Rodeo Life 2018 featuring Nellie Miller

Canyon de Chelly

benefit of the Navajo Nation.” In addition, the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department also strives to maintain Hózhó, the harmonious balance between man and nature, and hopes all people will become educated and enthusiastic stewards of the land.

From the world-famous cliffs of Monument Valley, to the carved red sandstone gorges of Antelope Canyon, countless curiosities juxtapose the endless blue desert skies. Spend an afternoon taking in the finely layered upper limestone cliffs of the Little Colorado River Navajo Tribal Park, or learn more about the native wildlife at the Navajo Nation Zoo and neighboring Navajo Nation Museum.

The Four Corners Monument is one of the Navajo Nation’s most unique landmarks of its kind. A popular location for movie and TV shoots; this is the only place in the United States where four states intersect at one point.

Navajo Parks & Recreation @NavajoParks

Pay homage to the many Navajos who served in the U.S. Military at Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park and Veteran’s Memorial. Situated at the base of the famous sandstone arch, this memorial was designed and built by the Navajo people.

Finally, Canyon de Chelly is a place where the old and new worlds collide. Dating back nearly 5,000 years, this National Monument is one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America. A must-see destination for anyone venturing to the area, tourists can explore the ruins of the early indigenous tribes, and meet the Navajo families that live there still today.

Whether you’re unearthing the past at one of the many tribal parks, monuments or recreation areas, or reveling in the modern culture at events like the Annual Navajo Nation Fair in September or the 4th of July PRCA Rodeo, celebrate the wonders of the southwest and travel the Navajo Nation.

BE CONNECTED: NavajoNationParks.org

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Table Of Contents

9

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

10

AN INTERVIEW WITH NELLIE MILLER

16

THE EIGHT SECOND WORK DA

By Lindsay King

24

LI ESTOCK EMERGENC TEAM ANSWERS THE CALL DURING NATURAL DISASTERS

28

ALL AROUND COWBO 31 34 37

Bareback

40

48

wboy

56

Steer Wrestling 66

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TEAM ROPING:

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TEAM ROPING: Rodeo LIFE

Headers

Rodeo LIFE Rodeo LIFE

Heeler s

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Tuf Cooper Ryle Smith Trevor Brazile

BAREBACK 42 44 46

Caleb Bennett Mason Clements Tim O’Connell

STEER WRESTLING 50 52 54

Cole Edge Tyler Pearson Tyler Waguespack

TEAM ROPING HEADERS 59 62 64

Clay Smith Cody Snow Bubba Buckaloo

TEAM ROPING HEELERS 68 70 72

Paul Eaves Joseph Harrison Jake Long

SADDLE BRONC 76 78 80

Jacobs Crawley Wade Sundell Brody Cress

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Table Of Contents 82

TIE DOWN ROPING 85 88 90

92

STEER ROPING 94 96 98

100

Tyson Durfey Jake Pratt Shane Hanchey Scott Snedecor Rocky Patterson Tony Reina

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BULL RIDING 103 Sage Kimzey 106 Parker Breding 108 Trey Benton III

110

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BARREL RACING Rodeo

122

THE ROAD TO THE NFR/JNFR

By Lindsay King

128

THE WORKING MAN S RODEO Colorado Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Rodeo LIFE

132

LET THERE BE COWGIRLS

By Cheyenne Glade Wilson

138

W OMING RODEO ASSOCIATION: A PLACE OF COMMUNIT

By Sarah Herold, WRA Secretary

142

ACTRA CELEBRATES 35 EARS OF SUCCESS

144

HAPPINESS THROUGH HORSES: CHANGING KIDS LI ES

154

STE E MESSENGER: AN ARTIST PROFILE

156

RODEO SCHEDULES

Bull n i d i R Rodeo LIFE

LIFE

113 Hailey Kinsel 116 Amberleigh Moore 119 Nellie Miller

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ited to feature Nellie Rodeo Life. We are so exc of n itio ed s thi to e om th her, see her Welc an opportunit y to work wi ve ha to d an ver co r ou qualifying events Miller on deo Life is to focus on the Ro at aim r Ou .

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TheRodeoLife.us.

To learn more, visit us at

Editor and COO

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h t i w w e i v r e t n I An Rodeo LIFE

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r e l l i M e i l l e N Rodeo LIFE

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Rodeo Li e: ou took a break rom competing ull time to

start and raise a amil , ow was t e transition leaving rodeo and ow was it ge ng back to competing ull time

Nellie Miller: Transitioning from rodeo to family life came at a good time for me. At the time I felt like my horse was slowing down a bit and I didn’t have anything to replace him so I was happy to take a bit of a break from rodeo and I really enjoyed every minute of becoming a new wife and mom. You really find out what life is all about after having kids so I wouldn’t trade that for the world. After our second daughter was born I started to get the itch to try it again mainly because Sister was coming on pretty strong and I felt like she had what it took to make a rodeo horse. Learning how to rodeo with kids was a bit of a challenge and soon realized I needed to recruit a lot more help than what I had in the past. My family and friends really stepped up and made it work for me and I am so grateful for that.

RL: W at is t e li e o a pro essional Barrel Racer like NM: Life of a professional Barrel Racer is not as glamorous as one might think but what job is? There are a lot of miles behind the wheel and strategic planning that goes into every run, but the reward of a winning run is the best feeling in the world.

Barrel Racing is the only thing I have ever wanted to do and so

for me to actually be able to do it full time and have the success I’ve had, has been a dream come true.

RL: How man rodeos are ou traveling to t is ear NM: So far this year I have been to twenty-five rodeos, which is less than any of my previous years. Fortunately, I had some pretty big wins early on in the year, which allowed me to be home a little more than usual. This has been nice since our oldest daughter started school it can get a little hectic trying to keep up with everybody’s schedule.

RL: W at is t e training sc edule wit Sister like How do ou keep er res over t e course o t at man rodeos

NM: While on the road it can be a challenge to find a place to work your horse. A lot of the time you just have to adjust from run to run. Sister is smart and it only takes small corrections to get her back on track after a bad run. I try to exercise her every day however depending on how much she is getting used I will give her breaks as needed or change my riding to fit whatever she feels like. It is a fine line between keeping her fresh and keeping her focused so I really try to pay attention to her attitude from day to day.

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RL: Are our daug ters (Pa ton Hadle ) s owing an interest in Barrel Racing W at are t eir avorite parts o t e rodeos

NM: Both of my daughters are horse crazy. We have a couple of old horses they are able to ride around on. They love to ride and they always say they are going to be Barrel Racers when they grow up. But their favorite part of the rodeos is still the carnival!

RL: W o did ou look up to w en ou first got into Barrel Racing NM: Charmayne James was my idol when I was a kid. Until recently when I started meeting all these little girls at the rodeos, I had forgotten how much I loved her and idolized her as a kid. It is such a big deal for the kids to meet their hero and I am so glad that I was reminded of that and that I am able to give them what Charmayne gave me as a kid, which is someone to look up to and aspire to be like.

RL: I ou could advice rom an one, w o would it be and w at would ou ask t em

but that is how we grow as people and experiences, good or bad, are what make us who we are.

RL: W at is our avorite rodeo to compete in and w NM: It is so hard to choose a favorite rodeo because there are so many and I have a lot of good memories. Salinas is definitely at the top of the list, it is such a vacation to get to go there and hang out for several days with all of your friends in the cool ocean weather and eat the good seafood. Another one I always enjoy is St. Paul because I have always had such good luck there.

I have placed every time I have entered so it’s always nice to go to rodeos that you have a lot of confidence at.

RL: W at were our first t oug ts w en ou were announced as t e 2017 World C ampion Barrel Racer And w en Sister was voted AQHA/WPRA Barrel Racing Horse o t e ear W ic title were ou more excited about

NM: Looking back, I wish I would have asked my grandparents a lot more while they were alive. I feel like that generation was so strong. I have a lot of motherhood and parenting questions that I would like for them to answer but I guess they had to figure things out for themselves they didn’t even have Google!

NM: It was such a blur when I won the world that I didn’t know what to think about it. I couldn’t even process what that meant or how it had happened. When Sister was announced the horse of the year it was such an awesome feeling because we love our horses so much and to have all of my competitors think that she was deserving of such an award was so rewarding. To have all of the years of hard work be rewarded was an amazing feeling.

RL: W at advice would ou give our twelve- ear-old sel w en ou first started Barrel Racing about t e sport

RL: W at are our goals t is ear or bot ou and Sister NM: This year our goals are to make great runs and stay

NM: If I had to give advice to my twelve-year-old self I would probably say take risks and don’t be afraid. I was pretty cautious as a child and still tend to be in some aspects so it was hard for me to go out on a limb and do things I wasn’t comfortable with,

healthy. Though we all have big end goals we want to accomplish, I hate to put too much emphasis on them, it works better for us to keep things simple and just think about making that next run no matter where it might be.

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Most cattle need little enticement to run out of a roping chute. Cattle prods are only used in the event they stall, refuse to leave their chute.

Safety of the animals, contestants and personnel is the top priority for every rodeo. Photo courtesy of Lindsay King.

I

magine working for eight seconds only to proudly prance back to your corral where fresh water and an abundance of food awaits you. This is the reality for rodeo rough stock, bulls and horses alike. The welfare of livestock, especially in the rodeo industry, catches a lot of scrutiny from the public, many seek to eliminate the rodeo industry all together in favor of giving all animals rights. “The PRCA, and others involved in the sport of rodeo, are the true advocates for animal welfare,” said Jed Pugsley, PRCA Livestock Program Administrator. “Animal welfare being the belief system that we have the right to interact with animals in industry, sport, recreation and entertainment, but along with that right comes the responsibility to provide proper care and handling. Animal welfare is not only the backbone of the PRCA’s approach to successful events, but the cornerstone to a prosperous future.”

Many cowboys proclaim they would enjoy living the life of a rodeo animal, short work days and long vacations await these animals. They are the livelihood of the stock contractors that care for and breed them for rodeo.“We make sure our animals are in tip-top shape all year round,” said Rhett Beutler, co-owner of Beutler and Sons Rodeo Company out of central Oklahoma. “If the animals coming off my truck are in bad shape, not only do I get a bad name in the industry, I also start to lose business.

People wait for the arrival of these animals and I want them in the best shape possible, so they can perform to their full potential.”

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Home Life And Travel Of Rodeo Stock

Frolicking in grass hitting their bellies, rodeo stock spends a majority of their time in a pasture. “Herd management is a huge component of keeping these animals healthy,” Beutler said. “Our horses get 24/7 access to hay and grass, but the bulls have to be regulated or they will eat themselves to death. All of our animals get grain once a day and always have water from our well.”

Supplemented with salt and protein, some of Beutler’s animals are easier to keep than others. “These animals are a lot like kids, you have to keep some of them separated because they don’t get along and they end up hurting each other,” Beutler said. “Some of our animals are older than others so they need a little more TLC. Their welfare is our top priority, if they do not feel good they won’t perform. It gives us no advantage to treat our animals poorly. We give them every opportunity in the world to thrive.”

The rough stock are loaded on trailers using the head to tail system.

It is an intricate process to make sure all animals are loaded precisely.

Though it looks crowded, stock contractors load loose so the animals have room to shift with the movement of the truck.

Photo courtesy of Beutler and Sons Rodeo Company.

It is the nature of cattle to follow each other anywhere, since they are herd animals that is their instinct. Photo courtesy of Lindsay King.

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A few days before a rodeo, Rhett Beutler rounds up the animals he needs to take. They spend a few days in the dry lots with ample food and water until they are loaded and transported to the rodeo. These animals then spend several more days acclimating to the location of the rodeo, again with all the food and water they could ever want.

Photo courtesy of Beutler and Sons Rodeo Company.

Two days before departing for a rodeo, Beutler sorts out the animals he needs for the weekend and brings them up to the corrals close to the house. “Many people don’t realize how tedious the loading process truly is,” Beutler said. “We use a head to tail system when we load our animals. They go in a specific order dependent on how each animal acts while being loaded and during the trip. It is not a small task to say the least.” There is plenty of speculation behind packing trailers like sardines, but Beutler debunks this myth. “Packing a trailer tight is just asking for an injury to happen. We pack loose so the animals can step to either side to keep their balance with the movement of the truck,” Beutler added. “If we packed tight we would have animals fall down and get trampled by the rest. Then we would show up to the rodeo with lame animals, and that is the last thing we want for them.”

As with anything, there will always be bad apples in every industry casting a negative light on those who do things right. “The PRCA cannot really regulate what we do at home as far as taking care of our animals.

However, they can keep an animal from performing if they are in poor condition,” Beutler finished.

Though the new Electronic Logging Device mandate has not taken effect, Beutler is expecting it will in the near future. “The government has not figured out all the details yet because we are hauling animals, not freight,” Beutler said. “We cannot just pull over and rest for eight hours with animals on the truck when it is 100 degrees outside.” Beutler and Sons always travels with two drivers to expedite the travel time. All contractors have their own ideas about best practices for taking livestock to an event, some like to break the trip up and rest. While others prefer to make trips in one stretch to get the animals off the truck as soon as possible. “When traveling, animals can get sick if you feed and water them. We usually leave a few days early for a rodeo, so the animals can get over the jet lag of traveling and back to feeling good,” Beutler said.

“There are very few places to stop and unload animals and even fewer with enough pens to keep everything separated. Since we are based in Oklahoma, when it

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gets hot in the summer time we will travel at night to keep the animals cooler. The furthest we typically go is 12 hours, and we do that in one stretch to keep the animals off the road as much as possible. Some people will break that up into two days. We like to get where we are going so they have plenty of time to rest and be ready for the rodeo.”

PRCAS ROLE IN MAINTAINING WELFARE STANDARDS

The guiding principles behind the lives of rodeo animals stem from PRCA regulations and the fact that these animals are the livelihood of stock contractors across the nation. “Rodeo is born of the hard-working American ranchers who built the West and helped feed our nation, the sport of professional rodeo directly descends from the everyday ranch work of roping stray cattle and breaking wild horses,” Pugsley said. “The one-on-one competition of cowboys grew in popularity through the years and eventually became organized events. It has evolved into the sport of rodeo we know today.” In 1947, the first rules concerning animal welfare participating in PRCAsanctioned events were implemented. “The sport of professional rodeo is much more than entertainment, it is a culture, a way of life, a heritage, all of which we are proud to be continuing the western way of life today,” Pugsley said.

PRCA rules for animal welfare are used as the standard for other associations, including the International Professional Rodeo Association and many amateur and state rodeo organizations. “Rules of the PRCA are recognized as the most comprehensive in the industry,” Pugsley said. “The PRCA leads the way in creating livestock welfare procedures, rules and standards for American rodeos.” The PRCA works to maintain relationships with other rodeo associations as well as other

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agricultural entities to continuously improve their standards as needed.

One controversial tool used in rodeo is the electric prod.

Powered by flashlight batteries, the prod is often used to move animals through the chute system. “Once animals are loaded into the chute, a prod will only be used when needed for the safety of the livestock, contestant or personnel,” Pugsley explained. Rules state the prod should only be used on the neck or shoulder of a bucking horse and on the rump of roping cattle. “The prod allows for harmless encouragement of animals to move through the chutes,” Pugsley said. “It does not make animal buck, nor does it affect the competition once the animal has exited the chute.” For a prod to be used to help an animal leave a chute, the owner, competitor and judge must all agree on its use.

PERFORMANCE

According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, doping and flank straps are the reason why roping cattle run and rough stock buck. “PRCA rules mandate that no stimulants or hypnotics may be given to livestock used for contest purposes,” Pugsley said. This applies to the horses used to compete on as well. “Flank straps are used to encourage bucking horses and bulls to buck with proper form, kicking their legs out behind them,” Pugsley explained. “When tightened, the flank strap is in the same position and tightness as a belt on a human. It is used as a signal for that animal that it is time to perform.”

Many believe the flank strap is placed specifically on the genitals of the animal to even further enhance their bucking action This is not the case, in fact, many top bucking horses are mares. “Everyone thinks you can make an animal buck, you can’t. When we start these young

Many forget about the equine athletes on the arena floor, the cowboys and cowgirls who ride them certainly do not. More money is spent to keep these animals happy and healthy than on just about anything else in the rodeo industry.

Photo courtesy of Lindsay King.

colts and bulls, some will not kick higher than a pop can,” Beutler said. “It is all in the genetics, you breed them to be an athlete that can buck. A lot of the really good horses don’t even need a flank strap, it just puts an emphasis on getting them to stretch out when they kick, making a prettier ride for the contestant.”

“Further rules mandate the weight and breed of the steers used, qualified catches, and a 30-second competition time limit.”

Each animal attends between 12 and 15 rodeos per year.

Most only last a weekend, but some rodeos span over several days. “Lots of places our stock only get bucked once per weekend. If we are there four or five days, we might buck one the first and last day,” Beutler said. “It just depends on the animal. Some horses buck harder on their second ride and others can only go once, it all comes down to management of the herd. Most bulls are pretty hardy, so they can buck twice if we need them to.”

Ultimately, Beutler does everything he can to give cowboys a good chance to hit the pay window while keeping the needs of his animals at the forefront of his decisions.

Many arguments against rodeo cite the number of animal injuries as a good reason to ban the sport. “Livestock injury rates at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos are very low, less than 0.05 percent of all competitions result in an injury,” Pugsley said. “The Livestock Welfare Committee of the PRCA regularly assess and submits recommendations to improve all PRCA events, including steer and calf roping.”

With more than 60 rules in the PRCA pertaining to animal welfare, all events are carried out with safety and respect for the animals, contestants and personnel. “For rodeo to continue to be successful and thrive, we must approach livestock welfare with an open mind, facts and experts,” Pugsley said. “We live and operate in a change or be changed world. As long as changes are based on fact while doing what is best for the livestock, we will continue to see rodeo grow and progress.”

ROPING CONTROVERSY

ANIMAL ATHLETES

Saddle bronc riding is the traditional event of rodeo, but roping is easily the most wide-spread of the industry. Steer roping is professional rodeo’s oldest event and one of the more controversial. “Steer roping is held at select rodeos because of its requirement for a larger arena, thus why it is not at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December,” Pugsley said. Steer roping requires a competitor to rope the steer around the horns and subsequently flip the rope to the other side of the animal and sweep their legs out from under them. This was used out on the range for wild cattle that needed to be doctored and takes an incredible amount of skill to do safely. “Plaster and rebar, as well as horn wraps, are placed around the horns of the steer to protect the animal during competition,” Pugsley said.

Out of all the animals in the arena, horses are the most abundant. “Competition and production horses may be an after thought for those sitting in the stands, but that is not the case for those in the arena,” Pugsley said. From treadmills and ice boots to breathing chambers and water workouts, a rodeo athletes’ greatest asset is their partner, whether that is human or horse. “The four-legged athletes of the sport are truly regarded as such,” Pugsley said. “No expenses are spared in caring for horses of rodeo.

Livestock in the sport, whether equine or bovine, are purpose bred specifically for the competition of rodeo.

They often display feats of speed, agility, strength, athleticism and determination that can only be compared to those of Olympians.”

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THE

Livestock Emergency Team

ANSWERS THE CALL DURING NATURAL DISASTERS

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H

urricane Harvey has earned its spot in the history books as one of the most catastrophic and devastating hurricanes of all times. Harvey not only took the lives of so many, but destroyed homes and businesses leaving hundreds of individuals and families with nothing left to do but to start their lives all over again. The devastation this natural disaster left behind was blatant, but so was the emergency aid that came to the rescue. After watching multiple news media coverages of the rescue operations

and aid of multiple humanitarian organizations, Caitlyn Buchanan could not help but take notice that there was not an organization specifically tailored for livestock in the face of a natural disaster in Houston delivering aid to private and business livestock owners. This one observation was the spark that led Buchanan to go on and create the Livestock Emergency Team.

Shortly after the floods of Hurricane Harvey receded, Buchanan had begun to work diligently with the Livestock

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Emergency Team’s Board of Directors and small group of volunteers in an effort to develop future operations for individuals around the county who need help with their livestock during a natural disaster. What Buchanan has created is a nonprofit organization that provides transportation to private (people who own livestock for recreational purposes) and business (people who operate livestockoriented businesses) owners prior to or during a natural disaster. They provide pasture areas and livestock facilities for relocation through the Livestock Emergency Team’s Patron list and perform muck out operations for farms and ranches affected by natural disasters.

The Livestock Emergency Team solely operates on grants and the generosity of donors. The team also relies heavily on volunteers to carry out their emergency response operations. Volunteers range from experienced livestock handlers from all areas of the livestock industry: large animal veterinarians, animal lovers and people who just simply want to help. When it comes to these important volunteers, the Livestock Emergency Team likes to consider itself as an all-inclusive organization. This means there is a position for everyone to play on the team.

Volunteer roles vary from those who can ride and rope, to

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those who can load and unload livestock, drive livestock trailers, veterinarians who are able to help assess livestock injuries, volunteers who request to be listed as a Patron, volunteers who can help train and teach education material for new volunteers and explain evacuation plans to farms and ranches, to those who are capable of helping with muck out operations to help farms and ranches get back on their feet after a natural disaster. The volunteers who have signed on as Patrons are volunteers who have notified the Livestock Emergency Team that they are willing to provide available space at their livestock facility to host those displaced by a natural disaster. Having these Patrons are a crucial part in operations for the Livestock Emergency Team in the midst of an operation.

The livestock industry contributes millions of dollars in revenue every year to the US economy as well as jobs that have a huge impact on our everyday way of life. It is imperative that there is something in place to protect the livestock involved in this industry. With 2017’s historical mark on natural disasters, there has yet to be an accurate count on the livestock that have died and the insurance claims that climbed well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is why the Livestock Emergency Team will

play a huge role in the livestock industry. Having this organization in existence helps to reduce the risk of loss of life for those who have no way or have nowhere to transport their herds to during a natural disaster.

During the mass wildfires that affected California back in December 2017, Buchanan worked diligently under the Livestock Emergency Team to help those in need in California. While still in Dallas, Texas during this time, Buchanan stayed up most nights on calls with local California Emergency Operations Center (EOCs), livestock haulers, and livestock facility owners to connect livestock owners with a way to safety and out of the reach from the relentless blazes that were steadily consuming large parts of the state. She was able to open up several private livestock facilities to house 250 livestock animals, sent hundreds to the Del Mar Racetrack as well as the local fairgrounds, and provided transportation to 175 livestock owners who had no way to get their livestock out of the wildfire areas.

of the country, Caitlyn Buchanan, as CEO of the Livestock Emergency Team, has made it her number one priority to continue to grow funding for emergency supplies and volunteer education and training as well as to grow a large, strong national volunteer base so that the Livestock Emergency Team is readily available anywhere in the United States at any time once a natural disaster strikes.

Building out the volunteer base will be one of the main goals of the Livestock Emergency Team’s efforts this year.

The organization’s fundraising goal for this year has been set to 150,000 dollars and will go toward emergency response supplies and volunteer training. If you or anyone you know is interested in donating or volunteering please visit the Livestock Emergency Team’s website for more information at leteam.org.

States like California, Oklahoma, and Texas experience wildfires every year and every year livestock are affected by these fires. The same can also be said for floods and tornadoes that affect farms and ranches yearly. With these natural disasters consistently being a threat for many areas

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All-Around

Cow

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wboy

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Photo courtesy of PRCA

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Tuf

COOPER Events:

Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Tie-Down Roping Steer Wrestling 1/31/1990 C ildress, TX 2008 $2,010,207.00 4 (TD 2011-12, 2014) AA (2017) 10 (2008-15, 2017) SR (2017) Decatur, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the all-around at the RAM Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the tie-down roping at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL.) Co-champion at the Livingston (MT) Roundup Co-champion at the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ) Tuf Cooper wasn’t the only one to be presented with something big and shiny after being announced the winner at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) back in December 2017. When awarded with his All-Around Cowboy World Championship buckle he turned to his western and rodeo fashion blogger girlfriend, Tiffany McGhan, and lowered to one knee and proposed, he won his fourth world title and a future wife.

With another buckle to his belt and a bride-to-be, Cooper advanced into the season with no momentum lost. He won All-Around Cowboy at the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo with 6,505 dollars in earnings for Tie-Down Roping and Steer Roping. Then he went on to win the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Tie-Down Roping with an impressive seven seconds and 7,581 dollars added to his earnings in the finals.

Cooper is one of the most recognizable names on the rodeo map. The name has an entire rodeo heritage a liated to it including the eight-time World Champion Roy “Super Looper” Cooper, Tuf’s ProRodeo Hall-of-Famer father. Tuf’s two brothers, Clint and Clif, also ride the rodeo path. The Cooper brother trio found themselves all qualified for the WNFR in 2010 and 2011 making them the first band of three siblings to qualify simultaneously. The looping Cooper family’s rodeo ties unravel throughout generations. Tuf’s grandfather was a Tie-Down Roper in the early 1960’s, and his uncle was the 2008 National Finals Rodeo World Champion. He regularly goes head to head with his brother-in-law, Trevor Brazile, an eleven-time World Champion Cowboy. They were neck-and-neck at the WNFR for the All-Around World Champion title as Cooper roped the championship away from Brazile. They provide one another with support and supply each other with a friendly dose of competition.

Tuf Cooper’s fianc Tiffany McGhan’s love of fashion has inspired Cooper to partner up with American Hat Company, Inc., and launched an exclusive line of cowboy hats that are made for everyone from the everyday rancher to the professional cowboy.

While Cooper is hauling a lot more than horses in his trailer; wedding plans, cowboy hat designs, and his determination to dominate the rodeo scene, he stays on course to adding another World Championship title to the Cooper legacy.

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Ryle

SMITH Events:

Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Wrestling Tie-Down Roping 2/22/1987 Oakdale, CA 2010 $503,541.00 0 2 (2016-17) Oakdale, CA

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALL-AROUND Won the RAM California (Lancaster) Circuit Finals Won the RAM California (Lancaster) Circuit Finals Won the Santa Maria (CA) Elks Rodeo Won the Grand National Rodeo (San Francisco, CA) Won the Jurupa Valley (CA) Pro Rodeo TIE-DOWN ROPING Won the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo Won the RAM California (Lancaster) Circuit Finals Won the RAM California (Lancaster) Circuit Finals Won the Sisters (OR) Rodeo Won the Santa Maria (CA) Elks Rodeo Won the Eugene (OR) Pro Rodeo Co-champion at the Grand National Rodeo (San Francisco, CA) STEER WRESTLING Won the Grand National Rodeo (San Francisco, CA) Won the Jurupa Valley (CA) Pro Rodeo Ryle Smith always had a connection to the rodeo life. While his parents were not deeply rooted in the sport as they made their living in other fields, they went to local rodeos and competed throughout many stages of their life raising Ryle around the athletic sport. He entered his first rodeo when he was only five

years old and began competing in calf roping at age thirteen.

Rodeo was paramount in his life and he knew the cowboy path was the one he would eventually end up on, but there was one goal he wanted to accomplish before he saddled up and trotted down the rodeo road unquestionably. Smith put rodeo on the back burner so that he could focus on college. He went to Tarleton State University and graduated with a bachelor degree in Business Management. He waited until after he completed his degree to buy his PRCA card, and when he did, he went in full throttle.

He stormed the rodeo scene and has been continuously gaining momentum since. His first year in the PRCA he won the All-Around title at the Los Fresnos PRCA Rodeo and finished third in the rookie standings for Tie-Down Roping. After his first year, he has placed in the top twenty-five in the World Standings each year.

There is no slack in his ropes in the 2018 season so far. At the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Smith placed fourth in the average for Steer Wrestling with 15.9 seconds and first for the average in Tie-Down Roping with 18.6 seconds winning him the overall All-Around Cowboy title adding 3,924 dollars to his earnings. He was riding the exhilaration of the win all the way to the Sisters Rodeo in Sisters, OR where he won the title for Tie-Down Roping scoring 19 seconds flat and collecting 2,432 dollars for the average score.

Ryle Smith continues to compile title after title for his participating events. He is going full speed to secure his third qualification at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR).

He is putting forth all of his efforts to finally fasten a gold buckle to his belt and tie down a World Champion title to his name. If he keeps on his winning streak, Smith will be wrestling and roping for his life again this year on the biggest rodeo stage and conceivably riding away with gold.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

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Photo courtesy of PRCA

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Trevor

BRAZILE Events:

Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Tie-Down Roping Team Roping Steer Roping 11/16/1976 Amarillo, TX 1996 $6,427,241.00 23 (AA 2002-04, 2006-15; TD 2007, 2009-10; TR 2010; SR 2006-07, 2011, 2013-15) 50 (TD 1999-2011, 2013-15, 2017; TR 1998, 2003-04, 2006-15; SR 1997-2015, 2017) Decatur, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALL-AROUND Won the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Won the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX) Won the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX) Won the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, NV) Won the Toppenish (WA) Rodeo TEAM ROPING Won the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX), with Wesley Johnson TIE-DOWN ROPING Won the Ponoka (Alberta) Stampede Won the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Won the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse (Cleburne, TX) Won the Guy Weadick Days (High River, Alberta) Won the Toppenish (WA) Rodeo Co-Champion at the Sundre (Alberta) Pro Rodeo STEER ROPING Won the steer roping at the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX)

Won the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX) Won the Coleman (Texas) PRCA Rodeo Co-Champion at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo

If all of Trevor Brazile’s victories were compiled, they could compose a novel consisting several chapters. Each chapter detailing over twenty years of experience and achievement in the rodeo spotlight. From the start of his career in professional rodeo in 1996, Brazile has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) fifty times and has earned twenty-three World Titles to his name. With the abundance of successful feats comes an attractive cash prize. He has accumulated nearly 6.5 million dollars in earnings over the years.

Generations of rodeo runs through the Brazile bloodline. His mother competed in women’s rodeo while his father competed in Steer Roping and qualified four times for the National Finals Steer Roping in the 1980’s. Trevor’s wife, Shada, competes as a Barrel Racer and qualified for the WNFR in 2013. Shada and Trevor have three children together: Treston, Style and Swayzi.

Being products of such a decorated and dedicated family, it wouldn’t be a surprise if these kids were running the rodeo scene in the future.

The season thus far has been another chapter of victories to add to Brazile’s story. He tied down the All-Around Cowboy title at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. He won Tie-Down Roping with an average of 16.6 seconds, tied for first in Steer Roping with an average of 52.9 seconds, and placed eighth in Team Roping with an average score of 12.1 earning him a total of 12,648 dollars and another gold buckle to include in his collection. He reigned the All-Around champion at the Parker County Sheriffs Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo increasing his total winnings by 3,165 dollars.

Trevor Brazile has established himself as an elite competitor in all of the fields that he participates in. With decades of experience and constant commitment he knows how to strike gold and if his streak continues he will be on rodeo’s biggest stage at the WNFR competing for his twenty fourth World Title.

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Bareback Rodeo LIFE

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Caleb

BENNETT Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Bareback Riding 11/10/1988 Ogden, UT 2007 $1,026,731.00 0 6 (2012-17) Tremonton, UT

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo Won Rodeo Austin (Texas) Won the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO) Won the Airdrie (Alberta) Pro Rodeo Won the Home of Champions Rodeo (Red Lodge, MT) Won the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT) Won the Hand Hills Lake Stampede (Craigmyle, Alberta) Won the Pony Express Rodeo (Eagle Mountain, UT) Won the Eagle (Idaho) Rodeo Won the Days of The Old West Rodeo (Delta, UT) Co-Champion at the Leduc (Alberta) Black Gold Pro Rodeo Co-Champion at the RAM Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo (Heber City, UT)

With his mother being a former Barrel Racing competitor and his brother racing the rodeo circuits, Caleb Bennett, like many cowboys, budded from rodeo roots. He began riding at the age of four and by the time he was eight he was riding bucking ponies two-handedly. He revealed an organic talent for handling rough stock at a young age that foreshadowed a promising future.

Bennett is no stranger to sports. Up until junior high he was involved in football and basketball before rodeo had really taken precedence. He traded in cleats and courts for boots and bucking. He tried his hand in different events and has competed in Bareback Riding and Bull Riding, and trained in both ends of Team Roping. Caleb had an

Photo courtesy of PRCA

unquestionable gift for Bareback Riding and made that his primary focus in high school. He aspired to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNRF) and his decision to solely follow the bareback trail helped him not only to achieve that goal, but to repeat it six times.

Bennett has flourished in the rodeo scene. He placed sixth in the world standings and earned a remarkable 195,087.68 dollars last season. He has been charging into this season like a warrior ready to battle for his first world title and has shown that he is not slowing his spurring any time soon. He has won some of the most notable rodeos this season: The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo where he reigned Bareback champion with 22,169 dollars in earnings, Rodeo Austin positioning first with 87 points and 9,400 dollars in earnings, Days of The Old West Rodeo also placing first scoring 85 points and 1,660 dollars in earnings, among several other celebrated rodeos.

Caleb Bennett wastes no time on honing in his skills and is always trying to better his techniques. Every move he makes is with a purpose to perfect his craft. When he is not practicing on an actual horse, he is in the gym strengthening his body to prepare it for future wicked bucks from the industries strongest livestock. He is riding a solid season thus far and is on the road to winning an acclaimed World Champion title.

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Mason

CLEMENTS Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Bareback Riding 8/17/1992 Las Vegas, NV 2015 $259,432.00 0 1 (2017) Santaquin, UT

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the San Juan Stampede (Monticello, UT) Co-Champion at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee,FL)

Mason Clements doesn’t come from a rodeo bloodline. He wasn’t born into to the rodeo lifestyle or have the traditional upbringing of a cowboy. But the cowboy life called upon him at a young age and he found any way he could to answer. Without any equipment or rough stock at his disposal, Clements would go over to his neighbor’s house to borrow theirs. He found any excuse to take a trip anywhere he could mount a four-legged bucking beast to practice. While his parents didn’t raise him on the rodeo road path, they are along for the ride and support him fully to reach for his cowboy dreams. One year for Christmas, Clements’s mom gave him a certificate to Sankey Rodeo School and he has been busting bucks ever since.

Initially, Clements tested his hand in bull riding, but after about five years of vicious bull bucks his focus switched to Bareback Riding right before he turned twenty years old. He craved a new feat and bucking horses became his target. He borrowed gear from a friend, drove several hours to a rodeo and bucked off two horses that night. From that juncture, Clements was determined to master the sport. With no one in his immediate family to turn to for coaching, he reached out to leading bareback riders Caleb Bennett and Kaycee Field for help.

With their guidance Clements was able to sharpen his skills

Photo courtesy of PRCA

enough to start quickly advancing in the standings.

In 2015, his first year in the PRCA, he finished second in the rookie standings, fortieth in the world standings and has maintained momentum making major headway in the standings the past two years. While a broken ACL in his right knee inevitably cost him his chance to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in 2016 due to extended recovery time that caused his standings to drop, Clements wasn’t going to let that happen again in 2017, no matter what the cost. In May of 2017, Clements broke three ribs, separated several others and broke his left fibula. It was suggested that he take a longer break to recover, but after a mere three weeks of rest, Clements was on the road to compete in the next rodeo.

His perseverance paid off and he qualified for the WNFR last season earning 80,372 dollars and placing tenth in standings as well as tenth in the world standings. There is no slack in his grip coming into the 2018 season.

Clements co-championed the Ram National Finals Rodeo Circuit (RNFRC) with 86 points and 6,634 dollars in earnings boosting his standings and putting him on track to qualify for the WNFR again this year. With qualifying checked off the list, the next box to cross out is riding off of the sport’s biggest stage with a World Champion title.

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Photo courtesy of PRCA

Tim

O’CONNELL Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Bareback Riding 10/24/1991 Dubuque, IA 2013 $1,142,687.00 2 (2016-17) 4 (2014-17) Zwingle, IA

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Reno (NV) Rodeo Won the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo Won the Greeley (CO) Stampede Won the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX) Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo Won the Midwest Horse Fair & Rodeo (Madison, WI) Won the Licking (MO) PRCA Rodeo Won the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo Won the Elizabeth (CO) Stampede Rodeo Won the Jackson County Pro Rodeo (Bellevue, IA) Won the Stanley (WI) Rodeo Won the 40th Annual Headwaters PRCA Rodeo (Park Rapids, MN)

Won the Heart of the North Rodeo (Spooner, WI) Won the Western Fest Stampede Rodeo (Granite Falls, MN) Won the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, UT) Co-Champion at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL)

Co-Champion at the Franklin (TN) Rodeo Co-Champion at the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS) 2017 was a million-dollar year for bareback rider Tim O’Connell. Collecting a total of 169,500 dollars at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR), he broke the million-dollar barrier bringing his total PRCA earnings to 1,062,420 dollars. O’Connell had a tiny bundle of motivation

Photo courtesy of PRCA

as he went for his second gold buckle as he and his wife, Sami, were expecting their first child: A baby boy born in March (2018) named Hazen. The responsibility of fatherhood had O’Connell working at the top of his bucking game. He held his glove for life to defend his title for the second buckle in a row and came out victorious.

With two world titles under his belt, he is ready to put the work in to accomplish his next goal: six world titles.

He has been on an up rise with the 2018 season. He started the season by co-championing the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) adding 6634 dollars in earnings and 86 points to his name. From there he has won several rodeos including: The Jackson County Pro Rodeo, the Licking PRCA Rodeo in Missouri, and the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo held in Weatherford, Texas. He dominated the Greely Stampede accumulating an average of 168 points and 3,833 dollars in earnings. The way O’Connell is shredding on the arena this season he is heading toward another triumph riding one buck closer to his goal. He is neck and neck for first ranking in the Bareback World Standings. There’s a great chance that he will qualify for this year’s WNFR handling the best rough stock in the industry and adding more gold to his belt.

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Wres Rodeo LIFE

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Steer estling Rodeo LIFE

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Cole

edge Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Wrestling 11/16/1984 Humboldt, IA 2006 $402,201.00 0 1 (2014) Durant, OK

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the YMBL Championship Rodeo (Beaumont, TX) Co-Champion at Rodeo Austin (TX) When it comes to rodeoing, Cole Edge is a business man. His occupational approach sets his focus on consistency rather than primarily on the “win.” He steers his attention more toward making strong starts and steady runs, two important components he knows he can wrestle to the bank.

Edge’s love for rodeo led him to find love himself. While competing in college, he qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in 2007 where he met his wife, Torrie, who was competing in goat tying. He placed third in the finals but left with something more profound than a gold buckle.

He has been approaching this season like any another: His eye on consistency. This method has proven to work in his favor as Edge has amassed big wins and even bigger cash prizes. He

Photo courtesy of PRCA

co-championed at Rodeo Austin, one of the most notable rodeos of the season with rich western history and generous payouts. He tied for first place in the finals with a four second run tallying 8,225 dollars in earnings. He placed first at the YMBL Championship Rodeo in March accomplishing a remarkable 3.5 second run and walked away with 1,724 added to his earnings. These wins put Edge on the top of the rodeo map.

Cole Edge may not be decorated in gold buckles, but he uses his skills strategically with efforts put toward the bigger picture and that gives him a real edge on the competition. His commitment to persistent performances has landed Edge in the top of the World Standings. He is progressing towards his second qualification for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and just might win it all this year.

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tyler

pearson Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Wrestling 3/19/1985 Louisville, MS 2006 $591,412.00 1 (2017) 2 (2013, 2017) Louisville, MS

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO) Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX) Won the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo Won the Red Bluff (CA) Round-Up

Won the Tulsa (OK) State Fair PRCA Rodeo Steer wrestling wasn’t always an easy venture for the thirty-three-year-old cowboy, but he was determined to conquer it. He continues to work at it with an unfailing motto: Practice makes perfect. That’s why the Louisville native is preparing to defend his title for the 2018 World Championship.

The 2017 Steer Wrestling World Champion was already leading the 2018 PRCA | RAM World Standings by about $9,000 before winning nearly $10,000 with a 3.1-second run at the K-Days Rodeo. Pearson tied for fourth at the 2017 K-Days Rodeo and won $5,823 with a 4.0-second run. This year, he shaved his time by nearly a full second and doubled his prize money.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

More than 5,700 fans overflowed the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum for the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in mid-January. They witnessed a captivating combination: Tyler Pearson, the latest World Title holder; Scooter, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association/American Quarter Horse Association 2017 Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year; and Steer No. 57, a breed with a reputation of helping cowboys turn in a fast time. This mixture resulted in Pearson turning in the fastest time of the night: a blazing 4.1 seconds.

Pearson is married to his wife, Carissa. They have a five-year-old son, Stetson, together. He started rodeoing when he was seven, and didn’t like steer wrestling at first, but with a lot of practice he began to enjoy it more. His favorite meal is Mexican food, he enjoys rock music, and appreciates war movies. Pearson loves sports. He played baseball in high school and enjoys tossing around a football. His favorite sports team is the Indianapolis Colts. Tyler’s Rodeo idols are Dean Gorsuch and Bob Lummus.

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tyler

waguespack Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Wrestling 12/19/1990 Gonzales, LA 2012 $793,156.00 1 3 (2015-17) Gonzales, LA

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Clovis (CA) Rodeo Won the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (Montgomery, AL) Won the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse (Cleburne, TX) Tyler Waguespack began his rodeo career roping calves and steer wrestling. His dad, Michael, was also a steer wrestler.

He decided to sell his calf horse and focus his attention on perfecting his steer wrestling skills. Four-time World Champion Ote Berry saw great potential in Tyler and became his mentor.

Waguespack won the average and collected the most money out of one hundred and twenty rodeo contestants at the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR.) He achieved the RAM Top Gun Award from the 213,218 dollars he earned at the 2016 WNFR which left him with an ending total of 298,676 dollars for the year.

Tyler was raised around steer wrestling horses and grew up training them with his father learning how to jump steers from

Photo courtesy of PRCA

various mounts. That experience proved to be beneficial at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo as he made two solid runs on two horses. He led the first round with a 4-second run and sits third in the second round with a 4.5. His combined efforts put him in the two-run aggregate lead. Last year he placed second and earned 9,652 dollars, which he utilized in his third straight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification.

Tyler’s father, Michael, was a PRCA steer wrestler in the 1990’s and still hazes for Tyler every so often and his cousin Randi Robert qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo. He started competing in bulldogging and tie-down roping while in junior high school. When he is not out wrestling on rodeo arenas, he enjoys hunting and fishing. He graduated from East Ascension High School in Gonzales, LA in a class size of approximately 300 students. His favorite rodeos are Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days and California Rodeo Salinas and his favorite movie is “Step Brothers.”

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Headers

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CLAY

SMITH Events:

Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence: Partner:

Team Roping (Header) Tie-Down Roping 4/26/1991 Texarkana, TX 2013 $422,005.00 0 3 (2015-17) Broken Bow, OK Paul Eaves

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX) Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo Won the RAM Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR) Won the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: (Partner Paul Eaves) 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 National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). Finished fifth in the

Photo courtesy of PRCA

world standings with 218,611 dollars. 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.

2015: (Partner Paul Eaves) Placed in four rounds to rank eleventh at his first WNFR. Won the Deadwood (SD) Days of ‘76 Rodeo, the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber City, UT), That Famous Preston (IA) Night Rodeo and the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Rodeo. Co-Champion at the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS). Finished thirteenth in the world standings with 115,498 dollars in earnings.

Last year’s trip to Vegas was the first made with his wife Taylor.

They planned their wedding to coincide with the rodeo season and got married on October 8, 2017. That was just days after Clay earned his second trip to Las Vegas.

The young couple returned last year with the gleam of gold in their eyes as Clay hoped to win his first World Championship.

He finished fifth in the world in 2016 after winning over 100,000 dollars at the WNFR. Clay and Jake won the US Team Roping Finals in Oklahoma City and earned 141,000 dollars. His youngest brother, Britt, is also a roper and he won a truck at an amateur event. Clay and his brothers got their start in rodeo from their father and appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno when he was seven years old with his brother Jake to talk about their love of roping. Clay is named after seven-time World Champion team roper and ProRodeo Hall-of-Famer Clay O’Brien Cooper, who also is his rodeo idol.

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CODY

SNOW

Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence: Partner:

Team Roping (Header) 10/9/1996 Los Olivos, CA 2015 $290,683.00 0 2 (2016-17) Los Olivos, CA Wesley Thorp

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX) Won the YMBL Championship Rodeo (Beaumont, TX) Won the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: (Partner Wesley Thorp) 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 fourteenth at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR).

Finished fourteenth in the World Standings with 100,423 dollars. 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 (Idaho) 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). He was

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Co-Champion at the Omak (WA) Stampede. Won the Glen Rose (TX) PRCA Rodeo, with Wesley Thorp. Finished twentieth in the world standings with 56,302 dollars in earnings.

Last year, Cody and Wesley both qualified for their first WNFR. They started roping together soon thereafter. Cody just turned twenty-one in October. Wesley is twenty-two. They have the same goals in the arena and are accomplishing them together this year.

They started off their 2017 summer with a big win at the Reno Rodeo, each earning 7,574 dollars. That moved Cody all the way to third place in the World Standings. While he dropped in the world standings, he continued to earn money and will entered the WNFR in tenth place with 79,236 dollars won during the regular season.

Cody enjoys training horses and was home-schooled from seventh grade through high school. Snow’s favorite rodeo is Salinas, California. His favorite movies are “The Sandlot” and “The Cowboys”. Cody’s rodeo role model is seven-time World Champion Team Roping Header Jake Barnes and his favorite music genre is hip-hop.

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BUBBA

BUCKALOO Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Team roping (Header) 7/4/1988 Madill, OK 2008 $170,170.00 0 0 Caddo, OK

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Home of Champions Rodeo (Red Lodge, MT) Won the Rodeo Corpus Christi (TX), Clint Summers Co-Champion at the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS), Tyler Worley

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Wichata Falls (TX) PRCA Rodeo, with Travis Woodard. Won the Great Plains Stampede Rodeo (Altus, OK), with Austin Rogers.

2016: Finished 174th in the world standings with 5,593 dollars in earnings.

2015: (Partner-Russell Cardoza) Won the Redding (CA) Rodeo, the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson, AZ) and the Springville

Photo courtesy of PRCA

(CA) Sierra Rodeo. Co-Champion at the Guadalupe County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Seguin, TX), with Dustin Davis. Finished 23rd in the World Standings with 52,426 dollars in earnings.

Bubba grew up in Kingston, Oklahoma with his parents Steve Buckaloo and Rita Ginter along with his sister Holly Wynn. He lives in Caddo, OK with his wife Josie, where they work for Dufur Quarter Horses. He loves spending time with all of his supportive family when he is home. He got started roping with his dad at the age of five. Bubba cut his thumb off twice; once when he was eleven and again at age fifteen. Buckaloo’s favorite rodeo is Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days. His favorite movie is “The Cowboys” with John Wayne and his rodeo idol is seven-time World Champion Team Roping Heeler Clay O’Brien Cooper.

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PAUL

EAVES Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence: Partner:

Team Roping (Heeler) 2/10/1990 St. Louis, MO 2008 $1,079,460.00 0 6 (2012-17) Millsap, TX Clay Smith

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX) Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo Won the RAM Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR) Won the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Walla Walla (WA) Frontier Days, Won 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 Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Rapid City, SD), the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS), the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo and the Rose City Roundup (Tyler, TX).

Co-Champion at the Caldwell (IA) Night Rodeo and the Greeley (CO) Stampede. Won the Ram Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Rodeo, with Colby Lovell.

2016: (Partner Clay Smith) Placed in six rounds to rank second at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). He finished

Photo courtesy of PRCA

fourth in the World Standings with 219,900 dollars. 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 Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo, the Dodge City, (KS) Roundup Rodeo and the Canby (OR) Rodeo.

Co-Champion at the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT).

2015: (Partner Clay Smith) Placed in four rounds at the WNFR. Won the Deadwood (SD) Days of ‘76 Rodeo, the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber City, UT), That Famous Preston (IA) Night Rodeo and the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Rodeo. Co-Champion at the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo (Garden City, KS). Finished twelfth in the World Standings with 121,699 dollars.

This is Paul’s fifth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo where he will start in second place in the heeling standings. He has won 117,212 dollars during this year’s regular season roping with Clay Smith.

It’s a partnership that has been ongoing for three years and they have already started their 2018 season together. Paul had career earnings of 871,865 dollars through the 2016 season.

Adding in what he has already won in 2017 and for 2018, he has surpassed one million dollars in earnings in the PRCA. Paul attended four-time World Champion Allen Bach’s roping school when he was starting out in the sport. Rodeo heroes include Bach, Clay O’Brien Cooper, Walt Woodard and Rich Skelton. Eaves has teamed up with Kelsey Parchman to win 100,000 dollars on his eighteenth birthday at the 2008 Wildfire Open in Salado, Texas. His favorite rodeo is Fort Worth (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo.

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JOSEPH

HARRISON Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Team Roping (Heeler) 6/25/1987 Ada, OK 2007 $200,299.00 0 1 (2017) Overbrook, OK

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Co-Champion at the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo, with Chad Masters Co-Champion the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS), with Chad Masters

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: (Partner Charly Crawford) Won the Oakley Independence Days Rodeo (Oakley City, UT), with Charly Crawford, the St. Paul (OR) Rodeo, with Charly Crawford and the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo (Mitchell, SD), with Charly Crawford. Co-Champion at the High Desert Stampede (Redmond, OR), with Charly Crawford and the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo, with Charly Crawford.

Won the Bennington (KS) PRCA Rodeo, with Trevor Brazile.

2016: Finished 277th in the World Standings with 2,370 dollars.

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 dollars.

Joseph Harrison joined the PRCA ten years ago and had career earnings of 34,226 dollars. In 2017 when he started roping with Charly Crawford, he more than tripled his earnings and qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR).

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Joseph has been involved with horses and roping all of his life.

He qualified for the College National Finals twice while attending Northeast Texas Community College. Then he went to work for renown horse trainer Bobby Lewis. He competed in Prairie Circuit Rodeos, amateur rodeos and jackpots. One of his partners was Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Champion Jackie Crawford who had been heading for Joseph.

Joseph trains horses for a living when not competing in rodeo and does most of his traveling with his wife, who helps him along the road. He also competes on a thirteen-year-old American Quarter Horse named Main Street Boon, whom he’s had since about 2013 and he says is easy to win on and doesn’t mess up. Harrison describes his roping style as faster than most ropers since he “tends to throw faster.” Pioneer Days Rodeo is his favorite because “there are fresh steers, the start is fairly long and it’s a cool rodeo.” Joseph enjoys bass fishing and hanging out with his family. His favorite book is “Of Mice and Men” and favorite movie is “Lonesome Dove.” He listens to his favorite musician, George Strait, and likes to go to the arcade and go bowling while traveling to rodeos.

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JAKE

LONG Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence: Partner:

Team Roping (Heeler) 3/30/1984 Co e ville, KS 2003 $1,386,104.00 0 7 (2010-12, 2014-17) Co e ville, KS Luke Brown

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: 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 Luke Brown) Won rounds 2 and 6 and placed in six rounds to rank sixth at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). Finished third in the world standings with 225,091 dollars. Won the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Rapid City, SD), the Horse Heaven Round-up Wranglers Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (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, KA). He was Co-Champion at the Livingston (MT) Roundup.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

2015: (Partner Coleman Proctor) Split the win in Round 5 and placed in three other rounds to rank second in the average at the WNFR. Won the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days, the Sheridan (WY) Rodeo, the Oakdale (CA) Saddle Club Rodeo, the Will Rogers Stampede (Claremore, OK), the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo (Duncan, OK) and the Bell County PRCA Rodeo (Belton, Texas). He Co-Championed at the Tulsa (OK) State Fair PRCA Rodeo. Finished sixth in the World Standings with 188,555 dollars.

Growing up on a Kansas ranch, Jake learned the value of hard work early on. His father and Coleman Proctor’s father roped together while the boys were growing up. An everlasting friendship was forged. They qualified for two NFRs together before switching partners. Coleman has qualified again and they will be encouraging each other through ten nights of competition at the Thomas and Mack.

Both Jake and Tasha graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, they have two daughters Haven and Haizlee. Long got started in rodeo through his parents, Crickett Long (rancher) and Pam Weatherby (teacher), both of whom competed at the amateur level. Jake’s favorite rodeo is San Antonio, his favorite movie is “Tombstone”, his favorite sports team is the University of Kansas basketball team and his rodeo idol is Clay O’Brien Cooper.

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JACOBS

CRAWLEY Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Saddle Bronc Riding 5/27/1988 Ennis, TX 2006 $1,436,980.00 1 (2015) 7 (2011-17) Step enville, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX) Won the Redding (CA) Rodeo Won the Rodeo Corpus Christi (TX) Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo Won the Buffalo Bill Rodeo ( orth Platte, ) Won the Longview (TX) PRCA Rodeo Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX) Won the RAM Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the YMBL Championship Rodeo (Beaumont, TX) Won the Matagorda County Fair & Rodeo (Bay City, TX) Won the Helotes (TX) Festival Association Rodeo Won the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX) Co-Champion at the Angelina County Benefit Rodeo (Lu in, T )

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX), the Caldwell (IA) Night Rodeo, the Ram Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Rodeo, the Home of Champions Rodeo (Red Lodge, MT), the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX), the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days, the Cache County Fair and Rodeo (Logan, UT), the Johnson County Sherriff’s Posse (Cleburne, TX), the Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo (Okeechobee, FL), the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo, the San

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Juan Stampede (Monticello, UT) and the Crossett (AK) Riding Club 68th Annual PRCA Rodeo. Co-Champion at the Bandera (TX) Pro Rodeo and the Central Montana (Lewiston) Ram Pro Rodeo.

2016: Won Round 5 and placed in five rounds to tie for fifth place at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). Finished second in the World Standings with 262,648 dollars. Won the Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days, the Ponoka (Alberta) Stampede, the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX), the Hamel (MN) Rodeo & Bull Riding Bonanza, the Pasadena (TX) Livestock Show & Rodeo, the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Kissimmee, FL), the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Pueblo, CO.), the 136th Silver Spurs Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the Nebraska’s (Burwell) Big Rodeo, the Austin Co. Fair & Rodeo (Bellville, TX), the Bell County PRCA Rodeo (Belton, TX), the Wild Wild West ProRodeo (Silver City, NM), the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo, the Panola County Cattleman’s Rodeo (Carthage, TX), the Homestead (FL) Championship Rodeo and the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo (Hill City, KS). Co-Champion at the Red Desert Roundup (Rock Springs, WY), the Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days and the Matagorda County Fair & Rodeo (Bay City, TX).

Jacobs’ younger brother, Sterling, was the 2011 PRCA Resistol Saddle Bronc Riding Rookie of the Year. He graduated from Stephenville High School in Texas with the class of 2006.

Crawley likes to stay active and he works out daily. He also enjoys reading with his favorite books being the Bible, biographies, and nonfiction books. Jacobs’ favorite films are “All the Pretty Horses” with Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz, and “Cool Hand Luke” with Paul Newman. His favorite rodeo is San Augustine in Texas. Crawley’s first name, Jacobs, was his paternal great-grandmother’s surname.

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WADE

SUNDELL Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Saddle Bronc Riding 2/10/1985 Boxholm, IA 2007 $1,476,975.00 0 7 (2009-15) Coleman, OK

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Ram Great Lakes Circuit Finals (Louisville, KY) Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo Won the Greeley (CO) Stampede Won the Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days Won the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX) Won the Trinity Valley Exposition Fair & Rodeo (Liberty, TX) Won the Jackson County Pro Rodeo (Bellevue, IA) Co-Champion at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL) Co-Champion at the Pro Rodeo Oklahoma (Chickasha)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Edgewood (IA) Days PRCA Rodeo, the Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days, the Wapello (IA) PRCA Rodeo, the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo (Hill City, KS) and the Larimer County Fair & Rodeo (Loveland, CO). Co-Champion at the Tri-State Rodeo (Fort Madison, IA).

2016: Did not compete.

2015: Won Rounds 1 and 10 and placed in four other rounds at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and finished as reserve World Champion for the second time in his career. Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo, the Deadwood (SD) Days of ‘76 Rodeo, the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo, the Larimer County Fair &

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Rodeo (Loveland, CO), the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo (Kennedy, Saskatchewan), the Parker County Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX) and the Williams Lake (British Columbia) Stampede. Co-Champion at the Big Sky ProRodeo Roundup (Great Falls, MT) and the Home on the Range Champions Ride (Sentinel Butte, ND).

Wade enjoys bow hunting, fishing and team roping and grew up on a small farm in Boxholm, Iowa. His favorite rodeo is the Tri-State Rodeo in Fort Madison, IA. In 2007, Sundell returned to Saddle Bronc Riding after a four-year hiatus during which he concentrated on Bull Riding. Sundell dedicated his 2009 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo victory to his grandfather, Cloyd Sundell Jr., who died the week before the RAM National Circuits Final Rodeo at age seventy-seven.

In July of this year, Wade Sundell and his partner, Shelby Janssen and their baby Rankan, lost most of their possessions in a fire, including trophies, saddles, and clothes.

If you would like to help out this rodeo family in their time of need, gift cards, home goods, clothes, and any other items that would be needed after experiencing such a loss. Donations can be sent to either Rodeo Fame or directly to the family.

To send items directly to the family at the end of July when Shelby returns home: Wade Sundell & Shelby Janssen 13130 East Grassy Creek Rd. Coleman, OK 73432

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BRODY

CRESS Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Saddle Bronc Riding 1/7/1996 2014 $309,769.00 0 1 (2017) Hillsdale, W

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX) Won the Rooftop Rodeo ( stes Park, C ) Won the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (Montgomery, AL) Won the Sundre (Alberta) Pro Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Pendelton (OR) Round-Up, the Magnolia (AK) Stampede, the Rodeo Killeen (TX), the Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Sioux Falls, SD), the Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City, KS, the Henderson County Go Texan Rodeo in Athens, Texas, the 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 Yellow Stone River Round-Up in Billings, MT. 2016: Finished 98th in the World Standings with 5,292 dollars.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

2015: Won Mountain States Circuit Saddle Bronc Riding year-end title.

Brody’s father, Tommy, is the assistant principal at Cheyenne (WY) East High School and was a PRCA Saddle Bronc rider, as well as his older brother, Blaze and now rides cutting horses in California. Cress’ father and Colt Bruegman, a former PRCA saddle bronc rider, were instrumental in getting Brody and his brother involved in rodeo. His rodeo idol is Billy Etbauer. When he’s not rodeoing, he enjoys hanging out with friends and teaching wrestling. Brody’s favorite rodeo is Cheyenne (WY) Frontier Days. His favorite movie is “8 Seconds” and his favorite sports team is Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling team.

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Tyson

DURFEY Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Tie-Down Roping 11/27/1983 Savannah, MO 2003 $1,535,679.00 1 (2016) 10 (2007-11, 2013-17) Weat er ord, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Reno (NV) Rodeo Won Rodeo Austin (TX) Won the Ram Columbia River Circuit Finals (Yakima, WA) Won the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo Won the Woodward (OK) Elks Rodeo Won the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR) Won the Wichita Falls (TX) PRCA Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, CA), the West Texas (Abilene) Fair & Rodeo, the Missoula (MT) Stampede, the Bruce (Alberta) Stampede and the Bozeman (MT) Stampede. Co-Champion at the Spokane (WA) Interstate Rodeo.

2016: Won Round 6 and placed in six rounds to rank second at the Wrangler NFR. Climbed from fourteenth to first in the World Standings with 212,445 dollars. Won the Pasadena (Texas) Livestock Show & Rodeo, the Canby (OR) Rodeo. Won the

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Eugene (OR) Pro Rodeo, the Cowboy Capital of The World PRCA Rodeo (Stephenville, TX), the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo and the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, UT).

2015: Split the Round 3 and 10 wins and placed in two other rounds at the Wrangler NFR. Co-Champion at the Moses Lake (WA) Round-Up. Finished eighth in the World Standings with 153,983 dollars in earnings.

Tyson held the 2016 Tie Down Roping Champion buckle high in honor of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He wears a signature pink shirt, which began in 2007 when his stepmother had a cancer scare, so he told her he would wear a pink shirt at the Canadian finals and the WNFR and donate 10 of his winnings to Susan G Komen. He had only planned to wear pink the one year, but he had so many people come up to him and thank him for wearing pink that he decided to continue to do it in support of breast cancer.

Durfey is married to Australia-born country singer Shea Fisher, and they have a daughter named Praise Royal Durfey. His father, Roy, is a horse trainer and he has two brothers, Wes and Travis, both of whom have competed in PRCA rodeos. Tyson got interested in rodeo through his family and his first competition was in 1991. His favorite sports team is the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and his favorite rodeo is the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up because the competition is on grass. Durfey’s rodeo idol is Tie-Down Roper Mike Johnson.

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Jake

PRATT

Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Tie-Down Roping 10/24/1987 2009 $375,381.00 0 0 Ellensburg, WA

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros (Tucson, AZ) Won the Livermore (CA) Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo, the Redding (CA) Rodeo, the Omak (WA) Stampede, the Central Point (OR) Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo and the PRCA Last Stand Rodeo (Coulee City, WA). Co-Champion at the Lake County Round-up (Lakeview, OR) and Rodeo Killeen (TX).

2016: Won the Molalla (OR) Buckeroo Rodeo and the PRCA Last Stand Rodeo (Coulee City, WA). Co-Champion at the Moses Lake (WA) Round-Up. Finished 41st in the World Standings with 32,830 dollars in earnings.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

2015: Won the Livingston (MT) Roundup, the Lynden (WA) PRCA Rodeo and the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show (Union).

Pratt and his wife, Rainy, have two sons, Pace and Pierce.

Jake’s primary competition horse is Six and he graduated from Ellensburg (WA) High School in 2006. Pratt’s favorite movies are “8 Seconds” and “Step Brothers” and his favorite music genres are country, rock, and rap.

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Shane

HANCHEY Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Tie-Down Roping 9/30/1989 Sulphur, LA 2009 $1,377,211.00 1 (2013) 8 (2010-17) Sulp ur, LA

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, CO) Won the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, TX) Won the SW District Fat Stock Show & Rodeo (Lake Charles, LA) Won the Williams Lake (British Columbia) Stampede Won the Grande Prairie (Alberta) Stompede Won the Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo (Okeechobee, FL) Co-Champion at the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo In 2017 Shane entered his eighth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in third place with 124,498 dollars earned during the regular season, a season that has taken him coast to coast and where he has seen as much time behind the windshield as on the back of a horse.

Shane rode Reata for part of 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) where he won 94,192 dollars. This year, he has another stellar steed to ride, Simon Cow, the horse that Tie-Down Ropers voted as the best in the PRCA for 2017. When

Photo courtesy of PRCA

he starts his bid for a second gold buckle and runs the 81st calf of his career in the Thomas and Mack Center, there will be a lot of his family and friends in the stands.

Shane’s cousin, Corey Granger, is a PRCA bull rider and his brother, Jason, is also a PRCA Tie-Down Roper and trains roping horses in Okeechobee, FL. Jason actually trained Reata, who has been Shane’s primary competition horse since his sophomore year in high school; although he only uses him for special occasions now. Shane has three other horses: Si (2017 AQHA Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year), PamPam, and BamBam. Hanchey enjoys playing golf when he isn’t competing and is home-schooled through Abeka Academy. He is a huge sports fan, especially of the Houston Astros, New Orleans Pelicans, New Orleans Saints and Louisiana State University Tigers.

Shane’s favorite rodeo is Pendleton Roundup, favorite book is “Mind Gym” and his favorite movie is “Sandlot”. As a testimony to his character, his favorite quote is from Muhammad Ali: “Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: A dream, a desire, a vision.”

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Scott Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Roping Team Roping (Header) Tie-Down Roping 2/2/1975 W arton, TX 1996 $1,164,148.00 3 (2005, 2008, 2017) 0 Fredricksburg, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the West of the Pecos (TX) Rodeo and the Old West Trail Rodeo (Crawford, NE).

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 dollars. Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, TX) and the Pioneer Days Rodeo (Clovis, NM). Co-Champion 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 Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo (Waco), the Dodge City (KS) Roundup Rodeo, the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo (Rosenberg, TX), the San Patricio

Photo courtesy of PRCA

County PRCA Rodeo (Sinton, TX). Won the All-Around at the Yuma (CO) Fair & Rodeo. Finished fifth in the World Standings with 89,195 dollars in earnings.

Forty-two-year-old Texas cowboy Scott Snedecor took home his third career Steer Roping World Championship title in the 2017 National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) in Mulvane, KS. Snedecor was propelled to the top spot by winning the average at the Kansas Star Arena, roping nine head in 104.1 seconds over the two-day competition.

Snedecor and his wife, Kelli, have two children; son, Colton, daughter, Kallyn. He is the owner of a Western store in Uvalde, Texas, the Rockin R and enjoys hunting, traveling and spending time with family. Snedecor attended Needville (TX) High School. He has one brother, Tim, who used to compete in youth rodeo. He competed in Tie-Down Roping and Team Roping in high school, but now focuses on Steer Roping. He also played basketball in high school. His favorite restaurant is Pappadeaux, favorite ice cream is chocolate, favorite sports team is the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and his favorite rodeo is the Deadwood (SD) Days of ’76. His biggest influence on his rodeo career has been Buster Record, Jr.

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Rocky Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Roping 11/24/1965 Kiowa, KS 1992 $1,352,752.00 4 (2009-2010, 2012, 2016) 0 Pra , KS

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo (Weatherford, TX) Won the World’s Oldest Rodeo (Prescott, AZ) Co-champion the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, NM), the Yellowstone River Round-Up (Billings, MT) and the Apache (OK) Stampede.

2016: Placed in eight rounds to rank third at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Set a record for most earnings at a single NFSR with 70,651 dollars. Finished first in the World Standings with 142,350 dollars. Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Show & Rodeo, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT), the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and Rodeo (Weatherford, TX), the Will Rogers Stampede (Claremore, OK), the Journey to The Cross (Dodge City, KS) and the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo (Duncan, OK).

2015: Placed in three rounds at the Clem McSpadden NFSR. Won the RAM Prairie Circuit Final (Duncan, OK), the Will Rogers Stampede (Claremore, OK), the Coleman (TX) PRCA Rodeo, the Spokane 4th of July Steer Roping (Colbert, WA), and the Cushing (OK) Community Rodeo. Finished eighth in the World Standings with 73,021 dollars in earnings.

Rocky Patterson and his wife, Shelly, have two sons, Cole and Caden. Rocky’s hobbies include golf and hunting and he graduated from Chaparral High School in Anthony, KS. Patterson started competing in rodeo in 1975. His parents are Phillip and Marcella, and he has two brothers and three sisters.

His favorite sports team is the Green Bay Packers and his Rodeo idol is Guy Allen. Rocky was inducted into the Pratt, Kansas Community College Athletic Hall of Fame on March 3, 2012 and served as Pratt’s rodeo coach from 1991-2000.

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Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Steer Roping 12/20/1971 Houston, TX 1994 $480,019.00 0 1 (TD,1999) W arton, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the Ron Ross Memorial Steer Roping (Liberty Hill, TX) Won the Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2017: Won the M.M. Fisher Jr. Memorial Steer Roping (Andrews, TX). Co-Champion at the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT). Finished fourteenth in the world standings with 57,686 dollars in earnings.

2016: Finished twenty-first in the World Standings with 21,329 dollars in earnings 2015: Finished ninetieth in the World Standings with 1,610 dollars in earnings.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

2014: Placed in two rounds of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping en route to finishing fifth in the Average Standings. Won the Ken Lance Memorial (Ada, OK) and the Riata Roundup Rodeo (Lometa, TX). Finished thirteenth in the World Standings with 41,969 dollars in earnings 2013: Won the Clem McSpadden NFSR (Guthrie, OK) average title with a time of 142.2 seconds on 10 head, placing in three rounds including a second-place result in Round 4. Finished ninth in the world with 56,306 dollars in earnings, his highest earnings total since 1999.

2012: Won the RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo (Waco) and finished third in the year-end circuit standings. Finished second at the SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, TX); the West of the Pecos Rodeo (Pecos, TX) and the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo (Stephenville, TX); finished twenty-eighth in the World Standings with 15,542 dollars in earnings.

Tony Reina and his wife, Kelly have two daughters, Bailey and Rylee, both compete in rodeo. Tony operates a maintenance business serving the oil and gas industry and conducts roping schools on his Wharton, TX, property. He has special interests in horses, basketball, tennis and aviation.

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Sage

KIMZEY Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Bull Riding 8/26/1994 Strong City, OK 2013 $1,414,671.00 4 (2014-17) 4 (2014-17) Strong Cit , OK

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the San Antonio (TX) Stock Show & Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Won Rodeo Austin (TX) Won the RAM Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Won the All American ProRodeo Finals (Waco, TX) Won the Livingston (MT) Roundup Won the Greeley (CO) Stampede Won the Fort Mahave (AZ) Classic PRCA Xtreme Bulls Won the Butterfield Stage Days PRCA Rodeo (Bridgeport, TX) Won the Licking (MO) PRCA Rodeo Co-Champion at the Gladewater (TX) Round-Up Xtreme Bulls Co-Champion at the Crockett (TX) Lions Club PRCA Rodeo Sage Kimzey is well on his way to one of the most all-time impressive rodeo careers at just twenty-three years old. The Oklahoman departs Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) entirely more prosperous after becoming the first bull rider to ever win four consecutive WNFR World Titles. Kimzey won the WNFR average for the second time in his career, which solidified

Photo courtesy of PRCA

his immense payout. Kimzey stands only four gold buckles short of Don Gay’s record of eight World Titles. Gay won his eighth and final buckle at the age of thirty-one. Given his dominance so far, Kimzey just might be into the double-digits by the time he reaches his thirtieth birthday.

2017 was his fourth run at a World Title. Each time he has ridden in the Thomas and Mack Center, he has left with a gold buckle. He has set record after record and has even broken some of his own records. He is the youngest member of the PRCA to have earnings of over one million dollars.

Kimzey’s gold-paved 2017 regular season reads like a never-ending highlight reel and includes the W at two of the richest rodeos on the map: The American, where he won 433,333.33 dollars in February, and the Calgary Stampede, where he earned 108,000 dollars up in Canada in July. For those into bantering about whether or not Kimzey could cut it against PBR cowboys, there was a PBR contingent at both of those rodeos, and you’ll get nothing but mutual respect out of the bull riders themselves on that subject. He has also been competing in Championship Bull Riding events, winning the Calgary Stampede and RFD-TV’s The American – none of which counted towards in the PRCA.

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Parker

BREDING

Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Bull Riding 9/2/1992 Edgar, MT 2011 $449,946.00 0 2 (2013, 2015) Edgar, MT

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the RAM Montana (Great Falls) Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals Won the Old Fort Days Rodeo (Fort Smith, AR) Won the PRCA Championship Rodeo (Bismarck, ND) Won the Flint Hills Rodeo (Strong City, KS) Won the Bear Paw Roundup (Chinook, MT) Co-Champion at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL) The twenty five-year-old Edgar Bull Rider recently won the National Circuit Finals Bull Riding title for a third time, now sharing the record with ProRodeo Hall of Famer Cody Custer who won three straight titles (1990-92).

In April, Breding rode with back-to-back 90-pointers. He pocketed 29,567 dollars in Kissimmee, Florida and rocketed up to second in the PRCA world standings. The Joliet High School graduate also won national circuit titles in 2014 and 2016.

The two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) qualifier has earned 129,701.29 dollars for 2018 but hasn’t purchased his ticket to Las Vegas for this December just yet.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

2017: Won the Big Sky ProRodeo Roundup (Great Falls,MT), the Ropin Dreams Cowboy Fellowship PRCA Rodeo (Jourdanton, TX), the Bear Paw Roundup (Chinook, MT), the Marias River Stampede (Shelby, MT) and the Bozeman (MT) Stampede 2016: Won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, FL), the Fort Mohave (AZ) Classic PRCA Extreme Bulls, A Tribute to the Great American Cowboy (Casper, WY), the Redding (CA) Rodeo Champion Challenge, the Augusta (MT) American Legion Rodeo, the Bear Paw Roundup (Chinook, MT) and the Last Chance Stampede (Helena, MT). Finished thirty-third in the World Standings with 41,160 dollars in earnings.

2015: Won Round 1 and placed in two other rounds at the Wrangler NFR; the Justin Boots Championships (Omaha, NE); the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Kissimmee, FL); the North Idaho Fair & Rodeo (Coeur D’Alene); the EOLS Ed Miller Xtreme Bulls Division 2 (Union, OR); the Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo (Bonifay); the 55th Belt (MT) PRCA Rodeo; the Augusta (MT) American Legion Rodeo; the Bear Paw Roundup (Chinook, MT); the Caribou County Pair & Rodeo (Grace, ID); the Northeast Montana Fair & Rodeo (Glasgow, MT); the Fort Benton (MT) Summer Celebration and the Montana’s Biggest Weekend (Dillon). Co-Champion at the Horse Heaven Round-Up (Kennewick, WA). Finished seventh in the World Standings with 176,247 dollars in earnings.

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Trey

BENTON III Events: Born: Joined PRCA: PRCA Career Earnings: World Titles Won: WNFR Qualifications: Current Residence:

Bull Riding 10/17/1991 Rock Island, TX 2012 $725,797.00 0 4 (2012-14, 2017) Rock Island, TX

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Won the San Angelo (TX) Rodeo Co-Champion at the Arcadia All-Fla Championship Rodeo Co-Champion at the Mineral Wells (TX) Rodeo Trey Benton III joined the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) in 2012, competing in Bull Riding. For the 2011 season, he qualified for the Texas Circuit Finals (ultimately placing fifth), the All-American Finals (placing tenth) and won the Abilene, Kansas PRCA Rodeo. Trey had three 90 point and over rides for 2011, placing second in seven rodeos. He also competed in the CPRA, CBR and PBR (Professional Bull Rider).

Trey’s rodeo career began at the early age of five when he started riding sheep and calves. At the age of nine he started riding bareback horses and roping breakaway, shortly after he began roping tie down. When he turned twelve he began team roping, starting with heeling and then learning to head. Trey

Photo courtesy of PRCA

made the Junior High School National Finals, in 2005, where he was the Reserve Champion Bull Rider. He also made the High School National Finals, in 2009, in the Bull Riding and 2010, in the Calf Roping.

Trey was born in 1992, the oldest of three children. Trey’s sister, Haley, and brother, Connor, are also involved in rodeo. Trey was raised on a ranch in South Texas and has worked on various ranches riding and training horses and working cows as well as helping tend to the family ranch.

Trey is currently attending Sam Houston State University where he has a grade point average of 3.0. He completed his Associates Degree at Wharton County Jr. College, over the last two years, where he competed in college rodeo.

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Hailey

KINSEL Hailey Kinsel joined the WPRA in 2015 and finished nineteenth in the rookie standings. A year later, she had won 11,710 dollars and was just outside the top one hundred in the world standings. Then, she qualified for RFD-TV’s The American in March 2016 where she was one of three contestants to split a one-million-dollar side pot.

Both of Hailey’s parents, Dan and Leslie, competed in high school and college rodeo. Now, they along with her brother Matt will be on the sidelines cheering on Hailey. The faithful family will likely be saying lots of prayers along with the fans that Hailey has amassed this year.

Hailey was homeschooled starting in seventh grade and rodeoed in THSRA Region 8 in all the girls events, while also showing steers and goats in 4-H and serving as a FFA and 4-H o cer at the local and district level. Her older brother, Matt, rodeoed through junior high.

Hailey Kinsel seemingly came out of nowhere to take the rodeo world by storm in 2017. The truth is, the Cotulla, Texas, barrel racer has been preparing for success in the arena all her life.

Hailey has always had a competitive spirit and she fueled that with gymnastics and barrel racing as a youngster. While gymnastics taught her a lot and she was successful, that wasn’t

Photo courtesy of PRCA

her passion. When she was eleven years old, she focused solely on barrel racing. After her gold medal win at the Days of 47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in 2017, Hailey was ranked seventh in the world and she entered her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with 98,707 dollars in earnings. She had been in several pressure-packed situations that year, all great practice for the Thomas and Mack Center.

Success is continuing in 2018 for Kinsel. She and her mare, Sister, won the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, just one hundred miles from their home, a rodeo that Hailey had attended as a child and dreamt of competing at. And, they set another arena record along the way with a 13.60-second run.

The previous record was 13.67 set by Sydni Blanchard in 2013.

San Antonio was good to the dynamic duo to the tune of over 25,000 dollars, special for both of them as they had a lot of fans in the building and Sister seems to respond to the crowd. The first of March saw her second in the world standings and she is a likely candidate for another trip to Las Vegas.

When she’s not traveling, passing time on the road listening to music, sermons, or motivational speeches, Hailey works on her family’s ranch and trains horses with her mom.

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Amberleigh

MOORE In less than three years, Keizer resident Amberleigh Moore has become one of the top barrel racers in the country.

After quickly climbing the national rankings in 2016, Moore’s third year as a professional is off to an even faster start. Last year, she won the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in addition to wins at the Bell County PRCA Rodeo in Benton, Texas, and the Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Mississippi.

She finished second at the San Angelo Rodeo in Texas.

Starting 2016 as a bit of an unknown, Moore ended it on the grand stage of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in Las Vegas. She placed second overall; the Reserve World Champion.

During September 2016, Moore and Paige made nineteen runs in twenty-three days, covering more than 6,000 miles going to rodeos in thirteen states throughout the Midwest and Southwest. She made it into the top fifteen by 2,580 dollars. Over the course of the 2016 season, she won 78,762 dollars at fifty-three rodeos.

Photo courtesy of PRCA

Because of her success in 2016, Amberleigh and her mare, Paige, got to compete at rodeos that require qualifications.

They won more money at the 2017 San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo than any other contestant where they either won or tied for first in every round. That added up to nearly 30,000 dollars which gave her a big boost in the world standings.

Moore and her husband, Paul have a daughter together named Keirstin. Amerleigh operates her own bling tack business, AKM Originals. She also handles all the bookkeeping for the family business Emerald Outdoor Living: a business that includes pools, hot tubs, grills, patio furniture and fireplaces. She grew up on a horse competing alongside her parents in o-mok-see (game that involves racing in four lanes at once) and gymkhana events.

Her father, Bill and mother Sandy Neely still compete as of 2016.

Moore started training and competing in barrel racing futurities around 2000. She purchased her horse, Paige, from Cody Hyde when the mare was three years old.

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Nellie

MILLER Nellie Miller made big wins at the 2017 Reno (Nevada) Rodeo, St. Paul (Oregon) Rodeo and the Ellensburg (Washington) Roundup.

This was her second consecutive win at Ellensburg. She earned 130,537 dollars at just forty-seven rodeos and will started the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in third place.

With her win record solid in outdoor pens, she looked forward to taking Sister around the barrels in the Thomas and Mack Center on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus where she attended college.

In early December last year, it seemed the whole town of Cottonwood and much of the North State rodeo community had their eyes on twenty-nine-year-old Miller. It was the hometown girl’s second advancement to the National Finals Rodeo, and much had transpired since her first competition there in 2010. She’d gotten married to James Miller, had two children, and completed a college degree at Simpson University.

To qualify for the chance to compete for World Champion in 2017, Miller competed in over forty rodeos, taking first at Reno Rodeo and placing high at the Calgary Stampede, which secured her place among the top competitors.

Cottonwood, California, cowgirl and her homegrown mare Rafter W Minnie Reba stormed into the Thomas & Mack Center arena, making ten clean trips through the cloverleaf to earn

Photo courtesy of PRCA

the 2017 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Champion Barrel Racer title as well as the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Aggregate Championship. Miller and “Sister” ran a 13.85 in round 10 to finish out an aggregate of 137.32 on ten runs, narrowly defeating Ivy Conrado and KN Fabs Gift of Fame’s 137.40, which placed second in the aggregate.

Miller, Conrado and Lisa Lockhart on An Oakie With Cash (“Louie”) were the only three cowgirls to stay clean all ten rounds. All three barrel racers stayed on the same horses the entire WNFR. The 2018 rodeo season is already underway with the Red Bluff Round-Up being the big hometown rodeo that holds a special place in her heart. Husband James is the Round-Up’s General Manager and she’s been competing on the grounds since high school.

When Nellie and daughters Payton, five, and Hadley, two, are feeding, grooming and training with the family of quarter horses that have taken Miller to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas twice, she knows she is passing along a work ethic and values that have been handed down by her parents, Sam and Roxy Williams. Miller’s young daughters are with her on her parents’ Cottonwood ranch helping her care for horses that she fully embodies the reason three generations of her family have committed to the rodeo life.

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ate Jestes with a local Woodward kid after Calf Scramble at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. Photo by Annie Jo Gilbert of Roan Pony Productions.

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T e road to t e NFR is paved wit dreams, bot ulfilled and broken. T oug it is traversed b man , ew are declared world c ampions at t e end. Most will agree, t e destination is not t e sweetest part. It s t e ourne down t e road t at remains wit t em or a li etime.

T e well-worn road leading to t e T omas and Mack tells t e tale o more t an ust t e top fi een competitors in eig t rodeo events. O t e more t an 150,000 people in Las egas last December, onl 135 wore a back number. T e unsung troubadours o t e National Finals Rodeo come in t e orm o rodeo queens, pickup men, stock contractors, rodeo personnel, ans oung and old, bull fig ters, arena crew, c ute and gate men, and rodeo announcers.

THE ROAD TO MISS RODEO AMERICA At ust six ears old, Ta lor Spears road to t e NFR began.

A record breaker in er state, s e as dreamt o taking a ot lap around t e T omas and Mack since s e won er first title as Miss Rodeo Okla oma Sweet eart. S e is t e first in Okla oma to win t e title o sweet eart, princess, teen and finall , t e title s e olds toda , Miss Rodeo Okla oma.

T e most unique part about m road is t at I ave worked or t is m entire li e, literall , Spears said. Come December, t is is t e moment, t e final draw, t is is m one s ot.

Preparing as been mentall c allenging or t at because I ave ust been able to go on and live out t is ear to t e ullest, t e ear I ave been working towards m entire li e.

Miss Rodeo America ope uls rom across t e nation ave also been dreaming o Black Hills Gold t eir entire lives. T e fierce competition kicks o or eac oung lad t e second er state crown is placed on er at.

During t e eig t da s o appearances, speec es, as ion s ows, wri en exams, interviews and orsemans ip pa erns, t e contestants are put t roug t e paces.

Judge writing scores after a bulldog run at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. Justin Rumford with Bandy Rumford at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. Taylor Spears, Miss Rodeo Oklahoma 2018 at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. Taylor Spears, MRO 2018, with the American Flag surrounded by the Slash O Longhorns out of Woodward, OK at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. All photos by Annie Jo Gilbert of Roan Pony Productions.

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“I have been to the NFR several times before, but this is the first time I am going to compete.” Spears added. “I am looking at everything from a different mindset. I am preparing mentally to know that the outcome is what it is, but I am also working as hard as I can so that I can put my best foot forward.”

Three-hundred and sixty-five days are devoted to Oklahoma and the sport of rodeo, with the ultimate goal of representing the entire nation constantly in the back of Spears’ mind. Each state queen travels thousands of miles, visiting every corner of the United States for rodeos big and small.

It is hard to fathom who covers more ground on their way to Las Vegas, queens or contestants Regardless, each position comes with its own set of challenges and preparation requirements.

“The hardest part about the road to the NFR is the preparation. All the work for a championship title or for the Miss Rodeo America crown is done before you get to Vegas,” Spears explained. “I am a perfectionist. So just going into it knowing I can’t possibly prepare for every little part and there are some things I am not going to know or be ready for.”

An integral part to soaking up the full year spent representing the state of Oklahoma is Spears’ support system: friends, family and fellow queens. She dedicates her days to rodeo, from studying and working on horsemanship to giving impromptu speeches at the drop of a hat. Representing the sport of rodeo, much like the road to the NFR, takes an insurmountable amount of dedication and sweat equity.

“I have been working for the chance to compete for Miss Rodeo America my entire life so my family is invested, I am invested, everyone behind me is invested,” Spears said. “And I know that is what helps everything work out on the road to the NFR. I am incredibly blessed to be living this dream.”

Heavily sprinkled along this road are not only unique experiences, but people who make the job worthwhile for Spears and her fellow state queens.

“My goal from the very beginning has been to make the most of these 365 days,” Spears said. “Through that, I have been able to share my faith people who I would have never come into contact with otherwise, I have marketed myself for my future career and even been able to inspire people along the way.

So truly the best part and my favorite about the road is all the people who are here on this ride to the NFR.” THE ROAD TO WORLD CHAMPION Traversing the road to the NFR a total of six times is bulldogger Matt Reeves. No two trips are the same, the point at which Reeves knows his fate for December is the biggest changing each year.

“My very first year, 2007, I made the cut for the finals at the very last rodeo of the year,” Reeves said with a laugh. “It was wild, we had gone all year working hard. I went to Dallas for the Texas Stampede and knew I had to win a round to make it to the finals.”

The first steer wrestler out of the gate on the first night, Reeves sealed the deal by winning the round. The 11,000 dollars he pocketed in Dallas moved him from 17th to 14th and eliminated the chance for anyone to knock him out of the NFR. Getting a paycheck around the amount of 10,000 dollars is an essential component of making the finals, Reeves said.

“The main goal should just be to do well at the rodeos you are at. If you do that it won’t matter which ones you hit throughout the year,” Reeves explained. “You also need one good lick that injects between 8,000 dollars and 15,000 dollars into your standings. It changes things drastically.”

This year that rodeo came early for Reeves. He split $100,000 when he won the American this past February.

With about thirty rodeos that pay so well competitors cannot afford to miss them, some of the main ones include Fort Worth, Cody, San Antonio, and Denver. But that barely scratches the surface.

“The worst part about this job is the driving, I really do not like

Justin Rumford at the Woodward lks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. Photo by Annie Jo Gilbert of Roan Pony Productions.

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to drive,” Reeves said. “I passenger a lot more than I drive. I rodeo with six other guys in my truck and trailer. Sometimes we are all together at the same time traveling.”

on every run is key to being mentally tough on the rodeo road to the NFR. It is the minute differences setting the top 15 apart at the end of the day.

On a trip back from California this year, there were eleven competitors all traveling together. Lots of competitors take their entire families down the road with them. This is no longer the case for Reeves.

“It is frustrating, and it will wear on you mentally,” Reeves explained. “You have to grow up enough to know that you are not going to be perfect every time out but to still shoot for it.”

“Being gone is hard,” Reeves said with the kind of sadness in his voice only reserved for the most sobering moments of life. “My wife loved to rodeo and she liked to win, but she did not like to be gone. We have kids now and she works at home. The kind of miles and hours we put in just traveling is hard on a competitor and hard on their family.”

Taking the time to travel to Calgary proved to be the best move for Reeves’ career and family. Not only did he win the rodeo, he also got to spend seven days with his family.

“One thing people don’t understand is that you have to have an understanding family to do this job and travel this road,” Reeves added. “You also need a good group of people to rodeo with. They are the people who keep you hyped up because there will be days that you are not. The road to Vegas is a group effort for sure.”

The health factor of all athletes involved is possibly the most di cult part of the entire endeavor. Horses were never meant to fly down the Interstate in a tin can, and most knees are not equipped to stop a moving steer going more than twenty miles an hour.

“I think keeping everything healthy is about the hardest thing in the world,” Reeves said. “My good horse got hurt in Calgary. He basically just twisted his ankle really bad, so he will be fine. But now we are riding a young horse, she is younger than you would think could rodeo at this level.”

Fixing problems on the fly is an added level of di culty to this road. Taking the time to go home and work on something with a horse or the athlete is not possible with the packed schedule of an NFR-hopeful.

“You have to practice while you run those horses for money and find places to work them for even just a minute sometimes,” Reeves said. “Keeping them sharp is hard when you are trying to fix stuff right there in the middle of it all.”

If it weren’t for the horses, Reeves said he would have hung his hat up a long time ago. He enjoys watching horses come into their own and become elite athletes. The six-year-old mare Reeves is using in place of his usual mount is proving how fun good horses really are to compete on.

Like any honest athlete, winning is also what keeps this cowboy out on the road, chasing world titles.

“Winning is like a drug, it is the highest high you can get,” Reeves said. “Winning is fun no matter what it is you are doing.

I think that is why people hang on and stay out here.”

Developing a short memory and mindset to attempt perfection

After winning more than half a million dollars in just two rodeos early in the season, Reeves has taken a little bit of a dive. Small pieces go wrong and keep him out of the money, but with grit between his teeth and hat pulled tight, he jumps off another horse and wrestles with the demons of the rodeo road keeping him from the NFR. “I have had probably the best year I am going to in my life, I am not just going to back off the barrier and quit trying,” Reeves said. “At this point, I might as well just keep trying. We will be busy in the last nine weeks of the season.”

At the end of the day, Reeves said one of the few things he gets to keep from all this are the friends he makes on the journey.

THE ROAD TO THE JUNIOR NFR It is no secret that every kid bitten by the rodeo bug dreams of the day they ride for the title of World Champion. For a lucky few, that day comes a whole lot sooner as the Junior National Finals Rodeo kicks off its third year at the Thomas and Mack.

Ringing in more than 600 competitors, ranging in age between 8-18, last year, the competition is fierce, and the stakes are high.

It was eight years ago when the juniors first stepped on the same dirt as their idols. Not a full-blown rodeo for the juniors until two years ago, the JNFR is quickly garnering the attention of the top competitors moving up the ranks. Several of the timed event qualifiers got their start in the junior events and are now part of the top 15 competitors. It all began with Bo Gardner in his first year as the vice president for marketing at Las Vegas Events.

“The first year was a bunch of different events: trick riders, mounted shooting, clown acts, just a bunch of random stuff,” said Steve Goedert, PRCA announcer. “The first couple of years they were just trying to get a feel for it and the direction it would go. The entire basis of the idea for Bo was that he wanted a spot for people to come watch an event while enjoying all that Cowboy Christmas has to offer.”

The rough stock might be miniature sized, but they lack nothing when it comes to performance. Unlike the regular NFR, the juniors also compete in breakaway roping, both the girls and boys.

“Bo wanted to make a pla orm for the next generation of rodeo athletes a spot to perform and incentive to bring them to Vegas with their friends and family,” Goedert said. “One of the great aspects of our arena is that it is upstairs in the convention center.

This allows a new group of people every hour to come through.”

The first five days of the NFR are dedicated to the rough stock events, with four days of preliminary rounds and one

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championship performance. The last five days are for the timed events. Spectators can watch the first performances of both the rough stock and timed events for free. However, for a small fee, spectators can watch juniors be crowned world champions.

“It is quite the elite group of kids that compete here,” Goedert explained. “For me, it is an opportunity to for these kids to get ready for the next level of performance and spur them into the dedication they need to succeed.”

“One hundred percent of the proceeds from the championship round go right back to the kids,” Goedert said. “For Pat Christensen and Bo, this is not a for-profit deal that they are capitalizing on. They are 100 behind the next generation of rodeo, it is for the kids and parents.”

From behind the microphone in the announcers stand, Goedert gets the inside scoop on the names to watch for the future.

Partnered with Andy Seiler from A Cross Production, the duo will announce the JNFR for the second year together in 2018.

“Last year we had right around 600 contestants, with the biggest group in the barrels at 120,” Seiler said. “The qualifications are a little different for each event or regional director, but they do all have qualifying events they have to go to.”

Held on the second floor of the convention center, the logistics of the JNFR are truly a work of art. Dwayne Laduke, the man at the wheel, has heaps of experience that make the whole second-floor movement of cattle, horses and kids run smoothly.

Lit up like the real thing, the JNFR has the jumbotron, a packed stadium, everything the older generation has. The goal is to showcase the generation of rodeo super stars.

As a previous competitor on the national stage at the high school and college national finals, Seiler highlights the value of the experience kids gain as they pursue their NFR dreams.

“It is neat to watch them mature, really right before your eyes,” Seiler said. “This is the biggest stage they have ever won or lost on before stepping into the world of professional rodeo.”

Competing alongside these fierce juniors on the road to Vegas, professionals have commented time and time again on how serious they are about their events.

“My favorite part of this road is being able to interact with young people and see the passion they have for the sport,” Seiler explained. “It is refreshing to see how much they care about what they are doing and their competitive spirit. It is inspiring that these kids want to be part of the sport and to watch it grow as a direct result of that.”

THE ROAD TO QUALIF ING Qualifying for the JNFR is no easy feat. Much like their older counterparts, the contestants compete at sanctioned rodeos.

As the JNFR grows in popularity, so does the stage.

More than 240 horses alone will make their way to Vegas for the juniors to ride this year. The number of contestants will more than double in size this year.

“As the central regional directors for the JNFR, we put on rodeos from Wisconsin to Texas and everything in between,” said Jeff Louderback, three-year stock contractor for the rough stock events at the JNFR. “Some of them are direct qualifiers for the regional finals.”

The driving force behind the explosive growth of the JNFR is the PRCA. With fewer saddle bronc and bareback riders, the push is to give the next generation incentives to try the events out.

“The competition is strong, we have kids competing now who will be in the NFR in just a few years,” Louderback said. “It has just gotten better and better every year.”

Benny Beutler walking chutes waiting for the rodeo to start at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, OK. Photo by Annie Jo Gilbert of Roan Pony Productions.

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Riding at rodeos as big as the Days of 47, the road is tough and full of uncertainty for the juniors, the same as it is for the professionals. However, a big draw for everyone is the payout, the glory and the right to be called a World Champion. None of

this can be accomplished without the stock and contractors who breed, transport and care for them.

“These animals are athletes too, they have to be treated like it,” Louderback said. “These trips can be tough on them, sometimes we go 1,000 miles one way. We have enough stock to rotate so they can rest.”

The road to the NFR for the stock and their contractors is quite literally determined through popular opinion. The top twenty professionals in the world cast a vote for the animals and personnel who attend. The stock at the JNFR are voted on by a panel after watching application videos from the stock contractors.

“Last year we took forty head to Vegas, it is hard to say how many we will take this year,” Louderback said. “We have a lot of animals to accommodate for the four age groups at the JNFR. The older kids get on the bigger animals, but the younger groups ride our mini broncs and bulls.”

The PRCA season ends promptly on September 30th, only to turn right around and begin all over again on October 1st.

To make the top 15 in the world and qualify for the NFR, professionals are ranked by the amount of money they earn in those 364 days at approved PRCA rodeos.

The daunting road to qualification finds competitors in Cheyenne, WY; Fort Worth, TX; Estes Park, CO; and Red Bluff, CA. There is simply no limit to how many miles competitors young and old will travel on the road to Vegas.

WH TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRA ELED What the world yearns to know every Christmas season is what it takes to get there. Not the highs and wins of the season, but the tough, nitty gritty work and tragic tears of dreams won and lost that pave the road to Vegas. Trials and triumphs, many leading to heartbreak come September, and a few lucky and hard-earned spots are awarded to the top fifteen.

The glory of rodeo is not in the buckles and checks. It is in the fact that these top fifteen spots, for no sum of money, can be bought. A million miles is only driven by two hands and a will to make the next performance. An expensive horse can only hold up to the care it is given, and the human body simply learns by what it repeatedly does.

No, the road to rodeo fame is paid for in the hours before the sun comes up when it seems like the world could care less about the competitor praying they make it for 8 a.m. slack. The true spirit of rodeo sits in the heart of the pink-clad cowgirl kicking with all her might to emulate what her heroes do on television. Lest rodeo fame ever forgets what they do this for, simply turn to the audience and find the hands begging for a touch from all they aspire to ever be: cowboy.

“There is no way to describe the road to the NFR other than it is prestigious, it is honorable, it will test your faith and at the end of the day the winners are the ones who remain true to themselves and who never gave up no matter the circumstances,” Spears finished.

The

Rodeo Working Man’s

Colorado Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Beginning in 1975 with less than five rodeos, the Colorado Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) has grown into an organization that stretches across the state, sanctioning an average of twenty-five rodeos a year while working hand in hand with its neighboring associations to co-approve dozens more.

Originally created as the Colorado State Rodeo Association, the intent remains the same: to bring organized, high caliber rodeo to towns across the state but with accessibility to the working cowboy.

The mom and dad who care for their families with a more traditional day job, but still have the drive to

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compete against others that share the same passion for the sport of rodeo. “We are the working man’s rodeo” says Don Scanga, CPRA President, adding, “The CPRA to me is a family based, pro/amateur association that strives to showcase local as well as professional talents all across Colorado and neighboring states.”

The Colorado Professional Rodeo Association is a nonprofit association, supervised by a board of directors made up of member cowboys and cowgirls.

Each board member donates their expertise and an enormous amount of time each year. In addition to

young members. The Ron Fritzlan Scholarship Foundation offers a scholarship for those students who share the same love for rodeo as Ron did. Students who are awarded this scholarship may use it at the college or university of their choice.

The CPRA supports each of their rodeo committees with professional stock contractors, announcers, timers, judges and rodeo secretaries. Our contestants are true professionals and together work every day to protect and maintain the heritage and tradition of rodeo and western way of life. The CPRA is 550 members strong and with the recent growth of rodeos, the hope is to continue to grow. During a recent rule change meeting the Board of Directors voted unanimously to remove the nonsanctioning rule, opening the door to our neighboring States contestants to now co-sanction with the CPRA. “This is an exciting opportunity to continue to grow while bringing new talent and faces to Colorado’s 2018 rodeo season” says Branden Edwards, CPRA Vice-President.

Each year a Winter Convention is held in early February bringing together Rodeo Committees for a one-day open form workshop under the leadership of Rodeo Committee Representative, Jodie Calhoun. Jodie asks each committee to submit topics and/or concerns they’d like to have discussed, then asks the board of directors to sit as a panel and address the committees’ questions. “The best way to grow as a rodeo and committee is to share the good and bad with other committee’s” says Calhoun.

The 2018 convention was a huge success, according to the committees and all that attended. “Everyone said they walked away with answers to their questions and some insight into what’s being done and what’s working for other committees throughout the State,” adds Calhoun.

Jodie’s goal of implementing and keeping an ongoing line of communication between the board, committees and contestants is key to successful rodeo committees and to the overall success of the CPRA.

the directors, the CPRA wouldn’t be possible without a small army of volunteers including rodeo contestants and fans from throughout Colorado. These volunteers supply everything from technical to legal advice in support of the association and committees.

While the core of the CPRA is the rodeo family, the CPRA strongly supports the youth of our state as evidenced by our many young single members. The CPRA provides a special membership for high school contestants and a college scholarship program available to our

In addition to the yearly convention, the CPRA hosts a Judges, Secretaries and Timers Seminar. State Secretary, Tarah Leigh Lewis, explains the importance and details of what is to be a CPRA Rodeo Secretary or Timer using step by step examples from actual rodeos. “Rodeo secretaries are the hardest-working people you’ll never see in rodeo,” states Tarah-Leigh Lewis, CPRA State Secretary. Secretaries prepare the entry list, tally the results, and cut the paychecks at the end of the rodeo.

In short secretaries try to solve problems before they become a problem. ne of the hardest and definitely most dangerous job is being a rodeo judge. Dave Boudreaux, Judging Director, heads up a two-day seminar for the more than twenty

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If you would like further information on the CPRA, rodeos, joining or producing a CPRA event or just an interest in professional rodeo, please call or email any of the board members listed below, or visit us at www.coloradoprorodeo.com.

Don Scanga, President Donald.scanga@state.co.us (719) 217-4043 Branden Edwards, V.P. brandenedwards@mac.com (970) 216-1818 Tarah Leigh Lewis, State Secretary cpraoffice coloradoprorodeo.com (719) 647-2828 Sharon Mowry, Sponsorship/Marketing sharon@diamondsrodeos.com (303) 912-1646

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CP A judges. The first day is spent in a classroom going over the rule book and any changes made during the rule change meeting reviewing the previous year of rodeos and any questions or concerns the judges might have.

The second day is spent in the arena going over everything they are responsible for as judges, before during and after the rodeo. It’s a very hands on day in the arena. It is meant to keep everyone on the same page and to teach those coming on as new judges or are interested in becoming a judge for the CP A. All of the hours spent competing, traveling, judging, etc., comes together during the 01 CP A inals. The inals will be held at the orris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ctober -7. The finals rodeo showcases the high caliber talent from across the ocky Mountain egion, paying out almost 100,000 dollars over the course of three days and nine events Bareback, Saddle Bronc, and Bull riding for the rough stock competitors, Tie-down, Ladies Breakaway oping, pen Team oping, Mixed Team oping for the timed event fans along with Steer Wrestling, and Ladies Barrel acing. “It’s not uncommon to see contestants from every scenario at our rodeos, last year we had multiple qualifiers at our finals, as well as WP A world champions, and P CA Circuit Champs,” says Branden Edwards, CP A ice President.

The CP A prides itself on a well-balanced competitive arena that allows professionals, to mentor and bring up the next generation of competitors. Memberships begin at 1 0 dollars for an individual, dollars for a family, with specialized memberships available for High School, Contract Labor, and Stock Contractors. “ ur sole purpose is to promote rodeo in an ethical and professional manner,” emphasizes Don Scanga, “ odeo is still someplace where you can take the whole family, know that the ational Anthem will play, and American lag will fly. It is truly an American sport.”

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Let There Be

s l r i g w o C

By Cheyenne Glade Wilson Have you ever been to a women’s ranch rodeo I honestly hadn’t even heard of it until around five years ago. I believe I first saw it on DT . Something inside me came alive and I just knew that this is what I’d been looking for.

Let me explain I grew up in a traditional rodeo family. We ranched so our horses were used on the ranch and then taken to the arena at the end of the day. It was a perfect scenario. My folks made all of our horses and they were good. My mom trained barrel horses and competed. She even made the in 197 . My dad rode rough stock and then eventually did timed events. In my opinion, there was little my folks couldn’t do. I competed in barrels, poles, breakaway roping, and goat tying through high school and college.

Due to my parent’s and our love of rodeo my brother and I both earned full ride rodeo scholarships for college.

I left the ranch after my time in college and was gone for ten years. I didn’t rodeo at all in that time frame so when I came back to the ranch I was eager to get back into the arena. Let’s face it you can’t take away that cowgirl competitive spirit once it takes hold in your soul. I longed to compete in the arena again, but when I got back to the ranch, the passion I once had for my previous events was gone. I am no barrel racer, poles aren’t much of an option after high school, goats were something my body wasn’t up for over thirty years of age, and breakaway just didn’t hold that same excitement for me that it once had.

However, when I saw gals on T roping steers, mugging Photos by Jodie Baxendale of JodieB Photography

ofthem down and tying them up WH A I was extremely interested to say the least. nce I actually got a chance to try this out for myself I was sold hook, line, and sinker I joined the Women’s anch odeo Association W A as soon as I could and I began to get a team together. inding other gals that were into this proved to be a bit more difficult in the beginning, but I eventually found some.

This sport is not for the weak of heart, but in all honesty it’s the most amazing thing I have ever been a part of. I tell everyone that if you enjoy ranching and being on a horse competitively, you will love ranch rodeos After I joined the W A, I began organizing the first ever women’s ranch rodeo in the panhandle of ebraska. Since joining the W A I have partnered with several fair boards to put on seven different ranch rodeos over the years and we have four more planned two in ilgore, ebraska and two in Chadron, ebraska this coming summer. My focus is mostly women-based ranch rodeos, but I have tried my hand at a few open ranch rodeo on top of the women’s. I guess it’s plain to say that in my eyes there’s no rodeo like a ranch rodeo As far as producing ranch rodeos, we are now melding them together. The four that I am producing will have women’s only teams and open teams. This is a win-win for everyone because a lot of our competitors are family members who work together on the ranch. With elevated gas prices it’s nice to be able to accommodate the entire family at our events.

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The W A ranch rodeos that I’ve had the pleasure of producing have all been successful. We have had contestants from ten states and as far away as Texas and ew Mexico. ne thing I have learned about producing ranch rodeos is that it is hard work and it takes lots of folks to make it go. ot everything goes as planned and you can always improve, but in the end, it’s satisfying to know that what we are doing is perpetuating a sport that showcases our ranching way of life. I look forward to putting more events on like this in the future. I would love to see more women’s ranch rodeos across the country. I believe others would like to see them also and here is why I say that.

After the two women’s ranch rodeos that I produced this past summer were over, an older gentleman came up to me. He told me that these rodeos were the greatest thing he had ever seen. He said it was a shame that the stands weren’t completely filled up because folks really missed out. He couldn’t believe that women’s ranch rodeo was this exciting and was impressed with the level of horsemanship, roping skills, teamwork, and grit. He said that he was going to write a letter to the editor of our newspaper to share how fantastic it truly was and to say that he can’t wait for next year. I was grinning from ear to ear hearing this as he said it.

So, if you haven’t been to a women’s ranch rodeo I urge you to go to one. And if there isn’t one in your area get a hold of Sarah ucera at 30 - 0- 0 4. She is the P of Sanctioning and would love to help you bring this incredible sport to your area I’m also here for any questions and sponsorship opportunities. eel free to give me a call at 0 - 91-1 7. I hope to see you at a W A sanctioned rodeo this year Photos by Jodie Baxendale of JodieB Photography

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Wyoming Rodeo Association:

A Place of Community

By Sarah Herold WRA Secretary

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I

n the early 1970’s the Wyoming odeo Association W A was in full swing they offered rodeos to cowgirls and cowboys from the Tetons all the way to the flatlands of Eastern Wyoming. The W A was a place for those looking to compete and to have a good time. Through the W A contestants and fans found friendship, made unforgettable memories and a home. ot much has changed from the 70’s rodeo way of life where cowboys and cowgirls pile into the back of old pickup trucks, head to town for the rodeo and a night out. early sixty years later, driving down the road during the summer months one can still catch a glance of an overloaded pickup truck and trailer trucking down the road to the next rodeo.

It doesn’t matter if one is in West Texas, orthern Montana, or Eastern

Wyoming, people still live for the rodeo lifestyle, and look forward to it bringing people together.

Along with many other associations, the W A is built on a foundation of respect, pride and community. The W A has been an Association that cowboys and cowgirls can commit to by improving their talents. odeo is a sport that brings people from all states and countries together, a sport that builds friendships, families and memories. To most rodeo contestants, a rodeo isn’t something that they just go to on the weekends, rather participating in rodeos is a way of life, and it is cherished.

The State of Wyoming has been blessed to be a part of the rodeo family. There is a reason it is nicknamed the “Cowboy” State, from modern rodeo to farming and ranching, Wyoming has embraced the cowboy logo from the state’s license plate to the people’s attitude. odeo runs in the blood of Wyomingites and that is why the Wyoming odeo Association is working hard to be back on the map for the 01 summer rodeos. or those who don’t know, the sport of rodeo has faced many conflicts in the past and some issues that still cause opposition today.

These issues come from new regulations, views from society and the economy. Contestants continue to fuel their big rigs no matter the fuel prices and travel in the summer months when the prices are sky rocketing. Passion runs strong in the blood of each contestant, and it takes a lot more than regulations, political views and fuel prices to stop them from competing. ot only do they build friendships through their travels, but there isn’t anything

more important to cowboys and cowgirls than their livestock. The horses live and breathe for the sport just as much, and maybe even more than their

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cowgirl or cowboy. There is a special bond that the two have, through hours of training to staying up all night guaranteeing the animal’s health. It is truly a blessing, the rodeo way of life.

The W A wants to do everything possible to make the rodeo community succeed in the State of Wyoming. ver the years the W A has become a little less talked about throughout the State of Wyoming and its bordering states.

As many know, Wyoming is a big state filled with few people, herds of wildlife and small towns that are hundreds of miles apart. This is not always beneficial for the rodeo community typically rodeo contestants hit three to five rodeos a weekend allowing them to ride in a morning or afternoon performance and then travel to be at the next rodeo by evening for the night performance. nfortunately, Wyoming lacks the convenience of close proximity and because of that, the W A takes a hit.

The W A 01 finals will be held in Torrington, W on September - 3. pdates of Association rodeos are offered in The Wrangler and online on the Wyoming odeo Association’s website. W A currently will host four rodeos throughout the state The 71st Annual Hulett odeo, Encampment Woodchoppers amboree odeo, Saratoga odeo and the Carbon County Stampede odeo.

Both Hulett and Encampment consist of approximately four hundred people, a normal sized town for the State of Wyoming. To have enough contestants entered to fill up a

program is a struggle for the W A. Since Wyoming rodeos are a bit of a detour for most of the rodeo contestants, W A co sanctions rodeos with bordering states. The W A is proud to co-sanction rodeos with the Colorado Pro odeo Association and the ebraska State odeo Association.

Thanks to both of these Associations for joining with the W A and allowing it to be a part of the rodeo circuit.

By co-sanctioning these rodeos, the contestants have

the opportunity to participate in the year end finals rodeo for each state. Winnings offered at these rodeos include cash, saddles, buckles and of course, bragging rights.

It is important to not only the W A, but other Associations that the reputation of the sport stays intact and that rodeos continue to thrive throughout the nited States. To say the least, rodeo is a way of life and a passion that many cowboys and cowgirls crave and will never give up on.

Photos by Wyoming Skies Photography

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BOB BLAIR, National President 559-706-4123 HEIDI FETTIC, National Secretary 775-304-5433 MIKE SWEENEY, National Business Manager

American Cowboy Team Roping Association The American Cowboy Team oping Association ACT A is celebrating their 3 th anniversary. Through the years ACT A has had many success stories.

In the early 0’s, Team oping was a sport that needed a place where ropers could go, compete and where the playing field was fair for all ropers. There had been many attempts to handicap roping to result in different winners instead of exclusively the best in the sport. There was Century oping, ver orty oping, Mixed oping and on-Winner oping, amongst several others.

A group of arena operators and ropers in California came up with an idea to handicap ropers by the amount of money they had won. With the computer being a relatively new tool, it seemed it might be the answer the team roping industry needed. Pat Hunnicutt took on the challenge of gathering data and using it to build a handicap system based on money won. Thus, the American Computer Team oping Association was born later to be changed

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to the American Cowboy Team oping Association . This way of handicapping seemed to level the playing field and team roping started to thrive along with ACT A. ACT A was set up as a non-profit organization owned and operated by its members. The relationship that was built between ACT A and arena operators needs were another important part of this success.

As the association grew and added more chapters, the ACT A ational inals became the focal point of the association. The ational inals bounced around from California, Las egas, Winnemucca and back to Las egas and finally found their home in eno, evada at the eno Livestock Event Center. eno has become the home of the ACT A ational inals for the past twenty years.

The affiliation formulated between ACT A and the many businesses in eno are a great contribution to the association’s expansion.

Two momentous programs were developed over the years

on Celebrates Thirty-Five Years of Success TThe Catastrophe und and the Scholarship unds. ver 4 0,000 dollars have been given to members in need and to our young adults wanting to further their education.

These programs have generated great success for ACT A as well as the community.

In recent years, it was decided not to delay the best kept secret in Team oping a secret any longer. Through an aggressive marketing strategy utilizing multimedia outlets such as rodeo sport platforms and live webcasts of events, including the ACT A ational inals, the association grew at a phenomenal rate.

The American Cowboy Team oping Association credits a great portion of their accomplishments to the partnerships formed with their sponsors. ACT A took a different approach to sponsorships as they were managed more like partnerships. By working together to achieve common goals, it allowed for immense prosperity for both parties.

With all the successes ACT A has attained, the greatest is the leadership it has accumulated throughout the years. rom its beginnings, ACT A had a vision of what the association could be. The determination and passion for the association was present in everyone who served on the different boards. ACT A has been blessed with some great people In 014, the Wrangler Professional’s Choice ACT A ational inals would reach a milestone as the inals paid back over one million dollars in cash and awards for the first time.

There are countless histories to be celebrated and ACT A is looking forward to building and writing new success stories with the 3 th Anniversary ear being one of them.

Visit us at www.actra.org for more information.

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Changing Kids’ Lives

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be born into the Rodeo Life. There are many young people who are struggling with life challenges and horses can help change their lives. Teaching conscientiousness as a work ethic instills the concepts of boundaries, discipline and respect.

All rodeo qualities are important for young people to acquire so as they go out in life they will gain respect for others, develop discipline and establish boundaries which many kids are currently lacking.

Every six hours: That’s how often a teen commits suicide in the United States. One in five teens is depressed.

Anxiety and incarceration rates are higher than ever among youth. By any measure, it’s an epidemic. How can the community reach kids who are struggling with emotional, psychological, and mental issues that are life-damaging, and could become life-threatening, either to themselves or others? According to CDC reports, suicide has become the second leading cause of death in teens— Colorado being in the top ten. Mental Health resources are needed now more than ever.

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Many children today suffer from a lack of direction, poor self-esteem and ineffective decision-making skills in their lives. All too often these negative emotions lead them down a path of poor performance in school or a detachment from society. Imagine how that all could be avoided if they had a life changing experience that could show them how strong they really are and how their actions directly affect those around them. Having increased access and interaction with horses is a huge benefit to help kids get back on a constructive life path.

Working with horses offers positive psychological benefits because horses have an uncanny ability to offer immediate feedback through mirroring the actions and feelings of those around them. Horses follow leaders and if they sense someone is a leader then they will do what is asked of them. The catch is that the leader must lead through confidence and respect, not force or aggression.

When a child has the opportunity to work and control such a large animal, they learn confidence and trust which leads to growth of self-esteem, better decision making, increased respect for oneself as well as respect for others.

Creating these opportunities is the driving force behind Happiness Through Horses (HTH).

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The mission of Happiness Through Horses is to heal the hearts of struggling youth through bonding with horses.

They provide scholarships that allow youth to participate in social, emotional and behavioral growth as well as significant learning experiences through interaction with horses.

Their scholarships are intended to ensure that all children who can benefit from equine therapy and interaction receive services through one of their programs or one of their partnering programs. Equine therapy offers an effective and creative way for our kids to: Increase self-worth, personal integrity, trust and confidence; develop healthy relationships and anger management skills; recover from substance use and eating disorders; heal from trauma; reduce loneliness, anxiety and feelings of isolation; decrease impulsive and self-destructive behaviors; learn the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness and the importance of teamwork and community; and gain respect for diversity and individuality.

When one thinks about working with horses, most people will immediately think of riding, but there is so much more that goes into the care of horses before one can even saddle up. HTH knows how powerful taking care

of a horse can be on the psyche. Working directly with horses in any capacity, be it riding, grooming, mucking stalls, learning how the horses move or how to communicate with them creates an opportunity for building self-respect and self-esteem. Learning what it means to take care of a horse and get inside the mind of a horse makes getting to ride a much more meaningful experience.

A few years back while Kim Swaney’s, HTH co-founder, daughter attended a horse camp at the ranch where her horse was boarded. Swaney saw firsthand the positive effects working with the horses was having on her daughter. She then thought back to her own childhood when she first became spellbound by her neighbor’s horse. Her neighbor took notice of Swaney’s interest and offered to let Swaney help take care of and ride her horse.

“That was the best summer of my life,” Swaney said. She wanted to give other less fortunate kids that same experience so they could build confidence and have the best summer of their lives.

Swaney had an idea to sell t-shirts with business logos in order to raise money to be able to offer scholarships to the horse camp during the summer of 2013. She raised enough money to send five kids to the horse camp at their

barn. Seeing the transformations in these scholarship kids made Swaney realize that she was on the right track and had found her purpose. When the summer ended, she took her big idea and the desire to expand the concept and formed Happiness Through Horses.

As Swaney put together her ideas for HTH, she knew she wanted to be surrounded by others who had been directly influenced by horses or had experienced major life changes through their interaction with them.

When she was in the seventh grade, HTH co-founder, Shauna White, experienced bullying in school to the point where she began avoiding school, sports and other students. One day she visited a horse rescue ranch and immediately felt at home. “Here were all these horses that needed rescuing, and they were in the same spot I was in because I needed rescuing,” White said.

White began volunteering every morning and on the weekends. “The horses didn’t make fun of me or judge me.” They knew instinctively that she was there to help them. It didn’t matter to her whether she was filling water troughs, mucking stalls or grooming. The horse rescue gave her a place to belong. Though she was only there for six months, it changed her life by giving her confidence

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and building respect for herself and others. White has gone from skipping school to graduating from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and is currently teaching for the Morgan County school district in Colorado. She loves working with children to give them the same opportunities she enjoyed.

foundation that also offered youths an opportunity to go to any approved horse ranch for anything horse related that could help them succeed, not limited to just camps. She wanted to ensure that kids wanting to work with horses in any capacity have the financial resources and support to do so.

In order for kids to receive scholarships to participate in HTH programs or a partnering facility’s programs, they are qualified partially based on family income. Each candidate is evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on the needs and wants of the child and family. There are some kids that need help paying for camp or lessons, but there are also those youngsters who just want to go to a barn and groom horses or feed them, anything to make a connection with these special animals. During the application process, kids can choose a specific program, or Happiness Through Horses can help find the right program and facility to meet their needs.

Happiness Through Horses is a program where kids can come to say, “I want to be around horses, but I don’t know where to go, can you help me?” Or, “I know where I want to go, I just can’t afford it, can you help me?” If a child has a strong desire to be around horses but doesn’t know where to start or how to pay for it, Swaney will find a way to make that happen. HTH started out helping with one summer camp and they now partner with nine other facilities, trainers and therapists. They also launched a program of their own called the Happiness Club which operates from three different locations in Fort Lupton, Colorado: B Bold Ranch, Rockin’ Moon Ranch, and Diamond in the Rough Training and Horsemanship with trainer, Tina Wright.

Though raising money for underserved kids to attend summer horse camps was the catalyst for the forming of her nonprofit organization, Swaney wanted to create a

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Now that HTH is established they are ready to grow.

They have an enthusiastic volunteer base of fifty people

(Happiness Through Horses “Champions”). The organization has gone from helping a few kids at one barn in the first year, to nearly fifty youths in the course of the last two years. They see 2018 as the year set to help at least forty kids. They are growing and reaching the point that the demand is outpacing the funds.

The Happiness Club is currently full but has plans to expand by developing a mentor program to incorporate more adults in order to expand the number of kids we can help with their wonderful animals. Swaney is also currently developing a program to be launched this summer called Self Leadership for Teens that will be eight weeks long and include topics such as conflict resolution, nutrition, self-confidence and self-awareness to name a few. In order to allow expansion and launch these new programs HTH will be looking for new creative ways to bring in funding such as a “sponsor a child” and “sponsor a horse” programs to cover program and staff expenses as well as scholarships for children and teens.

Some of the traditional ways HTH raises funds to facilitate their needs are through events, private donations,

corporate and business sponsorships and their online store. They have recently started with grant writing as well.

HTH is a registered 501c3 foundation and registered with the state of Colorado.

They hope to greatly expand the awareness of their program and what they do. Families in crisis are dealing with an overload of emotions and challenging life events and it is hard for them to find help. Their program is a natural attention grabber – it is a unique approach and the horses themselves are the best ambassadors for what they do. In April they host signature event called the Happiness Hoedown and as well as several other events.

To assist in their success and growth, they are currently seeking volunteers. HTH is especially open to incorporating FFA members, veterans and mature adults who can help in a leadership capacity as they serve as mentors for the youth and serve as goodwill ambassadors.

Happiness Through Horses has had the honor to participate in many fun events around Colorado such as the Boulder County Fair and Parade and booths at many vendor events. HTH appeared in the Reba McIntire Video Pray for Peace and they have held three major fundraisers since 2014. HTH is a member of two Chambers of Commerce: The Self-Leadership Global organization and The Colorado Women of Influence. In 2016 Kim Swaney was honored as one of the Colorado Women of Influence’s Women of Vision because of her passionate mission of empowering young people to become effective leaders in our communities.

or more information or to find out how you can help, please visit

happinesshorses.org

Photos by DeAnna Weyhrich, Owner and Photographer at ddWeyhrich Photography

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ARTIST PROFILE

Steve Messenger A native of Maryland, Steve Messenger grew up drawing and working horse jobs such as hot walking at Pimlico Race Course. He attended the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore before leaving to groom for New Hope Farm and the Korean Olympic show jumping team where he cared for top grand prix horses trained by John Madden.

He spent ten years working on the A level horse show circuit including Red Rose Farm in Wellinton, Florida and Gates Head Farm in New Hope, Pennsylvania before leaving to finish his BFA degree at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

“In my current work I want to convey a sense of lightness and movement” said Messenger now based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Collingswood, New Jersey. “This is a departure from the layered oils I started doing when I first began to establish myself in the equine genre.

I look at contemporary figure painting for direction in this lighter, brighter treatment on paper.

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“Braid” 24 x 19 inch acrylic on paper

“Taking Five” 19 x 24 inch acrylic on paper

“Rear View” 24 x 19 inch acrylic on paper.

“Tiny” 24 x 19 inch acrylic on paper.

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2018 PRCA

Schedule EVENT

LOCATION

START DATE END DATE

Garfield Count Fair Extreme Bulls Gerry Volunteer Firemen’s Rodeo Big Sk Pro Rodeo Roundup Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Douglas Count Fair and Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Garfield County Fair & PRCA Rodeo Ric land Count Fair Rodeo Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo Carson Communit Rodeo XIT Rodeo & Reunion War Bonnet Roundup Rodeo Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo Deep Sout PRCA Rodeo Mountain Valley Stampede Bonner Count Rodeo Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series Douglas Count Fair and Rodeo Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days Stock Horse Show & Rodeo Strat more Stampede Mesquite Championship Rodeo Sonoma Count Fair Wine Countr Rodeo Home on The Range Champions Ride Cowtown Rodeo Ashley Rodeo Nort Peace Stampede Larimer County Fair & Rodeo Lea Count Fair PRCA Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Field of Dreams Stampede uma Count Fair Rodeo Jerome County Fair and Rodeo United States Open Xtreme Broncs Matc Missoula Stampede Xtreme Bulls Crosse Riding Club 70t Annual PRCA Rodeo Farm-City Pro Rodeo Jasper Heritage Rodeo Lawton Rangers Rodeo Lea Count Fair PRCA Rodeo Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo 4t Annual Ridin and Riggin Da s Lyon County Fair PRCA Rodeo Dick Stull Memorial Rodeo Bozeman Stampede Cac e Count Fair and Rodeo Missoula Stampede

Ri e, CO Gerry, NY Great Falls MT Dodge City, KS Castle Rock, CO Rifle, CO Sidne , MT Abilene, KS Carson, IA Dalhart, TX Ida o Falls, ID Phillipsburg, KS Winnsboro, LA Heber City, UT Sandpoint, ID Steamboat Springs, CO Castle Rock, CO Santa Barbara, CA Strat more, AB Mesquite, TX Santa Rosa, CA Sentinel Butte, ND Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Ashley, ND Grims aw, AB Loveland, CO Lovington, NM La Crete, AB uma, CO Jerome, ID Fait , SD Missoula, MT Crosse , AR Hermiston, OR Jasper, AB Lawton, OK Lovington, NM Sikeston, MO Craig, CO Marshall, MN Sterling, CO Bozeman, MT Logan, UT Missoula, MT

8/1/2018 8/1/2018 8/1/2018 8/1/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/3/2018 8/3/2018 8/3/2018 8/3/2018 8/3/2018 8/3/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/5/2018 8/7/2018 8/7/2018 8/7/2018 8/7/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/9/2018 8/9/2018 8/9/2018 8/9/2018 8/9/2018 8/9/2018

All dates and locations are subject to change.

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8/1/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/5/2018 8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/3/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/5/2018 8/5/2018 8/6/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/5/2018 8/5/2018 8/7/2018 8/7/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/9/2018 8/8/2018 8/8/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/9/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018

2018 PRCA Schedule

EVENT

LOCATION

START DATE

END DATE

Payette County Rodeo Omak Stampede Lincoln County Fair & Rodeo Cascade Pro Rodeo Summit County Fair & Rodeo NE Arkansas Pro Rodeo Rusk County Rodeo Sand Sage Roundup Ralph Morgan Semi-Annual Rodeo Linn Count Fair Rodeo Ca ish Stampede Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series Dawson Creek Exhibition & Stampede Dawson Count Fair Rodeo Painted Pony Championship Rodeo Mesquite C ampions ip Rodeo Sioux Empire Fair Rodeo Cowtown Rodeo Kimball-Banner Fair and Rodeo entura Count Fair Rodeo Dacotah Stampede Rodeo L nden PRCA Rodeo Caldwell Night Rodeo Canb Rodeo Gooding Xtreme Bulls Juneau Count Fair Pro Rodeo Wyoming State Fair & Rodeo McCone Count Fair PRCA Rodeo Inter-State Rodeo ellowstone River Round-Up Cassia County Fair & Rodeo Gooding Pro Rodeo Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo Moses Lake Round-Up Rodeo Fallon County Fair & Rodeo Extreme Bulls Brown Count Fair Pro Rodeo Eureka PRCA Rodeo Imboden PRCA Rodeo Seward County PRCA Rodeo Annual World s Oldest Continuous Rodeo Tehachapi Pro Rodeo Cranbrook Pro Rodeo North Texas State Fair & Rodeo Norco Mounted Posse PRCA Rodeo Pincher Creek Pro Rodeo Painted Pon C ampions ip Rodeo Mesquite Championship Rodeo Cowtown Rodeo Fallon County Fair & Rodeo Badlands Circuit Steer Roping Finals Days 76 Stand Alone Steer Roping Eastern Montana Fair Rodeo Horse Heaven / Kennewick Round-Up Kitsap Stampede Xtreme Bulls

New Plymouth, ID Omak, WA Afton, WY Cascade, MT Coalville, UT Jonesboro, AR Ladysmith, WI Lamar, CO Lauderdale, MS Mound Cit , KS Onida, SD Steamboat Springs, CO Dawson Creek, BC Glendive, MT Lake Luzerne, NY Mesquite, TX Sioux Falls, SD Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Kimball, NE entura, CA Aberdeen, SD L nden, WA Caldwell, ID Canb , OR Gooding, ID Mauston, WI Douglas, WY Circle, MT Coffeyville, KS Billings, MT Burley, ID Gooding, ID Kalispell, MT Moses Lake, WA Baker, MT DePere, WI Eureka, KS Imboden, AR Liberal, KS Pa son, AZ Tehachapi, CA Cranbrook, BC Denton, TX Norco, CA Pincher Creek, AB Lake Luzerne, N Mesquite, TX Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Baker, MT Deadwood, SD Deadwood, SD Miles Cit , MT Kennewick, WA Bremerton, WA

8/9/2018 8/9/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/10/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/13/2018 8/14/2018 8/14/2018 8/14/2018 8/15/2018 8/15/2018 8/15/2018 8/16/2018 8/16/2018 8/16/2018 8/16/2018 8/16/2018 8/16/2018 8/16/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/19/2018 8/20/2018 8/21/2018 8/21/2018 8/22/2018

8/11/2018 8/12/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/12/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/11/2018 8/12/2018 8/12/2018 8/14/2018 8/15/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/15/2018 8/16/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/17/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/17/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/19/2018 8/19/2018 8/19/2018 8/19/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/18/2018 8/19/2018 8/19/2018 8/21/2018 8/22/2018 8/25/2018 8/22/2018

All dates and locations are subject to change.

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LOCATION

START DATE

END DATE

Mustang Seeds Xtreme Bulls Golden Spike PRCA Bronc Riding Classic Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo Gem State Stampede Xtreme Bulls Smithers Bareback Bonanza Great Plains Stampede Rodeo Kitsap Stampede Range Da s Rodeo Golden Spike Rodeo Ca lemen Da s Rodeo Salmon Stampede PRCA Rodeo Gem State Stampede Oregon Trail Rodeo Okotoks Pro Rodeo Colorado State Fair & Rodeo Painted Pon C ampions ip Rodeo Cowtown Rodeo Ranc o Mission ie o Rodeo Rodeo Feria Camargo Painted Pon C ampions ip Rodeo IPE & Stampede Magic alle Stampede Painted Pony Championship Rodeo Socorro Count Fair PRCA Rodeo Longford Rodeo Dagge Count Centennial Rodeo Ocala Shrine Rodeo Sanders Count Fair PRCA Rodeo Elk City Rodeo of Champions Pioneer Cit Rodeo Walla Walla Frontier Days Da ton C ampions ip Rodeo Ellensburg Rodeo Labor Da Rodeo Ellensburg Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale Painted Pon C ampions ip Rodeo Socorro County Fair & PRCA Rodeo Cowtown Rodeo Montana’s Biggest Weekend Nicola alle Pro Rodeo Pine City Championship PRCA Rodeo Evanston Cowbo Da s Inc Iron County Fair and PRCA Rodeo Lake Count Round-up Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo Division 2 Quali ing Event Xtreme Bulls Tri-State Rodeo Lewiston Roundup Defeat of Jesse James Days Rodeo Spokane Interstate Rodeo Banning Stagecoach Days PRCA Rodeo New Mexico State Fair Xtreme Bulls Burden PRCA Rodeo Davie Pro Rodeo

Mitchell, SD Tremonton, UT Vinita, OK Coeur D Alene, ID Smithers, BC Altus, OK Bremerton, WA Rapid Cit , SD Tremonton, UT As land, MO Salmon, ID Coeur D Alene, ID Hastings, NE Okotoks, AB Pueblo, CO Lake Luzerne, N Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ San Juan Capistrano, CA Camargo, CH Lake Luzerne, N Armstrong, BC Filer, ID Lake Luzerne, NY Socorro, NM Longford, KS Manila, UT Ocala, FL Plains, MT Elk City, OK Palestine, IL Walla Walla, WA Da ton, IA Ellensburg, WA Cedar ale, KS Ellensburg, WA Lake Luzerne, N Socorro, NM Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Dillon, MT Merri , BC Pine City, MN Evanston, W Parowan, UT Lakeview, OR Blackfoot, ID Lewiston, ID Fort Madison, IA Lewiston, ID Northfield, MN Spokane, WA Banning, CA Albuquerque, NM Burden, KS Davie, FL

8/22/2018 8/22/2018 8/22/2018 8/23/2018 8/23/2018 8/23/2018 8/23/2018 8/23/2018 8/23/2018 8/24/2018 8/24/2018 8/24/2018 8/24/2018 8/24/2018 8/24/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/26/2018 8/29/2018 8/29/2018 8/30/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/2/2018 9/3/2018 9/5/2018 9/6/2018 9/6/2018 9/7/2018 9/7/2018 9/7/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018

8/22/2018 8/22/2018 8/25/2018 8/23/2018 8/23/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/26/2018 8/26/2018 8/26/2018 8/27/2018 8/25/2018 8/25/2018 8/26/2018 8/26/2018 8/29/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 8/31/2018 8/31/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/2/2018 9/2/2018 9/2/2018 9/3/2018 9/3/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/1/2018 9/2/2018 9/2/2018 9/2/2018 9/3/2018 9/3/2018 9/3/2018 9/4/2018 9/5/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/9/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/8/2018

2018 PRCA Schedule

EVENT

All dates and locations are subject to change.

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159

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LOCATION

Medicine Lodge Fall Round-Up Cowtown Rodeo Monroeton Fire Co. Rodeo West Texas Fair Rodeo New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo Pendleton Round-Up Dixie Roundup Oldstober est Othello PRCA Rodeo Cowtown Rodeo Coarsegold Stampede Pro Rodeo Mar sville Stampede Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country Rodeo Amarillo Tri-State Fair and Rodeo Springhill PRCA Rodeo Co Lutz Memorial Rodeo Dallas Sunstrum Memorial Pro Rodeo Division 2 Quali ing Event Xtreme Bulls Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo Co Lutz Memorial Rodeo Montana Circuit Steer Roping Finals Cowtown Rodeo Rose City Roundup Old Fort Da s PRCA Xtreme Bull Riding Comal County Fair & Rodeo Kern Count Fair Rodeo American Royal Rodeo Sout ern New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo Corn Palace Challenge oung Living Last C ance PRCA Rodeo River City Rodeo Powa Rodeo Sioux Falls Premier Rodeo Hanna Indoor Pro Rodeo Sheriff’s PRCA Rodeo 49t Annual Cowbo Capital o t e World PRCA Rodeo Professional Boots-N-Bulls Cowtown Rodeo Apache Stampede 34t Annual And Devine Da s Rodeo Comal County Fair & Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Nort west Florida C ampions ip Rodeo Turquoise Circuit Finals Tulsa State Fair PRCA Rodeo California Circuit Finals Badlands Circuit Finals All American ProRodeo Finals Guadalupe Count Fair PRCA Rodeo 5th Annual Fall Rodeo Mountain States Circuit Finals Brawley Cattle Call Rodeo 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

START DATE

END DATE

9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/9/2018 9/11/2018 9/11/2018 9/12/2018 9/13/2018 9/14/2018 9/14/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/20/2018 9/20/2018 9/21/2018 9/21/2018 9/21/2018 9/21/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/27/2018 9/27/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/28/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/30/2018 10/4/2018 10/5/2018 10/5/2018 10/5/2018 10/5/2018 10/6/2018 10/11/2018 10/20/2018 10/25/2018 11/10/2018 12/6/2018

9/8/2018 9/8/2018 9/9/2018 9/15/2018 9/16/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/15/2018 9/16/2018 9/16/2018 9/16/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/21/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/27/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/22/2018 9/23/2018 9/27/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/30/2018 9/30/2018 9/30/2018 9/29/2018 9/29/2018 9/30/2018 9/30/2018 9/30/2018 10/6/2018 10/6/2018 10/6/2018 10/7/2018 10/7/2018 10/13/2018 10/13/2018 10/21/2018 10/27/2018 11/11/2018 12/15/2018

Edson, AB Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Monroeton, PA Abilene, TX Albuquerque, NM Pendleton, OR St. George, UT Olds, AB Othello, WA Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Coarsegold, CA Mar sville, CA Santa Ynez, CA Amarillo, TX Springhill, LA Centre Hall, PA Brooks, AB Okla oma Cit , OK Pasadena, TX Centre Hall, PA Silesia, MT Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Tyler, TX Fort Smit , AR New Braunfels, TX Bakersfield, CA Kansas City, MO Las Cruces, NM Mitchell, SD Mona, UT Omaha, NE Powa , CA Sioux Falls, SD Hanna, AB San Bernardino, CA Step enville, TX Windsor, ME Woodstown Pilesgrove, NJ Apache, OK Kingman, AZ New Braunfels, TX Boni a , FL Prescott Valley, AZ Tulsa, OK Lancaster, CA Minot, ND Waco, TX Seguin, TX Arcadia, FL Loveland, CO Brawley, CA Las egas, N

2018 PRCA Schedule

EVENT

All dates and locations are subject to change.

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2018 PBR Schedule 25TH PBR: UNLEASH THE BEAST SCHEDULE EVENT

LOCATION

START DATE

END DATE

Express Employment Professionals Classic Presented by Osage Casino Music City Knockout Presented by Cooper Tires Pfiwestern.com Invitational Presented by Bass Pro Shops Atlantic City Invitational US Border Patrol Invitational Winstar World Casino and Resort Invitational Ariat Invitational Presented by Cooper Tires Cooper Tires Take the Money and Ride Dewalt Guaranteed Tough Invitational Presented by Cooper Tires 25th PBR World Finals: Unleash the Beast

Tulsa, OK Nashville, TN Springfield, MO Atlantic City, NJ Fairfax, VA Austin, TX Milwaukee, WI Greensboro, NC Nampa, ID Las Vegas, NV

8/11/2018 8/17/2018 9/7/2018 9/15/2018 9/22/2018 9/28/2018 10/6/2018 10/13/2018 10/20/2018 11/7/2018

8/12/2018 8/18/2018 9/9/2018 9/16/2018 9/23/2018 9/29/2018 10/7/2018 10/14/2018 10/21/2018 11/11/2018

REAL TIME PAIN RELIEF ELOCIT TOUR SCHEDULE EVENT

LOCATION

START DATE

END DATE

Bulls of Summer PBR at the 72nd Annual Navajo Nation Fair Presented by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department Wilkes-Barre Classic Portland Chute Out Rochester Rumble Huntington Invitational Rapid City Rumble Colorado Springs Classic Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Finals Ontario Invitational

Salinas, CA Window Rock, AZ

8/25/2018 9/4/2018

8/25/2018 9/4/2018

Wilkes-Barre, PA Portland, ME Rochester, NY Huntington, WV Rapid City, SD Colorado Springs, CO Las Vegas, NV Ontario, CA

9/8/2018 9/14/2018 9/22/2018 9/28/2018 10/13/2018 10/26/2018 11/2/2018 11/17/2018

9/8/2018 9/15/2018 9/22/2018 9/29/2018 10/13/2018 10/27/2018 11/3/2018 11/17/2018

TOURING PRO DI ISION SCHEDULE EVENT

LOCATION

START DATE

END DATE

Adams County Fair PBR Old Spanish Days Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo Livingston Classic PBR Zimmerer Kubota PBR Challenge Koben Puckett Invitational Nextera Energy PBR Bull Thing PBR Touring Pro 20th Annual Jerome Davis PBR Invitational Johnson Bros. Ford PBR Touring Pro Fredericksburg PBR Banner Bank Pendleton PBR Classic Congress PBR

Brighton, CO Santa Barbara, CA Livingston, MT Allen, TX Amarillo, TX Sterling, CO Eureka, MT Archdale, NC Belton, TX Fredericksburg, TX Pendleton, OR Columbus, OH

8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/7/2018 8/25/2018 8/31/2018 9/1/2018 9/8/2018 9/10/2018 10/12/2018

8/2/2018 8/2/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/4/2018 8/7/2018 8/25/2018 9/1/2018 9/2/2018 9/8/2018 9/11/2018 10/12/2018

All dates and locations are subject to change.

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