Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Thomas & Mack Center
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 7, 2006
Pearls Before Bovine
Before we talk rodeo and Wyoming let’s tip our hats to all the men and women – our esteemed elders – who were here when our country was attacked at Pearl Harbor. The “Greatest Generation” is just that and we are all much obliged. It says something good for America, and for our sport of rodeo, when 65 years after we were plunged into world war there is a young Japanese-American calf roper from Idaho tearing up the national finals. Matt Shiozawa is an all-around athlete who has given the WNFR crowds many thrills in the last week. Shiozawa was a standout basketball and football player in high school.
Wyoming was thrilled to see barrel racer Brandie Halls of Carpenter leave the arena with another second place finish last night in round seven. Halls and Slim ran a 13.69 and their payday of $12,600 took Brandie’s 2006 WNFR total over $50K. She’s in fifth position both in the overall standings and in the aggregate at the finals.
Casper team roping heeler, Jhett Johnson, put things back in order last night. A time of 4.4 was good enough for third place and $9,500. Jhett and his partner Travis Tryan are fourth in the aggregate. Their seventh round steer was roped for the win in round one. Johhson/Tryan were first out last night and Jhett is glad they’ll move to last tonight. “It’s a definite disadvantage being out there early. If you get a chance to see what’s making good money ahead of you it can keep you from pushing so hard and making mistakes,” he said. Their quarry last night has a tendency to drag his back legs instead of jumping. “If you wait too long he’ll drag. I had to throw fast. It’s nice to be back on track,” says big Jhett. His parents named him for the character James Dean played in the movie “Giant.”
The rest of the Wyoming athletes had to look for cash at the slots or tables of Las Vegas last night. Bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette gave game effort to stay on top on Werewolf – a truly magnificent bucking bull. Alas, the night belonged to Werewolf.
He Could Go All The Way
The announcer team for ESPN2 includes eight-time bull riding world champion Donnie Gay. I ran into Donnie at the coffee pot last night and asked for his perceptions about a few things. First, Gay believes the bull breeding program is improving at least at one level. “The middle of the road bulls are a lot better. The rank bulls are all the same,” he said. Donnie sees a changing of the guard among the young field of bull riders. “They came in here (WNFR) the last couple of years and were very young. They’re starting to grow up and I think it’s going to be a plenty good bunch,” Gay assessed. He has also seen something a seasoned world champion should know about Wyoming bull rider Bobby Welsh. “This is new territory for him. I think this boy could get a lot better. He’s just trying to be good and doesn’t realize he could be better than everybody else if he puts his mind to it,” Gay said.
Zero to 74 in Three Hours
WNFR bareback rider Ryan Gray, who grew up in Cheyenne, was given a goose egg for double grabbing at what the clock said was six seconds into his ride last night. Trouble is the timer didn’t work at the start of the ride. Ryan is a college honor student and a religiously inclined young man. He didn’t want to make a fuss but knew he’d been on that horse for at least ten seconds before grabbing with the other hand. He was determined to get a correction and kept quietly seeking satisfaction throughout the rodeo. Finally, after a lot of time and effort he was given a score of 74. Nothing in terms of money last night but meaningful for overall scoring at the finals and certainly a testament to a very fine person who knew he was in the right. It won’t even show up in the score sheets because they were printed before Ryan was able to find someone who would make it official. But he knows it was a scored ride and now so do you.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
ROUND #6
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 6, 2006
Good Pens & Better Ground
Barrel racers are beginning to like the ground better in the national finals arena. Hard to knock dirt that allows for a run of 13.58 (Kelly Maben, Spur, Texas) – the fastest time ever at the Thomas & Mack. And Wyoming’s Brandie Halls beat her best effort of the week last night finishing her pattern aboard trusty Slim in 13.71 for second place. Halls is less than a five-second penalty out of first place in the average or aggregate as is the common parlance nowadays. Brandie has moved into the top five in the world standings having won nearly $38,000 at the WNFR.
Two Wyoming cowboys placed Tuesday night in bareback riding. Kelly Timberman of Mills, the 2004 world champion, scored 85.5 on a horse called Just 4 U. Second place garnered Kelly a check for $12,600. Timberman came down with the flu Monday afternoon but showed no signs of weakness during what he described as a hard ride. “Usually she comes out and stalls and circles to the right. This was a little more electric. She came off the wall. My equilibrium is shot because I’m sick so it was a little hard to get through it,” Timberman said. Fellow bareback rider and friend Bobby Mote placed in the round and he and Timberman agreed the pen of horses was good last night. Both are hoping for even better draws the rest of the way. “It’s getting better every day,” they agreed.
Andy Martinez of Pavillion rode Red Ears to an 83.5 which was good enough to split third and fourth place money paying $5,400.
Fewer than half of the bull riders still competing at the WNFR (three are out with injuries) made qualified rides last night and Gilllette’s Bobby Welsh was one of them. His score of 87.5 was good enough for third and $9,500. Welsh is 22-years-old and this is just his second WNFR. He says the rookie jitters are behind him. “I’ve been on almost twenty bulls here and I don’t even hear the crowd any more. When I get on I’m concentrating. It feels good to be here making good rides,” he said. Welsh has had a solid trip almost every time. “They’ve bucked me off two and one of them I rode 7.83 (seconds) so I’m counting that as a ride and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.” Bobby is a solid second in the average some 64 points ahead of the next man down. All he has to do is ride the rest of them. Easy for me to say. To actually win the average, Welsh will need some of that glue to come off the legs of B.J. Schumacher. He’s won almost 57K this WNFR. B.J. is from Wisconsin where Bobby was also born. Must be something in the cheese.
The IR
As mentioned earlier three bull riders are out of the WNFR competition due to serious injuries all of which require surgery. D.J. Domangue underwent a hip operation Monday. Reigning champ Matt Austin has to have stomach muscles repaired via surgical procedures and Sonny Murphy has a cracked neck vertebrae.
Another man was forced off the 2006 WNFR field Monday. Steer wrestler Ronnie Fields sustained a torn ligament in his right knee. Doctors say his recovery time is six to eight weeks.
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 6, 2006
Good Pens & Better Ground
Barrel racers are beginning to like the ground better in the national finals arena. Hard to knock dirt that allows for a run of 13.58 (Kelly Maben, Spur, Texas) – the fastest time ever at the Thomas & Mack. And Wyoming’s Brandie Halls beat her best effort of the week last night finishing her pattern aboard trusty Slim in 13.71 for second place. Halls is less than a five-second penalty out of first place in the average or aggregate as is the common parlance nowadays. Brandie has moved into the top five in the world standings having won nearly $38,000 at the WNFR.
Two Wyoming cowboys placed Tuesday night in bareback riding. Kelly Timberman of Mills, the 2004 world champion, scored 85.5 on a horse called Just 4 U. Second place garnered Kelly a check for $12,600. Timberman came down with the flu Monday afternoon but showed no signs of weakness during what he described as a hard ride. “Usually she comes out and stalls and circles to the right. This was a little more electric. She came off the wall. My equilibrium is shot because I’m sick so it was a little hard to get through it,” Timberman said. Fellow bareback rider and friend Bobby Mote placed in the round and he and Timberman agreed the pen of horses was good last night. Both are hoping for even better draws the rest of the way. “It’s getting better every day,” they agreed.
Andy Martinez of Pavillion rode Red Ears to an 83.5 which was good enough to split third and fourth place money paying $5,400.
Fewer than half of the bull riders still competing at the WNFR (three are out with injuries) made qualified rides last night and Gilllette’s Bobby Welsh was one of them. His score of 87.5 was good enough for third and $9,500. Welsh is 22-years-old and this is just his second WNFR. He says the rookie jitters are behind him. “I’ve been on almost twenty bulls here and I don’t even hear the crowd any more. When I get on I’m concentrating. It feels good to be here making good rides,” he said. Welsh has had a solid trip almost every time. “They’ve bucked me off two and one of them I rode 7.83 (seconds) so I’m counting that as a ride and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.” Bobby is a solid second in the average some 64 points ahead of the next man down. All he has to do is ride the rest of them. Easy for me to say. To actually win the average, Welsh will need some of that glue to come off the legs of B.J. Schumacher. He’s won almost 57K this WNFR. B.J. is from Wisconsin where Bobby was also born. Must be something in the cheese.
The IR
As mentioned earlier three bull riders are out of the WNFR competition due to serious injuries all of which require surgery. D.J. Domangue underwent a hip operation Monday. Reigning champ Matt Austin has to have stomach muscles repaired via surgical procedures and Sonny Murphy has a cracked neck vertebrae.
Another man was forced off the 2006 WNFR field Monday. Steer wrestler Ronnie Fields sustained a torn ligament in his right knee. Doctors say his recovery time is six to eight weeks.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
ROUND #5
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 5, 2006
Calm After Storm
Now it gets interesting. Five rodeos in the books; five to go. Our Wyoming contestants have been great competitors and each is doing everything possible to win. Steer wrestler Jason Miller knows what to do and how to do it. Luck hasn’t been on his side thus far. He lost his grab last night and took a no time. This is a determined, yet calm, big man who will not give up – that much I can assure you.
It was a stormy Sunday and maddening Monday for Casper team roper Jhett Johnson. First, last night. Sunday is a story that will take some telling. In the Monday performance Jhett and partner had the job done in 3.8 – a time that would have won the round. But a barrier penalty added ten seconds. They still stand a strong fourth in the average nearly 20 seconds up on the next team and only 2.5 seconds out of third.
Jhett’s Sunday trip out is one only he can recount since the rest of us are still scratching our heads. One of the announcers told the crowd that this team roping run appeared as though the animal was working through a “bad acid trip.” Jhett tells it this way: “These steers are a little trashy and untrue. They don’t run the same pattern every time. When my partner went to rope, the steer ducked in front of the heel horse causing my partner to catch nothing but the nose. The steer fell down and when he got up the catch came off the nose. The steer ran up the arena to the front gate left open by the judges. That ran me and the steer into the heel box and then the gate was shut.” Get the picture. A heeler stuck in a box with the steer during the run. No one seems to ever remembering that happening. The box got opened in a few seconds. The steer was roped but it took 31.8 seconds. To say Jhett was displeased would not come close to describing his initial reaction. “Once I calmed down, after the saddle bronc riding, we negotiated with the judges,” he said. Wouldn’t you like to have been a fly on the fence for that discussion? Johnson saw it as potentially making a $40,000 difference in his WNFR and was not going to leave that money on the table. “We looked at the rule book and they decided we could run the extra steer after the rodeo with ten seconds added,” Jhett said. The crowd was on the way home when Jhett and Travis Tryan made their run in five seconds resulting in a :15 second total or more than half off the initial time. Told you it would take awhile.
Let’s run down the rest of Monday for Wyoming. Bobby Welsh of Gillette was one of only five bull riders who made the 8 seconds scoring a 62.5 on Rock Kandy. Since so few succeeded, Bobby got a check for $4,100. “That’s the best 62-point-ride I’ve ever had,” he said. Kelly Timberman won $6,700 in the bareback riding competition. The rest of the Wyoming field finished out of the money.
Dandy From Daniels
A really special part of this years’ WNFR has been seeing and hearing music from some of the great traditionalists of country music to start the evening. We’ve had performances from Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker and last night Charlie Daniels. When he passed by in the hall afterward I thanked Charlie for his help a few years back in recording a special version of “Wyoming on my Mind.” I also expressed my thanks for his support of our great western tradition – rodeo. To which Charlie replied: “When you’re 70 years old you ain’t got much choice but to keep tradition alive.”
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 5, 2006
Calm After Storm
Now it gets interesting. Five rodeos in the books; five to go. Our Wyoming contestants have been great competitors and each is doing everything possible to win. Steer wrestler Jason Miller knows what to do and how to do it. Luck hasn’t been on his side thus far. He lost his grab last night and took a no time. This is a determined, yet calm, big man who will not give up – that much I can assure you.
It was a stormy Sunday and maddening Monday for Casper team roper Jhett Johnson. First, last night. Sunday is a story that will take some telling. In the Monday performance Jhett and partner had the job done in 3.8 – a time that would have won the round. But a barrier penalty added ten seconds. They still stand a strong fourth in the average nearly 20 seconds up on the next team and only 2.5 seconds out of third.
Jhett’s Sunday trip out is one only he can recount since the rest of us are still scratching our heads. One of the announcers told the crowd that this team roping run appeared as though the animal was working through a “bad acid trip.” Jhett tells it this way: “These steers are a little trashy and untrue. They don’t run the same pattern every time. When my partner went to rope, the steer ducked in front of the heel horse causing my partner to catch nothing but the nose. The steer fell down and when he got up the catch came off the nose. The steer ran up the arena to the front gate left open by the judges. That ran me and the steer into the heel box and then the gate was shut.” Get the picture. A heeler stuck in a box with the steer during the run. No one seems to ever remembering that happening. The box got opened in a few seconds. The steer was roped but it took 31.8 seconds. To say Jhett was displeased would not come close to describing his initial reaction. “Once I calmed down, after the saddle bronc riding, we negotiated with the judges,” he said. Wouldn’t you like to have been a fly on the fence for that discussion? Johnson saw it as potentially making a $40,000 difference in his WNFR and was not going to leave that money on the table. “We looked at the rule book and they decided we could run the extra steer after the rodeo with ten seconds added,” Jhett said. The crowd was on the way home when Jhett and Travis Tryan made their run in five seconds resulting in a :15 second total or more than half off the initial time. Told you it would take awhile.
Let’s run down the rest of Monday for Wyoming. Bobby Welsh of Gillette was one of only five bull riders who made the 8 seconds scoring a 62.5 on Rock Kandy. Since so few succeeded, Bobby got a check for $4,100. “That’s the best 62-point-ride I’ve ever had,” he said. Kelly Timberman won $6,700 in the bareback riding competition. The rest of the Wyoming field finished out of the money.
Dandy From Daniels
A really special part of this years’ WNFR has been seeing and hearing music from some of the great traditionalists of country music to start the evening. We’ve had performances from Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker and last night Charlie Daniels. When he passed by in the hall afterward I thanked Charlie for his help a few years back in recording a special version of “Wyoming on my Mind.” I also expressed my thanks for his support of our great western tradition – rodeo. To which Charlie replied: “When you’re 70 years old you ain’t got much choice but to keep tradition alive.”
Monday, December 4, 2006
ROUND #4
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 4, 2006
Good Times in Bad Dirt
There’s no earthly reason for the speedier times in barrel racing. Rodeo’s women professionals aren’t impressed with the arena ground but something special is definitely in the air. “I’ve watched the NFR for a long time and this is the fastest barrel racing there has ever been as far as I’m concerned. Just to be there amongst those girls is exciting,” said Brandie Halls of Carpenter. She is being modest. Brandie is pacing the field, winning the round four buckle last night and covering her pattern on favorite horse Slim in 13.77 seconds. Brandie leads the average (overall time on four runs) too. This is Hall’s third trip to the finals and it was her first go-round win. “I’m stoked. I don’t know whether to cry or just laugh. Guess the third times’ the charm,” she smiled. Brandie is climbing steadily in the world standings having now risen to the number six spot.
Sharp Turns
You won’t find a more studious person than Jason Miller in the pro rodeo ranks. He goes to the WNFR press room early every day and looks at tape of the bull dogging from the previous night. He watches each run but concentrates on his effort. Rewind. Study. Rewind. Study. And so on. The Lance Creek, Wyoming rancher and pro steer wrestler is competing in rodeo’s Superbowl for the first time. “This is just so quick it’s unbelievable – the shortest start I’ve ever seen,” Miller says. Steers get at least a little head start at most rodeos. They are allowed 30 feet of grace in Cheyenne. At the WNFR – nada. “If you see the steer move you’ve got to go. Not after your nod like I’ve been doing. You have to go with your nod,” Miller is learning. He is going for go-money only in this event since he was unable to get a time on one of four animals. Miller picked up a little pay last night sharing sixth place with three other doggers. To illustrate his point about the speed in which one must react you just need to run down the round four leader board. There were eleven men who brought their steers to the ground in less than five seconds.
High Lowe
Pavilion’s Andy Martinez split sixth place last night and was paid $1,300. He’s made close to $11,000 in four nights of competition but it seems as though there’s no stopping Will Lowe. He is the leader overall by some $65,000. Martinez is in second place. The likeable Lowe is a deserving fan (and judge) favorite. Andy scored on a re-ride horse last night. The first time out was fun to watch as the animal went to the ground and Martinez found a way to stay on top averting injury and amazingly pulling himself back into position.
Bull Bruises
Another one gone. Bull rider D.J. Domangue suffered a dislocated left hip when chased around by a seemingly bent-on-destruction bull last night. D.J. is hospitalized and won’t be back. That brings to three the number of riders now out of the competition.
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 4, 2006
Good Times in Bad Dirt
There’s no earthly reason for the speedier times in barrel racing. Rodeo’s women professionals aren’t impressed with the arena ground but something special is definitely in the air. “I’ve watched the NFR for a long time and this is the fastest barrel racing there has ever been as far as I’m concerned. Just to be there amongst those girls is exciting,” said Brandie Halls of Carpenter. She is being modest. Brandie is pacing the field, winning the round four buckle last night and covering her pattern on favorite horse Slim in 13.77 seconds. Brandie leads the average (overall time on four runs) too. This is Hall’s third trip to the finals and it was her first go-round win. “I’m stoked. I don’t know whether to cry or just laugh. Guess the third times’ the charm,” she smiled. Brandie is climbing steadily in the world standings having now risen to the number six spot.
Sharp Turns
You won’t find a more studious person than Jason Miller in the pro rodeo ranks. He goes to the WNFR press room early every day and looks at tape of the bull dogging from the previous night. He watches each run but concentrates on his effort. Rewind. Study. Rewind. Study. And so on. The Lance Creek, Wyoming rancher and pro steer wrestler is competing in rodeo’s Superbowl for the first time. “This is just so quick it’s unbelievable – the shortest start I’ve ever seen,” Miller says. Steers get at least a little head start at most rodeos. They are allowed 30 feet of grace in Cheyenne. At the WNFR – nada. “If you see the steer move you’ve got to go. Not after your nod like I’ve been doing. You have to go with your nod,” Miller is learning. He is going for go-money only in this event since he was unable to get a time on one of four animals. Miller picked up a little pay last night sharing sixth place with three other doggers. To illustrate his point about the speed in which one must react you just need to run down the round four leader board. There were eleven men who brought their steers to the ground in less than five seconds.
High Lowe
Pavilion’s Andy Martinez split sixth place last night and was paid $1,300. He’s made close to $11,000 in four nights of competition but it seems as though there’s no stopping Will Lowe. He is the leader overall by some $65,000. Martinez is in second place. The likeable Lowe is a deserving fan (and judge) favorite. Andy scored on a re-ride horse last night. The first time out was fun to watch as the animal went to the ground and Martinez found a way to stay on top averting injury and amazingly pulling himself back into position.
Bull Bruises
Another one gone. Bull rider D.J. Domangue suffered a dislocated left hip when chased around by a seemingly bent-on-destruction bull last night. D.J. is hospitalized and won’t be back. That brings to three the number of riders now out of the competition.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
ROUND #3
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 3, 2006
Brandie & Spur
Brandie Halls was the only Wyoming contestant to leave the table with more chips than when she arrived last night. The Carpenter, WY barrel racer finished fourth and got a check for $6,700. It’s way early in this event to start talking about where things could end for our folks. As one of the arena announcers noted in front of the Saturday evening gathering of 17,500 rodeo fans: “If this was War and Peace we wouldn’t even be on the fourth chapter.”
A barrel racer from Spur, Texas took the round and $16,000. Kelly Maben’s winnings the last two nights exceed $32,000 and that’s more than she makes a year in her school teaching job.
Stock Market Bullish
One after the other, bull riders were dispatched from a pen of truly fast, tough, and talented large horned animals in round three. The last man out, B.J. Schumacher of Wisconsin breeding was the only rider to make the 8-seconds. He was already the leading money winner in his event at the WNFR and not only pocketed $16,000 go-round cash for first place, B.J. also gathered second through sixth place dollars totaling another $35,000. The latter doesn’t count toward the world standings but sure would make a nice down payment on a house.
Walking Wounded
Sonny Murphy is in a neck brace and will face months of recovery time. There is a crack in a neck vertebrae and the Utah bull rider told us doctors in Las Vegas say he will not have any opportunity to recover to the point of riding again until at least mid-2007.
The man who arrived at the finals nearly $30,000 ahead of the nearest competitor won’t be back in the arena this year. Friday night, Texas bull rider Matt Austin suffered severe stomach injuries. He had torn some muscles there a month ago and while he made one successful 8-second trip at the finals, the second sent him to the ground early. “The first jump I felt something else tear. It tore the right side of my stomach to pieces,” Austin remarked while supporting himself on crutches and a forced smile. “I’m just going to stay here and root everybody else on,” Matt said. Austin won his first world title last year and set a PRCA record for season earnings.
Star Studded Saturday
Heavy hitters in sports and politics were on hand for Saturday’s event. Former Vice President Dan Quayle and his wife attended. NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway brought his son Jack to the rodeo. Raghib “Rocket” Ismail – one of the top kick return men in Notre Dame Football history and a professional player with Carolina and the Raiders – saw his first rodeo in person. “Watching it on TV doesn’t do it justice,” Ismail assessed. “Bareback riders. In that eight seconds that they were getting the life beat out of them that literally was like two full football games in the NFL with all the violent collisions.”
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 3, 2006
Brandie & Spur
Brandie Halls was the only Wyoming contestant to leave the table with more chips than when she arrived last night. The Carpenter, WY barrel racer finished fourth and got a check for $6,700. It’s way early in this event to start talking about where things could end for our folks. As one of the arena announcers noted in front of the Saturday evening gathering of 17,500 rodeo fans: “If this was War and Peace we wouldn’t even be on the fourth chapter.”
A barrel racer from Spur, Texas took the round and $16,000. Kelly Maben’s winnings the last two nights exceed $32,000 and that’s more than she makes a year in her school teaching job.
Stock Market Bullish
One after the other, bull riders were dispatched from a pen of truly fast, tough, and talented large horned animals in round three. The last man out, B.J. Schumacher of Wisconsin breeding was the only rider to make the 8-seconds. He was already the leading money winner in his event at the WNFR and not only pocketed $16,000 go-round cash for first place, B.J. also gathered second through sixth place dollars totaling another $35,000. The latter doesn’t count toward the world standings but sure would make a nice down payment on a house.
Walking Wounded
Sonny Murphy is in a neck brace and will face months of recovery time. There is a crack in a neck vertebrae and the Utah bull rider told us doctors in Las Vegas say he will not have any opportunity to recover to the point of riding again until at least mid-2007.
The man who arrived at the finals nearly $30,000 ahead of the nearest competitor won’t be back in the arena this year. Friday night, Texas bull rider Matt Austin suffered severe stomach injuries. He had torn some muscles there a month ago and while he made one successful 8-second trip at the finals, the second sent him to the ground early. “The first jump I felt something else tear. It tore the right side of my stomach to pieces,” Austin remarked while supporting himself on crutches and a forced smile. “I’m just going to stay here and root everybody else on,” Matt said. Austin won his first world title last year and set a PRCA record for season earnings.
Star Studded Saturday
Heavy hitters in sports and politics were on hand for Saturday’s event. Former Vice President Dan Quayle and his wife attended. NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway brought his son Jack to the rodeo. Raghib “Rocket” Ismail – one of the top kick return men in Notre Dame Football history and a professional player with Carolina and the Raiders – saw his first rodeo in person. “Watching it on TV doesn’t do it justice,” Ismail assessed. “Bareback riders. In that eight seconds that they were getting the life beat out of them that literally was like two full football games in the NFL with all the violent collisions.”
Saturday, December 2, 2006
ROUND #2
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 2, 2006
Pause on ‘Q'
Prior to last night’s bull riding section Bill Larsen told Bobby Welsh: “Let’s get a first place buckle.” Larsen and his wife Dona run the Triple V Rodeo Company of Casper and their bull Q was drawn by Welsh who lives in Gillette. Had Q not taken a pause by stumbling to his knees Bobby might have won the round. Somehow Welsh kept aligned and the rest of the ride was classic. “That sucker really bucked,” said Welsh. He was pleased with his performance too and on most nights there would have been a payday for the 89 score. Not in Round 2. “I talked with a few stock contractors after it was over and they said they’d never seen a section like that,” said Bobbie with a confident smile. Every ride was an edge of your seat gas to watch whether a no score or a 94.5. That’s right there was a 94.5, 93.5, 92.5 and so on. You had to ride 89.5 to get paid. Bobby was just under but he has ridden two and is second in the average which is where it counts. Hold your seat Bobby. Wyoming is with you and wants to root you on to ten in a row.
Everbody Antes Up
Bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills has already been on four horses and we’ve only had two rounds of rodeo. Think of the punishment his very strong arm and body has had to endure after riding his drawn animal and then taking a re-ride horse out each time. It’s beginning to show on his hat but the rest of Kelly is fine and raring to head to Round 3. His second outing last night was on Sankey Rodeo Company’s ‘Ladies Man’ and it worked for a 77.5 and a Timberman payoff of $3,300. The fourth ride represented Kelly’s first money in the pocket from the WNFR. Brandie Halls, barrel racer-Carpenter WY, also ran to the pay window last night. She collected about $2,600 for a sixth-place finish. Now all Wyoming contestants are off the dime and looking to return for many more checks.
Reach For The Sky
Commotion, Sky Reach and Holy Roller. Their names say it all. The horses out for Round 2 are also known as “eliminators.” If you ride them for the eight seconds, that is about all you could ask. Most in the bareback competition succeeded in staying on last night including Andy Martinez, Pavillion, WY. “I’m glad that round is over,” said Andy. He held onto Sky Reach for a 74. No money but satisfaction. “Eliminators are really strong. They jump away and drop - very hard to put a spur on. There’s no real consistency either. They are put in this pen at the WNFR because they’ve been bucking people off all year long,” Martinez added.
Stock contractors gather animals for each night of the WNFR by not only how they buck but how they look. The “pretty” ones come out in Rounds 5 and 10. Those are the “TV” rounds named for the early days of the national finals when only those two rounds were broadcast on television.
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 2, 2006
Pause on ‘Q'
Prior to last night’s bull riding section Bill Larsen told Bobby Welsh: “Let’s get a first place buckle.” Larsen and his wife Dona run the Triple V Rodeo Company of Casper and their bull Q was drawn by Welsh who lives in Gillette. Had Q not taken a pause by stumbling to his knees Bobby might have won the round. Somehow Welsh kept aligned and the rest of the ride was classic. “That sucker really bucked,” said Welsh. He was pleased with his performance too and on most nights there would have been a payday for the 89 score. Not in Round 2. “I talked with a few stock contractors after it was over and they said they’d never seen a section like that,” said Bobbie with a confident smile. Every ride was an edge of your seat gas to watch whether a no score or a 94.5. That’s right there was a 94.5, 93.5, 92.5 and so on. You had to ride 89.5 to get paid. Bobby was just under but he has ridden two and is second in the average which is where it counts. Hold your seat Bobby. Wyoming is with you and wants to root you on to ten in a row.
Everbody Antes Up
Bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills has already been on four horses and we’ve only had two rounds of rodeo. Think of the punishment his very strong arm and body has had to endure after riding his drawn animal and then taking a re-ride horse out each time. It’s beginning to show on his hat but the rest of Kelly is fine and raring to head to Round 3. His second outing last night was on Sankey Rodeo Company’s ‘Ladies Man’ and it worked for a 77.5 and a Timberman payoff of $3,300. The fourth ride represented Kelly’s first money in the pocket from the WNFR. Brandie Halls, barrel racer-Carpenter WY, also ran to the pay window last night. She collected about $2,600 for a sixth-place finish. Now all Wyoming contestants are off the dime and looking to return for many more checks.
Reach For The Sky
Commotion, Sky Reach and Holy Roller. Their names say it all. The horses out for Round 2 are also known as “eliminators.” If you ride them for the eight seconds, that is about all you could ask. Most in the bareback competition succeeded in staying on last night including Andy Martinez, Pavillion, WY. “I’m glad that round is over,” said Andy. He held onto Sky Reach for a 74. No money but satisfaction. “Eliminators are really strong. They jump away and drop - very hard to put a spur on. There’s no real consistency either. They are put in this pen at the WNFR because they’ve been bucking people off all year long,” Martinez added.
Stock contractors gather animals for each night of the WNFR by not only how they buck but how they look. The “pretty” ones come out in Rounds 5 and 10. Those are the “TV” rounds named for the early days of the national finals when only those two rounds were broadcast on television.
Friday, December 1, 2006
ROUND #1
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 1, 2006
Wyoming Cashes In
He had a whole state behind him and did not let Wyoming down. A go-round buckle winner for the first time at the national finals, Casper’s Jhett Johnson led a cadre of Wyoming contestants that carried away a truckload of cash last night to open pro rodeo’s biggest show. Jhett and partner Travis Tryan won the first night of team roping for a payoff of $16,000 with a time of 4.3 seconds. That’s the same time taken by Jason Miller of Lance Creek to throw his steer, wrestling a fifth-place tie and some $2,200 in winnings. Bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette topped the hard bucker he rode to a tenth round win last year holding a steady seat again to win more than $12,000 in the first WNFR outing in 2006. A check for $9,500 came into the capable hands of bareback rider Andy Martinez of Pavillion. A great start for the cowboy state. Nine rounds remain.
Johnson is one happy big fellow. “Anytime you can get a buckle of any kind at the NFR it is a very prestigious moment in your career. It feels great and really boosts our confidence,” Johnson said.
Don’t Ride By
Jason Miller started getting some size to him and knew he was going to be too big to compete in any rodeo event other than steer wrestling. A born bulldogger. The first time he jumped, it was after riding in the truck with his older brother from Wyoming to South Dakota to go to a training school. “Don’t ride by. Don’t ride by,” said older bro. Jason jumped in time but he missed the steer. That could have been it. Some do quit when they don’t succeed at something right from the start. Miller isn’t built that way. He was close to getting here to compete at the national finals more than he wants to think about. “I got sick and tired of sitting home in December watching this dang thing.” During 13 years of work as a pro, Miller finished the regular rodeo season in...20th…17th...16th. Finally, this year #9 – well ahead of that 15-spot he needed to make it to Vegas. Miller won money on his first WNFR run. He did not ride by. “The horse worked well. I felt like I got a good start and I’m ready to do it again a little faster tomorrow,” he said.
Not On Television
Brandie Halls is living at a horse park for the next ten days. When she found out the barrel racers who qualified for the national finals were being offered Hooters as host hotel in Vegas she opted out and gave the room to her vet. “We’ll stay in the trailer. It’s more our style,” she said.
The WNFR opened with a scary moment by a dramatic fall of one of the Percheron horses hitched to main sponsor Wrangler’s wagon. Extraordinarily quick and expert work by Jason Goodman and company brought the animal up safely. He left the arena on all fours and head held high.
One of the great traditional country music singers of the last twenty years opened the show following Trick Pony’s rendition of our national anthem. Randy Travis deftly pleased the crowd with his hit “Forever and Ever Amen.”
It will be Wyoming vs. Wyoming tonight at the WNFR come the final event when Gillette’s Bobby Welsh is matched with a bull brought in by Dona Vold Larsen and husband Bill’s Triple V Rodeo Company of Casper.
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
December 1, 2006
Wyoming Cashes In
He had a whole state behind him and did not let Wyoming down. A go-round buckle winner for the first time at the national finals, Casper’s Jhett Johnson led a cadre of Wyoming contestants that carried away a truckload of cash last night to open pro rodeo’s biggest show. Jhett and partner Travis Tryan won the first night of team roping for a payoff of $16,000 with a time of 4.3 seconds. That’s the same time taken by Jason Miller of Lance Creek to throw his steer, wrestling a fifth-place tie and some $2,200 in winnings. Bull rider Bobby Welsh of Gillette topped the hard bucker he rode to a tenth round win last year holding a steady seat again to win more than $12,000 in the first WNFR outing in 2006. A check for $9,500 came into the capable hands of bareback rider Andy Martinez of Pavillion. A great start for the cowboy state. Nine rounds remain.
Johnson is one happy big fellow. “Anytime you can get a buckle of any kind at the NFR it is a very prestigious moment in your career. It feels great and really boosts our confidence,” Johnson said.
Don’t Ride By
Jason Miller started getting some size to him and knew he was going to be too big to compete in any rodeo event other than steer wrestling. A born bulldogger. The first time he jumped, it was after riding in the truck with his older brother from Wyoming to South Dakota to go to a training school. “Don’t ride by. Don’t ride by,” said older bro. Jason jumped in time but he missed the steer. That could have been it. Some do quit when they don’t succeed at something right from the start. Miller isn’t built that way. He was close to getting here to compete at the national finals more than he wants to think about. “I got sick and tired of sitting home in December watching this dang thing.” During 13 years of work as a pro, Miller finished the regular rodeo season in...20th…17th...16th. Finally, this year #9 – well ahead of that 15-spot he needed to make it to Vegas. Miller won money on his first WNFR run. He did not ride by. “The horse worked well. I felt like I got a good start and I’m ready to do it again a little faster tomorrow,” he said.
Not On Television
Brandie Halls is living at a horse park for the next ten days. When she found out the barrel racers who qualified for the national finals were being offered Hooters as host hotel in Vegas she opted out and gave the room to her vet. “We’ll stay in the trailer. It’s more our style,” she said.
The WNFR opened with a scary moment by a dramatic fall of one of the Percheron horses hitched to main sponsor Wrangler’s wagon. Extraordinarily quick and expert work by Jason Goodman and company brought the animal up safely. He left the arena on all fours and head held high.
One of the great traditional country music singers of the last twenty years opened the show following Trick Pony’s rendition of our national anthem. Randy Travis deftly pleased the crowd with his hit “Forever and Ever Amen.”
It will be Wyoming vs. Wyoming tonight at the WNFR come the final event when Gillette’s Bobby Welsh is matched with a bull brought in by Dona Vold Larsen and husband Bill’s Triple V Rodeo Company of Casper.
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