Monthly Archives: July 2025

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Of the 4 million visitors who arrive in this resort town from Memorial Day to Labor Day, this is an opportunity to take in the scenery and enjoy some recuperation. There was no relaxing for John Douch. He was on a business trip and at work for another day in consecutive days. While America celebrated the Fourth of July over the weekend, he was north of the border celebrating his own holiday: The Calgary Stampede. It was a valuable business trip. He roped $17,500 in Alberta cash, winning one round and placing in two others to win his set. Oh, but he wasn’t done. He went back to work right away, embarking on a 16-hour venture to Estes Park for Rooftop Rodeo. He made it pay off during Monday’s third performance, roping and tying his calf in 8.6 seconds to take the tie-down roping lead with three days remaining in this year’s festivities. “It was a good run,” said Douch, 28, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Huntsville, Texas. “I’ve been traveling all day and night to be here, and now I’m winning it before slack; hopefully it lasts.” The bulk of the contestants have yet to run, so there are a lot of opportunities to unseat the Texan. Still, it’s a good chance for Douch to add to his season salary. Twenty-five cowboys have roped so far, but 62 are scheduled. Most of those will compete Wednesday morning in an overflow session called “slack.” Still, his time stand a great chance to catch some big money at Rooftop Rodeo, which has increased its purse this year. Douch is third in the world standings with more than $100,000 in earnings. “Down in my part of the country, we rope a lot of calves,” he said. “We have a lot of fast setups like this one and a lot of good calves, so when you get a good calf, you should know what to do. “It’s kind of mind over matter. We’re roping a good set of calves here. I just want to go out there and do my job.” He does his job well, but there’s no down time. That’s OK. He understands that’s what it means to be a rodeo cowboy. “There ain’t necessarily cooling off,” Douch said. “(Tuesday) I’m up in Colorado Springs, then again the next day. The day after that I’m up to Sheridan (Wyoming) and back to the Springs for the short round, then back to Calgary. “There’s no cooling off; it’s time to go.” Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Andy Gingerich, 80.5 points on Cervi Brothers’ Monkey Mistress; 2. Colt Eck, 80; 3. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 4. Jade Taton, 71; 5. Colton Farrow, 67; 6. Drake Amundson, 58; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Hadley Jackson, 4.9 seconds; 2. Logan Kenline, 5.2; 3. Nick Guy, 6.0; 4. Marc Joiner, 7.1; 5. Seth Peterson, 7.2; 6. Jacob Sterkel, 7.8; 7. Emmett Edler, 8.4; 8. Mark McGill, 9.5. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 3. Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, 4.9; 4. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.1; 5. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 5.7; 6. Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 3. Clint Reed, 80; 4. (tie) Leon Fountain, Stetson Wright and Tanner Hayes, 78; 6. Tate Kelly, 76; 7. Reed Neely, 76; 8. Sawyer Eirikson, 75.5. Breakaway roping: 1. Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Sutton Mang and Suzanne Williams, 2.9; 4. Kaydin Finan, 3.3; 5. (tie) Abby Farris and Rickie Fanning, 3.7; 7. (tie) Haleigh Grant and Timber Allenbrand, 3.8; 9. (tie) Ari Norcutt, 3.9; 10. Kassidy Dennison, 12.1. Tie-down roping: 1. John Douch, 8.6 seconds; 2. Carter Andreson, 8.7; 3. Roan Hudson, 9.1; 4. Cole Teirney, 9.3; 5. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4; 6. (tie) Bernard Girard, Austin Lawrence and Cash Fuesz, 9.5. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 3. Dina Allred, 16.63; 4. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 5. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 6. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 7. Christy Hefley, 16.75; 8. Blake Molle, 16.82; 9. Morgan Addison, 16.85; 10. Chloe Gray, 16.91. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Sage Vance, 82; no other qualified rides.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Stetson Wright continues to set a standard for rodeo excellence. He’s an eight-time world champion, five of which came in the all-around race. He’s also a two-time bull riding titlist and earned the saddle bronc riding gold four seasons ago. Oh, and he’s just 25 years old, and he’s been on a tear in recent weeks. He’s the No. 1 man in both bull riding and the all-around, and Wright just keeps adding to it. During Sunday’s second performance of Rooftop Rodeo, he posted a 91-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In to take a dominating lead in bull riding. It’s his ninth 90-plus-point bull ride in the last few weeks. After suffering an injury that sidelined him for the 2024 season, he has returned to the game with a vengeance. He has earned $289,386 so far, and there are still nearly three months remaining in the regular season. He’s just going to add to it. In addition to taking the bull riding lead in Estes Park, Wright is also tied for fourth place in saddle bronc riding after a 78-point ride on Cervi’s Wifey’s Money. His big brother, Ryder, is the rodeo leader, though. The 27-year-old three-time and reigning world champion spurred Cervi’s Promiscuous Girl for 87 points. Ryder Wright, who also won rodeo’s gold in 2017 and 2020, leads the world standings race with $193,222. The brothers will have to wait out the final four performances to figure out how much of the increased Rooftop Rodeo purse they will receive. Rodeo is unique in that it features a national race but also has opportunities for regional contestants to battle with the sport’s biggest stars. On the Plains of eastern Colorado, Hadley Jackson is the kind of guy that just loves to compete. He focuses on competing close to his La Junta home, so his 240-mile venture to this community at the base of Rocky Mountain National Park is just part of his routine. He’s been doing it for much of the past two decades, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. He stopped the clock in 4.9 seconds to take the steer wrestling lead “I’m still trying to make it work,” said Jackson, 36. “I’d like to make the (Mountain States) Circuit Finals and maybe go in pretty high (in the standings) if I can.” That takes money. In rodeo, cash not only helps cover expenses, but it’s also how championship points are tabulated. The top 12 on the money list in each event will compete at the regional championship. The higher in the standings, the better the opportunity to claim the year-end championship. He’s done that but in the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association, a smaller organization. He’s been the CPRA’s titlist three times in his career, but he still loves the opportunity to play the game. “I haven’t done as good in the ProRodeos as I’d like, but I’ll just keep rolling along,” he said. “There are a lot of guys that are in the circuit, so we’ll just see what happens.”  Rooftop RodeoJuly 5-10Bareback riding: 1. Colt Eck, 80 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Chocolate Thunder; 2. Colton Farrow, 67; 3. Drake Amundson, 58; no other qualified rides. Steer wrestling: 1. Hadley Jackson, 4.9 seconds; 2. Logan Kenline, 5.2; 3. Nick Guy, 6.0; 4. Marc Joiner, 7.1; 5. Seth Peterson, 7.2; 6. Jacob Sterkel, 7.8; 7. Emmett Edler, 8.4; 8. Mark McGill, 9.5. Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4 seconds; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 3. Slade Wood/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.1; 4. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 5.7; 5. Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 14.2; no other qualified runs. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 3. Clint Reed, 80; 4. (tie) Leon Fountain, Stetson Wright and Tanner Hayes, 78; 6. Tate Kelly, 76; 7. (tie) Clint Franks and Jase Stout, 73. Breakaway roping: 1. Kassandra Shoemaker, 2.7 seconds; 2. Kaydin Finan, 3.3; 3. Abby Farris, 3.7; 4. Kassidy Dennison, 12.1; 5. Tatum Runner, 12.4; 6. Jordyn McNamee, 12.5; 7. Libby Winchell, 12.8; 8. Samantha Haardt, 13.0; 9. Tanna Hansen, 13.2; no other qualified runs. Tie-down roping: 1. Cole Teirney, 9.3 seconds; 2. Cory Bomhoff, 9.4; 3. Bernard Girard, 9.5; 4. Kip Jesser, 15.7; 5. Mason Stueve, 19.8; 6. Kyle Belew, 20.1; 7. Chance Wall, 22.1; 8. Keyton Hayden, 23.5. Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 3. Blake Molle, 16.82; 4. Chloe Eichinger, 17.00; 5. Wendy Hoefer, 17.05; 6. Sami Jo Buum, 17.06; 7. Kari Boxleitner, 17.08; 8. Taleen Vick, 17.16; 9. Alyssa Loflin, 17.21; 10. Kelby Eastman, 17.25. Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Sage Vance, 82; no other qualified rides.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – When “Smokey and the Bandit” came out 48 years ago, the lyrics to the title track were, “We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.” The plot centered around a couple of truckers who were bootlegging Coors beer on a quick deadline, but the same lyrics can easily be applied to Oklahoma team ropers Jake Clay of Sapulpa and Tanner Braden of Dewey. Both have played on ProRodeo’s biggest stage, the National Finals Rodeo, though they did it with different partners. A header, Clay made it to Las Vegas in 2023 and roped with Tyler Worley; Braden made it last year and heeled for Cyle Dennison. They’re a long way from making the NFR together this year, and with less than three months remaining, they need all the help they can get. They put the hammer down during Saturday’s opening performance of the Rooftop Rodeo before a sold-out crowd at Granny May Arena. They stopped the clock in 4.4 seconds to take the lead with five nights of competition remaining in Estes Park. “We’ve had a little heck, but we’ve caught a few hear lately,” said Clay, 26. “It feels a lot better than it did a couple months ago.” Their time was faster than any run made a year ago, so they stand a good chance to catch some big cash at the base of the Rocky Mountain National Park.  “The last week or so, we’ve got our run back, and that one right there felt pretty danged good,” said Braden, 36. “(Jake) ropes so sharp, and he’s good at the barrier (the start). He sets (the steer) up for me to ride around him and give me the same look every time.” As the only true team event in rodeo, there are many factors that come into play to make a solid run. There are five brains at work during a single run: two men, two horses and one steer. It doesn’t take much to throw a wrench into things. “I actually missed a lot to start with, but it’s starting to feel pretty good right now,” Clay said. Part of that has to do with the horsepower both men use. “He’s got a couple (good horses,” he said of Clay. “I’ve got a sorrel that I used last year, then I just got this (palomino) right before the finals. The last few weeks, and he’s sure stepped up to the plate.” The steps need to continue to be onward and upward. Only the top 15 on the money list in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the NFR. “We’re just right now starting to put it together, the best time,” Braden said. “Over the fourth, we made a few good runs and won a couple rodeos. We’re leaving here winning first, and that’s all you can do. Now, it’s up to the rest of them to beat us.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – The sport of rodeo has taken Justin Rumford around the world. Raised in a family that has been involved in the game since before he was born, he has a keen understanding of every aspect, from the competition involved to the entertainment value for fans. It’s as much about showmanship as it is athleticism. He’s driven thousands of miles in semi tractor-trailers filled with bucking horses and bulls. He’s ridden broncs and wrestled steers, roped calves and rescued men off the backs of kicking horses as a pickup man. There aren’t many aspects of rodeo in which he hasn’t been involved, but his greatest success has come with his latest task. He’s a 10-time PRCA Clown of the Year, and he’s entertained crowds in most of the 50 United States. Rumford has performed at some of the biggest rodeos, but he’s never been to Lovington, a town of more than 11,000 people tucked in southeastern New Mexico. That changes with this year’s Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6-Saturday, Aug. 9; that also includes Lea County Xtreme Bulls, which is Tuesday, Aug. 5. “I don’t really know about the history of rodeo in Lovington, so I’d better do some studying,” Rumford said with a laugh. “(Stock contractor) Pete Carr called me last year and told me he wanted me to come to Lovington. I had to look up where it was.” He did more than that. He learned everything he could about the exposition and even watched videos of past rodeos in that historic complex. “When I saw that, I was like, ‘This looks like a place where I could fit in,’ ” said Rumford, originally from the small town of Abbyville, Kansas, but now living in Ponca City, Oklahoma, with his wife, Ashley, and their three children, 11-year-old triplets Bandy, Livi and Lola. “I’m excited about getting that deal done, and we’re going to have some fun there. “I can pretty much evaluate the crowd before the rodeo starts by where people are going to sit. At rodeos, where they sit is like people at church. Once you sit in that spot, that’s where you’re going to sit for the rest of time. I can tell the places where things will work.” That little trick of the trade is one of the reasons why Rumford is one of the most sought-after entertainers in rodeo. Another attribute is his ability to laugh at himself, a larger-than-life figure who remains active and agile in addition to being outlandishly comedic.  “People want to laugh at each other more than they want to laugh at something,” Rumford said. “When I’m in the arena, I’m saying the same stuff I’d say if I wasn’t clowning. It’s just me being me.” That’s true. Whether he was cracking wise in the locker room at Fairfield High School in Kansas or sharing his wit behind the bucking chutes with other cowboys, Rumford has always had a way of entertaining. It was an easy transition from every other aspect in rodeo to this one. “This clowning deal is the best thing I’ve ever had,” Rumford said. “I’ve been involved in rodeo my whole life. I’ve never done anything else, and I’ve never wanted to do anything else.” Now, he will have the opportunity to display his talent to a new audience, one that shares his passion for rodeo.

Halstead eager to entertain enthusiastic crowds that energize rodeo GOODING, Idaho – The first time Dennis Halstead arrived in Gooding County, he quickly realized there was something magical with the community’s marquee event. His second venture five years ago solidified it. There’s just something special about the community tucked in southern Idaho just a few miles from the Snake River, about the people and about the Gooding Pro Rodeo presented by Idaho Ford Dealers, set for Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 16, with a special “Beauty and the Beast” performance set for Wednesday, Aug. 13. All performances take place at 8 p.m. at Andy James Arena. “Every rodeo has its uniqueness, but there’s something about Gooding that is so unique,” said Halstead, a rodeo clown and entertainer from De Witton, Alberta. “It is definitely one of the top PRCA rodeos, and the crowd is so unique; that crowd can enthuse just about anybody.” Anyone who has ever been to the spectacle at the Gooding County Fairgrounds surely understands that. From the “Beer Worthy” section to the wild antics across the stadium, contestants arrive in this hamlet of nearly 4,000 souls as much for the audience’s rowdiness as they do for the opportunity to battle for big money. “If you work in the entertainment business like I do, it’s special to be able to work with crowds that are so energetic and fun,” said Halstead, a 65-year-old comedian who has been named the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s Entertainer of the Year 10 times. “I like doing stuff with the crowds like that, and, in Gooding, you have the ‘Beer Worthy’ section, which adds a whole different element to their show.” A man with credentials like that is the perfect fit for the environment at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. He’s been at this game for more than 30 years and brings a diversified background to the game. Like a lot of Canadians, he played hockey through his youth – and did so at a high level, just short of competing professionally – then became a first responder with the Calgary Fire Department. He also dabbled in rodeo. Originally from Okotoks, Alberta – a town of 33,000 people south of Calgary – it came naturally. While still fighting fires and saving lives, he traded shifts so he could compete on weekends. “I was a calf roper, but I wasn’t very good at it, so all I was just doing was paying my entry fees,” he said. “The fire department had a charity rodeo for kids, and I just happened to be at the meeting a week before the rodeo. They needed a clown and a bullfighter because their guy backed out, and I said I’d do it. “After that, this guy came up to me and wanted to hire me, and then it just kept going. I decided to advertise, and I never looked back. I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been honored as the Canadian Entertainer of the Year, and I’ve been to the Canadian Finals (Rodeo) six times.” He doesn’t need to advertise anymore, because rodeo organizers across North America – and around the world – just keep hiring him. “I thought I was going to be a professional hockey player, and I turned out to be a professional rodeo clown,” Halstead said with a laugh. His wit comes naturally, and he’s taken it to a new level. Nobody earns that much praise without that gift, but Halstead has also worked for everything he’s received. He followed his passion into the firehouses of Calgary, then lit a blaze in rodeo as one of the most successful entertainers in Canada; he’s also built a reputation south of the 49th parallel. “I’ve never looked at either of those things as a job,” he said. “There hasn’t been a day I didn’t enjoy going to work. I didn’t work a day in my life. I have enjoyed every day of it.” So have rodeo fans who love his brand of entertainment.

DODGE CITY, Kan. – The sounds of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo are changing. For the first time in nearly two decades, the biggest rodeo in Kansas will add a second announcer to compliment veteran emcee Boyd Polhamus. Roundup will add the soothing sounds of Andy Seiler to this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 3, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 29. “I’ve been talking to people all spring about that rodeo, and everybody has said, ‘You are going to love that rodeo,’ ” said Seiler, who has worked closely with Polhamus at several events over the years, including RodeoHouston, one of the largest regular-season events in the sport. “They told me that it doesn’t matter if Dodge City is hot, if it’s raining, if it’s muddy or if it’s gorgeous, everybody just loves the feel of the event. “The audience there is atypical of a lot of other rodeos because you can’t buffalo them. They know good action when they see it. They know good contestants when they see them. There’s a lot of great history in that arena, and it’s great that they have a stock contractor like Frontier (Rodeo), because you need a 92-point ride on Gun Fire in the short round to make those people pay attention; they’ve seen it all.” They’ll hear it all this year. With Polhamus horseback in the arena and Seiler in the announcer’s stand, every piece of the action will be covered, and fans can expect that for six nights of competition. It will sound a bit nostalgic, back to the days when Polhamus first began in Dodge City and co-announced with Clem McSpadden. “Boyd has endeared himself to me in a lot of different ways,” said Seiler, who lives in Ocala, Florida, with his wife, Lauren, and their two children. “The great thing about getting to work with him is we are complete and total opposites. I’m not going to say I haven’t picked up on a few of his mannerisms because we’ve worked so much together, but when he’s talking or I’m talking, you know who it is. “We’re different people, and our voices are different, and I think that’s why we work so well together. More often than not, I’m the straight guy, and Boyd is Boyd. He’s not afraid to poke the bear, and I enjoy that he’s not afraid to agitate folks a little bit. I’m the guy with the corny dad jokes, so those differences are what makes us a great team.” That’s why the volunteer committee that produces the annual event made the change. Roundup, which was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2012, has a strong legacy. It also has a history with some of rodeo’s greatest announcers, including McSpadden and Phil Gardenhire, both of whom are also in the Colorado Springs hall. What makes the best announcers stand out is the ability to call the incredible action while also entertaining and educating the audience. Not everyone attending Roundup Rodeo understands the intricacies of the game, so teaching them about the animals’ head start and the judging system is helpful. Polhamus and Seiler do it in a way that is still enlightening to longtime rodeo fans. “In my opinion, the people in the stands need to have fun, because they’re the ones paying to see the rodeo,” Seiler said. “Now, there are times when the competition supersedes entertainment. As an announcer, you have to be paying attention to know what the au8dience needs. “We may need to do a sing-along or do something to keep the crowd engaged, keep them from looking down at their phones. We just need to do what it takes to keep the fan engaged, entertained and informed.” It’s a big change for the crowds that have pack Roundup Arena over the years. Polhamus has been the lone voice of the rodeo since 2008, but this is a great opportunity to expand on the value the event brings to the community and to the region. It’s a chance to build on the next generation of fans who want to experience the marquee event of southwest Kansas. Roundup is one of just a few rodeos in the country that features a championship round. The format features different sets of contestants each day. All timed-event cowboys and cowgirls will make their first-round runs in the morning. The top times will advance to that evening’s performance. From there, the contestants with the top 12 cumulative times on two runs will advance to Sunday’s short round. For roughstock cowboys, the top 12 scores from their first-round rides will qualify for the finale. The champions will be crowned on the final night. “I wish every rodeo could have the back-to-back runs every day like that,” Seiler said. “The best people need to be in the performance. The fact that you have to qualify to be in the performance, I think it makes people pay more attention to slack (during the day). “You always hear people say that the cream rises to the top. Well, you totally get the cream in Dodge City, because you’ve got to qualify even for the performance. It’s one of my favorite formats in professional rodeo.”