Rodeo Life 2020 Featuring Wyatt Casper

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Photo Credits and Mentions Photos by Steve Gary and Dan Hubbell. Cover photo by Kay Miller. Special thanks to The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and their Communications Staff for always assisting us in getting great photos and information on our featured Cowboys and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association for the information on our featured Cowgirls. Please visit Prorodeo.com and WPRA.com for further information.

Rodeo LIFE 3

Table Of Contents And They Call the Thing Corona By: Lindsay Humphrey

48

Kaycee Feild

76

Jade Corkill

49

Orin Larsen

77

Buddy Hawkins

14

Rolling with the Punches of Rodeo An Interview with Matt Reeves

50

Saddle Bronc Riding

78

Tie-Down Roping

18

A Salt of the Earth Cowboy An Interview with Tilden Hooper

52

Wyatt Casper

80

Shad Mayfield

53

Ryder Wright

80

Haven Meged

23

A Rookie Unleashed An Interview with Ky Hamilton

54

Brody Cress

81

Tyler Milligan

56

Bull Riding

82

Steer Roping

The Eight-Second Dance An Interview with Wyatt Casper

58

Sage Kimzey

84

Cole Patterson Scott Snedecor

GRIT. PERSEVERANCE. HARD WORK. An Interview with Amberley Snyder

Ky Hamilton

85

28

59 59

Boudreaux Campbell

86

Vin Fisher

32

The Reign Continues An Interview with Miss Rodeo America 2020, Jordan Tierney

60

Steer Wrestling

88

Barrel Racing

62

Matt Reeves

90

Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi

64

Jacob Talley

91

Hailey Kinsel

65

Tyler Waguespack

92

Dona Kay Rule

93

American Cowboy Team Roping Association (ACTRA) National Finals A Great Turn of Events in 2020 By the American Cowboy Team Roping Association

96 98

Ad Index NFR Schedule

6

26

4

36

Casual Cowgirl Chic By: Kim Kammenzind, Nobody’s Girl Boutique

38

All-Around Cowboy

66

Team Roping Headers

40

Stetson Wright

68

Luke Brown

42

Tuf Cooper

70

Cody Snow

43

Clay Smith

71

Colby Lovell

44

Bareback Riding

72

Team Roping Heelers

46

Tim O’Connell

74

Joseph Harrison

Rodeo LIFE

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AND THEY CALL THE THING

Photos courtesty of Cheyenne Frontier Days

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Rodeo LIFE

Blowing into the United States full force in mid-March, COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the health of Americans on all fronts: physical, financial, mental and emotional. Although the global pandemic didn’t lend itself to a record-breaking season for rodeo competitors on any level, it certainly revealed that the resilient spirit of the American cowboy is alive and well.

By Lindsay Humphrey

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any of the largest rodeo stages in North America rested quietly on the days they traditionally corralled thousands of fans. Some of the largest venues of rodeo – Cheyenne Frontier Days, Calgary Stampede and Pendleton Roundup, just to name a few – all closed their gates for their 2020 events.

Professional rodeo wasn’t the only level effected. Many collegiate rodeo competitors didn’t see the short round of what they would later find out was their final rodeo of the season. And national final dreams were dashed when spring rodeo seasons for most high school and junior high competitors didn’t even get started.

The 2020 rodeo season started out on an upward trajectory, took a dip and is now clawing its way back to a new normal. While the 2020 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, annually held in January and February, boasted record attendance, the 2021 event was canceled in mid-October. This decision came only a month after the the 2021 National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Colorado, was canceled.

The toll COVID-19 is taking on the rodeo industry might appear dismal on the surface, but a deeper dive into the lives of those perpetuating the sport reveals a much brighter perspective.

RIPPLE EFFECT “In January 2020 we had tremendous night shows lined up and ticket sales were already going really well,” said Cheyenne Frontier Days President Tom Hirsig. “We were about to announce our big shows when the COVID talks got more serious. We felt like, up until that point, we were going to have the best year in the history of Cheyenne Frontier Days.”

If anyone can speak to the success of Cheyenne Frontier Days, it’s Hirsig, who’s great uncle was of one of the founding members of the event. In its 124-year history, the “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration” has never been canceled. Until 2020 that is.

“We went from thinking we were going to have the best year in history to the very worst one,” Hirsig added.

Just before the wave of quarantine hit the country, rodeo competitors were in Fort Worth, Texas, at RFD-TVs The American.

“My rodeo season in 2019 was great, it was my first year to announce at AT&T Stadium at The American,” said Garrett Yerigan who is quickly becoming a household name for PRCA and IPRA events as an announcer. “I was in Perry, Georgia, before I headed

to The American and the news stations were just starting to talk about the disease.”

Yerigan arrived in Fort Worth to a diminished crowd and whispers of quarantine. Meanwhile, Rodeo Houston didn’t make it to round three before the city shut the entire event down. The ripple effect stretched from coast to coast and border to border. The nation took shelter and rodeos ceased to exist almost overnight.

“I had competed in the first two rounds of Rodeo Houston when they called it off,” said Lisa Lockhart, a 14-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier. “At the time, nobody would’ve believed what would transpire later in the year. Life as we knew it got turned upside down.”

Hailing from Oelrichs, South Dakota, Lockhart packed up and headed back to the ranch where she would stay for the next several months.

At the same time, rodeo athletes in the Central Plains Region were in the middle of their second rodeo of the spring season in Fort Scott, Kansas.

“We knew that after the Fort Scott rodeo there was a possibility we would be online for two weeks after coming back from spring break,” said Kenna McNeill who was, at the time, a sophomore rodeo athlete at Oklahoma State University. “We were almost done with the long round on Saturday afternoon when Fort Scott put the word out that they were shutting the rodeo down.”

Everyone packed up and headed out for spring break thinking their rodeo season would resume.

“We didn’t know anything on that drive back home,” McNeill said. “About two days later the rest of our season got canceled.

I was already home in New Mexico to help with branding, so I figured I would just stay there for the two weeks we were online.”

Those two weeks stretched through May as many college, high school and elementary students never returned to their classrooms before letting out for the summer.

QUARANTINE AND RODEO While most rodeo venues are owned by cities, some are private facilities. This proved beneficial through quarantine where city restrictions blocked events. One private facility, the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, became a rodeo destination for several large events normally hosted across the country. g

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“After The American the CINCH Timed Event Championships happened at the Lazy E,” said Yerigan who announced the Jr. Ironman during the event. “As a private facility, the Lazy E was able to push through the restrictions, but they still had plenty of precautions to keep everyone safe.”

The phone rang off the hook with cancelations for Yerigan and then he sat at home for three months. It was early June before rodeo started to make a comeback and Yerigan was back on the road again, along with the competitors, stock contractors and other rodeo personnel.

Quarantine for the rodeo industry certainly looked different than it did for a majority of the population in the U.S. While most were confined to small apartments, rodeo competitors had to keep themselves, and equine athletes, legged up for the return of their season.

“We live in the middle of nowhere, so it was easy to social distance,” Lockhart said. “It wasn’t life as normal; it was a bit different, but we were also busy with calving. Our biggest adventure was going to Wal-Mart for groceries and that’s when we noticed things were different the most.”

It wasn’t until early June that restrictions were lifted enough that rodeos could resume. Yerigan announced for a calf roping at the Lazy E while Lockhart headed to Woodward for a PRCA rodeo and McNeill continued helping on the family ranch in New Mexico and roping at local jackpots.

But for Cheyenne Frontier Days, it was back to the drawing board for establishing their next steps.

“When we couldn’t have a rodeo, we had to go back and

ask why we did Cheyenne Frontier Days, back to our mission statement,” Hirsig said. “One of the big parts of our mission statement is supporting the economic development of our local community.”

Annually, Cheyenne Frontier Days brings almost 28 million dollars to their local economy. Without a rodeo, Hirsig’s team needed to find new ways to fulfill all three branches of their mission statement in 2020.

A team roping jackpot came to the iconic arena the second week of July and with it almost 4,000 people to the surrounding community. Hirsig also made use of the army of volunteers who were left without a rodeo to work.

“We keep working to fulfill our mission statement by reaching out and helping the community,” Hirsig said. “Our volunteers removed 90 crumbling planters in downtown Cheyenne when there wasn’t staff to do it. We tried to help anyway we could.”

Another large part of Cheyenne’s mission statement is providing scholarships for the volunteer’s kids. The foundation awarded almost $60,000 in 2020.

Staying afloat in a pandemic year is no small feat for any industry. It’s safe to say the agricultural industry was hit fairly hard when the bottom dropped out on livestock shows right alongside rodeos. Revenue avenues dried up but mouths still needed to be fed.

While many small businesses were forced to close down because of quarantine, one proprietor made it a point to keep his employees on the payroll. g

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Rodeo LIFE

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Van Flaherty began Hi Lo ProRodeo in 2015 with aspirations to haul stock to the largest PRCA rodeos in the U.S. As one of the fastest growing rodeo production companies in the PRCA, Flaherty is fulfilling that dream while sticking to his morals rooted in integrity and loyalty.

“Van’s been really good to us [Hi Lo employees],” said Travis Adams who is the operations manager. “The rodeo company isn’t making money right now, but Van’s kept us working and been paying us out of his own pocket. The animals are still eating. Van’s doing right by them and right by us.”

Traditionally Adams would be on the road starting in August and lasting through March. Instead, he’s in the stands for his daughter’s senior volleyball season this fall.

“My favorite thing in the entire world right now is watching my daughter play,” Adams said. “We travel so much in a normal year that I wouldn’t have been able to go to all of them and I’ve been at every single game so far.”

Out of the items on Adams’ list of blessings for 2020, an abundance of family time is at the very top. Like most of the population, he’s began to treasure the simpler things in life.

“This has really made me appreciate not having to wear a mask or being able to walk into a restaurant to sit down to eat,” Adams added. “It has also made me appreciate the ability to go to a rodeo. There were times when I didn’t necessarily want to get in the truck to head out, but now I want to go.”

As part of a small, but mighty rodeo company, Adams is one of just a few employees working under Flaherty. Hi Lo spends a lot of time in Florida during their busy months, which is at least a three day drive from its southern Arkansas headquarters.

“This pandemic is effecting the whole world, not just us,” Adams said. “There are people with sick family members that have it far worse than we do. I want everything to be back to normal so we can rodeo, but first and foremost, I want things to be great for our country and the whole world, for people’s welfare.”

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Rodeo LIFE

NEW NORMAL As an announcer, the audience plays a key role in the atmosphere of a rodeo performance. Yerigan announced an event to an empty grandstand and it’s an experience he doesn’t intend to replicate anytime soon.

“Experiencing my job with no fans made me really appreciate the fans even more than I already did,” Yerigan said. “Without fans we don’t have a sport. Contestants feed off the crowd just as much as I do as an announcer.”

Just like rodeo contestants and stock contractors, Yerigan normally strategically traverses the country from one rodeo to the next. That hasn’t been the case this year as many of the rodeos that did happen were centrally located in the Midwest but were still fairly spread out.

“I was really lucky that both North Dakota and South Dakota had so much to offer this summer,” Lockhart said of the limited PRCA events that weren’t canceled in 2020. “I can’t imagine the risks involved with hosting a rodeo in this climate. As contestants we can’t thank the committees enough for continuing with their production and completely understand for those who could not.”

As Cowboy Christmas approached, contests were forced to rework their route as rodeos continued to cancel and postpone.

Normally contestants have to make tough calls about which rodeos to attend through the Fourth of July, but this year almost all of them competed in just a handful.

“In a normal year, the rodeo talent is so spread out that one rodeo might only have 2-3 world champions,” Yerigan said in reference to the tight race for the top standings in the PRCA. “This year everybody went to the same few rodeos. As a result, the talent was at peak level at all of them.”

In 2019, Lockhart slid into the NFR ranked fourth with a cool $250,000 to her name for the year after hitting just 48 rodeos.

In 2020, Lockhart is heading to the NFR with only a sixth of the amount she earned last year. She competed at 46 rodeos this year to lock in 13th place in the PRCA world standings.g

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“We put on more miles than ever crisscrossing the country while competing for less money at fewer rodeos,” Lockhart said.

“It was different for everyone. Committees had to schedule more slack to accommodate the influx of contestants.”

Quarantine not only gave Lockhart more time to work with her colts at home on the ranch, but it also brought her collegeage son and daughter back home for the spring. Even though the Lockhart’s were competing in the same rodeos this summer, sometimes they would be in slack on separate days.

“One of the rodeos close to home had 260 barrel racers, which is probably double the normal amount,” Lockhart said.

“The workload for the committees must’ve been astronomical.

And it was like that for all of the events.”

Slack running into multiple days is a welcomed blessing disguised as extra work for everyone involved with producing a rodeo that almost didn’t happen.

“I’ve been to several different states for rodeos since quarantine first broke, and they’ve all seen record crowds,” Yerigan said. “They’ve even had to turn people away because of COVID restrictions on seating. The tickets are selling like hotcakes because people want to get back out and do something.”

Social distancing might be preventing rodeo from gaining new fans through the pandemic, but it’s having a different effect on competitors.

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Rodeo LIFE

“I was talking to Haley Kinsel about all this and the silver lining for her is that she is getting to see some rodeos that she’s never been to before,” Yerigan said about the Burwell, Nebraska, PRCA rodeo known as “Nebraska’s Big Rodeo.”

Many communities, both large and small, maybe haven’t seen world champion contestants like Kinsel in the past. The climate of 2020 is helping contestants discover new favorite venues that they’ll likely return to in 2021.

THE ROAD TO THE NFR Heading into the fall, rodeo was met with even more changes. The 2020 Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) was one of the COVID casualties of early spring. Hi Lo ProRodeo regularly hauls their roughstock to Kissimmee, Florida, for the annual event.

Postponed to mid-September, the RNCFR moved to Greeley, Colorado, and was held in conjunction with the Greeley Stampede.

“The Ram circuit finals were the only thing we’ve been to this year after quarantine ended,” Adams said of Hi Lo’s reduced schedule. “We won’t go anywhere again until the NFR.” As January approaches, Adams and the Hi Lo crew are all hopeful they’ll be in Homestead, Florida, and finally on their way to a full season.

“I think everybody realizes things can change from day to day, but we’re hoping to go back to rodeoing normally soon,” Adams added.

The run to Las Vegas for the 2021 NFR is already well underway as the PRCA season ended on September 30. It’s anyone’s guess what the road to the NFR will look like in the near future, but most contestants are just thankful they’re still having a 2020 event.

Nevada was hit particularly hard by COVID restrictions. As a result, the NFR couldn’t be held in the Thomas and Mack as it has been since 1985.

“I love what Las Vegas Events has done for our sport and it will be weird going to the NFR without hearing ‘Viva Las Vegas,’” Yerigan said about the NFR’s move to Arlington, Texas, in 2020. “I really appreciate that everyone involved in planning the NFR pulled up their bootstraps and found a way to make the NFR happen.”

The NFR is moving from a basketball stadium to the ’ brandnew baseball diamond: Globe Life Field. It’s a historic move for a monumental event. As a result of this change, Las Vegas has extended their contract by one year to host the NFR through 2025.

ARLINGTON OR BUST Ticket sales have historically driven the size of the purse contestants were chasing during the NFR. That remains the same in 2020, but social distancing requirements will reduce the number of tickets sold. Pay offs for winning a round and an average are expected to be reduced by an estimated 40 percent.

“The setting in the Thomas and Mack is perfect for rodeo,” said Yerigan, who is a long-time NFR spectator and aspires to announce there one day. “You can’t recreate the energy of 17,000 people right on top of each other, there isn’t a bad seat in the whole place.”

The 40,000 seats in Globe Life Field will certainly hold the NFR spectators, but they can’t pack the house like usual. Tickets were sold in packages of four with several seats between groups to accommodate for social distancing requirements.

“Nobody knows what to expect this year, everything’s new but we’re all in this together,” Lockhart said. “We’re not sure how it’s all going to work as far as entering the pen or even the size of the pattern.”

Known for its small arena, the NFR boasts an average of 14-second barrel patterns and no more than 5-second team roping runs to win a round.

“This move is very much going to change the competition,” Yerigan said. “Roughstock will have more real estate that they could potentially run off. The timed events will have more room to safety up without running into that wall like they would in Vegas. There will be a lot of different strategies this year simply because the pen itself is changing.”

More than just changing location, this year’s NFR is bringing in the breakaway ropers for the first time in history. Held in conjunction with the NFR, the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) will be a three-day event, boasts a $200,000 purse and will crown the first world champion breakaway roper in PRCA history.

“It’s really cool that women have finally gotten the opportunity to rope for a world title this year,” said McNeill who is an avid breakaway roper herself. “It will also be cool to see how the barrel horses react to a different setup where they’re not blinded by the entry. It might give more horses an opportunity to shine in a different venue.”

The new location is closer to home for some, and further away for others. But for Hi Lo, this move takes their three-day drive down to three hours.

“We’re excited about the event itself and that it’s extremely close to home,” Adams said. “I know it will be an exceptional event: it’s the best animals and competitors in the world. You can’t hardly mess that up.”

Rodeo LIFE

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ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES OF

RODEO

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Rodeo LIFE

An Interview with

MATT REEVES

Rodeo Life: You are on course to enter the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in first place in the World Standings, how are you preparing for your runs at the Globe Life Field this coming December? What would it mean to win your first World Champion title?

Matt Reeves: It would mean everything. We are at our last rodeo right now in Rapid City. We will practice quite a bit throughout November. We are going to ease along and keep our horses in shape and do a few things in October and then we will be ready.

The last two weeks we will really ramp up and get serious.

RL: You’ve qualified for the Wrangler National Finals seven times, coming up on your eighth qualification. What have you learned from your past performances that will help you qualify again this season and hopefully secure your first World Title?

MR: You can’t get too caught up in anything. You have to keep running steers night after night and go fast.

RL: You’ve already had one big win in Arlington, TX this year at The American, how does it feel to go back to take a shot at winning a World Title there? Are you excited about the change in venue for the NFR? MR: Yes, It’s nice and it’s close to home. It won’t take as long to get there and get back. Arlington has been good to me – Metropolitan Texas rodeos have been good to me. I made the first NFR I’ve ever made in Dallas, Texas at the last rodeo you can go to. I’ve done well at Fort Worth and Arlington has been really good to me. It’s been a good place for me.

RL: How has COVID-19 changed the course of rodeoing this year?

MR: It has changed rodeo drastically. Especially in bull dogging. It has put everybody at all of the same rodeos so it is exceptionally important to have a good run. It has made the drives between rodeos worse. It feels like we have driven just as much for way less, and has made rodeo feel like a much more expensive task this year.

RL: How has rodeo changed over the past twenty or so years?

What do you foresee the future of rodeo looking like?

MR: I think there have been a lot of good things in rodeo. There’s a lot more rodeos that have big money and a lot of rodeos that have more money than they did before. The addition of having rodeos televised on the Cowboy Channel as well as having a more efficient app platform is getting rodeo out to a larger audience.

I think those things are helping. I don’t know exactly where it is going to go but I hope that we continue to have more and more of the big money rodeos. A lot of rodeos want to be a tournament, but the problem is there are very few that have enough money to be a tournament. But more of the rodeos are stepping up trying to get there. As long as we keep adding money it’s good for the

cowboys; when cowboys get paid more then contractors get paid more and all of the other personnel get paid more – it brings more money into rodeo all the way around. I do believe that having an entire channel and time dedicated to rodeo is a great thing. I hope the Cowboy Channel continues to increase the exposure of rodeo.

RL: What is the life of a professional cowboy like?

MR: We are professional truck drivers with a rodeo habit.

Everybody thinks that rodeo is a ton of fun. They come to their local rodeo, they go three days and it’s a big party – but it’s not always that easy. Especially this year, there was a lot more driving then there was anything else. And the driving seemed much worse this year, I don’t know why but it just did.

RL: Who do you travel with?

I travel with the guys I rodeo with. In the winter there were three of us all of the time and in the summer, there were four of us. My oldest boy went with me some. He went to the week at Dodge and some things. My wife has a job, she’s a nurse so we can’t travel like that.

RL: How do you keep yourself entertained on the road?

MR: We are easily entertained. We will watch some movies and play some cards as we drive. You have to get there, get ready to rodeo and then do it all again, there’s not a lot of downtime.

RL: You almost have two decades of PRCA competing experience under your belt, what is the greatest thing you’ve learned in your time being a part of the PRCA? MR: The highs can’t be too high, but more importantly, the lows can’t be too low. You have to stay even and level. You are only competing against the animal that you got. Strive for perfection and understand that it is unobtainable, but strive for it anyway.

Everything has to go smoothly to win and do well in the PRCA. Everyone has to be on the same page: the steers have to have a good day, the hazer has to have a good day, you have to have a good day, and the horse has to have a good day. Not everyone can have a great day, every day, all at the same time. You need to learn to roll with the punches and not let the lows get too low. You have to be honest and real with yourself and figure out what happened and go from there.

RL: How do you physically and mentally prepare before a rodeo? How do you prepare your horse?

MR: I spend a lot of time with the horses. I think we’ve done a good job of having them ready before we’ve took them and hauled them – I’ll haul horses when they are pretty young and I will just keep exposing them, maybe earlier than some think, and work through it with them. I think that’s a big thing because once they get to where they’re solid and finished then they are ready and there’s not as much prep. g

Rodeo LIFE 15

Personally, for mental focus, you need to figure out your game plan and stick to it. Don’t deviate from what you normally do. I believe you need to have a positive attitude and be around people that want to win and also have positive attitudes. The three of us that have been together all year has worked well; we all fed off each other. That was one of the best parts of winning and going along. They are younger than I am by quite a bit, but they want to win, they want to ride and they want to do good and it was important for me to be around that energy.

Physically, we stay busy at home. There’s being in shape then there’s being in bulldogging shape. To be in bulldogging shape you have to run some steers. You need to be physically fit but you need to run steers. I’ll have October down a little more than normal and in November we will amp it up to make sure we are in bulldogging shape.

RL: What are some of the hardships you face as a cowboy?

How do you get through them? What advice would you give other cowboys and cowgirls going through those same hardships?

MR: Being away from your family. That has changed a lot for me in the last few years with younger kids. That is the worst for me, being gone and away from my family. Unless there is outside money from somewhere, it is unrealistic to think that you and your whole family can drive around and do this by yourselves and make any money. You have to have either an unbelievable sponsor or outside money from somewhere – that’s just life. That time that you’re gone is hard. You miss this, that and the other when you’re away sometimes. That’s probably the worst hardship. That and just the wear and tear of driving and being out and doing it – the bumps and bruises you go through to be ready and actually do it.

It wears on you, and it wears on you with age I think I realize more now.

You better love what you’re doing and when you don’t love it anymore then it’s time to step away. I see a lot of people leave rodeo bitter and I think they leave bitter because they stayed too long. Maybe when they knew they wanted to walk away they didn’t. I don’t ever want to be bitter towards rodeo. If there comes a day where I don’t want to get in the truck and go anymore, I’m not going to. I still enjoy seeing the country and everything else, but if the stress of being gone and disappoint of not being home is greater than the joy of seeing the sights and winning

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Rodeo LIFE

then it’s time to stay home. There are a lot of ways to make a living and rodeo is not an easy one, so if you don’t love it, you have to find something else. Rodeo can be extremely rewarding and can turn out to be a good living, but it’s a hard living and there’s a lot of sacrifices. When the sacrifices outweigh the benefits of doing what you love and enjoying it then it’s time to find something else.

RL: Do you have any plans for after your rodeo career?

MR: Rodeo has been good to us. I want to keep making some horses. I’ve got a few cows put together, not nearly enough yet. I bought a skid steer and a mulcher and I’ll make a business there.

I’m ready to raise kids, have fun and do other things as well aside from rodeoing. I look forward to these things – to have these cattle and get this equipment and give ourselves a chance to have another income.

RL: Who was your biggest influence when you stared rodeo?

Have you taken anyone under your belt and showed them the ropes?

MR: I started rodeo with my dad. We took off and we got to rodeoing. When I started rodeoing hard and going full time with it, my father-in-law Sam (he wasn’t my father-in-law yet at the time) he gave me advice on what to do and how to take care of the horses while being gone so much. He was one of the biggest influences at that point.

Those guys that are with me are younger. Cody, he hazes for me, he got out of school and he started rodeoing with me. We’re great friends now – we were friends before rodeo and we still are.

Some other young guys have gone with us. Everybody this year was in their twenties aside from me so it was a different dynamic, but I think it keeps me young, so it’s good. It doesn’t do any good to gain knowledge and not pass it on so I don’t mind telling someone what I think. It may not be what they think and may not help them but I don’t mind telling them.

RL: What does a typical practice look like for you?

What do you focus most on?

MR: There’s really something different to work on each time. There are some practices where the focus is mainly on the horses and making sure everything is sharp and making sure the horses and hazers are locked in. You always want them to hit, but there’s no point in going to practice with everything in mind. You need to have something in mind to focus the practice on. Practice is practice – you need to do things in steps sometimes. So, there are different things to work on each day and you break down each part of the run.

Is there anything about Steer Wrestling or the rodeo industry that you would like people to know?

MR: I love Steer Wrestling because there is contact and I always liked that part of it. Rodeo is a fun but very hard way to live a life, but for the general population is a great entertainment dollar. It’s just a great entertainment dollar that should get more exposure.

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A Salt of the Earth 18

Rodeo LIFE

Cowboy

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An Interview with

Rodeo Life: How many rodeos do you compete in on average?

What is the greatest number of rodeos you’ve ever competed in in one season?

Tilden Hooper: On average, I compete in about 60-65 rodeos a year normally. The most I’ve ever competed in was about 108 my rookie year.

Tilden Hooper

RL: What is the life of a professional Bareback Rider like?

TH: It differs with age. I’m married and starting a family, so life for me right now is different than it was when I was twenty-five. But when I’m not rodeoing, I get up and have a good breakfast, get a good workout in, and take care of stuff around the house. I’m gone quite a bit, so it’s important for me when I’m home to use that time to spend enjoying it with family. But the main thing that I have to make sure I do every day is to get a good workout in. I need to get good mobility and stretching in to keep my body able and ready to ride.

RL: How important is physical fitness to your career?

TH: It’s very important. I feel like Bareback Riding is the most physically demanding event in rodeo on your body. Every time I ride, even on an easy horse, it’s like getting in a fist fight. You’re going to take a few shots and your body is going to go through some strain. In order for my body to be able to take all of that strain it has to be at a certain level of physical fitness. I think it’s very important to work out and keep your body where it needs to be to recover and withstand the abuse. I don’t think that working out and training from the aspect of trying to get so strong that you can manhandle the horses would ever work. You’re not going to bench press yourself into a great ride – it’s still a riding contest. But for me, in order for my body to take the abuse that it has to for me to stay competitive, working out is really important.

RL: How has COVID-19 changed the course of rodeoing this year?

TH: It’s been a pretty big change. The main change I would say is instead of averaging 60 rodeos year I’ll only end up going to about 40. A lot of the bigger rodeos like Cheyenne, Pendleton, Salinas, Reno, all of ones where we are able to make good money at, had to cancel this year. We have had rodeos to go to which I am very thankful for, but the pay has decreased quite a bit. I’m fifth in the world right now and have 70-something thousand won, but in a normal year being fifth in the world you would have close to $150,000 won. In my mind, there has been about $100,000 decrease. I understand why – rodeos are only able to sell half as many tickets in a lot of places. But the fact is we’ve been riding for a substantially less amount this year. One thing that I’m not sure everyone understands is that it still costs the same for us to go and chase those rodeos, as far as what travel expenses are and stuff, but the chance of winning $10,000 on the weekend isn’t there. The profit margin just isn’t the same. These rodeos that normally get twenty guys are getting fifty guys, so if you don’t

get the right horse you don’t have a chance. It just makes it to where you have to make some different business decisions. I’ve been very blessed this year to have some strong wins and place throughout the year.

RL: You broke the million-dollar barrier, how does it feel to be a million-dollar cowboy?

TH: I honestly didn’t know that until an interview I did earlier this week and I told the guy, “I wish I knew where it was.” It feels like a cool accomplishment and it says a lot about rodeo and the money available.

RL: What is the toughest horse you’ve faced so far in your career? Who won?

TH: In my opinion, the rankest horse I’ve been on is a horse called Grated Coconut. He was a great stud from Calgary Stampede. He bucked really hard every time. I got on him twice and one time I was 0 and the other time I was 91, so we were 1 and 1, but he’s retired now. The last time I got on him I was 91 so I feel like I won.

RL: In your opinion, what has been the greatest win so far in your rodeo career and why? What is the ultimate goal?

TH: It’s hard to pinpoint just one because they are all really special.

Anytime you have a win, especially at a big rodeo, you remember the horse you were on, the environment and the vibe at the rodeo that day. I think the coolest, most prestigious win I’ve had so far came last year at the Pendleton Round-Up. That rodeo is one that everyone wants to win. It’s been around since the beginning and is one of the more prestigious rodeos to win. To be blessed and have the right kind of horses and the right kind of performance there and have everything line up was phenomenal. I really don’t think people realize – and I didn’t understand until I was rodeoing for quite a while – how hard it really is to win first at these rodeos. Things just have to go your way. We go to a lot of rodeos and a lot of guys do everything perfect and still don’t win because we are dealing with the luck of the draw. Ours is a judged event so sometimes, especially when you get to the short round, the best guys are there, the best horses are there and the judges have to pick a winner.

I feel very blessed to have won the Pendleton Round-Up and a couple other rodeos like that, but I would say Pendleton definitely jumps off the page for me.

I would say the ultimate goal for my rodeo career is the same as a lot of guys: I want to be a World Champion. I want to strap on that gold buckle. I want to go out to the National Finals Rodeo and be the best Bareback Rider that was there for ten days straight and win the world. To be honest, those are personal goals – selfish goals. If those things don’t happen in my life, I will still be happy as long as after my rodeo career is all said and done people know that I gave it everything I had every time I nodded my head; that if I said something, I meant it and stood by my word; that I was good to g

Rodeo LIFE 19

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my family and friends; that I was a good husband and hopefully a going to be good father when the time comes. Those are the things that are important. The things that happen in the arena are pretty small in the grand scheme of things. Those are selfish goals that I do this for, but at the end of the day if people look at me and say, “that guy was a great cowboy, a good friend and a great guy,” that’s what I’m after.

RL: You’ve qualified for the Wrangler National Finals seven times. What have you learned from your past performances that will help you hopefully secure your first World Title?

TH: The hardest thing is staying healthy. The more you know about it, the easier it should get. I’ve got a lot of experience compared to some of the other guys and I like to try to capitalize on that. I think just going out there and taking it one horse at a time, trying to make perfect rides and trying to perfect my craft is what will help me rise to the top to the pinnacle of the sport. Just being able to control my emotions going out there and physically and mentally putting myself in a place to win every time really helps me out.

RL: How do you feel about the NFR being held in Texas this year? Do you hope it will continue to be held there?

TH: I’m excited. It’s so cool to get to do this – it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride in Arlington [for the NFR] for the first time and possibly the last time. Whoever is the World Champion in Arlington this year might be the only World Champion ever in Arlington and that to me is something so unique. That’s what everyone does this for: to be the best and be able to do once in a lifetime stuff. The opportunity to be able to do that is huge. From a competitive standpoint, I’ll be sleeping in my own bed every night and operating out of my house. It really couldn’t be much better for me. I’m excited to try and capitalize on that opportunity. It makes me proud to be a Texan that our state isn’t living in fear and that they are going to allow people to go out make a living. I think it’s going to be an awesome show.

I love Las Vegas and everything they have done for our sport and the Wrangler National Finals, but I would love if it was in Texas again. I think realistically we all know it’s going back to Vegas and I don’t think anyone is mad about that either. But if it did stay in Texas, I would love that.

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Rodeo LIFE

RL: You started Bareback Riding at 15 and you didn’t consider yourself very good at it at first. What made you stick with it? How did you hone your craft to become one of the Best Bareback riders in the world?

TH: Honestly, that is a God thing, there’s no doubt about it. It makes no sense that I would have even thought that I could do this. I had it in my mind that this is what I wanted to do and I was prepared to do anything to make it happen. I was lucky to grow up in church to understand how God works and understand the amount of faith and trust you have to put in God. That when something is too big for you, give it to Him. I’ve always operated like that. Since the beginning, I felt like this is what God put me here to do, I don’t always necessarily know why or how. But it makes absolutely no sense how I went from doing what I was doing then to being able to do what I do now other than God put me here to ride bucking horses and gave me the stage to share with people how powerful He is and how big He can work in your life. I didn’t have the physical ability and wasn’t really that tough of a kid when I started doing this. I became who I am because I wanted to be a Bareback Rider and the Bareback Riding helped shape that and the people that God put in my life through rodeo shaped who I am. Everything just seems to keep working out and getting better. I think that just comes down to the fact that at a very young age I accepted Christ in my life and accepted that He is in control. My job is to show up and give everything I have every time no matter what I am doing and after that He will take care of it. I think trusting in that has made the biggest difference in my life.

RL: You were born in Shreveport, LA, but what makes Texas your hometown?

TH: Louisiana is just the biggest and closest hospital to where I grew up in Texas. I was just in Louisiana long enough to stay in a room and get back to Texas. I’m a pretty proud Texan. It’s a really cool state and I’m big into Texas history. Texans are just different than everyone else – they have a more independent streak. It’s a freer place, especially these days. I’m very proud to be from Texas.

RL: You’ve had a few notable injuries in your career, so much that doctors have suggested finding a new career path, how do you deal with injuries? What is the recovery process like? What keeps you getting back to Bareback Riding?

TH: It’s really simple, it goes back to it being a God thing. When things started going down with my neck, it was a process of several years. I tried to pretend like it wasn’t happening and tried to tough it out, but it didn’t work. In 2011, I sat out for 6 months. I was ranked high in the world standings going into Cheyenne that summer. I had to come home from Cheyenne at the end of July until the first round of the NFR. And that year I feel like God put a guy name Shawn Scott, a chiropractor that works with the Justin Sports Medicine Team, in my life. I met him out there in Vegas, he walked up to me and said he could help me out and work on my neck. We started working together and he still designs all of my workouts and still helps me rehab. I could tell right away he truly knew what he was doing and really cared about me. I started listening to whatever he said and we changed some things in

my training. The next year everything progressed so severely in my neck that I had to have surgery. The first doctor I was sent to wanted to fuse two levels of my neck and told me to get a new job and that I would never ride again. But Shawn Scott had set me up with a great neurosurgeon in Austin named John Stokes. He had already looked at my MRI and told me that he thinks he could go in and fix what needs to be fixed by only fusing one level and after that’s all said and done, maybe I’ll have a chance to ride again. He wasn’t going to tell me no just yet because he didn’t know what I was capable of. Shawn told me from the beginning that I was going to be out a year and that I needed to wrap my mind around that. And after a year if everything looked good and solid then we would get back to it. I trusted the fact that if God wanted me to continue riding after that year then I would and if not, I would find something else to do. I dedicated a year of my life to recovering and doing whatever Shawn said I needed to do and at the end of that year I was able to come back. I finished out the 2013 year going to a handful of rodeos and getting my qualifications up. I was able to qualify for the 2014 National Finals Rodeo and had the best week I had had up to that date. Things were going great until 2015 when my neck started to flare up again and I had to sit out for another year. I had to put my faith in God and understood that I needed to rehab this neck injury one way or the other. I put it in God’s hands, woke up every morning, gave it everything I had and at the end of that year I was able to start riding again. Since then, knock on wood, I’ve had no symptoms. Things have been progressively getting better. It’s a God thing – just trusting in Him and being prepared to give it everything I have has gotten me to where I am today.

RL: What made you choose Bareback Riding over Saddle Bronc or Bull Riding? Have you ever tried, or thought about trying your hand at them?

TH: I wanted to ride bulls, that’s kind of how I got interested. I didn’t grow up around rodeo. I wasn’t interested in rodeo until I was about 13 or 14 years old. I wanted to ride bulls, but my mom wasn’t having any of it. My dad rode some barebacks in high school and college and there were pictures of him riding at the house. I just wanted to be a rodeo cowboy and I didn’t know how I was going to make that happen. Bull Riding wasn’t working because my mom wasn’t going to let me do it. I somehow talked them into letting me ride bareback horses. In my mind, I would start on that and let them relax and then I would start riding bulls. I started riding barebacks my freshman year of high school and by the end of my sophomore year I started sneaking around and getting on some bulls. My senior year, I started entering in Bull Riding too, but I didn’t love it as much. It wasn’t meant for me, so I stuck with Bareback Riding. In between all of that I’ve tried bronc riding, calf roping, team roping – I’ve tried everything besides bulldogging and barrel racing but bareback is what stuck.

Once I realized what Bareback Riding really was and it started progressing for me, there wasn’t any other event that was going to catch my eye. Bareback Riding is the coolest event, there’s no doubt about that. It’s the wildest, craziest, most physically demanding event – it’s a UFC fight every time the gate opens.

That’s how I’m wired and that’s what I’m into. It’s the perfect fit. I may not have known it then, but this is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.

RL: What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a professional career in Bareback Riding?

TH: I would tell them that it’s pretty easy. All it takes is everything you have every time. It’s a sport where whatever you put in you get back. If you are prepared to give it everything you have and really work at it, the sky is the limit. I didn’t start with much talent.

It was a long and rocky road before I actually got going. If you are prepared to leave it all out there in the arena every time the gate opens, it will work and can provide one of the coolest lifestyles you can imagine. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.

RL: What is more important: the quality or quantity of rodeos?

TH: The quality, no questions asked. As a young man in this sport, you think you just need to go to every rodeo there is, and it’s new and exciting. I’m not saying that isn’t the way to do it, but I think in a sport as physically demanding as Bareback Riding, if you want to make a go at it for ten years or more, then you need to put yourself in the position to win the most money every time you nod your head. I think it’s important for a guy to compete at rodeos where he has an opportunity to win, to not get in over his head too soon but test himself and keep trying to move up. To me, the quality of the rodeo is the most important part. In a professional sport you would think that would make the most sense across the board. What’s the point of going to 100 rodeos if 40 of them are borderline amateur rodeos? I want to go to the 60 best rodeos in the world – I want to compete against the best guys and on the best horses. It’s a ladder up to there. You need to work yourself out at the smaller rodeos and move up the line. But if you want to do this for a living, I think the quality of the rodeo should be the more important thing in your mind.

RL: Are rides different when you are riding for higher payouts? How do you stay mentally focused when a big check is on the line?

TH: I try to keep it simple.

All I can control is my reaction to what the horse does – my reaction to the horses move.

If I entered the rodeo, I already know g

Rodeo LIFE 21

Photo by Billie-Jean Duff, Billie J photo

there’s a big purse. I try to only go to the places where the big purses are up, so it doesn’t really factor into my mind when I’m riding. All I’m focused on the day of when I get there is how can I get every point out of this horse that I can; how can I ride this horse to a point where there are no points left on the table. I want the judges watching me and the horse secondary. Those are the only things that I can control so those are the only things that I concern myself with.

RL: You’ve been a part of the PRCA for over a decade, how has rodeo changed during the course of your career?

TH: I will say that rodeo has improved substantially over the course of the last decade and over the course of my career. The quality of stock we get on, the quality of horses we get on, the amount of prize money that we are riding for, and the rodeos in general are improving daily. I truly believe that rodeo is a special sport, a special group of people and a special lifestyle that you get to live. In the current climate, I hope people are able to see rodeo cowboys and see how much we love our country and how much we respect our troops and the first responders. I hope rodeo cowboys can lead by example in the current sporting environment.

With all of the tension in the world, I hope people can come to rodeos and see how much we truly love our country and maybe that ignites something in the rest of the population. I truly believe rodeo is one of the greatest sports in the world. The lessons you learn through it, the people you meet and the people involved in it are the salt of the Earth. Cowboys and cowgirls are special and I feel very blessed that I’ve been able to experience that firsthand and I hope other people are able to see it too. Rodeo is growing leaps and bounds every year. There are still several improvements to be made – I am one of the louder critics as far as what I think needs top change. But I like the direction of our sport and of the PRCA and I’m proud to be a member. I hope to help leave it better than it was when I got here.

RL: What do you foresee the next decade of rodeo looking like?

TH: As long as things continue to improve, rodeo will continue to grow. Bareback Riding probably has the least number of participants compared to the other events. I hope guys see that with the money available if they to come and treat themselves like professional athletes and work at it that they can make a lot of money. It took me 12-13 years to win a million dollars, but a guy like Clayton Biglow has been winning 250-300 thousand dollars a year since he was twenty years old. That’s a good amount of money. There is a living to be made in rodeo and I think it’s going to continue to grow. I hope kids see Bareback Riding and think it’s a cool event that they might be interested in. Bareback Riding can take you wherever you want to go. You didn’t have to grow up on a ranch or around horses or anything. I probably rode about four saddle horses before I started riding bucking horses. It’s a really special sport. I hope ten years from now there are ten times as many people who think that too. I hope it continues to grow.

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Rodeo LIFE

RL: How do you think the televised exposure of rodeo through the Cowboy Channel and shows like Yellowstone have affected the rodeo industry?

TH: It’s been positive. The more positive exposure rodeo can get, the more people are going to react positively to it. The Cowboy Channel has been huge for our sport and the PRCA this year. The chance it has given these rodeos to be on TV and for cowboys to be seen gives our sport a huge opportunity to grow.

Talking about horses over the last two years I’ve become friends with Taylor Sheridan. I think he’s a big fan of rodeo and of cowboys in general. Cowboys are a special breed so anytime we’re getting a spotlight in a positive manner and making cowboys look cool I think it’s good for our sport. I like Yellowstone and I think it’s a positive thing for our industry.

RL: Is there anything else about Bareback Riding or the rodeo industry that you would like people to know?

TH: Two of the biggest misconceptions in Bareback Riding have to do with the cowboys and the livestock. Someone that is unfamiliar and uneducated about our industry might think that we are making these horses buck. I don’t think these people truly understand that these horses are bred to do this job. This is what they love to do. If I couldn’t be a Bareback Rider, I think the next best job would be to be a Bareback horse. I’m sitting here looking at a picture of Virgil, one of the greatest horses there is. He’s such a cool horse because you can tell that he loves his job. When runs in the bucking chute he picks his head up and he’s looking all around. After he gets done bucking out in the arena, whether the guy scored 90 or he threw the guy off, he throws his head up and runs a victory lap. These animals have personalities. As cowboys and contestants, we love these horses. To me, the bucking horses are the coolest part of what I do – I’m just along for the ride. I can’t do much if I don’t have much to work with. These horses buck and only work 20-30 seconds a year and the rest of the time they are relaxing and enjoying the country.

I don’t think there’s a better life than that of a bucking horse. I also don’t think people realize what athletes cowboys are and the kind of physical work we put in everyday to train for this. These guys are professional athletes. We are out training just like in other professional sports. I really think there are a lot of great athletes in our sport who put in a lot of effort.

A Rookie

Unleashed An Interview with

Ky Hamilton

Rodeo Life: How are rodeos different in America than in Australia? What made you decide to rodeo in America fulltime?

Ky Hamilton: They are a lot bigger. The money is bigger; the sponsors are bigger; the competition is better and there are a lot more rodeos. That’s what made me decide to rodeo in America full time. The best of the best are in the United States. I wanted to compete against the best so I moved over here.

RL: This is your first NFR qualification, how are you preparing for your run at a World Champion title?

KH: I’ve just been entering lately and I’m still competing. Here in the next week, I’ll get in the gym and I have a trainer than can get me prepared. I’ll keep riding horses and keep doing what I have been doing all year.

RL: How important is physical fitness to success in your career as a professional Bull Rider?

KH: It’s helped out a lot and has been a big part of my preparation since I started. Its dedication – it’s how badly you want something and what you’re willing to do to get it. It keeps you disciplined and focused. At the same time, it helps with your Bull Riding, it helps you stay strong and physically healthy. It makes recovering from injury a lot easier and it helps prevent injury. It works in a lot of different ways. It helps you mentally because you know you have put in a lot of effort to compete at your best. It helps in a lot of different areas.

RL: How often are you in the gym? What do you focus the most on?

KH: Now that there isn’t a lot going on, I’ll be in the gym at least four days a week, maybe five. We work on a lot of core strength and a lot of all-around fitness. I just focus on making myself a

better, stronger, faster athlete. It’s not necessarily about getting big and putting on weight, but about toning and making sure you can handle your own body weight.

RL: How are PBR and PRCA events different? Which events do you enjoy more?

KH: In the PRCA, you have all the other events in rodeo, but you don’t hit them ranked bulls every single time when your pro rodeoing. That’s a big stepping stone mentally especially when you’re going to the PBR because you are facing those bulls every single time and they are a lot harder to ride.

When you’re rodeoing, you’re doing a lot of miles and going to a lot more events so it takes its toll that way too.

I really enjoy rodeoing because of the history of the big rodeos and the atmosphere of rodeo. At the same time, I love the PBR because every bull you get on is going to be a ranked one.

If you ride them, you’re doing something really good. The money is so much bigger and sponsors are a lot bigger in the PBR, so it pays really well. Each one has their pros and cons, but I just enjoy riding bulls.

RL: How many rodeos on average do you compete in each season? What rodeo is your favorite?

KH: This is my first full year, my rookie year in the PRCA, and I’ve only been in the states for less than two years. This year I’ve done 88 PRCA rodeos and 5 PBR rodeos.

My favorite rodeo is Fort Worth and Spanish Fork, I really enjoyed them. Tucson Rodeo was pretty cool, I did well there. I enjoyed San Antonio as well. Last year I was able to go to the Pendleton Round-Up when I was on my tournament and I thought that was pretty cool. g

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RL: How many bulls do you get on a year?

KH: I wouldn’t have a clue. I know it was well over 110 this year from going to 88 rodeos with a lot of short rounds involved.

RL: What is the greatest thing you’ve learned in your rookie year?

KH: Not letting things get to me. Like if I have a bad weekend or I get bucked off a bull, not letting it get to me. I was pretty bad about holding it in and still being mad about it, but I’ve gotten a lot better at understanding what happened and letting it go.

If you hold on to that stuff too long it carries over to the next performance and it just snowballs. So being able to let stuff go has been something I’ve really learned to get better at this year.

RL: Was there anything that you thought you knew about the rodeo life that turned out to be different once you really immersed yourself into it this year?

KH: Definitely. Being on the road all summer and competing nearly every day does take a toll on you. I didn’t think I’d ever get sick of it, but towards the end I kind of was. Just being away from home and not catching a break wears you down physically, mentally and a little bit emotionally. You just have to dig down and realize you know what you’re there for and you know you want to be there – you just have to remember why you’re doing it and keep going.

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RL: What is the toughest bull you have ridden to date?

Is there any bull that you haven’t rode yet that you hope to in the future?

KH: This year I rode some tough bulls that weren’t really big named bulls and I didn’t get marked very high on them. They’re the kind of bulls that you’re not going to get marked high on but they’re tough to ride. As far as highest scoring ride, I was 90 and three quarters on Spotted Demon this past summer, he was bucking bull of the year in the PRCA a couple years back.

When I won Tucson, I was 90 on a bull called Eyebrows of Rocky Mountain. That bull was a handful to ride.

RL: Is there any bull you’ve yet to ride but hope to get a chance to ride at the NFR or in the near future?

KH: I got on Chiseled, he’s currently winning Bucking Bull of the Year in the PBR, and he threw me off in Blackwood, Idaho at the end of the summer so I know he’s going to the NFR. I’m really hoping I can get another shot at him. There’s another bull called Bruiser that’s been Bucking Bull of the Year in the past PBR/PRCA and I would love to have the opportunity to get on him also.

RL: How has your family influenced your rodeo career?

KH: My family has set me up for everything. My dad used to ride bulls and bucking horses. A lot of my dad’s side of the family competed in rodeos so I’ve always been around it. My dad was always serious about it and he said if I wanted to do it, I had to be all-in or not at all. He was really hard on me when I was growing up doing it. I think that was a big influence on me and why I’m so serious and competitive.

RL: How long do eight seconds really feel like when you’re bucking on some of the industry’s strongest bulls?

KH: It kind of does and kind of doesn’t feel like a long time. It’s hard to explain. There is so much is going on in that short amount of time. Sometimes it feels like it goes on forever because so much is happening and it’s happening so fast. You’re not getting time to think about things. It’s all reaction. I know when you ride them ranked ones, you get off feeling like you just ran a marathon, but it’s because you’re putting everything into it – everything you’ve got to try and ride them. It’s like doing a sprint. You’re busting your gut for eight seconds. When you get off of them, you know you’ve done a work out yourself.

RL: Is there anyone who has greatly influenced your rodeo career?

KH: Troy Dunn had a lot to do with it. He was a 1998 PBR World Champion from Australia. He only lived about 45 minutes away from me. As I got older and more serious about it, he was a big influence and helped me out a lot. I learned a lot from Troy, too.

RL: What is the last thing that thing that goes through your mind before they open the chute?

KH: I don’t really notice anything that’s going on around me because I’m in my own little world doing my thing. The last thing I tell myself is to go with the bull when the gate opens. That’s the only thing I’m thinking about when I nod my head.

Rodeo LIFE

RL: You replaced Sage Kimzey in the #1 slot in September, which has not been done since Kimzey’s rookie year, what is it like going into the NFR neck and neck with someone who has such a decorated career and has been the reigning world champion for six consecutive years?

KH: I haven’t put much thought into it. I work hard at what I do and expect these things from myself. It doesn’t really surprise me or I don’t get all excited about it because I expect that sort of thing from myself. But to be able to compete against someone like Sage and be battling for World Title is going to make me ride better and I know it will make him ride better.

So, at the end of the day, it’s going to make us better and I’m looking forward to it.

RL: What would it mean to win the World Champion title in your rookie year?

KH: It would mean a lot. I know there have only been a handful of guys who have been able to do that in the PCRA. To be able to put my name up with those guys – legends of the sport – I’d be over the moon. I know I am capable of it. I just have to believe in myself and go and do it.

RL: How has it been competing with more veteran riders?

Do any of them give you any advice?

KH: A few guys in the PBR - Cooper Davis and a few other guys I’ve talked to about stuff. They’ve helped me out a lot.

It’s pretty cool versing those guys because you’re the young kid on the block and you want to show the older guys how it’s done. It’s been cool.

RL: If you didn’t pursue a career in rodeo, what other career path might you have taken?

KH: I have no idea. Ever since I was eleven years old, this is all I wanted to do. If I didn’t do this, I don’t know what I would be doing right now. This is all I really care about and its all I think about.

RL: What are some of your non-rodeo hobbies?

KH: That’s kind of hard. I don’t really have a lot. I like to ride horses and do cowboy stuff on the ranch. Every now and again when were on the road and we get a chance, we go play golf or go hang out. Other than that, unless it revolves around bucking bulls or horses or cattle, I don’t really do a whole lot else.

RL: What advice do you have for someone wanting to pursue a career as a professional Bull Rider?

KH: Get around the right people that know what they’re talking about and have done it themselves that can teach you the right way to start. And it’ll make it a lot easier going on from there.

RL: Is there anything about Bull Riding or the rodeo industry in general that you want people to know?

KH: It’s a very physically demanding sport. We treat ourselves like professional athletes and the bulls themselves get treated like professional athletes. We have a lot of respect for the animals and for everyone that competes and is involved. I think it is the original sport of David and Goliath.

RL: What is your favorite part about living the rodeo lifestyle? What is your least favorite part?

KH: My favorite part is, especially over the summer, competing and riding bulls every day. This is what I do for a living so every day I’m not competing I’m unemployed. That’s what I love about it: being able to ride bulls and compete day in and day out.

My not so favorite part is all of the traveling but that just comes with the territory.

Rodeo LIFE

25

The

Eight-Second Rodeo Life: You’ve already had one big win in Arlington, TX this year at The American, how does it feel to go back to take a shot at winning a World Title there? Are you excited about the change in venue for the NFR? Wyatt Casper: I’m excited. I hope that I have the same feeling leaving there as I did leaving earlier in March.

I have mixed feelings about it. It’s been in Las Vegas for as long as I can remember. That’s where I had always planned on making it my first time, but I’m excited about it being in Texas. Living in Texas and having it be on home my turf will be awesome. I think they’re going to pack the stands and it’ll be a great rodeo crowd.

RL: How has COVID-19 changed the course of rodeoing this year?

What do you foresee the future of rodeo looking like?

WC: Oh, it changed it a bunch. We went to a bunch of rodeos that we had never been to before because they were the only ones going on.

We appreciate all of the committees standing with the rodeos and still having them for us. They cancelled a lot of rodeos we used to go to, so we had to kind of venture off. We pretty much entered anything we could this year.

They cancelled the Houston Rodeo about half way through.

I was actually there when they cancelled it. We had already been on two horses, then we were getting ready to go to the rodeo for that third one and they ended up cancelling it.

There were a bunch of big rodeos they were going to count this year and we weren’t able to do it.

I hope it goes back to normal. I don’t foresee rodeo changing itself any. I really believe it’ll return to normal within the next year.

RL: This is your first NFR qualification and you’re going in ranked #1, how are you preparing for your shot at the gold buckle?

What would it mean to you to become a World Champion?

WC: I’m just going to work harder than I ever have.

I’m going to get myself in shape and try to get ready for ten days of good

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DANCE

bucking horses. I’m really just trying to get my body in the shape that it needs to be.

It would mean the world to me. That’s what we fight for day in and day out. It would for sure be a dream come true.

RL: Between competing and raising two kids alongside your wife, how do you find a healthy balance between professional and family commitments? Do you hope that your kids will be involved in rodeo? Is you son showing any interest yet?

WC: This year has really helped me out in order to stay home with my family. In years past, I’ve had to come home, get in the truck with my dad and drive so I could make money so I could rodeo. I feel like I’ve been home way more this year than I ever have and its been awesome.

I’ve been at home working on a shop we just built. It’s been awesome to be able to spend time with the kids and my wife. I know they’re not ready for next year whenever we get to go hard again. I’ve been kind of spoiling them by being home so much.

I do. I really do. I don’t think there’s a sport out there better than rodeo. We’re all a big family and we like helping each other out. I think it’s a good environment to be raised in. I’m going to let them do what they want to do, but I’m going to push rodeo a little more than other things.

He is a little bit. He loves wearing his cowboy hat and boots around. He likes being around the horses and everything. I don’t think its going to be very hard to get him into it.

RL: How has your family influenced your rodeo career? Has anyone else greatly influenced your rodeo career?

WC: They have influenced me a bunch – I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for them. We moved down to Oklahoma from Minnesota when I was five years old just so we would have a better opportunity roping and rodeoing. This has been what our parents wanted us to do since we were little. My dad always wanted us to be bronc riders. My two other brothers – one of them tried and the other one hasn’t gotten to try riding saddle bronc, but he’s been riding ranch bronc and horses lately.

We’re open to try to get him on the broncs and see how he fairs with it.

I wouldn’t be where I’m at without my family.

I’d say Oklahoma Panhandle State. That’s where I got on my first bucking horses and they helped me out a bunch with my shoot procedure and just doing everything right. And I’d say going to college for Bret Franks – he’s made the finals a few times and he really helped me with the mental part of it. My first year of going hard, I got to go with Bradley Harter and Joey Sonnier – they’re veterans in the game. Bradley helped me entering wise, learning how to rodeo hard and where to go and where not to go. I’d say all of them have helped me out a bunch.

RL: What do you think is the greatest aspect of rodeo or what rodeo has to offer?

WC: I think the best part about it is that everyone is out to help everyone. They say that rodeo is a selfish sport, which it is – you’re out here for yourself – but when it comes down to it, everybody’s going to help you out no matter what. And that’s what I like about it the most.

E

An Interview with Wyatt Casper Rodeo is different from any other sport out there and that’s why we all love it so much. We’ll pile three or four of us in a rig and I want them to do just as well as I do. I want them to win. And I want to win.

When it comes down to it, I’m going to do whatever it takes to help them beat me.

RL: What is the last thing you think about before they open the chute?

WC: I get in there and look down the neck and think about getting a good spur out and staying relaxed. I really think about lifting up my rein because my feet are trained to do what they do after doing it for so long.

Really its second nature nowadays.

RL: What drew you to riding broncs over bareback and bull riding?

Have you ever tried your hand at those?

WC: It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. Up until my senior year of high school, I always wanted to start doing it but we didn’t really have the means or know where to start so we never got into it. But finally, I found a reason to do it – an excuse to do it. At the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association, the whole fall semester of my senior year, there were two bronc riders that entered all five of their fall rodeos. Neither one of them ever stayed on a horse and all of their entry fees filled that pot up to about $800. After I heard that, I was like, “dang, this would be the perfect time to go buy a saddle and try to get into this.” And sure enough, that spring I bought a saddle from one of my buddies. I just kind of took over his gear. He tried it and didn’t like it so I went and bought it all from him. I went to OSU and got on my first horse there and then first spring rodeo came around in Elk City, Oklahoma. We get there and there’s about eight of us entered because there had been a few others that wanted to win that thing too. Just so happened, I was the only one to stay on that first rodeo. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have gotten into riding broncs, honestly.

It was a little bit by chance to get on broncs. I was pretty content with just roping. That’s what we loved to do; that’s what we did every weekend and every day. I haven’t been able to enter into roping lately.

I’ve just been so busy riding broncs and working whenever I’m home.

I’d like to start getting back into it.

Bareback never really looked very fun to me. I don’t think I’m tough or crazy enough to go ride bareback horses. Those guys are a different breed of cat; they’re tough.

RL: What is the toughest bronc you’ve faced to date? Is there a particular bronc you’re hoping to pull at the NFR? WC: The toughest bronc I’ve ever been on was Miss Ellie of Frontier Rodeo Company. I got on her the second round at The American. She is the strongest horse I’ve ever been on.

I’d like to have a rematch with Get Smart – that’s the bronc I won The American on. It would be great to draw her in Arlington again.

RL: How many rodeos do you compete in on average?

What is the greatest number of rodeos you’ve ever competed in in one season?

WC: We’ll hit our limit of 100 rodeos and we will throw in some unofficial ones. I bet in one year, I’ve been to 120.

RL: How do you mentally and physically prepare for a rodeo?

WC: I’m really not one of those guys who overlooks everything or gets too prepared. I like showing up to the rodeo about an hour before and I’ll get behind the chutes about thirty minutes before the bareback rides. I like easing around and trying to stay relaxed. I’ve always looked at saddle bronc rides as a relaxed aggression sport. You can’t be overly tense inside a chute or on your horse. Its kind of like dancing. You have to be loose and go with the flow of things. I try not to overlook anything or over do it.

RL: You’ve put a big win at The American under your belt. What other rodeos, other than the NFR, do you hope to win in the future?

WC: I’d like to win Fort Worth. I’d like to win all the big ones like Houston and San Antonio. I’d really like to win Cheyenne. I feel like I should have won it in 2018 and I ended up second so I really want to win that one.

RL: How long does 8 seconds really feel when you’re bucking on some of the industry’s strongest broncs?

WC: On a really good horse that you’re having a lot of fun on, it doesn’t feel like very long. But on a horse that you’re trying to get by, it feels like a lifetime.

What advice do you have for anyone wanting to pursue a career as a professional Saddle Bronc Rider?

WC: I would encourage them to get a good mentor. Someone that’s going to look out for you and get good equipment. I see all these kids showing up with $300 saddles and you’re only as good as your equipment. If you go buy a cheap saddle and it isn’t what the pros are using, you’re going to get hurt and you’re not going to make it because you’re just going to fight that saddle. It just isn’t going to work for you.

So, I encourage that, go spend the money on a good saddle and good equipment and you’ll be better off in the end. You wouldn’t try to go across the Atlantic in a $300 boat – you want a good boat. Saddle bronc is the same thing: you want a good saddle.

RL: Is there anything about Saddle Bronc Riding or the rodeo industry that you want people to know?

WC: All of our animals are taken care of by the best. No animals are getting mistreated. We aren’t starving horses. We’re not starving calves. We care just as much about these animals as we do ourselves.

So, if that’s something people don’t understand, I just want them to know that we wouldn’t have rodeo without them so we’re not going to abuse animals.

Most of these horses don’t work for more than five minutes a year.

I think what we’re doing is an advantage for the horses. Its good for them to be in our care because without us, I don’t think they’d have any antibiotics, medicine, or have anything to take care of them with.

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Grit.

Perseverance.

Hard Work.

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Rodeo LIFE

An Interview with

Amberley Snyder

Rodeo Life: With no rodeo roots running in your family, how did you get bit by the rodeo bug?

Amberley Snyder: My Mom had a horse when she was younger, but didn’t get to compete. When she saw I was drawn to horses she wanted to make sure it was possible.

RL: What is it like inspiring people from all walks of life, from Army Veterans to children?

AS: Honestly, it is humbling and gives me strength. I don’t wake up in the morning and say, “Today I will be an inspiration.” I just do what I can to make the most of my life and those around me.

Just by doing my best, I have been able to inspire and motivate others. I am very lucky for that!

RL: What has been your most memorable speaking opportunity so far? What are your favorite topics to touch on?

AS: The National FFA Convention was incredible. To have an opportunity so early in my speaking career and to speak on such a huge stage truly reminded me I am serving my purpose.

I love speaking about perseverance and the decision you have to move forward no matter what. I also like sharing about my family and how much they have helped me be who I am today.

RL: You’ve mentioned that the hardest obstacle to overcome is patience. How do you conquer that hardship on an everyday basis?

AS: Well I don’t think I have it mastered. I try to just not get overwhelmed every day when things don’t go the way I plan. I will continue to work on that!

RL: At first you declined to make Walk. Ride. Rodeo. into a film. What changed your mind? How has the global streaming of your story changed your life?

AS: My parents said we are doing it and so we did.

It is crazy to have people know me across the whole world!

It is just another platform I am thankful for. It has helped spread my story for speaking which I love the most. g

RL: How have your degrees in Agriculture Education and School Counseling impacted your career?

AS: I use my degrees as a speaker, mentor, teacher and friend.

They allow me to understand perspectives I may not have seen before. Especially when it comes to speaking to younger ages, I use the skills I have learned when obtaining both of my degrees.

RL: How did it feel the first time you beat your pre-accident best time? What is your best time to date?

AS: Oh man, those are the best days. Personal record days. I get to be reminded I am capable of even more than I know! On a standard set, my fastest time is a 17.0.

RL: During your 8-month break from riding, what were you focused on accomplishing? What inspired you to get back in the saddle?

AS: I was going to school. I was honestly trying to handle life in a chair. I wasn’t sure who I was or who I was supposed to be without riding. I had built this person I thought I was, but then it was changed without my permission. I was living my life the best I could even though I didn’t have all the pieces of my heart or ability anymore.

A reporter asked me to come do a story for her. So, it was the exact excuse I needed to get back on.

Rodeo LIFE 29

RL: What was it like seeing your personal story played out in live action in the film Walk. Ride. Rodeo.? What was the most rewarding scene to watch? What was the most difficult scene to watch?

AS: It still seems surreal. I do still feel like I am watching a story unfold.

My favorite scene is the driving scene. Even though it didn’t happen quite like that, the feeling is so spot on. There was so much happiness to know I could drive again.

The difficult scenes are with my little sister. They are the small looks we exchange or the scenes that don’t exist where my family should be, that was hard for me.

RL: Between competing, motivational speaking, writing books, and filming commitments, how do you find a healthy balance between professional, personal and family responsibilities?

What do you like to do in your free time?

AS: I try to set time aside. I have been working on that this year a lot. When I am with family or friends, I am WITH them, so I am not working. People can wait 24 hours to get a response. Boundaries are important for ourselves and others. They are healthy. So, I set aside time for each! I love all that I do so I want to have time for it all. I also value being in the moment so I try to allow myself to do that too.

Free time … what does that look like?

RL: What was it like guest starring on Yellowstone? Are there any other television or film projects in the works for the future?

AS: That was so fun! I am so honored they wrote me in the script!

I am working on some for myself, a behind the scenes in the life of Amberley Snyder. I am just working on funding for now.

RL: How do you mentally and physically prepare for a rodeo?

AS: Physically this year has been big. I have been doing CrossFit to get myself in better shape and I do feel the difference in my riding.

Mentally, I plan my run and run my plan as my goal. I pray to have a clear mind and steady hands and one thing to really focus on.

RL: You live passionately by the motto “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” How has this saying kept you motivated? Why is it important for you to share it’s meaning and be an example of it?

AS: I certainly am not the most talented person in the arena. I know that. I have a disadvantage. The only thing I can control is the effort I put in. I believe we all have a disadvantage somewhere; there will be someone with something better and we cannot control that.

The only part we can control is what we do on our own time with our own abilities.

RL: It’s been a decade since your accident. What is the greatest thing you’ve learned in the last ten years? What has your experience taught you about yourself? What has it taught you about the world? What do you see the next ten years looking like?

AS: The greatest thing that I have learned is that you never know when life can end or change. Don’t wait to do things that would make you happy. Memories are all we get to take with us so make sure you make them!

About myself; I have learned that I am pretty tough. I have great parents and family who continue to motivative me and allow me to be my best self. The only choice I have is to keep moving forward, especially with the army of people behind me.

About the world; it will never be fair. Don’t expect it to be.

Don’t spend too much of your time whining about how it isn’t what you wanted. You pick YOUR world … that you can have a say about.

In ten years, I hope to be speaking still and competing in rodeo of course. I hope in the next ten years I have made the National Finals Rodeo and the American again. I hope to be married and maybe, just maybe, I’ll decide to have a kid too!

RL: How many rodeos on average do you compete in each season? What is your favorite rodeo to compete in and why?

AS: 60-90 each season. My favorites are the ones my horse works great at which changes each year!

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RL: What does being a cowgirl mean to you? What attributes does a cowgirl have to have to be successful in the rodeo industry?

AS: Grit, Perseverance and Hard work. These are the first three words that comes to mind when I think of being a cowgirl. To me, I should continue to uphold those and share them along my journey.

RL: Is there anyone who has greatly influenced your rodeo career?

AS: My rodeo coach and mentor, Stacy Glause, for teaching me all she knows. We still talk over almost every run after.

My parents, Cory and Tina Snyder, for of course making it even possible! Without their support I wouldn’t be who I want to be.

RL: What has been your favorite buckle to sport and why?

AS: My World All-Around buckle I wore for the longest time.

Now it’s the newest ones Legacy has won.

RL: What rodeo has been the greatest win in your career so far and why? What is the ultimate goal for your rodeo career?

AS: As far as competing, The American was life changing even if we didn’t win.

A 2D win in Vegas was huge for the money as it was the most on one run I have ever won.

A round win for the Buckles for Bailey this year was huge for me. I didn’t know we were capable of that to be honest. And my horse showed me once again I shouldn’t ever hold ourselves back.

We are good enough.

RL: What is your favorite part about living the rodeo lifestyle?

What is your least favorite part?

AS: Being able to live a life that is full of travel, adversity, victory, family and horses is my favorite part about the rodeo lifestyle.

My least favorite part is waking up early!

Photo by Ohana photography

Rodeo LIFE 31

The

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Reign Rodeo LIFE

Photo by Art of Aperture

An Interview with Miss Rodeo America 2020

Jordan Tierney Rodeo Life: How is being Miss Rodeo America different than being Miss Rodeo South Dakota?

Miss Rodeo America, Jordan Tierney: The title of Miss Rodeo America is much more involved than the title of Miss Rodeo South Dakota. In a normal year as Miss Rodeo America I would travel over 100K miles and be to over 100 rodeo performances, as Miss Rodeo South Dakota my travel was about a third of that. Though with both titles you represent rodeo and the western lifestyle, as Miss Rodeo America I feel that responsibility on a much larger scale, which has been so exciting!

for! My dad has a really incredible story of him growing up and he really made a name for himself within the industry considering he didn’t come from a family that had anything to do with rodeo, although they did ranch in central Nebraska. The drive and determination of my dad has always been an inspiration and driving force for me. I want to make a name for myself and achieve big things within this industry and be a part of the growth of the rodeo sport! He has always pushed us kids to set big goals and to work extremely hard to achieve them because he knows first hand that’s what it takes to do great things in life!

RL: When did you know you wanted to run for Rodeo Queen?

MRA: I made the decision to run for Miss Rodeo South Dakota the winter of 2018. From there I tried out for a local pageant in July of 2018 which was Miss Days of ‘76. I had never done rodeo queening before, but my mother was Miss Rodeo South Dakota 1985. So I had always had that influence of rodeo queens and was always a fan of them! Pursuing the title of Miss Rodeo America really stemmed from my desire to get involved in rodeo on a side I had never experienced before which was production. I wanted to use my degree background and growing up in it as a competitor to further my career in the industry! Being Miss Rodeo America has given me the opportunity to meet some incredible people and make connections I wouldn’t have made otherwise!

RL: How has COVID-19 changed the course of rodeo this year?

MRA: This year of rodeo has been like no other I have ever seen before and it has truly been heartbreaking for everyone involved.

From rodeos cancelling or having crowds at only about 20% capacity for attendance has been eerie. The rodeos have all looked different depending on the state and what their restrictions are. I am hopeful that in 2021 rodeos will get back to some sort of normalcy at least by the time the summer run comes around next year!

RL: How has your degree in Business Administration and Marketing helped your career?

MRA: Having a degree in Business Administration and Marketing has helped me in my career because it has given me a good foundation on how the world works. Having a business background has given me an analytical mindset and the attitude of getting the job done no matter what. After college, I worked for two years as an Office Manager of a Physical Therapy Clinic in my hometown. Having real world experience in a business setting really gave me the confidence to deal with whatever comes my way as Miss Rodeo America and life after the crown! g

n Continues RL: How has having a World Champion and Hall-of-Farmer father influenced your career and your passion for rodeo and the western lifestyle?

MRA: Having a World Champion and Hall-of-Famer father has definitely influenced my career and passion for rodeo and all things western greatly throughout my life, which I am so thankful

Rodeo LIFE 33

Photo by Sherry Smith Photography

RL: What about being this year’s Miss Rodeo America has had the most impact on you?

MRA: I would say that COVID-19 has had the most impact on me as being this year’s Miss Rodeo America. It really changed up the landscape of how my year was supposed to go and I felt that a lot of people were looking to see how I handled it. It was not always sunshine and rainbows, but I’m a glass half full kind of person so I just tried to take it day by day! When they asked me to extend my reign and continue to the end of 2021, I was very grateful for the opportunity! Choosing to go another year is a big responsibility and impacts my future plans by having to delay them another year, but I am excited to get a full year with all of the experiences!

RL: What is the greatest lesson you are taking away from being Miss Rodeo America?

MRA: The greatest lesson I am taking away from being Miss Rodeo America is making the title fit you! No Miss Rodeo America is the

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same as the last and that is what makes it so fun to see as it goes from girl to girl. Carrying this title has a lot of responsibility with it, but just knowing that you are human and you can’t be perfect so have some grace with yourself and enjoy the ride!

RL: How do you handle the pressure of the high standards of being a spokesperson for the sport of rodeo as well as a role model for girls and women all over the country? What do you hope people take away from their time with you?

MRA: I think the only way you can handle the pressure of this title is having a strong faith in God and having confidence in yourself that you were made to do great things in life and he will bring you through the pressures! I always want to leave people feeling better after they have talked to me. I think adding value to peoples’ lives in a positive way is so important and that’s how I try to lead everywhere I go!

RL: What attributes does the role of Miss Rodeo America require?

MRA: The attributes that the role of Miss Rodeo America requires is to be a poised, professional and kind cowgirl! You are the spokesperson for Professional Rodeo and the Western Lifestyle so show people your love for those two things because people are drawn to authenticity and genuine love!

RL: What was the most exciting opportunity you were able to take on as Miss Rodeo America?

MRA: The most exciting opportunity I have been able to take on as Miss Rodeo America has been getting to see beautiful and different parts of our great country of the United States of America! I would have never been able to see them had it not been for the title of Miss Rodeo America! We live in such a beautiful and vast country that really leaves me speechless.

RL: During your time as Miss Rodeo America, what influences did you hope to leave on the rodeo and western world? What has been the most rewarding?

MRA: The influences that I hope to leave on the rodeo and western world is that cowgirls can be rodeo queens and rodeo queens can be cowgirls! I feel that sometimes within our industry people think they have to be one or the other. I hope I have done my part to chip a little away at that notion. Because of COVID-19, I have been home helping on the ranch this year more than I thought I would be and at times I have been covered in dirt, manure, horse hair etc. then turned around the next day and was dressed to the nines as Miss Rodeo America for an event.

You can do both. I hope girls see that and if I can help just one person then I have done my job! That’s been the most rewarding part for me!

Photo by Molly Morrow Photo by Sherry Smith Photography

RL: What is next for your career?

MRA: After my reign is done at the end of 2021, I plan to pursue my Masters in Business Administration and to keep being an advocate for the western industry! I am excited to see what opportunities come for me through this title and although I don’t know exactly what my future looks like I know the Lord does and I have faith in that!

RL: As you pass the crown to the next Miss Rodeo America, what advice do you have for her?

MRA: My advice for Miss Rodeo America 2022 is to enjoy every minute of her reign because before she knows it she will be doing an interview like this about what she will tell the next girl!

All things considered, this year has gone by incredibly fast and the people I've met and the places I’ve seen I wouldn’t trade for the world! Also, I would tell her to have grace with herself because like I mentioned earlier, at the end of the day you are only human, but wake up each day with a servant's heart and a strong work ethic and the rest will take care of itself!

Rodeo LIFE

35

CASUAL

COWGIRL

By Kim Kammenzind

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Rodeo LIFE

L CHIC C

asual cowgirl style can be summed

more contemporary look. Currently, I am really

in the trailer to cover it up. Caps with tooled

up in two words, pretty and practi-

feeling the retro western prints and ringer

leather patches are a great way to be fashion-

cal. These effortless looks have been

tees with a pop of contrast on the collar and

able in the arena. Custom patches are a fun way

where it is at for western babes’ way before the

cuffs. A pair of scissors can quickly transform

to show your individuality or promote your busi-

pandemic took away our activities and events

a unisex souvenir tee into a distressed work of

ness or brand. Beanies with tooled details are

to play dress up for. Even as a lifelong barrel

art. Believe me gals after watching a couple of

also a great option for fall and winter. Don’t pack

racer who loves to wear “cute outfits” I believe

YouTube videos, I now cut all my tee shirts and

your wildrags away after the last freeze, they

that fashion should never outweigh function

it’s a blast!

also make great headwraps during the summer

and comfort in the arena. Fringe flying in a girl’s face or sequins scratching at your skin can definitely distract ones focus and get in the way of laying down that 1D run. While shopping for myself personally and also our customers who are primarily rodeo competitors, I am always on the hunt for practical pieces that can be worn at the jackpot and also transitioned with a few easy touches for a trip to town. When polling my customers before market trips my requests are always to return with fun graphic tees, trouser style jeans, casual retro styles and durable outerwear. Every gal loves to be glam, but realistically how many of you live in that hoodie 90% of the time? Here are some styles you will always find in my home or trailer closet and some of my favorite ways to dress them up or down!

Graphic Tees: Truly the most versatile piece of clothing a gal can own. From western themed to rock styles, a basic tee can be dressed up or down through layering or when styled with a great statement accessory. These multi-function wonders pair well underneath an arena

Long Sleeve Buttonups: Every cowgirl has their fair share of “competition shirts” all starched up and hanging in their wardrobe closet ready for arena time. I am always on the hunt for a great retro style or fun print that I can wear while running barrels or style it up with my favorite flares for a more fashion forward look.

One of my favorite ways to transition a buttonup for multiple wears is to knot the base of the hem in the front of your blouse on both sides. This creates a more fitted look and is also a great way to hide wrinkles if you have worn your shirt

months and look super cute worn over braids.

FYI, you will find me sporting one of the above mentioned 90% of the time while at an event.

Athletic/Leisure Wear: Casual comfort is the name of the game while on the rodeo road.

Yoga pants, hoodies and dry fit pieces are my outfit of choice while visiting my favorite truck stops for that late-night burrito and Red Bull fix.

I like to pack pieces that I can drive in, sleep in and also wear to the gym. Several major western apparel brands are now offering athletic wear and casual staples to cater to the large

tucked in while competing.

demographic of travelling rodeo contestants.

Trousers: Our trouser styles are by far our most

Turquoise: I have a mix of faux and authentic

popular denim item for good reason. These jeans are versatile for riding or everyday wear.

By ordering a longer inseam I can wear these to ride in, and then in turn “cuff” the bottoms to the appropriate length to be worn with my favorite snip toe boots or tennis shoes. Trouser jeans are flattering on all body types and durable under use and saddle wear.

items in the hanging jewelry bag that graces my RV bathroom door. I like to wear my smaller and less expensive fashion pieces when I’m running barrels because I don’t need any kind of wardrobe malfunction hindering my performance on the pattern. The larger statement pieces are sported when I am spectating and it is always my hope that my big ol’ beautiful rings will take attention away from my unkept barrel racer

shirt for a quick trip to town, or a dinner out. A

Caps/Beanies/Wildrags: Let’s face it ladies,

funky tee can also add a little “edge” to a classic

nails. When in doubt, wear turquoise! It can

there is no amount of product to fix “cowboy hat

blazer for a post rodeo concert or to create a

add a touch of western to any look, and there is

hair.” Thus, the need to have something cute

just no wrong way to style it.

FOR INFORMATION ON THESE LOOKS AND PIECES PLEASE VISIT NOBODYSGIRLBOUTIQUE.COM AND CLICK ON THE “CASUAL COWGIRL COLLECTION”. PHOTOS BY SQUARE D PHOTOGRAPHY AND DEE CUSICK.

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STETSON WRIGHT 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#13 World Saddle Bronc Riding #8 World Bull Ridging Won the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo (Heber City, UT) Won the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT) Won the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo Won the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Castle Rock, CO) Won the Yuma (CO) Fair & Rodeo Won the Jerome (ID) County Fair and Rodeo Won the Wyoming (Douglas) State Fair & Rodeo Won the Eastern Montana (Miles City) Fair Rodeo Won the Cassia County Fair & Rodeo (Burley, ID)

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Won the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo (Heber City, UT) Won the Carson (IA) Community Rodeo Won the Eastern Montana (Miles City) Fair Rodeo Co-champion at the Range Days Rodeo (Rapid City, SD)

BULL RIDING

Won the San Angelo (TX) Xtreme Bulls Won the Yuma (CO) Fair & Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won his first all-around world championship at his first Wrangler NFR after finishing with $297,923. Won the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo, the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT), the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days, the Rodeo de Sante Fe (NM), the Clark County Fair & Rodeo, the Pony Express Rodeo (Eagle Mountain, UT), the Cody (WY) Stampede, the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT), the West Jordan (UT) Western Stampede, the Red Desert Roundup (Rock Springs, WY). Won Rounds 1 and 4 and placed in five rounds in bull ridings at his Wrangler NFR debut. He placed fifth in the average after winning $114,923 and finished third in the world standings with $267,345. Won the Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the California Rodeo Salinas, the Spanish Fork (Utah) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Los Fresnos (TX) Rodeo, the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT), the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV), the Angelina Benefit Rodeo (Lufkin, TX), the Pony Express Rodeo (Eagle Mountain, UT), the Sisters (OR) Rodeo Xtreme Bull Riding, the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT) and the 2018 Permit Members of the Year Challenge in Las Vegas, NV. Co-champion at the win at the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo. Finished 20th in the saddle bronc riding world standings with $71,301. Won the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days, the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT), the Big V Feeds Pro Rodeo in McAlester, OK, the Livermore (CA) Rodeo, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and the Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo (Blackfoot, ID).

2018: Saddle Bronc Riding: Won the Lakeside (CA) Rodeo; the Pony Express Rodeo (Eagle Mountain, UT); the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT); the Folsom (CA) Pro Rodeo; the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT); the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT); and split the win with his uncle Jake Wright at the Western Stampede (West Jordan, UT). Bull Riding: Won the Lakeside (CA) Rodeo; the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo; the Ute Stampede (Nephi, UT); and the Horse Heaven / Kennewick (WA) Round-Up. Finished the year with $68,069.

Placed first in the 2018 RAM Rodeo Permit Standings for saddle bronc riding with $28,579 and second for bull riding with $39,490.

2020 EARNINGS $108,144 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST (AA), 3RD (BR), 20TH (SB) 2019 EARNINGS: $297,923 (AA), $267,345 (BR), $71,301 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 3RD (BR) 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $114,923 40

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For hands, neck & face

All-Around

TUF COOPER 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Tie-down Roping #7 Steer Roping Won the Heart “O” (Waco, TX) Fair & Rode Won the Cinch Roping Fiesta (San Angelo, TX) Won the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX) Won the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD) Won the Cody (WY) Stampede Won the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo Won the Range Days Rodeo (Rapid City, SD)

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Won the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo Co-champion at the Cody (WY) Stampede

2020 EARNINGS $102,845 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 3RD (AA); 6TH (TD); 4TH (SR) 2019 EARNINGS: $265,794 (AA), $211,631 (TD), $79,577 (SR) 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 3RD 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $106,038

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won the all-around at the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX), the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo and the Lewiston (ID) Roundup. Finished sixth in tie- down roping world standings with $211,631. He won Round 3 and placed in three rounds at the Wrangler NFR; he finished third in the average after earning $106,038. Won the Airdrie (Alberta) Pro Rodeo, the Innisfail (Alberta) Pro Rodeo and the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV). Co-champion at the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo (Merritt, British Columbia). Qualified for his third consecutive Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Finished 12th in the NFSR average and fourth in the world standings with $79,577. He won Round 4 and Round 10. Won the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo, the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX), the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the Lewiston (ID) Roundup and the Amarillo (TX) TriState Fair and Rodeo.

2018: Finished second in the all-around world standings with $310,357. He also finished second in the tie-down roping world standings with $205,268. He placed in four rounds at the Wrangler NFR with a best finish of splitting second place in Round 8. He earned $70,500 at the Wrangler NFR. Finished second in the steer roping standings with $112,157. He won Round 6 and Round 9 at the Clem McSpadden NFSR and placed in Round 7. Finished 15th in the average with 43.4-second time on four head. Earned $22,730 at the NFSR. Won the all-around at the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo, the Lewiston (ID) Roundup, the Deadwood (SD) Days Of ‘76 Rodeo, the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days, the RAM TX (Waco) Circuit Finals and the Amarillo (TX) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo. Won the tie-down roping at the Deadwood (SD) Days Of ‘76 Rodeo, the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL) and the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo (Hill City, KS). Co-champion at the Livingston (MT) Roundup, the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ) and the Amarillo (TX) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo. Won the steer roping at the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days and the Lewiston (ID) Roundup.

2017: Won his first career all-around world championship with $341,560; finished second in the tiedown roping world standings with $301,983. He placed in three rounds and finished second in the average with a 91.0-second time on 10 head. He earned $111,538 at the Wrangler NFR. He made his debut at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, finishing 12th in the world standings. He was 10th in the average at the NFSR with a 77.9-second time on six head. He earned $15,891 at the NFSR and finished the season with $60,107. Won the all-around, tiedown roping and steer roping at the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo (Stephenville, TX). Won the all-around and tie-down roping at the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo. Won the all-around at the Lewiston (ID) Roundup, the Apache (OK) Stampede, the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX) and the San Patricio County PRCA Rodeo (Sinton, TX). Won the tie-down roping at the Days of 47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo (Salt Lake City, UT), the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX). the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Grand Island, NE), the Eugene (OR) Pro Rodeo, the Crooked River Roundup (Prineville, OR), the Helotes (TX) Festival Association Rodeo and the Bell County PRCA Rodeo (Belton, TX). Won the steer roping at the Range Days Rodeo (Rapid City, SD) and the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX). Co-champion at the K-Days Rodeo (Edmonton, Alberta).

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clay smith 2020 HIGHLIGHTS - PARTNER JADE CORKILL #26 World Steer Roping #2 World Team Roping (Headers) Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX) Won the California Circuit Finals (Lancaster, CA)

TEAM ROPING

Won the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo

STEER ROPING

Won the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: (Partner Jade Corkill) Won his second consecutive world title by winning Round 2 and placing in five rounds to rank sixth in the average with 47.3 seconds on eight head at the Wrangler NFR. Won the team roping and co-champion in all-around at the Apache (OK) Stampede, with Jade Corkill. Won the Greeley (CO) Stampede, the Eugene (OR) Pro Rodeo and the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA), with Jade Corkill. Co-champion at the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo, with Jade Corkill. Won the all-around at the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days and the 50th Annual Cowboy Capital of The World PRCA Rodeo (Stephenville, TX). Won the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the TX (Waco) Circuit Finals Rodeo, the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO) and the Ropin Dreams (Jourdanton, TX), with Jake Long.

Won the San Angelo (TX) Cinch Shoot-Out Rodeo, with Paul Eaves.

2018: (Partner Paul Eaves) Won his first team roping heading world championship at the Wrangler NFR after finishing with a single-season record of $289,921. Placed third in the average at the Wrangler NFR with 34.4 seconds on eight head, earning $174,577. Placed in seven rounds. Won Rounds 2 and 5.

Won the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX). Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo, the RAM TX (Waco) Circuit Finals, the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR), the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo and the XIT Rodeo & Reunion (Dalhart, TX).

2017: (Partner Paul Eaves) Finished fifth in the world standings with $197,556.

Finished 9th at the Wrangler NFR with $84,462. Placed in five rounds. Won the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days, the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA), the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD), the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo (Mercedes, TX), the Laramie (WY) Jubilee Days, the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo, the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Rapid City, SD) and the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS). Won the tie-down roping at the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, WA). Co-champion at the Caldwell (ID) Night Rodeo and the Greeley (CO) Stampede. Won the all-around and team roping at the Rose City Roundup (Tyler, TX). Won the all-around at the Comal County Fair & Rodeo (New Braunfels, TX), the Yellowstone River Round-Up (Billings, MT), the Goliad (TX) County Fair PRCA Rodeo and the PRCA Rose City Round-Up (Tyler, TX).

2016: (Partner Paul Eaves) Placed in six rounds to rank second at the Wrangler NFR. Finished fifth in the world standings with $218,611. Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX), the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO), the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots, the Dodge City, (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the Canby (OR) Rodeo, and the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo. Won the all-around and team roping at the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX), with Wesley Johnson. Won the all-around and co-champion in team roping at the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT). Won the all-around at the Amarillo (TX) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo.

2020 EARNINGS $82,068 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $118,308 2019 EARNINGS: $268,820

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Bareback Riding

TIM O’CONNELL 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Bareback Riding Won the San Angelo (TX) Cinch Chute-Out Rodeo Won the Kansas (Pretty Prairie) Largest Night Rodeo Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo Won the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo Won the UT’s Own Rodeo at The UT (Salt Lake City) State Fair Co-champion at the Sikeston (MO) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: He placed second in the Wrangler NFR average, earning $147,923, after placing in seven rounds. Won the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo, the Killdeer (ND) Mountain Roundup PRCA Rodeo, the Nebraska’s (Burwell) Big Rodeo, the Elk City (OK) Rodeo of Champions and the Tri-State Rodeo Cinch Shoot-Out (Fort Madison, IA). Co-champion at the Rooftop Rodeo (Estes Park, CO) and the North American Championship Rodeo (Louisville, KY).

2018: Won his third consecutive bareback riding world championship and his third consecutive Wrangler NFR average title with 849.5 points on 10 head, splitting it with Steven Dent. Finished the season with $319,801 and finished with $132,551 in the average at the Finals. Won Round 3 at the Wrangler NFR on Powder River Rodeo’s Craig at Midnight and won Round 9 on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Ain’t No Angel. Also placed in Rounds 4 and 10. Won the Reno (NV) Rodeo, the California Rodeo Salinas, the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo, the Horse Heaven / Kennewick (WA) RoundUp, the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days, the Greeley (CO) Stampede, the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days And PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX), the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo, the Midwest Horse Fair & Rodeo (Madison, WI), the Licking (MO) PRCA Rodeo, the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Elizabeth (CO) Stampede Rodeo, the Jackson County Pro Rodeo (Bellevue, IA), the Stanley (WI) Rodeo, the 40th Annual Headwaters PRCA Rodeo (Park Rapids, MN), the Heart of the North Rodeo (Spooner, WI), the Western Fest Stampede Rodeo (Granite Falls, MN), the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT), the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT) and the River City Rodeo (Omaha, NE). Co-champion at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the Franklin (TN) Rodeo and the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS).

2017: Won his second consecutive bareback riding world title with $371,416. Won his second consecutive Wrangler NFR

2020 EARNINGS $122,927 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 3RD 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND 2019 EARNINGS: $261,091

average with 853.5 points on 10 head, earning $169,500. Won the Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo (Denver, CO), the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX), the Horse Heaven Round-Up (Kennewick, WA), the Rodeo Corpus Christi (TX), the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days, the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo, the Rodeo of the Ozarks (Springdale, AK), the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AK), the U.S. Navy Seal Danny Dietz Ultimate Challenge (Rosenberg, TX), the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS), the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Rodeo, the 41st Annual Isanti (MN) Firefighters Rodeo, the Jackson County Pro Rodeo (Bellevue, IA), the Elk City (OK) Rodeo Of Champions and the Carson (IA) Community Rodeo, Won the Pioneer City Rodeo (Palestine, IL). Co-champion at the Minnesota (St. Paul) Horse Exposition Rodeo and the Golden Spike Rodeo (Tremonton, UT).

2016: Won the world champion title and the Wrangler NFR average by splitting the top spot in Round 2 and placing in seven rounds. O’Connell set a bareback riding record and claimed the biggest single-season total in any event with $347,272 earned. Won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the RAM Great Lakes Circuit Finals Rodeo (Louisville, KY), the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX), the Justin Boots Playoffs (Puyallup, WA), the Dodge City, (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo. Won the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo (North Platte, NE), the Will Rogers Stampede (Claremore, OK), the 101 Wild West Rodeo (Ponca City, OK), the Edgewood (IA) Days PRCA Rodeo, the 40th Annual Isanti (MN) Firefighters Rodeo, the Gerry (NY) Volunteer Firemen’s Rodeo, the Carson (IA) Community Rodeo, the Pioneer City Rodeo (Palestine, IL) and the Pine City (MN) Championship PRCA Rodeo. Co-champion at the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AK) and the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS).

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Bareback Riding

KAYCEE FeiLD 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Bareback Riding Won the American (Arlington, TX) Won the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT) Won the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: He placed ninth in the Wrangler NFR average, earning $56,115, after placing in four rounds. Won Rodeo Houston (TX), the Caldwell (ID) Night Rodeo, the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Horse Heaven/Kennewick (WA) Round-Up and the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ). Cochampion at the Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days and the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, WA).

2018: Finished seventh in the world standings with $231,445.

Placed in seven rounds at the Wrangler NFR, on his way to finishing fourth in the average and earning $120,423. Won the Western Stampede (West Jordan, UT), the Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days, the Tri-State Rodeo (Fort Madison, IA), the Bell County PRCA Rodeo (Belton, TX), That Famous Preston (ID) Night Rodeo, the Arcadia All-Fla Championship Rodeo, the Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days Inc. and the Young Living Last Chance PRCA Rodeo (Mona, UT). Co-champion the RAM Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo (Heber City, UT).

2017: Finished 30th in the world standings with $42,377. Won the Canby (OR) Rodeo and the Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days Inc. Co-champion at the Lehi (UT) Roundup.

2016: Did not compete.

2015: Won or split the win in four rounds and placed in two others to place second in the average at the Wrangler NFR. Won the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, the Justin Boots Playoffs (Puyallup, WA), the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, WA), the 134th Silver Spurs Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the Cody (WY) Stampede Champions Challenge, the Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo (Blackfoot, ID) and UT’s Own Rodeo (Salt Lake City). Co-champion at the Snake River Stampede (Nampa, ID).

2014: Won his fourth consecutive world title with $294,980, as well as the Wrangler NFR average title for the fourth consecutive year, tying the event record for total wins set by Bruce Ford and the record for consecutive average titles in any event set by team roping heeler Leo Camarillo. Won Rounds 5

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and 9 and placed in five additional rounds to finish with 818.5 points on 10 head. Won the Justin Boots Championships (Omaha, NE); the Reno (NV) Rodeo; the Justin Boots Playoffs (Puyallup, WA); Rodeo Austin (TX); the RAM Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo (Heber City, UT); the Red Bluff (CA) Round-Up; the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo; the Ponoka (Alberta) Stampede; the Livingston (MT) Roundup; the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD); the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo; La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson, AZ) and the Golden Spike Rodeo (Tremonton, UT). Won the all-around at the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT) and the Fort Herriman PRCA Rodeo (Herriman, UT). Co-champion at That Famous Preston (ID) Night Rodeo.

2020 EARNINGS $94,892 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 6TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 9TH 2019 EARNINGS: $232,320

Bareback Riding

ORIN LARSEN 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Bareback Riding Won the Buffalo Stampede (Kadoka, SD) Won the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo Won the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT) Won the Wolf Point (MT) Wild Horse Stampede Won the Yellowstone Riggin Rally (Darby, MT) Co-champion at the Crossett (AK) Riding Club 72nd Annual PRCA Rodeo Co-champion at the Pony Express Rodeo (Eagle Mountain, UT) Co-champion at the McCone County Fair PRCA Rodeo (Circle, MT)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Finished second in the world standings with $296,404. He placed fourth in the Wrangler NFR average, earning $122,962, after winning Round 4 and placing in five rounds. Won the Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the Canby (OR) Rodeo, the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede, the Airdrie (Alberta) Pro Rodeo, The American (Arlington, TX), the Leduc (Alberta) Black Gold Pro Rodeo, the Eagle (CO) County Fair & Rodeo and the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo. Cochampion at the New Mexico (Albuquerque) State Fair & Rodeo.

2020 EARNINGS $81,391 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 4TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $122,962 2019 EARNINGS: $296,404 EDUCATION: COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN ID (TWIN FALLS), ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN WELDING

2018: Finished the season in eighth place in the world standings with $222,732. Won Round 7 of the Wrangler NFR with an 89-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Tip Off. Placed in four other rounds to finish eighth in the average. Won the Strathmore (Alberta) Stampede, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, the Canby (OR) Rodeo, the Farm-City Pro Rodeo (Hermiston, OR), the Kananaskis Pro Rodeo (Coleman, Alberta) and the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Castle Rock, CO). Cochampion at the Dixie Roundup (St. George, UT).

2017: Finished eighth in the world standings with $171,009. Placed in five rounds to rank 12th in the average with 727 points on nine head at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented

by Justin Boots (Spanish Fork, UT); (Rapid City, SD); (Grand Island, NE) and (Sioux Falls, SD). Also won the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, N.M.), the Yellowstone River Round-Up (Billings, MT), the COrado (Pueblo) State Fair & Rodeo, the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT), the Lea Park Rodeo (Marwayne, Alberta), the Rocky Pro Rodeo (Rocky Mountain House, Alberta), the Pincher Creek (Alberta) Pro Rodeo and the Arcadia All-Fla Championship Rodeo. Co-champion at the Jasper (Alberta) Heritage Rodeo.

2016: Won Round 8 at the Wrangler NFR and placed 11th by placing in five rounds. Finished third in the world standings with $219,373. Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo, the Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the Wrangler Champion Challenges (Spanish Fork, UT) and (Pueblo, CO), the Lewiston (ID) Roundup, the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA), the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV), the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson, AZ), the Leduc (Alberta) Black Gold Rodeo and the IPE and Stampede, (Armstrong, British Columbia). Cochampion at the Wrangler Champion Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Kissimmee, FL) and the Sikeston (MO) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo.

2015: Placed in three rounds at his first Wrangler NFR. Won the Greeley (CO) Stampede, The Days of ‘47 Rodeo (Salt Lake City, UT), the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo, the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS), the Magic Valley Stampede (Filer, ID) and the Apache (OK) Stampede. Finished 12th in the world standings with $114,156.

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Saddle Bronc Riding

WYATT CASPER 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Saddle Bronc Riding Won the American (Arlington, TX) Won the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ) Won the Kit Carson County Pro Rodeo (Burlington, CO)

2020 EARNINGS $145,138 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 33RD 2019 EARNINGS: $40,195

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Co-champion at the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, WA).

2018: Won the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV) Finished 20th in the world standings with $52,912.

2017: Won the Goliad (TX) County Fair PRCA Rodeo; the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and Rodeo (Weatherford, TX); and the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo. Tied for the win at the Hamel (Minn.) Rodeo & Bull Ridin’ Bonanza; the Eagle (CO) County Fair & Rodeo; and Iowa’s Championship Rodeo (Sidney). Finished 28th in the world with $40,133.

2016: Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo and the Apache (OK) Stampede. Finished 86th in the world with $6,947.

2015: Placed 49th in the RAM Rodeo Permit Standings for saddle bronc riding with $797.

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Saddle Bronc Riding

RYDER WRIGHT 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

2020 EARNINGS $111,336 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 3RD 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $48,641 2019 EARNINGS: $273,129

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

bock, TX), the Silver State Stampede (Elko, NV), the Last Chance Stampede (Helena, MT), the Wind River PRCA Rodeo Roundup (Riverton, WY), the Days Of The Old West Rodeo (Delta, UT), the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber City, UT), the Cave Creek (AZ) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Wyoming State Fair & Rodeo (Douglas, WY), the Eastern Montana Fair Rodeo (Miles City, MT), the Goliad (TX) County Fair PRCA Rodeo, the Central Ark PRCA Rodeo (El Paso, AR), the Angelina County Benefit Rodeo (Lufkin, TX) and the Stonyford (CA) Rodeo. Co-champion at Kern County Sheriff’s Reserve Stampede Days Rodeo (Bakersfield, CA), the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo and the Cassia County Fair & Rodeo (Burley, ID).

#2 World Saddle Bronc Riding Won the Ute Stampede (Nephi, UT) Won the Range Days Rodeo Xtreme Broncs (Rapid City, SD) Won the Golden Spike PRCA Bronc Riding Classic (Tremonton, UT)

2019: Placed in three rounds to rank 12th in the average with 348.5 seconds on four head at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Clovis (CA) Rodeo, the Colorado (Pueblo) State Fair & Rodeo, the Greeley (CO) Stampede, the Angelina Benefit Rodeo (Lufkin, TX), the Pony Express Rodeo (Eagle Mountain, UT), the Las Vegas (Nev.) Days, the Canyonlands PRCA Rodeo (Moab, UT), the Eagle (ID) Rodeo, the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT), the California Rodeo Salinas, the Red Desert Roundup (Rock Springs, WY) and the Young Living’s Last Chance Rodeo (Mona, UT). Co-champion at the Jerome (ID) County Fair and Rodeo.

2018: Placed in four rounds to rank 13th in the average with 351.5 points on four head at the Wrangler NFR. Ranked fifth in the world standings with $243,194. Won the Washington (Puyallup) State Fair Pro Rodeo; California Rodeo Salinas; the Horse Heaven / Kennewick (WA) Round-Up; the Snake River Stampede (Nampa, ID); the Sisters (OR) Rodeo; the Fiesta Days Rodeo (Spanish Fork, UT); the Amarillo (TX) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo; the West Of The Pecos (TX) Rodeo; the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo; Cave Creek (AZ) Rodeo Days; the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo (Mercedes, TX); the Days Of The Old West Rodeo (Delta, UT); the PRCA Xtreme Broncs Match (Rapid City, S.D.); the Red Desert Roundup (Rock Springs, WY); the Wind River PRCA Rodeo Roundup (Riverton, WY); the Norco Mounted Posse PRCA Rodeo; the Magic Valley Stampede (Filer, ID); and UT’s (Salt Lake City) Own Rodeo At the UT State Fair. Co-champion at the Caldwell (ID) Night Rodeo; the Lehi (UT) Roundup; the Eagle (CO) County Fair & Rodeo; and the Golden Spike Rodeo (Tremonton, UT).

2017: Won Round 4,6, 8 and 9 and placed in eight rounds to rank seventh in the average with 702.5 points on eight head.

Ranked first in the world standings with $284,938. Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo, the Pasadena (TX) Livestock Show & Rodeo, the Magic Valley Stampede (Filer, ID), the War Bonnet Roundup Rodeo (ID Falls, ID), the Crooked River Roundup (Prineville, OR), the Poway (CA) Rodeo, the Livermore (CA) Rodeo, the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Santa Maria, CA), the Norco (CA) Mounted Posse Rodeo, the Amargosa Days PRCA Rodeo (Amargosa Valley, NV), the Summit County Fair & Rodeo (Coalville, UT), the UT’s (Salt Lake City) Own Rodeo At The UT State Fair and the Industry (CA) Hills Charity Pro Rodeo.

Co-champion at the YMBL Championship Rodeo (Beaumont, TX).

2016: Won every round he placed in, rounds 1-4 and Round 9, to rank 12th at the Wrangler NFR. Climbed from 14th to fourth in the world standings with $211,758. Won ABC Pro Rodeo (Lub-

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Saddle Bronc Riding

BRODY CRESS 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Saddle Bronc Riding Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo Won the TX (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the Three Hills Rodeo Xtreme Bronc Buck Out (Baldwin, IA) Co-champion at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO) Co-champion at the Westcliffe (CO) Stampede Rodeo Co-champion at the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won the average at the Wrangler NFR with 840.5 points on 10 head by winning Round 10 and placing in nine rounds. Won the Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the Sikeston (MO) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, the Sheriff’s PRCA Rodeo (San Bernardino, CA), the Gooding (Idaho) Pro Rodeo, the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX), the Xtreme Bulls & Broncs (Lincoln, NE), the Fallon County Xtreme Broncs (Baker, MT), the Horse Heaven/Kennewick (WA) Round-Up, the Deadwood (SD) Days Of 76 Rodeo, the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT), the Utah’s Own Rodeo At the Utah (Salt Lake City) State Fair and the Omaha (NE) River City Rodeo.

2018: Placed 14th in the average with 248 points on three head at the Wrangler NFR. Won Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX), the Rooftop Rodeo (Estes Park, CO), the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (Montgomery, AL) and the Sundre (Alberta) Pro Rodeo.

2017: Placed in seven rounds to win the average with 841.5 points on 10 head at the Wrangler NFR. Finished the year second in the world standings with $282,287. Won the Pendelton (OR) RoundUp, the Magnolia (AR) Stampede, the Rodeo Killeen (TX), the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Sioux Falls, SD), the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS), the Henderson County Go Texan Rodeo (Athens, TX) Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the California Rodeo Salinas, the Sanders County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Plains, MT) and the Sheriff’s PRCA Rodeo (San Bernardino, CA). Co-champion at the Old Fort Days Rodeo in Fort Smith, AR, the Red Desert Roundup in Rock Springs, WY and the Yellowstone River Round-Up in Billings, MT. 2016: Finished 98th in the world standings with $5,292.

2015: Won Mountain States Circuit saddle bronc riding year-end title.

22020 EARNINGS $99,539 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST 2019 EARNINGS: $286,372 54

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Bull Riding

SAGE KIMZEY 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Bull Riding Won the Herriman City Xtreme Bulls (Herriman, UT) Co-champion at The American (Arlington, TX)

2020 EARNINGS $92,334 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $235,359 2019 EARNINGS: $480,797

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won his sixth consecutive bull riding world championship and third average title after winning a record $235,359 (including ground money) at the Wrangler NFR. He won Rounds 7 and 8 and placed in eight. Kimzey finished at the top of the world standings with a record $480,797 (including ground money). Won the Reno (NV) RodeoWon the Reno (NV) Rodeo, Won the Pendeton (OR) Round-Up, the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede, the Wharton (TX) County Youth Fair & Exposition Xtreme Bulls, the Helotes (TX) Festival Association Rodeo, the A Night At The Ranch Bull Riding (Innisfail, Alberta), the Rocky Pro Rodeo (Rocky Mountain House, Alberta), the Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days, the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo, the Kitsap Stampede Xtreme Bulls (Bremerton, WA) and the Tri-State Rodeo Cinch Shoot-Out (Fort Madison, IA). Co-champion at the Leduc (Alberta) Black Gold Pro Rodeo, the Lea Park Rodeo (Marwayne, Alberta), the XIT Rodeo & Reunion (Dalhart, TX) and the Strathmore (Alberta) Stampede.

2018: Won Round 10, split the win in Round 3, and placed in four rounds to rank fifth in the average at the Wrangler NFR with 347 points on four head. Finished the year at the top of the world standings for the fifth consecutive year with $415,263. Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo Xtreme Bulls, the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale, Rodeo Austin (TX), the RAM TX (Waco) Circuit Finals, the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX), the Strathmore (Alberta) Stampede, the Livingston (MT) Roundup, the Greeley (CO) Stampede, the Colorado (Pueblo) State Fair & Rodeo, the Fort Mahave (AZ) Classic PRCA Xtreme Bulls, the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX), the Licking (MO) PRCA Rodeo, the Wind River PRCA Rodeo Roundup (Riverton, WY), the Division 2 Qualifying Event Xtreme Bulls (Oklahoma City, OK), the Sanders County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Plains, MT), the Comal County Fair & Rodeo (New Braunfels, TX) and the River City Rodeo (Omaha, NE).

Co-champion at the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber City, UT), the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Xtreme Bulls and the Crockett (TX) Lions Club PRCA Rodeo.

2017: Won Rounds 5 and 10, split the win in Round 3, and placed in five rounds to rank first in the average with 601.5 points on seven head. Finished the year ranked first in the world standings with $436,479. Won the Days of ‘47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo (Salt Lake City, UT), the K-Days Rodeo (Edmonton, Alberta), the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo, the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX), the Swels-Xtreme Bulls (Fort Worth, TX), the Crystal Springs Rodeo Xtreme Bulls (Clear Lake, SD), the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo Xtreme Bulls (Lovington, N.M.), the Bell County PRCA Rodeo (Belton, TX), the Rodeo Killeen (TX), the Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days Xtreme Bulls, the Wild, Wild West ProRodeo (Silver City, NM), the Red Desert Roundup (Rock Springs, WY), the Wind River PRCA Rodeo Roundup (Riverton, WY) and the Crossett (AR) Riding Club 68th Annual PRCA Rodeo. Co-champion at the Redding (CA) Rodeo.

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2016: Won Round 1 and placed in five rounds to rank third at the Wrangler NFR and claim his third consecutive world champ title with $311,462. Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo, the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up, the Sikeston (MO) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days, the Molalla (Ore.) Buckeroo Rodeo, the Kansas’ (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo, Wrangler Champions Challenges (Spanish Fork, UT) and (Pueblo, CO), the Cody (WY) Stampede Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots, the 40th Annual Isanti (MN) Firefighters Rodeo and the Iowa’s (Sidney) Championship Rodeo. Co-champion at the Horse Heaven Round-up Wranglers Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Kennewick, WA) and the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo (Abilene, KS).

Bull Riding

KY HAMILTON 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Bull Riding Won the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson, AZ) Won Grand Island (NE) Xtreme Bulls Won Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo Won the Salmon (ID) Stampede PRCA Rodeo Won the Cassia County Fair & Rodeo (Burley, ID)

2020 EARNINGS $89,447

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: 2019: Won Belton CoC 4th Of July Celebration & PRCA Rodeo and the New Mexico State Fair & Xtreme Bulls in Albuquerque. Hamilton finished eighth in 2019 RAM Rodeo Permit Standings with $26,081.

Bull Riding

BOUDREAUX CAMPBELL 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 Word Bull Riding Won the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Won the Matagorda County Stampede Xtreme Bulls & Broncs (Bay City, TX) Won the Jerome (ID) County Fair and Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2020 EARNINGS: $85,746 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $217,801 2019 EARNINGS: $344,573 2020 EARNINGS $85,746 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND

2019: Finished second in the world standings with $344,573. He placed second in the average after earning $217,801 and won Rounds 6 and 9 and placed in seven. Won the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, WA), the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo, the Trinity Valley Expo Division 2 Xtreme Bulls (Liberty, TX), the Cody (WY) Stampede Xtreme Bulls, the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo (Mercedes, TX), the Santa Maria (CA) Elks Rodeo, the Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo (Central Point, OR), the Gooding (ID) Pro Rodeo Xtreme Bulls and the 75th Annual Four States Fair & Rodeo (Texarkana, AR).

2018: Placed in one round to rank 14th in the average with 87 points on one head at the Wrangler NFR. Finished 14th in the world standings with $135,469. Won the Central Wyoming (Casper) Fair & PRCA Rodeo, the Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo, the Parada del Sol (Scottsdale, AZ), the Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX), the Guy Weadick Days (High River, Alberta), the Cody (WY) Stampede Xtreme Bulls, the Heart of the North Rodeo (Spooner, WI), the Kit Carson County Fair & Rodeo (Burlington, CO) and the Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days Inc. Co-champion at the Canby (OR) Rodeo.

2017: Split the win in Round 9 and placed in two rounds to rank 10th in the average with 170.5 points on two head at the Wrangler NFR. Finished 10th in the world standings with $144,601. Won the Cave Creek (AZ) Rodeo Days, the Wichita Falls (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Bandera (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo (Casper, WY) and the Othello (Wash.) PRCA Rodeo. Co-champion at the Dodge City (KS) Xtreme Bulls Division 2 event and the PRCA Championship Rodeo title (Park City, KS).

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Steer Wrestling

MATT REEVES 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Steer Wrestling Won the American (Arlington, TX) Won the TX (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo Won the Cave Creek (AZ) Rodeo Days

2020 EARNINGS $86,944 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 6TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $103,641 2019 EARNINGS: $183,131 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Qualified for his seventh Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and first since 2016. He finished sixth in the world standings with $183,131 and he won the Wrangler NFR average for the first time in his career with a 48.4-second time on 10 head. He earned 103,641 at the NFR and placed in four rounds. Won the West of the Pecos (TX) Rodeo, the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX), the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT), the Summit County Fair & Rodeo (Coalville, UT), the Norco (CA) Mounted Posse PRCA Rodeo and the Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days.

2018: Won the ABC Pro Rodeo (Lubbock, TX), the West TX (Abilene) Fair & Rodeo, the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX) and the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Rodeo. Co-champion at the Los Fresnos (TX) PRCA Rodeo and the Goliad (TX) County Fair PRCA Rodeo. Finished 26th in the world standings with $49,291.

2017: Won the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, N.M.), the ABC Pro Rodeo (Lubbock, TX), the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Redding, CA), the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX) and the Bandera (TX) Pro Rodeo.

Co-champion at Ropin Dreams Cowboy Fellowship PRCA Rodeo (Jourdanton, TX). Finished 21st in the world standings with $63,440.

2016: Placed in seven rounds of the Wrangler NFR to rank third in the average. Climbed from 12th to second in the WEATHERGUARD PRCA World Standings with $226,543. Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX) and the Wrangler Champion Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Kissimmee, FL).

2015: Won the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede and the Goliad (TX) County Fair PRCA Rodeo. Finished 64th in the world standings with $18,005.

2012: Placed in four rounds to rank 11th at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo, the Southwestern International PRCA Rodeo (El Paso, TX), the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and the Daines Ranch Rodeo (Innisfail, Alberta). Cochampion at the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo and the Angelina County Benefit Rodeo (Lufkin, TX). Finished 14th in the world standings with $90,692.

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Steer Wrestling

JACOB TALLEY 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Steer Wrestling Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX) Co-champion at the Golden Spike Rodeo (Tremonton, UT)

2020 EARNINGS $61,623 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 50TH 2019 EARNINGS: $32,515

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won the Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX) and the Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo (Bonifay, FL).

2018: Placed in five rounds at Wrangler NFR, highlighted by his second-place finish in Round 6. Finished 11th in the world standings with $145,717 and 13th in the Wrangler NFR average with a 51.8-second time on eight head. Earned $65,000 at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX), Ram Southeastern Circuit Finals (Davie, FL), the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo, the Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX), the Trinity Valley Exposition Fair & Rodeo (Liberty, TX) and the Ridin’ In the Rock (Little Rock, AK). Co-champion at the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede and the Sundre (Alberta) Pro Rodeo.

2017: Won the Lewiston (ID) Roundup, the American Royal Rodeo (Kansas City, MO), the Last Chance Stampede (Helena, MT) and the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Castle Rock, CO). Finished 18th in the world standings with $68,915.

2016: Placed in one round of the Wrangler NFR to rank 15th in the average. Finished 14th in the world standings with $96,686. Won the Clovis (CA) Rodeo, the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT), the Leesville (LA) Lions Club Rodeo, the Glen Rose (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Central Arkansas PRCA Rodeo (El Paso), the Crosby (TX) Fair & Rodeo, the Cattlemen’s Days (Gunnison, CO) and the Dick Stull Memorial Rodeo (Sterling, CO).

2015: Won the Crockett (TX) Lions Club PRCA Rodeo and the Tops in Texas (Jacksonville). Finished 87th in the world standings with $12,202.

2014: Co-champion at the Panola County Cattlemen’s Rodeo (Carthage, TX). Finished 52nd in the world standings with $21,454.

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Steer Wrestling

TYLER WAGUESPACK 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Steer Wrestling Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo Won the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD) Won the Mesquite (TX) Championship Rodeo

2020 EARNINGS $52,678 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 7TH 2019 WNFR STANDINGS PLACE: 10TH 2019 WNFR EARNINGS: $80,795 2019 EARNINGS: $177,925 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Qualified for his fifth consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He finished 10th in the NFR average, earning $80,795. He placed in four rounds and won Round 2 (3.6 seconds) and Round 6 (3.8 seconds). Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo, the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Dixie National Rodeo (Jackson, MS), the Leesville (LA) Lions Club Rodeo, the Kit Carson County Pro Rodeo (Burlington, CO) and the Tri-State Rodeo Cinch Shoot-Out (Fort Madison, IA).

2018: Won his second Steer Wrestling World Championship and his second Wrangler NFR average title with 44.5-second time on 10 head, wining Round 1, and Round 8 and placing in four other rounds. Won the Clovis (CA) Rodeo, the Caldwell (ID) Night Rodeo, the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (Montgomery, AL), the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse (Cleburne, TX) and the McCone County Fair PRCA Rodeo (Circle, MT).

2017: Won the West of the Pecos (TX) Rodeo and the Sitting Bull Stampede (Mobridge, SD); finished fourth in the world standings with $231,277, and 11th in the average at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Placed in eight rounds at the Wrangler NFR, winning Round 1 and Round 10.

Boots (Spanish Fork, UT), Won the Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo, the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo, the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX), the Georgia National Jr. Livestock Show & Rodeo (Perry, GA), the Southern Miss Coca-Cola Classic Rodeo ((Hattiesburg, MS), the ABC Pro Rodeo (Lubbock, TX) and the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber City, UT). Co-champion at the Four States Fair & Rodeo (Texarkana, AR).

2015: Won Round 7 and placed in two other rounds at his first Wrangler NFR. Won the Red Bluff (CA) Round-Up, the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Lewiston (ID) Roundup, the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo (Abilene, KS) and the Central Ark PRCA Rodeo (El Paso, AR). Co-champion at the Eugene (OR) ProRodeo.

Finished 11th in the world standings with $135,591.

2014: Won the West TX Fair & Rodeo (Abilene), the Home of Champions Rodeo (Red Lodge, MT), the Bennington (KS) PRCA Rodeo, the Rusk County PRCA Rodeo (Henderson, TX) and the Bowie (TX) PRCA Rodeo. Cochampion at the Cassia County Fair & Rodeo (Burley, ID). Finished 22nd in the world standings with $45,968.

2016: Won the world title and the average by splitting the win in three rounds and placing in eight rounds of the Wrangler NFR. Waguespack set a new single-season steer wrestling total money record by finishing the year with $298,676. He also won the RAM Top Gun Award for most money earned at the Wrangler NFR, $213,218. Won the All-American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX), the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo, the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Kissimmee, FL), the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Rapid City, SD), the Wrangler Champion Challenge presented by Justin

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Team Roping: Headers

LUKE BROWN 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Team Roping (Headers) Won The American (Arlington, TX) with Joseph Harrison Co-champion at the UT’s Own Rodeo at The UT (Salt Lake City) State Fair, with Patrick Smith Co-champion at Nebraska’s (Burwell) Big Rodeo, with Patrick Smith

2020 EARNINGS $89,665 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 7TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 3RD 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $97,154 2019 EARNINGS: $182,093 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Placed in five rounds to rank third in the average with 59.3 seconds on nine head at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo, with Jade Corkill. Won the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo (Abilene, KS) and the West TX (Abilene) Fair & Rodeo, with Paul Eaves.

2018: (Partner Jake Long) Finished seventh in the world standings with $154,237. Placed 12th in the average at the Wrangler NFR, earning $71,134. Placed in four rounds. Split the win in Round 7. Won the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ), the Caldwell (ID) Night Rodeo and the Wyoming (Douglas) State Fair & Rodeo.

2017: (Jake Long) Finished fourth in the world standings with $216,804. Placed eighth at the Wrangler NFR with $105,192. Won Round 3. Split the win in Rounds 4 and 8. Won the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Rodeo, the Four States Fair & Rodeo (Texarkana, AR) and the Kit Carson County Fair & Rodeo (Burlington, CO). Co-champion at the Santa Maria (CA) Elks Rodeo.

2016: (Partner Jake Long) Won Rounds 2 and 6 and placed in six rounds to rank sixth at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, the Wrangler Champions Challenges presented by Justin Boots (Rapid City, SD) and (Kennewick, WA), the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT), the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, WA), the Fort Herriman (UT) PRCA Rodeo, the Cody (WY) Stampede, the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, NM) and the Inter-State Rodeo (Coffeyville, KS). Co-champion at the Livingston (MT) Roundup. Finished third in the world standings with $228,436.

2015: (Partner Kollin VonAhn) Won Round 8 and placed in five other rounds at the Wrangler NFR to win his third Wrangler NFR average title and miss his first world title by less than $3,000. Won Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, The Days of ‘47 Rodeo (Salt Lake City, UT) and the Nacogdoches (TX) Pro Rodeo & Steer Show.

2014: (Partner Kollin VonAhn) Won Round 4 of the Wrangler NFR in a time of 3.6 seconds. Won the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Spanish Fork, UT) and the Pasadena (TX) Livestock Show & Rodeo.

Co-champion at the Justin Boots Playoffs (Puyallup, WA). Finished 15th in world standings with $92,065.

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Team Roping: Headers

CODY SNOW 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Team Roping (Headers) Won the Mesquite (TX) Championship Rodeo (June 6th) with Junior Nogueira Won the Cache County Fair and Rodeo (Logan, Utah) with Junior Nogueira Won the Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo (Payson, AZ) with Junior Nogueira Co-champion at the Mesquite (TX) Championship Rodeo with Junior Nogueira Won the Bell County PRCA Rodeo (Belton, TX) with Paul Eaves Co-champion at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO) with Paul Eaves

2020 EARNINGS $69,228 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST 2019 EARNINGS: $256,938 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: (Partner Wesley Thorp) Won the average at the Wrangler NFR by winning Round 7 and placing in six rounds to finish with 43.8 seconds on nine head. Won the Canby (OR) Rodeo, the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Tri-State Rodeo Cinch Shoot-Out (Fort Madison, IA), the Buffalo (TX) Stampede PRCA Rodeo and the Springhill (LA) PRCA Rodeo. Co-champion at the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT). Won the Clovis (CA) Rodeo, with Hunter Koch.

2018: (Partner Wesley Thorp) Finished fourth in the world standings with $196,773. Placed fourth in the average at the Wrangler NFR, earning $104,910. Placed in five rounds. Won the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX), the YMBL Championship Rodeo (Beaumont, TX), the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo and the Apache (OK) Stampede. Co-champion at the Deadwood (SD) Days Of 78 Rodeo and the Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days Inc. 2017: (Partner - Wesley Thorp) Finished 14th in the world standings with $112,716. Placed 14th at the Wrangler NFR with $33,481. Split the win in Round 6. Won the Reno (NV) Rodeo, the Jurupa Valley (CA) Pro Rodeo, the Sanders County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Plains, MT) and the Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days Inc. Won the Livermore (CA) Rodeo, with Kyle Lockett and the Glennville (CA) Round Up. 2016: (Partner Dugan Kelly) Placed in two rounds to rank 14th at the Wrangler NFR. Finished 14th in the world standings with $100,423. Won the Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo, the Grand National Rodeo (San Francisco, CA), the Deadwood (SD) Days of 76 Rodeo, the Industry (CA) Hills Charity Pro Rodeo, the San Dimas (CA) Western Days Rodeo, The Famous Preston (ID) Night Rodeo and the Sonoma County Fair Wine Country Rodeo (Santa Rosa, CA).

2015: (Partner Dugan Kelly) Won the Airdrie (Alberta) Pro Rodeo and the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD). Cochampion at the Omak (WA) Stampede. Won the Glen Rose (TX) PRCA Rodeo, with Wesley Thorp. Finished 20th in the world standings with $56,302.

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Team Roping: Headers

COLBY LOVELL 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#4 World Team Roping (Headers) Won the TX (Waco) Circuit Finals with Ross Ashford

2020 EARNINGS $65,509 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 77TH 2019 EARNINGS: $15,891

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2018: Won the West TX (Abilene) Fair & Rodeo, with Jade Corkill. Finished 114th in the world standings with $11,026.

2017: Won the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo, with James Arnold.

Won the Ram TX (Waco) Circuit Finals Rodeo, with Paul Eaves. Won the Matagordo County Fair & Rodeo (Bay City, TX), with Shane Philipp. Won the 46th Annual Bryan (TX) Breakfast Lions Club PRCA Rodeo, with Corey Hendricks. Finished 63rd in the world standings with $22,077.

2016: (Partner Travis Graves) Placed in two rounds to rank 12th at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Canby (OR) Rodeo, the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo, the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo (Abilene, KS) and the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA). Co-champion at the Southwestern International PRCA Rodeo (El Paso, TX), the Steamboat Springs (CO) Pro Rodeo Series (July 8-9) and the Sikeston (MO) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. Won the Goliad (TX) County Fair PRCA Rodeo, with Will Woodfin. Won the Cody (WY) Stampede Champions Challenge presented

by Justin Boots, with Kory Koontz. Co-champion at the Wranglers Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Scottsdale, AZ), with Kory Koontz. Finished 11th in the world standings with $122,245.

2015: (Partner Kory Koontz) Placed in six rounds to rank seventh in the average at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Justin Boots Championships (Omaha, Neb.), the Kitsap Stampede (Bremerton, Wash.), the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup, the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo (Abilene, KS), the Spring Classic (Mesquite, TX), the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo (Hill City, KS) and the XIT Rodeo & Reunion (Dalhart, TX). Won the Freestone County PRCA Rodeo (Fairfield, TX), with Justin Van Davis. Co-champion at the Justin Boots Playoffs (Puyallup, WA). Finished sixth in the world standings with $188,253.

2014: (Partner Martin Lucero) Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX) and the Los Fresnos (TX) PRCA Rodeo. Co-champion at the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Rapid City, SD), with Kory Koontz.

Co-champion at the Austin County Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX) and the Crockett (TX) Lions Club PRCA Rodeo. Finished 30th in the world standings with $39,684.

Bryan (TX) Breakfast Lions Club PRCA Rodeo. Co-champion at the Stephenville (TX) Cowboy Capital Pro Rodeo and the Norco (CA) Mounted Posse Rodeo.

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Team Roping: Heelers

JOSEPH HARRISON 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Team Roping (Heelers) Won the American (Arlington, TX), with Luke Brown

2020 EARNINGS $70,299 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 6TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 8TH 2019 EARNINGS: $198,816 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: (Partner Chad Masters) Won Round 4 and Round 5 and placed in five rounds to rank eighth in the average with 54.9 seconds on eight head at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Reno (NV) Rodeo, the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days, the Amarillo (TX) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo, Co-champion at the Gooding (ID) Pro Rodeo and the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup. Won Tulsa (OK) State Fair PRCA Rodeo, with Coleman Proctor.

2018: (Partner Chad Masters) Finished seventh in the world standings with $161,477. Placed 8th in the average at the Wrangler NFR, earning $56,931. Placed in three rounds. Won Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days.

Co-champion at the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo and the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS).

2017: (Partner Charly Crawford) Finished 9th in the world standings with $160,793. Placed 5th at Wrangler NFR with $82,346. Placed in four rounds. Won the Oakley (UT) Independence Days Rodeo, the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo and the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo (Mitchell, SD).

Co-champion at the High Desert Stampede (Redmond, OR) and the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo. Won the Bennington (KS) PRCA Rodeo, with Trevor Brazile.

2016: Finished 277th in the world standings with $2,370. Won the Tulsa (OK) State Fair PRCA Rodeo, with Mike Bacon.

2015: Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo, with Mike Bacon. Finished 123rd in the world standings with $8,392.

2014: (Partner Mike Bacon) Won the Chisholm Trail Stampede (Duncan, OK); the Elk City (OK) Rodeo of Champions; and the Mobetta Stampede (Apache, OK) Finished 98th in the world standings with $9,499.

2013: Finished 102nd in the world standings with $9,028.

2012: Won the 101 Wild West Rodeo (Ponca City, OK), with Mike Bacon. Finished 255th in the world standings with $2,465.

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Team Roping: Heelers

JADE CORKILL 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Team Roping (Heelers) Won the Spanish Fork (UT) Fiesta Days Rodeo

2020 EARNINGS $69,704 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 4TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 6TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $118,308 2019 EARNINGS: $226,946 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: (Partner Clay Smith) Won Round 2 and placed in five rounds to rank sixth in the average with 47.3 seconds on eight head at the Wrangler NFR. Won the team roping and co-champion in all-around at the Apache (OK) Stampede, the Greeley (CO) Stampede, the Eugene (OR) Pro Rodeo and the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA). Co-champion at the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo. Won the Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo, with Luke Brown.

2018: Won the West TX (Abilene) Fair & Rodeo, with Colby Lovell.

2017: (Partner Clay Tryan) Won the Tri-State Rodeo (Fort Madison, IA), the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days and the Yellowstone River Round-Up (Billings, MT). Co-champion at the New Mexico (Albuquerque) State Fair & Rodeo and the Gooding (Idaho) Pro Rodeo. Finished 10th in the world standings with $153,999.

2016: Did not compete.

2015: (Partner Clay Tryan) Placed in three rounds at the Wrangler NFR. Won the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Kissimmee, FL), the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Rapid City, SD), the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Redding (CA), the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo, the Spanish Fork (UT) Wrangler Champions Challenge, the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV), the Colorado State Fair & Rodeo (Pueblo) and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse PRCA Rodeo (Cleburne, TX). Cochampion at the Justin Boots Playoffs (Puyallup, WA), the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up and the New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo (Albuquerque).

2014: Placed in seven of 10 rounds at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo en route to winning the average title, his third gold buckle and setting a single-season earnings record for his event of $220,058. Won the Redding (CA) Rodeo; the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo and the Clovis (CA) Rodeo.

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Team Roping: Heelers

BUDDY HAWKINS 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Team Roping (Heelers) Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo Won the Bear Paw Roundup (Chinook, MT) Won the Cheyenne County Pro Rodeo (Cheyenne Wells, CO) Co-champion at the UT’s Own Rodeo at The UT (Salt Lake City) State Fair

2020 EARNINGS $63,872 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 33RD 2019 EARNINGS: $43,790

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: (Partner Tate Kirchenschlager) Won the Ellensburg (WA) Rodeo, the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo, the Stockyards Championship (Fort Worth, TX) and the Kit Carson County Pro Rodeo (Burlington, CO).

2018: Finished 14th in the world standings with $115,913. Placed 10th in the average at the Wrangler NFR, earning $52,308. Placed in two rounds.

Won Round 4. Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX), the Hugo (OK) PRCA Rodeo, with Lane Ivy. Won the Abbyville (KS) Frontier Days Rodeo, with Cale Markham. Won the Hamel (MN) Rodeo & Bull Ridin’ Bonanza and the Cattlemen’s Days (Gunnison, CO), with Brye Crites.

2017: Finished 16th in the world standings with $65,136. Won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), with Jesse Stipes. Won the Moses Lake (WA) Round-Up, the Crooked River Roundup (Prineville, OR), the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo, the Eugene (OR) Pro Rodeo, the Livingston (MT) Roundup and the Lake County Round-up (Lakeview, OR).

2016: (Partner Jesse Stipes) Finished 47th in the world standings with $25,419. Won the Eureka (KS) Pro Rodeo, the Burden (KS) PRCA Rodeo, and the Harrison (Ar) PRCA Rodeo. Won the McAlester (OK) ProRodeo with Coleman Proctor.

2015: Won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), with Drew Horner. Won the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT), with Cale Markham.

2014: (Partner Drew Horner) Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX). Co-champion at the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX). Finished 32nd in the world standings with $37,973.

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Tie-down Roping

SHAD MAYFIELD

2020 EARNINGS $157,156 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 12TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 13TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $36,654 2019 EARNINGS: $127,075

2020 HIGHLIGHTS

Tie-Down Roping Unranked Team Roping (Headers) Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo Won the American (Arlington, TX) Won the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX) Won the San Angelo (TX) Cinch Chute-Out Rodeo Won the Turquoise Circuit Finals (Prescott Valley, AZ) Won the Cinch Roping Fiesta (San Angelo, TX) Won the Cave Creek (AZ) Rodeo Days Won the Ute Stampede (Nephi, UT)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

All-Around #1 World Tie-down Roping Won the Cave Creek (AZ) Rodeo Days Won the Ute Stampede (Nephi, UT) Won the Mesquite (TX) Championship Rodeo (June 20th) Won the Deadwood (SD) Days of 76 Rodeo

2019: He finished 12th in the world standings with $36,654. He placed in two rounds at his first Wrangler NFR and finished 13th in the average after earning $36,654. Won the Goliad (TX) County Fair & PRCA Rodeo, the Ellis County Livestock Show & Rodeo (Waxahachie, TX), the Rodeo de Santa Fe (NM), the Lea County PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, NM), the Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo (Payson, AZ) and the 50th Annual Cowboy Capital Of The World PRCA Rodeo (Stephenville, TX). Co-champion at the Amarillo (TX) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo.

Tie-down Roping

HAVEN MEGED 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Tie-down Roping Unranked Team Roping (Heelers) Won the Carson (IA) Community Rodeo Won the Jerome (ID) County Fair and Rodeo Co-champion at the Newtown (ND) Rodeo Days

2020 EARNINGS $68,709 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 1ST 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $126,135 2019 EARNINGS: $246,013

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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won his first tie-down roping world championship at his first Wrangler NFR with $126,135. He placed in five rounds and won the average with a time of 85.7 seconds on 10 head. Won the Washington (Puyallup) State Fair Pro Rodeo, the Ram National Circuit Finals (Kissimmee, FL), the Deadwood (SD) Days Of 76 Rodeo, the Eastern Montana (Miles City) Fair Rodeo and the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA).

2018: Montana Circuit Year End Tie- Down Roping Champion.

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Tie-down Roping

TYLER MILLIGAN 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#4 World Tie-down Roping Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX) Won the Kansas (Pretty Prairie) Largest Night Rodeo Won the Big Timber (MT) Weekly Rodeo (Sept. 2nd) Won the Apple Hill Stables Rodeo (Levant, ME)

2020 EARNINGS $60,919 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 8TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR STANDINGS PLACE: 8TH 2019 WRANGLER NFR EARNINGS: $99,410 2019 EARNINGS: $196,884 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Finished eighth in the world standings with $196,884. He won Round 7 and split the win in Round 8 at his first Wrangler NFR. He placed in six rounds and finished eighth in the average. Won the Rodeo of the Ozarks (Springdale, AR) and the Santa Rosa Roundup (Vernon, TX). Co-champion at the Bonnyville (Alberta) Pro Rodeo.

2018: Won Rodeo Rapid City (SD), the Red Bluff (CA) Round-Up and the Abbyville (KS) Frontier Days Rodeo.

2017: Won the Ozark Empire Pro Rodeo (Springfield, MO) and the Farm-City Pro Rodeo (Hermiston, OR). Tied for the win at the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (Montgomery, AL) and the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT). Finished 30th in the world standings and won Tie-down Roping Rookie of the Year with $53,870.

2016: Won the Wichita Falls (TX) PRCA Rodeo and the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo. Finished at the top of the RAM Rodeo Permit Standings for tie-down roping with $18,610.

2015: Won the Elk City (OK) Rodeo of Champions.

Finished 14th in the RAM Rodeo Permit Standings for tie-down roping with $5,670.

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Steer Roping

2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Steer Roping Won Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX) Won the Buffalo Stampede (Kadoka, SD) Won the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo Won the Deadwood (SD) Days of 76 Rodeo Won the Wyoming (Douglas) State Fair & Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Won Resistol Rookie of the Year by earning $38,251 in the regular season. Earned $5,420 in his debut at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in Mulvane, KS. Won the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX).

2018: Finished 109th in steer roping standings.

2020 EARNINGS $54,598 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 15TH (SR) 2019 NFSR STANDINGS PLACE: 15TH 2019 NFSR EARNINGS: $5,420 2019 EARNINGS: $44,045 (SR)

Steer Roping 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Steer Roping Won the Wilson County Fair Association PRCA Rodeo (Fredonia, KS)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Qualified for his 18th Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Finished 7th in the NFSR average and 7th in the world standings with $73,512. Snedecor has won 26 career rounds at the NFSR, third most all time. Won the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2020 EARNINGS $53,210 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 7TH 2019 NFSR STANDINGS PLACE: 7TH 2019 NFSR EARNINGS: $30,676 2019 EARNINGS: $73,512

2018: Won Round 2 and Round 10 outright and split the win in Round 1. His three round wins were the most of any Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping competitor in 2018. He won his fourth world championship, finishing with $122,930. He earned $51,086 the most of any competitor at the NFSR. He finished fourth in the average with a 92.8-second time on eight head. Snedecor joins Rocky Patterson with four gold buckles. Only legendary Guy Allen (18), Trevor Brazile (7) and Everett Shaw (6) have more steer roping gold buckles than Snedecor and Patterson.

Won the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo for the second year in a row, becoming the first steer roper to win back-to-back titles in the history of the event. Won the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD) and the Kimball (NE) - Banner Fair and Rodeo.

2017: Won the West of the Pecos (TX) Rodeo and the Old West Trail Rodeo (Crawford, NE); Placed first in the world standings with $135,419 for the third time in his career and he also won the average with an 85.8-second time on eight head. He earned $67,336 the most of any competitor at the 2017 NFSR. 2016: Won Round 9 and placed in six rounds to rank fifth at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Finished fifth in the world standings with $91,648. Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX) and the Pioneer Days Rodeo (Clovis, NM). Cochampion at the All-American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX) and the West of The Pecos (TX) Rodeo.

2015: Placed in four rounds to rank fourth in the average at the Clem McSpadden NFSR. Won the RAM TX Circuit Finals Rodeo (Waco), the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX), the San Patricio County PRCA Rodeo (Sinton, TX). Won the all-around at the Yuma (CO) Fair & Rodeo. Finished fifth in the world standings with $89,195.

2014: Won three rounds of the Clem McSpadden NFSR (Mulvane, KS), including a rodeo-best run of 9.1 seconds in Round 2, and placed in three other rounds to finish seventh in the average standings and rise from 13th to 10th in the world standings with final earnings of $48,348.

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Steer Roping 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Steer Roping Won the M.M. Fisher Jr. Memorial Steer Roping (Andrews, TX) Won the 75th Annual Yuma (AZ) Jaycees Silver Spur Rodeo

2020 EARNINGS $49,797 2019 WORLD STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND 2019 NFSR STANDINGS PLACE: 2ND 2019 NFSR EARNINGS: $61,990 2019 EARNINGS: $121,834

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Qualified for his 16th Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, finishing second in the world standings with $121,834. He placed second in the NFSR average with a 114.9-second time on nine head. He earned $61,990 at the NFSR. He won Round 1 (10.4 seconds), 3 (11.8 seconds) and 8 (10.2 seconds). Won the all-around at the Earl Anderson Memorial Rodeo (Grover, CO). Won the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ), the TX (Waco) Circuit Finals Rodeo, the Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX), the Pioneer Days Rodeo (Clovis, NM) and the Dawson County Fair and Rodeo (Glendive, MT).

2018: Qualified for his 15th Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, finishing eighth in the world standings with $78,698. He placed 10th in the NFSR average with a 74.2-second time on six head. He earned $22,730 at the NFSR. Won the Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX), the Wild Wild West ProRodeo (Silver City, NM) and the Days 76 Stand Alone Steer Roping (Deadwood, SD).

2017: Placed third in the world standings with $113,872; was ninth in the average at the NFSR with a 67.4-second time on six head. He earned $33,938 at the NFSR. Won the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the Cushing (OK) Community Rodeo and the Nebraska’s (Burwell) Big Rodeo.

2016: Finished tenth in the world standings with $53,549. Won the NCFSR (Torrington, WY) and the M.M. Fisher Jr. Memorial Steer Roping (Andrews, TX).

2015: Won Rounds 5 and 9 and placed in three other rounds at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping (Mulvane, KS). Won the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ), the Lewiston (ID) Roundup and the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX). Finished second in the world standings with $97,181.

2014: Won Round 10 of the Clem McSpadden NFSR (Mulvane, KS) in 9.6 seconds and placed in three other rounds. Won the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR) and the Freedom (OK) Rodeo and Old Cow Hand Reunion. Won the all-around at the Mobetta Stampede (Apache, OK). Finished fifth in the world standings with $56,341.

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BRITTANY POZZI TONOZZI

Barrel Racing 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#1 World Barrel Racing/1st World Standing Won San Antonio (TX) Stock Show and Rodeo Won San Angelo (TX) Rodeo Finished second at Yuma (CO) Fair & Rodeo Finished second at Oakley (UT) Independence Day Rodeo Finished second at Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo Finished second at West TX Fair & Rodeo (Abilene, TX)

2020 EARNINGS $86,725 2019 WORLD STANDING PLACE: 5TH 2019 EARNINGS $152,100 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Entered the Wrangler NFR ranked 5th, placed in two out of 10 rounds and finished sixth in the average to finish ranked 11th in the world with $152,100. Won Canby (OR) Rodeo, Kit Carson County Pro Rodeo (Burlington, CO), Evergreen (CO) Rodeo and the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo (Mercedes, TX); co-champion at Elizabeth (CO) Stampede; finished second at Dixie National Rodeo (Jackson, Mississippi), Rodeo de Santa Fe (NM) and at the Larimer County Fair & Rodeo (Loveland, Colorado).

2018: Placed in three out of 10 rounds at the Wrangler NFR and finished 12th in the world. Won California Rodeo Salinas, the average at Washington State Fair & Rodeo (Puyallup), the American Royal Rodeo (Kansas City, MO), Montana’s Biggest Weekend (Dillon, MT), Lincoln County Fair & Rodeo (Afton, WY), Bozeman (MT) Stampede, Missoula (MT) Stampede, Sitting Bull Stampede (Mobridge, SD), Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV), and the Dixie National Rodeo (Jackson, MS); Finished third at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL).

2017: Became just the third WPRA member to cross the $2 million mark in career earnings and did so at the Wrangler NFR. Finished the year ranked 11th with $161,173. Placed in three out of 10 rounds at the Wrangler NFR and won $68,244 at the NFR; Won the year-end title Mountain States Circuit, the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Sioux Falls, SD) on final day of the regular season; finished second at the event the night before. Won the most money over the Fourth of July with $20,654; Won the Cache County Fair & Rodeo (Logan, UT), the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ), The Famous Preston (ID) Night Rodeo, the Nebraska’s Big Rodeo (Burwell, NE) and the San Juan Stampede (Monticello, UT); Finished second at the Greeley (CO) Independence Day Stampede.

2016: Won the average title at the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo and qualified for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2017; Won the Yuma (CO) County Fair & Rodeo, the Kit Carson County Fair & Rodeo (Burlington, CO) and the San Luis Valley Ski-Hi Stampede (Monte Vista, CO); finished second at Garfield County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Rifle, CO).

2015: Ran fastest time on a standard barrel pattern at a jackpot at The Ranch in Loveland, Colorado aboard KissKissBangBang (MT) stopping clock in 16.479 seconds.

2014: Won the Eastern Colorado Roundup (Akron, CO), the Sturgis (SD) Wild West Days, the Ute Mountain Roundup (Cortez, CO) and the Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo (Bonifay, FL); finished second at Garfield County Fair and PRCA Rodeo (Rifle, CO), second at the Evergreen (CO) Rodeo and second in Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo.

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HAILEY KINSEL

Barrel Racing 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#2 World Barrel Racing Set a record on a standard barrel pattern at a PRCA/WPRA rodeo in Dodge City, Kansas, winning the second round aboard DM Sissy Hayday “Sister” at the bottom of the ground in a time of 16.63 seconds. Finished second in the average.

Set arena record at Lawton (Oklahoma) Rangers Rodeo in a time of 16.90 seconds aboard DM Sissy Hayday “Sister”.

Went over the $1 million mark in career earnings Won Iowa’s Championship Rodeo (Sidney) Won Nebraska’s Big Rodeo (Burwell) Finished second at Mineral Wells (TX) PRCA Rodeo

2020 EARNINGS $78,461 2020 WENT OVER THE $1 MILLION MARK 2019 EARNINGS $290,020

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Entered the NFR ranked second and during the 10 days moved to the top of the leaderboard after winning $141,154 at the NFR with two round wins (Rd. 7 and 8) and placed in five other rounds. Became first WPRA barrel racer to win back-to-back titles since Kelly Kaminski in 20042005. Finished the year with $290,020. Won Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Premier Rodeo, Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days Rodeo, Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR), San Antonio (TX) Stock Show and Rodeo for second consecutive year and Fort Worth (TX) Stock Show and Rodeo. Finished second at Hugo (Oklahoma) PRCA Rodeo and at the 50th Annual Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo (Stephenville, TX).

2018: Entered the Wrangler NFR ranked No. 1 in the WPRA and won her first world title in Rd. 9 with earnings of $350,700 setting a new season earnings record. Won four rounds and placed in two other rounds en route to the title. Was 7th in the average; Won Calgary Stampede, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and set a new arena record, the Sanders County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Plains, MT), the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT), That Famous Preston (ID) Night Rodeo, Home of Champions Rodeo (Red Lodge, MT), Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD), West of the Pecos (TX) Rodeo and the Clovis (CA) Rodeo; finished second at RodeoHouston and second at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

2017: Moved from seventh in the world to reserve world champion after 10 days in Las Vegas with $288,092 in earnings. Set the new arena record at the NFR with a 13.11 during the third round. Set a new earnings record at the NFR after winning $189,385. Finished sixth in the average after placing in eight out of 10 rounds winning four of them; won a gold medal at the Days of ‘47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo (Salt Lake City, UT); Finished second at the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo (Amarillo, TX), at the Dinosaur Days Rodeo (Vernal, UT), at the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo and at the San Patricio County PRCA Rodeo (Sinton, TX); Won West of the Pecos (TX) Rodeo; tied for second at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO).

2016: Won the Elizabeth (CO) Stampede, the Longview (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Crockett (TX) Lions Club PRCA Rodeo and the Hugo (OK) PRCA Rodeo.

2015: Finished ranked 19th in the WPRA Rookie of the Year standings with $4,880.

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DONA KAY RULE

Barrel Racing

2020 HIGHLIGHTS

#3 World Barrel Racing/3rd World Standing Won the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT) Won the McCone County Fair PRCA Rodeo (Circle, MT) Won Evanston (WY) Cowboy Days Finished second at Cave Creek (AZ) Rodeo Days Finished second at Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD) Tied for second at Westcliffe (CO) Stampede Rodeo

2020 EARNINGS $294,635 2019 EARNINGS $192,392 2019 PURINA HORSE OF THE YEAR HONOR

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2019: Entered first Wrangler NFR ranked 9th in the world with $192,392 after winning $95,885 at the NFR. Placed in five out of 10 rounds winning two rounds. Finished the year ranked 7th with $192,392. Won the Caldwell (ID) Night Rodeo, Corpus Christi (TX) Rodeo, the Tops In Texas Rodeo (Jacksonville, TX), Crockett (TX) Lions Club PRCA Rodeo, the Last Chance Stampede (Helena, MT), That Famous Preston (Idaho) Night Rodeo and the Springhill (LA) PRCA Rodeo. Finished second at Roping Dreams (Jourdanton, TX), Horse Heaven (Kennewick, WA), the Gooding (ID) Pro Rodeo, the Santa Rosa Roundup (Vernon, TX), the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS), the Northeast.

2018: Won the average title at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo.

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American Cowboy Team Roping Association (ACTRA) National Finals

A GREAT TURN OF EVENTS IN

T

he Wrangler/Professional’s Choice American Team Roping could be considered one of the true highlights in 2020. Ropers from eight states made their way to Reno, Nevada from October 17th through October 24th. A total of 4,747 teams competed for an unprecedented $1,000,000 in cash and awards.

A big tip of the Resistol to the National Board and Reno Livestock Event Center who worked diligently for months to make this happen. There were several hoops and protocols that we had to follow and we want to thank all of the participants for their patience and understanding.

2020 By the American Cowboy Team Roping Association

It did not take long for some unexpected events to take place. We expanded our Ladies Breakaway Roping which qualified Kimberly Williams for the Rope for the Crown and was approved by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). We added Muley Roping this year; some of the best ropers in the world participated. We also added All-Girl Roping which g

Rodeo LIFE 93

All photos by C-C Photography

was a huge success as well. Needless to say, it was a great turn of events for our National Finals.

Despite the protocols that were in place, we managed to hold a great reception at the Nugget Hotel and Casino. This event helps generate money for our catastrophe fund.

We want to thank many of our sponsors for showing up: Mike Piland and Chelsey Bushnell from Cactus Ropes; Coy Upchurch from Fast Back Ropes; Scott Thomas, Amie Thomas and Cherie Hubbard from Scott Thomas Saddlery; Ryan and Sophie Fowler from Skyline Silversmiths; Mike Nizzoli from California Custom; Andrew Potter from Heel-O-Matic; Lori Pope from Total Feeds; Stephanie Anderson from Ropers Sports News; Cole Clements from BioMane; and even Robert Lever from Wrangler dropped in via a Zoom call. A big thanks to all of these great partners.

The National Finals was webcasted and had over 9,700 IP addresses check in on the event. We want to also thank Steve Schott from Twelve Basket Productions for their phenomenal video production services.

For more information about what may be the biggest secret in Team Roping, please check us out at www.actra.org

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Rodeo LIFE

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2020 Wrangler NFR DEC. 3-12, 2020 AT 6:45 P.M. CT NIGHTLY Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

PERFORMANCE 1 - Thursday 2 - Friday 2 - Friday 3 - Saturday 4 - Sunday 4- Sunday 5 - Monday 5 - Monday 6 - Tuesday 6 - Tuesday 7 - Wednesday 8 - Thursday 8 - Thursday 9 - Friday 10 - Saturday 10 - Saturday

DATE Dec. 3 Dec. 4 Dec. 4 Dec. 5 Dec. 6 Dec. 6 Dec. 7 Dec. 7 Dec. 8 Dec. 8 Dec. 9 Dec. 10 Dec. 10 Dec. 11 Dec. 12 Dec. 12

Schedule provided by PRCA www.prorodeo.com

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SPONSOR / SPECIAL PRESENTATION Pendleton Whisky Coors Purina Vet of The Year Hesston by Massey Ferguson Polaris Memorial Night Montana Silversmiths Tough Enough To Wear Pink Resistol Resistol Rookie Presentation Tarleton State Justin Boots Canadian Night RAM Wrangler Wrangler National Patriot Night