Jingle Bells

There is darting through the air and dancing in the dirt for another Cowboy Christmas is here. Pro rodeo celebrates the yuletide season in late June and early July when the large number of events that pay well are condensed into a two-week period anchored by the Fourth of July.

Fireworks came early for a few of Wyoming’s top hands. Clayton Savage of Casper won the bull riding at Evergreen, CO and took co-champ honors in North Platte, NE. the same weekend (June 19-20) to collect another $3,400 toward a quest to make his second NFR.

2004 world champion bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills, WY gathered a nice $5,000 payday by spurring to a score of 88 points to win the 50th annual Daines Ranch Rodeo in Innisfail, Alberta June 20.

Kelly travels with his wife, Charidie, and their movements over the next few days are typical of what the pros must do over the Fourth. Timberman was up in Prescott, Arizona Tuesday and then popped up in Alberta, Canada yesterday. Entries are made at Williams Lake, British Columbia and St. Paul, Oregon before returning to the home-state Cody Stampede, July 3.

The big doings at Cody will conclude Monday, July 5 with the popular Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls event. Pro rodeos finest bull riders – 40 of them – are entered in that one. It’s a really good show and we hope to see you at the Stampede over the Fourth and Xtreme Bulls on the 5th.

Wyoming will have tables set up in front of the Cody arena where we’ll hand out our latest DVDs and other freebies. Several of the pro rodeo cowboys who wear our Team Wyoming moniker will be on hand to sign autographs.

Here’s the Wyoming line-up for Xtreme Bulls in Cody:

First Section – Bobby Welsh Gillette drew Cowboy Cool; Kanin Asay of Powell is on Dopey; and Tyler Willis from Wheatland has a swim scheduled with Josey Whales. Those bulls are all products of stock contractor JS Rodeo.

Second Section – No Wyoming bull riders but this section features reigning champ J.W. Harris, Cody Hancock, Dustin Elliott, Jesse Bail, and Clint Craig among others.

Third Section: Will Farrell of Thermopolis drew Bojangles and Clearmont’s Charlie Gorzalka is on Uh Oh. Both of those bulls belong to Frontier Rodeo.

Section Four – Seth Glause of Rock Springs, who won $1,100 last weekend at a Canadian rodeo, swings for a Home Run. That bull is owned by host stock contractor Mo Betta Rodeo.

Section Five – Clayton Savage of Casper drew Mo Betta bull Otis.

Tickets for the Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls are $20 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 12. Buy online at codystampederodeo.com or by calling 1-800-207-0744.