,703; 2. Tyler Pearson, 3.6, $2,350; 3. (tie) Talon Roseland, Boyd Sawyer and Kodie Jang, 3.8, $1,645 each; 6. (tie) Riley Duvall and Heath Thomas, 4.0, $764; 8. (tie) Logan Kenline and Jeremy Burkhalter, 4.1, $118 each. Team roping: 1. Kreece Thompson/Rance Doyal, 4.0 seconds, $4,215; 2. (tie) Cyle Denison/Dustin Davis, Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, Cody Snow/Rosh Ashford and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 4.1, $2,975 each; 6. Curry Kirchner/Tyler McKnight, 4.4, $1,983; 7. (tie) Cole Thomas/Lane Mitchell and Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 4.5, $1,612 each; 9. Chad Masters/Matt Schieck, 4.6, $1,240; 10. Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.7, $992; 11. Wade Smith/Zach Varian, 5.3, $744; 12. Jerod Andrews/Steve Ross, 5.7, $496. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cort Scheer, 82.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s No. 800x, $2,267; 2. Tegan Smith, 81.5, $1,738; 3. Roper Kiesner, 81, $1,285; 4. Brady Hill, 78, $831; 5. Brandon Lansford, 77.5, $529; 6. Weston Patterson, 76, $378; 7. Jake Clark, 75.5, $302; 8. Jake Finlay, 75, $227. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.0 seconds, $3,340; 2. Chet Weitz, 8.1, $2,947; 3. Dylan Hancock, 8.3, $2,554; 4. Paden Bray, 8.4, $2,161; 5. Colton Redmond, 8.8, $1,965; 6. Riley Jenkins, 8.9, $1,768; 7. (tie) J.B. Collins and Westyn Hughes, 9.0, $1,473 each; 9. (tie) Michael Otero, Charlie Gibson, HotRod Jackson and Riley Webb, 9.1, $491 each.   Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Tacy Webb and Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds, $3,384 each; 3. (tie) Whitney Thurmond and Britta Strain, 2.0, $2,162 each; 5. (tie) Beau Peterson and Martha Angelone, 2.1, $1,316 each; 7. (tie) Christ Braudrick and Cadee Williams, 2.2, $893 each; 9. Jordi Edens, 2.3, $752; 10. (tie) Shayla Smith and McKenna Hickson, 2.4, $611 each; 12. (tie) Montana Brown, Timber Allenbrand, Angie Green and Sawyer Gilbert, 2.6, $329 each. Barrel racing: 1. Grace Gardiner, 15.28 seconds, $3,207; 2. Shelley Morgan, 15.31, $2,566; 3. Lindsay Sears, 15.44, $2,085; 4. Tiany Schuster, 15.46, $1,603; 5. Rainey Skelton, 15.49, $1,283; 6. Kasidi Smart, 15.55, $802; 7. Katie Jo Halbert, 15.52, $962; 8. Ericka Nelson,  Continue Reading »

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – There weren’t many cowboys in ProRodeo happier to see the 2023 regular season come to an end than Tegan Smith. “That was a very rough year, one I want to forget,” said Smith, 25, a saddle bronc rider from Winterset, Iowa, now living in the southern Oklahoma community of Coleman. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so we’ll just keep pushing forward.” He put the past behind him and kicked off the 2024 season Friday night with an 81.5-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Knights Showdown to take the bronc riding lead at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo with one performance remaining. “I guess that horse was over at Clarendon (Texas) College during my cousin Riggin’s third year, and that was his favorite practice horse to get on over there,” Smith said of the powerful bay. “We were just talking, and I asked, ‘Hey, do you know this -48?’ He goes, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s my old practice horse; you’ll love it.’ ” Riggin Smith, the 2019 saddle bronc riding intercollegiate champion, said later that he’d been on Knights Showdown at least nine times while the horse was being bucked at Clarendon practices. Even as a colt, he knew there was something special and explained that to Tegan Smith. “I was excited,” Tegan Smith said. “That was a great horse. He was jumping and kicking and helped me out. He stayed close (to the bucking chutes), and I felt like I did my part.” It takes all of that to jump into the lead in the roughstock events: bronc riding, bareback riding and bull riding. Half the score is based on how well the animals buck; the other half is judged on how well the cowboy rides the animal. Knights Showdown was the perfect remedy for what has been ailing the Iowa-born cowboy. “With all the highs and lows of the year, you just have to go through it,” he said. “The good thing for me was I got to go back to some rodeos in the Great Lakes (Circuit), so I got to be around Mom and Dad more this summer. That actually helped out, and I made the Great Lakes Circuit Finals. “It’s eight and a half hours from where I live to home, so when you get a chance to see them, you try to enjoy the most of it.”   He won’t deny the frustrations of the 2023 campaign. Battling and not finding success is difficult on a competitor, especially one that makes a living riding bucking horses. Two years ago, he was living high on the hog, qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo at the end of the 2021 campaign. He won a go-round in Las Vegas that December and left the Nevada desert with $54,000 in earnings over 10 nights. He finished the year 10th in the world standings. “After this past year, you realize when it’s your time and when it’s not,” Smith said. “You’ve got to take it and leave and not get too upset and not get too excited at the same time.” Still, finding his rhythm in Hempstead gives him some confidence to kick off the 2024 regular season. He will ride in Rosenberg, Texas, later this weekend, then will prepare for the circuit finale next month in Louisville, Kentucky. “I’ll just get on some more horses between now and then and try to stay on this little roll,” he said. “Sometimes when you get in your head, you try to do too much, and that doesn’t help. You just have to let it happen. I heard Rusty Wright say that you have to trust yourself. That’s what I need to do; trust myself.” Waller County Fair and RodeoOct. 5-7Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. (tie) Brayze Schill, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s E10, and Lane McGehee, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Betty Boop, 83.5; 3. Payton Wade, 80.5; 4. Mark Kreder, 80; 5. Bradlee Miller, 78; 6. Will Lowe, 76.5; 7. Weston Timberman, 74.5; 8 Tim Murphy, 74. Steer wrestling: 1. Cole Walker, 3.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Talon Roseland, Boyd Sawyer and Kodie Jang, 3.8; 5. Heath Thomas, 4.0; 6. Jeremy Burkhalter, 4.1; 7. (tie) Marc Joiner and Justin Shaffer, 4.2. Team roping: 1. Kreece Thompson/Rance Doyal, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Cyle Denison/Dustin Davis, Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, Cody Snow/Rosh Ashford and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 4.1; 6. Curry Kirchner/Tyler McKnight, 4.4; 7. (tie) Cole Thomas/Lane Mitchell and Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 4.5; 9. Chad Masters/Matt Schieck, 4.6; 10. Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.7; 11. Wade Smith/Zach Varian, 5.3; 12. Jerod Andrews/Steve Ross, 5.7. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Tegan Smith, 81.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Knights Showoff; 2. Brandon Lansford, 77.5; 3. Weston Patterson, 76; 4. Jake Clark, 75.5; 5. Jake Finlay, 75; 6. Zac Dallas, 74.5; 7. Will Reynolds, 68; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.0 seconds; 2. Chad Weitz, 8.1; 3. Dylan Hancock, 8.3; 4. Paden Bray, 8.4; 5. Colton Redmond, 8.8; 6. Westyn Hughes, 9.0; 7. (tie) Michael Otero, Charlie Gibson, HotRod Jackson and Riley Webb, 9.1.   Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Tacy Webb and Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds; 3. (tie) Whitney Thurmond and Britta Strain, 2.0; 5. (tie) Beau Peterson and Martha Angelone, 2.1; 7. Christ Braudrick and Cadee Williams, 2.2; 9. Jordi Edens, 2.3; 10. (tie) Shayla Smith and McKenna Hickson, 2.4; 12. (tie) Montana Brown, Timber Allenbrand, Angie Green and Sawyer Gilbert, 2.6. Barrel racing: 1. Grace Gardiner, 15.28 seconds; 2. Shelley Morgan, 15.31; 3. Lindsay Sears, 15.44; 4. Rainey Skelton, 15.49; 5. Kasidi Smart, 15.55; 6. Ericka Nelson, 15.56; 7. Ivy Hurst, 15.62; 8. Liz Pinkston, 15.66; 9. Carlee Otero, 15.68; 10. Millie Marquart, 15.73; 11. (tie) Jamie Olsen and Oceane Veilleaux, 15.75; 13. Abby Phillips, 15.76; 14. (tie) Jackie Jatzlau, Ashley Castleberry and Alyssa Urbanek, 15.78. Bull riding: 1. Clayton Sellars, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty; 2. Shawn Bennett, 85; 3. Colton Kelly, 82.5; 4. Billy John Stephenson, 76; no other  Continue Reading »

DUNCAN, Okla. – While he was born and raised in South Dakota, Paul David Tierney has made a fortune and a home in Oklahoma, now living in the state’s capital city. The second of four children born to ProRodeo Hall of fame cowboy Paul Tierney, rodeo was in his blood from the beginning. His father won at all levels, claiming the PRCA all-around championship in 1980. Paul Tierney’s two sons followed in the fancy roping footsteps of their father. In fact, Paul David Tierney has already secured another championship; he leads the Prairie Circuit’s all-around standings with nearly $38,000 in earnings, and the men behind him don’t stand a chance of catching that. But Tierney is in line to add two more titles to his name this year. He has qualified in two events for the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12-Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. He is third in the heading standings with $17,474, less than $3,000 behind leader Andrew Ward of Edmond, Oklahoma. Where he’s got the best shot to add to his total regional titles is in tie-down roping, where he leads the money list with $20,216. He has a $5,500 advantage over the No. 2 cowboy, Ryan Jarrett of Cherokee, Oklahoma, who has Prairie Circuit and world titles to his resume. Paul David Tierney initially moved to the Sooner State to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University, following in the footsteps of his older brother. Jess Tierney now lives in Altus, Oklahoma, where he is the rodeo coach at Western Oklahoma State College; this year, he also qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping for the 11th time in his career. While Jess Tierney has maintained a strong focus on steer roping, he has an all-around talent, too. In fact, both sons have added their names to one of the most prestigious Western sports programs, the Oklahoma-based Timed Event Championship that takes place at the Lazy E Arena every March – Paul Tierney has won the coveted title four times, while Paul David earned championships in 2014 and 2016; Jess sketched his name in the record books by winning it in 2017. When it comes to the Prairie Circuit, Paul David Tierney stands supreme. He has earned the all-around title in the region before this year, and he has been strong across the Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska region for years. He proved it again this year with big earnings across the circuit. His biggest run came the opening week of August, when he shared the team roping victory while claiming the all-around title at the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo in Abilene, Kansas, while also winning the tie-down roping and all-around championships at the Dodge City (Kansas) Roundup Rodeo. That week alone was worth nearly $16,000 for the Oklahoma City cowboy, the bulk of which came at the Sunflower State’s biggest rodeo in Dodge City. By qualifying for the Duncan championship in two events, Paul David Tierney is proving his talent as a multi-event cowboy, so it’s befitting that he is the Prairie Circuit’s all-around champion.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – In less than three months of competing in ProRodeo during the 2023, Clayton Sellars excelled at a high rate. Even though he didn’t return to action until July, he put on a whirlwind of a performance and earned $77,000 riding bucking bulls. He finished 25th in the world standings, a bit shy of his goal of returning to the National Finals Rodeo for the fourth time in his career. “I came back late in the summer, and it was like trying to make my first NFR all over again,” said Sellars, 25, of Wildwood, Florida. “I ended up not making it, so that was just kind of a slap in the face, like, ‘Hey, man, you’re not as good as you think you are; you need to go to work.’ “That’s what my plan is right now to get out there and just work, get on bulls and win and see what I can do with a full season.” The 2023 regular season came to a close last Saturday night, so he’s put that in his rear-view mirror and is focused on what’s ahead. The initial stop came Thursday night with the first PRCA rodeo of the 2024 season. He rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty for 87.5 points to take the lead at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo in Hempstead. “I didn’t really know that bull at all, but I texted my friend, Laramie Mosley, who got on him in Stephenville (Texas) last week,” Sellars said. “He said the bull was really, really good, but I came here not really expecting anything but just trying hard. The bull definitely did his part.” Scores are based on a 100-point scale, with half coming from the bull and half coming from the cowboy. Bulls are marked on their ability to buck and the difficulty they are to ride, and the men are scored on their ability to stay in control of the animal during an eight-second qualifying ride. Sellars qualified for ProRodeo’s grand championship from 2019-2021. His last year there was his best, when he finished sixth in the final world standings. He spent 2022 in the PBR’s premier tour, which features lucrative payouts 24 bull ridings a year. Those events take place in big coliseums at major cities across the country, like the Toyota Center in Houston and Madison Square Garden in New York City. After an injury sidelined him early in the 2023 campaign, he found his way back to his roots. There’s something about the feel of a rodeo. Whereas the PBR is strictly bull riding, Sellars was close to the action for bareback riding, team roping, barrel racing and all the other rodeo events in Hempstead. “My priorities are in ProRodeo at least for 2024 and most likely 2025,” he said. “We’ll make a decision after the 2024 NFR and see where we are then. I just feel so connected to ProRodeo. I show up and feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be, no matter where I am. I could be in Canby, Oregon, or Hempstead, Texas, and I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. “I’m very happy to be back in ProRodeo.” Waller County Fair and RodeoOct. 5-7Hempstead, TexasBareback riding: 1. Weston Timberman, 74.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Paint the Town; 2. Kash Martin, 73.5; 3. Mason Stuller, 73; Mason Yancy, 71.5; 5. Hayden James, 65; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Marc Joiner and Justin Shaffer, 4.2 seconds; 3. Darcy Kersch, 4.3; 4. Jay Williamson, 4.4; 5. Dakota Champion, 6.7; 6. Matt Uttermark, 23.0; no other qualified runs. Team roping: 1. Todd Arthur/Boudreaux Campbell, 11.8 seconds; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Weston Patterson, 76 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Redzilla; 2. Jake Clark, 75.5; 3. Jake Finlay, 75; 4. Zac Dallas, 74.5; no other qualified rides. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.0 seconds; 2. Nick Achille, 11.3; 3. Spencer King, 14.7; no other qualified runs. Breakaway roping: 1. Montana Brown, 2.6 seconds; 2. Brooke Hester, 3.3; 3. Cassidy Boggs, 5.6; no other qualified runs. Barrel racing: 1. Kasidi Smart, 15.55 seconds; Ericka Nelson, 15.56; 3. (tie) Kaycee Killingsworth and Kalli McCall, 15.90; 5. Lisa Zachoda, 15.97; 6. Victoria Procter, 16.00; 7. Mackenzie King, 16.11; 8. Jennifer Sharp, 20.38; 9. BryAnna Haluptzok, 20.66; no other qualified runs. Bull riding: 1. Clayton Sellars, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty; 2. Shawn Bennett, 85; 3. Colton Kelly, 82.5; 4. Billy John Stephenson, 76; no other qualified rides.

ALVA, Okla. – When Lauren Hopkins transferred to Northwestern Oklahoma State University a little more than a year ago, she was looking for the right opportunity. She found it with the Alva school, and she’s been proving that value early this Central Plains Region season. After finishing third two weeks ago in Colby, Kansas, she stepped it up this past weekend by winning the breakaway roping championship at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Durant. “I just hit a lick toward the end of the summer rodeos and rolled it into this fall season,” said Hopkins, originally from Lincoln, California, now living in Lipan, Texas. “I didn’t have that great of a season last year, so I wanted to step it up. I’m more in tune with my horse, and things have been pretty good.” Hopkins stopped the clock in 2.7 seconds to place in the first round, then followed that with a 3.2-second run to share the championship-round victory. Her two-run cumulative time of 5.9 seconds helped her rope the title at the second rodeo of the 2023-24 Central Plains season. “I drew well, but the biggest thing is my horse,” she said of Patròn, a 5-year-old sorrel gelding she’s had for a couple of years. “He’s absolutely changed my game and has been one of my biggest blessings. “He was broke when I got him, but I trained him in the breakaway. We know each other really well. He reads the calf really well, and he’s solid in the box and gives me a good start every time. He makes my job really easy.” With the win, Hopkins moved into the regional lead. That’s nice, but with eight events remaining on the schedule, the goal is to be in that same spot come the end of next April. That’s when winners will be crowned and earn their spots at the College National Finals Rodeo, which features only the top three individuals and top two teams in the standings. “Obviously everybody wants to win, and for me, the goal is to win the Central Plains in breakaway and get to the college finals,” Hopkins said. “I also compete in ProRodeo, so I hope to continue to do that and have success. I have a full-time horse-training business as well, so I want to keep making that work as long as I can.” She was among about a dozen Rangers who competed in Durant’s short round and was joined in the final performance by fellow breakaway ropers Aluxyn Hollenbeck of Valentine, Nebraska, and Jayden Jensen of Valentine, Nebraska, the latter of whom was 2.6 to finish in a tie for third place in the opening round. Goat-tier Dale Lee Foreman of Ree Heights, South Dakota, also earned a spot in the championship round. Jacob Haren of Callaway, Nebraska, paced the men’s team, winning the all-around title for the second straight rodeo. Haren earned points in tie-down roping, steer wrestling and team roping; he and teammate Kade Chace of Cherokee, Oklahoma, finished third in the first go-round. Another all-around cowboy, Tanner Meier of Garden City, Kansas, placed in both rounds and the aggregate in tie-down roping. Kyler Altmiller, a header from Canadian, Texas, finished fifth in both rounds and the average while team roping with Cody Newell of Dodge City (Kansas) Community College. In steer wrestling, Cam Fox of Tulsa placed in both rounds and finished second overall, while Logan Mullin of Clay Center, Kansas, collected points in both rounds and placed fourth. Sterling Lee of Goetebo, Oklahoma, was sixth overall, while Trisyn Kalawaia of Waiakea, Hawaii won the first round. Grandy Aasby of Highmore, South Dakota, joined his teammates in the short round. “We had a lot of those (Northwestern) black vests in the short round,” Hopkins said. “I would like to think we have a good team and will continue to be represented well at the short rounds all year.” Hopkins began her college career at Eastern New Mexico University. She spent three years in the Southwest Region before moving over to the Central Plains. She likes Alva’s proximity to her home in Lipan, where she continues to work at her craft. “Winning this past weekend was definitely awesome, and I feel super blessed,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for five years, and this was my first college win. I’m pretty lucky to have good horses and good friends behind me to support me. “When I made my short-round run, I just wanted to be smart and place again. I wanted to be behind the barrier and catch my calf, and fortunately that worked out well enough to get the win.” When it comes to success, being consistent is the biggest weapon a competitor can have. It just happens that Hopkins has that in herself and her horse.

Coaches bring expertise while mentoring Cody Nite Rodeo contestants CODY, Wyo. – The foundation of any building is the first layer of the process that leads to the sturdiness and ability to withstand all sorts of pressure. The same can be said in sports, where fundamentals serve as the right footing. The greatest athletes focus on the little things first, then build on them. There is no Michael Jordan without Dean Smith coaching him; there is no Roger Staubach without Tom Landry. For rising rodeo stars, the best training ground can be found every summer at the Cody Nite Rodeo. It’s not only a chance to hone their skills, but it’s a place where they can receive expert coaching from some of the biggest stars to have ever competed in the game. “I’ve got a whole career’s worth of experience and things I’ve figured out along the way,” said Kody Lostroh, the 2009 PBR world champion who was inducted into the PBR’s Ring of Honor this year. “I want to help shorten the learning curve for some of these kids so they should be successful faster. It’s my way of giving back to the sport, making a positive difference in the world.” Lostroh is one of dozens of instructors who every summer make their way to Cody, where they share their expertise and passion for rodeo. How many young bull riders can say they received hands-on training from a champion? How many dreaming bronc riders have been guided by Dan Mortensen or Rod Hay? Under the direction of producer Maury Tate with Mo Betta Rodeo, the Cody Nite Rodeo has provided the perfect avenue for success for contestants hoping to be the next superstars. Working with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the students receive instruction while experiencing actual competition through the summer months. “The biggest benefit of the Cody Nite Rodeo is two-fold,” said Heath Ford, a three-time National Finals Rodeo bareback riding qualifier. “The biggest thing a young person has to do is get on good stock consistently, and they can do that in Cody. Through every night throughout the summer, you’ll get on more livestock than most kids get by the time they’re 18. “The key is not just getting on but having NFR-caliber coaches every day to help you fine-tune it and help you see the little things most people can’t see.” Ford grew up in a rodeo family. His father, Glen, qualified for the NFR in bareback riding, and his uncle, Bruce, is a five-time world champion in that event. Heath Ford’s brother, Jarrod, qualified for the NFR twice in bull riding. “I got to grow up with good people giving me good coaching, so I took that for granted,” Heath Ford said. “Learning how to ride and learning how to be a winner are two different things, and you can get both. “The thing about Cody is it’s not just for cowboys; there have been some great bullfighters, barrelmen, announcers and soundmen that have come through there. To me, it’s the ultimate training facility for rodeo.” There’s also something about getting on the right kinds of animals. Oftentimes, younger cowboys in bronc riding and bareback riding get on colts at youth, amateur, high school and intercollegiate levels. The better quality of animals, the better the chances are to learn something about each ride. “We need to train the kids on level-appropriate animals and not be afraid to challenge them as they grow,” Ford said. “If you leave them at the beginner-level animals, they never go beyond it. If we put them on the rank horses, they don’t stay on. “When you can get on the right animals in the roughstock end, then you start seeing the mentality of the guys that have been there and done that, the cowboy attitude and the mentality of a winner. That’s what it takes, that fire and that grit, and sometimes it comes with the people you hang out with and the animals you get on.” Mark Gomes won the 1998 bareback riding world championship and qualified for Las Vegas eight times in his career. There is a business to the game, from knowing how to enter to traveling North America to controlling one’s finances. In rodeo, money not only covers the business expenses, but dollars equal championship points. There’s a lot that goes into riding broncs or roping steers or maneuvering fast horses around the cloverleaf barrel pattern. “You’ve got to be tough to be in rodeo,” Gomes said. “Even in the timed events, the mental aspect, the wear and tear on the body, the travel, the being away from home … there’s a lot to it. It’s not for everybody. It’s a special group of men and women that can do that and excel at that.” It’s that type of training that Gomes provides to students when he arrives in Cody. Another is something that is already happening at the Nite Rodeo. “The one thing any roughstock cowboy can do for yourself is get on multiple animals, and it’s the greatest benefit to your career,” he said. “With the Cody Nite Rodeo, you can potentially get on 90 head in the summer. When I was a kid, it would take five or six years to get on that many animals. I tell the kids all the time to just keep getting on. “In the roughstock more than the timed events, it seems like there’s a wall you have to go through. I’m sure part of it is the fear element. When you first start, it’s a nod and a big blur of everything. By the time you’re able to actually compete, it slows down for you; I think that’s because of the number of animals you get on.” It helps, too, that the bucking horses in Cody allow for the right kind of education to continue. “Mo Betta has some great stock up there, and it’s perfect for those kids that are getting on every day,”  Continue Reading »

CODY, Wyo. – For the hundreds of thousands of visitors who enjoy this picturesque and vibrant community each summer, the Cody Nite Rodeo is a spectacle and a family-friendly piece of their time in Wyoming. For rodeo’s rising stars, it is the standard-bearer as a proving ground. It features 90 nights to hone one’s craft in a competitive atmosphere. It provides valuable lessons that can be carried throughout the year and over a career. Some of the biggest stars in the sport today took advantage of their time at the Cody Nite Rodeo, men like Kaycee Feild, the winningest bareback rider in ProRodeo history with six world championships and 13 qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo. They are athletes like Dusty Tuckness, recognized 10 times as the PRCA’s Bullfighter of the Year. “Cody is a great place to learn your craft, grow and experience it every night,” said Tuckness, a 14-time National Finals Rodeo bullfighter from Meeteetse, Wyoming. “For some, you can enter every night. I got to work the entire summer of 2005. You get a lot of experience, and you see a little bit of everything. “There’s so much opportunity there to chase your dreams. Some world champions in all events have come through the Nite Rodeo over the years. Over the 18 years since I first started, there are ore opportunities, more places for people to stay while they’re there for the summer. It’s really blossomed.” To understand just how important the Cody Nite Rodeo is to the development of the sport’s stars, it takes just a peak under the hood to see what has developed the last few years. While it’s been a couple decades since Feild and Tuckness got their starts inside Stampede Park, there are a handful of others who just came through the system and took full advantage of the experience and the chance to get on some of the animals provided by Maury Tate, owner of Mo Betta Rodeo and the Nite Rodeo’s producer: “I went up there the first time in 2019 and spent two weeks,” said Franks, the 2021 Bareback Riding Resistol Rookie of the Year and a two-time NFR qualifier. “It’s the only place you can get on horses every single day. I think that’s a big deal, because you’re getting on continuously and learning what it takes. When you’re young, the more horses you can get on the better.” Each step taken in that regard is a valuable one. When Isaac Diaz was a rookie in 2005, he took advantage of the opportunity before him while also trying to figure out what it takes to make a living in ProRodeo. Since then, he’s been recognized as one of the greatest saddle bronc riders in the game. “Me and my best friend, Tyler Moody, rented an apartment on the east end of town,” said Diaz, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Desdemona, Texas. “We were rodeoing hard that year. I would go to rodeos, and it was just a good, central location to come back to. Whenever I didn’t have a PRCA rodeo to go to, I’d go to the Nite Rodeo every night. It was hard enough to win enough money to keep going down the road. “Riding at the Nite Rodeo would supplement my rodeoing and pay for our apartment, and I always got on good horses.” For competitors that have gold-buckle dreams, they know the work it takes to get to an elite level. World champions are likely blessed with talent, but the ability to harness that and put it together on a consistent basis comes through the layers of hard work and development. “The more horses you get on at that age is only going to help,” Diaz said. “That place is good for every level of up-and-comer. The guys that ride pretty good can do the things to stay sharp, and the ones that haven’t gotten over the hump yet can get on every night for a small fee and not spend the money to travel anywhere. They also get to get on good horses. “A lot of guys have gone through there, and it’s definitely benefited them.” While cowboys and cowgirls learn through rides and runs, the folks involved in other facets of rodeo also earn perks through the nightly opportunities. Rodeo clowns and entertainers can perfect their jokes and acts; announcers will gain texture in their voices and a continuity to their deliveries; bullfighters will see a variety of moves from their bovine counterparts; and judges will have a chance to perfect their understanding of the rules and scoring criteria. “There are so many ways you can learn and grow and do it the right way,” Tuckness said. “Cody is a great foundation for anybody. I know some of the people at the professional ranks that still stop by there. “You can enter every day or, like me, you can work the rodeo every day. You can work a job during the day and ride every night. It’s also a chance for some guys who may be struggling just a little bit; they can come back to the Nite Rodeo and tune themselves up or try out a new saddle or a new rigging. They can spend a few nights there and really give themselves a boost confidence-wise.” On top of all that, Tate, the producer, makes sure there are other avenues that can help out the youngsters trying to gain a little footing in a sport they love. “Maury does free schools over the summer, and he has some world champions and other great guys that come in and help out,” Tuckness said, noting that bronc rider Dan Mortensen, bull riders Justin McBride and Cody Custer and bareback riders Mark Gomes and Jeffrey Collins are a few of the world titlists that have helped youngsters in Cody. “It’s a great chance to get some important lessons from people that really know what it takes to win at a high level.” Franks  Continue Reading »