Rockin Rocky!!

Unfortunately the names already taken: Rod Hartness has earned the name "Rockin Rod" from his fans over many years, but truly in the last half of the summer, current steer roping world champion Rocky Patterson has the "rockin" momentum. I wrote not that long ago that this might be the toughest, deepest race for the Steer Roping championship in a long time...Rocky, of course, was doing well, but Vin Fisher was hot on his heels and Hartness wasn't slowing down a bit, and everyone knew that Trevor Brazile would be showing up near the top eventually. What no one expected was that the "elder statesmen" Rocky Patterson would put such a whoopin on em down the stretch...not many regular season rodeos left and Rocky has opened up a huge lead...and would appear, barring injury, to be a lock on earning another world title.
###

speaking of world titles, the Lazy E in Guthrie, Oklahoma called me recently to ask for help in gathering funds for the upcoming NFSR. JP Wickett worked hard to get the state of Oklahoma involved in the Finals coming back to Guthrie...but apparently the state reneged and we're working hard to get some funding to make this truly a big deal for the trippers. Anyone interested in being a sponsors, they've got a lucrative package for GoRound sponsorship.. call me if your're interested 605-641-3630
@@@@@

Watch for an announcement soon on the final decision to move the National Circuit Finals from Pocatello, Idaho. They've been losing money for some time and the PRCA has had to foot the difference... Should be anyday now that the new city for the National Circuit Finals is revealed.
##
remember the Steer Roping Circuit Finals in the Badlands is Saturday Sept 4 at Deadwood... and then the Don King Days come on Sunday and Monday Sept 5 and 6 in Big Horn, Wyoming.. should be a fine event! I'll be announcing both and you won't be disappointed in either if you can come.
###

thanks to Siri Stevens at Rodeo News for being such a strong supporter of steer roping. She's become a good and trusted friend...

Biker Heaven/Cowboy Bucks!

Some Veteran cowboys know how to wrangle a crowd for rodeo events: Spud Whitman and Brian Curtis put on a bull riding in Belle Fourche on Wednesday night during the Sturgis Bike Week, and Rory Lemmel worked with the Faith, SD Centennial committee to produce a Wednesday night saddle bronc match.
Both were absolute successes. Spud and Brian knew they'd have to limit expenses and do the bull riding right to make it work. Spud announced, Brian ran the chutes and the 212 Bait Shop east of Belle Fourche packed 'em in the audience area for a PBR style bull riding...Bikers Babes and Bulls they called it even though as one local expert was quoted "it was mostly locals who attended". Didn't matter; there wasn't seating for those who flooded the arena...oh, and Brian Curtis, the chute boss? He borrowed Spud Whitmans bull rope, though he discarded it later saying the hand hold was too big, and was the only bull rider to top two toros! He won the event and who would have thought differently. Way to go guys! I'm proud of you both.

Meanwhile in Faith, SD, starting up its Centennial activities at the fairgrounds, Rory Lemmel scored a huge touchdown for the home team! Over 2000 screaming, knowledgeable fans nearly overflowed the vast grandstands to watch NFR bronc rider Taos Muncie win the 2 header... JJ Elshere had taken top honors in the long go and local favorite Cody Taton was 2nd in both gos to win nearly $4000. In the bronc match portion of the event, the fiver-year old futurity. Korkow rodeos won nearly $3500 for taking first with their broncs while Doug Vold surprised the field to take 2nd and Tom Reeves Wild Card Rodeo horses were third.

All in all, for rodeo events during bike week furor these boys deserve kudos for two fantastic productions.

It's August!

and there's more rodeos than you shake a proverbial stick at! My gosh, how do you see 'em all?

Pete Larson covered the Champions Ride in Sentinel Butte, ND for me on the first Sunday of the month...Jake Costello won the long-go with an 87. There were 36 guys invited including Alex Wright, Cody DeMoss, Jesse Bail, Cody Wright, Jesse Kruse, Cole Elshere, Shane Moran, JJ Elshere, Ryan Elshere, Louis Brunson, Chuck Schmidt, Josh, Reynolds, well you get the picture.. and the guy who won the average on 2 is the hot shot from Iowa, Wade Sundell. Wade scored 71 on his first horse, was given an option, took the reride and scored 82. That brought him back to the finals of the top 12 for another horse...He was then 88 on Painted Lizard and with 170 points won the average. Jesse Wright won the short round with a 92. It was the 54th annual and it benefits the boys and girls at the Home On the Range.
###

You want rodeo? this week alone in our area: Gordon, Nebraska has an NRCA event...Glendive, Montana, Onida, SD...Ekalaka, Mt...Martin, SD..The Tucker Day Rodeo is Sunday the 15th for special needs kids down by Hill City...The Dakota Stampede in Aberdeen, the Wyoming State Fair rodeo...Forsyth, Mt hosts a qualifying ranch rodeo for the Niles Finals in October...Wow.. and thats just before the middle of the month!
##
I was asked to do the cowboy church service at the Besler Cadillac Ranch between St Onge and Belle Fourche, SD this past Sunday. I asked Jingle Bob Dennis to come in and help me...he did a fine job with poetry and his guitar...and Mike McFarland and his wife came over to sit in the audience..what a nice honor for me..Mike and I did a lot of traveling together in our younger days. He was and is a good friend.
##

I'm looking forward to the Badlands Circuit Finals Steer Roping on September 4th. It'll be the first ever for our circuit and I'll announce it. It'll be in Deadwood at the Days of 76 rodeo grounds. The top 12 in North and South Dakota will compete on a 5 header. The winners get to go to the National Circuit Finals in Torrington, Wyoming next April.
#

See ya down the road!

Steer Roping: Deadwood and Cheyenne

The 14th time we've tripped steers at Deadwood was a huge success again...good crowds, good entries..(85)...and a madcap race to the 3 head title. In the end Trevor Brazile outlasted Rod Hartness and J. Tom Fisher for the title...and about $5300...

Cheyenne, first things first...two great stories: Tim Tillard won the senior roping...his first time in 35 times entered...way to go old Friend!! i assume the buckle fits just as well today as it might have 3 1/3 decades ago.

Then there's Dee Kyler. The Okie came to Cheyenne having not won a farthing this year...wasn't in the top 50...but, he won the first round, placed in the 2nd round, in the short go and in the average, won over $20,000 and now is 7th in the world. Ah, Cheyenne! King Maker to the stars.

If you forgot, a great story about Dee; way back when we started the steer roping at the Days of 76, his mom and dad came to Deadwood...mrs Kyler won the quartermania jackpot at the Silverado for over a half million dollars...and when the reporter came to interview her about it, he asked "are you here for the rodeo?" and she replied emphatically, "Nope, I'm here for Jim hompson's steer roping!"....that makes me proud...though the Deadwood committee has wholeheartedly jumped in to promote the roping and as a result we get tons of votes from the events contestants and have won 11 "rodeo of the year" titles as a result. Good advice for committees looking for an event that can change the same old grind.

If I didn't mention before the Mountain States Circuit Finals steer roping will be in Sterling, Colorado on October 9-10 at the fairgrounds...the ropers have asked to move it out of August. I miss the old Hyde Merritt roping in Laramie...but it was an effort to make it happen every year and I don't begrudge those that had to move on...Chris Anderson needs to be commended for not letting the thing drop. I'm proud of him...oh, and Chris won money at Cheyenne as well and made the short go...so did Ora Taton..! and Will McBride...and...well you get the idea...area ropers did well..

see ya down the road!

Bustin at Deadwood is a Hit!

The Steer Roping in Deadwood, SD...the Days of 76, went wonderfully on Tuesday July 27th... 85 entered...80 eventually roped 2 head each...the best 24 on 2 got another in the progressive round. This was the closest finals in a long time at Deadwood...Three ropers went into the short go within 6/10th of a second apart...J. Tom Fisher was leading with Trevor Brazile and Rod Hartness right behind him...when the dust settled in was Trevor who got the big prize, roping his final steer in 11.1 while Rod and J. Tom both took no times. Trevor's win earned him nearly $5200. The fast time of the day belonged to J. Tom who won the 2nd round with a 9.4 second run. The world record for fast time was set in Deadwood in 2003 when Guy Allen roped and tied in 7.9 seconds. Guy holds several Deadwood records...the most money won over the 14 years of the competition: $28, 186, the fastest time on 3 head; 29.2 in 2000, the most money won at a single roping; nearly $6700 in 2002. Guy has won the Days of 76 steer roping in 2000, 2002 and 2004. (guy was also 2nd one year) Trevor has now won twice in 2008 and 2010. (Brazile finished 2nd in 99 and again in 2000 and has a 4th place finish as well) and Scott Snedecor has won twice in 2003 and 06 (Scott has laos place third twice and 5th in the average once)...Nobody else has won more than once.

Other notables who have done well at the "Days" over the years: JD Yates has placed in the top 6 four times, Buster Record the same including a 2nd place finish) JR Olson and Jarrett Blessing have each placed 3 times in the top 6.

####

not sure if you saw that Roxee Holloway has finally retired from picking up at rodeos. I got to work with Roxee at the World Finals in El Paso one year. She more than proved her worth in the arena but broke her back at the Casey Tibbs Match in Ft Pierre 4 years ago, and hasn't really been back. But her Dad convinced her to try one more time and so they worked together at a performance of the days of 1910 in Timber Lake in July. She said it went smoothly and she rode out of the arena with a heavy heart...for the last time. Thanks Rox, I'm proud of you.

##

The Mountain States Circuit Finals Steer Roping will be moved to October. It'll be in Sterling, Colorado on the weekend of October 9-10. And the first ever Badlands Finals steer roping will be Saturday September 4 in Deadwood at the Days of 76 grounds...4pm. The top 12 in the circuit will each rope 5 head. Winners get to go to the National Circuit Finals in Torrington, Wyoming next April. The Badlands becomes the 5th circuit to have a Circuit finals for trippers. At some point perhaps the Wilderness and the Turquoise may join in. I can't imagine that Montana hasn't added steer roping yet....wouldn't you think that a cowboy state like Montana would want to be play with the big boys? Maybe someday soon.
###

sorry that i haven't posted for a while...its an "old dog-new tricks" deal. I couldn't remember how to get on the site! Now Shelisa Davis has written me out instructions so I won't forget anymore. :)

High School Rodeo is Coming!!

Well the qualifying for the National High School Finals Rodeo has begun. Regular season rodeos and regionals are over and now the State Finales are in sight. Bozeman hosts the Montana State Finals June 9-13...the Bowman is the location for the North Dakota Finals June 17-20. The next weekend is really buzzing with trailers hustling down the pavement: Hastings will be the location for the Nebraska finals June 22-26; Douglas the traditional Wyoming High School finals competition June 23-27 at the state fairgrounds, and Belle Fourche, the Black Hills Round Up grounds is the scene for the South Dakota Finals. After the dust has settled in all those venues, the qualifiers gear up for the Nationals in Gillette, Wyoming July 18-24. Oh and just ahead of that the National Junior High Finals is in Gallup, New Mexico June 27-July 3.

I'll never forget announcing my first National High School finals. It was in Rapid City and I sat next to my friend Jon Hutson. What a thrill to see all the stands full and the excitement of that event. I was chosen for the National Finals later for 3 years in Pueblo, Colorado, then 3 years in Shawnee, Oklahoma, the back to Gillette. Eventually I understood that if Jim Thompson continued to announce that rodeo, there's be one less spot for some deserving young person who wanted a break. So i retired from the announcers stand and turned to doing radio or television play by play of the Finals. But all in all, it was a pleasant experience. Lots of future Pros came through that portals...I remember watching Cody Ohl rope and many others...I won't drop any names just suffice it say, the high school rodeo is a great place to start an adult life.

See ya down the road!

PBR

The Pro-Bull Riders have changed CEO's - Jeffery Pollack is the guy in that post now. He was last with the World Series of Poker and before that with NASCAR, so undoubtedly he has some credentials. 

It doesn't matter to me one way or the other frankly, but I can only look to the PRCA for an analogy. They added Steve Hatchell and before him Lew Cryer. The PRCA touted their credentials to the high heavens as the salvation of the rodeo world. Obviously there are several possibilities why they failed so miserably; primary because neither had the actual ability that their resume indicated. Another reason could have been that the PRCA didn't give them proper latitude to do their job. I don't think that was the issue with either of them; they were just hired without proper oversight as to what they could do to help Pro Rodeo move forward.

So, what does that say about the PBR? At this point, I think that the main advantage they have over the PRCA hiring technique is that the ownership is much more than a bunch of cowboys with little business skill. This group that's owned the PBR is making business decisions and so I'll trust their judgement with Pollack until he proves otherwise. Justin Milles of the NILE in Billings, MT joined me on my radio show "On the Road Again" to say essentially the same thing: Billings probably won't be affected by the change in leadership but he'll just have to wait and see.

Other news: Bob Christopherson didn't get selected to be inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, but Lee Selland and Buzz Fredericks both did. Congratulations to them, and Bob, your time is coming.

How do they keep him out?  The high school championship, college championship, circuit championship and NFR qualifications...plus winning the average at the NFR in Oklahoma City all to Bob’s credit. Certainly Bob Christopherson has nothing more to prove; however, if I were voting I'd probably have looked at the fact that all of the above credit happened while living in either Iowa or Montana. He's been a North Dakotan for some time now though, so eventually you have to give him his due!

Rodeos coming up include both Sturgis and Crazy Horse Pro Shows on the weekend of June 18-20. I'll be announcing at Crazy Horse again this year all three days (with help this year from Alec Whipple) and doing the steer roping on Sunday morning in Sturgis for Tom Reeves Wild Card Rodeo Company.

See ya down the road!