The Rodeo Hand

Glause Wins National Western

2012-01-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

The National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver is one of the top showcases of the western lifestyle in the country and Team Wyoming’s Seth Glause was best-in-show for professional bull riders. He cleaned up to take more than $13,250 back to Cheyenne today. Glause rode his three bulls for a total score of 265 points – thirteen more than the nearest competitor. He was on a Wyoming bull Sunday and topped Death Warrant (Burch Bros. Rozet, WY) for 87 points and the National Western champion’s buckle for 2012.

The Sundays Finals in the Coliseum capped off more than two weeks of performances and it was a festive show from start to finish. The West’s most acclaimed riding group, The Westernaires, sparkled and fireworks flared.

Seth Glause was out in the beginning too, as the average leader in bull riding going into the final performance. He was the last cowboy out Sunday and keenly maintained his balance to get the win.

Seth NWSS.mp4

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh made the finals in Denver as well. He passed the seven-second mark on his Sunday bull but lost his rope before the whistle. We need not feel too sorry for the Team Wyoming standout. He collected paychecks totaling more than $5,800 from the National Western.

Steer wrestler Les Shepperson from Midwest was also in the money at Denver taking home $3,350 from our neighbors to the south by placing second in the first round.

Willis Wows Ft. Worth

Tyler Willis of Wheatland won the Xtreme Bulls competition in Fort Worth, TX last week scoring 169.5 on two bulls. The Team Wyoming newcomer was featured in an article and photo spread later published by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Willis’ winnings at the event totaled about $6,500. Team Wyoming’s Dusty Tuckness is assigned bullfighting chores at Ft. Worth.

The Rapid City, SD annual Xtreme Bulls competition is this coming weekend and will be televised on GAC nationally, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. mountain time.

Tyler Willis Wins Bulls' Night Out in Fort Worth

2012-01-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

Tyler Willis is well on his way to another successful year of earnings. His win at the Fort Worth Stock Show garnered him $6482. We tracked down this article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram:

Wyoming cowboy wins Bulls' Night Out title at Fort Worth stock show
Read more here: Star-Telegram

Trio of Champs

2011-12-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

The get-together tonight in Casper is honoring the 2011 world champion team roping heeler, Jhett Johnson, and his magical run at the national finals in Vegas earlier this month. Johnson started the finals in 12th position and finished leading money winner for his event.

There are two other Wyoming pro rodeo world champions who made magic in Vegas in the 2000s and both will be attending tonight's party for Jhett at the Parkway Plaza in Casper.

Kelly Timberman, 2004 World Champion Bareback Rider

In 2004, a little-known fellow from Mills put on a display of strength and courage and everyone in the rodeo world now knows Kelly Timberman. He won the gold buckle in bareback riding because he would not be denied. There is not a more focused and determined competitor and Kelly spends a good deal of time these days attempting to pass on his intensity and drive to the members of the Casper College rodeo team. He was the impetus for the program now called "Team Wyoming" that we so proudly operate within the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

Lance Creek's Jason Miller had a shot at his second gold buckle this year in Vegas. His last run was frustrating, to say the least, but a man of his intelligence and skill is not about to spend any time looking in the rear view window. He and Jhett love to rib one another and there will be some of that tonight - without question.

Jason Miller, 2007 World Champion Steer Wrestler

Miller went into the 2007 national finals even further back than Jhett was this year. And Miller's consistency vexed the rest of the field as the other fourteen good doggers watched Jason shoot to the top with the great horse Willie underneath.

Please come out and meet these great Wyoming cowboys. Shake hands, share stories and have a good time. There is no charge for the event tonight beginning at 7. There is no other state like Wyoming and no better cowboys anywhere in the world. Stick around for the Wyoming band that is highly sought after all across the West -especially at rodeos. Chancey Williams and the Younger Bros. put on one heckuva show!

Dona Vold Larsen sent us a quick note this morning. It's the definitive word on why she can always be counted on to organize a Gold Buckle Gala for our state. "I love Wyoming," she said. We are right there with you, Dona. And thanks a bunch.

For the record, we are aware that another fine cowboy who calls Wyoming home won a gold buckle this Century. Frank Thompson of Cheyenne has stayed in our state with his lovely wife, Dawn, and raised a family. Frank is taking over the reigns as Arena Director at Cheyenne Frontier Days and is now a full-fledged Wyoming cowboy. But back in 2000 when he was crowned best steer wrestler in the world, Thompson was brought to the "Cowboy State" from South Dakota because he wanted to greet every sunrise with Dawn.

Gold Buckle Bash

2011-12-27T15:18:00.002-07:00

Our thanks to the Casper area rodeo and ranch folks, most notably Dona Vold Larsen of Triple V Rodeo Company, for putting together the gala to honor Jhett Johnson this week. The Team Wyoming team roper won the world champion’s gold at the national finals in Vegas finishing 2011 with more money than anyone else, header or heeler, totaling a stately figure of $197,111.98. Jhett and partner Turtle Powell topped $125,600 at the national finals alone - $50K better than their closest NFR competition – Trevor Brazile & Patrick Smith.

In other words, Jhett’s buying.

Well, maybe not. He does have a wife, three boys, livestock, fuel, entry fees and food to fit in the budget.

Parkway Plaza in Casper is hosting the party to honor Jhett’s accomplishment Thursday evening at 7. Wild Bunch Productions will be showing a video recap of Jhett’s work at the finals. A few friends and supporters are expected to make brief remarks.

Jhett, whose family ranch is well west of town, will take to the podium too. He’ll be signing autographs and let us get a look at his booty. And by that I mean his national finals average champ buckle and two classy saddles – one for the average at the NFR and the world champion throne as well.

Johnson is also planning to bring Tony to town for everyone to meet. The fifteen-year-old Quarter Horse is the own son of Freckles Playboy and carried Jhett magnificently throughout 2011. Johnson says the horse was particularly well suited for the work at the finals. “He just gives 100 percent every time. I could ride clear to the end of the turn so he let me trap-rope the steers at the end of the switch,” Johnson told us today. “Tony does things few can do,” Jhett insisted. The horse came from Silver Spur Ranches in Saratoga so it was Wyoming on Wyoming for this well-deserved, and earned, world championship.

Jhett and partner Turtle are already entered in two of the early affairs of 2012 in Texas (Odessa & Houston) and plan a California run before going for another world title hard beginning in Reno where they are the reigning champs.

A dance will top off a fine evening Thursday with music by Wyoming’s own Chancey Williams & The Younger Bros. Band. There is no entry fee for the affair at the Parkway Plaza located at the Center Street exit from I-25.

A Warrior's Call: Wreck Montage

2011-12-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Another Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is now in our rear-view mirror as your good "rodeo hand" people Mike McCrimmon (video), Lori Hogan (web design and placement), and yours truly, Chuck Coon (writer), head north and get ready to set out on a the 2012 campaign. Our many thanks to you for reading, and sharing, "The Rodeo Hand" with those you know who care about Team Wyoming and rodeo.

It is always a huge treat to watch Mike's finishing off of the finals and he's outdone himself this year. Finding the right music is key. And this stirring number won't let up - just like so many bulls and riders in the 2011 Super Bowl of Rodeo. Enjoy Mike's video work with music by Volbeat performing A Warrior's Call (C) 2011 VOLBEAT, under exclusive license to Universal Music Domestic Rock/Urban, a division of Universal Music GmbH. Let the battle begin:

Music Highlight.mp4

Happy Holidays everyone! Horses are loaded and we are out of here.

Round Ten

2011-12-10T23:30:00.008-07:00

Team Wyoming cowboys are bringing a huge pile of Las Vegas money back to the “Cowboy State.” One veteran team roper won his first gold buckle and every Wyoming bull rider finished off the grueling 10 nights of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo by completing a scored ride.

Jhett Takes Title

“Did we win the world?” Jhett Johnson asked after collecting honors, with partner Turtle Powell, for the average (fastest time on the most successful runs) team roping victory at the national finals. Eric Schmoldt of the Casper Star-Tribune was chasing Jhett down the hall with the tally sheet. “You won it Jhett,” he said handing the Casper man a white sheet with a lot of numbers on it. There was only one number Johnson saw before welling with earned tears. “1” The world championship – the best pro rodeo team roping heeler in 2011 – is Jhett Johnson. The last run for Johnson and Powell didn’t have to be spectacular it just had to be solid. Their 10-second outing was plenty good:

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Johnson sprang to the top from the #12 spot going into the national finals. The planning is underway for a victory party in Casper.

Four for Four

The Championship Saturday round of bull riding was one of the best in many years as a tough bunch of hombres outlasted their bulls 8-7. It has not been rare to have only two or three men make the whistle in the finals. All of Team Wyoming’s foursome lit the lamp. We’ll show you two of them. Road partners Tyler Willis (with chute help from Clayton Savage) and Seth Glause – who got to do his thing on a Wyoming bull:

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Bobby Welsh of Gillette was money king of Wyoming’s bull riders. He quietly won $81K in Vegas. Tyler Willis had an impressive first finals netting more than $75,000 successfully scoring on five of ten bulls. Seth Glause and Clayton Savage each made a not-too-shabby $30K.

A scary end to the rodeo came when Shane Proctor, who went to college at Northwest in Powell, was stepped on after coming off his bull. Justin Sports Medicine people were quick to bring care and later said Proctor – the 2011 world champ – is going to be fine and would not require hospitalization.

Miller Moves On

“I may just load the horses now and start practicing again tomorrow,” said steer wrester Jason Miller of Lance Creek after a bad outing to finish the finals. There’s nothing bad about his overall work in Vegas. Miller bull dogged well enough to earn nearly $94,000 in ten days. He finishes 2011 in the #3 spot in the world standings.

Round Nine

2011-12-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Johnson & Miller: Time to Shine

By this time tomorrow night, Wyoming could very well be the home of two new champions of professional rodeo. Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell made money in Round 9 tonight ($2,900-6th place) but more importantly they’ve secured the #1 spot in the average race. It’s a slim lead of six-tenths of a second nonetheless it is sufficient given the nature of team roping at the national finals. “One more baby,” Jhett wrote to us late tonight. Let the chant begin now. Stand up Wyoming: ONE MORE BABY!

Jason Miller was out of the money in Round 9 and said he surely didn’t get done what he wanted to tonight. “It’s just a one-header tomorrow,’” Miller said. With the majority of the events already all but decided, steer wrestling is going to get everyone out of their seats. Six-tenths of a second separates Shawn Greenfield, Jason and Luke Branquinho. Their world standings spots are just the reverse with Luke leading the trio going into Round 10.

Welsh Cashes In

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh held his position just long enough on a bull called “Distant Thunder” tonight to finish third in the field of fifteen. Welsh is satisfied overall with his work at this years’ national finals:

SMIQTX0CFC928C-A1AD-4D75-9875-390732620BC0.mp4

Money For Brockman

He wanted to win a lot more than the $16K pocketed thus far at the national finals by steer wrestler Seth Brockman of Wheatland. Seth will take it, learn from the Vegas experience, and go a big check in the finals tomorrow. Brockman tossed one for $2,500 Friday night:

SMIQTXDCC91852-7E53-418D-8C79-7D4A114554AE.mp4

Round Eight

2011-12-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

Miller Takes Ote’s Advice

Jason Miller of Lance Creek, WY can be a rebel and certainly doesn’t walk in lockstep with what his organization, the PRCA, might wish. But when it comes to wrestling steers at the national finals in an attempt to win his second gold buckle, Miller listens to people who’ve been there and done it. Ote Berry, an Oklahoman who came on the pro rodeo scene out of Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington in the 1980s, won the world four times from 1985-95. That’s a man whose words mean something to Jason Miller:

Jason M Thur.mp4

Miller was top dogger in Thursday’s eighth round with a time of 3.9 seconds. He’s been on Jessie for three go-round wins earning more than $78K at the national finals. Miller prefers not to talk about the numbers so we won’t either. Suffice to say all signs point toward a very exciting finish.

Welsh Stays Up

Bobby Welsh of Gillette had a firm seat on a Wyoming bull owned by Powder River Rodeo Co. Thursday night and the 82.5 point score was good enough for fourth place and $7,500:

Bobby Thur 8th.mp4

Good Morning Dusty

Meeteetse’s Dusty Tuckness made the front page in a good way today. The “Bullfighter of the Year” is profiled in today’s edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. There’s a great shot on the front page and a lengthy feature in the sports section. Well done, Dusty!

Round Seven

2011-12-08T09:33:00.005-07:00

An eliminator pen of bulls threw down with prejudice almost all of the best bull riders in the world Wednesday during seventh round competition at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The sentiment of the night was best put forth by Tyler Willis who when asked if he was alright said: “Yeah, I didn’t stay on him long enough to get hurt.” Team Wyoming’s Clayton Savage was one of only two that held a seat to the buzzer and things got really intense at the close of Clayton’s eight.

Legging it Out

The early bird caught the worm and the worm was Clayton Savage – a Casper, WY man now living in Cheyenne. He lived through many dangerous moments last night after successfully taking the bull called “Early Bird” to a tick of the required eight seconds. It was then that the Thomas & Mack Center crowd, some of whom had gotten up to leave, became – as one – glued to the scene. The word precarious comes to mind. Imagine being stuck, leg up, on eighteen hundred pounds of hardcore four-hooved, two-horned, tail-whipping, snot-blowing ANIMAL:

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The only clear signs of a tortuous tussle were a ripped shirt and a big bruise on the Wyoming-tough bull rider’s left butt cheek. Savage told us that to make matters pungent from the start his bull’s tail came around and whacked Clayton’s nose on the first jump. “That was stinky,” Savage said. He’s the proud owner of a nearly new Econoline van and will now have a fresh $30K to put toward it – that and a new bull rope. O, and a nice Christmas for his Mom and fiancé.

Dusty Tuckness getting iced at Justin Sports Medicine

Meeteetse, Wyoming bullfighter Dusty Tuckness spends a lot of his down time scooping bags of ice from the machine in the Justin Sports Medicine healing room on the ground floor of the T&M Center. He was there last night long after rodeo fans were out of the building.

In addition to a great bullfighter, Dusty is an extremely gifted analyst. He outlined for us what we will henceforth refer to as, no not just angry, but the Savage Bird incident:

Dusty Wed.mp4

Powder River Rodeo Co. of Riverton has an Oklahoma offshoot called D&H Cattle so the most exciting and dangerous moments of this year’s national finals thus far were brought to us Wyoming-on-Wyoming (WOW) style. “Early Bird” owner Hank Franzen shared a few moments with us after the rodeo:

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Round Six

2011-12-07T10:07:00.001-07:00

First off let us remember with honor the brave who were serving our country on Pearl Harbor the morning of December 7th 1941 – 70 years ago. And bless our forefathers and mothers who gave so much in WWII so that we can bask in the glory of our Stars & Stripes, and the free choices of Democracy, today.

Four, Three, Two…….

Each of the last three rounds of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has ended with Jhett Johnson and Turtle Powell climbing one step closer to #1 in the world standings. Their Tuesday night team roping performance in Round Six was smooth as silk:

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Johnson and partner Powell are now at nearly $74,000 after six nights of competition. They are second in the world standings. Fewer than four seconds separate them from first in the average count. Their aggregate time on all six steers is 33.2 seconds. The pair from Wyoming and Texas has earned a visit to the pay window in every round.

Second Half Seth

The first half of the national finals, Wheatland’s Seth Brockman kept his head up and mind focused through five rounds of frustration. He was more than relieved following his sixth time out of the box when registering a steer wrestling run of 4.0:

Seth B Tuesday 6th.mp4

Brockman’s split of third, fourth and fifth places Tuesday granted him a check for $7,600.

Gangster Beaters In Vegas

Seth Glause pocketed a lot of cash last Thursday by besting a bull called Gangster. Glause’ road warrior traveling sidekick Tyler Willis drew Gangster in Tuesday night’s sixth round and took him to the buzzer. We met the lanky duo deep in the lower halls of the Thomas & Mack Center after the round in which Glause also stayed on for the full eight:

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Seth is one of those fellows who will often slip out a zinger when you least expect it. He started a strut away from our camera announcing: “I beat my personal best!” He’s got a pair of bulls conquered at this year’s national finals and was only able to finish on one the previous two engagements at the Big Show. Willis has four ridden successfully at his first finals and is second in the average. Willis & Glause are sixth and seventh in the world standings respectively.

Round Six

2011-12-06T23:56:00.000-07:00

Go Six Peaks

Wyoming high points exuded from the arena floor at the T&M Center in Las Vegas tonight long after the sixth round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo ended.

We spent time with steer wrestling money winner Seth Brockman of Wheatland who placed after being shut out for five rounds.

Bull riding traveling partners full of youthful exuberance, Seth Glause and Tyler Willis, spoke with us about riding the same bull for big money.

And Jhett Johnson of Casper is as happy a man as there is in Las Vegas after another fabulous team roping run with partner Turtle Powell.

It will be our pleasure to share interview clips and action replays tomorrow morning on all of the tantalizing Team Wyoming heroics out of Round 6.

Please re-visit in the a.m.

Round Five

2011-12-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

Pink Jhett Flies

No matter what you think about “Pink Night” in rodeo you have to admire Wrangler for the millions of dollars donated toward cancer research by selling pink clothes to “tough” cowboys and girls. One Wyoming tough hombre is in the pink and sharing lots of wide smiles after a round five win at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas Monday night.

Not long after he finished college in Oklahoma, Jhett Johnson of Casper was diagnosed with testicular cancer and was told he might not live two years. Successful surgery and treatment ensued. We are all most grateful the big fellow remains at, and on, our side. He and partner Turtle Powell blew the roof off the Thomas & Mack Center Monday after a sizzling run of 3.8 seconds:

Jhett Monday 5th .mp4

Johnson and Powell have eclipsed the $60,000 mark for national finals money and inched up to third overall in the world standings.

Bronc Stompin’Fun

Wyoming horses had a hay day in the Monday night edition of the finals. A horse called “Chugwater Blue” owned by the Burns Rodeo Co. of Laramie was handled by the hottest rider in Las Vegas – Jesse Wright – for a 90-point delight and best saddle bronc ride of the night. Blue’s owner J.D. Hamaker willed the draw for Wright who has now won three rounds in a row:

Chugwater Blue Monday 5th .mp4

The darlin’ of BIG WYO, Miss Congeniality, proved her meddle in round five as she was crammed in the box far longer than the (pardon us) big girl wanted. But the star of Powder River Rodeo Company’s stable came out with a vengeance sending her rider to an early swirl of arena dirt:

Miss C Monday the 5th.mp4

Miller Maintains

Lance Creek’s Jason Miller stayed consistent much like his championship tilt in 2007 and finished a steer wrestling run in 4 seconds for fourth-place money of $7,500 Monday. Miller has won more than $56,000 so far in Vegas. Would that one of us could ever cite such success in Sin City.

Burch Bull Bucks

The Burch Bros. of Rozet, WY own some highly talented bucking bulls with, well, unique names. It was “Zombie Zoo” to the rescue Monday in a match with reigning world champ J.W. Harris who - fractured foot and all – manned up to the extreme:

JW Harris Monday the 5th.mp4

Harris and Zombie were scored at 90.5 to win the round.

Round Four

2011-12-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

Lance Creek Slick

The cows are getting scared back in Niobrara, County. The big fellow from Lance Creek is throwing steers at the national finals rodeo in Las Vegas like they’re empty piñatas. Jason Miller flew out of the box Sunday and it was over in a startling 3.3 seconds to give Miller the go-round buckle and nearly $18,000 aboard the great Canadian horse Jessie:

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Miller is now at $49K for the finals and ranks second in the world champion’s race behind close friend Luke Branquinho.

WYO Bull & Rider

Tyler Willis of Wheatland told us before the Sunday afternoon session of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo he really was not sure if he’d ever drawn Burns Rodeo Co. bucker “Blended Skies” and that’s so hard to believe when you realize Willis entered 125 rodeos in 2011. They can tend to blend. Tyler has been a good hand at his first national finals and if he had not taken a re-ride in an earlier round, Willis would be the only bull rider to cover every one out. His fourth round spin on a Laramie-bred load was full of cowboy try:

Tyler W Sunday Dec 4th.mp4

Willis, who is just 21 years old, won a big second-place check of $14,000 Sunday for work scored at 84 points. Bobby Welsh was just 73 points on his bull but so few riders made a qualified out, the Gillette man finished fourth and won $10,600.

Jhett is OK

Team roping was mostly ugly Sunday at the national finals. Casper’s Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell got involved with a steer that moved along the boards after the head catch, which delayed Jhett’s throw. He came up a leg short adding a five-second penalty. Normally thirteen seconds is not going to win money but the day was so bad for so many other roping pairs, Turtle and Jhett won sixth-place cash of nearly $2,900. They remain a strong second in the average race.

Round Three

2011-12-03T23:30:00.008-07:00

It was another three-event payday for Team Wyoming cowboys in a rip-roaring Saturday night third round at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Jhett Stirs

Casper’s Jhett Johnson with team roping partner Turtle Powell were last out and whipped a 4.1 second run to tie for first and second place money. O, the money! They’ve won nearly $41,000 in three nights to lead in the coveted average race (most money in ten rounds) by $17K. Johnson/Powell are in a groove they will do everything possible to keep going:

Jhett Sat 3rd .mp4

Miller Maintains

Jason Miller, the pride of little Lance Creek, lost a few tenths but not enough to hinder his overall standing in the steer wrestling competition. Jason’s 4.4 second run was good enough to bank another $9K to send his finals total over $31,000. Let’s take a gander. Beware, Jhett Johnson is stationed to Miller’s left and you may notice an intruder from behind:

Jason Sat 3rd .mp4

That was the one and only Joe Beaver who blasted by with “that’s heeling” words of encouragement. Miller is now second overall with California’s Luke Branquinho in the #1 spot. Less than one second separates the top four big men thus far.

The Welsh Wait

Most of us have grown accustomed to the fact you will sometimes have to wait awhile for bull rider Bobby Welsh to nod. There was a long wait Saturday night and in fact a lot of people left the Thomas & Mack Center by the time Bobby rode the bull called “Touch of Class” for a fifth-place finish. Welsh could not come to grips with his first bull because of a constant battle in the chute. Since the main video cameras were shut down, we had to count on our own video master, Mike, to make a trek to the arena floor and record Welsh’ money winner:

Bobby Sat.mp4

Welsh earned $4,600 for the work and Wheatland’s Tyler Willis finished sixth in the round.

Dusty Twists Again

If you’ve seen Meeteetse bullfighter Dusty Tuckness do his thing long enough, you are ready to expect uncanny acrobatics. Thus was the case Saturday night when Tuckness ventured forth to protect bull rider Wesley Silcox. He was on the Burns Rodeo Co. (Laramie, WY) star called “Kid Twist”:

Dusty Sat.mp4

Round Two

2011-12-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

Team Wyoming cowboys are here at the national finals in Las Vegas competing in three events and earned paychecks in each Friday night.

Jhett Soars

“Loving it!” responded Jhett Johnson of Casper to a congratulatory text after he and partner Turtle Powell completed a 4.2 second team roping run to finish in a split of second and third place. They are number one in the average going into the Saturday night edition having earned nearly $25K. Jhett landed a pantyhose loop Friday night:

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Johnson told us he’d like to earn a go-round buckle but he’ll take second place every night if it means a climb to the top of the leaderboard by this time next weekend. Johnson/Powell are now up to #4 in the world standings.

Chasin’ Jason

There is one heck of a race going on in the national finals steer wrestling competition with just over ten thousand dollars separating the top four men. Lance Creek’s Jason Miller topped the$100K mark for the year with his turn of 3.9 seconds in the second round:

Jason 12-3-11.mp4

You know it’s a dandy night of bull dogging when a run like that is only good enough for a 4th and 5th place split.

Welsh in the Money

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh earned his first 2011 national finals check Friday night with a nice spin aboard a bull called “Gatormade” for a score of 83.5 and fourth place:

Bobby 12-3-11.mp4

Welsh won $7,500 Friday. His bull and several others left their marks on Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness who required a closed-door session with Justin Sports Medicine physicians after the rodeo. Before going in, Dusty said the worst pain was in the right rear where a bull attempted to “uproot him.”

Gray Matters

Ryan Gray can’t be one of the Team Wyoming cowboys because he resides elsewhere but he’s good ole’ W-Y-O to the bone. The consummate pro bareback rider grew up in Cheyenne and Laramie and has many relatives in the “Cowboy State.” Gray has overcome a number of serious injuries in recent years – especially at the national finals – but he keeps on fighting. His work was stupendous Friday night on a horse known as “Grass Dancer” even though the hit to arena dirt was a hard one:

Ryan 12-3-11.mp4

Ryan Gray is now #4 in the world standings having added $14K to his total Friday night.

Round Two

2011-12-02T17:44:00.002-07:00

Lance Creek steer wrestler Jason Miller knows he could be the man on top of the mountain come a week from Saturday and his focus is clearly on a second world championship. He and timed event pal, and team roping heeler, Jhett Johnson from Casper poke a lot of fun at one another. They joined us after money runs last night that they plan to set the pace for the next nine rounds of rodeo’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas:

Jhett 12-2-11.mp4

Only five national finals bull riders rode the full eight last night and two of them are part of Team Wyoming. Tyler Willis and Seth Glause gave themselves a great beginning to what the traveling pards want to end with each deserving mention as potential world champs. We showed you Glause’ superb performance yesterday but here is how Willis made good on a tricky bull called County Mountie:

Tyler 12-2-11.mp4

It was the annual “Wyoming Breakfast” at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo today. Governor Matt Mead attended, as is customary for the chief executive, and then visited with nearly 20 Wyoming business owners at the Cowboy Christmas event in Las Vegas. Our story on Governor Mead’s stop will be shown here on The Hand this weekend.

Round One

2011-12-02T00:51:00.002-07:00

With the entire rodeo world watching live at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (ticket count 17,001) and on cable television’s GAC, Wyoming cowboys were no less than brilliant tonight winning two events and finishing near the top in a third.

No Mouse Glause

Team Wyoming bull rider Seth Glause let loose after his 86.5 point performance on a bull known as Gangster. Glause was not to be denied and is definitely pleased his plop to the arena dirt was free of bodily harm following a bullish step down:

seth 12-1-11.mp4

Glause is no doubt happy to have a fresh set of nearly 18,000 one-dollar bills and an advance in the world standings to position #6. Traveling partner Tyler Willis of Wheatland was in top form too. The 21-year-old on his first ride at his first national finals made the whistle scoring 82-5 and collecting $7,500.

Miller Magic

Jason Miller of Lance Creek, WY is positioning himself well toward a very good chance at his second world championship in steer wrestling. Miller mustered a 3.9 to tie for the best time tonight and did so with a horse called Jessie who is first-class impressive:

Jason 12-1-11.mp4
Miller has moved up to the #2 spot in the world standings less than $800 out of the lead.

Jhett’s a Good Bet

Jhett Johnson of Casper takes to heart a passage from a former team roping partner – it is easier to keep winning than start winning. Jhett and current partner Turtle Powell’s first round outing at the 2011 Wrangler National Finals clocked out at 4.3 seconds netting 2nd/3rd place and winnings of $12, 400.

NFR Notes:
Interviews and more video covering the first round will be shared with you here by mid-day tomorrow.

Tuckness Tallies Two

2011-12-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

Team Wyoming’s Dusty Tuckness is now the two-time “Bullfighter of the Year” in professional rodeo. He was gracious last night in accepting the honor for the second year in a row. There’s a buckle, prestige and some cash attached to the recognition but Dusty is just glad to be considered among the best at his chosen profession:

Dusty 12-1-11.mp4

Cheyenne Frontier Days was once again named “Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year” at the annual PRCA awards banquet and Randy Corley, who grew up in Lusk (WY), is “Announcer of the Year.”

Welsh Bares Some in LV Sun

“Do I look stupid?” asked Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh having not yet seen the morning newspaper by this afternoon. He looks great, we replied. His appearance in the Las Vegas Sun is a unique approach to understanding the working parts of a pro bull rider’s gear and get-up. Welsh was asked strip to all but his jeans and build his finished look. We expect he’ll be hearing from Cosmopolitan magazine soon:

NFR Notes

The Wyoming Office of Tourism set-up is running 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily at Cowboy Christmas in the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center. Stop by and meet Team Wyoming. Load up on free Wyoming materials. Go to the rodeo and scream for our boys. We are located with partner Wrangler retail under the sign for row 500.

Our daily coverage of the team’s work in the Thomas & Mack Center will include a brief rundown each night and then a more complete look with video the following day. First round action is tonight.

Dusty Does it Again

2011-12-01T09:12:00.001-07:00

To the surprise of almost no one, Dusty Tuckness has repeated as professional rodeo’s best at fighting bulls. His peers have declared Tuckness, the menace of Meeteetse, the 2011 “Bullfighter of the Year” for the second consecutive season.

Dusty was humbled and honored in accepting the accolade tonight at the annual PRCA awards banquet preceding kick-off of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

One of the best bull riders in the world shared the glory with Dusty. Texas man J.W. Harris sat among family and friends at the Tuckness’ table.

We will bring you a video recap later this morning.

Cheyenne Frontier Days was once again voted the “Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year.”

Randy Corley, who grew up in Lusk, WY, was flattered with his designation as pro rodeo’s “Announcer of the Year” for 2011. No person in our sport is more deserving. Corley epitomizes what can best be described as a “class act.”

Glitter Holler

2011-11-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

By Chuck Coon

Wyoming pro rodeo cowboys who’ve achieved their goal of making the national finals in the gulch of glitter known as Las Vegas – or lost wages – are readying themselves for the ultimate contest. The top 15 contestants in each event have the opportunity to earn a lot of money starting Thursday night. Most need the national finals pots just to pay the bills and set aside some profit from a year of hefty entry fees, animal care and husbandry along with high-cost fuel and other travel expenditures. The ranch cowboys will put a large percentage of their winnings back into the family operation.

Steer Wrestler Jason Miller

When it comes down to brass tacks though, it’s all about the competition. I’ve been speaking with several Team Wyoming cowboys the last few days and you can hear the urgency in their voices. They are ready to go. Jason Miller, the 2007 world champion steer wrestler, has been practicing the past month in California at Luke Branquinho’s place. There is a constant friendly banter between them. They challenge one another. Two big men with champion hearts you can watch go at it like gladiators. I’d hate to be one of those steers in the finals pen.

Bull Rider Seth Glause

Seth Glause and traveling partner Tyler Willis will ride NFR bulls for the first time together. If you ran into either of these young men in their Sunday go-to-meeting garb the last occupation you’d assign to them is professional bull rider. But indeed they are, and darn good ones. Each is over six feet tall and while Seth can get on a roll in the conversation department, Tyler keeps his chat to a minimum. I asked him how he managed to stay on for the whistle after one particularly hairy ride in Cheyenne this summer and Willis replied: “try.” Since Seth has a couple of Vegas trips under his belt we can assume he’ll be passing along many nuggets of wisdom to his freshman pal.

Try is at the heart of all you will see at the national finals from Team Wyoming contestants and bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. For the first time in a long while, you’ll get to watch it all live on GAC – Great American Country.

Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness

WNFR Notes:

Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh will today take part in a photo essay being undertaken by staff at the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. Our thanks to the people at Las Vegas Events for making that happen. The story is scheduled to appear in the paper Friday.

The “Wyoming Breakfast” is Friday morning at the Gold Coast Casino. We are expecting close to 300 people and guest of honor is Governor Matt Mead. This event keeps growing in popularity and would not be possible without the financial assistance of our sponsors. This year’s participants are: Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Cody Stampede, Energy Town Pro Rodeo, Fremont County Fair & Wind River Rodeo, Laramie County Fair Assn., Lincoln County Fair & Rodeo, Sheridan WYO Rodeo, and Wyoming State Fair.

Tomorrow night is the annual PRCA Banquet in Las Vegas. We plan to be there to see Cheyenne have another chance at “Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year” and Dusty Tuckness hopefully chosen “Bullfighter of the Year.”

Team Wyoming Tenacious

2011-11-18T14:20:00.002-07:00

A good number of the lucky seven Wyoming professional rodeo contestants who will compete in the Super Bowl of their sport Dec. 1-10 in Las Vegas got there the hard way. They would prefer not to have gambled on their last few chances during the playoffs but that’s what happened this 2011 season for steer wrestler Jason Miller from Lance Creek, Wheatland’s Seth Brockman – also a steer wrestler – and bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette.

Jason Miller

Miller, who won a world championship in 2007, was bitterly disappointed at his showing in the finals of Cheyenne Frontier Days this summer and decided it was time to go back to the practice pen. “I needed to slow down and concentrate, refocus,” he said. The extra work paid off. Miller’s final two outings at the September playoffs staged in Puyallup, Washington were timed at 3.3 and 3.4 seconds respectively giving Miller the championship and enough cash to move up to #4 in the world standings. The top fifteen positions in terms of money earned secure a berth at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Brockman was not in the top fifteen by late September when he qualified for the season playoff finale in Omaha. The 2005 “Rookie of the Year” remained calm and won a round in Omaha with a run of 3.8 seconds. The attending cash placed Brockman well within the coveted top fifteen and he will go to Las Vegas as the #13 steer wrestler. That’s the same spot Miller was in heading to Vegas in 2007. This is Brockman’s first appearance at the national finals (NFR).

Bobby Welsh

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh started 2011 by winning the $50,000 round at Rodeo Houston but those earnings are not applied to the world standings by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) because the Houston event is unsanctioned by PRCA. Welsh went on to have a very good year and was among the top ten bull riders until fall and the playoff finale in Omaha. It was then that a rule requiring bull riders to enter 40 rodeos a year bit Welsh. He was one short and therefore the money won at Xtreme Bulls events (a branch of the PRCA) was removed from his total. There was one rodeo event left to make up well over $15,000. Welsh maintained his composure and left Omaha with winnings of $18,800 insuring his seventh straight trip to the NFR. “Our math was a little off but it all worked out,” a relieved Welsh told us.

Welsh has been a member of the state-sanctioned “Team Wyoming”

since it was started in 2005 under the sponsorship of the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “We’ve watched Bobby grow up and we could not be prouder of his accomplishments not only for his family but for the entire state,” said Diane Shober, director of the Wyoming tourism program.

Welsh will be joined by three other Wyoming bull riders who’ve qualified for the finals. They are first timer Tyler Willis of Wheatland along with Clayton Savage and Seth Glause who are both now living in Cheyenne.

Another “Team Wyoming” veteran, Jhett Johnson of Casper, will compete in the team roping event at the national finals with his partner Turtle Powell from Texas. Johnson finished 12th in the world standings.

Dusty Tuckness from Meeteetse has been voted in to share the bullfighting chores in Las Vegas. Tuckness was named “Bullfighter of the Year” in 2010.

The entire Las Vegas contingent gathered in southwest Wyoming during the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo in October. A photo shoot there resulted in a unique poster that will be the main giveaway the Wyoming Office of Tourism will share with everyone who stops to visit with the cowboys in Las Vegas. They’ll be signing autographs at the Wrangler Cowboy Christmas retail shop set up in the Las Vegas Convention Center throughout the national finals.

For more information and to follow Team Wyoming at the WNFR and throughout the year, go to: http://therodeohand.blogspot.com/

Willis Wins Texas

2011-11-14T15:18:00.001-07:00

Wheatland’s Tyler Willis left the Texas Stampede $5,600 to the good and won the bull riding at the 2011 event that took place Friday and Saturday in Dallas. The invitation-only affair gave eight contestants a go at it multiple times. Willis and traveling partner Seth Glause from Cheyenne were Team Wyoming reps in the bull riding field. Glause told us today he didn’t have any luck and was actually stepped on by three of the four bulls he tried to ride. Willis’ fortunes were much more positive and less painful:

tyler 11-14-11.mp4

A tip of the Stetson is due Tyler Willis especially to overcome Texas bull rider J.W. Harris on his home turf.

Glause Wins Casper

2011-11-07T12:06:00.001-07:00

Team Wyoming’s Seth Glause wanted to start the 2012 season on a high note and he straddled Triple V Rodeo Company’s bucker Bo Alameda for 85 points and first place Saturday night in Casper. Formerly an event named in honor of Chris LeDoux, the November affair that counts toward the next years’ world standings chase is now called “A Tribute to the Great American Cowboy.” Glause got some pretty big backward air after his fine performance Saturday night and you will want to also note how close that bull’s last kick came to Seth’s head. It is truly a game of inches:

Seth 11-7-11.mp4

Glause went to the pay window to pick up a little over $1K and since he also entered the bronc riding he collected All-Around honors as well. His traveling partner, Tyler Willis, was third in bull riding.

Jhett Johnson, whose family ranch is west of Casper, placed third ($925) in team roping with heading partner Ryan Zurcher from Torrington. The pair did their work in the Friday morning slack completion finishing a smooth run in 5.3 seconds:

Jhett 11-7-11.mp4

Jhett and his family supplied timed event livestock for the Casper event.

The state tourism office’s video man, Mike McCrimmon, put together an opening number for the rodeo based on the title theme – Great American Cowboy. If you are in the ranch or rodeo business in Wyoming you’ll probably recognize someone in this little ditty with music supplied by Dan Miller and his Cowboy Music Revue out of Cody:

Great American Cowboy .mp4

Vold is Genuine

2011-11-04T09:59:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

“Cheyenne is Genuine,” Harry Vold smiled as he drawled the last word pronouncing it “GEN-u-EYE-n” and meaning every syllable. We had the pleasure of interviewing Harry many times in the past thirty years. Unless health concerns were hindering his ability to get around, he was always open to a chat about his favorite rodeo – The Daddy of ‘Em All. Here’s a visit we had with Harry in 1998:

Vold .mp4

Harry was to Cheyenne Frontier Days what butter is to bread. Change is inevitable. We are all eventually replaced in one manner or another. A bidding process has now given the stock contractor reigns at Cheyenne to someone else but there will be no one to match – not even close – the presence of Harry Vold.

Shepperson Wins American Royal

2011-11-02T13:29:00.000-06:00

Team Wyoming steer wrestler Les Shepperson from Midwest, WY is smiling with a nice fat wallet following his fast work at the American Royal Rodeo in Kansas City over the weekend. Shepperson took down three steers in 11.3 seconds to win the KC title and collect $3,420. He and traveling partner Jason Miller of Lance Creek will be out for Wyoming fans this week at the “Tribute to the Great American Cowboy” event in Casper. The free slack performance is at 9 a.m. Friday in The Arena on the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. It’s a “one head” rodeo so

slack’s the only time you can catch the pair of dazzling doggers.

Seth Glause of Cheyenne placed sixth in Kansas City. His 87-point bull ride netted $1,300.

Circuit Champs Crowned

2011-10-23T08:30:00.002-06:00

It was not a great night for Team Wyoming cowboys closing out the Mountain States Circuit season in Rock Springs but the year ended with two season champions. Bobby Welsh of Gillette won the bull riding over the long haul and Wheatland’s Seth Brockman is the circuit champ for 2011 in steer wrestling. Neither man posted a score/time in the final round Saturday night. In fact the night was a total wash for rough stock cowboys wearing the Team Wyoming brand. Bulls brought to work by Burns Rodeo Co. of Laramie had a great night and the top performer of the pen was the renowned Kid Twist who carried Colorado bull rider Dillon Tyner to a score of 88 points, winning the round:

bull 10-22.mp4

K.C. Jones of Burlington, WY was strong throughout the season, including a win in Cheyenne, and is the 2011 All-Around Cowboy buckle winner in the Mountain States Circuit.

WYO Doggers Go 1-2

2011-10-22T12:48:00.000-06:00

It was a good night for Team Wyoming timed-event cowboys in the second round of the Mountain States Circuit Finals in Rock Springs. Steer wrestlers Jason Miller and Seth Brockman led the field with the Wheatland man’s blazing 3.4 second run winning Saturday night. Miller, of Lance Creek, was pretty close at 3.7 seconds:

Jason & seth B. 10-22

Casper’s Jhett Johnson and partner Ty Blasingame have a good shot to win the circuit finals should their work net a speedy run in the final round tonight. They got back on track with a smooth 5.5 second outing in the Saturday night team roping:

Jhett 10-22

Mountain States Finals Underway

2011-10-21T16:21:00.000-06:00

After several years of staging the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo in Denver, the move to bring Colorado and Wyoming’s top contestants to Rock Springs, WY has opened with a good crowd and fine performances at the Sweetwater Events Complex. Team Wyoming bull riders Tyler Willis and Bobby Welsh were a potent one-two punch last night and they carry the lead heading into the second round. Willis topped a Burns Rodeo Co. (Laramie, WY) bull called Conspiracy Theory for 84 points and the best rough stock score of the night.

Welsh managed a bull he didn’t know to garner a score of 80. The Wyoming riders are each going to the national finals in December. Willis, of Wheatland, for the first time and Welsh who is from Gillette will represent a salty Wyoming NFR vet heading to Vegas for lucky seven in a row. We spoke with the Thursday night Mountain States winners after the contest and you’ll note the man in red (Welsh) will be talking more than his young colleague (Willis) who keeps things close to the vest:

bobby & tyler 10-21.mp4

All of the Mountain States contestants are back at it tonight starting at 7:30. Team WYO’s Dusty Tuckness was scheduled to be one of the event bullfighters but he was advised by Justin Sports Medicine doctors to give injuries sustained in Omaha last month a little more healing time. Dusty is here in Rock Springs to help in other ways including nightly appearances at the Wyoming Office of Tourism booth to sign autographs and meet fans.

Tuckness Makes NFR

2011-10-18T14:06:00.004-06:00

It’s three in the row for Meeteetse’s Dusty Tuckness who has been handpicked by the top pro bull riders in the world to help protect them at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December. Everyone in pro rodeo sets a goal of making the “big dance” in Las Vegas and Dusty spoke with us about reaching the pinnacle of his chosen profession and returning to work rodeo’s top event:

Dusty Tuckness will be partnered with Darrell Diefenbach and Kenny Bergeron – the same trio that meshed at the 2010 national finals. As is clearly shown in the video segment, these men are masters of the Bully Ballet.

All-American WYO Winners

Team Wyoming bull rider Clayton Savage won a round and placed in another to take $4,300 out of the pot at the All-American ProRodeo Series in Waco, TX last week. Savage first round win came with a score of 87 points. He’d ridden the same Cervi Co. bull, Vitalix Pantera, for 86 points at the Mountain States Circuit Finals last year. “He’s just pretty wild out there kind of rolling and blowing and turning back,” recalls Savage. His winnings set him up well for 2012 because the money counts toward making the national finals next year.

The same is true for Riverton steer wrestler John Franzen. He won a Waco round with a run of 4.4 seconds. Franzen snagged second place money his next time out so he too is $4,300 to the good for 2012.

College Rodeo a Wrap

College rodeo’s fall season ended this past weekend in the Central Rocky Region and the Casper College men’s team has taken over the top spot by virtue of the incredible placement of seven T-Bird bareback riders among the region’s Top Ten. They all rode Sunday at the Shawn Dubie Memorial Rodeo on the campus of Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. Casper’s Justin Moldaschel won the rodeo overall while teammate Chance Madsen took honors in the championship round. Here’s a look at both outings – Madsen first – with Coach Kelly Timberman encouraging each young man:

Moldaschel and Madsen are #1 and #2 in the region respectively. Timberman, a Team Wyoming standout and former world champion bareback rider, handled coaching chores on his own the last two rodeos of the season because head man Tom Parker was seriously injured falling from a bull-provoked horse at a practice in Casper. Parker was hospitalized for two-and-a-half weeks but told us Sunday he’s well on the road to recovery. He’s had two plates installed – front and back – to repair a broken pelvis.

Central Wyoming College is at the top of the women’s standings in the region. CWC took honors in both breakaway roping and goat tying Sunday in addition to the all-around cowgirl buckle. Riverton’s men were led by bull rider Tyler Williams who jolted out securely latched to a Burns Rodeo Co. bull to score 84 points and win on the last ride of the day:

CWC men’s coach Rick Smith tells us Williams has all the tools to become a bull riding star in pro rodeo.

Rock Springs to Host MS Finals

The Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo opens Thursday in Rock Springs. Several Team Wyoming members are scheduled to rope, ride, bulldog, and fight (bullfighter Dusty Tuckness). We’ll be updating you further on our trip to Rocket City throughout the week.

To plan your off time from the rodeo, visit http://www.tourwyoming.com/ or http://www.rockspringswyoming.net/.

Wy Bullfighter Featured in ESPN

2011-10-11T13:00:00.001-06:00

Professional rodeo bullfighter Dusty Tuckness from Meeteetse, WY is subject of a full-page feature in the new issue of ESPN The Magazine hitting newsstands across the country this week. More than two million subscribers got their copies last week and that’s when Tuckness started hearing from friends and family. “One person I haven’t spoken with in several years called and said when he opened his magazine and saw me he about fell out of his chair,” laughed Tuckness.

A writer first contacted Tuckness in June at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, WY. “He told me ESPN had an idea to do a story on a rodeo bullfighter and I continued to talk with him all that week about the lifestyle,” Tuckness said. They did not speak again until over the Fourth of July at the Cody Stampede and Xtreme Bulls. The magazine was interested, Tuckness was told, and there would be more contact. Toward the end of August an editor called to say they wanted to run the story.

ESPN The Magazine sent a photographer to the rodeo in Norco, CA in late August and hoped to show Dusty in action. “I did what I could but trying to tell a two-thousand pound bull what to do wasn’t easy. He wasn’t very cooperative,” Tuckness admitted. Tuckness said the ESPN people assigned to the photo shoot weren’t accustomed to being in such close proximity to rodeo livestock. “They got a new look at rodeo, that’s for sure.” The crew felt they had enough good pictures after about four hours of trying.

The article was meticulously researched. “They checked and double-checked everything and were very specific in their questioning. It’s pretty neat to be in a magazine of that caliber and there’s no telling what it could do for rodeo. It was an honor. I was proud to represent our sport, Wyoming, and my other sponsors,” Tuckness noted.

Dusty Tuckness is back in Meeteetse healing from recent injuries sustained at pro rodeo’s playoff finale in Omaha last month. He’ll be fighting bulls next at the Mountain States Circuit Finals in Rock Springs, Oct. 20-22. Tuckness won the 2010 “Bullfighter of the Year” award and has been nominated for that honor again this year.

View ESPN Article

Wheatland Winners

2011-09-30T15:33:00.008-06:00

by Chuck Coon

Team Wyoming will welcome two new cowboys that hail from the same small town and the young men from Wheatland have high hopes to bring back a truckload of hay after their first qualifications to compete in rodeo’s biggest, and most lucrative, challenge.

Bull rider Tyler Willis was consistently in the hunt all season long and finished #10 in the world standings with earnings in excess of $71K. Willis joins Team Wyoming veterans Seth Glause (#8), Clayton Savage (#13) and Bobby Welsh (#9) to make up quite the Wyoming contingent having a go at the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Glause and Willis are traveling partners. They were in our Cheyenne offices for a short visit today:

Tyler was just starting high school in Wheatland when Seth Brockman was graduating. Brockman went on to Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington. He was pro rodeo’s steer wrestling “Rookie of the Year” in 2005. He won Cheyenne Frontier Days that year and did well again at “The Daddy” this year. He also found success in San Antonio and won the Silver City, NM rodeo in 2011. His work at the playoff finale in Omaha last weekend was the key ingredient to making the big dance in Las Vegas. Brockman won a round in Omaha and jumped into the Top 15 to stay. He is lucky #13 relieved and anxious to throw down at his first national finals.

Brockman and Willis may not know each other but they must drink from the same aquifer. Both are reserved, quiet and mannerly. They let their work in the arena do the talking for them. We can’t wait to listen and watch at the NFR.

Johnson & Miller Make It Fun

Their surnames may be among the most common but Jhett Johnson and Jason Miller are rare big birds indeed. When together there is constant word jabber and joust. If there’s one thing you need to make it in professional rodeo besides the right mindset and practice, it’s a sense of humor.

Jason Miller, who heads to the finals #4 in the steer wrestling world standings, was interviewed on KAT103 Radio in Omaha at the start of the playoff finale there last week. When asked how rodeo dirt tastes when you miss, Miller replied: “It depends how much money was up for grabs.”

When Jhett’s boys ask him how tall he is he says “six foot nine” so they know they’ve got a lot of growing to do and no matter what, they aren’t going to get bigger than Dad. Johnson makes a return trip to the national finals in the 12th hole for team roping heelers.

If you can’t have any fun hanging around Miller & Johnson and their tall tales, you best stay home and watch “The View.” From what I can surmise, that program dabs in the gray areas of life. The Jason and Jhett world is black & white. Just ask the judges or people at PRCA headquarters.

Seth & Tyler.mp4

Big O in the Books

2011-09-25T10:00:00.004-06:00

Wyoming rodeo cowboys made major advances by finishing well in the Wrangler Tour rodeo standings thus allowing their trips to Omaha. In the playoff finale that concluded last night Lance Creek, Wyoming steer wrestler Jason Miller left the arena smiling and $17,200 better than he stood prior to Thursday. He’ll be in the top five come national finals time in December. “It’s hard to complain when you win seventeen thousand,” reasoned Miller after a championship round that didn’t go as planned but still fattened his wallet.

Bobby Welsh of Gillette rode his bull for a score in the final four and only one other man accomplished that feat:

Bobby 9-25 med test .mp4

Welsh’ second-place finish in the Justin Boots Championships added nearly $10K to the $4,500 Bobby had coming in to tonight. The final world standings results won’t be tallied officially for a couple of days but all indications point toward Welsh returning for lucky #7 in a row at Las Vegas.

Miss C Brings Glee

No one is happier in the pro rodeo world today than Hank Franzen of Riverton, WY. He and his wife Lori operate Powder River Rodeo Co. and have done so for 25 years. Their pride and joy is called “Miss Congeniality” and she took Iowan Wade Sundell to the Omaha championship last night in a 90-point thing of beauty:

Miss C 10-3.mp4

Well maybe Sundell is just as happy as Hank. He sure looked it sticking that high dive to the Omaha arena dirt.

Tuckness Hobbled

Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness is sore. He took on his weight in ice at the Omaha championships and will redouble soothing efforts now. Tuckness and his partner performed magnificently in sending bull rider Bryan Richardson to safe haven last night:

Dusty 9-25 m p 4 test .mp4

Tuckness reports a kneecap shift with water underneath. The Justin Sports Medicine team told Dusty he’ll need a little time to heal but will be fine for the finals should he be voted a return trip.

Miller Tackles Big “O”

2011-09-24T09:47:00.004-06:00

Omaha is to Jason Miller’s liking. He’s a cattle rancher with the family back in Lance Creek, WY and everyone will be enjoying a weekend T-Bone on the big fellow. Maybe not Omaha Steak but a lot of hay will be bought with the cash Miller is bringing home from Nebraska. He has already won $12,000 in two nights and heads into the playoff finale tonight in a tie for top man in the steer wrestling competition. He solidified that spot with a four-second run last night:

Jason -9-24

Miller jumps to #5 in the world standings rolling into this, the last night of the 2011 run for a spot at the national finals. Jason is going to the big dance and will be joined in Las Vegas by fellow Cowboy State dogger Seth Brockman from Wheatland. Brockman has made a big move in Omaha earning nearly $7,500 most of which came by way of his 3.8 second turn Friday night:

seth B -9-24-

Brockman now holds the #11 slot in the world standings and is very pleased to make his first national finals. We are pleased to welcome him to Team Wyoming. There is still a whole lot of money to be won in Omaha with the semi-finals and final four on the way tonight. Looking ahead to Saturday night in a packed arena Brockman told us: “I’ll just bear down and go after it.”

Welsh Stays Alive

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh was the last bull rider to have a shot last night in Omaha. Everyone before him had gone down early. And so did Bobby but not until the clock stopped at 7.2 seconds. Groan!! Since no one rode for a score all of those who did so Thursday night, plus a rider who hasn’t made the whistle yet, are returning for the final night of competition at the Justin Boots Championships.

The top eight contestants in each event are back for an attempt at an Omaha win tonight.

Helping Hands

Many who know about such events assess the Challenge Rodeo for special needs kids at the River City Roundup in Omaha as the best of its kind. Dozens of volunteers and businesses line up to help. The same is true for pro rodeo cowgirls and cowboys including Team Wyoming’s Bobby Welsh and Dusty Tuckness:

kid rodeo

The Real Deal

2011-09-23T15:50:00.002-06:00

Team Wyoming members are meeting a diverse group of people at the River City Rodeo in Omaha this weekend. Many of the visitors to the Wyoming Office of Tourism booth are attending their first rodeo and have never met a cowboy. Team members who've qualified for pro rodeo's finale of the playoff competition are steer wrestler Jason Miller from Lance Creek, Casper team roper Jhett Johnson, and bull rider Bobby Welsh from Gillette. Meeteetse-based bullfighter Dusty Tuckness is working his first playoff finale. He and Welsh volunteered to assist with this morning's Rough & Ready Rodeo for special needs children. We'll show you some of that great time on "The Rodeo Hand" tonight.

Welsh Must Win

2011-09-23T08:49:00.001-06:00

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh needs big paychecks at the Justin Boots Playoff Finale now underway in Omaha. He still shows as eighth in the world standings but the highly skilled bull rider needed to enter 40 PRCA rodeos to be awarded money totals from his work this year in Xtreme Bull competition and Bobby missed his chance by not entering the Pasadena, TX contest earlier this week. PRCA media manager Jim Bainbridge gave us the word tonight in Omaha and said Welsh is one rodeo short. That negated more than $17K of Welsh’ winnings and dropped him from 8th to around 20th with just this weekend to climb back into the Top 15. In true Bobby Welsh fashion, the pull upward is already underway in grand fashion. Welsh rode Pure Poison to a score of 87 – the best bull riding nod of the night – shared with Texans Chandler Bounds and J.W. Harris:

bobby 9-22

Welsh’ share of the victory netted $4,459 toward nudging him to a return spot in the coveted Top 15. Everyone is back at it tomorrow night.

The Tuckness Tango

Pro rodeo fans know by now that when Dusty Tuckness is fighting bulls at a rodeo you can get your money’s worth watching him work one ride. He didn’t disappoint anyone at the CenturyLink Center arena in Omaha tonight. One might wonder what makes a man do these things unless you know the Meeteetse, WY cowboy and realize he wants the crowd to go home buzzing:

Dusty 2

Money Run for Miller

Team Wyoming’s Jason Miller rode his horse Porky tonight and the 3.9 second result brought home a lot of beans. Jason split second and third place money in the steer wrestling competition to collect nearly $3,800:

Jason 9-22

Miller Time in Omaha

2011-09-22T13:52:00.000-06:00

Team Wyoming's Jason Miller drove all night from Amarillo, TX and was willing to join KAT 103 Radio's morning show today in Omaha to talk about his past couple of weeks on the playoff circuit, steer wrestling in general and his time working with the Wyoming Office of Tourism as one of our best and brightest spokespeople for the state Miller loves. The big country music station (http://www.thekat.com/) is a partner again this year with Wyoming. There will be a live radio remote tomorrow beginning at 5:00pm from the Century Link Center in downtown Omaha. The KAT is going to set up next to the Wyoming booth outside where several Team Wyoming cowboys are scheduled to sign autographs and participate in radio interviews.

Off to Omaha

2011-09-21T08:48:00.001-06:00

Team Wyoming will be well represented at the Justin Boots Playoff Finale in Omaha beginning tomorrow night. Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh and steer wrestler Jason Miller from Lance Creek, WY are each in the #4 spot of the Wrangler Tour in their respective events. The top 12 are competing at the River City Roundup. Casper’s Jhett Johnson slides in at #11 in team roping (heeler). Dusty Tuckness from Meeteetse has signed a three-year deal to take on half of the bullfighting chores in Omaha.

The Wyoming Office of Tourism will have a booth set up at the CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha from Thursday through Saturday. We hope you’ll stop by to say hello and register for free trips we’re giving away to Cheyenne Frontier Days and Yellowstone National Park.

The cowboys are going to make booth appearances as their schedules allow. If you are in the Omaha vicinity, listen for Jason and Bobby on the country music giant – KAT103 Radio – tomorrow morning at 8:40. Our good friend and radio partner is also hosting a pre-rodeo party Friday starting at 5 p.m. and our cowboys will be on hand for that as well.

Our team of Mike McCrimmon, Lori Hogan, Angi Harper and yours truly will be providing updates on Team Wyoming’s progress throughout the weekend right here on “The Rodeo Hand.”

Seventh is Heaven

Cheyenne’s Seth Glause has risen in the world standings to his highest spot (#7) ever heading toward the national finals. With a nice showing at Pendleton and in New Mexico, Seth won’t have to scramble to go after the bull riding competition at rodeo’s Super Bowl. Barring unforeseen outcomes in Omaha, Glause’ traveling partner, Tyler Willis of Wheatland, will be making his first WNFR appearance in December. As a result we’ll soon be welcoming young Mr. Willis to Team Wyoming. He’s a quiet fellow but that is good to offset Seth’s constant banter – we’re kidding of course.

Tuckness Honored

Dusty Tuckness is the reigning “bullfighter of the year” and he has been nominated for that esteemed recognition again in 2011. We’ll be watching him work in Omaha this weekend and show highlights on this blog so stay tuned. Dusty is always worth the watching.

Team WYO Roundup - three of a kind at #8

2011-09-13T16:20:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

Every dollar counts as we head into the final weeks of the 2011 season and those Team Wyoming cowboys who were “on the bubble” for making the national finals have bounced up in dramatic fashion since the start of September.

Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh’s burst came at the last regular season Wrangler Tour rodeo in Ellensburg, WA over the Labor Day Weekend. Welsh won the rodeo and he was the only man to make the whistle on two bulls:

Bobby W 9-13

We thank the PRCA for allowing us to capture and present video of Bobby’s action in Ellensburg. Welsh’ work moved him into a position that will guarantee another trip to the finals. He’ll be touring Texas and North Dakota before the playoff finale in Omaha starting September 22.

Fellow Team Wyoming bull riders Clayton Savage and Seth Glause look to be in great shape for return trips to Las Vegas. Glause won a round at an Xtreme Bulls competition in Lewiston, ID to match his high trip of the season scoring 92 points. And he placed second at the Tri-State Rodeo in Iowa this past weekend. Glause leads a foursome of Wyoming bull riders now in the Top 15 of the world standings. He is #8.

So is team roper Jhett Johnson from Casper. He and partner Turtle Powell just keep collecting checks and will be in the field for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. They can still add a bundle and have a spot at the Justin Boots Playoff Finale competition in Omaha where Johnson has a track record of fast times and big money.

The big winner out of the initial playoff competition in Puyallup, WA completed Sunday was Jason Miller of Lance Creek, WY. He championed the steer wrestling competition with runs of 3.3 and 3.4 seconds to garner a buckle along with a tidy sum totaling more than $21,500. Jason gives all of the credit to his horse Jesse – owned by fellow steer wrestler Lee Graves:

Jason 9-13

Miller, now at #8 in the world standings, is moving his masterful mayhem to the Pendleton Roundup this week and he’ll compete in the playoff finals the following week in Omaha.

Team Wyoming bronc rider Chet Johnson is still advancing. The Sheridan, WY resident gained a few slots toward the Top 15 by placing second at the Lewiston Roundup in Idaho over the weekend to collect more than $3K. Johnson is now #20.

Asay Goes NASCAR

2011-09-02T15:11:00.000-06:00

Powell bull rider Kanin Asay and his wife Sydney were special guests of the PRCA and the Great American Country (GAC) cable television network, August 26-28, at the big NASCAR affair in Bristol, TN. We borrowed – from www.prorodeo.com - several of the still photos taken of the injured Team Wyoming standout who is recovering from major hip surgery and spoke with Kanin this afternoon:

Kanin

Kanin’s wife is scheduled to deliver their first son, Kasen Shane, September 28. Mom and baby were at the doctor today and all is moving along smoothly. Kasen’s initials will match those of Kanin’s mom, Kim. She was killed in a horse accident near Powell a few months ago. Kanin’s appearance on GAC’s Top 20 country music video countdown will be aired for the first time tonight beginning at 6 p.m. mountain time.

Miller Movin’ on Up

2011-08-23T10:47:00.000-06:00

Jason Miller had a good chance to win Cheyenne Frontier Days and his final run that was a mess from the start is now far in the rear-view mirror. The Lance Creek, WY steer wrestler has been on a steady climb in the world standings and this week he’s got a spot in the Top 15. He won about $6,900 at rodeos in Oregon and Idaho this past weekend. The picture we’ll be showing here is a fine example of how bull doggers support one another. They share horses and often the fellow you are in the hunt with for a national finals berth is the person you help win by handling the hazing chores. Such was the case at the Caldwell Night Rodeo where Miller worked alongside event winner Ryan Jarrett Saturday night. We spoke with Jason today as he headed up the road to a jackpot session in Washington State:

Jason 8-23

The event Jason and many other pro steer wrestlers are participating in today is a fundraising memorial benefit started in honor of Les Patterson who died in 2009 after being involved in rodeo for more than 60 years. He was known as “Mr. Bulldogger of the Northwest.”

Cheyenne Bull Riders Rockin’

2011-08-16T16:50:00.000-06:00

Professional bull riders Clayton Savage and Seth Glause now call Cheyenne home and they’ve done Wyoming’s capital city proud by climbing into the top ten of the world standings this week. They are 8th and 9th respectively. Those men who finish in the Top 15 gain a coveted spot at the national finals in Vegas come December. The last silver stops on the Wrangler Tour were staged over the weekend in Lovington, NM and Hermiston, OR. Glause and Savage collected big checks at both rodeos. Savage won Hermiston and says his key to success right now may be what he doesn’t know:

Clayton 8-16

Glause rode D&H Cattle’s Red Dog to the win at the Rangers Rodeo in Lawton, OK and likes seeing his name next to Savage’s high in the world standings:

seth 8-16

Team Wyo Update

Several other Team Wyoming hands collected paychecks over the weekend. Lance Creek steer wrestler Jason Miller and fellow dogger Les Shepperson from Midwest each won a round at Hermiston. Team ropers Jhett Johnson of Casper and Gillette’s Bobby Harris left with Oregon money in their pockets as well. Sheridan’s Chet Johnson also placed at Hermiston to win $1,250.

Jason Miller also won more than $3,200 at Lovington to move up in the world standings to #19. Keep an eye on the big guy. Miller split a first round win at the Caldwell Night Rodeo last night:

jason 8-16

Miller is definitely on a roll and has assured himself a playoff spot next month in Puyallup, WA.

25th Anniversary of Powder River Rodeo

2011-08-04T15:42:00.000-06:00

There’s a pro rodeo nearly every day the rest of August and a Wyoming company that provides livestock for many of those events across the West is celebrating a milestone:

Powder River Rodeo Co

Powder River has won 150 “top stock” awards in their 25 years as pro rodeo stock contractors.

2011-07-31T19:25:00.000-06:00

July 31, 2011

Welsh Waits to Win

Bull riding fans know that Team Wyoming’s Bobby Welsh of Gillette takes the time he needs before nodding a chute gate open. He had all sorts of issues with his short-go bull at Cheyenne Frontier Days today but patience was worth the final result:

Bobby W 7-31

Welsh’ score was registered later at 84 points and he finished third overall which was good enough to leave Cheyenne with more than $6,700. Only five bull riders stayed on to make the whistle at the Sunday Finals. Shane Proctor, who was schooled at Northwest College in Powell, won The Daddy. His final ride was scored 88 points. Proctor collected a little over $12K extending his huge lead in the world standings even more. The top score of the day was 89 points by Chandler Bownds of Lubbock. He turned 20 today and his birthday presents are a Cheyenne short go-round win along with getting knocked unconscious upon landing:

Chandler 7-31

Of Note:

Team Wyoming’s Jason Miller of Lance Creek took his shot at a second Cheyenne championship in steer wrestling but ran a no time today. He still walks away tall and proud adding $4,800 to his regular season total matching the new Cheyenne money in UW grad Todd Suhn’s pocket. Seth Brockman of Wheatland won more than $5,100 bull dogging at The Daddy. University of Wyoming rodeo team alum K.C. Jones stuck$11,000 of new Cheyenne jingle in his pocket in addition to the coveted All-Around Cowboy 2011 honors.

Harold Bumguardner of Torrington had another huge Sunday Finals in Cheyenne. An all-around winner more than a quarter-century ago, Harold won more than $6,800 steer roping today at The Daddy.

Miller Top Dogger

2011-07-31T11:16:00.000-06:00

There are 191 pro rodeo steer wrestlers entered in the 2011 Cheyenne Frontier Days competition and a Wyoming man is at the top of the remaining cream of the crop heading into today’s championship round. Jason Miller of Lance Creek, a Team Wyoming dogger of distinction, has been able to build his morning slack performances on Thursday and Friday to the fastest aggregate time, 15.5 seconds, of all who’ve been tackling The Daddy’s 30-foot lead and huge arena. Miller is obviously pleased with this years’ pen of steers:

jason interview

Miller says the animals’ average weight is 550 pounds. There is quite a bit of concern about access to the Corriente cattle for pro rodeos next year. Almost all events use the Mexican-bred steers and the border is currently closed to bringing them to the U.S. Word is that restriction is in place until at least January.

Welsh Works Through One

“That was a handful,” said Bobby Welsh after finishing off Cold Blooded yesterday for a score of 83 points to punch Bobby’s ticket to the Sunday Finals in bull riding. As you can see here, it certainly was no picnic:

Bobby W 7-30

Welsh enters today’s championship round in the middle of the pack determined to make the whistle and let the chips fall where they may.

Team Wyoming has Contenders

2011-07-30T19:39:00.000-06:00

July 30, 2011

There are two Team Wyoming cowboys preparing for championship tilts at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Miller’s The Man

Jason Miller of Lance Creek is a big, strong man as was evidenced by anyone who got out to the slack performances Thursday and Friday at The Daddy. He picked up and tossed down two 550-pound steers like they were no more to handle than a half-rack of ribs. And Miller is the #1 man going into the Sunday Finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Averaging less than eight seconds per run is pretty incredible at The Daddy with its 30-foot lead for the animals but Jason is at 15.5 seconds on two head. He’s confident, clearly likes the steers this year, and has complete faith in his hazer – Les Shepperson. It will be great watching them work together tomorrow.

Wyoming is very well represented in the steer wrestling competition to wrap up the 2011 CFD. Seth Brockman of Wheatland made it to the Sunday Finals with plenty of time to spare as did UW grad Todd Suhn.

Bet on Welsh

You could almost lay money on him to make the Cheyenne finals if you were a betting person. Bobby Welsh of Gillette had to work hard to keep aboard Cold Blooded today but did so to score 83 points and return for a chance at a CFD title. After the ride Welsh noted that he could have ridden his Friday bull left-handed but today’s almost required two hands – a move frowned upon by the judges. Welsh stayed aboard to total 159 points on two bulls which is good enough for eighth in the average. Top man Wesley Silcox is at 175.

Two more Wyoming bull riders will be out for a Cheyenne champion’s buckle try. Will Farrell of Thermopolis and Wheatland’s Tyler Willis are in the hunt.

We will have a video look at Welsh’s Saturday ride for you here on The Rodeo Hand tomorrow before the rodeo and a comment from steer wrestling leader Jason Miller.

Friday Replays

2011-07-30T11:26:00.000-06:00

We promised looks at the two Wills and their two best rides of Friday’s CFD. So, let’s get to it.

Here is Will Farrell of Thermopolis stunning the crowd, judges, announcers and everyone else with an 89-point whirl on the bull called WT:

will farell

After that monster ride Farrell was grabbed immediately by a new Travel Channel show for an interview and we’ll be filling you in on when to watch for that as soon as we know. Today. Farrell takes on a Wyoming bull called El Dorado owned by Triple V Rodeo Co. out of Casper.

Will Lowe has won the world bareback riding title three times and he’s won Cheyenne too. The Texas resident was in stride yesterday on a horse nicknamed Pass The Hat:

will lowe

If Lowe can get high enough marks on Outlaw Moon today he’ll be returning to the championship round Sunday.

Will Power

2011-07-29T20:30:00.001-06:00

Will Farrell has grit. A bull rider with a great family was magnificent today in Cheyenne thrilling the Friday afternoon crowd by his 89-point session on a big spinning bucker that goes by “WT.” Will lives in the Thermopolis, WY area and he might want to think about soaking in those relaxing, hot mineral springs up there once his weekend is finished at The Daddy. One thing’s for sure and that is that Farrell will be able to afford a few days off, if he so chooses. Will has the first go-round lead and the payoff will cover a lot of bills.

Will Lowe will always be known as one of the best bareback riders to ever go down the pro rodeo road. The Texas man is personable, his smile infectious. Today he got on a bucker called Pass The Hat and turned it loose for 84 points. Lowe was high man out in the bareback sections today.

Our video room is not functioning tonight but will be tomorrow and you can return to The Rodeo Hand prior to Saturday’s CFD to see both the Farrell and Lowe shows.

Three Team WYO Strong

A trio of Team Wyoming rough stock riders roared out of the Cheyenne chutes today and each is very much alive toward their goal of having a go in the short round Sunday.

Chet Johnson was 77 points on Lost in the River and will shore it up with one called Dakota Magic Jackpot tomorrow. Chet watched his next horse compete today in the rookie saddle bronc riding competition and believes he has a good one.

Mills, WY bareback rider Kelly Timberman is anxious to board his second go-round horse too. Kelly is pretty sure Cracker Barrel can burst to help Timberman bounce into the 80s tomorrow – a place he’ll need to be to return for the championship round.

Bobby Welsh knew he could count on a dependable ride from Hired Gun. No errant shots were fired and Welsh, of Gillette, did his job to finish with 76 points. Bobby plans to make the whistle with Cold Blooded tomorrow and such a feat would insure a chance at Cheyenne gold.

Will Farrell has grit. A bull rider with a great family was magnificent today in Cheyenne thrilling the Friday afternoon crowd by his 89-point session on a big spinning bucker that goes by “WT.” Will lives in the Thermopolis, WY area and he might want to think about soaking in those relaxing, hot mineral springs up there once his weekend is finished at The Daddy. One thing’s for sure and that is that Farrell will be able to afford a few days off, if he so chooses. Will has the first go-round lead and the payoff will cover a lot of bills.

Will Lowe will always be known as one of the best bareback riders to ever go down the pro rodeo road. The Texas man is personable, his smile infectious. Today he got on a bucker called Pass The Hat and turned it loose for 84 points. Lowe was high man out in the bareback sections today.

Our video room is not functioning tonight but will be tomorrow and you can return to The Rodeo Hand prior to Saturday’s CFD to see both the Farrell and Lowe shows.

Miller New Leader

2011-07-29T10:45:00.000-06:00

The crowd is small compared to the afternoon CFD rodeo but slack time in the morning can be awfully exciting. And today was one of those days, especially if you are a rodeo fan from Wyoming. Lance Creek’s Jason Miller, the 2007 world champ in steer wrestling, brought down his second steer at The Daddy in 7.2 seconds. Miller’s combined total of 15.5 seconds on two is the fastest giving him the lead in the average and guaranteeing him a seat at the Sunday Finals. Les Shepperson from Midwest handled the hazing work beautifully and Miller drew one that did not bolt out of the gate like most did today:

jason

Today’s afternoon performance at Cheyenne Frontier Days features three more of Team Wyoming’s top cowboys. Chet Johnson in the saddle bronc riding competition, Bobby Welsh rides his first bull, and Kelly Timberman is on his first bareback horse. All three have a second opportunity tomorrow.
We’ll have those rough stock riders with us at the Wyoming booth on Frontier Park this morning at 11:30 to sign autographs and meet fans.

2011-07-28T20:30:00.000-06:00

July 28, 2011

Wheatland Winner

Good steer wrestlers from Wyoming are nothing new but there is some fresh talent on the horizon positioned well to make not only the Sunday finish in Cheyenne but the national finals rodeo should he continue his current roll. Seth Brockman had a fine Thursday at The Daddy and while our cameras only caught the end of his afternoon session, it is worthy of a look:

Steer Wrestling 28-11

Brockman is 19.3 seconds on two steers and anything in the twenty second range assures a run in the championship round come Sunday.

Jacobs Ladder

That extra “s” on the end of his name stands for SUPER good as his job. Texan Jacobs Crawley took the bronc riding crown at last month’s College National Finals Rodeo in Casper and he’s spanking horses in Cheyenne determined to win here. Today’s outing was on a horse called Buckle Up:

Saddle 28-11

Crawley is one point out of the average lead with 159 points on two horses. He will be bucking out on Sunday.

Best Get Off

It was a combined effort today in the bull riding. Ryan Shanklin of Texas showed wonderful form on his dismount but may have been equaled by a bull that apparently paid attention to his owner training the stock dog to rollover:

Get off 28-11

Give that bull a bone. Just avoid ribs. They could be relatives.

Doggers Get it Done

2011-07-28T10:09:00.000-06:00

Team Wyoming steer wrestlers Jason Miller and Les Shepperson were both out in the morning slack today at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Miller is the 2007 world champ in his event and he showed a big steer what for in 8.3 seconds. We have a slo-mo version at the end of this segment. Watch for the air under the steer and listen for the thud:

Jason 28-11

Now that’s a take down. Miller is positioned well among the top ten times thus far in the first go-round at CFD. Shepperson, from Midwest, hazed for Miller and also ran his steer today. It was the first time out in more than a month for Les since suffering a serious leg injury earlier this summer.

Les 28-11

Shepperson finished his work in a little over twelve seconds so he’ll be trying to trim his time considerably the second time out. Les and Jason will have at it again tomorrow morning.

Come and meet them at the Wyoming tent next to Boot Barn’s set-up on Frontier Park’s south end. They’ll be signing autographs, along with “Bullfighter of the Year” Dusty Tuckness, from 11:30 to 12:30 today.

Rough Stockers Coming

Three Team Wyoming rough stock cowboys are headed to Cheyenne to go for a champion’s buckle beginning Friday. Gillette’s Bobby Welsh has drawn bulls nicknamed Hired Gun and Cold Blooded – seem friendly enough. Chet Johnson of Sheridan is in for The Daddy first Friday and then again Saturday. The same is true for Kelly Timberman. The Mills, WY man is the 2004 world champion in bareback riding and he looks to change his summer luck with good horses here.

Deadwood Good for Jhett

Team roper Jhett Johnson turned things around in Deadwood this week after a couple of disappointing turns in Cheyenne. The Team Wyoming veteran with partner Turtle Powell finished second in the first round with a time of 5.2 seconds which was good for a little of $1,350 apiece.

2011-07-27T21:06:00.000-06:00

July 27, 2011

Navarre OK

A new batch of bull riders arrived today in Cheyenne and two of them are now tied for the lead in the first go-round. Oklahoma cowboy Corey Navarre was matched with a bull called The Juiceand they blended well for a score of 87 points. Things got dicey at the close of their session together when Navarre got his stomach stomped:

Cory 27-11

Navarre was stunned and short of breath but afterward summed things up this way: “Sore abs, tight back, be good for tomorrow.”

New Kid in Town

Spotting talent is easy in rodeo and especially in bull riding. A young gun shot out of the chute today and odds are fans will come to know Chandler Bownds of Lubbock has a future without limits. This 19-year-old can ride, partner. Just watch:

Chandler 27-11

Everything may be big in Texas but Bownds makes clear some mighty major skill can come in small packages.

DeMerson Top

Idaho bareback rider Cody DeMers was on a horse nicknamed Surprise Party today and left the arena with a well-earned gift of the best ride so far in The Daddy’s first go:

Cody 27-11

DeMers score was improved after consultation between the judges and he is in the #1 bareback spot with 87 points.

Best Get Off

Cheyenne Day honors go to Bryan Richardson of Dallas. One of pro rodeo’s best was given short shrift by a really large chunk of unappetizing beef:

Get off 27-11

Cheyenne Day

2011-07-27T09:18:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

Tradition has it that most businesses, including government offices, shut down by noon today so that people can get out and have some Cheyenne Frontier Days fun. Many enjoy the Thunderbirds air show and thousands will make their way to the park for the rodeo.

We invite you to stop by our Wyoming tent next to the Boot Barn’s mobile operation at the south end of Frontier Park (outside the main gate). We have a lot of freebies and each day there are appearances by Team Wyoming cowboys. Notables scheduled to sign autographs from 11:30 to 12:30 are Dusty Tuckness who is the 2010 “Bullfighter of the Year” in pro rodeo and 2007 World Champion Steer Wrestler Jason Miller.

Our giveaway items include Wyoming hat pins, materials to help you plan your Wyoming vacation and DVDs. One of those shows focuses on the national parks – Yellowstone and Grand Teton – and the other is a tribute to Chris LeDoux.

LeDoux’s son, Beau, is among a bevy of bareback riders out today in the Wednesday rodeo. Our DVD tribute to his dad includes Beau’s 2007 CFD ride after which he spread ashes of Chris on the arena floor as a family tribute. Chris loved Cheyenne and once told me he felt like he was born behind the chutes at The Daddy.

You won’t be disappointed by the all-stars lined up to perform in Cheyenne today. In addition to LeDoux, bareback riders spurring out include the #1 and #2 men in the world standings – Kaycee Field and Tilden Hooper. Local favorite Nathan Graves of Kaycee is also riding today.

The Wednesday bull riding roster is a regular who’s who too. Shane Proctor, who attended Northwest College in Powell, is out today. He’s the #1 bull rider in the world standings, well ahead of everyone in terms of money won. You will also be able to watch such luminaries as D.J. Domangue, Corey Navarre, Ryan Shanklin, Austin Ambrose, Bryan Richardson and Clayton Williams.

In the saddle bronc riding competition tophands on deck today and tomorrow are Heith DeMoss, Rusty Allen and Jacobs Crawley.

Real talent flows out of Chute 9 today as well. Steer wrestlers making their bid include Seth Brockman from Wheatland, Wade Sumpter, Billy Bugenig along with Cody & Curtis Cassidy. There are many team roping pairs of distinction with pro rodeo’s most famous cowboy Trevor Brazile among the grouping. Calf ropers buzzing out of the box today include Mr. Brazile and Cody Ohl.

Slack tomorrow morning will be worthy of Wyoming rodeo fans’ attention. Jason Miller from Lance Creek is out in slack Thursday and Friday. Start times are a little later this year. The action begins at 8 a.m. and it is free.

Swan Lake Rises

2011-07-26T20:19:00.000-06:00

July 26, 2011

Swan Lake Rises

A Pueblo, Colorado man waltzed with a Wyoming horse nicknamed Swan Lake to take the lead in bareback competition at Cheyenne Frontier Days Tuesday. Casey Colletti really liked the bucker from Triple V Rodeo Co. of Casper. “You can ride that horse any time,” Dona Vold Larsen of Triple V was quick to respond after hugging Colletti. The score was 84 points and Swan Lake lunged rhythmically throughout:

Dona- 26-11-

Colletti has amassed 169 points on two bareback rides to lead everyone by five.

Cruisin’

Montana’s Jesse Kruse is no stranger to the winner’s circle and he is shining there in Cheyenne now after his 85-point scamper on Goin South today:

Jesie 26-11

Kruse won’t be in the Cheyenne finals because of his no score in the first go but he is atop the leader board so far in the second. A new batch of rough stock contestants arrives tomorrow for their two-day stint.

Best Get Off

Brent Menz of Delta, Missouri dismounted with style upon completion of his 85-point turn today in the bull riding competition in Cheyenne. The get-off was by far the best of the day:

Get off 26-11
Menz closely the gap considerably on CFD bull riding leader Wesley Silcox and is just five points back.

Happy Harris

2011-07-25T19:32:00.000-06:00

Gillette’s Bobby Harris team roped in the last spot of the afternoon performance of CFD today and thankfully his run with a new partner, 23-year-oold Colby Lovell, saved the day. Most everybody in front of them had some kind of mishap. Harris and Lovell did not:

Bobby H

The Harris/Lovell 8.3 second run places them in good stead for the first-go at Cheyenne and they’ll twirl their second time tomorrow afternoon.

Puff Daddy Dominates

A great bucking bull that over the weekend carried one rider to an 89-point lead in the second-go of Cheyenne Frontier Days action took another man to the top of the first go today. Every two days a new set of cowboys comes in and goes back-to-back (one day & the next) at The Daddy and the latest group started Monday. Jarrod Ford of Greeley, CO drew “Puff Daddy” today and stayed strong for 86 points and the co-lead in go #1:

Jarrod Ford 25-11

Utah top-hand Wesley Silcox clamped the same bull over the weekend to position himself in the Numero Uno spot in go-two.

Deef I Ant

A truly great bullfighter is one that has no fear, or at least doesn’t show it. Australia’s Darrell Diefenbach (Deef) never fails to amaze onlookers as he mixes it up with bulls to protect cowboys. Today he was called on to “take it in the shorts” more than once:

Darrell 25-11

Team Wyoming cowboys will be back at it for second-go tries tomorrow in several CFD events. Seth Glause battles a bronc, Clayton Savage a bull, and team roping heelers Bobby Harris and Jhett Johnson throw again for big Daddy doe.

Our cowboys are joining us at the Wyoming booth along the south fence of Frontier Park tomorrow before the rodeo to sign autographs and meet fans.

You can stay on top of all scores and times at Cheyenne here: www.cfdresults1.com

Day Two of the Daddy

2011-07-25T11:00:00.000-06:00

We apologize for our tardiness with this update but a hailstorm did fairly significant damage to the building where we work last night and forced us into a mode of trying to save some staff offices from drowning – success was moderate.

Yesterday’s rodeo was a much more pleasurable experience for bareback rider Royce Ford of Briggsdale, CO who rode both his first and second go horses to now lead the average with a total of 162 points. His best score was the first time out on a horse he knew would be tough to handle. Speaking of hands, Royce’s riding paw is swollen to twice the size of his other hand but he’s pleased to have a shot at a Cheyenne championship Sunday:

Royce 24-11

Royce Ford’s father, Bruce, is a pro rodeo and Cheyenne legend. He won the Daddy three times. The offspring has made the finals here just once in many previous tries. You can bet that a very large Ford contingent will be on its collective feet rooting for Royce on Sunday.

The bull riding competition shows Wesley Silcox with a seventeen-point lead over the field as his second go ride Sunday on “Puff Daddy” netted an 89:

Wesley 24-11

Team Wyoming’s Seth Glause had to take a shot on both of his bulls yesterday and he was unable to stay on either for the required time. He’ll be fighting for cash in the bronc riding competition the next two days. Clayton Savage of Cheyenne starts his quest for Cheyenne gold in bull riding today.

Team Wyoming team roping heelers Jhett Johnson and Bobby Harris will both be out for the afternoon performance today. Harris is also entered in the steer roping competition.

Harris, Savage and Johnson are meeting fans and signing autographs in the Wyoming booth at the south end of Frontier Park before today’s rodeo.

Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell have been on a roll winning close to $7K over the past week. Jhett was all over Denver television (live on CW, FOX 31 & CBS-4) this morning from the Cheyenne Frontier Days free pancake feed.

Burns Bulls Batter

The second section of bull riding at ole’ Cheyenne yesterday was full of Burns Rodeo Co. bulls. The Laramie based outfit has a long and storied tradition of breeding some of the best buckers in the business. That reputation was not sullied Sunday but a few cowboys were left reeling. Ty Hamaker of Centennial, WY was among those hurt sustaining facial lacerations and a stepped-on riding hand. He walked away and that’s what matters most. Here’s a look at a few of the haymakers landed and thoughts from Hal Burns after the contest:

Burns 24-11

Of Note:

Our congratulations to Cheyenne Frontier Days talented announcer Justin McKee. The Oklahoma man is also a topnotch pro steer roper and he continues his good work in the arena where McKee’s 30.70 seconds on two has him second in the average and well positioned for a return to the Sunday finals.

Brian Snell of Carpenter, WY is leading all CFD steer wrestlers by close to four seconds after his two runs. Snell is pretty much assured a Sunday finals appearance.

Team Wyoming bulldogger Jason Miller won $3,200 at the rodeo in Nampa, ID that concluded over the weekend. Miller will make his runs at Cheyenne in the Thursday and Friday morning slack outings.

Hail of a Storm

2011-07-24T19:23:00.000-06:00

We'll be posting highlights from today's rodeo in the morning. Several of our staff members are cleaning up from the massive hail storm that blew through Cheyenne this evening.

BIG Daddy

2011-07-23T19:21:00.000-06:00

The crowd gathered for opening day of the 115th Cheyenne Frontier Days was of a record size and saw one of the best bull riders in the world open this years’ show much like he ended the 2010 Daddy by staying on top for the required eight seconds and leading the pack. Utah’s Wesley Silcox is Cheyenne’s reigning champ. He took to the air on a bull called “No Fly Zone” and would not land until he’d notched the best score of the day:

BUlls 23-11-cfd

Tyler Willis of Wheatland, WY displayed incredible balance and heart in maintaining a seat to the buzzer. He was aboard one called “Tony Romo”:

Tyler 23-11-cfd

Willis had a point added once judges assessed their tally and he is in the books with an 82-point ride for the first go round. He and Silcox are back at it again tomorrow. Seth Glause of Cheyenne didn’t ride in Cheyenne today because he’s got a shot to win the Nampa, ID rodeo tonight. Glause will take on two in Cheyenne Sunday.

A Laramie County man has the best time so far in the frontier days steer wrestling competition. Brian Snell of Carpenter dogged his steer in 7.8 seconds:

CFD 23-11 Steer

Many of pro rodeo’s best bareback riders spurred out in Cheyenne this afternoon. Jason Havens of Prineville, Oregon was on a Harry Vold Rodeo Co. horse named “Hypnotic” for the best Saturday score:

CFD jason H

For complete results from today’s action in Cheyenne go to: www.cfdresults1.com

Let’s Do This Thing

2011-07-22T08:59:00.001-06:00

by Chuck Coon

Once the rough-stock events draw sheets are in my hands I know we are at The Daddy’s door. Welcome to the 115th Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) of which the last three decades I’ve been pleased to participate.

We’ll be here with you for the next ten days and hope to give you insights that will make the rodeo coverage unique and enjoyable. Our team at “The Rodeo Hand” is made up of the talented Lori Hogan and incomparable video guru Mike McCrimmon.

Help on the ground at Frontier Park will include several other people from the Wyoming Office of Tourism staff most notably Anita Benton. Our booth is up and we’ll be there to greet rodeo fans starting Saturday. We are located at the south end of the park along “Media Row” between the ticket office and the Boot Barn tent. Our Team Wyoming fellows are appearing to sign autographs and meet folks. We’ll have lots of Wyoming stuff for you FREE. So, please stop by before the rodeo.

CFD Tickets Chairman Jim Gorman was in good spirits yesterday and for a couple of good reasons – rodeo and night show sales. They are up six and fourteen percent respectively over last year. Gorman said he’s very close to calling the Zac Brown and Jason Aldean nights sell-outs. Jim’s a friend so I have a prejudice here. This success could not come under the helm of a better person.

Our other admitted prejudicial stance is toward Team Wyoming. Most of what you’ll see here during frontier days will concern those men who wear Wyoming with such pride. Bull rider Kanin Asay of Powell is currently out of action but the remaining team bull riders – Seth Glause, Clayton Savage and Bobby Welsh will be going for CFD gold. Glause has drawn bulls by the names of Matt and Mud Bog this weekend. He is scheduled to ride Saturday and Sunday but that could change depending on his fortunes at rodeos in Utah and California. The same is true for many of the best bull riders in the world who are scheduled to perform in the big Cheyenne arena this weekend – Ardie Maier, Steve Woolsey and Wesley Silcox are among that elite group. Wheatland’s Tyler Willis, who “lives the west” for Albany County Tourism, has drawn two bulls – Tony Romo & Voodoo Daddy – this weekend too.

Some local talent to watch this weekend in the bull riding sections include Travis Weber of Baggs, Kelby True from Carpenter and Centennial’s Ty Hamaker.

One of the most noticeable names this weekend, again depending on results at other rodeos, is Steve Woolsey. In addition to his bull rides, the Utah cowboy is also scheduled to be out in the saddle bronc riding competition Saturday and Sunday. Our own Seth Glause is also an all-around contender. He’ll get on his broncs Monday and Tuesday. Glause is at the #14 spot in the world standings for his bull riding work so far this year and recently took all-around honors at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs.

A third man to pay attention to in terms of all-around work is Bobby Mote. The bareback riding champ from Oregon will be out on his bareback horses this weekend and team roping in slack Monday and Tuesday morning. Mote and travel pals Ryan Gray and Jason Havens have each drawn bareback horses for this weekend but could be delayed by success elsewhere.

The two Team Wyoming team ropers, Jhett Johnson and Bobby Harris, will do their heeling work Monday and Tuesday in the afternoon rodeo performances. Both are on good rolls and Cheyenne could guarantee the national finals. Johnson is just about locked in already with his 2011 season work that has Jhett at the #6 spot in the world standings. Harris is closing in on the Top 15 now posted at #17 in the world. Harris is another cowboy to watch in the chase for the highly coveted Cheyenne all-around cowboy competition. He and his new young partner, Colby Lovell, will each take a shot in the CFD steer roping competition Monday and Tuesday afternoon.

Team bull rider Clayton Savage is one tough hombre and is now #15 in the world standings. He’ll make his mark at Cheyenne Monday and Tuesday afternoon as well. His first bull is called “Village Idiot” – what I pray not to become by the end of this nine day, big ole’ dance in the dust.

We will update this section daily with results, video highlights and features through August 1. Hope you’ll come back and check The Hand throughout the 115th Daddy.

See you at the park and Let ‘er Buck!!

Cody X Bulls Re-Airs

There'll be ninety minutes of bull riding and nice Wyoming scenery on national cable television again this weekend. The Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls event will be re-broadcast on Great American Country (GAC) at 8 p.m. Mountain Time, Sunday. You will see forty of the best bull riders in the world pared down to the final twelve and its a whale of a finals featuring our own Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse sailing gracefully through the bullfighting chores keeping ever the watchful eye while protecting riders:

Dusty 7-22-11

Dusty Tuckness, while not working in the Cheyenne arena, will be behind the chutes helping riders and supporting them through much of CFD. He'll also be joining us at the Wyoming booth beginning mid-Week. You'll want to stop by to pick up a free autograph sheet and shake hands with pro rodeo's 2010 "Bullfighter of the Year."

Savage & Miller Climbing

2011-07-11T14:37:00.000-06:00

Team Wyoming bull rider Clayton Savage has moved up to the #11 position in the world standings by virtue of his win at the Steamboat Springs, CO pro rodeo summer series over the weekend. Savage says he feels good and is back for a national finals run after sustaining a collarbone injury to start Cowboy Christmas. Clayton finished first to score 82 points Saturday night on a Southwick bull called Spotted Wolf. Savage had his first shot at Burns Rodeo Co. top bucker “Blended Red” to end Laramie Jubilee Days Sunday but was unable to make the whistle. Lance Creek’s Jason Miller was top man in steer wrestling at 4.4 seconds to win Steamboat this past weekend. He collected about $900 and is now #32 in hot pursuit of a position in the Top 15.

Wild Man Returns

The man who crafted all the chaps worn by the American and Canadian rough stock riders who competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics exhibition in Salt Lake is obviously well known for his leather work. Larry Sandvick is back and this time he’s building a new way for cowboys to hold their horses:

Wild Man

A large rodeo equipment manufacturer in Texas, Barstow, is the only other maker of bareback rider gear in the country. The two-man outfit in Wyoming believes in competition and that their custom work will find a niche.

Cowboy Christmas 2011

2011-07-07T13:26:00.000-06:00

Dust has settled on the Cowboy Christmas run for 2011 and Gillette native Bobby Harris, with new team roping partner Colby Lovell, won nearly $15,000 to make a big jump in the world standings while bronc rider Chet Johnson – now living in Sheridan – spurred for more than $8,000 and significantly closed the gap on his push for the Top 15. Harris is at the #21 position for heelers and Johnson jumped to the #19 slot only $3K away from that coveted #15 spot. We spoke with Chet yesterday:

Chet 7-11

Johnson’s best showing was at Williams Lake, British Columbia where he placed second with a ride scored at 82.5 points to win $3,465.

Harris and his partner won the Home of Champions Rodeo in Red Lodge, MT and had lightning runs in St. Paul, OR, as well as Livingston, MT and at the Greeley Stampede to highlight their weekend. The veteran team roper and former world champ appreciates how his young teammate is bringing up his game:

Bobby H 7-11

Two other Team Wyoming cowboys solidified their positioning in the Top 15 for their respective events by finding success over Cowboy Christmas. Casper team roper Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell on the heading side had good days in St. Paul and in Cody. Jhett is #5 in the world standings with paydays totaling more than $44,000 so far this year. Seth Glause of Cheyenne is at the #12 spot in bull riding with a good showing in Cody at the Xtreme Bulls in front of a home-state crowd highlighting his Fourth of July weekend:

Seth 7-4th

Glause’s score (88 points) in the Cody Xtreme finals was late in coming because the initial digital clock reading was 7.97 seconds. After consultation between the judges, Seth was awarded the full eight.

Shane Proctor, who honed his skills at Northwest College in Powell, is having a career year in professional bull riding. He won the Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls event doing so in the grand style and consistency he’s been displaying all year:

Xtreme champ Cody

Proctor’s Fourth of July weekend winnings sent him over the $100K mark for 2011. He’s the #1 man with a lead of more than $30,000 on J.W. Harris. The Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls event will be televised nationally on GAC in primetime, July 17 at 8 pm Mountain Time and repeats several times for a week on the cable network. Cody Stampede coverage will be shown on In-Country TV (Dish Network, channel 230) July 30th at 7 pm Mountain Time.

Team Wyoming Cowboy Christmas success covered the gamut of events in pro rodeo. Kelly Timberman of Mills picked up about $5,300 after second-place finishes in the bareback riding at Molalla, OR & Mandan, ND. Lance Creek’s Jason Miller enjoyed bull dogging time in Canada winning $5,700 at two rodeos up north. The two former world champs are starting to show in the world standings. Timberman is at #29 and Miller #36.

Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh won his event at the Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche, SD. Bobby topped Wild Child (D&H Cattle/Powder River Rodeo Co.) to score 90 points and win $2,400. Welsh is #20 in the world standings.

Clayton Savage of Cheyenne is #13 in the world standings for pro bull riders but was sidelined for the weekend after his bull tripped and fell on Savage last Wednesday night in Prescott, AZ, The collarbone injury was aggravated with a similar move by Clayton's bull at the Greeley Stampede the next night. Savage was treated by Justin Sports Medicine and is ready to compete again tonight in Montana. Wyoming fans can catch Clayton on a good Burns Co. bull Sunday at the concluding event of Laramie Jubilee Days.

Les Shepperson of Midwest is currently 24th in the world standings for his event. Unfortunately he missed out on all of the Fourth of July action after sustaining an ACL tear in his left leg at Reno in June. The steer wrestling son of world champ, Frank, plans to haze at Cheyenne Frontier Days and hopes to return to the other side of the chute right after CFD.

Jhett Lands Reno Win

2011-06-27T13:55:00.000-06:00

There’s a ranch family out west of Casper back home from Reno, Nevada with a lot more than money in their pockets. Team roper Jhett Johnson is the 2011 Reno Rodeo champ and he returned his rental car this morning with a big smile under a bright blue sky, brilliantly green grass alongside and carting a big stack of cash for the bank. The $11,700 payday propelled Johnson to the#3 spot in the world standings for heelers:

Jhett 6-27

Johnson and partner Turtle Powell made three Reno runs in 16.2 seconds. They’re out at the Greeley Stampede to open the Cowboy Christmas jaunt where over the next ten days pro cowboys and cowgirls have a chance to win more money than any other period of the year besides the national finals.

Welsh Tops Thermop

Gillette’s Bobby Welsh was in great form again this past weekend winning the Thermopolis Cowboy Rendezvous by spinning to a score of 81 points on Triple V Rodeo Company’s nice young bull called “Santana”:

Bobby --6-27

Bobby Welsh won a little more than $1,100 in Thermopolis and is edging ever nearer the Top 15. He’ll be up next with fellow Team Wyoming bull riders Clayton Savage and Seth Glause at the Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls event Thursday night. You can still get tickets online here: www.codystampederodeo.com

Hats off to Kaycee pro bareback rider Beau LeDoux who spurred the best ride in Thermopolis to win his event by scoring 76 points on Triple V’s bucker known as “Indian Summer.”

While in Thermopolis, we had a good visit with an old hand from Australia who is traveling Wyoming with his wife. Rodeo is at the top of their “must do” list. We learn from Ian Bachelor that one of the necessary parts of attracting people to your event is a solid presence on the Internet:

Aussie 6-27

Team WYO Off & Winning

2011-06-20T13:17:00.001-06:00

This past weekend marked the first big rodeo weekend of summer with some 20 event options to enter from Wisconsin to Utah for cowboys to try and get their motors tuned toward a trip to the national finals. The cash collection by Team Wyoming members was very solid. Here’s a rundown:

• Casper team roper Jhett Johnson won a round at North Platte, NE with partner Turtle Powell and they each added $1,194 to their 2011 totals. Johnson thereby advanced to #9 in the world standings for heelers.
• Mills, WY bareback rider Kelly Timberman finished second at Strawberry Days in Pleasant Grove, UT to win $1,748 while bronc rider Chet Johnson of Sheridan notched a fourth-place tie at the Utah event to pocket $700.
• Bobby Harris from Gillette, with new team roping partner Colby Lovell, cleared more than $2K after the gate closed at a PRCA event in Coleman,TX.
• Clayton Savage of Cheyenne was one of just two bull riders who made the eight seconds at the Steamboat Springs, Colorado rodeo yesterday. Savage picked up a check for more than $5,500 after the Reno, Nevada Xtreme Bulls late last week. He’s now at the #6 spot in the world standings to lead all Team Wyoming bull riding contestants.
• Bull rider Seth Glause, now riding out of Cheyenne, also made money at the Reno event and his $2,200 was enough to lift him to #14 in the world. Bobby Welsh of Gillette is in the lucky #13 position. The top 15 earn a trip to the national finals.

CNFR Nets Huge Sendoff

Team Wyoming GM Gene Bryan tells us the Saturday crowd gathered in the Casper Events Center for the finals of the College Nationals Finals Rodeo was the largest in memory. They cheered young J.R. Verzain of Cowley to a national championship in bareback riding. He is currently enrolled at a small college in Texas but plans to transfer to join Kelly Timberman, assistant coach at Casper College, next year. Bryan reports the pair is traveling the pro rodeo road together this summer. The finals national television broadcast is scheduled August 12 on ESPN U. Viewers are likely to enjoy the artistry of Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. We asked his working partner at CNFR, Al Sandoval, to wear a special chest-mounted camera Friday night to give us good glimpses of Dusty derring-do:

CNFR Dusty 6-20-

The next big event for Mr. Tuckness and forty of the top bull riders in the world is the Cody/Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls coming June 30 just prior to the Cody Stampede. You can get your tickets to both here: http://www.codystampederodeo.com/

WYO Summer Season Underway

2011-06-16T14:07:00.000-06:00

A wet May/June has caused a stir across the “Cowboy State” and even forced the cancellation of a couple of shows at the venerable Cody Nite Rodeo. Better weather is prevailing and last Saturday night the Kanin Asay & Dusty Tuckness Classic in Cody saw 1,400 rodeo fans and Wyoming visitors enjoy the evening of bull riding and American freestyle bullfighting:

Bull fight 6-16

Team Wyoming bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette placed second overall on the night. He topped the evening with an 84-point ride after taking his re-ride option:

Bobby 6-16

Asay on the Mend

Powell, WY bull rider Kanin Asay was unable to attend the Cody event due to hip surgery he underwent Monday in Nashville. “It was a major deal,” Asay told us today. He and his wife, Sydney, will return to Wyoming tomorrow. Kanin says the four-hour surgery performed by Dr. Thomas Byrd was very involved because of the extensive loose cartilage at and near the right hip joint. Kanin says he feels good and has already undergone three sessions of rehab. “Doing this now saved the potential of extremely bad consequences had I waited,” he said. Dr. Byrd is the top U.S. surgeon for the kind of work Asay needed. “He was recommended by the trainer for the Houston Texans and by Dr. Tandy Freeman (Justin Sports Medicine),” Asay reports. The prognosis for a full recovery is good and doctors told Kanin he’ll need four to six months recovery time. “I feel good and plan to get back to business sooner than they are saying now.”

Asay is still at the #8 spot in the world standings. The loss of his mother in a recent horse accident in Powell is weighing on Kanin’s mind but he is at peace. “She didn’t suffer and I know where she is – happy and safe with the Lord.”

Harris a Hit

It is one thing to be a champion in the rodeo arena and quite another to be one in life. Team roper Bobby Harris is a proven winner, and leader, all around. He raised his sons in Gillette, WY and their welfare is his highest priority. Harris did find time to help promote Wyoming as part of our recent marketing effort in Portland, Oregon. He was the biggest draw of the event in Pioneer Square staged by the Wyoming Office of Tourism:

Bobby H 6-16

Rodeo Road

Road trips this weekend take us to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Casper and the 1st annual “Chris LeDoux Days” in Kaycee. Some of the good hands we’ve been watching for a year or so such as bronc rider Merritt Smith from Gillette (UW), Casper College bronc rider Ray Tom Meiers and a pair of bareback riders out in the Casper College red vests – Chance Madsen and Justin Moldaschel – are all still in the hunt. Gillette College has a number of contestants doing well at the finals. Wyoming media coverage is the best yet for the event that this year chose to stay in Casper for the foreseeable future.

We had the opportunity to visit with three of Chris LeDoux’s sons last week. Peggy LeDoux and the clan have been sprucing up Chris LeDoux Memorial Park and we’re all looking forward to a Kaycee trip Saturday. Here’s a television news/sports feature on the subject we sent out to our friends at outlets in Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana:

LeDoux 6-16

Matched bronc and bareback riding starts at 1 pm Saturday afternoon. There will also be never-a-dull-moment Native American relay racing. Street dances in the late afternoon open with Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band. Chris’ band, Western Underground with new lead singer and frontman Lane Turner, take the stage at about 9 pm Saturday. They’ve been honing a new two-hour set that covers a bunch of LeDoux originals. This is a great opportunity for fans to get a first-look at the “Legacy of Chris LeDoux” show Western Underground unveils June 24 as headliner at the 20th annual Country Jam in Grand Junction, CO.

CNFR Signing

Those of you in the Casper area Friday for CNFR can meet, shake hands, and pick up a free autograph sheet from Team Wyoming stand-outs Dusty Tuckness, Les Shepperson and Chet Johnson. Dusty is protecting bull riders again this year in Casper and is pro rodeo’s reigning “Bullfighter of the Year.”

Les, a national finals steer wrestler, is stopping at the family ranch in nearby Midwest and will take the time to visit with rodeo fans before his coming runs in North Platte, NE and Reno.

Chet Johnson was a CNFR qualifier in 2001 and won the Wyoming high school saddle bronc title in 1999. Pro rodeo fans have watched Chet’s heroic outings at the Calgary Stampede in wonder.

We’ll be on the main concourse, northeast corner, sharing space graciously offered by Powder River Rodeo Equipment. Plan to visit and say “howdy” from 6:00 to 6:45 tomorrow evening. We’ll have some freebies to hand out including a DVD tribute to Chris LeDoux.

Two for Cheyenne

There are now two of pro rodeo’s top bull riders making Cheyenne home. Seth Glause follows dad Tom to the state’s capital city. Tom is a close friend and supporter of Governor Matt Mead and the elder Glause has taken a post with the State Board of Equalization.

Clayton Savage lives in Cheyenne when not on the rodeo road. Clayton’s fiancé is working toward her degree at Laramie County Community College in the dental hygienist program. Savage is currently #9 in the world standings while Glause is just a couple of thousand dollars out of the Top 15. Both men are in Nevada for Xtreme Bulls competition that opens the big Reno Rodeo tonight.There are now two of pro rodeo’s top bull riders making Cheyenne home.

Laramie Good to Casper

2011-05-02T14:24:00.000-06:00

The 62nd annual Laramie River Rendezvous to end the college rodeo regular season saw the Gillette College men overcome by upstart Casper College for the regional men’s title and a team trip to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) for the first time in more than two decades. Casper coach Tom Parker’s young men and women picked up a lot of ground in the finals yesterday while Gillette was unable to hold their 50-point lead going in:

Tom Parker 5-2

Casper freshman Riley Krassin finished the season as the regional co-champ in steer wrestling. Megan Shrock’s Sunday outing got her to the #3 spot in breakaway roping overall in the Central Rockies region and a trip to the CNFR representing Casper College. Thunderbird bareback rider Justin Moldaschel spurred a 74-point ride Sunday to split the Laramie rodeo title for his event:

Bareback ride 5-2

Moldaschel, a Minnesota native and farrier by trade, finished the season #2 overall. Bareback riding teammate Chance Madsen won the region. Both young men give a lot of credit for their success to Casper College assistant coach Kelly Timberman who won pro rodeo’s bareback riding championship in 2004:

Kelly 5-2

Timberman heads back on the pro rodeo road this weekend in a bid for his eighth straight appearance at the national finals.

Welsh Wins Again

2011-04-19T14:33:00.000-06:00

Gillette, WY bull rider Bobby Welsh won the semi-final round at the Laughlin, Nevada Xtreme Bulls competition over the weekend with a score of 89 points. Welsh’ cash total from the event rang upwards of $7,300 insuring a rise in the world standings. The Laughlin Xtreme Bulls will be televised nationally next Sunday evening on GAC.

Casper College Men to Make CNFR

The city of Casper has hosted the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) for a number of years and until now its own college men’s team hasn’t been able to drive to the Casper Events Center as a group to compete. Barring some extremely unlikely outcomes at the final college rodeo of the Central Rocky Mountain Region season in Laramie at the end of the month, the Casper College men will be there for the CNFR in mid-June. Coach Tom Parker visited with us at the annual Ropin’ & Riggin’ event in The Arena on the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds last weekend:

Parker 4-19

Adding assistant coach Kelly Timberman (Team Wyoming bareback rider) has been a major factor in the Casper College success story this year. Their bareback riders, Chance Madsen and Justin Moldaschel, are #1 & #2 in the region. Madsen is from Pine Bluffs, WY and he doesn’t hesitate to credit Timberman’s tutelage:

Chance 4-19

One of the nicest Casper College surprises has been the work of freshman Riley Krassin from Lander. He won the all-around title at the Ropin- & Riggin’ event and started things out with an impressive 4.3 second run in the steer wrestling competition:

Riley 4-19

WYO Man Wins Torrington National Finals

There’s no question the biggest group of the best horsemen and cow horses in the country were in Torrington this past weekend. The town hosted the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping with five pro rodeo circuits represented. A Mountain States man won it all. Trent Mills of Gillette shared his love of cowboying with us:

Trent 4-19

Mills won more than $10K at the Torrington event. His mountain of cash gave the Mountain States Circuit the top finish among the five competing in Torrington. Veteran announcer Jim Thompson airs one of the smoothest sessions you’ll ever hear in a rodeo arena. He spent a little time discussing steer roping before the action began:

Thompson 4-19

Organizers in Torrington say they improved on their inaugural year in 2010 and plan on an even better 2012.

Catch at NFR

2011-04-11T15:24:00.000-06:00

filed by Chuck Coon
One of the most popular shows on cable television returns to rough waters for another season of “Deadliest Catch” starting tomorrow on Discovery Channel. Star Josh Harris was at rodeo’s biggest show in Las Vegas last December as a guest of Team Wyoming bareback rider Kelly Timberman. Harris stopped in the alley for a brief chat with us:

fish

Entertainment Weekly magazine is a little higher brow in its description of the show as “a breathtaking look at the lives of the fearless and foulmouthed men who put themselves at risk to catch crab in the Bering Sea.”

Rodeo, at least bull riding, got a good shot on national network television yesterday with the airing of a Florida PBR event on NBC right after a National Hockey League game broadcast.

Team WYO Update

Team Wyoming bullfighter Dusty Tuckness had his right shoulder scoped at the end of March and will be undergoing rehab and rebuilding his strength for another seven weeks. The “bullfighter of the year” from Meeteetse, WY plans to return to action June 1.

Team roper Bobby Harris of Gillette has changed partners upon the relocation of Britt Williams to California. The former world champion, Harris, will have Matt Sherwood of Arizona on the head for the 2011 summer season. Sherwood has won the world championship each of his two trips to the NFR. Harris held his popular Gillette roping clinic over the weekend and will lead another Wyoming school in Buffalo in early June.

Two Team Wyoming cowboys made the pay window at Pocatello’s Western Frontier Rodeo, April 7-9. Team roper Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell collected $1,135 each by placing third in the first round. Rock Springs bull rider Seth Glause took third-place (tie) overall at Pocatello to win $1,900. He’d also picked up a check at the Xtreme Bulls event that opened the rodeo. Powder River Rodeo Co. / D&H Cattle of Riverton handled the lead contracting chores.

Torrington Hosts National Roping Event

Pro steer ropers from four circuits representing eight states are converging on Torrington for the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping this weekend. The main event away from the arena is the “Wagon Wheel Buffet” Saturday evening at the Rendezvous Center in Torrington. There is steer roping each day, Friday-Sunday, indoors at the Goshen County Fairgrounds. It’s the second year for Torrington to take on this event and organizers are urging all rodeo fans to stop by for some of the action. You can call: 307-532-2525 for more information.

Some Days Are Stone

2011-04-04T08:22:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

Wyoming cowboys entered the last rounds of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City yesterday with opportunities to win championships in four events. Just one got past the “round of eight” and bull rider Seth Glause of Rock Springs was bucked off early in the final four competition to end a really rough day for the Mountain States gang. Such is rodeo. You just have to move on to the next one.

Good news is there were many contestants who qualified and moved on without a check from the rodeo secretary while the Wyoming squad cashed in very well.

Here is the Team Wyoming hefty cash collection:

Seth Glause - $9,049

Kelly Timberman - $8,501

Jhett Johnson - $6,855

Steer wrestler John Franzen isn’t suited up on Team Wyoming yet as he must qualify for the national finals rodeo first. He’s well on the way now after winning more than $11,500 in OK City.

Big Wyo Finish at Finals

2011-04-03T08:58:00.000-06:00

Of the seven events at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, four will feature Wyoming cowboys with a chance at a championship today – two are at the top of the leader board and two are #2. Team Wyoming’s Seth Glause has the highest score in bull riding – 88 points – and it has held up to make him the overall leader heading into the semi-finals which will have the top eight riders trimmed to four in a clean-slate round to follow later in the afternoon.

Steer wrestler John Franzen from Riverton has been nothing less than spectacular in Oklahoma City. He wowed the crowd with a blazing 3.6 second run yesterday and his combined time of 7.7 seconds on two runs places him as the #1 man going into the final rounds today. His money winnings totals have gone a long way toward giving the Mountain States Circuit (Wyoming-Colorado) the lead over all others thus far.

Mills, Wyoming bareback rider and Team Wyoming stand-out Kelly Timberman spurred a raucous 83-point session yesterday to assure his buck-out for a championship Sunday:

kelly 4-3-2011

Timberman goes into today’s final rounds in the number two slot. He has every intention of heading to the winner’s circle once the day is done.

In the team roping competition, Team Wyoming’s Jhett Johnson from Casper and partner Garrett Tonozzi from Fruita, CO climbed to the #2 position overall with their 6.3 second run yesterday:

Jhett 4-3-2011

The Dodge National Circuit Finals Champions will be crowned late this afternoon. Competition begins at 1 p.m. central time.

WYO Night More Than OK

2011-04-02T11:45:00.000-06:00

by Chuck Coon

Crowds picked up in number and Team Wyoming cowboys gathered steam at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo’s Friday night performance. Seth Glause is one of only four men who’ve been able to make the whistle in bull riding and he has the top score of the first round. He mastered Burns Rodeo Company’s Kid Twist for 88 points. The bucking bull raised in Laramie is one of the best in the business. Glause had a shot on him in the final round of the NFR in Vegas last December and could not stay on top long enough. Last night in Oklahoma City it was Seth’s time to shine. His dad Tom watched on with anxious pride:

seth 4-2-2011

Seth Glause won $4,525 as top finisher in the first round but it’s the mental momentum swing to the positive side of the season ledger that is bound to do a lot more than money ever could.

Casper team roper Jhett Johnson and partner Garrett Tonozzi of Fruita, CO won the Friday night performance with a smooth 5.8 second run. They picked up third-place money of $2,468 overall in the first round:

Jhett 4-2-2011

Bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills, WY had the highest score of the night Friday marking for 77 points on a horse called “Shasta” and earning $1,645 – fourth place to end the first round. Kelly is sporting a new look that features a VERY close-cropped head of hair:

kelly 4-2-2011

Yes, he did lose a bet.

All contestants will take another shot in the second round during two performances today at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. The top eight move on for the finals on Sunday.

Meet the Cowboys

If you are in OK City be sure to visit our Wyoming booth in the arena. The 2010 “Bullfighter of the Year” Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse is there to sign autographs every session and all of our national circuit finalists as expected to be on hand this evening.

OK National Circuit Finals Underway

2011-04-01T08:33:00.000-06:00

The 25th annual Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo began its run in Oklahoma City last night after a PRCA decision to depart Pocatello, ID. Fan attendance was sparse and arena communication was somewhat off kilter the first time out but hopes are high there will be improvements all around as the weekend continues.

Bull rider Clayton Savage was the only Team Wyoming representative in the competition last night. He had trouble in the chute with a bull called War Paint. Once Savage was able to nod he did not have the seat he wanted and came off early. Clayton, now a Cheyenne resident, had to head to a rodeo in Lubbock, TX right after his OK City attempt. He’ll return here tomorrow.

Seth Glause from Rock Springs will be making his first go at the national circuit finals tonight as will Casper team roper Jhett Johnson.

Pros with Wyoming connections did find some success last night. Bull rider Shawn Proctor – a Northwest Wyoming College product – handled Blue Bonnet of Classic Pro Rodeo’s string for a score of 85 points and second place. You can get a look here courtesy of our video man Mike McCrimmon and pay close attention to the congratulations afterward provided by bullfighter Cade Burns who is from Laramie:

bull4-1

In the bareback riding competition, Dave Worsfold scored 80 points on J Bar J’s Rolling Lizard. Worsfold is from Australia but moved to Cody after a couple of wins at the Cody Stampede. His turn in OK City last night was good for a second-place tie:

Worsfold 4-1

The Wyoming Office of Tourism in manning and womanning a booth at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. Our Team Wyoming special guests signing autographs tonight are Seth Glause, Jhett Johnson and the 2010 “Bullfighter of the Year” Dusty Tuckness.

Dodge Nationals on New Stage

2011-03-30T14:36:00.000-06:00

Circuit finals winners from across the country are this week converging on Oklahoma City for the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo. It runs Thursday through Sunday in the state fair arena that was home to the national finals rodeo for several years. The 25th annual event is in OK City for the first time following the decision last year to part ways with Pocatello, ID.

Team Wyoming cowboys competing at the finals include bull riders Seth Glause and Clayton Savage, team roping heeler Jhett Johnson and bareback rider Kelly Timberman.

Riverton’s John Franzen will be wrestling steers and parents Lori and Hank of Powder River Rodeo Co./D&H Cattle are providing three bucking bulls for the competition. Burns Rodeo Co. of Laramie is supplying five bulls out of their well-stocked pen. Hal Burns’ son Cade is fighting bulls and protecting cowboys at the finals. Triple V Rodeo Co. of Casper has a horse out in the bronc riding.

FREE Chris LeDoux DVD

Mo Betta Rodeo Co., contractors for the Cody Nite Rodeo and Cody Stampede, will have animals out in all of the rough stock events at the national circuit finals. Team Wyoming’s Dusty Tuckness, the 2010 bullfighter of the year, is going to be in Oklahoma helping with that livestock. Dusty, who lives in Meeteetse just down the road from Cody, is a longtime friend of the Tate family – owners of Mo Betta. Tuckness and the members of Team Wyoming competing at the national circuit finals will be visiting our Wyoming booth before and after the performances. You are welcome to stop by to meet them and get autographs. We’ll post a schedule once it’s firmed. We will have many Wyoming items to giveaway including several DVDs including a tribute to Chris LeDoux. He won the world championship in bareback riding at the national finals in Oklahoma (the very same arena) 35 years ago.

The Wyoming Office of Tourism will follow all of the action at the national circuit finals and place it here on “The Rodeo Hand.”

Rock Springs Gains Mtn. States

Congratulations to Tom Glause, Rock Springs municipal judge and father of Seth, for his work in bringing the Mountain States Circuit Finals to Rock Springs beginning this fall, Oct. 20-22. The rodeo has been staged in Denver the last several years. It will now bring many of the top cowboys and cowgirls from Wyoming and Colorado to the indoor arena at the Sweetwater Events Complex for the next five years. Winners of the event are the contestants that move on to the national circuit finals in Oklahoma City.

Steer Roping Finals Nears

As top roping hand Harold Bumgardner told us last year: “you’re either a fan of steer roping or you’re not.” If you are, mark the calendar to be in Torrington April 15-17 for the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping. It’s the second year for Torrington and everyone in the rodeo community is working hard to help make the event a success.

Welsh Keeps Winning

Bobby Welsh along with his red vest and boots continued a three-week high by riding three bulls at the rodeo in Austin, TX last weekend. That’s nine-for-nine since his start at Rodeo Houston. The Gillette man told the Cowboy State Radio News Network today he has a “peaceful” feeling every time out and it’s difficult for even him to explain. What can be explained is the additional $7K he pocketed in Austin. That money added to his 2011 earnings moves Bobby into the Top 15 of the world standings for the first time this year. Once he’s there, Welsh (#15) is hard to knock out.

With the Welsh addition to the Top 15 this week, there is a full Team Wyoming house in that coveted grouping as we enter April. Kanin Asay of Powell is #6, Clayton Savage of Cheyenne is now #10, Seth Glause of Rock Springs – 13th.

The Wonder of Welsh

2011-03-21T10:55:00.000-06:00

by Chuck Coon

Most of us who know real cowboys aren’t impressed with people who put on a Stetson and boots for two or three weeks a year, pick up a drawl, jut their chins and act tough. Save John Wayne for the movies. The stoic, emotionless, cardboard cutout cowboy – if such an animal ever existed – doesn’t work on the ranges, in rodeo arenas or even for the movies today.

I’ve seen as rough and tumble a cowboy movie actor that lives shed a tear while sitting astride a horse reciting a poem about Wyoming.

I watched Tuff Hedeman cry when ambulance attendants at Cheyenne Frontier Days placed a dying Lane Frost in an ambulance behind the bucking chutes in 1989.

I have cried soaking in a sunrise outside of Cody. But then, I am half Irish.

It was a Wyoming Welsh mans’ turn to cry Saturday in Houston. Bobby Welsh won the bull riding at Rodeo Houston. Let’s say that one more time. Bobby Welsh won the bull riding at Rodeo Houston. Boy, did he win it. The Gillette man was first out in the final four of the championship round. He was on a bull called “Iron Horse” from the Do or Die Rodeo Co. His seat firmly planted, Bobby wasn’t about to go down early.

Rodeo announcer Boyd Polhamus interviewed Bobby Welsh right after the section ended as a national television audience and a Reliant Stadium crowd in excess of 70,000 looked on. People in the stands were clearly moved by what Welsh had to say:

Rodeo 3-21-recap

Bobby Welsh won a total of $61,350 before taxes in Houston. Team Wyoming bull riders all have checks from that rodeo – Kanin Asay: $16,667; Clayton Savage: $8,400 & Seth Glause: $2,500.

Team roper Jhett Johnson from Casper and partner Turtle Powell collected $11,000 at Rodeo Houston and Gillette team roper Bobby Harris with partner Britt Williams won $6,000.

WYO in Wild Card

2011-03-18T14:35:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

It’s wild card night at Rodeo Houston where three Team Wyoming cowboys will vie for spots in Saturday’s championship round. Team roping heelers Jhett Johnson of Casper and Gillette’s Bobby Harris are going to be making a run at it as is bull rider Seth Glause, Rock Springs. The top two contestants in each event of tonight’s wild card round move on.

Bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette was the only man to make the eight second tilt last night in his semi-finals grouping and has now collected $11,350 in Houston. Powell’s Kanin Asay was afforded a spot in the finals because of his standing coming into last night. Clayton Savage, who lives in Cheyenne, had secured a finals slot earlier in the week.

A couple of other good Wyoming cowboys are still alive and will be going all out in the Rodeo Houston wild card rodeo tonight. Steer wrestler John Franzen of Riverton and bareback rider Dave Worsfold, a Cody resident and native of Australia, remain in the running.

Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness works every night at Rodeo Houston. He spoke with us today after 17 straight nights in the massive Reliant Stadium arena:

dustyhouston.mov

Once Saturday’s championship round ends the top four contestants in each event advance to the Sunday Shootout at Houston. Event winners Sunday are going to be flashing their biggest smiles of the year because the shootout pays $50,000.

Houston Field Narrowed

2011-03-17T09:24:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

Bobby Welsh

Two Wyoming bull riders and a team roper from Gillette will go for the green tonight at Rodeo Houston. Bobby Welsh has already won $9K and he is aboard “Rock N Rolla” in an attempt to make the championship round, Saturday. Kanin Asay will be the last man out in the bull riding. He has to conquer an animal known as “Super Bad.” All bulls tonight are the products of David Bailey Rodeo Co. In case you don’t know already, that means they are really good bucking bulls.

Bull rider Clayton Savage of Cheyenne stayed on last night and will ride in the Houston championship finals Saturday. Savage was one of just three to make the whistle scoring 68 points and collecting $900. He’s pocketed $7,900 out of Houston so far. Seth Glause of Rock Springs went off early last night. He still has a shot in the wild card round.

Bobby Harris and team roping partner Britt Williams will be the first pair out tonight. Last night, Casper team roper Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell suffered a no time in their run but have a chance to make the championship round if they can finish first or second in the wild card event on Friday.

All of the competition is available live at: http://www.foxsportshouston.com/ – at no charge.

LeDoux Event Announced

The town of Kaycee will host ‘Chris LeDoux Days’ this summer over Father’s Day Weekend. Pretty good choice for the father of five and his wife Peggy told us the event is going to feature Chris’ band in a night show to follow matched bareback and bronc riding at the arena in Kaycee. One of Chris’ closest friends, John Forbes, will provide livestock and run the 1 p.m. rodeo event in honor of his longtime pal. Chris LeDoux is memorialized in a life-and-a-half sized bronze statute erected in a lovely park in the heart of Kaycee.

Lane Turner

Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band is scheduled to perform at 4:30 the afternoon of June 18 a short time after the rodeo events are staged. It’s a good idea to look into an overnight stay in Kaycee, Buffalo or Casper since Western Underground won’t be playing until about 9 p.m.

Western Underground has a new lead singer and front-man. He is Lane Turner who is really talented and someone you’ll want to meet in Kaycee. You can stay on top of what’s happening with the band at: http://www.westernunderground.com/. Chancey’s band movements can be tracked here: http://www.theyoungerbrothersband.com/

WYO Aussie Winning

One of the semifinalists at Rodeo Houston is a big Chris LeDoux fan poised to break into the top 15 of the world standings. Dave Worsfold is a talented young bareback rider who’ll be first out tonight. Worsfold now calls Cody, WY home and probably should after winning the Cody Stampede twice. He has collected $4,250 so far in Houston and is in the #20 position of the PRCA world standings. Worsfold hails from Queensland, Australia and while his winnings in Houston won’t add to his official total, the money will make travel and entry fees easier to handle in the coming months.

Six in the Semis

2011-03-16T11:20:00.000-06:00

By Chuck Coon

A clean slate greets six Team Wyoming cowboys who’ve advanced to the semi-final rounds at Rodeo Houston beginning tonight. Each is devoted to his craft and has an eye on the Sunday finals that conclude with a $50,000 check for event winners. Because of a fall-out between the Houston rodeo and the PRCA, Rodeo Houston’s no longer a sanctioned event by pro rodeo’s oversight organization therefore money won will not go toward contestant world standings. The checks still cash though and the cowboys haven’t paid a $500 entry fee to be charitable. It is a prestigious event and more fans attend the Houston affair than any other rodeo in the country – by a large margin.

Semi-final round one this evening features Wyoming bull riders Clayton Savage of Cheyenne and Seth Glause, Rock Springs. Bulls out tonight are all owned by Do or Die Rodeo Co. Clayton is on one called “Silver Lining Herbs Money Marker” and Seth takes on “Alligator Roll.” Savage, Glause and Kanin Asay from Powell are all in the top 15 of pro rodeo’s world standings.

Casper team roper Jhett Johnson and partner Turtle Powell (2010 Rodeo Houston Champ) from Texas compete tonight to begin their quest for Super Shootout Sunday. Jhett is currently #14 in the world standings for heelers. Johnson told me last week he’d like to pick up another $5-6K yet this winter to affix a solid spot heading into the summer season.

Two Wyoming-bred horses buck out tonight and both are products of Burch Rodeo Co., Rozet.

In the second round of the semis, team roper Bobby Harris from Gillette with partner Britt Williams compete tomorrow night. They netted $6K in super-series competition that wrapped up last night. Here are their two money-winning runs:

Rodeo 3-16

Wyoming bull riders Kanin Asay and Bobby Welsh of Gillette meet their matches in the Rodeo Houston semi-finals tomorrow night.

Rodeo fans have good, free and live, television via computer access to the action in Houston at: http://www.foxsportshouston.com/

Welsh Wins

2011-03-14T15:56:00.000-06:00

Gillette, WY bull rider Bobby Welsh is having a Houston heyday – three of them in fact. He’s the only man who’s been able to stay on every bull they’ve drawn for him winning Super Series #4 with an aggregate total of 247 points on three rides. Bobby won two of three rounds and was the sole rider to make a qualified ride in his series championship round Saturday night. Our highlights are courtesy of Rodeo Houston TV and Wyoming Office of Tourism video man Mike McCrimmon:

Bobby 3-14

Welsh won $9,000 in his Super Series. He and Powell’s Kanin Asay have been drawn into the second round of Rodeo Houston’s semi-finals. Clayton Savage of Cheyenne and Seth Glause from Rock Springs are in the first grouping of semi-finalists. They all return to the chute box later this week. None of the previous scores carry over to the next round of competition. Rodeo Houston concludes Sunday.

Gillette team roper Bobby Harris came out clean to start his Super Series (#5) at Rodeo Houston. Harris and partner Britt Williams tallied a 5.6 second run to tie for first place last night.

Will Farrell from Thermopolis was one of just three bull riders who scored Sunday night in Houston. Farrell finished in third place to open Super Series #5 with a 71.5 point ride.

Team WYO Tackles Texas

2011-03-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

By Chuck Coon

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is a really big show and so far many of its rodeo stars work their pastures in Big Wyoming. Team Wyoming bull riders have now each won money in Houston and bullfighter Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse has to be somewhat sore after working the huge Houston arena every night since March 1. The rodeo continues through March 20. Bobby Welsh of Gillette is in the fourth grouping of five at Rodeo Houston. He’s one of just two bull riding pros able to make the whistle last night. Welsh’ 82-point outing gave him second place and a thousand dollars. He’ll be up again the next two nights.

By banking cash last night, Welsh joins the lofty company of his fellow Wyoming bull riders – Kanin Asay, Clayton Savage and Seth Glause – who each have won a round in Houston. They’ve advanced to the semi-finals still several days away. Asay and Savage are leading their super-series grouping. We can show you some of their outstanding work courtesy of Rodeo Houston TV and our video man, Mike McCrimmon:

Clayton & Kanin

That last shot shows why Clayton Savage won “wreck of the night” honors for his first Houston outing which ended with the bull stepping squarely on the Savage butt. Good things are possible out of such situations. That wreck designation came with two roundtrip airline tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S. The Cheyenne resident told me today he’ll be in need of those flights really soon. Might have to sit on a pillow, but such is life.

Seth Glause was the only bull rider to stay on in the third round of his series. The winning cash of $2,500 takes the Rock Springs man to the semi-finals in Houston.

Not to be outdone by the rough stock boys, Casper team roper Jhett Johnson is curling in high cotton in Texas. He and partner Turtle Powell won their series and have cruised to the semi-finals at Houston winning $11,000 so far with two great runs out of three:

jhett

Does anyone else get a chuckle out of this team roping pair and the opposing nature of their first names – Turtle and Jhett?

Glause Has Bounce

2011-02-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

Rock Springs bull rider Seth Glause has it going on early in the 2011 regular season. He finished second in the afternoon performance yesterday at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo scoring 81 points on a bull called Hot Diggity Damn. Seth assured a semi-finals berth with that outing.

Last night, in the initial primetime national cable television broadcast of pro rodeo on GAC (Great American Country) Glause looked Wyoming fine in his match with Tiger Lips in the finals of the San Antonio X-Bulls:

seth

Glause collected nearly $4,400 in that X-Bulls competition.

GAC has a country music focus and network owners have decided to devote 90 minutes on Sunday nights to rodeo. We encourage you to take a gander. Dan Miller of Cody says we can count on Great American Country to give our sport its due all year long, and for many years to come.

WYO Bull Riders Sitting Well

2011-02-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

By Chuck Coon

The 2011 regular season in pro rodeo is off and bucking in timely fashion for the team of Wyoming bull riders that are proudly stitched with the logo of their home state. With the addition of crisply fresh paychecks gathered since Feb. 4 by Gillette’s Bobby Welsh in San Antonio, all four of Team WYO’s bull riders have now stuffed good jingle in their jeans to get the year off to a grand beginning. Welsh had the top bull ride Sunday in San Antonio and he’s won $5,700 there so far. He was the toast of the town earlier this year in Rapid City at the Black Hills Stock Show. Our friends at KOTA television decided to allow a reporter the chance to learn bull riding from one of the best:

bobby 2011 kota

The biggest bull riding payday thus far in 2011 was secured by Clayton Savage. Now engaged to be married and living in Cheyenne with his fiancé, Savage won the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo last weekend to pick up more than $11,600 and vault to the #6 spot in the world standings.

Seth Glause is off to his best start in the pro ranks with strong, consistent showings at several rodeos. The lanky Rock Springs man has a tendency to let his actions do the talking and he is walking away with money from just about every stop. Glause has climbed to the #5 spot in the world standings. His determinative demeanor is ever evident in 2011.

Kanin Asay and his wife Sydney are expecting their first child and Kanin is planning on a win at the Omaha playoffs in late September to precede the new baby’s birth. Asay is also a rider on Consistency Road in 2011 managing to find a good seat regularly. He’s won enough in San Antonio to qualify for the semi-finals in that competition continuing through Feb. 19.

Summer Rodeo Series

2011-01-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

=G Rodeo Series, Pine Bluffs
May 30-August 1 (Friday nights 7 p.m.)
Cody Nite Rodeo, Cody
June-August (Nightly 8 p.m.)
Dubois Rodeo, Dubois
June-August (Friday nights 8 p.m.)
Evanston Rodeo Series, Evanston
June-July (Nightly 7 p.m.)
Jackson Hole Rodeo, Jackson
June-August (Saturday nights 8 p.m.)

Signature Rodeos

2011-01-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Listed by date

National Circuit Finals Steer Roping, Torrington
2012 TBD
College National Finals Rodeo, Casper
June 10-16, 2012
Cody/Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls and Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede Rodeo, Cody
2012 TBD
National High School Finals Rodeo, Rock Springs
July 15-25, 2012
Mountain States Circuit Finals, Rock Springs
October 26-28, 2012

WYO Collects in MT

2010-12-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

Two of Wyoming’s top rough stock riders won the honors at a big annual affair in Billings over the weekend. Kelly Timberman of Mills, WY won the bareback riding competition and Will Farrell of Thermopolis was tops in bull riding. Seth Glause from Rock Springs also picked up a paycheck riding a bull. The full story can be viewed here as written by Joe Kusek of the Billings Gazette:

Timberman becomes first 3-time Chase Hawks champ

The Final Boogie

2010-12-12T22:10:00.001-07:00

The last blast from us out of the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is courtesy of our talented video man Mike McCrimmon. We’ve made it to Wyoming tonight albeit just inside the border from Utah in Evanston. Feels good to be home. Good enough to want to get up and shake it a bit with Joe Satriani’s guitar. The finals in quick review is hereby rocked your way to Satch Boogie:

Music NFR

Kelly Timberman

2010-12-12T20:41:00.001-07:00

One of the top Wyoming cowboys competing at the national finals in Las Vegas this year is looking toward the future. Here is a rare look behind the scenes at hard practice and a new life in coaching:

kelly NFR pkg

Kelly Timberman has a ranch outside of Casper. He says officials at Casper College have been understanding of his desire to continue a pro rodeo career and will allow him to do so.

Round Ten – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Saturday

2010-12-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Timberman Triumphs

Kelly Timberman quietly beat the house big-time pocketing a shade over $100,000 over the past ten days in Las Vegas. The Mills, WY bareback rider won the final go-round spurring to 88.5 points on a horse called Dueces Night:

Kelly 12-11

Timberman collected more than $46,000 Saturday night the bulk of which came from his third-place finish in the average. He also jumped to the #3 spot in the world standings to complete an outstanding 2010 campaign.

Fringe Wins

The Burch Bros. of Rozet, WY have good reason to smile after Saturday’s outing by their beautiful bronc known as Lunitic Fringe. Much credit goes to rider Heith DeMoss who laid it all on the line for the round ten victory with a score of 87.5 points:

lunitic 12-11

Bulls Bring Hurt

Several bull riders were hobbled in the final performance at this years’ national finals rodeo. Steve Woolsey of Utah was the most seriously injured but he was conscious an able to move his arms and legs after being stepped on a couple of times. Powell’s Kanin Asay got his bell rung but was walking and coherent. Bobby Welsh of Gillette gave it his best shot but came off a little early. He was most thankful for the appearance of bullfighter Dusty Tuckness at the end of the session:

Dusty- bobby 12-11

Wyoming bull riders at the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo ended the year #5, #10 & #15 – Kanin Asay, Bobby Welsh and Seth Glause respectively.

Video meister Mike McCrimmon is compiling a fantastic music and moving picture piece on this years’ NFR. We will have that for you here by Sunday evening.

We appreciate your support of Team Wyoming and hope you’ll come out to cheer these fine cowboys next year.

Our thanks to the PRCA media office (Jim Bainbridge) and Winnercomm Productions for their invaluable cooperation throughout the NFR.

Round 9 – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Friday Night

2010-12-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

JW Harris secured his third straight world championship in bull riding last night and the saddle bronc chase will go down to the wire between Cody Wright and Wade Sundell.
Timberman is Top Man

Kelly Timberman is nothing if not positive and persistent. He is an athlete who epitomizes the word – a person who trains hard, competes even harder and will overcome every obstacle to win. Timberman said all week he’d get the right draw and win a round. Done deal. Round nine belonged to the Mills, WY man and 2004 world champion bareback rider. The horse was one his brother had won a rodeo on early this year and Chris told Kelly it should be a good fit. Timberman got Bar Bandit to shine and Kelly’s super spurring made for a gigantic, crowd- pleasing score of 86.5 points. The heart of this Wyoming champion was busting out of his shirt:

Kelly 12-10

Timberman’s round victory netted a well-deserved buckle and $17,500 assuring another top ten finish in the world standings.

Welsh Handles Hot Wired

Bobby Welsh of Gillette won another $10,450 enjoying a fine round nine on a bull called Hot Wired. Welsh nudged ever so close to the 90-point mark in his dizzying spin to the whistle that gave him a third-place finish for the night:

Bobby 12-10

His success resulted in Bobby once again surpassing the $100,000 mark for the year.

Round 8 – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Thursday

2010-12-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

There was an arena record set in the Thomas & Mack Center tonight by barrel racing legend Sherry Cervi. She has been a rodeo star for a long time and smiled from ear to ear after her blazing run of 13.49 seconds.
Mills, WY bareback rider Kelly Timberman will be featured here on “The Rodeo Hand” tomorrow so those of you who don’t know Kelly will learn a little more about his practice regimen and his relatively new rodeo coaching work at Casper College.

Kelly Tops Two

In round eight of the NFR Kelly Timberman was marked at 77 points on his horse, Moon Hawk, and given a reride option. Kelly chose to go at it again and bumped up a couple of points to 79 on a bucker known as Mama Mia. As it turned out, once the bareback section was over Kelly would have finished fifth either way. Hard to know that though when you’re the first man out. Thankfully there is plenty of ice in the Justin Sports Medicine training room.

Kelly 12-9

Rank & Foul

The aforementioned doctor’s office was full during and after the bull riding. Man after man was pummeled without mercy. Only one scored ride was the result. Tyler Smith of Fruita, Colorado collected all the cash but he’d trade it to have kept Chad Denton out of harm’s way. Denton was protected from possible injury last night when bullfighter Dusty Tuckness separated him from the bull and Dusty was sent airbone several feet. Tonight there wasn’t much the bullfighters could do to help:

Bull crash 12-9

Denton was transported to the hospital after the rodeo for treatment of a serious leg injury. He was tossed around by a Wyoming bull nicknamed Kool & Sexy owned by D & H Cattle/Powder River Rodeo Co. of Riverton.

Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness

2010-12-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

The “bullfighter of the year” is living a dream at his second national finals rodeo appearance in Las Vegas and he’s building quite a fan base along the way:

Dusty pkg

Dusty Tuckness lives in the tiny northern Wyoming town of Meeteetse. He picked up the fundamentals from his father and honed his craft over many years at the nightly summer rodeos in Cody, Wyoming

Round Seven – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Wednesday

2010-12-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

That television commercial in which Charlie Daniels wails on his fiddle and declares: “that’s how it’s done son” came to mind as the man in the flesh performed before the rodeo tonight. He was gracious backstage as always and stayed throughout the show meeting fans, signing autographs, and enjoying life. Pretty cool cat especially for a fellow in his seventies.

Too Much Bull

Kanin Asay was moving on his own power after his night on three bulls but to say he was sore, and stunned, would be a big understatement. Since we’ve the good fortune to have the one and only Dusty Tuckness (bullfighter of the year) in our stable of sponsored cowpokes let’s allow DT and our own video wizard Mike McCrimmon to show and explain Kanin’s torturous Wednesday at the national finals:

kanin 12-8

A large number of fans stayed for the overtime and were disappointed that Asay could not keep his seat. They applauded his grit with gusto. Dusty Tuckness and Kanin Asay have been close friends since high school in northern Wyoming. The experience they’re sharing at the national finals is really special to watch.

Bobby Welsh of Gillette got on a bull called Reeces Pieces and Welsh was quite familiar with his draw. The ride was scored 86.5 points to give Welsh a third-place finish and a check for $10,450:

Bobby 12-8

We cannot depart the day without showing a chute shot absorbed by Dusty Tuckness. Bull rider Chad Denton was untouched. Dusty was more than nudged. He was rocketed on an unscheduled flight. Watch closely from left to upper right:

Dusty 12-8

Round Six – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Tuesday

2010-12-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

The best sight of the night was the appearance and smile of Ryan Gray in the Thomas & Mack Cente. Gray is out of the hospital and on the road to repair of his lacerated liver. No surgery was necessary but the young man who grew up in southeast Wyoming and led the bareback riding at the beginning of the national finals will need several months on the mend. He was stepped on after dismount in round two.

Governor Dave Freudenthal is back in Las Vegas briefly for a Western Governors Association conference. He attended the sixth round rodeo along with several other western states chief execs.

Timberman Rock Solid

When you are spurring out for bareback scores in the mid-80s every night at the national finals the odds begin to tip in your favor. The average (aggregate) or total points payoff is edging Kelly Timberman’s way. The Mills, Wyoming man is now second in that all-important average. Kelly loves the big horses from the Calgary Stampede breeding program and he had their animal known as Coconut Roll Tuesday:

Kelly 12-7

Timberman’s 84-points was matched by two other bareback riders and they each split third, fourth and fifth place cash totaling $7,400 apiece.

Good Bulls for WYO

Two of three Wyoming bull riders at the NFR finished successful turns in the sixth round. Bobby Welsh of Gillette scored an 85. Powell’s Kanin Asay was marked at 83 although his spin cycle left Asay a little wobbly and the crowd thinking judges should have added a few more points:

bulls 12-7

Welsh’ 85 paid sixth place money of just over $2,800. He’ll want higher totals from here on out in order to make it a nice Christmas for the four Welsh little ones and wife Sunny.

Bobby Harris

2010-12-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

The oldest male contestant at the national finals rodeo in Las Vegas this week has spent most of the last decade teaching as opposed to competing:

Bobby H. pkg

The Harris Ranch is north of Gillette, Wyoming. Bobby Harris is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe and a grandfather of his was tribal chairman on Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation for nearly a half-century.

Round 5 – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Monday

2010-12-07T00:21:00.000-07:00

A Double for Burch

The Burch Rodeo Co. of Rozet, WY is well established as a provider of big bucking broncs that win a lot of money for the cowboys that draw them but it was a Burch bull that carried world champ J.W. Harris to the win Monday night. An eliminator pen of bulls allows very few scored rides. There were three and the trio of Wyoming bull riders was not among them. The Burch bull named “Velvet Revolver” was all Harris could handle.

Velvet 12-6

Lunitic Fringe is a beautiful animal that is a deserving source of pride for the Burch brothers. Utah bronc rider Jesse Wright had a hitch in his gait before the ride and was clearly in some pain. He overcame the hurt and spurred a classic stint to gather 89.5 points and the best bronc ride of the night.

Any time the Wyoming horse named Miss Congeniality is scheduled to make an appearance she is worthy of attention. The pride of Powder River Rodeo Co. of Riverton gave Nebraska bronc rider Cort Scheer a shot at lots of money and Sheer was up to the task.

Horses 12-6

Timberman Tango

Mills, WY bareback rider Kelly Timberman says his left foot hung up a little during his out Monday on a horse called “Forward Motion” otherwise a few more points would have given him the round five buckle. As it was the 86-point spur netted Timberman a split of second and third place and a little more than $12,000 on the night.

Kelly 12-6

Bowling for Charity

2010-12-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

Unless they’re young enough to be covered under their parents health insurance, pro rodeo cowboys can become financially drained by medical bills. The Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund is built to help and it got a big boost at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this year:

The Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund has been in existence for 20 years and more than 750 pro rodeo athletes have received $5 million in medical bill relief.

Round 4 – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo - Sunday

2010-12-05T02:14:00.000-07:00

Four of the five Team Wyoming contestants at the big dance punched their cards for a trip to the pay window tonight collecting about $36,000 to bring back to the “Cowboy State.”
Ironed for Nine

“I need to ride nine,” Kanin Asay told the rodeo press after winning a second consecutive round at the biggest pro rodeo on earth. The Powell, Wyoming bull rider was anything but fooling with a bull called “Foolish Pride” Sunday night. Asay stayed for eight and came off to a thundering ovation. The 88.5-point score nets Kanin another $17,500. It was a bull Asay knew would be tough:

Asay’s now 2nd in the world standings less than $20K out of the lead. He’s ridden three of four with six bulls to go.

Bobby Bests One

Bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette is doing his usual thing of waiting in the weeds and then blasting out of nowhere when you least expect him. His red vest and boots were shining tonight for a tough 87-point scamper:

Welsh’s first 2010 WNFR payday brought in $10,500 and moved him up the ladder in the Top 15 to #11.

Harris & Timberman Tally

Bobby Harrris and pard Britt Williams were out early in the team roping and their 4-flat run was a stunner until team after team followed, faster and faster. No matter. The trip was worth $4,500 and fifth place:

Mills, WY bareback rider Kelly Timberman drew “Satin Sheets” tonight and Kelly was a spurring machine on the way to 85 points and a split of fifth and sixth place netting $3,600:

Round Three – Wrangler National Finals Rodeo - Saturday

2010-12-05T01:28:00.000-07:00

Asay Sails to Win

When the finals started this year bullfighter Dusty Tuckness said “these bull riders came to ride” and a more determined bunch of young men would be hard to find. They seem bent on proving that today’s bulls aren’t better than the pros that yearn to ride them to the whistle and while a good number went down early tonight they did so with a fight. A six-pack stayed on for scores – all 85 points or above.

The pride of Powell, Wyoming drew one called “Pocket Change” and if $17,512.02 is pocket change in Vegas, Kanin Asay will take it. He was scored 91 points to take top honors for the night:

Seth Glause of Rock Springs, WY is competing at his second NFR and until tonight, his 13th try, he’d not been able to stay for the distance. He did it with lucky thirteen flair in front of the Saturday night full house. The lanky cowboy loved every second:

Glause split fifth and sixth place money to take about $3,700 back to his room provided he didn’t stop at the blackjack tables.

Harris Still Has It

Don’t start counting Bobby Harris out of things yet in the team roping. He and partner on the heading side Britt Williams hadn’t placed coming into Saturday but they were smooth out of the box tonight and their 4.7 second run was good for nearly $9K and a split of third and fourth place:

Harris was in the hallway behind the bucking chutes later tonight when he literally ran into the most well known rodeo person there is, Ty Murray. Clearly the boys go back a ways as they traded barbs including a stinger from Ty wondering out loud if the 47-year-old Harris’ presence indicated there was an old-timer’s event that caused his appearance.

Round Two - Wrangler National Finals Rodeo - Friday

2010-12-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Timberman Tallies; Gray Okay

Kelly Timberman had a horse called Beaver Fever and the Mills, WY bareback rider made the most of his trip last night scoring 85 points to split 3rd & 4th place cash of close to $9,000 making Timberman the first Wyoming cowboy to collect a paycheck at the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas:

The Thomas & Mack Center hushed at the conclusion of current bareback riding leader Ryan Gray’s buck-out as he went hard to the ground and was then stepped on by his draw for the night known as Golden Dream. Gray, who grew up in southeast Wyoming, was handled with care by the Justin Sports Medicine Team and given a long look by chief physician Dr. Tandy Freeman who decided to have Ryan transported to a trauma center for further testing:

Friendly Fire Hot

Burch Rodeo Co. of Rozet, WY left the Friday night national finals with a go-round win in the saddle bronc riding by their stellar horse Friendly Fire. Milford, UT bronc rider Cody Wright had the honors on top and came to the ground netting 87 points:

Weird Bull Finish

Wyoming bull riders went 0 for 3 last night and the section ended in an odd fashion when the #1 man in the world standings was unable to get on a bull owned by Powder River/D&H Cattle Co, Riverton. Their “Marmaduke” did an about-face in the chute. His positioning opposite of what was called for based on his normal moves would not allow rider Wesley Silcox a chance at success and a second bull was provided. The television time kept the ride off the national broadcast but those who waited at the arena saw Silcox do well on Speed Dial to finish fourth for the night with an 84-point ride.

A Cowboy Christmas

2010-12-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

The biggest pro rodeo of the year is underway in Las Vegas bringing huge crowds during what was once the slowest season. Visitors also flock to what’s called Cowboy Christmas and shoppers this year included Wyoming’s first couple:

GOV Cowboy Christmas

The popular Governor hasn’t dedided on his next job pursuit. He served the maximum two terms. Federal Judge Nancy Freudenthal has no immediate future employment dilemma to face.

Round One Bruising

2010-12-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Meeteetse’s Dusty Tuckness may be sporting a little black & blue but you wouldn’t know how much he went through in the bull riding of round one at the national finals in Las Vegas by talking to him. He showed similar prowess last year in a round at his first WNFR. This time he entered the night as bullfighter of the year and that accolade was confirmed in spades. Our video expert Mike McCrimmon highlights Dusty’s bumps in the Thursday night fights:

dusty

Powell’s Kanin Asay got one covered in round one scoring 81.5 points. The other two Wyoming bull riders competing in rodeo’s Superbowl - Bobby Welsh of Gillette and Seth Glause from Rock Springs - got bucked a little early.

Powder River Rodeo Company owner Hank Franzen was pleased with the outcome of both bareback and bronc riding in the opening night of the national finals. The Riverton outfit’s contract partner D&H Cattle sent out the winning bronc known as Lipstick & Whiskey for Jesse Kruse of Montana to win the round totaling 87 points. Powder River’s bareback horse Showboat carried Bobby Mote for 86.5 points and second place in the round.

Dusty Masters Domain

2010-12-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

The northern Wyoming hamlet known as Meeteetse is puffing its collective chest in honor of favorite son Dusty Tuckness who was last night named pro rodeo’s “Bullfighter of the Year.” Tuckness thanked his father, Timber, for helping him get started. Dusty and best friend Kanin Asay – one of the best bull riders in pro rodeo – both earned their spurs by practice and hard work in the Cody Stampede Arena. The top bull riders have voted Dusty to his second straight national finals appearance. Last night’s definitive honor was the result of a much larger base of the PRCA membership including rodeo committees. Dusty anxiously awaited word for more than two hours as the recognition was announced late in the program at the annual Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association banquet that opens the national finals in Las Vegas. He took the stage with a big Wyoming smile:

Sequence 1-dusty -MPEG-4

Dusty Tuckness will be displaying his outstanding skills to the world starting tonight in the first round performance of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Wyoming stock contractor Powder River Rodeo Company of Riverton was honored to be a part of recognition bestowed to the Estes Park, CO rodeo as “Small Rodeo of the Year.”

Cheyenne Frontier Days shared the “Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year” award with the Pendleton Roundup. The “Daddy” has held sole possession of the trophy for several years.

In the media award presentations, “Talk Rodeo” was chosen tops in the broadcast category. The show is a passion for talented radio and rodeo announcer Derek Barton of Wheatland.

TV Today

If you are a Wyoming rodeo fan in Las Vegas now for the finals try to get in front of a television at 11:30 this morning. Team Wyoming standouts Kelly Timberman and Bobby Harrris, both past world champions, will be interviewed live on the set of the ABC station – Channel 13, in Vegas. Should be a good show. Our thanks to the PRCA and Las Vegas Events for making it happen.

WYO NFR Ready

2010-11-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

By Chuck Coon

Six Wyoming cowboys have done the last prep work around their various home places as they ready for pro rodeo’s biggest show, Dec. 2-11 in Las Vegas. The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo will feature three “Cowboy State” bull riders – Kanin Asay from Powell, Bobby Welsh of Gillette and Seth Glause from Rock Springs. Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse will have their backs as he will all the rest of the Top 15.

Kelly Timberman from Mills, WY is returning for his seventh straight national finals and he does so using a riggin’ that is called the “Wyoming High Lift.” Timberman worked with Barstow Rodeo Equipment Co. to perfect the piece after four-and-a-half years of tinkering. Kelly calls the new, flexible, riggin’ extremely horse friendly. He won the Chris LeDoux Tribute Rodeo last month in Casper on the maiden voyage for the equipment.

Bobby Harris returns to the national finals after taking an eight year break from the hard road work necessary to get there. He won the team roping (heeler) world championship in 1991 and at 47 he is the oldest male contestant at the national finals this time. Harris teaches roping schools and clinics across the country. Many of the best young guns out there today are grads of Harris’ training.

We’ll have video features about Bobby Harris and Kelly Timberman – from their home places and elsewhere – produced by next weekend. You can also watch for our features on our partner television stations’ news/sports broadcasts during the national finals. Those outlets are: KTVQ, Channel 2 and KULR 8 in Billings; KCWY, Channel 13 in Casper; KGWN, Channel 5 in Cheyenne, KOTA, Channel 3 in Rapid City and KIDK, Channel 3 in Pocatello/Idaho Falls. Because my work history includes a long stint as a reporter and radio news director under an air-name – Curtis Scott – that is the name I still use for television and radio. Old habits are difficult to discard. Mike McCrimmon is our video pro and we work side-by-side throughout the year but most heavily during the NFR.

Miss Congeniality 2008

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo livestock shows a good number of Wyoming-raised animals including NFR vets Miss Congeniality (saddle bronc – Powder River Rodeo Co., Riverton; Kid Twist (bull – Burns Rodeo Co. Laramie; and Power River’s bareback horse called Showboat. Burch Rodeo Co. of Rozet brings the most Wyoming livestock to Vegas including their bareback horse known as Big 85, six saddle bronc horses featuring Lunitic Fringe – the bronc that carried Rod Hay to the win in the $50K round at Rodeo Houston this year – and three bulls. Triple V Rodeo Co. of Casper has a bull at the 2010 NFR that goes by the moniker Really Red. Here is the book on that critter as provided by Dona Vold Larsen: “He’s a solid red-horned bull weighing 1700 pounds and a ranch-raised six-year-old. He’s been ridden infrequently and is noted for gathering up and hooking cowboys and the bullfighters.” That should make for some excitement in the Thomas & Mack Center arena.

The Wyoming Office of Tourism will once again team with Wrangler retail at their Cowboy Christmas store (booth 425) in the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center. We’ll have Team Wyoming members on hand for you to greet, meet and cheer on to a successful finals and a winning 2011.

Signing schedules are subject to change but here’s how things looks like right now: Click to view larger image

Our annual “Salute to Team Wyoming” breakfast in Las Vegas is Friday morning. Governor Dave Freudenthal and First Lady (now federal judge) Nancy Freudenthal will be on hand for the event. Gene Bryan will emcee. Gene, a mentor and a former Wyoming tourism director, was one of the leaders who helped the NFR get off to a successful start in Las Vegas after its long tenure in Oklahoma City.

We’ve produced a 16-minute DVD showcasing our Team Wyoming cowboys’ efforts in 2010 and if you would like one just drop us an email:

chuck.coon@visitwyo.gov or mailto:lori.hogan@visitwyo.gov

There is no charge.