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!