Shake it Luke

Jason Miller of Lance Creek, WY is performing the hazing chores for reigning world champion steer wrestler Luke Branquinho here at the 2009 NFR. Miller won the world in 2007. The pair go down the road together most of the regular season and are close friends. Tonight they were in perfect synch and Luke blazed his way to a 3.2 second run to win the sixth round. Luke is nearly $53,000 richer from his work in Vegas so far.

We’ll be showing you the aforementioned bareback rides in tomorrow’s daily update. The Branquinho/Miller win will be here for you to review along with a video feature about hazing showcasing Miller & Les Shepperson who is working alongside steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch.

Kelly & Ryan Shine

Bareback riders with Wyoming in their bones spurred out to win good money in the Tuesday edition of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Kelly Timberman of the Casper suburb called Mills was marvelous on a horse named Cajun Queen to earn more than $7,000 for Kelly’s eight-second ride. Ryan Gray, who grew up in Cheyenne and Laramie, earned his first payday at the finals by taking a Wyoming horse to an 86.5 point finish, second place, and a check for $13,500. Gray bumped along on Pinball Wizard owned by Burch Rodeo of Rozet, WY.

Something's Wrong, Very Wrong

Their mamas told them there’d be nights like Monday. Had to be a Monday, didn’t it? No bull riders were able to make a scored ride last night so the good news for Wyoming contestants is they didn’t lose any ground in the standings. Bobby Welsh is still numero uno in the average race and there is more cash in that pay-out because the fifth round money ($55,000) is now in the average pot.

A lot of disgusted young men dragged their belled ropes past us after a struggle in the arena. Give credit to the bulls. They were incredibly good. Here’s a look at a few of the quick exits and close calls:




What you tend to hear after a section of bull riding like that is praise for the bulls and thanks given to the fact that everyone walked out of the arena on their own power. Casper’s Clayton Savage was among those you saw in that batch of wrecks. We spoke with him this morning and although sore he is ready to hunker down, strap on, nod his head and give it another go tonight.

Jhett Powers to Pay

Casper team roping heeler Jhett Johnson and partner Steve “Cheese” Purcella of Texas had a nice, smooth run Monday and left the arena with third-place checks of $10K apiece. They put a lock on their steer in 4.7 seconds:




Johnson and Purcella have won close to $24,000 so far and are sixth in the average.

The Mark of Zero

No one could keep a seat very long in the bull riding tonight at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. A few came close to the eight-second whistle, most were gone in half that time. In the end, the best bulls there are in pro rodeo today proved to be too much for the top riders in our sport. A lot of frustrated cowboys dragged their ropes and bells back to the dressing room. Money that would have been doled out ($55,000) is now stacked in with the cash ($165,000) that will be paid out in the average round at the end of the finals.


One Wyoming cowboy managed to make a trip to the pay window after the fifth go-round. Casper team roper Jhett Johnson and partner Steve “Cheese” Purcella from Texas made a smooth 4.7 second run and picked up third-place money of $10,000 apiece.

A Nip of Tuckness

We gave you a small taste of the dazzling efforts by Meeteetse, Wyoming bullfighter Dusty Tuckness at the NFR earlier but now would like to expand that coverage. Here is a longer look at how a young fellow from a tiny town is making a huge impression on the rodeo world:

B. Welsh Be Good

Bobby Welsh has it going on at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He is four- for-four. The Gillette, WY man is the only rider to match the bucks, twists and spins of every bull he’s drawn in Las Vegas. Welsh leads the average (total scores) by 59 points. Clearly, everything can change in one night but Bobby is on a roll. He won the round last night with a score of 89.5, picking up another $17,000 paycheck and a go-round buckle. Welsh spoke with us afterward and he doesn’t plan to dwell on his accomplishments thus far:



Powell’s Kanin Asay is making a run at the bull riding gold buckle as well. Like Welsh, Kanin faces long odds in overcoming JW Harris who is well ahead of the pack but his hand injury is a factor to consider as to how the rest of this action filled finals will play out.

Dusty Dancing

For a writer it is difficult to admit the shortcomings of a well-turned phrase but in this case it is a fact. Words can’t come close to properly describing the work last night at the national finals rodeo by bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. Tomorrow, or perhaps later today, we’ll have an in-depth feature piece to show you about Dusty. For now, let’s have our pro-video maestro, Mike McCrimmon, give you a taste of what fans in the arena and on national television saw from the Meeteetse, Wyoming rising rodeo star in the fourth round of the Big Show:



Dusty Tuckness is just 23 years old and is performing at his first NFR.

Bobber's Up

Bobby Welsh likes to fish so you know he has patience. Tonight he waited calmly and watched many bull riders get thrown off prior to the whistle. Only two men rode for a score before Welsh’s turn and Bobby, after a re-wrap, signaled he was ready and wowed the packed Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas sticking to his bull for a score of 89.5 to win the fourth round. The numbers now look like this: Welsh is first in the average. He has won $40,600 at the national finals – more than any other bull rider. And Welsh, of Gillette, is now standing at a total earnings level of $133,000. Still a far cry from the $219,000 in the bank for leader JW Harris but Bobby keeps nipping away at JW’s spread with the future of this event uncertain for Harris due to a broken bone in his riding hand.

Tomorrow morning we’ll be providing video highlights of Bobby’s ride and an interview with him after his stunning victory.

Dusty on Duty

In the morning we will also have a look at some amazing cowboy saving body sacrifices by Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. He was really beaming after work that included not one but two dives between riders and bulls and a wide assortment of calisthenics as a result. The crowd was thrilled, the riders were grateful, and Dusty was living out a dream.

Kelly Cash

A bareback riding score of 84.5 for Kelly Timberman gave him a fourth-place finish in the fourth round and another $7,000 in winnings to date at the 2009 national finals. The paycheck also sent Kelly over the $100,000 mark for the year.
The Mills, WY man is the 2004 world champion bareback rider.

Remember to come back and see us mid-morning Monday when you will be able to relive some very exciting moments for Wyoming cowboys Bobby Welsh and Dusty Tuckness.

Cowboy Christmas

Pro rodeo's Christmas is all about the money you can make over the Fourth of July holiday period when there are several big rodeos each year. In Las Vegas, Cowboy Christmas is a ten-day western shopping extravaganza. Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal and first lady, Nancy, strolled the aisles this year during their visit to support Team Wyoming. Our story includes the Governor's comments and a insider probe of one specialized western products business based in Wilson, WY. Also, Brit West owner Britain Roberts explains how she got into business and her custom product line:

Bad Bulls Good for WYO

There are always going to be a couple of nights in the national finals rodeo bull riding competition when the bulls are destined to deny riders a score. Eight seconds may not seem like a long time but if you are straddling a bucking, twisting beast that doesn’t want you on top of him it can seem like an hour. Eliminators, as they are often referred to, have learned many tricks and will not hesitate to use them. Two of Wyoming’s three bull riders at the 2009 finals in Las Vegas made it through to the whistle last night and made great strides toward challenging current champ JW Harris who is temporarily sidelined with a broken bone in his riding hand.

Powell’s Kanin Asay outlasted a bull known as Ricky Bobby to score 85.5 and earn $10,000 in a third-place finish. “I’d seen him a couple of times and the scores were in the 90s. All I could think was keep hustling and keep trying,” Asay told us after his ride. The bull has roots with Powder River Rodeo Company based in Riverton and Asay says he is one of those eliminators that just doesn’t want to let the rider get a seat in the middle. “He wants you in or out, but I talked to a lot of people for advice and they all told me to stay forward, keep my shoulders square.” The bull gave everything he had in terms of trying to force Kanin’s riding hand to buckle forcing him to let loose, but a driving shoulder and perfectly timed balance allowed Kanin to “get on over him” and win the battle:



Bobby Welsh of Gillette won fourth-place cash of $7,000 last night and he is the only NFR bull rider who has not yet been bucked off early. Many will tell you once Bobby hits his groove he’s the most consistent rider there is, yet he remains relatively unknown outside the confines of the Cowboy State. “I stay under the radar and I like that,” Welsh said. Like the other riders here who’ve not won a world championship that gold buckle is Bobby’s goal and what he’s dreamed about for a long time. He took another step toward making the race more interesting by completing his duties at the Saturday night “Eliminator” session on a bull nicknamed “West Coast Offense”:

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Stat-wise Bobby Welsh is the only man to score on all comers and thus he is the number one man in the average race. The rider with the most points on the most bulls at the end of the finals will earn an extra $44,000. Kanin Asay has won more money than any other bull rider after three rounds - $27, 500. And Asay holds the number two spot in the average.

De Panted in Vegas

Everyone knows you can lose your shorts in Vegas but who would want a pair of baggy pants? A bull in the Eliminator session, that’s who. “Foolish Pride” decided he’d take a run at Meeteetse bullfighter Dusty Tuckness’ britches and succeeded:



Tonight’s fourth round action can been seen on ESPN2 beginning at 7 Mountain Time.

All video footage of the rodeo action is being provided to you on this site courtesy of the PRCA and the great people at Winnercomm Productions who are responsible for all of the rodeo you see on ESPN.

Editing chores for Wyoming Tourism are the responsibility of Mr. Mike McCrimmon.

WYO Bull Riders Advance

A pen of bulls that would justly have once been called “eliminators” threw most riders in tonight’s third round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas but Wyoming was two-for-three. Kanin Asay of Powell walked off with third-place money totaling over $10,000 and Gillette’s Bobby Welsh took fourth adding $7K to his cache. Bobby is the only man who has been able to stay on for a score every time out so far at this years’ WNFR. Kanin has won more money than any other rider ($27,367.79) and Welsh and Asay are #1 & #2 in the average.

JW Harris’ once seemingly insurmountable lead in the bull riding world champ chase is still relatively safe but he is sitting out at least two rounds due to a broken bone in his riding hand. Harris leads Asay by nearly $100,000. With seven rides remaining and the coveted average money slipping away from Harris’ grasp the race has become at the very least….interesting.

Kanin Asay and Bobby Welsh have risen to the second and third positions in the world standings. We spoke with both men after tonight’s rodeo and we’ll have those interviews and much more video to share with you tomorrow morning.

It is imperative now though to display a great photo (by Kristin Phipps of Wyoming Travel & Tourism) of bullfighter Dusty Tuckness losing his pants tonight. He has performed masterfully throughout his first national finals and it probably isn’t fair to show this shot to begin our coverage of the Man from Meeteetse. But we just can’t help it. Please re-join us here tomorrow. We’ll have a much more thorough discussion about the actions of our Wyoming riders and take a look at the annual shopping extravaganza known as Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas.

Savage Rides

The first time in the box he was thrown back and forth, up and down and all around and finally jettisoned over the front end of his bull for the knock-out punch. Casper bull rider Clayton Savage was pulled from the bull and given some time to refresh. A few rides later at the first Friday night edition of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Savage got back on Sooner Shaker and spurred him to an 87, second place, and $13,500. And he unknowingly performed this uncanny act wearing a bareback riding friend’s cowboy hat. We give you a night to remember for Wyoming and rodeo fans everywhere:



Clayton Savage says it felt great to complete his first successful performance at a national finals and he has sights set on doing so eight more times this year. Bobby Welsh of Gillette took his 58 in favor of a re-ride and that turned out to be the right choice. Only six men rode for scores last night. Bobby picked up a sixth-place check for $2,700 and held his number one stance in the average. It is early but check that bull riding leaderboard. Three out of the top four spots are filled by Wyoming’s Welsh, Asay and Savage respectively.

A Lot of Bull

Wyoming-owned bulls had a nifty night Friday with two throwing their riders early and one bucking his, Tate Stratton, to an 80-point score and fifth-place money. Powder River Rodeo Co. of Riverton let out Disco Dancer for Stratton’s dancing pleasure. Burns Rodeo of Laramie had Conspiracy and Kid Twist taking to the arena floor as dance partners who weren’t in the mood for harmonic convergence with the men on them:



Round 3 of the WNFR airs live tonight at 7 Mountain Time on ESPN Classic. For those who’ve not been able to catch the broadcasts yet there will be easier access for three rounds starting tomorrow evening on ESPN2.

Head Bang & Belly Fire

We will be talking for many years about what Clayton Savage did tonight in the second go of the 2009 WNFR. He’s performing at his first national finals rodeo and made the eight-second whistle for the first time, scoring 87 points, winning second place and $13,500 in the process.

But that isn’t what we’ll be talking about. The Casper, WY bull rider isn’t ready to say so but the replay clearly shows he was knocked out in the box by a bull called Sooner Shaker. Someone forgot to tell him Clayton’s a Cowboy not a Sooner. Nevertheless, the heaving bull sent Savage over the front end hard, banging his head against either the chute slats or the bull. In any case for a few seconds Clayton was silent, eyes shut and head hanging. Then he woke up and appeared to say “I’m fine.” Helpers pulled him off the bull and he was wobbly at best.

“I remember the bullfighter saying ‘he’s out, he’s out,’” said Savage. I remember saying that I was not out. They gave me a little breather and asked me if I wanted to go again. I thought I’m ready so I might as well do it.”

Now here’s the part some boxers, ultimate fighters, and a few linebackers would understand while the rest of us get a lesson in what it means to be tough. “It made me mad and put some fire in my belly,” said Savage. “Somebody told me to ride him and I said ‘I’m not only going to ride him, I’m gonna spur him.’ So that’s what I did. I got him back.”

When we visited with Clayton he was wearing his black felt hat although the color scheme was speckled with many brownish additions. Clayton doesn’t recall his hat going to the ground at the moment of his head-on collision. He didn’t know he had bareback rider Heath Ford’s hat on until Savage finished his tremendous topping of Sooner Shaker. “I pulled my hat down, looked, and it wasn’t mine,” Savage recalls. “I need to clean mine but the way it went I might as well borrow Heath’s hat for the rest of the week.”

We will be talking about Clay Savage’s first scored bull ride at the NFR for a long time. Take a good look at his close-up on television during the broadcast tomorrow night. What happened left a mark on the outside but doesn’t come close to revealing the hardness he’s harnessed within.

I feel a real closeness to Clayton Savage. We’ve followed him since high school. He lost his Dad in a ranch accident. He hasn’t had it easy, ever. And now he’s shown you what I already knew. Some are called, but few are chosen. Given the chance, this young man is going to leave a legacy in professional bull riding. You can see it in his swollen, black & blue eyes.

We’ll have complete bull riding video highlights from Friday and Clayton’s interview posted here tomorrow as soon as is humanly possible – if the computer cooperates.

Cheyenne Is Big Outdoor Champ Again

Eight-time world champion bull rider Donnie Gay remembers looking at newspaper pictures of the action in Cheyenne while he was still in high school. It was a rodeo he wanted to see and compete in and last night Gay was pleased to open the envelope that named Cheyenne Frontier Days the 2009 “Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year.”



Cheyenne has been a regular winner of the award presented at the annual PRCA convention staged the night before the national finals rodeo begins in Las Vegas. Winners are picked in several categories based on the votes by all card-carrying PRCA members.

Wyoming stock contractors played a big role in the winning tallies in two other rodeo categories. The Estes Park, Colorado event won top honors as “Small Rodeo of the Year.” The lead stock provider at Estes is Powder River Rodeo Company of Riverton. And “Medium Rodeo of the Year” for 2009 is Deadwood, South Dakota. Burch Rodeo Company of Rozet, WY is stock contractor for that show.

Here is the rundown of cowboys/draws for tonight’s opening round at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo:

Bull Riding
The three Wyoming bull riders will be bunched in a grouping to fill three out of four slots so fans will have a lot of rooting to do in a short period in tonight’s final event. Clayton Savage of Casper takes on a bull called “Oochie Coochie.” Powell’s Kanin Asay challenges “Wises One Willy” and Bobby Welsh of Gillette has Franklin Rodeo’s “Good Vibration.”

Bareback Riding
2004 world champ Kelly Timberman from Mills has drawn “Good Time Charlie” out of the Classic Pro Rodeo string.

Wyoming fans will want to keep a close eye on the steer wrestling as two state favorites are hazing throughout the competition this year. Jason Miller of Lance Creek, who won the world in 2007, is helping two doggers make their runs and Les Shepperson from Midwest is handling hazing chores as well. Les was injured at Rodeo Houston last winter and was sidelined the rest of the season. Miller finished a little out of the Top 15 this year.

Governor Dave Freudenthal and First Lady Nancy are here in Las Vegas to support Team Wyoming, and Wyoming-based businesses. The First Couple will attend the first rodeo tonight.

The first round will be televised on ESPN Classic starting at 8 Mountain Time tonight.

Clickity Clack Around We Went

One Wyoming bull rider won his first go-round buckle at the national finals rodeo while another backed out of his chute to stay on for a second place finish. Newlywed Kanin Asay pocketed $17,139 for his 89-point effort atop a re-ride bull. His first mount was uncooperative in the chute and unwilling to let Kanin get a proper start. The Powell, Wyoming lover of the color purple rose to the occasion and could not have done a better job at his chosen profession come his turn on a bull called “Hot Diggity Damn.” We checked in with Asay shortly after his outstanding effort. He was ever so joyous – and almost speechless – about finding a way to win:



Bobby Welsh of Gillette is a very gritty young man who you just can’t help but root for and his 86.5 last night to open the national finals was clearly a work of determination:



Both Bobby and Mr. Asay climbed over the $100,000 mark for 2009 by clearing more than $30,000 between them last night. Kanin inched up to #3 in the world standings and Welsh is in the number five hole. The Jhett Stirs Court The first team to rope at the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo was heeled by Casper’s Jhett Johnson. His work with header Steve Purcella netted the duo a second-place finish in the first go-round and paychecks of $13,500 apiece. Jhett is very glad to be back at the NFR:



Timber Man The 2004 bareback riding world champ was “spurific” last night taking it to a horse known as Good Time Charlie for a score of 85.5 and third-place cash totaling over $10,000. Kelly Timberman of Mills, WY was pleased to open the NFR so well and got all he could out of his eight-second outing:



Round 2 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo will be aired nationally on ESPN Classic at 8 p.m. Mountain Time tonight.

Fightin’ Bulls & Havin’ Fun

The rodeo world is converging on Las Vegas and while most contestants have been taking a little time off before the Wrangler National Final Rodeo’s first round, Thursday, Wyoming bullfighter Dusty Tuckness and partner Andy Burrelle were judged champions in their craft after the dust settled at a PBR event in Atlanta, Georgia the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Five bullfighting teams qualified and were judged simultaneously with the PBR riders/bulls. Fighters were assessed in a number of categories including: turning back the bulls, follow through, aggressiveness and degree of difficulty.

Three days and many outings later, Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyoming and Burrelle of Oklahoma scored the highest and were named the best in the business.

Tuckness is very pleased with the victory in Atlanta:



The Challenger Cup was televised nationally on Versus.

We caught up with Dusty on the day he was preparing to pick up a tux for best friend Kanin Asay’s wedding ceremony. Both young men are going to see each other a lot the next two weeks. Dusty is working his first as a national finals bullfighter and Kanin returns donned in his favorite color purple to ride bulls.

We are unsure as to how Kanin’s new bride is accepting of this choice for a honeymoon but a few winning rounds for her hubby will buy a bigger diamond or two for that new ring.