"See ya down the road."

Monday, April 26, 2010

College Rodeo is in Session...

...and almost done for the spring. The top teams and individuals are headed to the Casper Events Center for the College Finals June 13th -19th. It'll be the 62nd annual CNFR.

In our area, this weekend, (out of April and into May) has Dickinson State University (ND) hosting the final rodeo of the season for the Great Plains Region. (That is primarily the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.) They've held nine rodeos since last September and the battle is brewing at almost every level: Dickinson State and South Dakota State are neck and neck for the mens team title; the same in the womens level so this last rodeo is gonna make a big difference. Black Hills State in Spearfish, SD is 3rd in both mens and womens standings. In the mens' All Around, it's a 4-way race led by PJ Painter of BHSU. The womens All Around is a near runaway for Halley Treeby of Dickinson, ND. Tanner Aus of Iowa Central has a commanding lead in the Bareback Riding, and Rachel Tiedeman of SDUS is a sure winner in the barrels; but every other individual event will come down to the last round in Dickinson this weekend at the Blue Hawks Stampede. Good luck to all of them.

The Big Sky Region of Montana has this weekend off and will finish in Missoula on May 7th & 8th.
The Central Rocky Mountain Region (Wyoming and Colorado) will close out this weekend in Laramie. Gillette College has a nip and tuck battle for the mens title with Central Wyoming (Riverton) but takes an overwhelming lead to UW this weekend for the ladies. Nikki Steffes of Wyoming has an almost insurmountable lead for the Ladies All Around, and for the guys: Cole Dorenkamp of Gillette has a less than comfortable lead.  In the Bareback Riding Ty Breur has a huge lead and Nikki Steffes will be hard to beat in the Goat Tying; otherwise, there are battles brewing for all the other titles.

Still no word on whether my old podnuh Bob Christopherson is gonna be elected to the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame. Voting has been going on all month with the induction ceremonies in June in Medora. Bob won a couple of National High School championships as a bull dogger, and won the average a couple of times at the NFR in Oklahoma City. You'd think he'd be a lock, but I'll let you know when its official.

You've probably heard that Jim Wilson of Ridge, Montana, will be honored by the Mandan, ND 4th of July rodeo committee. The old pickup man will be memorialized with a collectible poster in 2010. Well deserved for a true cowboy.

See ya'll down the road some place.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Steer Ropers finally get their due.

What a great time in Torrington, Wyoming for the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping. I told the Chamber of Commerce reps that I didn't need to remind these cowboys to be "good" or to say "thanks". I've learned over many years that this group of contestants will do that without being pushed.

The Goshen County Fairgrounds turned out in fine style for us; though the crowd wasn't as large as it will be eventually, it certainly was a nice representation of fans. I saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones.

The black and white of it is: Ralph Williams from Skiatook, Oklahoma won the event. Each of 24 ropers got 5 head over two days...then the best eight in the average moved into the semis. The best four times advanced to the finals...and the fastest time in the finals was crowned the champ. The smart money was on Vin Fisher, the young Texan has moved into first place in the PRCA world standings in the past week and he was "hot" in Torrington. Didn't win much on Saturday on the first three, but came back with a 2nd and 1st in the last two regular rounds and won the 5 head average in just over 50 seconds on four qualified catches (no one caught all 5 in that competition; Cody Garnett of Oklahoma and Rocket Freeman of Idaho both missed their 5th steer for a chance to win it.)

And all the while Ralph Williams, the unassuming Okie just kept roping smart...never forcing anything....qualifying in 5th place to the semis.  His was the 4th fastest into the finals but he started the finals with a solid 11.9 and watched as Howdy McGinn, the Columbia River Circuit Champion, and Cody Garnett both took no times. That left only Vin Fisher. Vin had a hard running steer that he tripped in time to win, but he'd have to do perfect to get it, and the steer kicked. To Vin's credit he didn't try to force anything; wrapped the steer in 19.0 and finished second and he won the most money of anyone there; nearly $10,000. That was almost 1/4 of the total purse.!! Ralph, meanwhile, would be the poster child for the "old guard".  Don't get ahead of yourself, make sure of your mechanics, play conservative...he did, and he won. The first ever National Circuit Champion Steer Roper will forever be Ralph Williams. Not former champions Scott Snedecor or Buster Record, not current world champion Rocky Patterson, not veterans like Rod Hartness or JP Wickett; not favorite sons like Chris Glover or Troy Tillard. The chips fell just right for Ralph Williams and he humbly took the honors.

In all, 18 of the 24 guys entered won money. Not bad considering they paid only stock charge, no entry fee. In five rounds, the semis and finals, the ropers nodded for 132 steers and got times on 59% of them. A good percentage.  Only a few kicked loose; there were only 2 broken barriers and the judges weren't tested often. Marty Jandreau flagged the field, Jim Whiting watched the line and Harry Rose was the middle of the field decision maker.

There were no controversies mostly because steer ropers, for the most part, aren't whiners. Nod, ride up on the steer, throw a horn loop, and turn left.  I'm proud of em - the whole dang bunch. It gives me so much joy to be their "voice" to a crowd that may not understand the event. Thanks for the opportunity.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

National Circuit Finals and Deadwood

The National Circuit Finals Rodeo is being held in Pocatello, Idaho this week for the 24th time. In the previous 23 years two circuits have been dominant: Texas winning 8 team titles and the Wilderness (Idaho, Utah) winning 6. Montana and California have each won 2. The Badlands Circuit of the Dakotas won in 1989 and the Mountain States Circuit (Wyoming and Colorado) have never won a team trophy in Pocatello. Mountain States boys had a banner year; however, in 2004 Montana won the team title. Individual champions from the the MSC included: Kruetzer and Zurcher winning the team roping AND the All Around; Cimmaron Gerke won the bareback riding; Chet Johnson took top honors in the broncs. In addition Ryan Hanna of the Badlands won the bull dogging.

I've been finishing up my record keeping for the Days of '76 Rodeo in Deadwood. We'll open a museum soon for that illustrious event and I wanted to have a final record of every winner. I've been remarkably successful, thanks to the Black Hills Pioneer Newspaper in Spearfish. They let me comb their old editions. The only year I'm missing is 1949. Somehow that page was missing from the book it was supposed to be in. So, I'm still on the hunt. Its difficult to not stop and read those old stories...about the war, and the legislative action, old baseball stories about Bob Feller and Mickey Mantle. But the rodeo news was top action when it took place in Deadwood each year. I was taken with the space given to talk about special guests and kids calf chasing. I was curious when I started; how was Deadwood viewed by the "big boys" of rodeo? Well that's easy to see when you see Bill Linderman, Casey Tibbs, Gerald Roberts, Jerry Ambler, Alvin Nelson, Jack Buschbom and so many others. Deadwood was, and is again, one of the top spots for cowboys. Evidenced by winning ten Best Rodeo honors in all of the PRCA over recent years. This museum should be a corker.

Oh, and if someone has the results of the Days of '76 for 1949, will you let me know? :)

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Summer Rodeos count

I was wrong! Plain and simple...I had been critical of the $50,000 winners share at Houston for PRCA cowboys...thought it gave them the leg up...and I still believe it does. However, I saw an article in Western Horseman recently, from a Texas writer who said that the world champions in the majority of cases AREN'T the ones who win at Houston. In fact, in the vast sampling, it's those who rodeo well in the summer who go on to win the titles. Now, frankly most of that is because of the money won in Las Vegas at the Finals. And so there is some argument that winning Houston and its sackful of money DOES give you the leg up because it means you don't have to rodeo as hard the rest of the year to make the Finals. But because of the round money and the average, anyone in the top 15 can win the World. My concern with Houston is simply that the PRCA seems to throw out the rule book to allow them to do it anyway they want. Could Cody do it? or Deadwood? probably not.

On a like subject, I was critical of San Antonio, but I believe they may have struck the perfect model for the rodeo of the future. Every event, in every performance is full of NFR type cowboys; the perfect deal for fans. And they charge high dollar for seats, and fill 'em! Good for the promoters...no slack, no turn outs...perfect. And it allows lower level rodeos to compete by drawing the cowboys who are trying to make the elite list at San Antone. For the cowboys, back to back to back, with the chance to come back to the finals makes that a good deal for them as well.

Seems that the Pro Rodeo leadership needs to make a decision once and for all about the A and B divisions in rodeo. San Antonio is the perfect deal. Throw Houston out.

Friday, April 2, 2010

National Circuit Finals Steer Roping

Finally, thanks to JP Wickett and Harold Bumgartner and with the willingness of Karl Stressman at the PRCA, the steer ropers get their due: The first ever National Circuit Finals Steer Roping. It'll be in Torrington, Wyoming in their beautiful indoor facility on April 17-18. Only 4 circuits are sending qualifiers this year: Mountain states, Prairie, Texas and Columbia River. But the Badlands Circuit has already scheduled a finals for this Labor Day weekend so 2011 will include the guys from North and South Dakota as well. (The Badlands Finals will be in Deadwood or 7 Down Arena, depending on weather, on Friday and Saturday September 3-4. Thanks to Coy Thompson these finals won't interfere with the Don King Days Roping in Big Horn, scheduled as usual for the Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend, September 5-6 this year. I get to announce both...and also the National Circuit Finals as well. I can now die happy!

Thanks to the guys in the Mountain States Circuit for allowing me to be involved in the Badlands Finals and move my allegiance from Sterling, Colorado. Since the first Hyde Merritt Memorial I had the privilege of announcing the Mountain States steer roping finals. Held in Laramie for many years, the committee finally just ran out of new blood, and Chris Anderson, our circuit Steer Roping rep, we landed in Sterling in 2009. I talked to both Troy Tillard and Chris about my switch to the Badlands. They both understood but it was a tough choice. I've been a PRCA member for 35 years and until the Hyde Merritt Memorial asked me to do their finals I was part of the Badlands Circuit since I was born in North Dakota and live in South Dakota. But with no steer roping in our circuit I made the switch. Now with my brother Rick's considerable help, we've go 'trippin' in Deadwood, Belle Fourche and Dickinson. Mandan and Kildeer plus Mobridge have all inquired and Tom Reeved Wild Card Rodeo is planning the event for their dates in Ft Pierre, Sturgis and Pine Ridge this summer. So steer roping is alive and well again in the Badlands Circuit.

I know I've addressed this other reports, but let me say again: despite the rumors to the contrary there are no states where steer roping is illegal. Many states don't have it, but it is not outlawed anywhere.. At one point I wrote that it had never been outlawed, but I found a book from Texas which showed that the large ranchers there got it outlawed to keep their hands from practicing on their steers on the plains.! Otherwise steer roping can be held anywhere there's a committee with the gumption to go back to the old days of rodeo when a good horse and a talented roper were necessary to win any money.

'nuff said. See ya down the road

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Jessie, John and Rod

You may have heard about this project...a well respected teacher, much loved and appreciated, facing cancer. Casey Tibbs is in her lineage so Jessie doesn't know "quit". We're trying to help with costs for her trips for treatments. God knows there's not enough money in the world to pay for the cost of these things, but we can at least let her know we're thinking of her. Live with JT is offering the same t shirts as you can get in Eagle Butte, by sending us $25 to Jessie Box 1101 Spearfish, 57783

I'll pay the tax and the shipping and send you a t shirt...we have limited sizes, and only 20 to sell, but let me know or come to the studio and pick first...otherwise indicate sizes and send a $25 check for each shirt....its not much but its something we can do that goes directly to the person who needs it.

Oh, and John Hunt is home...whew...the old bronc rider has had enough time in a hospital. You can check on his status or write him by goin to his pageat http://www.carepages.com/ and look for y7ranch.

National Circuit Finals Steer Roping, the first ever is coming up on April 17-18 in Torrington, Wyoming...I'll be announcing and hope you can come support the trippers.... in that regard special prayers out today to Rod Hartness who's father just passed away.